My Calling Is Profiler [EN]: Chapter 60

Saying it was just a simple entertainment bar would let the building owner off the hook.

‘I don’t even need to look. A competitor snitched.’

Of course, evidence that the building owner knew about it would have to be presented, but the police wouldn’t dig that diligently, and someone would have had to secretly secure and provide that data.

In such cases, a report from a competitor is the most likely explanation.

This industry is incredibly complex and dirty, so businesses snitching on each other is nothing new.

“She disappeared after that?”

“Well, not exactly. The *box* [a group of entertainment workers who move together for protection] went somewhere else, but Yoonji couldn’t go with them. Ah, by *box*, I mean…”

“I know what it is. Why couldn’t she go with them?”

Simply put, a ‘box’ is like a group of entertainment workers who move together.

Since there are no unions in the entertainment industry and they can’t receive help from the state, those in the entertainment business form and move as a group to protect themselves, and that’s usually called a ‘box’.

“Oh, that? Well, I just heard it from the manager.”

“What is it?”

“They said other people were too jealous.”

“Jealous?”

“Because Yoonji was the *ace* [most popular performer].”

“I understand what you mean.”

‘*Ace*’ means a popular person. But in such cases, the people working together often dislike them.

The reason is simple. In the end, that world is also a competition. If one person becomes too popular, they end up monopolizing everything.

“Then do you know where she went?”

“Huh? I don’t know.”

Well, even people in that industry don’t know everything.

Just because it’s a private taxi doesn’t mean they deal with every company. They don’t really know much about companies they don’t deal with.

“I understand.”

Park Dojoon got the information and headed to the team leader.

Even though he is a police officer, he needs permission to properly focus on the investigation.

“So, you want to investigate a missing person case?”

“Yes.”

“Missing persons isn’t our jurisdiction, and this is a prepaid money issue, right?”

“That doesn’t mean it’s not a missing person case.”

“Well, that’s true.”

The team leader knew that most police officers would pretend not to know and back away when it came to prepaid money cases.

“But this is… hmm…”

Looking at the records Park Dojoon brought, the team leader analyzed the case.

“It seems she was funneled into a lower-quality establishment.”

“That’s likely. The reason *boxes* move together is largely to avoid such establishments.”

Of course, entertainment can’t always be seen as good, but there are places that maintain at least a minimum level of ethics, and those that don’t.

Currently, entertainment is dominated by two forces.

One is money, and the other is violence.

Companies dominated by money operate by giving bribes based on capital. But such places are surprisingly run in a rational way.

Because they look at long-term profits and invest huge amounts of money.

If they invest billions and go bankrupt in a year, the damage is enormous.

On the other hand, those operated by violence often move quickly and get out fast. That’s why incidents like putting sleeping pills in drinks occur.

“If you work alone, there’s a high chance of getting involved in such places.”

A *box* is usually run by someone well-versed in the industry, called a manager.

In such cases, unless the manager is crazy, they avoid bars affiliated with violent gangs.

“If you work alone, you find them by looking at advertisements.”

“In such cases, it’s not easy to escape from those places.”

Establishments affiliated with violent groups don’t easily let women in.

So, they try not to hold onto a woman once she comes in.

“You think this is a crime committed by them?”

“Based on the current situation, that’s what it seems like.”

“Hmm, but you know there’s a problem with you stepping in, right?”

The jurisdiction doesn’t matter since it’s a regional investigation team anyway, but the problem is the team member.

“Han Sungki is suspended.”

Han Sungki was suspended again for drunk driving.

Since it’s the second time in a row, Han Sungki’s promotion is probably out of the question.

“This is a formal case. You need a team member.”

That’s the problem. A team member. The rule is a team of two, but there’s no team member to work with.

Other team members are also extremely reluctant to work with Park Dojoon.

“Is it because of the team member regulations?”

“It’s more of a safety issue than that.”

In the past, the system was inadequate, so team leaders worked with regular police officers, but now the system has been reorganized, and that’s not possible.

In fact, it’s quite exceptional for a profiler to be directly involved in the field like this. Currently, profilers are treated as internal staff who analyze data rather than analyzing it on-site.

‘So their skills are at rock bottom.’

Park Dojoon hated that. No matter how well they take pictures and secure videos, there are always parts they miss, and parts that field staff overlook because they don’t know well.

But if they only try to do profiling with the data given while sitting in the office, how can that work?

Just last time, the suicide case would have ended as a murder if Park Dojoon hadn’t seen the comic book on-site.

But would the field investigator have taken a picture of that comic book and brought it? Frankly, it’s hard to expect.

Because it’s an object that has nothing to do with the case.

“By the way, can’t we get a team member?”

“Do you think we can? Profilers aren’t something you can just pick from the neighborhood.”

Even with the already insufficient police T.O. [Table of Organization, authorized staffing level], the profiler T.O. is even smaller.

They already hired once through public recruitment, so there’s no way they’ll hire through special recruitment now.

