My Calling Is Profiler [EN]: Chapter 687

Rather, it’s precisely because something is uncommon that it’s frequently used in movies and dramas. If it were common, it wouldn’t capture people’s attention.

“Self-purification, you think? Really?”

“At least, that’s what they’ll claim if it’s simple revenge. The revenge should be considered complete the moment that woman died.”

If so, there’s no reason to commit additional crimes. They probably scattered with their wounds and darkness, disappearing forever.

“That’s typical of general group revenge cases. But private sanctions are different.”

“Aren’t revenge and private sanctions similar?”

“No, not at all. They seem similar, but they’re not. Revenge is a broader concept, but once it starts shifting into private sanctions, the psychology changes completely.”

“I haven’t learned about that before…”

Lee Ji-soo scratched her head. She thought revenge was a form of private sanction, but she had never heard of it being a completely different concept, as Park Do-joon described.

“Well, generally, they look very similar. But the underlying psychology is completely different. It boils down to this: revenge means you’re prepared to commit an illegal act, while private sanction means you believe you’re righteous.”

Resentment is endless. Why does the state strictly prohibit private sanctions? Simply because of the criminal’s human rights?

No. The end of private sanctions is only one thing: murder.

“For example, recently there have been parents causing trouble at schools, right? That’s also a form of private sanction.”

“What? Those abusive parents?”

Lee Ji-soo didn’t understand for a moment. There had been a lot of talk about it in recent years, with teachers even committing suicide as a result.

“Killing teachers for scolding their child once, or punishing them according to the rules, or even giving them homework—that’s private sanction?”

“Yes, the legal system is terrible, so they can’t respond properly, and they only target the teachers, but psychologically, it falls into the realm of private sanction.”

‘My child was hurt. So you have to die.’

Of course, the system should prevent that.

But the Korean public service system doesn’t prevent it; it actively drives them to suicide. Whenever something happens, the higher-ups tell you to handle it yourself, but they can’t say a word to the parents who are carrying out private sanctions.

“The psychology of such parents is simple. I’ve been harmed, so I’ll take revenge. Since I won’t be punished anyway, I’ll feel better if I drive the teacher to suicide.”

“Hmm…”

“There’s a saying about revenge: To take revenge, dig two graves, one for your enemy and one for yourself.”

“Yes, I’ve heard that saying.”

“Revenge is an extremely personal matter.”

It’s not just a simple concept of protecting oneself because the world doesn’t protect you, but a determination to settle your grievances even if it means fighting the world.

“But private sanctions are a bit different.”

The target is someone who deserves to be socially eliminated, so I will punish them with justice.

“The difference is huge in the concept of ‘I am justice.’ You know how serious that is.”

“Haa… I know.”

There are plenty of crazy people who think they are justice. And in most cases, those who think they are justice are even more vicious.

People think that being just means being kind and righteous, but sometimes justice is even more evil and cruel.

“Private sanctions are the same. And those guys never stop. Their psychology is completely different from serial killers.”

“Ugh.”

Serial killers kill people for their own desires. That’s why they are easy to track.

“On the other hand, criminals who commit crimes through private sanctions are a recent problem.”

In the past, communication between individuals was somewhat limited. But that’s not the case now.

People only try to meet people of their own type and only try to communicate with people of their own type. As a result, they become strong in their own opinions, or stubborn, to put it nicely.

“Private sanctions definitely won’t stop, then.”

Why? Because doing so would be like denying their own actions.

For example, would a parent who succeeded in driving someone to suicide by bullying them reflect and live quietly?

No. Rather than reflecting, such parents become more confident in their power and seek out other targets to drive to suicide again, thereby further confirming their power and establishing their own justice.

In the process, it doesn’t matter if innocent victims die.

Because they are righteous.

“If it were revenge, it would have ended with that woman’s death, right?”

“That’s right.”

‘Maybe that’s why they got caught by me.’

The fact that it was a tracked case even before the regression means they wouldn’t have stopped.

“Then how do we track them? The vehicle number on the CCTV has its limits, though.”

It’s not that there are no CCTVs around, but there are no scenes of them getting in the car. Even though the road is mainly an industrial road, the number of luxury cars that pass through there every day is not small at all.

Suwon Station is a key area for transportation in Suwon [a city south of Seoul], so it can’t be helped.

From the moment Park Yu-ran is suspected of getting in, there are over 340 cars that could have been used. Imported cars or luxury cars among Korean cars are also possibilities.

It’s obvious that it’s a ghost car [a car with falsified or untraceable registration], but it doesn’t show up as a ghost car when the vehicle number is investigated.

Most ghost cars are created in places like Gangwon Land [a region known for casinos and illegal activities], and even if a missing person report is filed for the owner, there is no missing vehicle reporting system, and it’s not reported as a stolen vehicle.

