The Best Place for Him
The suspect had been hiding in the secret underground storage room.
To everyone’s surprise, the victim’s youngest son came up without a fight.
"I’m placing you under emergency arrest as the prime suspect in the murder of Cho Deok-chil. You have the right to counsel, and you may request a judicial review of your detention. If you want to make excuses, do it at the station."
Clack.
Silver handcuffs closed around the man’s wrists.
He didn’t even seem to have the will to resist in the first place.
It made sense. He had spent a long time crouched in a cramped space where the air wasn’t exactly rich with oxygen, keeping himself tense the entire time.
Woo—wooo! Woo—wooo!
Before long, the forensic team came surging into the scene.
This was the moment a case that had first looked like a simple suicide turned into a violent crime investigation.
The suspect, head hanging low, was led away by the detectives and put into a van.
The victim’s daughter, the one who had made the initial report, charged at him like a woman out of her mind.
"Kyung-seok! Kyung-seok, no—it wasn’t you, was it!? It wasn’t you, right?"
Even through her desperate plea, the suspect said nothing.
"Say something! It wasn’t you! There’s no way you could have done that to Father. Right!?"
He kept silent to the very end and climbed into the van under his own power.
In the end, the woman, utterly broken, stared into the distance.
Her eyes were hollow, as if she had no tears left to shed.
Watching the scene with a troubled expression, Han Byung-woo shook his head.
"Why the hell do people do this?"
At his subordinate’s question, Han Byung-woo gave a bitter smile.
"Nine times out of ten, it’s money."
"No matter how good money is, murdering the parents who gave birth to you and raised you... I just don’t get it."
"You think I do? I’ve been a detective for seventeen years, and I still can’t get used to scum like that."
"So he must’ve planned to kill his father from the moment they built this house, right? Otherwise, why go to the trouble of making a hidden space like that?"
"That’s the most likely explanation."
"I thought he must’ve been some devoted son, since I heard he helped build the house and everything... but."
"Turns out he didn’t even spend his own money on it. He built it with his father’s money."
"Ah, I see."
"Want to hear my theory? The suspect probably skimmed a fortune while the house was being built. Jacked up the material costs, inflated the labor costs like crazy. The victim probably found out too late and went ballistic."
"He must’ve felt pretty betrayed. He trusted his son, let him handle everything, and never imagined he’d be getting conned."
"And then something must’ve happened that really struck a nerve. That youngest son probably nursed a deep grudge after that."
"What kind of thing would make him kill his own father?"
"Inheritance, probably. Something like, 'I won’t leave you a single won to inherit.'"
"Ah..."
The detective nodded with a sour expression.
"But why didn’t he just run after the murder? Was there really any reason to hide in the basement?"
"Could’ve been because of an alibi. Or he might’ve gone back in because he forgot something, then heard the cops and panicked into hiding. We’ll have to drag every last detail out of him in the interrogation room."
Then, as if something had just occurred to him, Han Byung-woo’s head snapped around.
"More importantly, where the hell is that bastard?"
While the forensic team hurried back and forth, Song Tan approached from afar.
"Hey! What took you so long?"
"The family member fainted, so I put them in an ambulance and sent them off."
"Oh? Nice work."
Han Byung-woo rubbed his nose awkwardly.
"But are you really a probationary cop?"
"Pardon?"
"You caught a murderer. One hiding at the scene, no less. That’s a huge deal. So why are you so calm? You ought to be bouncing off the walls."
"The detectives caught him..."
"We just rode your coattails. If it hadn’t been for you, we’d have been in deep shit, you know that?"
The partner detective nodded in agreement.
"Who could have imagined it? That the culprit was hiding underground."
The detective, after a quick glance around, abruptly held out his hand to Song Tan.
"I’m Kim Jin-hyeon from Violent Crimes Team 1. I’ll apologize for being a little sharp with you earlier."
"No need. You had every right to be."
Song Tan took his hand and replied as if it were nothing.
"So how’d you know? That there was some space hidden under the kitchen floor?"
"As I was walking around, the footsteps in that one spot sounded a little different."
"You could tell that?"
Kim Jin-hyeon muttered, dumbfounded.
Han Byung-woo couldn’t help asking too.
"And how did you know the bastard was hiding there?"
"When I put my ear to it, I could hear the faint sound of someone breathing. I also heard a rustling sound, like he was getting restless."
