CHAPTER NINE ━━━━LAST CHANCE

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

THEY WERE DOOMED. It was painfully transparent that they had assembled the weakest team in comparison to the other groups strength-wise ── truthfully, they did not stand a chance. Ha-eun's eyes were sunken to the ground as she raked her brain for some way they could use their minds to overpower the team they'd confront, but she was only met with silence. Tug Of War was a game purely of strength, and their group had four women and one old man. Ha-eun couldn't let her chance of survival go down the drain that easily.

As they all sat down on the floor, each team was lined-up. Ha-eun barely listened to the instructions, reasoning as hard as she possibly could to find a way to win the next games. Even though it seemed impossible, there had to be a trick they could pull ── anything that could shift the odds.

It was certain they couldn't count on their physical strength. Ha-eun deducted their team had to throw off their adversaries. Had to uncover a strategy that'd allow them to make the other team falter. At that instant, they would then need to grasp that advantage to win the game. How could they destabilise the concurring group, though? What technique could they borrow to disrupt their opposing strength?

Her head tilted as two teams rose from their position, guided to the towers. Team One was Deok-su's group, composed solely of men, while Team Seven was varied. Deok-su snickered as they headed towards the towers, aware that he very clearly had the upper-hand. As each group settled on their separate towers, they were clasped to the rope, a guillotine separating the platforms.

A gunshot pierced the air, announcing the start of the round. There was a struggle at first, as the red flag wavered under the conflicting pressure of both sides. Team One quickly gained advantage though, their combined strength driving Team Seven to the border. Suddenly, the players from Seven dangled in an abyss, clutching on to their rope as they fell. Gasps echoed around them, converting them to shrieks as the knife sliced the rope, sending the players to their death.

Ha-eun looked away from the piles of bodies, biting down on her bottom lip. This was the first game where they were confronted to each other. A victory entailed a loss from the opposite side. Ha-eun's mind only resumed its hunt for a possible strategy they could adopt to win the round, determined to not face a similar fate.

Her team was next to be called, against a fully-male team. Ha-eun had an idea that popped in her head, though she kept it to herself, aware they could only use in the case that they were desperate, and that it wasn't sure to ensue their success.

The group trudged to the towers, crossing paths with Team One. Deok-su shot her a scornful smirk, "Oh man, I was really looking forward to killing you guys."

"Too bad it'll be the other way around," Ha-eun scoffed. They wouldn't die this round ── she wouldn't allow it.

As they entered the caged elevator, everyone had despair scribbled over their expression. None of them believed they stood a chance. "Come on, don't lose your spirit," the old man spoke. "Tug of War needs more than just raw strength."

"So what's it about? We just go out and speak to them?"

"With Tug of War, you can win with a good strategy combined with teamwork, and you'll be able to win," he described, catching Ha-eun's attention.

"You're barely standing old man. How about you save your strength and stop talking," 212 argued.

"What, do you have an idea on how to win?" Ha-eun rolled her eyes. "The only we'll survive is if we come up with a strategy. Let's at least hear out what he has to say."

"That's right. I've had my share of Tug of War in my hometown when I was young. I know the game well. In fact, I would always win, even if there was a wrestler on the other team, and it seemed the odds were stuck against us," the old man claimed, seizing each of their focus. "Listen closely, and I'll tell you how my team and I were able to win even if it seemed impossible."

"First of all, having a good leader is important. The person at the front keeps an eye on how the other team is performing, while the rest of the team focuses on the back of the leader's head and follows their lead. If the leader seems weak, or like their spirit is beginning to falter, then the game is already over. At the end of the rope, you'll need someone strong and dependable, like the anchor of a ship."

Gi-hun was designated as the leader, while Ali was the anchor. Gi-hun had a clear mindset, and Ali was known to wield great force.

"After that, it's all about how you arrange the rest of your team. If one player is on the right side of the rope, then the next one should be on the left, all the way down to the end of the rope. Both of your feet should be facing straight forward and your rope should be glued to your armpits."

Ha-eun would stand between Sang-woo and Sae-byeok, grasping tightly to the rope.

"Finally, and this is the most important thing. Once the game begins, for the first ten seconds, you have to hold your ground. You should lean back, practically lie down. Push your lower abdomen up to the sky, as heard as you can. And throw your head back to the point where you can practically see the groin of the person behind you. If you do that, the other team won't be able to pull us to their side. Just hold like this for ten seconds. The opposing team will start to get frustrated and wonder why we just won't budge, since they believed they were much stronger. If you can hold out for that long, you will be able to catch a moment in your opponent's hold, and their rhythm will break."

