Chapter 7: 12 Hours (1)

PM 09:03

There was silence in the observation room next to the interrogation room.

Regardless of the distance, not a single person could even blink their eyes.

Deputy Director Ho Il-kyung was so surprised that he couldn't even turn his head while speaking to Song Wei-kang, the head of the violent crimes division, who was standing behind him.

"... Song. Is this really working?"

"H-He shouldn't be seeing..."

It was only possible to see through the tinted glass or the special glass in the interrogation room while using a special device from the military Mobile Strike team.

But seeing Chun Yeowun, it felt like he could really see through the glass.

"How can someone who shouldn't be able to see me stare at me!"

Ho Il-kyung yelled.

s

When Song Wei-kang couldn't come up with an answer, the short-haired female detective spoke.

"Deputy Director. He could be deliberately trying to sway us with a bluff."

"Bluff?"

"How many times does an interrogation room appear in the movies and dramas these days? There is no way they wouldn't know that someone is behind the glass."

At her calm words, Ho Il-kyung shook his head in disappointment.

Calling this a bluff is stupid.

That man was looking straight at the Deputy Director and spoke about his position too.

'This guy is a Murim warrior. We can't think of this from an ordinary person's point of view.'

Ho Il-kyung, who was shaken until a second back, calmed down.

To get to his position, he didn't just play golf and entertain his dumb superiors.

He agreed with one thing the female detective said.

'He could be trying to sway us.'

In that case, he shouldn't appear shaken.

Getting caught in the criminal's pace would make it difficult to conduct the interrogation.

Even if this glass couldn't stop him from seeing, the glass shouldn't have a problem with being bulletproof and soundproof.

Ho Il-kyung pressed the button in front of the glass and calmly opened his mouth.

Click!

"Can you see us?"

He had to be sure. He needed confirmation.

-Didn't your man say that it couldn't be seen through?

'!!!'

Ho Il-kyung frowned at Chun Yeowun's words.

Again, he spoke while looking through the glass.

The atmosphere was so silent, it should have been hard to know if someone was in the observation room or not.

'... cheeky bastard.'

For some reason, he felt annoyed at Chun Yeowun's attitude.

Not losing his composure, Ho Il-kyung pressed the button and spoke.

"Let the doctor go."

Ho Il-kyung demanded the release of Cho Se-jong.

If he kept holding the man, then the doctor would turn into his hostage.

-Euk, pl... please!

Cho Se-jong, who was frightened, almost begged Chun Yeowun.

Ho Il-kyung continued to speak in a calm manner.

"If you let the doctor do his task and go. I will make sure that your punishment is kept to a minimum."

An attempt to negotiate.

"I am the Deputy Director of the Public Security Bureau. I have the discretion to close my eyes in special cases."

-Deputy Director?

"There is only one person above me here. Are you still unable to trust me?"

-Huh?

Of course, it was a lie. He was just bargaining for the life of the doctor.

Ho Il-kyung's mind was already filled with thoughts of punishing the man in the interrogation room.

'I will show you how it's done.'

The CCTV cameras in the interrogation and observation room were still running, and people who worked for him were watching, which meant that he had to showcase his skills as much as possible.

"Deputy Director, negotiations with criminals..."

"I will take responsibility for this."

"Deputy Director..."

The others were unaware of that and thought that their Deputy Director was trying to save the doctor.

They didn't know that Ho Il-kyung was a master at creating a favorable image.

However, there was another reason why Ho Il-kyung was trying to negotiate.

'Huh. Do I look like I will negotiate with criminals?'

Ho Il-kyung's eyes were looking elsewhere.

It was the free hand of Cho Se-jong.

An anesthetic injection which was half out of his pocket.

Cho Se-jong was the doctor in charge of most such cases.

And every time he entered, he would come prepared for all possible situations.

'With a little bit of attention diversion from him, that can be used.'

Ho Il-kyung smiled.

