Detective Woo Jung-ju made a gesture that he didn't. Hansol knew that it was true. If I wasn't Woo Jung-ju, someone from the National Forensic Lab who delivered the information had to be the one. Finding someone who did that wasn't what he should do. Now he had less than 11 hours left.
"One thing is certain. Some of you in this room would have hoped that I don't find the real culprit. Because of that, the two most important pieces of information, the PCL-R tests of both brothers, were stolen."
Hansol looked around at the team members and continued.
"It would have been done in hopes that no one would get caught, but… I don't care who it was. But, it is regrettable that we didn't get to conduct a proper investigation because the most important two facts were missing. That is why I need to find the real culprit and complete this puzzle before 11 am when the briefing is done."
"What do we do now?"
Inspector Jung asked. Hansol asked each team member to collect their data. Clearly, the person who stole the data from Hansol didn't just steal it but has the other missing pieces of the case. Because of that, they were running around in circles.
After gathering the data from each member, Hansol reread it from the beginning.
'… as expected, the data is lacking in several places, from everyone's materials. Because of that, the direction of the CIF's investigation had no choice but to lean on one side. If the culprit was caught using the testimony of the witnesses, the CIF team would have given in to the wrong one. Was this the prosecutor's wish? Or the one who made this team? Or…'
When he started reading the optometry book, Hansol imagined the first scene. It was only then that he realized who killed Woo Jin-hyung. Beings who wound have been Judges for the others. And the beings whom the brother made as agents to deliver the judgment.
According to the data, Woo Jin-seong's assets were donated to Shin Jong-pil, Lee man-soo, and Lee Yunseok.
'… the culprit isn't one but four.'
"Dr. Im, do you have something to say? Will we not investigate Lee Yunseok?"
"Isn't he with the prosecution now? Even if we ask them for cooperation, they won't."
"Hmm… right. The public is paying attention to this incident as it is too bizarre… the police have to do something."
"The results are already out there. However, the point is that we should find the explanation faster than the prosecution. And it has to be done by me. I want you to help me with this."
"A police briefing faster than the prosecution? Then if the prosecution and CIF have different opinions, our superiors will be in an uproar if the CIF's answer is wrong."
Team Leader Woo-jin had a concerned look, but Hansol didn't care. Whatever was the case, he had to get the briefing out before the prosecution.
"Team Leader, are there any journalists you know? Since this is the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, there need to be reporters around. Let's do a briefing then, at 10, earlier than the prosecution."
"Can we… do it?"
"The results are out, so trust me and proceed. Even if the prosecution's answer is right, the police should be the ones pre-empting it."
"…! Dr. Im, you see things differently. I didn't know that your sense of belonging in CIF was this great."
All the team members seemed impressed with Hansol's active appearance. Hansol, who hadn't shown an emotional swing till now, began to show the emotions for CIF.
"Detective Kang, what are you doing? Go to the press room, wake the sleeping reporters, and tell them that the briefing will be at 10 in secret! Tell the press not to report it. Come now, move!"
"Yes, Team Leader!"
Kang Woo-cheol ran out, and Hansol wrote the report. This is a report to be distributed to the reporters. However, it was a report he wouldn't give to the CIF members. Even now, someone who knew could make the prosecution change their briefing time. Because he already said he would do it at 10 am, he couldn't risk the report going out.
10 am.
About 20 reporters were seated in the press room of the police agency. Considering that it was just 10 in the old station, this was twice the number.
Inspector Jung Yu-mi handed out the official press report to the reporters. She, too, didn't know what it was. Hansol asked her to print the number of copies and give it, so she just followed his instructions.
And the briefing began.
Hansol stood ahead and started the presentation.
"Good morning. I am Dr. Im Hansol, serving as a profiling advisor to the Special Case Team of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Today, I will make a special presentation on the murder case of Woo Jin-hyung and Woo Jing-seong."
Reporters mumbled at the announcement of Hansol that he was an advisor and not a police officer, but the noise soon subsided.
"First, the true culprit in Mr. Woo Jung-hyung's case is there and not there at the same time."
"Why is that? He couldn't have killed himself like that! And the suspects on the list are….!"
"Mr. Woo Jin-hyung had 27 points on the psychopath test. A perfect psychopath. This wasn't some random test but one that included an interview with a doctor. And Mr. Woo Jin-hyung received 27 points, while his brother received 29 points. I'd say his brother was more than a perfect psychopath."
"Are you saying that Woo Jin-seong is the culprit?"
"He is both the culprit and the victim here. A Judge and a victim of judgment."
"The answer is too vague! Please explain it more clearly!"
The angry voices of the reporters were heard, and looking around, Hansol spoke.
"The brothers must have been brought up with normal education. It is stated that both of them graduated with excellent grades. When most people think of psychopaths, they think of poor grades and a desire for destruction, but that isn't always the case. It depends on the education. Their test records show that their parents had discovered something strange about their sons, and they educated them. To be able to 'function' as a 'human' which help in courses leading to elementary, middle and high school."
Hansol's head tilted to the side. He looked at Prosecutor Seo Jae-dong at some point, who rushed in and was looking at him. The reporters were already typing at high speed to not miss a single word of Hansol. The press room was filled with the sound of keyboards typing.
