IMTS 20

Chapter 20

 (Accurate Meaning Preserved)

Yeonhee’s fingers, which had been tapping on her phone, suddenly stopped. Her mouth fell open as her gaze fixed on Cheonga.

“I think they used that to monitor all the professors in the hospital. Wow… this is huge.”

“Wait a second, unni! Okay, fine—the pharmaceutical company spreading bugs around, I’ll buy that. But just because Min Yushin recommended it to you doesn’t automatically make him the culprit.”

At Yeonhee’s counterargument, Cheonga shook her head.

“It’s definitely not someone on our side. He kept attacking me even though he knew I was a cop.”

As she listened, Yeonhee’s expression gradually darkened.

“For now, Yang Dongjun is just a front man. And… Min Yushin seems like he belongs to another faction that’s at odds with Yang Dongjun.”

“So, a rival organization?”

Tap, tap—Cheonga drummed her fingers on the table, sinking into thought.

An organization capable of planting personnel inside a hospital… and preparing dozens, even hundreds, of ultra-small listening devices.

No matter how she looked at it…

“Don’t tell me… it’s really Yongyeonbang?”

Cheonga’s pale face turned stiff as she stared at Yeonhee.

After a moment of consideration, Yeonhee set Cheonga’s phone back down on the table and slid it toward her. The screen was filled with programming language Cheonga couldn’t decipher.

“Unni… I’m sorry to add more bad news, but I think I’ll need more time on this end too.”

It was unsettling that even Yeonhee was struggling.

She was known as one of the best hackers in the country. If even she was having trouble tracking them, it meant the opponent’s capabilities were far beyond expectations.

“So… when that bug inside your stomach comes out, could you bring it to me?”

“…What?”

“If we check whether the phone-tapping app and that device share the same creator’s signature, we might find answers faster.”

Cheonga’s gaze slowly dropped to her own stomach.

How to retrieve the bug…

There was only one way.

1. Go to the bathroom.

2. Omitted.

3. Rummage around.

“Do we… really need it?”

“If possible.”

“…I’ll try.”

Cheonga’s face turned bright red.

“Why’s she like that?”

As Jeon Hongnam entered the office, his expression soured. Cheonga was slumped over the table in the center, looking utterly miserable.

Oh Seongmin shook his head with a grimace.

“She’s been like that for days since we pulled out of Boksan University.”

“Tsk. We’re busy as hell…”

Hongnam clicked his tongue and headed to his seat. From behind him, Cheonga’s muttering drifted over.

“C-pop… C-bab? C-bang? Ah, I’m sure it was C-bang. C-va C-bang…?”

“What?”

At the string of muttered profanity, Hongnam’s head snapped around sharply.

Oblivious to his rising anger, Cheonga continued talking to herself.

Oh Seongmin and Park Ingyu frantically rolled their eyes at her, signaling for her to shut up—but Cheonga alone didn’t notice.

“C-pa noona… C-bang… in the C-bang with noona?”

Finally losing patience, Hongnam roared loud enough to shake the office.

“Hey!”

Cheonga jumped like a startled frog. Only then did she notice her team leader. Scratching the back of her head awkwardly, she greeted him.

“Oh. Team Leader, you’re here.”

“I’ve been here half the damn day, you punk!”

“Oh. You came early.”

At her half-hearted response, a vein bulged on Hongnam’s forehead.

“Yeah, I did. And while I’ve been here half the day, what’s my subordinate doing? Glued to the table mumbling weird curses? I swear to—”

Cheonga pouted as if about to cry.

“Team Leader, this is an important clue.”

Hongnam glared fiercely—unfortunately, only Seongmin and Ingyu caught the murderous look.

“The day I resigned from the hospital! I saw the druggies’ names with my own eyes! On the treatment list!”

Jeon Hongnam crossed his thick arms.

“You saw it?”

“Yes!”

“Then give me the list.”

“Well…”

Cheonga bit her lip.

“I searched through the trash to find it, okay? But… some lunatic stole it.”

“……”

That part was true.

