Chapter 159: The Moment Evil Overflows (3)
**A few days earlier.**
Kim Hyunsung had been tracking Choi Myung-hoon’s movements.
Every detail—who he met, what he was doing—was being relayed to Kim Hyunsung in real time.
>[It seems something unusual is happening. Over the past few days, Choi Myung-hoon has been meeting with students affiliated with the Golden Circle. After school, they’ve been gathering for meetings at several schools. We’ve observed similar activity at over a dozen schools in Gangnam, and it’s likely we’ve missed others. It’s clear that something is being organized around Choi Myung-hoon in Gangnam.]
This was the report from one of Kim Hyunsung’s informants.
From this information, Kim Hyunsung quickly deduced their intentions.
‘The Golden Circle is mobilizing through Choi Myung-hoon, consolidating their power in Gangnam. Since they couldn’t handle me within the school, they’ve decided to take the fight outside. That means they’ll make their move before the midterms.’
It was obvious.
The enemy would try to deal with him using the guise of school violence.
Logically, he should avoid the immediate danger and dodge the blade aimed at him.
>[I’ll contact Director Go Chang-beom and arrange for a safe house where you can lie low for a while.]
“No, that won’t be necessary.”
>[But the officetel where you’re staying is dangerous. Even though it’s in a high-traffic area near Gangnam Station, if the Golden Circle is serious, they’ll have no problem staging an attack. They probably already know where you live. I recommend relocating to a place they won’t find, at least for now. And after school, I’ll send a car to pick you up. This way, you can avoid the worst-case scenario.]
It was sound advice.
There was no reason to expose himself to unnecessary risk, but Kim Hyunsung’s response was different.
“I’ll think it over and get back to you.”
**Click.**
He ended the call.
He wasn’t interested in hiding.
Kim Hyunsung had dismissed the informant’s suggestion because he knew that, as long as he remained at odds with the Golden Circle, this was a danger he would have to face sooner or later. Even if he changed his residence, could he truly avoid the threat? The Golden Circle had an iron grip on all of Gangnam, and it would only be a matter of time before they tracked him down. Would he keep running and moving from place to place?
No.
He had to face it.
He needed to show them that no matter what they tried, he wouldn’t fall.
“Ultimately, the choice is mine.”
Kim Hyunsung stared out the window.
He needed time to think.
—
**That evening.**
Kim Hyunsung called Kim Si-woo and explained the situation he was thinking of.
As expected, Kim Si-woo’s response was immediate.
>[That’s too dangerous.]
“But it’s something I have to do.”
>[No, there’s no task worth risking your life like that. Even if you suspect they’ll attack before midterms, you don’t know when or where. How can you prepare for that? If you run into more enemies than you can handle, you could really end up dead. Do you think they’ll let you live? Right now, you’re someone they can’t afford to let live.]
“I know. If my goal were simply to bring down the Golden Circle, I would have prioritized my safety and moved ahead with a safer plan. The moment they lose credibility, the Golden Circle would collapse. But that’s not my goal. I want the destruction of every last person who’s involved with the Golden Circle. When they crumble, I want them to be buried with it.”
This was the result of long reflection.
Not victory—destruction.
That was why he had to embrace the danger.
“I still don’t know who the true leaders of the Golden Circle are. If I follow my current plan and dismantle the Golden Circle now, the key figures will escape punishment. They might mourn the loss of the organization, but they’ll still live the rest of their lives in luxury, enjoying the wealth and power they’ve accumulated. I can’t accept that. That’s why I have to expose myself, force them to act, and show that even the Golden Circle can’t stop me. If I can secure the top spot in the midterms while all this is happening, I’ll be able to find the trail that leads to those hiding in the shadows.”
On the other end of the line, Kim Si-woo could feel the intensity of Kim Hyunsung’s words.
He understood perfectly that in the current climate, Kim Hyunsung was the most tantalizing target.
There was a long silence.
Rationality clashed with emotion.
