Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Quiz Room (1)
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"Everyone, be quiet."
The woman who had made the clicking sound of high heels spoke up.
She cut an impressive figure in a women's business suit, complete with glossy black high heels and a black miniskirt.
"I'm the new supervisor, TV Girl."
Her head was shaped like a TV, just like TV Man's had been.
Only her voice and figure were feminine.
"The supervisor has been replaced due to an unfortunate incident. First, the clear judgment."
"Ah."
"Ooh."
"1,000 coins. Let's split them evenly by headcount, as originally promised."
The group buzzed with excitement over the coins.
Snap!
TV Girl snapped her fingers sharply.
Flutter flutter flutter!
Papers with team names written on them flew up into the air.
"Activating the supervisor's authority between missions."
Rip rip rip!
All the papers tore to shreds.
"By the supervisor's authority, the results of the previous mission are acknowledged, with some changes."
"The existing team names have been changed for convenience, as above."
TV Girl said in a curt tone.
Unlike TV Man's case, since the mission was already over, changing the lighting afterward didn't seem to cause much issue.
"Take a 5-minute break before moving on to the next mission."
Some teams started distributing coins, while others headed to the bathroom or leaned against the wall to rest.
"Excuse me."
A man in the front row raised his hand toward TV Girl.
"What is it?"
"Um, we were supposed to get one question right per mission cleared..."
"Did I say that?"
"N-no."
"Dead TV Man said that, right?"
"Yes..."
"And TV Man is dead, isn't he?"
"Yes...?"
"Want to die with him?"
"N-no, sorry!"
"Good. Your question privileges are revoked."
And just like that, the question rights vanished.
She's a real stickler.
She didn't seem as arbitrary as TV Man, but that might make her even harder to deal with.
"Let's distribute the coins first."
Dokgo Hyun said to the members of Team 41.
1,000 coins split four ways is 250 each.
"Let's each take 250 coins."
"Hm? Our team leader's splitting it fair and square?"
Kang Ohsu said teasingly.
Dokgo Hyun replied in a serious tone.
"Yes. We could adjust for special contributions, but generally, coin distribution follows the N-way split principle."
Then something surprising happened.
Eun Jua and Choi Hanpung looked uncomfortable.
As Dokgo Hyun wondered why, Eun Jua spoke first.
"Um, I think the team leader should take more coins since you're working the hardest..."
"Huh?"
"Jua's right!"
Choi Hanpung boomed in his characteristically resonant voice.
"There has to be hierarchy. How can the leader and members get the same pay? The leader should take more coins!"
"......"
Dokgo Hyun was momentarily flustered.
These people... it's not just that they're passive and introverted. Could it be...
Dokgo Hyun faced an unbelievable truth.
Are these people... not suckers, but actually rare good folks?
Dokgo Hyun asked Choi Hanpung and Eun Jua.
"Where did you two do your tutorial?"
"Oh, didn't I mention? We were in the same zone. H-8 zone, normal difficulty."
As Choi Hanpung spoke, Eun Jua nodded.
"Yes. We were at the same cultural center in the northeastern capital area. We took daily lecture classes together..."
"What class?"
When Dokgo Hyun asked, Choi Hanpung jumped in.
"Haha! I was the daily instructor that day. Ever read my book 'Dr. Choi Hanpung's Hand-Clap Health'? I even appeared on TV as a hand-clap expert."
Choi Hanpung spread his palms wide.
"Er, um. Anyway, you two cleared normal mode together."
"That's right."
Kang Ohsu then chimed in.
"Dokgo Hyun, you cleared hard difficulty, right?"
"Yes."
"And you're thinking, 'These folks cleared normal, so they're too nice and cooperative~' Right?"
"Yes. Honestly, that's what I thought."
"Hahaha! You can't judge people so simplistically. Even in warzones, humanism emerges. Don't be so cynical?"
"Hm."
Dokgo Hyun certainly was in a ruthless, anger-fueled state right now, even by his own reflection.
The reason was that the hard difficulty tutorial had been grueling.
So the subtle human charm from Choi Hanpung and Eun Jua felt unfamiliar.
"And I agree the leader should take more."
Kang Ohsu said.
They agreed Dokgo Hyun would take 400 coins solo, with the remaining 600 split among the three.
Ugh. These people are poking at my conscience.
Of course, conscience was one thing, coins another.
They mean for me to work harder as leader with more coins. I was planning to anyway.
Dokgo Hyun checked his coins.
300 from the last mission, plus 400 as leader this time.
Add the 500 from Master of Handshakes before, totals 1,200 coins.
Dokgo Hyun decided to invest the 1,200 coins into stats.
