My Calling Is Profiler [EN]: Chapter 458

“And that’s where the money goes.”

It’s not just that bars appear because there are men, but because there are men *with* money.

“Subtle as a brick.”

“That’s where many profilers get it wrong. They assume prostitution thrives where there are many men, because men are the primary customers. But the reality is more nuanced. The key to prostitution isn’t just men, it’s the money they have.”

There are, in fact, prostitution businesses that target women, and those can be even more lucrative than those targeting men.

“If prostitution flourished wherever there were men, you’d see brothels springing up around every military base.”

But soldiers typically don’t have much disposable income, and officers don’t want to jeopardize their careers, so those areas often have very few brothels.

“Islands frequented by fishing boats meet all three criteria.”

Men, money, and lax security.

“And we know they rented a truck and have a rough idea of when the ship docked.”

Therefore, tracking whether they entered the port around that time and picked up the cargo should be relatively straightforward.

“We’re almost there.”

Park Do-joon clenched his fist.

# Dark Island

As Park Do-joon predicted, comparing the truck rental details with the ship’s arrival records quickly revealed their island of origin.

Masangdo. An island approximately 8 kilometers from Shinan, and a known fishing port.

“No police presence. Officially, the population is 68.”

“Can they even sustain a business with only 68 people?”

“That’s just the official number. Do you think the migrant workers would register as residents?”

“Ah, I see.”

“Exactly. According to police records, the *unofficial* population is closer to 400.”

“That much of a discrepancy?”

“It’s unavoidable. The population fluctuates constantly.”

Some people arrive to work but leave quickly because the labor is too demanding, and Masangdo lacks a local police station.

“From the police’s perspective, they can’t justify deploying officers to an island with a registered population of only 68.”

Of course, the actual number of residents is significantly higher, but police resource allocation isn’t that flexible.

“Look at areas like Itaewon or Gangnam in Seoul. Have you ever seen them adequately staffed?”

“I suppose not.”

Those areas have such a large transient population that they require a substantial police presence. However, police force allocation is primarily based on registered residents, so they’re perpetually understaffed.

“At least the Seoul area has some flexibility. Here, they don’t even have that luxury.”

The concentration of resources in Seoul isn’t limited to the commercial sector. Even police officer recruitment sees significantly lower application rates for rural postings compared to Seoul and Gyeonggi [the province surrounding Seoul].

“So, it’s essentially a cover-up.”

Because the registered population is small, they either reduce the number of officers or eliminate the station entirely.

“Moreover, the reported crime rate is low in these places.”

“That’s true.”

More accurately, even if a crime occurs, it’s unlikely to be reported. Thieves or robbers, for example, can’t simply leave the island.

In other words, any crime committed there is likely to involve people who know each other, leading to cover-ups or informal, internal punishments that reinforce the local power structure.

“So, from the outside, it appears that security is good.”

In fact, Shinan’s overall security statistics are surprisingly positive, despite its reputation. This isn’t unique to Korea; similar situations are depicted in foreign films.

A town might seem so peaceful that the police station is on the verge of closure, only to reveal that the locals are secretly eliminating anyone who causes trouble.

“Masangdo is exactly that kind of island.”

Park Do-joon made this observation on the boat to Masangdo. Upon arrival, he was greeted by a port teeming with people.

“What do you think?”

“The population ratio seems…off?”

“Right?”

Lee Ji-soo said, visibly uncomfortable. From the moment she disembarked, she had been subjected to blatant stares from the men present.

“It’s unsettling.”

“As you said, the population ratio is skewed.”

Park Do-joon said, picking up his luggage. Yoo Gi-tae followed suit, adding,

“By the way, we have no idea where the women are being held.”

Even with a small registered population, the estimated number of residents is at least 400. Finding the victims and determining the best approach won’t be easy.

“You know obtaining a warrant is out of the question, right?”

“I know.”

If we locate a victim, we have to act immediately. Waiting for a warrant could be a death sentence.

“This feels dangerous. Would it have been better to leave the female officers behind?”

Yoo Gi-tae asked hesitantly. Park Do-joon had specifically requested female officers, citing their necessity for the rescue operation.

As a result, the team consisted of four male officers and three female officers.

Seeing the men ogling the female officers, especially the attractive ones, Yoo Gi-tae grew increasingly uneasy.

‘And… a bit…’

The female officers weren’t even in uniform. Park Do-joon had requested attractive women as support officers, and even instructed them to dress as attractively as possible.

