Debut or Die - Chapter 490
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these Chs are commissioned if you want your series to be translated you can contact us at discord for your favorite series.
Chapter 490
Kim Raebin reminded himself of his professional skills once again.
Sheriff. If he could find the culprit before the game ended, he could snipe the culprit…! Then we can catch the culprit and save the sacrificed member!
The rules of this game were originally simple.
– Participants can pass the sacrificial mark to each other through card exchanges.
– If you correctly deduce who the culprit, also known as the Black Sheep, is, both the culprit and the sacrifice die.
– If you fail to deduce correctly, everyone except the culprit and the sacrifice dies.
It was a deathmatch team battle. In other words, the culprit and the two sacrifices automatically form one team, while the remaining five members form the other team. Only one side can survive.
However, if the sheriff successfully snipes the culprit, the story changes. Instead of both the culprit and the sacrifice dying, only the culprit is sacrificed, and the game ends. In other words, the sacrifices can survive! Minimal deaths! It could be seen as the best route.
However, there was a condition.
-If the Sheriff shoots the wrong ‘culprit,’ that innocent person will be immediately sacrificed.
Even if Kim Raebin mistakenly shoots someone who isn’t the culprit, the person being shot will die.
Sacrifice, meaning they will burn to death on that altar shaped like a crown. So, they had to catch the right culprit in one go.
Let’s do our best! Kim Raebin clenched a fist inwardly.
Meanwhile, the situation in the room was plunging further into shock and confusion. It was because of Seon Ahyeon’s revelation!
“Y-You’re saying you’re a detective?”
“…And when you exchanged cards with Moondae, it seems the sacrificial mark was transferred?”
“Yeah.”
The two Sejin, who share the same name, started questioning Seon Ahyeon in unison for the first time since the investigation began without fighting. And both of them had a peculiar expression.
“So, if what you’re saying is true…”
===================
1. Seon Ahyeon Park Moondae.
2. Cha Eugene Ryu Chungwoo
[Midterm Check]
3. Ryu Chungwoo Bae Sejin
4. Cha Eugene Park Moondae
===================
Based on this order, after exchanging with Seon Ahyeon, the person Park Moondae exchanged with is… The final round, number 4.
4. Cha Eugene Park Moondae
Everyone turned their heads.
“Cha Eugene.”
It was one hour before the card exchange ended. Cha Eugene, who had just found a new coin near the entrance, exchanged a few words with Park Moondae and quickly completed the exchange on the spot!
Kim Raebin swallowed hard. Really…?
However, the person in question, Cha Eugene, had an indifferent expression.
“I’m not a sacrifice. Because I’m not a scholar.”
“…?!”
“I can swear. I swear.”
Cha Eugene seemed perfectly calm. The members were a bit flustered by that.
“Then, what’s your job?”
“I’m a doctor.”
“…?!”
At Cha Eugene’s bold statement, the members started murmuring.
“Um, isn’t it a bit odd that this comes out right after it’s revealed that Moondae isn’t a doctor but an undertaker?”
“I didn’t know Moondae hyung was a doctor! I was just staying quiet, trying to observe and figure out the answers from what the members were saying.”
Bae Sejin asked cautiously. “Can you prove it?”
“No one can prove their job. But I’m definitely a doctor! If there’s someone else here who is a doctor, come forward and say it.”
“…”
“Nobody’s saying anything. Do you know why? Because I am the doctor!” Cha Eugene shrugged. That confidence seemed genuinely real…
Is that true?
If that was the case, they had to rethink everything. Who was the scholar, and who was the culprit? Kim Raebin tried to think it over again.
It was then that Park Moondae fell silent for a moment, as if lost in thought, and soon placed a hand on his chin and spoke. “…Ahyeon, you said you were the detective.”
“…Yeah.”
“Then… if you’re indeed the detective, there’s another possibility.”
“What is it…?”
“The fact that the first sacrifice was chosen by the viewers. It could be the clown, not the detective.”
“…!!”
That’s right. What if the starting point of the spinning sacrificial mark is not the detective but the clown?
“In that case… it makes you think, doesn’t it?”
Park Moondae turned his head. “Among the suspicious candidates who still seem to be lying about their jobs, there’s only one person with a card exchange record.”
And he naturally looked at that person. It was Bae Sejin.
“…!!”
“Hyung, you exchanged with Chungwoo after the midterm check, didn’t you?”
