Chapter 435: The Day of College Scholastic Ability Test (2)

At the Olympic Park's lakeside stage, twenty of Lee Soo-Chan's subordinates surrounded a gang member with a buzz cut.

The gang member was Oh Min-Sik, an enforcer for the Eun-Gyu gang. He had attempted to stab Jung Yoon-Ho, who escaped by jumping into the lake.

Seeing himself encircled by Lee Soo-Chan's men, Oh Min-Sik swung his knife wildly in the air. "D-damn it!! Don't come any closer!"

At the front of the group, Lee Ho-Jae yelled, "Hey, man. Drop that thing. We're not scared of a knife. Been there, done that."

When the men confronting him showed no fear, Oh Min-Sik's hands began to shake in despair.

Lee Ho-Jae's tone grew sharper. "Listen, buddy. Put it down now unless you have a death wish."

Just then, Jung Yoon-Ho's voice rang out from the lakeside. "Ho-Jae! Get those guys out of the water! They're drowning!"

The gangsters who had followed Jung Yoon-Ho into the lake were choking and flailing in the water.

"

Keuk! Puff!

"

"

Gah!

"

Seeing his men in danger, Oh Min-Sik shut his eyes tightly and dropped his knife. "Fine, I surrender. Save my boys first."

Seizing the opportunity, Lee Soo-Chan's subordinates from Reverse Entertainment rushed in and subdued Oh Min-Sik. Then they pulled Oh Min-Sik's struggling men out of the water one by one.

They grunted as they hauled the drenched men onto dry land. "Come on! We need three people per rescue. These guys are heavy from all the water!"

"One, two, lift!"

Meanwhile, Lee Ho-Jae turned to the others. "The rest of you, get hyung-nim out of there!"

Ten men simultaneously bolted to the lake's edge. "Hold on, Yoon-Ho hyung-nim! We're coming for you!"

"Hyung-nim!"

At that moment, Jung Yoon-Ho floating in water shouted back in exasperation, "You idiots! If you jump in wearing down jackets, you'll drown too! Stay there! I'll come to you!"

Jung Yoon-Ho clenched his fists and swam rapidly toward the shore.

***

Once out of the lake, I threw off my soaked clothes and wrapped myself in the dry ones Lee Soo-Chan's men handed over.

I muttered, "

Ah

, I'm freezing.

Ugh

, it's so cold..."

"Are you alright, hyung-nim?"

"Yeah, except for the heart attack you nearly gave me by trying to dive in after me."

Relieved, the group broke into laughter. "

Haha.

Hyung-nim. You've got a strong heart, that's for sure."

Lee Ho-Jae returned from a nearby vending machine with steaming cups of coffee, roasted barley tea, and milk. "Hyung-nim, drink this and warm up."

"Thanks, Ho-Jae."

The warmth spread through me as I took a sip, slowly easing the chill that had gripped my body.

Moments later, Lee Soo-Chan arrived with ten more men. He let out a sigh of relief upon seeing that Oh Min-Sik had been subdued and I was safe.

Then, without warning, Lee Soo-Chan suddenly sprinted down the steps, leaped into the air, and kicked Oh Min-Sik on the chest.

Thud!

"

Ugh!

"

Bang!

Oh Min-Sik rolled across the ground with a solid hit before he collided with the frozen railing and slumped unconscious.

Blinded by rage, Lee Soo-Chan charged at him again. "This bastard...how dare you mess with Yoon-Ho hyung-nim?"

At that moment, his subordinates grabbed his arms. "Hyung-nim! Please, stop! You'll kill him at this rate!"

"Let go! Let go of me!" Lee Soo-Chan protested.

As Lee Soo-Chan fought back, the four men holding him were dragged along.

"Hey! Stop him! Soo-Chan hyung-nim has completely lost it!"

"Hyung-nim! Please! Get a hold of yourself!"

Lee Soo-Chan was so furious that he had lost all reason. I was the only one who could stop him.

"Soo-Chan!" I yelled.

Hearing my voice, Lee Soo-Chan paused mid-charge and looked at me. His eyes carried both fury and relief.

