Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Routine Patrol
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Patrolling was one of the most basic duties for any cop.
Lee Jae-hyun had done it as often as eating, so it felt familiar.
That said, after spending the last few years as a detective, this was his first time back on patrol in ages.
Lee Jae-hyun tried to stay as level-headed as possible, scanning his surroundings.
The passing scenery was all under the jurisdiction of Hanseong Police Substation, where he worked—places he knew well.
‘At least I’m sure I’ve gone back in time.’
Meeting Serhen, making the contract with her, regressing to the past—it all seemed undeniably real.
The landscapes around him were unmistakably from ten years ago.
As he mulled this over, the radio crackled to life.
―Drunk disturbance at Hye-min Restaurant, Anmi-dong intersection.
Drunk disturbance.
In simple terms, someone wasted and causing a scene.
The substation handled a ton of cleanup after inebriated folks, but when they got rowdy on top of that, it wasn’t always straightforward.
Even so, it was familiar work.
Maybe that’s why his body moved on instinct, even with his mind in a fog.
“Should we take it?”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
“Got it.”
Lee Jae-hyun asked Park Dae-hyung as if on reflex, ingrained in his body.
Park Dae-hyung nodded, and he snatched up the radio.
“Patrol Two, responding.”
―Copy that. Patrol Two dispatched. Four sturdy males reported. Stay safe.
“Noted.”
Patrol Two, responding, dispatched.
Familiar lingo.
“Patrol” meant the patrol car, usually called a “patrol wagon.”
The “Two” was the number assigned to one of the substation’s wagons—the second one.
Responding meant heading out.
Dispatched meant assigned and good to go.
When he’d first become a patrol officer, he’d fumbled these terms.
Now, he could do it blindfolded.
But as Lee Jae-hyun set the radio down, a faint sense of wrongness crept in.
It all felt too familiar somehow.
Was it just because these calls were commonplace in the past?
As Lee Jae-hyun sensed that odd familiarity, Park Dae-hyung glanced at him from the side.
“What’s up? Stumbling over words yesterday, smooth as silk today? Finally got your head on straight?”
“Uh, yeah…….”
With no good response, Lee Jae-hyun just nodded.
Even so, the inexplicable familiarity wrapping around him felt awkward.
* * *
By the time they reached Hye-min Restaurant for the drunk call, things were already chaotic.
“Man, what a mess.”
Park Dae-hyung sighed at the sight of a red plastic table tumbled into the street, then pulled over.
Lee Jae-hyun sat frozen in the passenger seat, even as Park Dae-hyung opened his door.
And for good reason……
‘I remember now.’
On the way over, he’d figured out why everything felt so familiar.
The nagging wrongness, the déjà vu—it wasn’t just a routine drunk call.
The Hye-min Restaurant right in front of him.
The red plastic tables and chairs scattered out front……
And the four burly guys snickering, their bodies turned into tattoo canvases.
He even recalled what they’d said.
‘Yeah, “Huh? Pigs?” or something like that.’
The moment the thought crossed his mind.
“Huh? Pigs?”
One of the burly guys said it.
Park Dae-hyung’s face hardened instantly.
Lee Jae-hyun let out a dry chuckle, opened his door, and stepped out.
‘She said wishes could come true.’
Today was the day his father died.
Which meant his father was still alive.
His wish, granted.
But he couldn’t let his guard down.
Today was still the day his father would die, and the killer hadn’t been caught yet.
“Come on, folks. You can’t be doing this out here. Look at these tables—all smashed up.”
Park Dae-hyung sighed but tried to calm things down steadily.
Cops de-escalated, talked people down nicely, arranged settlements if needed—that was the job.
Of course, if it were that easy, cops wouldn’t have it so rough……
For now, the priority was calming them as best they could.
Lee Jae-hyun’s mind raced.
He recalled today’s events from his previous life.
After wrapping this up, they’d gone straight to a DUI checkpoint.
Not long after, he’d met his father.
No time to waste.
With unknowns in play, the best move was to handle this fast and head to the checkpoint.
“No, what do you pigs know, butting in? This lady started it with us!”
“Stop calling us pigs.”
“Ugh, so annoying.”
Park Dae-hyung winced at “pigs” and stepped forward.
