The Innocent Killer
1.
March 12, 2028, 1:42 PM.
Lee Jun-ho stood at the entrance of Hangang Park.
He was supposed to meet Choi Do-yoon at 2 PM. There were still 18 minutes left.
Jun-ho had parked his car in the parking lot and walked to the park. It was a weekday afternoon, so there weren't many people. A few joggers, a few elderly people sitting on benches.
He took out his phone.
Timer: 39:17:52
Target Location: 0.3km away
Status: Approaching
Do-yoon was getting closer.
Jun-ho put his phone in his pocket and walked into the park. He found a bench with a view of the Han River and sat down.
The wind blew. The mid-March wind was still cold.
Jun-ho put his hands in his pockets. His hands were shaking.
"Jun-ho."
A voice came from behind.
Jun-ho turned his head.
Choi Do-yoon was standing there.
2.
Do-yoon was wearing a black padded jacket. His face was pale, and there were dark circles under his eyes.
"You came."
Jun-ho said.
"Yeah."
Do-yoon sat down next to Jun-ho. The two looked at the Han River for a moment.
"Did you sleep last night?"
Jun-ho asked.
"No. Did you?"
"Me neither."
Silence flowed.
Jun-ho spoke first.
"Do-yoon, your target... who is it?"
"Someone I don't know. Just a photo."
Do-yoon took out his phone and showed it. It was the face of a man who appeared to be in his late 30s.
"What about you?"
"Mine is..."
Jun-ho hesitated for a moment.
"It's you."
Do-yoon's body stiffened.
"...What?"
"Choi Do-yoon. 42 years old. There's even a photo."
Jun-ho showed his phone screen. Do-yoon's graduation album photo from 20 years ago was displayed.
Do-yoon pulled back on the bench and looked at Jun-ho.
"So you... came here to kill me?"
"No! Absolutely not."
Jun-ho said hastily.
"I came to meet you and find a way together. Someone is manipulating us. They're trying to make us fight each other..."
"Jun-ho."
Do-yoon interrupted.
"What does that matter? My name is on your phone."
"But I won't do it. I can't kill someone."
"Then what happens to you?"
Jun-ho couldn't answer.
Do-yoon sighed.
"Jun-ho, this is a psychological experiment. They're watching how we react."
"A psychological experiment?"
"Yeah. People aren't really dying. The government will solve this soon."
There was no conviction in Do-yoon's voice.
Jun-ho wanted to believe that too.
"Right. The government will solve it."
The two agreed.
But both knew.
The dead people they saw on the news. People who collapsed simultaneously after 72 hours.
Was that really a psychological experiment?
3.
2:23 PM.
The two walked through the park.
"Let's report to the police again."
Jun-ho said.
"I did yesterday. But it was useless."
"Still, we have to keep doing it. Gather evidence."
"What evidence? Phone screens? We can't even capture them."
Jun-ho couldn't find words.
Then Do-yoon's phone rang.
Do-yoon stopped walking and checked the screen.
His face turned pale.
"What is this."
"Why?"
Jun-ho approached.
He looked at Do-yoon's phone screen.
CRITICAL WARNING
Target elimination failure will result in:
- Primary participant termination
- Family members added to elimination list
∟ Spouse: Kim Mi-jin (39)
∟ Daughter: Choi Yeon-seo (13)
Timer: 37:36:42
Do not ignore this warning.
Jun-ho's breath stopped.
"Family too?"
Do-yoon's voice trembled.
"My wife and daughter too?"
"Do-yoon, this is..."
"Is this a psychological experiment? Is it?"
Do-yoon's voice rose.
"They're going to kill my family?"
"Calm down, Do-yoon."
"Calm down? How can I calm down?"
Do-yoon looked at Jun-ho.
There was a mix of fear and anger in his eyes.
"Jun-ho."
"Yeah?"
"Are you... really not going to kill me?"
"Yes. I absolutely won't."
"Prove it."
"What?"
"Prove it. That you won't kill me."
Jun-ho was flustered.
"How?"
"Show me your phone."
"What?"
"Your phone screen. Let me confirm if I'm really your target."
Jun-ho took his phone out of his pocket.
He showed the screen to Do-yoon.
Do-yoon's photo was displayed. Along with the timer.
Do-yoon stared at the screen.
"It's real."
"Yes. But I won't do it."
"Then you'll die."
"...Even so."
Do-yoon stepped back.
