He is a legendary prison guard

Episode 30

There were two types of dispatch:
the prosecution and the court. So, we divided the personnel going to the prosecution and those going to the court and loaded them into the vehicle.

Shi-hyun was headed to the court. The guards said that these days, the court was better than the prosecution.

Prosecutorial investigations don’t end quickly. While the inmates are being questioned, the guards in charge are incredibly bored. In the past, it was possible to use mobile phones, which made it easier to pass the time.
Sitting in the back, one could watch movies or read novels on their phone, making the time fly by. So, there were quite a few guards who preferred the prosecution over the court.

However, a few months ago, the higher-ups issued a directive banning the use of mobile phones for guards on dispatch, claiming that it made them look unprofessional.
Shi-hyun had heard the guards cursing the higher-ups for not understanding the realities of the front lines.

Now, they had no choice but to sit there, zoning out or dozing off while trying to pass the time. It was naturally boring and uncomfortable.

In contrast, the court didn’t have endless periods like the prosecution.

“Stop chatting and get in the car.”

Shi-hyun urged the inmates. He was confident in managing the inmates, so he actively took the lead. Being known as the ace of security, he wanted to show a proactive side.

Once all the inmates boarded the transport vehicle, the guards followed suit.

One advantage of dispatch was that you could rest in the car while going to the prosecution or court. Guards who preferred dispatch over civil affairs usually favored this perk. Those who disliked it felt that getting in the car every day was stifling.

Shi-hyun also didn’t particularly enjoy long car rides, but a day wasn’t a big deal.

“Please maintain silence in the vehicle.”

Shi-hyun said in a low, deep voice as he sat in the right seat. The guards sitting on the left seemed to be already settling into sleep, crossing their arms and bowing their heads.

“It seems the inmates are quieter than usual with you around. Truly the ace of security. Or should I say the master of restraint techniques now? Hahaha.”

The chief sitting next to Shi-hyun laughed and spoke to him.

“I just wanted to do my best since I’m out on support.”

“Hey, aren’t you working too hard? Are you trying to kill all the dispatch staff?”

There was a quest to restrain 100 inmates, so Shi-hyun had been tying them up like crazy, worried about losing even one. Thanks to that, he had already restrained over 50, but it seemed he had left a strong impression on the dispatch staff.

“Understood. I’ll take it a bit easier next time.”

Shi-hyun replied with a smile.

Soon, the transport vehicle started moving. After a personnel check at the main gate, they exited the outer gate. The jurisdiction of the Daehan Correctional Facility was the Northern District Court of Seoul, and it took a little over 30 minutes to get there.

Shi-hyun closed his eyes for a moment.

<0x04> <0xCD> <0x04>

“It’s easier than I thought!”

As Shi-hyun untied the restraints he had tightly bound around the inmates, a guard remarked. He had worried that the unique way he tied them might make it difficult to untie, but it came off easily.

Pulling on the knot began to loosen it up smoothly.

“The chief is already inside the courtroom, right?”

“Understood.”

Shi-hyun answered immediately. Being inside the courtroom was much less boring than being in the inmate waiting room.

Shi-hyun took on the role of monitoring the inmates sitting in the back, while the chief of dispatch sat at the door of the waiting room, bringing in inmates when the judge called their names.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve come here.’

This was Shi-hyun ’s first time in courtroom since his first year. Coming from the correctional facility to a place like this felt like entering a different world.

Judges, prosecutors, lawyers.

It was a world of socially successful people. New guards often joked about wanting to change jobs after returning from the courtroom.

It wasn’t just because of the judges, prosecutors, and lawyers. It was the court staff. Many of the court staff members, especially the ones assisting in the courtroom, were surprisingly attractive women. After being surrounded by dreary men in the correctional facility, seeing young women felt even more striking.

For guards of marriageable age, it was inevitable that their eyes would wander while sitting there. Some even tried to get their numbers, but the court staff women didn’t seem to be impressed by the guard profession. Those guards who were rejected would joke about wanting to change jobs.

Although it was a joke, it wasn’t a light issue. The low social perception of guards ranked among the top reasons why they considered changing jobs. This low perception also included the views of women.

Since it was tied to self-esteem, Shi-hyun had often seen his fellow guards struggle with this. It was worth noting that the media often portrayed prosecutors, lawyers, doctors, and police officers in a glamorous light—movies, dramas, and novels alike.

However, there wasn’t much that came to mind about guards. The correctional facilities had a predominantly negative image among the public, so it was understandable.

‘I wonder if having even one famous guard would help change that.’

Like a very famous guard named Poahim.

… No, it probably wouldn’t make much of a difference.

“Kim Chi-ho.”

The judge’s voice broke Shi-hyun ’s reverie. He straightened up in his seat.

<0x04> <0xCD> <0x04>

After finishing the morning dispatch, they returned to the correctional facility.

As expected, restraining the same people again didn’t count towards the total. It seemed he would have to work hard for the afternoon as well.

When he entered the cafeteria for lunch before the afternoon dispatch, Shi-hyun felt all eyes on him.

‘What’s going on?’

Suddenly being the center of attention made him feel embarrassed. As he walked toward the food tray with his work cap on, Jung Yong-jin, a chief working nearby, spoke to him.

