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━━ℳira's head throbbed like a drum being pounded by an angry toddler. She groaned, prying her eyes open and wincing as the cold, artificial light assaulted her senses. "What the actual fuck?" she muttered, her voice hoarse.

Sitting up, she scanned her surroundings. The room was massive-too massive, really-crammed with metal bunk beds stacked three high. It looked like someone had taken a prison dorm and decided to sprinkle in just a dash of creepy cult vibes.

And that music. That goddamn classical tune that swirled around her ears like it was trying to lull her into a false sense of security. Mira shivered. "Creepy as shit," she muttered, brushing the grogginess off and standing.

That's when she noticed her outfit. A greenish-blue tracksuit clung to her body, the number 067 stitched across the chest. "Seriously? What is this-some budget-ass bootcamp?" She yanked at the collar, but the ugly thing wouldn't budge.

Her eyes drifted to the crowd forming in the center of the room-hundreds of people, all dressed in the same tracksuit, buzzing with confusion. "Well, this doesn't scream cult massacre at all," she said dryly, stepping closer to join them.

The sheer number of people was overwhelming. Mira squinted, her brows furrowing as the enormity of the situation hit her. "Where the hell am I? And who are all these people?"

Before she could piece anything together, a loud clank echoed across the room. The gate at the far end opened, revealing a line of masked guards dressed in pink uniforms. Their masks-each one a circle, triangle, or square-made them look like some weird knockoff Power Rangers.

The crowd erupted.

"Who are you people?!"
"Where the fuck are we?!"
"What kind of joke is this?!"

Mira crossed her arms, watching as the guards calmly endured the barrage of questions. She could already tell these assholes weren't the "sharing is caring" type. Sure enough, one guard finally raised his hand, silencing the chaos with an ominous declaration.

"I would like to extend a hearty welcome to all of you.Everyone here will participate in six different games over six days.Those who win all six games will receive a handsome cash prize." He announced in a robotic tone that made Mira want to punch him in the throat.

"Right," Mira muttered under her breath. "Because this totally sounds like a good deal."

"Excuse me.You said I'd be playing games, but you practically kidnapped me.So how can I believe that?" a woman to the left asked the guard sharply.

"I apologize. Please understand that it was necessary to maintain the game's security." the masked guard responded firmly to her question.
"What's with the mask then?Is your face also a secret?"

"Yeah! Why are you hiding your face?"

"Is this some kind of illegal gambling house?"

"Even the dealers don't cover their faces in those places."

The air grew tense as questions poured in, one after another, waiting for answers.

"To ensure fair gameplay and confidentiality,it is our policy not to reveal the faces and identities of staff.Please understand." the guard replied with a tone that hinted at his growing irritation.

"Did you take off my clothes and put these on me?" a skeptical woman demanded.

"What's with these shoes?My shoes are limited fucking edition.They're hard to find!
Are you going to replace them if they get ruined?" said a familiar voice. Thanos. What the hell was he doing here?

"These don't fit and the color sucks.
Can I just have what you're wearing instead?I like the pink." another player chimed in. Her hair, tied back in a sleek ponytail, gave her an effortless elegance.

"I'm sorry, but that is not possible.You must be in your uniforms for the games." the pink-suited guard snapped, clearly running out of patience.

"What about my phone?" someone else asked, prompting Mira to roll her eyes in exasperation.

"It will be returned to you once the games are over."

After a barrage of questions, the central guard raised his voice to regain control.

"All of you in this room have crippling debts and are now on a cliffedge.When we first came to you, you did not trust us either.But as you know, we played a game and gave you money as promised.And so you trusted us and volunteered to participate according to your own free will."

"You have one last chance to decide.
Do you want to live like a piece of trash, running from creditors?Or will you seize the last opportunity we are offering?"

The brunette girl thought for a second, before her cynicism was interrupted when the screen on the far wall flickered to life. A series of names and numbers appeared, each one paired with a colossal sum of debt. Mira's stomach dropped when her own name popped up.

Cho Mi-ra: Debt- 43 million won.

"Forty-three million?!" she hissed, her face heating with anger. "What the fuck kind of sick joke is this?" The last she'd checked, she owed three million-not forty-three. Unless...

Her blood ran cold.

