Chapter 7

Hello, I'm back. I apologize for not continuing to post chapters. I got a little discouraged by not seeing interactions and not receiving much feedback, but I really like writing so I've decided to follow this novel to the end. Thank you for continuing to read.

Note to readers: The events of this chapter take place during the events of Chapter 2 where the detectives investigate the crime scene of Park Sung-ho.

The morning light filtered through the large windows of the Seoul Daily Herald, illuminating the messy tables and bright monitors. Ji-eun sat in front of her computer, her gaze focused on the screen. News about the series of murders began to generate rumors that reached the ears of the newspapers, and Ji-eun knew she had the opportunity to open a new line of investigation.

With a couple of clicks, she began searching for information about the unsolved murders in Seoul, looking for patterns similar to the Unknown Vigilante. Her instinct told her that there must be more connected cases that had not been identified. That was when she came across Kang Dae-sung's file. Her heart was pounding with excitement as she flipped through the pages of police records and old newspaper files. There was something about this case that intrigued her and drew her like a magnet, especially since no one had connected this death to the Vigilante, despite the obvious similarities.

"What do you find now?" asked Park Jae-wook, her fellow journalist, settling into the chair next to her and filling the table with two cups of freshly brewed coffee. At 25 years old, Jae-wook shared with Ji-eun an almost obsessive fascination with criminal cases, especially those involving serial killers. The aroma of coffee was the breath of fresh air they both needed during their long days of investigation.

"I'm investigating the death of a possible victim of the Vigilante, this is him, his name is Kang Dae-sung," Ji-eun replied, without taking her eyes off her screen. He was a notorious criminal, and I believe his killer is our vigilante.

Jae-wook leaned forward, his eyes shining with interest. His fingers, stained with ink from taking notes, drummed on the table with excitement. "Really? I heard there are connections between several victims. Do you know anything else?"

Ji-eun turned to him, her gaze sparkling with interest and excitement. "I've been snooping through the police files. I wasn't sure if they would be preserved after all this time, but in the file is the record of his crimes. He's a monster. He's evaded justice for years, which makes me think he's become an attractive rabbit for the vigilante's hunting game."

"Sometimes I think the Vigilante is more of a hero than a villain," Jae-wook mused, his voice tinged with barely contained admiration. "A kind of social cleansing, if you will."

Ji-eun frowned at his words, but said nothing. Her mind was busy planning her next move. Jae-wook had always been more romantic in his view of vigilante justice.

Jae-wook, with the enthusiasm typical of a young journalist continued. "If you can find out more about him and his connection to other victims, we could be the first to expose this story. Imagine the scoop!"

"I know," Ji-eun replied, her voice soft but charged with intensity, "but there's something else that's bothering me. It's like there's a lack of answers in the police reports… How come this case wasn't mentioned in the media or linked to the vigilante? And seeing how old the case is, she should be the vigilante's first victim. That's an important piece of information, so why isn't it mentioned?"

As she dove deeper into the search, Ji-eun felt every piece coming together. After hours of research, she finally found an article about the dark ties between Kang Dae-sung and other criminals in the city. In it was a mention of an underground party where several of them had been seen together. The spark of a connection ignited her understanding.

This led her to discover that Kang had been part of a ring of criminals associated with the exploitation of minors. The connection was clear, but she needed to corroborate the information. She felt her journalistic instinct leading her to something significant.

With renewed energy, Ji-eun decided to head to the police station, intending to snoop around some of the computer files and confirm with her own eyes the files on the Vigilante investigations. It was a risky move, but journalism is driven by the pursuit of truth.

Before leaving, she turned to Jae-wook, who was still enjoying his coffee while scribbling theories on his worn notebook. "I'm onto something big here. Let me do some more research. I'll call if I need your help."

"Be careful," Jae-wook warned her, looking up from his notes, his face showing genuine concern despite his usual eagerness for danger. "Don't put yourself at unnecessary risk."

"I know. But I have to follow my instinct," Ji-eun replied, and walked out of the publishing house.

Evening was falling over a modest neighborhood on the outskirts of Seoul when Ji-eun found herself in front of a time-worn traditional house. It was the home of Kang Dae-sung's widow. She took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell, mentally preparing herself for the conversation to come.

A middle-aged woman, her face marked by years of suffering, opened the door. Mrs. Kang looked at Ji-eun with a mix of wariness and resignation. "Another reporter?" she asked, her voice tired but not hostile.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm Ji-eun from the Seoul Daily Herald. I just want to ask a few questions, I hope I don't make you uncomfortable." Mrs. Kang hesitated a moment before stepping aside. "Come in."

The interior of the house was austere but clean. Family photographs hung on the walls, but Ji-eun noticed that none were recent, and all showed the family before Kang's decline into criminality.

"My husband was not a good man," Mrs. Kang began as she poured tea. "I guess you already know that, it's in all the police files."

Ji-eun nodded, taking out her notebook. "I'm interested to know about his last days. Did you notice anything unusual?"

The woman gave a bitter laugh. "Besides his usual 'business'? He was nervous. More so than usual. He mentioned something about meeting others… like him."

"Other criminals?" Ji-eun pressed gently.

"Yes. People of his ilk," Mrs. Kang replied.

Ji-eun felt her pulse quicken. The connection she sought was beginning to materialize.

