Bust or Jackpot
"Whether it's I want to know this or I want to know that, broadcasters are really too much. If they just toss it out like that, do they think detectives will solve it?"
An intersection not far from Gangjung Police Station.
Inside a car stopped at a traffic light, a middle-aged woman holding the steering wheel turned her head towards the passenger seat.
"Well, they're trying to help the victim's family in their own way. By receiving tips or helpful information..."
There sits Team Leader Gu Jin-gu with an awkward smile.
"Is there a team in charge?"
"The elementary school teacher murder case broadcast this time... probably not? Even though it's our jurisdiction, the unsolved cases team is at the Seoul Metropolitan Agency..."
"Exactly. The problem is that it's your jurisdiction. There's an unsolved case, so why is Violent Crimes Team 3 playing around? Wasting tax money! I'm worried public opinion like that will come out."
"Ay, you're thinking too deeply."
The woman sitting in the driver's seat is his wife.
Team Leader Gu patted his wife's shoulder while gauging her mood.
"Thank you so much for today. The service centre said I can only pick up the car next week. It's fortunate you have the day off today, honey."
"Changing the subject."
His wife, narrowing her eyes at Team Leader Gu Jin-gu's charming tone, lightly poked his stomach.
"You know we still have 5 more years until we send the third one to university, right?"
"Ah, I know."
"Then be careful not to get stabbed or anything. If the hospital really calls, you'll die by my hands."
"Haha, of course..."
At his wife's vicious voice, Team Leader Gu Jin-gu smiled awkwardly.
"And if you get transferred somewhere else, you die too."
"Huh?"
His wife, who was glaring at Team Leader Gu Jin-gu with narrowed eyes, stepped on the accelerator and said.
"Even though this isn't Gangnam District 8, it's the neighbourhood that sends the most kids to university after that. You know? That's why we're holding on here paying that expensive Jeonse loan interest."
"Ah..."
"So hold on even if it kills you. Being a weekend couple, a goose dad? I absolutely can't do that, can't see that. Especially at this point when our first is in the last year of high school."
Team Leader Gu Jin-gu's gaze turned to the right window.
The rapidly changing scenery outside.
He opened his mouth.
"Of course. I'm not cut out to be a goose dad either. I have to see my honey and my rabbit-like children every day."
Team Leader Gu Jin-gu, the Team Leader of Violent Crimes Unit Team 3.
Team 3, last in performance and last in promotion.
Other team members might not know, but thanks to that, Team Leader Gu Jin-gu is in a precarious state where he could be transferred alone to a remote place due to the responsibility of being last in performance.
Sighing softly, Team Leader Gu Jin-gu continued.
"Don't worry. You know our Chief Myeong. He won't abandon us."
Team Leader Gu Jin-gu's only shield as the leader of such a team was Chief Myeong Geon-hyeong of Gangjung Police Station.
Chief Myeong Geon-hyeong, a junior from the same hometown as Team Leader Gu Jin-gu.
He didn't make it obvious, but he took good care of them, giving the team members with no performance and Team Leader Gu one more chance.
Screech—
The car stopped.
Before they knew it, the car was standing in front of Gangjung Police Station.
His wife's head turned.
"The most important thing is not getting hurt."
"Of course, don't worry."
Team Leader Gu Jin-gu showed a bright smile.
A short while later.
Having gotten out of his wife's car, Team Leader Gu Jin-gu moved his steps with the corners of his mouth drooping like someone in mourning.
Entering Gangjung Police Station, Chief Myeong Geon-hyeong's voice from last night came to mind.
Along with saying Ju-won was a praiseworthy fellow, the words he added.
'But being praiseworthy is one thing, you know there's a personnel reshuffle coming up soon, right? You're in danger.'
It was a remark out of worry for Team Leader Gu Jin-gu, who might have to pay the price for poor performance.
'I do exert some influence, but even that is becoming difficult now. Other team leaders are watching, I can't keep letting only you off the hook.'
What Chief Myeong Geon-hyeong was saying was one thing.
