Chapter 75   - Doll Play #1

There was a Christmas holiday mood on the streets. Despite the early hour, people were gathered together to enjoy the festival.

The new PD of ABS Station, Shin Se-ho, yawned as he watched the people. The AD, holding the camera, asked with a smile. (TN: AD = audio/assistant director, I think? If it is something else, let me know in the comments)

"PD-nim, did you have a late night yesterday?”

"Bah! I’m so numb that it feels like my bones are breaking. Originally, I tried to sleep until the afternoon but it couldn’t be helped. We are hyenas searching for a scoop.”

Shin Se-ho was suffering from the life of being a part time worker, so he had to go to the interview with an AD instead of a proper cameraman. He wanted to be in charge of a popular current affairs program one day. That opportunity might be surprisingly close.

Shin Se-ho rose from his seat. It was time for the investigators to go to work.

“Straighten your spirit. From now on, we are going into battle.”

The AD rubbed his hand on his shirt and asked,

“But PD-nim. What incident are we going to now?”

“Ah... I need to restore my spirit. I didn’t explain. Amputated body parts were found yesterday morning, and the arms and legs were used to decorate a Christmas tree. It was already reported on the airwaves. I think it will probably be on air tomorrow.”

“Wah, jackpot... A completely psychotic bastard. By the way, I haven’t seen it on the news.”

Shin Se-ho clicked his tongue with a regretful expression. He didn’t know how the AD could get this job if he didn’t know how the press worked.

"Of course not. What day is it today?”

"Christmas."

"But what would happen if there was such drab news? On a day like today, the contents of the broadcast should only be delightful and warm."

The AD nodded with an expression of understanding.

Then Shin Se-ho laughed and said,

"Of course, that is just for the big stations. We don’t have to worry about public opinion so we will broadcast it today.”

"Did you get permission from the chief?”

"Of course. This evening, we will be the first ones to report on this incident during the golden hour. So shoot it properly. There is no time to edit it.”

“Yes! I understand.”

It was time for the interview. Shin Se-ho and the AD tried to enter the crime scene, but the police stopped them. They showed the ID of the broadcasting station and searched for Cho Kang-suk.

“Detective Cho! This is a coverage from ABS Station.”

Cho Kang-suk walked out of the crowd with a dignified expression.

"You have another coverage. Aigoo, you were sent again.”

Shin Se-ho laughed at Cho Kang-suk and waved,

"Wow, who is this? If it isn’t Detective Cho Kang-suk! You always seem to be busy. Haha.”

Of course, Cho Kang-suk wasn’t feeling very pleasant towards them.

"An interview will be tough right now. I can only give you a brief overview.”

It was a perfect response from the manual. However, Shin Se-ho wasn’t satisfied with that much.

"Can’t we see the bodies? They will be covered with a mosaic during the broadcast.”

“...Sorry, I’m afraid that isn’t going to happen, as they have been transferred to the morgue.”

Kang-suk’s voice was smoother than when they last met at the cafe. Kang-suk didn’t like it, but he was on duty.

Shin Se-ho covered his mouth with his hand and whispered,

"I really can’t see it? Ah right, there is a rumor that you have an important position right now. If you don’t mind then please tell me about it.”

Kang-suk confirmed that the man holding the camera also had an audio recorder. If he made even one small mistake, then it would come out in the newspaper. The fatigue from staying up all night seemed to pile on him instantly.

Where did the PD get the scent? Rumors were surprisingly scary. Maybe he even knew the existence of the [God of Crime]. Even so, he had to avoid letting that name out of his mouth.

"I’m sorry, but it is out of my purview. I’ll give you the interview and let you film the scene as much as possible. Although it is impossible to take you directly to the crime scene, you can draw a picture of the situation.

Shin Se-ho smiled. He knew that the police were hiding something. But right now, he wanted information about the case. He needed to draw the line precisely to get it.

"Then let’s go to a coffee shop nearby and talk. I’ll buy the coffee. In addition, I have a corporate card. Haha!”

Then Shin Se-ho gave a secret signal to the AD. As previously discussed, the AD disappeared from other people’s eyes into a nearby building. Kang-suk saw it and asked,

"Where is the cameraman?"

"He needed to go to the toilet all of a sudden.”

“I see.”

Shin Se-ho inwardly laughed.

What? They wouldn’t show the scene of the incident? He had brought a camera equipped with a telephoto lens that cost several million won. It would be like capturing a vivid scene in front of him. He could do anything dirty in order to pick up a scoop. That was Shin Se-ho.

"Uh, I have a call so just give me a minute.”

Kang-suk hurriedly looked at his smartphone. Shin Se-ho noticed that Kang-suk’s expression changed as he confirmed the caller. It smelled like a scoop.

His prediction was accurate. The caller was [God of Crime].

“Yes, this is Cho Kang-suk.”

-Hello, Detective Cho Kang-suk.No, should I say Merry Christmas?

This time, it was Kim Do-shik’s voice. It was strange, even if Kang-suk knew the identity. How did that person change their voice?

“What is going on? I don’t think you would call just to say hello.”

-Don’t be so pushy.I am a little timid.Rather, I prepared a special Christmas gift for the police.I want to return the bomb that I couldn’t bring back the other day.

“...W-Where is it?”

-You’ve already received the ‘dolls’ as a present from someone else, but I haven’t started playing yet.

