The board had changed.
Not in structure.
But in weight.
Every photo, every note, every connection carried more urgency than before. The copycat's section was no longer secondary. It stood beside the original case now, demanding equal attention.
Su Young sat at her desk, eyes locked on her screen. Multiple windows were open—purchase logs, movement patterns, location tracking, timelines.
She wasn't rushing.
She was narrowing.
Her fingers moved steadily across the keyboard, filtering, removing, isolating.
Patterns that once looked scattered were beginning to align.
Behind her, Kang Min stood near the board, watching the layout again. Ara leaned against the desk, arms folded, while Bong Soo remained nearby, going through printed reports. Tae Jun stood slightly apart, observing the process without interruption.
"We've been looking at this too broadly," Su Young said without turning.
That was enough to pull their attention.
Kang Min shifted slightly.
"Explain."
She clicked something.
A list appeared.
"Instead of focusing on all possible buyers, I filtered down to individuals who purchased similar materials across multiple locations within the same radius."
Bong Soo stepped closer.
"That should still be a lot."
"It was," Su Young replied. "At first."
She tapped again.
The list shrank.
"I removed bulk buyers, businesses, and repeat industrial clients."
Another tap.
Smaller.
"Then I cross-referenced with temporary accounts used at the pickup stations."
Ara moved closer.
"And?"
Su Young turned her screen toward them.
"Now we're here."
Three names.
Just three.
The room shifted.
Kang Min stepped forward.
"Details."
Su Young pulled up the first profile.
"Office worker. No irregular movement patterns. Routine consistent."
She moved to the second.
"Delivery driver. Location tracking doesn't match the timeline of the incidents."
Then the third.
She paused for a second before opening it.
"Part-time technician. Works freelance. No fixed schedule."
Kang Min's eyes remained on the screen.
"Movement?"
Su Young pulled up a map.
"He's been within the radius of all purchase locations. Not constantly, but frequently enough."
Ara spoke.
"That's not coincidence."
Bong Soo nodded.
"It fits."
Kang Min leaned slightly closer.
"Background."
Su Young scrolled.
"No criminal record. Minimal social connections. Limited digital presence."
Tae Jun spoke calmly.
"Someone who keeps to himself."
Su Young nodded.
"Or someone who doesn't want to be seen."
Kang Min straightened.
"This is our best lead."
⸻
They moved quickly.
The name didn't guarantee anything.
But it was direction.
And direction was enough.
Kang Min turned to the board.
"If he's following a pattern, he won't stop," he said.
Ara understood immediately.
"He'll try again."
"Yes."
Bong Soo added,
"Soon."
Su Young spoke,
"I can track areas he frequents."
"Do it," Kang Min said.
She began working immediately, pulling together movement clusters.
Kang Min watched the screen.
"Where would he go next?"
No one answered right away.
Because that question wasn't about data.
It was about understanding.
Ara spoke first.
"He chooses vulnerable targets."
Bong Soo added,
"And places where he won't be interrupted."
Kang Min nodded.
"And areas within his movement zone."
Su Young pointed at the screen.
"There are three possible locations based on his pattern."
She marked them.
Residential.
Quiet.
Low visibility.
Kang Min looked at all three.
Then pointed at one.
"This."
Ara looked at it.
"Why that one?"
"Access points," he said. "Multiple exits, but limited traffic."
Bong Soo nodded.
"Easier to control."
Tae Jun added,
"And easier to escape from."
Kang Min looked at them.
"Not if we're already there."
That shifted everything.
Ara straightened.
"You're setting a trap."
"Yes."
⸻
The plan came together quickly.
Positions assigned.
Timing calculated.
Entry and exit points covered.
No room for error.
Because this time, they weren't reacting.
They were waiting.
⸻
Night fell slowly.
The selected location was quiet, just as expected.
Dim lights.
Few people.
Normal on the surface.
But not tonight.
The team was already in position.
Kang Min stood inside an unmarked vehicle, eyes fixed on the building across from him. Ara was positioned nearby, maintaining visual coverage of the side entrance. Bong Soo monitored the rear exit. Su Young remained connected from a distance, tracking movement updates.
Tae Jun was present as well, observing without interfering.
Time passed.
Not quickly.
Not slowly.
Just steadily.
Every minute stretched slightly.
Every sound felt sharper.
Kang Min didn't move.
His attention remained fixed.
Then—
Su Young's voice came through.
"Movement."
Everyone sharpened.
"South side. Approaching the building."
Kang Min's grip tightened slightly.
"Confirm."
"Single individual," she replied. "Matches the build."
Ara spoke next.
"I see him."
Kang Min stepped out of the vehicle slowly.
Across the street, a figure moved.
Face partially covered.
Cap low.
Same posture.
Same controlled movement.
