A Needle in a Pouch
I hadn't done anything, yet a reward message popped up?
Come to think of it, that wasn't entirely true.
Avatar Registration Service: Double the Joy of Working Together!
I had registered Cha Donbaek as a sub-user.
Could the message have popped up because he caught a wanted criminal?
I wanted to call him and check right away, but with a VIP arriving, I had to stay put.
"Look, Commissioner Nam is coming."
Commissioner Nam Hyoseok of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency entered the VIP room.
Everyone in attendance stood up to show respect to their superior.
"Loyalty!"
"At ease, sit down."
Commissioner Nam was extremely polite to Representative Jin Jiman.
"Ah, Representative Jin. I had a meeting, so I'm a bit late. Have you been waiting long?"
Just watching them greet each other gave me a rough idea of their dynamic.
"Not at all. We just arrived ourselves. Shall we start with introductions? This is my wife, and this young lady is my daughter."
"Ah, so you must be Sarang? You're quite the beauty, just like your mother."
"So you're saying Daddy is ugly?"
"Huh?"
Sarang, whom I had rescued, was incredibly blunt.
Jin Jiman's wife stood up, taking her daughter's hand.
"I'm so sorry. She has no manners."
"Oh, not at all. She's just adorable."
"Thank you for understanding. Honey, I'll head out first with Sarang."
"Alright."
"Are you leaving already? It's a shame to say goodbye so soon after meeting."
Sarang's schedule was tighter than most celebrities'.
"It's time for Sarang's lesson. She's really fallen in love with learning golf lately."
"Ah, golf? Sarang, I play a bit of golf myself. Why don't we meet on the green sometime?"
"No! I'm going to play golf with Oppa."
The "Oppa" she referred to was, of course, me.
As if to seal the deal, Sarang grabbed my hand and spoke.
"Oppa, do you know how to swing?"
"Me?"
Look at this little squirt, asking all kinds of things.
"I don't know how."
"Learn. It's easy. I'll teach you."
"Ha, hahaha..."
Dumbfounded, I looked around and laughed, but no one joined in.
Why is everyone listening to a twelve-year-old kid with such deadpan seriousness?!
"Sarang, your teacher is waiting. Let's go. Say goodbye."
"Oppa, eat a lot, and order more if it's not enough, okay? My dad is paying. And make sure you learn golf before next time. Got it?"
"Huh? Oh. Sure."
After securing a rain check only with me, Sarang vanished with her mother.
Representative Jin Jiman made a rather alarming comment.
"It seems Sarang has completely fallen for you, Detective Min."
I appreciate the sentiment, but I'd prefer a more age-appropriate romance.
"I'm just glad she seems to have overcome the trauma in a single day. I was very worried."
"It's all thanks to you, Detective Min. I heard you were the one who figured out she was in the cold storage and administered the initial first aid. You didn't just save Sarang; you saved our entire family."
Representative Jin stood up and bowed at a ninety-degree angle.
I had heard he was a former judge and a heavyweight to whom even the Commissioner General bowed. Was he showing me such deep respect solely because of his daughter?
His humility, so contrary to my expectations, was quite impressive.
"I had help from my colleagues, and I only did what any officer would have done."
"Modest, too."
The shrewd Commissioner Nam of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency took that moment to chime in.
"Actually, our Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency is currently leading the nation in arrest rates this year. And the Violent Crimes Unit of the Seongam Police Station is at the very heart of that success."
"I see. I did think the kidnappers were caught remarkably fast."
The cringeworthy barrage of praise continued.
Chief Lee Chungki, not wanting to be left out, spoke up.
"No matter how well a local station handles an investigation, if the leadership at the top falters, things easily fall out of sync."
Ah, a serenade for the Commissioner.
"The swift resolution of this case was only possible thanks to the rapid support from the 112 control room and the Provincial Agency. I would like to express my gratitude to the Commissioner once again."
The heartwarming display ended there.
"Your food is served."
A lavish spread of delicacies from the five-star hotel filled the table.
Once we had diligently filled our empty stomachs, Representative Jin Jiman finally revealed the real reason he had invited us to dine.
"It's about my younger brother, who was arrested at the gambling den yesterday..."
Jin Jiman explained that he was deeply troubled by how his own brother had ruined himself through gambling and violated the sacred bonds of family.
He was worried that if this leaked to the public, it would severely damage the law firm's reputation.
With over five hundred lawyers on staff and more than two thousand employees including support staff, the livelihoods of many families hung in the balance.
Representative Jin's request was to ensure the brother was punished, but to keep the matter from leaking to the press.
"We will handle the reporters on our end. And this is a small token of my appreciation..."
He slid over an envelope. It wasn't hard to guess what was inside.
"We didn't do this for a reward. Please put that away."
Chief Lee Chungki politely declined, pushing the envelope back.
