Player 69 stared helplessly at the two identical glass panels before him and asked the Triangle Guard, unwilling to give up.
"Excuse me… how do I tell the difference between regular glass and reinforced glass?"
The Triangle Mask didn't respond.
In truth, he was thinking, "How the hell would I know? I didn't design this game!"
Kai glanced at Ji-yeong, who was clutching her stomach and looking pale.
"Can you still keep going?" he asked, his tone laced with concern.
Ji-yeong wiped the sweat from her forehead. "No problem… it's just a few more steps forward, right?"
"Come here for a second," Kai said quietly. "I need to tell you something."
Seong Gi-hun, curious, tried to move closer to overhear—but Kai shoved him back with a glare.
"Get lost. Come any closer, and I swear you'll die before you even reach the bridge!"
If that bleeding heart Seong Gi-hun heard his plan, there'd be chaos. No one would die, and the final 45.6 billion won would have to be split a dozen ways.
Kai leaned toward Ji-yeong and whispered a few quick words.
Her eyes widened. "This… will it even work?"
Kai's tone stayed calm. "Only one question—how much do you weigh?"
"About the same as you," Ji-yeong replied.
"Good. Then with the help of the iron frame beside you and my support, can you climb up?"
"Normally, sure," she said weakly. "But I'm on my period, so my energy's… not great."
"Then we do our best," Kai said firmly. "I'll do everything I can to keep you alive."
By now, the first player had already stepped forward.
He was lucky—the first panel held. But his luck ran out on the second, and he fell screaming into the darkness.
Seong Gi-hun exhaled in relief. If he hadn't switched numbers earlier, that would've been him.
One after another, players advanced… and almost all plunged to their deaths within one or two jumps.
When it was the priest's turn—Player 5—he dropped to his knees, clasped his hands, and refused to move.
Kai's face twisted in frustration. "Damn it. I planned for everything except this! If this idiot stalls too long, even the best plan won't matter!"
Thankfully, Jang Deok-su—Player 101—was behind him. Without hesitation, he shoved the priest off the bridge.
But when Deok-su looked up and saw five more pairs of glass waiting, his stomach turned.
The odds of guessing them all right were one in thirty-two—barely better than pulling an SSR in a gacha game.
He spun around and shouted, "Hey! You bastards! I'm not going any further! If you want to live, go first!"
Kai cursed under his breath as the timer ticked past four minutes.
Damn it, if that coward doesn't move, we're all dead! My plan will turn into smoke and mirrors!
Finally, he yelled at the Triangle Guard on the far end. "He's stalling! Isn't that cheating? Aren't you going to shoot him?"
The Guard replied flatly, "Request denied. Standing still is not against the rules. Only if a player behind him moves first will that player be shot."
"Bullshit!" Kai shouted. "If the countdown ends, we all die! What's the point of this? You think the VIPs are okay with that? They've already bet on a winner—if there's no survivor, they all lose!"
Inside the monitoring room, the five VIPs exchanged uneasy glances.
Bear Mask: "Number 250's right! If everyone dies, there's no champion. We'll all lose our bets!"
Eagle Mask: "Eliminate Number 101. Now! Or I'll complain to the Korean branch!"
Deer Mask: "He's right. This is fraud! That violates U.S. game headquarters policy!"
Ox Mask and Lion Mask nodded in agreement.
The Front Man—Black Mask—stood silent for three seconds. Finally, under VIP pressure, he gave an order to the Guard stationed at the finish line.
"Tell Number 101—if he doesn't move forward within ten seconds, shoot him."
The Red-Clad Guard relayed the order, raising his submachine gun.
"Ten… nine…"
Forced, Jang Deok-su squeezed his eyes shut and jumped onto the next panel.
He landed safely—the glass held. He let out a shaky laugh of relief.
But the Guard didn't lower his weapon. "Continue immediately."
Deok-su jumped again.
This time, Lady Luck deserted him.
With a bloodcurdling scream, Jang Deok-su crashed into the abyss, his body vanishing into the darkness below.
Kai glanced up at the remaining players and the bridge ahead.
"Three pairs of glass left," he muttered. "Four people in front of Ji-yeong. Looks like we won't even need my plan."
But luck didn't last. Han Mi-nyeo lost her footing and fell.
Then Player 8 slipped mid-jump, missed the glass completely, and tumbled into nothingness without even testing it.
Now, only Kang Sae-byeok—Player 9—remained in front, with two pairs of untested glass ahead of her. Her odds: twenty-five percent.
Kai hesitated. Kang Sae-byeok had helped him several times before. He couldn't just watch her die.
"Sae-byeok!" he called out. "Ask Cho Sang-woo behind you if he can step onto the same glass as you. Then have him hold onto you when you jump. If the panel breaks, he can pull you up. And if you're worried he's not strong enough, grab him with one hand and the iron frame with the other as you slide. That way, you save your strength."
The others were stunned.
Seong Gi-hun blurted, "Why didn't you say that earlier?! No one would've died!"
Kai shot him a sharp look. "Because this only works if you trust the person behind you completely. You think everyone here can do that?"
Then, glancing at Sang-woo, Kai added coldly, "And don't you dare let go on purpose to get rid of her. Ji-yeong's right behind you—if Kang Sae-byeok falls, she'll make sure you go down next. There are only two panels left anyway. Live together or die together. Your choice."
Cho Sang-woo met his gaze, hesitated, then nodded. He stepped forward, landing beside Kang Sae-byeok on the reinforced glass.