π π¬ππ£π©, π¬π π¬ππ£π©"Utopia, the most ideal country a person can go to. We are recruiting participants for a game to select the one person who will go to that utopia!"
Advertisements calling for participants in a game to reach Utopia resonated across TVs and billboards around the world. The phrase, "the most ideal country a person could ever reach," was sure to capture everyone's attention.
So, it is no wonder that tens of thousands of people, regardless of East or West, gender or age, have gathered in the main hall of a large bunker in South Korea, where the game is being held.
The people inside the bunker, each wearing a large name tag on their chest and each wearing an automatic language translator built with the latest scientific technology to accommodate participants speaking various languages ββfrom around the world, were already trying to form alliances and gain an advantageous position in the game.
Among those countless people, there was one woman who stood out.
"Is that person from South Korea?"
"I saw you talking to yourself in Korean earlier. Why is that woman here..."
The woman was very thin, and her body looked so delicate that it looked like she could collapse if struck lightly. Her name written on her name tag was 'Jeong So-hyun'. It was a very common name for a Korean woman.
Sohyun, who seemed destined for elimination the moment the game began, seemed more like a "target" to the other contestants than someone willing to cooperate. While they smiled and talked to her on the outside, many felt they would kill her first if the game began.
As if she had sensed what people were thinking early on, Sohyun didn't respond to anyone and just pulled the hood of the hoodie she was wearing down lower.
For dozens of minutes, they waited in the bunker. The people who had been chattering loudly at first were starting to grow quiet from exhaustion. A figure wearing men's shoes, a pure white mask, and an all-black suit walked in and climbed onto the small platform.
"All participants are gathered. I am A, the main host of the game."Several participants applauded when A introduced himself as the main host of the game, but most participants remained silent. Then A began to speak.
"Of the participants gathered here, only one will survive and go to Utopia. Here, you must kill or be killed, and you must fight not to go to Utopia, but 'to live.'"
A, who consistently spoke cruel words in an emotionless tone, felt like he wasn't even human. Some participants rubbed their arms with both hands as if they were horrified, while others clenched their fists with both hands.
The game's participants were essentially risking their lives, so they were essentially throwing their lives away. But who would gamble in a game and think they would lose? All participants were filled with the conviction that they would reach their own utopia.
"Now, the first round of the game begins. The first round will continue until the number of participants here is exactly half of the original number. Now, fight to survive!"
Suddenly, Round 1 began, and A's words, "Fight," left me stunned and dumbfounded. The quick-moving participants began attacking those around them. Even those who had formed alliances before the game began beating and killing each other.
"Eww!"
"If you kill me now, you'll be the only one who suffers...!"
Everywhere was filled with screams and voices of people trying to convince their opponents who were trying to kill them.
Meanwhile, Sohyun, who was expected to be targeted and killed by all the participants as soon as the first round began, quickly took care of the participants around her one by one without any hesitation as soon as the game began.
The contestants were astonished by Sohyun's unexpected performance, and even as they continued to die, people continued to die. The one who stopped Sohyun's rampage was none other than a contestant named "Kim Seokjin," who appeared to be an ordinary office worker but possessed a rather robust physique. Sohyun met Seokjin's eyes and, unable to conceal her bewilderment, spoke.
"Kim Seok-jin, how did you get here...?"Seokjin's eyes widened at Sohyun's voice and he soon spoke in a calm voice.
"What, life isn't easy."βHas it been six years since college?β
"yesΒ·Β·Β·."
Seokjin and Sohyun, having graduated from the same university and department, knew each other's faces. Seeing Seokjin and Sohyun conversing, the other contestants rushed toward Sohyun, sensing the moment was right. Sohyun, who easily subdued the rushing contestants, spoke to Seokjin in an urgent voice.
"You've been working out quite a bit, so why don't you take care of yourself? Let's meet after the first round. If you're going to bring anyone then, only bring people you can truly trust, and form an alliance."
"Okay, let's meet again after Round 1!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Seokjin shouted in response to Sohyun's back as she ran back to the center of the main hall.