He had to do anything to keep Chun Yeowun from noticing it.

Click!

Ho Il-kyung pressed the button again and spoke.

"We won't do the blood test, so let the man go..."

Crack!

-Kuaaak!

Before his words even finished, a scream erupted from Cho Se-jong.

Cho Se-jong, whose wrist was broken, groaned in pain.

Unable to control his anger, Ho Il-kyung stomped and shouted.

"What the fuck is that bastard doing!"

He didn't expect this to happen without the injection being given.

With a condescending tone, Chun Yeowun spoke.

-I guess you are stupid. Did you think that I couldn't see it through the mirror?

'This...'

The Deputy Director was speechless for a moment.

Because of Chun Yeowun's attitude, he forgot that the glass in the interrogation room acted like a mirror.

'Shit!'

If he had thought clearly, he would have discouraged Cho Se-jong from using that injection.

It was Chun Yeowun's way of saying that it was your own mistake.

-Is there any reason why I would take this man hostage?

"What?"

-Don't do useless things. And let go of that illusion that I came here because I was afraid of you men.

At Chun Yeowun's warning, Ho Il-kyung punched the glass with his fist.

"This... this bastard!"

He forgot about creating a favorable image and ended up cursing him.

Not Song Wei-kong nor the two other detectives said anything while looking at their boss.

'How can that cheap bastard even threaten me? The Deputy Director of the Public Security Bureau?'

It wasn't nice.

The attitude of the man who was locked up in the interrogation room.

Favorable image or whatever, he couldn't suppress himself anymore.

Ho Il-kyung, who used his fist on the glass, suddenly realized something.

'Huh? Hold on, did I press the mic button before?'

He was so angry at the sudden incident that he didn't realize it.

Apparently, the mic button wasn't pressed when he swore at the man.

Looking back, he asked Song Wei-kang.

"... did I press the mic button by any chance?"

"Uh?"

He could tell just by the shock.

He surely released the button in shock when he saw the wrist being broken.

'H-He... is he?'

The observation room is soundproof, so even if one shouts inside, the sound would never flow out.

But Chun Yeowun could listen to them.

Ho Il-kyung stared at Chun Yeowun with fear in his eyes.

"Yo-You... what the hell are you?"

Chun Yeowun answered in a low voice.

"I have no reason to tell you. Don't bother me anymore while I'm here. This is your last warning."

"Ha!"

Ho Il-kyung exclaimed.

The criminal was speaking with an attitude that said he was going to leave the interrogation room very soon.

Trying to suppress his anger as much as possible, Ho Il-kyung asked Song Wei-kang without looking back.

"Interrogation rooms 4 and 5 are for people with special abilities, right?"

"Y-Yes. He's here because he's a Murim..."

"Okay."

He asked to confirm it.

The interrogation room Chun Yeowun was locked in was exclusively for people with special abilities.

Among those with special abilities, including Murim warriors, some believed in their own power and never cooperated with cops.

So, this chamber was made of a special alloy.

The glass between the rooms was made of a bulletproof material that could withstand more than 15 minutes of grinding with a machine and not break.

Click.

Ho Il-kyung opened a safety box next to the microphone.

It had two buttons.

On the left is a green button that releases the tranquilizer and sleeping gas, and on the right is a red button that releases tear gas.

A device installed to subdue those who ran rampant during interrogation.

"Haa."

He took a long breath before looking through the glass.

If the man could hear him, then he didn't have to press the button to talk.

"I don't care what kind of backing you have."

"..."

"For harming the lives of Public Security officers, you will be placed in jail for 24 years. I have seen dozens of people who bluff about believing in their abilities."

He spoke calmly, but there was a tremble in his voice.

It was clear that he was angry.

With his index finger, Ho Il-kyung was about to press the red button.

Song Wei-kang, who saw that, was perplexed.

"Deputy, Deputy Director. Dr. Cho is still in the room."

"Stay back!"

