Kim Rae bin once again reaffirmed his professional ability.
Security guard.
If he identified the criminal before the game ended, he could snipe the criminal...!
‘Then we can catch only the criminal and save the member who was the sacrifice!’
Originally, the rules of this game were simple.
Deathmatch team battle.
In other words, the criminal and the sacrifice automatically become one team, and the remaining five members become the other team. Only one team can survive.
But if the security guard succeeds in sniping the criminal, the story changes.
Instead of both the criminal and the sacrifice dying, only the criminal is sacrificed and the game ends.
In other words, the sacrifice can survive!
Minimal deaths!
The best route one could imagine.
However, there was a condition.
Even if Kim Rae bin mistakenly sniped someone who was not the criminal, that person would die.
Burned sacrifice, that is, burned to death on that coffin-shaped altar.
So he had to identify the correct criminal in one shot.
‘Let’s do our best!’
Kim Rae bin secretly clenched his fists.
And in the meantime, the situation in the room was descending further into shock and confusion.
Seon Ah hyun’s reveal!
"Yes, you are the detective?"
"...And when you exchanged cards with Mundae, you think the sacrificial marker was passed?"
"Yes."
The two Sejin homonyms, for the first time since the start of the deduction, stopped fighting and turned to ask Seon Ah hyun in unison.
And both wore cryptic expressions.
"Then, if what you say is correct...."
------------------=
[Mid-check]
- Ryu Geon woo ↔ Bae Sejin
- Cha Yoo jin ↔ Park Mundae
------------------=
Based on that order, after exchanging with Seon Ah hyun, the person Mundae exchanged with was....
The last fourth.
- Cha Yoo jin ↔ Park Mundae
Everyone turned their heads.
"Cha Yoo jin."
An hour before the end of the card exchanges.
Cha Yoo jin, who had newly found a coin near the entrance, had a few words with Park Mundae and instantly completed the exchange in that spot!
Kim Rae bin swallowed.
"Really...?"
But Cha Yoo jin himself wore a nonchalant expression.
"I am not the sacrifice. Because I am not the scholar."
"...!?"
"I can swear. I swear."
He was completely calm.
The members were somewhat taken aback.
"Then, what is your profession?"
"I am a doctor."
"...?!"
At Cha Yoo jin’s bold statement, the members began to murmur.
"Um, now that Mundae’s revealed is not a doctor but a mortician? The timing is a bit suspicious~"
"I did not know Mundae was a doctor! I was just quiet. I observed what the members said and tried to figure out the answer."
Bae Sejin asked cautiously.
"Can you prove it?"
"No one here can prove their profession. But I am a doctor! If there is anyone here who is a doctor, come forward and say so."
"......"
"No one says anything. You know why. Because the doctor is me!"
𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮 Cha Yoo jin shrugged his shoulders. That confidence definitely seemed real....
‘Is that true?’
Then they had to deduce again.
Who the scholar was and who the criminal was. Kim Rae bin tried to rethink in any way.
It was then.
Park Mundae, after a moment of silence as if in thought, placed a hand on his chin and spoke.
"Ah hyun said you are the detective, right?"
"...Yes."
"Then... even if we take it as true that you are the detective, there is another possibility."
"What possibility...?"
"The one who became the first sacrifice by viewer vote could be the clown, not the detective."
"...!!"
Yes.
If the starting point of the rotating sacrificial marker was the clown instead of the detective?
"Then..., I have this thought."
Park Mundae turned his head.
"There is only one suspicious person who might still be lying about their profession and has a record of exchanging cards."
And he naturally looked at that person.
Bae Sejin.
"...!!"
"Hyung. After the mid-check, you exchanged with Geon woo hyung, right?"
Bae Sejin’s eyes widened.
"And among the professions, there is no journalist, but Kim Rae bin claimed to be a journalist, right? But Kim Rae bin has no record of exchanging cards."
"......"
"You claimed that Lee Sejin was a lawyer, but that Lee Sejin also has no record of exchanging."
