NOVEL NEXT Chapter 69
Chapter 69: The First Week
The first week was a practical training period.
Before receiving formal assignments, they provide an adaptation period. This is where the divide begins—whether a newcomer can thrive in social life or not.
Some new recruits observe closely how things are done and aren’t shy about asking questions when curious. Such newcomers give off a sharp impression and can win over their seniors, ultimately standing a better chance of excelling when they officially start working.
In contrast, there are those who squander the week without a care. These newcomers are likely to struggle more in adapting to the job.
However, this was mainly the case for the newbies. Si-hyun, a seasoned correctional officer with four years of experience, exuded confidence. His experience had not been wasted.
Following the guiding correctional officer, he got a general sense of how the facility operated and which areas were critical.
“There aren’t that many living rooms in the ward, huh?” Si-hyun remarked as he looked around.
In large facilities like Daehan Correctional Facility, there are often more than twenty living rooms in a ward. Yet, here, there were only ten.
“Our ward consists of ten living rooms. From your comment, it seems you’ve worked elsewhere before?” the guiding officer asked.
“Yes, I worked for about four years at Daehan Correctional Facility.”
“You’ve got quite the experience. You should adapt quickly.”
“Still, I’ve heard this facility is somewhat different, so I plan to go back to basics and learn.”
“Haha, you seem quite social given your background. I’m not sure since I’ve only ever worked in this facility, but I’ve heard it’s definitely different elsewhere.”
Walking slowly with a smile, the guiding officer led Si-hyun through the facility.
Si-hyun’s gaze naturally shifted to the inmates in the ward. The first thing that caught his eye was the bars of the cells. They appeared thicker and sturdier than those in average cells. Given that Awakened Beings were confined here, it was clear more attention was paid to security.
Next, he noticed that all the cells were solitary ones. With ten living rooms, it essentially meant there were only ten inmates in the whole ward.
All solo.
He knew the reason well. In the ward’s living spaces, no inmate was allowed to carry anything that could be used as a weapon. Hence, even if scuffles broke out among regular inmates, they didn’t lead to major incidents.
However, Awakened Beings were weapons themselves. If they shared a cell and a fight broke out, it could result in severe injuries or even fatalities.
This was precisely why the special ward was designed to be entirely solitary.
‘They’re loosening up too much.’
Looking at an inmate sprawled out reading a book in his cell, Si-hyun mused. It was well past sleeping time. With the sun high in the sky, lying around like that couldn’t possibly be normal for inmate life.
Still, the guiding officer didn’t intervene. Of course, he knew that different correctional officers had their own styles. While some enforced order, others permitted a bit of freedom.
Yet, generally, in places where there were new staff, there was a certain decorum of not letting things slide too much. It was normal for them to say something as they passed by.
Given Si-hyun’s experience, he could read the atmosphere well.
‘That likely means the environment here is one where such behavior is tolerated…’
He found it displeasing. Even though Awakened Beings, they were still inmates serving their sentences. This behavior certainly wasn’t reflective of serving a punishment. If the victims saw such scenes, they’d be enraged.
Si-hyun shook his head slightly and turned his gaze forward again. For now, he couldn’t step in since he hadn’t officially received a position yet. If he intervened without holding a position, it would be utterly ridiculous from the perspective of the correctional officer in charge. No one in their right mind would act that way unless they were maladaptive to the organization.
“Here’s the duty room.”
The guiding officer led them to the duty room. The officer working there looked up from his paperwork and offered a brief greeting as they entered.
Si-hyun reciprocated the greeting.
The officer soon returned to his paperwork, appearing quite busy.
The size of the room, the CCTV, intercoms, and computers—everything looked familiar to Si-hyun.
But something unusual caught his eye.
In one corner, he noticed a table piled high with handcuffs. It appeared strange because, in most facilities, handcuffs weren’t often used unless for transport.
Si-hyun asked, “What’s with the handcuffs?”
“Oh, the handcuffs? Inmates housed in the special ward are always handcuffed during transport. And they must be accompanied by a correctional officer at all times.”
“That’s because of the high risk, I take it?”
Awakened Beings are dangerous, even unarmed. So, upon exiting their cells, it seemed they were handcuffed for some level of control.
“Exactly.”
The guiding officer nodded.
“But one-on-one supervision, is that really feasible?”
While the number of Awakened Beings was small, the number of criminals was proportionately smaller. However, Si-hyun had noticed that the number of correctional officers seemed even less.
That made sense. Not many Awakened Beings choose to become correctional officers.
“You seem sharp, having worked as a correctional officer before. The rules reflect that, but statistically, there’s one officer for every two inmates. One-on-one supervision just isn’t possible.”
“One-for-two still sounds like a lot, though, doesn’t it?”
Si-hyun remarked with a hint of surprise.
“Haha, that includes all officers from other departments like Administration and Information.”
“Oh, I see.”
In reality, the number would be much lower when only considering the security department staff who directly managed the inmates.
“By the way, I noticed that the guards at the external gate are armed. Does this place not require such arming?”
Si-hyun asked, as if he just remembered. Logically, it seemed the internal spaces would pose far more danger than the external gate.
However, that didn’t seem to be the case.
“Of course, we do have rifles and other firearms stored in the security department for emergencies. But arming guards within the wards can actually escalate danger. If an inmate were to seize a weapon, it would be disastrous.”
“I get it. I understand what you mean.”
There had indeed been incidents in regular prisons where inmates stealthily grabbed a guard’s knife and severely injured another inmate. Therefore, preventing sharp objects from getting into inmates’ hands was a basic responsibility for correctional officers in the ward.
