Chapter 51 – Death Circus #2

‘The performance is clearly good… But no matter how I think about it, I picked a losing ticket.'

Tae-hyuk checked the crime skill while An Eun-jeong was taking a break.

He had invested 10 affinity points to receive a random skill. The ability that emerged was Counterfeit, a skill that was similar to the Forgery skill that he already had. However, there was a crucial difference between the two skills.

First of all, he didn't need to make anything with the Counterfeit skill. Forgery was basically making something that already existed, and materials were needed to activate the ability. The more he knew about the original, the more complete the result.

Counterfeit was a skill that made something look different. He cut a piece of paper that was 154×68 mm and activated the Counterfeit skill, giving birth to a counterfeit bill of money.

Tae-hyuk laughed.

'It is a big hit up to here…'

He had yelled with joy when he first saw the skill description. A perfect fake! If he used it well, then he could get a tremendous amount of wealth.

However, there was a problem. There were a few constraints on the Counterfeit skill.

'… First, the duration.'

He could make a counterfeit bill with the skill, making it look like ordinary money.

The holograms and ink were perfectly converted, and there were even many anti-fake devices included on the bill, such as hidden images. In addition, it was fluorescent when looked at through an X-ray. All counterfeit money makers would want his method of production.

However, once it left Tae-hyuk's hands, it would return to its original state after five minutes. So no matter how perfect the counterfeit money, he couldn't even use it to buy a pack of gum. Furthermore, there was a limit to how many times he could use the skill. He couldn't use it often, like he did with Gambling.

‘But it is the best skill to deceive a person in front of me.'

Tae-hyuk had perfectly tricked Cha Soo-hyun using the Counterfeit skill.

The method was simple. Tae-hyuk first received the badge from An Eun-jeong and transferred all the money to his badge. Then, he used An Eun-jeong's blank badge to create a fake badge with the number 115 on it. He used Robbery to take away the opponent's badge and agreed to transfer the money.

Cha Soo-hyun was covering his badge with a thick coat because he was reluctant to reveal his name and current revenue. That ended up choking him. He never noticed the important moment when his badge was stolen.

Tae-hyuk had acted the part of a boyfriend until the end. The result was a complete success.

'Isn't it a surprisingly usable skill? But X-ray Vision…'

Tae-hyuk kept lamenting about his missed opportunities to obtain X-ray Vision. 

Tae-hyuk looked at Eun-jeong who had been sitting on the table for 10 minutes. She didn't do it directly, but she had cooperated in deceiving someone. She seemed to have received a psychological shock.

Tae-hyuk exclaimed like he suddenly thought of something.

“Ah right. That reminds me, Noona's badge should have melted with Cha Soo-hyun by now. But I don't want to give you the money I borrowed. Then if Noona isn't next to me, then you can't pay the fee."

Eun-jeong flinched at his words. It was a fact that Tae-hyuk hadn't mentioned 20 minutes ago.

"……"

Eun-jeong understood the point that Tae-hyuk wanted to make. Her life was now in Tae-hyuk's hands. If she did anything that was even a little annoying…

"I think that is enough rest. Would you like to gain some money? I have to pay for two people so I need to get 200 million won in an hour."

"… Yes, I understand."

"Then I will be going to Bluff Poker."

Tae-hyuk turned and started to check the map. An Eun-jeong had goose bumps as she looked at his back.

The man called Lee Cheol-su felt worse than any criminal that she had ever met.

@

The atmosphere permeating throughout the room was not dissimilar to one of a masquerade ball. There were brightly shining chandeliers. The tables were filled with a variety of luxury foods.

Many guests dressed in colourful clothes were laughing. They wore a wide variety of masks.

A woman in an opera mask asked,

"Who will survive this time?"

Then a tuxedo wearing man with a lion mask replied,

“This stage has a small number of general participants and many wolves."

They were told that the wolves were experts in various fields that were prepared by the organizers. They were hidden among the general participants.

"How many people have fallen into the pool?"

"Five people."

“Omo, omo! Then it will just be a one-sided massacre!"

The reaction of the opera mask was natural. Wolves had experienced the Death Circus several times. If the general participants competed with them then it would just be a one-sided massacre.

“Yes. Do they know how much money we spent for this one night? There shouldn't be more than two wolves."

