My Calling Is Profiler [EN]: Chapter 77

But with so many people coming to the restaurant, would they even remember anyone suspicious?

‘It was the same back then.’

Before the regression [time travel/reset], Park Do-joon had stated that at least six perpetrators were involved in the case. It was a kidnapping case then, too, and Park Do-joon had correctly identified the direction of the investigation.

However, the police acted foolishly. Told there were six perpetrators, they went to every restaurant, investigating only groups of six or more, assuming they were the ones monitoring the target.

Of course, that was a foolish approach. When planning a crime, you only need the person who sets it up, not necessarily the ones who execute it. Naturally, only two, maybe three people would be monitoring.

But because they were told there were six perpetrators, they only investigated groups of six at each restaurant, missing the actual watchers.

Later, Park Do-joon learned of this and lamented the police’s poor problem-solving skills.

“There will probably be two watchers. They could also take shifts.”

“Really? But wouldn’t that make tracking almost impossible?”

“Not impossible. They would have only used cash. How many people use *only* cash these days?”

“Ah!”

Most people use cards now.

Few people carry cash.

Moreover, if there are two people, it’s common for one to use a card while the other gives their share to the first person.

“Also, look around. Most of the buildings here are offices, right?”

“So?”

“Then, would they try to eat at a crowded restaurant? Criminals instinctively try to avoid attention.”

“Ah!”

They’re afraid someone might remember them, so they tend to go to less crowded places.

“But that sometimes becomes a trap.”

If you go when it’s busy, most people won’t remember you.

However, if you operate on a different schedule than others, and especially if you only pay with cash, which is uncommon, the owner is more likely to remember you.

“Moreover, the timing will be unusual.”

“How do you know?”

“Most companies have lunch breaks from 12 PM to 1 PM. So, restaurants usually have a break time from 2 PM.”

Most restaurants in this area operate on that schedule.

Serving food from 12 PM to 1 PM, and taking a break from 2 PM to 4 PM. After that, they sell alcohol and food.

“Then, what time is possible for lunch for them?”

“From 1 PM… to 2 PM?”

“Correct.”

It’s a time when most people are gone, but it still falls within the lunch hour.

“The question we ask is important.”

Park Do-joon said, looking at the restaurant.

“Since it’s break time now, it’ll be over soon if we go around.”

***

“A suspicious person?”

“To be exact, a group of two to three people who only paid in cash. One person would have paid, and if they came often, one person would probably be the same each time, while the others changed.”

The question must be specific and clear.

If you vaguely ask if they’ve seen a suspicious person, there are too many possibilities, and you’ll likely only get ‘I don’t know’ as an answer.

“They probably came between 1 PM and 2 PM. They wouldn’t be wearing suits, but they wouldn’t be laborers either. They would be in casual clothes.”

“Oh, wait a minute. I think I remember?”

The owner of the *Baekban* [cheap, set meal] restaurant was lost in thought, and Jung I-yeon lowered her voice and asked Park Do-joon.

“Isn’t that too specific? How did you know all that?”

“I explained the time, so you know, right?”

“Yes.”

“In Korea, the older person usually pays.”

“Ah!”

Of course, if it’s a company and they pay with a corporate card, the person in charge usually does it, but otherwise, the older person often pays.

“Especially criminal organizations have a strong tendency to do that.”

“Why?”

“They value their image.”

In criminal organizations, the higher-ups usually take all the profits. Naturally, those below will be dissatisfied. To prevent that, criminal organizations often act as if they are taking care of their subordinates, even though they take most of the profits.

“If a criminal organization asked a subordinate to pay for food, would the organization hold together?”

“I understand.”

“So, someone high up in the organization will pay.”

“What about the people changing?”

“One person shouldn’t know the terrain too well, right?”

Of course, the person who was monitoring would tell them, but it’s still different from everyone knowing, which is more dangerous.

“Monitoring is something that you don’t know when it will end. You have to take turns to maintain concentration.”

So, the person monitoring probably kept changing.

“The clothes are obvious.”

This is a typical office district. Most people wear suits or work-appropriate clothing, or the work clothes of people at the newly built buildings.

“Clean casual clothes are rarer than you think in these places.”

As Park Do-joon finished speaking, the owner exclaimed.

“Ah, that person! I remember.”

“There’s someone you remember?”

“Yes. He used to come until a few days ago, but he hasn’t been coming lately.”

The timing is right.

Now, the important thing is whether we can check the internal surveillance camera.

“Can I ask for your cooperation? We are investigating the disappearance of a woman.”

“If it’s a disappearance, of course, I have to help.”

Fortunately, the owner nodded. He took out his phone and searched for the CCTV footage from that time. It was stored externally, not internally.

“These are the people. Usually, two people came.”

“Has one person ever come separately after that?”

“Uh…? Sometimes? Now that I think about it, yes! Sometimes. How did you know?”

