The gong vibrated for a long time in the air, as if the game was savoring the failure.
[VICTIM SAVED]
[WIN: + 6,000,000 COINS – BR-03]
BR-03 collapsed completely, not from pain this time, but from brutal relief. His body was still trembling, the blade had pierced his leg, and blood was spreading beneath it in a dark, glistening pool.
The corridor doors slowly reopened.
The obstacles froze.
The journey... came to an end.
Seo-Hwan remains still.
The fist clenched.
His eyes fixed straight ahead.
Then the voice rang out again, calm, almost mocking, and the little mime was dancing.
[MURDERER FAILS: 1/3]
[ONE CHANCE SUFFERED]
A shiver ran through the circle.
A-09 applauded slowly.
– Magnificent. A perfect throw… and yet, a miss.
Seo-Hwan grits his teeth.
His fingers were barely trembling, but his gaze had changed; he was trembling in front of his watch.
This was no longer calculated calm.
It was frustration.
"Six million…," he murmured. "Those bastards took it from me."
Kang-Dae finally let go of my hand.
– Ki-Moon…
"Yes," I replied softly.
– we're going to kill each other to survive or for money
BR-03 was dragged off the course by the ground itself, as if sucked away. A green light enveloped her wound. Not a complete healing. Just enough to keep her standing.
Enough for her to keep playing.
She was placed back in the circle.
In its empty place.
His eyes were now those of Seo-Hwan.
The knife reappeared, floating above the circle.
[THE MURDERER RETURNS TO THE CIRCLE]
[NEXT TURN: CONTINUATION OF THE FIRST MURDERER]
A murmur runs through the twelve.
– He's playing again…
He still has two chances…
- shit …
"I don't want to be chosen…," BR-01 murmured.
– he will fail…
The sentence remained suspended.
Kim Young took a deep breath.
– If he fails three times… he is executed.
– And replaced by a poor player and we become direct victims with no chance of going through the murderer's wreck and winning millions, added L-07.
All eyes drifted, almost unconsciously, towards the bracelets.
On to the sales.
And me.
My cube vibrated gently in my pocket.
Finally ready to be useful.
Seo-Hwan returned to his position in the center.
He placed the knife on the ground.
This time, it didn't turn slowly.
He spun it around violently.
The blade traced a rapid, brutal circle. The figures seemed to waver under the pressure.
My breath caught in my throat.
Kang-Dae murmurs :
– Not me… please…
The blade slows down.
Again.
Then he stopped.
Pointed at-
– Ki-Moon.
The world froze.
[ DESIGNED VICTIM : KI-MOON
Absolute silence.
Then the atmosphere relaxed, with discreet smiles.
Seo-Hwan slowly raised her eyes towards me.
- court .
I felt something being released inside me.
My legs had already unfolded
One thing is certain.
La mime leva la main.
[ COURT. ]
The ground in front of me opened up.
A new path appeared. Longer. Narrower. And above all, very dark, with moving walls.
The ground was unstable and moving.
To the point that I started running on all fours
The cube pulsed and shone with a violet light.
Not now, I risk-
VOLUME!
I felt a blade plunge very close by
Then another
Tac ! tac ! tac !
She kept walking towards me
I started running.
Behind me, Seo-Hwan leaped up.
The game had barely begun when he was already pulling out all the stops.
But this time…
It was no longer him, but me.
So I left the cube where it was, took one of the blades, and slipped through a hidden trapdoor along the path.