Han Byung-woo and Kim Jin-hyeon looked at each other.
Even if Song Tan made it sound casual, they both knew exactly how impossible that sounded.
"I heard Intelligence wanted to snatch you up, so I figured you were just some kid with a sharp head. But your eye for detail is no joke."
Even Han Byung-woo, who was stingy with praise, couldn’t help being impressed.
He had never seen a probationary patrol officer like this in all his years on the job.
"How old are you, anyway?"
"Twenty-three."
"Twen... ty-three!?"
More than anything else, what was astonishing was how calm and composed he remained.
Even after realizing the culprit was hidden at the scene, his response had been startlingly measured.
That wasn’t the kind of thing you learned from books; it came from experience, which made it all the harder to understand.
"Anyway, nice work. You’re no ordinary kid."
"I agree, Team Leader. When I first heard the probationary officer was getting a special promotion, I thought it was a bit much... but this is something else."
"I’ll make sure to report your contribution properly, so don’t worry too much."
"I’m not worried about that. More importantly, may I ask you something?"
"Ask me? What is it?"
"When my probationary period ends, I’d like to join Violent Crimes. Is there any way to make that happen?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Han Byung-woo grabbed Song Tan by the shoulder.
The speed was almost like lightning.
"I thought you were going to Intelligence?"
"No, sir."
"But that’s what they’ve been saying over there."
"That’s bad information. I already made my position clear to Team Leader Moon as well. I want Violent Crimes."
At that unwavering, unhesitating tone, Han Byung-woo’s pupils trembled.
"It hurts to say this out loud, but... this is honestly not a place we’d normally tell a kid like you to come to. We see blood and get stabbed by knives all the time. Think you can handle that?"
"I know exactly what I’m getting into. I’m prepared for it. This isn’t some mindless display of bravado. I joined the police in the first place because I wanted to become a Violent Crimes detective. That hasn’t changed."
"Why Violent Crimes, of all things? Out of all the police work in the world."
"Because..."
Song Tan thought for a moment, then smiled faintly as he answered.
"I think it’s where I’d do the best."
Han Byung-woo stared at him blankly for a second.
Then—
"Puhahahaha!"
He burst out laughing.
"Damn, that’s one hell of an answer. 'I think it’s where I’d do the best,' huh? Jin-hyeon, what do you think?"
"To be a Violent Crimes detective, you need that kind of guts. He looks thin as a rail, but I like his mindset. Of course, once he actually comes in, he’ll realize pretty fast it’s not quite what he imagined."
The two men’s faces were filled with fond amusement.
They seemed to think some green rookie who knew nothing was just showing off to make a good impression.
But Song Tan was being completely sincere.
The reason people said Violent Crimes detectives weren’t fit for human life was obvious.
The first reason was the sheer weight of the cases they handled.
Violent Crimes usually dealt with aggravated assault, murder, arson, kidnapping, and illegal confinement.
The cases were often brutal, and bodies were frequently mutilated, so psychological trauma was unavoidable.
But for someone who had spent a past life handling every kind of filthy work in the shadows?
It wasn’t even a hurdle.
The second reason was the miserable work-life balance—if you could even call it that.
When a case broke, you had to run the moment it happened, and stakeouts were practically a daily meal.
But compared to the shadow agents of the Murim Alliance?
At least you get to go home.
Compared to a Murim Alliance informant who might have to hide away for years, or even decades, until the information he needed was finally gathered, this was practically paradise.
In the end, the place where Song Tan’s abilities could bloom most fully was, ironically, the one everyone else avoided: Violent Crimes.
"Still, that’s good to hear. So what you’re saying is... you want us to pull you over to our side? Skip Intelligence entirely?"
"Yes, sir. I’d appreciate it."
"Heh. If Moon Dong-cheol hears about this, it’s going to make his head spin."
A sly grin spread across Han Byung-woo’s mouth.
It vanished almost immediately, but for a moment it had been there.
"I understand what you want. I’ll talk it over with the superintendent, so just wait."
"Yes, understood. Then I’ll be taking my leave."
"All right. Good work. I’ll be in touch."
After Song Tan disappeared, Kim Jin-hyeon voiced his concern.
"Will that be okay? It looks like the Investigations chief already marked him as his own... Isn’t that why he’s getting the special promotion?"
