Time stood still. The smoke drifting from the car window wasn't just tobacco; it carried the stench of decaying power that Do-jin knew all too well. The glass slid down completely to reveal the face of Detective Han—the man who had once been his idol in the academy, before Do-jin discovered that Han didn't solve cases; he wove lies to bury them.
"Detective Han," Do-jin spat the name with bitterness. Inside his bag, he felt the radio vibrating with rapid pulses, like a warning of an approaching viper. "I didn't know the morgue fell within your esteemed circle of interest."
Han let out a cold laugh, stepping out of the car as he adjusted his elegant suit jacket. "The city is small, Do-jin, and bad news travels fast. I heard you caused quite a stir in the basement last night. Shattered glass, malfunctioning lights... have you started hearing voices that don't exist again?"
Han leaned in until he was mere inches away, looking at Do-jin's pale, lifeless left eye with mockery. "Look at yourself... that scrap metal has eaten your sight. Kim Soo-ah committed suicide; the case was closed before her body even hit the ground. Don't make me send you to a place even deeper than the basement you inhabit."
"Why are you afraid, Han?" Do-jin whispered, feeling the radio grow suddenly hot. "If she truly committed suicide, why is 'The Void' haunting me? And why is a high-ranking detective standing in a back alley threatening a morgue guard?"
Han's features shifted in a heartbeat; the mockery vanished, replaced by a lethal coldness. "There are truths larger than your comprehension. Soo-ah wasn't just a girl; she held information that could burn this entire city to the ground. And if that damn radio told you something... you'd best forget it."
At that moment, the radio emitted a strange sound—not static, but a noise like a deep intake of breath. Suddenly, the surrounding streetlights began to flicker violently. Do-jin felt a sting in his left eye as frequency-vision began to invade his consciousness despite his ragged breathing.
Behind Detective Han, Do-jin saw a twisting shadow. It wasn't Han's shadow, but the silhouette of a long, non-human hand gripping the detective's shoulder, whispering into his ear. Do-jin realized the horrific truth: Han wasn't just corrupt; he was a "Host" for entities like the Man in the Black Coat. Corruption in this city wasn't just material—it was an infiltration of beings that fed on secrets and final frequencies.
"You're not alone, are you?" Do-jin said, taking a step back, his hand tightening on the bag strap.
Before Han could answer, Soo-ah's scream erupted from the radio again, but this time it was so clear that Han himself recoiled. "The safe... under the bridge... the echo doesn't lie!"
Han panicked, true fear appearing in his eyes for the first time. "Silence that damn thing!" he roared, reaching for his weapon.
But Do-jin was faster. Exploiting the violent flash of the streetlights, he bolted into the dark alley, leaving Han and the entity following him behind. This was no longer just a chase between an informant and a crooked cop; it was a race against time to reach "The Bridge" before the dark forces could erase the final piece of evidence.
As he ran, Do-jin felt his tears mixing with the blood seeping from his eye. The radio was whispering in his mind now with terrifying clarity: "More sight... for more truth... will you trade, Do-jin?"
Do-jin realized that if he reached the bridge and used the radio there, he might lose his right eye as well—becoming completely blind in a world that demanded justice.