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As the blinding light faded, Gi-hun, Sang-woo, and Ji-young realized they were standing in a familiar place.
They were back at the starting point of the Squid Game, in the 'Red Light, Green Light' game arena with the giant doll.
"Did we... come back to the beginning?"
Ji-young asked with a trembling voice.
Gi-hun looked around.
Everything was the same, but something was different.
The faces of the participants were unfamiliar, and their eyes held a deeper sense of despair.
"No,"
Sang-woo muttered.
"This is a new game. Not the one we knew..."
Then the Front Man's voice boomed:
"Welcome, everyone. You made a special choice and as a result, you've come here. The rules of this game are simple. Survive. And choose."
Gi-hun's eyes widened.
He realized the essence of this game.
"This isn't just a survival game. Our choices are changing the future."
A murmur arose among the participants.
They looked confused, and some were already terrified.
"We will now start the first game,"
the Front Man continued.
"The rules are as you know them. But this time, there's a slight change."
The giant doll's eyes began to glow red.
At that moment, electronic anklets attached to all participants activated.
"Your anklets detect your bio-signals. If you're caught moving, the anklet will activate and you'll be eliminated."
A wave of fear swept through the participants.
The game began.
As the doll's song echoed, participants slowly started to move forward.
Gi-hun looked at Sang-woo and Ji-young.
Determination was set in their eyes.
"We need to move together,"
Gi-hun said softly.
"Watching out for each other."
They carefully took steps.
Around them, the sound of some participants being eliminated for accidentally moving could already be heard.
As the game reached its climax, suddenly a participant shouted,
"This is a trap! We're all going to die!"
At those words, some participants began to waver.
In the confusion, more people were eliminated.
Gi-hun quickly assessed the situation.
"Everyone, stay calm!"
he shouted.
"If we work together, we can survive!"
Some participants heeded his words.
Gi-hun exercised leadership, trying to stabilize people.
As the game neared its end, less than half of the participants had survived.
Gi-hun, Sang-woo, and Ji-young barely survived, but deep scars remained on their faces.
"Now, it's time to choose,"
the Front Man's voice echoed again.
"There are two doors in front of you.
One is 'O', the other is 'X'.
If you choose 'O', you'll continue the game.
If you choose 'X', you'll be eliminated.
But be careful.
Your choice doesn't simply determine your individual fate.
It can change the future of this game, and further, the future of the world."
The participants were confused.
Some immediately headed for 'X', while others hesitated.
Gi-hun looked at Sang-woo and Ji-young.
"What should we do?"
Sang-woo said,
"Hyung, if we want to end this game, we need to continue. We should choose 'O'."
Ji-young hesitated.
"But it's too dangerous. We could die."
Gi-hun took a deep breath.
"That's right. But if we leave here, what will happen to the others? We need to end this game."
They looked at each other.
And slowly, but with confident steps, they walked towards the 'O' door.
As the door opened and they entered, a new space unfolded.
There was a large circular table, with buttons at each seat.
The Front Man's voice was heard again.
"Congratulations. You've advanced to the next stage. The name of this game is 'Trust and Betrayal'."
The participants sat down with tense expressions.
"The rules are simple,"
the Front Man continued.
"In each round, you can choose to ally or betray.
If you ally, you'll share points.
If you betray, you can gain more points.
But be careful.
If everyone chooses to betray, everyone will be eliminated."
Gi-hun realized the meaning of this game.
This wasn't just a survival game.
It was testing human nature, trust and betrayal, and the consequences of choices.
The game began.
In the first round, most participants cautiously chose to ally.
But as the rounds progressed, the temptation to betray grew.
Gi-hun, Sang-woo, and Ji-young looked at each other.
They made a silent promise.
They decided to maintain their alliance until the end.
But as the game progressed, the situation became more complex.
Some participants began to betray each other, and tension escalated.
In the fifth round, Sang-woo suddenly said,
"Hyung, if we continue like this, we'll all die. One of us needs to betray."
Gi-hun was shocked.
"What are you saying? We made a promise."
Complex emotions were evident in Sang-woo's eyes.
"I know. But this is a game. One of us needs to survive to end this game."
Ji-young interjected.
"No! We agreed to go together."
Amidst the rising tension, the final round began.
Gi-hun fell into deep contemplation. His finger trembled over the button.
At that moment, suddenly an alarm sounded.
