[Thump. Thump!]
“Hey! Seung-cheol! Seung-cheol!!”
Number 218 ran towards Number 64 and shook him, but he still didn’t wake up.
It seemed Number 64 was called ‘Seung-cheol.’
[Shuffle. Shuffle.]
“Excuse me… Let me take a look…”
Seong-ho stepped forward and began to check his condition.
He was attacking us just a moment ago, but now he’s helping… He really is an angel.
“…”
“Seung-cheol… He’s okay, right?”
“He’s stopped…”
“…What?”
“His heart… It’s stopped…”
…
[Shuffle. Shuffle.]
“Seung-cheol… No, right? I came back here because of you…”
“Please, open your eyes!!”
[Beeeeep—]
At that moment, an ear-piercing sound blasted from the building’s speakers.
[Thud!]
After the sound ended, the rotating floor stopped.
But the numbers didn’t appear on the timer.
[We will temporarily suspend the game.]
[Shuffle. Shuffle.]
[Huff- Huff-]
Along with the announcement, the ‘Masks’ began to enter the tent.
They brought a transport bed and loaded Number 64 onto it.
[Creak-]
[Shuffle. Shuffle.]
“W-What… Why are you taking Seung-cheol away?!”
“…Step back.”
[Thump. Thump.]
“Please, don’t take Seung-cheol away!”
[Click]
They pointed strangely shaped pink guns at us and took Number 64 away.
…
[We apologize for the temporary suspension of the game due to an accident.]
[Now, we will continue with Round 5.]
Some time passed, but Number 218 was still squatting silently.
Of course, it was self-defense since the other party attacked me first…
But I felt a bit guilty for killing someone.
[Shuffle. Shuffle.]
[Tap, Tap]
“Ji-yoon…”
“What?”
“I checked on Number 301 earlier, and it seems he’s unconscious.”
“Ah…”
With one of us getting taken out, the situation was back to square one.
It would have been much more advantageous if it had been at least 3:2…
From the earlier situation, it was possible to guess how the opponent formed a team of three in just one round.
Number 64 and Number 218 were either inseparable friends… or family.
They must have noticed our teaming in Round 3 and persuaded Number 122.
[Whoosh-]
Once again, the floor began to rotate clockwise.
[♪The moon rises, the moon rises, Gang~gang~sullae♪]
“Seong-ho… What should we do now?”
“If possible, we need to escape within the remaining Rounds 5 and 6.”
“Let’s try to persuade Number 122 on this opportunity.”
“It’s okay if you don’t join our team.”
I quietly nodded.
I felt uneasy at the thought of inflicting pain on Number 218 and eliminating him…
But at least we had to get through.
[Shuffle. Shuffle.]
[♪The moon rises in the East Sea, Gang~gang~sullae♪]
“Excuse me… Number 122…”
“…Yes?”
“If you join us, all three of us can escape.”
[Thump! Thump!]
“Our team-”
[Thwack!]
[Bang!]
“I’ll kill you!! I’ll kill you!!!”
Suddenly, Number 218 ran towards me, knocked me down, and began to strangle me.
His eyes were full of murderous intent…
[♪Which moon is that moon, Gang~gang~sullae♪]
“Ji-yoon!!”
[Thump. Thump.]
…I was suffocating.
“Cough… I didn’t… know it would turn out like this either…”
“But you guys… attacked first…”
He seemed to have lost all reason.
Seeing someone full of murderous intent right in front of me… It was scarier than I had imagined.
“Ugh…”
The pressure from the hand strangling my neck intensified.
My vision began to blur as I suffocated.
[♪It’s Bangho’s moon, Gang~gang~sullae♪]
[Thwack!]
“Cough… Cough… Haa… Haa…”
Fortunately, Seong-ho, who was next to me, ran over and pushed Number 218 away.
“Who are you again!!”
Even though he desperately pushed him away, he began to charge like a wild beast.
[Rustle!]
Seong-ho grabbed his arm to restrain him, but as he continued to struggle, the restraint began to loosen little by little.
Seong-ho was also quite physically fit, but… It was not enough to subdue a madman.
…At this rate, he would kill me, game or not.
[Thud!]
As the floor stopped and the lights turned red, his resistance intensified even more.
“Ji-yoon! Help me!!”
“Ah… -… Yes!”
[Thump. Thump!]
[Thwack-]
I joined in and began to push Number 218 away.
We had to push him out of the tent.
[Creak… Creak…]
“Ughhhhh…!”
Even with two physically fit men pushing with all their might, we were only slowly being pushed back.
I think I now know why crazy people are dangerous.
When I briefly turned my head to the side, Number 122 was frozen, not knowing what to do.
“Ji-yoon!!”
[Creak… Creak…]
“…Yes!”
“On the count of one, two, three, we’ll knock him over to the side!”
“One… Two… Three…!”
[Thwack-!]
[Bang!]
As Number 218 lost his balance and fell, Seong-ho began to run towards him.
[Thump. Thump.]
“Aaaaaah!!”
[Whack!]
[Thud-!]
Seong-ho pushed the off-balanced Number 218 out of the tent once more.
…The tent’s fabric was slightly torn.
[Thwack-]
“Haa… Haa…”
Seong-ho, drained of energy, sat down on the floor.
“Ah… The timer…”
[00:02]
[00:01]
“Huh…?”
It felt like 30 seconds had passed…
But the timer was still running…
[Rustle…]
…The lights turned white again.
But in contrast to that, Number 218 began to stand up again outside the tent.
