Chapter 134: The New Lead

I'm at my desk, sifting through case files, when a commotion erupts in the office. Heads turn towards the TV mounted on the wall, where a breaking news banner flashes across the screen.

"In a shocking turn of events, Lee Chunsik has retracted his confessions to multiple murders..."

The room erupts into a buzz of confused chatter. I feel my heart rate quicken as I watch my colleagues' shocked expressions.

"What the hell?" someone mutters nearby.

"How is this possible?" another voice chimes in.

I remain silent, but busy with thinking in my head. Did Lee actually take my offer? What does this mean for the case, for Choi, for everything?

My thoughts are interrupted by Officer Kim approaching my desk. "Detective, Han wants to see you in his office. Now."

I nod, taking a deep breath before making my way to Han's office. As I enter, I can see the concern etched on his face.

"Close the door," Han says, his voice tight.

I comply, then take a seat across from him.

Han leans forward, his eyes searching mine. "Do you know anything about this? About Lee changing his mind?"

I feel a pang of guilt. Han has always been there for me, always supported me. But I can't tell him the whole truth. Even he wouldn't believe a story about voices in my head.

"I... I may have had something to do with it," I admit carefully.

Han's eyebrows raise. "What do you mean?"

I take a deep breath. "When I met with Lee, I told him I was investigating his case. I mentioned that I had found evidence that contradicted his testimonies."

"Evidence?" Han asks, skepticism clear in his voice. "What evidence?"

I shake my head. "It's complicated, Han. I can't go into details right now. But I think it was enough to make Lee reconsider his position."

Han leans back in his chair, studying me. I can tell he's not fully convinced.

"Look," he says after a moment, "I don't know what you're mixed up in, but you need to be extremely careful. This retraction... it's going to be a slap in the face to Choi. And we both know he's not someone to be trifled with."

I nod solemnly. "I understand." S~eaʀᴄh the Nôvelƒire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Do you?" Han presses. "We don't know what Choi is capable of. If he thinks you're behind this..."

"I'll be careful," I assure him. "I promise."

Han sighs, rubbing his temples. "This case just got a lot more complicated. And a lot more dangerous. Whatever you're doing, whatever you know... just watch your back, alright?"

I stand, feeling the weight of Han's concern. "I will. Thank you, Han. For everything."

As I turn to leave, Han calls out once more. "And if you need help, if things get too deep... you come to me, understood? No lone wolf acts."

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I nod, managing a small smile. "Understood."

As I walk back to my desk, I can feel the eyes of my colleagues on me. They know I was involved in the Lee case. They're probably wondering if I had something to do with this sudden change.

Settling back at my desk, I try to focus on my work.

Lee's retraction changes everything. It's a step towards the truth, but it's also kicked the hornet's nest. Choi won't take this lying down.

I glance at the TV, still blaring updates about Lee's shocking announcement.

As I'm lost in thought, staring blankly at my computer screen, a shadow falls across my desk. I look up to see Officer Jang, her arms full of documents.

"Detective," she says, placing the stack on my desk. "I've got that information you asked for about the church and its connection to the prison."

For a moment, I'm confused. Then it hits me - with everything that's been happening, I'd completely forgotten about this request. I've been so focused on Lee and his trial that this crucial piece of the puzzle had slipped my mind.

"Oh, right," I say, trying to mask my momentary lapse. "Thank you, Officer Jang. I appreciate your hard work on this."

She nods, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "No problem. Let me know if you need anything else."

As she walks away, I turn my attention to the documents. I start flipping through them, my eyes scanning for any pertinent information.

One name catches my eye: Jo Mal-soon. I lean in closer, reading the details. She's 82 years old and listed as the owner of the church's parent company. But something doesn't add up.

I frown, flipping back and forth between pages. According to these records, Jo only owns this one company that operates the church. There's no indication of other business interests or sources of income.

"That's strange," I mutter to myself. "Where did she get the money to run a church without any other businesses?"

The more I think about it, the more suspicious it seems. Churches require significant funds to operate, especially one that's involved in prison outreach programs. How is Jo Mal-soon financing all of this with just one company?

