The lights turned on, and the familiar music started again.
Jung-Hyuk hadn't slept all night, just staring at Zhen-Yan.
The broadcast sounded: "Soon, the fifth game will begin. Players, please follow the staff's instructions and move."
At this moment, VIP 2 said: "I'm so looking forward to it. What kind of game will this be?"
VIP 3 replied: "Wait and see."
As they walked toward the game arena, Jung-Hyuk glared at Zhen-Yan with murderous eyes, while Zhen-Yan looked back at him with contempt.
The VIPs watched as the screen before them slowly rose.
VIP 4 looked at the game arena in front of him and said, "I'm a bit familiar with it."
Players began entering the arena.
VIP 2 said: "Here it is."
They arrived at the game field.
What came into view were the Yeong-Hee and Cheol-Soo dolls, with small windmills around them.
Player 100 looked at the height from the ground, then at the grid squares in front of them, and said in fear: "High-altitude… hopscotch."
The broadcast sounded: "Welcome to the fifth game. The game you will play is Hopscotch. After throwing the sandbag into a square, you cannot step on that square. Except for squares 3–4 and 6–7, all others must be landed on with one foot only. Landing with both feet or stepping on the line means failure. Each player must complete one round trip within 20 minutes to succeed. The order will be decided by the players themselves."
The masked men handed everyone sandbags.
"Game start."
The countdown began, but no one dared to move.
Player 225 stepped forward, trembling, and said: "Move aside… I'll go first."
Everyone watched as she slowly approached.
Player 225 threw the sandbag.
The Cheol-Soo doll announced: "Square 5."
Player 225 looked at the height, took a deep breath, and leapt onto square 1 with one foot. Then she hopped onto square 2. After that, she jumped with both feet into squares 3 and 4.
Everyone stared in shock.
Looking ahead, she now had to skip square 5 and jump into squares 6 and 7.
Her legs trembled, but she leapt forward, landing in squares 6 and 7. Her body shook uncontrollably, and she struggled to keep her balance.
At last, she failed to steady herself and toppled backward into square 5.
The Cheol-Soo doll announced: "Failure."
As she panicked, the Young-Hee doll moved beside her. Its palm sprang out, knocking Player 225 into the air.
With a scream, she plummeted, hitting the ground hard. Her head and intestines burst out.
"Player 225, eliminated."
The players gasped in shock.
VIP 1 watched the falling body and said: "That's really exciting!"
The timer read 18:21.
Just then, Yoo-Chun epped forward and said: "That useless trash—can't even play a simple game of hopscotch."
He tossed his sandbag.
The Cheol-Soo doll said: "Square 7."
Yoo-Chun jumped on. With incredible speed, he leapt all the way to square 9.
The crowd exclaimed in awe.
VIP 4 said: "So impressive!"
Then the masked man announced: "On the way back, you must pick up the sandbag."
Yoo-Chun hopped to square 8, bent on one leg, and picked up the sandbag. As he stood, he nearly lost his balance and fell.
He steadied himself and landed safely back on square 1.
Just as he proudly looked around, Bei-Bei rushed forward and shoved him down. Yoo-Chun grabbed hold of Bei-Bei.
Yoo-Chun shouted: "What the hell are you doing!"
Bei-Bei struggled violently to shake him off, but Yoo-Chun clutched her hair. Bei-Bei, realizing, pulled him close and hugged him tight as they both fell together.
Yoo-Chun screamed in despair.
"Player 62, eliminated. Player 239, eliminated."
Jung-Hyuk watched the scene in shock.
Zhen-Yan muttered coldly: "Those two idiots finally died."
Next, Players 100 and 157 stepped forward.
Player 100 said to 157: "You go first. I'll catch you here."
Player 157 nodded.
Player 370 stared at them.
Player 157 threw the sandbag.
"Square 2."
She hopped along, and on the way back bent down to pick up the sandbag. At that moment, Player 370 kicked her down. With a scream, she crashed into the ground.
"Player 157, eliminated."
Player 100's eyes widened: "What are you doing?"
Player 370 didn't answer. He snatched Player 100's sandbag and tossed it away.
Player 100 crawled forward, staring at the thrown sandbag, and was about to question him when Player 370 sneered:
"Go get it yourself."
Then he kicked Player 100 down.
A scream. A thud.