“And other regional teams are short on staff and making a fuss, so they won’t send anyone here.”

The team leader spoke honestly.

“I can’t send you to a regional team either, can I?”

“That’s true.”

Regional teams also avoid Park Dojoon.

Even though they’re complaining so much about the lack of staff.

Because Han Sungki and other team members spread rumors there through political maneuvering.

“I don’t think I did anything wrong, though.”

“I agree with that.”

Protecting each other because they’re family? That’s the story when they’re doing their jobs properly.

Protecting a guy who doesn’t do his job properly and commits crimes is unacceptable to the team leader as well.

“But we can’t just send you alone without a formal request for cooperation.”

It can be handled as a cognitive investigation, but he can’t send him alone.

“It’s dangerous since the other party is who they are.”

If it’s a simple accident or a fraud case, a personal cognitive investigation is possible, but analyzing the current case, there’s a very high possibility that organized crime is involved.

That would be very dangerous.

“So, we need to find another way…”

The team leader pondered and said quietly.

“You probably don’t know because you haven’t been involved with gangsters, but those bastards don’t care about the police or anything when they’re upset.”

“I know.”

“Knowing it in your head is completely different from experiencing it directly.”

‘I know, I know better than anyone.’

Before the regression, Park Dojoon dedicated his life to fighting criminals. Would there have been no organized crime in that process? He was stabbed twice with a knife, and the guys who rushed in at the last moment were also gangsters.

“Touching the police is only a story when you enter that ‘family’ like *yakuza* [Japanese organized crime].”

A criminal touches the police?

Generally, the police thoroughly crack down on them.

But that’s only the story among those who match their words and flatter each other.

What if it’s not such a target?

They do everything they can to cover up the case.

There have even been cases where it was suspected that the police themselves killed the investigator who was directly investigating a case.

In fact, the police superiors often block the investigation itself in such cases.

“There’s too much of a possibility that the bar owners are colluding with the local police, damn it…”

Realistically, bars often collude with the police. Otherwise, it’s impossible to operate so openly on the main street.

In particular, these violent groups don’t run their bars for long. They use a hit-and-run strategy, and one of them is sleeping pills. And in such cases, a report is often filed with the police station.

But in a normal situation, the police would immediately start a large-scale investigation, and instead of hitting and running, they wouldn’t even be able to operate properly and would close down.

That’s why managing the police is absolutely necessary, and that’s why they need to approach the police by reporting that they’re managing them.

“Should I attach a violent crimes unit? But that’s not right.”

Because those bastards would be the first to manage the violent crimes unit.

“I’ll take care of that myself.”

“You’re going to investigate without external support? You’ll get hurt.”

The guys who commit these crimes have a strong tendency to go all out.

“Judging by the current crime style, it’s likely sex trafficking through human trafficking. And you know the end of that isn’t good, right?”

“I know.”

It can’t be good.

If they kidnap someone and engage in prostitution, they might report it after they get old and are released.

“Usually, there are two options. Sell them to a rural area or an island, or kill them.”

“Right. Either way, it’s an extreme tendency.”

It’s a crime that ruins your life if you get caught.

Would the guys who do that be scared and run away just because they’re police?

Or would they kill and try to hide?

“I have something in mind for that. However…”

“However?”

“Just attach one person who can be a witness.”

“A witness?”

“Yes, my safety doesn’t matter since I won’t be directly confronting them, but I can’t check the records alone.”

“Hmm… then it doesn’t need to be a violent crimes unit?”

“Yes, it would be good if it’s someone who can be used later as a cover for the police.”

***

“Ah, this is a prepaid money case. There’s no need for a profiler to get involved.”

Park Dojoon went to the police officer in charge of this case. But as expected, they had no intention of proceeding with the investigation at all.

“This is a case where a woman has gone missing, though?”

“Hey, it’s obvious. She received 50 million won as a deposit and then ran away.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure. I’ve already confirmed the victim’s statement.”

“The victim’s statement… Could I see it?”

At Park Dojoon’s words, the police officer frowned irritably. But Park Dojoon did not avoid his uncomfortable gaze.

“If you’re threatening me and trying to cover something up, you’re wasting your time. Or should I go straight to the police chief’s office?”

“No! Cover up, what are you covering up?”

“Or I can go to the audit office.”

In fact, since it’s not a case that Park Dojoon is in charge of, he can’t just see it as he pleases. But nevertheless, the corruption of the police itself can be suspected and reported by other fellow police officers.

“I’m already the person who has suspended my mentor twice. I don’t know if you’ve heard the rumors.”

At those words, the police officer frowned. If Park Dojoon’s words were true, he would be in trouble.

Of course, he didn’t really condone human trafficking, but it’s true that he processed the case according to what the self-proclaimed victim said because he was too lazy to work.

“Just a moment.”

In the end, the police officer rummaged through the case records as if he couldn’t help it and handed them to Park Dojoon.

“Hmm.”

The name of the company claiming to be the victim was Pink Club. It was a typical entertainment bar.