I slowly opened my eyes, feeling groggy. But instead of my familiar bedroom, I was met with the sight of a strange room.
"Huh...?" Everything had been normal when I fell asleep. 'Could it be... I've been kidnapped?'
The thought jolted me awake, instantly putting me on high alert. I resisted the urge to sit up, narrowing my eyes to observe my surroundings as discreetly as possible.
It looked like a warehouse—a wide, open room around fifty square meters, with no windows. A massive LCD screen, probably over 80 inches, was mounted on the wall.
In front of the TV was a small coffee table, with a few bottles of mineral water on it. Apart from that, the room only had a single couch, and four people lying unconscious around the edges of the room. They all seemed to be asleep.
Frowning, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu. 'Is this some kind of kidnapping? Or have I been pulled into some sort of military exercise? A government operation, maybe? Or even...'
"People really are more deceiving than they seem. Who would've thought a regular student would be the first to wake up—and even have the presence of mind to feign sleep and observe the surroundings? Such alertness is rare."
'Who's there?' A sudden, mechanical voice spoke in my ear. Though it didn't address me by name, it was clearly directed at me. Trying to keep a low profile, I pretended not to hear it, hoping to play dead a little longer.
"Impressive self-control, Lucas Morningstar, but there's no need for such caution. As the first to awaken and someone who's managed to impress me, I can grant you a small reward."
With that much said, I knew I couldn't keep pretending. Reluctantly, I sat up and looked toward the source of the voice—the TV on the wall. "Who are you? Why did you bring me here? Look, if you've got something to say, I'm willing to negotiate."
I spoke cautiously. The screen remained pitch-black, but the voice responded, "I am the one overseeing this assessment. Ahead of you are a series of challenges. They may be puzzles requiring keen insight, tasks demanding agility, or choices that will test your courage."
"Of course, for every challenge, there are rewards. If you can clear each stage successfully, we'll talk about rewards later. For now, your only concern should be how to make it through."
'Damn' I cursed inwardly. Seems like one of the worst-case scenarios—a psycho dragging us into some twisted game. Or maybe... it's an endless survival game? I couldn't tell which situation was worse.
"Um, this assessment… will we be graded on an absolute scale or a relative one? There are five people in this room. Are we the only participants, or are there more? Are we competing against each other, or are we working together?"
The voice replied, "Smart question. This assessment measures individual performance. Since I offered you a reward, I'll clarify: some tests will be individual while others will require teamwork. And where there's teamwork, comparisons are inevitable. Those comparisons will impact your overall score."
I absorbed this information, then asked one last question. "So, is this test dangerous? Are there more assessments after this? What's the ultimate purpose?"
The voice fell silent for a moment, then answered, " Nothing is dangerous, the danger lies in your actions. I can only say that risks do exist. As for the purpose, you'll understand it once you clear the game. The answer to the puzzle is only revealed at the end."
'So, the game is just beginning. Got it.'
"Right… I should fall back asleep then, since the others will wake up soon."
With that, I found a natural position to lie down again. After a moment's hesitation, I muttered, "Uh, thanks for the info… I'll try not to waste it." With that, I turned my head and pretended to lose consciousness.
After about a minute, I heard movement. Suppressing the urge to open my eyes, I focused on the sounds around me: the rustle of clothing, faint groans, and finally, a shocked female voice.
"Wh-where is this? Who are you? What's going on?"
I nodded inwardly. Based on what the voice had said, waking up first seemed to imply some kind of advantage.
I wondered if it indicated potential, or something else entirely. Either way, it had surprised our mysterious overseer. So, if no one else is faking it, the person who just spoke must be the second-best performer here. Judging by the voice, she's a young woman.
"Uh... wha? Where am I? What is this place?" A male voice chimed in. Apart from me, he seemed to be the only other man here—probably no older than thirty.
"Who are you people? Where am I? I don't have any money on me." Another voice—a younger girl's, probably one of the two female students—joined in, while the last woman remained silent. It seemed like the right time for me to wake up, so I slowly opened my eyes.
