Devil Returns to School Days - Chapter 175: Head-on Breakthrough (7)

An heir to a conglomerate and a mere high school student.

Considering the power that Yoon Hyeon-min wielded, even calling this a battle of David and Goliath would be an understatement.

And yet.

Kim Hyunsung knew why the situation was dragging on.

“Honestly, if you were prepared to suffer losses and had decided to deal with me, it wouldn’t matter whether I was a high school student or not. No matter what controversy my death might spark, you wouldn’t have cared. But you can’t do that. Even when a person knows they can defeat a rabid dog, fear creeps in because they have to accept the pain of having their limbs torn in the process.”

Such was the irony of life.

If Yoon Hyeon-min had been someone with nothing to lose, Kim Hyunsung would have died during the officetel incident.

“Sure, if it were worth killing a rabid dog despite the injuries, you would have done it. But I’m just a stray you happened to come across. Even if your limbs get torn apart while subduing me, all you’ll have is scars; there’s no glory in victory. That’s how you see me. You could take me down at any moment, but you hold back, afraid I might leave a severe wound. If I become a hot topic and cause unnecessary trouble, you’ll have to suffer losses for a pointless victory. That’s why those with power never cross that line.”

It was a contradiction.

Though Yoon Hyeon-min had ordered him to eliminate Kim Hyunsung by any means, his actions were still within reason. He used his power to manage the background and planned to expel Kim Hyunsung from school before dealing with him. He knew an ill-conceived plan would only cause more problems.

This situation stemmed from his reluctance to lose.

Despite the mismatch, Kim Hyunsung had put everything on the line, allowing him to survive until now.

“So just leave it at that. I’ve said I’ll drop out. Once I leave school and enough time passes, no matter what happens to me, the fact that I was the victim of the officetel incident or assaulted Congressman Lee Kyungchul’s son won’t matter anymore. People forget, and your power is enough to blind them from recalling past events.”

It was a sort of bargain.

Myungjin Construction had lost its power.

Cheonil’s Oh Daehwan and Kim Youngcheol had been sacrificed.

To deal with Kim Hyunsung, who was cornered, Yoon Hyeon-min saw no need to go further.

On the other end of the phone.

Yoon Hyeon-min’s voice came through.

[You knew all that and still submitted your withdrawal? Just like you said, I have no desire to experience the ordeal of being bitten by a filthy mongrel. It’s not worth it to me. Fine, I’ll let you have it your way. This incident will pass without much issue. People might talk about you for a while, but once you leave school, you’ll gradually be forgotten. And I’ll wait for that moment. I’ll crush Myungjin Construction, Jeongan Ilbo, and everyone from Daesan who supported you so that they’ll never recover. When everyone has forgotten about you.]

Why was it?

It felt as if Kim Hyunsung could see the malice in Yoon Hyeon-min’s eyes, right in front of him.

[You will pay for daring to defy me.]

* * *

A single phone call.

That was all it took to settle everything.

The Lee Cheongsu incident was quietly closed, and the victims who had accused Kim Hyunsung, including Park Min-cheol, stated that they would not pursue the matter further. Golden Circle had no reason to push the issue. They never wanted Kim Hyunsung to face formal punishment; they wanted him out of the school’s protective shell. Now that he had submitted his withdrawal, the police had no reason to press on.

As he left the interrogation room.

The officer said one last thing.

“Watch yourself.”

It was a sickening reality.

For the police to change their stance after a call from Yoon Hyeon-min, having first forced confessions and then withdrawing them. Did they even feel guilt? Could they push an innocent person to death and still return home to embrace their children with kind faces?

He didn’t know.

Living life from a new perspective, Kim Hyunsung didn’t simplify humans into categories.

Simply put.

‘If there is guilt, it must be paid.’

He stepped out of the police station.

Outside, Park Jong-soo was waiting.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“You fool. This plan was incredibly risky. If Golden Circle had decided to kill you, it wouldn’t have mattered whether you were a student or not. Whether you were free or in juvenile detention, they would have found a way to deal with you.”

“If it came to that, my death would have produced the best result.”

“…!”

For a moment.

Park Jong-soo was at a loss for words.

In Kim Hyunsung’s eyes, devoid of emotion, he realized the truth too late.

Not only did Kim Hyunsung plan on threatening Yoon Hyeon-min, but he also factored in the possibility of his own murder. He was truly insane. What kind of high school student could harbor such profound malice that they would orchestrate something like this? It was beyond imagination.

“…Try to find a way to survive. There’s someone you need to meet.”

“Who?”

Park Jong-soo thought.

Perhaps this meeting could be what saves Kim Hyunsung.

“Kang Dongchul. The righteous prosecutor wants to see you.”

* * *

The meeting was held at Park Jong-soo’s office.

A public or prosecution office was deemed too inconvenient, so they borrowed the space temporarily.

Kang Dongchul spoke.

“Based on the investigation so far, I’ve decided to trust Jong-soo’s words. And your testimony. Golden Circle is real and operates under the pretense of securing the future for their children, committing countless crimes. What started as parental ambition has become a cartel for mutual benefit. I plan to investigate Golden Circle thoroughly and bring justice to everyone involved. But make no mistake, I don’t support your methods.”

He tossed something onto the table.