The team breathed out a sigh of relief, an elaborate strategy could help them win against the facing team. But Ha-eun peered down at the ground, not sure if they could rely entirely on the old man. His plan seemed feasible, but the night before, he couldn't even remember his own name?

As the group headed to their assigned spots contouring the rope, Ha-eun couldn't but feel it wouldn't be enough. "Everything okay?" Sang-woo asked the woman as the clasps were tied to their wrists.

"Yes, I just ── I'm not sure the old man's strategy will be enough," she muttered. "I mean, we can't forget that we truly are weaker than the other team. We need to come up with something, just in case."

"I agree," Sang-woo nodded. "But nothing comes to mind."

"We just need to find a way to definitely throw them off ── some way that'll put all the odds on our side." Ha-eun claimed, squeezing the rope into her armpit. "We have to find a way to release the pressure from their side without losing, so they fall to the ground automatically."

Before they could forge a concrete idea, a countdown began, forcing the two to shift their focus. For now, the old man's plan would have to suffice. The guards assured the lock was caging their hands to the rope, and it wasn't long till the gun was fired.

Her heart thumping against her chest, Ha-eun followed the procedure, bending her body backward as she gripped the rope with all the strength she could spark, gritting her teeth together as the opposing team attempted to overpower them. Her muscles ached, and sweat was dribbling down her skin as she waited for the leader's signal.

"Now's our chance!"

From then, they all began to pull the rope with all the power they could generate. Ha-eun felt her hands rubbing against the roughness as she tugged it forward. Specks of blood stained the rope as the team united their force, grunts seeping past their mouths.

Just as Ha-eun had predicted, the opposing team somehow managed to regain the advantage, the red flag distancing themselves more and more from them. She cursed under her breath as they lost their edge.

"We're losing! Damn it, do something!"

"We need to throw them off!"Ha-eun yelled. "Realise the pressure from their side so they'll lose their balance!"

Sang-woo caught on to her phrase. "Get yourselves together and listen! Let's try something. When I give you the signal, take three steps forward!"

"Forward?! But that's the edge!" 212 wailed.

"Look, just trust me and they'll fall!"

"There's no way I'll do that!"

"It's the only chance we have of winning!" Ha-eun screamed from the top of their lungs. "After they fall, we'll be able to pull the rope back to our side!"

"On count of three!" Sang-woo instructed. "One!      Two!          Three!"

Sucking a shaky breath past her lips, Ha-eun took three steps forward, the rest of the team shadowing the initiative. The team opposite them crashed to the ground at the release of pressure, and their group seized the opportunity. They tugged the rope with power, watching as their competitors struggled to regain their previous positions.

Adrenaline cursing through her veins, the group managed to send the players to dabble with the edge, until they all fell from their tower. Shrieks slipped from their mouths as they had to keep their hold on the rope, supporting the weight of the fallen. The blade then cut the rope, and their team toppled to the ground.

Ha-eun laid on the ground, her breaths slipping out in an uneven pattern as she attempted to regain her composure. Though, a small smile quirked her lips at the realisation they had successfully completed the third round struck her. They had beaten the odds ── they were one step closer to victory.

A hand came into view, and Ha-eun gladly accepted it as her gaze landed on Sang-woo. He heaved her up as they all made their way to the elevator. "That was good," Ha-eun panted. "What you did out there. You saved us."

"It's thanks to you," Sang-woo replied. "I thought about what you said ── releasing the pressure, killing their balance."

As they strode in the elevator, Ha-eun sat on the ground, her muscles twinging in pain. She swept off the beads of sweat with the back of her hand, a mix of relief and sting middling in her heart. One of the men began to clasp his finger together, mumbling prayers under his breath.

"Hey dude, who do you think you're praying to, huh?" Player 240 asked. "You think you survived because of God, don't you? Let me tell you, the reason you're still breathing and thanking that nice God of yours is because of this old man, and that guy that pulled the last-minute trick." She told off. Ha-eun actually agreed, but was left with no power to voice her opinion. "You should be thanking them, not God."

"You sad, lost soul," the man scoffed in response. "What would you say about everybody that was nailed to the cross? They sacrificed themselves for us. We are here because of their blood. I pray to the Lord on behalf of all sinners. God made our team win, that's why we're here."

"Bullshit. You killed those guys out there," 240 continued to argue. "Oh! If we all say some prayers, do we get to go to heaven? Then I should pray too, if that's how easy it is." She held her hands together, whispering. "Our God who art in heaven ── "

"Be quiet." Sae-byeok clapped back.

"Me? Or you mean that guy?"

