Lim Sang-hwan slowly opened his eyes. Standing on his left and right were No. 237 and Park Chae-ho. Sang-hwan rubbed his eyes, sat up, and said, "You… you came too."
Chae-ho nodded. No. 237 said, "I thought you fainted again."
Sang-hwan smiled, then looked around and said, "A lot of people came back."
At this moment, the screen showed the number "200," and the prize money showed "25.6 billion won."
No. 237 pointed at No. 334 and said, "That grandma who was afraid her grandson hadn't seen her also came back."
On the other side, Song Zhengli had just woken up and noticed Lee Taek-gyeol on the bed beside him. Zhengli looked at Taek-gyeol and said, "You came back too."
Taek-gyeol ignored him. Zhengli smirked and said, "Still mad at me?"
Seeing that Taek-gyeol didn't respond for a long time, Zhengli stood up and walked away. When Taek-gyeol saw this, he followed him. Zhengli walked while holding back his laughter.
Sang-hwan shook his head. After becoming more energetic, he said, "Should we form a team? As the saying goes, there's strength in numbers."
Chae-ho nodded and said, "I think it's necessary."
Zhengli walked over with Taek-gyeol and said, "Sang-hwan."
When Sang-hwan saw Zhengli, he said excitedly, "Wow, you came back too."
No. 237 looked at Taek-gyeol behind Zhengli and asked, "Who is he?"
Zhengli introduced him, "His name is Lee Taek-gyeol. He's not very good at speaking."
Sang-hwan continued, "My name is Lim Sang-hwan…" He pointed at the others and said, "He's Park Chae-ho, and you're Song Zhengli."
After Sang-hwan finished speaking, everyone turned to look at No. 237. She said, "Oh, my name is… Yi Dieok-nyeong."
Sang-hwan stretched his tone, "Yi… Dieok… nyeong… Hmm, that's a pretty name, right?"
Everyone smiled along. Sang-hwan cheerfully said, "Then the five of us are one team. We'll never split up."
Choi Jeo-rim stood aside with his newly allied subordinates No. 415 and No. 146. No. 334 walked up to them and said, "Can I join you?"
Jeo-rim sneered and said, "We don't need a grandma here. And what ability do you have to join us?"
No. 334 smirked and said, "Grandma here… used to be a famous human trafficker."
Jeo-rim, No. 415, and No. 146 began laughing at her. No. 334's eyes turned sharp as she looked at them and said, "I specialize in catching disobedient kids like you!"
Then she began to act pitiful. "I even sold my own grandson. I regret it. Why did I do that? Why?"
After hearing her, Jeo-rim said, "Old lady, looks like you're even more evil than us."
The broadcast sounded: "It is now mealtime. Please line up in the center of the dormitory. Repeat…"
Jeo-rim, No. 415, and No. 146 walked out. No. 334 watched them leave.
Everyone lined up and received boxed meals. After getting his meal, Sang-hwan sat together with Dieok-nyeong and the others. After opening his meal, Taek-gyeol happily started eating.
Sang-hwan looked at him and asked, "Why are you eating so happily?"
Taek-gyeol smiled and replied, "When I got first place in class before, my mom would always prepare this kind of lunch for me."
Zhengli swallowed a mouthful of food and said, "Thinking about the past won't change anything. We might as well think about what game we'll play next."
Chae-ho thought for a moment and said, "Red Light, Green Light is a game we played when we were kids, right?"
Dieok-nyeong agreed, "Yes, so the next round might be jump rope or rubber band jumping."
Sang-hwan, with his mouth full of food, said, "Those are games girls play. We boys don't play those."
Chae-ho nodded. "Sang-hwan is right. And there are 200 people here—how would we even play those?"
Taek-gyeol then said, "It could be rock-paper-scissors, hopscotch, tag, eagle catches chicks, or even Squid Game."
Zhengli stared at him for a moment and said, "Feels like you suddenly became smart."
Taek-gyeol turned his head and said, "I've always been smart."
Zhengli smiled. "Let's cooperate after the game is announced. For now, replenish your energy."
Everyone nodded.
