As soon as Joo Yeon stepped out of the restroom, she felt the weight of the air around her shift.

The adrenaline from the earlier events still coursed through her veins, making her feel on edge.

She could feel Sang-woo's presence behind her, but she refused to turn around. The encounter left her more confused than before—questions swirling in her mind about trust, motives, and survival in this twisted game.

Joo Yeon walked to her bunk bed and sat down.

Sang-woo's words rang in her ears. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

But could she believe him?

"Hey, I was starting to worry about you," Ji-yeong's voice broke through her thoughts as she sat down beside Joo Yeon. "Did something happen? You look... shaken."

Joo Yeon shook her head. "I'm fine. Let's just sleep. God knows what will happen tomorrow."

Ji-yeong studied her for a moment, but then nodded, getting up and returning to her own bed. The sound of her settling in filled the room, and soon the other players were doing the same, preparing for the night.

Joo Yeon lay down on her bunk, staring up at the ceiling. Her thoughts kept circling back to Sang-woo—his sudden appearance, his words, his touch. It was all too overwhelming. Could she trust him? Could she trust anyone in this place? In this game, everyone was a potential threat, and she couldn't afford to make mistakes.

The noise of the room gradually quieted, the players drifting off to sleep. But Joo Yeon remained wide awake, her mind racing. She rolled over, trying to block out the thoughts, but they wouldn't leave her.

Her hand slowly brushed her lips, and a tingling sensation shot through her. She stayed perfectly still, lost in thought, until the room finally grew quiet.

There was no sound as she slowly pulled down the zipper of her jacket, careful not to make a noise. She turned her head slightly to her right and saw Ji-yeong fast asleep.

Then she slowly raised her white t-shirt up. She traced her belly button with her right hand while caressing her lips with her left hand index finger. After doing it for a while, she trailed up until her hand reached her bra. She slowly started touching herself and it was the only moment she could claim as her own in this place of death and fear. But even in the darkness, even in the silence, the weight of everything pressed down on her.

Joo Yeon let out a shaky breath and stopped. Her hands fell to her sides as reality clawed its way back. This wasn't the time. This wasn't the place.

She pulled her shirt back down and turned on her side, curling into herself. Sleep wouldn't come easy, but at least she could try to rest before the nightmare continued tomorrow.

The next morning, Joo Yeon was shaken awake by Ji-yeong.

"Hey, wake up," Ji-yeong whispered, her voice laced with urgency.

Joo Yeon blinked the sleep from her eyes, her body heavy with exhaustion. Around them, players were already stirring, some sitting up groggily while others moved with quiet determination, as if preparing for whatever fresh horror awaited them.

"You slept through the announcement," Ji-yeong continued, her brow furrowed. "We need to get up. The guards will come soon and accompany us to the third game."

Joo Yeon sat up, rubbing her face. Her body ached—not just from the uncomfortable bed but from the tension that never left her muscles. She glanced around, her gaze briefly landing on Sang-woo, who was adjusting his glasses a few bunks away. His eyes flickered toward her for the briefest moment before he looked away.

She wasn't sure what to make of that.

Taking a deep breath, Joo Yeon pushed herself up. "Alright, let's go."

The room hummed with an eerie quiet as the players braced themselves for the next game.

The woman on PA spoke up again, "The third game will begin momentarily. Please follow the staff's instructions and swiftly make your way towards the game hall. I repeat..."

"I wonder what's the next game," Ji-yeong mumbled as they joined the line.

"Same here. But whatever it is.. I think we should stick together in this game," Joo Yeon mumbled underneath her breath.

After a few tense minutes, the heavy metal doors swung open, and the guards ushered them into the a white room.

The air was thick with anticipation, an unspoken dread settling over the players. Joo Yeon noticed how some looked visibly tense, whispering among themselves, while the thug's group wore smug expressions, as if they already knew what was coming.

"They're hiding something," Ji-yeong murmured, her eyes narrowing at the group.

"Looks like—" Joo Yeon's words were cut short as the PA system blared again.

"Players welcome to the third game. For this game, you will play in teams. All players, please divide yourselves into teams of ten people. Your time limit will be ten minutes. Ten minutes. Let me repeat the instructions...."

"Teams of 10 people. What do you think it is?" Ji-yeong asked as players scrambled to find their groups.

"I don't know... Maybe it Tail Tag or Why Did You Come to My House? Or... maybe its...," Joo Yeon mumbled.

"Maybe its what?" Ji-yeong asked her eyes darting this way and that way.

Joo Yeon swallowed hard. "Or maybe... Tug of War."

Ji-yeong's face paled. "We are so dead."

The countdown timer had already begun, ticking down second by second.

