Episode 152
“America?”
Sihyeon looked at the head of the security department with a bit of surprise.
During last year’s short-term training, I was brought to Texas, USA.
That’s why I thought it would be somewhere other than America this year.
“okay.”
The security manager tilted the paper cup, took a sip of green tea, and continued speaking.
“Actually, I was a little surprised when I heard about the location.”
“yes?”
After hearing the security manager’s words, Si-hyeon unconsciously asked a question.
Although it is a bit surprising that the United States has been chosen as a training location one after another, it is not surprising at all.
“What do you think? Do you think you know where it is?”
The head of the security department asked a question with an amused smile on his face.
“well….”
Sihyeon looked like he was thinking for a moment. Then, in the end, I shook my head as if I didn’t understand.
“Honestly, I don’t know.”
“If you heard that I was surprised, I thought you might guess… Haha, anyway, the location for this training is Alcatraz Special Prison.”
“…Alcatraz?”
Sihyeon looked surprised.
Only then did I understand why the security manager said he was surprised.
Alcatraz was a prison located on Alcatraz Island in the middle of the ocean off San Francisco.
It has long been notorious as a prison that housed the worst criminals in the United States.
It was also well known as a prison from which escape was impossible.
It was a world-famous prison, so much so that it often appeared in movies, dramas, and novels.
It was originally closed in 1962 and operated as a famous tourist attraction, but after the Gate scandal, it was converted back into a prison.
In the United States, the first special prison for awakened criminals was built, and that location was Alcatraz Island.
Korea’s Ganghwa Island Special Detention Center was also strongly affected.
“America asked you to inspect that place?”
Sihyeon said as if she couldn’t believe it.
As part of correctional exchanges with the United States that have lasted over 20 years, we have consistently conducted short-term training and inspections, but this was only about general prisons.
I have never heard of a place like Alcatraz being allowed to be inspected by corrections officials from other countries.
“Yes, that’s why I was surprised too. But actually, in a way, it could be said that it was because of you.”
The head of the security department stared at Si-hyeon with a strange smile on his lips.
“It’s because of me?”
Sihyeon’s expression became as if he was wondering what he was talking about.
“It looks like the high-ranking officials in the U.S. correctional authorities were quite shocked when they heard about your work.”
The head of the security department continued speaking, taking a swig of the remaining green tea.
“Isn’t that right? That number of people released from prison had a zero recidivism rate for several years. It must have been quite shocking. Even centipedes knew that it was impossible. They must have prided themselves on being an advanced country in corrections, but a prison guard in a place that was considered an underdeveloped country in corrections would do something like that. “Of course, there will be shock and interest if you accomplish this.”
The head of the security department said in a cheerful voice.
The United States is one of the most advanced countries in correctional administration along with Germany and Sweden.
In their eyes, Korea was just a country with an immature corrections administration that was in a hurry to imitate and follow the corrections administrations of advanced countries.
However, Si-hyeon did something that was impossible even for them.
They were not ordinary prisoners, but awakened prisoners.
It was almost a well-established theory that awakened inmates were more difficult to deal with than regular inmates.
“No, how did it spread so much….”
Sihyeon muttered as if it were absurd.
I had heard that it had been featured in foreign media, but I never imagined that it would influence people in the U.S. correctional authorities and in turn affect me in this way.
“It seems like those gentlemen are very interested in how you deal with prisoners and how you work. But you can’t just say that you want to inspect our special detention center, right? So, let’s open their own facility first.”
“Now I think I know what happened.”
Sihyeon nodded.
I wanted to see this facility, but it would not look good to ask unilaterally, so it seemed like an agreement had been reached on mutual exchange of special correctional facilities.
“Anyway, this is a very good opportunity, so the head office has instructed me to participate in the 10-person short-term training inspection team, including the director and the head of the security department. If not for this opportunity, I will have the opportunity to see and feel for myself how a country like the United States operates a special correctional facility. ?”
“Yes… that’s true.”
“Of course you are going too.”
“All right.”
“They will probably be watching you closely, so it would be a good idea to always act confident and proud. You are practically the representative of Korea.”
“Of course I will.”
◈ ◈ ◈
“Finally, there are three people left.”
Sihyeon smiled bitterly as she looked at the neatly drawn list of guild members.
Two of them were Eun-ah and her husband, and the other was a woman in her 20s who claimed to be a true fan of Cheol-hyung.
I was the one who left a comment in the hunter room community saying that our guild leader was really cool.
Although he was a C-level hunter, he was thankful that he stayed anyway.
“I think it would be easier if I decided to go back to the beginning and start from scratch.”
Cheolhyung said with a smile.
“Okay, let’s do that.”
Sihyeon placed the documents she was looking at on the desk.
“Ah, but Chief.”
——————
faqwiki.us
Join our Discord for new chapter updates!
https://discord.com/invite/xr7SxG5T6V
——————
Cheolhyung opened his mouth as if he remembered something.
“yes.”
“Now that this matter is somewhat over, I think we need to find out who has been investigating our guild.”
“Um… can I find it?”
There is no way you could do this kind of background investigation thoughtlessly.
It would have been done with caution.
“I’ll try.”
Cheolhyung answered.
“Okay. I need to do you a favor.”
Sihyeon thought for a moment and said that.
If someone really did the investigation with malicious intent, it was impossible to sit still.
I needed to find out.
“Yes, Chief.”
“Then, good luck. I’ll be back next week….”
Si-hyeon, who was standing up and speaking normally, suddenly remembered next week’s schedule and stopped talking.
“Why are you doing that?”
Cheolhyung asked.
“I forgot to tell you, but now I remember. I’m going to America for a short-term training next week.”
