The Legendary Detective Catches All the Criminals - Chapter 7



Only Noblemtl

◈Episode 7◈

curse

The bar is deserted again today.

Shin Dae-seong and Kim Han-gyeol had a conversation while drinking.

“You disappeared from the set?”

“Yes, it was 12 years ago. The missing actress was ‘Yoon Ga-hee’, the movie she starred in was a huge hit, and she even won the Best New Actress award, so her stock was on the rise. It was called ‘Healing Game’, but it was a movie that unfortunately lost tens of millions of viewers······.”

“No, I don’t know.”

Shin Dae-seong immediately nodded his head.

Because I became isolated from the world after entering prison.

“I saw it three times because it’s my favorite thriller genre. The twists were good, and I thought it was pretty well made. Anyway, thanks to the success of the movie, they started making a sequel, but then he suddenly disappeared during filming.”

“Can a famous actress suddenly disappear? She must have had a manager or stylist with her all the time.”

“When she disappeared from the set, at first I thought it was just an aberration.”

“What is the reason?”

“Yoon Ga-hee was very reluctant to appear in the sequel. She even showed extreme anxiety symptoms.”

“Isn’t this the movie that made you a star?”

“The director is a bit crazy. He keeps filming until he gets the scene he wants, and he makes the actors suffer a lot.”

“Yoon Ga-hee was forced to appear in the sequel?”

“Yes. The production company didn’t want to change the female lead in the sequel, and the agency had no reason to turn down a role in a movie that was guaranteed to be a hit. The director also promised to film without any coercive demands.”

“But the director didn’t keep that promise?”

“That’s right. When filming began, the same request was repeated. The film staff expected Yoon Ga-hee to rest for a few days. That happened in the first film, too. However, a week passed and she did not show up, so the investigation was conducted belatedly.”

Shin Dae-seong took a sip of whiskey and asked.

“The police haven’t found any trace of her? How could she disappear from a filming location?”

“That’s why it’s a mystery. The filming location is in a remote area, so you have to travel by car, but Yoon Ga-hee can’t even drive.”

“A famous actress mysteriously disappeared… Is this an incident that caught the attention of the entire nation?”

“That’s right. They say he was extremely stressed out at Gangnam 2. They say he was called an incompetent police officer and that he got cursed at all for the rest of his life. They even had a public investigation broadcast, but when there was no progress, conspiracy theories started to spread.”

“Conspiracy theory?”

“These are the false rumors that follow these kinds of incidents like a tail. Yoon Ga-hee was kidnapped because she had a powerful person’s baby, she faked her disappearance to retire from the entertainment industry, and so on. Even now, there are occasional reports of people seeing Yoon Ga-hee.”

“This is fun······.”

“The most convincing of them all is the curse of the new actress.”

“What is that again?”

Kim Han-gyeol emptied his glass and answered.

“In the film industry, there is a rookie award given by senior actors. It is called the ‘Stepping Stone Rookie Award,’ and the lives of actresses who receive this award are ruined. The box office failures of their works are ridiculous. Adultery, divorce, and family breakdowns are the norm. They also get into traffic accidents, but Yoon Ga-hee is at the peak.”

“It seems like it’s been exaggerated like Pele’s curse······.”

“No! I’m sure because that’s what my mother told me. There was a widespread atmosphere where no one wanted to receive the Stepping Stone Rookie Award. In the end, it was abolished. The disappearance of the actress who won the Rookie Award is the second of the three biggest mysteries in the Korean entertainment industry.”

Kim Han-gyeol poured alcohol into Shin Dae-seong’s and his empty glasses.

“Would you like a drink?”

“Okay.”

-Ding.

Kim Han-gyeol took a sip and took out his cell phone.

“There was a phone number I didn’t recognize. I don’t remember calling that number······.”

“!”

The bartender reacted with bewilderment.

But Shin Dae-seong’s facial expression didn’t change at all.

“I wrote this while Detective Kim was asleep here.”

“For what reason?”

“If you have any questions, just call me······.”

Kim Han-gyeol pressed the call button and changed it to speaker mode.

-Turrurur, turrurur······ Click!

