My Calling Is Profiler [EN]: Chapter 196

But the real number of victims is over 100. They had even inherited the salt farm and its slaves from their father, continuing his exploitative business.

Because the salt farm had been operating for so long, it was impossible to estimate the total number of victims it had claimed over the years.

Of course, they didn’t acquire the entire salt farm all at once.

They accumulated it gradually as other salt farm owners on the island died or left the business.

“We need to change the jurisdiction.”

“Jurisdiction?”

“Why do you think these problems keep recurring?”

“I wonder?”

“Because the local police are investigating.”

“……Pardon?”

Instead of answering, Park Do-joon poured soju [Korean distilled rice liquor] into his mouth and followed it with a generous piece of well-cooked pork belly.

“Ah, that’s the stuff!”

“Senior, what are you talking about? Local police?”

“Has the Shinan issue been a problem for just a year or two?”

It’s been going on for decades. The slave labor issue in Shinan has persisted for at least 50 years, yet it remains unresolved.

“Isn’t that because they try to cover up the cases in Shinan?”

“Exactly. It’s the same pattern this time.”

This time, too, Shinan will undoubtedly initiate the investigation, and they’ll likely attempt to downplay it and move on. They’ll attribute it to local tradition, custom, or some other excuse, and there will be little to no punishment.

This has been the recurring outcome for the past 50 years.

“You’re a lawyer, so you know the three jurisdictions with investigative authority: the victim’s residence, the location of the crime, and the perpetrator’s residence.”

“That’s true, but… Ah!”

Currently, Shinan meets two of those conditions: the location of the crime and the perpetrator’s residence. Consequently, whenever a slave labor case surfaces, the investigative authority naturally defaults to Shinan due to these two factors. This allows the Mokpo Police Station, which oversees Shinan, to easily suppress the case.

“Do you honestly believe it’s justifiable to call this a ‘custom’?”

“It doesn’t make sense.”

“Exactly. It’s absurd. But from the perspective of a local judge, it’s conveniently labeled as a custom.”

“I don’t understand why they ruled that way.”

In fact, even if a judge handed down such a lenient sentence, the prosecutor should have appealed to the second trial to ensure proper punishment… but the prosecutor didn’t appeal, and the island slave case concluded with a suspended sentence.

“One of the island slave owners at the time was a member of the National Assembly [South Korea’s unicameral legislature].”

Jeong I-yeon’s eyes widened at this revelation.

“Is that true?”

“In the first place, it was common for families with some influence in that area to own slaves. That’s why they call it a custom.”

“That’s…!”

“Either way, Shinan will be in an uproar for a while because of this issue, but if Shinan investigates this time, the outcome will be the same as always.”

The results were the same 30 years ago, 20 years ago, 10 years ago, and even just a few years ago.

“Then we need to change the venue of the investigation.”

“So that’s why you’re involving me.”

“That’s right. Because you have access to the victims.”

If we confirm the victims’ addresses and file a complaint, we can have the case investigated in the victims’ jurisdictions. Of course, the perpetrators will try to transfer the case back to the Mokpo Police Station for their own benefit.

“But with a lawyer on our side, we can file an objection.”

Moreover, considering the Mokpo Police Station’s history of neglect, if a firm like Wolgwang Law Firm, backed by public opinion, files an objection, the police will be hesitant to transfer the case.

“This time, the process will be different from the past few decades. We can conduct an external investigation.”

“Ah…!”

Naturally, the trial will also be held outside of Shinan. This is more significant than you realize. It’s a chance to dismantle their cartel.

“However, if I say this openly… you understand the risks, right?”

“I’d have nothing to say even if I were fired.”

Park Do-joon is already viewed as a troublemaker within the police force. What if he openly advises the victims like this?

He’d likely be dismissed immediately.

“That’s why I’m involving you. Because this cycle will never end otherwise.”

“But why did you tell me to promote the anonymous informant?”

“What else? It’s simple. They probably believed that underground reservoir was a secret only they knew.”

In fact, the underground reservoir had been in use for over 20 years, so even the government had completely forgotten about its existence.

“Of course, they’ll assume no one else knows about such a place.”

“So you’re saying they’ll start looking for a traitor within their ranks.”

“Yes, exactly.”

Due to the nature of the case, the four individuals are currently under emergency arrest. They’ll be preoccupied with identifying who betrayed them. They’ll assume the anonymous ‘someone’ is one of them.

“But the reporter was there, right?”

“I think they would have left by the time the article was published. Usually, people tend to think of those involved in such cases as a single entity.”

“Singular?”

“Yes, they’ll assume there’s only one reporter.”

But the reporter already left the island. So someone else must have provided the information.

“Furthermore, they’ll also question how the reporter discovered the reservoir.”

In that situation, what if we keep emphasizing the existence of the anonymous informant?

“They’ll probably start suspecting each other of being the traitor.”

But that’s a puzzle no one can easily solve.

“And to survive, someone will eventually talk.”

Park Do-joon declared confidently.

“There were a total of four guys involved. Of course, Jo Pal-gyu is the main culprit. But there’s bound to be a hierarchy among them.”

