Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: The People's Ax
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Lee Jae-hyun greeted them familiarly as he stepped into the substation.
"Good morning."
"Yeah, good morning."
Just an ordinary day coming to work like always.
But for some reason, the way his colleagues were looking at him felt different from usual.
Lee Jae-hyun picked up on the strange atmosphere and blinked.
"What's with the vibe?"
Lee Jae-hyun walked over to Park Dae-hyung and asked.
At his question, Park Dae-hyung grinned, lifting the corner of his mouth, and spoke.
"Kid, I heard you got mistaken for a stalker yesterday?"
"Ah, yeah. It just kinda happened that way."
Lee Jae-hyun gave an awkward smile in response to Park Dae-hyung's words.
Only then did he realize why the office atmosphere was off from the norm.
It seemed the events from yesterday had already spread throughout the team.
"So, what's the name of that woman you were supposedly following around, our little kid?"
"It's not like that."
"Come on, Jun-ho spilled everything. Said she was drop-dead gorgeous from the start."
Park Dae-hyung said with a mischievous smile.
Lee Jae-hyun let out a deep sigh at the look and turned to glare at Kim Jun-ho.
Kim Jun-ho, who met his eyes, quickly turned away and pretended to stare off at distant mountains.
He had somewhat expected it after seeing Kim Jun-ho and Min Ji-hye talking yesterday...
But he hadn't thought the rumor would spread to the entire team in less than a day.
Lee Jae-hyun let out a small sigh and sat down at his desk.
"Kid."
"Yes, Inspector Park."
He thought he was about to get teased again, but Park Dae-hyung suddenly asked if he'd checked the article.
Lee Jae-hyun tilted his head.
Was he asking if he'd seen Yoon Min-ha's feature piece? But that seemed unlikely.
He had no clue what article he was referring to.
"What article do you mean?"
"Take a look at this."
Screeech.
Park Dae-hyung pulled his chair aside from where he'd been sitting.
Lee Jae-hyun naturally dragged his own chair over to Park Dae-hyung's spot.
Park Dae-hyung's monitor displayed some pretty provocative headlines.
[People's Cane, Police Brutality. Is This Okay?]
Just seeing the title made him think this was going to criticize the recent incident.
Lee Jae-hyun scanned the article with a stiffened expression.
The article... covered what had happened in Incheon not long ago.
And it targeted Lee Jae-hyun in surprisingly specific detail.
The subject was whether a police officer threatening a criminal with a weapon was right.
Lee Jae-hyun sighed as he read the article filled with contentious content.
"Forget the article—check the comments."
"The comments?"
At Park Dae-hyung's words, Lee Jae-hyun scrolled past the article to look at the comments below.
[Whoa, there are still assholes like that around?]
[We should just execute all those kinds.]
[So damn cool. That's what a cop should be.]
[People's Ax, let's go!]
[Mom, I wanna be a cop when I grow up! Mom, I wanna be a cop when I grow up! Mom, I wanna be a cop when I grow up! Mom, I wanna be... Read more]
Lee Jae-hyun blinked as he scrolled through the comments.
He felt a bit flustered by the reactions, which were the opposite of what he'd expected.
"They're all praise. That's why everyone's going nuts right now."
"I figured it'd be a shitstorm over police brutality."
Lee Jae-hyun sucked in a breath through his teeth and said.
He hadn't thought about the consequences when he'd swung the axe.
But now, seeing it in an article like this, he felt a twinge of worry.
Honestly, even he thought swinging a hand axe was something he'd just have to nod along to if brutality charges came up.
'No words to say about it.'
Threatening with an axe was clearly his mistake.
Even if the guy hadn't been physically hurt, he could claim emotional distress and sue Lee Jae-hyun instead.
'Fuck... threats are too good for scum like that.'
It'd be better if he could just smash their skulls.
But... what could he do about reality?
Lee Jae-hyun clicked his tongue.
"I can guess what you're thinking, but I don't think you need to worry much."
"Huh?"
"They're talking about giving you a commendation instead of disciplining you."
At the word "commendation," Lee Jae-hyun's eyes blinked rapidly.
After swinging the hand axe and coming to his senses, he'd assumed he'd start with disciplinary action.
A commendation instead of discipline?
He didn't know if he'd actually get it or if it was just what the public wanted, but it was surprising either way.
Was it because of public opinion?
'No, it's not just the comments.'
Lee Jae-hyun knew the difference between his past and present lives.
Unlike his previous life where he'd acted alone like a lone wolf, this life he had more people around him.
People who would take his side.
Their opinions must have been factored in, and Oh Cheol-jin, the 4th team's leader.
He probably defended Lee Jae-hyun vigorously as team leader.
And... Park Dae-hyung must have chimed in too.
Otherwise, it wouldn't have turned out this well.
Lee Jae-hyun stood from his seat and bowed to Park Dae-hyung.
"Thank you."
"We're the ones who should thank you. Thanks to you, I nabbed Kim Jin-cheon this time. Boosted my record big time—it's only natural."
"...Oh, right. What happened to that guy?"
"He'll get a proper trial... but there's a problem."
Park Dae-hyung's response felt somehow unsatisfactory.
Lee Jae-hyun narrowed his eyes as he looked at him.
Something displeasing had definitely happened.
"Take a look at this too, first."
Park Dae-hyung manipulated the mouse to bring up a new article on the monitor.
[Bank Branch Manager Kim O-cheon. Bribery and Embezzlement Charges...
...]
It was all about Kim Jin-cheon.
