Chapter 7
It was a home rented under a two-year lump-sum deposit lease, one they would have to leave when the term ended.
It wasn’t a home he owned.
Yoon Jaemin could never forget the day he first stamped his seal on the contract.
But that was fine.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Jaemin’s savings.
Because the security deposit written at the very bottom of the contract represented the value of every moment Jaemin and his wife, Jisoo, had struggled through over the past several years.
Jisoo’s severance pay.
The wedding gift money they had left untouched even after their wedding.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
And… finally, even the money they had borrowed from the bank.
The money they saved by eating out less after their daughter, Byeoli, was born.
The extra wages Jaemin had earned enduring night shifts at a logistics center.
The money Jisoo had earned from working at home until dawn after putting their daughter to bed.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
The real estate agent slid the contract toward them.
“Here you go.”
All of it had been combined and paid out at once under the name of a lump-sum lease deposit.
“The property register is clean, too. palette There are no prior-ranking debts.”
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Jaemin had already obtained a copy of the property register that morning.
Section B.
Section A.
And just before signing the contract, he had checked the documents the agent printed out again.
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The pages were filled with unfamiliar terminology, but at least none of the things he’d been told to watch out for were listed.
No seizures.
No registered mortgages.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Jaemin read those three lines over and over again.
Then he turned very carefully toward his wife.
No provisional seizures.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Jisoo was holding the hand of their daughter, Byeoli, whom she carried in her arms.
“Are we really going to live here?”
The little girl, who had only recently turned one, was trying to grab the contract, which was bigger than her hand.
Jisoo smiled softly.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
He finally managed to nod.
“…”
Jaemin’s throat tightened, leaving him unable to answer immediately.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
To Jaemin, those words felt like the greatest gift in the world that day.
“…Yeah.”
Their new home was on the top floor of an old low-rise apartment building.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Still, it had two bedrooms.
The staircase was narrow.
There was no elevator.
And the windows were smaller than he’d expected.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
“We could put her bed here.”
There was a small room they could give to Byeoli.
Jisoo stood in the middle of the empty room and clasped her hands together.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
“Yeah.”
“And a bookshelf by the window.”
“Yeah.”
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
“…”
Jaemin remained silent for a long time.
“When Byeoli gets old enough to sleep on her own, let’s put glow-in-the-dark stars on this wall.”
He simply stared at the wallpaper.
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Faint ivory-colored wallpaper.
He imagined measuring his daughter’s height against that wall, wiping away her scribbles, putting up birthday balloons, and setting down her daycare bag.
A wall with nothing hanging on it yet.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
A sound that hadn’t quite become a proper word yet.
Byeoli babbled in Jisoo’s arms. All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com
Hearing it, Jaemin kissed his daughter’s cheek.
“Papa.”
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Of course, he couldn’t buy them right away.
“That’s right. artist Daddy’s going to make a room just for our Byeoli.”
That night, Jaemin sat on a moving box and searched his phone for a small bed and a children’s bookshelf.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
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But he added them to his shopping cart anyway.
Almost all their money had gone into the lease deposit.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
But starting the following day, something strange began happening.
He thought that was everything he needed to do.
He registered their change of address and obtained an officially certified date for the lease.
The day after they finished moving, Jaemin went to the local community service center.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Jisoo put her phone down on the dining table.
“Honey, he’s not picking up again.”
The landlord stopped answering his calls.
“He hasn’t even read my messages. arena Do you think something happened?”
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
The landlord could be busy.
Jaemin brushed it off.
“He’s probably busy.”
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Some people simply took a long time to reply.
He might be slow to respond.
But a few days later, an unfamiliar envelope appeared in their mailbox.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
The moment he saw those red letters—
“…”
『COURT』
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
His fingertips trembled as he tore open the envelope.
No, his breathing stopped.
Jaemin’s hand froze.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Voluntary foreclosure auction.
Order to commence proceedings.
The paper was filled with words he couldn’t understand.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Claim for distribution.
Creditor.
The words were clearly written in Korean.
He stood there holding the document for a long time.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
“…Honey?”
Jisoo emerged from the room.
Yet he couldn’t understand what any of them meant.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
But Jaemin couldn’t answer her.
Another page.
He simply turned the page.
Rustle—
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Those numbers came before his lease deposit.
There were numbers.