“Hahaha.”

It’s simple. Monitoring can’t stop. Of course, if two people come to eat, one of them has to stay and continue monitoring.

In the end, there are three people involved.

“This person paid the most.”

The man in the video swaggered as he paid and left, and various other guys followed him.

“I’ve never seen anyone act so important over a mere 6,000 won *Baekban*.”

The owner was smiling, but Park Do-joon checked the man’s face on the phone and smiled.

“Bingo. Got him.”

***

If you don’t know the face, you’re stuck, but if you’ve confirmed the face, tracking is easy. It’s not an era where you have to track people with your eyes like in the past.

As soon as he put the face into the computer, the name and affiliation popped up.

“Shinyounggwang Faction. The number of members is nine. It is classified as a small organization, but it is considered dangerous.”

“Hmm, why is that?”

Park Do-joon immediately reported the matter to the police station. Even if he is tracking to save Yoo Jung-ah, he can’t solve the case alone.

“According to the records, there are only nine people, but the organization has been maintained for a considerable period. There are no establishments that could be a source of funds. In particular, Kang Young-han, the leader of the Shinyounggwang Faction, is related to two murders and one attempted murder, and Ji Young-soo, the deputy leader, is suspected of one murder.”

“How dangerous can only nine people be?”

Park Do-joon sighed inwardly at the chief’s words.

‘How foolish…….’

A large organization isn’t the only dangerous thing. They have experience in murder, and they have maintained the organization for a considerable period even though there are only nine people. All members have records of being arrested for at least aggravated assault.

‘It’s an extreme organization.’

In particular, not having a source of funds doesn’t make sense. No organization can operate without a source of funds. But they exist without any problems? That means they are receiving support from another source.

‘And that’s probably contract killing.’

But the police don’t think that far.

‘I can’t say it.’

The moment he says it, they will realize the situation is related to Jeon Wan-gu and make a fuss.

“You suspect these guys kidnapped that woman, Yoo Jung-ah?”

“Yes.”

“Ugh, do we have any manpower left?”

“Do we? Everyone is assigned to the Jeon Wan-gu assemblyman case.”

“Which district has jurisdiction there?”

“We haven’t found out where they’re hiding yet.”

“Then, if you find it, tell them and have a few patrol officers assigned.”

Park Do-joon was dumbfounded, but he didn’t say anything. He just bowed his head.

“Thank you.”

“By the way, is there anything new on the Jeon Wan-gu assemblyman case?”

“There’s nothing from the scene yet. Currently, it’s considered retaliation…”

Seeing the chief and other superiors, who seemed to think the report was over, getting lost in their own stories, Park Do-joon quietly left.

And when he returned, the team leader, who was guarding the office alone, chuckled.

“You’ve worked hard. Did they talk nonsense again?”

“They said to take patrol officers because there’s a shortage of manpower?”

“That’s a good thing to do. I can’t say this…”

“Exactly. There would be a mess if I did.”

It’s not that Park Do-joon doesn’t reveal everything to the higher-ups for his own achievements.

The higher-ups are desperate to show something related to the Jeon Wan-gu case. In that situation, if they say they found a suspect? They probably won’t stay quiet and boast about their achievements.

“Then Yoo Jung-ah will be as good as dead.”

How many times have hostages died because of such actions by the police? To prevent that, the police must be prevented from talking to the media.

“But they’re only sending patrol officers? Are they kidding? There are nine members in the organization.”

To subdue them, they have no choice but to use firearms.

“Maybe they’re aiming for that.”

“Aiming for that?”

“Who would take responsibility for that?”

“Well, it would be you.”

“Because I’m already targeted within the police.”

They might think of this as an opportunity to cut him off.

“I don’t think that far, but the result will probably be the same.”

It was not difficult to predict that the moment firearms were used, they would be accused of excessive suppression and Park Do-joon would be harmed.

“Then what are you going to do? It’s not a situation that can be solved with a few patrol officers. Moreover, you don’t even know where they’re hiding.”

“I think I know roughly.”

“Well, if the perpetrator wasn’t identified, you wouldn’t know, but since they’ve been identified, you have no choice but to know.”

Criminals don’t try to hide in unfamiliar places. Humans feel safe when they are in familiar places. In that sense, the most likely place is Kang Young-han’s hometown.

“Moreover, looking at Yoo Jung-ah’s kidnapping, they are professional contractors, but it seems they haven’t fundamentally deviated from the realm of criminal organizations.”

If they were real contractors, they wouldn’t have kept Yoo Jung-ah alive. But they are basically criminal organization members, so their own desires take precedence.

“If it’s Kang Young-han’s hometown where they can keep people locked up… well, the place itself will be small.”

Kang Young-han’s hometown is a rural area. A remote place with no residential complexes around.

The fact that they are hiding is suspicious in itself.

Profiling as a Vocation