Magic Mirror Interrogation
A magic mirror was attached to the wall of the interrogation room. It looked like an ordinary mirror, but from inside, you couldn't see out, while from outside, you could see right in. And beyond that mirror lay a hidden observation room.
"No matter how much we interrogate him, it's pointless."
One cop grumbled while sipping his mixed coffee. The others reacted the same way.
"Even we, who are pros at catching criminals, failed. How do they expect to get anything out of him...?"
The cops shook their heads. They didn't think Nam Gyuil could succeed where they had failed. In a way, it made sense. The police were veterans with dozens of interrogations under their belts, but this was Nam Gyuil's first time, wasn't it? And he was a National Hunter to boot. His job was slaying monsters, not grilling suspects—they figured he was worse at it than they were.
The police didn't expect much from Nam Gyuil. At most, they hoped he'd assist with undercover work if needed. They wanted him as their hands and feet, not taking the lead in the investigation. They were displeased with his assertiveness.
At that moment, Lee Chanu raised his voice in a burst.
"How awesome is our Gyuil hyung?! Just watch—he's gonna put on an amazing show!!"
He bristled at the disrespect toward his team leader, Nam Gyuil. Hong Shinu nodded firmly.
"That's right. You all say that because you don't know how wise Sergeant Nam Gyuil is."
Her eyes shone with respect and unwavering faith in Nam Gyuil. Han Kangsu glared at the cops.
"We're not doubting his ability. Just trust him and let him handle it."
Hwang Ilsu chimed in too.
"Hyung doesn't act without a plan, so no need to worry. He stepped up to help after your support request, so please give him some grace."
Hwang Ilsu's words were gentle but laced with steel—implying it was hardly fair to talk smack when they'd called in 01 Team for help. The cops cleared their throats awkwardly. A few pouted, but most stared at the ceiling to hide their embarrassment. They hadn't solved the case themselves and needed 01 Team's aid; pride had no place here.
Jo Heeyoung crossed her arms and stared into the interrogation room.
"Let's just watch. See how great this supposed top brain of 01 Team really is."
All eyes turned to the interrogation room.
Nam Gyuil eyed Im Yeongsu while leaning back leisurely in his chair. Im Yeongsu snorted derisively. He had no intention of cooperating. Irritation creased every wrinkle on his face.
Nam Gyuil spoke first.
"No need for a staring contest. Let's keep it relaxed."
"......"
"No answer?"
Im Yeongsu scowled at the floor. Nam Gyuil watched him silently. Then a sudden curiosity struck. How did this guy end up joining a criminal outfit like the Freedomists?How did his life go so wrong?
Nam Gyuil broke the silence.
"How'd you end up deserting and joining the Freedomists?"
"......"
"Deserting, sure. Gates are scary and dangerous... I was scared too, my first times going in."
Im Yeongsu, who had been staring at the floor, flinched and looked up at Nam Gyuil. A cop watching through the magic mirror muttered,
"Building rapport."
It was a psychological technique to foster closeness with the subject, often starting with shared empathy. Nam Gyuil didn't know the term, but as a fellow National Hunter, he vaguely sensed Im Yeongsu's mindset. Im Yeongsu stayed silent, but the hostility and wariness had noticeably softened.
"I'm Nam Gyuil, team leader of 01 Team. What's your name?"
"Im Yeongsu."
"What unit were you with?"
"Gate 11 Team."
"Ah... That's where Team Leader Han Taehoon..."
"Yeah, he died last month."
"He was a kind, good man. Such a shame."
Nam Gyuil paused. National Hunters had only a 37% chance of discharging unscathed. Casualties were inevitable. With a stiff expression, he murmured,
"I heard Team Leader Han Taehoon had six months left till discharge. I never imagined he'd meet his end to a monster in a gate."
Im Yeongsu clenched his fist at those words. Then he slammed the table.
Bang!!
It was an intensely emotional reaction. Raising his voice, he vented his pent-up resentment.
"How can they force us into gates we don't even want to enter, just because we're Awakeners?! Everyone knows what happens in there!"
"......"
This time, Nam Gyuil fell silent. Im Yeongsu pounded the table repeatedly.
"Damn it, we're the ones constantly risking death on the front lines—and forced to! That constant terror of not knowing when or how we'll die... No one else gets it."
Im Yeongsu huffed. He hadn't wanted to enlist in the Hunter Agency, but public authority had dragged him in. It felt so unfair. Seeing comrades die or get maimed filled him with dread. He just wanted to live. That's why he'd deserted.
Nam Gyuil understood that sentiment to some degree. He'd once feared gates enough to make safe discharge his goal. But.
"I get deserting out of fear of death, but attempted contract killing? That's a different story, and you know it."
Nam Gyuil struck at the core. Im Yeongsu flinched and bowed his head.
"Once I deserted, I was a criminal with no way to make money..."
"Doesn't mean I can excuse you joining in on crimes. Your actions clearly harmed others—irreparably."
