Chapter 9

Detective Choi, the Number One in Arrest Rate! Chapter 009

"Choose whatever you like."

While my younger siblings were choosing their laptops, I wandered around the store, looking at various items, and a printer caught my eye.

‘Do we even have a place to put it?’

Our house is so small that I had to worry about where to put the printer.

We were going to move soon, and with the laptops, I thought we would need a printer, so I chose a top-of-the-line laser printer.

However, my siblings were hesitating in front of the display of laptops.

They were caught in a dilemma between their ideals and reality.

They wanted to buy something good, but they felt guilty choosing it for me.

I could sense their feelings and felt a lump in my throat.

‘These kids…’

I should have told them to just take the most expensive one instead of letting them choose.

"Having a hard time deciding?"

"Yeah!"

"Me too."

"Then let's go with this one."

"Is that okay?"

"Three of these, please."

I ordered three, including mine, from the salesperson.

Turning around, I saw a display of phones, so I took the opportunity to upgrade their phones to the latest model and signed them up for unlimited plans.

The bills would naturally come out of my account, but while I was at it, I also took care of my own and my mother's phones.

That day, I spent ten million won, and I will never forget the expressions on my siblings' faces.

* * *

After treating my bewildered siblings to lunch and sending them home, I met Kim Byung-mok at the Dongincheon Racetrack.

"Why are you so late?"

"Why? Did a big payout just happen?"

"A 80-fold payout just hit a few minutes ago."

I already knew this because I saw it in the taxi on the way there.

And I hurried to arrive because today was the day for big payouts.

The 5th race, which would start soon, was a big one, with a payout of 444 times.

"Really?"

"It's happening now. You should hurry and sit down."

"Okay."

"Quickly analyze the next race."

This guy is truly obsessed with horse racing.

As soon as he saw me, he asked me to analyze the next race.

Three races had already passed, and he seemed to have lost a fair amount.

A person like him doesn't follow the rule of betting 100,000 won per race, often betting millions at different windows.

"I'll do another analysis."

I'm not an expert in horse racing, but I can do a rough analysis.

I pretended to look at the horses and told him one of the numbers I had memorized in advance.

"What do you think?"

"This race, only number 7 looks good."

"Number 7 is the winner?"

"Yes."

"Is this a joke?"

The 4th race had a payout of over 60 times.

It was a race where a long shot won, but the 5th race had two long shots finishing 1st and 2nd, resulting in a 444-fold payout.

"I don't know much about the horses in this race, but I have a good feeling."

"Really?"

To my words, he tilted his head.

There was a big difference from what he had in mind, so he must be conflicted.

"I'm aiming for the 5th race anyway, so you can do what you want for the 4th race."

"5th race?"

"Yes. I have information that it will hit big."

"Really?"

"Yes. Did you see my luck yesterday?"

"Right. I understand."

For the 4th race, he bought the wrong ticket and passed it off, but for the 5th race, he was forced to bet on an unpredictable horse.

And the 444-fold payout hit.

"Ha ha ha! That's why I like you, brother."

We met for the first time yesterday, but he laughed heartily as if we had known each other for ten years.

"Are you happy?"

"Ha ha ha! Of course I am. 444 times. 444 times. Ha ha ha! Thanks to you, I set a new record, so how can I not be happy?"

Even with a 30% tax on payouts over 100 times, we still managed to get over 30 million won.

"Let's call it a day and have a drink."

"Should we?"

We skipped the remaining races and headed to a Hanwoo specialty restaurant in Sinpo Market.

It was a high-end restaurant with a VIP room, famous for its expensive special cuts.

We ordered the best cuts and drank and chatted for a long time, just like yesterday.

However, Kim Byung-mok, who had recently suffered an injustice, started complaining about his misfortunes again as he got drunk.

"You said the same thing yesterday. Is Baek Sang-cheol that scary?"

"Ugh, don't even mention it. He's a cruel, cruel man."

"Is that so?"

"He wasn't always like that. I heard that at first, he was just a regular member of the organization with nothing special about him. But one day, he suddenly changed and started leading dangerous missions, rising rapidly. In just ten years, he became the number three in the national organization, Black Moon."

"That's legendary."

"Of course. He's actually revered as a legend by the organization's members."

"But why did he get involved with you?"

Most burglars work alone, so I was curious how he got involved with an organization, especially with someone as high-ranking as Baek Sang-cheol.

"Don't even ask! He asked me to break into a police officer's house. Oh, right!"

Even in his drunken state, he seemed to realize he had said too much.

He had said he could open safes, but he hadn't admitted to being a burglar.

"Oh, it's just us. No one else is listening."

"Right?"

"Of course. It's an interesting story, so keep going."

"Ha ha ha! Then I will."

"Throat's dry."

"Ha ha ha! Thanks."

He was in a good mood, with a full wallet and a good drink.

