I’m Obsessed With the Suspect - Chapter 31

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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31

 

“You went undercover as Park Bokseon?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

“Hey, you bastard!”

 

The loud voice that burst from his massive frame drew the attention of people at nearby tables who were eating samgyetang. Only when Sung-min jabbed his side did Hong-nam realize the situation and lower his voice.

 

“You, listen here. Do you know or not that you’ll get disciplinary action for undercover infiltration without reporting?”

 

Cheong-a’s face drooped with guilt, embarrassment, and shame.

 

“I know… But the moment I stepped foot in there, I was immediately hired as a part-timer and got an infiltration opportunity. How could I pass that up, Team Leader?”

 

Here, a new problem arose.

 

If Cheong-a’s solo action was discovered, it would certainly be something that could be settled with just a written explanation if they were lucky. However, if team leader Hong-nam knew about this, things would get serious. It would become an act of abetting unreported investigation.

 

Hong-nam swallowed the hot anger rising in his throat.

 

“Why are you telling me this now? To die together?”

 

“No! That’s not it…”

 

Cheong-a took a breath.

 

“When I caught the drug dealer yesterday, the 1st Team also responded. All of them. It seemed like they were targeting the drug dealer I caught.”

 

Mountains upon mountains of trouble, getting worse and worse!

 

Hong-nam’s complexion instantly began turning yellow.

 

“Don’t tell me the 1st Team found out you were undercover?”

 

“No! I heard from Inkyu hyung and quickly escaped!”

 

A moment of silence followed among the four people.

 

Hong-nam looked back and forth between Inkyu and Cheong-a, then nudged Sung-min’s body with his elbow and groaned.

 

“Manager Oh. I think she’s gone crazy. What did I just hear? A police officer avoiding other police officers, stealing a case and running away.”

 

“Ah, why! She did well, didn’t she? If she got caught, our whole team would have faced disciplinary action and lost the achievement too. Hey, Cheong-a. You did well. Now we just have to grab each other by the collar and fight with the 1st Team, right?”

 

Hong-nam, who had been moving his lips, just leaned his head on Sung-min’s shoulder with a thud. His face, which had turned yellow, had now turned white.

 

Sung-min embraced Hong-nam’s shoulder and patted it while continuing to speak.

 

“Cheong-a. Finish eating that quickly. Then go to the station and prepare a briefing. We need to properly understand the situation too, so we can either grab the 1st Team by the collar to help you, or pretend not to know.”

 

Cheong-a nodded in response and quickly began eating the samgyetang.

 

However, the 2nd Team’s plan to return to the station and have a serious discussion fell through.

 

“Oh no.”

 

The moment they crossed the main entrance of Central Police Station, they encountered some people. On the other side of the building, at the smoking room. There they could see the 1st Team leader Kim Sinbok and Violent Crimes Captain Kim Intae.

 

Inkyu, who was walking in front, quickly shifted his gaze and looked back at Hong-nam.

 

“Team Leader.”

 

“Yeah, I saw them too.”

 

“Looking at those sneaky expressions, it seems like they were sweet-talking the Captain to give them the case, doesn’t it?”

 

The other side also seemed to have spotted the 2nd Team and waved their hands.

 

Hong-nam and Sung-min nodded their heads slightly in response, while Inkyu and Cheong-a politely bowed to show respect to their superiors.

 

Captain Kim Intae, who received the greeting, still waved his hand and muttered something. Though the sound wasn’t audible, his lip movements clearly said ‘come over here.’

 

“…He’s calling me, right?”

 

To Hong-nam’s question,

 

“It seems so.”

 

All of the 2nd Team answered in unison.

 

Hong-nam kept his gaze fixed straight ahead and reached out to firmly grab Cheong-a’s shoulder.

 

“You caught a drug dealer last night, you were the first to report to the situation room, and you didn’t encounter the 1st Team. Is there any wrong information among these or any critical matter I should additionally know about?”

 

“No, there isn’t.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Hong-nam, who had been looking into Cheong-a’s eyes for a moment, nodded.

 

“Good. Then I’ll win and come back.”

 

He thrust both hands deep into his jacket pockets and began walking with determination.

 

Sung-min, Inkyu, and Cheong-a, left behind, quickly moved into the station building, praying for Hong-nam’s victory.

 

***

 

An anxious atmosphere had been lingering in the Violent Crimes Unit office for quite some time.

