Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: 048. Vampire Detective
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I cut a piece of steak and slipped it into my mouth.
The moment I chewed the perfectly grilled chunk of meat, juices exploded forth. The meat was incredibly tender, and the sauce paired with it so flawlessly that nothing could top it.
"As expected of a 100,000-won steak! It just melts in your mouth."
I'd never been all that into food throughout my life. Sure, I liked tasty stuff, but I'd always gone for quantity over quality. Lately, though, with money no longer an issue, I was chasing both.
"This is seriously delicious!"
I raved as I sliced into the steak.
I glanced at Moon Ji-hyuk. He had a sour look on his face as he cut his steak. For someone on his salary, dropping 100,000 won on a single meal had to sting.
"...Glad you like it."
"So, what's the deal with Detective Moon from the Red Light Task Force coming to see me? You think I'm Red Light or something?"
"Your build does match Red Light's, Sung Yu-jin. But pinning it on you based on that alone would be a stretch."
I flinched inwardly but quickly composed myself.
There were plenty of guys built like me if you looked. Unless we were stripped naked, you couldn't ID someone just by physique in clothes.
"Then what? You have some questions for me?"
"Cayplex. You know it?"
"...Yeah. I drop by now and then."
I answered casually while chewing a piece of steak, racking my brain for why Cayplex had come up. The answer hit me quick.
'Cayplex. Where those gangster bastards worked.'
Moon Ji-hyuk's gaze shifted to my face. I tensed up here. Having seen the original drama, I knew he had a talent for reading people.
One slip in my expression management, and he'd catch on something was off.
"Blood matching yours was found in an alley near there. Care to tell me what happened that day?"
"...I said I'd cooperate, so sure."
I knew Moon Ji-hyuk's personality.
He was tenacious as hell. Once he latched onto something, he'd dig blindly. He struck out sometimes, sure. But that trait paid off now and then.
Above all, he was the drama's protagonist. Armed with that bullshit "instinct" protagonist buff.
If I dodged him for no reason, he'd obsess even more. Better to meet once, shake off his fixation. That was my plan.
Having watched the original drama, I was confident I knew him inside out.
But Moon Ji-hyuk was trickier than I'd bargained for.
"Blood matching yours was found in an alley near there. Care to tell me what happened that day?"
It killed my appetite.
'...Calm down. They can't ID someone from blood alone. If they could, they wouldn't be meeting me like this—they'd arrest me or subpoena me.'
DNA forensics was cutting-edge, but not foolproof. And my blood there didn't prove I was Red Light.
Should I deny it? Nah. He'd probably reached out knowing something already.
"Wasn't anything good. Gangsters jumped me. I ran, bled a bit in the process."
"No signs of you running."
"I'm damn good at running when I need to be."
"Didn't think to report it to the cops?"
"Not big on trusting police. Plus, gang retaliation's no joke."
"...You know Ma Bong-cheon's crew turned up dead?"
"...Heard they vanished, but dead? First I'm hearing it from you, Detective."
Those guys—I'd just grabbed the cash and ditched 'em out of laziness... Should've toughed it out and dumped them in the ocean after all.
'Nah, it's fine. Moon Ji-hyuk doesn't know I'm Red Light.'
I played it cool, running my knife over the steak.
"You're calmer than I expected."
I froze. Mistake. A normal guy wouldn't be this chill.
"Their deaths don't affect me. If anything, good riddance. Nothing good ever came from those bastards."
"I get it. Knife fight in an alley and all. Where'd you get hurt? You look fine now."
"Wrist. Bled a lot, but it wasn't deep. Healed up already."
"Mind if I see the scar?"
I extended my right arm. Sashimi had sliced my forearm back then. But Complete Recovery left no trace.
"Sliced my forearm. See? Good as new."
"...It healed without a single scar?"
"Know a skilled doc. Plus, I've always healed fast since I was a kid."
"If you don't mind, can I touch it?"
A normal guy would've shot him down, pissed at some dude grabbing his arm.
But I caught his intent. Checking the wound—and my body temp. To confirm vampire or human.
'Pale skin? Makeup covers it. Fangs? Keep lips tight, no issue. Body temp's the giveaway. That's what he's after.'
I nodded easily.
"Go ahead."
He touched my arm a few times, then let go.
"Thanks."
"No biggie. Your hands are ice-cold, though, Detective."
"...I have poor circulation."
"Ah, gotcha."
I polished off the last steak bite and picked up my wine glass.
"That all the questions?"
"No, a few more. You a college student?"
"Nah, unemployed. Just rolling around doing nothing."
"Heard of the nickname 'Dick Sung'?"
"That's me."
Of course I knew. Hell, I kinda liked it.
Dick Sung! Sung Yu-jin's dick! The holy dick!
It was praise for me.
"Word is you hit Gangnam rooms almost daily."
"Rooms are the best. So much fun. Wanna hit one with me sometime, Detective? You'll love it."
"Pass. Rooms ain't cheap, though. Where's the money from? Mind if I ask about your parents?"
He was sniffing around my cash source. Fair enough. Even I'd wonder about some young punk blowing stacks in rooms daily.
"Parents? They're down in Gangwon, Pyeongchang."
My real parents' story. No clue on Sung Yu-jin's folks—never cared to look.
