Devil Returns to School Days - Chapter 183: The Long-Awaited Moment (3)

For the past six months, Kim Hyunsung had met with more than just Choi Deok-soo.

While preparing for the college entrance exam, he had been reaching out to Golden Circle victims whenever he could.

Identifying the victims was not difficult, thanks to information obtained from Jung Chan-soo. However, contacting them directly and persuading them to align with his goals was an entirely different challenge. In the process, he encountered an unexpected revelation.

Over the course of several years, the Golden Circle had created countless victims.

Among them, dozens were now affiliated with the School Violence Prevention Committee.

Kim Hyunsung asked them a question.

He asked why they chose to live this way.

A man named Lee Chan-joo, in his thirties, replied.

“…At first, I just wanted to escape from that nightmare. It was only one year in high school, a single year out of my thirty, so I thought if I could just move past that one horrible year, I’d be able to live normally. But that wasn’t the case. After dropping out, I drifted from one part-time job to another, but I could no longer look people in the eye. Whenever someone raised their voice or lifted a hand, I’d flinch and cower. I lived like that for ten years, hiding away in my room, exempted from military service, draining my parents’ savings while leading a hollow life. Then one day, I happened to hear about one of my former classmates who had bullied me. Rumor had it he was now a successful medical student. It wasn’t right. If there’s any justice in the world, that shouldn’t be happening.”

Others had similar stories.

Victims.

Or the parents of victims.

They had joined the School Violence Prevention Committee, willing to risk their lives to get revenge on their tormentors and to correct the unjust society that allowed such things. Naturally, Golden Circle victims would gather around someone like Choi Seung-pil, the committee’s leader.

They shared the same pain.

The same stories.

Yet they were unaware of the whole truth.

The reality that the torment they suffered wasn’t coincidental but rather the work of the Golden Circle.

Kim Hyunsung spoke.

“From here on, I’m going to tell you the truth.”

He began his story.

He explained the existence of the Golden Circle, the root cause of their suffering.

Their expressions changed.

Some showed anger.

Some, confusion.

Others, despair.

Kim Hyunsung knew he needed the support of the victims.

Even with his meticulously crafted plan, he needed the victims to make his message resonate. His revelations alone might cause a stir but would eventually die down. However, with additional testimonies, the flames would continue to burn brightly.

Still.

He didn’t force anyone.

“I won’t pressure you to help me. But if you believe in what I’m doing, if you want to bring down the Golden Circle, then act when the time for revelation comes. When that moment arrives, the entire nation will listen to your stories—stories that no one cared to hear before.”

* * *

And now.

The victims stood before the cameras.

When Choi Seung-pil introduced them as victims, the press conference organizers couldn’t stop them any longer.

Jeongan Ilbo’s cameras were broadcasting the situation live.

Any attempts to block it further would only raise suspicion.

Lee Chan-joo took to the stage.

He felt as though he could barely breathe.

As he looked at the reporters’ gaze, tears welled up in his eyes.

“…Those bastards.”

A murmur spread through the crowd.

The reporters were taken aback.

Bastards?

They knew nothing about Lee Chan-joo’s story.

When Lee Chan-joo joined the School Violence Prevention Committee, no one had paid attention to his cries for justice, no matter how loudly he shouted. As for his bully, who had gone on to medical school, he had only laughed in his face. With a powerful family and a prestigious career path, no amount of noise from Lee Chan-joo had seemed capable of bringing him down.

But now, look at this scene before him.

It took Kim Hyunsung putting his life on the line for anyone to listen.

A nineteen-year-old had to wager his entire future just to bring about this moment of revelation.

Lee Chan-joo shouted.

“When I was in high school, I managed to surpass the top student and rank first in my class for the first time. My parents, who had sacrificed so much to support my studies, were overjoyed. That’s when it started. That top student gathered his friends and began tormenting me. They hit me, harassed me, made me run errands after school. One day, I couldn’t take it anymore and told a teacher, but the teacher just sneered, telling me to handle it on my own. I didn’t know back then that the top student was part of the Golden Circle, that he’d put out a request to target me.”

It was malicious.

The top student was not only a client but also actively involved in tormenting him.

“You probably don’t believe me. Even now, you likely think that the doctor from a powerful family is the one telling the truth. Well, let me show you the proof. The evidence I’m presenting now is a record of financial transactions with the people who harassed me. Hundreds of thousands of won were deposited into the accounts of these high school students, who had no jobs or wealthy parents. During the time they bullied me, they received financial support from someone. Can you really call that a coincidence?”

The Golden Circle had been brazen.

They had conducted transactions directly through bank accounts.

Confident they couldn’t be traced, they paid little attention to leaving evidence behind.

And honestly, they hadn’t been wrong.

Even with account records, it wasn’t enough to conclusively prove the Golden Circle’s existence or link them directly to Yoon Hyeon-min.

However.

“This isn’t a coincidence. If it were just one person, we might have dismissed the possibility of the Golden Circle’s existence.”

Lee Chan-joo was only the beginning.

Following him, other victims came forward with their stories and evidence.

