"FOR REMAINING PARTICIPANTS, PLEASE RETURN TO THE STARTING POINT! THE COUNTDOWN FOR THE THIRD ROUND WILL BEGIN."

  The announcement echoed throughout the room. All remaining participants cautiously made their way back to the starting point. However, their gazes were now filled with hatred toward a short-haired man who was still laughing, as if enjoying the situation.

  "You all should be happy," he said playfully. "In this third round, we don't have to fight over anything anymore."

  A man with the symbol ???? on his back couldn't contain his emotions. With overflowing anger, he threw a punch at the short-haired man. However, his attack was effortlessly dodged, and the man only laughed harder.

  "Are you sure you want to waste your energy just to hit me, old man?" he sneered mockingly.

  I refused to let myself get caught up in the tension. Instead, I focused. My eyes swept over the doors, trying to find the hidden pattern.

  "I know who that bastard is!" a woman suddenly shouted. Her eyes widened as if she had just realized something.

  All eyes turned to her as she continued, her voice trembling, "He's the psychopathic killer known as Ted the Tempter! In the past six months, he's murdered more than twenty people."

  The atmosphere shifted drastically. Panic spread like wildfire.

  "What?! Wasn't he already executed? Why is he here?!" someone shouted.

  I turned to look at the man more closely. No wonder we hadn't recognized him sooner. The long hair that was always shown in the news had now been cut short.

  Ted simply chuckled, then shrugged nonchalantly. "Hahaha, being famous sure is a hassle, huh?"

  The man who had tried to attack him earlier now tensed up. His gaze changed, filled with barely contained rage. But he knew-the person in front of him was no ordinary man. He was a monster in human form.

  I swallowed hard, trying to stay focused. "This isn't the time to get distracted. I need to find the answer for the third round."

  Ted grinned, running a hand over his face before saying, "I want to see all of you die with my own eyes. Unfortunately, this is the final round."

  I ignored him and went back to analyzing the doors. My eyes locked onto one-door number 21. My brows furrowed.

  "Why is that door locked? There's no number 7 in it. Besides, unlike the other doors, there's no blood seeping through its gaps..."

  A realization hit me.

  "If that door is the correct one, then from the start, the safe doors weren't just the ones containing the number 7 or having a digital root of 7."

  I clenched my fists. "Damn... we've been misled from the beginning!"

  I recalled basic mathematics. "How is 21 related to 7?"

  Then, the answer flashed in my mind.

  "21 is a multiple of 7. That means we should also consider numbers divisible by 7, such as 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63, 70, 84, 91, 98..."

  I quickly checked the other doors. "If we eliminate 7, 21, and 70, which are already closed, that leaves only ten doors that might be safe."

  I turned and counted the remaining participants. Eleven people.

  "FINAL ROUND TO FIND THE NUMBER 7 BEGINS!"

  The announcement rang out, triggering chaos. The participants panicked, running around searching for the correct door.

  "Damn it! Because of that guy, we didn't have time to prepare!" someone complained in frustration.

  Amid the commotion, Ted just stood there, enjoying the scene as if it were free entertainment.

  I had to act. I couldn't let more people die.

  Steeling my resolve, I clenched the photo left behind by Marlo. Then, I took a deep breath before shouting at the top of my lungs, "EVERYONE, CALM DOWN!"

  The chaotic noise subsided. Their eyes were now on me.

  I looked straight ahead, making sure my voice remained firm. "I found ten correct doors! But there are eleven of us. That means... one person will be left behind."

  Doubt immediately arose. "Are you trying to trick us like that bastard?!" a woman accused.

  I shook my head. "Trust me! Those ten doors are correct because they are all multiples of seven."

  "What's your proof?!" a man demanded, backed by murmurs of agreement from the others.

  I pointed toward door number 21. "Look closely. There's no blood in its gaps, right? That means the participant who entered has survived. Unlike the wrong doors."

  People started paying attention, and their faces showed realization.

