Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Capturing the Fugitive Scammer
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The moment Lee Jae-hyun and Min Ji-hye arrived at the substation, the team members were waiting for them in the parking lot.
More precisely, they had come out to take custody of Jeong Woo-min.
"Man, after running for years, he finally gets nabbed like this."
Team Leader Oh Cheol-jin muttered as he watched Jeong Woo-min, gripped tightly by Kim Jun-ho's hand, step down from the paddy wagon.
It had been a full three years.
For a guy to pull off fraud in Korea and evade capture for three years meant he was more meticulous than he'd seemed.
Of course, after the first few months—or a year at most—the police interest usually faded.
This wasn't because the cops were incompetent or lazy; it was just the harsh reality.
With a flood of new cases piling up right in front of them, how could they keep clinging to something from months ago?
Even with damages in the tens of billions, the police had shown some extra patience in the investigation...
But at the three-year mark, it was safe to say the case had been all but forgotten.
It had only resurfaced in police chatter thanks to the six-year-old attempted child murder case.
And right in the middle of it all, the guy shows up to see his daughter—and gets spotted by Lee Jae-hyun, the one who'd cracked that very case.
From the perspective of the police and victims, it was damn good luck. From Jeong Woo-min's side? The worst.
Team Leader Oh Cheol-jin clicked his tongue as he watched Jeong Woo-min being led inside the substation by Kim Jun-ho.
"He begged for one look at her, huh?"
"Yes."
Oh Cheol-jin had blurted out the question, but Lee Jae-hyun nodded calmly without missing a beat.
He'd just parked the paddy wagon and was heading inside when the team leader, who'd been waiting outside, fired it off.
Oh Cheol-jin shook his head slightly and spoke up.
"So why go and commit fraud in the first place."
"Beats me."
Frankly, it would be a lie to say he didn't feel sorry for the guy.
But that pity wasn't for Jeong Woo-min.
It was for the child he'd left behind—Jeong Nara.
The kid was innocent.
How could a three-year-old back then be at fault for her dad scamming and running off?
Same with the broken ribs from getting beaten by loan sharks.
How was that the child's fault?
It was her father's sin—and to some extent, her mother's responsibility.
Not that Kim A-young was wrong for borrowing the money, but she'd gone to loan sharks and gotten involved, so she couldn't fully escape blame.
But now-six-year-old Jeong Nara? Not a shred of fault or guilt on her.
"People are so selfish. They commit the wrongs themselves but always drag family into it first."
"...Yeah, when you put it that way."
Lee Jae-hyun paused briefly, then nodded in agreement with Oh Cheol-jin's words.
He was spot on.
Most scammers claimed they did it to "feed their families."
Dumping the blame on family after their own screw-ups? Peak selfishness.
"But how'd you catch him?"
"Pardon?"
As they stepped into the substation, Oh Cheol-jin tossed out the question casually.
He'd gotten the full report, so Lee Jae-hyun blinked in surprise at the follow-up on the how.
"He just strolled right in front of you?"
"Yes. He was heading to the paddy wagon... then I spotted him from afar walking toward the elevators. Chased him down."
"You've got some sharp eyes. Spotting him from a single photo like that."
He sounded skeptical, like he couldn't quite believe it.
Lee Jae-hyun just smiled at the compliment on his eyesight.
Eyesight could be trained, after all.
Patrol officer or not, his mind was that of a detective with ten years under his belt.
No way he'd lack observational skills.
"No kidding. Catching murderers wasn't enough—you nab attempted child killers and scammers too. Like stringing sausages. Doesn't he deserve at least a one-rank promotion?"
Lee Jae-hyun was still smiling when Kim Jun-ho chimed in, apparently done transporting Jeong Woo-min.
Oh Cheol-jin let out a smirk at that.
"Then he'd be the same rank as you. You cool with that?"
"Oh, uh, yeah? Damn, but seriously—a promotion's the least with results like these."
Kim Jun-ho was a sergeant, one rank above patrol officer.
A promotion for Lee Jae-hyun would make him sergeant too.
He hesitated at the thought but wasn't the type to get jealous or awkward over it.
Results were results—he deserved recognition.
"Well..."
