There is Hell on Earth. SolHi convinced herself of that after that night when she’d been about to be unwillingly a victim again. „Or maybe not?” She told herself when she remembered that when she got off the ATV and headed toward the entrance to the building of the former sawmill, closely followed by Ha Rin, she knew very well what she was doing. She knew what kind of danger could have spied on her in that place of eternal night and terror, a place that so intensely smelled like gasoline and death. „A place that I understand now why it smelled like that: because it is really a place of death. It’s a place Scar chose to get rid of his victims and those he dislikes. Even so, I don’t understand one thing - how could he escape? Bear’s people were everywhere around the sawmill, which they crossed several times on their ATVs. Yet, they couldn’t find that bastard.”

She winced eventually when Bunny pulled the wheel to avoid another car that suddenly decreased the speed right in front of them. Then, using the inner mirror, he looked at SolHi, who was in the back seat, saying, „I’m sorry, Detective Ian! I wasn’t attentive and…”

„If you mean what has just happened, forget it! It’s not a big deal. Yet, if you mean what has happened today, then… it’s another story. Anyway, none of this was your fault.”

„Even so, we allowed him to escape so easily. It’s something I can’t understand eventually: how he ran away when we were everywhere.”

The boys had really been everywhere that night. SolHi clearly remembered that: after Ha Rin fired the gun twice when she snatched it out of her hand, the noise of the ATVs increased a lot, and this brought chaos to earth. An infernal noise was heard everywhere because the boys decided that it was the only way they could help SolHi and Ha Rin escape, intensely touching the honks and making a loud noise with the engines while trying to make that bastard pay attention to them and giving the two women a chance to escape.

„We had this chance eventually,” she whispered, making the young man wince and stare at her in the mirror. SolHi didn’t look at him though but frowned, looking through the window at the streets that the car left behind it and at the rest of the world that was still outside, a world SolHi didn’t see at that moment. All she saw was the moment when, regardless of the noise made by the boys and the man’s screams who followed them, although he knew they were armed, they kept snaking beside those piles of wood until they got to the main road. It’s when Bear and Bunny saw and approached them, taking them as soon as possible out of there. Not only did they leave the place but all of their fellows because, after she climbed on the ATV behind Bear, SolHi told him about the murder, and the young man told everybody to vanish from there. „Yet, this was a one-to-a-million chance.”

„Do you mean the crime inside the sawmill building?”

„Honestly, no. I mean… I’m not talking only about that unhappy woman who suffered the same thing as me but… about myself in particular. The reason? I’ve experienced this once.”

The young man winced again. „Have you been that bastard’s victim? When?”

SolHi looked in amazement at him. „Didn’t you know that?” He shook his head. „Why?”

„I guess it wasn’t the moment to find out about this. Or… they still don’t trust me enough to tell me about this. Eventually, I joined the gang after Dja Iun’s death.”

„Did you know him?”

„Iun Dja Iun?” SolHi approvingly nodded. „Yes. Not very well, anyway, but I knew who he was. I saw him a couple of times at the Parkour competitions. Then… I found out about his death and that Scorpion had to do with the accident. Unlike Dja Iun, I knew Scorpion very well.”

„Where from?” SolHi asked, frowning.

„We grew up together… on the streets. Yes, although it doesn’t seem to be so, I’ve been on the streets since I was a child. Unlike Scorpion, who had a family that had always wanted him dead, I had none. Only my grandma, but she died when I was fifteen. Since then… I only had myself to care about.”

„Something strange though.”

„Why? Because… when an underage remains alone, without an adult to take care of him, the state does that?”

„Yes. Yet, you seem to be someone who hasn’t ever known what an orphanage looks like. Why?”

„I hid,” the young man suddenly said, making SolHi wince again. „I didn’t want to be there, although I didn’t even know what it felt like to be among other orphans. Even so, I’ve never left school. Thus, I have a certificate, although it’s useless on the streets. Yet, it serves me, giving me a certain confidence for what comes.”

„Is it so?” SolHi wondered in her head when the man kept silent. „Does a certificate, which shows that you finished school, help you in the future or is something safe for the future?” Maybe yes, but it’s still something that generally happens in movies or with those with a better future than the one they had. It was undoubtedly like that, and SolHi knew this very well - that her destiny wasn’t different, although she had two degrees. The reason? Others decide one’s destiny. At least this happened in her case, and her intelligence only helped her survive.

