CHAPTER THREE. ／
THE MONEY ABOVE.

Jingles filled the air, followed by a blinding light that forced Su-jin to shield her eyes. Groaning softly, she pushed her disheveled hair out of her face and sat up. Around her, other players stirred, disoriented and confused, their expressions mirroring her unease.

She glanced down and noticed her clothes were no longer the ones she had been wearing. Furrowing her brows in discomfort, she observed the uniform she had been given—a green tracksuit with the number "067" stitched onto her chest. Rising from the bed, she stretched her stiff limbs before surveying the unfamiliar room.

Her attention snapped to the sound of sliding doors. A group of masked individuals entered, their uniforms pink and their faces obscured by black mask with circular and square shapes outlines. At the center of them stood a figure wearing a square mask, clearly in charge.

"I would like to extend a hearty welcome to all of you," the square-masked leader began, their voice calm but authoritative. "Everyone here will participate in six different games over six days. Those who win all six games will receive a handsome cash prize."

Su-jin's ears perked up at the mention of money, and she cautiously stepped closer to the group forming in the center of the room.

"Excuse me," a voice broke through the room, drawing everyone's attention. A woman stepped forward, her expression defiant as she made herself visible to the crowd. "You said I'd be playing games, but you practically kidnapped me."

"So how can I believe that?"

The square-masked guard tilted their head slightly, their tone steady and composed. "I apologize. Please understand that it was necessary to maintain the game's security."

"What's with the mask, then?" another woman suddenly demanded. "Is your face also a secret?"

"Yeah!" a man added, his voice rising with frustration. "Why are you hiding your faces? Is this some kind of illegal gambling house?

"Even the dealers don't cover their faces in those places," another woman chimed in, her arms gesturing emphatically.

A ripple of murmurs spread through the group as players exchanged skeptical looks.

"To ensure fair gameplay and confidentiality, it is our policy not to reveal the faces and identities of staff," the square-masked guard stated firmly, their voice calm yet authoritative.

Su-jin, who had been standing silently at the back, took a step forward, her tone sharp but measured. "Did you really have to undress us while we were unconscious?"

"Did you take off my clothes and put these on me?" another girl asked, lifting the hem of her green jacket.

"What's with these shoes?" a purple-haired male player chimed in, glaring down at the plain white vans on his feet. "My shoes are limited fucking edition. They're hard to find! Are you going to replace them if they get ruined?" he demanded angrily, his frustration palpable.

"These don't fit and the color sucks," the girl added, a sly smile tugging at her lips as she glanced at the guards' pink uniforms. "Can I just have what you're wearing instead? I like pink," she teased, raising her hand to show off her nails painted in the same shade.

The square-masked guard remained unfazed. "Your current outfit is your uniform, which identifies you as a player," they replied, addressing the fake blonde's question.

"I'm sorry, but that is not possible." the guard continued, their tone calm but firm. "You must be in your uniforms for the games."

"What about my phone?" a voice cut through the crowd as a man pushed his way to the front. "Why did you take my phone and wallet? Give them back, please."

The square-masked guard remained composed. "We're keeping your belongings safe. We'll return them once the games are over," the guard replied matter-of-factly.

"At least give me my phone! I need to check the crypto market," the man insisted, his tone growing more desperate. "If I lose money, will you compensate me?"

The guard's response was unwavering. "We will return it to you once the games are over."

"But I need to monitor real-time prices!" the man pleaded, his voice rising with frustration. "Do you know how much I've invested?"

The guard raised a hand, pressing a button on a remote. The screen above flickered to life, displaying a video as the room fell silent. "Player 333, Lee Myung-gi," the guard announced, their voice calm but authoritative.

The screen displayed footage of the suited man flipping his paper over with precision before delivering a harsh slap to the other man's face.

"Age 30, used to run a YouTube channel called MG Coin. After convincing subscribers to invest in a new crypto coin called Dalmatian, causing losses of approximately 15.2 billion won, you shut down and disappeared."