"What does that matter? He earned that with his work. Choosing which department he wants to go to is a separate issue. This isn’t the Joseon Dynasty, for God’s sake."
"You seem pretty happy."
"You saw him yourself. That kid is the real deal. We have to shove him into our team no matter what."
"Will that be all right? The chief of investigations already keeps a close eye on the chief of detectives."
"We’ll make it happen. Even if I have to throw myself down in front of the superintendent and refuse to budge."
Han Byung-woo’s eyes flashed with ironclad resolve.
Annam’s Macheon police precinct stirred once again.
They had gone out on a report, found a body, and then—on top of that—played a decisive role in catching the culprit who had been hiding at the scene. It would have been stranger if the place hadn’t been buzzing.
Word was already going around that the incident was being selected as an “excellent example of initial response” and that a commendation was even under consideration.
Because of that, the precinct chief’s upturned mouth hadn’t had a chance to come down in days.
"Well, well, aren’t you two little money trees?"
The precinct chief gazed at Yoo Gyeong-ho and Song Tan with eyes practically dripping sweetness.
"Chief, I really didn’t do much..."
"Gyeong-ho, I’m seeing you in a new light."
"Pardon?"
"You handled every initial-response order yourself, and you even told Song Tan to take a close look around the kitchen area, right? I thought you were just a lazy bum, but I’ve changed my mind."
Yoo Gyeong-ho turned his head and stared at Song Tan.
Song Tan merely smiled with his eyes.
"Anyway, I’ll make sure this one gets reflected in your evaluation. I’ll push for a commendation leave too."
"Ahem, thank... you."
As soon as Yoo Gyeong-ho left the precinct chief’s office with a sullen expression, he dragged Song Tan straight to the smoking room.
"Why’d you do that?"
After lighting a cigarette, Yoo Gyeong-ho asked through a stream of smoke.
"You’re the one who did everything, so why’d you dump part of the credit on me?"
"What’s wrong with that? Between partners who go through thick and thin together?"
"What?"
"And I didn’t say anything wrong, did I? You were the one who gave the initial orders, Senior. And you’re the one who told me to check the kitchen side."
"I... did?"
"If you hadn’t, I wouldn’t have found it either. In the end, it wasn’t just me—it was we who pulled it off together."
Yoo Gyeong-ho stared blankly at his junior partner’s face, not even noticing the cigarette burning down, then snorted a laugh.
"They said this year was supposed to be a year of ridiculous good fortune... I guess that was you."
He flicked the half-burned butt into the ashtray and threw an arm around Song Tan’s neck.
"But even so. You’re a probationer, and you’ve got the nerve to pull a cute little stunt like that behind your partner’s back?"
"Owow, that hurts."
"You little terror, you. When you get off work today, I’m going to shove some righteous beef right down that mouth of yours. Got it?"
"Hanwoo?"
"Of course not. Australian beef. Almost as good as Hanwoo."
"Deal. Sounds great."
"All right, I’m heading down first. That place fills up fast, so you have to reserve early."
Yoo Gyeong-ho hummed as he went down, and Song Tan watched his back with a quiet gaze.
Back in his No. 28 life, merit was something you had to seize before someone stole it from you.
The moment you sheathed your blade, someone else would covet your place, and anyone who failed to leave their name behind would be swept away by the backwash of the great river.
That was why he had always been alone. That was why his life had been soaked through with solitude.
I will never live that way again in this life.
As the saying went, you could go fast if you walked alone, but you could go far if you walked together.
Song Tan repeated that vow once more in his heart.
Even the chaotic precinct life had now passed the ten-month mark, and only a little over a month remained in his probationary period.
Fortunately, there hadn’t been any major incidents in the meantime.
He had handled drunks as usual, patrolled his assigned area, and responded whenever calls came in.
Of course, it hadn’t all been boring.
The longed-for assignment to Violent Crimes had finally been confirmed.
Once he got through the special promotion appointment ceremony a month from now, he’d officially be reporting to Annam Police Station.
And so Song Tan, who was standing on the threshold of becoming the youngest detective in the station’s unofficial history, was now...
"Kyaaaahhhhh!!!!"
"Yoo-min oppa, look over hereeee!!"
on support duty in Geumo City instead of Annam.
He was there to help manage the crowd and maintain order at a massive K-POP concert.
His gaze remained fixed on the concert poster.
The one listing the artists performing on stage today.