Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Quiz Room (5)
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Dokgo Hyun was closing in on the correct answer and had already decided on his next question.
In particular, if he used the "Internet Chance," he could find out the name of the country Gu Taehyuk had chosen, even if it wasn't well-known.
On the other hand, Gu Taehyuk was backed into a corner.
"My, my question is……."
Gu Taehyuk couldn't decide what to ask.
He knew the answer was one of his family members, but pinpointing the exact name with his remaining questions was impossible.
Half-resigned, he asked,
"Is the thing you chose ali, alive?"
Dokgo Hyun thought of his deceased brother's face and shook his head.
"No. He's dead."
"……!!"
Both Dokgo Hyun and Gu Taehyuk were too stunned to react.
'What? What did it just say?'
As Dokgo Hyun's eyes questioned, the supervisor spoke.
"Upon verification, the correct answer word 'Dokgo Cheol' written by Dokgo Hyun Player has been confirmed to be still alive."
Shock.
The shock Dokgo Hyun felt was greater than when he had accepted his brother's death.
'No, wait.'
Dokgo Hyun racked his memory.
'The place where hyung was... it was a Hell difficulty tutorial zone. It was a bloodbath where hardly any bodies were even found. Of course, survivors were definitely zero......'
Dokgo Hyun jolted as a memory surfaced.
"Ah! Aah!"
"Clear personnel zero. But that doesn't mean zero survivors. In other words, the extremely few people whose bodies weren't even found there... are still alive somewhere else."
"Th-that means, then my brother...!"
"Yes. He's still alive as of now. That's certain."
"Ah......!"
Dokgo Hyun trembled violently.
And then he let out a shout so loud it shocked everyone.
"Aaaaaaaaaah!!!"
Joy, despair, anger, shock.
A tangle of emotions surged up, hard to put into words.
'He's alive! Hyung is still alive!'
Dokgo Hyun was cold enough not to be 100% thrilled by this fact.
'But he's probably in a state where he could die tomorrow. More than that, why did they spare my brother?'
It was hard to believe his sick brother had survived through his own efforts.
Dokgo Hyun had to assume Dokgo Cheol was alive for some reason he couldn't fathom.
"Dokgo Hyun Player. You must have a lot of questions, but all I can confirm is that your claim 'your brother is dead' is 'false.' I can't give more info, and honestly, I don't know the details myself."
"Yes...... yes, I understand. I'm calm now and convinced."
Dokgo Hyun nodded at the system message, then smiled and congratulated Gu Taehyuk.
"Congratulations. I lost this round. Score's 1:1 now, right?"
"Ah, uh, y-yeah."
Gu Taehyuk was happy to win but utterly baffled.
Group 41's players were just as baffled.
"He, he lost?"
"Hmm. Yeah."
Eun Jua and Choi Hanpung had assumed Dokgo Hyun would win or at least tie.
But the unexpected result left them puzzled.
"Eh, no need to worry. He'll win in the final round anyway."
Kang O-su didn't think Dokgo Hyun would lose at all.
In fact, another thought crossed her mind.
'Did he intentionally pick the brother he thought was dead?'
Dokgo Hyun's shock seemed genuine, but maybe...
'Maybe he didn't care about losing this one? Maybe he wanted to hear from the management supervisor whether his brother was really dead or alive, so he picked that name on purpose?'
Kang O-su watched Dokgo Hyun with that in mind.
But his reaction alone made it hard to tell.
'No. I'm overthinking it.'
Then Dokgo Hyun spoke to his teammates.
"Phew, my mistake cost us that round. But don't worry—we'll definitely win this next one."
Of course, Group 41's kind teammates were worried about something else.
"Are you okay, Dokgo Hyun? You seemed shocked about your brother."
Eun Jua asked carefully.
"Ah, I'm fine. Turns out the brother I thought was dead is alive."
"Ahem, then isn't that good news?"
"Yes, just like you said, sir. I was shocked, but it's actually great."
"Heh. Good, then. That's great. Hope you find him after qualifiers."
"Yes. Thank you for worrying. I'll win the final round without hesitation."
Dokgo Hyun spoke confidently, and the team relaxed.
The supervisor, who had waited, spoke up.
"Quiz Room Stage 3, the final game favors the one who presses the button first, just like Stage 1. So, you two, get ready."