Lee Ji-soo, in particular, was wearing full makeup, a departure from her usual style, making her look like an idol.

“The higher-ups won’t approve of this if they find out.”

“Tell them to shove it. We’re the police here, not some external consulting firm. If they have a problem, they can come investigate themselves.”

Yoo Gi-tae clicked his tongue at Park Do-joon’s defiance.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, sir.”

The other female officers seemed less than thrilled with the situation, but Lee Ji-soo, as a profiler, understood Park Do-joon’s strategy. She moved provocatively, staying close to him.

“Let’s go together, sir.”

Anyone would assume they were a couple. Park Do-joon met the gazes of the staring men and smiled.

“The atmosphere is tense.”

Even if it’s not a tourist destination, there should be at least one guesthouse. After booking rooms, Yoo Gi-tae spoke hesitantly.

“There shouldn’t be any problems, right?”

They had arrived in revealing clothing, but the officers quickly changed into practical police uniforms and armed themselves.

“There are seven of us. They won’t risk anything rash, no matter how many of them there are.”

Furthermore, Park Do-joon’s group had arrived on a regular ferry. All passenger records are documented.

“If seven men and women boarded a ship to the island and then vanished, it would be suspicious if the police *didn’t* investigate.”

Their families would report them missing.

“Besides, these guys look like they can handle themselves.”

The two male officers had been specifically chosen for their fighting skills and physical strength. Aside from Park Do-joon and Yoo Gi-tae, they were strong enough to easily lift 500 kg in the three major lifts [squat, bench press, and deadlift].

“They can’t do anything, even if they want to.”

Yoo Gi-tae frowned at Park Do-joon’s words. So, he’s provoking them, but their situation prevents them from retaliating.

“Sexual assaults in these places aren’t usually mass rapes.”

That would be too risky, regardless of how isolated the location is.

“Moreover, we’re the police.”

We’re the police, and we’re carrying live ammunition in case of an emergency.

“But why did you bring the female officers?”

“The primary reason is for the care of the rescued victims.”

Even if the victims are likely to have intellectual disabilities, it’s still generally more appropriate for a female officer to care for a victim of sexual assault.

In fact, in sexual assault cases, it’s standard procedure for a woman to provide care to the victim.

“The other reason is, as you suspected, to provoke them.”

“Provocation is the goal?”

“Ji-soo, you understand, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

Lee Ji-soo nodded to Park Do-joon.

“Men are highly susceptible to visual stimulation.”

“Visual stimulation?”

“Yes, men are vulnerable to visual sexual stimuli. It’s instinctual.”

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

The fact that the female officers, including Lee Ji-soo, arrived on the island wearing miniskirts and makeup seemed completely unrelated.

“It’s simple. As you pointed out, sir, they can’t touch us. Because we’re a large group of outsiders.”

“And?”

“In a situation where they’ve already been sexually aroused, they’ll seek to satisfy their desires. So, where will they go?”

“Could it be…?”

Only then did Yoo Gi-tae understand. The only place they can go to relieve their sexual frustration is…that place.

“There are many people and many houses here. We can’t get a warrant, and we can’t just barge into people’s homes. And those bars won’t accept us as customers.”

It’s impossible for Park Do-joon’s team to obtain cooperation from every homeowner and search every house. There’s a high probability they’ll refuse, and even if they pretend to cooperate, they’ll immediately warn someone and hide the women.

“But there are already a lot of guys at the port who are sexually aroused.”

Where will they go? How will they satisfy their urges?

“We’ve already confirmed that there are no legitimate bars here.”

It’s been verified that there are no hostess bars on the island. Officially, the only establishments are regular restaurants like chicken places and Chinese restaurants.

“Either they risk taking a boat to the mainland in the middle of the night, or…”

“They go to a hidden establishment where women are being held captive.”

“Exactly. Profiling isn’t just about understanding a criminal’s psychology.”

It’s about predicting their behavior, ultimately controlling and manipulating their psychology to expose their crimes, and then resolving the situation.

That’s what true profiling entails.

‘Korea is weak in that area.’

It’s understandable. The Korean police tend to focus on reacting to crimes rather than preventing them, so almost every case is a follow-up investigation.

“They wouldn’t usually gather like this. But the aroused men will be compelled to move.”

And Park Do-joon intends to capitalize on that.

“Wear this.”

Park Do-joon tossed him a dirty, matted wig.

“It’s time to search.”

Profiler