Chapter 120
Chapter 120
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: Caught at the Funeral
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“Look at that bastard. Scare him once and he starts talking...”
Park Dae-hyung stared at An Do-hyun in front of him with a look of utter disbelief.
They had rushed back to the station upon hearing that An Do-hyun, who had been at the scene, was finally opening up.
An Do-hyun was in the middle of talking with Team Leader Oh Min-seok, but the atmosphere was worlds apart from the cocky laughter he’d shown in front of Oh Min-seok the day before.
Of course, that didn’t change the guy’s true nature.
Whether he was just trying to keep up his bravado to the bitter end,
or if he genuinely believed he’d get a slap on the wrist... He was forcing a smirk anyway.
Lee Jae-hyun didn’t like the look on An Do-hyun’s face, but Park Dae-hyung only seemed focused on the fact that the guy had finally started talking.
―So, let’s get this straight... You’re saying you didn’t do the Gobong Mountain case?
―That’s right.
Oh Min-seok asked while setting his laptop in front of him,
and An Do-hyun nodded vigorously in response.
Lee Jae-hyun clicked his tongue at the sight of An Do-hyun putting on an aggrieved expression to insist he wasn’t the culprit in the Gobong Mountain case.
“He’s still as arrogant as ever. Even if he denies Gobong Mountain, he admits to Mae Bong Mountain in the end.”
“...He’s a weird one, that’s for sure. Not sure if he’s just given up too much or if he’s got something else up his sleeve.”
Park Dae-hyung nodded in agreement with Lee Jae-hyun’s words.
It wasn’t a typical case.
Of course, normal people wouldn’t even think of committing a “murder.”
But even among the types of criminals after they’ve committed their crimes, this wasn’t a common one.
Usually, they get scared, terrified of the punishment awaiting them.
Sometimes they panic.
On the flip side, there are those inhuman bastards
who act like killing someone who deserved it isn’t wrong at all.
An Do-hyun was neither.
He was aware of the punishment he’d face and had shown some anxiety, but he didn’t seem truly frightened.
And he wasn’t putting on the deranged act of the crazies who think it was justified.
His behavior just seemed like...
an act. A performance.
He knew punishment was coming, but the police didn’t scare him, so he was just playing it out according to his own script.
That was the vibe.
―Then, aside from Gobong Mountain... Mae Bong Mountain was you, right?
―Yes, that one I did kill. But I’m telling you, Woo Kyung-hwan told me to do it?
An Do-hyun leaned in closer to Oh Min-seok once more, insisting he’d killed but only because Woo Kyung-hwan ordered it.
Oh Min-seok waved him off, pushing him back,
and An Do-hyun leaned back in his chair with a sigh.
He was deliberately showing his frustration at the cops not believing him.
Lee Jae-hyun narrowed his eyes in annoyance at that too.
Meanwhile, Oh Min-seok’s voice continued from the interrogation room.
―And Woo Kyung-hwan is the Gobong Mountain culprit... who also ordered your next crime?
―Yes. I really had no choice. He told me his plan, and said if I told anyone or cooperated, he’d kill me. What was I supposed to do?
―Bullshit.
Oh Min-seok finally couldn’t hold back and cursed.
Seeing that, An Do-hyun looked at him pleadingly and spoke up.
―No, really! Just ask Woo Kyung-hwan. Go catch him and ask!
He admitted to killing but shamelessly claimed it was unavoidable,
and now he was urging the police to grab his accomplice and check.
“He must’ve been really anxious.”
Park Dae-hyung muttered in disbelief.
Lee Jae-hyun nodded slightly.
He probably was, a lot.
Stuck here, twiddling his thumbs, while Woo Kyung-hwan roamed free outside.
If they didn’t nab Woo Kyung-hwan quick, he figured he’d get pinned for Woo’s crimes too.
One murder versus three made a big difference, so he was shoving Gobong Mountain onto Woo and sticking to the “forced by threats” story for his own crime.
“Whatever his game is... we just need to go catch Woo Kyung-hwan, right?”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
No matter what An Do-hyun was thinking, Lee Jae-hyun’s next move was clear.
Woo Kyung-hwan’s name had come up, so they were going to get him.
* * *
Since the funeral hadn’t ended yet, Lee Jae-hyun and Park Dae-hyung entered the mourning hall cautiously.
Sure, there was no room for caution when catching criminals...
but funerals were one place where even Lee Jae-hyun had to tread lightly.
As mentioned before, it wasn’t about courtesy to the criminal—it was for the victim.
And they couldn’t disturb the other mourners there either.
Of course, their efforts to avoid a scene didn’t always prevent one.