Bae Sejin’s eyes widened.
“And you said there’s no journalist among the profession, but Kim Raebin claimed to be a journalist, right? However, Kim Raebin has no record of card exchanges.”
“…”
“You claimed that Lee Sejin is not a lawyer but a clown, but Lee Sejin also has no record of exchanges.”
So, among the people whose professions were unclear and controversial, the only one with a record of card exchanges was Bae Sejin!
That can’t be! Kim Raebin opened his mouth and looked at Bae Sejin.
“Wait a minute.” Bae Sejin responded as calmly as possible. “Cha Eugene is just speaking confidently, but there’s no actual evidence. Someone else could be the doctor and stay silent because of the job mission.”
“Hmm.”
“And… right! Cha Eugene exchanged cards with Ryu Chungwoo before Park Moondae. If Chungwoo was the clown, and as you said, the clown was the initial sacrifice by the viewer vote…”
Ryu Chungwoo raised a hand with a perplexed expression and answered. “Um… but in the end, Eugene exchanged cards with Moondae, right? So, the sacrificial mark would move from Eugene to Moondae?”
It was accurate.
“Then Moondae has to be the sacrifice, but Moondae’s job is an undertaker, not a scholar, so it’s impossible.”
“Ah.”
In the end, it was a contradiction. There was a mismatch in the final job.
It’s impossible.
Kim Raebin swallowed.
“Even if Eugene had the clown card and was initially the sacrifice, it’s strange. The mark passes through me and goes to you.”
“…”
“Sejin, are you the scholar? The final sacrifice.”
At Ryu Chungwoo’s question, Bae Sejin’s face hardened.
“That’s impossible! And if that’s true, it means you’re the culprit! You were the last one to make the exchange!”
“Yes. So that means it’s not true. If we were on the same team, we wouldn’t be interrogating each other like this.” Ryu Chungwoo continued calmly. “And Sejin, didn’t you keep insisting earlier that Lee Sejin was the clown?”
“…”
It was true. Bae Sejin had been fiercely arguing with Lee Sejin, accusing each other of being clowns, all while working as lawyers… It felt a bit odd to suspect someone else of being a clown now.
In the end, Bae Sejin sighed.
“Seriously… Hey, Lee Sejin! Just be honest about your job! It’s hard to figure this out!”
“…Huff! You’re really good at acting, Hyung! Wow~ You should be the one to be honest!”
“Ugh!”
Lee Sejin had an expression that looked like a vein might pop on his forehead. With a smiling face, he explained menacingly. “From the start, Hyung, it’s impossible for me to pass the sacrificial mark, even if I were a clown~ I didn’t make the exchange.”
“…”
That’s right. One of the two names not on the card exchange list was Lee Sejin!
The other one is me… Kim Raebin swallowed hard.
Lee Sejin’s kind explanation continued. “But right now, the final sacrificial job is ‘scholar,’ right?”
The likely candidate to be chosen by vote was neither the detective nor the clown. The final sacrifice’s occupation was scholar!
“Whether the viewers voted for the detective or the clown, the person with that occupation isn’t the sacrifice right now, right? It means the mark was passed on through card exchange.”
“…”
“I don’t know how it went around, but it ended up with the scholar.”
Lee Sejin’s words had no logical flaws. Even Kim Raebin nodded unconsciously.
I see. Then it really means that Lee Sejin and I are innocent since there’s no exchange record!
“So… Cha Eugene is the Scholar, and it means Park Moondae handed it over to Cha Eugene!”
“I’m not the scholar. There are definitely other possibilities.”
“So, I’m not the culprit either…”
“…”
Silence fell. No one seemed to be lying.
Even Park Moondae said this. “…Could it be that the viewers chose the scholar from the start?”
“Did the production team pull some strings?”
“Hmm.”
The members, who were now groaning, looked like they had a headache. The jobs were so mismatched that no matter what they did, the possibilities didn’t add up. However, Kim Raebin knew one more piece of definite information about the jobs. A piece of information that no one else knew. It was about himself.
I’m the sheriff! From there, he began to fill in the blanks.
Kim Raebin clasped his hands together. Two people with the same name fighting over one job, each claiming the other was a clown and themselves a lawyer. Let’s assume that each of them is making the correct deduction and the truth.
In that case, the chart could be easily completed. He slowly matched people and jobs, recalling everyone’s testimonies as he eliminated the possibilities one by one…
“…”
Only one option remained. He realized it.
