At midnight, A.D. woke up to go to the bathroom. As he walked, a voice came from behind him. It was George. George grabbed A.D., pulled him into a room, and threw him to the floor. A.D., weakened, couldn't get up. George lunged, a knife glinting in his hand, trying to kill him. A.D. was slightly cut before Shin suddenly burst in, beating George severely, almost to death.
"Stop it!" A.D. gasped, struggling to speak.
"Shin, but why?" Shin demanded. "I'm going to kill him now! It's the second time he's tried to kill you!"
"No, leave him," A.D. insisted. "I don't want this." Shin released George, who then fled somewhere into the night.
Shin helped A.D., giving him first aid and stitching his wound. He took A.D. back to where the others were sleeping, and A.D. quickly fell asleep.
The next morning, everyone woke up. A.D. rose with difficulty. "What happened?" Sharleen asked, noticing his discomfort. Shin was about to explain, but A.D. interrupted. "It's because last night I fell on the way to the bathroom."
"Then you should have asked me," Sharleen said.
"What?" A.D. asked, confused.
"Sorry, I mean, you should have taken someone with you for help," Sharleen corrected herself.
"Okay," A.D. conceded. Just then, Henry's voice came. "George is missing!"
"What?" A.D. exclaimed. He then spoke to Shin secretly, "What have you done?"
"No, I didn't," Shin replied. "He didn't come back all night. I think he's afraid of what we'll do to him this time."
A.D. addressed the group. "He will come back, but for now, we have to start making the boat."
Days passed, and they worked diligently, completing the boat just in time. Tomorrow, the ship was due to arrive. A.D. felt a profound weakness in his legs, a chilling realization that he couldn't play the game anymore. That night, no one slept, their minds consumed with what the next day would bring
Morning arrived with the distinct sound of a ship's horn. "A.D., the ship has arrived!" Sharleen exclaimed, waking everyone.
They all got onto the newly built boat. "Henry, we're leaving without George," one of the boys said, his voice tinged with concern.
"All will be okay," A.D. reassured him, though his voice lacked its usual conviction. "We searched everywhere, but we couldn't find him." They then set off.
When they reached the college gate, it was closed. A final message appeared: "GO FURTHER WITHOUT THE BOAT."
Sharleen, A.D., Suzanne, and Jane, all outside the game, watched, worried about what was happening.
"Be patient," A.D. advised.
"Yeah," David agreed. "A.D. is right. We only have to climb the wall, and to the ship, we have to swim." Shin immediately began to climb the wall. From the top, he looked out, then called down, "It's not that easy!"
"What?" David asked, his heart sinking. They all climbed up and looked. The water beyond the wall was teeming with sharks.
"A.D.!" Sharleen cried, shaking his arm. A.D. was deep in thought, his face pale. "A.D.! A.D.!"
"Huh?" A.D. finally responded.
"What will we do now?" Sharleen asked, her voice laced with fear.