Clumps of dirt and small stones, fallen leaves, and weeds.
The skin, exposed and naked, stings and tears with every slight movement, blood gathering in the wounds.
The pain has long been overshadowed by fear.
Tears continuously flow from the gap in the piece of cloth covering her eyes.
No matter how much she pleads, there is no response.
A woman, wiping away the snot running from her lips, curled her body tightly and cried out loud.
But even with her crying, there was no sign of anyone else.
The woman knew it too.
She had given up hope because she knew what was happening.
“…Why… Why are you doing this to me? Just… just tell me… at least that… just tell me why…”
The woman, whose head felt like it was going to explode from crying, kept speaking despite the lack of response.
Then, a sigh was heard.
The sound of rustling in the air made her stop immediately, her senses sharp.
She fell silent.
Crunching sounds of leaves being stepped on grew closer and closer.
The feeling of cold sweat on her spine, exposed to the air for so long, made her tense.
The sound of fabric being torn followed.
Her ear twitched in response to the sensation.
“Why, why are you laughing? …Why, why are you laughing at me… I… I… I should die…”
With every word the man spoke, hot air brushed against her neck, sending chills down her spine.
When he came close enough, the woman started struggling wildly, her body trembling.
“Don’t… don’t do this! Don’t… Agh! Aah!”
With her hands and feet bound, she looked like a floundering fish.
The man crouched down and observed her, his face emotionless, looking almost bored as the moonlight barely illuminated him, making his features faint against the towering trees.
The man lifted his chin and sighed deeply.
As she moved about five steps away, the man slowly got up.
From his pocket, he took out a pair of work gloves and leisurely slipped them on one finger at a time, before stepping on the blood-stained leaves.
“Agh! …Aah! Hah…ugh…”
The woman gasped, still trying to fight, but the man remained silent, his lips tight.
The man crouched over her, hovering above her back.
And from there, there was no mercy.
It was clear from the beginning that mercy had never existed.
The blunt object that had been raised over his head sliced through the air with a sharp sound, bringing it down heavily on the woman’s chin, neck, and chest.
The blood splattered out like paint, coating everything.
The woman struggled, flailing, desperately fighting for her life.
The blow that came down was merciless.
The quiet forest echoed with the dull thud of the strike, followed by the sounds of small animals fleeing in terror.
At last, the woman’s resistance stopped.
Her screams faded, and the faint sounds of her labored breath ceased.
The man, now standing above her, looked down at her lifeless body, stained with blood.
He wiped his wrist across his chin, taking a deep breath.
The only presence left was his.
He stretched his arms out wide in the darkness, yawning and then walking to a spot where his bag had been placed.
With a creak, he opened the rusty zipper, revealing neatly folded towels, a knife, and a pair of office scissors.
He hesitated for a moment before picking up the scissors.
He snipped them in the air, before standing up and turning his gaze back to the lifeless body.
The man’s amusement was not over.
Time still moved on.
The quiet countryside nights were far longer than the flashy city nights.
The sound of rustling leaves could be heard again.
The clouds parted, revealing the moon, and for a moment, the man’s face was illuminated.
A faint smile spread across his lips.
Finally, the man found his expression.
***
~ Scene Transition ~
The scene then shifts to a more mundane setting, where Jeong Rok, while tapping his thumb to the beat, looks out the window of a car.
After having been absorbed in reviewing a case file during the drive, Jung-yoon finally looks out the window, following Jeong Rok’s gaze.
The view is stunning—fields of water reflecting sunlight like a vast green ocean stretching to the horizon.
Despite the beauty of the scene, Jeong Yun remains conflicted, reflecting on the grim nature of the case that brought them to this location.
Soon, Jeong Rok and Jeong Yun drive down a narrow rural road.
The car reaches a village named “Damhong”, which appears old, with century-old trees casting shadows over a sign bearing the village name.
As they continue through the village, they pass houses, eventually arriving at a community hall.
The road narrows further as they reach the town center, where a construction site for a new development remains abandoned, suggesting the poor state of the area.
Jeong Yun’s eyes fall on a series of banners on the walls, protesting the redevelopment of the village, which hints at the social tensions in the area.
The situation feels uneasy to him, and he reflects on the previous case that had disturbed him before.
Finally, they arrive at Deokdong Police Station.
Jeong Rok’s SUV passed the entrance of a building that looked like it had been newly constructed and drove in.
Jeong Yun threw the file onto the backseat and slipped his phone into his back pocket.
As soon as the car stopped, he unbuckled his seatbelt and took out the official ID badge wrapped up in a string from his pocket.
“Are you actually more diligent than you look?”
Who’s “you,” and who’s “my” in that?
That crazy guy is seriously annoying.
Jung Yoon, now irritated, glared at Jeong Rok, who was smirking in a playful manner.
“If you say ‘my’ again, just know that you’ll be taken back in an ambulance.”
Jeong Rok frowned and chuckled at Jung Yoon’s sharp response, then pushed open the driver’s side door and got out.
Jung Yoon followed him out, and despite arriving together, they distanced themselves from each other as they entered the police station.
“Here, have a drink.”
A uniformed officer approached and placed paper cups with coffee mix in front of Jeong Rok and Jung Yoon.
Jung Yoon, sitting next to Jeong Rok on a small sofa, half-smiled and muttered a casual response as he scanned the room.
Jung Yoon clearly looked around.
Then, his gaze locked with a man who had been eyeing him and Jeong Rok in a peculiar way.
The man, realizing their eyes met, frowned and clicked his tongue.
The loud sound of a chair scraping across the floor followed, and the man approached, slapping a thick notebook into his palm.
“Hello. I’m Kim Gwangjin from the Criminal Investigation Department.”
As the man spoke his name, Jung Yoon’s gaze focused on him.
The name was unfamiliar, but it felt like he had heard it somewhere before.
Jung Yoon continued to watch him closely.
“This is Moon Jeong Rok.”
“Oh… Chief Jeong?”
Gwangjin, who had pulled up a chair from the table, roughly flicked his hair back over his forehead and shot Jeong Rok a disapproving glance.
His eyes swept over Jeong Rok with a look of disdain.
While trying to maintain a polite tone, Jeong Rok stifled a laugh.
A tense silence soon followed, heavy with unspoken words.
“Yes, well, that’s how it is… at the Chief’s place,” Jeong Rok replied nonchalantly.
As Jeong Rok answered casually, the exchanged glances between them grew even colder.