And another.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Before his family.
That night, Jaemin shouted inside the real estate agency for the first time.
Before the money he’d paid.
They represented the people who would receive money from the property before he did.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
“We completed all the necessary checks at the time of the contract, but…”
The agent looked uncomfortable. Visit indratranslations.com for more free chapters and updates.
“Then what the hell is this?!”
“You told me the property register was clean!”
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
“If there were changes afterward, there’s nothing we could do about those.”
Jaemin’s voice cracked.
“What? arch How can you say something so irresponsible? amateur You’re the real estate agent!”
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
“What were we supposed to rely on when we signed that contract?”
“…”
There was no answer to give.
The agent couldn’t answer.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Distribution.
Verification.
Everything that followed was meaningless to Jaemin.
Procedures.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Lawsuits.
Every time he heard one of those words, he felt as though his family was being pushed a little farther outside the documents.
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The real estate agent insisted it wasn’t his fault and that there was nothing he could do.
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He couldn’t bear to make her witness that moment, too.
Click. atomic Click.
He couldn’t bring himself to take his wife along.
So Jaemin went to seek legal advice.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Jaemin swallowed.
The legal adviser moved the mouse while looking at the monitor and spoke cautiously.
“…There are quite a few claims that take priority over yours.”
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
“If the auction proceeds, the proceeds will be distributed according to the order of priority.”
His voice grew quieter.
“Then… what happens to our money…?”
“What does that mean?”
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
To Jaemin, that brief silence sounded like a verdict.
The adviser couldn’t answer immediately.
“…”
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Photographs of the apartment were displayed on the screen.
“…”
Jaemin stared at the monitor for a long time.
“I’m afraid… it seems unlikely you’ll recover the full amount.”
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
The living room floor where Byeoli had first tried to stand on her own.
The window where Jisoo had planned to hang curtains.
The small room he’d intended to turn into his daughter’s bedroom.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
***
The time his family had spent in that home couldn’t possibly be worth nothing.
A piece of property that people would assign a price to and bid on.
All of it was now contained in photographs advertising a property for auction.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Byeoli’s toys were scattered across the floor.
Without turning on the lights, he sat alone in the darkened living room.
Jisoo was in the bedroom, putting their daughter to sleep.
Jaemin returned home.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Jaemin sat at the dining table and unfolded the auction notice once more.
A single sheet of paper.
The little girl, unaware of everything, had fallen asleep hugging her newly bought stuffed rabbit.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
On it was written the sum of all the years he had struggled to endure.
How much he might never recover.
How much he stood to lose.
How much longer he would have to keep paying off his debts. Read original high-quality translation at indratranslations.com.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
But Jaemin couldn’t see the numbers.
“…I promised you a room with a big window.”
Only those numbers were lined up coldly across the page.
Instead, he saw his daughter’s room.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Jaemin whispered so quietly it was barely audible.
“I promised I’d buy you a bed.”
His voice trembled.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
The sobs of a father whose world has collapsed make no sound.
Then he buried his face in his hands.
Only his shoulders shook violently.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
“…I’m sorry.”
Jaemin spoke in a voice no one could hear.
“…Daddy’s sorry.”
For the first time since becoming an adult, starting a family, and becoming a father, he realized there was nothing he could protect through his own strength.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
They never reached the court, the real estate agency, the landlord, or anyone else.
They never reached his wife.
Those words never reached his sleeping daughter.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
To him, lump-sum lease deposit fraud was a remarkably profitable business.
Except for one person.
People called it fraud.
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But in Park Dohyun’s eyes, it was an opportunity.
The victims wept, saying they’d been robbed of their life savings.
The news called it a social disaster.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Frightened faces.
A golden opportunity, at that.
Of course, there was a price to pay.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
But none of that was Park Dohyun’s burden to bear.
Hands pressing seals onto contracts.
And the tears of people who only later realized what they’d lost.
Security deposits being transferred according to the agreements.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
An aging studio apartment.
“Heh. audit Fucking idiots.”
Park Dohyun leaned back against his sofa and took a long swig from a can of beer.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
His phone kept ringing.
Ring! apple Ring! alpha Ring!
It was still dark outside, and empty cans and several crumpled documents were scattered across the table.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Dozens of missed calls had piled up, with short voice messages beneath them.
