My Calling Is Profiler [EN]: Chapter 139

“He’s probably obsessed with this idea of honor and subtly tries to fulfill it.”

It’s not just about manipulating the police for money. Achieving success and then pursuing honor seems like a basic human instinct.

“Well, most people develop a desire for recognition after they succeed.”

Corporations exploit this desire to boost profits, like with luxury goods.

Success often leads to a craving for honor.

The problem is, honor comes from external validation, not something I can create myself. So, successful people try to associate with those already deemed honorable by imitating their behaviors and acquiring status symbols.

That’s why they become fixated on things like luxury goods.

Realistically, there’s no functional reason why a bag should cost ten million won [approximately $7,500 USD]. A 300,000 won bag [approximately $225 USD] works just fine.

But from their perspective, it’s like a badge, a symbol representing their status.

The goal is to impress others, signaling, ‘I’m successful enough to afford things like this.’

“And I think that psychological need probably manifested as these dates.”

The women he dated were, after all, women working in hostess bars [establishments where women entertain male customers]. It wasn’t difficult to have a relationship with them if you simply paid them. Of course, that’s much easier and faster.

But he insisted on framing the relationships as dates, no matter what.

It’s not because he genuinely liked them. If that were the case, he would have married someone he dated previously.

“Perhaps Park Geo-seok was trying to justify himself, to convince himself he was a decent person by doing that.”

“Self-justification… That’s a good way to put it.”

“Yes, and I think he thought he was saving them by acting that way.”

The problem is, seeing someone solely as a ‘salvation project’ is a form of elitism.

However, if they experience ‘fact-violence’ [a term implying a harsh confrontation with reality] from the person they’re trying to ‘save,’ it hits them much harder than criticism from ordinary people.

From their perspective, it’s more humiliating because someone they consider far beneath them is criticizing them.

“Well, that’s true. But the problem is, those who do good things for others in that way surprisingly have a good reputation.”

“That’s right. There are many cases where they actually act that way, not just putting on a show for appearances. In my opinion, the reason why the local police didn’t investigate Park Geo-seok is because they received something from him, but also because they probably thought he was doing a lot of good things socially.”

Some people seek honor through superficial displays, while others genuinely do good deeds. In such cases, many people defend them, saying that he is not the kind of person who would do that.

“That’s true.”

The team leader also nodded.

“Anyway, Shin Cheol-gwang will start moving soon.”

“Yes, I’ve already told Lee Yeon to contact Shin Cheol-gwang.”

And once that contact begins, Shin Cheol-gwang will probably start to sweat.

***

“What did you say?”

“Are you acting conscientiously in this case as a profiler?”

Police officers generally dislike lawyers. But among them, human rights lawyers are the most despised.

Most lawyers tend not to work diligently unless they’re well-compensated. Even if they do work, it rarely causes the police any trouble.

But human rights lawyers are different. Their victories often lead to problems for the police.

Because human rights lawyers usually represent victims of state power or abuse.

Simply put, they latch onto someone who has been falsely accused, and if that conviction is overturned, it creates a major headache for the authorities.

‘Damn it, why does that bastard have a human rights lawyer?’

The appearance of a woman who introduced herself as human rights lawyer Jeong I-yeon made Shin Cheol-gwang’s heart pound.

“We investigated to the best of our ability.”

“But there are several suspicious circumstances. You didn’t even summon and investigate another suspect, did you?”

“Well, because the evidence is clear.”

“The fact that they broke up and a belt? That’s all the evidence there is?”

“That’s…”

“And it doesn’t explain how Kim Do-gun transported the victim, Lee Mi-yeon, to that mountain. Oh, you know Kim Do-gun doesn’t have a driver’s license, right?”

“……”

That’s right. The police hadn’t emphasized the fact that Kim Do-gun didn’t have a license. A competent lawyer would seize on this point.

How could he have moved the body without a car? But because of the previous lawyer who glossed over it with a written apology due to laziness, Kim Do-gun ended up taking the blame.

“There’s another strange part. As a profiler, you testified that Kim Do-gun was the culprit. But as far as I know, there’s almost no possibility of that.”

“That’s…”

“And according to Kim Do-gun, Park Geo-seok kept following Lee Mi-yeon, demanding a relationship. Is that not true?”

“I don’t know about that.”

“Really? Your call history might tell a different story.”

Shin Cheol-gwang was flustered by those words. He never thought they would suspect him.

‘This damn bitch. How did she know?’

Shin Cheol-gwang was furious inside. But it’s impossible to undo everything he did in the past now.

“We’re not going to let this case go easily.”

Shin Cheol-gwang gritted his teeth as he watched Jeong I-yeon draw a firm line.

***

“What? Jeong I-yeon is Park Do-joon’s woman?”

