He smiled then, puffing his chest a little when she squeezed his arm. He clearly felt proud of the compliment.
His eyes narrowed slightly, feeling the operation was deeply underestimated. His chest remained slightly puffed from her earlier compliment, and he felt a strong need to set the record straight. He looked around quickly to make sure no one was listening.
"Gambling? No, no, this is way bigger than that. This guy... he's involved in that Underworld Judge nonsense. He's dangerous. That's why we're shutting down the whole area."
Han Soo Jin's smile was instantly replaced by a look of deep, serious worry. "The Underworld Judge? Oh my gosh, that's terrifying. That explains why every unit is out here."
Her gaze lifted to the flashing lights again, this time with genuine solemnity. "You guys are risking a lot. Please be careful out here, Officer. I'll get out of your way."
He gave a small grin, puffing his chest again, clearly proud of himself for "sharing classified info."
She thanked him softly and stepped back, pretending to type something on her phone before walking away.
The officer watched her go, a half-smile still stuck on his face.
But just behind that same barricade, someone else was already moving through the crowd.
Hood low. Hands in pockets.
No one stopped him. No one even looked.
By the time Han glanced up again, he was already gone — slipping past the flashing lights and disappearing down the street like he'd never been there.
The further Hyun Woo walked, the quieter it got.
Most of the streetlights were out, and the ones still working flickered now and then.
The street where Hyun Woo was walking was quiet.
He looked around — old houses on both sides, a few small shops here and there. Some were still open, some had already closed early for the night.
Most of the house lights were off, but a few windows still had lights glowing behind the curtains.
He stopped near a small house at the corner.
The paint on the wall was peeling off, and the gate looked half-rusted.
There was a pair of old shoes thrown near the door, and empty drink cans stacked beside the steps.
A loud music coming from inside.
The bass was strong enough to make the window glass shake a little. The curtain wasn't even closed properly.
Hyun Woo looked up at the house once.
"Found you."
He stepped off the street, hands still in his pockets, and walked straight toward the gate.
As Hyun Woo stepped inside the gate, he turned the knob — it wasn't even locked.
The door creaked open a little, and the sound of loud music hit him right away.
He could hear voices inside, two of them, laughing and shouting over the noise.
He couldn't make out what they were saying.
"Bro, look at this!" Yoo Chan said, holding up his phone. His words slurred a bit as he scrolled through the SNS feed. "They're still talking about it! Underworld Judge, this, Underworld Judge, that—"
He broke into another laugh, spilling a little beer on the floor. "They really think we're scared of some ghost online?"
Kim Jae-ho sat slouched on the couch, one leg on the table, waving his empty bottle like a mic.
"Let them talk," he said, grinning. "That freak hides behind a mask. If he's real, he can come see us himself."
They clinked their bottles together, laughing louder.
The table between them was covered with junk — snack wrappers, ashtray full of cigarette butts, and half a dozen empty bottles.
The floor wasn't much better. One slipper tossed near the wall, a shirt on the chair, a few more bottles rolling near the sofa leg.
The light bulb above them kept flickering, flashing yellow light on their faces.
Yoo Chan's eyes were red, his face shiny from the alcohol. He leaned back and kicked the table once, making the bottles rattle.
"Cheers to us, bro. The internet's loud, but the cops don't care. My dad said the report's already gone. Closed case. No more talk about that kid."
Kim Jae-ho laughed again, head tilting back. "That's right. Money shuts everyone up. Even that kid's lawyer dropped the case after the payout. Guess justice really is for sale."
Yoo Chan hit the table, spilling more drink, and Jae-ho laughed until his voice cracked.
They laughed like nothing could ever touch them.
Hyun Woo stepped inside quietly.
The door didn't even creak — the music and their voices covered the sound.
He stood near the entrance, his eyes moving over the mess.
Empty bottles on the table, cigarette smoke floating near the ceiling, ash scattered across the floor.
Two of them sitting there — drunk, red-faced, laughing like the world owed them something.
"…you saw his face, right? He was crying like a baby!"
Yoo Chan smirked, lifting the glass again.
"He begged me to stop, said he couldn't breathe. And that lawyer—" he hiccupped, almost choking on his drink, "—that clown said he fell by accident! Can you believe that?"
Jae-ho leaned back, kicking the chair leg. "That's what money does, man. My old man said they already signed the paper. Case closed."
Hyun Woo's eyes narrowed slightly.
He didn't move, didn't speak.
He just watched their backs — the same two who once laughed over a crying boy, now laughing again like nothing ever happened.
Laughing over the death they caused, the case their fathers buried with money.
The faint glow flickered in his right eye.
[ Sin Codex — Activated ]
[ Subject: Yoo Chan / Kim Jae-ho ]
[ Crime Type: Cruelty Leading to Death ]
[ Verdict: Pending ]
His foot pressed down slow, the old floor groaning under the step, but their laughter drowned it out.
He stood there for a second, eyes on their backs.
A faint grin crept across his face.
Then his voice slipped through the music — quiet, cold.
"You two sure know how to celebrate."
Both of them turned fast, bottles still in their hands.
Yoo Chan's eyes went wide first.
There, by the door — a figure standing quiet, hood pulled low, face half hidden in the dark.
Hyun Woo didn't move, just watched them.