The guard's words struck like a hammer. Myung-gi's face drained of color as he glanced around, visibly embarrassed.

"You're wanted for fraud and for violating telecom and financial investment laws. Current debt levels, 1.8 billion won," the guard continued, their voice unyielding.

The screen transitioned, displaying footage of the players interacting with the recruiter during their initial games.

"Player 196, Kang Mi-na. 45 million won in debt."
"Player 120, Cho Hyun-ju. 330 million won in debt."

"Player 067, Lim Su-jin, 1.1 billion won in debt," the announcement echoed as her video played on the screen. Embarrassed, Su-jin quickly let her hair fall forward, using it to shield her face from the others.

"Player 230, Choi Su-bong. 1.19 billion won in debt."
"Player 198, Jang Do-yeong. 1.4 billion won in debt."
"Player 226, Kim Yeong-sam. 1.9 billion won in debt."
"Player 444, Kim Nam-du. 2.02 billion won in debt."
"Player 343, Sim Jae-seok. 2.89 billion won in debt."
"Player 006, Park Mi-hwa. 3.1 billion won in debt."
"Player 283, Lee Eun-ju. 4.02 billion won in debt."
"Player 100, Im Jeongdae. 10 billion won in debt."

"One more game!" Jeongdae's voice echoed on TV, replaying a scene of desperation.

The crowd erupted into murmurs and whispers, heads turning as players scanned the room for Jeongdae. Even the player next to Su-jin jumped up, trying to locate the elderly man displayed on the screen.

"Ten billion? Who could that be?" one player muttered under their breath.

"Who is it?" another voice asked, as tension spread through the group.

"What are you all staring at?!" a booming voice suddenly roared, silencing the chatter and startling everyone. A man, his expression twisted with frustration, stepped forward.

"Do you think getting a ten-billion-won loan is easy? They don't hand out that kind of money to just anyone!" he yelled, his tone sharp with indignation. "Only to those who can actually pay it back!"

The square-masked guard took a step forward, his voice calm but firm as he addressed the room. "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."

Pausing for effect, the guard's tone grew colder. "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?"

With a deliberate motion, he pressed a button on his remote, and the room dimmed. A mechanical rumble echoed from above, drawing the players' attention to the ceiling. Slowly, a massive, transparent piggy bank descended, accompanied by a cheerful chiptune melody.

"What you see now is the piggy bank where your valuable prize money will be stored," the guard announced, his voice steady. "After each of the six games you will play, the prize money will accumulate in this piggy bank."

The players stared in awe as the piggy bank lowered into place, its presence commanding the room. The music faded, leaving a charged silence.

"How much is the prize money?" a man finally asked, breaking the quiet.

The guard turned to face the players directly. "The prize money for the games is 45.6 billion won in total."

A collective gasp rippled through the room. The players exchanged astonished glances, their disbelief palpable.

"45.6 billion won?" Su-jin repeated under her breath, her mind racing. That amount could not only erase her debt but also allow her and Bogum to live comfortably for the rest of their lives.

"And only one of us gets it?" the same man pressed, his voice tinged with both hope and skepticism.

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

Su-jin furrowed her brow, curiosity piqued. "What is it?" she asked, her voice overlapping with Player 100, who echoed the same question.

"After each game," the guard explained, "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 players erupted into murmurs once again, their excitement mingled with skepticism.

"So," a voice called out, drawing Su-jin's attention to a man at the back of the group. "Are you saying we'll still receive the money, even if we leave after the first game?"

"That is correct," the guard confirmed, his tone resolute.

"Good heavens!" an older woman exclaimed as she pushed her way through the crowd, weaving between startled players. "Excuse me."

When she finally reached her destination, she didn't hesitate. "You idiot!" she shouted, delivering a swift smack to the man standing in front of her. He flinched, rubbing his shoulder as he turned to face her, his expression a mixture of shock and disbelief.