Such a thought made her sadly smile. Then, she leaned against the back of the seat and closed her eyes. She didn’t stay like that for too long, and this happened because of memories that suddenly took over her. Those memories were related both to the event eight years ago and to what happened that night. „Memories that seem to hunt me for my entire life just to devour my soul and never allow me to breathe freely.” She told herself this, staring at the city that was bathed by the light of the first rays - those seen in the distance. A city that kept running in front of her as it happened with her life often, which left deep wounds on her soul. It happened at that moment too when she got to a crossroads and didn’t know where to go or what port was her last destiny.

***

Stepping out of Bunny’s car, SolHi carefully scanned the street, trying to make sure nobody would see her there. The reason? Even though the entire world saw her „death” online and on TV, she wasn’t still sure that nobody would have recognized her. That’s why she was always trying to take care of herself at least as she could because she didn’t want to endanger others and herself if people had found out that everything was a simple prank.

Nobody was around though. The city seemed empty because of the early hour because when SolHi got in front of the building where HanSol was living, it was around 6 a.m. It was the exact time when people woke up and went to work. Yet, it was damn quiet that morning, something SolHi was grateful to.

Yet, while heading toward the entrance to the building, SolHi was forced to slouch the cap over her eyes. This happened because of a man about forty who exited the building and headed toward the parking lot afterward. Seeing him leaving the building, SolHi stopped and, squatting, she pretended to tie her shoelaces. While doing this, she looked at him on the sly, trying to understand if he recognized her or not. The man though, yawning and somehow irritated despite the early hour, didn’t pay too much attention to her. He only got in the car, turned the engine on, and passed by her soon after.

Seeing him leaving, SolHi rushed to enter the building. Yet, she didn’t take the elevator, afraid not to meet other early neighbors but took the stairs. To get to the 12th floor where HanSol’s apartment was, she needed some time and strength, feeling herself breathless at one point. Yet, she forgot about tiredness when she rang the doorbell, and HanSol, who was already waiting for her after SolHi texted her that she was heading over there, opened the door immediately.

Entering the apartment, SolHi didn’t look into HanSol’s eyes but went to the living room. She didn’t even take the shoes off, which made HanSol attentive. Yet, HanSol didn’t seem upset because of that: she was only confused because if SolHi entered the apartment like that, it wasn’t because she was disrespectful but because she was overwhelmed by thoughts. Or… something happened?

„It definitely something happened,” she told herself, closing the door and heading toward the living room where she saw SolHi putting a white towel on the table. Then, so suddenly that HanSol’s eyes were about to blow up, she saw SolHi putting a bloody hammer on that towel. This made HanSol swallow hard at first and then hiss through her teeth while staring at the bloody object, „Did you kill Han DooSan tonight? Or… what miserable suffered because of you?”

SolHi squinted at her. „Don’t be pathetic,” she told HanSol. „I’m not the Walking Death to kill people all the time. And… don’t worry, Han DooSan is safe. Yet…”

„Yet?”

„Let’s say he found out about me,” SolHi said, looking on the sly at HanSol, waiting for her reaction. Seeing HanSol’s eyes suddenly sparkling, a clear hint she was furious, SolHi rushed to say, „It wasn’t my intention. Even so… he knows that I’m alive.”

„Better said, you took care to tell him this and it wasn’t random,” HanSol growled furiously, suddenly running her hands through her light brown hair. Then, she fixed her coal eyes into SolHi’s, waiting for her answer.

SolHi was late to say something though. Then, taking a step behind her, to make sure she was as far as possible from HanSol, who already grabbed the hammer to check it, SolHi said, „Let’s say that… I just wanted to „convince” him to be with us in this.”

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„To convince him? How exactly: by entering his bed?” HanSol ironically asked.

„No! I just… tried to twist his neck… a little. Yet, I lost the fight, and… you can imagine the rest.”

HanSol slapped her forehead. Then, she furiously growled, „You aren’t definitely friends with your head, Ian SolHi. Otherwise, I can’t explain myself how you’d been capable of trying to kill a prosecutor in his own bed. Or what: are you looking to get back behind bars or what? Or… worse: for San DuSik to make real his plan of bringing you on the electric chair?”

„In case you forgot that, you took care of this already.”

„Of what?” HanSol asked, frowning.

„To execute me?” HanSol squinted at her „Don’t look at me like that: I’m just speaking the truth. Or… will you deny now that I’m a ghost thanks to you?”

