Detective Jiyeon woke up, her heart beating. As she sat up, gasping for air, her brow was wet with sweat. She tried to get rid of the frightening feeling by telling herself it was just a bad dream.
In her dream, she was in a dark lane and faced a twisted version of Detective Oh. As she said the magic to protect herself, the charm gave off a strange light that surrounded her and overpowered her instead of driving away the darkness.
Jiyeon knew she wasn't special and was just a normal person. Recent events have been very strange. Taking care of gumiho, old objects, and dark forces was not at all what she usually did.
A weak whisper was heard in Jiyeon's ear as she tried to calm her racing heart. "Detective Jiyeon," someone said, "the chief needs to see you."
Jiyeon woke up all of a sudden and found herself slouched over her desk. Officer Han-neul Oh, who was her partner, stood next to her and looked worried.
"Han-neul, what time is it?" she asked after wiping her eyes.
"It's morning," he said in a quiet voice. "Chief Cheong wants you in his office. It's about the missing amulet."
Just thinking about the charm brought back a lot of memories. The bright jewelry, the scary figure that came out of the darkness, and the blinding light—it all seemed like a dream.
Still, Jiyeon got up and followed Han-neul to the chief's office, even though she was tired. At this late hour, the station was quiet. The only sound was the soft hum of the electric lights.
Chief Cheong stood there with a serious look on his face. As she walked in, he said, "Detective Jiyeon. I've been looking for you."
Even though she had been sleeping, Jiyeon tried to gather her thoughts. As she took a seat across from him, she said, "I'm sorry, Chief. I think I fell asleep."
As Chief Cheong leaned in close to the desk with his hands firmly on it, he fixed his focused gaze on the person he was after. "I'm sure you know what happened with the lost amulet," he announced. "That you're supposed to be guarding."
While nodding, Jiyeon felt a pang of guilt in her stomach. The amulet was given to its rightful owner, the "witch" named Celeste.
"I need answers, Detective," Senior Chief Park said firmly. "What happened? Where exactly is the amulet right now?"
Jiyeon stopped because she wasn't sure how much to say. She wasn't sure if she should tell the chief about the supernatural incident she had witnessed last night.
"I..." she paused, barely audible. "I'm not sure, Chief. The last thing I remember is being hit and losing consciousness."
Chief Park's face softened a bit, but his eyes stayed a little suspicious. He leaned back in his seat and said, "I understand. This problem needs to be looked into. The amulet is a very important artifact in the museum, just like any other artifact in there, and the culprit who took it must be punished."
Jiyeon nodded, feeling the weight of the situation fall on her. She was set on finding the Fox in a Suit, the mischievous thief who started it all.
***
Minwoo was working behind the counter of Moonlit Pages, a cute little bookstore that he had come to love as a safe place. Sunlight came in through the dirty windows in the morning, giving the shelves full of old books and other things a cozy warmth. It was a peaceful moment that was a welcome break from the chaos that had taken over his life.
As Minwoo moved old leather-bound books around, he couldn't help but think about what had happened the night before. After the fight with Celeste, the Nokdukk, and the risky game of cat and mouse with Jiyeon, he was on edge. He knew that lowering his shields wasn't a good idea, especially since the amulet's powerful energy was still at work.
When someone walked into the shop, the soft sound of the bell woke Minwoo up from his thoughts. He smiled warmly and was ready to help anyone who walked into his room.
He was shocked to see an old man standing there, with silver hair shining in the sun. He looked around the shelves with wide-eyed excitement and ran his fingers along the edges of the books slowly.
"Good morning, sir. Is there something I can help you look for?" Nicely and openly, Minwoo asked.
An elderly man looked up, and a smile started to show on his old face. "Oh, yes." He said, "I'm looking for something very special," and his voice was a little excited.
Minwoo found it interesting. He moved closer to the old man and asked, "What are you looking for?"
The man leaned in close, and his eyes were sparkling with joy. He whispered, "I collect rare items. I travel to different parts of the world to find the most unique treasures."
