Devil Returns to School Days - Chapter 195: The Price of a Life Lived (5)

Yoon Hyeon-min slumped into his chair, collapsing as if his legs had given out.

*Thud.*

Reality felt distant.

His father’s words echoed relentlessly in his mind.

[The Golden Line members have betrayed you.]

It was a shock unlike any he had ever experienced.

The Golden Line members were the ones Yoon Hyeon-min had invested the most effort in cultivating when he built the Golden Circle.

They weren’t just transactional partners—they formed a cartel, an ideal synergy where they pulled each other up and pushed each other forward. Over time, more people had sought to join the Golden Line members. Both insiders hoping for elevation and outsiders who had heard rumors flocked to them, waving bundles of cash. But Yoon had drawn a firm line: money alone couldn’t buy entry into this world.

The Golden Line members were his fortress.

Their intertwined power under the name of the Golden Circle reinforced his throne, creating a robust safety net.

Because of this, he had revealed his true identity to some of them, and during the Golden Gate crisis, the Golden Line members served their purpose well. No matter how fiercely his enemies struck from every side, they couldn’t breach his fortress. The powerful figures within the Golden Line members not only shielded him from direct threats but also served as disposable scapegoats if necessary, as their names alone were worthy of suspicion.

He trusted them.

No—he trusted the structure he had built so meticulously, believing it was unshakable.

But now, betrayal.

The outcome was unimaginable.

If his identity were exposed and the structure of the Golden Circle revealed, every member of the heavenly cartel would fall alongside him. They should have been the ones willing to risk everything to prevent their collective destruction. Instead, they had turned their knives on him.

The realization sent chills down his spine.

Only then did he fully grasp Kim Hyunsung’s intent.

*Kim Hyunsung never had direct evidence to incriminate me. He knew I wouldn’t leave such things behind. So, he attacked my surroundings to create discord. He targeted the Golden Line members, making them doubt that protecting me was their best option. He knew the only way to bring me down was through the very fortress I believed to be impenetrable.*

It was cunning.

As Yoon pieced together the details of Kim’s plan, he realized just how far his adversary had thought ahead.

But there was no way to reverse the damage now.

Throughout his leadership of the Golden Circle, Yoon had shown no mercy to those who failed. When faced with external threats, he had chosen to cut off the weak links to protect the rest. At the time, he believed it to be the best option. He couldn’t have imagined that a mere high schooler’s attack would engulf the entire Golden Circle in flames. Every decision he had made seemed appropriate at the time.

But those choices had been his downfall.

Like a snake slithering out of sight, Kim Hyunsung had quietly climbed up to strangle him.

*Grinding teeth.*

Frustration.

Betrayal.

Rage.

A whirlwind of emotions churned within him.

In the past, Yoon would have crushed those who dared to betray him without hesitation.

But not now.

He was cornered.

His father had reminded him that he was merely an heir, not yet a king. If he wanted to suppress this rebellion, he needed to abandon his throne and win back the trust of his vassals. Even if the previous relationships could never be fully restored, survival was the first priority. Only then could he plan for the future.

He endured.

Swallowing his surging emotions, his bloodshot eyes burned with determination.

“…I won’t die like this.”

*Beep.*

He summoned his secretary.

“Prepare the car immediately.”

For the first time, Yoon stepped down from his throne.

—

The car began to move.

With no clear destination in mind, Yoon started making calls.

[What’s the matter?]

The voice on the other end belonged to Park Junghak.

Yoon spoke in an uncharacteristically subdued tone.

“Let’s meet. I have something to discuss with you.”

[…Is there a need? As I told the chairman, I believe our relationship has already ended.]

“I understand the frustrations. I acted rashly. I thought securing my own safety was the only way to protect everyone under these circumstances. Let’s talk. If I made mistakes, I’ll admit them. If changes are necessary, I’ll implement them. We’ve built a long-standing relationship—it shouldn’t end like this.”

This wasn’t like Yoon at all.

His tone lacked its usual authoritarian edge. He was coaxing, almost pleading, as he sought to arrange a meeting.

[Impressive. When communication was important before, you insisted we go through intermediaries. Now, you’re suddenly all about dialogue and accommodation? Hyeon-min, as someone who’s watched you grow up, let me offer some advice. Trust is delicate, and timing is everything. Depending on when and how you speak, your words might resonate—or fall flat.]

“…Please give me a chance. I’ll make it right.”

[Tsk tsk. If only you hadn’t been so stiff earlier. I’m sorry, but I have nothing more to say to you.]

*Click.*

The call ended.

Humiliated in a way he had never experienced before, Yoon’s face flushed red with anger.

“…That bastard.”

His teeth ground audibly.

He was the heir to Taeyang Group.

Even without the Golden Circle, he wasn’t someone to be treated this way. Park’s attitude was outrageous.

Why?

In the rearview mirror, Yoon thought he caught the driver glancing at him.

Under normal circumstances, he would have fired the driver on the spot. But he suppressed his fury, knowing an outburst would only worsen his situation.

Swallowing his emotions, Yoon made another call.

He tried Park Junghak several more times, but the man didn’t answer. Yoon then turned to the other Golden Line members.

Park, at least, had been polite. Most of the others blocked his calls outright.

Hours passed as the car aimlessly circled Gangnam, unable to find a destination. The heir to Taeyang Group, who had always commanded others with ease, now found himself adrift, unable to reach anyone or anything.

Eventually, one person agreed to meet with Yoon Hyeon-min.

—

Yoon arrived at the meeting place first.

In the past, such a scenario would have been unimaginable. Yet here he was, waiting for an hour before the other party arrived.

“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.”

