Episode 10 of "Hunter with a Scalpel" unfolds with Eun-seo, her voice soft and captivating, reciting an enchanting tale to little Se-eun. Just as the narrative reaches its climax, Mr. Choi storms in, his tone harsh and unforgiving, scolding Eun-seo for defying his orders and visiting Se-eun. With little ceremony, he escorts Eun-seo out, securing the door behind him, leaving Se-eun confined within. Elsewhere, Se-hyun's tears stream down her cheeks following a heart-wrenching conversation with Jung-hyun, who inquired about Eun-seo's whereabouts.
Concurrently, Chang-jin and his companions uncover a grim scene at Kwon Hyung-jo's residence, a chaotic blend of blood and destruction. Among the evidence, they discover pancuronium and a scalpel etched with the initials SSH—a scalpel belonging to none other than Se-hyun. The tension mounts for Se-hyun as her phone rings, informing her of her mother's ailing condition. Rushing to the hospital, she's reassured her mother is now stable. Reflecting on her mother's gesture of gifting her the scalpel, inscribed with her initials, serves as a poignant reminder of her inherent goodness.
Inside the police station, doubts about Se-hyun's innocence swirl around the team like a storm. Matters take a turn for the worse when a call from Dr. Cheon of the NFS, Se-hyun's colleague, confirms that the scalpel discovered matches hers almost identically.
A nostalgic flashback ensues, showing Eun-seo continuing her story from outside Se-eun's locked room, her promise shimmering with hope—a birthday party for Se-eun, kept secret from their father. Back in the present, Se-hyun stumbles upon an old notebook hidden beneath her mother's pillow, a treasure trove of childhood drawings and a receipt for a cleaning agent and brush, bearing the name Seo Won-hee.
The police, having come into possession of the information that Se-hyun's mother resides in the nursing home, hastily converge upon the location. Yet, Se-hyun manages to elude their detection and slip away unnoticed. Upon discovering that her mother has been confined to the hospital for a lengthy spell of five years, Jung-hyun and Chang-jin make a swift decision to venture to Haryong, the place where Se-hyun once shared her life with her father. Meanwhile, the remaining two officers proceed to Se-hyun's abode, where they encounter disturbing scenes: within her bathroom sits a blue bucket, containing traces of bloody remnants.
Jung-hyun and Chang-jin uncover Se-hyun's former dwelling in Haryong, a site marred by a sprawling pool of spilled red paint covering the floor within. Amidst the crimson footprints, Jung-hyun's trained eye recognizes the unique imprint of Choi Min-guk, distinguishable by his telltale limp in his left foot.
Elsewhere, Se-hyun finds herself on a desperate quest to evade the police in Yongcheon. Her journey concludes at her intended destination — a laundry shop. She stealthily enters and launches an unexpected assault on her father, igniting a fierce struggle between them. Regrettably, he emerges victorious, overpowering her and administering a dose of pancuronium.