"I'm fine with it."
Oh Cheol-jin glanced at Lee Jae-hyun, trailing off like it was tricky to answer right away.
No promotion talk on the table yet, apparently.
The child attempt report might've just reached the higher-ups.
The scammer catch? They'd have to file the statement and report first—no one knew yet.
But it was clear Oh Cheol-jin figured even if brass found out, no promotion would come.
And honestly, Lee Jae-hyun didn't care.
To bag more criminals—and the Hyeonmin Group—he'd climb ranks naturally.
No need to rush.
He'd keep nabbing crooks anyway.
Promotions would follow.
"Truth is, promotion's a long shot. Don't get your hopes up..."
"Yes."
Lee Jae-hyun nodded matter-of-factly.
Kim Jun-ho, though, looked baffled and spoke up.
"No, why? Jae-hyun's output these past weeks rivals a whole substation's yearly haul."
"Less than half a year on the job—no way they fast-track him."
That was the issue.
Lee Jae-hyun's feats were impressive, sure.
But he wasn't just a patrol officer—he was a total rookie, barely months in.
Suspicious if he'd even finished proper training. Promoting rashly? They'd hesitate.
"Even so..."
"I know he earned it, but reality's reality. Get it?"
"Of course."
Somehow Kim Jun-ho seemed more bummed than he was.
But Lee Jae-hyun brushed it off lightly.
In his past life, he'd even missed promotions over "excessive force." This? No sweat.
Seeing that, Oh Cheol-jin sighed, looking a bit regretful himself.
"Still, who knows. But don't count on it."
"Who knows what?"
"Even a stingy org like ours promotes for a high-profile case. He's got the feats—slap on public interest, and they'd have to."
Oh Cheol-jin shrugged at Kim Jun-ho's question.
Rookie status made it tough, yeah.
But one big public case? Brass couldn't ignore it.
That was his take.
'Honestly, if he were already sergeant, they'd promote him on the spot.'
Timing and tenure were awkward.
Still, these results would rack up exam points—his path up wouldn't be rough.
Oh Cheol-jin smiled faintly at Lee Jae-hyun and Kim Jun-ho walking ahead.
* * *
Probably every worker in the world loved payday—the best day of the month.
It had arrived for the Hanseong Police Substation crew too.
Everyone was subtly buzzing.
It hit different this month.
Team 4's results were insane.
Sure, mostly thanks to Lee Jae-hyun, but...
Team effort shared the glory.
Bonuses were confirmed—faces lit up.
Even stone-faced Min Ji-hye had a slight smile.
"When'd the team leader head out?"
"About thirty minutes ago."
"Should be back soon."
"Yeah, any minute."
Lee Jae-hyun replied to Kim Jun-ho.
Oh Cheol-jin, as Team 4 leader, had been in with the substation chief—the top dog—for thirty minutes.
"Meeting" was code for ass-kissing and bonus handoff.
Kim Jun-ho, hyped for his cut, turned to Lee Jae-hyun.
"Hey, rookie."
"Yes, Sergeant?"
Chatty Kim Jun-ho annoyed most, so Lee Jae-hyun had become his go-to lately.
Without him, it'd be Min Ji-hye—explaining her extra irritation.
"What're you doing with your bonus?"
"Haven't thought about it, but probably get gifts for my parents."
Never crossed his mind till now. Parents' gifts were all he had.
No ideas there either.
Kim Jun-ho nodded, looking underwhelmed.
Not the "filial son" type, apparently.
"Ah, parents' gifts..."
"What about you, Sergeant?"
Lee Jae-hyun asked, and Kim Jun-ho's face brightened.
Grinning, he jumped in.
"Gonna get Po-sun a new tower."
"Po-sun...?"
Lee Jae-hyun blinked at the sudden cop mascot name—till Min Ji-hye clarified.
"Kim Jun-ho Sergeant's cat. Guy's a cat dad, believe it or not."
"Oh..."
News to him Kim Jun-ho had a cat.
Past life? No clue—either he never noticed or the guy never mentioned.
Mid-chit-chat, Oh Cheol-jin approached Team 4's office, face grim despite the envelopes in hand.
"Good news, bad news."