The Padlock of Destiny
The New Vice-Captain

@South Korea

Eunhyuk stared at the city police station in front of him. He did not expect the plan he said casually in front of Hyora to go quite smoothly. He is out of NIS. While there must be some people watching him secretly, it is quite normal for a secret agent to remove his shell and jump in front of the public.

They've transferred him to the city's police department's criminal investigation department. Today is his first day reporting. He still feels strange wearing a police blue uniform and standing openly in the public eye.

Eunhyuk is used to walking by hiding his whereabouts. He should avoid the public eye and security cameras. Even if he is free, he must wear a disguise.

With a slight hasty step, he walked into the building and headed straight for the chief investigator's office.

“Lee Eunhyuk? Login!” The secretary of the head of the investigation allowed him to enter directly.

Eunhyuk knocked on the door three times politely before walking in. A man in his fifties stood in front of his office window, he turned around when he heard the knock.

“Lee Eunhyuk reporting for duty!” Eunhyuk said as he raised his hand showing a respectful attitude.

“Eunhyuk.. You have arrived, sit down. We don't need any formality, Song Jungha's head already greeted me earlier.”

“Head of investigator Kim, I really don't need any preferential treatment here.” Eunhyuk replied awkwardly.

“I know, I'll just tell you to prepare. Your information before coming here may have been kept secret by the NIS, but that's precisely why they will talk and gossip behind you.” Obviously Kim's head

“That's no problem..”

“With your ability, I want to hand over my seat of office to you. But you even refused to be captain, so what can I do?”

“Uh, I will start from the bottom..”.

“It will be difficult with your background written on the system. So I'll make you vice-captain.”

“Vice captain? If a vice-captain was suddenly included in the team...it wouldn't be good right?” Eunhyuk was surprised by the decision of the chief investigator.

“You will prove your ability in no time.” Head Kim looked at Eunhyuk with a confident smile.

Eunhyuk wanted to cry, he planned to hide and be humble, but the chief investigator instead made him vice-captain. He could not resist the smile of the investigator's head which gave him the illusion of a mother who believed in his son's abilities.

“I'll try my best.” Hiding his thoughts, Eunhyuk greeted Kim's head.

He then goes out and meets Captain Hwang, a veteran who will become his superior.

“Lee Eunhyuk reporting for duty!”

“Oke, you can sit down. Chief Kim already told me, I don't have the face to receive the respect of an NIS agent like you.”

Eunhyuk wanted to shout, is the NIS security system so easy to break into? How has information about his past spread?

“Don't look at me like that. With your abilities, the investigators won't believe you were transferred from the police station. It's easier to call you a former NIS agent. That will silence them.” Captain Hwang who made a surprised look Eunhyuk explained.

“Ah, I can't even be low profile here..”.

“You will work among the best crime detectives in the capital, they are sensitive to information.”

“I know.” Eunhyuk has given up on his plan to work casually here.

“Let me introduce you to our team.”

The two entered the meeting room, there were five people sitting in the room. They immediately stood up respectfully when they saw their captain enter with someone.

“Captain!” Address them with respect.

“Hmm, sit!” Reply captain Hwang.

“New vice-captain?” Ask someone in a white lab coat.

“Yes, meet Lee Eunhyuk. He came from NIS.”

“Wow!”

Eunhyuk waved his hand awkwardly. NIS is the largest security agency in the country. They are often responsible for major cases involving state security and international missions. No wonder even the head of the police would think of him as a god.

“Don't expect too high of me. I'm just a master of shooting and disguise, for investigation I'm still a grade-schooler.” Eunhyuk said, feeling overwhelmed by their eyes that showed high expectations.

“Hey, that's what we need as vice-captain. The task of investigating leave it to us, the vice-captain can help us catch him.” A man with a gunshot scar on his cheek smiled brightly at him.

“You're the one who looks veteran in catching a criminal.” Eunhyuk praised them sincerely.

“OK, this is One, Two, Three, and Four. They have their own areas of expertise. While the youngest is an intern who has only been here for a month.” Captain Hwang introduces his team along with their skills.

The man in the white lab coat, Satu, is an expert in the field of forensic investigation. Two and Three have a quick thinking process in case solving, Four are criminal psycologists. The apprentices appointed by Captain Hwang had a hand in the collection of files under the guidance of two and three.

“Captain, there is a missing person case while on vacation in the east of the city. Their families got threatening letters and ransom requests, suspected kidnappings under the guise of tourist agents.” Report two who received the call.