When she woke up in the duty room, that crazy bastard Min Yushin had already run off with the list of drug users.

Of course, she’d rushed to interrogate Yang Dongjun too—but all she got was shameless denial.

—“A patient treatment list? Don’t be ridiculous. That’s information we wouldn’t hand over even if the police brought a warrant! And some random cleaning lady thinks she can demand to see it? Are you insane?!”—

Just remembering Yang Dongjun’s brazen words made her blood boil.

Seeing Cheonga’s crestfallen face, Hongnam clicked his tongue.

“Without evidence, it’s as good as never having seen it. Since when does a cop run her mouth without proof?”

Evidence.

Unfortunately, there was none left.

All Cheonga had were fragments of a conversation between Min Yushin and Yang Dongjun, overheard beyond the tightly shut department door. And even that she hadn’t heard clearly.

Sure, she could storm into Boksan University Hospital right now and demand the medical records.

But word that the police were investigating would spread instantly—and the tail would definitely be cut off.

“There’s no evidence… but.”

What remained in Cheonga’s memory was this:

“Team Leader. What do you think C-pop C-bang means? I think the answer’s there.”

“……”

“Was it C-pa and I misheard it? Sspa-ssi-bbang? Hehe. Ugh, this is driving me crazy. It’s important information.”

At the string of innocent yet vulgar-sounding syllables spilling from her mouth, Hongnam’s lips trembled. His forearms bulged as he tightened his crossed arms.

Before things exploded, Oh Seongmin jumped in.

“Ah, Team Leader. Didn’t you say you’re reporting to headquarters tomorrow?”

Hongnam’s fierce gaze shifted to him.

“Jeez, relax your eyes! …You’re gonna give someone a heart attack.”

“What report?”

“That case Violent Crimes Team 1 is eyeing. You know.”

“Those sneaky bastards from Team 1 are after something again?!”

Seongmin’s tactic worked.

In an instant, Hongnam’s anger shifted from Cheonga to Team 1.

Taking the opportunity, Seongmin signaled behind his back to Park Ingyu to remove Cheonga from the premises.

Finally catching on, Ingyu jumped up and grabbed Cheonga’s wrist.

“Looks like it’s already time for our Cheonga’s walk. Let’s go. Big brother will take you for a walk.”

“Huh? I’m going for a walk?”

“Field questioning. We’re checking the scene. Didn’t those Russian ladies get into a fight with a customer yesterday? Let’s go confirm.”

Ingyu dragged her toward the office exit.

“No, hyung, this is important—C-pop, ack!”

As she tried to say “C-pop” again, Ingyu clamped his hand over her mouth and forced a smile while hauling her out.

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s go meet the Sspa-ssiva unnies.”

Dragged by the arm and scruff of her neck, Cheonga was practically shoved into the car. Ingyu let out a dry laugh at her gloomy expression.

“You lost the evidence. What are you sulking for?”

He fastened her seatbelt and started the engine. The seat rattled with a loud vibration.

“And watch your mouth in the office. You’re usually so sharp—how do you not notice when Team Leader switches into goblin mode?”

“……”

“At the very least, if you’re going to say something, you should explain the context. Where did ‘C-pop’ come from? In what situation did you hear it?”

After hesitating, Cheonga fidgeted with her phone and glanced around the car. Then she lifted herself from her seat and leaned toward Ingyu’s ear.

“Hyung.”

The sudden closeness made the tips of Ingyu’s ears turn bright red.

“I actually found two suspicious people at the hospital.”

“Huh? Then why didn’t you report it?”

With a sigh, Cheonga leaned back into her seat.

“Like the Team Leader said, I need evidence to file a report. One of them ran off, and the treatment list I secured got stolen.”

“……”

Tap, tap—she tapped her head.

“All I’ve got left in here is ‘C-pop C-bang.’ How am I supposed to write a report with that?”

Ingyu nodded slowly.

“On top of that, I’m being wiretapped.”

His nod froze mid-motion.

“…Did you seriously eat something weird?”