**Chapter 1: The Unfamiliar Invitation**

Jongwoo walked to the location given to him by the strange man, the late night air casting an eerie gloom over the deserted streets. He had received a mysterious message a few days ago, inviting him to a "business opportunity" that promised to solve all his financial woes. Jongwoo had been struggling to make ends meet ever since his crypto influencer career went sour, and he had accumulated a massive debt. The message had seemed like a lifeline, and he had agreed to meet the mysterious sender at this exact spot at this exact time. As he waited, the only sound being the distant hum of traffic, Jongwoo couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. He looked around, but the streets were empty, and the only light came from the faint glow of streetlights. Eventually, a van pulled up, and Jongwoo got in, taking a seat among a group of strangers who were all fast asleep. One of the masked men, dressed in a pink outfit with a circular symbol on his mask, closed the door behind him, and the van drove off. Jongwoo soon found himself succumbing to the sleeping gas that filled the van, and when he woke up, he was disoriented and groggy. The sound of blaring children's music and the cacophony of complaints and screams assaulted his ears, and he was blinded by the bright fluorescent lights. As his eyes adjusted, he took in the sight before him: hundreds of people in matching green tracksuits, all with numbers emblazoned on their chests, stood or sat in a large room that resembled a warehouse. The walls were made of white brick, with tall bunked beds lining every wall except the one directly in front of Jongwoo. The beds towered up to seven high, and Jongwoo's own bed, which he was lying on, was stiff and uncomfortable, with a thin blanket that offered little comfort. As he stood up, he realized that somebody had changed him into the green tracksuit, and his eyes landed on the number 333 emblazoned on his chest. A shiver ran down his spine as he noticed the proximity of his number to his old apartment number at Eden, 303. He shrugged it off, attributing it to mere coincidence, but his eyes lingered on the bracelet on his wrist, a gift from a serial killer he had encountered years ago. The bracelet, made from teeth, was a grim reminder of his past, and he had kept it as a morbid memento. As he looked around, arguments broke loose throughout the crowd, and a guard, dressed in a pink outfit with a triangular symbol on his mask, stepped onto the stage on the bed-less wall. The guard's voice boomed through the room, "Silence! You will all have a chance to speak and ask questions later. For now, listen carefully, as the rules of the game will be explained." The room fell silent, with all eyes fixed on the guard. Jongwoo's mind was racing, trying to process the situation and the rules of this mysterious game. He noticed a few people around him, including a tall, imposing figure with long black hair and brown eyes, who seemed to be watching him with interest. There was also a young woman with shoulder-length black hair and brown eyes, who looked familiar, but Jongwoo couldn't quite place her. The guard continued to speak, "Welcome, players, to the game. You will compete in a series of challenges, and the last one standing will win. The games will be played in a series of rounds, and each round will eliminate some of you. The rules will be explained in detail, but for now, let us begin with the first game." As the guard finished speaking, the room erupted into chaos, with players shouting questions and demands. Jongwoo looked around, trying to make sense of the situation, and that's when he saw him - a man with dark brown hair and brown eyes, who seemed to be watching him with an unnerving intensity. Jongwoo felt a shiver run down his spine as their eyes met, and he wondered if he had seen this man before. The man's gaze lingered on Jongwoo for a moment, before he turned away, and Jongwoo was left with more questions than answers. What was this game, and what were the stakes? Who was this man, and why did he seem to know Jongwoo? Jongwoo's mind was racing, as he tried to make sense of the situation, and he knew that he had to be careful if he wanted to survive this game.