My Calling Is Profiler [EN]: Chapter 626

Vincent Garcia.

He’s suspected of causing the bombing in Korea and fleeing to the Philippines. However, arresting him is proving impossible. Firstly, he served in the U.S. military and holds U.S. citizenship, while also possessing Philippine nationality.

“Even if we arrest him, we can’t extradite him to Korea, right?” Lee Ji-soo asked, her face clouded. Their plan, to be frank, was a reckless gamble using Park Do-joon as bait. But they felt they had no other choice, as an official investigation in the Philippines was out of the question.

“That’s right.”

They won’t extradite him from the Philippines. Actually, the Philippines itself wasn’t the main obstacle.

“One call to the U.S. Embassy, and it’s over.”

The U.S. Embassy would raise hell with the Korean government, who would then unconditionally pressure them to release Vincent Garcia, regardless of the facts.

“So, to handle this properly, we need to catch him red-handed.”

The challenge isn’t just arresting him, but doing so on the spot, while he’s in possession of a bomb.

“So, you used your senior as bait?”

“Yes, I had to break his iron rule.”

Vincent doesn’t commit murder in the Philippines to avoid being tracked. But personal feelings can change the situation.

“I extorted a lot of money from him. Actually, the money isn’t the main thing; it’s the humiliation.”

Would he simply accept defeat and step aside with a smile after being humiliated? No. If he were that kind of person, he wouldn’t resort to bombings.

“He grew up surrounded by organized crime. Defeat equals death.”

“But at the time, it was just a game, wasn’t it?”

“Of course. But why would a violent organization run a gambling den? And if they lose money there, would they just shrug it off and say, ‘Oh well, we lost some money’?”

Of course not. Losing money means losing power, especially in the slums. When establishing a position in the slums and managing gang members, they don’t inspire loyalty by shouting slogans like in some Japanese colonial-era drama.

“If you can’t provide money, betrayal is inevitable. The only bombing he committed in the Philippines was for his organization. But why did their organization collapse? Was it simply overpowered? I don’t think so.”

“Yes?”

“Hmm, Ji-soo, you lack experience with extreme violent organizations, so you might not understand.”

“Yes, well…”

It’s not that there aren’t violent organizations in Korea, but they aren’t as extreme as those established in the Philippines. Korea has strong public security, and they rarely commit murder, let alone bombings.

“The Red Warriors, led by Vincent’s father, had a tight grip on the slums. But an organization called ‘Golden Foot’ tried to take over from the outside.”

“That’s right.”

“If they fought head-on, who would win?”

“I wonder?”

“If it were purely a strength contest? The Red Warriors would win.”

“Why?”

“There’s a big difference between having something to lose and having nothing to lose.”

“Ah!”

Golden Foot was based in a wealthier area than the Red Warriors. They tried to use their money to swallow the Red Warriors’ territory.

“But when two groups fight to the extreme, who will be more ruthless?”

“The guys with nothing to lose.”

“That’s right. The correlation between wealth and aggression is undeniable.”

Coyante is a region where people have absolutely nothing. People from such places are often vicious and extreme. Golden Foot’s territory, on the other hand, wasn’t as desperate.

“The level of resistance is different between someone with no way out and someone who still has options. Besides, even a stray dog defends its own turf.”

“Is that so?”

“Also, which side do you think had more people?”

“That’s… oh, that’s right?”

Golden Foot had fewer members. People who can make a decent living aren’t likely to risk their lives joining a violent organization. It’s different in Coyante, where joining a gang is often the only way to survive.

“But how did Golden Foot win?”

“I wonder? That’s a good point.”

“Money.”

In Coyante, loyalty is meaningless. Everything is about money. Even loyalty itself.

The difference between what the Red Warriors could offer and what Golden Foot could provide was significant.

“By simply paying off the Red Warriors’ members, they could turn the tables.”

Vincent’s family would have wanted to retaliate, but they were powerless in that impoverished neighborhood.

“Then why did Golden Foot target the Red Warriors in the first place?”

“There are three essentials for maintaining a violent organization: personnel, money, and violence. Golden Foot had a good grip on a relatively prosperous area. So, what would they lack?”

“Personnel.”

“Correct.”