It appeared this place operated similarly.
“Looks like it’s almost lunchtime. You’ve seen the cafeteria already, right? Come to the security department in about an hour for a leisurely meal.”
The guiding officer said as he checked his watch.
◈ ◈ ◈
In the cafeteria, he met his colleague, Kang Baek. He was with another guiding officer, touring the security department facilities and the ward.
The meal wasn’t half bad. While it didn’t compare to a training center’s spread, it was definitely better than what they had at Daehan Correctional Facility.
On the first day, Si-hyun found something he liked.
“Hyung, this is turning out to be more manageable than I thought!”
Kang Baek said with a slightly relieved expression.
“Really?”
“I looked around the ward, and the inmates were quietly behaving without any fuss.”
“Oh come on, seeing it once doesn’t mean you know anything. There are quiet days and loud days on the job.”
Si-hyun chuckled in disbelief.
“Well… that’s true, but… the senior who was guiding us also said it seemed manageable…”
“Are they going to say it’s hell for a newcomer on the first day?”
“Sigh… Hyung, you can’t keep dampening the spirits of your one and only colleague like that.”
Kang Baek sighed.
“From my experiences, it’s better to go in with some reservations rather than high hopes.”
“…Understood.”
“Let me give you a piece of advice.”
Si-hyun said.
“Sure.”
“How you treat the inmates at first is crucial. Don’t shy away from their gaze—look them straight in the eye. Speak without tension, just like you normally would. If they feel you’re looking down on them from the start, it’ll make things tougher later.”
“Ugh… Just hearing your advice makes me more anxious.”
“You’re a D-rank Hunter, standing tall. What’s there to bow your head about? Plus, you’re a correctional officer, and they’re the inmates. I mean, while it’s impossible to establish order right away, you shouldn’t appear weak from the get-go.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Eat a hearty meal and keep up the good work this afternoon.”
◈ ◈ ◈
In just one day, Si-hyun got a rough idea of how the special detention center operated. The special ward classified its inmates into three categories.
First, E and D-rank Hunters, the types that correctional officers could manage effectively no matter the issue.
Even if their ranks were high, Hunters like healers or buffers with poor combat abilities also fell into this category.
Second, there were mid-tier C-rank Hunters.
For safety reasons, these wards were primarily managed by C-rank correctional officers.
Third, the high-ranking B-rank and above Hunters.
These inmates were incarcerated on the top 6th floor under enhanced security and strict oversight. While the surveillance was thorough, significant issues hadn’t arisen barring an incident a few years ago where a correctional officer was killed.
Understandably, because even though they were Awakened Beings, they were still human. Committing serious offenses like escape or murder would result in increased sentences, leading to a long duration in confinement. What kind of person would willingly want to waste their life in a cell? Thus, creating little to no problems seemed logical.
Si-hyun didn’t worry much about that. He figured other correctional officers would be more concerned about dealing with tangible issues rather than rebellion.
Fundamentally, two correctional officers were assigned to each ward. Even with only ten solitary cells in such a small ward, they believed two staff members were necessary for managing Awakened Beings.
Although Si-hyun had experience, since he had just been assigned to this facility, he would likely serve as an assistant duty officer.
“What’s that building over there?”
He pointed to a strangely isolated building radiating an odd atmosphere. From its external appearance, it looked somewhat like a ward building, yet its separate structure felt peculiar. The entrance also seemed extremely fortified.
“Ah… that building?”
The guiding officer wore a knowing look, as if he’d anticipated such a question.
“People like me or Chief Lee Si-hyun likely won’t have to enter that building unless absolutely necessary.”
“What kind of building is that?”
“Have you heard of the Awakened Serial Killer?”
“Yes, I have.”
Si-hyun replied immediately.
The Awakened Serial Killer, Choi Gang-hyuk.
It had been such a notorious case that nearly everyone knew of it. A killer who targeted only Awakened Beings.
The Hunter Association mobilized all its resources to apprehend him after he gruesomely murdered fourteen Awakened Beings. The danger was acute since Awakened Beings were the victims. In the end, the Association president and S-Class Awakened Being, Ryu Geon-woo, personally tracked him down and captured him.
Yet, the reasons or grudges that made him commit such heinous acts remained shrouded in mystery. It wasn’t that Choi Gang-hyuk had refused to open up. In fact, he rambled on, changing his story repeatedly, seemingly enjoying the reactions from people around him. Ultimately, he received a death sentence and was imprisoned, likely in the same place now.
“That person is over there. He’s been kept isolated because he’s extremely dangerous.”
“…I see.”
Si-hyun nodded. Though the media didn’t disclose the precise ranking for some reason, it was known that among the Awakened Beings Choi Gang-hyuk murdered, there were A-rank individuals. This indicated that he possessed the abilities of at least an A-rank Awakened Being. Moreover, being a serial killer made him an exceptionally dangerous individual. Naturally, special precautions were warranted.
“But you don’t need to overly worry about it. There hasn’t been any trouble there, and there likely won’t be in the future. I haven’t been inside, but I’ve heard he’s secured in such a way that escape isn’t an option. Well, given the circumstances, the government would have taken extensive measures to watch over him.”
The guiding officer said dismissively.
Si-hyun thought it made sense. Nevertheless, something about it lingered on his mind.
But he quickly brushed those thoughts away. After all, it wasn’t a place he’d be managing. Getting overly sensitive about things like that would just add unnecessary stress.