The countdown concluded, and with a soft ‘click,’ the door swung open. Curiosity piqued, I peered into the darkness beyond, revealing a corridor that stretched endlessly, swallowed by shadow.
As I stepped out, several other doors along the hall also opened, releasing their occupants. A black-haired young man, spotting me, offered a warm, inviting smile.
“Oh, a beautiful lady! It’s truly rare to see such a pretty young girl partaking in a game like this.”
I gave a slight nod. “Perhaps most people simply aren’t fond of these kinds of games,” I replied. “This is my first time playing as well.”
He paused, then chuckled heartily. “Exactly! By the way, I’m a ‘Bystander’ this round. What about you?”
‘Oh? Trying to trick me, taking advantage of a newbie? Just wait until I make you cry.’
“Uh… actually, I’m also a Bystander,” I said, my voice tinged with feigned disappointment. “It seems like such a dreary role.”
He seemed a little let down. “It is,” he agreed. “It’s the most troublesome role. You know nothing, yet you have to convince everyone you’re just a bystander. What a pain.”
‘My dear sir, do you truly believe that trick will work? Perhaps on an ordinary newbie, they might fall for it, but I’ve already discerned this game’s mechanics long ago.’
“Mm-hmm, mm-hmm,” I murmured, nodding dutifully. My tone carried a hint of manufactured distress. “Yes, it’s so very troublesome…”
He nodded, satisfied. “Alright, let’s head to the main hall,” he suggested. “Both the game’s reward and the first clue are located there. Remember, for us Bystanders, clues are incredibly important.”
‘That statement itself wasn’t false, but I suspected he was merely attempting to earn my trust.’
Upon entering the hall, I found its decor surprisingly relaxed. A grand coffee table stood at its center, encircled by comfortable sofas, while a screen, much like a television, dominated the front.
‘Huh? I don’t see Lavishly Karafar or the others.’ ‘But then again, if familiar faces were grouped together, what would even be the point of playing? It would practically be a guaranteed victory.’
I settled onto a sofa. At that moment, a blue-haired man furrowed his brow, complaining, “Why is this taking so long? What a complete waste of time.”
The young man who had first approached me scoffed. “Hey, you don’t actually believe that time here operates the same as it does outside, do you?”
The blue-haired man’s expression froze. “O-of course I know that,” he stammered, his voice gradually fading. “But still, waiting here is just so incredibly boring…”
His diminishing protest drew laughter from the others present.
****
“Shhh–”
The ‘television’ screen flickered to life. A black-haired woman in a crisp white uniform appeared, her voice ringing out with vibrant energy. “Congratulations, lucky participants! This time, you are all players in a Legendary Showdown!”
“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh–”
Several individuals immediately sprang to their feet, overcome with excitement. Those who remained seated, like me, wore expressions of utter bewilderment.
“Indeed, it’s a Legendary Showdown! Congratulations to all of you!” the uniform-clad woman declared with boundless enthusiasm. “Now, as per tradition, let’s unveil the prize for this round! If Faction A emerges victorious, you will receive 10 million Wing-Broken Coins!”
Everyone’s eyes gleamed with intense anticipation. “And if Faction B wins, you will receive 20 million Wing-Broken Coins! Rejoice!”
The shock in everyone’s gaze only deepened.
“And if Faction C and the Bystanders achieve victory, you will receive—30 million Wing-Broken Coins and a random prize worth a million!” the uniform-clad woman announced, her voice brimming with zealous encouragement. “Lucky participants, strive for glory!”
I was utterly dumbfounded. ‘This… this is so incredibly generous…’
I swallowed hard, a lump forming in my throat. ‘So much money…’
“Hehe, now that the rewards have been announced, are you all satisfied?” the uniform-clad woman on the screen asked with a playful, knowing smile. “Regardless of your satisfaction, I shall now proceed to explain the game rules.”
“First off, the information you all initially received suggests you’re all Bystanders,” she began. “However, each of you actually possesses a hidden identity. This time, I’ll reveal all the roles. First, there’s one Infected person. I won’t explain the specific background—you’re the first batch of players for this new game, after all! If you want to know the story, you can look it up yourself after you leave.”
The uniform-clad woman chuckled mischievously as she spoke.
“Next are the three Quarantine Officers,” the woman continued, a smile playing on her lips. “You must thoroughly identify the Infected, or else you will face defeat.”
“Then there’s the Reporter, also one person,” she explained. “You possess the ability to act at any time and can report anything you observe to anyone. Your victory condition is simply to uncover the Infected.”
The uniform-clad woman paused, her gaze distant. “And then there’s… uh… what was it again? Oh, right, I think it was ‘Rivals’?”
She brightened. “You three are here for revenge because the Reporter exposed your privacy. Your victory condition is to… eliminate the Reporter. After that, you can figure out how to leave this place.”
The uniform-clad woman then leaned forward, a mysterious smile gracing her lips. “Finally, this role is quite strange; I barely understand what it entails…”
She trailed off, then continued, “Their task is to… eliminate one of you. What a peculiar explanation… and what’s truly interesting is…”
Suddenly, the uniform-clad woman’s expression shifted dramatically. She seemed to exchange words with someone off-screen, then began arguing intensely with those around her. Faintly, one could hear agitated phrases like, “How can this be allowed? It’s just a game!” and similar exclamations.
At this unexpected turn, everyone in the hall seemed to grasp the unsettling implications. Their expressions collectively darkened, growing visibly grim.