Chapter 267

267 1

We gained access to the Body Casino’s VIP Room after inflating our wealth to 2772 coins using a strategy that was essentially high-stakes deception. Upon our arrival, the house representative presented us with a unique wagering opportunity reserved for elite guests: Russian Roulette.

The contest required two members of our group to participate.

[Oh, this particular game is a trap; the longer you stay, the more you forfeit. Don’t you agree?]

[Once the house takes its cut, it’s just two people trading currency, except for the minor detail that one participant is certain to perish!]

Regardless of the risk, we had no choice but to engage if we wanted to reach our objective. My eyes drifted to the biological trophies suspended from the overhead track.

‘Lee Seong-hae’s remains are hanging right there.’

Through this lethal game, we needed to reclaim enough pieces to form a recognizable identity—enough to stitch a soul back together. It was inevitable.

“I’ll take the lead.”

One of our own stepped out without hesitation. It was Agent Choi, his gaze sharp and calculating.

“Agent!”

“The odds of me staying dead are statistically low, while the odds of a successful extraction are high. An agent lives by the numbers,” he reasoned.

He wasn’t wrong.

‘Based on what I’ve seen, dying within this Segwang Metropolitan City Subway illusion usually results in a forced awakening in the real world.’

However, a nagging doubt remained.

‘Can I truly trust that mechanic to hold up this time?’

If death proved permanent even once in ten thousand tries, that would be the end of everything.

“I’m stepping up first.”

Eun Haje suddenly moved forward, smoothing out her attire.

“Wait…!”

“Citizen, hold on a moment…”

“No need. Bravery happens to be my one redeeming quality,” she said with a smirk.

She gave a casual wave with her artificial limb before turning away.

“Besides, I’m missing a hand already. There’s no point in gambling for what isn’t there. Think of it as a way to conserve our coins.”

“…”

“And you,” Deputy Manager Eun Haje added, pointing her prosthetic toward Agent Choi, “must not be the final person in the rotation.”

“Wait, Citizen—I mean, you made such a grand entrance, don’t go changing the plan now…”

I intervened with a shake of my head. “Agent. You’re the only one among us capable of verifying which body parts belong to whom.”

Agent Choi’s mouth hung open for a second before he let out a defeated breath. “That damn Roe Deer… always too logical for his own good.”

Eun Haje let out a soft laugh, though the dread in the room didn’t lift.

“The rest of you who only traded away your ring fingers better use your coins to buy them back. I don’t want to hear any whining later about your hands not working.”

“What?”

“Your physical state here might influence your ‘awakening’ process. We shouldn’t leave anything to chance.”

With a determined stride, Eun Haje approached the table.

“I’m in.”

“…”

The dealer paused. “This is a contest where a visitor is guaranteed to lose their life. Are you certain you wish to proceed?”

“Yes. Let’s begin.”

“Shall I repeat the regulations for Russian Roulette?”

“One live round in a six-shot cylinder. We take turns. If you’re hit, you die. If someone survives three consecutive trigger pulls, they are granted one body fragment as a prize. Correct?”

“Precisely. And remember, you may forfeit a limb to pass the turn to your rival…”

“Forget it. No one here is taking that deal.”

“…”

Exactly fifteen minutes and twenty seconds later.

Bang!

The world blurred as we watched Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae’s head recoil and vanish into a spray of gore.

“…”

The survivor, Agent Bronze, stood frozen. His skin was ashen, his eyes dark with horror as he fought to keep his hand from shaking. He looked down at the blood-slicked body of the woman who had just braved three consecutive chambers.

Click.

“A grand victory! My congratulations!”

This was wrong. The psychological toll was far heavier than anticipated. Even knowing—or hoping—that they would wake up elsewhere, watching a comrade die exactly as scripted was a special kind of hell.

‘It feels more suffocating than a noose.’

The room turned ice-cold.

“And regarding the deceased… they successfully completed three rounds before their passing,” the dealer noted while tallying the results. “Since they were part of your group, you may claim the injury reward in their stead.”

We all looked to Agent Choi. With a grimace, the man responsible for identifying the remains stepped toward the rail. He scanned the macabre selection and pointed.

“That shoulder!”

“…”

It was a piece that could be joined to the neck. We had strategized this sequence earlier. Despite his calm choice, sweat was pouring down the Agent’s face.

“So…”

The head of Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae, now acting as the dealer’s vessel, spoke to us. “You have the option to take your prize and exit. What is your choice?”

“…”

We had already committed to the gamble. We believed that death in Segwang Metropolitan City was a ticket home.

“We continue.”

“Very well. Who is the next participant?”

I didn’t wait. I raised my hand and squeezed the trigger.

