The Underworld Judge Chapter 10 - When the Judge Walked Among Them

Choi pushed the tape up with one hand and stepped outside. His work inside was done for now.

What he wanted now was out here — the people. Sotis killers co back to the scene.

Not because they wanted to erase the evidence. They ca to watch, to stand there like everyone else, acting normal while enjoying the scene.

So even tried to push themselves into the investigation, just to see how powerless the police looked.

To them, it wasn’t just watching. It was like watching dumbfounded cops struggle with their work, like monkeys trying to solve a puzzle. And while they enjoyed the show, it made them feel smarter, like they were above everyone else.

From the first look at the cri scene, Choi knew this was not a gang fight, not school violence, not so cri of passion.

All four bodies were murdered by the sa MO; the killer had control over them from the start to the end. To Choi it felt like the work of a serial killer, not just so normal killer who acted out of rage.

He took out the cigarette pack from his pocket, pulled one out, and lit it. He dragged on a puff and let the smoke rise into the sky.

While his eyes were scanning the crowd.

What he saw were reporters yelling into mics and caran holding their caras and clicking the buttons to take photos.

Normal people stood behind the yellow tape, watching the scene in awe.

Except one.

A boy in the sa school uniform. His head was down, shoulders tight, moving through the crowd. He wasn’t looking at the cops; his face was turned to the other side. He didn’t even peek to the left where the bodies were.

Just passing through the people like he only wanted to get away from the cri scene as fast as possible.

Choi’s eyes narrowed, following the boy’s back as he walked off through the crowd.

He noticed his school uniform, the sa uniform as the four dead boys.

He took a slow drag, smoke burning his throat as he watched the boy slip away.

Everyone else wanted to look at the cri scene, their necks stretched, eyes wide like they wanted to know everything — what happened, who were they, how did it happen? Every detail – they wanted it all.

To them the scene was like a clown performing in the circus. Their eyes were wide with curiosity, like if they didn’t get the answer, they would die from not knowing it.

But that kid — head down, hurrying like he didn’t want anyone to see him.

Choi flicked the ash.

... Why not even look once? Why hide your face when everyone else is staring at the cri scene?

He stepped toward the boy, his eyes fixed on his back.

He was about to call the boy, maybe stop him, maybe just ask a few simple questions.

But before he could take two steps, the reporters sward him.

"Detective Choi! What can you tell us?"

"Are these killings connected to the gangs?"

"Is it a revenge case?"

"Was it drug-related?"

Caras flashed in his face, the lights hitting his eyes again and again.

He raised a hand near his face, trying to block the flashes.

Microphones shoved under his chin, so bumping against his jacket.

Voices crashed around him, reporters shouting over each other, their words mixing into one loud chatter. They pressed in so close it felt like a wall, blocking his way.

Han Soo-jin leaned in, her voice sharper than the rest. "Detective Choi—SNTV—we need answers. One killer or many? Any ssage left behind?"

Choi clenched his jaw and pushed, but then she threw one more question under his nose.

"Was it bullying? These were students. Kang Jin-ho—son of Kang Dae-hun—was he a target of school violence?"

The reporters caught that word right away and started shouting it even louder, everyone chasing the sa question. The noise didn’t stop; it just grew bigger and bigger, crashing in his ears.

Choi stretched up on his toes, neck pulling as he tried to see past the wall of reporters. Flashes hit his eyes again and again, white spots burning in his vision.

The noise crashed in his ears — questions flying from every side.

He squinted, reaching for the boy through the chaos, but all he could see was light and the moving mouths of reporters.

The boy in the school uniform was walking away, step by step, vanishing down the road.

By the ti he broke free from the reporters, Hyun Woo was gone.

Choi turned his head left and right, but there was no sign of him anywhere.

He pulled the cigarette from his lips, threw it to the ground, and stomped on it again and again until only ashes stuck to his shoe.

"Damn it... damn it... he slipped away."

He smacked his forehead with his palm and dragged it down his face, his fingers sliding roughly from his forehead to his chin.

"Shit... lost him..." he muttered, voice low.

anwhile, Hyun Woo turned sharply into the alley, his shoulder scraping the wall as he pressed his back flat. His breath was rough. He peeked out, eyes checking left and right, making sure no one followed.

