Chapter 78

Ether!?

After hanging up the phone, Jin Yunho repeatedly chewed on this word.

Suddenly, a light bulb went off in his head.

No wonder, the smell he detected on Hwahora was familiar.

Ether, in liquid form, is highly volatile. The gas it emits has a very light, slightly sweet and mildly irritating odor. It is somewhat similar to the smell of alcohol but has its own distinct characteristics, making it distinguishable.

Ether has the effect of numbing the brain. After a person ingests a certain amount of ether, they may experience weakness in the limbs and fainting.

In the last century, it was used as a medical anesthetic, but it was later abandoned due to its slow onset of anesthesia.

Now, ether is mostly used as a chemical organic solvent.

Because ether can cause unconsciousness and is widely used, it is relatively easy to obtain. This has led some criminals to use it to knock out their targets and commit crimes such as robbery and sexual assault. (Holding a handkerchief soaked in ether over a person's mouth and nose for about three minutes can cause unconsciousness.)

In his previous life, when Jin Yunho was a detective, he had dealt with similar cases, so he was not unfamiliar with ether.

Later, he also specifically researched the tools commonly used by criminals.

In addition to its ability to cause unconsciousness, ether has another special physical property: it is highly volatile and flammable.

After ether vaporizes and comes into contact with air, it forms unstable peroxides, which are extremely flammable and explosive.

Its lower explosive limit is 4%, while that of gas is 12.5%.

Therefore, after coming into contact with air, ether is much more likely to explode than gas, and the explosive power it generates is also much greater.

Thinking about the explosive characteristics of ether, Jin Yunho broke out in a cold sweat.

Realizing this, Jin Yunho understood Hwahora's true intention—she was planning an explosion, intending to die with Jin Taevun!

During their last conversation, Hwahora did not show any signs of fear or terror because she had never been threatened by Jin Taevun or the Panxi Gang.

She requested Jin Taevun's early release to take revenge and die with him.

Her messy home was a sign that she had already made up her mind to die.

Despite the hot weather, Hwahora did not turn on the air conditioner, not because it was broken, but because it contained the ether she had prepared for Jin Taevun.

When he took out his lighter last time, Hwahora was so nervous because there was ether in the room, and she was overly anxious and afraid.

All the mysteries were now solved.

Immediately, Jin Yunho thought of a terrifying possibility—Jin Taevun might have gone to see Hwahora as soon as he shook off the surveillance.

"FUCK!" Thinking of this, Jin Yunho rarely swore.

---

"FUCK!" Four plainclothes police officers rushed into Hwahora's house and, upon seeing the scene inside, cursed.

After a brief pause, they all quickly drew their guns and aimed them at the unfamiliar man in the room.

"Don't move! Drop your weapon!"

The man slowly turned his head and glanced at the plainclothes police officers behind him.

A few rays of sunlight fell on his face, revealing his true identity—Jin Taevun!

Jin Taevun turned his head, ignoring the plainclothes police officers behind him, and continued his previous conversation: "I'm sorry, I have no ill intentions. I came today just to express my apologies. I'm sorry!"

As he spoke, Jin Taevun extended the object in his hand toward Hwahora. From Hwahora's perspective, it was clearly a bouquet of lilies wrapped in oilskin paper.

However, the police officers behind Jin Taevun, due to their line of sight, could not clearly see what he was holding.

They were responsible for secretly following Jin Taevun and had just received orders: Jin Taevun was suspected of remotely controlling the Panxi Gang to threaten Hwahora, and they were to arrest him immediately.

However, Jin Taevun was too cunning and managed to evade their first attempt to arrest him. They then tracked him to this location, leading to this scene.

When they burst into the room, they immediately assumed Jin Taevun was there to threaten and retaliate against Hwahora, so they drew their guns and stopped his suspicious actions.

Now, seeing Jin Taevun holding a suspicious object and extending it toward Hwahora, who was wearing a mask and whose eyes showed pain and tears, they were even more convinced that Jin Taevun was holding a weapon.

"Don't move! Take one more step, and I'll shoot!"

One of the police officers, with his feet spread apart and his hands holding the gun, his palms and forehead sweating, warned nervously.

