SOG Ch 140

The medical examiner’s point was valid. This was also a question raised by experts about the past nuclear accident. How could an earthquake occur in District 5, which was originally determined to have no active faults and stable ground? Why did the nuclear plant explode helplessly despite having a sufficient earthquake-resistant design? There had been much debate for a while.

Of course, all those controversies were soon put aside when a large-scale terrorist group called ‘Black Swan’ appeared.

“If it’s not an earthquake, what is it?”

Jae-chan asked the two people. The medical examiner answered in a calm tone.

“I heard they are doing some training with Espers at the Center.”

Just then, an announcement started playing from the ceiling speakers: “This is a notice from the Esper Department.”

“It’s right next to the nuclear plant. Is it okay to do such training?”

Jae-chan asked curiously as soon as the announcement ended. The examiner immediately replied.

“The vibrations only reach this vicinity; the people in the other building wouldn’t even notice. How could the vibrations reach the power plant?”

Jae-chan noticed that the examiner’s tone had become strangely sharp and stubborn.

The atmosphere suddenly turned as hard as a cliff, making it awkward to ask more questions. Investigator Kwon also watched the examiner cautiously. He was much more focused on the murder case than the earthquake, so he approached Seon Jae-chan and patted his shoulder. Nodding towards the corpse, he changed the subject.

“Well, did you figure out anything? …Really nothing? What kind of outstanding investigator are you?”

This was what Kwon Joon-young said when Seon Jae-chan shook his head. Jae-chan shamelessly shrugged his shoulders.

“What can I do if that’s what people call me? By the way, when will you give me the data on Lee Yoon-do?”

“It’s probably nothing important anyway.”

Kwon Joon-young waved his hand dismissively.

“Why don’t you dig into this case with me first? It’s not like Lee Yoon-do goes around killing people.”

“Just give me the data.”

“Geez, you just don’t listen.”

Kwon Joon-young grumbled as Seon Jae-chan kept insisting on the files. Over his shoulder, Jae-chan briefly met eyes with the examiner. She seemed to have a standard moral compass, at least regarding matters not related to the center, and was giving him a look that said, ‘You’ve got your hands full with this nuisance.’

“It’s you who doesn’t listen, Investigator. If you keep acting separately from the dedicated team, it’s going to be a problem for me too.”

The examiner pointed out while closing the body bag and moving back and forth to the wash basin. Kwon Joon-young feigned an aggrieved expression.

“I’m telling you, this person is a famous investigator from District 1.”

“An official investigator? No way. He still looks like a kid.”

The examiner nodded toward Seon Jae-chan’s cheeks, still soft with baby fat. Kwon Joon-young awkwardly brushed his wild hair.

“No, he’s a Center guide… Anyway, they say he even received a medal.”

“Is it because no one wants to work with you that you brought some kid along? This won’t do. I should report this to Chief Yang-“

“Ah, we’re leaving! Let’s go!”

Kwon Joon-young quickly shouted. He and Seon Jae-chan bid farewell to the examiner, who was moving back and forth to the wash basin, and stepped outside. After escaping the pungent smell of preservatives, the ordinary air felt remarkably fresh.

The data on Lee Yoon-do was indeed in Kwon Joon-young’s car. The investigator opened the trunk and, after rummaging through the mountain of items, handed the file folder to Jae-chan.

Seon Jae-chan quickly skimmed through, reading only the important parts. The last trace Lee Yoon-do left was a blurry side profile captured by a convenience store CCTV in District 5.

“See? Nothing much, right?”

Kwon Joon-young said proudly.

“…”

“Alright then, let’s focus back on the murder case!”

As if he had been waiting for this, Kwon Joon-young approached with a box of case files he kept separately in the back seat. Ignoring the newly accumulated pile of documents on top of the files in the trunk, Jae-chan closed the Lee Yoon-do case file he had been browsing.

“Is this really the file?”

“I swear. You can always check with Hwi-young.”

Regardless of Seon Jae-chan’s skepticism, Kwon Joon-young eagerly showed him the case files.

[District 5 Ability User Serial Murder Case]

This was labeled on a post-it note at the top of the file folder. Judging by the scribbled handwriting, Kwon Joon-young had come up with the case name himself.

“The victims have nothing in common. Except that they were somewhat socially marginalized. It almost seems like the killer’s sole purpose is murder itself.”

As Jae-chan listened to Kwon Joon-young’s explanation, he began examining from the first page.

