"Eliminated players are player 312, player 89, player 69, player 354, player 126, player 335, player 299, player 441, player 209, and player 270," the broadcast announced.
The masked guards placed their corpses one by one into coffin gift boxes.
Sang-hwan and the other nine arrived at the cyan camp. The people at the yellow camp were player 456, player 158, player 25, player 435, player 22, player 115, player 213, player 185, player 66, and player 42.
With a gunshot, both sides charged forward. Taek-gyeol, Dieok-nyeong, and player 353 stayed behind to guard the flag.
Using his massive build, player 200 directly grabbed Yellow Team's player 456 and player 66 and pinned them against the wall. He turned to Zhengli and Sang-hwan and shouted, "Go get it!"
Sang-hwan and Zhengli split up and ran toward the enemy flag, while the opposing side fought back fiercely. Yellow Team's player 115 and player 213 became entangled with green Team's player 93 and player 6, while player 148 rushed in from the side.
Sang-hwan and Zhengli reached Yellow Team's flag. Player 22 (Yellow Team) was guarding it. Seeing them, player 22 stepped back a few paces. Zhengli knocked him down with one punch. Sang-hwan grabbed the flag, and Zhengli said to him, "Follow me. I'll clear the way."
Sang-hwan nodded. Zhengli ran ahead, and Sang-hwan followed close behind.
player 158 (Yellow Team) charged out from the side and shoved Dieok-nyeong and player 353 away. player 25 (Yellow Team) seized the chance and punched Taek-gyeol to the ground. He grabbed the flag, but Taek-gyeol clutched his leg tightly and refused to let go. Player 25 kicked him in the face, knocking him unconscious, then ran off.
Sang-hwan and player 25 reached their respective camps at the same time with the flags. Zhengli waved frantically at Sang-hwan. "Hurry!"
Both Sang-hwan and player 25 raised their flags and moved to plant them. Just then, Chae-ho, who had been hiding in the yellow camp, rushed out and tackled player 25 to the ground. Sang-hwan successfully planted the flag in his own camp. He and Zhengli embraced in celebration.
Player 25 angrily got up and was about to fight Chae-ho when—bang! Blood burst from his head, and he collapsed. Chae-ho was startled by the sight.
Sang-hwan, Zhengli, Chae-ho, Taek-gyeol, Dieok-nyeong, player 353, player 200, player 148, player 93, and player 6 walked back up the stairs toward the dormitory. At that moment, a paperclip fell out of player 148's pocket. Sang-hwan picked it up. player 148 turned around, took it back, and said, "Thanks."
Sang-hwan asked curiously, "How did you bring that in? Didn't they confiscate it?"
Player 148 smiled. "I hid it in my mouth. They didn't notice."
Player 353 asked curiously, "Why bring a paperclip here?"
Player 148 raised his head and said, "As a locksmith, carrying a paperclip at all times is only natural."
Player 93 laughed. "That's interesting."
Soon, the game ended. The screen in the dormitory displayed 100 players remaining, 35.6 billion won prize money.
Sang-hwan smiled while eating a peeled egg. "Did you guys see player 200 just now? Wow, he was like a bear. He blocked two people by himself."
Zhengli patted player 200 on the shoulder. "Yeah, seriously impressive."
Player 200 shyly scratched his head after being praised. Chae-ho took a sip of soda and said, "If I hadn't knocked down the other guy at the end, it's hard to say who would've won."
Player 148 nodded. "Yeah, yeah, you're the greatest."
Dieok-nyeong laughed listening to them. Zhengli nudged Taek-gyeol and said, "I told you to guard the flag. How did you end up knocked out?"
Taek-gyeol lowered his head and said nothing, looking wronged. Zhengli saw the bruise on his face and said, "Alright, alright. I won't say anymore."
They all laughed and chatted happily.
Just then, player 79 chased player 160 past them. Laughing, player 79 shouted, "Who were you calling useless?"
player 79 tackled player 160 to the ground. Player 160 grinned mischievously and said, "Sorry, sorry, my bad."
The two laughed brightly. Player 353 watched them and said, "I envy them. Even at a time like this, they can still have fun."
Meanwhile, on the other side, player 415 said to Jeo-rim, "You have no idea how amazing Chae-eun was just now. She grabbed the hair of the person trying to take the flag."
Chae-eun waved her hand modestly and smiled. Jeo-rim looked at her and said, "As expected of a trafficker. Quite the methods."
