Chapter 8: Challenge Dream King!
As we slowly climbed toward the obstacles, the MC began introducing the brutal course one by one.
“Okay! Let’s dive into the obstacles you’ll face! First up! Stage 1!! Hanging on the Horizontal Bars of Hell!! An absolutely diabolical mission where you must cross using four horizontal bars!!”
The difficulty was so intense that ordinary people would almost certainly fall. It truly lived up to its “hell” name.
“And Stage 2!! Crossing the Rotating Log!!”
The second stage required crossing a long, spinning log that tested balance. A thin, circular log you had to walk across with one foot—spinning, no less. You could sit and scoot, but it was still fiendish.
“And the third stage is the Spider-Man Crossing! Or rather, the Net Crossing!”
This was a rotating net you had to cling to and traverse, making at least one full rotation. It was an exhausting route that drained stamina with every move.
The viewers looked weary just watching. It was brutal.
“Everyone’s already dead! But don’t worry! Just finish it! Take it slow!!”
“Next, the 4th stage: Cowboy Tarzan Crossing! Throw a weighted rope onto a bar in the air, tie it tight, and swing across like Tarzan! This one’s the ‘easy’ part!!”
The fourth stage involved tossing a rope with a weight to hook a bar, securing it, and swinging across.
“Of course, the final stage is Vertical Wall Climbing! Grab a rope and scale a near-vertical wall! Clear that, and it’s just a slide down to hit the buzzer!!”
“They really built this to kill us.”
“Today’s gonna end me.”
“Is this a dog-day slaughter or what…?!”
The cast grimaced at the grueling course, but the staff and onlookers seemed thrilled.
“Now, let’s get started!!! Viewers go first!! Cast members will try afterward!!”
The MC handed the stage to the viewers.
The ten of us had to decide who’d go first.
“Uh… anyone want to go first?”
Seunghwan, the eldest, stepped up to ask, but everyone looked hesitant.
The course was daunting, and going first without seeing someone else try?
The odds of failure were sky-high.
No one volunteered.
But we had to start somewhere…
“If no one steps up, we’ll have to do rock-paper-scissors or draw lots.”
If no one volunteered, we’d resort to the democratic method of chance.
I thought it over and decided going last would be best.
That way, I’d appear at the peak moment for maximum screen time.
Given the course’s difficulty, most would likely fail or barely finish with poor times.
The cast, going later, would have an easier time thanks to their experience.
‘But if everyone fails and gets complacent, and I swoop in at the end for a dramatic comeback?’
That’d be a ratings goldmine.
My beauty paired with that skill—two massive impacts.
The editors would surely highlight it.
For someone craving attention, it was the perfect setup.
I aimed to go last and tweaked my customization window accordingly.
‘There’s a rock-paper-scissors talent, isn’t there?’
I’d previously set it to 0 as useless, but now it was my ticket.
I cranked it to 10, along with the corresponding skills.
Now, I was a world-class rock-paper-scissors master, reading opponents with sharp psychological insight, keen observation, and dynamic vision.
‘Based on calculations… 63% chance they’ll throw rock, 15% paper, 22% scissors.’
Paper was the safest bet.
I scanned everyone’s hands, tracking their movements.
‘No scissors…’
No one was forming two fingers.
Paper it was…!!!
I threw paper.
“…Yes!!!”
“Oh my, hohoho!”
“Men always go for rock…”
“Ughhh…”
Three wins, seven losses.
The losers would sort out their order, so I didn’t care.
Now, it was down to the three winners.
One was Younghee, the other a guy whose name I didn’t bother remembering.
As we prepared for the next round, Younghee spoke up.
“Hoho, I’m fine. Third-to-last is good enough for me, so you two can settle it.”
She forfeited, leaving me and the guy.
He glanced at me, blushed, and shouted.
“I-I’m good too!!! Winter, you take the last spot!!”
“Oh, thank you.”
It was obvious he was trying to impress me, but that worked in my favor.
I smiled, thanked him, and smoothly secured the final spot.
Meanwhile, the seven losers sorted their order.
