My Calling Is Profiler [EN]: Chapter 539

Lee Ji-soo, watching the police hastily leave, looked at Park Do-joon with disbelief.

“Detective Park, isn’t this too dangerous? What if it leaks to the press?”

Park Do-joon scoffed. “Do you think it will?”

“What? Are you saying you lied?”

“No, I didn’t lie.”

“Then?”

“If he isn’t the culprit, there’s no reason for the real one to leak it.”

“That’s… Oh, I see. If he’s not the culprit, it’s just a nuisance. No reason to seek revenge on the police.”

“Conversely, if he *is* the culprit, he’ll be caught if the police don’t screw up.”

In other words, either way, the culprit is unlikely to leak information.

“But why say it like that?”

“Because there’s a high chance he *is* the culprit.”

“And?”

“And the police often make mistakes in situations like this.”

“Like what?”

“Being blinded by the desire for credit and doing stupid things on their own.”

“It’s happened before. A serial killer escaped because someone, eager for recognition, tried to arrest him alone. These incidents don’t usually get out, but they happen.”

“If I don’t warn them, they might chase the glory and do something reckless.”

Park Do-joon’s warning was preventative.

“I can’t stand by and watch them do crazy things, blinded by ambition.”

“…I guess you really are Detective Park,” Lee Ji-soo said with a wry smile.

“You’re merciless, even to our own side.”

“Even if they’re on our side, they’re still variables. If we can’t control them, the public suffers.”

Park Do-joon aimed to minimize those variables.

“Now, all that’s left is to wait.”

It was clear the culprit would move soon.

As Park Do-joon expected, Chang So-man moved.

Late at night, he drove to a neighborhood of small, packed studio apartments – poor, but relatively close to the university.

It was known as a student area, yet surprisingly quiet.

“I heard a lot of college students live here, but there’s no one around.”

“There are, but they’re not rich.”

“Huh?” Lee Ji-soo tilted her head, confused. Park Do-joon explained, “Tuition is crazy expensive. People paying for it with part-time jobs don’t have much money or time. Eating and sleeping at school? That was a long time ago.”

“Ah, I guess I did that too.”

College students used to be seen as enjoying their youth, skipping class for drinking parties.

But today’s students can skip class, but not their jobs. Skipping for a party? They can’t afford it with tuition, and no one will cover them if they get fired from their scarce job.

“Besides, this is a neighborhood *where* a lot of college students live, not a neighborhood *where* they hang out.”

The closer to the university, the more expensive the apartments. Those students enjoy their lives because they have money.

This place has many students, but it’s a 30-minute walk away – the last affordable location.

“So, the kids renting here don’t have money.”

“Right.”

Despite the student population, the commercial district is underdeveloped.

“Go to the front of any other university; they’re all dying.”

University commercial districts used to be guaranteed successes, with key money [a large, non-refundable upfront payment to secure a lease] reaching hundreds of millions of won. Now, they barely cover rent, let alone key money.

Even Ewha Women’s University and Hongdae, leading commercial districts, have places without key money.

“And people think these places are surprisingly safe.”

Consequently, there aren’t many CCTVs [closed-circuit television cameras].

“Many old apartments lack separate CCTV installations.”

This is a place with many potential targets.

“He’s moving.”

The car slowly entered the alley, cleverly avoiding CCTVs, moving perfectly in blind spots.

“He’s prepared in advance.”

He clearly checked the CCTV locations thoroughly. Otherwise, he wouldn’t drive like this.

“Well, he has time.”

He’s a delivery driver, but he has days off. He can easily walk around and check CCTVs.

“The police don’t pay much attention to people walking around.”

“True.”

So, after checking the route, he can drive in undetected. It’s impossible to install CCTVs at every intersection.

“He stopped.”

“Let’s follow him now.”

At Park Do-joon’s words, the police rushed forward. The distance didn’t matter; unlike Chang So-man, they could run without worrying about CCTVs. They arrived just as Chang So-man was about to open a door.