"Mom? What... What are you doing here?" he stammered, his voice rising with embarrassment.

"That's what I wanted to ask you! What are you doing here?" she shot back, punctuating her words with another smack on his shoulder.

"You're embarrassing me," he hissed, lowering his voice and pressing a finger to his lips in an attempt to quiet her.

"Embarrassing?" she repeated, her voice dripping with disbelief. "If you knew what was embarrassing, you wouldn't be here!" She struck him again, ignoring his protests.

"Stop it! We'll talk about this later" he pleaded, glancing nervously at the other players.

"No, we won't. Come on, you're leaving. You're leaving now, okay?" she demanded, grabbing his arm and tugging him away from the group.

The man yanked his arm free, his frustration bubbling to the surface. Taking her by the shoulders, he tried to reason with her. "Mom, why did you come here? Do you realize where you are? This is no place for an old lady!"

"Why did I come here?" she shot back, her tone softening momentarily. "To pay off your debt, of course! Do you even have to ask? You fool!" She shoved his shoulder, glaring at him.

He sighed heavily and returned to his spot among the players, glaring at the guards. "Why would you bring a naive old woman here?" he demanded. "Will you take responsibility if my mom collapses?!"

"Yong-sik," his mother interrupted, her voice pleading. "I'll stay and do this. You go home."

"Stop it! I'm already here—I can't just leave!" he snapped, his frustration boiling over.

"But you promised me!" she cried, her voice cracking. "You promised never to gamble again!"

"No, this isn't gambling," he protested, his tone softening as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "We're just playing games here. I'll just play one game and go."

"You idiot," she shouted, her anger flaring again. "it's the same thing!" She began pounding his chest and shoulders with her fists.

"Be quiet!" Yong-sik shouted, grabbing her wrists in an attempt to calm her down. "That's enough!"

"Don't you dare. Are you kidding me?" she yelled, pulling free and continuing her tirade.

Desperate, Yong-sik turned to the crowd. "They're just games! Right, everyone?" he asked, his voice trembling as he searched for support.

But the other players remained silent, their faces unreadable. Not one came to his defense.

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"If you wish to participate in the games, please sign the player consent form," the square-masked guard announced, gesturing toward the podium where a line of players began to form.

"Those who do not wish to participate, please speak up now," they added, their tone steady but commanding. "We always provide you with the opportunity to leave the games."

A woman near the front of the line hesitated for a moment, glancing nervously at the circle-masked guard standing nearby. "You'll really pay us, even if we play just one game?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly.

The guard remained silent, their mask betraying no emotion. The woman lingered for a second longer before stepping up to the podium. She grabbed the pen, her hesitation melting away as she scrawled her signature on the form without a hint of reluctance. Once done, she carefully placed the pen back on the podium and walked to the back of the room.

"Those who do not wish to participate, please speak up now," the square-masked guard repeated, their gaze sweeping over the remaining players.

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"The first game will begin momentarily," the automated female voice announced over the PA system, its monotone delivery echoing throughout the room.

"Smile," the voice continued, followed by the faint click of a camera shutter.

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

Su-jin stood in line, waiting for her turn as the woman in front of her stepped into the booth. She glanced around, taking in the colorful, almost childlike decor of the room—bright, whimsical patterns splashed across the walls, a jarring contrast to the tension in the air.

"You may go now," the staff member called out, snapping Su-jin out of her thoughts. She nodded politely. "Thank you," she murmured, stepping into the booth.

"Please look into the camera," the automated voice instructed. Su-jin shifted her gaze to the lens in front of her.

"Smile," the voice added in crisp English.

Su-jin's expression remained neutral, her face betraying no emotion as the camera clicked, capturing her image. Once the process was over, she stepped out, following the directions given by the guards stationed nearby.

As she exited, she found herself walking into another vividly decorated room. Her gaze flicked to the staircase ahead, spiraling upward in a dizzying display of colors. Without hesitation, she began climbing the stairs, each step echoing softly in the vibrant room.

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