"Of course," she growled, spinning around to scan the crowd. Her eyes locked on a familiar face-one that made her want to hurl. Thanos. She would deal with that motherfucker later.

The pink guard then pulled out a remote control, and a peculiar tune began to play.

"What you see now is the piggy bank where your valuable prize money will be stored.After each of the six games you will play, the prize money will accumulate in this piggy bank." The guard said as every player looked up in curiosity.

"How much is the prize money?" a woman in the back asked, piquing Mira's curiosity as well.

"The prize money for the games is 45.6 billion won in total." the guard announced.

"45.6 billion won?"

"And one of us will get it?"

"We will give you the details about the distribution of the prize money after the first game.For these games, you will be given a special new advantage." He continued his speech.

"What is it?" Someone else asked.

"After each game, you will be given a chance to vote on whether to continue the games or not.If the majority votes to stop the games, you can leave with the prize money accumulated up to that point." The guard told the players.

Murmurs broke out in the crowd, but Mira listened closely for more details.

"Are you saying we'll still receive the money, even if we leave after the first game?" an older man, Player 456, asked skeptically.

"That's correct." the guard confirmed coldly.

Mira drifted into thought until the guard began speaking again.

"If you wish to participate in the games,please sign the player consent form.Those who do not wish to participate, please speak up now.
We always give you a chance to leave the games."

Players formed four lines to sign the documents. When Mira's turn came, she glanced at the form briefly before signing it without hesitation.

PLAYER CONSENT FORM

1. A PLAYER IS NOT ALLOWED TO VOLUNTARILY QUIT

2. A PLAYER WHO REFUSES TO PLAY WILL BE ELIMINATED

3. THE GAMES MAY BE TERMINATED UPON A MAJORITY VOTE

IN CASE OF A TIE, PLAYERS WILL VOTE AGAIN

4. IF THE GAMES ARE TERMINATED, PLAYERS WILL DIVIDE THE PRIZE EQUALLY

SIGNATURE

After Mira signed the paper she eagerly wanted to spot her ex, and there he was, lounging at the edge of the group like he didn't have a care in the world, the same cocky smirk plastered across his face. Mira's fists clenched, her entire body vibrating with rage as she stormed toward him.

"YOU!" she bellowed, drawing everyone's attention. Thanos barely had time to blink before her fist connected with his nose.

"You goddamn motherfucker!" she yelled, climbing on top of him as he hit the floor. "You invested in crypto with my fucking money, didn't you?!"

"Jesus Christ, Mira!" Thanos groaned, shielding his face. "What the hell is your problem?!"

"My problem?" she snapped, landing another punch. "My problem is that I'm now FORTY-THREE MILLION FUCKING WON IN DEBT because you're a goddamn idiot who thinks he's the next Elon Musk!"

Thanos tried to squirm away, but Mira grabbed his collar, shaking him so hard his head bobbed like a bobblehead doll. "You better start talking, asshole. Did you or did you not use my money for your dumbass crypto scams?"

"Fine, fine!" he yelled, throwing up his hands in surrender. "Maybe I borrowed a little bit! But it's not like it's my fault the market crashed-"

"Oh, you absolute piece of shit!" Mira swung again, but before her fist could connect, she felt a hand on her arm, yanking her backward.

She spun around, ready to throw down with whoever dared to stop her, only to come face-to-face with one of the guards. The muzzle of his rifle pointed directly at her chest.

"Enough," the guard said, his voice cold. "One more outburst, and you'll be eliminated."

Mira froze. Her anger didn't dissipate, but she wasn't stupid enough to test the guard's patience. "Fine," she muttered, shrugging him off. "But don't think this is over," she hissed at Thanos before stalking away.

"The first game will begin momentarily." a robotic voice brought the girl back to reality, trying to follow the instructions as said.

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The players were herded into lines, each person stopping in front of a camera.

"Smile," a robotic voice commanded.

Mira scowled at the lens as it clicked, capturing her photo.

"After having your picture taken,follow the staff's instructions and proceed to the game site."

a robotic female voice echoed through the room, making Mira freeze as she looked at a guard trying to stop her idiotic ex from taking a group picture.

They were then herded toward a bright, colorful staircase that twisted and turned in impossible directions. The walls were painted in gaudy pastel shades, giving the whole place a surreal, candy-coated vibe that Mira found deeply unsettling.

