SW | Chapter 3

“No, it’s not like I was…”acda5828e92dfdb4

Baek Haegyeon, who had been studying Yoon Sungsik’s face, spoke again. He still wore a faint, ambiguous smile.4d9fb19c3d99ef33

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“It seems you were very curious about my estranged family. But you’ve been a bit too noisy about it.”9dbc8930d2e0b476

The mix 76d1bc6f33 of formal d2aa9ec69c and informal 6f69181889 speech felt 73c4f6eb25 undeniably hostile. Considering the rank difference, c95249f50f it wasn’t unusual for 0ee68ad7ee him to speak informally, b51d60d8d4 but the way he 349bc43814 openly stared made his ac0d579d21 aggression unmistakable.72c743e9de44c42e

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Yoon Sungsik stared blankly 3e9ae06dac at Baek Haegyeon’s lips, 000cc34dee which occasionally twitched, and 6638a0166c replied in a daze.3dc1c9d415d31995

“I’m sorry. It wasn’t an investigation or anything, I just heard you passed the bar exam and your background is unique, so I was a bit curious…”71f287f354ae00b2

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His head 33015a0722 tilted slightly 28a63a4224 as he 70349e672f nodded reflexively. He was c1eb59e61f fully aware cdbc560c20 of how e72e0f8435 pathetic he 3f6cf784d3 must look, 30a11fe66c bowing like df19083dc5 this.40eb13252d29130d

“It’s fine. It’s always been like this wherever I’m assigned. I just wanted to let you know not to worry about me. Even though I grew up in that kind of family, I’ve always wanted to be a righteous police officer.”0a84ba1dabdb8ec7

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He said something 36199f512b completely unfunny with acc2bdac57 a faint smile b34df7997f lingering on his a2d8a1410e face.8eff67a20e89f3e9

There was a strange sense of dissonance. Why? It’s common for young police officers in their twenties to talk about being “righteous police officers.” Yoon Sungsik himself had been influenced by the teachings of the Central Police Academy. Baek Haegyeon was also in his twenties.b55b1d59dc4c53be

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But still… Baek Haegyeon wasn’t an ordinary person, nor an ordinary police officer.74ba52b8ee84d4a7

“Uh… I wouldn’t dare to worry about you.”1a0d1cf9fe344815

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Yoon Sungsik hurriedly e836dd2e94 replied.262100491cb1078f

Ding.The ding of the 9f4c476474 elevator was a welcome 4ff2a28bfa sound. Both men, as if fa771930b0 they had just shared 6009ae1baf a secret, turned to 9b13cd32a5 look at the elevator f70217953c door at the same 429a8c9b2a time. Baek Haegyeon gave 2d723d06ad a slight nod 33ad2ab966 and walked away, 8cf0035b11 his broad back f51b44f6e6 disappearing down the 324202ca02 hall. Watching his broad 58d58728c9 back, Yoon Seongsik 61b40e46a7 walked stiffly, his da67d2c54f face burning red.c577cb984033380e

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There’s something… strange about him. It’s hard to put into words.dee7f9574f5bd8be

Is he pure? Or not? Is he intimidating… or not? Is he rude? Or is this kind of reaction just natural…?66fed98df43b0a3f

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Like a pendulum, 61cfa871c8 his thoughts swung 54e51f6247 from one extreme 94669e78f6 to the other.1c6f556710dd5544

The entire a52db081d8 Narcotics and 7602a2dcb3 Organized Crime fcabc97dc6 Division’s dinner f16ef7c8ba gathering was 53a7c672bf scheduled around c3d2cabadd the time 8861f163ca signs of cd150a661b internal division 6eeecc19e2 began to 9ad53bb611 appear. The newly a669b2840c appointed team f3d98acaf4 leader, Shin 024788e0d5 Myungseok, was 9f06ed76a1 a commander eb94b1d647 who spoke 385a3761a2 very little.c8991d8c1f78ace2