"Everyone."

The elevator rattled as they reached the ground floor, and the group headed back to the main room, shoulders slumping following the effort they had provided. Ha-eun even ignored the glances of surprise as they appeared through the front door. Deok-su's gang frowned, shock flitting through their gaze. No one had expected them to win that competitors.

Sang-woo laced his arm around Ha-eun as they all received a corn hob ── as if that would fill them up. As the assemble team sat down on the ground, Ha-eun softly laid her head on Sang-woo's shoulder, fatigue covering her body like a blanket.

"You know what? I really thought we were going to die out there!" 212 began to ramble, flinging her corn around. "And then, as soon as we leaned back, I felt so powerful. I was like whoa, it works. Hey old man, how do you know that?"

"As a kid, I would always ── "

"Oh, you copied that thing!" 212 interrupted, too excited for her own good. "From a movie! What is it called? The guy who dodges bullet like this," she said as she began to swerve imagery shots.

"Ah, Matrix," Ali nodded.

"Hey, when you got to Korea, did you only watch movies?" She insulted, jutting her chin out.

"Stop talking before I whack you with my corn," Ha-eun snapped, the woman only stepping on her nerves as time passed.

"Hey, you really have something against me, huh?!" 212 barked back, shifting her focus. "What, do you want to give me advice like ── like stop trusting jerks like that guy over there?" She spoke, side-eyeing Deok-su.

"My advice is much more subtle," she falsely smiled. "Stop being an ass."

The woman only rolled her eyes as a reply, her gaze then landing on Sang-woo. "And our man! Everybody, three steps when I signal! How cool was that?! And how did you come up with it under all that pressure?"

"Actually, Ha-eun gave me the idea," Sang-woo stated.

"Besides, you were the one that refused to do it," Do-yun snickered, calling her out.

"Yeah? Was that what you heard?"

"You cried and squealed Hey that's the edge, there's no way I'll go!" Ali imitated, mimicking her wailing.

"Hey, you, you got a visa? I bet you don't ──  you're an illegal alien," 212 growled, having taken offence to his earlier portrait. "Hey, boys, how about it? Why keep the strange foreigner when we could just ditch him? Our team's more secure that way."

Ha-eun was an instant away from jumping to her feet, her blood boiling at the woman's blatant disrespect. Who did she think she was? "Don't act like you're not the one that got rejected, and had to come beg for a place in this team. Ali is a better teammate than you could ── "

Sang-woo quickly tugged her back down, finding it useless to cause a scene at the old woman's lack of tact. Ha-eun huffed, crossing her ams over her chest.

"Oh, are you the leader?" 212 noticed the subtle movement between the two, pointing her corn towards Sang-woo.

"We don't have a leader. We're all equal on this team."

"Even better! An egalitarian society. Damn guys, this is a change from that huge asshole who just bosses you around and pretends he's the king." She spat, speaking loud enough for the nearby team to hear.

"Why did you get kicked out, grandma?" Gi-hun questioned, causing for 212's lips to twist into a scowl.

"Grandma?! Don't ever call me that! My name is Han Mi-nyeo, got it?" She stated. "And I didn't get kicked out, I chose to go, alright?"

"They only got rid of you, so they could end up with only male players," Sang-woo noted. "Right before the game. It's almost like they knew about it ahead of time."

Before they could assess his theory, the speakers interrupted their conversation. "Players, your bedtime will begin in thirty minutes. Please return to your assigned beds and prepare for lights out."

"Another fight could break out, like last night," Sang-woo said. "We should make a plan."

"What? Do you really think there'll be another massacre?" Gi-hun voiced, mouth falling a little wide.

"Well, you know what they say," Ha-eun muttered. "What doesn't kill you will probably try again."

"I think only you say that," Do-yun piped up.

"Anyways, what can we do? Our team is still the weakest one here."

"Then, let's pick a weak team and attack them first," the religious man proposed, narrowing his gaze.

"For a resident priest, you sure are bloodthirsty," player 240 jabbed.

"Attacking is our best option, so I think that's our plan."

"During the last fight, the man in the bed in front of me got killed, and the person he thought was on his side broke his neck. Do you trust me then? I don't trust one person here." Sae-byeok opinionated, peering at the players in front of her.

"All right, how about when lights go out, we create a barricade? It might be good that we have cover," Gi-hun shared.

"Let's do that." Ali agreed.

They all began to assort objects together, creating some kind of fort around their beds. Ha-eun still had the gut feeling that the night ahead of her wouldn't be a smooth ride ── though she wasn't yet aware the threat posed would be something other than Deok-su and his army of thugs.