Ho Il-kyung held out his palm and made a gesture to not get closer to him. Glaring, he continued to speak to Chun Yeowun.

"You asked us to not bother you? Ha! Mental bastard. I'll bet my position as the Deputy Director to ensure you will never see the light of day again. You won't leave the interrogation room. If you get out, you'll be tagged as a criminal and immediately brought to trial..."

Bang!

At that moment, Chun Yeowun struck the glass with his palm.

Just the palm, but the glass swayed as if it was struck by a powerful fist.

There wasn't a scratch on it.

Shocked, the Deputy Director flinched but soon smirked, confirming that the glass was working.

"Haha! You think the bulletproof glass is called bulletproof for nothing? As if it would break with just a palm..."

Jjjkkk!

'!?'

Before he could even boast anymore, the special glass began to crack around the place where Chun Yeowun's palm struck.

Chun Yeowun didn't even hit the glass a second time.

Grrrr!

The glass around Chun Yeowun's palm began to vibrate.

The vibration grew stronger and more terrifying.

'Th-This is crazy!'

Confused, the Deputy Director tried to hastily press the red button.

It was then.

Crack!

"Ugh!"

"Kyaa!"

The glass shattered like powder and covered the observation room.

In the aftermath, the two detectives, Song Wei-kang and the Deputy Director were all thrown to the wall.

Thud! Thud!

"Cough! Cough!"

"Uhh..."

Most of the glass was turned into powder. If not for that, all their bodies would have been pierced with glass shards.

They bumped into the wall and fell to the floor, coughing at the sudden situation, and fainted.

Step!

It was then, Ho Il-kyung heard the footsteps.⁽¹⁾

Although he was unconscious, he knew that something terrible was about to happen and tried to pull his gun out, but his body floated.

"Kuk!"

Bang!

"Kuck!"

He was fixed to the wall of the observation room.

The Deputy Director, who was fixed to the wall by the unknown force, tried to move, only to fail.

He had the gun in his hand, but it was useless.

"Deputy Director!"

Pull!

The large male detective pulled out his gun after coughing.

The short-haired female also hurriedly stood up and pulled her gun.

But,

Wheik!

"Ah!"

"G-Gun!"

Both their guns were pulled out of their hands and into someone else's.

It was Chun Yeowun who entered the observation room.

Chun Yeowun, who was holding both guns in his hands, squeezed them.

Crack!

Like plastic toys, their guns shattered.

It was metal pieces that fell to the floor.

'N... no wa... way.'

Song Wei-kang couldn't even stand up. He was too stunned to even move.

Frightened by this unknown power, the female detective slumped to the floor.

The male detective, who realized that their situation was the worst, rushed towards Chun Yeowun, thinking he had to do something.

"You!"

Wheik!

Chun Yeowun lightly waved his hand towards the detective.

Woong!

"Ack!"

Bang!

The bulky male detective's body flew towards the wall as if he was as light as a tissue.

With the bang against the wall, he began to bleed from his head and passed out.

'Th... this man... just how... is he doing this?'

The Deputy Director, who was fixed to the wall, was gripped with fear.

During his life as a Public Security officer, he saw numerous Murim warriors.

Of course, most of them were criminals who came in, but they were all nothing in front of this man.

Step! Step!

Chun Yeowun slowly approached him.

He was just walking, but the Deputy Director could feel his heart intensely pound with each step.

'Please! Please!'

He wanted to say something, but he couldn't even open his mouth.

Jjrr!

His trousers were warm and wet.

In a low growling voice, Chun Yeowun said.

"I definitely warned you."

Yes, he did hear the warning.

s

Chun Yeowun looked intently at the Deputy Director, who stayed silent without saying anything, and thought for a second, then spoke with a smile.

"Hostage... yes. You should do well for that role."

'!!!'

The Deputy Director's eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.

⁽¹⁾ - Not sure how someone can hear something despite being unconscious/fainted, but we will roll with it.