"They must have had the trait of a psychopath who destroys others and gains the upper hand. The brothers knew each other very well, and they probably used corporal punishment to fill their destructive tendencies with sadism and masochism. Now, look at this picture."
In the photo he held out, it could be seen that something was drawn over the hand repeatedly. The wound was caused by a blade. No hesitation in confirming that it was a suicide attempt. Self-harm.
"This is Woo Jin-seong's hand. Similarly, traces like this were found on the body of his elder brother. The two of them, trying to destroy themselves, came up with a plan. Instead of committing the crime of murder, they wanted to destroy themselves and see the end–the end of pleasure. Would self-injury on the wrist be so hard? What do you think? It is difficult to cut the wrist at once for a person trying to kill himself and yet hesitates. Because of that, such marks were created. But they would still do it. That is because they took pleasure in self-destruction."
A reporter raised a hand and questioned.
"Doctor, does that mean that Woo Jin-seong killed Woo Jin-hyung due to this? There were lyrics on the scene to judge sinners from what I have heard. How does this lead to the judgment on sinners?"
It was an expected question, a question only Hansol could understand.
"The parents must have educated their children to function as human beings. Some of those would include a random talk and a family history the children didn't want to listen to. The brothers asked to be perfectionists, one managed finance, and the other was a doctor. It is the product of the perfect education. But when their instincts take over, the education that suppresses them will weigh them down and make them feel guilty."
"…!"
"In particular, it is confirmed that the siblings' parents were Christians. The father is a pastor and the mother's deaconess. They were running a small church in the Pyeongmi-dong where the incident occurred. Two psychopaths both into such a family. Do you understand the situation?"
Eventually, Hansol explained how Woo Jin-seong killed Woo Jin-hyung. The CCTV footage of the ecstasy and morphine heist proved that it was a planned murder.
"Woo Jin-hyung didn't want the thefts of his brother to be found out. However, by then, people were already investigating Woo Jin-seong. In the end, Woo Jin-seong orders his agents of judgment to judge his brother for him. It was his decision that the investigation on him would be avoided if that happened."
"I have a question. Well, then what about the escape marks left in the corner room?"
"I guess that is because of the effect of ecstasy. It is said that it would have been impossible to discriminate between people because he was trapped in a fantasy. Now, let's move to the case of Woo Jin-seong. If you are curious about this murder, then please listen till the end before asking questions."
Hansol turned the voice recording on. It was a recording that Inspector Jung had a hard time finding.
The voice of Lee Yunseok came out.
[… he asked to be killed. He said that he had achieved all his goals, and he now had to follow his brother. Since he made all the preparations to die, he said he would give the three of us the assets if we worked quietly…]
The reporters' hands stopped. Rather than someone else killing him, this word of psychopath brothers and their mental state shocked them.
Hansol sympathized with the ordinary people who couldn't understand it. The famous murderer also committed murder and was imprisoned, which was later concluded as suicide.
In the end, he even tried to destroy his own life. Hansol felt that the same outcome would have come if he had been the real culprit.
Instead of destroying others, the two were beating each other, and they must have regarded it as some kind of play, and its intensity was extreme. One was a stockbroker, and the other had a job in a hospital. They had the brains and seemed fine on the outside, but their insides were plagued with the constant desire to destroy something.
"I'll take questions now."
None of the reporters raised their hands. Some of the reporters were gagging at the sight of the scene photos.
"If there are no questions, the police will end their briefing."
Hansol passed Seo jae-dong, who was close to him, and left the room. Prosecutor Seo followed him and grabbed him by the collar.
"You bastard! Did you steal our information?"
"Hm… me? Wasn't it the prosecution who has set up various missing information for us?"
He displayed a mischievous smile on his lips.
"Ah, the reporters are right here… can a prosecutor act like this?"
At that, Prosecutor Seo let go of Hansol's collar.
Hansol adjusted his clothes and said, "Let's have a fair play from now on. It should be fair. Wouldn't it be embarrassing if you keep on losing?"
"Y-You… bastard!"
Hansol went up and the CIF team, who watched the briefing on TV, cleared their places.
"Brat, Woo-cheol. Did you enjoy watching TV?"
Team Leader Woo-jin asked Detective Kang, who nodded his head.
"Wow… it was really creepy. I think I know why we weren't shown anything…."
"Right. Who could come up with such a situation? But, who was the bastard who stole our data?! I meant it!"
The team leader was angry.
Rubbing the shoulders of the team leader, Detective Kang said, "Could it be intentional? It couldn't be."
"It is intentional, and we didn't realize it at the last minute searching. We almost had our asses handed to us by the prosecution again! But… the police took charge of the case taken by the prosecution and gave the briefing, so the prosecution briefing will be nonsense now."
"Haha… Team Leader, don't worry too much! I, Kang Woo-cheol, will handle everything!"
"Enough with your help. We can do it without that."
Hansol approached them with a gentle smile.
"Then, for now… since I played such a role, the relationship between the police and the prosecution will turn more horrible… and that is totally on me."
"No! Doctor! Instead, we are thankful to you! I will take responsibility for what happened! As the team leader, I should be the one taking the burden!"
A man rushing to their office approached them.
"Dr. Im Hansol? Team Leader Woo-jin? The chief is calling."
"… let's go."
Hansol was thinking as he was walking to the Chief's office.
'All three suspects received counseling from my father, even the Woo brothers. What the hell was father… What kind of person was he?'