The first incident occurred about four months ago, on October 10, 579. The victim was a 39-year-old male who had recently moved from dock labor in District 4 to work as a nuclear waste disposal worker in District 5, introduced by an acquaintance.

The second victim’s background was similar. A female hair designer, she was an orphan and single. The next victim, and the one after that, all had either recently arrived in District 5 or had no special ties there.

The cause of death was a wound near the heart that seemed to have burst from inside the skin. It was as if a bomb had been implanted in their chest, exploding from within. This factor made it impossible not to consider the culprit’s connection to ability users.

After skimming through to the last page, Jae-chan unintentionally proved his investigative skills.

“This person is an unregistered Esper.”

Jae-chan said, pointing to the fourth victim. Kwon Joon-young immediately reacted.

“An Esper? How do you know that?”

“I remember seeing his face briefly during a previous investigation.”

It was a lie. He recognized the victim because he was once a key member of Black Swan.

Seon Jae-chan’s face hardened. He never thought he would find traces of the Black Swan here.

Of course, he didn’t remember the faces of all the organization’s members. Most Black Swan members typically wore masks, befitting their terr0rist nature.

However, this individual in the photo remained in his memory because he was a loyal subordinate of ‘Blink’ Won Seong-il, and always showed their face due to a similar exhibitionist tendency as their superior. The expressionless smile resembling a clown was Blink’s strategy with his followers. To make themselves feared through bizarreness.

In other words, the fourth victim was someone who should have been alive for several more years in the original future. Once again, the present had changed due to unknown variables. Won Seong-il was as good as dead already, but his smiling face seemed to overlap with the expression on the dead body.

“Hey, that’s really helpful.”

Meanwhile, Kwon Joon-young was impressed. He had been frustrated by the lack of witnesses, the unclear murder method, and the unknown motive of the culprit, but the notable figure from District 1 had provided a new breakthrough, even if it was just a small one.

“Hmm, so that makes two Espers among the victims…”

“There’s another Esper?”

Jae-chan looked surprised. What were the odds of Espers, not even Guides, becoming serial murder victims?

“The first victim.”

Kwon Joon-young actively added explanations.

“He was the only one whose blood tested positive for drugs.”

“Drugs?”

“Yes, since the discovered bodies were smiling, we naturally did drug tests first. And as it happens, this one tested positive for fentanyl. That’s why we initially got the case completely wrong.”

However, the first death was the only case in which drugs were detected in the blood. Kwon Joon-young explained the circumstances in a very low voice.

“But isn’t it really strange? If they didn’t take drugs, how could every discovered body be smiling? They’re not dolls.”

Thinking about the expression on the corpses sent chills down his spine, causing Kwon Joon-young to shake his mane-like hair. Just then, a sudden ringing sound cut between the two.

“Whoa, that scared me!” Investigator Kwon jumped back, hitting the trunk with his thigh. As Jae-chan watched bewilderedly at the investigator hastily rubbing the impacted area, he took out his phone.

“Yes, this is Seon Jae-chan.”

-I said let’s meet.

The voice that came out of nowhere was familiar, even though Jae-chan hadn’t heard it in a long time. It belonged to Gyeong Hye-in, whose very existence was so impressive that her unique timbre was unforgettable.

-Didn’t you see the text? I’m also in District 5.

Seon Jae-chan’s eyebrows rose at her explanation. Anyway, Gyeong Hye-in said she had sent the location via text message and told him to come over, then hung up.

*

Half an hour later, Jae-chan returned to the Western District Police Station with Kwon Joon-young and got back into his rental car. As he turned the steering wheel towards the location Hye-in had specified, he mentally organized the overview of the “District 5 Ability User Serial Murder Case” case that Investigator Kwon had additionally briefed him on.

Initially, it was outside his area of interest, but the situation took a turn when they discovered a former Black Swan organization member among the victims. Someone who should have been alive had suddenly turned up as a corpse. There was only one likely variable:

Lee Yoon-do.

He must be involved in this case somehow.

The bodies were found with their chests burst open, either in their own homes or in secluded alleys. There were no CCTV records or dashcam footage available. This was why the investigators in charge believed the culprit to be a person with the ability capable of concealing or teleporting bodies.

While Lee Yoon-do was not an Esper, there were a few unregistered Espers affiliated with his Black Shadow group. It wouldn’t be surprising if he knew other unregistered Eespers. The perpetrator could even be more than one person. It was extremely rare for one Esper to possess both concealment abilities and the power to inflict intangible bodily harm.