Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 113

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Labyrinth Exploration 101 Episode 113

 

BLACK(3)

 

│Global Village Engulfed in Shock│

 

│Kim Yoon-jun’s Murder, Work of a Villain?│

 

│Tributes Pour in from High Rankers Worldwide….│

 

│Labyrinth Exploration NaN to Proceed with Theatrical Release as Scheduled.│

 

│Mount Hua Sect Declares Retaliation│

 

│Labyrinth Exploration NaN Achieves Global OTT #1….│

 

The whole world is Mitamnan in many ways. Kim Yoon-jun’s death has ironically brought even more attention to the entire program.

 

“Everyone… I’m not sure what to say.”

 

PD Kim A-rang looked around the interior. Fifty explorers had gathered in one space. It was group psychological therapy.

 

I wouldn’t need it, but Kim Yoon-jun had deep bonds with many explorers. The warriors in particular seemed quite shocked.

 

“We were supposed to have the mentor class two days ago.”

 

Kim A-rang let out a sigh. Filming itself had been completely stopped due to Kim Yoon-jun’s death.

 

“The 10th episode broadcast… the theatrical release will proceed as scheduled, but we’ve decided to completely postpone the mentor class. After resting just until today, we’ll enter the labyrinth right away.”

 

The vacation had become longer than planned.

 

Whatever the cast members’ mental state, the production crew had to continue filming.

 

They probably weren’t even considering canceling episodes. After all, the death of comrades is a constant occurrence for explorers.

 

The train is moving too fast to stop for someone’s death.

 

“Today is psychological counseling. Please talk with the remaining mentors and collect yourselves….”

 

Some warriors like Lee Jong-soo and Jin Ho-jong quietly became dejected. Meanwhile, Lee Jun-ho looked like he’d eaten shit. Seo Ji-woo let out a deep sigh, and Kate was expressionless.

 

Kang Hyeon was hanging his head.

 

Only you won’t show me your face.

 

“Also… for the warrior mentor position, acquaintances of Mentor Kim Yoon-jun have agreed to take turns. So psychological, psych, psychological, psych… Ah. Sorry.”

 

Kim A-rang seemed to have her tongue twisted, stopping mid-sentence to tap her mouth.

 

“Psychological counseling, ugh, psy.cho.log.i.cal.coun.sel.ing first.”

 

The explorers finally laughed quietly. Kim A-rang also smiled faintly.

 

“Let’s proceed. Please come in one by one.”

 

Psychological counseling. It sounds nice, but this is ultimately footage that will be filmed by cameras too.

 

They’re planning to make a segment out of Kim Yoon-jun’s death.

 

Those broadcasting station bastards are really ruthless.

 

“First, Mage Seol Ha-woon….”

 

* * *

 

I’m looking at Yoo Yul across from me.

 

“….”

 

The thought that immediately came to mind as soon as I faced her sullen expression in the counseling room.

 

No matter what, isn’t this person completely unsuited for psychological counseling?

 

“I’m going to ask if you’re okay.”

 

Yoo Yul’s tone was somehow unnatural. She probably received instructions from the production crew. Right now she had an earphone plugged in her ear.

 

“Yes. I’m fine.”

 

“What do you think about Mentor Kim Yoon-jun?”

 

“…I think he was a good person.”

 

Kim Yoon-jun had many good deeds. Donations might not be the standard, but he had returned such large amounts to society, and willingly gave his talent and time as well.

 

“Right. Mentor Kim Yoon-jun was someone with many worries.”

 

Yoo Yul said.

 

“He wanted to protect young children with potential like you all.”

 

Was she grieving, or was she sneering?

 

I can’t see into her. I can’t read her expression.

 

“We’re all adults though.”

 

“That’s when it’s most dangerous, they say. The time when you mistakenly think you’ve grown up completely. You wouldn’t be like that though. Since you’re an old-timer.”

 

“Old-timer is also an old word. These days, though it’s a bit rough, they say boomer.”

 

It’s one of my nicknames. I don’t think of myself as old at all, but I’m stuck among such young kids.

 

I threw a joke at Yoo Yul.

 

“Yu-yul Mentor, you’re old too.”

 

Snicker. A sculpture-like smile appeared on Yoo Yul’s lips. She asked me in a more comfortable posture.

 

“What thoughts did you have? About Kim Yoon-jun’s death.”

 

I looked at the camera behind Yoo Yul.