“J-Just a moment! I didn’t do it on purpose…”
His eyes still held murderous intent.
[Click]
As he tried to enter the tent again, one of the Masks outside the tent pointed a gun at his head.
“You have passed. Please go to the auditorium.”
Even though it was a gun that wouldn’t kill him even if he was hit, he momentarily raised both hands.
“…”
[Shuffle. Shuffle.]
Even if he had lost all reason, he began to walk obediently as he felt a threat to his life [chastity].
“Ah…”
[Thwack-]
As the tension was released, my body tilted.
[We will now begin Round 6.]
Ah… The game wasn’t over yet…
Despair washed over me again.
[Whoosh-]
[♪Let’s jump, let’s jump, Gang~gang~sullae♪]
“…Everyone… I’m sorry, but I’ll go out this round.”
Number 122 said, but his body still wouldn’t move properly.
“This time… Ji-yoon… Let’s have Number 456 go out…”
Seong-ho was still trying to send me out of the tent.
…I at least hope Seong-ho doesn’t get eliminated.
[♪The high yard is being thatched, Gang~gang~sullae♪]
“Don’t you guys… know your own condition?”
“…I’m sorry, but I’ll go out…”
If Number 122 goes out like this, Seong-ho and I will fight in the last round.
Even if it’s Seong-ho, if chastity is at stake, there’s a high probability that he’ll compete with me.
…More than anything, I didn’t want to fight with Seong-ho.
[♪The thatched yard is getting shallow, Gang~gang~sullae♪]
[Rustle…]
“…”
I barely managed to stand up.
But the situation was too hopeless.
Even if I fought with Seong-ho in my current condition, it would be difficult to win.
[♪Let’s jump nimbly, Gang~gang~sullae♪]
[Shuffle. Shuffle.]
“Still… there’s the next round left, right…?”
“It’s not like you die if you get eliminated…”
He arrived right in front of the tent exit.
Strictly speaking, he was right.
There was still the last round left, and it’s not like you die if you get eliminated.
Still, if possible, I wanted to get out of the game in my current state.
But… It was difficult to even support my body.
[Thud!]
The floor stopped and the lights turned red.
“Now… I’ll go…”
[Thump! Thump!]
[Thwack!]
“What…”
“Ji-yoon!!! Go!!”
Suddenly, Seong-ho ran out and tackled him.
He was trying to help me until the very end.
I even wondered why he was going this far…
[Whack-!, Thud!]
“Ugh…!”
It seemed he couldn’t restrain him any longer.
[Shuffle… Shuffle…]
I began to walk with all my might.
This was clearly an opportunity, but… I hesitated a little.
To be exact, I was curious about why he was helping me this much.
I was strictly speaking a murderer.
Even though it was self-defense, I couldn’t deny the guilt.
It’s not the time to be thinking this in this situation, but…
Maybe Seong-ho was more suited to get out than someone like me.
Even though I had sworn to do anything to protect my masculinity…
When I was actually in this situation, my heart weakened.
[00:05]
[00:04]
“…I’d rather…!”
“Go!!! I said go!!”
As Seong-ho raised his voice, squeezing out the last of his strength, I could see his sincerity.
He was thinking of me from the beginning.
He knew that if he fought me in the last round, his usual kind nature would come out.
…Seeing it like this, being too kind was also a chronic disease.
[00:02]
[Shuffle. Shuffle.]
Once I realized that granting Seong-ho’s wish was truly for Seong-ho’s sake, I felt relieved.
I began to walk towards the tent exit with all my strength.
“Ugh…”
I felt like I was going to throw up from walking forcefully when I didn’t even have any strength.
Still, to protect my masculinity…
And for Seong-ho, I had to go.
[00:01]
[Whoosh!]
[00:00]
“Haa… Haa…”
When I turned around, Number 122 was standing right in front of the exit.
No… He had no choice but to stop.
“I did it!!!!!”
Even though my body was exhausted, a strange sense of elation washed over me as I survived the game, and my voice boomed out.
[Thud…]
I didn’t have any strength left to walk anymore.
My vision gradually blurred…
…
“You’re awake…”
When I woke up to a familiar voice, I saw Yujin.
When I looked around, it was the auditorium.
I wonder how many hours had passed since then…
“If you’re awake, don’t you have something to say…?”
“…Thank you…”
“…And I’m sorry…”
“…”
She quietly left without saying a word.
Come to think of it, does her being here mean that she passed the game…?
‘Ah… Come to think of it, what about Seong-ho…?’
Now that I was awake, I was curious about what happened to Seong-ho.
Did he pass…? Or…
[Shuffle… Shuffle…]
I decided to go find Seong-ho myself.
“Ugh…”
My body wasn’t fully recovered yet, and my body ached every time I walked.
Still, I was able to walk to some extent.
[Whoosh-]
[Bang!]
While I was walking, the door to the stage opened, and my gaze naturally turned towards it.
“To all the participants who have passed the third game.”
“Congratulations.”
“Before announcing the eliminated and the ‘punishment,’ we apologize for this accident.”
“We are truly sorry.”
[Shuffle. Shuffle.]
No sooner had the Mask finished speaking than someone began to emerge from the door.
There… a woman on all fours, collared and leashed, crawled out.
She had a black bob and rather large breasts. A white patch read ’64’.
The woman… began to fawn over the Mask like a dog.
“Master… please, use my lewd body as you please today as well…♡”
“I’m Master’s little bitch…♡ Woof!”