„No, I won’t say that’s not like that because it was a necessary evil. Yet, I did that, thinking that you’d be safer this way and have more time to investigate our case. What I haven’t thought about was that… once a ghost, you’ll get the courage to kill others.”

„You are exaggerating now, Chief Kim. I haven’t killed anybody.”

„And the hammer?”

„I’ve just… picked it up,” SolHi calmly replied. Then, she pulled the chair closer to her, sat on it, and sipped from the glass of water she served herself before sitting. „What?” She asked HanSol when she saw that one piercing her with her glance.

„Nothing. I was just wondering where people nowadays can „pick up” such things. Why? I’m sure they aren’t mushrooms to show up in the forest after the rain.” SolHi smiled. „I wasn’t joking now.”

„I didn’t think that too. Why? I know you aren’t stupid. I also know what your mind can make up. That’s why I won’t ever risk to send someone to hell. Why? I don’t want to follow him because if this ever happens, Chief Kim will take care of me to vanish too.”

„Ian SolHi!” HanSol suddenly shouted. „I’m not in the mood for jokes! So, tell me at once where you have this gun from.”

„What I say is to keep your damn mouth shut,” SolHi hissed through her teeth, suddenly standing up. „The reason? Someone can hear you calling my name and all our efforts will be in vain. Especially, if someone sees me leaving this place.”

„Someone saw you already. Han DooSan, right?”

„Yes. Yet, DooSan won’t say a word about this, something I’m not sure about others. Related to the gun: I fought tooth and nail for this. Where from I have it? You have the address in your email. It’s the address where you must send someone as soon as possible. If not, we’ll lose any chance to find a track on this case because… Scar killed someone there tonight.”

HanSol winced. Then she looked frightened at SolHi when she asked, „Did he kill someone? Who?”

„I’m not sure. All I’ve seen was a young woman’s back. And… I don’t think she’s alive anymore.”

„And, also because of this, you didn’t call the cops?”

„That’s right. I did that to make sure we had a chance to win this war. And… the weapon you have in your hands right now… it’s the same he used to kill that woman.”

HanSol swallowed hard, hearing such news. Then, she put the hammer on the table and checked her email, where she found an address. „Insubong-ro, nr.7?” She asked in amazement. „But… this is…?”

„…the address of the former sawmill. It’s the perfect place to kill someone because… I don’t think that what I’ve seen today was a unique case. And… if you send someone to this address, you’ll find two victims - a man and a woman.”

„Scar?”

„No: another man. Ha Rin and I saw him while we were trying to escape Scar. And… you won’t believe who this maniac is.” HanSol stared at her. „Han YuSan!”

„What?” HanSol yelled when SolHi mentioned YuSan’s name. „Don’t be crazy, SolHi! How can be Han YuSan the famous Scar when he died eight years ago?”

„Or… this is what he wanted us to believe,” said SolHi calmly, sitting back in her seat. „I saw him, okay?” She added, seeing Chief Kim watching her in disbelief. „I’m not the only one who saw him: Ha Rin can prove it. Where did we see him? In the old building of the sawmill where he killed two souls. Not random victims: I think they were spouses.”

Powerless, HanSol allowed herself to fall in the chair next to her. Then, supporting her head with her hands, and, breathing fast in and out several times, she tried to calm herself down. Something she couldn’t do though because „It’s impossible, SolHi! Han YuSan can’t be behind all these crimes. I knew him, okay? I knew what kind of man he was. He was a good man, someone who fought every day for justice and cared about others. It’s… impossible for him to turn into the monster you describe me.”

„Still, I know that he’s the one. At least… we’ve seen his face there. If you don’t believe me, you can take a look,” she said, turning on the video that she filmed that night.

Looking at the footage, HanSol started shaking. Her eyes watched obvious and real things, but her heart couldn’t believe it. „No, it’s impossible,” she said, covering the phone screen with her palm. „He can’t be a murderer.”

„You might be right,” SolHi said, after a few moments of silence, making HanSol attentive. „It might be that not YuSan is the one in the footage but someone who’s using his identity once he’s dead.”

„I don’t see the point, SolHi. I don’t see a reason why someone would use his face for something like that.”

„Even so, it might be real because… I remember that… I saw YuSan’s face in that abandoned warehouse eight years ago. And… there were two Han YuSan there.”

„What? What the hell are you talking about?”