 

“It was sudden.”

 

“And now?”

 

“…I’ve become okay. But I think his death is a great loss. Not just for us, but for this country too.”

 

Since the camera is filming, I have to say something.

 

“So, whoever committed it must definitely be revealed.”

 

Yoo Yul stared at me intently and asked.

 

“Do you want to reveal it?”

 

This time, it wasn’t a question from instructions or script.

 

Purely Yoo Yul’s curiosity.

 

“No.”

 

I turned the speculations I had drawn back into a blank slate.

 

Certainty distances truth.

 

Kang Hyeon is still just a suspect.

 

“Of course I hope the truth will be revealed, but it probably isn’t something I should do.”

 

The world is wide and there are many masters.

 

There’s no way I’m the only one who had such suspicions.

 

Someone who has the same suspicions as me, but with greater certainty, will definitely exist and come looking for us.

 

“…Right. Seol Ha-woon. You don’t seem to need counseling either.”

 

Yoo Yul smiled while checking something on the documents.

 

* * *

 

Late evening.

 

After finishing psychological counseling, I sat on a bench on the walking trail.

 

I was yawning repeatedly from sleepiness when someone else appeared.

 

“…Are you okay?”

 

It’s Seo Ji-woo, who also finished counseling and came out.

 

I answered indifferently.

 

“There’s nothing to not be okay about.”

 

“How cold. That person was from the Snow Removal Team, I heard. You were his top pick~”

 

I let out a hollow laugh.

 

No matter how I think about it, Snow Removal Team feels like removing Seol Ha-woon. Couldn’t they just go with something comfortable like Midwinter?

 

“You know.”

 

Suddenly, Seo Ji-woo looked up at the night sky and let out a long sigh.

 

“Why do people die?”

 

She muttered as if genuinely curious about what is a very natural order and principle.

 

“Also, why kill them.”

 

Seo Ji-woo is at an age where she’s curious about such trivial things.

 

I answered briefly.

 

“It’s most comfortable not to think about such things.”

 

Seo Ji-woo turned to look at me.

 

There’s one fact I realized while wandering the oversaturated battlefield for years.

 

There’s no grave without a story, and everyone’s death has its own reason.

 

If you try to consider each of those things one by one, you’ll either die from mental illness or die from not pulling the trigger in time.

 

“Consciously keep your distance. For people in our profession, it’s better to exercise empathy selectively.”

 

“…Did my brother do that too?”

 

Seo Ji-woo suddenly threw a straight punch. It hurt briefly like getting hit in the nose.

 

I looked at Seo Ji-woo’s hands.

 

Her small hands, clenched into tight fists, were trembling.

 

Her condition is worse than I thought.

 

She still has inflammation and trauma from the deaths of people around her.

 

“…He would have done his best in whatever situation. That’s why he received a military decoration. Even the Taegeuk one.”

 

The Taegeuk Military Merit Medal is the highest honor a South Korean soldier can receive.

 

Seo Ji-hyuk truly tried hard enough to die. He risked his own life.

 

“Don’t do your best.”

 

Words that sounded like she was throwing a tantrum.

 

“It hurts. I can never see him again.”

 

Seo Ji-woo buried her back deep into the bench. She bent her waist and looked up at the sky.

 

“…Just think of it as not being able to see him because the timing doesn’t match.”

 

It’s just that the timing will never match forever.

 

The opportunity to get close to Kim Yoon-jun, the chance to eat together at the wrap party after the broadcast ends, or at other gatherings – all of it disappeared just because the timing didn’t match.

 

“Pfft. What’s that supposed to mean.”

 

“…You’re speaking informally again?”

 

I frowned. Seo Ji-woo retorted sulkily.

 

“I’m helping with your operation, so I should be able to do at least this much.”

 

“Now it might be beneficial for you too.”

 

“Wow~ What’s with this celebrity disease. Look how arrogant you’ve become.”

 

“We might both lose out.”

 

Seo Ji-woo giggled and scratched her eyebrow. I quietly gazed at her profile.

 

Someday, I’ll have to tell you the truth too.

 

Not today.

 

When you become stronger and more solid than yesterday, when you can endure that guy’s death. When you can do that…

 

But, what if.

 

What should I do if you can never do that?

 

Seo Ji-woo wrinkled her nose.

 

“What are you staring at? Are you trying to pierce my eyes?”