After the call connection tone ends,

A middle-aged man’s thick voice was heard.

-I love you, customer. This is ‘Handsome’ designated driver service with 25 years of tradition.

“Aww, that’s gross… You were driving a designated driver?”

“It’s a company I used to use a lot. I called them without any hesitation, but I was surprised to see that they’re still in business.”

“I find it more amazing that Detective Shin remembers the designated driver’s phone number from 20 years ago.”

“This is a nice place. Call me early today.”

“Is that so?”

Kim Han-gyeol stood up holding his cell phone.

“Is it possible to make a reservation?”

-Are you a colleague of Detective Shin Dae-seong?

“Yes, Detective Shin, you are my soulmate who will be with me for life.”

-Okay, that’s possible. When should I arrive?

“You can come by 11. This is a bar called Pandora. Oh, do you know where it is······.”

Kim Han-gyeol talked on the phone while walking to the bathroom.

As if he had been waiting for this, the bartender spoke to Shin Dae-seong.

“Why did you come here again? Didn’t you say that if you gave the money you received from that guy to the victim’s family, it would be the end?”

“I never said that. First, I told you to give the money to your family. And now, as an informant, you have to do whatever I tell you to do. Of course, without pay.”

“W-Unpaid? Isn’t that too much? Isn’t it the same as treating me like a slave?”

“If you don’t like it, then leave it alone. You can be punished for perjury.”

“Ah, no······ I’m not saying I don’t like it outright. How long are you going to have to be a slave-like informant?”

“If you commit a crime, you should receive the appropriate punishment. Otherwise, you have to wait for the statute of limitations. You have to work as an informant until the statute of limitations for perjury expires.”

“How many years exactly is that?”

“Look it up yourself. These days, you can find everything just by searching the internet.”

The bartender started searching on his phone, and Kim Han-gyeol, who had gone to the bathroom, returned.

“Maybe because there are no guests, the bathroom is very clean. But is there such a thing as mystery in archaeology?”

“The study itself is a mystery. It is guessing about the past world based on weak evidence. In archaeology, there are three great discoveries that will turn the world upside down.”

“What is it?”

“The discovery of Jesus’ tomb, the discovery of the ancient city of Atlantis, the discovery of Genghis Khan’s tomb.”

“Is this an old article…? They say that Jesus and Genghis Khan discovered tombs. They also say that they found traces of Atlantis.”

“There are only rumors that they visited every year, but there is no reality. It is safe to say that it is 100% false.”

“I see. Now, let me tell you the third mystery of the Korean entertainment industry. That is······.”

“for a moment!”

Shin Dae-seong quickly dissuaded him.

“It’s not fun to hear it now. Tell me the end later.”

“When?”

“If Detective Kim and I solve the case of the disappearance of the rookie actress.”

“Yes? We’re going to solve that case?”

A surprised voice also came out of the bartender’s mouth.

“Wow, 7 years! This is crazy······.”

* * *

Late at night.

Korea University Hospital where Baek Byeong-cheol is hospitalized.

-Knock knock.

Shin Dae-seong quietly opened the door to the hospital room and went in.

“Master, how are you today?”

“very good······.”

Baek Byeong-cheol asked, getting up from his bed.

“You already solved the case?”

“It was a simple matter. But how did you know?”

“I’m not dead yet. Whether it’s the police, the prosecutors, or the courts, I still have my eyes and ears.”

“Why aren’t you asleep yet?”

“I thought about it for a while… I still can’t figure it out even after 20 years of thinking about it. Why did my daughter Hye-won have to be murdered? Was it because of me, a stubborn judge? Was it because of you, the best detective in the Republic of Korea? Or was it because of Hye-won’s job as a social worker?”

“Nothing has been confirmed yet. I will uncover them one by one, so don’t be impatient. This is just the beginning.”

“But you don’t get any sleep? If you worked hard in the field, you should rest comfortably at home.”

“If not at this hour, I wouldn’t be able to meet my father-in-law. And I can’t sleep. I have to stay awake all the time, not knowing when I’ll be attacked.”

“Thank you for persevering and not giving up.”

Shin Dae-sung explained his plans for the future.