After Mrs. Kang, Ji-eun visited Kang Dae-sung's sister, Kang Jin-woo. The woman, younger and more willing to talk, provided another piece of the puzzle.

"Dae-sung changed after he was acquitted," the sister explained, twisting a handkerchief in her hands. "He became arrogant, untouchable. He frequented exclusive places, private parties. Always with the same group."

"Do you remember any names?"

"Just one, Park Sung-ho, they were great friends." The woman lowered her voice. "All involved in the same thing… you know, with children."

Ji-eun felt a chill. The pattern became clearer with each interview.

Her last visit was to Park Sung-ho's ex-wife, who welcomed her into a luxurious apartment, a vestige of her ex-husband's ill-gotten wealth.

"Park was a monster," the woman declared without preamble. "When I found out what he did with those poor girls…" Her voice broke. "I tried to report him, but he had connections. Judges, politicians, all in his pocket."

"Did he ever mention feeling threatened? Persecuted?"

The ex-wife smiled humorlessly. "No, his death was sudden, he felt untouchable, so he never expected to die in such a terrible way."

Back in her car, Ji-eun reviewed her notes. The pattern was undeniable: all of the victims were part of a network of criminals dedicated to child abuse. They had all evaded justice thanks to powerful connections. And all, without exception, had been methodically "hunted" by the Vigilante. Now, this leads her to a question, does the unknown vigilante marry child molesters, or is it just a coincidence?

Her phone vibrated with a message from Jae-wook: "Did you find anything?"

Ji-eun quickly replied: "More than I expected. I think the Vigilante doesn't choose randomly. He's cleaning up a specific network of criminals."

As she drove back to the newsroom, Ji-eun couldn't shake the feeling that she was touching on something bigger and darker than she had imagined. The Vigilante wasn't just a random vigilante; it seems his victims are specifically chosen for their connection to this trafficking ring.

The question that now consumed her was: what had led him to start with Kang Dae-sung? What personal connection could the killer have with these victims? The answers, she sensed, would lead her to the very heart of this story.

The sun was beginning to set as Seo-jun and Detective Kim left the Neon Dreams nightclub, Seo-jun trying to shake off the sticky, creepy feeling that crime scenes always left him with. That was when he saw her: Ji-eun was leaning against a nearby lamppost, her notebook in hand and a focused look on her face.

Detective Kim noticed her at the same time, his face scrunching up in disgust. "Perfect, just what we needed," he muttered, and without another word, he turned and headed toward his car, leaving Seo-jun alone to deal with the reporter.

Ji-eun walked over with a determined stride, her professional smile firmly in place. "Detective Lin, what a coincidence to find you here," she said, though they both knew there was nothing casual about her presence.

"Miss Ji-eun," Seo-jun replied, keeping a neutral tone. Don't tell me you're interested in Park Sung-ho's case, too.

"Let's just say I'm following some interesting leads," she replied, her eyes shining with the excitement of the hunt. "In fact, I think I have information that might interest you."

Seo-jun glanced toward where Detective Kim had left, then back at Ji-eun, curiosity fighting his professional caution. "What kind of information?"

"I've been looking into the connections between the victims," Ji-eun began, lowering her voice. "Park Sung-ho is not an isolated case. There's a pattern, and it goes back to Kang Dae-sung."

The name caught Seo-jun's attention. "Kang Dae-sung? The criminal who was found dead months ago?"

"The same one," Ji-eun confirmed. "And before you ask, yes, I think he was the Vigilante's first victim. The methods match, though no one made the connection at the time."

Seo-jun frowned, his mind working rapidly. "How did you get this information?"

Ji-eun smiled enigmatically. "I have my sources. And before you give me the speech about interfering in a police investigation, think about this: isn't it better to share information than to work blindly?"

"You know I can't discuss details of the case with you," Seo-jun replied, but his tone was more resigned than firm.

"I'm not asking you to do this," Ji-eun said. "I'm just offering you what I've found. What you do with that information is up to you."

There was a moment of silence as Seo-jun considered his options. Ji-eun took the opportunity to pull some notes from her bag.

"Look at this," she said, showing him a few pages. "All the victims were connected. They were part of a network of criminals dedicated to child abuse. They all evaded justice thanks to powerful connections."

Seo-jun took the notes, his eyes quickly scanning the information. "How did you get these details?"

"I talked to their families," Ji-eun replied. "It's amazing what people are willing to share when someone finally listens."

Seo-jun handed the notes back to her, his expression thoughtful. "These might be useful," he finally admitted. "But be careful, Ji-eun. You're getting into something dangerous."

"Like you," she replied with a smile. "The difference is that I can move in places the police can't. And believe me, there's more to discover."

A patrol car drove by, its lights briefly illuminating their faces. Ji-eun put away her notes.

"Think about what I've told you," she said, preparing to leave. "And if you need more information, you know where to find me."

As Ji-eun walked away, Seo-jun stared at the nightclub, thinking about the new puzzle pieces he'd just received. The Vigilante wasn't just killing criminals at random; he was following a specific pattern, hunting a particular criminal network.

The question was: why these specific criminals? What personal connection could the killer have to the child abuse cases?

Seo-jun shook his head and began walking toward his car. He would have to carefully consider how to use this information without compromising the integrity of the investigation. And, more importantly, he would have to keep an eye on Ji-eun. The journalist was digging deep, perhaps too deep, and in this case, that could be dangerous.