mousepad-d2 Chapter 75 : Chapter 75
Chapter 75 : Chapter 75
Chapter 75
The control room was cold today as well.
A large number of flashing monitors emitted light, and scenes of the game site flowed across each screen.
The only thing heard in the silence was the operating sound of equipment and the sound of keyboards being tapped by Bronzes.
July stood in the center of the control room and focused on the game play.
His gaze did not leave one place.
From the moment I, Lee Ju-seong, crossed the monkey bars, or perhaps even before that, he had been watching me.
“The situation is flowing interestingly this time as well.”
At July's murmuring, the dealers, who were watching different screens, gathered their gazes.
Each had a different assigned game, but upon hearing July's words, they could not hide their curiosity.
How could they ignore the news that I was taking unexpected actions again?
Among them, only January was watching a screen showing a different game site.
“Since it is Lee Ju-seong's play, it is no longer surprising.”
July called the Bronzes and instructed them to show the situation in the Blue Team area in a three-way split.
The screen showed me and my team members scattering to clear three 7 million won mini-games simultaneously.
It went without saying that it was a play that deviated from the standard move.
Even a child would know that it was advantageous to process the 70 million won missions first to tilt the game site in one's favor.
July brushed the bottom of his mask as if stroking his jawline while looking at the screen.
“One must clear from the high amounts to pressure the opponent team, so why on earth clear from the lowest amount? In the meantime, even if the Red Team takes just 35 million won, the game site will tilt toward the Red Team's side.”
January replied indifferently.
“Since the person who designed the operation is Lee Ju-seong, there must be a hidden aim.”
His voice was dry and calm, as if reading an exam question for which the answer had been decided.
The dealers, including July, thought it was unexpected.
January was the person in this place who wanted my balance to decrease more than anyone else.
Since he wouldn't want my success, it was bound to be puzzling when he suddenly and calmly predicted my victory.
Regardless of the situation at the game site, July took an interest in January's reaction.
“At this rate, we might not be able to satisfy the higher-ups, so will you be okay?”
At that question, January laughed lightly.
It was a quiet and shallow laugh, as if he had something to rely on.
“Kim Ju-han winning against Lee Ju-seong? I think the probability is barely once even if they fight a hundred times. The difference in skill between the two is that clear.”
January tapped the top of the table with his finger.
As if tapping a calculator during a double-check.
July had a hunch.
That leisure.
It was a leisure that could only be shown by one who possessed sufficient grounds to achieve their goal.
There was a high possibility that January had prepared something without others knowing.
While observing January, a change occurred in the situation of Game Site 1.
July narrowed his eyes and heightened his visual power.
“As expected, he is a friend who does not disappoint. He is truly taking unexpected action. Where is he going with the four gems he collected?”
On the screen, I, Lee Ju-seong, was heading toward the Red Team area with four 7 million won gems.
Why the Red Team area? Not the collection box?
I soon entered the Red Team area, and while circling the edge of the Red Team area, I mainly visited the vacant lots where the 7 million won play equipment was located.
In the case of the Red Team, all personnel were focused on one location to clear the 70 million won mini-game according to the standard move.
Because of that, they did not notice the actions I was carrying out on the outskirts of the game site at all.
After a while, I placed the 7 million won gems one by one near the entrances of the vacant lots.
In addition, I took out a blood bag and burst it, then used the blood to write a small message at the bottom of a wall.
“What is he doing now. Please enlarge Lee Ju-seong's screen.”
At July's instruction, a Bronze organization member manipulated the screen.
The zoom of the surveillance camera was pulled, and the letters I left on the wall filled the screen.
[Favor Lee Ju-seong joining the Red Team - Take the gem.]
[Oppose Lee Ju-seong joining the Red Team - Leave the gem as it is.]
They wondered what kind of trick this was.
They understood that I was attempting a game within a game, which was my specialty, once again.
However, they were doubtful whether they should consider my attempt valid.
Since betrayal is part of the rules, it seemed valid in a way, but on the other hand, since it was a rule I had set arbitrarily, they wondered if it was right to conduct a betrayal vote in this manner.
It was a very ironic thing.
The actions of a single player provided confusion not only to the opposing players but also to the operating side watching.
Sure enough, opinions were divided among the dealers.
“I don't know how to take this. This isn't the betrayal rule created for this kind of utilization.”
“I think it should be recognized as valid. The Money Game has always had giving choice to players as its basic framework. Lee Ju-seong's operation fits the significance of the Money Game.”
“Shouldn't it be disallowed? To see it as an extension of the rules, the options are too heavily imbued with Lee Ju-seong's subjectivity.”
The dealers argued back and forth, but they could not reach a clear conclusion.
Finally, the dealers looked at January.
Making a decision at a time like this was the role of January, the leader of the dealers.
Despite it being a controversial topic, January spoke unconcernedly as if handling a minor matter.
“If the Red Team takes the gems, I will recognize it as participating in the betrayal vote.”
The dealers who were opposing asked for the reason.
“Lee Ju-seong's action is a challenge to the organization. We must not overlook it like this.”
“In the world, there is such a thing as a conditional auction. The bidding price has just changed to whether or not to acquire a gem, and the auction item to a betrayal voting right. Is it not?”
“It is good that you interpret it from diverse perspectives, but whether the upper management will accept this situation......”
“It's not like it's once or twice that Lee Ju-seong has done something to provoke the organization. It's something that has always happened, so it's fine. Let him proceed like this.”