Soon, the dormitory went completely dark, leaving only the golden glow from the piggy bank. Everyone lay on their beds to sleep.
No. 334 knocked on the door and shouted, "I said I need to use the toilet! Open the door! Are you bullying an old person?!"
A masked man spoke to her through the small window, "Outside designated hours, you are not allowed to leave the dormitory."
No. 334 leaned closer and said in a low voice, "I advise you to open the door now, or I'll make so much noise that no one can sleep all night."
The masked man ignored her and locked the window.
No. 334 felt humiliated and angrily said, "You little brat! Haven't you gone to school? Didn't your teacher teach you to respect the elderly?!"
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She began banging on the door like crazy while shouting, "You brat! Open the door!"
Halfway through, the masked man opened the door and said, "Follow me."
No. 334 sized him up and said, "At least you still have a bit of conscience."
Just as she was about to go in, Yi Dieok-nyeong rushed in from the side. No. 334 grabbed her and asked, "What are you doing?"
Dieok-nyeong turned back and said, "I also want to use the toilet."
After saying that, she followed the masked man without looking back. No. 334 cursed, "Bastard, no manners at all!"
After arriving at the toilet, Dieok-nyeong watched No. 334 walk past her into a stall. She went to the sink and looked at herself in the mirror. Thinking about her husband still in the hospital, tears poured down like a flood.
At this moment, No. 334 came out. Seeing this, Dieok-nyeong quickly washed her face.
No. 334 stood beside her at the sink, washing her hands, and asked, "How many siblings do you have?"
Dieok-nyeong smiled without answering.
No. 334 became annoyed and said, "You rude bitch! I curse your whole family to die!"
After saying that, she walked toward the door.
Hearing this, Dieok-nyeong grabbed her hair and slapped her across the face. No. 334 fell to the ground and shouted, "Ouch! Assault! Isn't anyone going to do something?! Young girls these days have no morals!"
Dieok-nyeong shouted angrily, "The one without morals is you! And this is hell! No one cares whether you live or die, old woman!"
After saying that, she slammed the door and left, leaving No. 334 lying on the floor.
Dawn slowly broke over the island. All the players woke up.
The broadcast sounded: "It is now mealtime. Please line up in the center of the dormitory."
Taek-gyeol looked at Zhengli, who had just woken up, and said, "Good morning."
Zhengli politely smiled back.
Everyone lined up to receive breakfast: bread and a bottle of milk.
Sang-hwan walked to the front. The masked man handed him bread and milk. Sang-hwan looked at it and asked, "Do you have chocolate-flavored bread and milk? I prefer that."
The masked man ignored him and continued holding out the food.
Sang-hwan took it and walked away, opening the bread as he walked.
At this moment, Chae-ho came up behind him and said, "Eating too much chocolate isn't good for your blood sugar."
Sang-hwan smiled and said, "When I get out, I'm going to eat one apple a day."
Chae-ho understood the implication and laughed.
Zhengli stared into the distance in a daze. Taek-gyeol asked while eating, "Why aren't you eating? What are you looking at?"
Zhengli snapped out of it, handed him the bread, and said, "Take it. I'm not used to eating breakfast."
Taek-gyeol immediately took both the bread and milk.
Sang-hwan moved closer and said, "Share some with me."
Chae-ho looked at them, then said to Zhengli, "Skipping breakfast increases the risk of gallstones."
Zhengli gave a helpless smile.
Suddenly, music played from the broadcast. Everyone looked around in confusion.
The broadcast said, "The second game will begin shortly. Please move according to staff instructions. Repeat…"
Soon, everyone walked up the stairs leading to the game area.
They entered a completely white room through a small door.
Sang-hwan looked around and asked, "What game are we playing?"
The broadcast sounded: "Welcome to the second game. This is a team game. Within ten minutes, form teams of ten. Repeat, this is a team game. Within ten minutes, form teams of ten."
Dieok-nyeong counted and said, "If each of us finds one more person, we'll have enough."
Everyone nodded.
Zhengli said, "Try to find men."
Dieok-nyeong silently looked at him. Sensing the tension, Sang-hwan pushed them, "Go find people quickly."
