**Chapter 2: Alliances and Deceptions**

As they began to speak, their voices were hushed, their words barely audible over the sound of the fluorescent lights humming overhead. But in that moment, they were alone, two desperate souls bound together by their desire to survive. Sang-woo took a deep breath and began to outline his proposal, his words spilling out in a rapid, urgent stream. "We need to form an alliance," he said, his eyes locked on Sae-byeok's. "We can work together to gather information, to strategize, and to take down the other contestants. With your skills as a pickpocket and my... experience, I think we can make a formidable team." Sae-byeok listened intently, her expression unreadable. But Sang-woo could see the wheels turning in her mind, could sense her weighing the pros and cons of forming an alliance with him. As he spoke, he noticed that she seemed to be studying him, her eyes flicking to his face and then away, as if searching for any hidden motives. When he finished speaking, she nodded thoughtfully. "I'm in," she said, her voice low and smooth. "But I have one condition: we need to agree to eliminate each other if one of us becomes a liability." Sang-woo hesitated, his mind racing with the implications of her proposal. But he knew that in this game, mercy was a luxury they couldn't afford. He nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. "I agree," he said, his voice firm. As they shook hands, sealing their alliance, Sang-woo felt a spark of hope ignite within him. Maybe, just maybe, they could survive this twisted game after all. But as he looked into Sae-byeok's eyes, he saw a glint of something there, a hint of deception that made him wonder if he had just made a deal with the devil herself. The sound of the guards' footsteps echoed through the dormitory once again, signaling the start of the next game. Sang-woo and Sae-byeok exchanged a glance, their faces set with determination. They knew what was at stake, and they were ready to do whatever it took to survive. As they made their way to the game area, Sang-woo noticed that the other contestants were gathering, their faces pale and frightened. The game, it seemed, was going to be a particularly gruesome one. The emcee, a tall, slender man with a twisted grin, stood on the stage, a microphone in hand. "Welcome, contestants, to the next round of the game," he said, his voice dripping with sadistic pleasure. "Today, you will play a game of trust. You will be paired up, and one of you will be blindfolded. The other will guide their partner through a obstacle course, using only verbal instructions. The catch? The obstacle course is filled with hazards, and one wrong move could be fatal." Sang-woo felt a shiver run down his spine as he watched the other contestants being paired up. He glanced at Sae-byeok, and saw that she was watching him, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint. "Looks like we're going to have to trust each other," she said, her voice low and husky. Sang-woo smiled, a sense of foreboding settling in the pit of his stomach. "Let's just hope we make it out alive," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. As they were paired up and led to the obstacle course, Sang-woo couldn't shake the feeling that he was walking into a trap. But with Sae-byeok by his side, he felt a sense of determination that he hadn't felt in days. They were in this together, and they would do whatever it took to survive.