Click!
The cell door creaked open. I stepped forward.
A spacious hall lay before me, lined with surveillance cameras in every direction. In the center stood a large round table surrounded by fifteen chairs, like a ritual waiting to begin.
I wore a brown prison uniform, a tag reading "009" pinned to my chest. A guard approached, unlocking my handcuffs and shackles. Without a word, he snapped a cold metal collar around my neck. A small green light flickered on. The icy sensation made me shiver. I slowly raised my hands as the guard thoroughly searched me for contraband.
Yes, I was a prisoner. Two years ago, I made a mistake. And I ended up here.
"Here. Take this. You may enter now." The guard handed me a device that looked like a phone. I took it and walked into the hall without looking back.
I picked a chair and sat. My eyes scanned the room. Several guards stood silently around us, watching our every move with a chilling indifference.
"Hey, there you are!" A familiar voice called out behind me.
"Yo, Kevin," I said as I turned. It was my cellmate. Ever since I was sent here, Kevin had been assigned to my cell. Friendly and kind, he'd taken care of me since day one. Over time, he became my closest friend.
"Nervous? I haven't seen the sea in forever. Can't believe we actually got selected for the Werewolf Game!" Kevin said, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Yeah..." I glanced at the large TV on the wall. A wolf's head logo appeared on screen, with bold letters reading "WEREWOLF."
Ever since I arrived at this prison, the game had been the talk of the place. No matter where I went, someone would be whispering about it.
After nearly a month of hearing rumors, I finally caved in to curiosity. One day at lunch, I sat across from Kevin and asked in a low voice, "So... what exactly is this Werewolf Game?"
"You're curious, huh?" Kevin grinned, clearly waiting for that question. "Well, it's a game that only exists in this prison. It's held once every three years. The rules are similar to the regular Werewolf party game, but here's the catch—if you win, you're granted freedom. Every crime wiped clean, plus a massive payout to help you restart your life."
He paused for a moment, a shadow crossing his face. "But it's not easy to get in. Tons of people apply every time, and getting picked is pure luck."
I said nothing, but something sparked inside me. I began scarfing down my meal like a man possessed.
"I'm done. Heading back," I muttered as I stood up and left.
Back in my cell, I collapsed onto my bed and pulled out a battered diary. Opening to the first page, I carefully slid out a photo—me, my wife, and my daughter, smiling at the park. My fingers brushed over my daughter's tiny face. Tears welled in my eyes. Guilt, regret, longing… all of it came rushing back.
I'd never cared for the Werewolf Game. In fact, I'd never played it—not even once. I only remembered my daughter enjoying it when she was younger. But at that moment, I made up my mind.
I would enter the game. I would win. I would go home and fulfill my daughter's dream.
"Stop! Any more and you're out of the game!" A sharp voice yanked me out of my memories.
I turned to see a commotion. A woman stood with her arms outstretched, shielding a man on the floor. Her eyes burned with defiance. Facing her was a towering man with a cruel sneer, a tattooed brute with a lackey behind him. A guard gripped the man's wrist tightly—he had clearly intervened.
"Tch. I don't hit women. You're lucky today. Let's go," the thug spat, shaking off the guard and storming off with his follower.
The woman finally lowered her arms and turned to the man she had protected. "Are you okay? Don't worry, he's gone now."
"Y-yeah… thank you," the man stammered, patting the ground in search of his glasses.
I watched the thug disappear into the crowd and leaned toward Kevin. "Who's that guy?"
Kevin frowned. "Oh, that's Shura. Some gang boss. Real piece of work. The guy with him is his lapdog—Ron."
I frowned. That's trouble.
My eyes drifted back to the woman. Her courage had made an impression. I didn't know the first thing about this game, but if I wanted to survive, I needed reliable allies. And she seemed like the best place to start.
I stood up and walked over. Picking up the man's glasses, I handed them to him and asked, "Are you alright?"
"Th-thank you," he replied, still shaken.
The woman glanced at me and gave a warm smile, nodding politely.
"I'm Aaron," I said, seizing the moment. "What you did earlier was incredible. Honestly, this is my first time playing this game, and I have no idea what I'm doing. Would you consider teaming up?"
She laughed softly. "I'm Lucy. I'm looking for allies myself. Sure—let's stick together."
"Great. Let's win this thing. How about you?" I turned to the man. "Want to join us?"
"Sure. It's my first time too," he replied, adjusting his glasses.
"Mind telling me your name?"
"Minghao," he said.
"Alright, let me introduce you to a friend of mine." I led them over to Kevin.
"This is Kevin, my cellmate. Kevin, this is Lucy and Minghao. We're a team now."
"Nice to meet you both," Kevin said, waving. "Let's watch each other's backs."
"Likewise," Lucy replied with a smile.
"Can you tell me what just happened back there?" Kevin asked.
"It was terrible," Lucy said with a frown. "That guy forced Minghao to help him find gold coins. Minghao refused, of course, and the guy got so mad he pushed him to the ground. I couldn't just watch, so I stepped in to protect him."
