Chapter 76

Chapter 76 – Doll Play #2

Tae-hyuk finished drawing the picture and quickly left. Although the opera mask covered his face, it was still risky if he encountered Kang-suk here.

'Maybe I should find another disguise.'

He had obtained this from one of the guests from the the Death Circus. The texture of the plaster mask wasn't bad.

'It's better than wearing a stocking over my head. Doesn't it liven up the atmosphere? It's more fun than playing with dolls.'

Tae-hyuk looked at the image that he drew when he looked at the Christmas tree. It was a clue obtained by using one of his precious bombs. Of course it was valuable.

'Then I will start earnestly going after Doll Play from tomorrow. First of all, let's handle the witness.'

Tae-hyuk grabbed the iron pipe, turned, and headed toward the building where the witness was. Once he got to the roof, he saw two people. Tae-hyuk hid behind a wall and listened to their conversation.

“I thought the bomb was a dud so I ran over right away. Yes, what do you have?"

“Uh, that… That. Someone who looked like a criminal was walking around so I made sure to get him on my camera…"

"Ohhhh! Kwon Joon-hyuk! That is a big jackpot!"

Tae-hyuk looked at the man who praised the AD, Kwon Joon-hyuk. He didn't need to use the Spying skill to determine his name. Tae-hyuk knew who he was.

'Whoa. I didn't think I would meet Shin Se-ho again here.'

It was a bit unpleasant to call it a relationship, but Tae-hyuk knew Shin Se-ho. He was a man who visited Tae-hyuk every day in jail, asking questions that invaded his privacy. Tae-hyuk was annoyed and eventually refused his visits every time. He was an enemy who waited for Seo Ha-ran's visits and questioned her against her will.

In other words, he was a man who would sell his soul for a scoop.

'Wait a minute.'

Tae-hyuk remembered something strange.

In his past life, the media revealed that Ha-ran was his sister and turned her life into a mess. He remembered that Shin Se-ho was passing by when Seo Ha-ran left the visitation room. Maybe…

Tae-hyuk shot Shin Se-ho a cold look.

'…For the sake of a scoop, he would even do a crime. I should take full advantage of this.'

Shin Se-ho reached out to Kwon Joon-hyuk.

"Let me see the video that you took."

"That…that…"

“What is it? Why do you look so scared? What type of Islam terrorist group did you capture in the shot?"

Shin Se-ho spoke with an excited face. A video of the crime scene and a bomber. He could imagine how valuable it was.

In the end, Kwon Joon-hyuk explained what he saw. Shin Se-ho became upset and angry after hearing it.

"Are you crazy? You were looking at the person through a telephoto lens. This is 200 meters away. How could he see your face?"

"R-Really. The opera mask guy obviously saw me and smirked!"

Shin Se-ho clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“You definitely took the video right?"

"Yes. Please confirm it, PD-nim."

"Yes. Let's see what type of bastard we have here. Opera mask? Are you the Phantom or something? Puhaha!"

“Aaaagh!”

Shin Se-ho frowned at Kwon Joon-hyuk's sudden scream.

"I almost fell because you scared me. Why are you making such a fuss? Did a crazy ghost appear or something?"

"T-That… P-PD-nim! B-Behind…!"

"What is behind… Arrrgh!"

Shin Se-ho looked back and fell down from surprise. A man in an opera mask was walking towards them with an iron pipe.

"Tsk tsk tsk. You should have believed in your subordinate. At least you could've run away then."

“W-What are you?!"

“Someone who likes stealing, voice phishing, art forgery, gambling, and violence. Ah, I also just did a bomb attack."

Shin Se-ho's eyes widened.

The unidentified man suddenly laid a stone on the floor and smashed it.

“I'll have to test whether your heads are harder than this stone when hit by an iron pipe."

It was a threat that was several times more realistic than being threatened with a gun or a knife.

“A-Are you going to kill us?"

