The Lawyer Who Reads Tomorrow - Chapter 132

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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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Chapter 132

 

-The customer cannot answer the phone…

 

“I figured as much.”

 

The profile that the Center Director printed out for me was really nothing special.

 

A generic profile with all the potentially critical content removed.

 

The caregiver’s name was Kim Do-seop.

 

A 41-year-old male with no photo.

 

-The customer cannot answer the phone…

 

I called several times but he didn’t answer.

 

I didn’t want to go this far because it was bothersome, but this service is taking longer than expected.

 

[404]: He must have transferred money directly from the app while I was sleeping

 

[404]: Used all my cards too

 

[404]: But the funny thing is ㅋㅋㅋ the account I transferred my money to, I looked into it too and it seems like a ghost account ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

 

404 spoke about it so casually.

 

From the affiliated caregiver service to Professor Yoo Pil-chang’s incident and the 5th floor related matters.

 

He also said he couldn’t remember any of it.

 

His light tone compared to the seriousness of the situation was surprisingly shocking.

 

[404]: But that’s not what matters to the consul ㅠ

 

[404]: The consul’s small and precious computer ㅠ Without a computer, work becomes so slow and difficult

 

He also said such nonsense.

 

I had already asked Han Kyung-ho, but the hospital side’s position was that bringing it in was impossible.

 

So I was keeping his computer separately.

 

“That’s why I said we should move locations.”

 

The words slipped out without me realizing it.

 

404, who insisted on A Nursing Hospital while going on about his hyung, hoped to move to the existing A Nursing Home even if he did transfer.

 

However, the nursing home side refused that.

 

Anyway, 404 was frustrating as he struggled through various hardships but wouldn’t bend his stubbornness.

 

Even so, the reason I was bothering to accommodate that guy’s stubbornness was surely something Sung Tae-hyun’s body had done, not me.

 

I really wasn’t this kind of person before.

 

【●● Motel】

 

So that’s why I’m here in a place like this.

 

The worn-out signboard with faded letters had weathered so much over time that it was barely readable anymore.

 

I lifted the documents again to check the address.

 

Though it wasn’t written as “motel,” this was definitely the right address.

 

Room 401. Caregiver,

 

Recalling the room number written precisely on Kim Do-seop’s profile, I opened the door of the motel that had a strange earthy smell.

 

“Is anyone there?”

 

Even the inn where I stayed with Noh Hae-min in Goshi Village wasn’t this bad.

 

It seemed completely unmaintained with spider webs in every corner, and the low ceiling near the entrance forced me to awkwardly tilt my head to the side.

 

Moreover, no one was answering.

 

Is this really an operating motel?

 

I lifted the documents again.

 

And then.

 

“Huh? Who’s there?”

 

A small window visible right past the entrance opened with a creaking sound.

 

I made eye contact with an old man who stuck his neck out from inside.

 

The old man, whose disheveled hair stuck out in all directions as if he’d just woken up, yawned and asked me.

 

“Who are you?”

 

He took out a long wooden stick and scratched his back vigorously while staring at me intently.

 

“Room? One? Two?”

 

Oh no. I hadn’t expected such a run-down motel and was momentarily stunned.

 

I cautiously approached the old man who was staring at me blankly with the stick still stuck to his back.

 

The ceiling was so low that Sung Tae-hyun’s tall frame nearly caused my head to bump into it, but my head remained safe.

 

The old man who had been staring intently at my approach let out a sigh of relief.

 

“Oh my. You’re so tall it takes forever just to come in~ So, do you need a room?”

 

“No, that’s not it.”

 

I was just starting to open my mouth, but the Old Man’s eyes quickly lost interest and turned cold.

 

“Tsk, I thought you wanted a room. You don’t?”

 

“I’m looking for someone.”

 

“This isn’t a Detective Agency, who are you looking for. Go on, go.”

 

Slide.

 

The Window where the Old Man’s face had been visible quickly shut.

 

Good grief, I knocked again before the shadow inside the Room disappeared.

 

“Sir, I came here because there’s someone I absolutely must find. Please help me.”

 

When I called to him gently, the closed Door swung open again.