Click, clack. The hammer fell on an empty chamber.

‘There’s no turning back.’

To win a fragment, one must endure three consecutive pulls. I didn’t hesitate; I kept going, moving fast to outrun the instinctual terror screaming in my veins.

Click, clack.

The next one…

Click, clack.

“…”

I felt a bead of cold sweat roll down my jaw. I had survived.

But that meant my opponent was marked for death.

“Agent Bronze…”

“…”

He picked up the weapon I had returned to the table. He pressed the barrel to his temple and pulled.

Bang!

The shot echoed instantly.

“…”

Another death.

[Two bodies in the blink of an eye.]

“Bravo! You’ve triumphed! And for the visitor who braved the three chambers, the reward is…”

The chill in the room was bone-deep. Agent Choi moved with frantic speed to the rail. How many more pieces were required? Even if we swept the game, we could only take five. Would it suffice?

“Get up.”

“What?”

“Go take a break.”

I looked up to see Section Chief Lee Ja-heon. Section Chief Lizard moved with cold efficiency, dragging Agent Bronze’s remains away to clear the sofa.

“Hand your position over to Supervisor Goat.”

“Wait…!”

Baek Sa-heon didn’t need to be told twice. He turned to flee.

‘That coward.’

I lunged and caught him before he could reach the door.

“Ah—!”

“You know as well as I do that death is our only exit strategy,” I hissed.

“Damn it! What if we actually die for real?!”

“Do you have a better plan?”

“…”

“Or would you prefer to be left behind in this nightmare alone?”

He knew the truth. Navigating this apocalyptic subway alone was a death sentence. He would either end up corrupted like Lee Seong-hae or have to use the Euthanasia Pill anyway.

Still…

‘What if I’m wrong? What if we really die?’

That sliver of doubt made me tremble, but I didn’t let go. Letting him run would only ensure a slower, more agonizing end.

“I’ll just use the Euthanasia Pill! Why do I have to put a bullet in my brain?!”

“Then do that.”

“Huh?”

I realized I couldn’t force him to die this way. The pill was a valid alternative. We weren’t friends, after all.

Unless I bribed him.

“I’ll give you double the coins you earned from the slots.”

“…”

[Ooh!]

“Think about it. Even after playing the games here, you’ll be wealthy.” I leaned in closer. “350 coins.”

“…”

“Take them. We need to finish this… don’t you want to be loaded with casino currency the ‘next time’ you end up here?”

There was a long silence. Behind us, Agent Choi was busy haggling with the dealer while selecting a body part.

“500 coins.”

“Done.”

“God damn it.”

Baek Sa-heon spat a curse but returned to the sofa, drenched in nervous sweat.

“Let’s play.”

Bang!

He attempted the three-shot challenge. The third chamber was his end.

“…”

“Congratulations!”

Now, only one remained.

I sat back down, facing Section Chief Lee Ja-heon. The fabric beneath me was tacky with Baek Sa-heon’s blood.

“Section Chief… can you sense where the live round is?”

“I cannot.”

“I see.”

I asked despite knowing the answer. It didn’t change the stakes. The pistol spun on the table and stopped, pointing at Lee Ja-heon. He picked it up first.

“I will attempt the three consecutive shots.”

Bang!

His head snapped back on the very first pull.

“…”

“Your luck is truly extraordinary!”

I let out a shaky breath. How many times had I watched this now? I almost wished it had been me.

“A winner! However… the injury reward cannot be claimed this time. The game has concluded!”

“Wait.” I frowned. “So if a player dies on the first shot of a three-shot attempt, the condition for a reward isn’t met?”

“That is correct.”

‘Then we’re in trouble.’

In the worst-case scenario, the piece we just got might be the last. I looked at our haul: a shoulder, a chest, and a waist. They had fused together, but they didn’t even form a complete torso.

‘I need the pelvis at the very least.’

Without it, she wouldn’t be ‘Lee Seong-hae’ in any functional sense. And if these losses translated to reality, she needed a core to survive.

“Dealer.”

I raised a hand. “What if we increase the stakes? Two bullets in the cylinder.”

“Oh?”

A higher risk. In a casino, that meant a higher payout.

“If we can survive three pulls with two live rounds loaded…” I looked at the rail. “We get two body parts.”

“…”

[This is getting interesting!]

[But the odds of dying before the third pull are much higher now, aren’t they?]

Exactly. But the fundamental “one must die” rule remained, so the house wasn’t losing anything.

“Furthermore…” I suppressed a shudder. “The survivor of the game, even after the opponent falls, must take the weapon and fire upon themselves at least once.”

“What?”

“There will be a bullet left. Both players must face death to win.”

It was pure insanity.