Produce results.
"Results... results... results that others would acknowledge..."
Muttering those words, Team Leader Gu Jin-gu entered the office.
Various cases assigned to Team 3 flashed through his mind.
'The Gangjung Apartment robbery case where a gold ring disappeared, the 80-year-old grandfather missing person case...'
However, suddenly Team Leader Gu shook his head.
'The man who reported the gold ring missing reported a golf club missing last month too, only for it to be found in his car boot, and 80-year-old Grandfather Kim probably ran away from home again because he didn't like his daughter-in-law's food...'
Team Leader Gu scratched his head vigorously.
Although every case is important, cases like these are solved in a day.
Meaning they aren't cases that would boost performance even if solved.
Of course, it was natural; since Team 3 had the lowest performance, usually important cases were distributed to Teams 1 and 2.
So naturally, Team 3 becomes unable to boost performance again... it becomes an infinite loop.
As Team Leader Gu headed towards Team 3 with a face full of all sorts of worries.
"Inspector Lee?"
Ju-won is standing in the corner of the Team 3 office, in front of the cabinet where case files are kept.
But he seems so focused on something that he doesn't hear Team Leader Gu's voice.
Ju-won's gaze is directed only at the file.
"I told you that you could rest a bit and come to work at lunch time..."
Team Leader Gu Jin-gu approached Ju-won.
But at that moment, his steps stopped. Because Ju-won's lips were twitching.
As if he was talking...
"Must be talking to himself... since I do it too."
Shaking his head, then swaying, Team Leader Gu Jin-gu, who had been thinking a lot alone, approached Ju-won.
And looked at the file Ju-won was holding.
"This case..."
Only then did Ju-won's head turn.
"Team Leader?"
"Inspector Lee, how did you know about this case?"
"Pardon?"
The case file Ju-won was holding was the
That case which appeared on the broadcast 'I Want to Know This' a few days ago.
"You want us to do this case?"
Team Leader Gu Jin-gu shook his head.
15 years have already passed.
There is a reason why cases become unsolved.
Cases where no clues are caught.
"Inspector Lee, honestly, you did well with the Go Sang-yeop case. But an unsolved case like this is different. It's a case that hasn't been solved for 15 years, and the evidence and everything else are from 15 years ago."
"Team Leader, what if a clue is visible?"
"...What?"
"Honestly, I don't view cases as opportunities, but this is an opportunity to produce results. At the same time, it is an opportunity to solve a case after 15 years."
Team Leader Gu Jin-gu fell into thought.
Ju-won's words are true.
The personnel reshuffle isn't far off, and if he doesn't want to be transferred to the provinces, he must produce results.
And if he solves this unsolved case.
'The transfer would obviously be cancelled, and if things go well...'
He could get a promotion he hadn't even dreamed of.
Whether a special promotion or a transfer to the main headquarters.
If that happens, his wife would likely be happy.
Team Leader Gu Jin-gu, scratching his head, nodded.
"Let's hold a meeting first."
"This is a case we will be taking on."
A short while later, Violent Crimes Team meeting room.
Closing the meeting room door, Team Leader Gu Jin-gu spoke.
"Some of you might have seen it, but it's the case highlighted on 'I Want to Know This' a few days ago."
Team 3 members gathered in the meeting room.
Including Team Leader Gu Jin-gu, Ju-won, Detective Kim Seok-ho, and the youngest, Officer Han Geon-woo.
"Thanks to that, it's the most talked-about case recently, receiving the full attention of public opinion."
Detective Kim Seok-ho raised his hand.
"Isn't that an unsolved case?"
Team Leader Gu Jin-gu nodded.
At that, Detective Kim Seok-ho's face darkened.
Team Leader Gu Jin-gu continued explaining.
"Elementary School Teacher Murder Case. It's a case that happened 15 years ago, and at the time, Violent Crimes Team 1 of our station took charge of the case. It was a case that became an issue back then too. Though it eventually remained unsolved."
