The Living Creature (1)
When a new president is elected, the upper echelons of the executive branch are almost entirely swept clean. While there are rare cases where some manage to hold onto their seats, one can generally assume that the top-tier positions are replaced in their entirety. But what about the levels just below that? They don't change as drastically as one might think. It means that just because the Minister of Justice changes, it doesn't mean every chief prosecutor, deputy chief prosecutor, and department head is replaced; nor does the appointment of a new Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency mean that every station chief, section chief, and team leader is swapped out.
Among those in such positions, there were some who simply did their jobs regardless of the regime, while others were those who leaned toward being cooperative with the powers that be. The prosecutors, police, and general administrative officials in Busan during this period were no different. They had actively cooperated with the new military regime—or, to be precise, with JD—to ensure their own firm positions. There were various areas where they had to collaborate, but the most significant one was, naturally, the Manse Welfare Center. They knew exactly what was happening inside the facility, and rather than just turning a blind eye, they were outright complicit. If someone escaped, they would drag them back in; if a homeless person appeared on the streets, they would kindly deposit them into the Manse Welfare Center.
On the rare occasion that a successful escapee filed a complaint regarding the center, they would use various threats to force the withdrawal of the charges. Even if a case did manage to proceed, the prosecution would dismiss it for "insufficient evidence," effectively erasing the incident as if it had never happened. Furthermore, because it was a matter involving JD himself, any action taken to resolve issues related to the Manse Welfare Center was granted total immunity. And the reward for those who were so "efficient" at their jobs? Naturally, it was the freedom to engage in corruption. The public officials in Busan who colluded with JD enjoyed their spoils to their hearts' content, and the victims were the citizens who had to bear the brunt of it all.
However, time passed, and JD was eventually dismissed. There was even a possibility that the truth about the Manse Welfare Center might surface. But, by some stroke of luck, the cases related to the center were buried. Or rather, they seemed to be. And so, those who had colluded with JD quietly prepared to align themselves with the next person to seize power, making sure not to stand out. That was the case until just one minute ago.
Bang-! Bang-bang-! Bang-bang-bang-bang-!
The doors to the offices of various prosecutors at the Busan District Prosecutors' Office, Western Branch, were violently kicked open as agents from the ANSP swarmed inside.
"W-what the hell! Who the hell do you think you are!"
In the 80s, the status of a prosecutor was truly formidable. One of the prosecutors in the office where the agents had burst in shouted at them in a rage.
"Shut your mouth, you son of a bitch!"
The response was a punch from an ANSP agent. The strength of these agents was so immense that they could turn a mere prosecutor into a ghost at Namyeong-dong with nothing but their fists. The prosecutor was sent flying backward, blood instantly gushing from both nostrils.
"From this moment on, this place is under the jurisdiction of the ANSP! Hey, lock the door!"
At the command of the leader in charge, the agents locked the office door. Simultaneously, they used ropes to bind the administrative staff, stripping them of their physical freedom. The prosecutor was no exception.
"You bastards, have you lost your minds? Do you have any idea what you're doing right now?!"
The prosecutor, looking unsightly with tissues shoved into both nostrils, screamed with his veins bulging. The force of his shouting sent the tissues flying out of his nose, and the blood began to trickle down his philtrum once again.
"Where does a lowly prosecutor get off talking like that!"
One of the agents delivered a kick squarely to the prosecutor's chest.
"Kuh-ack!"
With a grotesque scream, the prosecutor collapsed backward, a large, muddy footprint stamped firmly onto his chest.
"A prosecutor? Yes, our high-and-mighty prosecutor. But tell me, will that title still be yours in two months? You're finished, you bastard. The world has changed."
At the agent's words, the prosecutor finally grasped the situation. 'The Manse Welfare Center?!' He had been certain that the matter had been swept under the rug. That was why he had felt dazed when the men suddenly burst into his office. And when he realized they were ANSP agents, he had been puzzled. But now, realizing why they had come, his face turned pale, and he couldn't help but panic.
"S-stop! You can't do this!"
The ANSP agents had come here prepared for war from the start. Because there were figures from the Prosecutor's Office outside, pounding on the door as if to break it down.
"Hurry!"
At the leader's command, the agents began to tear through the files like madmen. They were searching for the records related to the Manse Welfare Center that the prosecutor had dismissed due to "insufficient evidence." While other agents had gone to the archives, they had split their forces because there was a high probability that the evidence remained in the prosecutor's own office.
"Hey! Where are the files related to the Manse Welfare Center?"
One agent grabbed a staff member from the prosecutor's office and growled.
"I-I don't know!"
With a sickening