NETIZEN

THE DARK

NETIZENS Welcome to the chamber.

 We solemnly swear to reveal the truth and nothing but the truth with the help of all citizens.

CHAMBER REQUEST BOARD

<<>>

Seoul, Gangnam Police Station

Jun Ho took his time to run through NETIZEN, even though he knew the Cyber criminality experts worked on the knots of the site. He wanted to understand what made people trust the website. Some of the requests were worthy of public debate, and some left him perplexed, like the one which demanded a museum dedicated to Han Song Hi or a street named after her.

He was halfway through a video when his desk's phone rang."

"Inspector Kang Jun Ho?"

"Yeoboseyo,실레지만 누구십니까?" [silae jiman nugusipnikka?=Excuse me who is it]

"Inspector Kang, it's Min Gyu Min."

It took Jun Ho a few seconds to realize it was Lee Hyun Gu's stalker.

"Nam Gyu Min Ssi," the Inspector replied, surprised.

"Yes, Inspector, it's me. I'm happy to see that a handsome man like you remembers me."

"What do you want? How did you get my number?"

The stalker ignored his questions and pursued with his speech.

"Life has taught me to trust a kind face, and a handsome one is better. You have both, so I called you. I have information about that dead 걸레같은년 of Song Hi. I'm surprised no one has ever brought it up, even Lee Hyun Gu. Anyway, if you help me, I'll give you the scoop of a century. All I want in exchange is to change prison wings. People are barbarians here," Gyu Min said, looking around him. Cellmate 1325 was not appreciated by his inmates, who treated him like a minion.

Jun Ho sat up, "tell me the info now."

"No, if you want it, you will have to bring your beautiful face here. And believe me, you won't regret it. I'm waiting for you, sweetie."

Jun Ho hesitated; it could be a simple fable from the stalker's delusional imagination. Whether it was the case or not, the Inspector couldn't take the risk of missing out on any information. He had to check anything which could turn suspicions away from NETIZEN, and Soo Yeon was good to take.

"Okay, I'll be there in an hour."

"I'm looking forward to it," said the stalker before hanging up.

"Where are you going?" Inspector Gwan asked, leaning over as he saw his deskmate put on his jacket.

"To see Nam Gyu Min."

"The stalker, why?"

"Nam says he has information he didn't give us," Jun Ho replied as he slipped his phone into his back pocket and picked up his car keys.

"Okay, don't forget to take your baby," inspector Gwan said, referring to Jerome, who flirted with a female officer in the hallway to their office. Inspector Gwan's remark made Jun Ho scrunch his lips in frustration.

The young Inspector left the office, followed by Jerome, who ran after him, leaving the Policewoman lingering on his last words.

Jerome caught up with Jun Ho as he passed the door, "Hey, wait up, where are you going, man?"

"State prison to see Nam Gyu Min, he wants to tell me something concerning Han Song Hi.

"Okay," Jerome said, getting into the car next to Jun Ho, who wondered why he was the one who had to carry the IBOCT agent around.

<<>>

"Where's inspector Kang?" inspector Cheol asked inspector Gwan as he entered their office.

"He has gone to see Lee Hyun Gu's stalker; apparently, he has info to sell about the Song Hi case," said the Inspector while continuing to type his report.

"Kuré, hope it's not a hoax."

"Hope so too! The newbie has hopes he doesn't know how suspects are. You should coach him more," inspector Gwan said. He stopped to look at his phone; his baby was due in less than a week. He expected a call at any minute.

"Yeah," inspector Cheol said, laughing half-heartedly.

Seoul, State prison

In the meantime, Jun Ho arrived at the prison. There was a lot of commotion, and the formal identity check was taking longer than usual.

"What's going on?" Asked Jun Ho when a warden arrived.

"I'm sorry, Inspector, you won't be able to meet Nam Gyu Min. We found him severely beaten up in the sewing workshop. We think he has a few ribs broken."

The inmate asked for a transfer. Nam Gyu Min was a weirdo for the others. It wasn't surprising that he was a target, people no matter the age or education, feared difference. At his audience, the man pleaded to be placed in a woman's prison. Even if he thought himself a woman for the State, he was a man. There was no going back on the decision.

"Okay, thank you, in which hospital is he being transferred to?"

"I'll check," the warden said, coming back a few minutes later with the address.

"Thank you," the Inspector replied, hurrying to leave.

"You want to go there?" Jerome asked, "he might not be disposed to talk now."

"Don't you find it odd? The guy wanted to talk to us. He had made it without a problem till now. All of a sudden, someone beats the hell out of him. Don't you think there's something behind it?"

Jerome shrugged. Men like Nam Gyu Min were easy prey in prison. The American saw nothing else behind the aggression than routine.

Seoul, Shinwa Byeongwon

Thirty minutes later, Jun Ho arrived at the hospital where Nam Gyu Min was sent.

A policeman stationed in front of the stalker's room and Gyu Min was handcuffed to his bed, though his health wouldn't allow him to escape anywhere.

"Nam Gyu Min Ssi," Jun Ho said, approaching his bed.

"Leave me alo-one, go away!" the stalker said. The man's words were barely understandable.

"I'm sorry about what happened. I was on my way to the prison and-"

"I haaa-ve noth-iiiing to saaㅡy."

"But you said ㅡ."

"I doooㅡdon't remember, I liㅡed," Nam Gyu Min said, turning away.

Jun Ho and Jerome knew they wouldn't get anything more out of the man. Nam Gyu Min had two fractured ribs, and his jaw barely held in the piece. Seeing how he refused to speak, Jun Ho couldn't help but think the act was intentional to setback their advance.