Chapter 157: The Moment Evil Overflows (1)
Inside the office, darkness settled over the room. Park Hyung-jun stood in front of a large whiteboard, staring intently at it.
**[Kim Hyunsung]**
One name circled in bold at the center.
From that name, countless others spread out in a web of connections. Myungjin Construction’s eldest son, Go Chang-beom, Cheonil High School Principal Oh Dae-hwan, Kim Young-chul, the head of the School Violence Prevention Committee Choi Seung-pil, and more. All these individuals were linked to Kim Hyunsung. As Park Hyung-jun mapped out these connections, the whiteboard was filled to the brim. Looking at the network Kim Hyunsung had created, Park Hyung-jun couldn’t help but mutter to himself in genuine acknowledgment.
“…Alright, I finally acknowledge you. Your name will go down in the history of the Golden Circle.”
Just a few months ago, when Kim Hyunsung had expressed his intention to transfer to Gangnam, Park had never imagined this outcome.
At the time, he had thought of Kim Hyunsung as just another individual, albeit one backed by Daesan. But in Gangnam, the heart of the Golden Circle’s power, he had been sure that Kim Hyunsung wouldn’t get far. It had seemed like an opportunity to deal with a troublesome pest who had wandered foolishly into the tiger’s den. However, things had started to go wrong right after his transfer. The turning point had been when Choi Myung-hoon reached out to him, and by then, Park had been genuinely surprised.
At Daesung Future High School, the Golden Circle’s stronghold had fallen into the hands of a mere high school student.
Even though the teachers knew what helping Kim Hyunsung meant, they had chosen to turn a blind eye just to survive.
It was remarkable.
How had he done it?
No matter how much Park Hyung-jun replayed the events in his mind, he couldn’t fathom achieving the same result as Kim Hyunsung.
‘The scariest thing is that this was planned from start to finish. When Kim Hyunsung transferred to Gangnam, he had already calculated every consequence. He knew that if things escalated, Daesan would be under threat. But more than that, he didn’t just plan—he executed every step with precision, ensuring he always came out on top. Throughout the history of the Golden Circle, threats have come and gone, but no one has ever produced results like this kid. He’s no longer just a high school student.’
If only…
If Kim Hyunsung had been a part of the Golden Circle instead of a target, he would have made unparalleled contributions to their history.
Sighing, Park Hyung-jun lit a cigarette, exhaling a cloud of smoke as though Kim Hyunsung were sitting right in front of him.
“But this is the end of the line.”
There would be no more underestimating Kim Hyunsung.
He had prepared thoroughly.
Having fully understood and acknowledged his opponent, Park was certain that this time, he would succeed.
His life was on the line now.
There was no turning back for Park Hyung-jun either.
With four days until the midterms, Park had absolute confidence.
“You’re finished.”
Tomorrow, Kim Hyunsung would face the consequences of his actions.
—
It was Friday.
With the weekend ahead and the midterms looming, the temporary homeroom teacher addressed the class.
“Next Monday is the start of midterms, so don’t get into any trouble and make sure to manage your condition. Take care on your way home.”
School was dismissed.
Kim Hyunsung packed his bag and left the school immediately.
The weather was clear.
Right after the incident with Choi Myung-hoon, Kim Hyunsung had considered the possibility that the Golden Circle might retaliate, perhaps even ambush him after school. Daesung Future High School had fallen into the hands of a single student. It was a situation that could not be ignored by the Golden Circle. However, days had passed, and the Golden Circle had shown no sign of movement.
The walk home was peaceful.
In hindsight, it made sense.
No matter how reckless the Golden Circle was, attacking someone on the streets of Gangnam, where people frequently passed by, would attract too much attention. The route between the school and his apartment was too public, especially around Gangnam Station. Any trouble here would escalate quickly, making it risky for the Golden Circle to move against him in such a high-profile area.
Kim Hyunsung arrived at his apartment.
He entered the familiar passcode and stepped inside, but the scene that greeted him made him stop in his tracks.
“…”
The apartment was in utter disarray.
It looked like it had been ransacked. Furniture was overturned, and shattered glass littered the floor, forcing him to walk carefully with his shoes still on. The apartment was eerily unfamiliar, a stark contrast to the secure, well-guarded place Go Chang-beom had arranged for him. This was unmistakably the scene of a crime.