Jeo-rim's group quickly gathered nine people. No. 334 walked over and greeted them.
No. 415 said, "Sorry, we don't welcome elderly people here."
Others laughed.
Jeo-rim said impatiently, "Old lady, why do you keep sticking to me?"
No. 334 smiled kindly. "Maybe it's fate."
No. 146 said mockingly, "You probably don't even remember your own name."
Her eyes turned fierce. "Watch your mouth, brat! My name is Kim Chae-eun. I still remember it."
Seeing it was troublesome, Jeo-rim waved his hand. "Fine, we already have nine strong men. Adding an old woman isn't a problem."
Zhengli approached No. 200 and asked nervously, "Would you like to join our team?"
No. 200 scratched his head and smiled. "As long as you don't mind."
Taek-gyeol approached No. 148. "You… you…"
No. 148 said, "Do you want me to join you?"
Taek-gyeol nodded.
Chae-ho shook hands with No. 6.
Dieok-nyeong found No. 353 sitting in a corner. "Do you want to join us?"
No. 353 smiled.
Sang-hwan was still looking for someone. Then No. 93 tapped his shoulder.
Soon, the ten members of Sang-hwan's team sat together: Sang-hwan, Dieok-nyeong, Zhengli, Chae-ho, Taek-gyeol, No. 200, No. 148, No. 6, No. 353, and No. 93.
Sang-hwan counted and said, "Exactly ten people."
Zhengli looked at No. 353 and asked, "Who invited her?"
Dieok-nyeong said firmly, "I did. So what?"
No. 353 asked, "What? Not welcome?"
Zhengli stared straight at Dieok-nyeong.
Beep. The grouping time ended.
The broadcast said, "Grouping time is over. All teams, please line up at the game entrance."
They lined up in front of the gate. When it opened, they walked in.
Everyone was shocked. They were standing on high ground, while below were boxes, containers, and other cover.
A masked man said, "Welcome to the second game. This game is Capture the Flag. At the start, two teams will be at camps on opposite sides. After the game begins, each side must capture the opponent's flag and plant it in their own camp. The team that completes the task first wins."
Everyone looked at their teammates.
The masked man continued, "Now we will draw matchups. Please sit down."
Everyone sat.
"We will now draw the yellow camp team."
He drew a ball labeled 6. "Group 6, please stand."
Jeo-rim led his team to stand. Their members were Jeo-rim, Chae-eun, No. 415, No. 146, No. 342, No. 197, No. 438, No. 190, No. 256, and No. 257.
"Now drawing the blue camp team."
Ball number 18 was drawn. Group 18 stood.
"Group 6 and Group 18 will compete first."
They entered the field wearing yellow and blue vests.
At the yellow camp, Chae-eun said, "I'll guard the flag. You attack."
Jeo-rim thought, then said to No. 415, "You guard with her."
The masked man fired a shot into the air. The game began.
No. 146 (yellow) avoided boxes and turned a corner, colliding with No. 335 (blue). He pinned him down as 335 struggled.
Jeo-rim (yellow) saw teammates fighting and sprinted toward the enemy camp. After crossing containers, he found two people guarding the flag.
No. 299 rushed first. Jeo-rim knocked him down. No. 312 kicked Jeo-rim in the face.
"You brat!" Jeo-rim cursed, then punched 312, knocking him down. He shook his hand. "Damn, that hurt."
Chae-eun and No. 415 guarded the flag.
No. 89 (blue) rushed over. Chae-eun grabbed his hair. "Let go!" he cried.
No. 415 laughed.
No. 270 jumped down and knocked 415 over, crawling toward the flag—but 415 grabbed his leg.
Heavy footsteps approached.
Jeo-rim arrived and planted the enemy flag.
Chae-eun released No. 89, who stared in despair.
The door opened. Masked men entered with guns.
The blue team ran. No. 89 was shot before escaping. No. 270 was also shot.
Jeo-rim walked to No. 415. "Good job."
No. 299 hid behind a container, trembling. A masked man stood above him.
"Please… give me one chance…"
Bang.