Chapter 150: Home Ground (5)
At a café in Seoul.
In a well-known budget franchise café, Gang Dong-cheol [1] met Park Jong-su [2]. As a prosecutor, Gang Dong-cheol usually avoided private meetings with lawyers, but he knew Park Jong-su wasn’t someone who would reach out without a serious reason. Aware that this meeting had a specific purpose, he decided to show up.
Park Jong-su spoke first.
“Been a while.”
“Yeah.”
“I used to live off this café’s coffee back in the day. When we were rookies, we had so much work. Ah, but I guess talking about personal stuff is awkward?”
“…”
Gang Dong-cheol silently sipped his coffee, signaling for Park Jong-su to get to the point. Understanding the hint, Park Jong-su smiled awkwardly and began to pull out some documents.
“You’ve always been the cold type. The reason I called you is because of a group called the ‘Golden Circle.’”
He slid the documents over.
“These records contain proof of the crimes the Golden Circle has committed, things that can be fully substantiated. You’ll see for yourself what a vile group they are. These so-called ‘powerful people’ share their benefits while ruining young, innocent lives. Take the recent incident at Daeseong Future High School, for example. Dozens were hospitalized, and a student was even stabbed, yet there wasn’t a single news article about it. The Golden Circle buried the truth.”
“Is this a personal request?”
*Clink.*
Gang Dong-cheol set down his teacup. His sharp gaze made Park Jong-su shrug.
“It’s more of a social exposé. You must have had some idea that groups like this exist. Someone has to take them down, but whoever does will undoubtedly be forced to resign. That’s why I came to you. Looking at your career as a prosecutor, I realized you’re the only one who could handle such an insane case.”
Gang Dong-cheol remained calm.
As Park Jong-su suggested, he might have been aware of the Golden Circle’s existence. As a deputy chief prosecutor in the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office, it would be impossible for him to be completely oblivious to a group like the Golden Circle, which spread like a cancerous cell.
Still, this was the first time he had seen concrete evidence like this.
It was a gamble from here on.
Park Jong-su purposefully stoked the flames within Gang Dong-cheol.
“If you ever decide to take this on, contact me. The central figure in all of this is Kim Hyunsung, my client.”
* * *
It had been a hectic day.
After dealing with a mountain of cases, Gang Dong-cheol returned home and looked down at the stack of documents on his desk.
“…The Golden Circle.”
As Park Jong-su had predicted, he knew about the Golden Circle. He wasn’t fully aware of their true nature, but as their scale grew, he had received increasing reports and tips about them. Victims mentioned a mysterious group, begging for help to escape the Golden Circle. The organization had maintained secrecy for so long, but cracks were beginning to show. The future revelations that Kim Hyunsung recalled were only possible because these cracks had existed all along.
As the group grew larger…
As more people shared in their benefits…
Their secrecy would inevitably unravel.
The Golden Circle that Gang Dong-cheol was aware of was just the tip of the iceberg.
He began to go through the documents.
He had skimmed through them earlier in his office, but the contents were shocking, far beyond what he had expected.
‘If all of this is true, it means that Korea is rotten to the core. Not just one political side, but all sides, with powerful individuals forming alliances to ensure they could pass on their wealth and power to future generations. If the Golden Circle’s methods continue, the possibility of anyone rising from humble beginnings will vanish completely. Anyone with potential will have their wings clipped before they can even try to fly, all because of some powerful figure in every school.’
A bitter taste filled his mouth.
This was a ticking time bomb.
The fact that the group transcended political boundaries meant that dealing with them might involve confronting every powerful figure in the country.
Suddenly, his wife came to mind.
She had mentioned Kim Hyunsung, the key figure in these documents, once before.
‘Wasn’t he the tutor helping Min-woo with his studies?’
Back then, his wife had made a heartfelt request. Normally, she wasn’t the type to overstep, but she had asked him to make an exception, just once, to help improve their son’s grades. While it wasn’t something Gang Dong-cheol viewed as inherently wrong, he had refused to involve himself. Kim Hyunsung seemed to be in an unfair situation, and helping him wouldn’t have been a problem, but as a prosecutor, Gang Dong-cheol couldn’t afford to give even the slightest appearance of impropriety.
