Prosecutor Kang Ji-tae received the case through proper channels, and with Chief Ha and Madam Yu sent to the detention center, the Red Moon Gate case was no longer in the hands of the Violent Crimes Unit.

From this case, they had learned that Red Moon was indirectly connected to his father’s death and that there was a force backing them.

The powerful figures whose weaknesses Red Moon had seized were merely branches. The real roots lay elsewhere. They were the true masterminds.

While Haesu was lost in thought, the team leader, preparing to leave work, spoke up.

“Shin Ira’s murder case got buried just like that.”

“Well, public outrage needs to be focused in one place.”

“That’s true. Now that the case is wrapped up, how about we visit the rookie in the hospital?”

At the mention of the rookie, Haesu shot up from his seat.

“Let’s go.”

Ahn Seo-eun had arranged for Daeseong Hospital to be included in the police welfare program. As a result, more officers were using Daeseong instead of the farther police hospital.

The rookie was also admitted to Daeseong Hospital.

Knock knock—click.

When they entered the hospital room, a young woman was sitting beside the rookie. She flinched in surprise upon seeing the Violent Crimes Unit members.

“W-who are you?”

“Oh, Team Leader.”

The rookie recognized them and tried to sit up, but the team leader waved both hands.

“Whoa, whoa. Stay down. Just lie back and relax.”

“It’s fine. This much is nothing.”

Even though he called him "Team Leader," the rookie’s girlfriend was still wary, whispering into his ear.

“Babe… you really are a cop, right?”

Her whisper was loud enough for everyone to hear, making the rookie awkwardly scratch his head.

“Well, we might look like this, but we’re all cops. I’m the team leader working with Officer Woo Kang-chul.”

“Ah… I-I see. I’m sorry. Hello, I’m Oh Ji-yeon.”

Ogeng and Haesu placed the fruit basket they had brought on the table and started chatting. Ninety percent of the conversation was about cases.

Haesu couldn’t hide his frustration seeing the rookie injured.

“It hurts, doesn’t it?”

“No, sir. Didn’t you get hurt a lot too?”

“Here, grab this with your hand.”

“Ugh…”

“Hurts, right? You’re pretty banged up. Look at your leg.”

Haesu examined the rookie’s wounds with a stern expression. But anyone could tell he was worried and upset.

Seeing that, the rookie’s girlfriend gradually relaxed. No matter what, her boyfriend had been seriously injured in the line of duty, and she was deeply distressed and anxious.

“Don’t even think about coming back until you can do twenty pull-ups with that arm.”

“B-but I couldn’t even do that when I was fine.”

“Rookie, don’t worry about anything and just take this chance to rest up!”

“We’re heading out. Please take good care of our rookie.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you… Have a good day.”

After leaving the hospital, Haesu immediately called Manager Gu.

- “President Shin! You called after reading the email? The real estate prices skyrocketed, and the building you bought back then has increased by a whopping 71%—”

“Ah, I see. More importantly, remember the custom-made stab-resistant vests you gave me?”

- “Ah, I knew it… I almost got emotional there…”

“Can they be mass-produced? Around twenty units?”

- “Didn’t I tell you how much that cost? Two hundred million won per vest. Twenty would be four billion.”

“I don’t really have any other use for my money. As long as I have the Reed Building, I won’t have any problems living until I die.”

- “Well, that’s true, but… I’ll look into it. But don’t get your hopes up. Those are handmade, and it took eight months to craft just one. That new material is rare, too.”

“I don’t mind spending all my money on this, so please look into it.”

- “Man… this is why I can’t bring myself to hate you, President Shin. You’re getting them for your team, aren’t you? Who the hell spends four billion for their colleagues? Alright. I’ll do my best to get a positive response.”

“Thank you.”

A few days later, a call came from the detention center.

- “Is this Sergeant Shin Haesu?”

“Yes, what’s the matter?”

- “Mr. Ha Ji-woon has committed suicide.”

Haesu shot up from his seat.

“I’m heading there immediately.”

“Haesu, what’s wrong?”

“Chief Ha is dead.”

“Damn it.”

