NOVEL NEXT Chapter 149
Chapter 149
“Section Chief.”
As Si-hyun entered the Yangji Guild’s door, the key figures like Cheol-hyung, Mujik, and Dong-il all stood up at once.
Their faces were serious.
“Let’s lighten up a bit. I understand the sentiment, but if we stay too gloomy, nothing will turn out well.”
Si-hyun said calmly.
“Alright, sit down. Sit down.”
After saying this, Si-hyun took his seat first, prompting the others to follow.
“We haven’t committed any crimes, have we? Is there a law requiring us to disclose our ex-convict status? So, let’s not feel like we’ve committed any wrongdoing.”
Seeing Si-hyun calm was surprisingly relieving, easing the tense atmosphere a bit.
However, the expressions of those other than Si-hyun remained heavy.
Given the circumstances, it was understandable.
Dong-il raised his hand.
As the gaze of the room focused on him, Dong-il spoke up.
“It’s likely that all the guild members we recruited over the past few months will want to leave. It hasn’t been long since the rumors started spreading, and the phone is already ringing off the hook.”
“Indeed.”
Si-hyun nodded.
Almost no one wanted to work with ex-convicts.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it was close to zero.
Unless absolutely necessary, everyone would clearly prefer to avoid it.
So, Si-hyun fully understood the feelings of the newly recruited guild members.
“To be honest, I don’t know how to handle this. I hope you, Section Chief, can show us the way.”
Dong-il expressed his frustration.
It seemed that Si-hyun had already thought this through, responding without hesitation.
“Is there any special method? Just let all the guild members who want to leave go smoothly.”
“Huh?”
Dong-il looked bewildered.
The other guild members wore similar expressions.
It was tough to just let go of the power they had worked hard to build.
It was difficult to even utter that kind of talk.
Yet, Si-hyun said it so easily.
“Let’s only continue with those who want to stick together. That’s for the best.”
“…but.”
“Let’s not dwell too much on what we’ve built. You have to know when to let go of what can’t be held onto. And just because it’s crumbled doesn’t mean we can never build it back up. Life has a way of presenting good opportunities again later.”
Si-hyun spoke as if he had emptied his heart.
In truth, he was also quite shocked when he learned that the rumors of ex-convicts had spread.
Records of criminal history could not be accessed by just anyone.
This was because it contained important personal information, and strict regulations safeguarded its access.
The rumors had never spread since the guild was founded until now.
Yet it had finally leaked.
However, Si-hyun quickly composed himself.
The ones who would be most adversely affected in this situation were neither himself nor the guild.
“The problem now is not the guild. It’s you all.”
Si-hyun began to speak.
The guild members looked at him with puzzled expressions.
“It’s been revealed that you all are ex-convicts. You’ve been socially branded. Moving forward, you’ll have to live with the disdain of being regarded as ex-convicts by others.”
As a correctional officer, Si-hyun understood the seriousness of this issue far better than an average person.
He had engaged in numerous conversations about this subject with inmates during interviews.
The world is cruel to ex-convicts.
Once it’s known that someone is an ex-convict, it’s common for them to be pushed out of society and feel alienated.
That’s why access to criminal records is strictly controlled.
But this time, the guild’s hunters had all of it revealed.
There was no escaping the social branding.
That was what Si-hyun was most worried about.
“Section Chief…”
Cheol-hyung, Mujik, Dong-il, and the other guild members were touched to hear that Si-hyun was worried about them.
No correctional officer they had met until now had cared for inmates like this.
Even during the Abnormal Gate disaster, when it was most perilous, they sensed that Si-hyun was different from other officers.
And this incident only solidified that thought into conviction.
“I know this will be tough. But we can’t help it now. Ultimately, if you want to survive in this society, you have to endure it yourselves.”
“You don’t need to worry about us. We’re not bothered by those kinds of looks.”
Dong-il replied with a resolute voice.
“That’s right.”
“You don’t have to worry about us.”
Words of reassurance flowed from all sides.
Si-hyun smiled gently at their response.
“Seeing your reactions puts my mind at ease a bit.”
“We have jobs, so there’s no need to worry about that.”
Mujik chimed in.
Usually, the greatest challenge for ex-convicts in society was finding a job.
It was often said by criminals who deliberately offended the law that they had no jobs and ran out of money, leading them to commit crimes just to return to prison.
At least these individuals wouldn’t have to experience that.
“Section Chief.”
Cheol-hyung called for Si-hyun.
“Yes.”
Si-hyun focused on Cheol-hyung.
“This incident… it’s definitely not a mere coincidence. Someone with malicious intent has been digging into our guild.”
Cheol-hyung stated firmly.
“I think so too.”
Mujik agreed.
“What kind of bastard would dare!”
“I’ll totally kill him!”
At those words, the incensed guild members raised their voices with grim faces.
“Let’s calm down for now.”
Si-hyun raised his hand in a gesture to calm everyone.