The opera masked man, Seo Tae-hyuk, slowly approached Shin Se-ho.

Horror filled Shin Se-ho and Kwon Joon-hyuk's face as they backed away, their eyes the iron pipe the whole time. Suddenly, they reached a place where they couldn't retreat anymore.

“Be careful. It would be funny if you fell."

"……"

“ABS Station PD, Shin Se-ho. I wanted to meet you at least once."

"H-How do you know my name…."

"First of all, rest assured that I won't hurt you. I just want a deal."

"Deal?"

"Yes. First, erase the data from that camera. And if you do me a few favors, I will give you a huge scoop."

Shin Se-ho swallowed his saliva. The person in front of him seemed like a monster that had come out from a movie, yet he was making an offer like this.

“But I only want to talk to you."

He meant to get rid of the AD. Shin Se-ho nodded.

“I understand. Kwon Joon-hyuk. Go to the corner and cover your ears."

“Yes, yep!" On the other side of the roof?"

"Yes."

After Kwon Joon-hyuk disappeared, Tae-hyuk explained his proposal with a satisfied look. Shin Se-ho's fingers started to tremble. According to the opera masked man, it was an extraordinary scoop that would overturn the Korean media.

"I-Is that really true? Ah, no… What is it really?"

“It is up to you to accept my proposal or not, but I think you would be a fool if you refused."

Shin Se-ho had a quick and accurate judgement. He ran to the AD in the corner, took out the memory from the camera, and handed it to Tae-hyuk.

“Thank you. Then I will contact you soon."

"P-Please wait a moment."

Shin Se-ho pulled his business card from his wallet.

“Call me at this number. A-And… Do you really want me to broadcast about the Bathroom Killer?"

Tae-hyuk laughed. It was the alias that the media had used for the Hippo case.

"Yes. Think of it as a down payment."

"O-Oh my god… If it is known that the killer was a police officer…"

“Of course, I will send you the evidence. Well, can I send it to the address on this card?"

“Yes, yep!"

Shin Se-ho realized that the man in front of him was a treasure trove that couldn't be missed.

"Of course, if you break the rules that I set, then it will be detrimental to you."

“Of course. However, Phantom… Haha, I thought of that name since you are wearing an opera mask. I mean, can I call you Phantom?"

Tae-hyuk laughed and nodded his head.

Phantom. It wasn't bad.

“Just call me that comfortably."

“T-Then please go in peace!"

Shin Se-ho bowed.

Thus, the deal with the ABS Station PD, Shin Se-ho, was over. Pretty soon, the public would know of the existence of Phantom, the God of Crime.

@

There were dark circles under Kang-suk's eyes as he returned to the orphanage. Tae-hyuk paused from where he was playing with the children and asked,

"Uh, Kang-suk hyung. Did you just finish work now?"

"Yes. It is due to some completely crazy bastard."

"Ohuhu… You must've had a hard time."

Tae-hyuk, who knew exactly what Kang-suk had gone through, laughed lowly. After the deal with Shin Se-ho, Tae-hyuk had made a brilliant explosion as promised. Of course, it wasn't the special bomb made by Kim Tae-sung, but one that could be bought for 3,000 won. It was a fireworks display set.

‘Still, the police were able to recover one of the remaining four bombs so they didn't just suffer.'

The suffering of the police didn't end there. In the new year, those who tried to cover up the Hippo incident would be stripped of their clothes. Cho Kang-suk's position, as the one who arrested the Hippo, would become even stronger.

Everything was going according to Tae-hyuk's plan.

‘Then I have to finish up with Doll Play.'

Tae-hyuk thought about it as he threw the dice.

"What, another 12? Is this person cheating right now?"

“Stop moving! Under him! Check if he has padded pants…"

Tae-hyuk grabbed the head of a screaming little boy.

In no time, there were tens of millions of won piled up in front of Tae-hyuk. Of course, it was fake money. On the game board, Seo Tae-hyuk's hotels and buildings were piled up like a mountain. The Gambling skill impacting things like throwing the dice, so he landed on the Seoul, New York, and London group. It wasn't easy to try and lose.

"Aah! I don’t want to!"

Tae-hyuk licked his lips.

It wasn't easy to play with kids.

“Oh, Tae-hyuk. Don't you have an aptitude for this? How about going down this path?"

"Aigoo. A police officer is recommending illegal gambling."

“Hey. I'm talking about management, management."

"Management? I was thinking of something similar."

“That’s right. You will be a 3rd year next year, so it is time to think about the future. That reminds me, where is Ha-ran?"

“She is sleeping with the kids."

Seo Ha-ran was lying in bed with Song Hye-mi, who had returned in shock.

Kang-suk sighed.

"Hah… In the end, our date ended like this."

Thanks to the new case, he would become busier from tomorrow.

Before that, there was something left to do. Kang-suk put the heavy styrofoam box that he was holding down on the ground and opened it.

“Shall we have barbecue in the evening?"

The children who heard it cheered. Inside the box was 20kg of pork meat.

@

After a long Christmas, it was December 26th. There was still a week left of winter vacation, but Tae-hyuk had something to do.

“Then, let's contact those kids first."

Tae-hyuk contacted Kang Han-seong. Two days ago, Kang Han-seong had agreed to the proposal to work for two million won.

–It is Boss!Do you have a job for me?

"Yes. How many children can you move today?"

–Around seven to eight people.

"Um… It is a little lacking. If I double the money, can you gather around 20 people?"

–Hut, double…I understand.Then I will gather them there?

Tae-hyuk agreed and hung up.

This was enough. He could pay four million won to 20 people.Nuclear Bomb was a long term investment.

After an hour, they gathered at the construction site where Tae-hyuk first encountered them.

"Hyung-nim, who is that person?"

For some of the members, it was the first time they saw Tae-hyuk. Kang Han-seong glared.

"That person… Money… No, employer. Then I will talk to my employer for a while."

"Yes, I understand."

Han-seong scented money and approached Tae-hyuk.

"Boss! What is to be done?"

First of all, Tae-hyuk pulled out five million won from his pocket.

"Huhu… So much…"

“One million won is the budget for this. Distribute it properly and carry out the mission."

"Ah… Yes, I understand."

Han-seong licked his lips.

“Then I will explain what Nuclear Bomb has to do. You will go to all the orphanages in Seoul and check if there are any missing people recently."

"Huh? Can't you call and ask?"

It was a reasonable question, but this was information that couldn't be obtained unless someone went in person.

“Of course I can. But let’s think simply. Your wife left the house, and now someone called asking if your wife has left the house. What would most people reply?"

“M-My wife didn't leave the house!"

“Exactly. This is just an example. Think about it."

"Cough… Boss is definitely correct. I would also be ashamed and not tell the truth."

That was also why it was hard to solve domestic violence cases. It was hard to judge on the phone, so the caseworker would have to visit every day. By acting like a harmonious family, the person could easily get rid of the charges.

Kang Han-seong nodded.

"There are roughly 40 orphanages in Seoul, so one person will be in charge of two places. Please note that you not only have to meet with the person in charge, but also talk to the children living there…"

Tae-hyuk then recalled the appearance of the thugs. They looked suspicious.

"…At any check, do as much as you can to check if there are any children who disappeared."

"I understand."

Kang Han-seong bowed politely.

It would take two to three hours to finish this. but each person could earn 100,000 won. It was 30,000 won per hour.

Of course, half of the share was distributed to the leader Kang Han-seong.

"Huhu… Two million won for a day of work. Boss, I will swear my allegiance forever."

Kang Han-seong got up from his seat and delivered Tae-hyuk's instructions to his subordinates.

Tae-hyuk laughed as he sat on a chair and looked at the members of Nuclear Bomb.