“I see. Are you going to America again?”
“Yes, that’s how it happened. We ended up going to a rather special place.”
Sihyeon said with a smile on her lips.
“It’s a special place… I’m curious where it is?”
Cheolhyung looked at Sihyeon with curious eyes.
“You know Alcatraz, right?”
“Alcatraz Special Penitentiary?”
“Yes, I’ll be right there.”
“Hey… I know that not everyone can go in there, but I’m sure you’ll have a good experience.”
Sihyeon laughed at Cheolhyung’s words.
“It’s not a famous tourist destination with a nice view, but I’m going to a prison, so hearing that makes me laugh a little. Well, anyway, I’ll have a nice trip, so please take care of my guild.”
“Yes, please bring it to me and tell me about it. There are rumors that it is a hellish prison.”
“American kids seem to have a tendency to like exaggeration and bragging. Even though prisons are prisons, they are hell… This isn’t even the era of World War II.”
Si-hyeon thought Cheol-hyeong’s words were empty rumors and dismissed them lightly.
◈ ◈ ◈
“Brother… I still can’t believe it. I’m in America right now, right?”
Kang Baek spoke with a dreaming expression.
He also entered the United States as part of this short-term training inspection team.
I always thought that overseas training was someone else’s business.
It was thought that successful prison guards who were proficient in foreign languages were selected to enjoy a well-being life while traveling abroad under the name of training.
But I was suddenly selected for such a place.
“Can’t you feel the air in America right now? Even the air is different.”
Sihyeon said with a grin.
In fact, the reason Kang Baek was chosen this time was out of consideration for the head of the security department, Si-hyeon.
Since he was the core of this inspection team, he had his closest colleague at work as his companion.
Even though Sihyeon didn’t want to do it, the head of the security department took it upon himself to ask the director to select her as a member.
Thanks to this, Kang Baek was able to enjoy the luxury of going to study abroad for the first time in his life.
“Brother, thank you. I really appreciate it. I will never forget this favor of you using your strength for my younger brother.”
It was a word of gratitude that I was already tired of hearing.
Sihyeon waved his hand.
“No, I said it wasn’t my effort, so why don’t you believe me? It’s thanks to you that you did well as a prison guard, so rest in peace.”
“I’m good at being a prison guard. It’s sad, but… honestly, that’s not true.”
Kang Baek said in a voice that he didn’t want to admit it, but he had no choice but to admit it.
Si-hyeon burst out laughing as he looked at that scene.
“Anyway, just relax. Of course, you might be a little nervous since the director and the head of the security department are also there.”
I was like that at first too.
I couldn’t help but be nervous because one or two high-ranking people always went with me on overseas training.
It was not easy to stay with such people for a long time outside of work.
However, as I went to training every year and got used to it, I got used to it.
“Come this way.”
An official from the California Department of Corrections guided them from the front.
He was a black civil servant who looked like one seen in many American dramas.
His name was James Jones.
Although Sihyeon was not fluent in English, she could understand everything he said.
It was because of the blue earring hanging on Sihyeon’s left ear.
It was an item with an interpretation spell.
It seemed like the headquarters cared enough about this inspection to provide support for such expensive items.
Of course, I had to use it carefully and return it right away when I got to Korea.
All of the prison guards who were hunters in the group were wearing the same items as Sihyeon.
Ordinary people could not use the item, so they could not use it even if they wanted to.
So, next to the warden and the head of the security department, a Hunter prison guard was acting as an interpreter.
“We have to take a boat in from here.”
James stopped and said.
Sihyeon’s eyes saw a dock.
On the outside, it looked like an ordinary dock.
But it was noticeable that there was no one else except them.
At that moment, James opened his mouth as if to explain the vision’s thoughts.
“This place was originally crowded with tourists who wanted to tour Alcatraz Island. But after it was turned into a special prison, it became impossible to launch boats without permission from the country.”
“Mr. Jones, how about an interview?”
The warden raised his hand and asked in broken English.
“You mean meetings? Only once a week.”
James answered, raising his finger as if to emphasize “Only one.”
At the same time, he smiled while showing his white teeth, but I couldn’t guess what the smile meant.
“No, is that really true?”
The chief next to me asked with surprised eyes.
It was an unimaginable answer for Korean prison guards who are busy with interview work six days a week due to the Human Rights Commission’s recommendation that restricting visits on Saturdays is a violation of human rights.
“Haha, it’s true. For security reasons, we have no choice but to operate it that way.”
James smiled and continued.
“Now, please get on the boat.”
He pointed to a white cruise ship that appeared to be for tourism.
“It was prepared specially for guests coming from far away. Originally, there was an idea to let the inmates ride on a boat for a more special experience, but I was vehemently opposed to that. Thank you. You know what kind of boat the inmates will be riding…. ”
James joked and walked to where Cruz was.
“I’m so envious of one day a week… I need to learn that side of developed countries…”
Kangbaek grumbled as he followed behind him.
“Hey, no matter what, one day a week is too much.”
Si-hyeon continued speaking while patting Kang Baek on the back.
“Don’t you feel something about having one day a week?”
“yes?”
“I don’t think it would be a very good environment for the inmates.”
In the United States, the quality of correctional facilities varied greatly from state to state.
In particular, states with strong punitive policies treated inmates somewhat harshly.
There were states that placed large numbers of detainees in places that looked like refugee detention facilities.
I know that’s not the case in California, but the special prison looked a little different.
“…Is that what happens again?”
Kang Baek tilted his head and said.
“Well, anyway, I’ll see it in person soon, so you’ll know when you see it.”
As Sihyeon said that, he glanced at the direction where Alcatraz Island was located.
fantasy,