I raised my coffee and said calmly, "Leave him alone and come have a cup of coffee with me."

Lee Soo-Chan glanced back and forth between the unconscious Oh Min-Sik and me, then let out a deep sigh. "

Sigh.

Alright, fine. Let me go. Hyung-nim's calling me."

The men holding his arms hesitated. "Are you sure, hyung-nim?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

When they reluctantly let go of him, Lee Soo-Chan straightened his clothes and asked, "So, who are these guys anyway?"

Lee Ho-Jae promptly answered, "They're from the Eun-Gyu gang, a gang based in Jamsil. That buzz cut guy is their enforcer."

While I had been changing out of my wet clothes earlier, Lee Ho-Jae had already finished interrogating Oh Min-Sik.

"So their boss's name is Eun-Gyu?"

Lee Ho-Jae nodded. "Yes, Sung Eun-Gyu. He runs a company called SEK Corporation dealing primarily with liquor distribution and entertainment venues. He also operates SEK Entertainment as a subsidiary."

"Same industry as us, huh? But why did they target Yoon-Ho hyung-nim?" Lee Soo-Chan asked.

"Apparently, Woo Sung-Chan's parents hired them. They paid a hefty sum and secured Woo Sung-Chan a spot in SEK Entertainment after his release from prison."

"He still wants to be a celebrity even after he went to prison? Is he out of his mind?"

"

Um

, well... They planned to give him a new name and some plastic surgery, then push him to Japan and China to rake in the money."

Lee Soo-Chan nodded with a serious expression "Those fucking scumbags dared... Fine. Gather everything on the Eun-Gyu gang and their subsidiaries. We're wiping them out tonight."

I interrupted Lee Soo-Chan's heated outburst. "Soo-Chan, your coffee's getting cold. And there's no need to go that far. Come sit down and have your coffee. I've got a plan for dealing with them."

"

Sigh

...okay, hyung-nim."

Then, Lee Soo-Chan turned to his men. "Take all five of them to Life Clinic and have them hospitalized. Make sure you stay by their side and watch them closely."

"Yes, sir."

The men carried off the four drenched thugs and the unconscious Oh Min-Sik.

Watching Oh Min-Sik being taken away, I suddenly remembered something. '

Oh! I should've thrown that buzz cut guy into the lake... Oh well, I guess that's not happening now. Next time I see him, I'll make him do five rounds of the Ice Bucket Challenge.

'

Looking slightly sulky, Lee Soo-Chan plodded over and sat beside me.

I looked at him and apologized. "Soo-Chan, I'm sorry for always dragging you into this when you're so busy."

"You can call me a hundred times and I still wouldn't mind. But hyung-nim, why do you keep getting tangled up with these kinds of people? What if you get hurt?"

"I didn't get hurt, though..."

At that moment, Lee Soo-Chan's eyes widened in anger as he raised his voice. "Do you think that's an excuse?"

I scratched my head and carefully replied, "I had to find out who was behind this. That way, I can press charges with Prosecutor Seo and protect Si-Yoon. He's a kid who's going to Seoul National University, you know? What if he gets caught up with scum like this and can't make it?"

Lee Soo-Chan shot back with an accusatory tone. "I couldn't care less about Lee Si-Yoon! Do you not care about yourself, hyung-nim?"

"Well... it's just..."

Lee Soo-Chan ignored me and continued, "You're not some superhero from a movie, are you? Do you have any idea how much we all panic every time something like this happens to you?"

"..."

"And with Eun-Gi hyung-nim already gone, have you even thought about what would happen to us if something happened to you too?" Lee Soo-Chan said in an exasperated tone.

He had a point. Lee Soo-Chan was only twenty six years old, yet he was managing Reverse Entertainment, Reverse Construction, and a host of other affiliates. While he seemed to handle everything well, it was clear he was overwhelmed.

Listening to the frustration in Lee Soo-Chan's voice, I patted his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I'll be more careful from now on."

Lee Soo-Chan let out a long and heavy sigh. After a moment, his anger subsided slightly and he muttered, "You better keep your promise, hyung-nim."

