Crimson star case

They sprinted toward the house, their breaths coming in ragged bursts. The electricity had gone out, just as expected.

"It's 8:01, Captain! I hope we're not too late!" Jae Hwan panted, his voice strained as they neared the door.

The moment they entered, the partygoers froze, fear rippling through the room like a shockwave.

"Where's Li Yoo-ah?" Min Joon demanded, his voice sharp and cold.

A stunned silence fell over the crowd.

"I said, where is she?!" he barked, making everyone flinch.

"She's…she's in her room upstairs. To the left," someone stammered.

Without hesitation, Min Joon and Jae Hwan bolted up the stairs, their footsteps echoing in the tense silence.

They found her lying on the floor, motionless. Min Joon crouched beside her, his fingers searching for a pulse.

"She's dead," he said grimly, his expression tightening.

"What?!" Jae Hwan exclaimed, his eyes wide. "Sh*t, she was strangled!"

"Close the door. Now!" Min Joon ordered sharply.

"Huh? What—"

"I said, close the door!"

Confused, Jae Hwan obeyed, locking the door behind him.

"He's still here," Min Joon muttered, scanning the room.

"What?! Why would he still be here?"

"Every other scene had an open window. That's how the killer escaped. But here, the window's shut. He didn't leave."

As if on cue, the closet door burst open, and a man bolted out, shoving past them.

"After him!" Min Joon shouted.

They tore down the stairs and out onto the street, where the man collided with an oncoming car. He crumpled to the ground but quickly scrambled to his feet, clutching his arm in pain. As they closed in, Jae Hwan's eyes widened in recognition.

"It's…the watchman from the last case?" he asked, his voice a mix of shock and disbelief. "You were the culprit? But why?"

The man's face twisted into a grimace. "They're all the same," he spat. "Women who think they can walk away from their vows, abandoning their duties, their families. My wife…she left me for another man, and I was left to pick up the pieces."

Jae Hwan stared, horrified, as the man continued. "They think they can get away with it, but I won't let them. I'm the instrument of justice. I teach them their lesson—and my lessons are fatal."

He let out a deranged laugh, but Min Joon's expression remained icy.

"Justice? You're nothing but a coward with delusions of grandeur," Min Joon said, stepping closer. "You played your hand, but you're not half as clever as you think."

"What?" the man snapped.

Min Joon smirked. "You gave yourself away. There was no scream. A woman being strangled can't cry out like that. And you were the only one invited here under the pretense of fixing the electricity. Too convenient. You disappeared right after the murder, but you made one mistake: you stayed."

The man's laughter faltered, replaced by a scowl. Jae Hwan slapped cuffs on him, his expression hard.

"You knew all along?" Jae Hwan asked Min Joon as they waited for the police.

"Of course. The details were obvious. You just weren't looking hard enough."

Jae Hwan's shoulders slumped. "I trusted him. He seemed innocent."

"And that's your problem," Min Joon said bluntly. "You trust too easily."

Jae Hwan clenched his fists. "But we could have saved Li Yoo-ah! She's dead because of us!"

Min Joon's lips twitched into a faint smile. "She's not dead."

"What?! But you said—"

"I was testing his reaction," Min Joon explained calmly. "She's alive and safe."

Jae Hwan's jaw dropped. "You're unbelievable!"

"Now that this case is wrapped up, let's eat. I'm starving," Min Joon said, heading toward his car.

"You're thinking about food? After this?"

"It's my treat," Min Joon added with a smirk.

Jae Hwan hesitated, grumbling, "Fine. But I'm ordering the most expensive thing on the menu."

Min Joon chuckled, but his gaze darkened as he looked at the symbol etched into the man's wrist.

"Captain," Jae Hwan said cautiously. "You're thinking about that symbol, aren't you?"

Min Joon nodded. "The chief's story…it doesn't add up. Twenty years, and the same symbol shows up again. This can't be a coincidence."

"What does it mean? Why is it called the 'symbol of justice'?"

Min Joon's jaw tightened. "I don't know yet. But I'll find out."