So among the people whose profession was still disputed and not firmly claimed, only Bae Sejin had a card exchange record!
‘Impossible!’
Kim Rae bin opened his mouth, staring at Bae Sejin.
"Wait."
Bae Sejin responded in a calm tone.
"Cha Yoo jin is just confident, but he has no evidence. There could be another doctor who is silent because of the profession mission."
"Hmm."
"And... yes! Cha Yoo jin also exchanged a card with Ryu Geon woo before Mundae. If Geon woo was the clown and, as you said, the first sacrifice by viewer vote was the clown...."
Ryu Geon woo, with an exasperated expression, raised his hand and answered.
"Um... but in the end, Yoo jin exchanged cards with Mundae. Then the sacrificial marker moves from Yoo jin to Mundae?"
It was accurate.
"Then Mundae would be the sacrifice, but Mundae’s profession is not scholar but mortician, so impossible."
"Ah."
It was a contradiction. The final profession didn’t match.
‘Impossible.’
Kim Rae bin swallowed.
"If Yoo jin was the clown and had the marker first, it’s also strange. Because it passes through me and then goes to you."
"......"
"Sejin, are you the scholar? The final sacrifice?"
At Ryu Geon woo’s question, Bae Sejin’s face hardened.
"No way! And if that were so, it would mean you are the criminal! Because you exchanged last!"
"Yes. So that’s not it. Then since we are on the same team, we would not be interrogating each other like this."
Ryu Geon woo continued calmly.
"And Sejin. Earlier you kept insisting that Lee Sejin was the clown?"
"......"
That was true.
Until now, Bae Sejin and Lee Sejin had been fighting fiercely over lawyer vs clown....
Now it was difficult to suspect someone else of being the clown.
In the end, Bae Sejin fell silent.
"Really... Hey Lee Sejin! Reveal your profession honestly! We can’t deduce otherwise!"
"...Huh! You’re really good at acting! Wow~ Hyung, you be honest too."
"Eek!"
Lee Sejin also looked like veins were about to burst from his forehead. He explained fiercely with a smiling face.
"From the beginning, even if I were the clown it would be impossible to pass the sacrificial marker midway~ I didn’t exchange."
"......"
Exactly. One of the names without an exchange record was Lee Sejin!
‘The only other one is me...’
Kim Rae bin swallowed.
Lee Sejin’s friendly explanation continued.
"But the final sacrifice profession is scholar, right?"
Neither detective nor clown, which are likely to be voted first.
The final sacrifice’s profession is scholar!
"Whether viewers voted detective or clown, that profession person is not the sacrifice now. That means the marker was passed by card exchange."
"......"
"I don’t know how it circulated... but in the end it ended up with the scholar."
Lee Sejin’s words had no logical flaws. Even Kim Rae bin unconsciously nodded.
‘I see.’
Then truly, Lee Sejin and himself, with no exchange record, were innocent!
"Then... Cha Yoo jin is the scholar, and it’s true that Mundae passed it to Cha Yoo jin!"
"I am not the scholar. There is definitely another possibility."
"So I’m not the criminal either..."
"......"
Silence fell.
No one seemed to be lying.
Even Park Mundae said this.
"Could it be that from the start the viewers voted for the scholar?"
"Production tampered with something?"
"Hmm."
The silent members now looked like they all had headaches.
Their professions were mismatched so no combination fit.
But Kim Rae bin knew one more piece of information for certain.
Information no one else knew.
Himself.
‘I am the security guard!’
From there he began to fill the gap.
Kim Rae bin clasped his hands.
The two homonym brothers argued over one profession, both claiming clown, and claimed to be lawyers.
‘Assuming each one told the truth and with correct deduction.’
Then the votes could be easily completed.
He slowly recalled everyone’s testimony and matched people to professions.
By process of elimination....
"......"
One slot remained.
He realized.
"...!"
Kim Rae bin took a deep breath. And he called out one person’s name.
The remaining person.
"Geon woo hyung."
