Everyone's expression changes drastically.
Carlos turns to Cillian, but he doesn't seem worried at all. Instead, he remains perfectly still, hanging in midair like a lifeless mannequin.
The Sorcerer, though much smaller in size than Ali, proves to be far more agile.
Ali repeatedly lunges at him but misses every time. The Sorcerer's cold, mocking smile only fuels Ali's anger further.
Ali rushes forward again, but as he moves, he notices the Sorcerer's sinister grin widening.
A cold realization strikes him—something is wrong!
Thinking he's triggered another trap, Ali tenses up, bracing for the usual upward force of a springing mechanism. But instead, the opposite happens—
The ground beneath his feet gives way.
Ali loses his balance and falls into a hidden pit. The thin branches covering it snap under his weight, sending him crashing into the trap below.
The pit isn't particularly deep, but the sudden drop catches Ali completely off guard.
He twists his ankle painfully, the crack of bone echoing through the air. He clutches his leg to reduce pain.
Above him, the Assassin smirks from her upside-down position. "Idiot."
"You f*cking lowlife! ¥>€%#"
Standing at the edge of the pit, the Sorcerer crouches down, his wiry frame backlit faintly by the dim forest light.
With his disproportionate head and body, he looks like an eerie cross between an alien and a goblin, exuding an unsettling aura.
"Lucky for you I didn't have time to line the bottom with spikes. Otherwise, you'd already be dead."
Ali, despite his anger, knows better than to lash out from his disadvantaged position. For now, he has to swallow his pride.
The Sorcerer, however, isn't done. He begins tossing sticks and stones into the pit, aiming directly at Ali.
Ali clutches his fists tightly, imagining crushing the Sorcerer's head.
[Live Comments] This is humiliating to watch.
[Live Comments] This game isn't about brute strength—it's all strategy. I'm disappointed in Ali.
[Live Comments] How did this meathead even pass the qualifiers?
The Sorcerer clearly enjoys tormenting Ali, but his gloating is cut short by the sudden rustling of nearby branches.
He freezes and looks up, just in time to see the Assassin cutting herself free from the trap. With a swift motion, she drops gracefully to the ground.
Sensing danger, the Sorcerer lunges forward, knife in hand.
The Assassin meets his advance with a smirk and a well-aimed kick, sending his knife flying into the dense underbrush.
While the Sorcerer scrambles to retrieve it, she takes off, sprinting into the forest.
At the same time, Cillian, still hanging from his trap, raises his body with precision, draws the knife, and slices through the rope binding his ankle.
He falls swiftly, but with the agility of a cat, he lands perfectly on his feet.
Carlos, standing nearby, had instinctively reached out to catch him. Watching his flawless landing, Carlos awkwardly retracts his hands.
Cillian doesn't even glance at him. He straightens up and brushes off the dirt. "Let's move."
[Live Comments] Haha, he caught nothing but air.
[Live Comments] My Warrior is always so cool!
Cillian notices that the Sorcerer has gone after the Assassin, reducing the danger significantly.
"Let's go. I think I know where the giant bird will take flight. We're heading in the right direction."
"Where is it?"
"Up ahead, on an open plain," Cillian glances forward. "The Sorcerer must have figured it out too. That's why he set so many traps here—to catch us all at once."
Carlos suddenly understands.
"Too bad for him, he got greedy."
Plus, would anyone in this game be so easy to kill?
The Sorcerer underestimated everyone.
Meanwhile, the Sorcerer, who was furiously chasing the Assassin, spots two figures running in the distance.
Seeing their direction, panic flashes across his face. Abandoning the chase, he sprints toward the open plain instead.
Cillian and Carlos don't dare to run too quickly, wary of more traps laid by the Sorcerer.
This slows them down considerably.
It doesn't take long before the Sorcerer overtakes them, getting ahead.
At the same time, the Assassin, realizing the true answer, also heads in the same direction.
Only William,the Medic remains stuck, still dangling from the tree. He tries in vain to break the rope, his fingers just barely reaching it, but he lacks the strength to snap it.
Exhausted, he hangs limply.
A slim figure slowly emerges from the shadows.
It's Sue, climbing back from the cliff.
Following the sounds of people, she arrives at the scene. Her instincts tell her something important is happening here.
Without any clues of her own, her pride as a sniper completely strips away.
As she passes by William, he pleads desperately, "Can you help me down?"
Assuming a woman might be more sympathetic than a man, he appeals to her. But he's dead wrong.
Sue glances at him, her eyes cold and filled with murderous intent, sending a shiver down his spine.
She strides over to the pit and looks down, spotting Ali trapped inside. Without hesitation, she points her gun at his head.
Ali panics, his throat tightening. "I'm no threat to you! Don't waste your bullet on me!"
Sue doesn't lower the gun, keeping it aimed squarely at him.
"They've figured out the clue! If you don't catch up now, you'll lose your chance at a top-four spot!"Sweat drips down Ali's temple.
The further back one ranks, the harder the second round will be.
No one serious about clearing the game would waste time here.
Sue quickly holsters her gun and walks away.
Ali curses under his breath, "Damn b*tch!" before struggling to climb out of the pit.
The Sorcerer, knowing the terrain, quickly puts distance between himself and Cillian and Carlos.
The Assassin, meanwhile, follows closely behind the duo.
Cillian glances back, catching sight of the petite girl gaining on them at an alarming speed.