He didn't look around much.
Didn't hesitate.
Just walked.
Toward the entrance.
Kang Min's voice was low.
"Hold positions."
The figure reached the door.
Paused briefly.
Then went inside.
Kang Min moved immediately.
"Go."
⸻
Everything shifted at once.
Ara moved in from the side.
Bong Soo closed off the rear.
Kang Min entered through the front.
The building was quiet.
Too quiet.
Footsteps echoed faintly as they moved.
Kang Min signaled.
Split.
Ara moved left.
Bong Soo covered the back.
Kang Min advanced forward.
The hallway stretched ahead.
Doors closed.
Lights dim.
Then—
A sound.
A door opening.
Kang Min turned sharply.
The figure stepped out from one of the rooms.
For a brief second, they saw each other.
Recognition.
Not of identity.
Of intent.
The figure reacted first.
He turned and ran.
"Move!" Kang Min shouted.
⸻
The chase began immediately.
The figure moved fast.
Familiar with the layout.
He took corners without hesitation, pushing through doors, knocking things aside.
Kang Min followed closely.
Ara and Bong Soo adjusted positions, cutting off exits.
"Rear blocked!" Bong Soo called.
The figure reached the end of the hallway and turned again, heading for the stairwell.
Kang Min was right behind him.
The distance was close.
Not enough to lose him.
The figure pushed the stairwell door open and ran down.
Kang Min followed without slowing.
Footsteps echoed louder now.
Faster.
Closer.
The figure skipped steps, moving quickly.
Kang Min matched him.
Floor after floor.
No hesitation.
No break.
Then—
The exit door.
The figure burst through it.
Outside again.
But this time—
They were ready.
Ara appeared from the side.
Bong Soo from the opposite direction.
The figure stopped for a split second.
No clear path.
He turned again.
But Kang Min was already there.
Right in front of him.
⸻
For a brief moment, everything stopped.
The figure's breathing was uneven.
His posture tense.
Kang Min stood directly in his path.
"Don't move."
The figure looked around.
No escape.
Still—
He tried.
He lunged to the side.
Kang Min reacted instantly.
Grabbing his arm.
Pulling him back.
The struggle was short.
Uncontrolled.
Desperate.
But not enough.
Kang Min forced him down.
Bong Soo moved in, securing his arms.
Ara stepped closer, watching carefully.
The figure stopped resisting.
Breathing hard.
Caught.
Kang Min looked at him.
"It's over."
⸻
Back at the station, the atmosphere had shifted again.
This time—
Different.
Not uncertainty.
Not frustration.
Closure.
The copycat sat in the interrogation room.
Hands restrained.
Head slightly lowered.
Kang Min sat across from him.
Ara and Bong Soo observed from the other side of the glass. Tae Jun stood beside them, silent.
Kang Min placed the file on the table.
"We know what you did."
No response.
"You copied the killings."
Still nothing.
Kang Min leaned slightly forward.
"Why?"
The man lifted his head slowly.
His expression wasn't what they expected.
Not fear.
Not regret.
Something else.
"I wanted to understand it," he said.
Kang Min didn't react.
"What does that mean?"
The man spoke again.
"I studied it. Every case."
Ara frowned slightly from outside.
Kang Min continued.
"You studied it… and decided to do the same?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
The man's eyes shifted slightly.
"He's perfect."
That changed the room.
Kang Min's expression hardened slightly.
"Who?"
"The one you're chasing," he replied. "Ghost Eyes."
Ara's gaze sharpened.
Kang Min held his stare.
"You've met him?"
The man shook his head.
"No."
"Contacted him?"
"No."
Kang Min narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Then how do you know anything about him?"
The man leaned back slightly.
"I don't."
A brief silence followed.
Then he continued.
"I only saw what he left behind."
Ara exchanged a glance with Bong Soo.
Kang Min spoke again.
"And that was enough for you to start killing?"
The man didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
"Why?"
His answer came without pause.
"Because I wanted to become like him."
That settled heavily.
Kang Min studied him for a moment.
"You failed."
The man didn't react.
Kang Min continued.
"You copied the result, not the method. You left traces. You made mistakes."
Still—
No reaction.
"He's better than you," Kang Min said.
This time, something shifted.
A small reaction.
Not anger.
Recognition.
"Yes," the man said.
The room went quiet.
Kang Min leaned back slightly.
"And now you're caught."
The man looked at him.
"That doesn't change anything."
"It ends your part in it," Kang Min replied.
The man's expression remained unchanged.
"He's still out there."
Those words stayed.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
Kang Min didn't respond immediately.
Because he already knew.
The copycat wasn't the end.
Just a reflection.
A failed imitation.
And the original—
was still unseen.
Still moving.
Still ahead of them.
The case wasn't over.
Not even close.