A Dangerous Game

At those words, Han Junyoung looked at me with a slightly betrayed expression.
I shook my head slowly and added.

“If the problem gets serious without you turning yourself in, you could even get a wanted notice.”
“…A wanted notice?”
“Yes. So go and formally file a case as a victim and give your statement. Cooperate as much as you can.”

If I had my way, I would have gone with him right away.
But in a case like this, time is gold.
Especially with guys who are used to being on the run like in voice phishing cases, it becomes harder to find traces as time goes by.

‘This is ultimately a race against time with them.’

What should I do?
In times like these, securing and preserving evidence is the most important thing.
As I was racking my brain, Won Youngoh tapped my shoulder.

“Do we have to wait until tomorrow? I’ll go with him after his treatment. You go check out that building, Lawyer Cha.”
“Don’t you have a trial tomorrow, Lawyer Won?”
“Do I prepare for it for just a day or two?”

Ah, what a pain.
But I couldn’t have felt more relieved.
I let out a sigh of relief and bowed my head.

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”
“First, let’s go and pay together. We can talk a bit more. Please wait a moment, Mr. Han Junyoung.”

We gave Han Junyoung a brief greeting and moved to another place.

“Payment complete.”

Won Youngoh paid for Han Junyoung’s medical bills.
Of course, the owner’s share as well.
But it was after that that Won Youngoh asked a question.

“But why did you do that earlier?”

Before we parted at the hospital, Won Youngoh put his wallet in his inner pocket and asked.

“What do you mean?”
“I mean Mr. Han Junyoung.”
“Ah. If you’re asking why I helped him… he looked wronged. And if you’re asking why I’m going this far, it’s the same reason I told Mr. Han Junyoung.”
“…Because the owner’s food was really delicious?”
“Eating and living are so important.”

That’s right, Won Youngoh nodded cleanly in agreement.
I was originally a person with no appetite.

‘No, to be precise, I lost it.’

In a busy life, eating was purely an act of survival, and for Yoon Eunho, eating was mostly a necessary procedure in business.
I don’t know how long it’s been since I felt the inside of my mouth was rough every time I ate something.
It was the same after I became Cha Yohan.
Ramen, cup ramen, kimbap…
In the midst of that, ‘Family Diner,’ where Won Youngoh took me today and where I met Han Junyoung, was a fresh shock.
I also realized that I had been living without this kind of joy.

‘Yes, eating and living are so important.’

No matter what the case, for me, the essence is ‘work’.
But for the owner and Han Junyoung, it was a matter of ‘living’ by eating.

“I need to stop by the office and then go to the address Mr. Han Junyoung told me.”
“I’ll go with Mr. Han Junyoung in a little while. If you think you can’t handle it alone, contact me.”
“Yes, thank you.”

It’s a bit of a distance, so I had to hurry. After saying goodbye, I immediately turned around.
But Won Youngoh called out to me as I was about to return to the office.

“Lawyer Cha Yohan.”
“Yes?”

When I turned around, Won Youngoh flicked his fingertips lightly.

Flick.

“Use it.”

I caught what flew exactly my way, and when I opened my hand, I couldn’t hide my smile.
Won Youngoh, who also smiled, shrugged.

“Do you think it’s just coffee?”

Screech.

What Won Youngoh gave me along with the coffee was a car.
Won Youngoh’s neat personality was evident in the dust-free car, but it didn’t seem to be his car.
It was literally a car for welfare purposes.
I was relieved that it would be a little more convenient when meeting clients or looking for clues in cases in the future.

Screech.

‘This is the right address.’

I deliberately parked the car a little away from the building. Even though the sun was still up, I couldn’t see anything inside the building.
What particularly stood out were the 3rd and 4th floors of the building.
Seeing the windows that were blacker than car tinting, a question arose for a moment.

‘…Are they still inside?’

From what I heard from Han Junyoung, they seemed to be a particularly nasty bunch among the phishing criminals.
So there was a high possibility that they were still confidently holding their ground.

‘It’s clearly an organized crime. If the police are turning a blind eye, there must be a considerable amount of bribes going back and forth.’

Police.
It was then. A face flashed in my mind.
Because I knew a man who was very fitting for that word.