“It’s nothing. Meeting is no difficult task.”

As Yoon rose from his seat to greet him, Hong Dong-young raised a hand, exuding the demeanor of a superior addressing a subordinate.

Rumors had already spread.

The moment Kim Hyunsung went to see the chairman, Yoon’s immediate actions indicated that Kim’s threats had struck a nerve. While there had been uncertainty about whether Kim’s plan would succeed, it had proven effective. His strategy was calculated, and the Golden Line members’ reputation alone carried sufficient weight to intimidate.

“So, why did you want to meet?”

“I’ll be direct. If you withdraw your statements to my father, I will meet any demand you make.”

“Oh? Is that so?”

Hong smirked.

It was an amusing sight.

At a time when others were refusing to meet Yoon, Hong had come for a reason.

“Frankly, if I cared about my safety, I wouldn’t have responded to your request. Do you know why I’m here?”

“…To hear what I have to say, isn’t it?”

“Oh, no.”

Their eyes met.

Yoon had momentarily forgotten that Hong Dong-young was a seasoned politician.

The icy gleam in Hong’s gaze was far from amicable.

“Judging by your frantic movements, I assume the chairman gave you a scolding. But let me tell you something—humans are petty creatures. No matter how much we try to mend relationships, things can never go back to how they were. Outwardly, we may laugh and pretend everything is fine, but true sincerity can never be restored.

“Our choice reflects that. Even after Assemblyman Lee Kyung-chul was sacrificed and countless others suffered, we avoided betrayal because we understood better than anyone the irreversibility of such a decision. But you, Director Yoon, pushed us off the cliff.”

“I understand. But if you give me a chance…”

“Did you ever give others the chance you now seek for yourself?”

A chill shot through Yoon’s chest.

He had always been merciless when dealing with failures.

Now, the harsh standards he had imposed on others had come back to haunt him.

“It seems unfair for you to apply such unforgiving criteria to others while exempting yourself. That’s all I wanted to say. Whether you choose to accept Kim Hyunsung’s terms or not, it doesn’t matter. You can decide based on the options we’ve provided.”

—

Night fell.

Instead of returning home, Yoon staggered toward his office.

*Swish.*

He brushed his fingers over his nameplate.

When he first received the title of director, Yoon had believed his success was destined.

But now, the ground beneath him was crumbling.

Ever since Kim Hyunsung, an unpredictable variable, had emerged, Yoon’s once smooth-sailing life had veered wildly off course.

*How far ahead did Kim Hyunsung plan this?*

A wave of dizziness overcame him.

If only…

If only he hadn’t chosen to sacrifice Assemblyman Lee Kyung-chul to contain the situation when Im Cheol-hyung’s revelations began tightening around him. Would the Golden Line members, as Park Junghak and Hong Dong-young claimed, have protected him to the end?

Why had Im Cheol-hyung betrayed him in the first place?

Despite all their conversations, Yoon still couldn’t understand why Im had made a choice that dragged them both into the mud.

He didn’t know.

For the first time, Yoon Hyeon-min, who had always considered himself intelligent, couldn’t make sense of anything.

*I can’t comprehend Kim Hyunsung’s malice.*

The way Kim had looked at him, the words he had spoken—none of it felt like the result of a mere vendetta.

There was something Yoon didn’t know.

But one thing was certain.

The situation was dire.

The Golden Line members’ threats were serious, and if Yoon failed to complete the task his father had assigned him, the consequences would be catastrophic.

In his life so far, there had been no true crises. His abilities, or his family’s influence, had resolved everything. Now, for the first time, he faced a challenge he couldn’t immediately overcome.

His heart raced with anxiety.

But even so…

He couldn’t give up.

The truth behind Kim Hyunsung’s motives, his father’s wavering gaze—all of it drove Yoon to search for a way out.

*Beep.*

He summoned his secretary.

Despite the late hour, there were still employees at the office—people who would act as his hands and feet.

Or so he thought.

*Beep. Beep.*

No matter how many times he pressed the button or tried calling directly, the secretary who always responded instantly was nowhere to be found.

—

Before leaving the office earlier, Yoon had given his secretary a task:

Find someone suitable to take the fall for his crimes.

That was the last time they had spoken.

Now, with no sign of the secretary anywhere, Yoon sat back in his chair and let out a bitter laugh.

“Kuh… Even you’ve abandoned me.”

The secretary had been perceptive.

They had realized how precarious the situation was, understood that Yoon Hyeon-min—once a guaranteed path to success—was now a sinking ship.

Most importantly, they knew they were among the potential scapegoats Yoon was searching for. As someone who had acted as Yoon’s proxy in many dealings, the secretary was a prime candidate to take the fall. But they had no intention of playing that role.

With the Golden Line members’ defection, the secretary knew that even being sacrificed wouldn’t resolve anything. And so, they had walked away.

For the first time, Yoon grasped how much his reputation had deteriorated.

“Ha…”

He stared blankly at the ceiling.

The darkness felt suffocating.

Cornered with no way out, Yoon’s eyes took on a dangerous glint.

*This is all because of Kim Hyunsung.*

To solve the problem, he needed to eliminate the root cause.

Giving up wasn’t an option.

Grabbing his phone, Yoon made a call.

For the first time, he bypassed intermediaries and contacted a Golden Circle broker directly.

“Gather every resource we have immediately.”

This was it.

His last, desperate gamble for survival.

“And kill Kim Hyunsung.”

Tonight, it seemed Yoon Hyeon-min wouldn’t get any sleep.

(TL Note: Damn! The climax is climaxing lol. I know that is not an actual word but whatever! We are almost at the endgame, 7 chapters left before we say good bye to our Hyunsung.)