Chapter 2

Detective Choi, the Top Arrest Rate! Chapter 002

@Makai

"Bro! Wake up and eat breakfast."

Grunt!

It feels like I woke up from a deep sleep after losing consciousness from a stab wound.

'This is my sister Yujin's voice... Ah! Did I die and go to heaven?'

That was the thought that suddenly came to mind.

However, the scene before my eyes seemed too real to be in heaven.

I was stabbed in the alley of Songui-dong...

'Inspector Kim! That bastard!!'

Just thinking about it makes me angry.

But that's not the point; what is this now?

This is my tiny room in my mother's house where I lived before I moved out.

"Bro! Eat breakfast and go to work."

Yujin, who had woken me up, came back in.

"What?"

Yujin, just as she was before I fell into a coma, appeared before my eyes.

'At least I avoided hell.'

Something feels a bit off, but seeing Yujin made me think I had died and gone to heaven.

"Why are you like that?"

"Y, Yujin."

I suddenly hugged her.

Huh!

Yujin was taken aback by my sudden hug.

"O... Bro! It's suffocating."

"Ah! Sorry."

As the youngest, I never properly took care of her, and I didn't even know she was being bullied by classmates.

I only found out after her suicide attempt, but there was nothing I could do as a low-ranking police officer.

So I adapted to reality and lived, but seeing my youngest sister Yujin appear first after I died, I felt a mix of emotions.

But... suddenly my older sister Sojin burst in.

"Bro, hurry up!"

"Huh?"

Something felt off.

Could Sojin have died too?

That can't be...

"What do you mean, 'huh'? Hurry up. We'll be late."

Smack!

She hit my back and left. I suddenly thought, why does she look so young? She looked about ten years younger.

And the pain that came rushing in.

Gulp...

'What the hell is going on?'

I still couldn't understand the situation.

Swoosh!

Then I realized.

I felt something foreign in my hand.

'What is this?'

A thin, rolled-up notebook was in my hand.

Flash!

I remembered.

This was the very notebook that Lee Cheol-gu, who clung to it as his lifeline, had.

'What is this...?'

I couldn't understand the situation and was in a daze when the ultimate boss appeared.

"You damn brat!"

Smack!

Mom hit my back, and it hurt more because Sojin had hit me earlier.

"Ouch~ It hurts."

"Hurry up. Your siblings are waiting for you."

"Huh?"

"Huh? Why are you using honorifics, which don't fit you?"

Looking at her, Mom also looked about ten years younger.

'Could it be?'

Why did I think I had returned to the past rather than died?

Shit!

Unbelievably, I had returned to the past.

Ten years ago, to be exact.

I was so overwhelmed by the incomprehensible reality that I barely ate breakfast and rushed out.

'Wait, where did I go to work?'

I checked the calendar before leaving home and confirmed it was April 10, 2012.

It was when I had become a police officer and was promoted to sergeant, working at the Ju-an police station.

While walking to catch the bus, I thought about many things.

Most importantly, it was two weeks before my youngest sister Yujin made the tragic choice to jump from the school rooftop.

'If this is really my second chance at life, I will definitely protect you.'

Not just Sojin, but Yujin and my mother as well; I won't let them live the same tragic life as before.

After accepting that I had returned to the past for a second chance at life, I became curious about why Inspector Kim, that bastard, had stabbed me.

'Bastard! Why did he tell me to ask my father?'

Before I returned to the past, Inspector Kim, that bastard, was only thirty years old.

Since I had returned exactly ten years earlier, he was now twenty and had just entered the police academy.

Now that he was twenty, I thought I needed to cut him off at the root.

He probably wasn't directly related to my father, but I suspected his parents had some connection.

'I need to find out who his parents are.'

I will make sure Kim Jun-ho doesn't graduate from the police academy.

By the way, I also need to catch Lee Cheol-gu, who committed multiple special rape cases.

He was about to commit his first rape and go to prison.

'There's time, so I can deal with him later...'

While riding the bus to work, I was able to organize my thoughts to some extent.

Then I remembered the notebook I had put in my pocket.

'But what is this?'

I still had the notebook that Lee Cheol-gu called his lifeline.

The 2 bus came, so I got on and sat down, then opened the notebook I was curious about, but I couldn't help but swear.

'You were giving such good advice, but you analyzed it this much?'

The notebook was filled with horse racing information.

It had detailed records of the horses, the jockeys' conditions, and their performance, all meticulously organized.

The notebook was worn out, showing how much he had looked at and recorded.

There were also many analyses of lottery numbers in the back, but I quickly closed it after a brief look.

And... I was struck by a bolt of lightning.

'Wait! Lottery? This is...?'

I was shocked.

The notebook that Lee Cheol-gu had!

The notebook now in my hand contained records of the future.

It was a treasure that could bring instant wealth.

Before I went to catch Lee Cheol-gu, I had visited my father's columbarium...

'Could it be? Did Father grant my wish?'

I hoped this wasn't a dream.

Snap!

