Chapter 606 - Episode 17 Cause and Effect
“Chief Kim, let’s light some tear gas under these boys’ noses. That should wake them up. Then take them away.”
“Yes, sir!”
Kim Geuk-do bowed at a 90-degree angle. Mu Ssang headed inside to check whether or not Kim Yang-su was foaming at the mouth in anger. Left alone on a grass field that resembled a playground, Kim Yang-su paced back and forth like an ant with a severed antenna.
“Geuk-do, hit him with an uppercut on the Gimun spot, in between the ribs, after he gets the tear gas.”
Kim Geuk-do nodded in response. Mu Ssang is petty until the end. He could’ve just simply let them go, but he wanted them to have a taste of their own medicine.
“Did you beat up those cops like dogs? I knew you’d get into trouble. But, oh my, the soup’s all dried up.”
Yeon-sun gabbled as she placed the soybean soup on the table.
“They were asking for it. Those White Skull Gangbangers followed this girl to the library and jumped her. I couldn’t just stand there and watch them hit her face and expose her breasts. So in the heat of the moment, I threw in a few punches, and now they’re all out there saying this and that.”
Mu Ssang lazily moved his spoon.
“Good. Those animals who hit women should have their hands cut off.”
Yeon-sun raved on as if she was the one who was attacked.
“That’s probably not the whole story. They wouldn’t bring out the entire police force just because he smacked a few cops around. Bro, just come clean. You broke someone, didn’t you?”
Jin-sun was as sharp as ever.
“Jang Chi-su. He was the leader of the White Skull members.”
“Dear Lord, Jang Chi-su.”
Jin-sun, who was deboning a fish for Yeong-suk, recoiled in surprise. How could she forget? This was someone whom Mu Ssang swore he’d get back at since he was 13. Someone who screwed him over twice in his life. Jang Chi-su was the one who tampered with evidence to incriminate Mu Ssang of stealing and rape.
“That man is unlucky. He must be in pieces by now.”
Jin-sun knew Mu Ssang better than he knew himself. So it wasn’t hard to imagine what her petty, spiteful boyfriend must have done.
“Let’s jut say, it’s going to be difficult for him to return back to society. I was planning to send him to Novatopia, if he didn’t shoot me with his gun.”
“Shoot you? Guess he did have a death wish.”
Jin-sun made a tut-tutting sound with her tongue. Considering Mu Ssang’s long-standing grudge with him, and the fact that he even attempted to shoot Mu Ssang, Jang Chi-su’s life was decidedly over.
“Good riddance and all, but... wouldn’t this cause trouble?”
Gye-sun worried.
“You girls have nothing to worry about. We won’t have any problems: not legally and not with the authorities neither.”
“Sis, what’s he talking about? I don’t understand a thing.”
“Yeong-ji, you go on and get Mu Ssang his cup of coffee. You kids won’t understand.”
Gye-sun chased Yeong-ji away before she could interrupt.
“Brother, one call to the embassy will solve everything. So why are you doing this the hard way?”
“Yeah. The police cannot do anything to foreigners.”
Gye-sun agreed with Yeon-sun.
“You girls are right, but I’m the embassy’s councilor. A councilor is a high-ranking official. And right now, technically, the police are invading the councilor’s residence with diplomatic jurisdiction. Our country will become a laughingstock if the foreign press got wind of this. I just want to live quietly. And while at it, I’m going to teach the local police organization a lesson they are not not going to forget.”
“Such a profound intent!”
“If you say so then.”
Yeon-sun was impressed, while Jin-sun remained indifferent. They didn’t need to be afraid of an army battalion, let alone a police squad. Even if Mu Ssang did nothing, there is still a fearsome creature taking a nap in the basement.
“Mu Ssang, when will Garuda return?”
Jin-sun asked. Kkamdung always stayed in the basement out of sight, but Purple Chicken always followed Mu Ssang around. The more powerful beings they have as allies, the better.
“It will return soon. I feel its presence growing stronger. It must have almost finished recharging.”
Mu Ssang needed a lot of focus to be able to connect to Kkamdung, but connecting with Garuda will be easier. It was the difference between friendship and a soul tie. He could feel Purple Chicken’s presence better these days. He was curious as to what it will look like after it finishes recharging.
“He’s here!”
“Get him!”