Im Yeongsu hung his head low. No sob story justified crime. Squeezing out his words, he said,
"What was I supposed to do? Forced into the Hunter Agency I hated, facing death daily. Deserted, and no way to earn. Gotta have money to survive."
"Then hide your identity and get a normal job. You know that's no excuse."
"......"
"What about your parents? What'd they say?"
"Pay for my crimes and start fresh..."
Im Yeongsu pressed his forehead to the table and clutched the back of his head. Nam Gyuil let out a long sigh. The guy seemed to be opening up a bit, so he didn't press further. Instead, he tossed out a question.
"Tell me everything you know. Gotta start fresh, right?"
"I already did."
"What?"
"Told the detectives everything I know. They just don't believe me."
"That story about suddenly teleporting to another space after joining the Freedomists?"
Im Yeongsu nodded. That was it—no more to add. He'd told the police everything without holding back. At first, the detectives believed him, suspecting an item-related incident and investigating hard. But when no similar cases turned up domestically or abroad, they dismissed it as lies.
Nam Gyuil rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a pen and paper.
"You mentioned the broker wore a ring. Draw what it looked like."
"I already drew it for the police and submitted it."
"Just draw it anyway."
Prodded by Nam Gyuil, Im Yeongsu grumbled but started sketching the ring. The detectives watching through the magic mirror shook their heads. They'd already noted the broker's ring and investigated its origin, but hit a dead end.
Scribble scribble.
Im Yeongsu finished drawing the ring's shape on the paper.
"Done."
Nam Gyuil examined the sketch. A ring with an oversized gem embedded in it. As expected. It was a Space Diamond. Others might not recognize it, but Nam Gyuil, who had read about it in the Akashic Records, knew instantly.
An item that allows teleportation. Probably the first one discovered on Earth.
Nam Gyuil crossed his arms.
Space Diamond. Teleportation seems cheat-like at first glance.
But it had clear drawbacks.
Can't use if monsters are within 500 meters. Useless in gates.
There was one more restriction.
Space Diamonds only teleport to locations with another matching Space Diamond.
So, there wasn't just one. There were three in total.
Meaning the Freedomists' leaders number three, not one.
Nam Gyuil grasped that in an instant. The broker was likely one of them.
He used the Space Diamond to move members to the hideout to avoid exposing its location.
And the leaders kept Space Diamond details secret from the rank-and-file. Nam Gyuil questioned Im Yeongsu.
"When teleporting, were smartphones or other devices turned off?"
"I'm a deserter. No using anything that could be tracked."
Nam Gyuil nodded. With all members being deserters avoiding electronics, pinpointing the hideout would be tough.
But no comms network at all? How do they secure clients?
Criminal ops needed client contacts.
Wait... no way?!
Nam Gyuil's eyes widened.
Non-deserters mixed in with the Freedomists? They handle clients, relay info and orders via Space Diamond? Or even supply burner phones.
The puzzle pieces on the Freedomists were falling into place. Not just a ragtag deserter gang— a larger criminal syndicate backed them.
This is getting complicated.
Nam Gyuil dropped a crucial question on Im Yeongsu.
"Besides the broker, did anyone else wear this ring?"
"Yeah. Saw one other."
"Not two?"
"No. Just one I saw. Looked like a warehouse keeper."
Three Space Diamonds total. If Im Yeongsu was truthful, the third was secret even from most members. Nam Gyuil pressed on.
"What'd the broker look like?"
"Hat, mask, sunglasses—couldn't see his face. Keeps his name hidden too."
"How'd you meet him?"
"Approaches deserters, asks if they want to join Freedomists. I ran into him wandering Incheon port."
"Got it."
Nam Gyuil had gotten all he needed and left the interrogation room. He laid out his thoughts plainly to the police and Jo Heeyoung.
"This case seems tied to a new type of item."
"A new item?!"
Jo Heeyoung listened intently, puzzled. Nam Gyuil explained.
"They used a space-teleporting item to move to the hideout without even their own members knowing. To hide their movement patterns, no doubt."
"But how are you sure it's an item? We investigated—no such thing exists. Not here, not abroad."
"Look at this."
Nam Gyuil showed Im Yeongsu's drawing of the ring.
"Did you trace where this ring was bought?"
A cop replied,
"We did, but no leads. Not among any brand products either."
Nam Gyuil laid out his deduction.
"What if it came from a gate? That'd explain why no purchase trail."
The cops fell silent. If true, it fit perfectly. It even explained why Korea's advanced forensics couldn't trace it. But if so, the problem ballooned. Freedomist leaders could teleport away easily—practically impossible to catch.
As the cops' faces darkened, Nam Gyuil continued the interrupted thread.
"There might be another criminal group backing the Freedomists."
"We suspected that too."
The police had anticipated it. Deserters couldn't scale to this without outside help.
Nam Gyuil smirked.
"Then what's left is the investigation."
"Investigation?"
A cop raised an eyebrow. Nam Gyuil repeated,
"Yeah. A sting operation."