The Front Man's voice urgently announced,
"Warning! An outside intruder has been detected. All games are temporarily suspended."
In the confusion, Gi-hun's eyes widened.
'Jun-ho, you've come...'
He quickly made a decision.
"Everyone, listen!"
he shouted.
"This is our chance. If we work together, we can end this game!"
The participants looked confused but listened to Gi-hun's words.
"Until now, we've distrusted and betrayed each other.
But that's what they want.
If we truly want to win, we need to work together."
Sang-woo and Ji-young looked at Gi-hun.
Determination was set in their eyes.
"Now,"
Gi-hun said.
"It's time to make our choice."
The participants looked at each other.
And slowly, one by one, they pressed the alliance button.
At that moment, something amazing happened.
The table suddenly opened, revealing a secret passage underneath.
"Quickly!"
Gi-hun shouted.
"Let's all go together!"
The participants helped each other down the passage.
They had now become one team.
When they reached the end of the passage, they witnessed an astonishing sight.
There was a massive control room, with numerous monitors showing scenes from other game arenas.
"This is... the central control room of the Squid Game,"
Sang-woo said.
Gi-hun spoke with a determined expression.
"Now it's our turn to end this game."
At that moment, the door opened and the Front Man entered.
Behind him stood Jun-ho, holding a gun.
"Surprising,"
the Front Man said.
"You've made a truly unexpected choice."
Gi-hun glared at the Front Man.
"It's over now. We're going to reveal the truth about this game."
The Front Man slowly removed his mask.
A smile played on his face.
"Congratulations,"
he said.
"You are the true winners of the game."
Everyone looked at him with surprised expressions.
"Was all of this... a test?"
Ji-young asked.
The Front Man nodded.
"That's right.
The true purpose of this game was to observe human choices and their consequences.
And you've shown results beyond our expectations."
Gi-hun looked confused.
"Then all the deaths and suffering... what was it for?"
The Front Man's expression turned serious.
"We conducted this experiment for the future of humanity.
To find out what choices humans make in extreme situations,
and what consequences those choices bring."
Jun-ho stepped forward.
"Still, this is too cruel. You'll have to face legal judgment."
The Front Man smiled.
"The law? We're already above the law. This game is being conducted with the consent of world powers."
Everyone was shocked.
Gi-hun clenched his fists.
"Still... this needs to end. There should be no more sacrifices."
The Front Man fell into thought for a moment, then spoke.
"Alright. If you wish, I'll give you a chance to end this game.
But before that, you need to make one last choice."
He pulled out a device with a button.
"If you press this button, all game arenas will explode.
All evidence will disappear, but so will the people still participating in the game.
On the other hand, if you don't press it,
the game will continue, and you'll be free to live affluent lives. The choice is yours."
Gi-hun, Sang-woo, Ji-young, and the other participants looked at each other.
This would be their final choice.
Gi-hun slowly stepped forward.
His hand rose over the button.
Everyone's gaze was focused on him.
"We..."
Gi-hun said.
"We need to prevent any more sacrifices."
His finger descended towards the button.
At that moment, Sang-woo grabbed his arm.
"Wait, hyung."
Determination was set in Sang-woo's eyes.
"Pressing this button won't end everything. The real organizers of this game will still be alive."
Ji-young nodded.
"That's right. If we truly want to end this game, we need to survive and reveal the truth to the world."
Gi-hun hesitated for a moment.
Complex emotions swirled in his mind.
"But... what about all the sacrifices so far?"
he asked.
Jun-ho stepped forward.
"As a police officer, I promise you. If we reveal this fact to the world, we can surely achieve justice."
The Front Man watched this scene with a smile.
"Interesting. I'm curious about your choice."
Gi-hun took a deep breath.
And slowly lowered his hand.
"We will end this game,"
he said.
"But not by explosion, but by revealing the truth."
The Front Man applauded.
"An excellent choice. You've truly exceeded our expectations."
He put down the device.
"Now, you're free. But remember.
The world is far more complex and dark than you think.
We'll be watching to see what consequences your choices bring."
Gi-hun and the other participants looked at each other.
Determination and anxiety were mixed in their eyes.
They knew this wasn't the end, but a new beginning.
"Well,"
Gi-hun said.
"Now our real game has begun. The game of changing the world."
They left the control room together.
Although they knew the challenges and dangers that awaited them, their steps were firm.