Ring, ring, ring, ring, click.

[…What is it this time?]
“Detective Choi, what’s your schedule for today?”
[…I’m on a stakeout for a case. I don’t know when it will end. Why, are you going to ask for another favor?]
“I’m at the base of a voice phishing organization right now.”
[What? Did you go alone?]
“Yes.”
[Hey, Mr. Cha Yohan. Do you have more lives than others?]

Hmm, technically, I have two.

[Don’t have any silly thoughts and just stay there. I don’t want to deal with the death of someone I know, you know. I’m hanging up.]

I am a person who is better at interpreting dreams than dreaming them.
Choi Suhyeok’s call, which contained the meaning of ‘I’m worried, but I can’t go right now because of work, so I’ll contact you later,’ was disconnected.
It might be a leap of logic that would make Choi Suhyeok jump if he heard it.

‘Ah, that person would be perfect for this.’

The reason a lawyer has a duty of confidentiality is for the protection of the client, but in reality, a secret has a price in itself.
To succeed in such an industry, one must also know people who can keep secrets with the client well.
But.

‘No way.’

After checking my bank account balance, I gave up the idea of calling the person who came to mind.

‘He was reliable in information, security, and everything else…’

Wait, security?
A new name came to mind, but I shook my head.

‘For now, according to Mr. Han Junyoung, it seems I can focus on the empty side. Even if they left a few people behind, it’s probably not to the extent that I need security right now.’

Thump.

With the decision, I got out of the car.
The building in front of me was six stories high.
I briefly recalled my conversation with Han Junyoung.

‘The 5th floor is the office, and they kept people locked up on the 6th floor.’
‘How many people were imprisoned like you, Mr. Han Junyoung?’
‘There were seven of us, so if no one else escaped, there would be six.’

People…
Then what happened to those people? Did they take them? Then that means they have a place to hide that many people.
I headed straight to the cafe across the street where the building was clearly visible.

“One iced Americano, please.”
“Yes, please wait a moment.”

I took the coffee, sat by the window, and looked at the building for a while.
He said he had run away, but I was checking to see if anyone was coming or going, just in case.
But that building looked even stranger from the outside.

‘It’s not like the whole building is tinted. If it’s the base of a voice phishing organization, wouldn’t it make sense to tint the 5th and 6th floors?’

The sun was setting soon.

[How long are you going to watch?]

‘Just after I confirm this.’

For nearly an hour of watching the entrance of the building, no one came out or went in.
I checked the time once more and got up from my seat.

“Thank you for the coffee.”

I left the cafe and went to a nearby real estate agency.

[…Strike!]

“Ugh!”

The middle-aged realtor was so engrossed in the baseball game on TV that he didn’t even know I had come in.
I spoke in a slightly louder voice and pointed to the building I had been watching until just now.

“Hello, sir. Are there any vacancies in the building in front of here?”
“Oh my, when did you get here? Why that building? What’s a young man like you planning to do?”
“Ah, I’m thinking of relocating my office, and the location seems good.”

The realtor looked at me, the TV, the baseball game, and the window outside once each, and then said, “Hmm,” and opened his mouth.

“Let’s see. There? The 3rd and 4th floors are all leased out except for that. Oh my, what a shame, a home run! …Ah, the building owner said he’s using it. Something’s coming in on the 1st and 2nd floors soon. I think it was a cafe and a restaurant.”
“The building owner?”
“Yeah. He said he’s storing something. He’s using it as a warehouse.”
“I liked the location, but that’s a shame. Thank you.”

According to the realtor, at least half of that building was currently empty.

Ding.

Just then, a text message arrived.
It was Won Youngoh.

[The police investigation is over. Mr. Han Junyoung’s case has also been filed. This side is being processed as a non-custodial investigation for now, but is everything okay on your side?]
[You’ve worked hard. The building Mr. Han Junyoung mentioned is a bit strange. I’m looking into it.]
[Okay. Don’t overdo it.]

After checking Won Youngoh’s immediate reply, I quieted my footsteps and entered the building.
The 1st and 2nd floors were ordinary empty commercial spaces.
But from the 3rd floor, even the staircase windows were tinted.
If Han Junyoung had jumped from here, it meant they had replaced the window in the meantime.