“How do you know that?”

“From this photo.”

Park Do-joon handed over a clipped newspaper article. It included a photo taken at the scene.

“The hierarchy is evident in this photo.”

“In this photo?”

“Yes, location is surprisingly revealing when it comes to organizational hierarchy. For example, even in a zoo safari, the highest-ranking animal occupies a specific spot.”

It’s called the throne. It’s not just symbolic; it’s an instinct. That place is the king’s seat.

“See the person holding the gun here?”

“It’s Jo Pal-gyu.”

“Yes, it’s Jo Pal-gyu.”

He was sitting in the shade, observing the enslaved workers.

“Salt farms rely on sunlight to evaporate seawater. So, they typically don’t provide shade.”

But Jo Pal-gyu was sitting in a shaded area. To be precise, Jo Pal-gyu had erected a parasol in that spot, set up a chair, and was sitting almost reclining.

“The treatment is clearly different from the other three, right?”

“Yes.”

“This place is his throne.”

Park Do-joon said, pointing to another location.

“In a power structure, the closer you are to the lower class, the less power you wield.”

Noblesse oblige [the inferred responsibility of privileged people to act with generosity and nobility]? Being close to the common people? At least in Korea, that rarely holds true.

“So, the person closest to those slaves is the lowest in this organization.”

“Rather than the lowest, it’s more like another slave. A slave driver, perhaps?”

There are 100 slaves beneath him, and his work is slightly easier, but ultimately, the slave driver is just another slave.

“That’s this person.”

While observing, Park Do-joon had clearly identified the slave driver: the man who followed the victimized slaves around, urging them on and getting angry.

The man who always carried a club in his hand.

The man who was always present while the other guys were laughing and resting.

“This guy is the target I’m aiming for.”

“Still, they’re a gang… Will he really talk?”

Park Do-joon smiled at Jeong I-yeon’s question.

“I told you. In the end, the slave driver is just another slave.”

Park Geun-hyeok bit his lip. When he heard that something had happened, he wondered what it was. But venturing out into the world proved to be difficult.

-Inheritance of salt farm slaves. A 21st-century reality.

-Mokpo Police Station. Claiming they were unaware.

-Shinan County resolves to self-correct once again.

-How many times has this self-correction resolution been made? A meaningless self-correction resolution.

It was a scandal that they had been exploiting slaves in groups of 100, even inheriting them.

And he was implicated in it.

“Damn it. Damn it!”

He kept cursing under his breath, unable to voice his true feelings.

“Do you think anyone is comfortable with this situation?”

He was also tricked into going there. He was lured by the promise of a salary for recruiting salt farm workers, but his actual job was managing the slaves.

Of course, he was horrified, but there was no way to escape. He didn’t know how to operate a boat, and gaining access to the boat’s keys was nearly impossible.

He feared being killed if he attempted to escape.

So, he complied with their instructions. But that’s how things turned out.

“I’m screwed.”

He grabbed his head and trembled in fear, feeling utterly helpless. Then, the police summoned him.

“Park Geun-hyeok, come out. It’s time for questioning.”

“Again?”

“Are you coming out or not?”

“No, I’ll come out.”

He had no choice but to lower his head and go outside. Park Do-joon and Lee Ji-soo were observing his appearance in the interrogation room via CCTV.

“What do you think, Senior?”

“What do I think? It’s as I expected.”

Park Do-joon said, watching Park Geun-hyeok on the screen, his head bowed in shame.

“He didn’t want to be a slave driver. He was likely coerced through threats. As you know, some criminals commit crimes against their will.”

“You mean this case is like that?”

“That’s right.”

People often assume that criminals commit evil deeds out of their own volition. But in organized crime, there are always individuals who commit crimes against their will.

“Moreover, in Park Geun-hyeok’s case, the possibility is even higher. Looking at his existing records, he has no prior criminal history and no record of harming anyone.”

A person’s character doesn’t change overnight. The likelihood of a bad person repenting and suddenly becoming an angel is low, but the likelihood of a good person suddenly ‘turning black’ and enslaving others is also unlikely.

“Looking at Park Geun-hyeok’s records, he has consistently worked at the salt farm for several years.”

He doesn’t have much, and his grades are low, but the recurring themes in his student record are ‘steadiness,’ ‘diligence,’ and ‘sincerity.’

“Based on this pattern, he probably worked diligently as a salt farm worker.”

Surprisingly, the salary at the salt farm is high. There’s no other option; the work is arduous.

For example, waterwheels used to be used to pump seawater into the salt farm, requiring manual labor, but now simple pumps can automate the process.

“The salt farm he used to work at was absorbed into a resort and ceased to exist.”

When a person’s workplace disappears, they seek new employment. And usually, they try to continue doing what they’re accustomed to.

“He probably ended up working for a slave trader who supplied slaves.”

They call it a labor brokerage company, but that’s likely the reality.

“So, you need to investigate that angle. If you put pressure on that side, you can uncover the destinations of the slaves he supplied.”

“The scale must be enormous.”

“It will be significant. But we need to achieve different results than we have in the past.”