The First Clue
The Han River waterfront at 2 AM felt like the heart of a dead city. A light drizzle fell, and neon lights from the office towers across the river trembled and reflected off the black water. Kang Min-jun leaned against the railing, a cigarette between his lips. The lighter's flame briefly illuminated his face before vanishing into darkness.
On his wrist was a worn mechanical watch. His father's keepsake. The hour hand had stopped at 11:42 AM. Three years ago, that day. Since then, Min-jun had never wound it again.
"Three years."
He muttered through the cigarette smoke. That number had devoured his career. Twelve victims. They never caught the serial killer. The case was closed unsolved, and Min-jun... he just survived.
When he closed his eyes, that day came back.
Three years ago. A run-down apartment complex in Mapo-gu. Bloodstains trailed along the 11th-floor corridor.
"Detective Kang, look at this."
A junior detective pointed to a torn piece of fabric. Gray cotton. Ordinary. So ordinary that Min-jun shook his head.
"Probably just belongs to a resident. Not important."
That judgment was his final mistake.
The next day, the 13th victim was found. CCTV footage from the scene showed a man in a gray jacket. The sleeve was torn.
Team Leader Bae Sung-woo shouted in the office.
"Detective Kang! You missed it yesterday! That was the crucial evidence! Another person died!"
Min-jun couldn't answer. There was nothing to say.
"You're finished. Understand?"
His phone vibrated. Min-jun checked the screen, cigarette still in his mouth. A text from Team Leader Bae.
[Bae Sung-woo]: Tomorrow morning, 8 AM. My office. Last warning.
Min-jun let out a bitter laugh. Last warning. Hadn't it already ended three years ago?
He took another drag and flicked the cigarette toward the river. The red ember traced an arc into the darkness. He didn't hear it hit the water.
Min-jun turned and walked toward the parking lot. His rain-soaked suit clung to his body. His tie was already loosened. Before getting in his car, he glanced down at his wristwatch one more time. Still 11:42.
"Is this really the end now?"
The murmur was swallowed by the sound of rain.
The subway was empty. Not many people rode Line 2 at 3 AM. Min-jun sat in a corner seat, staring at the darkness outside the window. His reflection stared back from the glass. The shadows under his eyes were deep. When was the last time he'd really looked at himself in a mirror?
He pulled out his phone and habitually turned on the screen. His inbox was empty. No social media notifications. Only the news feed kept refreshing. Another stabbing in Gangnam. Drug bust in Itaewon. The world kept turning. Without Min-jun.
That's when it happened.
Ding.
An unfamiliar notification sound.
Min-jun narrowed his eyes. A new icon appeared at the top of his screen. Black background with a red hourglass. White text below.
DEADLINE
"What's this?"
He tapped the notification. The app opened. He had no memory of installing it. The screen was simple. Black background, countdown numbers in the center.
T-72:00:00
A message appeared below the numbers.
[NEW EVENT DETECTED]
Location: Mapo-gu, near Hongdae Station
Time Remaining: T-72:00:00
Clue #1: "Red tie. 12th floor. S-Corp logo."
Min-jun stared at the screen. A prank? Spam? He swiped up to close the app. The screen didn't respond. He pressed the delete button. Nothing.
"What the hell..."
Mapo-gu. Near Hongdae Station. 72 hours from now. Red tie. 12th floor. S-Corp logo.
Specific. Too specific to be random. Min-jun looked down at the screen again. The countdown continued.
T-71:59:47
T-71:59:46
T-71:59:45
Small gray text appeared at the bottom of the screen. Min-jun leaned closer and read it.
Success Rate: 87.3% / Join 2,847 Guardians
Min-jun's hand stopped.
2,847 people. Was that the number of users? Success rate 87.3%. Success at what?
The subway lurched to a stop. Hapjeong Station. Min-jun stood and headed for the exit. His phone was still clutched in his hand. The screen wouldn't turn off. Only the countdown kept flowing.
When he reached home, it was 4 AM. He opened the door to his studio apartment. A stale smell greeted him. How many days since he'd opened a window? Min-jun threw himself onto the sofa without taking off his shoes. He stared at the ceiling and turned on his phone again.
The screen was still DEADLINE.
T-71:52:33
Min-jun pressed his finger against the screen. He searched for clickable areas. A small icon at the bottom responded. He tapped it. A new screen appeared.
[GUARDIAN RANK: UNRANKED]
Total Events: 0
Lives Saved: 0
Success Rate: —
Join the Guardians.
Protect those who cannot protect themselves.
The clock is ticking.
Min-jun tried to close the screen, but again it wouldn't close. He pressed the home button. No response. He held down the power button. The screen flickered and turned back on. To the DEADLINE screen.
"Fucking annoying."
Min-jun tossed the phone onto the sofa beside him. But his eyes remained fixed on the screen. The red hourglass icon blinked. As if it were alive.
72 hours.
Mapo-gu.
Near Hongdae Station.
Red tie.
12th floor.
S-Corp logo.
Min-jun closed his eyes. He was exhausted. He just wanted to sleep. Tomorrow morning at 8 AM, he'd go to the team leader's office and endure another humiliation, and then... well, whatever came next didn't matter.
But sleep wouldn't come.
Numbers kept spinning in his head.
T-71:50:12
T-71:50:11
T-71:50:10
Min-jun picked up his phone again. He stared at the screen intently. Then muttered quietly.
"72 hours from now... that's Wednesday, 2 PM."
T-71:52:33