It was his son’s matter.
It was his tutor’s matter.
But to someone looking for a reason to attack him, it could have easily appeared as unethical.
The reason Gang Dong-cheol had maintained his reputation up until now was because he had never allowed even the smallest issue to arise.
‘If the immoral situation my wife hinted at—where a student was driven into ruin—is truly the work of the Golden Circle, as described in these documents, what kind of decision must I make when faced with such a massive organization?’
He was deep in thought.
This was no easy decision.
But…
Just as he had rejected his wife’s request, Gang Dong-cheol had always lived by a firm principle.
‘Never become a man I would be ashamed of.’
The answer was clear.
No matter what the truth was.
As a prosecutor, he had more than enough reason to investigate this case.
Without even taking off his suit, Gang Dong-cheol stepped out onto the terrace and made a call.
“Yes, this is Gang Dong-cheol. Could you come by my office tomorrow? I need to ask a favor.”
For now, the priority was to confirm whether these documents were true.
* * *
A few days later.
Park Hyung-jun [3] sat, his face pale, his head lowered in shame.
Facing his superior now, he couldn’t bring himself to meet their eyes.
“What is the meaning of this? I distinctly remember you assuring us that everything would be handled perfectly.”
“…I have no excuse. I can’t even begin to explain.”
The plan to bring down Daesan had failed completely.
They hadn’t been able to lay a finger on Kim Hyunsung’s family, and the tax investigation into Myungjin Construction had fizzled out pathetically. According to the words of National Tax Service officer Jung Se-hoon, it was as if Myungjin Construction had blatantly displayed their corruption, daring anyone to expose them. The agency, like a blind man, had hurriedly covered up the truth.
But that wasn’t all.
Even Park Jong-su had stood firm.
Kim Hyunsung’s people had faced the Golden Circle’s relentless assault with surprising calm.
‘That cunning bastard.’
Kim Hyunsung.
He was no ordinary man.
The plan to turn Myungjin Construction into an untouchable ticking time bomb was chillingly brilliant. There were parts of the process that didn’t make sense. For example, it seemed Kim Hyunsung had managed to bribe the Golden Line members in advance, even though not even Jung Chan-su [4] had information on the key figures behind the pressure from the tax investigation. How could Kim Hyunsung have known to pay them off ahead of time?
It was incomprehensible.
But one thing was certain.
As a result, Park Hyung-jun could do nothing but bow his head in apology, as if pleading for his life.
“I swear, I’ll make it right this time.”
“And how do you plan to do that?”
“Well…”
“The method of breaking down Kim Hyunsung’s support is already a lost cause. No matter how much influence we can exert over the National Tax Service, it’s impossible to launch a second tax investigation on a company that’s already been cleared of charges. That would take at least a few years. And from the reactions of Go Chang-beom and the lawyer, it seems they won’t back down easily. Things are… tricky. All this commotion without any results has greatly upset the master. The Golden Circle, especially the Golden Line members, are furious.”
“I apologize.”
*Thud!*
He banged his head against the floor.
It was the only thing he could do.
The superior looked down at him coldly.
If they had wanted to punish Park Hyung-jun, this meeting wouldn’t have happened in the first place.
“This is your last chance.”
“Just give the word! I’ll stake my life on it!”
Park Hyung-jun raised his head, his eyes desperate.
The superior smiled slightly at his display of urgency.
“The master has ordered that before anything else, the internal distrust within the Golden Circle must be resolved. Let’s set aside the Daesan issue for now. Your next task is to handle ‘Kim Hyunsung.’ During the upcoming first-semester midterm exams, make sure his grades plummet, or ensure he fails to take the test entirely. Do whatever it takes to prove that the Golden Circle never fails to achieve its goals.”
The final chance.
Park Hyung-jun knew it.
This was truly his last shot.
With determination in his voice, he shouted:
“I swear on my life, I will prove my worth this time!”