"I mean, I had my reasons, but... Never mind. I'm sorry."

When Lee Soo-Chan shot me a sharp glare, I quickly clamped my mouth shut.

Lee Soo-Chan took the coffee I had given him and sipped it to calm himself further with another deep sigh. After finishing the coffee, he sighed again and asked, "So what are you planning to do with those guys, hyung-nim?"

I looked at Lee Soo-Chan and posed a question. "Soo-Chan, where does a gang's strength come from?"

Lee Soo-Chan tilted his head in curiosity. "Their fists?"

"No."

"Weapons?"

"Not that either."

"Then their numbers?"

I shook my head and replied, "Money."

At that moment, Lee Soo-Chan stared at me as if he realized something. "Don't tell me you're planning to hit their businesses?"

"Exactly. I know a bit about entertainment. I'll get in touch with Prosecutor Seo Jae-Ill and have him dig deep. Of course, the Eun-Gyu gang will be taken down too!"

The moment I heard the name SEK Entertainment from earlier, I remembered a scandal which happened in my past life. The company had used their female trainees as hostesses while running a nightclub, causing a massive societal uproar. The incident had left the entertainment industry in shambles for a time.

'

Who would have thought I'd run into those lunatics like this?'

Now that it came to this, I decided I might as well wipe them out completely before they caused even bigger problems.

Lee Soo-Chan asked, "What do you want us to do?"

"Now that we know Woo Sung-Chan's parents are the culprits, there's nothing more to do. Just get the injured to the hospital. I need to finish this quickly and go check on Si-Yoon."

At that, Lee Soo-Chan gave me a slightly irritated look. "Hyung-nim!"

"Yeah?"

"If I took the college entrance exam, would you take care of me like you do for Si-Yoon?"

"Huh? Why are you bringing this up now?"

"Just answer me!"

It was a strange question, but I responded as if it were obvious. "Of course I would. If you're taking the exam, it wouldn't make sense for me not to support you. You're like my little brother."

That's when Lee Soo-Chan turned to his subordinates and shouted, "Hey! Start preparing for next year's college entrance exam! I'm taking it too!"

It was such an absurd command that I was left speechless.

Nevertheless, instead of arguing with him, his men replied in unison. "Yes, hyung-nim!"

"Should we invite a lecturer?"

"Hyung-nim, I only graduated middle school... Can I still take the exam?"

"Starting today, I'm not sleeping until I'm ready for the exam!"

"Me too!"

I sighed upon realizing I had forgotten something: most of the men had a rather simplistic mindset after years in gang life. I should have realized they weren't much different from the Eun-Gyu gang's thugs like earlier when they were ready to dive into the lake.

'

It looks like I'll need to hire a tutor and start them on elementary school lessons first,

' I remarked inwardly.

Then, I said to them, "You don't need to take the exam for me to take care of you, so cut it out. All of you!"

It was a day that painfully reminded me of the importance of watching what I said.

***

At the Southern Detention Center where Woo Sung-Chan was incarcerated, his parents, Woo Myung-Jun and Lee Yoon-Joo, were visiting him.

Woo Myung-Jun assured Woo Sung-Chan, "Just wait a little longer, son. I'll make sure to get you out."

Lee Yoon-Joo added, "My baby. I'm doing everything I can, so don't worry. Alright?"

With inmate number "3174" printed in bold black letters on a white uniform he was wearing, Woo Sung-Chan showed no sign of remorse as he asked, "Did you get that settlement from Lee Si-Yoon, that bastard?"

Woo Myung-Jun replied, "Just hold on. President Sung said he'd take care of it today."

Woo Sung-Chan fumed. "Then what about the college entrance exam? You know you can't let him take it, right?"

Lee Yoon-Joo nodded. "Of course. President Sung said he will tell him to settle if he wants to take next year's exam. So once you're out, you'll join SEK Entertainment and make your debut in Japan."

"After I get some plastic surgery, I'll change my name too. What do you think of Woo Sung-Joon instead of Woo Sung-Chan?"