[Brilliant, Mr. Roe Deer! True participation through shared lethality. If we had an audience, they would be roaring!]

[However, you might both die before the goal is met…]

‘I can make it work.’

The dealer stood motionless, as if processing a high-level command from the casino’s core.

“We aim to provide the ultimate VIP experience. I accept your terms. Let the modified game begin!”

I exhaled. Step one was complete. I sat back down.

“Well, looks like it’s Grape and me.”

Agent Choi and I. Go Young-eun had been barred due to entry limits, which, in hindsight…

‘Was a blessing.’

If she had been caught in this, she might have truly died.

“Can we have a moment before we start?” Agent Choi asked.

“Certainly.”

Agent Choi pulled me aside, his hand heavy on my shoulder. “That plan… it’s a sure way to get the parts, right?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” He turned me toward the rail. “Look closely, Grape. The third one is the pelvis. The seventh is the left arm. The fifteenth is the right arm.”

He was giving me the map in case he didn’t make it.

“We claim those as our rewards.”

We returned to our seats. The dealer held the gun.

“I’d like to place the bullets myself,” I stated. “The probability remains the same regardless of placement.”

“Granted.”

I set the rounds exactly where I wanted them.

“If we both perish, ensure the ‘injuries’ and the coins are transferred to our associate waiting outside.”

“The order of play…?”

“I’ll go first,” Agent Choi said, picking up the pistol. “Let’s see if I can guess your logic, Grape. One bullet every three shots?”

“…”

“Load one, skip two, load one, skip two…” He stared at me. “That way, no matter who fires, once a live round goes off, the next two are guaranteed to be empty.”

Exactly.

“So… if I take the bullet, you are guaranteed to survive your three shots and get the fragments.”

It was a suicide pact disguised as a strategy. One way or another, the final shot would be lethal.

“We’re both going out.”

“See you on the other side.”

Bang!

Agent Choi fell on the second chamber.

“A winner is declared!”

Blood coated the furniture. The room was a slaughterhouse of our own making.

“Would you like a moment of silence before the ‘Winner’s Gamble’, or shall we—”

“Dolphin.”

I was certain now. I looked directly at the head of Lee Seong-hae.

“You knew, didn’t you?”

“Pardon?”

“You allowed this rule because you understood the math.”

“…”

“If I place the bullets, the ‘survivor’ shooting themselves is a rigged game. You can pick a chamber that is guaranteed to be empty.”

The dealer was too experienced to miss that. If he “pretended” not to notice… it meant a different mind was in control.

“Did you give me an opening, Dolphin?”

“…”

I had sensed it earlier. The way she tried to push us away.

This is a game where a visitor is guaranteed to die. Are you certain you wish to proceed?

That wasn’t a dealer’s line. That was a warning. She was trying to save us within the constraints of the house rules.

“Are you still in there? Did they turn you into a dealer but leave your soul intact so you could find a way out?”

“I do not understand the question.”

“You saw me rigging the survival of the final player and you let it slide…”

“Visitor,” the dealer’s voice suddenly flattened. “You have admitted to manipulating the rules. This is considered cheating.”

‘Damn.’

“You must forfeit all rewards gained through Russian Roulette and vacate the VIP Room immediately.”

“…”

“Leave now, or force will be applied.”

I looked at the “rewards”—the pieces of a woman already fusing together.

‘I thought I could talk her into attaching the rest herself.’

That was a pipe dream.

“Just one second.”

I made a move as if to leave, then lunged. I threw myself at the dealer.

I grabbed the head of Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae and began to pull.

It was the most sickening sensation I had ever experienced. The sound of snapping bone and tearing sinew filled the room. The dealer’s powerful frame fought back, crushing my ribs and biting into my hands, reaching for something to stop me.

But I couldn’t stop. This was the only chance.

With a final, horrific wrench, the head came free. I immediately slammed it onto the torso I had already claimed.

I banked on the fact that the VIP Room was private; help wouldn’t arrive instantly.

‘No going back.’

The casino would eventually reclaim me, just as it had the others.

I scrambled to the rail with blood-soaked hands, ripping down the specific parts Agent Choi had identified. I jammed them onto the reconstructed form of Lee Seong-hae.

Then, I shoved the Euthanasia Pill into her mouth. I held her nose and covered her lips, forcing the swallow.

The moment I felt it go down, I heard the heavy footsteps of security outside.

I grabbed the gun from the table.

Click. Click.

Two empty chambers. Then, the world exploded into white.

“…”

Why does my head throb like this? I worried the gunshot had done permanent damage to my physical brain.

But then I realized I was still me. I was still in a human body.

And Go Young-eun was there, carrying me as she sprinted toward the station.