"Good morning."
3rd Floor, Gangjung Police Station, Seoul.
"Oh, Inspector Lee? Are you alright? Didn't you discharge yourself too early?"
"I'm fine. I was just tired from not getting enough sleep."
"Right, take it easy."
Receiving greetings from his fellow officers, Ju-won entered the Violent Crimes Unit office.
The office was the same as usual.
Detectives handling administrative work, and detectives who had vacated their seats to catch criminals on foot.
However, the atmosphere in Violent Crimes Team 3, located in the furthest corner of the office, was a little different.
Rustle—
Click. Click.
A middle-aged bald man staring intently at a monitor, and a young man with his nose buried in a strange book, turning the pages.
They are Team Leader Gu Jin-gu and the youngest member, Officer Han Geon-woo, of Violent Crimes Team 3.
The team with the lowest performance record at Gangjung Police Station, that was Violent Crimes Team 3.
Their skills seemed comparable to other teams, but perhaps due to terribly bad luck, they were a team that couldn't make a significant record even once.
Even the monitor and book they were looking at now were things like 'Investigation Techniques' or 'Good Police Officer', which contained methods on how to investigate well but were far from actual practice.
[Still, Team Leader Gu Jin-gu, Detective Kim Seok-ho, Officer Han Geon-woo, and Mr Ju-won included, all have an amazing passion for catching criminals. It's just that your performance is crawling on the floor.]
'Right. It's a bit of a headache, isn't it?'
Thanks to that, the cases given to them are comparatively fewer than other teams.
So, unlike other teams, they have the time to leisurely read columns and books.
[It appears to be a waste of tax money. Is there a reason to maintain such a team?]
'You're an alien AI, but you know about taxes?'
[I have analysed all memories accumulated since Mr Ju-won's birth. I know much more about the Republic of Korea's systems than Mr Ju-won remembers. I also know the phrase 'tax wasters'.]
Whose side is this bastard on anyway?
'Everyone is trying. Still, we're not at the level to be called tax wasters, are we? We caught the parcel thief this time too. We're useful in our own way.'
[Your usefulness is small indeed.]
'Let's not talk.'
Clearing his throat, Ju-won raised his head.
"I'm here."
"...Oh? Inspector Lee!"
"Inspector!"
At Ju-won's presence, the two men jumped up and approached Ju-won in welcome.
"Are you really alright now?! We were so worried because you discharged yourself like that yesterday!"
"Inspector, aren't you back at work too early? Shouldn't you rest for a few more days?"
"I'm fine now. Resting this much is enough."
As Ju-won exchanged greetings with his team members, Terra's voice rang in his head.
[Team Leader Gu Jin-gu and Officer Han Geon-woo appear to harbour friendly feelings towards Mr Ju-won.]
'I'm not exactly the type to be hated by anyone originally.'
Just as he was smirking and looking at Team Leader Gu Jin-gu and Officer Han Geon-woo who were worried about him, an annoying voice was heard from behind.
"Since when is a police officer collapsing on the street while catching a criminal something to be proud of, returning in glory..."
Ju-won's head turned.
Then, he saw a man in his mid-30s with thick black hair and slit eyes.
It is Detective Kim Seok-ho.
"Pardon?"
"Ah, you're here early. I thought you would rest a little longer."
Detective Kim Seok-ho, changing the subject and nodding curtly, headed to the seat opposite the desk.
[Is that Detective Kim Seok-ho the bastard Mr Ju-won was thinking of, correct?]
That crooked gaze looking at him and that protruding mouth.
'You can tell just by looking, right?'
[Yes, it is certainly visible that Detective Kim Seok-ho also views Mr Ju-won as a bastard.]
'What?'
At that moment, Team Leader Gu Jin-gu patted Ju-won's shoulder with a look that said 'you endure it', and headed back to his seat.
As Officer Han Geon-woo also returned to his seat, Ju-won sat at his own desk.
And the sounds heard just like before.
Rustle. Click click.
Team 3, far too quiet compared to other teams.
Ju-won took off his coat, turned on the computer, and spoke inwardly to Terra.
'You have your first job.'
[Just say the word. I will help.]
