Devil Returns to School Days - Chapter 177: Half a Year Later (2)

Half a year ago.

Go Chang-beom called together the influential figures of Daesan as soon as his press conference ended.

Though unfamiliar faces to those in Seoul, they were prominent people in Daesan: executives from well-known companies, figures like Superintendent Cho Dong-jin, and community leaders.

They appeared uneasy.

“Why did you call us here?”

“It’s already a dangerous situation. Making any moves now could lead to serious trouble. Haven’t we seen what happened to Cheonil’s Oh Daehwan and Kim Youngcheol? Even if we pledge to protect each other, losing our heads could happen in an instant.”

Their fear was palpable.

With Myungjin Construction under attack and Cheonil collapsing, the unity of the Daesan cartel had significantly weakened.

Go Chang-beom spoke.

“I fully understand what you’re worried about. Yet, the reason you came here despite the risk is that you’re dissatisfied enough with the current situation to take that risk, isn’t it?”

“That’s…”

“Hmph.”

They remained silent.

As Go Chang-beom had said, their frustration wasn’t with him but with the external force of Golden Circle.

“As you know, I was investigated by the prosecution recently. All because I was supporting Kim Hyunsung, a thorn in Golden Circle’s side. They dug into my past, fabricated evidence and witnesses to corner me. I barely survived this ordeal, but Golden Circle can come for me again at any time if I don’t stay in line. Let me ask you all. If we continue to remain silent while Daesan’s people are attacked one by one, who will speak up for you when you become the next target? Don’t think of it as someone else’s problem. If you stir their ire, your turn could come at any moment.”

He captured their attention.

Go Chang-beom, speaking as an executive, had power in his words.

His resolute gaze and overwhelming message now carried a grave weight.

“There is a saying. ‘When the Nazis came for the communists, I remained silent; I was not a communist. When they locked up the social democrats, I remained silent; I was not a social democrat. When they came for the trade unionists, I did not speak out; I was not a trade unionist. When they came for me, there was no one left to speak for me.’ That’s what I’m saying. I was born in Daesan, have lived here all my life, and I truly love its people. I know you remained silent when I was attacked, but I won’t remain silent when you’re targeted. So give me a reason. Show me that we are united, and no matter what happens in the future, I will not stay silent. I will gladly raise my voice for Daesan.”

The snowball started rolling.

The reason Kim Hyunsung hadn’t personally dealt with Oh Daehwan and Kim Youngcheol was to preserve the Daesan cartel.

People nodded.

He was right.

If the blade of Golden Circle ever turned towards them, the only thing they could rely on was the insular culture of the local cartel.

Seeing the atmosphere ripen, Go Chang-beom delivered the final blow.

“We must protect each other. I’ll lead the way. I’ll be at the forefront.”

“He’s right.”

“Let’s follow Executive Go.”

“If we don’t protect each other, who else will?”

People responded.

That day.

The Daesan cartel was reborn.

* * *

Back then, neither Han Seungjo nor Jang In-ho were aware of Daesan’s change.

Facing the principal’s hostility, they altered their plans.

“Just go for it after school. Legally, they won’t be able to touch you.”

School ended.

Jang In-ho summoned other Golden Circle members.

Knowing that there were people protecting Kim Hyun-jin, he intended to deal with them as well.

Walking out of the school gate, Jang In-ho called out to Kim Hyun-jin.

“Hey.”

“What?”

“Come with me. Resist, and I’ll kill you right here.”

There was a murderous gleam in his eyes.

Despite knowing he shouldn’t follow, Kim Hyun-jin trailed behind Jang In-ho with a calm gaze.

They turned into an alley.

When they arrived at a secluded spot, Golden Circle members summoned by Jang In-ho were waiting. All were skilled, A-rank or higher. With Jang In-ho’s group of about ten, even if Kim Hyun-jin had protection, they were prepared to wipe them out.

Jang In-ho smirked.

“Not scared, huh? What were you thinking following me?”

“Just.”

He glanced around.

Half a year had passed since Kim Hyunsung disappeared.

It had taken longer than he thought.

“When my brother left home, he told me something. That he was really sorry. That he knew our family would be in danger once he was gone, and he was truly sorry for putting us in that position. Listening to him, I wasn’t scared of being in danger. I was just angry. What had my brother done wrong? What grave sin had he committed to always face such risks? It’s frustrating, you know. Whether it’s Park Min-cheol, Shin Young-min, or anyone else who was hit by him—my brother never attacked an innocent person.”

At that moment.

Behind Kim Hyun-jin.

A group appeared.

A large man and a dozen others.

As tension gripped Jang In-ho and the Golden Circle members, Kim Hyun-jin’s eyes turned cold.

“Do any of you know why? No? It doesn’t matter.”

Tap.

One man stepped forward.

The hood he wore fluttered, revealing a determined face.

And then, without hesitation.

“Maybe if you get beaten enough, you’ll remember something.”

Whoosh.

Crack!

He sent Jang In-ho’s face flying.

* * *

The man’s identity.

Baek Seong-ho.

Before Kim Hyunsung disappeared, Baek Seong-ho had received an offer.

“Live for me for a year.”

During the officetel incident.

Baek Seong-ho avoided prison time.

As the only adult involved, his case could have been more severe, but Golden Circle managed the fallout, dismissing his charges to keep the scandal from escalating. If Baek Seong-ho’s motives were seen as deliberate, the incident would have grown even bigger. Thus, he managed to escape with just probation.

