TRAEK! TRAEK!
It was as if something strange was shifting the previous floor.
Hearing that sound, everyone looked back in awe.
A person tried to open the locked door, but he failed.
Seeing that the door didn't even flinch, everyone decided it was better to change into the clothes given to them.
There were separate changing rooms for each person.
Everyone chose one of the rooms and dressed inside.
The new—yet old—clothes felt strange to wear.
It was as if they had regressed into an ancient civilization.
After changing, everyone gathered by the gate that remained shut.
People tried to open it again, hoping it might budge.
But it didn't.
After a few minutes of trying, the people gave up.
While all of this was happening, John, Emily, and Kyle stood quietly off to one side.
Finally, a voice came from one of the speakers.
"Players, I see you have changed into the clothes."
The voice was eerie.
"He said 'I see'... are there cameras here?"John asked.
"They're monitoring us everywhere,"Kyle said in a low tone.
"What?!There are cameras even in the changing rooms?!"people protested.
Humans might do anything to survive.
They might remain silent even when disrespected.
But… they are most sensitive when someone trespasses on their privacy.
Well, it's not like the man cared, but he still said:
"The cameras are only in the hall, not in the rooms."
Hearing this from someone who had just tried to kill them wasn't exactly reassuring.
But again, what reason did he have to lie when he could kill them so easily?
"Now you will be passed through to the next floor.
Be ready for the second floor!"
He laughed like a madman while saying this.
People shivered at the sound.
Suddenly, the door they had been trying to open… opened.
They realized one thing—the gate was the same, but the floor was not.
Everyone was surprised.
How is this possible?
That question filled their minds.
Is this magic?
What is this place?
Perhaps the earlier mechanical sounds were connected to the floor's transformation.
But what could have changed in such a short period?
The beds were gone.
There was no food.
And what awaited them now was a strange layout—an entire floor made of individual blocks.
When everyone stepped inside, the door behind them closed once again.
And… a voice came through the speakers:
"Now the second game will begin. All of you players can see the blocks in front.
You must choose one of the blocks and stand on it.
The numbers will be displayed on the screen.
Players standing on blocks with the same number will be eliminated.
Once you choose a block, you are not allowed to move… or it will result in elimination."
A small laugh echoed at the end.
Everyone began moving toward the blocks.
John and Emily stepped onto the same block.
Kyle, observing the field, hesitated. He knew this round was based purely on luck.
After thinking for a while, he walked over and stepped onto the same block as John and Emily.
Seeing that Kyle had decided, John and Emily made space for him.
Eventually, everyone had chosen a block.
But there was one problem…
There were no visible numbers on any of the blocks.
Realizing this, people began inspecting the surfaces in confusion.
Was the guide lying?
Why would he lie about something like this?
"I also don't see a number," John said, glancing at his feet.
"Well, this game is based on luck. Just pray that we survive..."Kyle replied to John.
But pray?
That wasn't an option.
Hearing that, John stopped looking for numbers and stood still—curious, but composed.
Emily was also surprised, but she didn't want to react.
Maybe she was feeling guilty.
While everyone else was still searching for numbers, a huge light suddenly flashed across the room.
Everyone was blinded.
They couldn't see anything for a few seconds.
But as their eyes adjusted, they saw a massive screen overhead.
It had been transparent before—maybe that's why no one had noticed it earlier.
A strange circle appeared on the screen, with a star drawn at its center.
After a few seconds, the circle faded—then a loud beam sound startled the players.
With that sound, a number appeared on the screen.
The number was... 3.
As the number appeared, one of the blocks began to glow.
A bright circle formed around it, and the number 3 lit up clearly.
On that block stood a young man.
The moment the number appeared, the block dropped with terrifying speed.
The screen now displayed the interior beneath that block—
Below it was a pool of lava.
The young man's screams echoed through the room.
His cries. His terror.
It was worse than anything they had seen before.
John turned his head away.
So did Emily.
After a minute or two, another beep echoed throughout the room.
People silently prayed.
Please… don't let it be my number next.
Then the screen flickered.
Another number appeared.
And it was...