Chapter 10

Detective Choi, Number One in Arrest Rate! Chapter 10: Becoming a Chaebol

We moved to a new place with the help of a professional moving company, so our family only had to do a light cleanup. We were so used to just longing for money that we felt rather empty from this convenience. We bought all new furniture and appliances, and since there were three bedrooms, the bigger one was for my younger siblings, and the two smaller ones were for my mother and me.

"Nice."

With the bed in place, it felt quite cozy, to the point where I didn't want to go to work.

"Bro! Thanks!"

Sujin gave me a gentle hug and excitedly went into their room to organize the new desk they bought, making a mess in the process.

And Yujin hugged me even tighter.

"Bro! I'll do my best."

Yujin's words made me genuinely emotional.

"Yeah, thanks."

"I'm the one who should be thankful."

"Study hard and get into the university you want. Got it?"

"Okay!"

Yujin nodded in response.

It seemed that living with my mother had made everyone mentally healthier, and I felt relieved. Especially, the new house seemed to bring more vitality, and I realized that this is what a good home feels like.

* * *

"Are they doing well?"

After a long time, I contacted my friends for a sudden meetup. Even though I couldn't go to college due to my circumstances, my close friends were either in vocational schools or adapting to society.

I contacted three of my close high school friends and met them in Jwan.

Yang Jincheol, Moon Jihun, and Park Minho.

They are the only friends I can meet without bias even after becoming a detective.

Jincheol graduated from Inho Polytechnic and entered the car dealership world, Jihun graduated from Incheon University and is adapting to a job at a small and medium-sized enterprise in Namdong Industrial Complex, and Minho, who has the longest "leash" among us, is a graduate student at Inho University's Mechanical Engineering Department, about to graduate.

Minho, in particular, is one of my sore spots. He developed a patent, but things didn't go smoothly after that. He rarely went out, and I only heard from him occasionally until I received the news of his suicide.

We didn't know why Minho committed suicide, but after his funeral in the winter of 2016, we learned in early 2017 that his car was found at a car pawn shop in Jeongseon Casino. That's when we found out he had taken out loans and gambled.

Another death I need to prevent is the suicide of my dear friend Minho.

"Why did you contact us first, Mujin?"

"Really, is the sun going to rise in the west tomorrow?"

"Calm down. Mujin is finally growing up. Isn't that right, Mujin?"

"Shut up. Just drink. I'm buying today."

"Really?"

"Surprised that you contacted us first, and now you're even paying? You?"

"Really!"

"Hehehe! The host says to be quiet."

Jincheol, who works in sales, mimicked a local accent to change the mood.

"Drink as much as you want. I'm buying the full course today, except for the room salon."

I'm careful not to get involved in places like that, as it could lead to trouble if I get caught.

Of course, I haven't had a reason to go there yet...

"Really?"

Minho asked in surprise.

"Of course."

I stared at Minho, who was alive and talking to me, in amazement.

"Why are you looking at me like that? It's creepy."

"Hey, you look good today, Minho."

"Shut up. I need to poop. Do you think I'd be happy hearing that from a guy?"

Heh!

He laughed, even though he said he wouldn't like it.

'Yeah. Let's live and laugh like this.'

"If you have any problems, contact me, okay?"

"Did you not eat well today?"

"We're friends, so we should rely on each other. Why are you being so dramatic? Dramatic."

"Mujin, you're really acting strange. Did you achieve enlightenment?"

"What? Enlightenment?"

"Maybe it's because we haven't seen each other in a while, but you seem to have grown up."

"Stop being a smartass and just drink. Oh, and Jincheol, recommend a suitable car for me."

I said this to Jincheol in a slightly domineering tone after clinking glasses with Minho.

He had always insisted that if I were to buy a car, I should get it from him.

"Are you buying a car? You?"

"Yeah."

"Did you win the lottery?"

"Yeah, I did. What are you going to do about it?"

Chuk!

Jihun put his hand on my forehead.

He was probably checking if I had a fever or if I was normal.

"Shut up! Stop talking nonsense."

"Really, you won? First prize?"

I felt a mix of emotions, but my friends were so shocked that they all froze.

If we needed a textbook example of shock, their faces would be perfect.

"Are you shocked?"

"N-no, are you serious?"

"I moved into a 30-pyeong apartment in Songrim-dong. Does that sound believable?"

They all knew my situation and had felt sorry for me for giving up on college.

"Damn! You're finally making it."

"Congratulations."

"Me too."

"Thanks, everyone. Let's drink heavily, shall we?"

I had two reasons for telling my friends. One was the pure intention that they no longer need to worry about me, and the other was to create witnesses in case the internal affairs department investigated me due to my improved circumstances.

Anyway, that day we drank until we were truly drunk, from the first round to the third. We trusted each other and cared for each other deeply.