As I'm about to dive into my research on Jo Mal-soon, a sudden increase in volume from the office TV catches my attention. I look up, along with most of my colleagues, to see the breaking news banner still flashing across the screen.

The reporter's voice cuts through the office chatter: "We have an update on the Lee Chunsik case. According to sources close to the investigation, Lee has retracted his confessions to five out of the twelve crimes he was initially charged with."

My heart begins to race as I stand up, moving closer to the TV. The room falls silent as everyone listens intently.

"The specific cases Lee has withdrawn his confessions from are as follows," the reporter continues, and I hold my breath.

As she lists off the cases, my entire body goes rigid. There, among the five retracted confessions, is the case I've been chasing my entire career - my parents' murder.

I feel the blood drain from my face as the implications hit me. Lee is now saying he didn't kill my parents.

"Detective?" a voice says beside me, but it sounds distant, muffled. "Are you okay?"

I can't respond. My eyes are fixed on the TV screen, watching as they show a picture of my parents, discussing the reopening of their case.

The office around me erupts into a flurry of whispers and speculation, but I barely hear it. My mind is reeling, trying to process this new development.

On one hand, this is what I wanted - for Lee to tell the truth.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself. The shock of Lee's retraction is still fresh, but I can't let it paralyze me. Now is the time for action.

I grab my jacket and keys, then pause to jot down Jo Mal-soon's address from the documents Officer Jang provided. As I head out of the office, I catch Han's eye. He gives me a questioning look, but I just nod reassuringly. I can't involve him in this, not yet.

The drive to Jo's address gives me time to think. Lee's retraction has bought us time. The trial will be delayed while they reassess the evidence. It's the perfect window for some extra investigation.

All signs point to Choi being deeply involved in Lee's false testimonies. But I need more than just suspicions. I need concrete, tangible evidence - something that will stand up in court. Something that doesn't involve voices in heads or supernatural elements that no one would believe.

As I get in a car, I pull out my phone and punch the address into GPS.

As the results load, my eyes widen in disbelief. This can't be right. I double-check the address I wrote down, comparing it to the one on my phone. They match perfectly, but the location isn't an apartment building at all.

It's a mental hospital.

How is this possible? Did Officer Jang make a mistake?

I look at the address again. The GPS is insistent - the address I have for Jo Mal-soon belongs to a mental hospital across town.

"What the hell is going on?" I mutter to myself, running a hand through my hair.

After a moment's hesitation, I make a decision. I input the address into the car's navigation system, and set off towards the hospital and start driving.

I step out of the car, my eyes scanning the imposing building before me. That's when I spot a familiar face in the distance, and my breath catches in my throat.

It's Chief Superintendent Kang, a regular at my grandmother's restaurant. He's pushing a wheelchair, and in it sits an elderly woman, her posture slumped and lifeless. The sight of the normally robust Kang in this context is jarring.

For a moment, I consider approaching him. But as I watch him gently adjusting the blanket over the woman's lap, I decide against it. This is clearly a private moment, and it would be inappropriate to intrude. Whatever brought Kang here, it's not my place to pry.

I make my way to the hospital entrance, pushing thoughts of Kang aside. I have a job to do.

At the reception desk, I flash my badge to the nurse. "I'm here to see Jo Mal-soon," I say, trying to sound authoritative. "It's regarding a police investigation."

The nurse looks at me skeptically. "I'm sorry, but only family members or registered visitors are allowed to see patients. That's hospital policy."

I lean in, lowering my voice. "I understand, but this is urgent. It's related to an ongoing investigation."

She shakes her head firmly. "If that's the case, we'll need to see an official document authorizing your visit."

I feel a wave of frustration washing over me. I don't have any such document, and getting one could take days we don't have. As I'm trying to figure out what to do next, a familiar voice behind me makes me freeze.

"Detective Park?"

I turn slowly to find Chief Superintendent Kang standing there, his eyes fixed on me with a mixture of curiosity and concern.