Minwoo's eyes got wider with interest. "That sounds fascinating!" he cried, overjoyed. "Do you know exactly what you're looking for?"
The old man nodded, and his face became more serious. "Yes, of course." He said strangely, "I'm looking for a puzzle piece. A piece I haven't been able to get for years."
Minwoo's mind was full of all the possible outcomes. He was very aware of the puzzle piece the man had talked about. It was part of the puzzle called the "Enigma Puzzle." This beautiful work of art is thought to hold the secrets of the universe in its many intricate parts. When put together correctly, it gives the person who holds it unmatched knowledge, the power to change reality, and access to hidden worlds. Figuring out the right way to put the pieces together is like solving a cosmic puzzle that goes beyond space and time. There are stories about wise old people who spent their days figuring out the secrets of the Enigma Puzzle and putting it all together to find out what life is all about.
While traveling, Minwoo found an important piece of the puzzle and has been carefully guarding it while looking for the other parts.
The next words the old man said stopped Minwoo in his tracks.
The older man said, "I have every piece except the last one," and he meant it in a determined and angry way. There have been rumors that a wealthy collector is hiding it in Seoul.
Minwoo began to think of a plan. He was determined not to pass up this chance. That one thing the old man was holding was the only thing he didn't have.
The old man's statement interested and confused Minwoo. He thought about the mystery, wondering why someone looking for a piece of an old puzzle would go to a small store like Moonlit Pages. He did choose to join the chat, though.
"Excuse me, sir," Minwoo asked awkwardly, "but what made you think that the puzzle piece you're looking for might be in this bookstore?"
The old man let out a soft laugh, and his eyes lit up with happiness. He replied strangely, "The world is full of surprises. From my own experiences, I've learned that secret treasures are often in the strangest places."
Minwoo nodded, interested in what was going on. As he pointed to the many bookcases around them, she said, "I see. If you want to find information, you've come to the right place."
The old man looked around at the rows of old books and dusty collections. He looked over the names and said, "Yeah. Books have always been my best friends when I want to learn new things and gain new insights."
The old man talked about his travels and the riches he had gathered over the years as he walked through the aisles. Minwoo was focused, and his mind was full of all the possible outcomes. He couldn't shake the feeling that this meeting was about more than what was obvious at first glance.
The old man stopped all of a sudden in front of a very old and worn book. The cover was covered with intricate symbols and strange sigils. "Maybe this is the answer I've been looking for," he said in a low voice.
Minwoo was amazed as the old man carefully opened the book and showed him pages with strange drawings and symbols from ancient times. "What is this?" Minwoo asked, his voice full of wonder.
With a smile, the old man showed that he understood. "Look, my young friend, this is a grimoire," he explained. "A book passed down from generation to generation that is full of magical spells and old information."
Minwoo felt like the book had a strong force coming from it like it was alive and beating. What an amazing old man! His collection does look like it's his job. "What does this have to do with the puzzle piece?" he asked, his mind full of different possible answers.
The old gentleman's smile got bigger. "In my search for the Enigma Puzzle, I've realized that sometimes the answers we need are there in front of us," he said cryptically. "This book has secrets inside that are just waiting to be found."
Minwoo was thrilled when he realized how important what they were talking about was. "Is it possible that this old book has the secrets to finding the mysterious missing piece? And if that's true, what other secrets are hidden in its old pages?"
As Minwoo looked deeper into the grimoire's secrets, he couldn't help but feel that their meeting wasn't just a mere accident. He felt like he was living in a magical puzzle as he discovered the old grimoire and worked in a cozy bookstore.
"I will take this," the old man said as he was holding the old book.
"Okay." Minwoo assisted the old man at the registrar.
Minwoo was feeling very excited while the old man was looking for the book. His excitement for tonight's plan is palpable. He will steal all the elderly man's puzzle pieces. He has the special power to gather things that are important to mythical creatures like himself.