**Crunch.**
Kim Hyunsung cautiously stepped inside, glass crunching under his shoes. His sharp eyes scanned the room, but thankfully, it seemed no one was still inside.
That’s when his phone buzzed.
He checked the screen and saw an unexpected name.
**[Choi Myung-hoon]**
The message read:
> [Hyunsung, something big is happening. Because you’ve been stirring up trouble with the schools in Gangnam, the guys over there are ready to take you down. Be careful. These people are dangerous, and they won’t hesitate to act. I’ll try to handle the situation, and I’ll contact you again when things are safe.]
The contents of the message made no sense.
Choi Myung-hoon, of all people. There was no friendship or camaraderie between them. And yet here he was, warning Kim Hyunsung about some supposed conflict with the Gangnam schools. The message implied that Kim Hyunsung had been working with Choi Myung-hoon to challenge other schools, but that was absurd. Apart from Daesung Future, Kim Hyunsung hadn’t been involved in any disputes with other schools.
The message portrayed Kim Hyunsung and Choi Myung-hoon as if they were allies plotting a takeover of Gangnam—a notion as ridiculous as it was suspicious.
Kim Hyunsung hadn’t even finished processing the message when a loud noise interrupted his thoughts.
**Bang, bang, bang!**
Someone was pounding on the door.
**Ding dong, ding dong.**
**Bang, bang, bang, bang!**
“Kim Hyunsung! I know you’re in there, open up!”
It was an unfamiliar voice.
Something was definitely off.
—
Kim Hyunsung moved cautiously toward the door.
He checked the intercom, and what he saw on the small screen made his stomach drop. A crowd of students was gathered outside, more than the screen could fully capture.
**‘School uniforms?’**
All of them were high school students.
But they weren’t from Daesung Future—they were wearing uniforms from other schools.
His mind raced back to the message. The part about him stirring up trouble with other schools… it suddenly seemed connected to the scene outside.
And sure enough—
“Hey! I saw you go inside!”
“Kim Hyunsung, you bastard! Do you think you can mess with us and get away with it? You started this fight, so you’ll have to deal with the consequences! Open the door and let’s settle this!”
**Bang, bang, bang!**
In that moment, Kim Hyunsung knew instinctively what was happening.
‘They’re leaving a trail on purpose.’
The message.
The voices outside.
Everything was being recorded.
The message was saved on his phone, and the voices were captured by the intercom.
If anyone stumbled upon this situation, it wouldn’t look like a conspiracy orchestrated by the Golden Circle. It would seem like typical high school violence spiraling out of control. A dispute between students, unrelated to any larger forces. And with the altercation happening off school grounds, the narrative would shift from institutional corruption to teenage delinquency.
‘If something happens to me, the media will focus on student violence, not the Golden Circle.’
Kim Hyunsung scanned the area around him.
There was nowhere to escape.
He was at the edge of a cliff.
And then, from outside, he heard the unmistakable sound of someone trying to force the door open.
**Creak.**
**Creak, creak.**
Someone was using special tools to break in. The door wouldn’t hold for long.
‘So they’ve drawn their blades.’
Anyone else in this situation would have been paralyzed with fear.
A normal person would have collapsed in terror, dialing 112 and praying for the police to arrive in time to save them.
But not Kim Hyunsung.
This scenario was one he had always been prepared for.
Facing an organization like the Golden Circle meant he had always known things could escalate to this point. Waiting for help was not an option, not if he truly wanted to stand up to them.
This was a trap designed to corner him. To break out of it, he needed to fight back with equally unconventional methods.
He took off his jacket and loosened his body, preparing for what was to come.
He quickly sent a text message to someone.
Then he raised his head, staring at the door in front of him, which now seemed like the gate to hell.
**Bang, bang, bang.**
His heart pounded.
How many enemies were waiting outside?
He couldn’t take them all on by himself.
He knew that.
**Creak.**
Kim Hyunsung opened the door.
—
**Creak.**
“What…?”
“Huh?”
When the door swung open, the faces of the students outside showed clear surprise.
