LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 70
Chapter 70
“Huuh.”
Lee Si-hyun let out a short sigh.
The first day had quickly passed. A new facility, new coworkers, new inmates. Surrounded by all these novelties, he had curiously observed everything and suddenly realized it was time to leave.
However, he was late getting home due to attending the welcome party for newcomers. Reflecting on it, even the new place he was living in still felt unfamiliar. It was awkward, almost as if he had stepped into someone else’s home. Still, the lower rent compared to Seoul was a perk.
Si-hyun hastily finished washing up and flopped onto his bed. He was tired, but there was something he needed to check before sleeping.
Si-hyun opened his status window. The information about his current status caught his eye first.
[Your Current Status]
Fame: Slightly Known
Position: 7th Grade Correctional Officer
“7th Grade Correctional Officer.”
He mumbled to himself.
It felt refreshing. Just the other day, he was at the bottom, and now he was a 7th grade officer. He certainly wasn’t at a low position anymore. There were quite a few staff ranked lower than him.
It had only been four years since he entered at the 9th grade, and now he was at 7th… With this pace, he couldn’t ask for more. The issue was that getting promoted to 6th grade would take a considerable amount of time.
Thinking about that right now wouldn’t yield any solutions, so he planned to take things step by step in his new workplace.
Next, Si-hyun opened the skill window to check his new skill.
[Guard Baton Technique]
Magic Cost: 1 (Cooltime 0.1 seconds)
– A short stick technique devised by Po-ahim to effectively subdue disobedient inmates.
– Takes advantage of the speed of the short baton to mercilessly pummel opponents at high speeds.
– Can only be used while holding a guard baton.
“Mm….”
Si-hyun made a face that suggested it was a bit different from what he expected. He thought there might be some fancy forms since it was a martial art, but there were none. There was only the description of mercilessly beating the opponent.
When it came to swordplay or spear techniques, one would typically picture slick and elegant forms. However, from the description alone, Po-ahim’s Guard Baton Technique felt like a rough street fighting style used by low-tier mercenaries. Of course, that was just a feeling, and it could turn out better than he anticipated when actually used. He needed to try it out.
“By the way, it finally has a magic cost.”
Si-hyun muttered in wonder. It was more surprising that a skill had no magic cost, but it was the opposite this time.
A magic cost of 1.
In most role-playing games, such a skill is considered bottom tier. The higher the magic cost, the better the skill. This held true not just in games but also in the world of Hunters. Thinking like that, this skill was nothing to get excited about.
But if he considered the utility of the guard’s booming shout, which had zero magic cost, it might be the other way around.
With a smirk, Si-hyun opened up his inventory to check the second guard baton given by Po-ahim.
[Po-ahim’s Second Guard Baton]
[Magic]
Hardness: 56
Sharpness: 0
– A guard baton crafted from ebony wood by Po-ahim in his late twenties. Better grip and increased sturdiness. It hurts a lot when hit.
“….”
What the… it’s a magic item?
He had secretly hoped for something, but those hopes were dashed. It seemed the transition from oak to ebony wood, known for its toughness, raised the hardness and upgraded its grade.
Still, he felt it was now usable in raids, even if it would fall short of rare quality. Nonetheless, this allowed him to make one assumption.
The first guard baton was normal.
The second guard baton was magic.
If that held true, the third guard baton would likely be rare. By this calculation, the fifth guard baton might even be legendary.
…Honestly, that seemed like a long shot. Still, just having the possibility of such expectations felt like a small victory.
‘Alright, enough. Time to sleep.’
Si-hyun closed his eyes.
◈ ◈ ◈
It was Friday. Today was the last day of practical training.
Si-hyun was in the Security Department’s break room. The building, less than ten years old, was clean and had good facilities. While Daehan Correctional Facility was decent among correctional facilities, it couldn’t compare to the Special Detention Center.
Having massage chairs and reclining beds in the break room was something unimaginable at Daehan Correctional Facility. However, Si-hyun felt too shy to lie down, opting instead to sit on a normal sofa.
“Hyung.”
Kang Baek was seated next to him.
“What is it?”
“Today, they’ll decide our positions, right?”
“That should be the case. Anyway, it’ll probably be assistant duty officer for us, right?”
Si-hyun said matter-of-factly. There would be no way they’d assign newcomers to chief roles; assistant duty officer was the only option left.
“What about night shifts?”
“Didn’t you hear? They say the newbies don’t do night shifts here.”
“Really? Why not?”
“They start us off working during the day to help us learn the duties. It’s apparently faster that way.”
Other correctional facilities varied depending on the style of the Security Department Head.
However, the Special Detention Center, in particular, had its own unique set of protocols, so it made sense they would have this approach for learning.
“Oh, I see. I wasn’t aware of that.”
Kang Baek scratched his head. Then he glanced around the break room. Since it was working hours, there were no other correctional officers present. They were given this relaxation time because they were all in practical training. And today was the last.
Checking that no one was around, Kang Baek spoke again.
“What about you, Hyung? How do you think this compares to where you used to work?”