On that day.

Baek Seong-ho received a billion won.

When he held that bundle of cash in his trembling hands, he vowed to live for Kim Hyunsung.

“What should I do?”

The requirement was simple.

Return to Daesan and protect Kim Hyun-jin.

Baek Seong-ho started daily training to strengthen himself and gathered friends who used to fight alongside him, forming a new force. It was almost like an organization. Each of them was promised a reward once everything was resolved, so for half a year, they alternated between guarding and training. (TL Note: Wow.)

People say.

A year is different for minors.

At twenty, their peak physical condition amplified Baek Seong-ho’s and his group’s combat power.

Smack.

Thud, thud!

It happened in an instant.

Jang In-ho and his crew showed their strength in line with their rankings, but Baek Seong-ho charged like he was ready to kill. The tougher the situation, the greater the reward. Kim Hyunsung always compensated in cash for such efforts. Now, with the stakes so high, there was no reason for someone like Baek Seong-ho, who had lived a rough life, not to risk it all.

The battle was brutal.

Many of Baek Seong-ho’s friends were injured, and he himself was a mess, but they managed to defeat everyone.

Kim Hyun-jin spoke.

“Thank you.”

“No problem. It was the right thing to do. What should we do with them?”

He looked at the fallen figures.

Their condition seemed severe, but that was irrelevant.

Kim Hyun-jin responded indifferently.

“Golden Circle will handle it. I don’t care what happens to those who tried to corner my brother.”

He walked ahead.

Baek Seong-ho scratched his head.

“They really are alike.”

* * *

Back to the present.

The secretary’s expression darkened.

“So, you achieved nothing during all this time?”

“…I’m sorry.”

Han Seungjo recounted everything that had happened.

The principal of Daesan High was uncooperative, and Jang In-ho and the Golden Circle members ended up on the losing side. Even when they tried to leverage the incident to move the police, the local police chief wouldn’t cooperate.

Listening to the story felt like swallowing a hundred bitter pills.

It made no sense.

If things had stalled this much, it should have been reported to higher-ups to resolve the issue.

The secretary spoke.

“Why wasn’t this reported earlier? Cleaning up Daesan’s pests shouldn’t be a challenge.”

“Well…”

Han Seungjo bit his lip.

It was a complicated issue.

Pressed by the secretary, he lowered his head.

“I was afraid of the consequences of failure. I thought if I didn’t handle it properly, it would lead to serious problems for me.”

“What?”

A bewildering answer.

It was an overlooked problem within Golden Circle.

While Yoon Hyeon-min had swiftly organized internally, he had shown ruthlessness in punishing failures.

Seeing figures like Park Hyung-joon, who had previously been loyal to Golden Circle, scapegoated and ruined for their failures must have affected other brokers. They realized that failure meant the end. Witnessing how merciless the group could be, Han Seungjo even thought that leading the organization was a poisoned chalice.

The result.

Reports got stalled mid-way.

It had been an issue before, but recently it had become more pronounced.

“Sigh.”

The secretary pressed his temples.

He was in the same position.

He couldn’t bring himself to report such an embarrassing issue to Yoon Hyeon-min, knowing it meant trouble.

He was no different.

However.

He held more power than Han Seungjo.

“I’ll move higher authorities to deal with Daesan’s pests. Remember, this time, handle it properly. Push Kim Hyun-jin until he can’t take it anymore, so that Kim Hyunsung won’t stay silent and will come out. If we don’t deal with Kim Hyunsung, it’s the end for both of us. Got it?”

“…Understood.”

* * *

The method was the same as before.

Just like they had dealt with Cheonil’s Oh Daehwan and Kim Youngcheol.

They moved the higher-ups.

The scale was significant enough that it would reach Yoon Hyeon-min’s ears, but it was deemed necessary for thorough execution.

The power of authority was immense.

Audit office personnel were dispatched immediately.

Their target was Jang In-ho’s homeroom teacher.

The plan was to frame his actions as excessive corporal punishment and deal with him accordingly.

The police, too, were on board.

They aimed to first handle the homeroom teacher and then gradually deal with others, sending a warning to Daesan once more.

An auditor spoke.

“Do you understand the situation now? To survive, you need to cooperate with us, just like Oh Daehwan and Kim Youngcheol did. If you make the wrong choice this time, it won’t just end with dismissal; you might end up in prison. You’ve worked hard to become a teacher, haven’t you?”

He offered both carrot and stick.

The plan was to coerce the teacher into complicity and harass Kim Hyun-jin.

However.

The teacher responded calmly.

“Do you know something?”

He was in his 40s.

A head of a family.

Not different from Kim Youngcheol in terms of position.

“The principal and teacher Kim Youngcheol, sent away by Golden Circle, were my seniors. We used to see each other around town, share drinks. I don’t find it particularly surprising that those two were punished. They were trash. Trash deserves punishment. But Golden Circle has crossed the line. How long are we supposed to be manipulated by your schemes? Just like Myungjin Construction was cornered, just like I am standing here before you now, anyone can be next. No matter how powerful you are, you can’t crush all of Daesan.”

The people of Daesan.

They had already coordinated their response.

They knew what to do when one of their own became a target.

“Thank you. I may no longer live as a teacher, but my future retirement will be peaceful, thanks to you.”

He smiled brightly.

The Daesan cartel.

They were no longer swayed by external pressure.