Officer Han Geon-woo, listening to Team Leader Gu's explanation, nodded and opened his mouth.
"But will it be possible? I heard the Team 1 detectives in charge of the case at the time were all veterans. Even people like that couldn't even identify a suspect..."
"A suspect was identified."
"Really? I've never seen news like that..."
"There was a person who rose as a strong suspect, but because they couldn't find the murder weapon or physical evidence, he was eventually taken off the suspect list."
"Then it is true that no one was definitively identified..."
At Officer Han Geon-woo's shrinking voice, Team Leader Gu Jin-gu said.
"We have to try our best. For the victim, no, for the victim's family."
Team Leader Gu Jin-gu's gaze slightly turned towards Ju-won.
"...."
However, Ju-won's expression is strange.
He seemed to focus on his words, then frowned and unfrowned, moved his lips, shook his head, couldn't stay still.
'...Can I trust him...'
Just as Team Leader Gu Jin-gu was about to open his mouth to call Ju-won.
"I am against it."
Detective Kim Seok-ho stood up.
"Huh?"
"It is a case the media is paying attention to. I don't know for what reason we are taking on this case, but the media will focus on us taking this case. You know what it means to receive media attention as police officers, don't you, Team Leader?"
All or nothing.
Bust or jackpot.
"I think it would be better not to touch a problematic case unnecessarily and just take on the cases currently in progress."
"Detective Kim, still, for now..."
"Team Leader, you know what the result will be, don't you? If we take on a case receiving attention for no reason and fail to solve it, it's obvious we'll take the flak again for being incompetent cops or tax wasters."
At Detective Kim Seok-ho's words, Team Leader Gu Jin-gu shut his mouth.
Because it wasn't wrong.
If they take on a case receiving attention, there will be a price to pay.
And given Team 3's performance so far, the probability of things turning out as Detective Kim Seok-ho said is high.
Team Leader Gu Jin-gu scratched his head.
"I know what Detective Kim is saying, but..."
"That won't happen."
At that moment, Ju-won opened his mouth.
He hadn't said a word since entering the meeting room.
Detective Kim Seok-ho let out a sigh and looked at Ju-won.
"Please stop it, Inspector Lee. Just how long are you going to play police? The Go Sang-yeop case turned out well because you were lucky, think about the cases until now!"
For some reason, Detective Kim Seok-ho's face was quite flushed.
"If we mishandle an unsolved case like this, we might have to take the blame for the responsibility of the police who left the case unsolved 15 years ago as well!"
"Detective Kim."
"Is it that Inspector Lee feels fine no matter what happens because you graduated from Police University? That's really great. But you see. Neither Officer Han nor I are from Police University, so if things go wrong once, our police careers end that day. So please stop acting out of bravado!"
"Detective, it's not like that..."
"If not, then what is it! How are we supposed to solve a case that even the Team 1 veterans 15 years ago couldn't solve! It's a case with no evidence, no witnesses, nothing! Just how are we supposed to solve such an unsolved case amongst ourselves..."
"I have identified a suspect!"
He did what?
Detective Kim Seok-ho's voice cut off abruptly.
Only then did the meeting room become quiet.
Team Leader Gu Jin-gu and Officer Han Geon-woo also looked at Ju-won with surprised faces.
Then Team Leader Gu Jin-gu asked.
"Y-you said you found a clue... you identified a suspect?"
Ju-won nodded.
Then he turned on his mobile phone and held up a photo of someone.
"Do you remember this guy? Kim Gap-du, the perpetrator of the robbery case and a drug offender."
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_________________________________________________________________________
🔥 Hey legends! Quick updates! 🔥
💥 Support me on my Patreon account!
👉 patreon.com/cyci07
✨ Power Stone Challenge! ✨
If we hit 100 power stones, I'll drop 2 bonus chapters! Let's see if you guys can make me suffer! 😂
💬 Enjoying the story? Leave a review and let me know your favorite moment so far! It helps the novel grow and reach more readers!
Thanks for all your support—you guys are awesome! ❤️