"They run a business?"
"Nah, just a salon together. Room money ain't allowance from them."
"Then what? Lotto win?"
"Never bought a ticket... Maybe I should now."
I answered his questions meekly at first, then irritation bubbled up.
Sure, I was Red Light and hiding it. But did I need to grovel like this? Did he have to steer the convo?
What could a punk like Moon Ji-hyuk do to me?
"So, bottom line, you're suspicious of my money... That it?"
"...Yeah. Doesn't add up for you to have that much legitimately."
"Fine, not all clean cash, I'll admit. But get this: some of what I'm spending was yours, Detective."
"...What?"
"Taker."
Moon Ji-hyuk's eyes widened. He stared in disbelief, mouth opening and closing.
"N-no way... You?!"
Informal speech slipped out. Whatever.
"Yeah. I'm Taker, Detective Moon."
Because I could go informal too.
"No way... You're really Taker? But you're too... "
"Too young? Tough luck. I am Taker. Korea's top genius hacker. That's me."
I grinned, downing my wine. The sweet vintage slid over my tongue.
"Sold you vampire intel recently too. Still don't believe me?"
"..."
"Need the messenger app to prove it?"
I pulled out my smartphone, showing the Taker-made messenger.
Moon Ji-hyuk regained his cool fast. His gaze sharpened.
"Taker. Straight up: what's your link to Red Light?"
"None."
"Red Light's moves suggest hacking skills—or a hacker helping him."
"Sure, I looked into Red Light. Guy's famous. But a hacker jacking a bus? Impossible. Not me, not any hacker."
"...Really no connection?"
"Told you, no. If there was, would I be out partying openly?"
"..."
He crossed his arms, staring at his empty steak plate. Deep in thought.
Probably mulling me over.
Just saying no link to Red Light wouldn't fully dispel his doubts. He wouldn't buy it wholesale.
'He's torn on what to do with me.'
Can't hold me, but too suspicious to let slide. And I'm Taker—genius hacker, his ally for now, but ultimately a criminal.
'I control Moon Ji-hyuk. Anyone else, maybe not. But me? Easy.'
I had original drama knowledge. His personality down pat. Plot diverged some, but core events stuck.
I cut into his thoughts before they deepened.
"Turned vampire, huh?"
"...You noticed from the arm touch."
"Won't blab. You're one of my clients."
"I'll trust you to keep quiet. Taker."
"Don't sweat it. You know my secret too. We're even."
Easiest way to handle Moon Ji-hyuk?
What moves a detective but a case?
"Steak hit the spot. Info as thanks for the free meal?"
"Info?"
He perked up. He knew my intel was gold.
"Rumors of a bombing in Korea."
"Bombing?!"
He shot up. Good thing we were in a private room restaurant.
"Just rumors. But credible ones."
"...Source?"
"Broker. Heard it from an arms dealer. Odds are high, though. Some ex-special forces vet with a grudge against Korea's pulling it off."
Not a lie. This episode existed—soon, a Dawn Group skyscraper would get bombed.
"Who’s the vet?"
"No clue. Just the rumor. Didn't dig."
"No interest? A bombing in Korea! Aren't you Korean?!"
"Cool it. You know guys like me are a dime a dozen. I'm telling you 'cause it's me. Anyone else? Nah."
He clamped his mouth, sinking back into his chair.
"Can you ID the vet?"
"Tough. I'm not omnipotent."
"When? Where?"
"How should I know? I get it, you want details, but think rationally. It's just a rumor I heard."
"..."
He pondered. Red Light and Taker probably backseat now.
Deep down, he was a good guy. Couldn't ignore dozens—maybe thousands—of lives.
"Taker. I need your help."
"Busy. And risky stuff? Not my vibe. I trade info, live easy. Why not tip off your bosses?"
"They move on a rumor alone?"
"...Nah."
Bomb threat—mere rumor. Brass wouldn't bite.
"But you're buying it? It's just talk."
"If it was bullshit, you wouldn't tell me."
"...You trust me?"
"Your info's never been wrong. And you believe it'll happen too, right?"
"Whoa, flattered. But nah, I'm out. Crazy to dive into that mess."
"Help, or I'll arrest you."
I chuckled.
"Vampire, remember? I'll expose you."
"..."
We glared. He wasn't backing down.
"Taker. Just this once. I need your skills."
He stood, bowing low at 90 degrees. Looked ready to kneel. Classic Moon Ji-hyuk.
"...Ten million won. Special rate, one-time deal."
"...Thanks."
"I'll poke around separately. But I got limits. You dig on ex-military too. Other sources exist."
"Will do. Got military contacts. And for a bombing... there'd be motive."
I swallowed the line about motives being meh.
"Red Light Task Force, right? Got time?"
"Plenty."
"Let's brainstorm then."
I pretended to plan with him while activating Hacking.
I was dying to know who these Red Light Task Force pricks chasing me were.
Scanning his contacts, messenger, message logs—I grinned.
'Hasn't hooked up with the heroine yet. Chats say it's imminent. Fuck. Getting horny. Gotta bang her.'
She wasn't my type, but too good to pass up.
Since I'm in the drama, might as well hit the heroine too.
'Kuhuhu.'