Back in the mont ago when Choi tried to stop him—

[ Judge Eye Activated ]

His right eye burnt, golden light leaking out, like a small fla flickering in his pupil.

[ Suspicion Towards Judge Detected ]

[ Single Target Confird ]

[ Verdict Detected: Suspicion ]

[ Target: Choi Do-hyun ]

[Status: Not Guilty—Pursuing Truth]

[ Transferring Inner Thoughts to Judge ]

That boy... sa uniform... Why hide your face when everyone’s staring?

Back in the present mont again, Hyun Woo blinked hard, covering his eye with his palm for a second.

"...This skill... crazy. It shows if soone’s thinking about or not."

He let out a shaky laugh, more like a whisper.

"So even their thoughts can’t hide from now..."

Hyun Woo’s jaw tightened. He pressed his fist so hard his knuckles went white.

"I need more points."

He thought fast — he had to get stronger, learn more skills, and find a way to stop being powerless and suspected of every cri scene.

The idea hit him like cold water.

He threw his head back and laughed, a short, rough sound, then slid the palm of his hand over his face like he was wiping dirt away.

"School,"

"What’s better than school?"

"So many bullies there."

"I’ll clean them out. One by one."

He saw their faces in his head, the bully faces — those arrogant laughs, the smirks, the way they looked down on him like he was nothing. He thought about them gone, all at once.

He imagined pulling them out like thorns from a rose. One by one.

Hyun Woo then walked towards the school after a while.

Hyun Woo walked through the school gate, his bag hanging on one shoulder.

Students were gathering in groups even outside, whispering, phones in hand. But he didn’t stop to watch them or even listen to them.

He was in a rush to enter the classroom as soon as possible.

He pushed the classroom door open and stepped inside.

As soon as he entered the classroom, the noise hit him right away.

The classroom was packed. Everyone was talking about the sa thing.

So standing, so sitting on desks, so leaning together over their phones watching the news.

And talking about only one thing.

"Shit, it’s true. They’re dead. All of them."

"No way, bro. No way."

"Look, it’s on the news! They really found the bodies."

"Crazy... I saw Jin-ho yesterday. He was laughing, smoking behind the gym..."

"Now he’s gone."

"Gone? More like karma, man. He deserved it."

"Shut the fuck up! Don’t say that out loud! What if soone hears?"

From the back, a phone speaker played the reporter’s voice. "—four high school students, nas confird, bodies found near a construction site—"

So gasp, another group of students gossip, and so whisper about their death. They were all talking to each other.

"Holy shit, it’s true."

"Serves him right. He bullied everyone."

"Shut up, what if soone hears you?"

Hyun Woo walked to his seat and sat down. He placed his bag under the desk and folded his hands on top.

He didn’t join the talk. He didn’t even lift his eyes. He just sat there, listening to all of it, quietly without saying a word.

Inside, his mind was calm. And he was observing the situation inside the classroom.

But in so corner of his mind, he was angry. And comparing his life with the death of Kang and his friends.

When my family died, no one talked like this. No whispers. No news. Nothing.

But for him... everyone can’t shut the fuck up.

But suddenly, the classroom door slamd open with a loud bang.

A few heads turned up, away from their phones. So moved their heads to look toward the door.

He walked in—shirt hanging loose, top buttons open, collar spread wide like he couldn’t be bothered.

His black hair fell over sharp eyes, his jawline hard and triangular. His steps were slow and confident, like the whole class was already his.

Behind him ca three more, all his friends.

"Shit, it’s Seok Min-jun..." one student whispered behind Hyun Woo; they were sitting behind him.

"Yeah. Kang’s right hand. Guess he’s boss now."

Seok stopped in the middle of the room, hands stuffed into his pockets. His lips curled into a smirk.

"You all know already, right?" His voice ca rough, dripping arrogance. "Kang Jin-ho is gone. That ans from today—" he spread his arms wide, grinning—"this school’s mine."

One of his boys slamd a desk with his palm. "Don’t act dumb. You pay up to him now. Money, food, whatever. Boss talks, you listen."

The blond one laughed, gum snapping between his teeth. "Kang’s gone, but other bullies aren’t dead. We’re still here. And Seok Min-jun’s the new leader."

Seok chuckled low, tilting his chin up. "So don’t waste my ti. Hand it over, stay quiet, and maybe school will be easy for you."