The A's of the game—Ako and Arola, with Toshi—were chilling with the ACE of the game, Sam, after completing the game within ten minutes.
The other five players were still trying their hardest to find their items.
Hops, ever the nerdy guy, simply couldn't bring himself to ask someone for their number.
He knew very well that no one would believe him even if he told the truth about it being an item. On top of that, it wasn't just some random person—it was the principal's daughter.
Who would actually believe that someone would ask for the principal's daughter's number in a scavenger hunt? What was the referee even thinking?
Villy, on the other hand, had been standing in the same spot since the beginning of the match, constantly searching her pockets. For more than ten minutes, all she had done was stand there, literally just searching her pockets.
Hops started panicking, looking at the principal's daughter again and again, trying to build up his courage—but he couldn't.
Villy also looked worried.
Then, all of a sudden, Toshi shouted all the way from the stage toward Hops and Villy, saying that if they were finding it hard to locate their items, he suggested they cool their heads first and then try searching again with a calm mind.
"So how about you go get us some cola? It's getting really hot, and I can't move out of this place until the game ends. Let me wire you ₹500 online."
Hops got annoyed, thinking, Does he really think a cola will help me cool off? A cola won't get me her number. No way.
Suddenly, a voice came from behind.
"Excuse me!"
It was the principal's daughter.
She was stunning—gorgeous, simply breathtaking.
Hops was shocked. Why is the beauty queen suddenly approaching me? Why would she talk to a nerd like me?
She continued,
"I heard what that guy shouted just now. Actually, I need money in my account right now. Could you wire me the money he sent you? I'll give you cash in return."
Was is pure luck? Coincidence? Or fate working it's strings? Without much further discussion, they made the transaction—also getting her number in the process.
Hops felt satisfied. She had approached him for the money, and he had gotten her number. Although it wasn't for texting, it still fulfilled the requirement of the game, and he wouldn't get minus points because of it.
While Hops was happy about finding his item, Villy also surprisingly seemed relieved. She insisted that she would buy the cola herself, took the cash, and went ahead.
Hops agreed and walked joyfully toward the spot to complete his game after getting her number.
A few moments later, Villy also arrived at the spot with the cola—and somehow, she had brought her item as well.
With both Villy and Hops finding their items within twenty minutes, all the players from the White Tigers had completed the game.
Sam then tried stretching his hand toward the cola, asking for one—but unfortunately, the mud from earlier had started drying, and he had almost turned into a living mannequin.
Jangla, still feeling rage toward Sam for the mud pool incident, wanted revenge, and the moment was perfect—he was practically a solidified mummy.
Sam, helpless, didn't know what was about to happen in the next few moments.
Meanwhile, Zen, without trying to attract much attention to herself, infiltrated the enemy base, seeking something she felt must be illegal to some extent. Keeping a low profile, she searched for a certain someone. Eventually, she found that person and dragged them away to complete her game.
Who was that person?
And what role did they fulfill that Zen considered illegal?
Now that even Zen had completed her task and only ten minutes remained, the only remaining players were Along and Cherry.
Their items were a unicorn (alive) and dog poop (warm).
One was quite literally impossible to find.
The other was something no one wanted to find—but had to.
One Mythical the other traumatizing.
Yet both had to be found somehow.
Cherry looked around the field, wondering whether dogs even entered the area. She closed her mouth tightly and searched the ground.
Along, meanwhile, stood there unable to think or act, like a soulless zombie.
Cherry, on the other hand, behind the school. She grabbed a stick and swung it through the grass, hoping to find shit.
In her hunt, the hunter became the hunted—she ended up finding one, or rather, it found her.
Sadly, she stepped on it. Fortunately—or unfortunately—she continued anyway, took off her shoe, and walked toward the stage to end the game, as only one minute remained.
As she reached the spot, the thirty-minute timer came to a close, and everyone gathered for the final results.
But wait—something was unusual.
Their special guest referee, Sam, was standing in a strange position: one leg stretched like a ballet dancer, the other balanced on a skateboard, one arm holding the microphone, and the other picking his nose, all while wearing swimming wear.