Yeah, that was it. The end.
"Hyeonmin Group was clearly listed in the ledger, but it's completely missing from the article."
"..."
"Seems like they pulled strings. Didn't even make it into the investigation names."
"Can't be helped."
It was expected.
He'd experienced it countless times in his past life, to the point of nausea.
People who treated the law like dirt under their feet.
Lee Jae-hyun decided not to dwell on it too much right now.
'Not yet. Time to keep my claws hidden.'
Pushing too hard on Hyeonmin Group now would likely get Park Dae-hyung reassigned to some backwater again.
And he'd meet his end once more.
Park Dae-hyung might even be in danger.
This wasn't a guess—it was certainty.
'Those bastards are capable of anything.'
Curl up.
Until he built enough strength.
He needed to craft an inescapable trap for them.
'Someday... I'll cuff them myself.'
Hyeonmin Group.
Slowly, but surely.
If he climbed steadily, he'd reach his goal.
* * *
"Ah, seriously, I said it's not like that!"
A rough-looking student in a school uniform yelled as he entered the substation.
A delinquent student with wounds on his face, followed by other uniformed students filing in one after another.
"What are these kids?"
Lee Jae-hyun pushed the student's back and answered Kim Jun-ho's question directed at him.
"Assault."
"Assault?"
"Yeah. Caught one shaking down a kid from another school for money."
"Whoa, end of the world, end times. Why are kids so scary these days?"
Kim Jun-ho shook his head as he looked at the students.
"It hurts! Untie us quick!"
The one who seemed to be the leader of the delinquents shouted loudly inside the station.
Park Dae-hyung frowned at the sight and smacked the back of his head with the file folder he was holding.
"What're you yelling for like you did something right? Sit quietly if you don't want more trouble."
"Shit!"
"Shit? What!"
Park Dae-hyung glared with a fierce scowl.
Overwhelmed by the look, the delinquent crumpled and slunk to the sofa to sit.
"Kid, good work. Time to head out now, right?"
"Yeah, Inspector."
Lee Jae-hyun nodded at Park Dae-hyung's words.
It was about time to hand over to the next team.
He glanced at the clock on the wall, then headed to the locker room, freeing himself from the students.
He changed quickly and walked to the exit, speaking to his seniors.
"I'll head out first."
"Yeah, good work."
"Get home safe. See you tomorrow."
Lee Jae-hyun left the substation amid his seniors' farewells.
"Whew."
Off duty.
Stepping outside, the scenery was incredibly peaceful.
Lee Jae-hyun smiled faintly as he looked up at the sky starting to glow with sunset.
"Mister, we're hungry—aren't you gonna give us something?"
"My wrists hurt!"
"Agh, seriously!"
He let out a soft laugh at the commotion from behind.
'Peaceful skies.'
Leaving the noisy substation behind, Lee Jae-hyun headed home.
Once home, Lee Jae-hyun greeted his family and changed clothes.
He killed time appropriately until around nine o'clock, then left the house.
'...Seriously, what a standout person.'
Inside Lake Park.
Lee Jae-hyun let out a hollow chuckle as he watched Han Hyo-jeong stretching her long limbs.
Whether she had no intention of hiding her celebrity status or not, even simple stretches drew people's gazes to her.
He couldn't help but wonder how she hadn't blown up yet.
"Han Hyo-jeong."
Lee Jae-hyun shook his head and approached her.
"Ah, Jae-hyun. You're here."
"Yeah. You're out early."
"I'm not shooting anything, so I'm just holed up at home otherwise. Want me to sign something first?"
"Hmm. No, it'd be hard to run with it."
Lee Jae-hyun shook his head.
Holding something would get in the way of exercise.
"I see. Then let's take a photo first. My hair gets messed up after running."
"A photo?"
"Yeah!"
He hadn't asked for one... but it wasn't a bad idea.
Lee Jae-hyun smirked and pulled out his smartphone.
"Mind if we use mine?"
"Sure. Give it here. I'll take it."
Han Hyo-jeong took the smartphone as she said that.
"Get a bit closer."
"...Like this?"
"Oh come on, like this."
Han Hyo-jeong reached out and pulled his arm.
They ended up pressed close too naturally.
Lee Jae-hyun stiffened at the unfamiliar perfume scent and awkwardly faced the smartphone lens.
That was when it happened.
"Getting the shot."
The moment she was about to take the photo.
'...Huh?'
Lee Jae-hyun narrowed his eyes at a gaze he felt from somewhere.
The conversation from yesterday with Han Hyo-jeong flashed through his mind.
Click.
The photo snapped then.
"Jae-hyun, you don't photograph as well as I thought."
"Ahem. I don't really take selfies."
He mostly used smartphone cameras for evidence collection.
He'd never taken personal selfies.
'Come to think of it, do we have any family photos?'
The sudden thought made Lee Jae-hyun rummage through his memories.
None.
Everyone was too busy with separate lives to take family photos.
'Should take one with the family sometime.'
In his past life, after his father passed, the only family photo was from when he was a kid.
Now Dad was alive and healthy, Mom too— it'd be nice to take one together.
Lee Jae-hyun pocketed the smartphone after taking it back, thinking that.
"Photo's done—shall we run now?"
"Sure."
Han Hyo-jeong beamed and started jogging lightly.
Lee Jae-hyun followed, glancing sideways.
"..."
One gaze he'd felt since the photo.
At the gaze that reeked of ill intent, Lee Jae-hyun furrowed his brow.
It looked like he couldn't let his guard down while exercising with her this time.