When Mu Ssang went out the front gate, the awaiting riot police ganged up on him. Mu Ssang just let them do whatever they want. Several riot policemen pulled and pushed him. They were so used to shoving people into their chicken coop this way, but this time they couldn’t make Mu Ssang budge even a step further. Mu Ssang had amplified his weight with his supernatural powers. At least three dozen men are required to be able to move him.
‘Look at them!’
Mu Ssang glanced at Kim Yang-su but he ignored Mu Ssang. The squad leaders smirked at him. He could tell that they wanted to humiliate him by using their lackeys. Mu Ssang shook off the riot police clinging to him and kicked the bus door open with a kick.
“Kim. We have agreed against this. Was I caught in the act? Am I a suspect? A defendant? No, I’m not. I am a law-abiding citizen and you attempt to drag me away like a criminal?”
Kim Yang-su had no response to the questions. What Bak Mu Ssang said was right. There was intel saying that Bak Mu Ssang is the one who smashed Sergeant Jang and his twelve thugs. But in fact, this was mere suspicion, he is not a suspect. They shouldn’t have touched him.
“Who is he? I’m going to kill him and deal with the consequences.”
The squad head touched his pistol’s holster. He had never before seen a wanted criminal vandalize a police bus. This guy needed to be disciplined.
“Are you sure?”
Mu Ssang’s eyes glinted at his newfound victim.
“That is enough!”
Kim Yang-su yelled at the squad leader. If news got out that the asshole shot his pistol several times in the library, anyone involved would be met with disciplinary action. If this man was really a nobody, they could frame him for something, but the man didn’t fear the police at all. Instead, they could be framed for something.
“Should I just quit and open a bar?”
A detective buttering up to a suspect, he is beginning to doubt his job. He had never met anyone as troublesome as this man. Kim Yang-su heaved a deep sigh and called for a police car with his walkie-talkie.
Once he returned to the East Police Station, he was severely told off by his superior: why did he need an entire riot police squad and three hours just to arrest one man? He defended himself by stating that the warrant was rejected, but to no avail. Instead, he almost got slapped, and was told that in the case of a felon, the warrant can be issued after the arrest anyway. The police promotion exam never said that a warrant is necessary to arrest someone. Kim Yang-su, after having to stomach the humiliation, went on to interrogate Mu Ssang himself.
“You destroyed Sergeant Jang, right?”
Kim Yang-su asked right away. He needed some suspicions confirmed first in order to press charges.
historical
“If we do without context, an earthworm can easily be a snake, while a cat, a tiger. If it were you, would you do nothing when someone is shooting at you? It was outright self-defense. Also, there were 82 students in the reading room. What would you do if someone was shot? You should be thanking me.”
“Do you have evidence that Jang Chi-su fired a gun in the library?”
Kim Yang-su challenged. Mu Ssang looked at him with eyes full of pity.
“Kim, is that a koi’s head on top of your shoulders? Or a chicken’s? Don’t push it. I kept Jang Chi-su’s pistol and bullets back at my place. No other evidence is needed. The bullet scratch pattern, the bullet marks and trajectories say it all.”
Kim Yang-su’s mouth fell open as he stared at Mu Ssang.
“Who are you?”
“An upright citizen!”
“Ugh!”
Kim Yang-su frowned. Even if he asked a hundred times, the man would answer the same way.
“I need his gun back.”
Kim Yang-su held out his open hand.
“Are you thinking of erasing evidence? You will never take it from me.”
“He is a freaking psychic!”
Kim Yang-su flinched knowing that Mu Ssang saw him through. This man was as guile as a fox and as strong as an elephant. He felt like he had aged 10 years just interrogating the man for a few minutes.
“You do admit to obstruction of justice, right?”
“Never. How could the police justify their beating up a girl, not even at some protest scene, but in a library? Do you call that justice? Let me ask my lawyer first. The police beat her up as a group and attempted to assault her. This is aggravated battery and attempted rape. What do you think?”
To his every question, the man replied back with a question. Kim Yang-su felt severely exhausted. He badly want to quit right now and just open a bar.
“They spread communist flyers and incited a protest. They were a threat to public security. In that case, the warrant could be issued after the arrest. Anyway, where’s the evidence that the police beat her up?”
“Don’t even try. I laud you for trying to protect your colleagues but I have a truckful of evidence and witnesses. You might be implicated as well. Considering your age, you should still be paying for your child’s college fees.”
“Ugh!”