„What I want to say… at least this is what I think… is that someone hated him so badly that he took his face. Who? We have to find out. Or… who took care of this was exactly Han YuSan: to make me see two YuSan that night there. Thus, he made sure he’d be free to live his madness. Or… it might be a third scenario here.”

„Which one?”

„That Han YuSan became the same monster as the one who hurt us that night… eight years ago.”

„What you try to say is that not Han YuSan died that night but the one who attacked you?”

„Yes, it’s exactly what I want to say. Thus, the one who helped him survive that night, also helped him hide his crimes afterward. It won’t be anything out of the ordinary, HanSol. You know very well that such cases exist: when the victim turned into his butcher.”

„I’m aware of that, SolHi. Even so: it’s unbelievable. I don’t think that this happened. I mean… that Han YuSan is still alive. If this happened, DooSan knows that, right?”

„Not if YuSan doesn’t want that. Or… he can’t remember who he is because… let’s not forget that I hit his temple that night. Thus, he might have lost his memory.”

„Or, realizing that he loved his sick pleasures and aware that Han DooSan wouldn’t ever accept this, he stood away from him.”

„That’s right. Yet, no matter what is the real scenario or who’s behind all these crimes, we have to find out the truth, HanSol. How? By checking the former sawmill because… if it’s true what I suspect, this Han YuSan didn’t kill only once there.”

„And, if it’s true, we can find enough evidence against him there.” SolHi approvingly nodded. Then, both women winced when HanSol’s phone rang. „Chief Kim is listening!” HanSol sternly said, after picking up the phone. „What?” She yelled eventually, suddenly standing up. „The place SolHi had told you about is burning? It can’t be, Hyun Shik! They’d been there not long ago and… yes, I got it! I’ll be there as soon as possible.”

Hanging up the phone, HanSol headed toward the bedroom. Not alone but with SolHi behind her. „The old sawmill is in flames?”

„Yes. It seems that our good friend „Han YuSan” tries to get rid of problems. How? By causing more problems to us.”

„Damn it!” SolHi hissed through her teeth, heading toward the door.

„Which way?”

„To check the sawmill, HanSol! Why? Because… we can’t allow that evidence to vanish. Especially, we… can’t allow the two bodies to vanish. Without them, we are back to the starting point.”

„What do you propose then? To show up there, with all those cops around, and screw up everything?”

„Yes! Even taking the risk of being caught, I can’t let him escape.”

„That man escaped already,” Chief Kim told her sternly. „So, don’t be stupid and listen to me: even if that place burns to ashes, you can’t be caught.”

„The reason?”

„You are the only victim that survived.”

SolHi winced. „You want me to be the bait?”

„Not now but later if we don’t have another choice. For the moment… just tell me when all this happened.”

„About an hour and a half ago. I’m not sure of this because… it’s been exactly after the race and…”

„Race? What the hell are you talking about now, SolHi?”

„I’m talking about the race when we’ve been the prey after being the predators before that?” SolHi ironically asked. Seeing HanSol’s sour face, she deeply breathed in, saying, „You still remember that we were after two of Min SinJu’s assistants, right?”

„Yeah, Jackal and Hamster! So?”

„Well, Ha Rin saw someone giving an envelope with documents to Hamster. Seeing this, she called me there. We followed him, hoping he’d take us to the hideout of someone involved in all this. What we didn’t suspect was that all this was a trap and Hamster was the bait.”

„It’s how you got to the sawmill.”

„No. We got to the sawmill afterward. First of all, we had to get rid of cops because… Hamster brought us straight into their trap and not with Scar.”

HanSol weirdly grinned. „They knew you were watching them.”

„Something like that. At least… we suspect that. Anyway, not this is important but the fact we had to abandon the car.” HanSol winced, staring at SolHi. „You have to get that car back, Kim HanSol! Otherwise, our work is over.”

„Or the one who vanishes from the earth’s surface is me, haven’t you thought about this?”

„Of course, I thought about that,” said SolHi, laughing. „That’s why I told you about this. Otherwise, I would have simply ignored it and vanished.”

Saying this, SolHi deeply looked into HanSol’s eyes, waiting for her to say something else. HanSol just kept silent though. She did that when she finally understood that SolHi was right and other things were more important at that moment than the fight and the rivalry between them. What exactly? That SolHi escaped hell that night and took an important piece of evidence with her, something that could have been a starting point for solving that case - one that smelled like Death.