Players huddled into teams, but many still struggled to find enough members. Joo Yeon scanned the room, searching for the best possible group to join. Then her eyes landed on Sang-woo's group. They were five players short—and the timer read one minute.

"Let's ask them," Joo Yeon said, grabbing Ji-yeong's hand and pulling her toward them.

As Joo Yeon and Ji-yeong hurried toward Sang-woo's group, she could feel the weight of the clock ticking down. The other teams had already formed, leaving only scattered individuals looking desperate. If they didn't secure a spot soon, they might be forced onto a weak, thrown-together team.

Sang-woo noticed them first. His sharp eyes flicked to Joo Yeon and showed no emotion, then to Ji-yeong, before turning back to the remaining four players standing with him.

"We need men.. but I don't think we will find any..," Gi-hun said to Sang-woo who inhaled sharply before closing his eyes and nodded at them.

"Stay here. Ali, Gi-hun, let's go and try to find some more people. We still need three..," Sang-woo said before scattering away to find some more.

Joo Yeon stared at player 067 who looked unfazed. She was staring at the timer and they only have forty-seconds left.

Joo Yeon swallowed hard as the tension in the air thickened. The time was slipping away fast. Around them, the other teams stood firm, their groups already solidified, leaving fewer and fewer options.

Ji-yeong nudged her lightly. "Think they'll make it back in time?"

Joo Yeon glanced at the timer—thirty seconds. Sang-woo, Ali, and Gi-hun were still out there, searching for more teammates. The desperation on the faces of the ungrouped players grew more apparent, but most of them had already given up, realizing they wouldn't make it in time.

Sae-byeok, player 067, finally spoke, her voice even and calm. "If they don't, we're dead before the game even starts."

Joo Yeon tensed. She wasn't wrong. A weaker team wouldn't stand a chance in whatever cruel game awaited them.

Fifteen seconds left.

Then, just as the timer hit ten, Sang-woo appeared, pulling a man along with him. He looked older, maybe in his fifties. Ali came rushing back with another man. Player 276.

Gi-hun also joined them but he couldn't find anyone.

The time was running and Joo Yeon's stomach twisted as the thug's woman sauntered into their group, a smug grin on her face.

"Well, nobody kicked me out, huh!," she drawled, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Man, you guys lucked out today. Yikes!"

She continued, "I'll be way more help than either of these wimpy little girls. Plus, I'm good at everything except the things that I can't do. She said and laughed and right at that moment the timer beeped indicating that the time to form groups had end.

Ji-yeong scoffed under her breath. "More like you ran out of options."

The woman shot her a glare but didn't bother replying.

The woman on PA spoke up again.

"The time for forming your teams is over. All players, please line up with your teammates at the entrance to the game hall."

"Hold on. I thought we will be staying in this room today," a player said as they followed the guards into the game hall.

As soon as they went in the door closed and the masked guard spoke up. "I would now like to welcome you all to the third game. Today's game is Tug-of-War. In order to win, you must pull the rope towards your platform in an attempt to drop your opponents down below."

Joo Yeon's eyes darted up to look at the platform and she saw two yellow towers they will be standing and using to play the game. It was high above from the place they were standing and she knew if something goes wrong they will fall from that height and will be dead for sure.

"We're so screwed," Joo Yeon heard player 276 mumble underneath his breath.

"Now, I will draw numbers to decide which two teams will play first. Everyone, please sit down," the masked manager said and the players hesitantly sank to the ground, their tense whispers filling the game hall. Joo Yeon clenched her fists, her heart hammering against her ribs.

"First, the team that will play on the left tower," he said and the circle masked guard pulled out a black ball from the black box.

"Team One. Team One, please stand up. And now, the team that will play on the right tower," the masked manager said and the other circle guard pulled out another black balled marked 7. It was team 7.

"Team Seven, please stand up," the masked manager said and they stood up shakily. Team 1 was the thug' team and team 7 knew that their times are over.

"Teams One and Seven will be the first teams to play. Will both teams please go to your towers," the masked manager said and they started walking towards their respective towers.

Joo Yeon squinted her eyes trying to make out what was going on on the top of the towers. She saw a rope being pulled and the players were handcuffed into the rope. She saw both team gripping the rope tightly and in the middle there was a red flag. As soon as the guards on the platform signaled the masked guard pointed a gun up and fired it signaling the start of the game.

Both teams started to pull the flag towards their towers but unfortunately the thug's team was more powerful and they managed to pull the flag to their side.

The team seven players lost their grip and felt down which ultimately left them hanging on the rope. The next thing which happens was the blade cuts off the rope and all the players of team 7 is dropped to their grave.

Thuds.