'Ouch!'

I pinched my thigh hard, and it hurt like hell.

In a daze, I arrived at the police station, and people looked at me strangely.

"Good morning."

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"Senior, why are you like that?"

"Choi Sergeant, you forgot?"

"Huh?"

Right.

I remembered what my senior said; today was my first day at the Bujeon Criminal Investigation Division.

They had even thrown a farewell party for me going to Bujeon, which was called the top of the top in Makai.

'Ugh~ Embarrassing.'

I said hello and quickly left, taking a taxi, but I was still late.

On my first day, I had to listen to a lot of scolding, but the team leader's nagging felt warm.

He had been demoted and left the force to open a chicken restaurant, so I had eaten a lot of chicken.

Smile!

"I'll work hard."

"Hey! You're smiling?"

Feeling happy, I smiled without realizing it, which made him even angrier.

"I'm sorry."

"If you're sorry, do a good job. Oh, by the way, can we drop the formalities?"

"Of course. It's natural."

"Follow me."

"Yes, sir!"

"Is something good happening?"

"Just, I want to live happily."

"You're in the top criminal division and want to live happily?"

Actually, I had joined the criminal division for the allowance.

I had joined because the working hours were long, but I got buried in work and lost control.

But after realizing this was my second chance at life, I felt a bit regretful.

"This is a place where people live. What's different?"

"That's a good attitude. Just don't beg for your life when there are too many cases."

"I'll work hard."

"Right. Please work hard. Don't let work consume you."

"Of course."

I remembered.

Ten years ago, I had heard the same advice to not let work consume me, and now it felt fresh.

Team Leader Seo Il-kyun was familiar, and Senior Byungho and Senior Jang Woo looked ten years younger.

Senior Kyung-tae, who was a bit distant but friendly, was already busy in the morning.

It was more joyful to see the seniors who had scattered a few years later.

'Everyone, it's been a long time, and I'm glad to see you.'

After being introduced to the team members and assigned a desk, the morning had already passed.

After lunch, I had some free time, so I went to the rooftop with a vending machine coffee to organize my thoughts.

'Should I buy the lottery first?'

Poverty is unbearable.

If our family had a bit more comfort, we wouldn't have lived like that.

After my father passed away, no matter how hard I tried to escape, I couldn't break free from the family and the poverty.

But thanks to whoever sent me back to the past, I wanted to break free from that wretched trap.

I had already checked the information in the notebook using my smartphone.

This week's lottery prize was 1.6 billion won, and there was a chance to win 3.3 billion won a month later.

Even if I knew the winning numbers for the first prize every week, I couldn't win every time because it would raise suspicions of foul play.

So, I decided to check when the largest prize would be available soon and buy a second prize ticket this week.

The second prize for this week was about 47 million won, and after taxes, I could receive about 36 million won.

'I can solve the money problem this way.'

I want to win the first prize a few times, but if I win consecutively, they will suspect foul play.

The money problem can be solved this way, but the urgent issue is Yujin's problem.

'Time is short.'

As a newcomer, it's hard to find time.

To save Yujin, I would need to focus all my time on it, which is a problem.

'There's no other way but to go straight.'

I don't want to be misunderstood, and I don't have time to go around, so I chose to go straight.

To visit Yujin's school and meet the teachers, I would need to take time during work hours, which is difficult as a newcomer.

So, I decided to ask the team leader for help.

I thought I could communicate with Team Leader Seo, who I had worked with before.

"Um, Team Leader."

"What?"

"I have something to say. Can you spare some time?"

"What? Did you cause trouble on your first day?"

"No, it's a family matter I need to discuss."

"...Hmm! Follow me."

Seo Il-kyun looked at me standing there for a moment and went into the small conference room.

It's a room usually used for case reports, but it's not a cozy place.

"What is it?"

"Actually, my younger sister is being bullied at school."

"Bullied?"

The team leader's face, which had a hint of playfulness, suddenly darkened at the word "bullied."

"Yes."

"...Hmm! That must be tough."

"Indeed."

"Right. What can I do to help?"

"My sister is in a critical situation, thinking about suicide. Can I take a few days off to focus on this?"

I spoke as politely as possible, knowing it would be difficult in the busy Bujeon police station.

"Family matters, so you should. But, is this really true?"

"Would I lie on my first day in the criminal division, which I wanted to join so much?"

"You seem too calm for someone whose sister is in such a situation."

"I'm trying to stay calm and focus."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'll explain in more detail later."

"Alright. I understand. I'll tell the team members that I gave you a special assignment, so behave well."

"Thank you."

"If you're thankful, do a good job and buy me a drink."

"Yes, Team Leader!"

After getting permission from Team Leader Seo Il-kyun, I gained a few days.

I want to tear apart each of the bullies who made Yujin suffer, but more importantly, I need to help Yujin recover mentally.

There's plenty of time.

Revenge can wait.

Before, I had given up after Yujin died, but now it's different.

I will save Yujin and severely punish the bullies who led her to that point.