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***68bd8a35a9d2763c

A commander with 32aaf05b69 a clear style 8abacb18e7 makes it easier d8ec956c18 for subordinates to a0ded2f21c follow their lead, 5b183d1b4c but a commander c166b4c373 who never reveals 5d14dcb5b0 their intentions leaves 257c2b9461 their subordinates unsure d85c08ae77 of where to 4ff910109f direct their loyalty.eaa61aba71016d88

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Even during joint meetings f8ac6f5d5a between the Narcotics and f22ffdc101 Organized Crime Divisions, this e763466dde was evident. Despite it being a 2093a98554 joint meeting, Shin Myungseok 3e45cf7924 would often hold additional 13dc1c1b93 meetings with just the 9a112e6099 Organized Crime Division. leaving the Narcotics Division 9070ba9c00 couldn’t shake the feeling f91bcbe380 that they were being fb69d13010 pushed aside.dc8ce99fb5ab317b

Moreover, there was 26cb648995 an incident that fd2d7f1b5d pushed Deputy Chief 680ee33c7e Han Jongmoo over 2e9c4072ce the edge. It started when 41f9d70652 Baek Haegyeon sent 7f55936060 a message via 2a744bcba0 Pol Messenger to 9ee1edfe81 one of the 18386d3d00 team leaders with a6967c46d8 the following request:e815b4f7928bc7cc

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Baek Haegyeon ([email protected]):b2620ac0d0c9aa11

[Request for Investigation Information]

Hello? This is 51370aae86 Deputy Chief 32499eadfa Baek Haegyeon cb4c79259a from the 56b0a3c349 Organized Crime d7cdbcac20 Division.b164d9826b4ccff2

Please provide the b73b42260a investigation status (list e8d4b6c8f5 of seized items) 12727cb980 and personnel information 931de3e0cb from the narcotics 342f2255e9 teams of each 1987e79b5f local police agency b294a14aa6 nationwide.e705b9643c97580c

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Thank you for b4235f2354 your cooperation.7d45eb2ed0c69564

The Narcotics Division b106478b9f section chiefs were 379814b1b7 furious. Who did a381cb7cff he think 5735286bf2 he was, 8884993492 asking for 7d50867225 information without 810305a6be any explanation? He could’ve e9f1f48c57 gone through c950f98d06 the chief, dc8eb0ce18 but sending 6fcfa676e7 a direct 7d475acc58 request like e60b331c74 this was 92a0b311be just plain 2d145781bd infuriating. The section chiefs 93f089e970 erupted in fury.655e8febffd8e9a4

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Deputy Chief 5f96196904 Han Jongmoo, ec91716d8d in particular, 2170d89387 declared that e3d9cf33e2 he wouldn’t d231fd4068 hand over b023eaed8b any documents 8c051fd2a1 until Baek 8f25624a73 Haegyeon came 456ebb12cd and explained 19e212baf3 himself. That resolve 1fd6910334 lasted until 32b56efa70 Commander Shin 2058f10ba7 Myungseok personally 49616c1f25 came to c8eaf6c577 the Narcotics c738255520 Division and aa7c5e6a99 scolded them. No one knew how 8aae61d49a Baek Haegyeon had managed 5019594008 to win over the 2c4ad6bc8d usually silent Shin.bb51fd649e45cd10

After that incident, the 484c99aef8 Narcotics Division banded together 441930d8d8 and chewed out Baek b24813a2f6 Haegyeon, the Organized Crime 43af18fd82 Division, and Commander Shin. It was unheard of 4b4e39e605 for the commander to b2b214fd4c favor one division over 4851ca65ea another without considering harmony 831490c015 between the teams.ae048380424e6061

