Rule 4
Once a game round starts, you're free to attack your opponent with whatever means you have. However, if you hurt anyone outside the ring, you will be punished.

The rules came as a neat staple of white paper.

Rule 6
We will not publicize any information about you without your permission. You are further free to announce information to news agencies. If you, however, puposely use that freedom to defame the Games in any way, you will be punished.

Rules on how to behave during a broadcast. Rules on sponsorships. Rules on . It was funny to imagine how many ridiculous things must have happened that the makers thought it appropriate to have a special rule for every tiny possible mishap. But to try and find a loophole probably was the only chance for some contestants.

If you fail to follow the rules, you will be punished.

"So what if I don't sign this?" Chen asked as he twirled his pen in his hands. It probably wasn't the time to act carefree but it didn't feel right to just succumb to his fate, especially not if that would include fighting to death.

"You will be punished," the lady in the white suit said with a mechanical smile. She literally was a robot.

"On what basis? I didn't sign anything yet."

"You were purchased by this company," the lady smiled.

He sighed. It was no use. Whoever said that the laws were there to protect people, obviously never had been in a position in which he needed protection.
Right now his life didn't mean a thing. He had been sold by his country and even if he was to protest, it would only end in his instant perishing. That thing they had implanted in his neck would go off before he could stop it.

But well, that at least was a fast way to die. He knew the Games and the kind of contestant they usually got. It was impossible not to know, not with all the maniac fans. He couldn't even remember how many years ago they had started but with new Games held every three months, it was pretty hard to avoid every single live broadcast and all the highlight specials. And after all the images of people who killed each other in the most gruesome ways, he knew that he didn't stand a chance.

It was funny, really. He could vividly imagine his parents trying to make money with fan goods the moment they found out that he wasn't dead after all. It was the kind of world he came from. He, too, would have tried and made money if he had actually known any of the contestants. It wasn't like they would ever return to complain.

"So what if I gain sponsors?" he asked. "Can I transfer the money I make to someone else?"

The question of course remained whether he would even make it to the broadcasts. There were more than twice as many people around as there were supposed to be during the official start, so they were obviously going to get rid of some of them.

"Of course," the lady smiled. "And even as you take part in the Games, you can freely use your earnings."

"Right," he muttered and stared at the contract and bit his lip. There really was no way around, no matter how much he tried to wreck his brain. This really was the end. Had he been smarter about his escape plan, this wouldn't have happened. Had he not made that other stupid mistake, he would still sell cheap goods to normal people.

"So what is this punishment?"

"Punishments will be chosen however we see fit during each single case," the lady smiled.

There was no loophole.

---

When he came back to his cell, the two Russians were in the middle of an arm-wrestling match. Chen still didn't know what it was they could do but they probably deserved being there. They way they looked they wouldn't even need any powers to kill a grown man. Their hands were literally the size of Chen's face.

Kim Jongin meanwhile was asleep again. They were called out at the same time, so he had either nodded off instantly or had made less of a fuss than Chen. In the end it probably was a combination of both.

"Did you sign?" he asked, just to test if he was still awake. He hated to admit it but he felt somewhat nervous.

"Obviously," Jongin said, his eyes still closed. "And so did you I assume, or else you wouldn't be here."

Chen sat down on his cot. There really was no use talking to Kim Jongin. All the other guys had been put in the same cell and probably were in the middle of each other's wounds but he was stuck with the guy who he used to think was the most helpful. In the end Jongin probably was one of those people who actually enjoyed to be in the Games.