  "So... what are the remaining multiples of 7? I'm bad at math," a teenager asked, looking confused.

  I nodded and began listing them, "14, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63, 84, 91, 98." I pointed at the doors corresponding to those numbers.

  Seeing this, Ted's face drastically changed from a joyous grin to an irritated expression as I revealed the correct doors.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  All the participants, including myself, immediately rushed toward the doors I had pointed out. However, just as my hand was about to grasp the handle of door 98, a powerful kick struck my back from behind.

  I fell to the ground, groaning in pain, and turned to see who had attacked me. Ted stood there, his face filled with hatred.

  "You think you're a hero? By revealing the correct doors, you expect to be praised by these lowly humans?" His voice was sharp and mocking.

  He stepped closer, grabbed my collar, and then slammed his fist into my face. Again and again. I was too weak to resist.

  "The fewer people who make it through, the easier it is to win the main game. But look at you-arrogantly trying to save everyone!" he growled, his fists continuing to land on my body.

  Then, he raised his hands high as if welcoming a performance only he could enjoy. "Thank you, all of you who are watching! Thank you for giving me a stage in this beautiful world!"

  His eyes sparkled with madness. He took a deep breath, as if savoring the scent of death with satisfaction. "Do you see? Humans are only interesting when they are desperate, when they scream, when they realize how weak they truly are! I will never get tired of watching it!"

  I remained curled up on the floor in pain, my consciousness slightly fading, while Ted continued his deranged monologue.

  However, before he could continue his rant, a burly man with the symbol ???? on his back suddenly tackled Ted, sending him crashing down. He pinned him down, trying to lock his movements. Ted struggled, but the man was stronger.

  "You old bastard! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Ted tried to break free, but the man's grip was unyielding.

  "Young man, thank you for telling me the correct doors. Hurry and go inside-time is almost up!" he shouted at me.

  With my bruised and battered body, I struggled to stand and staggered toward door 98. But I couldn't just leave him behind. I turned to look at him.

  "What about you?" I asked weakly.

  "Don't worry about me. I can't continue this game anymore. What matters is that this man dies here with me," he said firmly.

  My heart felt heavy at his resolve. With deep respect, I bowed, thanking him for his sacrifice. Then, without hesitation, I closed the door.

  Just before it fully shut, Ted's voice rang out, filled with hatred.

  "RUN AS FAR AS YOU CAN. HIDE WHEREVER YOU LIKE. BUT I WILL BE THERE... WAITING, WATCHING, ENJOYING THE MOMENT YOU LOSE YOUR SANITY. HAHAHA!"

  The door slammed shut with a loud bang, followed by a soft 'click' as the lock engaged.

  On the other side, now isolated in the room, Ted stared coldly at the man pinning him down.

  "So, you really want to die here with me?" he said mockingly.

  The man's eyes burned with vengeance. "I will never forgive you. You are the one who killed my daughter."

  Ted chuckled lightly, as if unfazed. "Your daughter? Which one? I've killed so many girls that I've lost track of who you're talking about."

  The man's eyes flared with rage. His grip tightened until the sound of bones cracking echoed through the room.

  "I will make sure you remember," he said coldly. "February fourteenth, five years ago. The day she introduced you to us... and also the last day we saw her. I never approved of your relationship, but she insisted."

  Ted was silent for a moment, then suddenly chuckled. "Oh, the blonde girl in the purple dress... now I remember."

  The man gritted his teeth, tears starting to stream down his face. "Ever since her death, my life has been ruined... I will never forgive you!"

  Ted only gave a faint smirk. Then, he glanced at the large screen displaying the remaining time.

  "Thirty seconds left. Are you sure you don't want to escape through that open door?" he asked casually.

  The man narrowed his eyes. "Don't think I'm that foolish. You're not the type to let me go."

  Ted shrugged. "Really? But you let your daughter die in my hands."

  The man froze.