"Jun-ho, I'm sorry. But I can't trust you."
"Do-yoon?"
"What if you're lying? What if you're deceiving me?"
"I'm not!"
"How do I know? Aren't you trying to reassure me so you can survive?"
"Do-yoon, please..."
"I'm sorry."
Do-yoon turned and started walking.
Jun-ho followed him.
4.
"Do-yoon, wait!"
Do-yoon didn't stop.
He headed for the park stairs.
Jun-ho followed.
"Do-yoon, listen!"
Do-yoon started climbing the stairs.
Jun-ho climbed too.
"Do-yoon!"
Do-yoon stopped in the middle of the stairs.
Jun-ho stopped too.
Do-yoon turned around.
"Jun-ho, stop it."
"Stop what?"
"Don't follow me."
"I just want to talk."
"Talk? What more is there to say?"
Do-yoon's voice trembled.
"You have to kill me to survive. I have to kill my target to survive."
"But we..."
"We what? Friends? We're not friends, Jun-ho."
Do-yoon shouted.
"How many times have we met in 20 years? A few times at reunions? Is that friendship?"
Jun-ho couldn't answer.
Do-yoon climbed the stairs again.
Jun-ho followed.
"Do-yoon, please!"
Jun-ho grabbed Do-yoon's arm.
Do-yoon shook it off.
"Let go!"
"Do-yoon, calm down!"
"Calm down? How can I calm down?"
Do-yoon pushed Jun-ho.
Jun-ho staggered.
"My family could die because of you!"
"It's not because of me! It's because of this system!"
"Then what's the difference? The result is the same!"
The two pushed and pulled on the stairs.
5.
A scuffle began.
Do-yoon pushed Jun-ho.
Jun-ho grabbed Do-yoon's collar.
"Do-yoon, stop it!"
"Let go!"
The two rolled in the middle of the stairs.
Do-yoon's elbow grazed Jun-ho's face.
Jun-ho staggered.
Do-yoon tried to stand up.
Jun-ho grabbed Do-yoon's leg.
"Do-yoon, calm down!"
"Let go! Let go!"
Do-yoon pushed Jun-ho away with his foot.
Jun-ho's back hit the stair railing.
Do-yoon staggered too.
His foot caught on the edge of the stairs.
"Whoa!"
Do-yoon's body tilted.
Toward the railing.
Jun-ho reflexively tried to grab Do-yoon.
His hand brushed Do-yoon's clothes.
He couldn't catch him.
Do-yoon fell over the railing.
6.
Time flowed slowly.
Do-yoon's body floated in the air.
His eyes looked at Jun-ho.
Surprise.
Fear.
And resentment.
Thud.
A dull sound rang out.
Jun-ho grabbed the railing and looked down.
Do-yoon was collapsed on the concrete floor below the stairs.
Blood flowed from his head.
He wasn't moving.
"Do-yoon!"
Jun-ho ran down the stairs.
He ran to Do-yoon.
"Do-yoon, Do-yoon!"
Do-yoon's eyes were open.
But they were unfocused.
Jun-ho checked Do-yoon's pulse.
There was none.
"No, no."
Jun-ho pressed on Do-yoon's chest.
CPR.
"One, two, three..."
30 compressions.
Rescue breathing.
"Do-yoon, wake up. Please."
Another 30 compressions.
Do-yoon didn't respond.
Jun-ho's hands were stained with blood.
His phone vibrated.
Jun-ho stopped.
He took his phone out of his pocket.
The screen lit up.
KILL VALIDATION: SUCCESS
Target: Choi Do-yoon
Status: Eliminated
Timer: DEACTIVATED
Survival Confirmed.
You are now a Survivor.
Jun-ho dropped his phone.
"No."
He looked at Do-yoon.
"I... I didn't mean to kill him."
He looked around.
People were watching from a distance.
But no one approached.
Jun-ho stood up.
His legs trembled.
He staggered up the stairs.
He didn't look back.
7.
Jun-ho walked to the parking lot.
He got in his car.
His hands were shaking so much he couldn't start the engine.
He rested his forehead on the steering wheel.
He was breathing heavily.
"I... I..."
The words wouldn't come.
He looked outside the car.
Someone was running toward the park in the distance.
Jun-ho started the engine.
He pressed the accelerator.
The car left the parking lot.
8.
4:11 PM.
Jun-ho parked his car in a convenience store parking lot near his home.