Logically, Kim Si-woo wanted to stop Kim Hyunsung from putting himself in danger, but he also knew that Kim Hyunsung’s goal required this risk. From the moment Kim Hyunsung had called, the decision had already been made. Though Kim Si-woo could offer advice, he knew that nothing he said would sway his friend.
Breaking the silence, Kim Si-woo finally spoke.
>[What do you need me to do?]
Those words were the best he could offer.
Kim Hyunsung was grateful.
Despite knowing the danger, Kim Si-woo’s immediate response touched him deeply.
“I’ll go with the flow, but I’ll need at least some minimal backup for when they attack. Assemble the forces from Daesan. What we need right now is power, just like the Golden Circle, to crush them within the realm of school violence.”
—
It wasn’t a simple request.
During Kim Hyunsung’s time at Cheonil High School, his word had been absolute.
Following his orders had often led to rewards, but no one could deny the intimidating presence he exuded.
Things were different now.
Kim Hyunsung was in Seoul.
And this time, the stakes were higher. If things went wrong, they could be facing legal consequences.
Gathering the students from Daesan’s schools, including Cheonil, Kim Si-woo addressed them.
“As you all know, this is extremely dangerous. If a fight breaks out in Seoul, it won’t just be about a few people getting hurt. It could lead to criminal charges. The one thing I can promise you is that if you end up in juvenile detention or suffer greater consequences, Hyunsung will make sure you’re financially compensated. Just like always, any sacrifices you make won’t go unrewarded. No one is forcing you, though. If anyone wants to back out now, do it. There won’t be any repercussions for walking away.”
“…”
The room was quiet.
Everyone was hesitant.
This wasn’t an easy choice. Traveling to Seoul to engage in a massive brawl, where dozens—if not more—would likely get injured? The punishment wouldn’t just be school discipline. Even those who had benefited from Kim Hyunsung in the past were reluctant to volunteer.
Then, someone spoke up.
“I’ll do it.”
Everyone turned to see who had spoken.
It was an unexpected figure.
Sung Dae-hyun, a student from Daesan First High.
His name wasn’t particularly memorable, but Sung Dae-hyun hadn’t forgotten what Kim Hyunsung had done for him.
“If it weren’t for Hyunsung, I’d still be living in hell. When he took control of Daesan and wiped out school violence, I realized two things. One, power is everything. And two, I needed to get stronger. Ever since then, I’ve been training like crazy, going to the gym. So yeah, I’m doing this. If it weren’t for Hyunsung, my school life would’ve been a nightmare.”
This gathering wasn’t just a collection of gangsters from various schools.
Sung Dae-hyun had been one of the victims who first posted about his experiences on social media when Kim Hyunsung took control of Daesan.
Now, a year later, he stood before them, a changed man.
He had overcome his horrific past.
The days of getting beaten in the gym and the ring had been hard at first, but now he was stronger, both physically and mentally. Along with Sung Dae-hyun, other victims who had been saved by Kim Hyunsung were present at this meeting. For them, Kim Hyunsung wasn’t just a leader who had conquered Daesan through strength.
He was a benefactor.
That word alone was enough.
One by one, the others joined in.
When former victims stepped forward, other students followed.
“Screw it, I’m in.”
“Let’s do this.”
“We all know Hyunsung pays up when it matters.”
As the situation unfolded, Kim Si-woo clenched his fists.
Emotion surged within him.
Just as he had been grateful to Kim Hyunsung, so were they.
‘You’re doing the right thing.’
This fight…
It had to be won.
Swallowing the lump of emotion in his throat, Kim Si-woo addressed the group.
“Now, let me explain the plan.”
—
As expected.
The Golden Circle made their move on the last weekend before midterms.
They had no idea how many times Kim Hyunsung’s forces had secretly traveled to Seoul, preparing for this day.
“You bastard.”
**Whoosh.**
Choi Myung-hoon charged at Kim Si-woo.
Despite still having one arm out of commission, he swung his fist with deadly intent.