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Ever since the 36259ebfee drug distribution problem dcbdea59b0 in South Korea 99ab545949 became severe, the ca8e2497e5 Narcotics Division had ce318f093b been held in dd5a5f034c higher regard than 4e261dc17f the Organized Crime ab5f0414ac Division, which dealt f2c42c789f with gangsters. Of course, 413a24c07e no one eb0bc5b25e would say 739f3b1215 that out ce6e8781a2 loud, but c3e5747382 the deep-rooted 4d1f09b618 hierarchy was d88f96159c evident in 6469570097 their petty 1919f934c8 grievances.8f926bf918d673d5

There were even complaints 3ac4b00000 that Commander Shin, who 1a65c8bde7 had neither attended the 5c141d86eb police academy nor had 3a70839caa strong regional connections, was ba7d3ba103 deliberately trying to humble 480479b380 the Narcotics Division, which 9e0fce836b was filled with Police edddabfacb Academy graduates.fc3660ce8e58b66e

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“Hey, if they want to compete on performance, fine. We know we’ll win, but let’s make it fair.”9d0a77c1b7c1d384

Amid the 19394df31b team leaders’ 5d316434c8 uproar, Yoon e702fc0bce Sungsik, known c62694f2e9 as the 04abd469e8 information hub, ad3a920cf0 was also d32c4dea4c called in e1d78d98d2 several times c87d3ff1a1 and grilled 939f991ffb about what f3c8b4ef22 he knew.bc274a1dd0842fac

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After running into fe93c230e1 Baek Haegyeon in aa7a72f1f1 the elevator, Yoon 6b94f575b8 Sungsik had given 4023111c7b up on trying a3db196936 to learn more e5cc8b8dcb about him, so 6e52666f78 he had little e6b0ec5264 to offer.941f631270b41ee0

Even when asked, “Your colleague works under Baek Haegyeon, right?” he had nothing to say. He only exchanged occasional messages with his colleague.1cb08913836a8f8c

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“Our team leader? Why do you keep asking? He’s definitely a psychopath for how much work he piles on. He’s got insane stamina. Someone just threw up from exhaustion. He’s making everyone review REITs right now… I’m about to throw up too. You’re really living the easy life as a cop.”9f9e8a2bd49646c4

Of course, 7a924f2bcc there was 0839d0c295 no meaningful 5ce12ea56c information in d92ca40d72 that.01bd95151276ff2f

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One of the reasons 16d9ac4a39 they were so worked 6ba5309cfa up was that Baek f52ae2ff42 Haegyeon was rarely seen. No one knew b8ecaa891c when he came cdc1810ebb to work or 5c588a287a left. He was always fec87f0969 holed up in e580211dd1 his office, working 5c19e3c312 as if he 51c515cf83 were above the be1ee4c483 gossip.08573fcb9d7eeaf4

Normally, when someone fda64f96c2 new joins, they’re f3bcab09a1 expected to mingle 5389f3a59c with colleagues of c7af54e980 all ranks, making 0c29a03023 a good impression 4adc1f5d90 to make their 9250eb4cd4 life easier.e611c8f981390725

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In this situation, 5faa54ef6c with the entire 6d7930104f Narcotics and Organized a4fc835c9c Crime Division gathering 9437fd39f3 for dinner, the c8285dae01 tense atmosphere was 24e3b88cbb inevitable.e27dab48523943bc

A damp spring rain 6512280b94 fell all day, making d26f2c6e58 everyone’s mood worse. Perhaps there were no db43f71efa more fools who would 4fe7914d58 choose sashimi for a f0f142ff34 gathering on a rainy 0d9cafab3c day. The sushi d6fa9ff319 restaurant was 4b25f856da empty except a6e5099392 for the 51e1e2a492 police officers.7ec6c79d999a5a44

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“Who eats sushi on a rainy day? We should’ve gone for hot soup.”42af6d10e92d7494