As January put an end to the controversy, my operation was confirmed as valid.
The dealers who were in favor felt it was only natural and had no particular change in emotion, while the dealers who were in opposition reluctantly accepted January's decision.
While the internal strife within the control room was unknowingly increasing in degree, January quietly glanced at the situation in Game Site 1.
Just then, the screen switched and showed someone other than me.
The one shown was Jang Ha-na.
The moment he witnessed Jang Ha-na's appearance, a small sound of laughter flowed from inside January's silver mask.
“Everything is according to plan.”
However, there was no one who heard January's laughter.
Everyone was just focusing on the results that the operation I established would bring.
***
At the same time, the three men of the Blue Team were moving to play a mini-game.
The three, Ryu Nam-gyu, Heo Nam-jun, and Kwon U-ram, headed toward the vicinity of the boundary between the Blue Team and the Red Team, cutting through the stagnant air of the game site.
In their footsteps, regret was more deeply imbued than lightheartedness.
“50 million per head, really, there’s no measly sum like this sum.”
“It’s a game that isn't worth our value. At this rate, it'll be tight to even pay off debt even if we run around like we're dying.”
“I follow because Ju-seong said to do it, but honestly, isn't this too harsh?”
After I slipped away to unfold the guerrilla operation, the remaining Blue Team members decided to split into two groups and act.
The goal was to finish all the 35 million won mini-games before I returned.
They felt like things were flowing smoothly, but because it was too smooth, idle thoughts kept getting stuck in their thinking like foreign substances.
Leisure is the carbohydrate of the spirit.
That is, it produces fat that clings to the soul when it cannot be consumed in time.
The state of the three men was exactly like that right now.
Furthermore, the high point of dopamine is always destined to draw an upward curve.
As they played games several times and got their hands on as little as several million won to as much as tens of millions of won, their sense of money had broken down at some point.
“I wonder if there’s some corner where we can get extra income somewhere in the game site.”
While smacking their lips in regret, they discovered one person loitering at the boundary of the Blue Team and the Red Team.
A follower of Taepyeong-gyo belonging to the Red Team.
Moreover, it was a loose perimeter guard who wasn't even properly armed.
The follower was crouching near the boundary line of the two teams and was hammering in something like a post.
Perhaps feeling a sense of vigilance starting from my intrusion, it seemed he was installing traps at the boundary of the two teams.
The follower was preoccupied with installing traps and had his back completely exposed.
The eyes of the three people flashed simultaneously.
Heo Nam-jun said with the corners of his mouth rising.
“Hey, isn't that completely a wallet fallen on the ground?”
Ryu Nam-gyu also let out a chuckle in the same way.
“If we deal with that guy, more prize money will be added.”
Kwon U-ram finally added his words.
“Hey, since it’s come to this, shall we just go for it?”
Desire is bound to raise its head in front of easy prey anytime.
Moreover, the fact of the numerical superiority of 3 to 1 lowered the atmospheric pressure of their hearts.
The three people exchanged glances and nodded their heads at the same time.
“Anyway, Ju-seong is moving separately over there right now. It should be fine if we handle this on our own.”
“That person would understand even if we don't report every single thing.”
“Okay, let's end it in an instant. Don't be noisy.”
They simply exchanged plans with their eyes.
Using the abilities each possessed, as quietly and quickly as possible.
Without anyone going first, the three people closed the distance toward the follower's back like shadows.
The moment they crossed the boundary of the two teams to use their abilities.
A sound that pulled unpleasantness to its critical point all at once lingered in their ears.
Bzzzz~.
In the summer season, the sound that is often heard just by turning off the lights in the room. It was similar to that sound.
That is, the sound of insect wings flapping.
Bzzzz~. Bzzzz~.
It wasn't mosquitoes, it was fruit flies.
A mere fruit fly, one could catch it right away with a single clap.
Annoyance surged rapidly to the maximum, but it was extremely unpleasant to have to endure it because they were attempting a surprise attack.
Bzzzz~. Bzzzz~. Bzzzz~.
But strangely, the fruit flies increased as time went on.
It was after five or six fruit flies swarmed near each of their heads that they felt the anomaly.
Even if they couldn't wash properly because they had lived in a gym for a long time, it was extremely strange that fruit flies were concentrated only near the three people.
By the time they felt the sense of incongruity, it was already too late.
The fruit flies that had gathered near their heads exploded all at once.
Bang! Ba-bang! Ba-bang!
The explosion sound and the screams of the three people formed a concert.
When the explosion sound stopped, the heads of the three people had changed into lumps of charcoal.
At the same time, Kim Ju-han and a large number of followers walked out from beyond the corner of the Red Team area.
Kim Ju-han took a prayer posture that was only for show and looked down at the three trembling people with a chuckle.
“Small fry except for Lee Ju-seong. It is as I expected.”
And he turned his body, spread his arms wide, and raised his fists upward while clenching them as if imitating great thinkers.
“Everyone, with this, the game has become advantageous to us. We just need to maintain our superiority as it is. When this game ends, the organization will execute Lee Ju-seong on our behalf. Everyone, let's work a little harder.”
The followers shouted cheers as if they had already seized victory.
Among them, Park Ok-young's cheer was the most vigorous.
Despite knowing that the Blue Team's defeat is not limited to Lee Ju-seong's death but leads to Park So-yul's death.