Against a normal opponent, it would have been effective.
But Kim Si-woo simply tilted his head, dodging the punch, and retaliated by slamming his fist into Choi Myung-hoon’s face.
**Smack!**
“Ugh!”
It was a cross-counter.
Choi Myung-hoon’s head snapped back, blood spraying from his nose. His vision blurred, but he didn’t back down. He threw another punch, but Kim Si-woo effortlessly dodged, countering with rapid blows.
Each hit landed with precision, knocking the wind out of Choi Myung-hoon. He struggled to breathe, his every attempt at retaliation meeting with a stronger, faster response.
‘This guy…’
Choi Myung-hoon was stunned. He had underestimated Kim Si-woo. He knew from the intel that Kim Si-woo was a formidable opponent, but experiencing it firsthand was a different story. His movements were faster and sharper than Choi Myung-hoon had expected, and each counterstrike felt like getting hit by a truck.
But Choi Myung-hoon wasn’t willing to give up just yet.
This was life or death. The Golden Circle had placed a monumental task on his shoulders. He had to take out Kim Si-woo and stop the reinforcements from Daesan. If he failed, the entire operation against Kim Hyunsung could collapse.
Breathing heavily, Choi Myung-hoon threw himself into another attack, this time aiming low. He lunged, lowering his body in an attempt to tackle Kim Si-woo, hoping to catch him off guard.
But Kim Si-woo was ready.
**Wham!**
Choi Myung-hoon’s shoulder collided with Kim Si-woo’s body, but it didn’t have the intended effect. Instead of being knocked down, Kim Si-woo shifted his stance, absorbing the impact. He immediately followed up with a powerful knee to Choi Myung-hoon’s gut.
**Thud!**
“Urgh!”
Choi Myung-hoon doubled over, the air knocked out of him, and he dropped to one knee. Before he could react, Kim Si-woo grabbed his hair, yanking his head back.
“Is that all you’ve got?” Kim Si-woo asked coldly, his eyes burning with intensity.
Choi Myung-hoon’s body trembled. His mind raced. He was losing. Badly.
But he couldn’t afford to lose. Not here. Not to Kim Si-woo.
Desperation took over.
With his remaining strength, Choi Myung-hoon reached inside his jacket and pulled out the knife he had been saving for Kim Hyunsung. Without hesitation, he plunged it toward Kim Si-woo’s stomach.
**Swish!**
The blade pierced through the air, but instead of hitting flesh, it stopped with a loud **thunk**.
Kim Si-woo had anticipated the attack. He twisted his body at the last second, and the knife slid across the surface of the protective vest he had worn beneath his clothes. The impact stung, but it didn’t penetrate.
“What…?” Choi Myung-hoon gasped, his eyes widening in shock.
Kim Si-woo’s expression hardened.
“You really are scum,” he said.
Before Choi Myung-hoon could react, Kim Si-woo slammed his elbow into Choi Myung-hoon’s face.
**Crack!**
Choi Myung-hoon’s nose broke with a sickening crunch, blood pouring down his face as he fell backward onto the cold ground. His vision swam, and consciousness began to slip away.
But Kim Si-woo wasn’t finished.
He stepped forward, raising his leg, and with a swift, merciless motion, delivered a final, crushing kick to Choi Myung-hoon’s head.
**Thud!**
Choi Myung-hoon’s body went limp. He was out cold, his knife falling from his hand, clattering uselessly to the ground.
Kim Si-woo stood over him, breathing hard but victorious. He glanced around, quickly assessing the situation. The battle was still raging, but they had to reach Kim Hyunsung on the 12th floor before it was too late.
“Get out of my way,” Kim Si-woo growled at the remaining Golden Circle members who were too stunned by the sight of Choi Myung-hoon’s defeat to move.
Without waiting for a response, Kim Si-woo began running toward the 12th floor, where Kim Hyunsung was likely still fighting for his life.
(TL Note: Let’s go mah boiiii!)
