Are you sure? On my box this is the same...

#!/usr/local/bin/perl
$num=5;
my %hash = ('1' => 12, '2' => 34, '3' => 56, '4' => 2);
@values = reverse ((sort {$a <=> $b} values %hash)[0..--$num]);
print @values, "\n";
$num=5;
@values = (sort {$b <=> $a} values %hash)[0..--$num];
print @values, "\n";


----->
/home/jonathan> z   
5634122
5634122
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"We are all prompted by the same motives, all deceived by the same fallacies, all animated by hope, obstructed by danger, entangled by desire, and seduced by pleasure." - Samuel Johnson