The convenience store sat on a corner in Mapo, its fluorescent lights buzzing faintly against the gray afternoon sky. Min-jun parked the department sedan at the curb, and the three of them climbed out—Min-jun in the lead, Soo-ah bouncing with nervous energy beside him, and Seo-ah bringing up the rear, her eyes already scanning the area.
"Soo-ah, you take notes," Min-jun said as they approached the entrance. "Seo-ah, watch his face when he answers. People say a lot without words."
Seo-ah nodded. "Understood."
The bell above the door chimed as they entered. The store was small but tidy—rows of snacks and drinks, a refrigerator case along the back wall, a counter near the front with a young man behind it. He looked up at their approach, his expression shifting from bored to nervous when he saw the uniforms.
"Oh, uh, hello. Can I help you?" He was maybe twenty-five, with a tired face and the kind of posture that came from standing behind a counter for too many hours.
Min-jun held up his badge. "Detective Kim Min-jun, Yongsan Police. You're the clerk who was working here the night Park Soo-jin disappeared, right?"
The clerk's face tightened. "Yeah. I already talked to the police about that. Months ago."
"I know. But we're taking a fresh look at the case." Min-jun leaned against the counter, casual, non-threatening. "Sometimes people remember things later. Small details that didn't seem important at the time."
The clerk shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know. I told them everything I saw. She came in, bought ramen and milk, said goodnight, left. That's it."
Soo-ah spoke up, her voice gentle. "Was there anyone else in the store that night? Around the same time?"
He thought for a moment. "There's always people. It's a convenience store. But that night... I don't know. Maybe?"
Seo-ah moved slightly, drawing his attention. "Think carefully. A man. Maybe tall. Maybe someone who came in after her, or before her. Someone who might have been watching her."
The clerk looked at her, and for a moment his eyes widened with recognition. Not of her as police, but of her face—the actress, the celebrity. He blinked, then shook his head.
"I—I don't know. Oh right, i remember there was a guy, I think. He came in a few minutes after her for like few weeks and bought water." He frowned, trying to remember. "Tall. Really tall. And big—like, built. I remember thinking he looked out of place in this neighborhood and that's why i remember it."
Min-jun's eyes sharpened. "What else? Anything distinctive about him?"
The clerk's brow furrowed. "He had a tattoo. On his arm. I only saw it when he reached for his wallet—his sleeve rode up." He closed his eyes, concentrating. "It was... an animal, I think. A bear? Yeah, a bear. On his forearm."
Soo-ah scribbled furiously in her notebook. "A bear tattoo. On his forearm. Anything else? Color? Size?"
"Black ink. Pretty big. Covered most of his forearm." The clerk opened his eyes. "That's all I remember. I'm sorry, I didn't think it mattered at the time. He just bought water and left."
Min-jun straightened. "You did great. This helps more than you know." He pulled a card from his pocket and slid it across the counter. "If you remember anything else—anything at all—call me. Day or night."
The clerk took the card, staring at it. "You think he took her? That guy?"
"We don't know yet. But we're going to find out." Min-jun nodded to Soo-ah and Seo-ah. "Let's move."
They were out the door and in the car within seconds. Min-jun had the engine running before Soo-ah's seatbelt clicked.
"Call the captain," he said, pulling away from the curb. "Tell him we're coming in hot."
---
The bullpen was quiet when they burst through the door, maps and photos still spread across every surface. Dae-hyun was at the whiteboard, marker in hand, adding notes from Jin-young's latest findings. Hae-rin sat nearby, reviewing profiles. Shi-eok stood by the window, watching the street below. Jin-young was at his monitors, data scrolling.
They all looked up at the commotion.
Min-jun crossed the room in long strides, Soo-ah and Seo-ah close behind. "Captain. We got something."
Dae-hyun set down his marker. "Tell me."
Min-jun gestured to Soo-ah, who flipped open her notebook. "The clerk remembered more. A tall man, huge build, came into the store a few minutes after Park Soo-jin the night she disappeared. Bought water. And he had a tattoo." She looked up. "A bear. On his forearm."
The room went still.
Hae-rin's eyes narrowed. "A bear tattoo?"
"Black ink. Covered most of his forearm." Soo-ah nodded. "The clerk was sure."
Dae-hyun's expression didn't change, but something shifted behind his eyes. Min-jun saw it.
"Captain," Min-jun said slowly, "do you remember the serial murders in Busan? Fifteen years ago?"
Dae-hyun's jaw tightened. "Yes."
"The bear tattoo guy. The one they never caught." Min-jun pointed at Soo-ah's notebook. "The store clerk just described him perfectly."
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Then Dae-hyun stood up so fast his chair rolled back and hit the wall.
"That's an unsolved case from Busan," he said, his voice low and hard. "The Busan Serial Killer. Four women, all in their twenties, all living alone, all vanished without a trace. Their bodies were found months later in the mountains outside the city." He moved to the whiteboard, grabbing a red marker. "The only witness description they ever got was from a store clerk who saw a tall man with a bear tattoo near the last victim's apartment."
Jin-young was already typing, pulling up files. "I've got the Busan case here. Four victims, all fitting the same profile as our women here. Bodies found in Geumjeongsan Mountain, about thirty kilometers from Busan."
