A New Player in the Game

The ferry engine hummed quietly as Seong Gi-hun stood at the railing, staring out at the dark sea. His mind was full of thoughts. It had been a year since he left the Squid Game, but the memories still haunted him. The faces of the people who died-Sang-woo, Sae-byeok, Ali.

Now he was going back, not as a player, but with a mission: to end the game forever.

When the ferry stopped, guards with masks led him into a cold room. A green tracksuit with the number 456 on it was waiting for him.

"I'm not here to play," Gi-hun said firmly. "Take me to the person in charge."

The guards didn't say a word, just pointed at the suit. With a sigh, Gi-hun put it on. It felt heavy, like the past was weighing on hsang-woo ummu

The main hall was full of players, all looking scared and confused. Gi-hun saw their faces-desperate, unsure.

"Back again, huh?" a voice said.

Gi-hun turned to see an older man sitting on a cot. His hair was gray, and his tracksuit had the number 001.

"What do you want?" Gi-hun asked.

"You don't look afraid like the others," the man said with a small smile.

"I'm not here for the money," Gi-hun replied, not looking at him.

"Then why are you here?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow.

Before Gi-hun could respond, a voice from the loudspeaker echoed through the hall, announcing the start of the first game.

The First Game

The players were taken outside to a large field. Gi-hun's stomach tightened as he saw the game setup: Red Light, Green Light.

The giant doll stood at the far end, its face frozen in a fake smile.

The game started. The moment the signal was given, chaos spread. Players ran too soon, and the loud sound of gunshots followed.

Gi-hun froze, focusing hard. Each time the doll's head turned, he held his breath. He moved cautiously, step by step, waiting for the green light to flash again.

When he reached the finish line, his heart was racing, his hands shaking.

Beside him, Player 001 crossed calmly, his face relaxed.

"Not bad," 001 said with a small smirk.

"You don't even look worried," Gi-hun muttered, confused by how calm 001 was.

"Should I be?" 001 replied with a chuckle.

Gi-hun's suspicion grew. There was something strange about this man.

A Growing Suspicion

That night, Gi-hun couldn't sleep. The events of the day kept running through his mind. His thoughts went back to Player 001.

Unable to stop himself, Gi-hun got up and walked over to 001's cot. The man was reading a small notebook.

"What are you writing?" Gi-hun asked.

"Just some thoughts," 001 replied without looking up.

"About surviving?"

"Something like that," 001 said casually.

"You're too calm," Gi-hun said, not able to hold back.

"Am I?" 001 closed his notebook and looked up, his eyes sharp. "You seem to be the one who's nervous."

Gi-hun felt a chill run through him. He couldn't figure out why this man felt so different from the others.

The Start of Something Strange

The next few days passed with more games. Gi-hun and 001 were paired up several times. Despite Gi-hun's distrust, he couldn't deny that 001 was clever and always seemed to know what to do.

"You keep saving me," Gi-hun said one evening.

"Maybe I like you," 001 replied with a small smile.

Gi-hun didn't know what to say. It was strange. He didn't know why, but 001 had a way of making him feel less alone in a place that felt empty and dangerous.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***