Feigning surprise, I sat up and took in the room's occupants. Closest to me were two girls in school uniforms. One had fair skin and delicate features, with a bit of a sad look in her eyes—not exactly beautiful, but she had a certain appeal.
The other had deep red hair, large eyes, and striking eyebrows—a real head-turner. If she hadn't been wearing a school uniform, I would've taken her for a confident office worker. If I wasn't mistaken, they looked like students from the city's No.17 High School.
I was seated closest to the coffee table and TV, while the two high schoolers sat near the corner of the wall, whispering to each other. Although the red-haired girl looked slightly scared, her gaze was sharp, often sizing up the others in the room.
The second man, who had spoken earlier, was leaning against the wall behind the couch, eyeing us warily. He looked to be in his twenties, dressed in a neat black suit with a short, buzzed haircut—a look that gave him a practiced edge. Though his gaze was cautious, I noticed it kept drifting toward the last woman in the room.
She sat directly across from me, her beauty so striking that she almost seemed like an illusion. Heart-shaped face, almond eyes, fair skin, and cherry-red lips—she was a true femme fatale. And then there was her attire: a stylish gray business suit, white shirt, and a pale brown vest that only accentuated her incredible figure. Her curves were nearly overwhelming, balanced by long, slender legs wrapped in black stockings. Just seeing her made me nearly break character. Thankfully, my sense of caution held me back.
On the surface, it was a professional outfit, but on her, all I could see was a big 'Temptress' written with pink lipsticks and cupid. I couldn't help swallowing.
Silently, I thought, 'Damn… a beauty like this? You only see women like her on screen. I don't think I've ever seen someone this stunning in real life. Just what kind of test is this? And why all these wildly different people?'
Seeing the awkward atmosphere hanging over the room, I considered whether to start a conversation.
But suddenly, the TV flickered on, displaying something that felt all too familiar—and that I very much wished I didn't have to see. An eerie puppet with painted white skin and red circles on its cheeks appeared on the screen.
After surveying the room, it spoke. "Welcome to your first test. I am the examiner. Ahead, you will face a series of challenges designed to test your abilities and character. If you want to escape, do your best to excel. Don't think about breaking the rules or attempting to leave before the test ends. Anyone who violates the rules will be punished, while those who pass will be rewarded. The better your performance, the greater your rewards. This is a fair game."
The puppet raised a hand and pointed to the reinforced door near the bombshell beauty. "Now, you may leave this room to begin your trial."
With that, the TV switched off. We exchanged looks, processing the message. Meanwhile, my mind was cursing up a storm: 'Damn, isn't this just like "Saw" ? Isn't that "Jigsaw"? What is this—a psycho kidnapping us for torture or some twisted survival game?'
The bombshell beauty spoke up, gesturing toward the door. "I tried it earlier. It was locked from the outside. If that... puppet was telling the truth, it should be unlocked now."
The young man chimed in, "I recognize that puppet. It's the one the villain uses in the horror movie Saw." He gave a nervous laugh, fear evident in his voice. "If a lunatic is copying that movie, we're probably in for some gruesome games. Have any of you seen it?"
Gruesome games? Not necessarily. If the earlier voice wasn't lying, it did say the test wouldn't be dangerous unless we brought trouble on ourselves. If it were a psycho copying Saw, there'd be no reason to add so many extra rules.
Besides, the puppet's voice didn't match the other voice. I checked my pockets and found only my phone—no wallet, and I wasn't even wearing socks or shoes, just slippers. Just then, the red-haired girl spoke up, "I've seen Saw. That puppet is definitely from the movie. But I don't think this is a copycat situation."
"Oh?" I turned to her, curious about her reasoning.
"We're classmates. We were in study hall. I remember I was dozing off in the classroom, and she was still at school. If this was the work of some lunatic kidnapper, there's no way they'd have the power to snatch us out of a crowded campus classroom. That would require either impossible influence or... some kind of supernatural ability." She gestured toward her classmate as she spoke.
Her words made me frown.