Hae-rin stood, her face pale. "He changed cities. He's been active in Busan, and now he's here."
Shi-eok spoke from the window. "If his MO is consistent, he's not just killing them. He's hiding them somewhere. Somewhere remote."
Dae-hyun turned to Jin-young. "Is there a mountain range near us? Within driving distance of where these women lived?"
Jin-young pulled up a map, overlaying the victims' locations. "Bukhansan. It's right there—borders Seoul to the north. Accessible from Mapo, Hongdae, all the areas where our victims lived. Lots of trails, lots of remote spots. Perfect place to hide a body."
Soo-ah's hand flew to her mouth. "The mountains. The Busan victims were all found in the mountains."
"Exactly." Dae-hyun's voice was steel. "It's him. He changed cities, changed his hunting ground, but he kept his MO." He turned to face them. "Jin-young, get me every missing persons case within a fifty-kilometer radius of Bukhansan from the last three years. Not just the ones that fit the profile—all of them. Cross-reference with our victims' timelines."
Jin-young's fingers flew. "On it."
"Min-jun, I need a police squad. As many officers as you can pull together. We're going to need boots on the ground."
Min-jun already had his phone out. "How many?"
"As many as will come. This is a mountain, not a building. We need coverage."
Shi-eok stepped forward. "I know mountains. I grew up near them. I can help coordinate the search."
Dae-hyun nodded. "Good. You're with me."
Soo-ah's voice was small but steady. "Captain, do you think... do you think Park Soo-jin is still alive?"
The question hung in the air.
Dae-hyun looked at the board, at the face of the missing woman, at the four other faces beside her. His voice was quiet when he answered.
"The Busan victims weren't. But we don't know about these women yet. We don't know anything until we search." He turned back to them. "And we're going to search. Now. Today. Before he has a chance to move again."
Hae-rin spoke. "If he's been doing this for years, he's careful. He won't leave easy trails."
"Then we don't look for trails. We look for him." Dae-hyun moved toward the door. "Jin-young, get me satellite images of Bukhansan. Overlay the most remote areas—places where someone could hide for days without being seen. Hae-rin, work with him. Profile where this man would feel comfortable. Where he would go."
He paused at the door, looking back at his team.
"Min-jun, get those officers. Shi-eok, gear up. Soo-ah, Seo-ah, you're with me." His eyes swept across them. "We're going hunting."
The bullpen exploded into motion.
---
Twenty minutes later, a convoy of police vehicles left the Yongsan station, lights flashing but sirens silent. Dae-hyun led the way in his SUV, Shi-eok in the passenger seat, Soo-ah and Seo-ah in the back. Behind them, three vans carried uniformed officers, and two more vehicles held search equipment—drones, thermal imaging, climbing gear.
The city fell away as they drove north. Buildings grew shorter, then sparse, then gave way to trees and rock and the looming presence of the mountain.
Bukhansan rose before them, ancient and indifferent, its peaks lost in clouds.
Dae-hyun pulled into a parking lot at the base of a popular trailhead. Other vehicles followed, forming a rough semicircle. Officers spilled out, waiting for orders.
Dae-hyun stood before them, a map in his hands, his voice carrying in the crisp air.
"Listen up. We're looking for a man. Tall, heavily built, with a bear tattoo on his forearm. He's dangerous, and he's been doing this for years. But right now, we're not looking for him directly. We're looking for what he hides."
He spread the map on the hood of his SUV. Officers gathered around.
"These are the most remote sections of the mountain. Away from main trails, away from casual hikers. If he's hiding bodies, this is where they'll be." He pointed to specific areas. "We're splitting into teams. Each team covers a sector. Move slow, move careful. Look for disturbed ground, hidden entrances, anything that doesn't belong. Drones will cover the areas we can't reach on foot."
Shi-eok stepped forward. "I'll be coordinating the ground teams. If you find something, you call it in immediately. Do not engage alone. Do not play hero. This man has killed before, and he won't hesitate to do it again."
Min-jun moved among the officers, assigning teams, checking equipment. Soo-ah and Seo-ah waited by Dae-hyun's SUV, watching the mountain.
Soo-ah's voice was quiet. "Unnie. Are you scared?"
Seo-ah looked at the mountain, at the trees, at the clouds hiding the peaks. "Yes," she said simply. "But that doesn't matter."
"What matters?"
"Doing the job." Seo-ah's voice was steady. "That's what the captain taught me. Fear is just information. It tells you to be careful. It doesn't tell you to stop."
Soo-ah nodded slowly. "That's really smart."
"It's really his." Seo-ah almost smiled. "I'm just borrowing it."
Dae-hyun called out. "Teams ready? Move out."
The officers dispersed, heading into the trees, spreading across the mountain like a net. Drones lifted into the air, their buzz fading into the distance. Dae-hyun stood at the trailhead, watching them go. Shi-eok waited beside him. "How long?" Shi-eok asked. "As long as it takes." Dae-hyun's eyes were on the mountain. "He's here. I can feel it." Shi-eok nodded. "Then let's go find him." They stepped onto the trail together, leaving the parking lot empty behind them. Somewhere in the mountain, a predator waited. And Team Zero was coming.