Night fell, and everyone lay in bed to sleep. Zhengli stared at the piggy bank hanging above, then turned onto his left side.
The lights suddenly came on, and music started playing. Everyone groggily opened their eyes. Dieok-nyeong sat up and turned toward Sang-hwan. Sang-hwan weakly supported himself as he sat upright.
She looked at him and asked, "Are you okay?"
Sang-hwan smiled. "I'm fine."
Then the broadcast announced:
"Important notice. The third game will begin shortly. Players, please move according to staff instructions."
Player 415 looked at Jeo-rim. Jeo-rim shoved him lightly and said, "Let's go, brat."
Chae-eun followed behind.
Soon, they arrived once more at the all-white room.
The broadcast said:
"Welcome to the third game. This is a team game. You will compete in the same teams formed in the previous round."
Everyone looked at the teammates they had yesterday. Soon they lined up, and the doors opened. They entered the game arena.
Sang-hwan, Dieok-nyeong, Zhengli, and the others looked at a narrow bridge high above them.
Jeo-rim stared up at it and cursed, "Damn it!"
The broadcast continued:
"Welcome to the third game. This game is One-Plank Bridge. Before the game begins, two teams must stand at opposite ends of the bridge. Once the game starts, one team must push the other team off the bridge in order to win."
Sang-hwan and Zhengli exchanged a serious look for several seconds.
Player 353 said, "Oh boy."
Dieok-nyeong silently stared at the bridge.
Soon, masked guards chained together the ten members of Team One and Team Two with iron chains and locked them in place. Then the two teams stood at opposite ends of the bridge.
Bang!
The game began.
Both teams ran across the bridge toward each other.
Player 96 grabbed player 78 by the hair. Player 78 punched player 96 in the stomach. Player 96 cried out in pain and let go, but player 78 shoved him hard toward the edge.
Player 96 was about to fall, but at that moment he grabbed player 78.
Player 78 slapped his hands and yelled, "Damn it, let go!"
Their balance became more unstable. Player 96 dragged player 78 down with him.
While the chained teammates were still confused, inertia pulled every one of them off the bridge one after another.
The bridge suddenly became empty.
Several heavy thuds echoed below as all twenty players from both teams fell to their deaths.
Sang-hwan trembled all over at the sight of the twenty people falling. Everyone gasped in shock.
Zhengli looked forward, then closed his eyes and sighed.
Sang-hwan's group took the elevator upward, preparing to go onto the bridge.
Player148 looked at the silent group and said, "Don't lose heart. We still have a chance. Put two strong people in the middle, then the two girls on both sides…"
Soon they arrived on the bridge.
Taek-gyeol looked down at the height and trembled uncontrollably.
Chains were fastened around their waists. From front to back they stood as:
Player 148, Sang-hwan, player 93, Dieok-nyeong, Zhengli, player 200, player 353, player 6, Taek-gyeol, and finally Chae-ho.
Bang!
The game began.
Player 148 faced off with the opponent in front. Zhengli and player 200 gripped the chain tightly.
The enemy rushed forward. Player 148 punched him in the face, then shoved him backward with all his strength.
Just as player 148 tried to steady himself, his foot slipped, and he fell off the bridge.
Sang-hwan desperately held onto the chain to stop player 148 from falling completely.
Seeing the enemy about to stand up again, player 148 pulled a paperclip from his pocket.
Sang-hwan roared, "No! Wait—I'll pull you up!"
Player 148 straightened the paperclip and inserted it into the lock, twisting it.
Dieok-nyeong desperately held the chain and shouted, "Don't give up! There's still a chance!"
Player 148 shook his head.
Zhengli widened his eyes and stared at him.
The lock clicked open.
The chain around player 148's waist loosened.
Player 148 smiled… and fell.
"No——!"
Sang-hwan screamed in despair.
Thud!
Player 148 crashed heavily onto the ground below. Blood spread from behind him.
Sang-hwan stared down at him, his eyes slowly turning to fury.
He stood up and charged at the enemy who had just gotten back to his feet.
After several screams, the opposing team all fell from the bridge.
Sang-hwan dropped to his knees and cried.
Dieok-nyeong hugged him from behind.
Chae-ho placed a hand on Taek-gyeol's shoulder, his eyes beginning to redden with tears.
Exhausted, Zhengli sat silently on the bridge.
When he turned his head, he saw player 200 crying loudly.
The sight left Zhengli not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Dieok-nyeong turned to look at player 353.
No. 353 looked back at her in silence.