Chapter 4: The Demon Who Feeds on Karma

Lee Jaehyun was organizing the situation and waiting for backup.

That’s when Se-re-hen revealed herself.

Seeing Se-re-hen floating leisurely in midair, Lee Jaehyun froze for a moment.

“You sure are bold.”

“…….”

He had no idea how long she’d been watching, but when she described it as ‘bold,’ Jaehyun wore a strange expression.

He glanced over to check on the thugs who were still grumbling, and Park Daehyung, who was watching them like a hawk.

There was no noticeable reaction.

He’d sent a few glances this way too, but seeing as there was no response… it seemed they couldn’t see Se-re-hen’s form.

“Is your appearance invisible to other people?”

“Yes. In this state, humans can’t see or hear me.”

As Se-re-hen said this, she raised a hand and pointed at the horns on her head.

He didn’t know what the horns had to do with it, but apparently, ‘this state’ meant there was also a way for her to reveal herself to others.

And right now, she could also choose not to be seen.

For Lee Jaehyun, it was a relief she wasn’t visible, so he simply nodded with a light heart.

“More than that, it feels a bit weird to have a conversation like this.”

To others, it would just look like he was talking to himself.

Wondering how to deal with it, Se-re-hen spoke first.

“Hmm. I can guess what’s on your mind.”

With those words, she flicked her hand.

A black thread extended from Se-re-hen’s fingertips and reached toward Jaehyun.

“With this, even if you just think to yourself, I’ll be able to hear you.”

“Like this?”

“Yes. I can hear you perfectly.”

But then, did this mean no matter what he thought, even his innermost feelings would be revealed?

He didn’t have any particularly secret thoughts to hide, but it was still strangely uncomfortable.

“Oh, and only the thoughts you want to share with me as a Contractor will be transmitted, so there’s no need to worry.”

Se-re-hen let out an ‘ah’ as if to reassure him, but the timing felt oddly suspicious.

He still wondered if it would really only send what he intended, but since it wasn’t the most important matter, Jaehyun quickly cleared his head and focused on Se-re-hen.

“So, what brings you here?”

“I’m here to absorb their Karma.”

When Lee Jaehyun caught criminals, Se-re-hen would absorb their Karma.

That was the contract, so Jaehyun nodded and quietly watched her.

“Then, bon appétit.”

With that, Se-re-hen moved her hand again.

At her gesture, black clouds like dark mist were drawn out of the four thugs and flowed into Se-re-hen’s mouth.

“That thing just now, is that what you call Karma?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Then, what happens to those people now?”

“It doesn’t have any direct effect on humans.”

At Jaehyun’s question, Se-re-hen shrugged as she answered.

Her reaction made Jaehyun ponder for a moment.

He had just been observing because that was the original contract, but to be honest, there was still a lingering feeling of unease.

For instance.

“When you eat their Karma, does that erase their sins?”

“Of course not. Just because I drain their energy doesn’t mean they escape punishment.”

At his question, Se-re-hen waved her hand as if he’d said something ridiculous.

From her perspective, it was probably an absurd concern.

When Jaehyun looked at her silently, Se-re-hen continued to explain.

“Every time Karma is absorbed, it gets recorded, so there’s no way they can escape the Judge later. Don’t worry.”

“So if it’s not recorded, they wouldn’t be judged?”

“Well, I did hear that in the past there were some Demons who purposely omitted Records. But these days, recording is mandatory, so it never gets left out.”

“There aren’t any Demons who ignore that rule?”

“If they did, their very existence would be erased. There’s no Demon willing to risk their own erasure just to take on a human’s sins and Karma.”

Hearing her explanation, Lee Jaehyun finally felt relieved and nodded.

Honestly, he had been a little worried.

He was always glad to catch criminals, but—

If Se-re-hen absorbing their Karma meant the criminals wouldn’t be judged after death, that would be the exact opposite of what Jaehyun intended.

But now, hearing the explanation, it seemed his concern was unfounded.

He didn’t know exactly what ‘erasure’ meant, but wasn’t it probably similar to ‘death’ in some way?

As Se-re-hen said, no Demon would willingly risk that.

“That’s one thing I don’t need to worry about. The thing I should be worrying about now is…”

Jaehyun thought to himself, checking the time.

It would soon be time for the drunk driving patrol.

The one and only regret that had tormented him ceaselessly for ten years.

Now, the time to correct it was approaching.

***

After the backup Patrol Car took away the tattooed thugs, Lee Jaehyun headed out on drunk driving patrol, just as he had that day ten years ago.

“You’re getting used to patrols now, right?”

“Of course.”

Park Daehyung glanced over at Jaehyun and started a conversation.

Jaehyun nodded as if it were obvious.

Unlike the radio calls he’d gotten used to during his time as a detective, this was his first sobriety check in years.

But that didn’t mean it felt all that strange.

At the very least, he was much more capable than a rookie only one month in.