Unfortunately, the first to go was Jung Seunghwan.
“…Ugh, I’m screwed.”
His face was grim as he muttered, but he soon composed himself.
After a quick glance at me, his expression hardened with determination.
He hit the buzzer—Beep!—and started running.
The other guys shot me similar looks, their faces stiffening with resolve.
“Oh my, Winter, you’re so popular!!”
“Haha…”
Younghee’s comment made me laugh awkwardly—I couldn’t deny it.
The men were clearly trying to show off in front of a pretty woman.
Not that it’d make the impossible possible.
“Pukeghhh!!”
Seunghwan, despite his determined start, flailed at the third bar of Stage 1, his arms giving out as he fell into the foam pit.
Trying to look cool was pointless if you couldn’t back it up.
As expected, I’d likely be the star of this show.
And, as predicted…
“Hahaha! This is tough…!!”
Most people dropped at the first or second stage.
The furthest was Seunghwan’s father, who made it to Stage 3.
But no one completed the course.
I was the last one standing.
“Aaaaah! The viewers are wiped out! Total annihilation! Only one remains—a viewer so stunning you’d question if she’s really one of us! Winter!! If this keeps up, the cast’s victory is guaranteed!! PD-nim, this is getting boring—what’s the plan?!”
“Let’s see how Winter does. And to boost her motivation, if she completes the course, we’ll give her the first-place prize, no questions asked!”
“Wow, 1st place prize?! What if Gyul-woo really gets 1st place?”
“Wow, 1st place prize?! What if Gyul-woo really gets 1st place?”
“Wow, 1st place prize?! What if Gyul-woo really gets 1st place?”
“Then we’ll see the viewers’ victory, and Gyul-woo will get the 1st place prize and a Korean beef set! Plus, all the eliminated viewers get Korean beef sets too!!!”
“Then we’ll see the viewers’ victory, and Gyul-woo will get the 1st place prize and a Korean beef set! Plus, all the eliminated viewers get Korean beef sets too!!!”
“Then we’ll see the viewers’ victory, and Gyul-woo will get the 1st place prize and a Korean beef set! Plus, all the eliminated viewers get Korean beef sets too!!!”
“Aaahhh!! Gyul-woo! Did you hear?! This is huge!! The PD’s coughing up blood for this deal!!! Can Gyul-woo carry the viewers’ dreams and beat the cast?! We need your support, viewers!!!”
“Aaahhh!! Gyul-woo! Did you hear?! This is huge!! The PD’s coughing up blood for this deal!!! Can Gyul-woo carry the viewers’ dreams and beat the cast?! We need your support, viewers!!!”
“Aaahhh!! Gyul-woo! Did you hear?! This is huge!! The PD’s coughing up blood for this deal!!! Can Gyul-woo carry the viewers’ dreams and beat the cast?! We need your support, viewers!!!”
“Waaaaaaah!!! Hee… Fighting!!!”
“Waaaaaaah!!! Hee… Fighting!!!”
“Waaaaaaah!!! Hee… Fighting!!!”
“Please win!!!”
“Please win!!!”
“Please win!!!”
“Hahaha! I want some of that Korean beef set!!!”
“Hahaha! I want some of that Korean beef set!!!”
“Hahaha! I want some of that Korean beef set!!!”
“Oh my gosh!!! So much pressure!!! What do I do?!”
“Oh my gosh!!! So much pressure!!! What do I do?!”
“Oh my gosh!!! So much pressure!!! What do I do?!”
“Zaaaaaaah!!!”
I stood before the buzzer, closing and opening my eyes as the couples did a comedic back-smash skit.
‘…All settings are complete.’
Basic martial arts techniques.
All physical talents at 10: flexibility, elasticity, balance, reflexes, central nervous system, vision, endurance, muscle strength, coordination, density, bone density.
Skills like kickboxing, punching, kicking, acrobatics, parkour, gymnastics—all maxed at 10.
From my perspective, this was in the bag.
Beep!!!
I pressed the buzzer and launched off the ground.