 

The Old Man looked up at me gruffly and opened his mouth.

 

“…You’re quite pretty. Well now, just know I’m only doing this for today. What is it, who is it. Who ran off after taking Money again?”

 

…He speaks as if that kind of thing happens quite often.

 

Come to think of it, the Caregiver who had used this Motel as his address was indeed someone who ran off after taking Money.

 

I nodded as if affirming.

 

The Old Man’s sigh followed.

 

“The world is harsh… I should hurry up and die. These damn people…”

 

He lamented and sat down on the Chair placed in front of the Window.

 

Good, now it seems he’s lost the desire to turn me away at the Door.

 

I bent my waist slightly to meet his eyes.

 

“I heard a person named Kim Do-seop lives here.”

 

“…Kim Do-seop? I can’t remember all the names. Wait a moment.”

 

The Old Man searched for his Glasses among the Documents scattered messily on the Desk and put them on.

 

“Let me see now~. Kim Do-seop? Kim Do-seop…?”

 

“According to the address, it’s listed as Room 401 of this Motel.”

 

“4th Floor Room 1? Oh, yes. He’s here. Kim Do-seop. Ah, so this gentleman’s name was Kim Do-seop. My hearing’s gotten bad with age. I wrote it down as Kim Do-seom. Good grief.”

 

He opened a yellowed Notebook and was searching for the name with his finger when he suddenly made a loud noise and burst out in irritation.

 

“Kim Do-seom, no, Kim Do-seop, that bastard, are you looking for him?”

 

“Why do you ask?”

 

“Because I’m pissed off. This guy crawls in at dawn, just sleeps, and leaves. I can never catch him. He signed a contract saying he’d live here monthly, but how much money is he behind on!”

 

“He’s behind on money?”

 

“Yeah! Let me see here. He’s already two months behind. That damn bastard who looked down on me so much when I asked for a deposit because it’s a cheap motel. I can’t reach him either! Can’t reach him!”

 

Can’t reach him… Oh no, it seems 404 has really gotten into serious trouble.

 

It was good that I reported the Caregiver Center to the Police in advance.

 

To think they kept arranging such a person.

 

Another charge of contempt has been added.

 

“You can’t reach him either, sir? Do you know when he last came in?”

 

At my question, the Old Man pondered and shook his head.

 

“Well… was it a week ago? I sleep too, and I don’t know the exact date. But Our Son said when he was coming home? He thought that bastard from 4th Floor Room 1 had come?”

 

A week ago.

 

That’s quite a while ago. This is troublesome.

 

“Do you happen to have CCTV?”

 

I saw a black Camera mounted on the Ceiling at the Entrance.

 

I don’t know about the CCTV for the entire Building, but if I could check it, I might be able to roughly know Kim Do-seop’s schedule.

 

“Ah, that thing.”

 

The Old Man sighed deeply and said.

 

“I’m about to close this business anyway. That thing’s been broken for quite a while. How much do room fees even amount to? These days, not even one Room per floor is occupied.”

 

Useless.

 

It couldn’t be helped.

 

If the CCTV isn’t working, there would be nothing to find even if I searched it.

 

As if proving the Old Man’s words, the CCTV I examined was just covered with a thick layer of dust.

 

“Ah, then shall we at least go see that Room?”

 

That’s when it happened.

 

The Old Man, who had briefly stopped talking with me and was rummaging through the Drawer under the Desk, picked up a Key.

 

He lifted the Key with a jingling sound and suddenly stood up from his seat.

 

“I’m really frustrated too. Even if money is overdue, it’s only been a day or two, right?”

 

“…I see.”

 

“Ugh, I don’t know. Come on, move aside. Come with me. This damn guy, where did he crawl off to that he won’t come back! So frustrating!”

 

The Old Man burst open the side door of the Small Room made for guidance and came out.

 

When our eyes met, he took the lead up the Stairs and waved his hand in Empty Air as if telling me to hurry up.

 

“Let’s see, Fourth Floor… Fourth Floor. Well, I’ve been thinking I should visit at least once.”

 

Room 401.

 

In front of the Door we reached after climbing several old Stairs.

 

“Kim Do-seop! Is Kim Do-seop in there?”