At Haesu’s words, the entire first team jumped up.

They went to the detention center to check the body and thoroughly examined the scene. However, there was no clear evidence of murder or suicide.

More than anything, even if he had been ambushed, Ha Ji-woon was not the kind of person to be easily taken down.

“He was in solitary confinement, so no one could have killed him. There are no traces of another person, but with the Shin Ira case, we can’t just brush this off. This is a headache.”

“Hmm…”

There was so much they needed to ask Chief Ha, which made this all the more frustrating. If he hadn’t been killed, then why had he taken his own life without even leaving a will?

Haesu immediately went to see Madam Yu.

“What now? Do you miss me that much? I’m not really into guys like you…”

“Chief Ha killed himself.”

Madam Yu, who had been smirking, froze as if time had stopped.

“…Ha… haha…”

She let out a hollow laugh, like a woman who had lost her mind.

“That man valued your life more than his own.”

“Exactly. That’s why he died.”

“What do you mean?”

“It was a real suicide. So don’t waste your strength on this.”

She briefly stared into empty space. Her eyes turned red. Now was the time to press forward.

“I heard about the force behind all this. If you tell us everything you know, we’ll protect you.”

“Protect? Ha, you guys can’t. If they want someone dead, they die.”

“You talk like they’re gods.”

“Gods… maybe.”

She lowered her head and remained silent for a long time. Her shoulders trembled slightly.

When she lifted her head again, her eyes were damp.

“But I’m safe now. Just like how you came looking for me after Shin Ira was killed, they don’t need to mess with me anymore.”

In her last words, Haesu saw sorrow in her eyes.

And finally, he understood what she meant.

“Chief Ha died to protect you.”

Silence. A confirmation.

If there were two dangerous elements, they would take the risk of eliminating both. But since death threats wouldn’t work on Chief Ha, he had chosen suicide. Now, the masterminds knew that Madam Yu wouldn’t talk and wouldn’t bother her for the time being.

Ha Ji-woon had foreseen even that and chose to take his own life.

Madam Yu’s feelings toward Ha Ji-woon were by no means light. His sacrifice only made her even more unwilling to speak.

Haesu knew that interrogating her any further would be pointless.

“But… once public attention fades, they’ll come for you. It’s safer to remove the ticking time bomb than to prolong its timer. If you ever decide to avenge Ha Ji-woon, come find me.”

With that, Haesu rose from his seat. Just then, Madam Yu spoke.

“I have nothing to tell you.”

Haesu stopped and turned his head. She wore a cryptic expression.

“The leash has been cut. The master will move personally.”

Their eyes met. Though her lips remained still, her gaze spoke of vengeance.

Haesu gave a slight nod and exited the visitation room.

Her words were a hint.

He had to remain vigilant, attuned to the world’s movements, ready to detect their actions.

Haesu’s eyes gleamed sharply.

‘I will catch them, no matter what.’

[‘Red Moon Gate List’—58 figures from law enforcement, politics, and finance]

[‘Red Moon Gate’ dismantled under the leadership of Gangjin Police’s Violent Crimes Unit]

[‘Bulldozer Prosecutor’ Kang Ji-tae strikes again—figures summoned to prosecution en masse]

[‘Red Moon’ female employees rival celebrities in beauty]

┗ Is the entire country about to collapse at this rate?

┗ Nope.

┗ I seriously want to escape this hellhole, disgusting.

┗ If you leave, you’ll get shot.

┗ Whining all the time, but still ranked number one in public safety, gotta admit.

┗ The police did a great job this time. What’s going on?

┗ Lately, the police seem to be working well.

┗ Gangjin Police again?

┗ That place always has incidents blowing up.

┗ This is beyond that, though. This is nationwide level.

┗ Holy shit, they’re arresting the commissioner and the senior prosecutors?

┗ Damn, even at a glance, those women are insanely beautiful.

┗ Madam Yu is innocent! Free Madam Yu!

┗ (Link) If she’s beautiful, she’s innocent. Here’s the Madam Yu fan club link.

┗ These bastards keeping women like that all to themselves…

┗ What? You’re just as much of a piece of trash as them.

