Chapter 15: The Stakes are your life (2)

“Hiiiiik.”

Wheeeeng!!

The intense motor sound of the spinning electric drill seemed to snap the guests back to their senses.

“Who’s going out first?”

“There are six of us, so one person can go per round.”

“First is the advantage! Who’s going first?”

“Then you go first!”

The guests were in a state of confusion.

“The order will be decided by me. Let’s see… you, with the straight eyebrows. You’re number one.”

“Me?! Ughhh…”

A fat man reluctantly stepped forward, sweat pouring down his face like rain. His subordinates set him up opposite Ji Sehwa’s container.

“You’ll be targeting the right arm. It shouldn’t be too much of a burden, right? Then, round one begins!”

Without giving any time to think, Irua declared it.

“Hey, Executive. Like we talked about, give me your right arm. It’s just one hole. I’ve had holes in my stomach a hundred times fighting against the Dark Kingdom.”

“Then… just once more…”

“Don’t you get it? You only need one hole, but I need six! If all six holes are made, even I will die! I’m not transformed yet, you damn idiot!”

Ji Sehwa immediately swore.

“Haah. If you have a conscience, let’s sacrifice a little, okay? I don’t have any cash. Who even carries cash these days? I’ll write down 10,000, so you write down 1,000.”

“1,000?”

“I clearly said 1,000. Write down 1,000. If you write anything else, when I wake up, I’ll really be disappointed in you, Executive.”

Ji Sehwa’s gaze was intense. With just his eyes, he could probably kill someone.

“Ugh… but a drill… A drill for my right arm? A hole, right in the center? The bone will get drilled through… ughh…”

The man was sweating so much, it seemed like he was on the verge of dehydration.

“…Hmm? Hey.”

A smarter-looking man among the guests was about to speak. Irua brought her finger to her lips.

“Shhh, quiet during the round. I’m letting you off now, but open your mouth again, and you’ll die.”

The guest immediately clammed up.

“Just write down 1,000. It’s no big deal. It’ll heal quickly anyway!”

“Ughh… Ughhh…”

“Answer me! Say you’ll do as I say!”

The man squeezed his eyes shut, but didn’t respond.

It was over. He couldn’t lie, his conscience wouldn’t let him answer.

“Hey! I said it! I’m writing down 10,000 here. If a hole gets drilled in my arm, it’s your responsibility! If I can’t fight properly and lose to the Galactic Empire because of this, it’s your fault!”

“Alright, enough. Both of you, shut up. Write down your amounts.”

Pens were handed to both of them, and subordinates brought over the notepads. They blocked their views so they

couldn’t see each other’s writing. Ji Sehwa clicked his tongue, then wrote down the number without hesitation. The

man hesitated for a long time, trembling as he wrote his number.

“The results are in. Hmm~? Aha! Blue, you’re better than I thought.”

“F*ck off, you bitch.”

“I’d love to shut that filthy mouth of yours. Now, let’s confirm there’s been no tampering, alright? This notebook has never left your sight, and you can clearly see the handwriting. I’ll reveal it now. The first round.”

Irua spun the notebook she was holding in her hands.

The amount Ji Sehwa wrote was 10,000.

But the man’s amount…

112,000.

“The guest wins.”

“You f*cking bastard!!”

“Hiiik. I’m sorry, I’m sorry! But there was no other choice! I have heart failure, and if that kind of pain comes, I might have a heart attack!”

The man was desperately trying to explain himself, but it was pitiful.

“Of course, I know how much Blue Sabel suffers as a hero. I’m always grateful! I thought about it till the end, but I was so scared…”

“What the hell are you thinking, you bastard?! Is that number the one you were thinking about? It’s not even close, it’s way too small, and you put two safety measures in! That number is 112,000!”

It was exactly as Ji Sehwa said.

He had written the number 10 times too small, and even added two safety measures to make sure it was an easy win.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

“Enough. You can go.”

His subordinates released the fat man, and Irua casually kicked him out. Whether it was from relief or shame, the man quickly left the VIP room.

Of course, he couldn’t just leave. He’d still be tormented by fear for a while.

There was no reason to take his life, but she had no intention of telling him that.

“Now, it’s time to execute.”

“You f*cking bitch! Once I’m free, I’ll drill a hole through your forehead with that drill!”

Ji Sehwa cursed furiously. His subordinates wasted no time bringing the drill to the hole in his right arm.

Wheeeing– ka-ching ka-ching!

“Ughh…! Ughh…”

Without screaming, Ji Sehwa endured the pain. A venomous look slowly filled his eyes.

The task was quickly completed. Along with the blood, fragments of bone fell through the hole.

The guests turned their eyes away from the gruesome sight.

One person, the intelligent-looking man who had spoken earlier, raised his hand.

“Yes. What is it? You can speak now.”

“I have a question. What happens if the amounts proposed by Blue Sabel and the guest are the same?”

Irua smiled.

“Ah, I see. That’s one way.”

For a moment, hope flickered across Ji Sehwa’s face. If all rounds ended in a tie, they would be able to pass them all. The intelligent man had thought of this when Ji Sehwa had proposed 10,000.