"Whatever you like, son."

"Alright, Mom. Oh, and Dad, what about Jung Yoon-Ho? What's going on with that bastard?"

Woo Myung-Joon smirked. "There's no need to worry about that. President Sung said he'll take care of him as well."

"Good. But...are you sure this won't backfire...?"

"Of course not. Do you know how much money I've poured into this? President Sung's no fool. He won't slip up. He's a pro at keeping mouths shut."

Woo Sung-Chan chuckled. "Those bastards are so screwed."

Just then, the door to the visitation room creaked open. A corrections officer approached and roughly grabbed Woo Sung-Chan's arm. "3174! Visitation is over!"

"What? But there's still time left!"

"Doesn't matter. You're heading straight to solitary confinement."

The startled Woo Myung-Joon and Lee Yoon-Joo jumped to their feet to protest.

"Why are you taking my son?"

"What's the meaning of this?"

Creak.

𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

At that moment, the door behind them opened and men in black suits entered.

"We're from the Central District Prosecutor's Office. Mr. Woo Myung-Joon and Mrs. Lee Yoon-Joo, you're under arrest on charges of conspiracy to commit murder against Jung Yoon-Ho and Lee Si-Yoon."

Woo Myung-Joon and Lee Yoon-Joo's faces went pale. It was true that they had hired SEK Entertainment's President Sung Eun-Gyu, but they had no idea about the attempted murder. All they had asked was to rough up Lee Si-Yoon enough to prevent him from taking the exam and to scare Jung Yoon-Ho into leaving Woo Sung-Chan alone.

However, they were now charged with conspiracy to commit murder.

"I-I didn't do that!"

"W-what are you talking about?"

The prosecutor wore a cold expression upon hearing the two's cries and barked, "Take them away!"

As the corrections officers also dragged out Woo Sung-Chan across the room, he shouted desperately, "Mom! Dad!"

"Sung-Chan!"

Watching the family call out to each other in despair, the prosecutor in charge of the arrests spoke with icy sarcasm. "It looks like you'll have a merry time singing Christmas carols together in prison this year."

The prosecutor even began singing mockingly. "Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way..."

***

Under Lee Soo-Chan's watchful eye, I lay in Kim Soo-Myung's clinic while hooked up to an IV drip. Lee Soo-Chan had been nagging at me, worried I might catch a cold.

Next to my bed, members of the Eun-Gyu gang lay surrounded by Lee Soo-Chan's men and kept silent as if their lives depended on it.

"Eun-Gyu gang? Back in the day, they wouldn't have dared to lift their heads in front of us."

"Do punks even know the rules these days? Do they have nothing to lose trying to stab someone as high up as our hyung-nim?"

Each time they raised a fist, the five thugs flinched visibly.

I was worried they might cause a scene and inconvenience the hospital staff, but they had been on their best behavior ever since they learned Lee Soo-Chan's men were from the Kanghan gang.

At that moment, the door to the ward suddenly swung open.

"Arrest them!"

"Yes, sir!"

The familiar voice of Seo Jae-Ill rang out as he entered with a team of investigators.

"

Agh

! My arm! My arm!"

"Take it easy... please, take it easy."

The Eun-Gyu gang members who had tried to stab me were dragged out in cuffs.

As Lee Soo-Chan stepped aside, Seo Jae-Ill approached me. "You've been keeping yourself quite busy, Mr. Jung."

Seo Jae-Ill's tone carried a mix of amusement and concern.

"It just turned out that way. So, how are things with the Eun-Gyu gang and Woo Sung-Chan's parents?"

"The prosecutor who originally charged Woo Sung-Chan is now arresting his parents."

Upon hearing Seo Jae-Ill’s words, I let out a sigh of relief.

Seo Jae-Ill chuckled softly and added, "

Haha.

By the way, thanks to you, my promotion to deputy chief prosecutor next year is now guaranteed."

"Oh, really? That's great news. Congratulations!"

However, that's when Seo Jae-Ill's expression grew serious as he glanced around and leaned in to whisper.

-We've caught one of the cops who disappeared from the hospital that time.