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When I was young, no, even as I grew older, people often asked a common question.

The so-called balance game.

For a child, it’s “Who do you like more, mom or dad?”

For a partner, it’s “Do you like me or your favorite celebrity?”

For office workers, it’s “Do you want to work overtime or come in early tomorrow?” — it’s a death sentence of choices that follows you throughout life.

<Would you abandon your companions to survive?>

I listen closely to the question that echoes in my mind while looking around.

Ruins, and more ruins.

If I had to choose, it feels similar to the scenery I saw inside the Cube.

Could it be that I’ve been drawn into another anomaly?

“…”

I rest my chin on my hand, deep in thought.

<Would you abandon your companions to survive?>

The question comes again.

“…”

In times like this, there’s a reliable method to figure things out.

“Yeep.”

I plop down on the ground.

I search my pockets.

There’s no manual, no gun.

“…”

That’s actually reassuring.

It might sound ridiculous to others, but my manual usually sticks close to me.

I’m not saying I neglect to carry a manual with me.

Of course, I do keep my manual frequently, but the issue is that it really does have a tendency to ‘appear’ around me.

It was the same during the Red Lady incident and the Cruise incident; the manual has always been by my side.

If I recall a time when it wasn’t around, it would be when I left it on my desk at home or left it on the dining table.

I’ve even forgotten it and somehow found it back in my pockets.

And it wasn’t just a couple of times.

At first, I was scared. Now, I just leave it be.

It follows me on its own.

If that manual isn’t by my side?

That means I’m safe.

Let’s sit and wait a bit longer; again, sounds begin to flow from above.

<Would you abandon your companions to survive?>

I ponder the question while listening to the sound.

If this is an anomaly, I would have been dead by now.

Or the manual would be furiously opening up, nagging me to leave right away or, at the very least, something would’ve been visible to my eyes.

But neither is the case?

That means this is a test.

So, is this the Management Agency’s Safety and Health Education?

It’s vastly different from the Safety and Health Education I’ve seen before…

Clearly, what I saw last year was…

<If three members of the Isolation Team enter and two die, should the survivor be given a salary?>

I wonder what I wrote.

<I think that since one of the survivors is a monster, both should be transferred to the Management Team, thus reducing the salary of two people.> That sounds like something I would say.

With that thought, I dust off my pants and look up at the sky, opening my mouth.

“No way.”

Could I really betray my companions after enduring hardship together all this time just to survive?

Even if I live, I’d be haunted by guilt, and chances are, if I do abandon them, I still won’t be able to escape, and I’ll die anyway.

Without Yu Da On, there’s no one to shield me, without Jang Chae Yeon, there’s no one to attack, and without Song Ah Rin, there’s no one to support me.

-Rumbling!

As soon as my answer is finished, I hear thunder from above, followed by…

“…”

Like a scene from a game, names start appearing in a row.

The flickering names had a dry timestamp beneath them.

But I honestly have no idea what it means.

Time floats in the sky, and with a pop, it disappears.

“…What’s happening.”

Then, once more, sounds echo from the sky.

<Match rate 100%. Moving on to the next question.>

What does “match rate” even mean?

<If you had to choose someone indispensable from your team, who would it be?>

Someone indispensable from the team?

“…”

I sink into thought.

First off, why is this question even being asked?

Honestly, isn’t everyone indispensable?

If Yu Da On is gone, we all die, if Jang Chae Yeon is gone, we all die, and if Song Ah Rin is gone, we all die as well.

Wouldn’t it be the same if I were to vanish?

I want to believe that.

So, this isn’t an emergency question.

It’s more of a day-to-day problem.

Got it. It’s about understanding team roles and dynamics.

Someone could be the mood maker, while another quietly helps the team from behind.

Alright. Let’s think this through.

First, Jang Chae Yeon’s role.

She’s blunt, quiet, but still blends well into the team.

That means, conversely, she’s surprisingly perceptive.

In fact, she’s usually the first one to notice my condition.

Next, Song Ah Rin.

“…”

This one’s a bit difficult.

She often grumbles a lot, but when it’s necessary, she becomes serious and assesses the situation before offering advice.

And although she complains about helping, she eventually rolls up her sleeves to assist others.

It would be nice if she were a bit more straightforward, but no one is perfect.

Next up, Park Ye Eun.