When an owner goes missing, the family’s concern is the person, not the vehicle.

“So, we have to track them from another angle.”

“How?”

“The criminals probably live together in the same place.”

“Probably.”

Group criminals often live together to manage their members and maintain a sense of unity. Especially in the case of serious crimes, they live together to prevent traitors.

“But Suwon is a huge city. There are many villas, too. There are many places where four men can live.”

Since they don’t have money, they won’t live in an apartment but in a villa [a type of multi-unit housing common in Korea], but even so, the area is too large.

“Yes, that’s right. But we have to consider that they committed the crime on the same day.”

“Park Yu-ran disappeared on a Saturday, right?”

“That’s right. If you think about four people working at different companies, would it be easy to take time off on a Saturday?”

“Is that difficult?”

Park Do-joon clicked his tongue at that. Well, profilers are public officials, so they usually have weekends off.

That’s why they sometimes make these mistakes.

“Think about the companies they used to work for. They weren’t very big places.”

“That’s right, were they?”

“But can guys working in such places suddenly move to a job that guarantees a 5-day work week? All four of them at the same time? All at once?”

“Ah!”

Of course, one person might be able to. There are places that give extra points for experienced workers. But it’s not easy for four people to move at once. First of all, companies with a 5-day work week are often relatively large, and in such large places, competition is naturally fierce.

There’s no way a company would say, ‘Oh, you’re all friends? Okay, then you’re all hired!’ without a reason, right?

“Time-based profiling, is it?”

“That’s right.”

When profiling, you have to predict many variables. And one of those variables is time. If ordinary people knew how much time affects crime, they would probably be surprised.

“Then, are they unemployed?”

“That’s probably not the case. They have to make a living, no matter what.”

They have to eat, drink, and live. Even if the car is a ghost car, they have to put gas in it. And luxury cars usually have terrible fuel efficiency.

“Then, daily labor?”

“That’s probably not it either.”

“What? Why?”

“As I said before, if you work as a day laborer for a week, you can buy a cheap compact car.”

“Ah…”

However, it is believed that the criminals were likely moving around by bus.

“And people who work as day laborers inevitably show traces of that labor.”

“Well, that’s true.”

No matter how much they dress up and wear expensive clothes, if they work under the sun, traces will remain.

“Why is it that rich people all have white skin?”

Not only in Korea but all over the world, the common trait of rich people is white skin. It’s because they don’t use their bodies directly under the sun.

“The criminals probably work in a factory with a 5-day work week, located indoors. They probably don’t handle chemical substances. And it’s a company where four people can join at once.”

“Is there such a place?”

“There is. There’s one in Hwaseong [a city near Suwon].”

Park Do-joon said confidently.

“If it’s the place I know, they’ll hire even if twenty ex-convicts go there in a group.”

“What?”

Lee Ji-soo was horrified at that.

“Where on earth is it?”

“Wonjo Bakery.”

“Ah…”

“It’s probably there.”

Wonjo Bakery. It is the largest bread factory in Korea and supplies 90% of the bread consumed in Korea.

And it’s a place with a terrible reputation.

There are all sorts of rumors, such as a person who came out of the Special Forces running away after working for a day, or a person who used to work in construction running away in half a day.

That’s why it’s a place that’s hiring 365 days a year.

But at the same time, it’s also true that it’s a large company, so it pays more than small and medium-sized enterprises and allows at least one day off per week.

“To be exact, they choose their own days off.”

Due to the nature of a factory that doesn’t rest, a 5-day work week is impossible. If they had a 5-day work week, there would be a two-day gap in making and supplying bread, and since bread doesn’t have a long shelf life, they can’t rest. So, they do rotating shifts so they don’t have to rest completely.

“Then, they can rest on Saturdays, right? Ah, do you have day laborers, too?”

“Well, that’s the story when they choose. And there are people who work as day laborers, but…”

Park Do-joon’s eyes sparkled at that.

“Then, is it possible to check the people who joined or are working as day laborers? Ah, this has to be done quietly and confidentially.”

“That’s… a bit difficult. You have to give me a warrant.”

The employee said as if it were a hassle.

‘That’s right. Humans are predictable.’

There’s no way they would be cooperative with the police in the first place. Even though most companies are uncooperative with the police, Wonjo Bakery is especially known as a company that is uncooperative with the police.

Of course, Wonjo Bakery is a place where more than two people die every year due to industrial accidents. As a result, they have been investigated by the police countless times and have fought with the police.

Furthermore, they are short of one person, so if four people leave, it will be complicated for them, so they are speaking negatively like that.

It’s even more of a hassle to search through the day laborer records.

“Then, I’ll get a warrant according to the regulations.”

Park Do-joon added a bit of threat like seasoning to that statement.