Devil Returns to School Days - Chapter 199: Epilogue, Cause and Effect (1)

Immediately after Kim Panho’s election.

The first thing he did to stabilize the new administration was to reignite the Golden Gate issue.

[“Citizens of the Republic of Korea. About a year ago, we witnessed an unprecedented act of heinous organized crime known as the ‘Golden Gate.’ At that time, everyone was enraged and demanded severe punishment. But what was the result? Baseless rumors claimed that Yoon Hyeon-min of the Taeyang Group was behind it, or that there were other unidentified figures. False news made headlines, yet the truth remained undisclosed. Golden Gate is a disgraceful part of our nation’s history and continues to plague Korea like a malignant tumor. Therefore, I hereby declare to you all: I, Kim Panho, will uncover the absolute truth about Golden Gate before the end of my term!”]

Golden Gate.

It remained a mystery.

Although it had initially seemed poised to upend Korea, the case had fizzled out following Assemblyman Lee Gyeong-cheol’s suicide and Yoon Hyeon-min’s resignation. Many still indulged in conspiracy theories, claiming that Yoon’s absence from public view signaled a deeper reason and that those suspected of orchestrating the crimes continued to live untouched, reaping their rewards.

Kim Panho was well aware of these sentiments.

This was his opportunity to secure his legacy—a unique and unparalleled achievement that would cement his name in the annals of Korean history.

And so, he drew his sword.

Kim knew that eradicating the Golden Circle completely before the end of his term would grant him immense power.

[“A special task force will be formed to address Golden Gate, with Kang Dongchul, Deputy Chief Prosecutor at the Central District Prosecutor’s Office, appointed as its leader.”]

The nation cheered.

The truth was still shrouded in uncertainty.

Kim Panho’s departure from his party despite pressure from those in power and Kang Dongchul’s defiance of prosecutorial authority created a duo that inspired hope, regardless of what the truth turned out to be.

This time, things were different.

Backed by the government, Kang Dongchul quickly lived up to his nickname, “The Blade That Slaughters Bulls.”

* * *

Park Jeong-hak dialed a number with an anxious expression.

As the monotonous ringing continued, he nervously bit his nails.

“Please, answer… Just answer the phone!”

The problem had begun a week ago.

It started with a call from Kang Dongchul following the announcement of the government’s intent to reignite the Golden Gate investigation.

[“Representative Park Jeong-hak, you’re a client and member of the Golden Circle who commissioned an attack on a student attending the same school as your son, correct?”]

“What nonsense is this? Stop making such outrageous accusations!”

[“I didn’t expect you to admit it right away. Over the past year, the prosecution hasn’t been idle. We’ve gathered evidence that identifies the Golden Circle’s members. Have you heard of Song Jae-ryong? You might not know his name as the one who carried out the task, but it would be wise to familiarize yourself with it now. Song Jae-ryong is living proof of your involvement with the Golden Circle and your exchanges of favors with influential figures as a member of the Golden Line. I’ll give you a week. After that, you’ll receive a summons, so prepare to refute the charges to the best of your ability.”]

“…If you’re going to investigate, why not do it right now?”

[“Curious, are you?”]

On the other end of the line, Kang Dongchul’s mocking tone seemed palpable.

[“I could summon you right away, but I’d rather have you stew in helplessness, knowing what’s coming. I believe in the concept of cause and effect. My faith in justice stems from living a life of integrity under the heavens. For the next week, this single phone call will plunge you into hell. Struggle as much as you like. Every unconscious wrong you’ve committed will now return to you like a boomerang.”]

Click.

The call ended.

A cold shiver ran down Park’s spine.

Since his dealings with Kim Hyunsung, Park had assumed his safety was guaranteed.

But the immediate follow-up to Kim Panho’s announcement of the task force proved one thing: this had been in the works for a long time.

Kang Dongchul, who had seemingly closed the case after Assemblyman Lee’s suicide, had been waiting patiently, dedicating the past year to ensuring no one in the Golden Circle would escape unscathed.

There was no way out.

Park felt cornered.

From that moment, he scrambled to make calls, searching for a solution but finding none.

Now, grasping at straws, he tried contacting Kim Hyunsung.

He held onto a faint hope that Hyunsung might resolve this—but as the missed calls climbed into double digits, despair set in.

At last, he realized.

“…We were fools.”

A year ago, they shouldn’t have abandoned Yoon Hyeon-min.

At the time, sacrificing him seemed like the lesser evil, but if the Golden Gate was destined to be thoroughly investigated, they should have protected him and consolidated their strength. Yoon’s resignation had already dismantled the Golden Circle. Without trust among its members, there was no way to survive this crisis.

[“The person you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please leave a message after the tone…”]

Clenching his eyes shut, Park slowly lowered his phone.

At this moment, just as Kang Dongchul had said, the helplessness of being unable to act engulfed him.

* * *

Barely a month after the task force’s creation, Kang Dongchul made shocking progress.

As if waiting for the right moment, he immediately arrested Park Jeong-hak, followed by other key members of the Golden Line.

Figures like Park Jeong-hak, Hong Dong-young, and Jeon Sang-chul were taken into custody one after another.

The nation was in uproar.

The prominent names surfacing were enough to remind everyone of the gravity of the Golden Gate case.

Forced into a corner, the arrested individuals began naming names.

“Taeyang Group.”

The truth that emerged was clear: Taeyang Group was behind it all.

As chaos erupted outside, Yoon Byeong-ho gazed out the window, his expression unreadable.

“…So this was your aim all along.”

He let out a sigh.

Deep down, he had always known.