'I think I need to pull up our Team 3's performance once and for all. I need to show that we are not such an incompetent team.'
[Is there a reason you wish to remain in Gangjung Station Team 3? You could solve cases alone and go to a better place.]
'Even if you say that... we are family. No matter how poor our performance is.'
[Hmm. I understand.]
'Hmm? What is 'hmm'? Did you really understand?'
[Strictly speaking, I have merely accepted it. Since it is difficult for artificial intelligence to accurately understand humans.]
Ju-won messed up his hair.
He cannot win an argument with this fellow.
'So, anyway, you're helping, right?'
[Yes. I will help by utilising the knowledge beyond those memories that Mr Ju-won has neglected incompetently.]
'But this bastard, since last time, keeps speaking so prettily...'
It was then.
Team Leader Gu Jin-gu, craning his neck from his seat, spoke looking at Detective Kim Seok-ho.
"Ah, a traffic accident case came in. Detective Kim, do you want to go to the scene?"
"Yes, understood."
"It looks like a simple traffic accident, so just take statements if there are witnesses around, and check the CCTV."
Listening to their conversation, Ju-won slyly spoke inwardly.
'I should go too.'
[To the scene with Detective Kim Seok-ho?]
'Yeah. Since I need to see the scene anyway.'
[Very well. Seeing the evidence at the scene directly will be more helpful in grasping the case than photos of the case. Very commendable.]
Anyone would think it was my parent.
With a speechless laugh, Ju-won raised his hand.
"I will go too."
"Ah... Inspector Lee too? Are you okay going out to the field already?"
At Team Leader Gu Jin-gu's worried voice, Ju-won nodded.
"Yes, I'm fine!"
"Then you two go."
"Tsk-"
[Mr Ju-won, the bastard is making a sound of displeasure.]
'...Be quiet.'
A short while later.
A police car stopped on a quiet road on the outskirts of Seoul.
Clack! Clack!
And with the sound of car doors opening and closing without any conversation, Ju-won and Detective Kim Seok-ho got out of the car.
[Detective Kim Seok-ho truly seems to have not a shred of affection for Mr Ju-won.]
'Doesn't it look like I don't have a shred of affection for Detective Kim either?'
[Why does Detective Kim Seok-ho dislike Mr Ju-won so much?]
'Because I'm so great?'
[Mr Ju-won does belong to the upper tier of the Republic of Korea average. Handsome appearance, and although your theory is a bit lacking, you possess skills acknowledged by police university students enough to be called a half-baked genius.]
'That's right. I am a bit great...'
[However, the reason Detective Kim Seok-ho dislikes Mr Ju-won does not seem to be the reasons above. Perhaps it is because Mr Ju-won is a Police University graduate?]
At Terra's words, Ju-won's gaze turned to Detective Kim Seok-ho, who had gone ahead and was examining the scene.
'Well... maybe. But I don't know the exact reason either.'
It was then.
Detective Kim Seok-ho, who had been glancing around the scene, approached Ju-won.
"You saw the case file on the way, right?"
"Yes. It was a case where a mid-sized SUV hit a pedestrian."
"Yes, as you saw in the file, it must be a simple traffic accident."
"We can't be sure. It could be a murder case disguised as a simple traffic accident."
At Ju-won's words, Detective Kim Seok-ho, who had been watching him quietly, let out a sigh.
"Inspector Lee, you know that's a disease, right? Making every case complicated for no reason."
Crossing his arms, he continued speaking as he walked around the scene.
"The time of the incident was the dead of night. It's a place without streetlights, so the perpetrator would have relied solely on the car's headlights, and the radius of the headlights is at most this area."
Detective Kim Seok-ho's toe stopped at a spot.
The point right in front of where the victim and the car collided.
"There were no other cars, it's a road originally devoid of people, and it was dawn, so the driver would have been off guard and turned the steering wheel a little early here, where he should have turned left."
Ju-won stood silently and looked at Detective Kim Seok-ho.
Then he continued.
"But suddenly, bang! There was a feeling of colliding with something, and the startled driver jerked the steering wheel. Whoosh, like this."
Detective Kim Seok-ho turned his body, tracing the direction the truck moved with his hand.