『Please, just answer the phone. antenna Just once.』
『Please, just contact us.』
『My child and I have nowhere to go.』
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
“What the hell am I supposed to do when the country’s the one that made things this way?”
Looking at them, he casually muttered,
“Fuck, why are they complaining to me?”
The corners of his mouth twisted.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
They’d stamped their seals.
They’d examined the documents.
They’d signed the contracts.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Slosh—
Park Dohyun shook his beer can.
What good would crying about how unfair it was do them now?
They’d checked everything with their own hands and transferred the money themselves.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
“When the system practically pushes you into committing fraud, how am I supposed to resist?”
Besides… weren’t the idiots who fell for it the ones to blame?
The remaining beer swirled faintly inside.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
A low, dry laugh.
He laughed again.
‘It’s about time they started catching on. This novel translation is officially hosted on indratranslations.com. ’
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Committing fraud in a country this small wasn’t particularly easy.
The police would undoubtedly catch the scent and come to arrest him.
More precisely, getting away with fraud was the difficult part.
He thought about it as he drank his beer.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Grin.
If anything, he smiled.
Even if the fraud was exposed.
But he didn’t care.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
“Even if they catch me, all I have to do is serve a little time and come back out.”
None of that would put the money back into the victims’ bank accounts.
Even if the police investigated.
Even if he was found guilty in court.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
He pictured prison.
But it would only be a few years at most.
Sure, it would be stifling.
And uncomfortable.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
After his release, he’d live like a king on the money he’d hidden away.
He could simply think of it as taking a short break in a room paid for by taxpayers.
The government would feed him in the meantime.
The government would give him somewhere to sleep.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
“Ahhh! alert Now that’s a good beer.”
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He’d leave his miserable old life behind, buy a better car, find a bigger house, change his name, and move somewhere nobody knew him.
Then he’d live as though nothing had ever happened.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
The doorbell rang.
He was congratulating himself and tipping the can back again when—
“…”
Ding-dong.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Park Dohyun slowly turned his gaze toward the door.
And in a doorbell ringing at such a late hour, he sensed the familiar presence of law enforcement.
A con artist developed a certain instinct.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Normally, he would have tried to escape.
He had already made every necessary preparation. Indra Translations protects the hard work of translators and authors.
“…Who is it?”
But this time was different.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
“…”
He approached the door casually.
Then, leaving the security chain fastened, he opened it.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
An expressionless face.
Wet hair.
Park Dohyun stared at the man for a long moment.
Through the gap stood a man wearing a black jacket.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
“…”
The man didn’t answer.
“Are you a police officer?”
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Park Dohyun shrugged.
Creak.
Then—
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
He slowly raised both hands.
A broad smile spread across his face, accompanied by the arrogant attitude of someone who had already obtained everything he wanted and was daring the authorities to do their worst.
He opened the door completely.
“Go ahead and arrest me. attic I’ll confess.”
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Click.
A metallic sound rang out.
The man in the black jacket watched him for a moment before reaching inside his jacket.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Park Dohyun’s smile vanished.
“…?!”
“W-what the hell? meadow Why are you pulling that out? antique I told you to arrest me.”
A folded telescopic baton snapped out to its full length.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Step.
And the man in the jacket stepped forward by the same distance.
He took a step backward.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
“W-who are you? crystal You’re not a cop, are you? afford I’m calling the police!”
He hurriedly raised his phone to dial 112.
As though he had no intention of letting him escape.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
It was a truly bizarre sight.
But before he could enter the number—
Whoosh! echo Thud!
A swindler who had created countless victims, a perpetrator, was now seeking protection from the very authorities he had mocked.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Park Dohyun’s head snapped sideways.
“Urgh!”
A heavy impact echoed through the corridor.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
Thump.
A single blow.
His vision flipped.
The walls, the floor, and the ceiling seemed to shake all at once.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
“If you stole money through fraud, you ought to pay back more than you took.”
That strike to his head was enough to buckle his knees and send him collapsing to the floor.
And as his consciousness began to fade, he heard a chillingly deep voice.
Translation of The Dismissed Police Officer is the Only Awakened One - Chapter 7 by Indra Translations.
He was something else entirely.
At that moment, Park Dohyun realized something.
Something Park Dohyun had never encountered before.
The person standing before him wasn’t a police officer.
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