The ferocity in Kim Hyunsung’s eyes had promised that devouring Yoon Hyeon-min was only the beginning.

Yet, at the time, there had been no choice but to abandon Yoon and focus on erasing any ties between Taeyang Group and the Golden Circle. Just as expected, the Golden Gate reignited. With Kim Panho’s election, the sword was drawn.

“Life is fascinating. If you had been born into a family like mine, your talent would have shone among the powerful.”

Both Yoon Hyeon-min and himself had failed in the same way.

Blinded by their lowly origins, they had underestimated the full extent of Kim Hyunsung’s capabilities.

It was laughable.

The notion that Taeyang Group, a giant painstakingly built over decades, could be shaken by a mere high school student was utterly absurd.

And then it happened.

*Bang!*

“You can’t do this here!”

“Move aside.”

The door swung open abruptly.

Kang Dongchul strode in purposefully and, holding out a document, addressed Yoon Byeong-ho.

“You should’ve complied with the summons. Why did you have to make things so difficult?”

Yoon Byeong-ho slowly turned his head.

Kang Dongchul looked like a hunting dog ready to tear him apart.

“I’ve committed no crime. Why should I comply with such ridiculous demands?”

“I don’t believe you were directly involved in the Golden Circle, Chairman Yoon. But your son, Yoon Hyeon-min, created the Golden Circle and used Taeyang Group’s resources to build such an empire. Your ‘inaction’ in that process is clear. Do you deny it?”

“I do.”

“Understood.”

A faint smile crossed Kang’s lips.

He never intended for this to be a discussion.

He turned to the prosecutors who had followed him in.

“Take him.”

“Yes, sir.”

The prosecutors rushed forward.

It was a situation no physical resistance could change. Yoon’s secretary stood frozen with a blank expression.

As Yoon was led away, he said, “Taeyang Group won’t fall so easily. What I’ve built is deeply rooted in this nation.”

“Perhaps,” Kang replied. “But let me tell you something.”

There was a saying circulating in the prosecution office: once the Golden Gate case was completely resolved, Kang Dongchul would ascend even higher, potentially wielding unprecedented power no prosecutor had ever held.

Contrary to the rumors, Kang had no interest in such rewards.

For him, the satisfaction of fulfilling his duty over the past year was reward enough.

To a man like that, Yoon’s threats were meaningless.

“I wouldn’t have come this far if I couldn’t handle the consequences. Do your best.”

Yoon Byeong-ho’s threats fell flat.

* * *

The arrest of Yoon Byeong-ho.

It was a monumental event.

While Korea buzzed with speculation about possible punishments, the outcome wasn’t swift.

Yoon hired the best legal team money could buy. A renowned judge even resigned from the bench to join his team. Initially, they distanced themselves from the Golden Circle entirely, claiming no connection.

But Kang Dongchul was not an easy adversary.

Armed with the information he had obtained from Kim Hyunsung, a year of preparation, and unwavering government support, he succeeded in proving the case through circumstantial evidence.

The breakthrough came from the Golden Circle’s members.

With their crimes confirmed, they were forced to confess, hoping to lessen their sentences.

The atmosphere shifted.

Taeyang Group tried to frame it as the “reckless actions of Yoon Hyeon-min alone,” but Kang didn’t let go of his prey. He tore into them relentlessly. Public opinion, already furious, turned squarely against Taeyang Group.

Exactly one year after the investigation began, a decisive outcome was achieved.

[Breaking news: The court has finally declared Taeyang Group guilty. The group’s successor, Yoon Hyeon-min, used the company’s resources to form the ‘Golden Circle’ and commit heinous crimes known to all. While no direct support from Taeyang Group was found, evidence confirmed that the company benefited from the Golden Circle’s activities and ignored Yoon’s crimes. Chairman Yoon Byeong-ho was sentenced to 20 years for his complicity. Additionally, Taeyang Group is ordered to provide massive compensation to the victims. Prosecutor Kang Dongchul announced that while Yoon Hyeon-min has been hospitalized in a psychiatric facility for a year and cannot serve his sentence currently, he will face life imprisonment without parole should he ever recover.]

It was total destruction.

Both the chairman and his successor had crossed a point of no return, and the victims’ compensations were astronomical. The deaths, the survivors, and their formal claims of damages numbered in the hundreds, forcing Taeyang Group to pay an unprecedented sum.

The towering fortress of Taeyang Group—a conglomerate so massive that most couldn’t even dream of challenging it—crumbled spectacularly.

It was a historic moment.

The witnesses to this collapse found themselves part of history.

* * *

A convenience store in Daesan.

The manager clicked his tongue.

“Filthy bastards. How could they think of stuffing their bellies while killing innocent children? It’s always the rich ones who are worse.”

The world was in turmoil.

The drawn-out court battles over the past year had been excruciating, but now, like drinking a refreshing soda, the outcome brought immense relief. The manager stared at the news footage of Yoon Byeong-ho’s dazed expression as he was taken into custody. No matter how elite his legal team was, the undeniable evidence and societal outrage were enough to bring him down.

*Shff.*

Someone placed items on the counter.

Realizing there was a customer, the manager awkwardly smiled and scanned the items.

“The news has been so captivating lately. Can’t take my eyes off it. Do you need a bag?”

“…Yes.”

“Got it. Hm?”

The manager’s expression shifted as he packed the items.

He glanced at the customer.

The customer slightly tilted their head, seemingly trying to avoid detection, but the manager persistently scrutinized the face hidden beneath the mask.

Though not entirely sure, he was certain the face was familiar.

“Aren’t you… Oh Hye-ji?”

Her expression twisted.