Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Skill & Run One Card Poker Round 1
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“Ugh……”
Dokgo Hyun and Na Youngho tensed up.
Having failed to assassinate the Total Administrator, they had no idea what horrific retaliation might follow.
But surprisingly, the Total Administrator showed no sign of anger.
Partly because the assassination attempt hadn't been the slightest threat to him, and partly because he admired their boldness, befitting finalists in the tutorial.
“To dare try to kill the Total Administrator. Hehehe! The attempt was pretty entertaining, but it wouldn't have worked on me anyway. I won't give you any penalties for it, so let's just tweak the mission rules a bit.”
“It was such an obvious rule that I didn't bother putting it in the mission details, but sheesh, so many people broke it. Actually, outside of H-44 zone……”
The Total Administrator muttered, then placed a hand on the shoulder of the fake Total Administrator—the Principal.
“Now, you can do a good job, right?”
“Yes, Total Administrator.”
“Good. Then I'm off!”
The Total Administrator departed through a portal.
“Whew, this feels awkward now.”
The Principal, wearing the Total Administrator's mask, scratched at it and spoke.
“Well, nothing's really changed. I'm the Principal, but also the Total Administrator's puppet.”
His speech and voice were identical to the Total Administrator's.
“So, you can treat me as either the Principal or the Total Administrator. Let's proceed with the mission. Everyone, have a seat.”
The students had no choice but to obey the man who had died and come back to life.
“Good. Now, dealing phase.”
Thud, thud, thud.
Three cards dropped in front of each player. The order was Dokgo Hyun, Oh Sua, Na Youngho.
“Check your cards.”
Slide.
Dokgo Hyun peeked at his card.
'A 10.'
10 was a high card.
There were only four cards higher: J, Q, K, A.
The question was whether Na Youngho or Oh Sua had drawn one of those four—or if both had.
'So, let's calculate the ways I could lose.'
There were three scenarios where Dokgo Hyun, holding a 10, would lose.
A. Both Na Youngho and Oh Sua draw higher than 10.
B. Na Youngho draws higher than 10, Oh Sua draws lower.
C. Na Youngho draws lower than 10, Oh Sua draws higher.
If even one of A, B, or C happened, Dokgo Hyun lost.
Adding up their probabilities would reveal his chance of defeat.
“Dokgo Hyun player, start the betting.”
“How much thinking time?”
“As per the mission rules, 3 minutes per player.”
Dokgo Hyun quickly did the math in his head.
'My 10 is fixed, so subtract one from the 13 cards left? Then out of 12……'
The probabilities for each case:
A. 4/12 * 3/11 = 12/132
B. 4/12 * 8/11 = 32/132
C. 8/12 * 4/11 = 32/132
'My loss probability—A plus B plus C—is about 76/132?'
Dokgo Hyun paused, confused by the gap between intuition and math.
'My odds of losing are that high?'
In percentage terms, around 57%—more than half the time he'd lose.
'Did I mess up the calculation?'
He double-checked multiple times.
No errors.
'I thought a 10 was pretty good and felt relieved, but the actual odds of winning are under 50%……!'
“One minute left.”
The Principal announced.
“……Check.”
Check meant passing without betting, handing off the turn.
The others could check too—or raise the stakes.
“Dokgo Hyun player checks. Next, Oh Sua player, place your bet.”
“Hmm…… I'll raise, for now.”
“Yes. Bet at least 2 chips.”
Slide.
Oh Sua placed her hand on her chips, then hesitated.
She turned to the Principal.
“Can I talk to the person next to me?”
“Of course. But within the 3-minute thinking time per player.”
Oh Sua spoke to Dokgo Hyun.
“Um, sunbae?”
“Yeah?”
“You took a really long time to decide, right?”
“So?”
“Meaning your card isn't that great, so you hesitated?”
“Or maybe I dragged it out to make you think I have a weak hand even though it's strong.”
“Ugh……”
Oh Sua fidgeted, then asked the Principal again.
“I'll check after all.”
“No. You declared raise, so you must raise.”
“Ah……!”
Oh Sua lacked caution.
Of course, it could be an act.
“Then just 1 chip……”
“No. A raise must exceed the ante or previous raise. Here, minimum 2 chips.”
“Eek…… Fine, 2 chips.”
Clatter.
Oh Sua paid 2 chips. Pot now at 5 chips.
“Next, Na Youngho?”
“Call.”
Na Youngho called without hesitation.
Clatter.
He added 2 chips. Pot now at 7.
“Back to Dokgo Hyun. You checked first, but with the raise and call……”
“No need to explain.”