“Yes, there’s talk that they’re dating.”

He came up to Seoul from Jeonnam Province [a province in southwestern Korea]. Of course, he doesn’t know about Jeong I-yeon, so he has no choice but to ask the people around him about her.

And the other detectives or profilers who know about Jeong I-yeon and Park Do-joon would have no reason to speak favorably of her.

“Our police station has been turned upside down several times because of that bitch. But why her?”

“No, she’s just being a bitch to me.”

“Well, she’s probably rude. They say birds of a feather flock together.”

The police officer said nonchalantly. And Shin Cheol-gwang, who heard those words, felt like his head was going crazy with anger.

“This damn bastard…”

Could this be a coincidence? Of course not. He’s not stupid either. He knows that Park Do-joon doesn’t like him very much.

-That bastard is rude, but he’s capable. Be careful. That bastard doesn’t look back. You have to be really careful unless you’re planning to bury him properly. It’ll be hard to suppress him with force. He has a chaebol [family-owned conglomerate] family behind him.

That’s what Han Seong-gi, his colleague, told him.

But suddenly, the girlfriend of the person who heard those words is going around investigating him?

Furthermore, the place where he committed that act is Jeonnam. But a lawyer from Seoul goes all the way there and stirs up the case? That’s ridiculous.

“This damn bastard.”

Shin Cheol-gwang gritted his teeth at the thought of Park Do-joon.

***

“Shin Cheol-gwang will probably suspect me. And he’ll start to be very wary.”

“But why did you specifically tell me to hand out a human rights lawyer business card?”

Jeong I-yeon asked curiously. Of course, anyone can call themselves a human rights lawyer because human rights lawyers don’t take a separate exam.

However, most lawyers, even actual human rights lawyers, usually refer to themselves as lawyers, and rarely specifically refer to themselves as human rights lawyers or hand out business cards.

“It’s a kind of provocation. Someone who hands out business cards as a human rights lawyer would be extremely radical.”

“But what does that have to do with this case?”

“When a human rights lawyer gets involved, the case usually gets bigger. It will be a huge burden for Shin Cheol-gwang, who knows that and is dreaming of a political future.”

Surprisingly, there are many people who are harmed by unfair police investigations. But in most cases, it is covered up or ends with a reasonable settlement.

But human rights lawyers don’t accept reasonable settlements.

“It’s not just a matter of being acquitted, but as a result of being acquitted, his career is over.”

It doesn’t just end with his career being over. If the fact that he released a criminal for money is revealed, he will never be able to enter politics.

“No, it would be a burden on his brother too.”

If that happens, there is a high possibility that he will not be ostracized even in his family.

“Of course, he’ll try to stop it no matter what. But the problem is that the situation has already happened and there’s no way to stop it.”

“You don’t mean… you’re not going to make them target me, are you?”

“No, that’s not possible. It can’t be. Your business card has your company’s name on it too.”

In order to silence Jeong I-yeon, they would have to kill her. But that’s realistically impossible. Of course, the moment they kill her, her company will try to catch the culprit no matter what.

“And would the company not know what a human rights lawyer does?”

“Ah, so they can’t touch me?”

“Yes. Absolutely not.”

Since all records have already been officially documented, they can’t do such nonsense.

“And they’ll find out about me.”

“Then aren’t they attacking you, senior?”

“That’s what I’m aiming for. But it won’t be easy.”

“Yes?”

“They can’t touch you. Shin Cheol-gwang isn’t stupid. He probably knows that I’m behind all of this.”

And in this situation, the two people have to make a choice. Whether someone survives, or they both die together.

‘And in this case, Shin Cheol-gwang’s choice is obvious.’

He’s going to try to survive.

“He’ll probably tell the police to investigate properly. It’s easier to put a criminal in jail than to ruin his life.”

“But then won’t Park Geo-seok talk about giving him money?”

“Of course he will. But will the police listen?”

“Yes?”

“The police won’t listen. And Shin Cheol-gwang knows how to use power.”

If he is transferred to trial immediately after arrest and then arrested at the trial, it is impossible to contact reporters.

No, even if he does contact them, will the media really convey the words of a murderer?

“There have been many cases in Korea and some of them have been falsely accused and punished. Didn’t they contact the media?”

“That’s true.”

“Especially when criminals are afraid of their crimes being revealed, it is common for them to attack the police who want to punish them by giving them bribes. In this case, Park Geo-seok’s status is also a problem.”

“Why?”

“Because he has no honor.”

Honor is important among people. If someone is doing good things, even if they have committed a crime, the people around them believe in them and respond that he is not the kind of person who would do that.

“But he is a clear-cut sex trafficker who runs a room salon [a type of Korean bar or club where customers are served by hostesses].”

Of course, there are traces that he has worked hard to gain honor.