Chapter 50 : Chapter 50
Chapter 50
August was looking at Lee Ju-seong with her right hand on her right side and her body tilted at a crooked angle.
Every time she saw him, she remembered the harsh treatment she received in Round 3, and her cheeks puffed up on their own.
The fact that she was feeling irritated meant that her mental state, which had been broken while being treated harshly, had recovered to some extent.
‘I have no idea what he's thinking. I think he has a mental problem because he doesn't hesitate to kill enemies, yet on the other hand, he shows a casualness that doesn't even mind losing. Which one is the real him?’
To recognize both as real, what she knew about Lee Ju-seong was too little.
Since the past of Lee Ju-seong investigated by the organization was not reliable, the information the Dealers knew about Lee Ju-seong was, at most, all he had shown inside the game site.
It was undeniable that it was a very small amount of information.
In other words, to control Lee Ju-seong, whether she liked it or not, she needed to observe Lee Ju-seong closely.
Stare-.
While she was looking at Lee Ju-seong silently.
Aware of the gaze, I turned my head and looked at August.
Involuntarily, our eyes met.
I spoke with a bright smile.
“You are following instructions well.”
It was a bright smile like a child's.
The concentration of purity was so high that it couldn't be thought of as a person who had formed countless dewdrops on a Hwando until now.
For a moment, the words I heard in a posture that felt like being subordinated to Lee Ju-seong during Round 3 came to mind.
‘From now on, think only of me, whether awake or asleep.’
Again.
Just as the most impressive words of that day keep coming to mind before going to sleep, the words I heard from Lee Ju-seong kept popping up if I let my guard down even a little.
Contrary to my appearance, having a hobby of watching melodramas might have influenced this current state.
Because it overlapped with a famous scene from my favorite drama, it stayed in my impression without me knowing.
August attempted small talk with me, taking advantage of the interlude.
“You, you entered here because of gambling debts, right?”
“That is right.”
“Then you must know well what the disadvantages of illegal Toto sites are?”
“How could I not? Isn't it 'eat and run'.”
“You know it well. I don't know why someone who knows so well keeps provoking the organization that pays the money.”
I stood up from watching the situation of the Yut spaces while squatting.
Then I walked over here, stretching my tall legs briskly.
Because I walked so confidently and quickly, a sense of intimidation was even felt.
August stepped back two steps because it was burdensome.
“Why... why?”
I stopped at a two-step interval and, leaning my upper body forward, put on a cool smile.
This 'cool' impression was strictly an objective evaluation.
In August's own opinion.
Setting the impression aside, it was an unavoidable part that she felt like she was being swayed every time by my eccentricities that came in without a signal.
I spoke while approached.
“I welcome a foul fight anytime.”
Just upon hearing this one sentence, she felt like she had found out one more thing about the man named Lee Ju-seong.
I see.
To this man, every opponent appears to be on the same line.
Whether it's a weak player, a strong player, a Dealer, or a high-ranking person in the organization... as long as they live within the framework of food, clothing, and shelter anyway, you and I are no different.
Therefore, he doesn't overevaluate, and he doesn't underevaluate.
While being fair... he's scary.
Not being afraid of the strong meant nothing less than not being careless toward the weak.
Looking from another perspective, it also meant that he was willing to accept people he wasn't close to as comrades anytime, while also being able to discard even those he was close to anytime.
Even though it was scary, curiosity preceded fear.
Just like how horror movies are basically scary, but you keep watching because you're curious about the back story.
While contemplating Lee Ju-seong, November's voice was heard from afar.
“Ms. Jo A-rin. Ms. Jo A-rin? Ms. Jo A-rin!”
Only after being called three times did August react.
“Yes? Ah, yes!”
“It's Ms. Jo A-rin's turn to throw. Take the Yut.”
Coming to her senses, the behavior of November, who was approaching while swaggering, came into view.
Imagining the expression November would be making inside the mask made her temples throb.
He would surely take the fact that she couldn't take her eyes off Lee Ju-seong and arbitrarily distort it to grate on her nerves.
Thinking about the things that would happen after returning to the control room, she already felt a headache.
August took the Yut and threw them half-heartedly.
Clatter.
The hand that came out was a Gul.
She advanced three spaces.
As soon as she looked ahead after moving, a monologue popped out on its own.
“No matter how I look at it, it seems hard to win.”
The opposing team had already run far away to a desperate extent.
Kim Ju-han had arrived at the twentieth space, having gained an opportunity to advance once more thanks to one follower who joined by throwing a ‘Yut’.
The rest of the followers were also staying in the sixth space, ninth space, and thirteenth space in pairs.
On the other hand, Lee Ju-seong's team was staying near the starting point, so it was safe to say they were in an overwhelmingly disadvantageous situation.
Of course, August was feeling at ease about this entire situation, as if watching a fire across the river.
‘Since I'm not in it for the prize money, it's fine even if I lose. As long as I don't pay a fine, I don't care about victory or defeat.’
In the case of a Dealer, the settlement equation was different from that of a player.
While the prize money could be settled 100 percent, there was a benefit of a 50 percent reduction on the fine.
When a Dealer participates in a game, they always have a mission as well, so they were giving employee benefits to care less about the fine if possible.
However, since there was a concern that the experiment itself would be ruined if fines weren't imposed too blatantly, they set a limit so that they wouldn't be completely free from fines.
The organization had attached various pretexts, but if the inner workings were dug into, it meant 'in the end, the Dealer is also a type of experimental subject,' so it wasn't an entirely pleasant privilege.