Violence? They were a violent organization, so they had that covered. Money? They had a relatively good area, so they weren’t lacking funds. But people in good neighborhoods are less likely to risk their lives joining a violent organization.

“And good areas inevitably have better public security.”

The police work hard to maintain stability, so fewer young people want to join gangs.

“A violent organization without numbers collapses quickly.”

“I understand.”

Golden Foot lacked manpower, while Coyante had an abundance of cheap recruits. By taking over Coyante, they could replenish their ranks.

“And because they couldn’t fight that financial power, Vincent blew up the place with a bomb.”

“Hmm.”

“And Vincent Garcia knows this.”

Money is crucial. Without it, you can’t do anything. You can’t even protect your territory.

“And he lost money to me.”

“It’s money he lost himself, but his perception of it is different from that of the wealthy.”

“That’s right.”

For the rich, losing 500 million [Korean currency, roughly $400,000 USD] is like losing pocket change, but for Vincent Garcia, it’s a different story.

“He’s going to hold a grudge.”

And that grudge will fuel his actions in the Philippines.

“Besides, it’s been a while since he bombed Golden Foot.”

Even that was dismissed as a gas explosion.

“I don’t know why they called it a gas explosion.”

“There could be several reasons.”

Vincent Garcia might be skilled at covering his tracks. The restaurant downstairs did use a lot of gas. Another possibility is that Golden Foot was a nuisance in the area.

From the Philippine police’s perspective, they were a burden. Also, confirming it as a terrorist attack would drastically reduce tourism.

Western tourists, a major source of revenue for the Philippines, are easily scared off by bombings.

“The important thing is that it was covered up once.”

Concealing a crime emboldens the criminal. They can suppress their urges with reason to some extent, but when emotions take over, it’s harder to control.

“He’ll definitely target me.”

“But we don’t know when or where, do we?”

“Yes. It’s easier than you think. Everyone has their habits.”

In that situation, people are the most unpredictable factor. That’s why Lee Ji-soo was worried. But Park Do-joon’s words surprised her.

“Yes? Easy?”

“Yes. Bombers have signatures.”

“That’s right.”

“If you track it down, you can pinpoint the location.”

“But there’s no signature in this case…”

There isn’t, because there’s nothing left. There might be signatures in the wiring or methods, but those are revealed after they die, not related to the location.

“That’s because you couldn’t read it, not because there isn’t one.”

“What do you mean?”

“Vincent Garcia’s signature is different. He leaves after installation.”

“Yes?”

“He doesn’t think about the aftermath. Why couldn’t they identify him as the culprit in Korea?”

He had already left for the Philippines when the incident occurred. Bombs are detonated by timers, so it’s possible, but it requires too much speculation, so no one pursued it.

“He forgets about it after installation and waits for it to explode. If it fails, he might try again, but he doesn’t care about it afterward.”

“Is that unusual?”

“It’s quite unusual.”

In military operations, an explosion isn’t just about detonation. The target must be eliminated to carry out other operations or cut off supplies.

“Sometimes, soldiers commit suicide with the target.”

Depending on the situation, soldiers will self-destruct to complete their mission if they can’t do it within the allotted time.

“Leaving it after installation is completely different. Leaving it for two weeks? That’s extremely rare in bombing attacks.”

In the meantime, the bomb could malfunction, explode in the wrong place, or the schedule could change.

“But leaving it unattended isn’t just about keeping a safe distance.”

“Then?”

“It’s irresponsible.”

“Yes? Irresponsible? Even after receiving money?”

“That’s why it’s possible.”

“Why?”

“Let’s say it failed. Who would ask for customer service? [A/S is a common Korean abbreviation for After Service, or customer service.]”

“Ah!”

No one would ask for customer service. They’d tell him to lie low because they failed. If he were held responsible, he might die or be arrested while trying to track him down, exposing himself.

“I thought he was doing it for his own safety.”

“No. He’s genuinely irresponsible.”

Park Do-joon said that and handed over the data.

“If you look at the case files of these Golden Foot guys, Vincent Garcia was in the United States at the time.”

That’s why they didn’t suspect him.

“There’s about a week between his departure and the explosion.”

Even if someone installed the bomb, it can’t be said that it exploded according to a specific plan.

“But according to the case files, it was lunchtime, right? They gathered for lunch, right?”