Shadows of Truth

The café hummed with faint background chatter, but Seojin heard none of it. Her focus was on Jiwon, his confession hanging heavily in the air. She leaned back in her chair, her sharp gaze fixed on him, trying to decipher the man in front of her.

"You used to work for them," she repeated, her voice low and skeptical. "And now you want me to believe you're just here to help?"

Jiwon's jaw tightened. "I'm not here to convince you to trust me, Detective. Frankly, I don't care if you do. But if you keep digging into this case, you'll find yourself in their crosshairs. And when that happens, you'll need someone who knows how they operate."

Seojin didn't respond immediately. Her mind raced through the possibilities. Could she really afford to keep him close, knowing his connection to these criminals? But dismissing him now might mean losing her best chance at uncovering the truth.

"What do you know about the Lees' murder?" she asked finally, her voice steady but sharp.

Jiwon exhaled, his fingers drumming lightly on the table. "Enough to know it wasn't random. The Lee family wasn't just killed—they were silenced. And that silence is protecting something much bigger."

Seojin leaned forward, her tone hard. "Bigger how?"

Jiwon hesitated for a moment, as if weighing how much to reveal. "They were laundering money for an international syndicate. Drugs, weapons, human trafficking—it all ran through their businesses. But recently, the Lees must've stepped out of line. Maybe they wanted out, maybe they knew too much. Either way, the syndicate made sure they wouldn't talk."

The words sent a chill through Seojin. This wasn't just a case of greed or family betrayal—it was something far darker, far more dangerous than she had anticipated.

"And now the same people are watching me," Seojin said, thinking of the photograph left on her desk.

"They're watching anyone who gets too close," Jiwon replied. "That's why I'm telling you to stop."

Seojin let out a bitter laugh. "You don't know me very well if you think I scare that easily."

Jiwon shook his head, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "No, I know you won't stop. That's why I'm offering to help you. But you need to be smart about this. You can't fight them head-on."

"And I suppose you have a plan?" Seojin asked, crossing her arms.

"Not yet," Jiwon admitted. "But I know where to start. The Lees kept records—hidden files on everyone they worked with. If we can find those, we'll know who's pulling the strings."

Seojin narrowed her eyes. "And how do you know about these files?"

Jiwon met her gaze evenly. "Because I've seen them before. Years ago, before I got out."

The weight of his words settled over her. She didn't trust him—not entirely—but she couldn't ignore the value of what he was offering.

"You're walking a fine line, Jiwon," she said finally. "If I find out you're playing me, I won't hesitate to take you down."

Jiwon smiled faintly, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Fair enough. Just try to keep us both alive in the meantime."

---

### **Later That Evening**

Seojin spent the rest of the day pouring over the files on the Lee family, her mind piecing together fragments of the puzzle. The Lees' finances were murky at best, with countless offshore accounts and shell companies. But there was no concrete link to the syndicate Jiwon had mentioned.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at her office door. Officer Park stepped in, her expression tense.

"Detective, we've got a problem," she said. "One of our informants—Hwang—was found dead in his apartment. Strangled."

Seojin's stomach tightened. Hwang had been her main source on the Lees' illicit dealings. "Did anyone see anything?"

Park shook her head. "The scene was clean. No prints, no signs of forced entry. Whoever did it knew what they were doing."

Seojin clenched her fists. The syndicate was cleaning house, eliminating loose ends. And now she was squarely in their sights.

"Get the crime scene photos and his recent reports," Seojin ordered. "I want everything he was working on."

As Park left, Seojin's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and frowned—a message from an unknown number. It was a single line: "The clock is ticking, Detective."

Her blood ran cold. The stakes were rising, and the syndicate was making their presence known. But Seojin wasn't about to back down—not now.

---

**Thoughts for Readers:**

- Do you think Seojin can trust Jiwon, or is he hiding something crucial?

- What do you think the hidden files might reveal about the Lee family and the syndicate?

Share your theories and ideas in the comments!