That night, it was Kai and Player 240's turn to stand guard.
Kai broke the silence first. "So, 240—what's your name?"
She didn't look up. "Why do you want to know my name?"
Kai shrugged. "To call you something, obviously. Each shift's two hours long—what, am I supposed to call you 240 the entire time?"
"...Ji-yeong."
Kai nodded. "That's your given name. What about your surname?"
"I don't have one."
"Oh? That's pretty rare." He studied her for a moment. "You look young… a minor, right? What drives someone like you to end up in a hellhole like this?"
Ji-yeong glanced at him. "You ask too many questions, 250. What about you? You're smart. You don't seem like someone buried in debt."
"Kai," he corrected. "Not 250. Just call me Kai."
He sighed, "I lost more than fifty million in stocks. Forty million to the bank, ten to loan sharks."
Ji-yeong frowned slightly. "Fifty million sounds like a lot, but compared to some others here, it's probably nothing. Still… why'd you vote to continue the game both times?"
"Because I don't want to waste years working to pay off debts," Kai said flatly. "Here, all I have to do is survive one game a day for six days. Even if I die, my parents back in U.S. will get a hundred million won in compensation. It's enough to pay off everything. Why not take the gamble? Besides…"
He smiled faintly, "I'm confident I can make it to the end. What about you? Why are you here? Debt?"
Ji-yeong's eyes dimmed. "I don't owe any money."
That caught him off guard. "Huh? Then why—"
Ji-yeong's voice grew quieter. "The first body I ever saw was my mother's."
Kai froze.
"One day, I came home from school and found her lying on the floor in her room. Standing next to her was a man holding a knife—my father." Her tone was calm, detached, as if she were reciting someone else's story. But her trembling voice betrayed her, and tears began to well up in her eyes.
"The second body I saw was my father's," she continued softly. "And the one holding the knife… was me."
Kai's blood ran cold.
Shit… I really didn't expect that. She looks so quiet, so harmless… but she's lived through hell. Someone who could kill her own father—she's not someone to mess with.
Instinctively, he tightened his grip on the dagger hidden in his pocket.
Ji-yeong kept talking, unaware of his fear. "He was a pastor."
Kai blinked. "A pastor?"
She nodded. "After he hit my mom… and did things to me, he'd pray. He always asked God to forgive our sins."
Kai's hand slackened on the dagger. His chest tightened with disgust.
God, this kid… she's not evil. She's just broken.
Ji-yeong's expression didn't change. "But on the day he killed my mom, he didn't pray. Maybe he finally realized there was no forgiveness left."
Her voice trembled. "When I was released from prison, someone was waiting for me outside. I thought they were there to collect my father's debts. But instead, they handed me a card—an invitation. I had nowhere to go, so… here I am."
Kai's throat felt dry. "…So, you don't care about winning or losing, do you?"
Ji-yeong stared blankly at the wall. "My life already lost its direction. Its light. Whether I live or die doesn't matter anymore."
Kai clenched his fists. "Ji-yeong, I'll do everything I can to get you out of here alive. Your life shouldn't have to pay for someone else's sins. You can still find your own light."
She smiled faintly. "Thanks for comforting me, 250—no, Kai. I believe that if nothing unexpected happens, you'll be the one who makes it to the end."
"I'm not just comforting you," he said quietly. "When this is all over, I'll take you out. Show you the good things in the world. You've seen enough darkness for a lifetime. Come back to U.S. with me."
Ji-yeong blinked at him. "Why do you want to help me?"
Kai hesitated. "Maybe… sympathy. Or maybe I just need your help too."
She tilted her head. "Kai, your words sound nice. But if it came down to it—if only one of us could survive—you'd still kill me, wouldn't you? Just like in the Dalgona game. You knew that old woman would die without the candy, but you still did it. Right?"
Kai froze. He couldn't say anything.
And that silence… said it all.
Ji-yeong smiled bitterly. "I thought so. But still… thank you for encouraging me. In the next few rounds, as long as I'm alive, I'll help you however I can."
"…Thank you, Ji-yeong," he murmured.
Before either could say anything else, a familiar voice cut through the quiet.
"You two done with your little therapy session?" Kang Sae-byeok said, walking over. "Time to switch."
It was her and Player 196's turn for night watch.
Kai lay down on his bunk, pulling the blanket over his head. Logically, he should've been happy—he'd gained an ally. But instead, his chest felt heavy.
Was it guilt? Sympathy? Or maybe disgust at himself for using someone so broken?
Even Kai didn't know.
The first half of the night passed quietly—no attacks, no screams. But in the second half, gunshots suddenly echoed through the dormitory, followed by alarms blaring overhead.
Kai bolted upright.
Something big's happened.
Moments later, the automatic door slid open. A squad of heavily armed Triangle Guards stormed in, shouting orders.
"All players, wake up! Gather outside immediately! The fourth game begins now!"
Kai's face darkened.
"Starting the next game early? That means something serious went down…"
Just as he was about to follow the others out, a loud argument broke out near Player 001's bed.