"There's something fishy about these red-zoned rooms," Sangwon said, his voice low and suspicious. "Don't you think it's weird?"
Anya's eyes sparkled with intrigue as she nodded, moving a bit too close to the ominous rooms. "Hmm, right," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Sangwon's eyes widened with concern as he quickly pulled her back. "Anya... what are you doing? It's danger zone!" he exclaimed, his arms wrapping around her waist.
As he held her close, Anya gazed into his eyes, her heart racing. "Don't you feel like this room is off?" she whispered, her voice trembling with excitement.
Sangwon's eyes locked onto hers, his expression puzzled. "Huh? What do you mean?" he asked, his voice husky.
Anya's eyes sparkled with intensity as she spoke. "I mean, all these rooms are red-zoned and they have that creepy cross sign... but this one doesn't have any sign!" she said, her voice laced with curiosity.
Sangwon's gaze intensified as he focused on the door. "Hmm, you're right," he whispered. "Maybe this room holds the key to our quest?"
Anya's eyes widened with excitement, but Sangwon's expression turned serious. "But you're not thinking of barging in there alone, are you?" he asked, his voice firm. "I mean, it's still a red-zoned room, and if what we're looking for is in there... it could be even more treacherous."
"We're running out of time," Anya said, her voice laced with urgency and a hint of fear. "You stay here, and I'll go inside."
Sangwon's eyes flashed with concern, and he took a step closer to Anya. "Why would you go in there? It's a danger zone! I won't let you go alone," he said, his voice firm and commanding.
Anya's expression softened, and she looked up at Sangwon with a determined gaze. "I can't let you go in there without me. What if something happens to you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Sangwon's gaze locked onto hers, his eyes burning with intensity. "And what about you? Don't you think about your own safety? Don't you love yourself enough to stay out of harm's way?" he asked, his voice low and husky.
Anya's eyes sparkled with determination, and she squared her shoulders. "We're in this together, Sangwon. We're a team. Let's go inside and face whatever is waiting for us," she said, her voice firm and resolute.
Sangwon's expression was torn, but he finally nodded. "Okay, let's do this," he said, his voice low and deadly serious.
As they stepped inside the room, Anya's eyes widened in surprise. "The room is empty... but there's something strange about it," she said, her voice full of wonder.
Sangwon's gaze scanned the room, his eyes narrowing as he took in the zig-zag pattern on the walls. "Look at the pattern on the walls. It's a zig-zag design with a circle in the middle," he said, his voice thoughtful.
Anya's eyes followed his gaze, and she gasped. "There's something written on the pattern... 'red existence, H blood, zigcle, answer?' What does it mean?" she asked, her voice full of curiosity.
Sangwon's expression turned thoughtful, and he took a step closer to the wall. "I think it's a puzzle. We need to figure out the answer to find what we're looking for," he said, his voice low and mysterious.
The room plunged into an eerie chill, the air thick with a creepy energy that sent shivers down their spines. A red, ominous presence materialized before them, making it hard to breathe. Both Anya and Sangwon coughed, their lungs burning from the sudden lack of oxygen.
"Anya... are you okay?" Sangwon's voice was laced with concern, his words strained from the effort to draw breath.
Anya's eyes narrowed, her gaze fixed on the menacing entity before them. "What is this thing?" she growled, her voice barely audible over the sound of her own ragged breathing.
Sangwon's hand closed around Anya's, and together they merged their powers in a desperate bid to vanquish the creature. But their efforts were futile. The being seemed to absorb their attacks, its presence growing stronger with each passing moment.
Anya's chest heaved as she gasped for air. "I... can't... breathe..." she whispered, her voice fading.
Sangwon's eyes blazed with determination. "It's using our own powers against us," he growled, his jaw clenched in frustration.
The air was electric with tension as their swords clashed with the creature's. In a flash of movement, the red being's sword sliced across Anya's arm, leaving a shallow gash in its wake. A trickle of blood seeped from the wound.
"Anya...!" Sangwon's voice was a cry of alarm, his eyes locked on the injury.
Anya's face was set in a determined expression. "I'm fine... don't worry," she said, her voice steady.
But as they stood there, locked in combat with the creature, something strange began to happen. The red being's existence started to fade away, its presence dissipating like mist in the morning sun.
"Anya... I think I've cracked the code," Sangwon said, his voice low and mysterious. "The puzzle... it's connected to this creature. 'Red existence'... it's talking about this being."
Anya's eyes widened as she gazed at the red creature. "But what's happening? It's fading due to our blood? What does it mean?"
