The Eighth Case (3)

Days have passed since we discovered Kim Yoon-jeong's body, and the initial surge of activity has given way to a frustrating lull. The office is thick with tension and fatigue as our team grapples with the lack of progress.

Seo paces back and forth in front of the evidence board, his face etched with lines of worry and exhaustion. "Run it down for me again," he says, his voice tight with frustration.

I stand up, moving to the board. "We've got the shoe size and approximate weight of our suspect. We've checked every sporting goods store in a 50-mile radius, cross-referenced online purchases, but nothing's panned out. The shoes are rare, but not impossible to get."

Officer Kim chimes in, "We've interviewed everyone associated with the mountain and the tomb. No solid leads there either."

"And the symbol?" Seo asks, though we all know the answer.