THE JUDGEMENT VOTE

THE JUDGMENT VOTE

Episode 5: The Missing Brother

The image on the screen disappeared.

The underground room fell silent.

For several seconds, neither Detective Han nor Detective Seo spoke.

Han stared at the blank monitor, his mind racing.

His brother.

The photograph had shown his brother alive.

But that was impossible.

Five years earlier, Han's younger brother, Min-Ho, had disappeared without a trace. Despite countless investigations, no evidence had ever been found.

The case remained unsolved.

Yet the masked figure somehow knew about it.

More importantly, the masked figure had a photograph nobody else should possess.

"Han..." Seo said carefully. "Are you okay?"

Han took a deep breath.

"I'm fine."

But he wasn't.

For the first time since the Judgment Vote case began, he felt emotionally involved.

And that frightened him.

Back at headquarters, Han reopened every file connected to his brother's disappearance.

He worked through the night.

Witness statements.

Phone records.

Old photographs.

Anything that might explain what was happening.

Then he found something strange.

A name appeared in both investigations.

The Judgment Vote case.

And Min-Ho's disappearance.

The same lawyer had appeared in both files.

A man named Choi Sung-Jae.

Han immediately called Seo.

"I found a connection."

"What kind of connection?"

"The same lawyer appears in both cases."

There was silence on the line.

Then Seo answered.

"That's too much to be a coincidence."

The next morning, the detectives visited Choi Sung-Jae's office.

The lawyer welcomed them with a polite smile.

"Detectives. What can I do for you?"

Han placed a photograph on the desk.

His missing brother.

The smile faded slightly.

"Have you seen him before?" Han asked.

The lawyer hesitated.

Only for a moment.

But Han noticed.

"No," the lawyer replied.

"I've never met him."

Han wasn't convinced.

As they left the office, Seo spoke quietly.

"He was lying."

Han nodded.

"I know."

Meanwhile, across the city, citizens waited nervously.

Everyone knew another vote would come.

It was no longer a question of if.

Only when.

Social media exploded with rumors.

Some claimed the masked figure had inside help within the police.

Others believed several people were working together.

Fear continued to grow.

That night, at exactly 9:00 p.m., every phone vibrated again.

The city froze.

The notification had returned.

UNKNOWN SENDER

"A new vote has begun."

Millions immediately opened the message.

But this time, people were shocked.

The target wasn't a businessman.

Or a politician.

Or a criminal.

It was Choi Sung-Jae.

The lawyer.

A photograph of him appeared on the screen.

Below it was a message.

"This man knows the truth about multiple crimes and has hidden evidence for money."

"Should he be punished?"

YES.

NO.

Han stared at the screen in disbelief.

"Why him?"

Seo looked worried.

"Maybe we're getting too close."

Across the city, votes poured in rapidly.

The numbers climbed higher every minute.

YES: 63%.

YES: 71%.

YES: 79%.

Then Han's phone suddenly received another message.

Unlike the public vote, this one was private.

His eyes widened as he read it.

"If you want to know what happened to your brother, come alone."

Attached was an address.

An old warehouse near the harbor.

Seo noticed the look on his face.

"What happened?"

Han slowly put away his phone.

His heart was pounding.

Because deep down, he knew this wasn't a trap meant to kill him.

It was an invitation.

Someone wanted him to learn the truth.

And for the first time in five years, Han believed he might finally discover what happened to his brother.

To Be Continued...

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