“Go to the scene! Where's the victim's family? Introduce them!” Captain Hwang said

“Warm welcome.” Muttered Eunhyuk who took off his uniform. He felt out of place when he saw another investigator in plain clothes while he wore a full police uniform.

“Vice captain! You're the only one doing the interrogation, aren't you the expert at it?” Ask the apprentice who was behind Eunhyuk.

“I could've done it, but I can't guarantee them getting out alive from the interrogation room.” Eunhyuk replied with a faint smile.

The apprentice paled and immediately imagined a thousand and one stories of prisoner arrest and torture in thrilling interrogations.

Eunhyuk laughed in his heart. He did not want all the work to be done for him just because he could do well.

Eunhyuk was standing next to the interrogation room. He stared at the one-way black glass that showed captain Hwang asking the victim's father a question.

“Vice captain!” Three handed an earpiece to Eunhyuk to listen to the conversation inside.

Eunhyuk nodded and put the device into his ear. The voice in Captain Hwang sounded from across.

“Your daughter went on vacation for a week, but you don't even know where she went?”

“Pak police, I really do not know.. he just say goodbye to his mother.”

The victim's father continues to deny knowing his daughter's passing. He reasoned that they were not close at all.

“His face looks honest..he looks quite calm giving reason.” The apprentice who was standing in the corner of the room gave a comment.

Three and Four just quietly observe the look on the face of the victim's father.

“She looks calm because she has a high IQ.. If she is innocent, she should now look chaotic and worried because her daughter was kidnapped.” Eunhyuk. Just looking at the micro expression on his face he already knew that the old man was lying.

He saw Three and Four from the tail of his eyes, they looked solemn. Eunhyuk sighed when he learned that the two may have seen through the lies of the victim's father. Maybe the status of the victim's father will turn into a suspect or suspect.

After the interrogation process was completed, the captain left the room. He immediately gave a series of orders to his subordinates.

“Have the lab test results come out? Intern, ask One. I don't think the blood on the threat letter was the victim's blood, check the DNA results and fingerprints this afternoon too!”

“Good!” The apprentice immediately ran towards the forensic department.

“Two and Three, you investigate the victim's social circle. Find out the friendship and romance of the victim. Ask a neighbor of the victim about their family relationship!” Captain Hwang walked quickly to his office followed by the rest of his team.

“Good!” Two and Three answered in unison before leaving.

“Four, you said the victim's mother had a history of major depression. You accompany him and dig up the slightest information!”

“I know.” Four rushed to meet the victim's mother in the meeting room.

Eunhyuk sees Four leaving while thinking that his captain is indeed experienced in this field. They moved quickly to check the entire situation. Four were female criminal psycologists, the victim's mother would feel more comfortable talking to her.

“What do you think?” Captain Hwang asked Eunhyuk when they reached the office.

Since it was Eunhyuk's first day, he still had to follow the captain and familiarize himself with their work.

“His father was too calm, whether he knew his daughter was safe or he was the mastermind of the kidnapping. I don't think a proud man would bow down to anyone. He might treat his daughter as a mere business tool.”

“You are looking further than Four.”.

Eunhyuk just smiled at the compliment of his captain. He has been working in this field for ten years, in addition to the basic education provided by NIS, his experience is also more than Four who have just entered this job for several years.

Eunhyuk went out to check where the victim disappeared. While passing through the anti-drug department, he overheard some people talking behind him.

“What if he's a former NIS agent? Wasn't he demoted from his post?” Said a fat man while smoking a cigarette in his hand.

“I heard he was kicked out of NIS for failing to run a mission.” Another man commented.

“Heh, I have an acquaintance at NIS who stopped working because of depression due to work pressure.”

“Isn't there a mass murder case two months ago? The case was handed over to the NIS. He may be surprised to face the massacre with his own eyes.”

The fat man who first spoke shuddered in horror. Some time ago, on the internet scattered photos of the location of mass slaughter that occurred in the next city. Piles of corpses with internal organs and crushed tubules are clearly visible.

Warganet commented that photos are professional edits that are real. I don't know where the photo was leaked to the public even though the NIS has blocked the news, but they police investigators know that the photo is real. Until now, the scene has left trauma for those who see it.

Eunhyuk smiled faintly upon hearing their conversation. Only he knows that the mobsters who committed the mass murder were from Robaine.

“Not bad, let them think that I'm mentally disturbed a little because of that case.” Eunhyuk muttered while walking out.