"Yes?"
Kim Rae bin turned to him, recalling the chart he made.
Matching members and professions.
------------------=
- Ryu Geon woo – ?
- Bae Sejin – Lawyer (or Clown)
- Seon Ah hyun – Detective
- Lee Sejin – Lawyer (or Clown)
- Park Mundae – Mortician
- Kim Rae bin – Security guard
- Cha Yoo jin – Doctor
------------------=
If you fill it like this, one question mark remains.
And... one profession remains.
If you insert, it becomes:
------------------=
- Ryu Geon woo – Scholar
------------------=
‘Ah.’
Then there is no contradiction with the profession testimonies!
‘This is where deduction starts!’
Now he must speak.
Kim Rae bin opened his mouth with determination.
"I am the security guard."
"......"
"Therefore, hyung is the scholar!"
"...!!"
"I matched all profession testimonies—and... the only one left is you, hyung."
Kim Rae bin diligently explained the chart he made. He felt the members were listening intently.
"...That’s it!"
"......"
Kim Rae bin caught his breath.
‘Will they believe me?’
He looked around with desperate eyes.
And... Park Mundae raised his hand.
"Wait, is there a chance that Bae Sejin hyung or Lee Sejin is not the clown?"
"That is...."
"It seems a bit uncertain to me. There is no evidence."
It was possible.
Just as Kim Rae bin was about to be struck by shock.
"Wait."
"...!"
Bae Sejin narrowed his eyes and interjected.
"Park Mundae, aren’t you protecting Ryu Geon woo? That’s how it feels."
"Yes? I don’t know what you mean...."
"Right."
"...!"
Seon Ah hyun also calmly chimed in.
"Naturally, Mundae hyung would have at least said let’s think it over... But Rae bin had the courage to speak, after all."
"Yes. He could be trying to deceive."
"Rae bin would...?"
"......"
Everyone was silent.
‘Huh?’
Kim Rae bin was a bit flustered, but Bae Sejin nodded vigorously.
"Right. If Rae bin is the security guard, he would have pretended to be a journalist because of his mission or ability. That’s easier to understand."
"Sejin hyung..."
"A security guard sounds like a good profession. Maybe he wanted to hide it."
Kim Rae bin was deeply moved!
But Park Mundae was composed.
"Yes. I hope this is correct too... But if Geon woo hyung is the scholar, by the card exchange record the criminal appears right away."
"What...?"
"Hyung."
"...!!"
- Ryu Geon woo ↔ Bae Sejin
"The last exchange record for Geon woo hyung is with Bae Sejin hyung."
Bae Sejin’s face turned pale.
And Kim Rae bin realized.
‘Then assuming Bae Sejin hyung is the clown....’
Clown Bae Sejin was the first sacrifice and passed it to scholar Ryu Geon woo!
Everything fit perfectly!
‘Oh my.’
As he was wondering whether to prepare the shot, someone raised a hand and shouted.
"That’s strange!"
"...!"
Cha Yoo jin.
He spoke distinctly.
"Then Bae Sejin hyung would have opposed talking about Kim Rae bin. Because he shouldn’t be discovered."
"......"
"But Sejin hyung suggested trusting. However Mundae hyung opposed. So Mundae hyung is more suspicious."
"......"
"Could it be that Mundae hyung secretly exchanged cards?"
"...!!"
Ah!
‘Right, if he exchanged secretly without telling....’
Kim Rae bin, about to think that way, soon realized reality.
‘...Huh?’
Then a small laugh was heard.
It was Park Mundae.
"Impossible."
"...!!"
"As you all know, the entrance door is exactly in the center of the two dormitories. It is impossible for people attempting to exchange to approach without being seen."
Yes.
The entrance door was exactly in the middle.
If more than two people approached, they would be seen!
Looking at Cha Yoo jin, Park Mundae added kindly.
"If someone tried to exchange there, they’d be noticed. Actually, whenever more than two moved, everyone watched."
"...Umm."