The burly guys didn’t seem intimidated by his gangster-boss looks and bumped his shoulder.
Lee Jae-hyun finished sorting his thoughts and stepped up.
No need to drag this out or coddle these drunks.
He was just a substation patrol officer now, but the blood of the “Mad Dog” who’d crushed violent criminals didn’t vanish.
“Inspector Park Dae-hyung, I’ll handle this.”
“Huh……?”
Park Dae-hyung looked at him in surprise as he strode forward.
The four burly guys burst out laughing at the slightly smaller, milder-looking Lee Jae-hyun stepping up.
“And who’re you?”
“Cops. Show some respect.”
“Respect my ass……. Get lost, punk……?”
One swung at Lee Jae-hyun.
But Lee Jae-hyun didn’t blink, grabbing his wrist.
He didn’t know how his past self would’ve handled it, but these guys were child’s play now.
The burly guy’s voice rose in panic as his wrist was caught.
For a moment—then he swung his other fist.
And then.
Bam!
“Guh?”
Lee Jae-hyun caught that fist too, sending the guy flying into the half-broken red plastic table.
He spun once, landing back-first and shattering it, then froze with a low groan.
The others blinked at the sight, then charged Lee Jae-hyun.
“You crazy bastard……!”
Even as three rushed him at once, Lee Jae-hyun stayed calm, unflinching.
First, the one in the tacky tank top.
Thwack.
He dodged the punch effortlessly and drove his fist into the guy’s jaw.
A solid jaw hit drops most people.
This guy was no exception.
Thud.
He crumpled forward, tripping up the ones behind.
Lee Jae-hyun twisted to avoid stepping on his partner while blocking punches from the incoming pair.
He grabbed the flailing idiot’s head with his right hand and slammed a knee up.
Crack.
“Argh!”
Blood dripped with the burly guy’s scream.
And the last one.
“Stay put, punk.”
Park Dae-hyung already had him pinned.
Lee Jae-hyun glanced at him, then started cuffing them one by one.
“You four are under emergency arrest for insulting police, obstructing official duties, property damage, and related charges. You have the right to an attorney, to remain silent, to refuse self-incriminating statements, and to request a detention review. Do what you gotta.”
They didn’t go quietly, of course.
“Hey, is this how Korean cops operate? What’s this to upstanding citizens!”
“Drinking, smashing tables, threatening the lady, insulting cops, and assaulting us—how are you upstanding?”
Lee Jae-hyun brushed off the nonsense and finished cuffing them.
These guys weren’t the priority.
Dump them quick and hit the DUI checkpoint—that was key.
His hands moved fast.
* * *
Meanwhile.
Park Dae-hyung, who’d rolled out with Lee Jae-hyun on the drunk call, couldn’t hide his shock.
They’d been partners for just a month.
Meaning Lee Jae-hyun was still a rookie cop, barely adapting and fumbling along.
‘Thought he ate something bad earlier.’
He’d dozed off in the office, woken up dazed and out of it.
Something felt off even when taking the call.
Yesterday, he’d lagged on reports and responses.
Today? Snapped to it, called it in, dispatched on the double.
Then arrival brought the unbelievable.
Normally, the kid cut corners, talked drunks down just enough to send them packing—you could see it in his eyes.
But he’d jumped in first, then floored one in seconds.
‘Totally absurd.’
Usually meek and mild, he’d talk his way out, figuring he couldn’t win physically.
But suddenly? Tossing a drunk like a ragdoll, swinging without hesitation at the rest.
What’d he eat?
“We can’t fit them all in our wagon, so requesting backup.”
Look at him.
The guy who’d just manhandled three tattooed bruisers, coolly calling for support.
‘This kid……. What the hell?’
His eyes were different.
Some inner change? Or just bad day boiling over on drunks?
‘Feels good, been a while.’
Park Dae-hyung decided to think positive, at least for now.
Overkill complaints might come, but rookies wrote reprimands for that stuff.
“Yeah, call backup. Have ’em bring extra cuffs.”
“Got it.”
Lee Jae-hyun replied flatly to Park Dae-hyung.
Park Dae-hyung was baffled by what just happened.
But he didn’t hate this change in Lee Jae-hyun.
He gave a slight smile and nodded.