They had expected Kim Hyunsung to barricade himself inside, to hole up in his apartment in fear. They had never imagined he would open the door voluntarily. For a moment, they all froze, as if stunned into silence.
And in that brief pause—
**Smack!**
**Crash!**
“Shit!”
“Attack him!”
Kim Hyunsung was the first to break the silence.
He lunged forward, knocking down the nearest student with a single punch. In an instant, chaos erupted as the rest of the group surged forward, reacting like a swarm of disturbed insects. The sheer number of students was overwhelming. Kim Hyunsung’s eyes darted, quickly taking in the crowd—a minimum of dozens. The hallway was packed.
Kim Hyunsung gritted his teeth and made his move, knowing hesitation would be his downfall.
‘Strike decisively. If I lose even a little momentum, I’ll be overrun.’
**Thud!**
**Smack!**
With powerful punches, he knocked down the students charging at him.
There was no mercy in his blows. Each strike was delivered with full force, sending his attackers crumpling to the ground like puppets with their strings cut.
At the same time—
**Bam!**
One of the students rammed into him.
Kim Hyunsung lowered his center of gravity, resisting being dragged to the floor. He grabbed the student by the armpits, twisting his body to the side.
Then—
**Crack!**
“Ugh!”
A high kick knocked the attacker out cold.
One strike was all it took.
Within moments, Kim Hyunsung had already taken down four students, clearing a small space around him. Without hesitation, he charged into the thick of the crowd. In a fight against multiple opponents, the best strategy was to fight with your back to a wall, limiting the number of angles from which you could be attacked. But Kim Hyunsung knew that this situation was different.
‘If the Golden Circle has gone all in, this won’t end with a simple brawl.’
He had already proven his strength during the blackout operation, demonstrating that even against overwhelming odds, he couldn’t be easily beaten. The Golden Circle, having failed before despite mobilizing an S+ rank force, wouldn’t repeat the same mistake. They must have planned something bigger. Even though Kim Hyunsung had already taken down several opponents, he could sense that these were not all the enemies he had to face.
**Whoosh.**
**Smack!**
Dodging an attack, he retaliated, sending another student crashing to the ground in a spray of blood.
Kim Hyunsung kept his movements sharp, aiming for the face of every attacker, his punches drawing blood with each hit.
“Stop him!”
“Don’t try to hit him! Just grab him—there are more of us!”
More students swarmed him.
Instead of focusing on landing blows, they tried to restrict his movements, sacrificing themselves to wear him down.
**Crash!**
Kim Hyunsung threw one of them to the floor with a hard shove, while delivering another punch to the next opponent’s jaw. Another student tried to headbutt him, but Kim Hyunsung drove his knee into the student’s face.
**Thud!**
Even as one opponent fell—
More were already rushing at him.
The situation wasn’t looking good.
No matter how strong Kim Hyunsung was, even he wasn’t sure how long he could hold out against such overwhelming numbers.
Then, in the midst of the chaos, Kim Hyunsung’s eyes flashed with sharp focus.
**Tap.**
**Smack, smack!**
He kicked off the ground, delivering rapid punches to the faces of three students blocking his way. He darted through the space he created, despite taking several blows in the process. He fought back immediately, managing to clear a path through the chaos.
Ahead of him, he saw the elevator.
Just as he reached it—
**Ding.**
The elevator doors opened.
On the other side, more students in different school uniforms emerged, their faces twisted in determination.
“Kim Hyunsung?”
“Get him!”
The new group charged at him.
Kim Hyunsung, who had already been rushing toward the elevator, suddenly veered off, slamming through the door to the emergency stairwell.
It was his only way out.
Taking the stairs was the only option if he wanted to survive.
But then—
**Thud, thud, thud.**
“There he is!”
“It’s Kim Hyunsung!”
From below, he saw a dense crowd of students rushing up the stairs toward him.
And behind him, the students in the hallway and those who had just exited the elevator were charging into the stairwell.
“…So this is your plan.”
Kim Hyunsung clenched his fists.
It was now clear.
The Golden Circle wasn’t just trying to hurt him—they were setting him up as a victim of “school violence,” to frame the whole situation as the tragic death of a student at the hands of other students.
(TL Note: Sorry for the cliffhanger guys! :-p )