“…!”
Kim Raebin took a deep breath. Then, he called out a name. The remaining person.
“Cheongwoo hyung.”
“Yeah?”
Kim Raebin turned his head towards him, recalling the chart he had made. It was a chart matching members with professions.
===================
1. Ryu Chungwoo – ?
2. Bae Sejin – Lawyer (or Clown)
3. Seon Ahyeon – Detective
4. Lee Sejin – Lawyer (or Clown)
5. Park Moondae – Undertaker
6. Kim Raebin – Sheriff
7. Cha Eugene – Doctor
===================
If he filled it out like this, it ended up with one question mark. And… one job left over. If you put it there, it turns out like this.
===================
1. Ryu Chungwoo – Scholar
===================
Ah. With this, there’s no contradiction in the job testimony! The first job information without any contradictions.
I need to start deducing from here!
It’s time to speak up. Kim Raebin firmly opened his mouth. “I am the sheriff.”
“…”
“So, you must be the scholar!”
“…!!”
“I matched all the job testimonies. And… the only one left is you, Hyung.” Kim Raebin enthusiastically explained the chart he had created. He could feel that the members were listening to him with great concentration.
“… That’s all!”
“…”
Kim Raebin caught his breath.
Will they believe me? He looked around with earnest eyes. And then… Park Moondae raised a hand.
“Wait, is there any chance Bae Sejin or Lee Sejin aren’t the clown?”
“That’s…”
“It feels a bit inaccurate to me. There’s no evidence.”
No way. Kim Raebin was about to sink into depression from the shock.
“Wait.”
“…!”
Bae Sejin interrupted, narrowing their eyes.” Park Moondae, are you… trying to protect Ryu Chungwoo? It feels that way.”
“Huh? What do you mean by that…?”
“Y-Yeah.”
“…!”
Seon Ahyeon also calmly interjected.
“If it were the usual Moondae, you would have suggested thinking it over… because Raebin spoke up with courage.”
“Hmm. It could be an attempt to deceive.”
“Raebin…?”
“…”
Everyone fell silent.
Huh? Kim Raebin looked a bit flustered, but Bae Sejin nodded vigorously.
“Yeah. If Raebin is the sheriff, then it makes sense that he would try to disguise his role as a journalist because of some mission or ability. Actually, this explanation makes it easier for me to understand.”
“Sejin hyung….”
“Being a sheriff sounds like a good job, doesn’t it? He probably wanted to keep it hidden because it’s similar to a police role.”
Kim Raebin was deeply moved! However, Park Moondae remained calm.
“Yes. I also hope this is correct… If Cheongwoo hyung is the scholar, the culprit is obvious from the exchange records.”
“What…?”
“It’s you.”
“…!!”
3. Ryu Chungwoo Bae Sejin
“Cheongwoo hyung’s last exchange record is with Bae Sejin hyung.”
Bae Sejin’s face turned pale.
And then Kim Raebin realized. If we assume that Bae Sejin hyung is the clown… Clown Bae Sejin was the first to become the sacrifice and then passed it on to Scholar Ryu Chungwoo! Everything fits perfectly!
Oh my god.
It was the moment when he was contemplating whether he should prepare to shoot in his confusion. Someone raised a hand and shouted.
“That’s strange!”
“…!”
It was Cha Eugene.
Eugene spoke clearly. “Then Bae Sejin hyung would have opposed Kim Raebin’s story. Because he shouldn’t get caught.”
“…”
“But Sejin hyung was the first to say we should believe him. And Moondae hyung opposed it. So Moondae hyung is more suspicious.”
“…”
“Did Moondae hyung secretly exchange the cards?”
“…!!”
Ah! Right, if Moondae hyung secretly exchanges the cards without telling anyone…
Just as Kim Raebin was about to consider that possibility, reality hit.
Huh…?
A small laugh was heard. It was coming from Park Moondae.
“Impossible.”
“…!!”
“As you all know, the front door is exactly in the middle of the two dorms. It means that it’s impossible for people trying to switch without being caught.”
That’s right. The front door was exactly in the center. If more than one person approached it, they would be seen no matter what.
Turning to Cha Eugene, Park Moondae kindly added, “If you try to make an exchange there, you’ll stand out. Everyone was watching when more than two people moved.”
“…Umm.”