Then Park Mundae gave decisive testimony.
"Moreover, I did not go near the entrance at all."
"What...?"
"Since the mid-check, I stayed in the dorm where I started. Sejin hyung saw it too."
That’s correct.
After checking for the marker in their starting rooms at mid-check.
- Bae Sejin, Park Mundae, Kim Rae bin.
The three who woke up in those dorms.
Park Mundae did not leave there and continued exploring.
"...Why?"
"I wanted to see if there was a way to exorcise the bathroom ghost."
His explanation, that as a mortician he might communicate with the dead, was seamless.
"Since my profession is mortician, I wondered if I could talk to ghosts."
"Wow."
So the conclusion was this.
- Park Mundae did not approach the entrance after the mid-check, and has no coin.
Therefore....
‘Mundae hyung did not exchange cards...!’
"As a result, based on the circumstances I could not exchange cards."
"......"
"I think everyone is convinced of my innocence now."
It was only circumstantial, after all. Park Mundae shrugged and added.
‘...Irrefutable.’
Kim Rae bin looked to his side.
Someone who claimed to be the detective was standing.
He looked shocked with wide eyes.
‘Unbelievable.’
Kim Rae bin hurriedly spoke to encourage him.
"Hyung Ah hyun. Then we must suspect the other people who attempted to exchange cards..."
"Oh, no."
"...!!"
"It’s possible. Even Mundae hyung...!"
Seon Ah hyun muttered firmly with a pale face.
Park Mundae calmly asked.
"By what means?"
"......"
"You are not going to say they used a walkie talkie or something. The production staff are not fools. They would not include something so unfair in a deduction variety show."
Seon Ah hyun quietly shook his head.
And spoke.
"Mundae hyung... does not need to go to the entrance."
"...?"
"You just need to bring his card to the entrance...!"
"...Ah!!"
Bae Sejin gasped. He understood what it meant.
And Seon Ah hyun explained clearly.
"The exchanger just needs to bring Mundae hyung’s card and go to the entrance...!"
"...!!"
"Yes! And pretend to pass by the entrance, then quickly use both cards to exchange, right?"
"Ahhhh!"
The atmosphere {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} flared up in an instant. Kim Rae bin blushed and gave a thumbs up.
"Precisely!"
"Th-thank you...!"
Seon Ah hyun, who found the loophole that the two did not have to go themselves, smiled slightly.
But Park Mundae... nodded.
"...?"
"It could be."
‘He admits that?’
Of course that was impossible.
"Then anyone could have done that."
"...!!"
"Anyone else could have just handed the card to the partner and done it."
That was correct.
"......"
Silence fell again.
Lee Sejin sighed and asked.
"...Does anyone remember which members lingered near the entrance?"
"......"
From there it was back to square one.
And even if someone testified, it was the same.
Anyone could lie.
Everyone mentally suspected Park Mundae as the criminal, but admitted there was nothing more to discuss.
Park Mundae was very capable of rebuttal.
‘I see.’
So Kim Rae bin realized.
‘When there is no physical evidence, I must use the security guard ability.’
Only then could he avoid the greatest risk of “all five others dying” during the criminal deduction.
‘Use the security guard’s ability to verify.’
Of course, the risk was great. If he shot the wrong criminal, an innocent person could die.
And in that case, the security guard would also die.
Kim Rae bin recalled the next rule line.
- If the security guard shoots the wrong “criminal,” that innocent person is immediately burned at the stake.
- And the security guard is also burned.
In other words, the security guard’s bullet was fired at the risk of his own life.
Still, better than naming the wrong criminal and having everyone die!
‘It’s time to try.’
Kim Rae bin steeled his resolve.
And raised his hand.
"...?"
"Kim Rae bin?"
He shouted.
"I, the security guard, will snipe participant Park Mundae!"
"...!!"
At that moment, a blinding light effect erupted from the giant coffin placed in the center.
- Ryu Geon woo ↔ Bae Sejin
- Cha Yoo jin ↔ Park Mundae