This friend is truly remarkable.

She has fantastic interpersonal skills, and she’s playful.

You could call her the team’s energy booster.

Since Park Ye Eun arrived, the office atmosphere has lightened quite a bit too.

Next, Yu Da On.

“…”

If you think about it, Yu Da On completely contrasts Song Ah Rin.

She’s always laughing and helpful, but sometimes her words are like nuclear bombs that leave everyone in shock.

Yet until Park Ye Eun joined, she was indeed the mood maker.

Just seeing her smile was enough to uplift the atmosphere.

She has a joyful way of speaking.

Recently she and Song Ah Rin fought, but nonetheless, she’s been there for me.

Next…

The Team Leader.

He’s always grumpy, yet tackles tasks first and shows up when it’s really necessary.

His dad jokes can be pretty cringey, but if you disregard that, he embodies the ideal team leader, excluding lack of knowledge.

In fact, when I first joined, he patiently taught me a lot, even the things I didn’t know, without losing his cool.

Of course, that meant late nights too.

I cross my arms, lost in thought.

I should be considering the questioner’s intent.

I recall the question again.

<If you had to choose someone indispensable from your team, who would it be?>

‘In my opinion,’ someone indispensable from the team.

In other words, it should be a thoroughly subjective opinion.

Absolutely subjective, the one person who is irreplaceable…

Right. There’s no need to think too hard about it.

“Team Leader.”

Of course, that doesn’t mean I can replace the others.

But if the current Team Leader were to leave and some weird person came to take over, that would definitely make my office life much harder.

Getting a good boss is a blessing.

-Rumbling!

Thunder strikes again.

And once more, the names appear like a game.

“…”

This time the names appeared as arrows.

Yu Da On, Jang Chae Yeon, and Song Ah Rin chose me, and I chose the Team Leader.

I see. The people besides myself chose me—

As I realized that, a cold sweat started to trickle down my spine.

Could it be that… my choice is visible to others too?

Then, is everyone else choosing me while I’m the only one who picked the Team Leader?

<Match rate 75%. There may be slight discord.>

Soon, the sound echoes from above once more.

<Next question.>

I really need to answer this one well.

*

“…”

Jang Chae Yeon stared intently at the thundering sky.

The sky she just observed and the writing she saw earlier.

When she first saw it, she thought it was impossible, but now she understood.

It was an answer.

For the question that just came in, she picked a guy without a moment’s thought.

And the other two probably did the same.

But it seems she didn’t actually think that way.

“…”

Looking a little hurt, her lips pouted slightly and then returned to their original position as if nothing had happened.

If we think positively, it’s good that he didn’t pick Yu Da On or Song Ah Rin.

Even if it isn’t a first place, she should at least be thankful it isn’t last place.

“…”

Quietly, Jang Chae Yeon turns her gaze away, lost in thought.

On the other hand, the first time she saw the timer.

“…30 seconds.”

That was the time it took Jang Chae Yeon to answer.

<Would you abandon a companion?>

That was a difficult question.

She had no choice but to ponder over it.

Because it was something the Isolation Team would inevitably encounter someday.

A companion telling her to leave them behind, and a life where she must grit her teeth and run away, leaving him behind.

Thus, Jang Chae Yeon understood.

Someday, she might have to abandon someone, and she might have to be the one to be abandoned as well.

Even so, she answered ‘no.’

Because she couldn’t imagine leaving the guy behind.

Her gaze shifts elsewhere.

Song Ah Rin, 2 minutes.

She probably faced similar dilemmas. It’s a question anyone working field jobs in the Management Agency would inevitably contemplate.

The guy took 5 minutes.

This could have been a rather unfamiliar question for him.

Yu Da On, 3 seconds.

“…”

In a way, Jang Chae Yeon could be seen as the one who has observed Yu Da On the most after the guy.

However, Jang Chae Yeon still didn’t know her.

Sometimes she seemed like a paragon of self-sacrifice, while at other times she appeared to strongly shun access from others — such contradictory behavior.

That person…

“…I’m uncomfortable.”

Mumbling that, Jang Chae Yeon gazed at the sky.

-Rumbling!

A new problem was emerging.

*

Before my eyes, a question unfolds.

<Who is the most useless person in the team?>

“…”

What on earth is the purpose of asking such a question?