The lion mask sat on a chair and yawned like he was bored. Dozens of monitors were showing the Death Circus at the party. The crowd was gathered here to watch the Death Circus. The opera mask said with a sigh,

"I guess it can't be helped. I wanted to see a fierce fight for survival… Today I just have to drink champagne while listening to the dying screams."

“Well, I don’t dislike that either. Haha!"

The Death Circus was a very enjoyable spectacle. Humans killing humans. They questioned each other and took away what the person had. It was a primitive pleasure that couldn't often be enjoyed.

They couldn't help but admire Kim Joon-young's attractions. They could see such a fun show, a privilege of the select few.

The opera mask and lion mask drank champagne while listening to the screams, not even bothering to watch the monitors. Then someone said,

“Uh, there was a tremendous ruckus right now. Is it okay not to watch it?"

The lion mask turned his gaze towards where the voice was heard. It was a young woman wearing a butterfly mask. She was in her early 20s or so? Long hair fell to her waist and her dress exposed her chest and shoulders.

"A butterfly…?'

"Ahaha. Is the mask cute? It is one of my favourites."

The butterfly mask saw that the lion mask was in his 50s. However, that was the extent of information that was allowed to her by his mask. He wasn't a CEO in his 50s, but a person wearing a lion mask.

“Um. Well, it looks good."

The lion mask looked at the face, where the butterfly mask only covered the eyes. The reason that guests wore masks was to hide their identity. Visiting the Death Circus wasn't a hobby that they could talk about proudly, which was why it was necessary to cover their faces. It was even more enjoyable if they could visit a place where they felt like extraordinary existences.

Kim Joon-young created a party that borrowed from a masquerade ball. There was no problem seeing the other people in masks.

Chaebols made up 0.1% of the population of South Korea. They often knew who a person was by the voice or shape of the body. In such cases, they pretended not to know the other person, and called them by the name of the mask they were wearing. It was a type of tacit rule.

The Death Circus had been going on successfully for two years. However, this was the first time that a person had worn a butterfly mask that barely covered their face. Wasn't it the same as going unmasked?

The lion mask looked at the appearance of the butterfly mask. She was a considerable beauty. In addition, her chest was big. It seemed like she could be an idol singer right now.

“Um. This is a big deal. Was there such a young girl?"

The lion masked person laughed. Unknowingly, he started trying to figure out the identity of the butterfly mask. This was a place where it wasn't necessary. He could just refer to the person by the name of the mask and leave it to his desires.

The lion masked asked with a confused expression.

“A ruckus? What's going on?”

He had been a member of the Death Circus from the beginning, and had seen countless situations that could be considered extreme.

A young lady brutally killing others. Someone embracing the person who betrayed them, and jumping into the acid pool together. Numerous incidents remained in lion mask's memory.

But a ruckus? No one would be surprised if a wolf was about to eat.

“The sheep ate the wolf. It was a great scene!"

"W-What?!"

The lion mask woke up. Such a momentous occasion had happened while he was drinking champagne?

"W-Who?! No, did they win by chance? Still, a sheep can't beat a wolf!"

Butterfly mask laughed smugly.

“Unfortunately, it wasn't recorded."

“S-Sob!"

He had missed such a great scene. The lion mask groaned unpleasantly.

“Is it that disappointing?"

"I-It is natural. A sheep ate the wolf. This is the first time that it has happened in two years."

“There is still a lot of time left before closing, so do you want to watch it now?"

The lion mask shook his head.

“No, this is a miracle that won't happen again. They are going against pros. The miracle that allows ordinary people to win won't come easily."

"Is that really the case?"

“Well, it's a good bet that the sheep will die. Butterfly Mask, do you know the name of the sheep?"

"Of course. Tae… No, Cheol-su."

"Hahat! Cheol-su? That is a name that appeared in a Korean book. Yes. I have to see how long he lasts."

The lion mask slowly walked to the monitor and searched for Lee Cheol-su. He was playing poker with someone at the table. The lion mask saw the face of the opponent and laughed.

"Haha. This is interesting. Is this the revenge of the wolves?"

The sheep Cheol-su was confronting another wolf.

"He has bad luck. I never imagined that he would meet two wolves consecutively."

Then the butterfly mask said.

“Isn't the sheep winning?"

The lion mask's eyes widened and he looked at the monitor.

He didn't see the moment that the first miracle happened. However, he saw the second one.

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