"This place looks like Willy Wonka threw up all over it," she muttered, earning a few nervous chuckles from the people around her.

Eventually, they emerged into an open field. The sun blazed down on a patch of sand that looked extremely fake to the human eye, and the sky was a perfect, cloudless blue. At the far end of the field stood a massive doll-its oversized head tilted at an unnatural angle. Mira's stomach twisted.

"Shit," she whispered. "Red Light, Green Light."

"Welcome to the first game.All players, please wait a moment on the field.
Let me repeat.
All players,please wait a moment on the field." the voice instructed as Mira stepped onto the field.

The rules were announced by a robotic voice, but Mira barely heard them. Her attention was fixed on the doll, its lifeless eyes scanning the field like some demon-possessed toy. She knew this game-it was supposed to be innocent. But here, it was definitely played differently.

"The first game is Red Light, Green Light." the same annoying voice announced as the rest of the players gathered on the field slowly.

"We're playing Red Light, Green Light?" a man asked, confused.

"See?We're playing games, not gambling." someone else muttered.

"This is a children's game." a confident voice said.

"Red Light, Green Light? The kids' game?" a trembling voice whispered nervously.

"Cross the finish line without getting caught in five minutes.
If you do, you pass." the robotic voice announced.

"Everyone!Everyone, listen up! Pay attention!" the older man from earlier shouted, commanding attention.

"Listen carefully! This is not just a game!
If you lose the game, you die!" Mira thought he was out of his mind.

"We're going to die playing Red Light, Green Light?" Someone asked, a serious yet questionable tone leaving his lips.

"Yes, that's right!If they catch you moving, they will kill you!They will shoot you from somewhere!" Mira's stomach twisted. It was starting to feel too real.

"He says they'll shoot us if we lose." someone in the crowd asked.

"He sounds like my old man when he gets home drunk and starts talking crazy." another player quipped.

"If you get caught, you die!

That doll's eyes are motion detectors!" the older man insisted, his voice cracking under pressure.

"What the hell are you talking about?

"I think he's trying to scare us so he can win the prize money."

"That's right!"

The crowd grew restless, their skepticism drowning out the older man's warnings.

"You have to believe me!" he pleaded, his desperation palpable.

"Do not be alarmed or panic!No matter what happens, do not panic and start running!"

"Let the game begin." the robotic voice announced.

The game began. The doll's head swiveled forward. "Green Light."

The players hesitated, unsure whether to trust the game. Mira took a cautious step forward, her heart hammering.

"Red Light."

"Freeze!" the older man yelled as the game commenced. The players froze, mirroring the tension in the air.

The doll's head snapped back, and a deafening bang shattered the silence. Mira flinched, her blood running cold as she watched a man drop to the ground, blood pooling around his head.

"Well done! You just need to stay calm like this!
We just have to move and stop at the right time." he encouraged.
"Then we can all win."

"Holy fucking shit," she whispered, barely resisting the urge to bolt. Around her, players were panicking, their whispers turning into frantic cries.

"They're shooting us?!"

"Is this some kind of sick joke?!"

"We're all going to die!"

"Shut up!" a man shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. Mira turned to see a tall guy with sharp features and a calculating expression. "You panic, you die. You heard the old men."

"Don't move and stay still!"

"Just relax!"

"Cut it out. It's you that's scaring me!" someone snapped back at him.

"Speak with your mouth covered. It's dangerous." he shouted, trying to keep everyone focused.

"Nobody move!You must not move!" He yelled, but then a gunshot was heard.

"Player 196, eliminated." the robotic voice announced coldly.

"No! Don't move!Stay still!" the man urged desperately.

"Don't move! Keep yourselves still! Don't move, please!" The men was desperate to make sure everyone crossed the line alive when suddenly the female voice repeated:

"Let me repeat.You can move forward while the tagger shouts, "Green light, red light.If your movement is detected afterward, you will be eliminated." This made Mira confident.

"You will also die if you don't make it there in time!That doll is a motion detector!
But it can't detect motion that's not visible to it!" Mira was trusting this player with her entire heart now, a feeling of success taking over her body.

"Get behind someone bigger than you!Like you're doing Follow the Leader!" the man instructed. Slowly, the players began strategizing, following his lead.

