The call came in just before noon.
Another victim.
By the time the team arrived, the area had already been secured.
An apartment complex.
Quiet.
Ordinary.
Police tape stretched across the entrance.
Officers stood by.
Forensics were already inside.
Kang Min, Ara, Bong Soo, and Su Young stepped in together.
Not rushing.
Not slowing.
Inside—
The scene was familiar.
Too familiar.
The victim lay near the living room.
No signs of struggle.
No disturbance.
Ara glanced around first.
Windows intact.
Door undamaged.
"Same as before," she said.
Bong Soo exhaled quietly.
"This guy doesn't miss…"
Su Young checked the surroundings, taking in details.
"Nothing out of place."
Kang Min stepped closer to the body.
Not touching.
Just observing.
"He spoke to her," Ara added.
A few officers nearby nodded in agreement.
Footsteps approached.
Prosecutor Lee Tae Jun entered the apartment along with other officers.
"Another one," Bong Soo muttered under his breath.
Ara turned slightly.
"This makes six."
A brief silence settled.
One of the forensic officers spoke.
"Time of death is estimated between 9 PM and 11 PM."
Kang Min nodded.
"Consistent window."
Another officer added, "Neighbors didn't report anything unusual."
Ara crossed her arms slightly.
"No forced entry. No noise. No resistance."
Bong Soo looked around again.
"So he just… walks in, talks, and leaves?"
Kang Min replied,
"He controls the situation before it starts."
A short pause.
Ara added,
"He likely approaches in a way that doesn't raise suspicion."
Su Young glanced toward the hallway.
"Or he's someone they don't feel threatened by."
That stayed in the air for a moment.
One of the officers spoke again,
"There's no sign of theft either."
"Then motive isn't material," Ara said.
Kang Min straightened slightly.
"Selection matters more than outcome."
No one argued.
Because everything pointed in the same direction—
Planning.
Control.
Precision.
After a while—
There was nothing more the scene could give.
They stepped out.
Back at the station—
The atmosphere was quiet, but active.
Everyone returned to their positions.
Reviewing.
Rechecking.
Su Young sat at her desk, going through the data again.
Locations.
Timelines.
Camera ranges.
She zoomed in.
Paused.
Then leaned closer.
"…wait."
Her fingers moved quickly.
Switching between windows.
Rechecking coordinates.
Her expression changed.
Just slightly.
She stood up.
"Captain."
Kang Min looked up.
"You need to see this."
The others gathered.
"What is it?" Ara asked.
Su Young turned her screen toward them.
"I rechecked the victim locations again," she said.
"But this time I narrowed it down using time-of-death movement windows."
She clicked.
Highlighted paths appeared.
Lines.
Routes.
"These are the possible movement paths within the estimated time frames," she continued.
Bong Soo leaned in.
"…okay."
Su Young zoomed further.
"They all pass through at least one common point."
Silence.
Ara's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…where?"
Su Young pointed.
A specific area on the map.
"Here."
Kang Min looked closely.
A commercial zone.
Mixed buildings.
Moderate traffic.
"Not obvious," Ara said.
"Exactly," Su Young replied.
Bong Soo frowned.
"So what's there?"
Su Young shook her head slightly.
"That's the problem."
A pause.
"There are too many access points," she added.
Kang Min straightened.
"We call a meeting."
Minutes later—
Everyone was gathered again.
Files open.
Screens active.
Prosecutor Lee Tae Jun was present along with the team.
Su Young stood at the front this time.
"I found a shared movement point," she began.
The screen lit up.
"These are the possible routes taken after each incident."
She pointed at the highlighted lines.
"When mapped within the time frame, they intersect here."
She zoomed in.
The same location.
Ara stepped forward slightly.
"That means he passes through this area consistently."
"Yes," Su Young replied.
Bong Soo added,
"So it could be part of his routine."
Kang Min spoke.
"Or a safe path."
One of the officers nodded.
"Either way, it's intentional."
A short silence followed.
Ara looked at the screen again.
"If this is consistent, then we focus here."
Kang Min nodded.
"Surveillance, movement tracking, everything."
Su Young added,
"I'll refine the routes further."
The room settled into agreement.