Criminals didn’t exactly go quietly.
This time was no different.
“Woo Kyung-hwan, you’re under arrest for aggravated assault and murder...”
“What the hell is that bullshit!”
Maybe he’d sensed something off the moment Lee Jae-hyun and Park Dae-hyung showed up at the funeral.
Woo Kyung-hwan, who’d been glancing around like he was plotting an escape, yelled the instant Park Dae-hyung spoke and bolted.
Lee Jae-hyun, ready for it, chased after him right away.
The funeral guests stared in confusion at Woo Kyung-hwan fleeing and Lee Jae-hyun in pursuit.
Thud-thud. Thud.
Woo Kyung-hwan’s footsteps echoed lightly.
He was sprinting at a solid pace—clearly athletic.
Makes sense if he’d played baseball; running wouldn’t be foreign to him.
But Lee Jae-hyun wasn’t slacking either.
After hitting his physical limit in Incheon last time, he’d been diligently jogging.
He caught up fast, shoved Woo Kyung-hwan’s body, and tackled him sideways.
Crash!
Woo Kyung-hwan tumbled with a loud bang.
He scrambled right up, grimaced at Lee Jae-hyun, and grabbed his left arm.
Despite that, he kept flicking glances elsewhere, ready to bolt at the first chance.
Lee Jae-hyun shifted right, mindful of Park Dae-hyung catching up behind him.
Park Dae-hyung naturally moved left, blocking Woo’s escape as much as possible.
Woo Kyung-hwan irritably spat out more words.
“If you’re cops, catch the real killer! Why keep suspecting me!”
“Because you are the real killer.”
“An Do-hyun’s caught, isn’t he? That bastard did it! Why come after me!”
Woo Kyung-hwan bellowed.
Lee Jae-hyun sighed softly at the guy shamelessly throwing An Do-hyun under the bus.
His earlier dash and current yelling were already drawing eyes.
“An Do-hyun said you two did it together. Don’t make a scene near the funeral hall—just come quietly.”
“Got proof?”
“What?”
Lee Jae-hyun had tried speaking low and quick to nab him discreetly.
But the guy boldly demanded evidence.
It was so absurd Lee Jae-hyun furrowed his brow and shot back.
What did I just hear?
From a murderer.
A matricidal one at that.
And here he was, brazenly demanding proof.
“Proof! It’s just some killer’s word—why believe him over me? I didn’t do it!”
“Cut the crap.”
“Cut what? You think I can just play nice? Cops barging into my mom’s funeral to drag off her son?”
Woo Kyung-hwan yelled, and Lee Jae-hyun glanced at the gathering crowd.
With a small sigh, Lee Jae-hyun continued.
“Kyung-hwan, you went to Gobong Mountain yesterday, right?”
“What?”
“Gobong Mountain. Cameras caught you.”
“You sure it was me? I was here all day. How’s the chief mourner supposed to leave during the funeral?”
Now it was getting sloppy.
Lee Jae-hyun let out a disbelieving chuckle at the guy claiming cameras couldn’t lie but chief mourners don’t leave.
“That’s exactly the nonsense you pulled. Sneaking off at night with a hat pulled low to Gobong Mountain, trying to plant evidence. Turn your crime into An Do-hyun’s.”
As Lee Jae-hyun spoke, his hand subtly moved toward the cuffs on his belt.
Woo Kyung-hwan scowled and kept talking.
“Goddamn... People need to think rationally. Why’s everyone so irrational?”
“That’s rich coming from you.”
It was even more ridiculous hearing “rational” from the guy who killed his own mother.
But Woo ignored him and raised his voice.
“I wouldn’t even have that bastard’s mask in the first place! Tampering with evidence? How, when there’s nothing to tamper with!”
“True. You need evidence to tamper with it. I was curious how you got the mask too. How’d you have it?”
“Not me...!”
Woo Kyung-hwan stomped in frustration at Lee Jae-hyun’s question.
But he’d already let slip the proof in his heated rant.
Lee Jae-hyun just smirked and spoke.
“Kyung-hwan.”
“W-what!”
“You said you tried tampering with evidence, but never mentioned a mask.”
“What...?”
“So how’d you know it was a mask?”
“...Fuck.”
Woo Kyung-hwan cursed one last time and tried to move,
but Lee Jae-hyun was faster this time.
“Arghhh!”
Woo thrashed to the end, but Lee Jae-hyun silently cuffed his wrists.
He’d caught both An Do-hyun and Woo Kyung-hwan himself...
but it wasn’t satisfying.
He looked up ahead.
There stood the father, blankly watching his son get arrested.
Lee Jae-hyun averted his gaze.
And with that, the case was closed.