The discovery of a traceable lead should have brought a sense of relief to the team. For the first time since the copycat appeared, there was something concrete to follow—something real that could narrow the search.
But investigations rarely moved in straight lines.
That morning, the atmosphere at the station carried a quiet urgency. The team had already begun working through the information Su Young had uncovered. Supplier lists, delivery records, and purchase details were being reviewed from every angle.
Kang Min stood near the board again, his attention divided between the newly added data and the existing structure of the case. Ara stood beside the table, reading through printed reports, while Bong Soo leaned over Su Young's desk, watching as she traced the purchase account further.
"You'll get a name from this," Bong Soo said.
Su Young didn't look away from her screen.
"I'm working on it."
Ara glanced up.
"If the account is clean, it might take longer."
Su Young nodded slightly.
"Or it leads us somewhere unexpected."
Before anyone could respond, the door opened.
Prosecutor Lee Tae Jun stepped in.
The room acknowledged his presence immediately.
Kang Min turned slightly.
"You're here early."
Tae Jun walked in with his usual calm composure.
"I wanted to review the progress myself."
He looked toward the board, taking in the updated structure—the separation between the Ghost Eyes case and the copycat.
"You've made progress," he said.
Kang Min nodded.
"We found something traceable."
Tae Jun's attention sharpened slightly.
"What kind?"
Su Young turned her screen slightly toward him.
"Materials used in the crime," she explained. "Industrial cord and adhesive. Not common, limited suppliers."
Tae Jun stepped closer, studying the data.
"And you traced it?"
"We're in the process," she replied.
Ara added, "It's enough to narrow the search."
Tae Jun nodded once.
"That's a good development."
The team gathered closer as Su Young continued explaining what she had found so far. The delivery address, the timing of the purchase, and the connection between the materials all pointed toward someone who had planned carefully—but not perfectly.
Bong Soo spoke,
"He's trying to replicate something he doesn't fully understand."
Tae Jun glanced at him briefly, then back at the board.
"That gives you an advantage."
Kang Min agreed.
"For now."
The discussion continued, moving through possibilities and next steps. There was structure again. Direction.
Then the phone rang.
It cut through the room sharply.
Everyone turned toward it.
Su Young picked it up.
"CID."
She listened.
Her expression changed slightly.
"When?"
A brief pause.
"Understood. We're on our way."
She ended the call and looked at the others.
"There's a body."
Kang Min didn't ask for more.
"Location?"
She gave it.
The room shifted instantly.
Chairs moved.
Files were left where they were.
The conversation ended without needing to be closed.
They were already moving.
Tae Jun followed without hesitation.
Within minutes, they were out of the station and on the road.
The drive was fast but controlled. Kang Min focused on the road, while Ara sat beside him, already preparing herself for what they might find.
"Another one," she said quietly.
Kang Min didn't respond immediately.
"We'll confirm when we see it."
She nodded.
The rest of the team followed in another vehicle.
When they arrived, the area had already begun to draw attention. A small crowd had gathered at a distance, held back by officers who had secured the scene.
The building itself was modest, similar to the previous location.
That alone raised the tension.
They moved inside quickly.
The air inside felt heavier.
Forensic officers were already present, working carefully around the scene.
The body lay in the center of the room.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Kang Min stepped forward first.
Ara followed.
Tae Jun stood slightly behind them, observing.
Bong Soo and Su Young entered moments later.
The condition of the victim was immediately clear.
There were marks.
Signs of force.
Disorder.
Kang Min's gaze moved across the body slowly, taking in every detail.
The bruising.
The positioning.
The surrounding environment.
Then he saw it.
The mark.
Placed on the body.
Deliberate.
Familiar.
Ara noticed it at the same time.
Her expression tightened.
"He did it again."
Kang Min didn't answer immediately.
He stepped closer, crouching slightly to examine the injuries more carefully.
The same pattern repeated itself.
Resistance.
Uneven force.
Lack of control.
He stood up again.
"It's the copycat."
Bong Soo exhaled quietly.
"Again?"
Su Young looked at the body, her expression serious.
"The same mistakes."
Ara nodded.
"He's consistent in the wrong ways."
Tae Jun stepped forward slightly.
"You're certain this isn't the original?"
Kang Min answered without hesitation.
"Yes."
He gestured toward the body.
"The differences are clear."
Tae Jun studied the scene more carefully.
"Explain."
Ara stepped in.
"There are signs of struggle again. The victim tried to resist."
Bong Soo added, "The original killer doesn't allow that."
Kang Min continued,
"This one loses control. He uses force instead of precision."
Tae Jun nodded slowly.
"And the mark?"
"The same," Ara said. "But that's the only consistent detail."
The realization settled again, heavier this time.
This wasn't a one-time mistake.
The copycat had struck again.
The forensic team began preparing the body for transport.
Kang Min stepped back, allowing them space.
"Send it for autopsy," he said.
The lead forensic officer nodded.
"We'll move immediately."
Ara watched as the process began.
"He's getting more active."
Kang Min didn't disagree.
"Or more confident."
That possibility lingered.
Tae Jun looked toward Kang Min.
"What's your next step?"
Kang Min answered calmly.
"We follow the lead we already have."
Bong Soo added,
"And now we have another victim connected to him."
Su Young nodded.
"It might give us more to work with."
The body was carefully taken away.
The scene slowly cleared as the team completed the initial inspection.
Kang Min turned to the others.
"Back to the station."
Then he looked at Ara.
"We're going to the hospital."
She nodded.
"Alright."
They followed the forensic team vehicle.
The drive to the hospital was quieter than before.
Ara leaned back slightly, her thoughts moving quickly.
"He didn't stop," she said.
Kang Min kept his eyes on the road.
"He won't. Not until we stop him."
She looked out the window briefly.
"He's getting faster."
Kang Min didn't respond, but the thought stayed with him as well.
At the hospital, the forensic team moved the body into the examination area.
Kang Min and Ara stood outside, waiting as preparations were made.
The forensic doctor stepped out after a while.
"We'll begin the autopsy shortly," she said.
Kang Min nodded.
"How long?"
"We'll need time to confirm everything," she replied. "But initial observations match what you've been seeing."
Ara asked,
"Signs of struggle?"
"Yes."
That confirmed it again.
Kang Min gave a short nod.
"We'll wait for the full report."
The doctor nodded and returned inside.
Kang Min and Ara didn't stay long after that.
They had what they needed for now.
The rest would come later.
They returned to the station.
By the time they arrived, the others were already back at work.
Su Young looked up as they entered.
"What did you confirm?"
Kang Min placed his file on the table.
"It's the copycat."
Bong Soo leaned back slightly.
"Same pattern?"
Ara answered,
"Same mistakes."
Tae Jun stood nearby, listening.
Kang Min continued,
"Signs of struggle. Lack of control. Forced execution."
Su Young nodded slowly.
"So he's repeating the same approach."
Ara crossed her arms.
"He's not learning from it."
Bong Soo added,
"Or he doesn't know what he's doing wrong."
Tae Jun spoke,
"The autopsy?"
"Still ongoing," Kang Min replied. "We'll have the results in a couple of days."
The room settled again.
But this time, the pressure felt heavier.
Two victims now.
Same imitation.
Same errors.
Kang Min looked at the board again.
The copycat section had grown.
And it wasn't stopping.
"We move faster," he said.
No one argued.
The investigation continued immediately.
But beneath it all, one thing was clear.
The copycat wasn't slowing down.
And the time to catch him was running out.