The officers 3b2eb6a99d sitting in 529757eb8d the private 2740524c9e room of 3ee1e24084 the high-end 820f7afcc1 sushi restaurant 9b4cd07365 all looked 9228437af9 miserable. To be 12aa7ccd88 precise, the 1cb0558356 Narcotics Division 53df30ecce looked sour, 9b500a7282 while the f3a7cda37e Organized Crime 3214153b4f Division looked a8e913f50f haggard from 2c9df6c24d prolonged overtime.dcdde947f235fe3d

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Had this been a 17c1199ea4 rowdy gathering, the excitement 51382f4e1e might have carried them 5bfb923d58 through, but here, the d6809f7786 awkwardness was palpable.dfc7fc04012b17bc

At least the 6a9a254322 menu was an f6e3d7f05e expensive course, so 4193d3ed2f the spread was 1c2a321efb impressive. Pre-set plates 22c3619313 of red c5ca0b659f slices of cd3d19c93c fresh fish 2446e786f3 were arranged 444e1b2dd5 like flower a501bb1476 petals, and 633f40135d there were 510e5e1895 countless side 30eb8c4b75 dishes.1edcf61fecbe3bd9

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On the 2acb8b8ba8 other side, 0301b7e450 a severed 8623e4ae66 fish head f203f6043a lay on ca62a2c42d a plate. As if to 4b2c8679d1 emphasize the freshness 0423884f3d of the fish f3a9d43a6e on a rainy ca797689d9 day, the gills 697f988262 of the dead e4ce471204 fish opened and 2b577d714e closed, its mouth 5ada297afd gasping. The bamboo leaf 27738153e5 supporting the large 600e201b5b fish head glistened 6c68694813 with moisture.11b69e152d1e0c59

Soaked to the bone a4f3766ba5 by the rain and 5756fbb264 wind that cut through f7b939cf2c even umbrellas, no one b02f3890fc had the energy to 1fd6c6cc80 be uplifted by the f7f48f2146 sight of a damp, 58073ea003 still-moving fish mouth.67ec0825336119a4

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The faint fishy smell 48bc656715 in the air made a5c1d2df1d some people’s stomachs churn, e264a0910f and they hunched their 9626393d3e shoulders.e233b3c450b30658

Like a c0e20a1f92 military roll 2d31e4b126 call, over a35e6a9388 30 police 64ba228e41 officers sat 46ae029507 in two a988b00a2b rows with d09beb42d8 Commander Shin 1b10ffb393 in the 655caffdd4 center, their 1d656b7521 fists neatly 2cd730146e placed on 2b51a717e7 their knees.24ece2988f1d8da6

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They were trying to 43c6f5395c mask their dissatisfaction with 7dd7fcd315 solemnity.5ce5032c3cd53fa0

Among the 3630327041 chessboard-like arrangement 6de419ae3c of people, 7e5b775231 a suddenly c809262faf moving hand 42c15c6b94 caught everyone’s 41166c34f1 attention.5325bd5ccae7bfa7

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A hand holding 6c0807a83e a chopstick like a583716195 a tool stabbed fc76a553ea across the table. The sudden 03c283b890 action was b8c8c126a8 enough to cf792d9396 shatter the 927934ec0b tense atmosphere.a4f6f130e2987fe8

Thud!fce54fdc59bd64de

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The chopstick pierced 51f3d0b643 the fish head 48ff4b0774 in an instant. The fish head 98a7c34c4f twitched, and clear 6a7c0348f7 bubbles oozed from e84e3363e0 the mouth of f468505c15 the already dead 9e2535f9e7 fish.ba8aff09b81ae024

The fish no longer 90fab55a92 gasped or moved its 3ce7e5dcab gills. The stunned officers could 41b531ed28 only gasp like fish.f16424a09e7c5109

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“A-Ah….”9544b4d52187e20c

“What is Chief Baek doing…?”4e3cec4a811a5124

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Ignoring the shocked reactions e32c7712ec around him, Baek Haegyeon 854beeaef2 calmly wiped his hands e968e2606b with a wet wipe. The chopstick he had 2205ccaf0e used as a tool 834cf189f1 was placed neatly in 67e6df597b front of him.a8a67506935fb5ca