7 to Strength, 5 to Speed.
His Stamina and Mana were already sky-high.
Their total would surely rank in the top five here.
So he raised Strength and Speed a bit for balance.
"Break time is over."
TV Girl announced.
The resting players flinched.
"As expected, the next missions will be team-based. However, you have choices. Which one you pick... is part of the mission itself."
"Ah."
"Hm."
Only the team leaders reacted, so it seemed the choices were visible only to them.
"A brief explanation. Teams choosing 'A. Quiz Room Showdown' will be sent to the Quiz Room for a showdown with another team. Those choosing 'B. Cooperative Quiz' stay here and must solve quizzes by cooperating with other B teams."
TV Girl explained curtly, as if she wouldn't repeat herself, so everyone listened in tense silence.
"Generally, the fewer-person A choice ends quicker, while B drags on, but there's no guarantee."
TV Girl's words were hard to parse.
Rewards?
Dokgo Hyun wanted to ask that.
With choices on the table, he'd judge based on coin rewards.
But asking rashly might make TV Girl angry or murderous.
He needed to gauge the mood first.
"Explanation over. Decide within 5 minutes. Final decision rests with the team leader."
Buzz buzz...
"What do we do?"
"A quiz?"
"Our team goes B for sure."
"Why?"
"To survive together. A is team vs. team competition."
"We could win?"
"Easy? We don't even know the Quiz Room setup or quiz types!"
"Shh, keep it down. Others might hear."
Buzz buzz...!!
With every team whispering opinions, the murmurs swelled like clouds.
Only Team 1's Lee Hyun-jun sat quietly in meditation.
"What's our team think?"
Kang Ohsu of Team 41 asked the members.
"Other players seem mostly leaning B."
Eun Jua said, scanning the surroundings.
Dokgo Hyun finished deliberating and declared.
"Team 41 chooses A."
"Reason?"
Kang Ohsu asked, and Dokgo Hyun explained.
"A's team showdown has less uncertainty. B looks like 'all teams vs. supervisor showdown.' Like the jump game, one side's mistake could doom everyone."
"Hm. Fair, but doesn't the larger B have bigger rewards?"
"Valid point, Ohsu, but riskier."
"Huh?"
"Because of Lee Hyun-jun."
Dokgo Hyun whispered.
"He might massacre everyone to hog the reward pie."
"Indeed. If no-violence rules lift..."
Kang Ohsu glanced at Lee Hyun-jun.
Lee showed no movement, which was suspicious.
"Better to face that guy as enemy in A than uneasy ally in B. He looks idle, but his face screams plotting murders for coins."
Kang Ohsu said disgustedly.
"I'd rather meet him head-on than deal with sketchy teammates."
Kang Ohsu finished.
"Nah, no way it's that bad?"
Choi Hanpung waved it off, but Kang Ohsu trusted his eyes more.
Dokgo Hyun agreed.
I know from regression. Lee Hyun-jun's that type. He'd kill all and solo 90,000 coins. Dangerous.
Dokgo Hyun didn't voice it to Choi Hanpung.
Even without regression talk, Lee Hyun-jun's character was clear.
"Right. He already killed his own team. Teaming big with him is riskier. A seems safer."
Eun Jua said.
That unified their opinions.
Team 41 chooses A.
"10 seconds left. Unchosen teams, pick now."
TV Girl warned.
"Tch."
"Hope others skip this!"
"Screw it!"
Most leaders chose while eyeing others.
Few coordinated first, but Team 41's was perfect.
Moments later.
Far more chose A.
Out of 41 teams, it skewed heavily to A.
"B choosers, stand by! A choosers, teleporting to Quiz Room!"
Flash!
Dokgo Hyun and his team of four teleported with the other A teams somewhere.
Flash!
"Ah."
"Where's this...?"
"Just our team and that one over there."
A studio twice the size of a classroom, in calm navy tones.
It resembled a quiz show set from TV.
On one side of the stage, a neon sign read 'Quiz Room Studio.'
"Heh heh. Welcome to the Quiz Room!"
A man in a suit with a question mark head appeared.
"I'm your mission supervisor. Real name's a secret—just call me Supervisor."
The players waited warily for his next words.
"You are Teams 40 and 41. You'll compete via quizzes here, so all violence is strictly prohibited. Here's the mission window."
Goal: Pass all 3 stages of the quiz game presented by the supervisor.
📍 Details: Rules differ per stage, presented by supervisor.
🎁 Success Bonus: 2,000 coins to team leader.
💥 Failure Penalty: Death.
⏰ Time Limit: Varies per quiz.
💡 Hint: None.