In the days that followed, Taeyang was caught up in the vortex of an increasingly complicated investigation. The red numbers found at the scene of the first murder became clues that led him in different directions. Every time he thinks he's close to an answer, something unexpected pops up, sending him back to square one.
He decides to revisit the places connected to the victims, trying to find patterns that could explain the relationship between the numbers found at each murder scene. Every clue seems to only make the puzzle worse. In the midst of his search, Taeyang meets a witness who seems to know more than he anticipated. An elderly woman who lived near the victim's apartment claimed to have seen someone who looked suspicious a few days before the incident.
"He came every night, carrying a big bag. I felt there was something strange about him," the woman said in a trembling voice, as if still frightened by what she had witnessed.
Taeyang listened attentively to the story. However, as he tried to pursue further leads, he suddenly came under an unexpected physical attack. A group of unknown people attacked Taeyang in the middle of a deserted street, using sharp weapons. Without hesitation, Taeyang fought them off with his martial arts skills. His movements were fast, coordinated, and calculated. Although he managed to defeat them, he knew this attack was no accident.
The next morning, after a grueling battle, Taeyang called his team. "Someone is targeting us," he said in a low voice, "We need to move more carefully."
In his search, Taeyang begins to discover that these murders are not only linked to the victims, but also to a secret organization operating beneath the surface of society. A group that has long been operating undetected, controlling various aspects of city life in a very clever way.
Taeyang realizes that he is not just dealing with a killer, but with a larger and more dangerous network. Without realizing it, he's already caught up in their game. The deeper he dug, the more danger lurked. However, Taeyang was undeterred. With strong determination and courage, he is determined to uncover all the dark secrets hidden behind this network-even if it means risking his own life.
Each step he takes brings him closer to the truth, but also further away from safety.
After the attack that almost took his life, Taeyang realizes that the enemy he's facing is much more dangerous and organized than he imagined. The group seems to not only have connections in the underworld, but also among high-ranking officials, which makes it even harder to know who can truly be trusted.
Meanwhile, the clues he gathers begin to point to a name that has long since disappeared from circulation: "The Black Emperor". The name kept popping up in scattered reports about international criminal networks, but no one had ever managed to uncover the real person behind the name. All investigations into the Black Emperor always ended in failure or worse, a mysterious death.
Taeyang was getting more and more confused, but one thing was certain: The Black Emperor is the key to ending this string of murders and stopping the chaos that has engulfed the city. Taeyang knows that he must dig deeper, despite the growing threat. Every step he takes brings him closer to the truth, but also makes the situation worse. His enemy was getting closer, and there was no longer any place that was safe.
On his quest, Taeyang began to receive a series of more dire threats. Letters containing mysterious messages were delivered to his apartment, often accompanied by pictures of dead victims. The messages contained only cryptic words, but one thing was clear: The Black Emperor was always one step ahead.
One night, Taeyang was informed that there was a secret meeting to be held in an old warehouse on the outskirts of the city. It was his last chance to find out more about the Black Emperor and his network. Without hesitation, he decided to infiltrate the place by himself. However, he knew this would be a very risky mission.
Before leaving, Taeyang received a call from an informant he had previously met. "They know you're coming," said the voice on the other end in a panicked voice. "Be careful, Taeyang. Don't go there. It's a trap."
However, despite the clear warning, Taeyang couldn't back down. He knew that this was his last chance to uncover the Black Emperor's identity and stop the chaos that had long been rampant. With growing determination, he prepared himself to face whatever lay ahead.
On that dark night, Taeyang sneaked into a deserted warehouse. Suddenly, he heard footsteps and lights began to appear in the distance. Taeyang hid himself behind a pile of goods, waiting with bated breath. His heart was racing. Someone was approaching. As soon as the figure appeared in the shadows, Taeyang could feel a chill that signaled that he was already in grave danger.
But what he didn't expect was that the figure turned out to be no one but the person he had trusted all along. The person who now seemed to play a bigger role than just an ally in this investigation. "You shouldn't have come," the person said in a calm, yet threatening tone.
Taeyang stared at him in shock. "You?" said Taeyang, surprised.
Instantly, Taeyang's world changed. He had just learned that there was a traitor within the police force, someone who had been planning all of this for a long time. Every step he had taken so far seemed to have been calculated by the person closest to him.
The battle between truth and betrayal begins.
Taeyang stood tall, staring at the partner he had trusted with doubtful eyes. His heart was in turmoil, but on the outside, he remained calm. With his incredible ingenuity, he knew exactly how to respond to a situation like this. There was no room for panic or emotion-only logic and calculation could save him.
"So, this is it," Taeyang said in a flat voice, though in his heart, he was still trying to digest this reality. "You're the one who's been manipulating everything?"
The colleague who turned out to be a part of the organization that controlled the assassination network only smiled slightly. "You should know, Taeyang. We all have a price. You're too idealistic to understand this real world."
Taeyang did not move, his eyes remained sharp, focused. "I'm serious about my job, not about anything else. You know that."
Without giving his opponent a chance to continue, Taeyang stepped back, seeking a safer position. He knew that this betrayal was part of a bigger game. Although his opponent was trying to provoke him, Taeyang was already far ahead, anticipating every possibility.
Cleverly, Taeyang assessed the situation. He knew that this guy wasn't just talking about money or power-there was something bigger, more dangerous, involved. Every word his partner uttered contained a threat, but Taeyang didn't show the slightest fear. To him, this was a game of strategy.
"All this time I didn't care about who was behind the scenes," Taeyang said as he moved quickly, preparing a secret communication device in his pocket. "All that matters to me is one thing: stopping you and your people."
His partner was surprised at Taeyang's unwavering demeanor, which always made him unpredictable. Taeyang knew very well that in situations like this, what is apparent is not what is real. Only with his ingenuity could he survive and outwit those who were trying to set him up.
With quick steps, Taeyang took advantage of every gap to avoid the traps that had been prepared. He knew that if he lost this battle, the entire city would be trapped under the rule of these people. "You may have planned this well, but I also have a way to thwart you," Taeyang said as he directed his gaze at his now hesitant partner.
Slowly, Taeyang began to strategize. He knew his opponent's weaknesses, and as always, he was in no rush to make a move. He just needed to wait for the right moment. Every move was carefully thought out, every word carefully chosen. Taeyang is not one to be seduced by emotion or panic-he's only focused on one thing: ensuring that justice prevails, despite those who try to stand in his way.
"I know what you're afraid of," Taeyang said, smiling slightly. "You're afraid that this whole thing will end in failure. But what you don't know is that I've already prepared steps to thwart your plans. We'll see."
With his ingenuity, Taeyang finally caught his partner off guard. In an instant, he used the opportunity to defeat his enemy, capitalizing on every flaw. As he always does, Taeyang is never in a hurry. He knows when to move, when to wait, and when to act quickly. This victory was not just about physical prowess, but about ingenuity and taking his job seriously-something Taeyang has always maintained, even though he doesn't really care about anything beyond that.
After successfully defeating his traitor, Taeyang contacted his team, finalizing everything with impeccable tactics. Although he knew this was only a small part of a larger, more complicated game, he felt he had taken the first step towards dismantling the large network that had been operating behind the scenes.
Outside of work, Taeyang keeps his distance, never getting caught up in a more personal world. For him, it's all about the work and the mission. Everything else-friendship, love, or relationships-is just a distraction for a detective who has been trained to focus on a single goal.