He picks up the pace, but Carlos lags behind. He's not patient and for a moment, he considers leaving Carlos behind to fend for himself.
As the sound of a helicopter's rotor appears, Cillian hears it first.
Almost immediately, everyone in the vicinity notices it too—it's just ahead, past the trees.
The clue becomes clear.
The earth is bathed in moonlight, and a giant bird is preparing to take flight.
Carlos realizes the meaning. "The giant bird— it's the helicopter."
The aircraft that brought them into the game is now their ticket out.
[Live Comments] This is killing me! Who's going to be the first?
[Live Comments] It's gotta be the Sorcerer. He's practically on the helicopter already.
[Live Comments] What's the reward again?
[Live Comments] Faster exit means more time in the next round. The earlier, the better.
[Live Comments] Thanks, genius!
As Cillian breaks through the tree-line, he spots the helicopter, but he also sees someone already climbing aboard.
Just as the figure disappears into the cabin, the system announces:
[System Notification] Congratulations to the Sorcerer for becoming the first contestant to clear the Endless Rainforest. The second round will begin in seven days.
Cillian's heart races, and he picks up his pace, ignoring Carlos entirely.
This is a race against time.
The second departs eight days later—every minute counts. Falling behind could mean losing the game altogether.
The Assassin, now sprinting at full speed, overtakes Carlos with ease.
Carlos, fully aware of his physical limits, doesn't even attempt to outrun her. But as she approaches Cillian, he makes a snap decision.
With a sudden leap, Carlos throws himself at the Assassin.
The is unexpected. She falters, eyes widening in shock as they collide, rolling together in a chaotic tumble across the ground.
Neither has the momentum to recover quickly.
From a distance, Cillian glances back and sees what just happened.
In the moonlit clearing, Carlos's figure is entangled with the Assassin's on the ground, their forms disappearing into the grass. His voice rises above the chaos: "Run!"
Cillian freezes for a split second.
[Live Comments] Damn it, Carlos, I take it back. You're not a wolf in sheep's clothing—you're just a pure, naive sweetheart.
[Live Comments] OMG I feel like crying. I've been watching games for 20 years, and I've never seen anyone like Carlos.
[Live Comment] Are they friends huh?
Cillian finally understands.
Carlos, you're a fool. A genuine fool.
He actually wants to change Satan's game.
He wasn't lying.
But—Cillian wishes he were.
Debts of gratitude are the hardest to repay.
He snaps his head forward, steeling himself. He continues running toward the helicopter.
The closer he gets, the louder the rotor blades roar, the wind whipping wildly through the clearing, flattening the grass beneath his feet.
At the cabin door, the Potato Butler waits with a polite, welcoming smile, as if inviting him home.
Cillian leaps into the helicopter.
[System Notification] Congratulations to the Warrior for becoming the second contestant to clear the Endless Rainforest. The second round will begin in eight days.
Cillian's tense heart still doesn't settle—Carlos hasn't made it aboard yet.
Inside the helicopter, apart from the pilot, sits another one. His build is so small and wiry that he blends into the shadows of the dimly lit cabin.
Cillian's voice is calm but sharp. "Sorcerer."
The man lifts his narrow eyes and smirks. "Warrior," he replies, pronouncing each syllable with deliberate precision. "Thank you for your… lack of mercy."
"You're welcome."
With that, their brief exchange ends, and a silent rivalry begins.
Their glances carry an unspoken promise: the next encounter will be life or death.
Carlos finally appears, limping toward the helicopter. He's injured.
By contrast, the Assassin, who had been running quickly earlier, now moves slower.
Cillian scans her carefully, noticing no visible injuries.
It's obvious—Carlos must have calculated his tackle carefully. Enough to bring her down but not enough to hurt her.
Only he ends up limping from the collision.
The third and fourth contestants are treated equally, with no distinction in benefits.
The Assassin seems aware of this and doesn't rush, since she knows the others are still far behind.
Her face, smeared with mud and paint, reveals no expression. But her eyes tell a different story: they're cold, filled with disdain, rebellion, and a touch of apathy.
Carlos, standing by the cabin door, waits for her to board first. The Assassin glares at him but bends to enter.
"Sorry."
"Shut up!"
She stares at him for a long moment. Then, hearing footsteps approaching from afar, she enters without any word.
As Carlos moves to follow, she suddenly spins, ready to kick him off the helicopter.
Her leg, however, is stopped mid-air. A firm hand grips it, forcing it back down.
The Assassin turns to see Cillian, his grip unyielding.
"The system announcement hasn't been made yet," Cillian warns, "Now's not the time to act out, unless you want me to throw you out instead."
Confusion flickers in the Assassin's eyes.
Why are they helping each other?
In this game, are there even friends?
She doesn't reply but quietly obeys, taking her seat. Carlos boards the cabin without further incident.
[System Notification] Congratulations to the Assassin and Strategist for clearing the Endless Rainforest.
[System Notification] The Boxer, Sniper, and Medic failed to clear the Endless Rainforest. The second round will begin in ten days.
As the broadcast ends, the helicopter door begins to close.
Sue, still running under the moonlight, slows to a halt. She can only watch helplessly as the helicopter ascends into the sky, carrying the victors of the first round away.
The live broadcast shifts away from the dim rainforest and displays the game's leaderboard rankings.
[Today's Bet Rankings]
1. Sorcerer
2. Warrior
3. Assassin
4. Strategist
5. Boxer
6. Sniper
7. Medic