Dokgo Hyun and Gu Taehyuk prepared to press their red buttons.
Of course, they'd agreed not to press until the question ended, so they couldn't preemptively.
"The final game is 'Guess the Survivor Count'!"
Both focused at the supervisor's words.
"The question is a bit long, so don't press the button until I say it's okay—listen to the end."
Gu Taehyuk and Dokgo Hyun kept hands near buttons, listening intently.
"You'll remember the groups that picked B, who aren't here."
Nine groups picked B, staying in the gym.
"They're doing quiz missions there now. Six groups of ten, one of one—seven groups, 61 total! Remember: 61 starting survivors."
The supervisor emphasized.
"The question: 'How many are still alive?' Closest number wins...... but!"
The supervisor raised his voice, signaling more.
"You don't know their situation, so it's hard to guess? That's why three hints. If both agree, you get them; if not, no. Choose. You have one minute."
"I want them."
Dokgo Hyun said immediately.
Gu Taehyuk hesitated, then agreed.
"Good. Here are the hints."
Cryptic hints.
Gu Taehyuk fumed inwardly.
'Wh-what is this! How am I supposed to guess from that!'
All it really said was the environments differed greatly from here.
Gu Taehyuk glanced at Dokgo Hyun, who seemed to have already decided.
"Ready? Press when set!! Closest to survivor count?!"
Dokgo Hyun reached confidently; Gu Taehyuk, watching, mashed blindly.
Beep!!
Both pressed simultaneously.
"Ho, first time at the exact same time."
It truly was—Dokgo Hyun, sensitive to time via [Time Distortion] passive, acknowledged it.
"Fun. Since it's tied, how about writing answers on paper and revealing together?"
The supervisor handed paper without waiting.
"One minute."
"Um."
Gu Taehyuk asked shakily.
"Is, is this the last one?"
"Yes. Final question of Mission 5 overall."
"If tie?"
"Overtime."
"If, if they win......"
"Group 41 lives, Group 40 all die. Vice versa otherwise."
"Ugh."
Gu Taehyuk's paper-holding hand shook.
"Done? Hand them over."
Dokgo Hyun finished early; Gu Taehyuk used full minute.
'This is it? Really?'
His trembling wouldn't stop.
Gu Taehyuk wrote '31 people.'
'B choosers: 7 groups, 61 total. About half survive? 30. But hint says odd, so 31!'
Hard to call the logic right or wrong.
Too few clues for deduction.
Middle value was safest.
And Gu Taehyuk thought his safe answer meant his death.
One might say pick bold if dying anyway, but no—in a death game, fear grips.
"Reveal! One, two, three!"
Pop!
Pop pop!
Group 40, including Gu Taehyuk, exploded.
Stunned Group 41 got the message.
"Correct answer: 1 person."
The supervisor revealed the papers.
Gu Taehyuk's shaky '31 people'; Dokgo Hyun's bold '1 person.'
Dokgo Hyun was certain.
Because he'd experienced Lee Hyun-jun's massacre via [3-Minute Regression].
The hints confirmed it.
'Hints plus pre-regression knowledge: Lee Hyun-jun survived alone (odd survivors, Hint 2); differed from no-violence here (violence allowed, Hint 3); killed fast, rested first (regression knowledge, Hint 1).'
Hints alone insufficient, but [3-Minute Regression] let him know Lee Hyun-jun's brutality firsthand.
"Congratulations! You survived!"
The question-mark-headed supervisor cheered.
"Other Quiz Rooms still going. You'll all teleport to gym soon. Rest till then."
Supervisor vanished; Group 41's four remained in the studio-like space.
Awkward for full rest, they sat uncomfortably.
"Hm. Coin split first."
2,000 coins to leader.
Dokgo Hyun split evenly: 500 each.
Forcing it strongly.
"No need."
"Ahem! Leader takes more, right?!"
Eun Jua and Choi Hanpung protested, but Dokgo Hyun shook head firmly.
"Team leader's order. I'm splitting for a reason—take it without complaint."
His force made Eun Jua and Choi Hanpung happily accept.
Kang O-su took 500 and asked,
"How'd you know?"
"Know what?"
"Other quizzes you won 'cause you're smart, but last one? Impossible to nail exactly."