Follow the journey of Haneul, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, as she battles not only her opponents in the quest for victory but also the conflicting emotions of a budding romance with her fellow athlete, Sung-Bin. Amidst the adrenaline-fueled rac...
THE BRUTAL 5 a.m. wake-up call was a true test of Haneul's determination, but the rejuvenating bath she had taken earlier worked its magic in soothing her tired muscles, and she couldn't be more grateful for that. As she arrived at the bustling soundstage, the car park was already filling up with fellow competitors. Eager to get ready for the day ahead, she quickly made her way inside the building, the same green room where they had gathered the previous day for the pre-quest. There, she found her friends waiting for her, their plates already piled high with breakfast.
Amid the tantalizing spread of breakfast choices, Haneul stayed true to her strict diet plan, a testament to her unwavering commitment to her upcoming competition in Paris. She reluctantly settled for a banana and a slice of egg on toast, doing her best to ignore the tempting bacon and sausages on display.
Euddeum, with a plate piled high with a breakfast feast, couldn't help but comment, "That plate looks sad."
Haneul pouted playfully and defended her modest breakfast, "Well, so am I."
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She then dug into her meal, determined to lift her spirits with the sustenance and positive energy from her friends. The group mostly chatted about the previous day's events and eagerly speculated on what the first quest would entail. Fortunately, they were soon called to the set, but the observant contestants noticed that there were considerably fewer than 100 participants present, leaving them to wonder where the rest might be.
The staff members eventually appeared with a clipboard, reordering the contestants before delivering a brief on what was about to happen. This top 50 group was about to meet the others, who had already assembled ahead of them. Haneul, though she had cultivated a sense of humility, couldn't help but feel a surge of pride as she stood among the top contestants. It was eye-opening to see so many formidable participants in the lower 50th group, including Choo Sung-hoon, a figure she greatly admired. She proudly occupied the 9th place, able to spot Euddeum not far away, and Sung-bin, who scanned the group below like a predator eyeing its prey.
Soon, the second-place contestant emerged, and the enormous eye reappeared to announce the winner. "The pre-quest mission is complete. The contestant who came in first in this game with the privilege of an advantage in the upcoming quest is... Kim Min-cheol." Applause filled the room as Kim Min-cheol came forward, bowing to his fellow competitors. Many were curious about his occupation, but Haneul was fortunate to have spoken to him during their group's pre-quest.
The moment of truth arrived as the eye revealed the details of the first quest. "The first quest, with a 50 per cent survival rate, is... the one-on-one Death Match."
Haneul's eyes widened, and she couldn't help but think that this quest was starting to resemble Squid Game after all.
"Two contestants will face off for three minutes, fighting to claim a ball. Only the one holding the ball at the last moment will survive. The Death Match will take place in one of two different arenas. However, the privilege of choosing both their opponent and the arena is given to those who performed well in the pre-quest. Rank number one, Kim Min-cheol, please select your opponent."