He looked at his hands.
Blood was on them.
Do-yoon's blood.
Jun-ho got out of the car and went into the convenience store.
He headed to the bathroom.
He washed his hands in the sink.
The water turned red.
Jun-ho looked in the mirror.
His face was pale.
He washed his face with water.
He dried it with a towel.
He left the bathroom.
He bought bottled water from the convenience store.
He returned to the car and drank the water.
His throat was burning.
He checked his phone.
A news alert was displayed.
"Man in his 40s falls to death at Hangang Park... Police presume accident"
Jun-ho opened the article.
"...At approximately 2:30 PM today, Mr. Choi (42) fell from stairs at Hangang Park and died. All three nearby CCTV cameras were confirmed to be non-operational at the time, and police presume it was an accident."
CCTV blackout.
Jun-ho stared at the screen.
The system had erased the evidence.
He put down his phone.
30 minutes later, someone must have called 112.
The police must have come and checked the scene.
But no one would find Jun-ho.
Because there were no CCTVs.
9.
6:20 PM.
Jun-ho arrived at his apartment parking lot.
He got out of the car.
He took the elevator.
He pressed the button for the 15th floor.
While the elevator went up, Jun-ho looked at his hands.
They were trembling.
The elevator arrived at the 15th floor.
The door opened.
He walked down the hallway and stood in front of his door.
He entered the password.
His hands were shaking so much he got it wrong twice.
The door opened on the third try.
"I'm home."
As soon as he entered, his stomach twisted.
Jun-ho ran to the bathroom.
He bent over the toilet and vomited.
The food he ate for lunch poured out.
Once, twice, three times.
Until there was nothing left.
Jun-ho sat leaning against the toilet.
Sweat dripped.
"Honey?"
Ha-yoon's voice came from outside the door.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes... I'm okay."
"Are you sick? Should we go to the hospital?"
"No. I just... think I have indigestion."
"Open the door."
Jun-ho stood up and rinsed his mouth with water at the sink.
He opened the door.
Ha-yoon stood there with a worried face.
"Why does your face look like that? You're completely pale."
"I'm okay. I'll be fine if I rest a bit."
Ha-yoon touched Jun-ho's forehead.
"You don't have a fever. Honey, what did you eat today?"
"For lunch... I ate near the office."
"Did you eat raw fish?"
"No. Just kimchi stew."
"Then it wouldn't be indigestion."
Ha-yoon took Jun-ho to the living room.
She sat him on the sofa.
"Sit here. I'll get you some digestive medicine."
Ha-yoon went to the kitchen.
Jun-ho leaned on the sofa.
The TV was on.
The news was playing.
"...Regarding the Hangang Park fall accident, police announced that all three CCTV cameras near the scene were non-operational. The exact circumstances of the accident are under investigation."
Jun-ho picked up the remote to turn off the TV.
Ha-yoon came back with water and digestive medicine.
"Here, take this."
Jun-ho took the medicine and swallowed it with water.
"Do you feel better?"
"Yes."
Ha-yoon sat next to Jun-ho.
"Honey, you seem too tired lately. Your face doesn't look good either."
"I'm okay."
"Is something going on at work?"
"No. Just... there's been a lot of work lately."
Ha-yoon held Jun-ho's hand.
"Honey, did you receive that message? That strange Exchange message?"
Jun-ho looked at Ha-yoon.
"...Yes."
"I didn't receive it. But you did."
"Yeah."
"Don't worry. The government will solve it soon. That's what they said on the news."
Jun-ho nodded.
Ha-yoon stood up.
"I'll prepare dinner. Rest a bit."
Ha-yoon headed to the kitchen.
Then Ha-yoon's phone made a beeping sound between the sofa cushions.
Ha-yoon didn't hear it.
Jun-ho looked at Ha-yoon's phone.
The screen was on.
A notification was displayed.
Exchange App installation complete
Initializing...
Please wait.
Jun-ho's face hardened.
Ha-yoon too?
He picked up Ha-yoon's phone.
The screen changed.
[Exchange Protocol]
당신은 선택되었습니다.
You have 72 hours.
Kill or be killed.
TARGET ASSIGNED
Loading...
Jun-ho put down the phone.
His hands trembled.
Ha-yoon's voice came from the kitchen.
"Honey, what do you want for dinner?"
Jun-ho couldn't answer.
Chapter 4 End.