Kim Yang-su groaned. The man was naturally good with persuasion. He felt like he was being interrogated instead. Mu Ssang took out a bunch of student ID cards.
“I have more than ten dozen students who said they are willing to testify. You may attempt to frame me all you want, but you will not succeed. So give up and apologize, else I will also seek damages.”
“Ugh!”
Kim Yang-su continued to groan. Because of Sergeant Jang’s mistake of firing real bullets, all of the evidences and circumstance are disadvantageous to them. His boss told him to interrogate the man thoroughly, but how would he ever be able to do that? On the contrary, the entire police station will end up being sued.
He felt like murdering the dumb Sergeant Jang. He only needed to arrest the main instigators, but instead, he had to use lethal force, now causing all of this mess. If news got out, the higher-ups will make him take all the responsibility.
‘What is the Foreign Affairs doing about this?’
Kim Yang-su was starting to get impatient. He needed to corner Bak Mu Ssang to prevent more people from getting hurt. If he could be sure that this man is a nobody, he would be able to do anything. But no such intel came in. It drove him crazy. Suddenly, something just saved Kim Yang-su from his present ordeal.
“What is he doing?”
His boss rushed into the violent crimes department, pushing chairs aside.
“Inspector Kim, uncuff him!”
“I never cuffed him.”
Kim Yang-su said, confused by the sudden change in his boss’s tone.
“Excusez-moi!”
“Sorry to inconvenience you.”
A female officer was guiding a group of men in suits into the station. There were three foreigners and one Korean. The sudden appearance of these visitors hushed the violent crimes department at once.
“Hello. I’m the head detective, Bak Sang-eun.”
Sang-eun greeted them politely. He was expecting the visitors, even though he was notified at the last minute. A middle-aged white man in a neat suit nodded and turned his gaze away immediately.
“Are you Sbard Gulbeig?”
His Korean was fluent.
“I am.”
Mu-ssang looked at the man.
“Pleased to meet you. I am a first secretary of the French Embassy in Korea, Joel Anquel.”
The man bowed politely.
“I am fucked!”
Kim Yang-su gasped. He made a big mistake. Bak Mu Ssang is not a pile of turd, but a landmine. The employees in the police station, whose eyes were all wide with surprise, waited with bated breath.
Mu Ssang figured out the situation at once. The Foreign Affairs must have inquired the French Embassy regarding Sbard Gulbeig’s identity, which got the Embassy to page his coded communicator. But that was collecting dust somewhere in his study. The Embassy, not receiving a response from him, must have decided to mobilize a team to investigate the situation. Half of the work done in the Embassy was spying anyway, so this was not surprising.
“I am the lawyer representing the French Embassy, Gang Yong-mok. This is the second officer, Henri Jon. While this is the Embassy’s legal investigator, Boton Concord.”
The Korean man introduced the rest of the group. The door to the chief’s room slammed open. The station chief walked up to them hastily.
“I just got the call. I am the head of the East Police Station, Bak In-yong.”
The chief bowed politely. Most police stations are headed by police superintendents. Police officers are considered as special government positions but if ranked, they would be counted as fourth-grade officials. So the diplomats are still of a much higher rank than him.
“I am Anquel from the French Embassy in Korea.”
Anquel greeted the chief and looked him straight in the eye.
“We’ve been informed that the Korean police have detained one of our most important citizens. We expect a reasonable explanation for this.”
The chief’s face paled. This all started with the troublesome case that has been hounding the station since yesterday. And given the corrupt nature of today’s regime, they are expected to pander to anything foreign.
At this point, it doesn’t matter anymore whether or not that man is innocent. If the French Embassy decided to bring it up to the foreign press, they will be put in a very bad situation. The agents from the ANS would definitely not let this go. Everyone involved, starting from the chief, would be implicated.
“You have come a long way, let’s have some tea first.”
The chief pandered but instead, Anquel looked to Mu Ssang to say something. The chief pleaded with Mu Ssang with his eyes. His dumb subordinates have really stepped on a landmine this time. If this man decided not to show them any mercy, they will really be doomed.
“Out of the frying pan and into the fire!”
Kim Yang-su felt his heart drop. He already had a bad feeling from start, and things have finally led to this. For the French Embassy to send a team of people just for this person, this case is not something the chief could handle. An image of his wife’s face came to his mind, already past the age of 50 and yet still living in a rented place. He wanted to just leave and flee.