“Hey, I heard the news. They say you did great?”

“Yeah?”

“They call you the master of restraint techniques.”

It seemed the events of the morning had already spread like wildfire. Shi-hyun chuckled.

“I just know a bit about restraint. When I first went out on dispatch, I realized how inexperienced I was and spent sleepless nights practicing hard.”

“Come on, if you do everything yourself, what will the other guards do?”

“Chief Jeong, be thankful I’m just one person. If there were two of me, both security and dispatch would be in trouble.”

“Hey, you should go on the master’s program. Is that for real?”

“Go ahead and hurry. At this rate, we might have a star in our division.”

The guards were noisy, each chiming in like they were at a market. It seemed it was quite shocking news.

“…I’ll just eat my meal.”

Shi-hyun said, covering his ears and turning his back.

◈          ◈          ◈

The afternoon dispatch also ended without incident.

After actively restraining inmates in another waiting room, Shi-hyun was able to complete the quest of restraining 100 inmates.

Strength 111 (D)
Agility 111 (D)
Wisdom 170 (D)
Stamina 111 (D)
Mental Strength 330 (C)
Magic Power 99 (E)

‘It’s quite fun to raise my abilities, huh?’

Shi-hyun smiled as he checked his stats while sitting in the dispatch and rest area. It was reminiscent of the joy he felt while playing a princess-raising game as a child; there was a unique satisfaction in growing something.

“You worked hard today.”

Hearing the voice, Shi-hyun quickly stood up. The chief of dispatch had personally come to commend him. It was a reaction that hinted at his impressive performance today.

Finishing the restraint techniques in three seconds meant that considering the time it took for the inmates to pass through, he could easily restrain a dozen in a minute. It was only natural to receive such praise when he was doing the work of several staff members alone.

“No, you worked hard too, Chief.”

“I have something I want to say….”

“Please go ahead.”

“Have you considered coming to dispatch? Many staff believe it’s better than civil affairs….”

“Oh, I plan to stay in security.”

Shi-hyun answered without a moment’s hesitation. He had mentioned in a reunion that he liked security, but after realizing the true value of being a rigorous guard, his desire to stay in security had grown even stronger.

“Oh? It’s rare to hear someone wanting to stay in security. But considering how you’re recognized there, it makes sense.”

The chief of dispatch said with a hint of disappointment. It was a missed opportunity to attract a valuable employee.

“I’ll come back to support dispatch when the opportunity arises. Today was a great help.”

Shi-hyun said, combining courtesy with honesty.

◈          ◈          ◈

On the office computer, there was access to a system called ‘Boram System.
‘It was meant for efficient correctional administration and allowed for the review of inmate personal information.

Initially, it was possible to view information on inmates from all facilities nationwide, but due to increasing security concerns and fears of misuse, now only information from one’s facility could be viewed.

However, employees with higher ranks or those in related departments still had full access.

Whenever he had time, Shi-hyun would check the Boram System. He was looking for inmates with connections.

“Are there any hidden wealthy inmates?”

Shi-hyun muttered to himself.

Wealthy inmates are referred to as those with lots of money or powerful connections.

He had searched for a few days but hadn’t found anything noteworthy. If they were truly wealthy, Shi-hyun would have likely heard some rumors about them. The wealthy inmates he knew were all based on conversations with guards from other facilities.

“I guess I’ll have to choose from among the people I know.”

Shi-hyun took out a small notebook and started writing down a list. He planned to apply for a transfer to the facility he aimed for when he received his official appointment in January.

Originally, that shouldn’t be possible, but he thought he’d try anyway. To do that, he was working hard right now.

The list was still fluid. A powerful inmate could enter before he applied for the transfer. However, there was one inmate who had caught his interest.

Jang Hak-ki.

He was a prominent politician from the ruling party, a five-term member of the National Assembly, and the son-in-law of a former president.
He was imprisoned in the Daehan Correctional Facility for accepting illegal political funds, having been acquitted in the first trial, sentenced to prison in the second, and currently appealing.

He firmly believed that he would receive a not guilty verdict from the Supreme Court. It was said that several capable lawyers from a large law firm were working to defend him.

Rumor had it that, as he believed, the chances of a not-guilty verdict were quite high. Regardless, it seemed there would still be a considerable amount of time before he received a verdict from the Supreme Court, making him a suitable target.

Moreover, Jang Hak-ki was also known for another reason among the guards. They weren’t even allowed to call him “Mr. Jang” and couldn’t refer to him by number either. If someone did, he would get furious.

His influence was quite overwhelming, even within the correctional facility. After all, if the warden was intimidated, how much more so would a mere guard be?

As a result, when guards had to address Jang Hak-ki, they would awkwardly approach and ask, “Would you like to exercise?” omitting his name, leading to a comical situation. Because of this, talking about Jang Hak-ki over drinks among the guards became a popular topic.

Shi-hyun didn’t have good feelings about Jang Hak-ki either. No matter how influential a politician was outside, there were rules to follow as an inmate. His demeanor of treating guards like subordinates was enough to make anyone frown.

“Indeed, I don’t like politicians.”

He muttered to himself as he circled Jang Hak-ki’s name with a blue pen.