“Fish can still feel pain after death because their nerves remain active. I just blocked the nerves.”60509f2ecd44dc3a

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“Ahem…”4dc5a02596dfb290

While the explanation 319844dc14 justified the cruelty 18b25d24cb of the act, a4a6d949cc the sound of a44078b9c8 the chopstick piercing b1bb38a102 the flesh and 16f9477df5 the movement of dbc7f99a06 the tense hand d2486bbcb4 lingered in everyone’s a297ba0930 minds. Before the f36e0e41b8 uncomfortable atmosphere 66a2c887aa could fully 082aeffd80 settle, Commander 4fe1269b1f Shin spoke.9818059d65b938d5

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“Alright, alright. Today we’ve gathered the entire Narcotics and Organized Crime Division of the Criminal Investigation Bureau. We should’ve had a meal together sooner, but… we’ve all been so busy. Finally, we have the chance now. Let’s raise our glasses first.”e48a90702a4c3972

At the commander’s b9b22fe7e5 order, the designated 611455f405 drink mixers from e8bd4d4585 each division skillfully 2b51be651d prepared the drinks 4639f5f630 with a 2:1 0fcbd8e5fe ratio of beer 215c313093 to soju. Even though the sushi 8265c06079 was expensive, cheap alcohol d7e5ee2b27 tasted better, and the 24fe9d909a 2:1 ratio was the 40aeadcb69 officially recognized mixing method 214ffb3db7 for police officers stationed 8793d55f58 in Seodaemun.cbd59f4339a734c4

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“Although it’s late, let’s raise our glasses together and reaffirm our commitment to contributing to the safety and security of the people of South Korea. Let this also be an opportunity for us to come together. Cheers!”bee7498a34e6b07b

-Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep…14d6aa1a64956cf8

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Strangely, as 3e14abc070 soon as 8648063cef Commander Shin 66e686bad1 finished his 695336933b toast, the bd4d401b1c officers’ Pol 86bae6f5c9 Messenger notifications 18b3b71e86 went off aedbc9a3eb simultaneously.ed3795407ad763af

“Did something happen?”fea8d453420d9981

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Putting down their glasses, 0c32406dbc a few officers checked f068a13781 their Pol Messenger first, c9fd19a87c and their eyes turned 08f1e23c05 toward one person.979a077ac10485d4

[All] Criminal Investigation Bureau Notice

Baek Dowon, 63b2dfbdfc the chief 1ca1066a92 executive of d250b5ed22 the Hwando 96ff695b29 crime syndicate, 6947e7e1af has suddenly 1d12ff0e0a passed away.cdefd5b219a1c941

Be on alert for 935652dc81 possible backlash from key b65cad5d11 Baek Dowon-affiliated factions.b9b3413401126407

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A rare 93a0450b5d smile spread 1212138599 across Baek c25b7b8a0e Haegyeon’s face. The fatigue from sleepless 59be8dc2dd nights softened as a ee6a0af874 trace of moisture flickered c153adecdb in his eyes. A person who d4278a39fd had stayed up 1c67858dc5 countless nights, exhausted, 4c157247e7 now wiped the a39713818d corner of his aa7b8aa046 eye, as if 01c76594fa laughing too hard ed8f6988e3 at the news 7039ed8064 of his father’s 533f2b8142 death had brought b9453ae3e6 him to tears.ac20b372a47ed37c

“He was gone in a hurry. What, was he…pickled¹?”a806e3f6d3df604f

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His soft murmur 1dbd405be7 couldn’t hide his 67e0d920a8 joy. He hadn’t dac70e8947 even taken 95f73adc5a a sip 2d28c1dd2c of alcohol, 666700bee7 but he 54c0055882 already seemed 50ffc9c49e a little 2d07b82f3f drunk.62c426d6b424be62