“While it’s important to uncover those who’ve been digging into this, our priority now is to handle this situation properly.”
“As mentioned earlier, we’ll help any guild members who want to leave exit smoothly.”
Cheol-hyung said.
“That’s right. Thank you.”
Si-hyun continued, “The media will definitely be interested in this incident. It might be better for Cheol-hyung and Mujik to handle relations with the press. Of course, I’ll actively participate as well. Let’s align our words a bit beforehand.”
Most of the other guild members who were former inmates were not well-versed in dealing with people.
Especially not reporters.
Only Cheol-hyung and Mujik lacked such deficiencies.
Neither was the type to make careless slip-ups.
“Understood, Section Chief.”
Cheol-hyung and Mujik answered simultaneously.
“There will be all sorts of things said on the internet. For the sake of your mental health, let’s avoid it for a while.”
“We’ll do as you say.”
Cheol-hyung smirked at Si-hyun’s words.
For an average person, it would be painful, but these were people who had just come out from that dreary prison life.
That was nothing to them.
“Oh, and continue with the raid as scheduled. Especially in times like this, we need to keep our composure.”
“Of course, I plan to do just that.”
Cheol-hyung responded with a look that indicated it was obvious, and the other guild members nodded in agreement.
“Let’s not waver.”
Si-hyun emphasized one last time.
◈ ◈ ◈
“As you instructed, we mobilized the staff to spread the news widely.”
Secretary Kim reported.
“Good, well done. Very well done.”
Sun Guild Leader Seong-jin looked genuinely pleased for the first time in a while.
It was finally justified.
For the past few months, he had been unpleasantly bothered by the Yangji Guild, and now he had dealt them a substantial blow.
With a satisfied laugh, he said, “Hah, how dare those filthy criminals crawl out like this? They’ll uproot their foundations this time.”
There was no way an average person would want to work in a place swarming with ex-convicts.
They would all want to leave somehow.
But trying to force them to stay would only lead to bigger issues.
It was truly a situation where neither option was good.
And now that their reputation had plunged, it was certain they wouldn’t recover in the industry again.
“For the foreseeable future, every day will be quite enjoyable, ha ha ha.”
Seong-jin laughed again.
◈ ◈ ◈
“Where are you from? Ah, YTS? I tune in to that channel often when I’m bored.”
Si-hyun smiled.
YTS was a cable news channel.
This was the second time a media outlet had come to cover the story today.
“I came to find out the truth behind the rumors.”
A reporter in her thirties said.
“Feel free to ask anything. This person here is the guild leader of our guild. And me… uh, do you know who I am?”
At Si-hyun’s question, the reporter narrowed her eyes as she tried to remember where she had seen that face before.
It seemed vaguely familiar, but she could not recall.
“…Who are you?”
“I’m Correctional Officer Lee Si-hyun. You know, the one from the Ganghwa Island Special Detention Center….”
“Oh.”
Only then did the reporter realize that she had seen that face in relation to that case.
“That hero correctional officer!”
“I am quite embarrassed to have been called that.”
Si-hyun gave an awkward smile.
“What brings you here, Officer?”
“I’m a member of this guild now.”
“Excuse me?”
The reporter quickly racked her brain.
A guild composed of ex-convicts and a correctional officer.
It sounded like a promising story.
“And our guild leader was actually one of the inmates who willingly risked his life for others during that incident.”
The reporter’s eyes widened as she looked at Cheol-hyung standing next to Si-hyun.
The scent of an even more fascinating story was brewing.
“Let me explain it step by step.”
Si-hyun said with the smile he reserved for dealing with inquiries at the detention center.
◈ ◈ ◈
“So, it’s for the employment of released inmates?”
“Yes, the final stage of rehabilitation is to help released inmates adapt and live normally in society. And that concept of normal adaptation inherently includes having a job and engaging in social activities like other members of society.”
Si-hyun paused briefly before continuing.
“However, I doubt there are many countries where that last stage is being implemented properly. It’s a chronic issue. We’re trying to improve it through various intermediaries, but there are limits. I’m just a correctional officer, but I’ve often contemplated this problem. I’ve asked myself many times if there was something I could do about it. Then…”
Si-hyun briefly glanced at the camera before returning his gaze to the reporter.
“I suddenly thought about the nature of the place I work in. And I was reminded of the differences. Other places have inmates from various occupations, but here, we have the fundamental difference of all being hunters. And the majority of hunters want to work in guilds. So I thought, why not create a guild to help these inmates?”
Si-hyun flashed a warm smile at the camera.
“But it wouldn’t make sense for a correctional officer to run a guild. It should be a guild operated by the inmates. So, I pondered over it. That’s when I met our guild leader and solidified my determination. Ah, if this person is willing to selflessly sacrifice for others, he’ll surely run the guild well.”
Si-hyun glanced at Cheol-hyung before refocusing on the front.
“Now, do you roughly understand how things came to be?”