 

The Old Man pounded on the Door.

 

However, when there was no sign of anyone inside, he immediately shoved the Key in roughly and turned it.

 

Perhaps due to its age, the Door rattled and wouldn’t open properly.

 

“Look at this thing. It’s time to close up shop.”

 

The grumbling Old Man wrestled with the Door and finally succeeded in turning the Key.

 

“Oh, it worked. Come on, let’s go in!”

 

The old Iron Door opened with a metallic sound.

 

* * *

 

“…”

 

I was silently looking inside the Single Room.

 

It was a Small Room with one Bathroom attached.

 

There was one Window, but it hadn’t been ventilated for a long time, so a strangely rotten smell stung my nose.

 

“Ugh, so dirty.”

 

Kim Do-seop wasn’t there.

 

However, it was true that he had been here, as items showing signs of life were scattered on the Ground.

 

What looked like a Suit was hanging on the Wall, and on the yellowed linoleum floor, an Overcoat and Underwear were carelessly strewn about.

 

The Old Man grumbled as he entered the room and threw the window wide open.

 

“This damn room is nothing but a garbage dump.”

 

I carefully stepped into the room.

 

It would be nice if there was evidence that he stole 404’s money, but that kind of thing wouldn’t be in a room like this in the first place.

 

The room I entered without much expectation was indeed messy, but there was nothing particularly special about it.

 

Cup noodles that had been there so long they were rotting and giving off a stench, and black plastic bags shoved in the corner.

 

I suppose the latex gloves and delivery food remnants thrown inside could be considered unusual if anything.

 

“Ugh, the smell.”

 

The Old Man covered his nose and went to get the blanket to shake it out.

 

“What’s this?”

 

From under the blanket he lifted up in one go, several 10,000 won bills fell out along with dust.

 

“…Good grief, how long has this been hidden here?”

 

Three 10,000 won bills and a few coins rolling around.

 

The Old Man sighed and went outside, saying he needed to shake out the blanket.

 

Charges like trespassing briefly crossed my mind, but no.

 

If someone is this suspicious, they probably wouldn’t even think of going to the police station to report the owner, let alone worry about trespassing.

 

I pushed aside the useless thoughts and opened the drawer.

 

In the room, there were only two places to hide things anyway: one drawer under the TV and one closet containing blankets.

 

“Nothing much here.”

 

But there were still clothes left.

 

And several bags too.

 

The landlord had testified that Kim Do-seop came about a week ago, but he also said that wasn’t exactly accurate.

 

In any case, if Kim Do-seop hadn’t completely disappeared, this was a place that needed to be watched continuously.

 

‘This won’t be easy.’

 

I wasn’t confident that the profile written at the caregiver center was real either.

 

Even if I interrogated the center director, if he really was just someone registered with the caregiver referral center, he wouldn’t know either.

 

I hadn’t found any particular connections like family or friends.

 

[404]: And I’m sorry to you, Sung Tae-hyun…

 

404 had said such things.

 

Even with his bank account completely drained, he seemed burdened by the fact that I was doing something for him.

 

Despite having signed the contract, whenever 404 brought up stories related to his case, he would chat with a strangely subdued tone.

 

[404]: If we can’t find it, there’s nothing we can do… I know reality too

 

[404]: And remember? I’m an awesome hacker as long as I have a computer? lol

 

“Maybe it would be better to leave Kim Do-seop to Lee Seol-rok.”

 

After all, he is the expert in that area.

 

Although all I had was one document I received from the Center Director, Lee Seol-rok was good at finding people.

 

I slowly bent down and exited through the low entrance door.

 

For a while now, loud noises had been coming from downstairs in this motel that had absolutely no soundproofing.

 

It seemed better to just get out quickly and look for other methods.

 

But then.

 

“Huh?”

 

A tall man who had come up the motel stairs with thumping sounds froze in place.

 

Behind him, an old man was also climbing the stairs, breathing heavily.

 

I silently stared at him in this unexpected situation.

 

“Sung Tae-jun?”

 

So.

 

“…Hyung?”

 

Sung Tae-jun in casual clothes stood there frozen, looking at me.

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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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