Don't Feed the Professor! - Chapter 26

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“Ha.”
I looked up at the glittering cascade of golden papers. It was a sight that felt utterly unreal.
Just then, a single golden paper fluttered through the air and stuck to Kay’s head.
“Does that even……. count?”
“What?”
If I understood correctly, a student who received favor was exempt from sanctions even when breaking the rules.
〈As I mention every time, acts that inflict harm on fellow students are strictly prohibited. ……unless you’ve received special permission.〉
That’s what the Student Council president had said. Being attacked first didn’t justify the injuries I’d inflicted.
The Fortress’s rules weren’t that lenient.
‘But I was the one who got congratulated…….’
I stared at the shimmering golden papers. It seemed I’d somehow earned a certain “favor” without even realizing it.
But what exactly was favor? My eyes drifted toward Mallo.
The “Body Scent Perception” the Student Council president and Kwon Tae-hyun had mentioned—and the gas mask too had been trying to catch my scent……. In the end, that meant…….
“You’re thinking awfully hard about something.”
Mallo looked down at me and spoke.
“Well…….”
“But you don’t need to worry about that stuff. It doesn’t really concern us anyway.”
What did that mean? I stopped walking.
“But the Student Council president clearly said——”
“Student?”
Mallo blocked my gaze as it kept drifting back toward Kay and Russell.
“Don’t worry about it.”
Then he reached one hand toward my face. I flinched reflexively as he picked something from my cheek with a soft tap.
“There’s blood on you.”
Mallo showed me the drop of blood smeared on his fingertip, his smile radiant.
Whose blood was it, anyway? Russell’s? Kay’s? I didn’t really want to think about it anymore.
No, it was better not to think about it.
If it hadn’t been for Mallo, the skull being crushed right now would have been mine, not Russell’s leg.
In the end, it was that simple.
“……yeah.”
I left the groaning pair behind and headed toward the Maze.
* * *
[Expedition Member 2A-○940 Oral Record Excerpt]
-We will begin the interview. First, could you briefly explain the circumstances when you were first deployed to the Fortress?
“Ah, yes, so I was ■■ years…….”
-You don’t need to mention the exact date.
“Ah, my apologies. Haha, I’m a bit nervous……. Um……, at that time, I was selected as an external operative for the Organization……and dispatched to Gwangnyun University……. Oh.”
(Static)
-You can take your time.
“Yes, my apologies. Still, the, my implant hasn’t fully taken yet…….”
(Static)
“Hmm, anyway……. For me, it was the second expedition.”
-Did you operate together with the other members?
“Ah, no. I was, uh, assigned a role by the Fortress right upon entry……. Phew……. My apologies, what I mean is…….”
-You don’t need to apologize.
“Haha, yes. Phew……, coming to headquarters for the first time made me nervous……. Anyway, upon entry, I was assigned a role by the Fortress……, and so I had to be immediately separated from my colleagues.”
-What kind of role was it?
“I was a ‘student’. The Expedition Commander said I was lucky……, but I…….”
(Silence)
-When did you escape the Fortress?
“Approximately 13 years and 4 months after entry.”
(Sound of paper turning)
-Did you escape on your own?
“No, my master……. Or rather, what I mean is…….”
-You were detained by a superior entity throughout your stay.
“Yes……. Yes, that’s right……. I, I’m sorry, but agent, could I borrow a handkerchief?”
(Static)
“Thank you. To answer your question again……, it was less detention than entrustment, to be precise. My master, or rather, that person……showed me kindness.”
-You said it was a ‘master-disciple relationship’?
“If you want to put it that way, yes. After all, I was a student……. And that person……taught me many things…….”
-Did you actually learn things from them?
“No. It wasn’t so much learning as……. I suppose you’d say I was infused…….”
-Could you explain how ‘learning’ differs from ‘being infused’?
“Well……, how should I put it, when that person……spoke……, everything they said, no matter how preposterous, I simply believed to be true.”
-Could you give an example?
“Yes, haha……. Please don’t laugh too much. So……, on my birthday, a soldier who fell into a coal mine for the 53rd time——his father passed through that bridge yesterday…….”
(Static)
“Or how the human bones they’d searched so desperately for were going through their final half-life inside the heating system……. Oh, and how agent, there’s a tumor growing in your prefrontal cortex right now.”
(Static)
(Static)
-What did you just say?
“Ah……, that is…….”
-What did you say is in my head?
“Yes, it’s still small, but it’s malignant, so the prognosis isn’t good. Uh……, did I say something wrong? I just…….”
-……After a brief break…….
“Haha.”
(Static)
“Not a god.”
-Pardon?
“Nothing……. Or rather, no. Just, I’m still in a bit of confusion, you understand, I’m not yet fully re……, re…….”
-What…….”
(Static)
“No.”
-■■ (Redacted).
“No, no. Not a god. The spectrophotometer is not a god. Move the jars, the jars with blood into the burial chamber…….”
-…….
“No, rather, this is……. No, no, my apologies. Twenty, twenty-one, ten……ten-four. That person arranged things for me. The, the spectrophotometer is…….”
-Let’s end the interview…….”
“No! No, no. Don’t end it. Don’t end it.”
(Call bell sound)
“Why are you looking at me like that? Haha.”
-Do not get up.
“It’s a lie, a lie.”
(Static)
“Why would I escape like that? Haha, it’s purely……. That person…….”
(Illegible)
“Haha……, hahahaha…….”
“Yes, yes……, there, there is permission……. The, my master’s dog……here…….”
(Static)
(Static)
(Scream)
-Kim, Kim senior?
(Scream)
-Re, restrain! Restrain them!
“There, there……. Ugh…… uuuugh…….”
(Static)
(Scream)
(Recording terminated)
※ Reference photo 1) The implant that Expedition Member 2A-○940 self-extracted from their oral cavity and part of the damaged alveolar bone.
* * *
The Maze was indeed a maze. After exiting the first long corridor, the path forked into two. I took the right passage.
Mallo followed behind me at a leisurely pace, hands clasped at his back.
Even after walking for a long time, the images from moments before wouldn’t leave my head.
Were Russell and Kay…… really dead? Mallo had said that people don’t die during Course Registration, but after causing all this, the Fortress would surely be trying to replace them…….”
“Haven’t figured anything else out?”
At his sudden question, I lifted my head from my thoughts.
“Figured out?”
“You said games reveal everything if you play long enough. Have you figured anything else out about this Course Registration?”
Had I really said something like that?
In any case, I hadn’t come away empty-handed.
“There are as many Credit Points as there are people in this Underground Level, and there’s no time limit.”
The fact that I’d entered third among these stagnant people meant something like that.
If there had been a time limit, most of them would have rushed into the Maze first, accepting the penalty of exposed position.
Also, Russell had said that once all Credit Points were collected, Course Registration would end.
“Which means……either all the Credit Points get collected, or……until all the participants are collected, we can’t leave this place.”
That was the conclusion I’d drawn.
Another hypothesis: there was probably more than one way to obtain Credit Points.
If Credit Points could be physically obtained, they could be stolen from other students.
So there was no need to rush into the Maze. With “favor,” all you had to do was ambush the students who’d gone ahead and take their points.
“You summarize well.”
After listening to my explanation, Mallo spoke. His tone was like praising a performing dog.
‘……What do I know.’
Right, first things first——let’s focus on getting out of here. I quickened my pace.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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