“To be honest, there’s nothing special about doing this well.”

It was such a simple task, there really wasn’t much to do well or poorly.

Jaehyun stopped an approaching car and walked to the driver’s seat.

Ziiing.

The window rolled down, and Jaehyun smoothly offered the Breathalyzer to the driver.

“Please blow.”

“…Damn it.”

The driver scrunched up his face and muttered a curse under his breath.

Jaehyun paid it no mind and repeated himself.

“Please blow. Quickly.”

With a sigh, the driver finally exhaled into the device.

And then.

BEEP! Beep-beep-beep-beep!

The Breathalyzer responded to the driver’s breath with a series of sounds.

0.06.

A rather low figure, but still clearly over the limit.

“Sir, you’ve been drinking. Please pull over to the shoulder.”

“Ah, I only had a single drink. Can’t you let it slide just this once?”

“One drink or even a single drop—drunk driving is drunk driving. Please move your car to the shoulder.”

To the driver who grumbled in annoyance, Jaehyun answered in an official tone.

Honestly, all his attention was on the old man who would appear soon, and the passenger, Myung Jinhan, so he couldn’t care less what the driver said.

The driver finally gave up and moved his car aside.

“Show me your license, please.”

“Here.”

“Please call someone among your party who can drive, and wait until they arrive before leaving.”

“Sigh. Alright.”

Once again, drunk driving patrol was not a difficult task.

Most weren’t drunk, and even if they were, all he needed was to take their license and file the Record.

It would only get complicated if someone refused the test or tried to run, but as far as his memories from his past life went, nothing like that had ever happened, so he wasn’t worried.

He just had to be careful in case his father’s taxi passed by while he was busy with another driver, so he tried to finish up as quickly as possible.

Watching this, Park Daehyung approached Jaehyun and spoke.

“You were like that earlier with the thugs, too. Why the sudden change? You used to be so slow-paced, but now you’re a different person.”

“Well… Maybe I just suddenly wanted to be a real police officer.”

Jaehyun answered with a light laugh.

It was understandable that Park Daehyung would say he seemed different.

“To be honest, I think I’m different too.”

After his father died, Jaehyun changed completely.

Because of his own complacency, his father had died.

Ever since that day, he had lived with his nerves on edge, not knowing when he’d run into another criminal.

Especially toward those who had committed serious crimes, he was more resolute than anyone else.

“I won’t ever make that mistake again.”

With that vow, he hunted down criminals as if to appease his resentment.

Of course, his father wasn’t going to come back, but what else could he do?

The only thing a son who lost his father could do was catch criminals.

“But not anymore.”

Now, things were different.

He could save his father.

He held on to that hope.

Jaehyun now had a completely different heart and experience than before.

So to Park Daehyung, he must seem like a totally different person.

And just like Jaehyun had changed, the outcome would also be different from his past life.

Jaehyun clenched his fist tightly and looked out over the line of cars waiting at the drunk driving checkpoint.

How much time had passed?

Even after ten years, it was still vivid in his mind—a familiar Taxi appeared in Jaehyun’s line of sight.

His father’s Taxi.

***

There was no way Jaehyun wouldn’t recognize his father’s Taxi.

And likewise, his father couldn’t possibly fail to recognize his own son.

The Taxi pulled up naturally in front of Jaehyun.

Ziiiing.

With a small sound, the window rolled down and his father’s face appeared.

As that familiar face came into view, Jaehyun felt something indescribable welling up inside.

The moment he’d regretted all his life was now unfolding before his eyes.

“Salute! You’re working hard tonight.”

His father, Lee Hancheol, seemed genuinely happy to run into his son while on duty, and greeted Jaehyun with a playful voice.

Yes, that’s how he was.

He would often joke around with his son and be a ‘friend-like father.’

For the first time in ten years, Jaehyun was facing his father and didn’t know how to respond, so he swallowed hard and finally managed to speak.

“Dad…”

“You seem tired, son. Must be tough working so late.”

Did his father sense something from Jaehyun’s voice?

Lee Hancheol reached out the window and patted his son’s shoulder a couple of times.

It was meant to comfort Jaehyun, but…

He couldn’t allow himself to fully enjoy their reunion just yet.

Right now.

Because of Jaehyun’s carelessness, his father would meet a pointless death.

And Jaehyun would spend the next ten years living in a nightmare.

“In this life, I will stop it. No matter what.”

Catching up with his father would have to come later.

Sss, hoo.

Sss, hooo.

Jaehyun took a deep breath, trying to steady his trembling heart.

Once he finally calmed down, Jaehyun looked at his father again.

“Sir, could you please hurry up?”

A man’s voice called from the back seat.

Jaehyun’s gaze turned to the rear seat.

A man with his cap pulled down low and a suspicious look.

It was him.

The serial killer who raped and murdered three women, and even killed his father—Myung Jinhan.

He was right there.