“Simple. The guest wins.”

But Irua quickly crushed that hope.

“You noticed that too. You’re sharp, aren’t you?”

The man didn’t respond.

“Next. You, woman, come out.”

The woman looked like she would burst into tears at any moment. She was completely overwhelmed by fear. Clink, clink. The locks of the container clicked into place.

“Alright, round two begins. This time, it’s the left leg. The center of the thigh, as you can see. The tool’s nothing special—just a skewer.”

Irua’s declaration came with a grin. Her subordinates entered holding the skewers, heated by fire.

“Uh, uh… Blue Sabel.”

“10,000.”

“Eh…?”

“I’ll write down 10,000.”

Ji Sehwa frowned in pain, cold sweat dripping down his face as he spoke.

“Ah, Blue Sabel…”

The woman finally broke into tears.

“I’m sorry. I just can’t, I can’t handle that…”

Ji Sehwa clenched his teeth.

“It’s going to be way too painful. I can’t take it. I can’t… I’m just an ordinary person.”

The woman started wailing. After that, she went on and on about how hard life was, mentioning children and struggles.

Ji Sehwa, too, seemed to have lost the strength to scream after the first damage, just listening to her.

“Alright, time’s up. Write it down.”

The second round’s amounts were presented, and the results came.

“Hehe~ This is fun, fun. Shall we reveal it?”

The woman, crying endlessly, and Ji Sehwa, sitting in silence. It was clear how the woman felt.

This time, she probably thought Ji Sehwa had written 10,000 as well.

She must have been crying because of the guilt.

And the result was:

“Guest, 212,000. Blue, 1,642,000.”

“…Huh?”

At the moment she saw those numbers, the woman’s mouth dropped open.

“Wait a minute. 100? You said 10,000, Blue Sabel? But a human would only write in tens, right? Why suddenly 100? Huh?”

Ji Sehwa shot her a glare.

“Fck off, you damn btch. Whether you die or not, I don’t care.”

“Ah, no! Wait! Wait! You lied to me!!”

The woman began to go crazy. Irua waved her hand, and her subordinates immediately shoved the skewer into the woman’s body.

“Aaaah! Lies! Aaaaaah!!”

The smell of burning flesh filled the air. Irua, disgusted, pinched her nose. After a brief scream, the woman passed out. Her subordinates dragged her and threw her outside the door.

“Ugh.” “Oh my god.”

The remaining guests were stunned. The intelligent man seemed to be deep in thought.

“She spent 160, right?”

“Yes, it seems she spent all of it just now.”

“Doesn’t it look like she only used half?” He said, analyzing the psychology.

“Most people don’t carry more than 500 in cash. Do you? I don’t ever carry that much.”

“I don’t.”

“I never carry even 100.”

“I always leave my wallet with my driver and tell him to keep it set at exactly 200.”

The guests began whispering among themselves.

Gradually, they, too, started to realize.

To put it simply, this game was heavily tilted in Ji Sehwa’s favor.

Winning wasn’t about calling out the highest amount. It was about matching Ji Sehwa’s remaining balance.

So, Ji Sehwa’s strategy of declaring 10,000 and sticking to it seemed useless from a traditional standpoint.

But he wasn’t an idiot.

His cunning was top-notch.

If my guess is correct, Ji Sehwa understood this game perfectly.

“Round three. The target is the right leg. The knee. The tool is a bone spear.”

Negotiation was no longer necessary. Only pure psychological warfare remained.

And the result:

“Guest, 1,210,000. Blue, 6,240,000.”

“Six hundred?”

“Hey, is this really cash you just happened to have on hand?”

The guest’s knee shattered with a horrifying scream.

Rendered crippled, he was thrown out of the room.

Ji Sehwa grinned.

“Now, it’s your turn. You were so confident, weren’t you? Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Irua called on the intelligent man. Sweating nervously, he was set into the container.

“The target for round four is the abdomen. The tool is this.”

Irua’s subordinates pulled out a sharp sashimi knife.

“Ugh! Th-that’s…!”

The man faltered, panicking. Ji Sehwa, on the other hand, showed no change in expression.

“Hah… Alright. This is the tiger’s den, so I should stay sharp. Blue Sabel, I’ve figured out your intention.”

“What?”

Ji Sehwa’s eyebrow twitched.

“Taking the first hit was to avoid raising the denomination. Once you go beyond the usual range of cash people carry, the psychological barrier gets in the way. Splitting your available cash into six limited rounds ahead of time—it’s all calculated.”

“What the hell are you saying, you piece of trash?”

“That means you’re carrying quite a lot, aren’t you? Far more than the usual amount of cash. A slush fund, perhaps?”

At this, Ji Sehwa’s brow furrowed deeply, and he glared at the man as if ready to devour him.

“Don’t misunderstand me. I’m trying to negotiate here. Let me put it another way.”

The man smirked confidently.

“If I take the knife instead, how much are you willing to pay me?”

Interesting.

He was indeed someone who used his head.

When something sweet is offered, it’s natural to feel tempted.

So, Ji Sehwa, what’s your choice?

Will you swallow it or spit it out?