Life is unpredictable, but if my friends betrayed me, I would forgive them at least once...

* * *

"Park Jongmun doesn't seem to be the one. What about Kim Byungmok?"

"It's still difficult to find any evidence. I'm trying to get closer to him by delivering meals."

"Get closer?"

His expression asked why I would get closer.

He couldn't know my thoughts, but I wondered if I had done something wrong.

"Yes, if he's not the culprit, he could be a good informant."

"Having an informant can be helpful, but you need to be careful. Criminals don't become repeat offenders for nothing."

"Do you mean they are cunning?"

"Something like that. The problem is that when something goes wrong, they'll try to shift the blame to anyone."

"I'll keep that in mind."

I understood what Park Senior was saying, but I didn't want to act arrogant, so I just responded.

"Anyway, we need to observe him a bit more."

"Yes."

"I'm worried we might get disciplined."

"We might miss a promotion, but we won't be openly disciplined."

"That's what I mean. Damn!"

If I had formed a deeper bond with Park Senior from my previous life, I would have told him about Kim Byungmok.

But since it had only been about a month, I was hesitant to fully cooperate.

"What does the team leader say?"

"He won't just sit there. Of course, he'll be upset, but he knows it's not easy to push things too hard, so he's not pushing as much as I expected."

"Ha~ What if we get caught again?"

I said this because it was time to raid Kim Byungmok's apartment. The incident might have already happened.

"Well, it'll be a mess."

We might not be disciplined, but we could be transferred to a regional office.

While being transferred to a regional office in a city might be manageable, being sent to a remote area in Gangwon-do would be a real hardship.

"We need to catch him."

"We can't even get an actor to help. It's frustrating."

"We can't do that."

"At the very least, we need to identify a suspect..."

"Senior! Let's buy some time."

"How?"

"Report that it seems to be related to Black Moon."

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's simple. There's a nationwide organization called Black Moon in Incheon. Who would dare to raid a high-ranking police official's home without Black Moon's knowledge?"

It's true, but I presented it as a plausible hypothesis.

Since it's the truth, I felt no guilt in saying it.

"Hmm... It makes sense, but it feels like the situation is getting bigger."

"If it gets bigger, it's even better. The Gangsul Team will have no choice but to take the case back, right?"

This is the best option for now.

Park Senior seemed intrigued by my suggestion and agreed to do it.

But things won't go that far.

I plan to arrest Kim Byungmok before then.

"Okay. Let's investigate a bit more, and if we still have no leads, we'll do it that way."

"Understood."

During the investigation, I can move independently, which is good because I can handle personal matters.

While the Gangsul Team is tough, I think it's much better than working at a police station if you just do your job well.

After parting ways with Park Senior, I headed to the Daeyeon Car Dealership in Gwacheon, where my close friend Jincheol works.

"You really came?"

Jincheol looked at me in surprise.

"Did you think I was joking?"

"Wow, you really did?"

"What?"

"The lottery!"

"Of course, it's real. Would I lie to you about something like that?"

"Wow~"

He seemed to be in disbelief even though I had been excited about it while drinking. I spent over 1 million won that day.

Damn! You guys drank so much and still have that look...

"Recommend something sturdy and practical. I'll mainly use it for work."

"Okay! A new SUV would be good."

"Sometimes I have to sleep in the car during surveillance, so a spacious interior would be nice."

"Then an SUV is perfect."

"Got it. I'll sign the contract, so get it ready quickly."

"Of course."

"Don't give me a discount or anything. Make sure you get your commission."

"Is that okay?"

Materialist!

His face lit up.

Now that I have some leeway, I don't want to take advantage of my friends.

If Jincheol had offered a discount, I would have gone to another dealership.

"Of course. I'd ask for a discount if I were in a tough spot, but I don't want to cut into your commission. It's fine."

"Then I'm grateful. Thanks, friend!"

"Shut up!"

The Sandape is popular, so it would take two months, but Jincheol said he would try to get it done in less than a month.

'Mom might like to drive it... No, will Sujin be faster?'

It would be good if my mom learned to drive, but she's a bit timid, so I'm not sure if she would be comfortable on the road even with a driver's license.

Sujin will have free time after the college entrance exam, so she could learn to drive then.

If I have a car, it would be convenient for the family to have another one for use.

"I'll contact you when the car is ready."

"Got it. I'll come back after Sujin's exam."

"Anytime, you're welcome. Hahaha!"

"Good?"

"Of course, it's good."

After signing the contract and paying the deposit, I left the dealership.

'You look good in that role.'

I didn't expect Jincheol to fit so well into the role of a salesperson, but seeing him in the dealership, it felt like he was a natural fit. It was like seeing a new side of my friend.

'You'd do well in business.'

I had a vague thought that we might work together in the future.