"I didn't put much in it, lest you feel burdened. Think of it as a contribution to your team's dinner fund."
Representative Jin Jiman pushed the envelope forward once more.
"If this ever causes any trouble, I will personally resolve it, staking the reputation of Gukil Law Firm."
"Chief Lee, it's fine. Take it."
With the Provincial Commissioner giving the green light, the Chief finally relented.
"In that case, we will put it to good use. Thank you."
"And this."
Representative Jin Jiman pulled something else from his inner breast pocket and placed it in front of me.
"Consider this a token for saving my daughter's life. You are now a lifetime VIP client of Gukil."
It was a single, wafer-thin business card.
I had just received a gift far more valuable than any envelope of cash.
It happened when Jin Jiman briefly stepped out to take an urgent call.
Commissioner Nam Hyoseok singled me out.
"It's you, right?"
"Sir?"
"The crazy detective who boasted he'd sweep up every single wanted criminal on the list for the second half of the year by the end of this week."
"Ah, yes..."
Just how far did that rumor spread?
"I thought you were just an attention seeker desperate to stand out, but you're completely different from what I expected."
"I believed it was a golden opportunity to restore the public image of the police, which had been tarnished by the drug cover-up scandal—"
"That's enough. I've already heard that spiel from the Commissioner General until my ears bled."
So the source of the rumor really was the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency.
"Because of you, the high-ranking officers have been put in a tight spot. He kept nagging us, asking why our passion was inversely proportional to our rank, and how we could look ourselves in the mirror while drawing our salaries. Ugh, he nagged us to death."
"...I apologize, sir. It's my fault."
"No, no. I didn't bring this up to get an apology. I heard you're catching criminals left and right, completely ignoring jurisdictional boundaries?"
"Ah, it just turned out that way somehow."
"I'll set the stage for you. How about you show us what you can really do?"
"Sir?"
"Transfer to the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency's Violent Crimes Task Force. You can investigate whatever you want, to your heart's content."
"Thank you for the offer, but..."
"If the Task Force isn't your style, there's always the Investigation Division. If you're willing, I can arrange a spot for you as early as tomorrow. Oh, by the way, Chief Lee. You can spare this fellow for me, right?"
"If he wishes to go, I have no reason to stop him."
Chief Lee Chungki agreed without a moment's hesitation.
He probably thinks this is the perfect chance to get rid of a thorn in his side.
Honestly, it wasn't a bad offer.
In fact, it was the kind of offer I should have bowed down and wept with gratitude for.
But I had a reason to stay at Seongam Police Station.
"Commissioner."
"Yes, go ahead."
"I'm sorry, but I would like to continue working at Seongam."
"Why?"
"With all due respect, I have yet to see a detective with an investigative instinct as sharp as Inspector Na Sangdo's. I want to stay by his side a bit longer to learn his methods."
"Inspector Na Sangdo? You mean this fellow here?"
"Yes, sir."
Caught completely off guard, Team Leader Na stared at me with wide eyes. He silently mouthed, Me? What did I do?
What do you think?
It's just a convenient excuse to turn down the offer.
"Hahaha. Seongam is overflowing with talent. Chief Lee, I'm envious. I'm practically green with envy."
"You flatter me, sir."
"Flattery? Nonsense. They say there are no weak soldiers under a great general. Perhaps it's because of your influence, but everyone here is incredibly reliable. Come, let me pour you a drink."
"Ah, yes, sir."
"Congratulations on having such excellent subordinates."
"Thank you."
Commissioner Nam raised his glass, drank half of it, and then turned to me.
"I'll consider myself rejected this time. If you ever want to swim in bigger waters, call me anytime. You're always welcome."
"Thank you, Commissioner."
Nam Hyoseok downed the remaining half of his drink in one gulp and stood up.
"I had no idea you thought so highly of me."
We were waiting in front of the hotel's main entrance, cars ready, waiting for the higher-ups to come out.
Team Leader Na Sangdo nudged my shoulder, giving me a greasy, knowing look.
"What are you doing? That's creepy."
"Come on, tell me. Since when did you like me so much?"
"What are you even talking about?"
"What is it you want to learn from me?"
"Could you step back? Your breath smells."
"Look at you acting all tsundere. Well, I guess that's just your charm, Detective Min. Should we have a team dinner tonight? We did get that envelope from Representative Jin, after all."
"The Chief was the one who took it."
"He'll hand it over. Surely he wouldn't pocket it all for himself?"
"I quit drinking. And I have plans tonight."
"What plans could you possibly have? Are you going out to catch more wanted criminals after work?"
He can be surprisingly sharp sometimes.
"Mind your own business, will you? What I do after hours is my private life."
"Alright, alright. Touchy, aren't we? Oh, look, the Chief is coming out."
