**Chapter 1: Chaos in the Common Room**

Myung-gi sat on the edge of his bed, eating the plain but satisfying meal provided by the game organizers. The common room was vast, with rows of bunk beds stacked high, accommodating all 456 players. The white brick walls seemed to stretch on forever, and the fluorescent lights overhead cast an eerie glow. Myung-gi was grateful that his bed was on the ground floor, making it easier for him to get in and out. As he ate, he couldn't help but think about his situation. He had joined the games to pay off his debt, which had spiraled out of control after he accidentally promoted a scam to his crypto influencer audience. His ex-girlfriend, JunHee, was also in the games, and he had no idea if she was okay. He hoped she had managed to form alliances with other players. The peace was short-lived, as players 230 and 124 approached him. Thanos, with his purple hair and dark brown eyes, sneered at Myung-gi. "Well, well, well, look what we have here," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "The crypto king, who's now a lowly player." Namgyu, with his greasy black hair and brown eyes, chuckled and added, "Yeah, and he's still got that stupid look on his face." Myung-gi tried to ignore them, but they continued to taunt him. "Hey, crypto guy, how's it feel to be so poor that you have to play these games?" Thanos asked, his voice rising. Myung-gi had had enough. "Please, can you guys just leave me alone? I'm trying to eat," he said, trying to sound polite despite his growing irritation. Thanos smirked and took a handful of Myung-gi's rice, smearing it all over his face. Myung-gi's eyes widened in anger, and he stood up, pushing Thanos. However, before he could react further, Namgyu grabbed him and pushed him to the floor. The two men started kicking and punching Myung-gi, who tried to defend himself but was no match for their strength. Just when it seemed like things were going to get out of hand, a voice boomed across the room. "Enough!" The players stopped fighting, and Myung-gi looked up to see player 001 standing over them. He was an imposing figure, with black hair and almost soulless dark brown eyes. His presence commanded respect, and the room fell silent. "You're disrespecting the elders by fighting in front of them while they eat," player 001 said, his voice firm. "You should be ashamed of yourselves, ganging up on someone like that. It's not honorable." Thanos snorted. "Save the lectures for your kids, grandpa." Player 001's expression turned cold, and he grabbed Thanos's neck, squeezing it tightly. Namgyu tried to intervene, but player 001 kicked him in the shins, causing him to cry out in pain. The two men quickly retreated, admitting defeat. Myung-gi lay on the floor, wincing in pain, expecting another attack. But instead, he felt a hand grab his arm and pull him up. To his surprise, it was player 333's relief that was short lived as the person who helped him up was not anyone he knew and was not part of his group, this was just the beginning of a long and treacherous road ahead.