The so-called ‘Red Moon Gate’ case dominated online headlines. YouTube, news sites, and online communities were flooded with discussions.

No matter how shocking the revelations of drug-fueled sex scandals involving high-profile figures were, the general public’s attention would wane quickly.

Understanding this, Haesu and Ahn Seo-eun strategically released images of Madam Yu and the Red Moon female employees, drawing an explosive wave of public interest due to their celebrity-level beauty. As a result, the case remained a burning topic.

Even officials whose names weren’t on the list began resigning in sudden fits of moral reckoning.

Having survived a colossal case, the Gangjin Police Violent Crimes Unit became even more tightly knit. Teams 1, 2, and 3 all received cash bonuses, and every member of Team 1 secured a rank promotion.

For those not yet eligible for special promotions, this was the next best reward.

Aware of the intense public scrutiny, the National Police Agency saw an opportunity to salvage its image, which had been tarnished by the commissioner’s arrest. Thus, they enacted this strategy.

At the Violent Crimes office, the Team 1 leader jumped onto a desk, waving a corporate card in the air.

“You all know we have a department-wide dinner tonight, right? Cases don’t wait, so a chance like this doesn’t come often! Everyone’s attending, got it?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Of course!”

The office was livelier than ever before.

[Life Meat]

A stark white sign featured an image of bright red meat sizzling appetizingly.

A group of large, rough-looking men strode toward the sign.

“Boss, how much longer do we have to endure?”

“When are we going to turn Goam-dong into a sea of blood?”

“I’ve actually started adapting to the delivery business. It’s terrifying how rewarding it feels to make my final deliveries.”

The members of the Dongdongpa gang had gathered for a long-overdue meal. Kim Dongdong bit his lower lip bitterly before speaking.

“Haven’t you noticed the atmosphere lately? A hidden dragon waits for the right moment to ascend. Be patient. If we wait—”

“Excuse me, strong gentlemen, just passing through.”

Kim Dongdong’s speech was abruptly interrupted. Turning his head, he saw a middle-aged man in hiking gear fearlessly squeezing past the gangsters.

Kim Dongdong’s right-hand man flared up and shouted.

“How dare this old man interrupt the boss?! Boss, shall I carve that geezer up and serve him raw?!”

“Tsk, leave it. We don’t mess with civilians. Let’s head inside.”

The Dongdongpa members followed the middle-aged man into the restaurant. Inside, the place was packed with brawny men.

Then, one of them suddenly shot to his feet upon spotting Kim Dongdong.

‘Hah, finally recognized me?’

As Kim Dongdong tried to place which group the man belonged to—

“Chief! You’ve arrived!”

At his cry, the surrounding men immediately stood up and shouted in unison.

“Chief, you’ve arrived!”

“Chief, you’ve arrived!!”

Dozens of muscular men rose, chanting “Chief.” To Kim Dongdong’s knowledge, the only “Chief” title referred to the police chief.

A chill ran down his spine. His instincts were never wrong.

The middle-aged man glanced at Kim Dongdong before grinning and raising a hand.

“Oh, oh, sit down, sit down. Guess it’s true what they say about Violent Crimes—your voices are quite powerful.”

“Wahahaha!!”

“Chief, you’re too funny!!”

The Dongdongpa gang froze on the spot. Kim Dongdong’s right-hand man, who had just threatened to carve up the “geezer,” was trembling as if having a seizure.

Among the detectives sat a familiar face—the physical therapist.

Kim Dongdong nudged a fellow gang member with his elbow and whispered.

“Tonight, we’re having chicken. Let’s get out of here. Quietly.”

“Y-yes, I was really craving chicken tonight too.”

The Dongdongpa members tiptoed their way out, making sure not to make a sound.

Haesu quietly watched them leave.

Unlike the days when they spoke of turning Goam-dong into a sea of blood, their outfits had changed.

Convenience store vests, delivery uniforms, café aprons—though they still clung to their hopes of Goam-dong’s bloody future, for now, they were diligently working at their respective jobs.

Haesu smirked faintly and turned his gaze away.