“With this, we conclude the 2nd Set. Let's proceed with the 3rd Set immediately. Mr. Lee Ju-seong, please throw the Yut.”
Before she knew it, August could find herself following Lee Ju-seong with her eyes again.
It was an unavoidable phenomenon.
Normally, if placed in such an overwhelming disadvantage, one would intuit that they had lost.
But strangely, the expectation that if it's Lee Ju-seong, it might be different, came first.
‘How is he going to overcome this situation? He must have come back to the starting point confidently because he has an ulterior motive...’
Sure enough, as soon as the 3rd Set began, I took an unexpected action.
I did not take the Yut November held out.
Instead, I declared boldly.
“I will pay money and purchase a Yut hand. I will pay 50 million won and buy the Yut hand Gul.”
Surprised, August ended up spitting out what she thought.
“Buying a hand? Not throwing? Why!”
No matter how I looked at it, now was the timing to take a risk by overexerting myself.
It was at least more likely to win if I aimed for a chance to throw once more by getting a Mo or Yut.
But to use the purchase chance, which doesn't have an opportunity to throw once more.
Not only that, I couldn't understand that I chose Gul, which is an ambiguous hand, instead of Mo or Yut, which can advance a long way.
To the point that even the followers in the far distance were mocking me.
“Did you hear? He said he bought a Yut hand. To spend 50 million won to advance three spaces. He's doing something incomprehensible.”
“Maybe he gave up and splurged impulsively. Living in a state where the spirit is contaminated is that dangerous.”
“This game is full of parts that are completely incomprehensible. Like the appearance the Cult Leader showed earlier, and the incomprehensible behavior of the one called the number one of this game site...”
Whether the surroundings were buzzing or not, I advanced with bold steps and stopped in the space where August was staying.
And before August had a chance to react, I stuck close to her from the front and smiled broadly.
“Aug... No. Ms. Arin, I spent 50 million won to approach your side.”
At the meaningful comment, her face turned slightly red and the heat spread to her earlobes.
“W, w, what are you talking about suddenly?”
“Since it seems you haven't realized, I should make you understand. Excuse me for a moment.”
“Yes? Eek!”
I unexpectedly supported the back of August's knees and waist with both arms and lifted her up.
Even though she wasn't on the light side as her height was quite tall, I lifted her very lightly.
It was the so-called princess carry.
Even while knowing I could lift her lightly thanks to Damage Doping, she couldn't erase the feeling of becoming the female lead in a melodrama.
I should either change this hobby of mine or something.
While her heart was pounding on its own, I walked steadily toward the front.
“Do you trust me?”
“I, I, I don't know the meaning. What do you want from me?”
“I'll assume you trust me and go for it boldly.”
“Waaaaa!”
My face got closer and closer.
Her instinct worked on its own, and a tingling feeling was felt between her brows, and she involuntarily closed her eyes tight.
After a moment, she felt her bottom touch the floor.
Huh?
When she opened her eyes feeling that it was strange, August's body was placed outside the Yut space.
I turned my body 180 degrees briskly without a hint of lingering attachment, as if I had no more business with August.
And with a sly smile, I called November.
“Mr. November, I made the opponent lose by going out-of-bounds in a battle with a player. I've earned the right to throw the Yut once more, right?”
As if meeting a clever move and hitting his forehead, November lightly tapped the top of his mask with his palm.
“There is no problem according to the rules.”
During the rule guidance, it was said that one just needs to catch up to the preceding player; there was no restriction that only opposing team players can be targeted for battle.
In short, the organization side had officially approved that it was okay to betray allies anytime.
I acquired 100 million.
August lost 100 million.
August, who had been betrayed all of a sudden, jumped up and protested.
“Y, y, you! Did you pay 50 million won just for this?”
“Of course. Why would I pay money if not for gaining an opportunity to throw once more.”
“I, I thought for sure!”
“For sure?”
“Grrr, you are really the worst.”
She glared at me with the meaning of contempt, but even that was reduced to a reaction that made me happy.
I let out a big laugh, and at the edge of my field of vision, November was struggling to hold back his laughter.
Regardless of the heated protest, I was already looking only ahead, leaving August behind.
“I'll purchase a Yut hand this time too. I'll buy a Gul.”
Two followers were staying three spaces ahead.
Without a doubt, I had purchased the hand by targeting the followers in the sixth space.
As soon as November answered okay, I did not hesitate to take action to equip a weapon.
I unwrapped the bandage on my forearm, and through that, the wound created during Round 3 was revealed.
Blood flowed out from the wound.
I placed my palm on the area where blood was flowing and activated the ability.
Ability to turn one's own bodily fluids into blades.
The blood turned into a blade as if it were gradually extending from the tip of a Hwando.
That appearance caused an optical illusion as if pulling a Hwando out from inside the body.
I gripped the completed Hwando and advanced slowly while letting it hang down, and the tip of the Hwando created an eerie frictional sound as it scraped the floor.
Scrape! Grit!
While the frictional sound was gradually getting closer to the sixth space, the faces of the followers greeting the approaching me became increasingly pale.
August couldn't take her eyes off my back and muttered blankly.
“That man, surely he isn't planning to continue advancing while hunting them one by one like that?”
As if saying 'why wouldn't I', the Hwando bounced cheerfully as it hit a small stone.
When she encountered the indirect answer through the Hwando.
August's lips moved silently.
Scary bastard.