If it weren't for me, he would still be staring at the odds, regretting his losses.

"So, what happened?"

"One day, a guy who works for him came to me and gave me a job. I thought I could make a good profit, but damn, he wanted me to break into a police officer's house."

"There must have been a reason."

"Of course. He wanted me to find something, but I didn't know what. He said to bring him everything in the safe. At the time, I thought he would give me the valuable stuff, but damn, he only gave me a million won."

"What a bastard."

"That's what I thought. I would have given ten million. Wouldn't you?"

"How much was in the safe?"

"There was a lot of gold and over 100 million won in cash. Even if I took a little, it's ridiculous to say there was no money in a safe in a house like that. I gave most of it to him, and he said he would give me the rest when I found what he was looking for, but he only gave me a million won."

"Really… What could he be looking for? I'm so curious."

I encouraged him to keep talking and tried to maintain the mood.

This isn't something that can be solved by just catching Kim Byung-mok.

If we catch him, another burglar will be found to break into another police officer's house.

'What could it be?'

I must find out what Baek Sang-cheol is looking for.

"I don't know, but there's one more house left."

"Really?"

"Do you know where it is?"

"I have no idea. Where is it?"

"You'll be surprised when you hear it."

"Stop being mysterious and just tell me."

"Since it's you, I'll tell you. It's the house of the Incheon Police Station Chief."

He said that after breaking into the houses of the criminal investigation section chief and the investigation department head, and not finding what he was looking for, he was now targeting the station chief.

It's unbelievable.

'This is crazy. What should I do?'

If the station chief's house is broken into, the backlash will surely come back to us.

But if I catch him now, it feels like I'm aiding a bigger crime.

A high-ranking police officer has something that the number three in Black Moon wants?

Even if I shake my head, the smell of a conspiracy lingers.

"Please tell me if you succeed. I'm dying to know."

"Ha ha ha! I will. I promise."

I learned that the house of the station chief is also in Songdo, just like the other house I found out about during the investigation.

It's a 60-pyeong house worth over 1.5 billion won, which seems suspicious even for a station chief.

His salary is public knowledge, and it's impossible to afford such an expensive apartment with a normal income, even with a large bank loan.

But it's hard to make a judgment without investigating whether it's from an inheritance or illegal accumulation.

"When will you do it?"

"The house needs to be empty, but an opportunity will come in a few days."

"Really?"

"His subordinate gave me the information. The house will be empty in a few days, and I must break in. …Cough, I'm saying too much."

"It's just a story. What's the harm?"

"True. Ha ha. By the way, what about tomorrow?"

"Oh! Sorry. I have something to do tomorrow, so I can't go to the racetrack. Let's meet next Saturday."

"Then I have no choice. See you next week."

@Changes in Daily Life

Fortunately, the winning lottery numbers didn't change.

I received 22 billion won after taxes.

With such a large sum, I thought it was best to move out of our old house, so I suggested moving to my mother.

"Mom! Let's move first."

"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"

"Well, the truth is… I said I won second place, but I actually won first place."

"What? Is that true?"

"So, let's move first. Let's get out of this small house."

"My goodness!"

Judging by her less surprised reaction compared to when I told her I won second place, the pre-emptive warning worked.

After she calmed down, I asked her where we should move.

"Shall we go to Songdo? I heard the apartments there are good…"

"Songdo?"

"Yes."

"But what about Su-jin's school?"

Thinking about it, Su-jin is in her final year of high school, and it's not a good time for her to transfer.

Transferring would be difficult to adapt to, and commuting from Songdo would be too far.

"Oh!"

"How much did you win?"

"A little over 20 billion won."

"…"

"Don't be surprised. Think of it as a gift from Dad, so we can live like everyone else and do what we want."

"From Dad?"

"Yes. I went to him and asked for help, and he gave me this gift."

Drip.

I didn't mean to, but my mother started crying.

"I'll treat you well."

"Thank you, son!"

"Don't thank me. We're family."

"But… Su-jin has to take the college entrance exam, so it might be hard to move far away…"

"…Hmm. Then I'll look for a nearby apartment. We'll move to a better place after Su-jin finishes her exam."

"Okay. Let's do that."

It seemed right to put the Songdo apartment on hold, so I contacted the real estate agent and said I would call back in the winter.

"I'll transfer 100 million won to your account. Use it freely."

"100 million won?"

"Buy clothes for you and the kids, and don't be frugal. The interest alone is substantial."

"Still…"

"It's okay, Mom!"

After a lifetime of living frugally, a few words from me won't change her habits, but I hoped that by speaking freely, she would feel a little better.

On the weekend, I went with my mother to look at an apartment complex near Su-jin's school and signed a contract for a 30-pyeong apartment.

Since it was a short-term stay, we signed a purchase contract instead of a lease, as the apartment's value would likely increase.

Since the apartment was ready to move into, we signed the contract and moved in two days later.