The Devil Judge [Bl Version] - Chapter 38: A Desperate Clue

The next morning, a haze of confusion clouded Ga-on\’s memory, leaving him with fragments of the previous night. He couldn\’t quite recall the confession he had made during his confrontation with Yo-han. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, he reached for his phone and dialed Soo-Hyun\’s number.

Soo-Hyun\’s voice on the other end was soothing and composed as she explained, \”You were quite drunk last night, Ga-on. I put you to bed and left to give you some rest. Are you feeling better now?\”

Gratitude filled Ga-on\’s voice as he replied, \”Thank you, Soo-Hyun. I appreciate it.\”

After the call, Ga-on made his way to the courthouse, determined to resume his duties despite the lingering sense of unease.

As he sat in his office, lost in thought, Jin-joo, one of his colleagues, approached him with a curious expression. \”Ga-On, is it true that Yo-Han manipulated the trials?\” she inquired.

Ga-On, still grappling with the weight of his own revelation, remained silent for a moment. The truth was too complex, too multifaceted to convey in a single word. Instead, he decided to check on Yo-Han himself. Sneaking quietly to the door, he left it slightly ajar. 

In the confines of Yo-han\’s office, a palpable tension hung in the air as Sun-ah, always poised and determined, engaged in a conversation with the enigmatic judge. Her remark cut through the silence like a knife, \”You\’re finally looking lonely, Yo-han.\”

He acknowledged her presence with a wry smile, recognizing the audacity it took for her to be there. \”You\’re brave to come here,\” he conceded, \”but you know me well enough to understand that I don\’t act irrationally based on emotions.\”

Sun-ah, undeterred, crouched beside his chair, her fingers lightly grazing his face. Her voice was soft, almost pleading, as she offered him one last chance to change his path, to choose the allure of the Blue House over the impending prison.

Yo-han\’s reaction was swift, batting her hand away with an exasperated sigh. He gazed at her with a mix of resignation and pity, as if he could see the futility of her efforts. \”Sun-ah,\” he murmured, \”you work so tirelessly for something that has always been unattainable to you.\”

Yo-han\’s words hung in the air, heavy with condescension and pity. \”I feel sorry for you, Sun-ah.\”

Sun-ah\’s face crumpled at the declaration. The mixture of emotions swirling within her was too much to contain, and for a brief, intense moment, she raised a hand, fingers poised to deliver a resounding slap. But then, she stopped herself, the remnants of her composure preventing the act.

With a sudden burst of frustration, Sun-ah flipped over a lamp in a fit of anger on her way out of Yo-han\’s office. Her tears remained unshed as she marched down the hallway, her steps echoing the inner turmoil she couldn\’t escape.

Unbeknownst to them, Ga-On had been silently observing the entire encounter. As he watched Sun-ah walking towards the door, he felt a pang of guilt gnawing at him. 

On the other side,

In the wake of the tumultuous events, Yo-han found himself fidgeting in his office, the weight of his actions bearing down on him. The time had come for him to make a public statement, to address the allegations that had rocked the foundation of his career and beliefs.

With a heavy heart and a sense of resignation, Yo-han made his way into the courtroom, where the public awaited his words. He didn\’t attempt to spin the story or deflect blame; instead, he stood before the audience and admitted, \”All the allegations are true.\”

His voice carried the weight of remorse as he continued, \”I wanted to make the powerful, those who get away with their crimes, pay for their sins. But I no longer believe that the law can stand up to their power.\”

Yo-han acknowledged the line he had crossed, his anger serving as both a motivator and an excuse. He took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the crowd, and offered a heartfelt apology to the public. The courtroom held its breath, captivated by the unfolding drama.

In a dramatic and somber conclusion, Yo-han declared, \”I am a criminal. Please throw stones at me.\”

The room fell into a heavy silence, the audience left to grapple with the shocking confession of a once-revered figure. 

Amidst the chaotic swarm of reporters and concerned citizens outside the courthouse, Yo-han moved through the throng with a heavy heart. The weight of his confession and the consequences of his actions bore down on him as he navigated the sea of faces, cameras, and microphones.

But in the midst of the tumult, Yo-han\’s gaze fixed on a figure standing at a distance, a solitary and somber presence. Ga-On, with sadness in his eyes, watched Yo-han with a mix of emotions that remained unspoken.

Their eyes locked for a moment, a silent exchange of understanding and unspoken words passing between them. Then, without another word, Yo-han retreated to his waiting vehicle, the cries of the crowd echoing in his ears.

With a heavy heart and a sense of unease, Ga-On dialed Soo-Hyun\’s number. The events of the past days had left him with a lingering doubt, a feeling that he couldn\’t ignore any longer.

\”Soo-Hyun,\” Ga-On began as she picked up the call, \”I can agree that Yo-Han manipulated the trials, but blaming him for Minister Cha\’s death is not something I can accept. Please meet me in one hour.\”

An hour later, they convened at Ga-On\’s place, their faces marked by a shared determination to unearth the truth. As they delved into the closed investigation surrounding Minister Cha\’s death, they discovered a trail of overlooked evidence.

Throughout the evening, they made multiple calls, sifted through records, and meticulously reviewed CCTV footage. Their efforts led them to a critical discovery—a figure shrouded in darkness, a shooter who had managed to escape through the back door of the office, his face concealed.

With a sense of urgency, Soo-Hyun zoomed in on the CCTV footage, her eyes scrutinizing every detail. There, on the other side of the road, a parked car came into focus. The dashcam of that vehicle must have captured crucial evidence, she thought, her heart racing with anticipation.

Without wasting a moment, Soo-Hyun and Ga-On rushed to locate the address of the car\’s owner. Their pursuit of the truth led them to a quiet suburban house, nestled away from prying eyes.

Standing in front of the unassuming house, Soo-Hyun handed Ga-On a gun, a precautionary measure should danger lurk within. Ga-On nodded, his senses heightened as they cautiously entered through the unlocked front door.

What they found inside sent shivers down their spines—a lifeless body lying on the floor. 

As Ga-On and Soo-Hyun examined the lifeless body on the floor, a shocking revelation struck Soo-Hyun like a thunderbolt. She pointed at a tattoo on the man\’s arm, recognition and horror dawning in her eyes.

\”Oh my god! He\’s the one who shot Minister Cha!\” Soo-Hyun exclaimed, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and disbelief. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place, and the implications were staggering.

Their moment of revelation was abruptly interrupted by a sound from upstairs—a noise that sent a jolt of adrenaline coursing through their veins. Ga-On whispered to Soo-Hyun to stay put as he rushed upstairs to confront the unknown presence.

\”Stop!\” Ga-On shouted as he neared the source of the sound, only to come face to face with an unidentified figure poised to escape through the window.

The stranger turned to face Ga-On, his words chilling and ominous. \”That friend of yours is a headache. She shouldn\’t have interfered too much.\”

In an instant, a gunshot rang out, echoing through the house, and Ga-On\’s heart seemed to stop. He rushed back downstairs, his worst fears confirmed.

There, on the ground floor, Soo-Hyun lay injured, bloodied, and clutching a mobile phone she had managed to retrieve from the shooter\’s pocket. 

To be continued…

\”Don\’t let the chapter end without leaving a comment if it captured your heart. Share your thoughts and let\’s keep the story alive!\”