"Gold coins?" I muttered, eyebrows furrowed.
"Wow, you're really brave for a girl!" Kevin said, impressed.
"Haha, no, no. Don't tease me," Lucy replied with an embarrassed laugh, her cheeks turning bright red.
"The Werewolf game is about to begin. All participants, please find your designated seats based on your number."
A voice suddenly echoed from the speakers, cutting off our conversation. That's when I noticed every chair had a number on the back. Mine was "009." I glanced at Kevin's chest—his was "003."
I saw everyone heading to their assigned seats. I quickly followed suit and sat down on chair "009." Coincidentally, Lucy sat right next to me—her number was "008."
I scanned the room. Minghao was "014." That gang leader was "005"—his eyes still as menacing as ever. His sidekick was "007," and he looked a bit worn out. One participant in particular caught my attention—number "015." He had been sitting there silently since I walked into the hall, unmoving, with a cold and unreadable expression. The others looked relaxed, as if they'd played Werewolf dozens of times. The atmosphere was making me nervous.
Suddenly, the lights dimmed. The system voice spoke again:
"Let us now explain the game rules. It's simple: if your faction wins, you'll all regain your freedom. But your bonus depends on how many gold coins you collect during the night phase—the more coins, the bigger the reward. Killing any player during the game is strictly forbidden and will result in disqualification.
This round includes the following roles: two Werewolves, one Wolf King, one White Wolf King, one Blood Wolf, a Witch, a Seer, a Hunter, a Guardian, a Knight, a Jester, a Sorcerer, and three Villagers. Each player may use their skill only once per night. You may now check your identity with your Skill Device. The game begins shortly!"
Almost everyone picked up their electronic devices at the same time to check their roles. I turned mine on, and a wolf head icon—identical to the one on the big screen—appeared. I tapped it, and a role card popped up. I stared at it, my brows furrowing unconsciously.
I looked up, trying to read the expressions of the other players. Maybe I could tell who the Werewolves were. Kevin looked a bit confused as he stared at his device. Then I glanced over at Shura—he had that smug grin again. Maybe it was what he did earlier, but I couldn't help suspecting he was one of the wolves. Number "015" remained still, expressionless after checking his screen.
"Night falls. The Werewolf Game… officially begins! Good luck! Awoooo—!"
The system's announcement ended with a dramatic wolf howl that genuinely startled me. I wasn't expecting the prison to go all out like this. But what shocked me even more was when the wall beneath the big screen began to rise. As it lifted inch by inch, colorful lights spilled through the cracks, slowly illuminating the entire hall. Everyone was visibly excited, eager to see what lay beyond.
When the wall was fully raised, a massive Ferris wheel came into view.
Everyone stood up in excitement, practically running toward it. I put away my Skill Device and quickly followed.
"Whoa!"
"No way!"
"Are we really playing Werewolf right now?"
Voices of amazement and cheers rang in my ears. When I saw what was beyond the wall, I was speechless too. It was a massive amusement park. I'd been in this prison for two years and never once heard there was such a place hidden inside.
Everyone seemed to forget about the "game" entirely, running like kids toward the rides. I saw Kevin and Minghao starting to get caught up in the excitement too, so I quickly pulled them aside.
"Don't forget why we're here. It's chaos out there—this is when the Werewolves might strike."
"Aaron's right," Lucy agreed. "We should find a safe spot to hide for now and plan our next move later."
"Yeah," I nodded.
We slipped into a props shed nearby. It was filled with random parts, tools, and colorful balloons. I closed the door most of the way, leaving only a small gap so we could peek out and keep an eye on what was going on outside.
"This should be safe enough. Let's talk about what we'll do next," I whispered, still holding the door handle. But no one replied.
I turned around—and nearly had a heart attack.
A wolf mask was just two centimeters from my face, staring right at me.
"AAAH!"
Kevin burst out laughing as he pulled the mask off his head. Lucy saw my expression and doubled over, laughing too.
"Are you serious?! I nearly died of fright!" I snatched the mask from his hands and tossed it aside, scolding him through gritted teeth. "And stop laughing! If someone hears us, we're screwed!"
"Sorry, I've just been locked up so long—I forgot how fun pranks can be," Kevin said with a grin, picking the mask back up.
"You…" I trailed off. Deep down, I was hit with a wave of bittersweet emotion. I hadn't played a silly prank like that in ages—not since before I was separated from my daughter.
Snapping back to reality, I suddenly realized someone was missing.
"Wait… where's Minghao?" I turned my head and saw him crouching at the door, eyes fixed on the amusement park beyond.
"Minghao, what are you doing over there?" I asked.
"It's so beautiful," he said softly, still staring out. "I haven't been to an amusement park in so long."
"I get it. But right now, our top priority is winning this game. Once we win and get our freedom back, we'll go spend a whole night at a real amusement park together," I said, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Together." Kevin and Lucy nodded in agreement.
"Really?" Minghao looked up at me, eyes full of hope and determination.
"Really." I nodded with confidence.