If there was a rock-paper-scissors match where winning would win 1,000 won and losing meant nothing, everyone would want to do it. If winning meant 10,000 won and losing meant losing 1,000 won, most people would still probably do it. The risks were low and the chances of winning were high. Then, increasing the scale a little, what if winning meant 100,000 won and losing meant losing 10,000 won? People would start hesitating. What if it was 1 million for a win and losing 500,000 for a loss? Those who had deep pockets might try, but the number of participants would decrease significantly.

Maru took his finger off the call button. This was a gamble that staked the very purpose of his life, no, something even more fundamental than that. If he succeeded, he would gain mental stability and the willpower to forge ahead, but if he failed, he would lose all motivation to move forward and would collapse on the spot. Stopping would be fortunate. He might end up regressing. Everything might come to an end.

Maru wished for her success and stared at the name ‘Han Gaeul’, which he saved on his phone, before closing the phone. The masked man referred to ‘her’ several times. He even gave a hint as to who ‘she’ was: the woman you’ll love forever. Only one person came to mind when Maru thought of that. If Gaeul was the reason his life was being...