Honestly, this was exactly what he deserved for all his actions.
Although completely unfazed by his current situation, Sam casually began announcing the game results.
Looking at him, Jangla felt utterly defeated, thinking that even after all this, he didn't look even a bit embarrassed.
Sam continued with the results. He asked Ako, Arola, and Toshi who reported under 10 minutes to reveal what they had brought and what their slips actually asked for.
First came Ako, who presented his five-leaf clover along with the slip that said exactly the same. 50 points to the Red Beans.
Next came Arola and Toshi, who brought Jangla together. Arola revealed her slip—their vice leader—a perfect match. 50 points to The white tigers.
Jangla then wondered what Toshi's slip might say. Could it be something like "my future wife" or "little princess"?
She blushed in embarrassment.
Without delay, Toshi revealed his slip.
A Chinese monkey. (Reference: Chapter 10)
Sam looked at the slip and said, "Perfect match. Excellent." 50 points to The white Tigers.
Jangla, speechless and embarrassed, knocked both Sam and Toshi clean and started beating her chest like King Kong.
Sam, in pain, looked at Toshi and said, "You got a different species." Jangla added, "Indeed—although according to textbooks, humans came from mon—"
Before she could finish, Sam interrupted,
"That's definitely a gorilla, not a monkey."
Toshi, also in pain, muttered, "Same same, but different."
Hearing both of them, Jangla tried to attack again, but others stopped her and dragged her off the stage.
The hardened mud cracked from Jangla's impact, allowing Sam to break free. He did a somersault and continued announcing the results.
Sam then asked Villy, Hops, and Zen, who reported within twenty minutes, to reveal their items and what their slips said.
Hops went first.
Only then did he realize the problem— will anyone think weird how I found the items, how was he supposed to submit her number when everyone in the school was staring at him? To make things worse, even the principal was present. It was really awkward.
With trembling hands, he revealed his slip and then showed Sam the number.
Sam quickly dialed the number to verify it, and to make sure everyone knew, he used the microphone. To his surprise, the one who picked up was the principal.
Through the phone—audible to the entire school—the principal said,
"Why is my daughter's number part of the scavenger hunt?"
Sam laughed nervously.
"Well… any other random person would be too random, and your child is a role model for everyone in the school, so—"
The principal added "see you at the office later".
Meanwhile, completely unaware that her number was part of the hunt, the principal's daughter sneezed in a nearby shop.
Her friends, concerned, asked,
"Are you feeling under the weather?"
She replied, "It's summer right now. What weather are you talking about?"
Next came Villy, who revealed her slip and her item—₹500 in cash. Sam checked it.
"Correct amount. 30 points to the White Tigers."
Hops noticed something.
"Isn't that the same ₹500 I got from the principal's daughter?"
Villy replied,"Yes. I actually had ₹500 of my own, but I lost it somewhere. When you got the money from her, I needed it, so I asked for it."
Hops nodded. "That's fine, but how did you buy the coke if you didn't use the cash?"
Villy replied casually,
"Oh, I wired the money."
Toshi immediately pointed out,
"The slip says ₹500 cash, not online."
Sam paused… then waved it off.
"I'll allow it."
Next came Zen.
Standing beside her was none other than Oppa.
Zen revealed her slip.
Hybrid animal.
Before anyone could question it, Oppa slowly looked at Sam.
"You lost to me in chess," Oppa said calmly.
He paused for a moment, as if thinking.
"So how about I'll give you an advantage, I'll let you lay on top next time.
Everyone froze.
A strange, uncomfortable chill passed through the crowd—not because of what was said, but because of how completely normal it sounded.
Sam blinked once.
Then twice.
"…Accepted," Sam said quickly. "Valid. Approved. Oppa, you can leave."
Oppa nodded politely and walked off without another word.
Only after he left did everyone collectively exhale.
Someone in the crowd whispered,
"…He didn't mean it that way, right?"
No one answered.
Zen's item was accepted.
As Oppa returned to the camp, he muttered to himself, "I guess I'll give him a handicap in the next match. The water gun."
Trying to erase the lingering awkwardness, both the crowd and Sam hurriedly moved on to the next participant.