Monday arrived with its usual rhythm.
The station was already active by the time the CID team settled into their work. Files were open, screens lit up with data, and the investigation board stood filled with everything they had gathered so far on the Ghost Eyes case.
Nothing new.
Nothing solid enough.
Just pieces that refused to come together.
Kang Min stood in front of the board, his eyes moving across the photos and notes. Ara was seated nearby, reviewing reports. Bong Soo flipped through printed files, while Su Young worked on her laptop, refining data patterns. Tae Jun sat quietly, going through documents with careful attention.
No one spoke much.
They didn't need to.
They all understood where things stood.
A knock came on the door.
One of the junior officers stepped in.
"Sir."
Kang Min turned slightly.
"Yes?"
"There's a meeting," the officer said. "The superintendent and the superiors have called for all teams handling the Ghost Eyes case."
The room shifted immediately.
Kang Min nodded.
"We're coming."
The officer gave a quick nod and left.
Ara closed the file in front of her.
"This should be about progress."
Bong Soo let out a breath.
"Or the lack of it."
Su Young shut her laptop.
"They've been waiting for results."
Tae Jun stood up.
"Then we present what we have."
Kang Min looked at the team.
"Let's go."
⸻
The conference hall was already filled when they arrived.
Several senior officers were present. The atmosphere was formal, but the tension beneath it was clear.
The superintendent stood at the front.
The CID team took their place.
Kang Min's team stood together, composed, waiting.
After a brief moment, the superintendent spoke.
"Let's begin."
His gaze moved across the room before settling on them.
"The Ghost Eyes case."
He didn't need to say more.
Everyone knew.
Tae Jun stepped forward.
"I'll present the summary."
No one objected.
He turned slightly, facing the superiors.
"Over the course of the investigation, the team has identified consistent patterns across all confirmed victims."
His tone was calm and precise.
"The method used leaves no visible trace before death. There are no signs of resistance, and the positioning of the bodies suggests deliberate post-mortem arrangement."
He gestured slightly toward the board prepared for the meeting.
"We have also identified recurring locations connected to the movements before each incident."
The room remained attentive.
Tae Jun continued,
"Recent forensic findings indicate neurological disruption as the cause of death, though the exact method remains undetermined."
One of the superiors spoke,
"So after all this time, you still don't know how he kills?"
Tae Jun met his gaze.
"The method is precise and leaves minimal evidence. However, the consistency gives us direction."
Another voice came in,
"Direction without results doesn't solve cases."
The room grew heavier.
Tae Jun didn't respond immediately.
Instead, Kang Min stepped forward slightly.
"We are narrowing it down."
That was when the superintendent spoke again.
His voice was sharper this time.
"For how long?"
Silence followed.
His gaze fixed on the team.
"It has been over five months."
No one spoke.
"And the culprit is still out there."
The words carried weight.
The superintendent continued,
"How much longer do you intend to investigate without results?"
Kang Min didn't hesitate.
"Not long."
The superintendent looked at him.
"Explain."
Kang Min held his ground.
"We have identified patterns, movement points, and consistent methods. We are closer than before."
The superintendent's expression didn't change.
"Closer is not enough."
The room remained still.
Kang Min continued,
"We will catch him."
That drew attention.
Not just from the superiors.
From the other teams as well.
The superintendent studied him for a moment.
Then he spoke.
"I'll make this simple."
Everyone listened.
"You have two months."
The words settled across the room.
"If the culprit is not caught within that time…"
He paused briefly.
"…the case will be reassigned."
No one moved.
No one spoke.
The message was clear.
Final.
The superintendent didn't wait for a response.
"That's all."
He turned and walked out.
One by one, the other superiors followed.
The meeting was over.
⸻
The hall slowly emptied.
Officers began leaving in small groups, murmuring quietly among themselves.
Kang Min's team remained where they were for a moment.
No one spoke.
They didn't need to.
Two months.
That was all they had left.
Bong Soo let out a breath.
"That's tight."
Ara nodded slightly.
"They're serious."
Su Young closed her tablet.
"We don't have room for delays anymore."
Tae Jun adjusted the file in his hand.
"Then we don't delay."
Kang Min looked at all of them.
"We don't change what we're doing," he said. "We just move faster."
No one argued.
They turned and began walking out together.
⸻
As they stepped back into the main station area, voices from nearby teams reached them.
Not subtle.
Not quiet.
"So they finally got a deadline."
Another voice followed,
"And still nothing to show."
A light chuckle.
"If the case was handed over earlier, it would've been closed by now."
Someone else added,
"They're just dragging it."
The comments continued.
Not directed at them openly.
But not hidden either.
Kang Min's team didn't react.
They didn't slow down.
Didn't turn.
Didn't respond.
They walked straight past.
Unaffected.
Focused on something else entirely.
⸻
Back in their meeting room, the door closed behind them.
The outside noise disappeared instantly.
Kang Min moved straight to the board.
"We don't have time to waste."
Ara stepped forward.
"Then we focus on what gives us the best chance."
Su Young opened her laptop.
"I'll refine the repeated locations again."
Bong Soo picked up a file.
"I'll go through the previous victims one more time."
Tae Jun placed his documents on the table.
"I'll review the legal angles and possible patterns in victim selection."
Kang Min nodded.
"We tighten everything."
Ara added,
"No assumptions."
Su Young continued,
"No gaps."
Bong Soo said,
"No missed details."
Tae Jun finished,
"No delays."
Kang Min looked at the board again.
The same faces.
The same case.
But now—
less time.
"We catch him," he said.
And this time, it wasn't just determination.
It was necessity.