"I have no ill intentions, really. I just wanted to come and see you, to say I'm sorry!"

Jin Taevun, without turning around or explaining to the police officers behind him, only had eyes for Hwahora, filled with deep regret.

"Uh... It's too late, everything is too late! It's all because of you! I will never, forgive, you."

Hwahora, tears streaming down her face, her expression distorted and struggling, choked out her words.

"Don't move! Turn around slowly! This is your last warning!"

Seeing Hwahora's mental state nearing collapse, the police officer gave his final warning. If Jin Taevun did not comply and did not move away from Hwahora, he would really shoot.

Just as the situation was at an impasse, a deep, resonant, and authoritative voice rang out:

"Drop your guns! Everyone, don't move!"

The four police officers glanced behind them and saw a handsome man walking in with long strides.

The man had fair skin, broad and thick eyebrows, a high nose, and thin lips, looking both handsome and sharp. However, his face was not in good condition, his eyes cold and sharp, as if he was very unhappy.

The man was none other than Jin Yunho, who had arrived just in time.

Jin Yunho's cold and sharp gaze swept over the four police officers, and he took out his prosecutor's badge, speaking with authority: "I am the prosecutor in charge of this case. The scene is now under my control! Drop your guns, don't move, and don't speak."

Jin Yunho watched as the four police officers slowly lowered their guns, pointing them downward, and then looked around the room.

Jin Taevun was facing away from the door, holding something in his hand; Hwahora was facing the door, her expression agitated.

"Phew." His tense and worried heart relaxed a bit. Fortunately, he had arrived in time, and no major trouble had occurred.

Thud, thud, thud. Footsteps sounded, and then Shin Donghae arrived: "Boss..."

Shin Donghae called out, but upon seeing the complex situation and the tense atmosphere inside, he fell silent.

Thud, thud, thud. Louder footsteps sounded again, and before anyone could enter the room, a voice rang out: "No one move! The scene is under my command."

Then, three men in suits, who had followed Shin Donghae, ran in. One of them, a middle-aged man with a proud expression, scanned the room, took out his badge, and said:

"I am Kim Sung-hoon, a first-class prosecutor from the Central Investigation Department of the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office. The scene is now under my control. I order the immediate arrest of Jin Taevun. If he resists, you may shoot."

"Idiot!" Jin Yunho, leaning against the windowsill near the stairs with his arms crossed, watched Kim Sung-hoon's performance and muttered a single word in a low, deep voice.

...

Idiot?!

Kim Sung-hoon, angry, turned around and found the person who had spoken, but then he smirked.

He showed a document and pointed at Jin Yunho, saying: "You, Prosecutor Jin Yunho. You are now under investigation. After this is over, come with me to the District Prosecutors' Office for questioning."

After saying this, Kim Sung-hoon turned to the four police officers and shouted: "What are you waiting for? Go arrest the suspect Jin Taevun! Remember, if he resists, you may shoot."

Faced with Kim Sung-hoon's order, the four police officers hesitated slightly. After all, shooting was a serious matter, and they had to consider the consequences.

The room fell into a brief silence.

Heat, sweat, heavy breathing.

In the room where a pin could be heard dropping, the deep, resonant voice rang out again:

"Idiot."

It was the same word.

Jin Yunho, still leaning against the window, tilted his head slightly and said.

However, he now had a lighter in his hand, which he was playing with, flipping it between his fingers. Idiot?!

For the second time being called an idiot, Kim Sung-hoon pursed his lips, raised his chin, and turned to look at Jin Yunho again. This time, his face was not smiling but filled with anger.

"Ridiculous!" Kim Sung-hoon turned his head and instructed the assistant investigator who had come with him: "Cuff him and take him to the car."

The two investigators who had entered the room with Kim Sung-hoon took out their handcuffs and moved to cuff Jin Yunho.

Swish.

Sweating, Shin Donghae stepped forward, silently blocking the two men in front of Jin Yunho.

Jin Yunho, still in his lazy posture, seemingly unconcerned about the situation, even pushed open the window and looked outside.

However, the smile on his lips, which no one in the room saw, and no one could guess what he was smiling about, remained a mystery.