Dokgo Hyun had decided based on their reactions.
“Call!”
Clatter.
He tossed in 2 chips. Pot at 9 chips.
“Heh heh heh. Good. Showdown!”
The three revealed their cards.
The result……
“Ugh!”
Dokgo Hyun clenched his fist.
“Dokgo Hyun player wins!”
Clink!
The Principal pushed the chips to Dokgo Hyun.
'So that's how it feels.'
Dokgo Hyun reviewed the hand.
'Oh Sua bluffed with a mediocre card. She went by gut feel and how long the guy next to her took, not probabilities.'
Oh Sua looked frustrated—not realizing her card's win rate was a measly 20/132, just thinking others got lucky.
'And Na Youngho called instantly because……'
He'd planned to probe lightly in the first round and move on.
'He probably doesn't like Oh Sua.'
Na Youngho was glaring at Oh Sua, not the victorious Dokgo Hyun.
If she'd checked, he'd have checked too, everyone opens with no extra bets, minimal loss even in defeat.
But her raise forced his call to scout.
'This poker reveals folded cards, unlike normal ones.'
So Na Youngho had no choice but to call for reconnaissance.
'Thanks to that, I raked it in.'
The situation favored Dokgo Hyun more than his hand. With luck playing a big role, he didn't celebrate too much.
Clap!
The Principal clapped.
“Alright, everyone. Curious about the Run Phase? Straight to it!”
Flash!
The poker table, stools, and Principal vanished.
“Huh?”
Flash! Flash! Flash!
The three players were teleported away.
“……Huh?”
Dokgo Hyun looked around the dark athletic field.
'Teleporting players separately? Why?'
Then a new message appeared.
“……”
After each poker round, they had to move to a new room. The time limit made it a 'Run Phase.'
'10 minutes is plenty, even for a big school.'
It seemed too easy—suspicious—but Dokgo Hyun decided to hurry.
Thud!
The moment he started running.
Whoosh!
Boom!!
An explosion erupted where he'd stood.
“Tch!”
Thud!
He leaped to the wide faucet area by the field to dodge.
No second attack came.
'Someone threw a molotov or something?'
“You're quick.”
A wraith giggled as it appeared.
'So that's the Run Phase.'
Wraiths blocked players from reaching the poker room.
This wraith was Jang Jihoon, with the [Instant Ignition] skill.
'He followed Na Youngho to the annex in Mission 7 and died.'
Wraiths were clearly dead players from past missions.
'The problem is his skill.'
Unknown exactly, but fire-based.
Step, step.
Jang Jihoon approached the faucets where Dokgo Hyun hid.
'Good. Talk first……'
“Keehee! I don't wanna die alone. You die too!”
'……No talking this down.'
He'd dodge and evade.
Swipe.
He deliberately exposed his upper body, then ducked.
Roar!!
Flames grazed the faucets.
The tips of Dokgo Hyun's hair singed.
'Hmm.'
This time, he sent an afterimage with [Time Distortion].
Boom!!
A fireball flew and exploded.
“Ugh?!”
Surprisingly powerful blast.
The faucet side cracked, pipes exposed.
Drip……
Water leaked from the broken pipe.
'Gotta try talking.'
He could [Instant Acceleration] out, but shrapnel from explosions would nick him.
No sense accumulating damage after just one round. Time to talk.
“Kekeke! Gonna hide forever? Hide all you want. Time runs out…… kekeke.”
The wraith Jang Jihoon laughed maliciously.
Dokgo Hyun called out.
“Hey, you're Jang Jihoon, right?”
“Kekeke. Stalling with talk just hurts you. Come out and die. Heehee.”
“Died unfairly and full of grudge? If I say I can revive you, will you back off?”
“Huh?”
The wraith's voice briefly sounded human.
Then it raged louder.
“Liar!”
“No lie. Listen. Elixir revives everyone except the already dead.”
“But I'm dead!! Giving elixir to a corpse won't work!!!”
“Tough shit, dumbass.”
“Huh?!”
Whirr……!
While talking, Dokgo Hyun touched the exposed pipe with his finger, layering [Time Distortion].
The flowing water paused, stacking up.
'Burst the built-up water flow!'
“[Instant Acceleration]!!”
Whoosh!!
Crash!!
The stacked water exploded outward.
“Ugh?!”
The jet blinded Jang Jihoon's upper body.
Dokgo Hyun seized the moment.
Thud!
He lunged, stabbing the Venom Knife into the wraith's throat.
Squish!
“Gurgle……”
Jang Jihoon died.
Pop!
A small envelope appeared.
'Hint?'
Inside, on white paper: