Gangneung, South Korea
10:26 PM – Namdae River
The rain had calmed to a mist, but the night was still wet, the air clinging cold to every breath.
Detective Hyun Woo stood near the riverbank, flashlight in hand, boots heavy with mud. The scene ahead was oddly serene — a man in a black business suit, lying face-up in the reeds, half-submerged in shallow water.
No bruises. No blood. No panic.
> "Looks... peaceful," the young officer beside him whispered.
"That's not comforting," Hyun Woo replied, squinting at the man's folded hands.
"Who finds peace in a riverbed?"
The ID card read Shin Kyung Ho, 41. Local business owner. Known name, known whispers. Nothing ever proven.
Hyun Woo stepped closer, noting something strange: the man's tie had been straightened. His shoes were polished. Not a single piece of clothing was torn or misaligned.
It looked staged.
> "No visible wounds," the forensics tech confirmed. "We'll need autopsy for cause."
"Any sign of struggle nearby?"
"None. No drag marks either. Like he just... arrived."
Hyun Woo's jaw tensed. This wasn't the first body found this clean. It was the third in five weeks.
---
Haesin University Hospital – Operation Theater 3
11:03 PM
The room glowed sterile and silent, only the beeping monitors breaking the hush. Dr. Seo Yoon, in a white coat and pale green scrubs, worked with a rhythm so smooth it almost seemed rehearsed.
> "Vitals stable," the anesthesiologist noted.
"Proceeding to clamp the artery," Seo Yoon said, her tone even.
Her hands were steady. Not a flicker of hesitation. Every cut, every stitch, every tool returned precisely to its tray. Around her, junior doctors moved with trained efficiency — but they watched her more than the patient.
> "Suction," she ordered gently.
"Done."
"Closure complete."
By the time the clock ticked past midnight, the patient was in recovery and her gloves were in the bin.
---
Doctor's Lounge – 12:45 AM
Seo Yoon sat on a couch, quiet and composed, sipping warm barley tea. The lounge buzzed lightly — nurses laughing over snacks, a couple of interns complaining about night shifts.
> "She's incredible," one whispered behind a divider.
"I heard she was top of her class in Seoul and got invited here personally."
"She's like... untouchable."
Seo Yoon didn't respond. She never did. Praise didn't faze her, nor did jealousy.
She stared at the floor for a moment, then checked her watch.
> 1:02 AM.
Stillness again.
---
Autopsy Room – Next Morning
Hyun Woo leaned on the metal counter, arms crossed as the pathologist brought up scans.
> "Cause of death: air embolism," she said. "Clean entry. Likely injected directly into a vein."
"Deliberate?"
"Absolutely. You'd need knowledge of pressure, dosage, timing. Not something a civilian could guess."
Hyun Woo frowned. That made three. Three deaths. Three whispers.
And still, no leads.
---
Gangneung Police Station – Bulletin Board
The whiteboard now had three photos pinned in a row:
Nam Tae Jin – former councilman.
Park Jun Seok – private school director.
Shin Kyung Ho – nightclub owner.
Each one publicly respected. Each one privately feared.
Each now... dead.
Hyun Woo stared at the center of the board.
There were no fingerprints. No cameras. No witnesses. But someone out there was playing god. And doing it flawlessly.
> "They're not just killing," he muttered. "They're erasing."
---
City Cafe – 9:20 PM
It was a quiet Tuesday. The kind where soft jazz plays and cups clink gently. Hyun Woo entered the small corner café — his favorite escape from reports and bodies.
He ordered black coffee and sat by the window.
Two sips in, the doorbell chimed.
A woman stepped in, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Her coat was pale, her walk light but purposeful. She stood at the counter, spoke softly, and took her tea without delay.
She sat by the window — two tables across.
Hyun Woo didn't stare, but something pulled at his memory. The tilt of her head. The way she kept her back straight. She seemed familiar. A girl from school? A face from training?
She caught his glance. Just briefly.
She smiled politely. He nodded once.
No words exchanged.
She returned to her tea, unreadable and serene.
---
Haesin Hospital – Rooftop Balcony
Seo Yoon stood alone, watching the city lights from the 14th floor. Gangneung glittered below — a quiet city hiding loud secrets.
She sipped cold tea, thinking about the heart she stitched closed earlier that night.
Another life saved.
Another balance restored.