Their testimonies were vivid, and using information obtained from Jung Chan-soo, they had managed to gather circumstantial evidence suggesting the existence of the Golden Circle. Although it wasn’t definitive, these pieces of evidence—like account records—added up. When dozens of similar stories were stacked together, they couldn’t be ignored.

One revelation after another.

The reporters instinctively knew.

“This incident is now beyond anyone’s control.”

It was undeniable.

Living witnesses.

By throwing themselves into the fire, these victims would fan the flames of conspiracy surrounding the Golden Circle.

* * *

The Golden Circle.

Yoon Hyeon-min.

They had become hot topics.

With Kim Hyunsung’s revelations and the subsequent appearance of victims, people could no longer dismiss this as a mere issue.

And, naturally, such a massive societal problem quickly reached the political sphere.

Public opinion is votes.

The Byeonyoung Party convened an emergency meeting.

“What should we do about this issue? The public is demanding the truth about the Golden Circle, and with the upcoming election, we can’t afford to stand idly by.”

The party leader spoke.

At his words, Byeonyoung Party’s prominent figure, Yang Min-goo, responded.

“I suggest we stand back.”

“Are you saying we should do nothing?”

“It’s not doing nothing; rather, there’s no need to poke the beehive unnecessarily. Right now, public sentiment is frenzied. People are treating the Golden Circle’s existence as fact, and they’re expressing intense anger, as though they’ll tear Yoon Hyeon-min down at any moment. But we all know the truth, don’t we? There’s no substantial evidence. Politicians can’t take action based on the words of a nineteen-year-old high school student. If Taeyang Group clears Yoon Hyeon-min’s name, acting in line with public opinion could become a liability.”

“That’s a fair point.”

“Agreed. There’s no need to act rashly.”

Others chimed in.

At this moment.

Similar discussions were happening in other parties as well.

Like the Byeonyoung Party, the other political parties were leaning toward inaction.

The party leader concluded.

“Then we’ll take a passive stance. Ahead of the election, showing we’re more capable than our competitors is important, but in reality, the key to victory is not making mistakes. If, as Representative Yang Min-goo says, Taeyang Group proves their innocence, any politician who sided with the public frenzy will face repercussions. From now on, everyone, be cautious with your words and actions. The party has decided on its stance, and any actions against this position…”

“I object.”

Suddenly.

All eyes turned toward the speaker.

The one who had spoken up.

“I believe, as a member of the National Assembly, that we must pursue the truth in this matter.”

It was none other than Kim Pan-ho.

* * *

The whole situation.

Kim Pan-ho understood exactly what was happening.

“They call it a meeting, but the reality is that none of them want the truth about the Golden Circle to come out.”

The Golden Circle.

It had spread its roots throughout South Korea.

Initially, people associated with it for the success of their children, but now it had become a key player in a vast cartel.

Kim Pan-ho was no different.

Im Chul-hyung of Mirae Investment Securities had discreetly mentioned the Golden Circle, hoping to recruit powerful figures like Kim Pan-ho. The offer was attractive. Just aligning with them could yield immense benefits, but with his eyes on the presidency, Kim Pan-ho wanted no blemishes on his record.

For that reason.

The situation struck him as almost laughable.

These so-called politicians.

People considered powerful figures in South Korea, who couldn’t possibly be unaware of the Golden Circle’s existence.

“The Golden Circle is an open secret among those in the know. And yet, for the leader of the Byeonyoung Party and the representatives here to choose inaction suggests they have something to hide. This isn’t a meeting. The answer was decided before they gathered; this is just a formality.”

Kim Hyunsung’s exposé.

The ensuing backlash.

All within his expectations.

Kim Pan-ho knew exactly what he had to do.

The party leader responded sharply.

“…Are you saying you’re opposing the party’s decision?”

“Yes. To be precise, I believe this matter cannot be left unresolved. The whistleblower, Kim Hyunsung, is merely a nineteen-year-old high school student, yet he scored a perfect score on the college entrance exam—a student with an incredibly bright future. I don’t believe someone with that kind of future would do something like this for no reason. And above all, didn’t a large number of suspected Golden Circle victims appear at Taeyang Group’s press conference? This is an opportunity for us to rise to the ruling party. If we handle this well and heed public sentiment, the Byeonyoung Party could become the leading party in South Korea.”

“Representative Kim Pan-ho. What if you’re wrong? Are you prepared to take responsibility?”

It was Yang Min-goo.

Sensing an opportunity, he pounced on Kim Pan-ho like a predator.

“We’re talking about Taeyang Group, Representative Kim—Taeyang Group! Considering the impact they have on South Korea, we can’t afford the consequences if they’re proven innocent. The party has already made its decision. For now, we’ll observe, then act decisively once the outcome is clear. As a member of this party, think carefully and make a wise decision.”

“That’s right. The party has already decided.”

Kim Pan-ho was alone.

Despite being a powerful politician, he had no chance of overturning a situation led by the party leader and Yang Min-goo, a rising star within the party.

Kim Pan-ho chuckled.

How predictable.

Not a single element out of place.

“The party has already decided, you say…”

Everyone’s attention turned to him.

Most stared with hostile eyes, though a few cast curious glances his way.

“Understood. If this is the party’s decision, then to uphold my own beliefs, I will withdraw from the party.”