“First, I will show my health. I have to resolve any case as quickly as possible. If it is a case that attracts national attention, it will be even more effective.”

“What kind of case will you be taking on?”

“This is the case of the disappearance of a new actress.”

“I know this case too. It won’t be easy, right?”

“I think of it as a preliminary battle to find my wife’s killer.”

“Be careful······ It’s the being that killed Hye-won and made you the culprit. It could be a being that surpasses your and my imagination.”

“I expected that too. If I can’t fight it alone, I’ll have to make sure that I get on your side and fight with you. I’ll gather capable detectives and create the best investigation team. I’ll definitely find the guy who killed my wife and make him punished.”

A smile spread across Baek Byeong-cheol’s face.

“I’m so glad.”

“What is it?”

“Since you’re my son-in-law, how’s your new partner?”

“It’s fun.”

* * *

Inside the car driven by Kim Han-gyeol.

-Flash.

Shin Dae-seong opened his eyes while sleeping in the passenger seat.

“What······ Did I fall asleep again?”

His reaction is that he can’t understand it even if he thinks about it.

Kim Han-gyeol, who was driving, said with a smile.

“You can sleep a little longer. I’ll wake you up when we get to the set.”

“No, I don’t sleep well. To be exact, I can control when I sleep. But these days, I fall asleep just by getting in a car. This is almost pathological······.”

“Maybe it’s because of my age.”

“Age? As you get older, don’t you have less sleep?”

“Is that so? My mother always makes excuses about her age. When she can’t sleep, she blames her age. When she sleeps too much, she blames her age. She also blames her age for the failure of unification between North and South Korea. But······ Do you think it’s a good thing for us to go to the filming set right now?”

Shin Dae-seong asked in a calm voice.

“Are we going to the outdoor filming location where the rookie actress’s disappearance incident occurred?”

“Yes.”

“There happens to be a film crew filming a movie at the time. The director is the same one who filmed the sequel to ‘Healing Game.’ And the staff hasn’t changed much either.”

“you’re right.”

“Wouldn’t it be strange to miss such a golden opportunity?”

“But there is a big obstacle on that set.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Of all things, my mom was filming there.”

Shin Dae-seong couldn’t understand Kim Han-gyeol’s reaction.

“Wouldn’t that be even better? We shouldn’t conduct an official investigation yet. We should approach them naturally and get information. Isn’t the fact that we came to see Detective Kim’s mother the best excuse?”

“Will Detective Shin’s plan work out as planned?”

“I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work.”

“You say I can’t because I’m uncomfortable and annoyed? Mom still treats me like a high school student. She keeps nagging me! Ugh~ Just thinking about it makes my head feel like it’s going to burst.”

“Let’s separate public and private life.”

“This is not a matter of public or private. Even Detective Shin will not be able to properly investigate. Now that we’re on the subject, I’d like to get a definite promise.”

“You say you are not deluded by anything and only investigate.”

“That’s why I came.”

“Detective Shin, your age group is the most dangerous. You really promised.”

* * *

An outdoor filming location parking lot on the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province.

-Rumble.

Kim Han-gyeol said as he got out of the car.

“Do you know why I don’t have any friends?”

“How can I answer if you suddenly ask me that?”

“It’s because of my mom. She didn’t let me meet friends since I was little. Even now, she tries to control me and the people around me. It’s also my mom’s fault that I get rejected by every woman I meet.”

“Detective Kim, everything is your mother’s fault? Your mother used to grumble that it was all about age,”

“Anyway, I clearly warned you. Be careful of Mom.”

Kim Han-gyeol and Shin Dae-gil walked to the movie set.

At that time, Jang Hye-ran, Kim Han-gyeol’s mother, was filming.

“This is the devil!”

-Ouch~.

Kim Hye-ran slapped her co-star actress hard in the face.

The sound alone made me feel the tremendous destructive power.

Shin Dae-seong whispered with a surprised expression.

‘I really have to be careful······.’

‘I never thought I would end up defending my mother. You have to hit her hard with a strong will to finish it in one go. That’s also for the role of getting slapped.’

“NG! Actress Kim Hye-ran, you hit me too hard. I’ll go again.”