A mountain of documents, proof of Kang Dongchul’s hard work.

“These documents contain your misdeeds. What you did to control Cheonil High School and the victims hospitalized because of you. You might have had your reasons. The Park Min-cheol group harassed you at Golden Circle’s behest, and none of your other targets were truly innocent. But you’re only 19, a high school student, and this country doesn’t permit private justice. To make Golden Circle answer for their crimes, I can’t overlook your actions either.”

It was as the rumors said.

A man with a knife for justice.

A prosecutor who claimed to live without shame.

Kang Dongchul did not side with Kim Hyunsung.

Some might argue he waded into the muck to fight evil, but Kang Dongchul simply saw things as they were. A crime was a crime. His gaze was stern.

However.

“But I won’t punish you now. Prioritizing you when we haven’t even taken down Golden Circle would only benefit them. I didn’t need to meet you or have this conversation, but Jong-soo seemed to want to help you, so I came to explain the reality. I’m sorry, but I’ll do what I must.”

“That’s enough.”

Kang Dongchul drew a line.

He wouldn’t take sides as a prosecutor.

And that.

Made Kim Hyunsung genuinely happy.

Knowing he wasn’t seen merely as a victim meant he could trust Kang Dongchul even more.

“Act as you must. That’s exactly what I wish for.”

* * *

It was a busy day.

From the police interrogation to meeting Kang Dongchul, and now, a secret meeting with journalist Bang Hyuntae.

Bang Hyuntae spoke.

“That day, after hearing your proposal, I had many thoughts. Could I really report the truth about Golden Circle? What if the power behind the scenes ruins my life and Jeongan Ilbo? The answer is I don’t know. I’m still not sure if this is the right choice, but after investigating Lee Cheongsu, my conclusion is clear.”

There exists a social hierarchy.

That was the thought that came to him during the investigation of Lee Cheongsu.

“Even though they’re all students, Lee Cheongsu lived a privileged life because his father was a powerful politician. Records were manipulated at the convenience of teachers, and bullying was ignored. One victim I visited, who had dropped out, now lives with permanent injuries and had to give up his dream of becoming an athlete. He takes painkillers daily due to the persistent pain. As a journalist and as a human being, I can’t accept that Lee Cheongsu gets to live peacefully while his victims suffer. I won’t say I’m ready, but I’ll do it. If the truth is in front of me, I’m prepared to report it.”

The Lee Cheongsu incident.

By reporting it, Bang Hyuntae had proven himself.

Even mentioning Jeongan Ilbo as part of Kim Hyunsung’s plan showed the risks they were willing to take.

Kim Hyunsung said.

“This will be very dangerous.”

“I know.”

“As you said, trouble will come. For Jeongan Ilbo and you.”

“I’m not fearless, but if I were going to back down, the Lee Cheongsu article wouldn’t have existed.”

“Understood.”

The stage was set.

Among the many pieces.

Bang Hyuntae of Jeongan Ilbo had been brought in.

“I’ll tell you what needs to be prepared from now on.”

* * *

In a nearby mountain.

Kim Hyunsung stood.

He gathered all the documents in one place and set them aflame.

Whoosh.

Crackle.

The documents caught fire quickly.

Everything he had collected until now.

It was all there.

[Oh Hye-ji]

The beginning.

The origin of it all.

The papers with her face, background, and details blackened and shriveled as if consumed by suffering. One by one, other names burned away too. Park Min-cheol, Kang Chang-seok, Jo Yong-taek, Jung Min-ho, Shin Young-min, and so on. Mere traces of the past. To achieve his goal of destroying Golden Circle, Kim Hyunsung trampled on those memories, finally reaching the end.

Swipe.

[Yoon Hyeon-min]

He looked at the unburned document.

This was truly the final one.

If he dealt with Yoon Hyeon-min, what seemed impossible would finally be done.

‘Can I do this?’

Doubt lingered.

The master of Golden Circle was far more formidable than expected, and Yoon Hyeon-min’s intentions to take full control were evident. It wasn’t just Kim Hyunsung’s last chance. If Golden Circle wasn’t taken down this time, no one would ever break through the fortress built by power.

Kim Hyunsung was no longer a high school student.

He had submitted his withdrawal, and within a week, Golden Circle would come looking for him.

There was nothing left to lose.

All matters related to Kim Hyunsung were resolved.

The media would soon be buzzing with celebrity scandals.

A minor dropping out of school and disappearing wouldn’t be a newsworthy event anymore.

He was cornered.

Death could come at any moment now.

‘I must do it. That’s why I came back to this moment.’

He tossed the paper.

Whoosh.

Crackle.

The paper burned rapidly.

There was no turning back.

Signaling his resolve, Kim Hyunsung vowed to drag Yoon Hyeon-min into the flames.

He watched the fire until only ashes remained before he turned away.

And the next day.

Kim Hyunsung disappeared.

As expected, Golden Circle searched for any trace of him but found nothing anywhere in Korea. Despite tailing his family, Myungjin Construction, and anyone connected to him, there was no sign of Kim Hyunsung’s continued existence.

People say humans are creatures of forgetfulness.

They forgot about Kim Hyunsung.

But Golden Circle never stopped searching.

Half a year later.

The end of his 19th year approached, marking the close of another year.