 

Hong-nam, who had been called by the Captain to face off with the 1st Team, hadn’t returned to his seat. For over an hour.

 

“Phew.”

 

Sung-min’s sighs continued, and Inkyu circled around the office like a pendulum. Cheong-a bit her nails while watching the entrance.

 

Bang!

 

With the sound of the door opening roughly, Hong-nam entered the office with a fierce expression.

 

“How did it go!”

 

Sung-min, who had jumped up from his seat, ran toward the entrance. All three had expected very bad results the moment they saw Hong-nam’s expression.

 

“Heh… Hehe. Hehehehehe.”

 

However, as soon as the entrance door closed, a smile began spreading across Hong-nam’s fierce face in an instant.

 

“The 2nd Team will handle this case!”

 

“Wow!”

 

“Really?”

 

Hong-nam walked to his seat with his shoulders raised triumphantly and plopped down in his chair.

 

“Ah, really. I had a hard time managing my expression. Giggle.”

 

Sung-min, Inkyu, and Cheong-a quickly gathered around him.

 

“Those 1st Team guys said they responded based on intelligence, but they ran without even getting an internal case number.”

 

“Wow, damn!”

 

Cheong-a clenched her fist and shook it.

 

“Situation room reception time, initial response, field report all confirmed. And it was determined that there were no other issues with Inspector Kim Cheong-a’s actions. The conclusion was that the 2nd Team should take charge of this case.”

 

“Oh my. We don’t need to grab each other by the collar after all.”

 

Sung-min sighed lightly as if relieved.

 

“But why didn’t the 1st Team even report their response to the situation room? The Captain said he’d make them write an explanation for that. Haha!”

 

Was shamelessness beginning to spread through the office like a plague?

 

Among the excited 2nd Team members, Inkyu had such thoughts for a moment.

 

Cheong-a was also hiding about the infiltration report. If they got caught wrong, wouldn’t they also have to write an explanation…

 

Hong-nam grinned and turned his head toward Cheong-a.

 

“Cheong-a, you’ve been really into games lately, haven’t you?”

 

“…Huh?”

 

For a moment, Cheong-a’s eyes blinked as she didn’t understand Hong-nam’s words. Then Hong-nam poked Sung-min’s side with his elbow and continued as if asking for help.

 

“She’s been playing games at the PC bang until late at night lately.”

 

“Right. That’s right. Yesterday while playing games, the guy next to her suddenly collapsed, and when she saw his rolled-back eyes, he was a drug user, so she immediately caught him.”

 

When quick-witted Sung-min helped out, only then did Cheong-a make an “Ah!” sound.

 

“Th, that’s right! Correct. I like LoL, LoL. My t, tier is, what was it. That, ah. It’s Gold!”

 

“Gold? Wow. That’s shiny!”

 

“Our Inspector Cheong-a co.in.ci.den.tal.ly did something big while playing games. Wow, just like a police officer. Yes, that’s right! Hahaha.”

 

“Ah, haha. Hahaha!”

 

The 2nd Team members exchanged awkward laughter.

 

When the laughter quietly subsided, Hong-nam cleared his throat once to set the mood.

 

“Hmm. There really seems to be something there, like you guys said. The 1st Team didn’t want to back down easily. What honey did they smear on this case to cling to it? They must have something they really want to confirm, so when we get the CCTV footage, they asked us to definitely share it.”

 

Gasp! Park Inkyu and Cheong-a’s gazes quickly turned toward each other.

 

Seeing their worsened expressions, Hong-nam frowned and lowered his voice.

 

“Hey. What is it. Why?”

 

“Uh…”

 

“What is it! Say it quickly.”

 

Watching Cheong-a move her lips, Sung-min urged her to speak.

 

“On the CCTV…”

 

Cheong-a lowered her voice a bit more and answered in a mosquito-like voice.

 

“There will be footage of me diligently mopping at the store.”

 

“Huh? That won’t work?”

 

Troubled expressions crossed Hong-nam and Sung-min’s faces. Having kept their mouths shut throughout the meeting about Inspector Kim Chung-a’s undercover investigation, it would be problematic for such evidence to be shared with the 1st Team.

 

“And.”

 

“What else is there?”

 

Cheong-a opened her mouth with an extremely apologetic expression, clasping her hands tightly together.

 

“The scene where I kicked the Drug Dealer down and knocked him out by striking his neck… that would be recorded too, right?”

 

“What?!”

 

Cheong-a’s list of charges had grown.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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