 

I laughed because it was absurd. Did she catch some disease where she’d die if she didn’t pick a fight?

 

“Because it’s funny.”

 

“…What is?”

 

“Because your face is funny.”

 

“What? No, why are you being like this? Haven’t you seen the posts praising my visuals on the internet?”

 

“You look at stuff like that?”

 

I thought she didn’t care about that at all. Seo Ji-woo let out a breath as if she was dumbfounded.

 

“Oh my goodness. I don’t look for it, it just shows up. There’s so much praise.”

 

“I don’t look…”

 

Suddenly, various posts and feeds come to mind. Those that praised my skin for being very good, said I was the man who suited long hair best in the world, said my low voice itself was cinema…

 

“…I’m leaving.”

 

I got up from my seat.

 

* * *

 

Lee Jun-ho was hiding behind a tree. Erasing his presence was easy now. He just had to hold his breath, close his eyes, and open only his ears wide.

 

As he listened to Seol Ha-woon and Seo Ji-woo’s conversation like that, his mouth suddenly tasted bitter.

 

Do I like Seo Ji-woo?

 

That can’t be. The long years he spent with Seo Ji-woo prove that.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“!”

 

Lee Jun-ho jumped far away. He glared in that direction with a fully alert posture.

 

“Are you a cat?”

 

It was Seol Ha-woon.

 

“Uh, when?”

 

“When what.”

 

Lee Jun-ho coughed unnecessarily.

 

“…Uh, when… are you going in. That’s what I meant.”

 

“I was about to go now. Are you okay?”

 

“Well… I’m fine.”

 

“Right. You liked DK more anyway, right? No, you love him?”

 

“What are you talking about. It’s not like that. We just have compatible wavelengths.”

 

Then, Seol Ha-woon looks at him. His eyes are always difficult to meet. Eyes that seem to see through the heart, the soul.

 

It’s too strange.

 

If some other bastard glared at me like this, I’d want to punch his face a few times, no, I’d actually do it, but this person…

 

Right, he’s difficult.

 

The word ‘difficult’ fits perfectly.

 

A person who’s difficult to deal with.

 

Suddenly Seol Ha-woon asked.

 

“Did you kill him?”

 

What kind of joke is this. Lee Jun-ho blinked his eyes.

 

Seol Ha-woon chuckled.

 

“No. Never mind. You don’t seem particularly worried.”

 

“…How could there be such a thing. I just think the world is too vast. I haven’t even been to Murim yet, but there’s someone who kills people who’ve been to Murim right here in downtown.”

 

Lee Jun-ho ran his hand through his hair.

 

“I feel a sense of deprivation. And I think I need to climb up quickly.”

 

“You don’t need to be impatient.”

 

Tap. Seol Ha-woon suddenly placed his hand on his shoulder.

 

“Because you’ll climb up soon.”

 

“…Excuse me?”

 

It’s uncharacteristic encouragement.

 

While Lee Jun-ho was bewildered, Seol Ha-woon walks away. Tap tap tap. While using his walking stick.

 

“What’s that about.”

 

Did that person eat something wrong.

 

* * *

 

The next day.

 

As PD Kim A-rang said, filming resumed. We arrived at the set stage. The concept seemed to be a space station.

 

“Wow. They made the set really well.”

 

The explorers looked around here and there.

 

It’s exactly like what we saw in actual SF movies. But suddenly, why space?

 

Hissssss.

 

The passage at the end of the set stage opened. Main MC Yoo Ji-in appeared dressed in a space suit.

 

After quite a long reunion, she looked around at us and gave a wistful smile.

 

“…Everyone. You’ve all worked so hard.”

 

Her makeup is light. It’s a touch that gives the feeling she cried a little.

 

It’s nothing but superficial decoration.

 

I guarantee that Yoo Ji-in was actually annoyed. Why suddenly die and disrupt the filming schedule.

 

“There have been many things during this time. The loss of a colleague is always a sad thing…”

 

While Yoo Ji-in continued speaking in a sad tone, Im Hae-jun stands next to me. Kang Hyeon does the same. The three of us are side by side as usual.

 

“But we’ll overcome it. Just like we always have.”

 

Yoo Ji-in spoke energetically while raising one hand.

 

“Then, shall we depart somewhere in space now?”

 

“…Space?”

 

I muttered without realizing it.

 

Space.

 

Before regression, there was no such labyrinth.

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