Sangwon's eyes locked onto hers, and they both had the same thought. "The letter H with blood... it means human blood, not the creature's blood!" they thought in unison.
Anya's face lit up with understanding. "We need to use our own blood to draw the zig-zag pattern and circle... and the answer will reveal itself!"
But as she spoke, Sangwon was already taking action. With a swift and decisive movement, he sliced his hand with the sword, and blood began to flow.
"Sangwon... no!" she screamed, her voice laced with horror.
Sangwon's eyes locked onto hers, and he smiled bravely. "You're always trying to protect me, and I knew you'd try to do that this time as well. But I'm protecting my precious friend... by taking the initiative."
Anya's heart swelled with emotion as she gazed at Sangwon's wounded hand. "Why did you do that?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
Sangwon's smile faltered for a moment, but then he nodded towards the wall. "Let's finish this... together."
As they hastened towards the room's wall, the air thick with anticipation, they etched the mysterious zigcle pattern with Sangwon's blood. In a breathtaking instant, the crimson presence dissipated, and the object of their quest materialized before them: a gleaming key.
Sangwon's eyes widened as he gazed at the key, his voice barely above a whisper. "What's the significance of this key?"
Anya's eyes sparkled with a knowing glint. "The quest in that world was centered around a key. You might recall the ancient tree with the key symbol etched into its bark. This key will serve a dual purpose, bridging both worlds."
Sangwon's gaze snapped to hers, his mind racing with implications. "So what's our next move?"
Anya's voice took on an urgent tone. "We need to locate the place where this key is meant to be used in this world. Let's return to the others – time is of the essence! Gyeon Wo and the team might have uncovered something crucial."
As they prepared to leave, Anya gently grasped Sangwon's hand, her touch sending a soothing warmth through his body. "Let me heal your wound first," she said softly. With a tender smile, she tended to his injury, and they stepped out of the room.
As they walked back along the path, Anya turned to Sangwon with a curious expression. "What did you mean by 'precious friend' earlier?" she asked, her voice laced with a hint of intrigue.
Sangwon's eyes met hers, and he smiled warmly. "I meant we're all friends now – you, Emma, Gyeon Wo, and the others. We're in this together, right?"
Anya's smile was enigmatic, and she replied, "We're friends."
As they walked side by side, Sangwon's thoughts swirled with emotions he couldn't quite explain. He gazed at Anya, his heart pounding gently in his chest. Was he falling in love with her, or was he already head over heels? He didn't know, but one thing was certain – he was captivated by her.
The minutes ticked by, and they found themselves back at the mysterious place, the key clutched tightly in their hands. Sangwon and Anya hastened back to their room, their hearts racing with anticipation.
"Did you find anything?" Sangwon asked Gyeon Wo, his voice filled with curiosity.
Gyeon Wo's face was set in a determined expression. "We stumbled upon something peculiar – a brick with a key pattern etched into it. What about you two? Did you uncover anything?"
Anya's eyes sparkled with excitement as she held up the key. "We found this. I believe it's the key to unlock our quest."
Sangwon's mind was racing with possibilities. "I think we're on the right track," he said, his voice filled with conviction.
As Min-Hyuk spoke, his words hung in the air like a dark cloud, casting a shadow of concern over the group. "But we still haven't discovered a way to prevent time from freezing in that world," he said, his voice laced with a sense of urgency.
Emma's eyes widened with apprehension as she spoke, her voice trembling with fear. "We must do something before the next game. I'm terrified of playing another deadly game where our lives are at stake."
Gyeon Wo's face set in a resolute expression, his jaw clenched in determination. "We'll work together to find a solution. We can't afford to wait for another survival game to come our way. We need to take control of our fate."
Sangwon's eyes sparkled with a sudden idea, and he leaned forward, his voice filled with excitement. "Let's re-examine the red-zoned rooms within this place. Earlier, Anya had discovered something peculiar in one of the red-zoned rooms situated outside the premises, and we found a key in one of those rooms. That discovery has sparked a glimmer of hope – perhaps the red-zoned rooms within this place harbor something equally significant, a crucial clue or another vital element in our quest."
Anya's gaze met Sangwon's, her face set in a determined expression. "Let's search those rooms again and see if we can uncover any hidden secrets or clues. We need to be proactive if we want to survive this ordeal."
The group's eyes met, and they knew they had to act swiftly. Time was of the essence, and the next game could be just around the corner. They were determined to find a way to stop it, no matter what it took.