"Doll? Ah...."

Kang-suk’s eyes widened as he realized what the other person meant. The God of Crime was talking about this crime scene.

-Shouldn’t a party have firecrackers?So I’ve placed a bomb in there with Detective Cho Kang-suk.

“W-Wait a minute. D-Don’t tell me...!”

-You should hurry.It will go off in five minutes.

“Kuook...!”

Kang-suk gave a strange groan.

Was this revenge for the attempt to arrest him? It was confusing. After that, the person hung up.

Kang-suk rushed over to the police and said,

"W-We have to run away from here! There is a bomb! Tell the people nearby to evacuate right now!”

“Huh?”

"B-Bomb?!”

The police moved quickly at Kang-suk’s words. It was fortunate that there was a blockade near the area, and civilian access was controlled. Shin Se-ho whistled as he grasped the atmosphere and walked up to Kang-suk.

"Huiyu. What is happening all of a sudden? You received notice of a bomb attack near here.”

Kang-suk made a mistake. He had forgotten about that person during the call.

"I’m sorry but Shin Se-ho PD should also evacuate. There was a tip that a bomb was installed here.”

“Whoa! Who was that call from just now? It seemed like you knew the person. Do the police have a type of inside contact with a terrorist organization? Can I think that?”

“Now isn’t the time to talk! Does this look like a prank? Bomb! Do you want your head to fly away?”

In the end, Kang-suk lost his temper. Shin Se-ho quietly retreated, like a dog with its tail between its leg after being kicked. However, his body was shaking with joy.

His senses were telling him something. Something was happening here. It would be a scoop that surprised the world.

@

The AD, who set up his camera on the roof of a building that was 200m away from the crime scene, couldn’t help sneezing.

“Ah... It is cold.”

It was much colder than he expected because he was so high up.

"Ah, that damn Shin Se-ho. Who wants to be an AD? Once I get promoted...”

He grumbled as he adjusted the camera’s focus, but then he noticed something strange. The situation of the police gathered at the scene wasn’t ordinary. It seemed as if they were running away.

The AD was puzzled.

At that time, a message came from Shin Se-ho.

-Jackpot.There is a bomb threat at the scene right now.If you find the culprit then this will be an enormous scoop!Get a close up of the scene.

“A bomb...? No, then I...”

The AD was stunned. Even if he was 200 metres away, he didn’t know how strong the blast was. He might end up being killed by the explosion, but Shin Se-ho wanted him to shoot the scene of the bomb exploding?

However, people needed to take risks to get a scoop. He wasn’t a dedicated cameraman, but he had been holding it for five years. His journalist’s heart started to blaze. It was like being a reporter in a war zone.

“Yes, a man only lives once. Today I will take the best video of my life!”

The AD focused on the scene and waited quietly. In no time, the police had evacuated so the street was empty.

"Huh? That person...?”

He was strangely dressed. He was wearing an opera mask on his face and a leather jacket. One hand was holding a long iron pipe.

“D-Don’t tell me...! Terrorist?”

The AD swallowed his saliva. Maybe this really was a great scene.

At that moment, a strange thing happened. The unidentified man in an opera mask looked up at where the AD was.

“A-A coincidence?”

He was 200 metres away. Without the telephoto lens, a person would look smaller than an ant. Yet he was looking over here? A drop of sweat dripped down the AD’s nose.

Ssik-

However, it wasn’t a coincidence. The man in the opera mask smirked and his thumb across his neck.

"Hiiik!”

He knew! That person knew he was here!

The AD sat down in fear.

@

"Now, this scene has been cleared of police.”

Tae-hyuk said with a satisfied expression.

"But what about that fly?”

He used Spying to check if there was anyone around. Expanding the scope of Spying had a limit of once per day. He noticed that someone was shooting this place from the roof of a building that was 206.2m away. Maybe it was a journalist or someone similar.

Tae-hyuk smirked and drew his thumb across his neck in a threatening gesture. It seemed like he would have to handle that after looking around the scene.

"Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.”

He planned to debut the [God of Crime] to the media sooner or later. Maybe this was a good opportunity.

"Then let’s draw a picture.”

If he drew the scenery using Forgery, he could draw the powerful image that was contained in it. It was basically like psychometry as he drew what happened here. He could see traces of the past.

Tae-hyuk walked over to the tree that had been decorated with body parts and murmured,

"The bodies were taken away but the tree is still here?”

Blood was still remaining in some places. He would draw the remaining image based on that.

"Easel OK, sketchbook OK, paints OK.”

After all the preparations were finished, Tae-hyuk triggered the Forgery skill. He started drawing in a relaxed posture like he was a landscape artist. At that moment, a strange illusion emerged in front of Tae-hyuk’s eyes.

“Ugh... It is the second time but I’m still not used to it.”

A woman was lying on an operating table, her face distorted in pain. But there wasn’t just one. On the other side, someone else...

“H-Heok... Keok!”

The image was over.

Obviously, it hadn’t occurred here. Perhaps it was the place of dismemberment.

“...Surgery?”

[The Forgery skill has found an intense image.]

[The work has been completed through automatic mode.]

Tae-hyuk swallowed his saliva and looked at the finished work and muttered in a low voice,

"Ah, this was the reason. It isn’t just a mutilation murder incident.”

He had captured the truth about the Doll Play Case.