"So the conclusion is, a traffic accident caused by the driver's simple carelessness."
Having finished speaking, Detective Kim Seok-ho looked at Ju-won.
An expression telling him to speak if he had anything to say.
However, Ju-won said nothing.
'What is it?'
Normally, he would be acting like a passionate young detective who watched too many thriller dramas, saying that there is a possibility of intent so they must investigate the perpetrator's surroundings or reinvestigate.
'Why is he like that?'
He just kept his mouth shut and looked alternately at him and the road where the accident occurred.
"Look here, Inspector Lee."
Detective Kim Seok-ho approached Ju-won.
"If you're in the middle of making up a novel again like last time, saying maybe the perpetrator is a madman whose psycho temperament suddenly manifested, please stop. We don't have much time left until our transfers anyway. So let's solve this simple case quickly and..."
"It's not... simple."
Detective Kim Seok-ho's eyes narrowed.
Then, with a look that said 'I knew it', he let out a sigh.
A moment ago.
-Inspector Lee, you know that's a disease, right? Making every case complicated for no reason.
When Detective Kim Seok-ho was walking around the scene and speaking, Terra's voice rang in Ju-won's head at the same time.
[It seems Detective Kim Seok-ho dislikes you not because he envies Mr Ju-won, but because you are bothersome. He seems to see you only as a child full of passion who creates useless work.]
'You don't really need to explain it like that, you know?'
-The time of the incident was the dead of night. It's a place without streetlights, so the perpetrator... There were no other cars, originally devoid of people... suddenly bang...! Colliding with something... So the conclusion is, a traffic accident caused by the driver's simple carelessness.
'Hmm. It is a plausible deduction.'
[But you do not agree.]
'Yeah. Although there is the principle of presumption of innocence, we still shouldn't rule out the possibility that the driver caused the accident intentionally.'
[That is a good attitude as a police officer.]
'Then instead of praising me, why don't you give me some help? How does it look to you?'
[It is not yet definitely judged whether it is an accident with intent or not. However, there is one thing that bothers me.]
'What is it?'
[Skid marks.]
Skid marks are traces of sliding tires left on the road surface when a car brakes suddenly.
But then.
'W-what is that?'
A car racing towards him began to appear before Ju-won's eyes.
[It is a simulation. I have connected Mr Ju-won's optic nerves with my main unit.]
A simulation appearing only in Ju-won's eyes.
Like VR, a virtual vehicle appeared in front of Ju-won.
As the racing car slowly went into slow motion, Terra's words continued.
[According to the case file, the last place the driver's vehicle was caught on CCTV before coming to the accident scene is in front of the Gangjung Convenience Store road, a little distance from here. It is 16km away from here.]
Swallowing his admiration at the marvellous sight appearing before his eyes, Ju-won asked.
'And so?'
[The time the driver reported the incident to 119 was 03:28 AM. The time recorded on the convenience store CCTV was 03:18 AM. In those 10 minutes, the driver drove his car to this place, and to hit the victim, he must have been driving at 100km/h.]
Simultaneously with Terra's words, the slow motion released and the car approached Ju-won rapidly.
Of course, it was visible only to Ju-won's eyes.
The simulation car approaching at high speed turned the steering wheel from where Detective Kim Seok-ho was standing and headed towards the collision point.
[However, there are no skid marks at the scene.]
For some reason, the driver drove down the national road at a high speed of 100km/h.
And he hit the victim here, and turned the steering wheel.
But there are no skid marks.
That means...
'He didn't brake suddenly?'
[Yes. If, as Detective Kim Seok-ho said, he felt he hit something and turned the steering wheel, he would surely have applied the brakes suddenly as well.]
Looking at where the accident vehicle collided, Ju-won spoke inwardly.
'But it could have been such a fleeting moment and he was so panicked that he forgot to press the brake and didn't step on it.'
[To say that, isn't the place where the driver's vehicle stopped too safe?]
The place where the driver's vehicle stopped after hitting the victim.
It is the hill next to the streetlight in the diagonal direction.
[In that chaotic situation, the driver avoided the streetlight where he could get hurt and crashed the car into the hill. Very safely.]
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