“The place I worked had a lot of inmates and over 500 staff, so it felt more like a city. Here, it feels like I’ve been dropped into a quiet countryside.”
“I’m sure you could feel that.”
“But the thing is.”
“Yes?”
“The inmate order is a mess. That really bothers me.”
Si-hyun said.
This was the most certain impression he had gained over the past five days: the inmate order was in complete disarray.
Inmates didn’t follow the guards’ orders well. It was rare for them to listen the first time, and only after repeating themselves multiple times did they pretend to listen. Even in solitary confinement, they were too relaxed in their cells. They lounged around as if it were their own home.
Yet the guards didn’t seem to interfere much. Occasionally, they’d say something like “Get up,” but even when inmates didn’t listen, they’d just walk by without checking.
Si-hyun felt they were being too lenient. No guards seemed intent on maintaining strict inmate order.
While it might be comfortable for the body, other facilities had guards who acted like this.
However, the number of guards acting this way here was astonishingly high. It wasn’t as if superiors didn’t know this atmosphere; clearly, they didn’t care much about it. For Si-hyun, while he could understand this behavior, his nature couldn’t allow such things.
Inmates weren’t here on vacation. They were serving their punishments. The basic rules of conduct as inmates must be followed. If they lived in absolute chaos, how could that be considered serving a punishment? Victims would certainly be furious if they saw those conditions.
“Is it really that bad?”
Kang Baek asked with a questioning look. He was new to correctional facilities, so he didn’t know how other places operated.
“I can say objectively that it’s not good as well.”
“Haah….”
“Don’t worry too much about it. You just stick to your work, Kang Baek. Don’t go running around trying to establish inmate order; you might end up marked as a hopeless newbie from the start.”
“And you, Hyung?”
“I’m different from you. Didn’t I tell you? I was the ace of the Security Department.”
Si-hyun held his head high and spoke as confidently as he could.
But Kang Baek’s reaction was a tad skeptical.
“Ah, I see… I understand, Hyung.”
“Just wait and see. You’ll see what I can do. I absolutely can’t stand the sight of disorder in the workplace.”
◈ ◈ ◈
Monday arrived.
Si-hyun’s position was assigned as the assistant duty officer for Unit 2 on the second floor. It primarily housed low-ranked hunters, such as E and D ranks, so given that Si-hyun’s license was D rank, it seemed they considered that when assigning him.
“Hello, Director Yoon Sang-woo.”
The person in charge of Unit 2 was Director Yoon Sang-woo, whom Si-hyun recognized from their introductions during the welcome dinner. He was two years older than Si-hyun but had one year less experience as a correctional officer, having joined through special recruitment three years ago and worked as an assistant before taking over the position at the start of the year.
“Yes, hello, Director Yoon.”
Director Yoon greeted him back. He was a pale-skinned man with glasses and an average build, looking more like a teacher than a correctional officer.
“I heard you have considerable experience.”
“Yes, I worked at Daehan Correctional Facility for about four years.”
“You have more experience than me. With that much, you probably have nothing left to learn.”
Director Yoon smiled slightly.
Si-hyun responded with a similar smile.
“Thank you for seeing it that way, but I know this facility is quite different from a regular one. I think I’ll have to work hard at first.”
“You’re being humble. In any case, I look forward to working with you.”
“I look forward to working with you too.”
After some polite exchanges, the work officially began.
Si-hyun focused on understanding his job responsibilities first. Although he had kept an eye on the duties during practical training, every department had various nuances in how responsibilities were divided. So, it was necessary to adapt according to the style of the person in charge.
Understanding who the key personnel were and how they worked was also important. Without them, the unit’s work wouldn’t run smoothly, just as it was anywhere else.
Due to the potential risks, the inmates’ rankings were understandably low. Two exemplary E-ranked inmates were selected to assist with the unit’s operations.
As he focused on the necessary observations, the morning passed in the blink of an eye.
Director Yoon probably expected him to learn quickly, as he was someone with prior experience. Fortunately, it seemed he was meeting those expectations.
“You’re really different from a rookie with experience.”
Director Yoon offered a sincere compliment. It felt like genuine praise rather than mere formalities.
“You’re making me feel bashful.”
Si-hyun smiled in response.
“Who decides when we go for lunch?”
“Usually, it’s my duty to go first, but if you prefer, I can change that.”
“No, no. It’s easier to stick with the usual.”
“Understood. Then keep up the good work.”
Director Yoon said and walked towards the door leading to the lunch area. As he exited, Si-hyun sighed softly.
Working alongside unfamiliar people in an unknown place made him feel overwhelmed, especially since it was his first day. He thought he would adapt quickly after a day or two.
Entering his password, Si-hyun turned on the monitor. He planned to get to know the inmates during this time. With only ten inmates, it shouldn’t take long. He would memorize the names of nearly eighty inmates while working, so getting to know ten was a piece of cake.
“Let’s see… what kind of people are incarcerated here.”
Si-hyun muttered as he clicked his mouse.