  “I still remember her scent,” Ted murmured, a twisted smile playing on his lips. “The softness of her skin, the way she gasped…”

  He chuckled lowly, his eyes darkening. “But the most beautiful part? Her screams—raw, desperate. The way she cried out for help, especially for her daddy.” His laughter grew, sharp and unhinged. “Ah, that was music.”

  Rage exploded in the man's chest. With all his strength, he broke free from the hold and struck Ted's face repeatedly.

  Outside, time continued to tick away. The countdown had begun.

  15 seconds remaining.

  Meanwhile, I-Elio-had just entered the room behind door 98. In front of me, a narrow corridor stretched out, just wide enough for one person to pass at a time.

  The lights flickered on as soon as the door shut tightly behind me. I let out a slow breath, then stepped forward, following the path ahead. My breath was still ragged, my body covered in wounds, but I kept moving forward. Until, at last, I arrived in an empty room. The only notable object was a black screen on the left wall.

  As I approached, the screen suddenly lit up, displaying a question in an alphabet I could recognize:

  If this world were to collapse and you could protect one person, who would you choose?

  A. Your family

  B. Your lover

  C. Your friend

  D. Yourself

  E. All of the above

  Note: Your answer will determine the conditions of the main game.

  I frowned. "What kind of question is this? Why, at a time like this, do I have to answer something so absurd?" I muttered.

  I stared at the screen with sharp eyes, sensing something off. "If they can use an alphabet I recognize, why did they use strange symbols for the game doors before? Is this part of their game?"

  Returning to the question on the screen, I took a deep breath. Who should I protect? Wouldn't everyone pick E? Who would willingly lose the people they love?

  "Alright, I'll choose this answer," I murmured. I pressed my choice on the screen, and immediately, the display changed, revealing a countdown for the main game.

  I bit my lip, unease creeping into my thoughts. "What kind of game are we about to face? Why are we being separated like this?" I looked around, hoping to find a clue, but the room was silent and cold.

  "Are we supposed to fight each other? If so, does that mean I have to go against Eve, Carla, Daniel, and Nathan?" I clenched my fists. "No, there has to be another way. I won't sacrifice them."

  My mind raced, searching for possible scenarios. The more I thought about it, the tighter my chest felt. It had been five days since I was taken to this place. How was my family? Were they still looking for me?

  I leaned against the wall, then slowly sank to the cold floor. In this exhaustion and solitude, my mind drifted back to the past-to the quiet nights at home when my sister and I would gaze at the star-filled sky.

  "Big brother, look! What constellation is that?" my sister asked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

  I squinted, trying to recognize the pattern of stars in the sky. "Hmm... I don't know. I'm not very good at identifying constellations," I admitted with a pout.

  A small chuckle came from behind us. "That's Orion," said my father as he stepped closer. He then sat beside me, pulling my sister onto his lap. "Orion was a legendary hunter in ancient mythology."

  I turned to him with curiosity. "A strong and brave person?"

  My father smiled gently, ruffling my hair. "Of course. Just like you."

  I blushed, but deep inside, I felt proud. My father was an explorer who often led researchers to remote places. He was rarely home, but whenever he returned, he always had fascinating stories to tell.

  "What about me?" my sister asked excitedly. "What constellation am I, Dad?"

  "You're Gemini," my father replied, hugging her warmly. "It symbolizes two beautiful twins, Castor and Pollux. They represent the balance between two sides of the same person."

  I smiled, then clenched my fists. "I'll be as brave as Orion!"

  My sister cheered along, "Me too! I'll be like Gemini!"

  My father chuckled at our enthusiasm. Just then, my mother arrived, carrying two cups of hot chocolate. "If you want to be Orion and Gemini, you have to drink this first. It'll keep you warm and strong."

  "Yay! Hot chocolate!" my sister and I shouted together.

  We all laughed. That night, we spent time together, listening to my father's adventures under a sky full of stars.

  ---

  "DING."

  A sharp sound snapped me back to reality. I jolted, staring at the black screen on the wall, which now displayed a new sentence:

  The main game will begin shortly.