Jeong-hyuk hung up the phone.
He suddenly remembered the scene in the dormitory—masked men were scanning the ears of the eliminated players.
He ran to the cabinet and started rummaging through it. Then, he slowly picked up a razor blade.
He rushed to the bathroom, stood in front of the mirror, touched his ear, and—gritting his teeth—cut it.
A drop of blood fell onto the bathroom floor.
He took out a small black object from his ear—a tracker.
He threw the tracker into the toilet and flushed it away.
Three years later.
2020.
Park Myeong-woo, like always, stood on a busy street asking passersby if they'd seen his son.
Suddenly, a voice called from afar: "Park Myeong-woo!"
(Park Myeong-woo is the name of Il-hun's father.)
Myeong-woo looked over in shock and said, "Kang Zi-kai?! Wow, long time no see—I thought you were dead!"
Cut to a café.
Myeong-woo asked Zi-kai: "Where've you been these past few years? Ever since you borrowed money from me and I didn't lend it, you just disappeared. I'm really sorry, I was seriously broke back then."
Zi-kai said, "It's fine. Really. As for where I went—you won't believe me. Not just you, no one would."
Myeong-woo joked, "That dramatic, huh? You went to space or something?"
Zi-kai said, "I joined a game. We played children's games—but if you lost, you were killed."
Myeong-woo laughed, "You're nuts. Playing kids' games and getting killed?"
Zi-kai replied, "See? I told you you wouldn't believe me."
Myeong-woo asked, "So how'd you get out?"
Zi-kai said, with sadness in his voice, "I... won. I was the only one... left."
Myeong-woo asked, "So what did you win? Was there a prize?"
Zi-kai said, "45.6 billion won."
Myeong-woo burst out laughing, "45.6 billion?! Man, you're so broke you've gone crazy."
Zi-kai replied, "Believe it or not. Anyway, how have you been?"
Myeong-woo said, "It's been tough. First my son went missing, then my wife killed herself."
Zi-kai's eyes widened in shock, "Your wife committed suicide?!"
Myeong-woo nodded, "Yeah."
Zi-kai said, "I'm so sorry, man. I didn't know."
Myeong-woo replied, "It's okay."
He continued, "Then some strange guy came to me, handed me a billion won, said it was from my son. I kept wondering how the hell my kid made that kind of money."
Zi-kai said, alarmed, "That... game."
Myeong-woo asked, "What?"
Zi-kai continued, "Do you have a strange card at home?"
Myeong-woo asked, "How do you know about that?"
Zi-kai said, "That card... it's—"
Before he could finish, Myeong-woo interrupted, "Hold on, let's... talk next time."
Then he ran out.
Elsewhere, Jeong-hyuk was just about to exit the subway station. Suddenly, Myeong-woo ran up to him.
Myeong-woo shouted, "Tell me where my son is! Why did you give me a billion won? Where did it come from?!"
Jeong-hyuk stared at him seriously.
Meanwhile, a foreigner in the distance was secretly watching Jeong-hyuk.
Cut to Jeong-hyuk's house. He brought Myeong-woo in. Then, Jeong-hyuk explained everything.
Myeong-woo said, "You're telling me my son played a kids' game, lost... and was killed?"
Jeong-hyuk solemnly nodded.
"No way... this can't be real..." Myeong-woo muttered, completely overwhelmed.
Jeong-hyuk said, "That's why I'm still looking for them."
Myeong-woo asked, "Them...?" he paused. "Who?"
Jeong-hyuk answered with firm eyes, "The game's organizers. If we don't find them soon, we'll have to wait another year."
A tear fell from Myeong-woo's eye. "How could this happen...?"
"If you want revenge for your son, join me."
The next day, Jeong-hyuk went to the subway station as usual, sitting next to someone who looked down on their luck.
Just when he thought today would be another failure, the suited man appeared. Enraged, Jeong-hyuk walked up to him.
He grabbed the man by the collar: "Stop doing this sh*t to people. Tell your boss—tell him to end this game!"
Everyone around them stared. Jeong-hyuk let go.
Just then, Zi-kai got off the train.
Zi-kai looked at the suited man. "It's you."
The suited man, realizing the situation, quickly got back on the train.
Jeong-hyuk and Zi-kai locked eyes.
Once again, the foreigner watched Jeong-hyuk from afar.
Cut to Soo-mi's boss driving. Suddenly, her phone rang.
She answered, "Hello? What is it?"
On the other end, Soo-mi said, "Hey, um... just wondering... when will I get paid?"
Her boss replied, "You know how it is—our wedding service business is barely surviving. Fewer weddings in this economy. Once the company gets the payment, I'll settle your wages first."
Then he hung up.
Soo-mi stared at her phone, feeling bitter. She had no income now.
She picked up the card beside her and, looking at the number on the back, made the call.
Elsewhere, Myeong-woo just finished shopping at the market and was heading to the subway.
He saw a group bullying a girl from a distance. He ignored it and walked away.
The girl was shoved violently to the ground.
One of the bullies said to her, "You fat f***ing pig. You shouldn't even exist in this world."
Then they walked off, leaving her in tears on the ground.
Back at Myeong-woo's house, he opened the door and saw Kang Zi-kai inside.
He asked, "Why are you here?"
Jeong-hyuk explained, "He's also a former player."
Just as Zi-kai was about to speak, the doorbell rang.
Jeong-hyuk told the two of them to stay seated while he answered.
He asked at the door, "Who is it?"
No one responded.
He looked down—and saw a familiar card had been slipped in. He flipped it over.
It read,
"Meet at Gwanghwamun Square at midnight."
Jeong-hyuk turned to the two of them.
"We need to convince some cops to come with us to Gwanghwamun Square tonight."
That night, they arrived at the square. It was crowded with people.
Jeong-hyuk and Zi-kai walked together. Myeong-woo followed behind with the police.
Halfway in, Jeong-hyuk spotted a familiar figure in the distance. He chased after him, Zi-kai right behind.
Soon they arrived at a stretch limousine. A masked man opened the door, and they got in.
Inside was a pig-shaped speaker.
Meanwhile, Myeong-woo instructed the police to quietly tail the limo.
The speaker said, "357 and 109, remember? We talked in this car once."
The two men stayed silent.
"I truly hope you live well. I hope you can forget everything and find happiness."
Zi-kai snapped, "Happiness? After watching the people we love die in your fing game? That's your idea of happiness? What a fing joke."
Jeong-hyuk added, "If you want us to be happy, end the game."
"We only created the game. You chose to play it."
Jeong-hyuk shouted furiously, "I said STOP THE GAME—DO YOU HEAR ME?!"
"This world won't change. And the game... will never end."
Myeong-woo, speaking into his earpiece, said, "Begin the plan. We're ready."
After hearing that, Jeong-hyuk spoke to the pig speaker:"Then let us rejoin the game."
"What?"
"I said—let us rejoin the game."
"You really think you're some hero who can change the world?"
Zi-kai said, "To change the world, all it takes... is a few people."
"Well then—have it your way."
Just then, the car filled with knockout gas.
The clock struck midnight.
The Host, from the front seat, said:
"357 and 109, welcome back to the game. Merry Christmas Eve."