* * *
At that moment.
Kim Hyunsung received a call from Go Chang-beom.
[We received word from the National Tax Service that they’re dropping the case. Looks like our threats worked. They must’ve realized that poking the ticking time bomb we set up could blow up in their faces, taking their own clients with it. So, what’s your next move? You managed to fend off the Golden Circle’s plans in Daesan, but things are different in Seoul. You’re in enemy territory now.]
“…I’ll handle the rest. Thank you, though. I know it wasn’t an easy decision for Myungjin Construction, but you kept your word.”
[Heh, I’ve always been a fool, haven’t I? I told you before, I need a brain like yours to help me run this company. So, take care of yourself first.]
“I will. I’ll be in touch.”
*Click.*
He hung up.
Go Chang-beom.
A new connection in this new life.
He was a truly grateful ally.
At first, Kim Hyunsung had seen him as just another tool, but despite knowing that Kim Hyunsung was up against a giant like the Golden Circle, Go Chang-beom had never turned his back on him. Because of him, things had gone much more smoothly. If Go Chang-beom had abandoned him, Kim Hyunsung’s family in Daesan would have been in grave danger.
*Rustle.*
He shifted his gaze.
On his wide desk, numerous documents were scattered in disarray.
“The important thing now is uncovering the true identities of the Golden Line. Only by revealing them can I reach the master of the Golden Circle.”
It was just speculation, but…
The Golden Line members likely knew the master’s identity.
The Golden Circle had been able to establish such a powerful presence initially because of the master’s concealed background. If Kim Hyunsung could uncover the identities of the Golden Line members, he might be able to trace a connection to the master.
This tax investigation had served its purpose.
Kim Hyunsung had intentionally provoked certain figures suspected to be part of the Golden Line.
Among them…
*Rustle.*
He pulled out a document.
[Assemblyman Lee Kyung-chul]
A key figure in the ruling party.
He had accepted Go Chang-beom’s bribe with a smile.
When they threatened him, the Golden Circle reacted dramatically.
Given that he had held significant influence as a lawmaker for over two decades, it was highly likely that he had been involved in the early formation of the Golden Circle. This meant that Kim Hyunsung had identified someone even Jung Chan-su hadn’t known about. Investigating him and the other Golden Line members might lead him to the master.
Everything was going according to plan.
Kim Pan-ho’s [5] cooperation was not just for his own power but also to bribe key figures like Lee Kyung-chul.
In his past life, Lee Kyung-chul had been an active figure when the Golden Gate scandal erupted.
Kim Hyunsung had suspected him from the start, which was why he had used Kim Pan-ho’s network to pay him off early.
He shifted his gaze again.
Not just Lee Kyung-chul, but other figures who had reacted strongly during the tax investigation.
CEO Lim Hyung-chul of Mirae Investments, the Golden Line members Jung Chan-su had revealed, the contacts exchanged by Park Hyung-jun, and the movements of the figure known as the representative—countless documents filled his view.
Somewhere within this pile…
There was a connection.
If he could piece it all together, he would eventually reach the master of the Golden Circle.
‘I will find you.’
His eyes were bloodshot.
He had worked so hard, for so long, to reach this moment.
His true revenge would only begin once he had identified the one presumed to be the master.
The sun had set.
Though darkness fell outside, the light in Kim Hyunsung’s officetel remained on, unwavering.
***
Footnotes:
[1] Gang Dong-Cheol is a prosecutor and the husband of Lee Miso while Lee Miso is a key figure in Mom’s Cafe. She views Hyunsung favorably since he tutors her son.
[2] Park Jong-su is Hyunsung’s lawyer.
[3] Park Hyung-jun is a Golden Circle member currently handling Hyunsung’s case
[4] Jung Chan-su is a former Golden Circle member who played a major role in Hyunsung’s case during Season 1. He betrayed the organization and became Hyunsung’s spy.
[5] Kim Panho is a senator from Season 1 who struck a deal with Hyunsung and holds animosity towards the Golden Circle. He first appeared in Chapter 38 of the manhwa.
