Kang No-eul

Ever since No-eul joined the games as a guard, she had always been under the orders of a figure in a black suit. She never saw his face, only heard that dry, firm voice that commanded obedience. She was convinced it was a man.

That night, after distributing food to the players, a guard approached her with a disturbing message: the "boss" wanted to see her. In her mind, No-eul had no doubt about the reason. Perhaps they had discovered the brutality of the games, destroying everything without mercy... She said nothing. She walked purposefully to the designated room, though within her, suspicion burned like a warning.

As she opened the door, the atmosphere immediately enveloped her: the air was heavy, almost unbreathable, as if the walls held secrets too dark. The guard in the black suit stood with his back to her, motionless; an expectant silence filled the room.

"—Did you call me, sir…?" No-eul's voice sounded cold, though a shadow of doubt passed through her as she slowly removed her mask.

The figure turned slowly, its movements so calculated they seemed designed to unsettle. When the mask was removed, reality struck No-eul like a dagger: it wasn't a man. The face that emerged was that of a woman. She was smiling. Not a kind smile, but something deeper, a grimace laden with unfathomable intentions. No-eul felt ice run down her spine.

"Sir…?" he repeated, barely audible.

—Better, miss, don't you think?

The woman's voice was a sharp whisper, capable of cutting through the air like a blade.

"Linda, we need to talk about your attitude. You're here because you get paid, just like me... but I'm the one who makes sure no guard makes mistakes..."

With unsettling calm, the woman sat on the edge of the table, staring at No-eul.

"I didn't call you to challenge you, but it's inevitable, you're always full of problems..."