‘Storage…’

I recalled the realtor’s words.
What on earth are they storing to go to this extent?

Step, step.
Creak.

I went up and thoroughly checked the 5th and 6th floors, but there were no visible traces.

‘<Evidence Before Your Eyes>.’

It was the same even when I muttered to myself.
It was too clean. Excessively so.

‘Gram, did you happen to eat up the skill points.’

[…What would I eat them for?]
[It’s unfair for you to say that.]

He looks really unfair, so I guess I should let it go.
Instead of answering, I started walking again.

‘It would be nice to go inside the 3rd and 4th floors.’

Step, step.

“……”

I had no choice but to stop walking as I came down the stairs.

‘That skill, does it turn red or something when it finds evidence?’

[Yes, that’s right. Do you see it?]

It’s all red.
The entire 4th-floor door was glowing red.
It was just an ordinary black front door a moment ago.

There were no visible CCTV cameras inside the building.
That, in a way, gave me a kind of certainty.
Because it could be evidence against them, they would have either chosen to get rid of it in the first place, or hidden it from view.
I returned to the car, leaving the red-glowing 3rd and 4th floor doors behind.

‘I can’t believe I’m doing a stakeout…’

And I continued to watch the building from inside the car.

Screech.

Soon, a black van stopped in front of the building.
Three men dressed in black, the same color as the van, got out.
The three, who looked around as if they were on lookout, went straight into the building in question.

“……”

About thirty minutes passed like that.
The three men came out of the building carrying several bags that looked bulging even from a distance.

‘There’s something on the 3rd and 4th floors. It doesn’t seem like they really ran away.’

Should I call Detective Choi Suhyeok now?
But my conscience hurts a little asking a favor from someone who’s on a stakeout.
And I don’t know how far the police are involved.

‘It could just make things difficult for Choi Suhyeok.’

After some thought, I called the person who had come to mind during the day.
In the meantime, the men diligently went in and out of the building several times.
Putting something in, taking something out.
The more they did, the more certain I became that that place was their headquarters.
The men finally packed the most bags and hurriedly left.

Knock, knock.

Just then, there was a presence outside the car window.
I got out of the car.

“You arrived faster than I thought. Thank you for coming.”
“Not at all, I was nearby. I’m glad I can help you like this.”

We shook hands.
The man who had come running at a single phone call was Lee Ilwoo, my first client as Cha Yohan.
We carefully entered the building.

“…Are you wondering if it’s okay to just go in like this?”
“How did you know?”
“Just a hunch. First, there are no noticeable CCTV cameras inside the building. That means they have something to hide, in times like these.”

Lee Ilwoo quickly scanned the surroundings, following my words. As if checking for threats.

“And even if something happens, I’ll claim that I hired you for security.”

Step, step.

We arrived on the 3rd floor.

Bang, bang.

“Is anyone there?”

Even when I knocked on the door forcefully, there was no response.

Rattle, rattle.

Of course, the door didn’t open either.

“Ah, I need to see inside…”

Lee Ilwoo, who had been silent and guarding the upper and lower floors, reacted to my words.

“…Do I just have to pick that lock?”
“Yes. The client is in a disadvantageous situation, so I need evidence.”

Lee Ilwoo hesitated for a moment under the flashlight.
Then he soon reached out his hand.
Lee Ilwoo moved his hand a few times using something he had taken out from his pocket, and the door opened easily.

Rattle.

“…How did you do that?”
“I learned it while working a long time ago.”
“You learn things like that too?”
“Yes. In case the person I’m guarding gets locked up. They usually drill it into you during VIP security. …Though this is the first time I’ve used it in a real situation.”

Creak.

As I pushed the door open, Lee Ilwoo asked me.

“But can we use the evidence we obtain like this? In dramas and movies, they talk about illegal evidence and all that.”

Step.

I walked inside and replied nonchalantly.

“What? What are you talking about, Mr. Lee Ilwoo? This door was broken from the beginning.”
“……”
“Ah, Mr. Lee Ilwoo, you stay there.”

The door was broken, but technically, it was still trespassing.
I added that, looking at the interior filled with red-glowing things.