“Chang So-man, you’re under arrest! Freeze!”

Chang So-man flinched, then tried to make excuses. “Ah, I’m moving…”

“At this hour? It’s 2 a.m.!”

“Well, it’s a midnight flight…”

“Bullshit.”

Chang So-man’s eyes shook as he made ridiculous excuses.

*How did they know?* he thought. *No one should have known. No suspicious people came, and I avoided the CCTVs perfectly. Why are the police here?*

“Hands up! Get your hands off the door!”

Chang So-man hesitated. “It’s a misunderstanding.”

“What misunderstanding? We can ask the victim.”

Park Do-joon slowly entered the apartment. Inside, a terrified man held a chair upside down.

“Who are you!” The man, in pajamas as if just woken up, had fear in his eyes.

“We’re the police.”

“Why are the police here?”

“Preparing to move?”

“Move? No? I’ve lived here for four months.”

“Is that so? Do you know that person?”

Park Do-joon calmed him and led him outside, showing him Chang So-man, who stood awkwardly, unable to escape.

“That person?”

“Do you know him?”

“He’s the guy I called when I moved in.”

“You paid in cash?”

“Huh? Ah, yes.”

“You didn’t change the door code, did you?”

“Well, I was too lazy to…”

As Park Do-joon’s predictions came true, he smiled. “Chang So-man, midnight flight? You think that’ll work?”

Chang So-man recognized Park Do-joon. “You? That shaman?”

“Yeah. Long time no see?”

Chang So-man gritted his teeth, realizing he’d fallen into a trap.

“Try to escape, if you can,” Park Do-joon said, approaching Chang So-man. “It’ll be difficult.”

He twisted Chang So-man’s arm and handcuffed him. The handcuffs tightened, but Chang So-man only stared at the police, head held high.

Chang So-man was taken to the police station, but the interrogation was stopped by Park Do-joon.

“Why are you telling us not to interrogate him? That bastard has already killed four people!”

The police, thinking the break-in revealed everything, were excited.

“Of course. But do you think he’ll confess willingly?”

“We have to beat it out of him!”

“That’s what you *can’t* do,” Park Do-joon shook his head. “To him, this is a game. Yes, we caught him breaking in. So, he’s trespassing. So what? Is that murder evidence?”

“Ugh!”

Of course not. He won’t admit to murder.

“The game isn’t over.”

For Chang So-man, it’s still going on.

“He won’t run, but he will lie.”

“Is that different?”

“Very different.”

He’s lying not to avoid capture, but to continue the game.

Since the purpose is different, the interrogation attitude will be different.

“Chang So-man will admit to trespassing. He’ll probably say it was for theft.”

“Theft…”

“Yes.”

Not murder, but theft – attempted theft. What’s the sentence?

“Almost 100% probation.”

“That’s right. Then, it’s solid evidence that he’s superior to the police.”

The police caught him but couldn’t prove murder. Chang So-man will confidently go home, laughing at them.

“And then he’ll focus even more on murder.”

He’ll try to prove his superiority until he’s caught.

“That doesn’t mean we can’t interrogate him, does it?” Lee Ji-soo asked, confused. She knows they can’t get the truth, but they can’t just let him go.

“That’s right. But we can buy time.”

“Time?”

“Yes, that kind of guy enjoys the situation moving according to his plan.”

To ordinary people, a game is fair competition, but to criminals, it’s moving the other person as they please – presenting conditions and having the target play on them. That’s the criminal’s game.

“He’s probably thinking that way. He simulated the arrest, including hiding as a simple thief.”

“So, if we match that, he’ll be shaken.”

“So, we shouldn’t interrogate him?”

“Yes, this is a psychological battle.”

If the situation deviates from his plan, he’ll be embarrassed.

“And when you’re embarrassed, you make mistakes.”

Chang So-man probably expected immediate interrogation. But he’s been alone for three hours, so he must be quite embarrassed.