Chief Lee Chungki walked out alone.
"The two of them still have things to discuss, so they told us to head out first. Let's go."
"Yes, sir."
As if we had rehearsed it, Team Leader Na opened the back door for the Chief, and I took the keys and got into the driver's seat.
When it came to protocol, our unit was second to none.
We had been driving along the outer ring road for a while, and the Seongam Police Station building was just coming into view.
The Chief suddenly instructed me to pull over in front of a roadside convenience store.
"Team Leader Na. Go buy me some mouthwash. I have to attend a city hall event right after this, and I haven't had a chance to brush my teeth."
"I'll get it, sir."
I unbuckled my seatbelt and reached for the door handle.
"Detective Min, you stay. Team Leader Na, would you mind?"
It was a clear signal for Na to give us some space.
Team Leader Na wasn't slow on the uptake either.
"I know exactly what you like, Chief. I'll be right back."
Suddenly, it was just the two of us left in the car.
What does he want to say to me?
"Detective Min."
"Yes, Chief."
I turned my head toward the Chief in the backseat.
"Don't turn around. Just listen. You'll hurt your neck."
"...Yes, sir."
"Commissioner Nam compared you to a needle in a pouch."
A needle poking through a pouch.
It meant that no matter how hard a talented person tried to hide, their brilliance would eventually show.
"He flatters..."
"But I don't see it that way."
I thought he was throwing me a bone, but is he freezing me out again?
"You never even tried to put the needle in the pouch, did you?"
"..."
He hit the nail right on the head, leaving me speechless.
Even on my days off, I had hunted criminals like a man possessed.
I couldn't have hidden it even if I wanted to.
The system's missions were simply too difficult to carry out in secret.
"Let me ask you one thing. Did you decline Commissioner Nam's offer just out of politeness because I was sitting right there?"
"No, sir."
"What do you mean, no?"
"Pardon?"
"Do you really expect me to believe you're staying at Seongam because you have so much to learn from Team Leader Na?"
"I think you're underestimating Team Leader Na Sangdo."
"I know Na's promotions have been slow compared to his abilities. He's too honest. Once you reach team leader, you need to know how to line up behind the right people."
"That honesty is exactly what I want to learn from him."
"So, you have no interest in politics either?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then all these stunts you've pulled... were they solely for the realization of a just society?"
Saying "yes" to that felt far too cringeworthy.
True to his background in the Information Division, he dissected my every word with clinical precision. I couldn't answer easily.
What a headache.
This is exactly why I don't like Chief Lee.
"What is it you want to tell me, sir...?"
"It's because of Detective Son Daesan, isn't it?"
"..."
The needle wasn't in my hand; it was in the Chief's.
He had waited for the exact moment my guard was down to strike.
I really can't beat this guy.
"Yes."
"You're giving up a shortcut to success because of your dead mentor?"
"Simply because I was his junior partner, I was completely shut out of the initial investigation. I heard they haven't even identified a suspect after a year, yet they won't even let me look at the case files."
Emotions welled up inside me. I took a moment to catch my breath before continuing.
"Before it becomes a cold case, I want the chance to join the investigation. Please, let me."
"That case has already been transferred to the Special Investigation Division at the National Police Agency."
"What? Is that true?"
"It was handed over just last week, which is why the word hasn't spread yet."
"..."
An active detective killed by gunfire was a highly symbolic case, but I hadn't expected the National Police Agency headquarters to take over the jurisdiction entirely.
"Why are you so obsessed with this case?"
"Because if I don't solve it, it will weigh on me for the rest of my life."
"Are you saying you can't trust the elite Special Investigation Division to handle it?"
"No matter how elite they are, there is no stronger drive than desperation."
The Chief stared at me for a long moment, then shook his head slowly.
"I can't do it today, but stop by my office tomorrow before you head home. I have something to show you."
"...?"
"The only piece of physical evidence recovered from Inspector Son's case. I'll show you the crime scene footage captured on a car's dashcam."
"Thank you, Chief!"
For the first time, I actually liked Chief Lee Chungki.
Just then, I saw Team Leader Na approaching with the mouthwash.
"Oh, and one more thing."
The Chief, who had been about to open the door and step out, closed it and sat back down.
"A needle poking through a pouch. Some will reach out to grab the handle, but others will try to keep their distance, afraid of getting pricked. You understand what I mean, right?"
"Yes, sir. I'll keep that in mind."
"Good. See you tomorrow."
Stepping out of the car, the Chief handed the envelope of cash to Team Leader Na.
"Use this for a team dinner. Don't go bragging about it to the other units."
"Understood, sir."
"I'm heading straight home from city hall. Don't wait up for me, and go home early. Don't drink too much."
"Thank you, sir. See you tomorrow."
Chief Lee Chungki... he's actually a decent guy.