Then, Park Moondae gave a decisive testimony. “Besides, I never even went towards the front door.”
“What…?”
“I’ve been at the dorm where I started since the midterm check. Sejin hyung saw it too.”
That’s right. After each of them checked their cards for sacrificial marks in the rooms they started in during the midterm check.
-Bae Sejin, Park Moondae, Kim Raebin.
The dormitory where these three woke up. Park Moondae continued to explore without leaving that place.
“…Um, why did you do that?”
“I was wondering if there was a way to get rid of the bathroom ghost.”
Park Moondae’s explanation, that he thought the undertaker’s ability to communicate with the dead might be used there, was smooth.
“My job is an undertaker, so I wondered if I could talk to ghosts.”
“Wow.”
So, the conclusion is this.
-Park Moondae has not approached the front door since the midterm check, and he doesn’t have any coins.
Therefore…
Moondae hyung hasn’t tried to exchange…!
“Conclusively, I’m someone for whom card exchange is circumstantially impossible.”
“…”
“I believe this should clear up any doubts about my innocence.”
“It was all just circumstantial evidence to begin with,” Park Moondae added, shrugging his shoulders.
I can’t argue with that…
Kim Raebin looked to the side. A person who had introduced themselves as a detective was standing there. His eyes were wide open, as if in shock.
This can’t be.
Kim Raebin, in an attempt to offer encouragement, hastily spoke up. “Uh, Ahyeon hyung. So, we should suspect the others who tried to make the exchange…”
“N-No.”
“…!!”
“It’s possible. Moondae too…!” Seon Ahyeon muttered firmly with a pale face.
Park Moondae asked back without any sign of agitation. “How?”
“…”
“You’re not going to tell me you used a walkie-talkie or something, right? The production team isn’t stupid; they wouldn’t put something so unfair in a deduction show.”
Seon Ahyeon quietly shook his head, then spoke up. “Moondae doesn’t need to go to the entrance.”
“…?”
“Only Moondae’s card needs to go to the front door…!”
“…Ah!!” Bae Sejin suddenly exclaimed. It seemed the meaning had dawned on him.
And then Seon Ahyeon explained it clearly. “The person who wants to make the exchange just needs to take Park Moondae’s card and head to the entrance…!”
“…!!”
“Right! And then, while pretending to pass through the entrance, use both cards alone to quickly make the exchange!”
“Aaah!”
In an instant, the atmosphere heated up. Kim Raebin also blushed and gave a thumbs up.
“That’s exactly right!”
“Th-Thank you…!”
Seon Ahyeon, who found the loophole that they didn’t need to go themselves, smiled slightly. However, Park Moondae… nodded.
“…?”
“That might be true.”
Is he admitting it just like that?
Of course, that wasn’t the case.
“Then anyone could have done it.”
“…!!”
“It seems like anyone could have just handed over the card to the other person, not just me.”
That was correct.
“…”
For a moment, silence fell again.
Lee Sejin sighed and asked, “…Does anyone remember who was lurking near the entrance?”
“…”
From here, it was back to square one. And honestly, even if someone did come forward with a testimony, it would be the same. Anyone could lie in their testimony.
While everyone was emotionally suspecting Park Moondae as the culprit, they had to admit there was nothing more to discuss. Park Moondae was very skilled at counterarguments.
I see. That’s when Kim Raebin realized.
When there’s no physical evidence, the sheriff’s ability is even more necessary. Only then can they avoid the biggest risk of all during the suspect deduction, which is the ‘elimination of the remaining five.’
I need to verify it once using the sheriff’s ability.
Of course, the risk was significant. If the wrong suspect was targeted, an innocent person could die. And in fact… in that case, the sheriff would die too.
Kim Raebin recalled the next line after the rule explanation.
– If the sheriff shoots the wrong ‘culprit,’ that innocent person will be immediately sacrificed.
-And the sheriff will also be sacrificed.
In other words, the Sheriff’s bullet… is fired at the risk of his own life. Still, it’s better than pointing out the wrong culprit and everyone dying!
It’s time to give it a try. Kim Raebin steeled his resolve. And raised his hand.
“…?”
“Kim Raebin?”
He shouted. “The sheriff targets participant Park Moondae!”
“…!!”
At that moment, a dazzling light effect burst out from the giant coffin placed in the center.
these Chs are commissioned if you want your series to be translated you can contact us at discord for your favorite series.
Reed chapter first at Utoon.net