"Player 100, eliminated."
Everyone stared at him.
Zhi-Xuan also glared at him.
Player 370 tossed his own sandbag.
"Square 9."
As he bent down on square 8 to retrieve it, Zhi-Xuan threw his sandbag.
"Square 5."
Player 370 asked: "What are you doing?"
Zhi-Xuan stood with both feet on squares 3 and 4.
Player 370 understood, planting both feet on squares 6 and 7.
VIP 4 said: "Are they going to fight?"
VIP 3 said: "I think so."
The two began fighting high above the ground.
Player 370 hopped to square 5 and punched at Zhi-Xuan. Zhi-Xuan grabbed his arm, shaking him violently. Player 370 held onto Zhi-Xuan to avoid falling.
Regaining balance, Player 370 shoved Zhi-Xuan down.
"Failure."
Player 370 smirked.
As Young-Hee approached to launch Zhi-Xuan, Zhi-Xuan lunged forward and grabbed him tightly.
Player 370 struggled: "Let me go, you bastard!"
Yeong-Hee moved beside them.
Zhi-Xuan said: "Let's go join Player 99 together."
Player 370 screamed: "F*** you!"
They were both flung off. Player 370 let out a desperate scream.
Player 262 watched in shock.
"Player 68, eliminated. Player 370, eliminated."
VIP 1 said: "Their story came to a perfect conclusion."
Player 116 jumped up, but landed with both feet and was launched by Young-Hee.
"Player 116, eliminated."
Player 39 leapt from square 8 to 9, but stepped on the line and was launched.
"Player 39, eliminated."
Player 341 jumped to square 6, lost balance, and stepped back onto her sandbag square. She was launched.
"Player 341, eliminated."
Player 175 wobbled on square 9, then toppled forward.
"Player 175, eliminated."
Player 81 returned to square 1, then completed the round.
"Player 81, cleared."
Player 301 jumped back to square 1.
Suddenly, he lost balance. Player 112 reached out to pull him up, but underestimated his weight. Player 301 dragged Player 112 down with him.
"Player 301, eliminated. Player 112, eliminated."
The timer showed 9:20.
Player 262 threw his sandbag.
"Square 6."
He leapt forward, reaching square 9. On the return, as he bent to retrieve the sandbag, he almost fell, but steadied himself and landed back at square 1.
As soon as he landed, Zhen-Yan kicked him down.
With a loud crash, Player 262 was reduced to a bloody pulp.
"Player 262, eliminated."
Furious, Jung-Hyuk rushed forward to grab him, but Zhen-Yan quickly jumped onto the course.
He smoothly completed a round trip. But when returning, Jung-Hyuk blocked his way.
The two stared at each other for nearly a minute.
Jung-Hyuk said: "Don't think I don't know—you're the one who hurt Yong-Jun."
Zhen-Yan replied: "I never said you didn't know."
Jung-Hyuk raised his fist, ready to strike, but Soo-Mi stopped him: "Forget it. He… he didn't mean to."
Jung-Hyuk looked at Soo-Mi, then at Zhen-Yan, and stepped aside.
Zhen-Yan looked at Soo-Mi with a puzzled expression.
The broadcast announced: "Player 18, cleared."
Next was Soo-Mi.
She tossed her sandbag.
"Square 1."
She hopped across smoothly to square 9.
As she was about to return, Player 231 stepped forward.
Jung-Hyuk asked: "What are you doing?"
Player 231 said: "Wouldn't it be better to eliminate the girls first? They're just trouble anyway."
Jung-Hyuk pulled him aside, but Player 231 punched him and shoved him to the edge.
He pressed Jung-Hyuk down, but suddenly someone kicked Player 231 off.
With a scream and a crash, he fell.
"Player 231, eliminated."
Jung-Hyuk looked up and saw—it was Zhen-Yan who had helped him.
Soo-Mi returned.
"Player 329, cleared."
Jung-Hyuk stared in shock at Zhen-Yan. Zhen-Yan said nothing, simply turning away.
The timer read 3:29.
Finally, it was Jung-Hyuk's turn.
With his injured hand, he held the sandbag. The white cloth was stained red with blood.
He threw it.
"Square 3."
One by one, he hopped forward on one leg. Reaching square 9, he staggered, about to fall.
VIP 5 exclaimed: "Oh my god!"