Mira didn't need to be told twice. She slipped behind a towering man, her heart racing as she tried to block out the sound of gunfire.

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The minutes crawled by, every second a brutal test of Mira's nerves. By the time she reached the finish line, her legs were trembling, her palms slick with sweat. She collapsed onto the sand, gasping for air.

"You made it," a voice said from behind her. She turned to see the cryptocurrency guy-Player 333 -staring at her. His expression was unreadable, but there was something about the way he looked at her that made her bristle.

Mira's glare softened-just a fraction-but she didn't drop her guard. Her gaze flicked over the guy in front of her. His sharp jawline, disheveled hair, and oddly calm demeanor made him stand out from the panicked masses.

"Alright, smartass," she said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "What's your deal? You just show up to places like this to piss people off, or is this some side hustle you forgot to mention in one of your shitty crypto videos?"

Player 333 chuckled, a deep, low sound that caught Mira off guard. "Wow, you actually watched them?"

Mira crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. Thanos wouldn't shut the hell up about you. 'Oh, Myunggi this, Myunggi that,'" she said, mocking her ex's voice. "If I had a dollar for every time he showed me one of your videos, I wouldn't be in this mess."

Player 333-Lee Myunggi, apparently-crossed his arms, his lips quirking into a smirk. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but if you're here because of crypto, that's your dumbass ex's fault. Not mine."

Mira rolled her eyes. "Yeah, no shit. That asshole couldn't invest his way out of a paper bag. But you..." She tilted her head, studying him. "You don't seem like someone who ends up here by accident. What's your story, 'MG Coin'?"

Myunggi raised a brow at the nickname but didn't argue. "You want the short version or the long one?"

Mira snorted. "We're in a fucking death game. Pretty sure I've got time."

He scratched the back of his neck, his smirk fading. "Alright, fine. Here's the deal: I didn't just post videos about crypto-I ran a fund. It went well for a while, but then... well, let's just say a few bad investments and some pissed-off clients later, here I am."

"So, what you're saying is you scammed people," Mira said bluntly, raising a brow.

"Scam's a strong word," Myunggi replied, grinning again. "Let's just say I took a gamble, and it didn't pay off. Kind of like your ex, except I actually know what I'm doing."

Mira laughed-an actual laugh, short and sharp, surprising both of them. "God, you're insufferable."

"Hey, at least I'm alive," he shot back, gesturing to the field where the bodies of the fallen still lay.

"Fair point," she muttered, glancing back at the doll in the distance. "You're smarter than you look, I'll give you that. I saw how you were reacting to this game."

He shrugged. "Well, thanks to Player 456 we're here, right?"

"Yeah," Mira said begrudgingly, though the words felt foreign on her tongue. "But don't think I trust you after this little chit-chat or anything. I've got enough assholes in my life as it is."

Myunggi raised his hands in mock surrender. "Wouldn't dream of it. But just so you know, sticking together isn't the worst idea. You don't exactly strike me as the 'team player' type, but you're sharp. Could be useful."

Mira gave him a sidelong glance. "And what do you get out of it?"

"Someone who won't panic and get me killed," he said simply. "That's worth a lot in here."

She hesitated, the words hanging in the air between them. As much as she hated to admit it, he had a point. Most of these people were useless-terrified, clueless, and already half-dead. If she wanted to survive, she'd need more than just her wits.

"Fine," she said finally. "But don't expect me to save your ass if shit goes sideways. You're on your own if things get messy."

"Deal," Myunggi said, holding out a hand. Mira stared at it like it was some kind of alien artifact before finally shaking it, her grip firm.

"Don't make me regret this," she muttered.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he replied, his grin widening.

The two of them stood there for a moment, watching as the last of the players crossed the finish line. The robotic voice boomed again, announcing the end of the first game. Mira felt a strange mix of relief and dread settle over her.

"Guess we made it," Myunggi said, his shoulders moving up and down as he was breathing in sharply. "Ready for whatever fucked-up shit's next?"

Mira sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Ready? No. But let's get this over with."

As they joined the others, Mira couldn't help but glance at Myunggi out of the corner of her eye. There was something about him-something she couldn't quite figure out. He was cocky, sure, but there was a sharpness to him, a cunning edge that made her uneasy.

Still, uneasy or not, she'd take him over Thanos any day.

For now.