THE TELL
Arc 4: Self-Devouring Relay

Open Case File · S1-ARC4-STEAM

Preheat

At a seafood processing plant in Haeyang Harbor's industrial zone—where product is boiled or steamed to cook—Moon Sang-jun was assigned to clean and inspect the inside of a tank on the night shift. When the first preheat cycle of the steaming line started early in the predawn hours, he was exposed to high-temperature steam and died. That night the midnight equipment startup was triggered ahead of schedule, and the indicator showing a person was inside the tank was lit on the control screen at the time. The line remained in normal operation until just after the accident, and there was no malfunction or maintenance defect in the steam system—only one confirmation step that should have been taken before startup was skipped. Interrogate the five people involved in this death and determine whose hand started that preheat.

Scene

operating steaming line at Haeyang Harbor industrial zone seafood processing plant · early winter fog midnight

5 suspects

  • Baek Gwang-seoBaek Gwang-seosteaming line equipment maintenance workerLate 40s. Speaks slowly and calls equipment by precise names. When it comes to the part about being alone covering two buildings at night for months, the irritation he's been holding back shows plainly. When asked a question, he starts by first separating out 'that's not my system.'
  • Jo Hyeon-moJo Hyeon-moprocessing plant control room night operatorEarly 40s. Few words and short sentences. When line operation talk comes up he speaks going through procedures one by one, but for other questions his answers are slow, and whenever he gives a number he attaches an "or so" to it. Coworkers say he's been noticeably on edge in recent weeks.
  • Cha Yeon-uCha Yeon-uprocessing plant production and personnel records officerEarly 30s. Speaks carefully and does not trail off sentence endings. Has a habit of deliberately separating what he wrote down from what he saw. Never brings things up first, but when asked answers as much as asked.
  • Eom Si-ukEom Si-uklabor office seafood division grievance and safety report officerMid-40s. Quiet and courtesy ingrained in his body. Accurately cites numbers and dates of documents that passed through his hands, but to questions about what happened after that lowers his gaze saying 'I only receive them.'
  • Kwon Jong-minKwon Jong-minseafood processing contract company directorEarly 50s. Starts speaking affably but within a few words shifts the topic to numbers and contract clauses. Frequently separates what he approves from what the site does, and when loss talk comes up his voice gets louder.

Exhibits

  • Labor Office Shift Ledger Viewing Copy

    A viewing copy of the handwritten shift ledger for personnel that labor placement office deployed to this plant. That night's steaming line, maintenance, and records position shifts are recorded without omission and wage receipt signatures are complete. On the surface no defect is visible in deployment and settlement.

  • Steaming Line Startup Log

    The startup log for Steaming Line 1 that midnight. One first preheat startup and the subsequent line emergency stop are recorded in chronological order, and the account used for startup is also preserved.

  • Line 2 Pipe Insulation Work Order and Valve Room Inspection Ledger

    Pipe insulation work order and valve room inspection ledger for Line 2 in a different building of the same plant. Insulation work was scheduled during the death exposure time period.

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Field Guide

One question = one turn. Examine the clues, shake statements with confrontations, question everyone, then accuse — there is no undo.

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Preheat · THE TELL Mystery Game