"Brother, you're here." A detective at the hotel room entrance greeted Ma Xidao with a humble bow.
"The hotel's surveillance did capture a man traveling with the deceased, and we also captured him leaving alone. Unfortunately, his face wasn't captured.
We've searched the room thoroughly, and besides a few bottles, we found this."
He showed Ma Xidao a small ziplock bag with a blue "H" printed on it. "We found it in the trash can. We also collected a fingerprint from it, but we couldn't match it to an identity."
"Huh? Why? Could it be a foreigner?" Ma Xidao asked curiously, taking the small ziplock bag from the evidence bag and examining it.
South Korea requires all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 35 to serve in the military. During military registration, ten fingerprints are collected, so the fingerprints of most adult males in South Korea are recorded in the police system.
Of course, fingerprints are also collected for foreign arrivals, but that data isn't kept in the police system, but in the foreign affairs department.
"Maybe. We've already requested assistance from the Foreigners' Affairs Office. We should have a result tomorrow at the latest." This detective was probably Ma Xidao's colleague in the Wide Area Investigation Team. He had never met Jack before and, during his report, he looked at him curiously.
"I think I've seen this thing somewhere before," Ma Xidao muttered to himself, staring at the ziplock bag.
"It's a small bag used to hold drug paraphernalia," Jack said with a curled lip.
Although he usually targeted drug paraphernalia at the source, he had also seen quite a few of these finished products that eventually made their way onto the market, especially the newer, more complex paraphernalia. After being made into tablets, they were often packaged in these small bags and specially marked. Ten pills a pack—good value for money.
Ma Xidao scratched his head. "I know. I mean, I have some impression of this 'H'. It's a new type of paraphernalia that was popular a while ago. I think it was called 'HAPPY' or something?"
"Brother, it's called 'HYPER.' It's been very popular in Seoul these past two years," the detective reminded him flatly.
"Ah, that's right, it's 'HYPER'. Very dangerous stuff. I don't know what's in it, but it could easily lead to a fatal overdose."
Ma Xidao slapped the back of his head when he saw the detective staring at Jack. "Ashiba, I forgot to introduce you. This is Detective Jack from the FBI. A very powerful one. I'll show you that big gun he's holding later. The barrel is thicker than yours."
Jack's face was furious. After getting to know this guy a little, the Korean habit of nagging started to kick in.
He could only smile awkwardly. "We don't usually call ourselves detectives. Just call me Agent Tavol."
"FBI? The American FBI? You're all agents, right?" The detective's head popped out curiously, trying to get a glimpse of the so-called big gun.
"Uh, almost." Special agent is abbreviated to agent, no problem. Jack instinctively dodged.
Ma Xidao slapped the detective on the head. "Be polite! They're foreign guests. Have you figured out the victim's movements?"
"No, not yet. We just checked the surrounding road surveillance and are working on a reverse investigation." The detective winced in pain.
Jack pulled out his notepad, wrote the word "Orange" on it, tore it off, and handed it to the detective.
"This is a nightclub stamp found on the back of the victim's hand. Women don't usually go to places like that alone. You can try asking around there about her companions."
The two of them then wandered around the hotel room, but didn't find much. Evidence like body fluids, hair, and fingerprints would be collected by professional forensic investigators, and nothing else could be found.
Finally, they went downstairs to the crash site. There was not much blood, which was consistent with Jack's theory: the victim fell from the building after his death.
Feeling he couldn't help much further, Jack said goodbye, made plans with Ma Xidao for dinner, and took a taxi back to his temporary residence.
Before long, the others returned, carrying bags and bags of things. Clay seemed fine, but Aubrey even had a shopping bag hanging around his neck.
After packing up, they happily went out to find food again. Not counting breakfast before boarding the plane tomorrow, this would be their last proper meal in Korea, and the previous vote had been surprisingly unanimous, with Sichuan hot pot still the preferred choice.
Ma Xidao, who arrived late, looked uninspired. Even when Jack ordered a bottle of Shui Jing Fang, which was more expensive than Ocean Blue, it didn't cheer him up.
"Is there trouble with the case?" Jack probably guessed the reason.
Ma Xidao subconsciously downed the wine in his glass, only to gasp from the spicy taste of Shui Jing Fang, which was more than twice as strong as Jinro.
"A lethal dose of the drug 'HAPPY' was indeed detected in the deceased's body, but the case may not be saved. The higher-ups plan to transfer it to the Narcotics Division."
"It's 'HYPER'." Jack corrected, then asked curiously, "Do you really want to take this case?"
Ma Xidao was silent for a while and sighed, "The deceased's parents are both in their 60s. They had a daughter in their old age, and they only have this precious only daughter. She was crying heart-wrenchingly outside the morgue. That scene, ah."
Jack rolled his eyes and after hesitating for a moment, he filled Ma Xidao's small wine glass and asked, "Tell me about your current findings first."
Ma Xidao drank the whole glass, and even though sweat broke out on his forehead due to the spiciness, he had no intention of stopping, which seemed like he was drowning his sorrows in alcohol.
"My people found the female companion who went to the nightclub with the deceased. She was just rescued in the hospital. She almost died.
She said that she lost consciousness after drinking two drinks in the nightclub. When she woke up, the deceased was gone. Someone must have secretly put some kind of poison in the wine."
"Come with me." Jack put the bottle of wine on the table, motioning him not to drink anymore and to go out with him for some fresh air.
At the entrance of the hot pot restaurant, a cigar was handed to Ma Xidao. Jack also lit one for himself, blew out a smoke ring, and then slowly spoke, "How far do you want to investigate this case? Catch the murderer, or eradicate the entire drug trafficking network?"
"Huh?" Ma Xidao almost choked on a puff of smoke, "Really?"
Seeing Jack frowning at him, he hurriedly explained, "I mean, are you willing to help me?"
Jack turned his head to look at the girls in short skirts on the street, and said noncommittally, "So what I asked is how far you want to investigate. If you just want to catch the murderer, I just need to ask Agent Valentine to say hello to your Prosecutor Jin and let you continue with the case.
It's such a small matter, I don't think he will refuse, but if you want to cut off the spread of this drug in your country, you may need to use some extraordinary measures."
Before going out at night, Jack asked Alice to check this so-called new drug "HYPER", which is actually cocaine mixed with something else.
The key is that the ingredients are a bit too conscientious, with a high percentage of cocaine, making even a small overdose potentially fatal.
Unlike the US, South Korea doesn't have the emergency drug naloxone in the trunk of every patrol car, and the drugs are usually cold by the time they arrive at the hospital.
However, unlike the mainstream drugs on the Korean market, this drug doesn't come from a US military base, but from across the Korean Strait.
(End of the chapter)