Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 115

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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 115

 

In the house(2)

 

I walked through the corridor inside the ship. The scene in the lobby was grim. All sorts of objects were scattered about, and blood was stuck thickly here and there, but there were no actual corpses.

 

“A vending machine?”

 

I suddenly discovered a vending machine. In the dim light, energy bars, beverages, and drinking water were sparsely stocked inside.

 

In labyrinths like this, you have to gather food supplies whenever you see them.

 

Of course, I don’t have money, but I have skills.

 

「Hacking Successful」

 

Thud thud thud. Energy bars and drinking water came clattering down. I gathered my outerwear like a bag and put them inside.

 

[Macranoha Energy Bar: Pork Cutlet Flavor]

 

Get high protein and high calories along with taste!

 

I sat on a nearby rusty chair and tore open an energy bar to eat.

 

“…It’s delicious?”

 

This is what’s good about highly developed labyrinth worldviews.

 

I put two or three in my mouth consecutively and was about to get up.

 

Grooooan…

 

A gloomy sound echoes from somewhere.

 

I crouched down. They probably heard the vending machine sound. I was careless.

 

I hid using the chair as cover. Quietly, I watched the direction where the presence was coming from.

 

Grooooan…

 

Something is walking over making sounds. Its appearance is hideous. Like poorly made clay, chunks of flesh are stuck anywhere, but the basic base is humanoid. If I had to find the most similar target—zombie.

 

It’s a space zombie.

 

This should be interesting.

 

I charged magic power into my pistol. The barrel was tinged with a faint blue-white color.

 

Directly shooting mana bullets is still difficult. Although this is inside a ship, it’s clearly space, meaning it’s not Earth.

 

The air density, gravity, and mana particles are subtly different. That faint difference is fatal for mages. It would take quite some time to fully handle magic power outside the body.

 

Before pulling the trigger, I applied Silent Enhancement. This level of basic formula was still possible now. Magic power wrapped around the air near the muzzle.

 

Fire.

 

Swoosh!

 

The one hit in the head collapsed with a thud.

 

I walked again, leaning on my walking stick. At the far end of the lobby was a passage leading to the residential area. An arch-shaped titanium gate was firmly locked.

 

I attempted hacking.

 

「Failed」

 

“What?”

 

My nervous system should be invincible, right?

 

「Hacking level is too low.」

 

The level is too low. Then where should I raise the level… I do have a hunch about something.

 

Desktop.

 

It seems like the desktop is probably the key equipment in this labyrinth.

 

“…”

 

Cool breath flows in from behind my back.

 

The zombie got back up.

 

I turned around and shot.

 

Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh.

 

I fired continuously. The zombie was pushed back while being hit. It didn’t fall down.

 

“…Looks like it won’t die.”

 

The zombie glares at me while dripping things that could be blood or flesh. It can be stopped but won’t die.

 

Just a gun isn’t enough.

 

Although my magic power isn’t fully intact yet, there’s a way to utilize it in a hard-to-control state. I just need to pour it out like a bomb at close range. Abandoning control and using only destructive power.

 

I stopped the rapid fire. The zombie, which quickly recovered its body, rushed toward me.

 

“Groooooar!”

 

When its face got considerably close-up, I launched magic power. The magic power stream that escaped my control slashed through it like a blade.

 

Shaaaash—!

 

The zombie’s head was completely torn apart. Its body was dismantled into four pieces and fell to the floor with thuds.

 

“Done… what?”

 

But the upper body with only the left arm remaining is wriggling. Crack crack. Flesh masses swell up from the cross-section, then create two leg-like objects on their own.

 

The other body parts were the same.

 

One zombie multiplied into four creatures with limbs.

 

“…This is why you shouldn’t move rashly.”

 

Great job, Ha-woon.

 

* * *

 

Fortunately, the zombies had no eyes or ears. Although their bodies regenerated, the sensory organs in the head area I had crushed seemed permanently damaged.

 

I found a countermeasure.

 

‘Still, first smash their heads.’

 

I wandered around the lobby avoiding the zombies, then returned to the gate, that is, the crew-only area.

 

“Supervisor. I’ve brought good stuff.”

 

Knock knock. I knocked on the supervisor’s office door.

 

“Hello?”

 

No answer comes. Are you perhaps sleeping?

 

“Ms. Julione. Please open the door. I brought something good. This is today’s wages.”

 

Knock knock. While knocking, I held up my coat filled with energy bars.

 

“You can see this, right?”

 

In case she couldn’t see, I also took out the wrapper and waved it.

 

“Pork cutlet flavor. Energy bar.”

 

Crackle.

 

Julione’s voice flowed from the speaker.

 

—…That’s not what you’re supposed to do.

 

“Who decided that’s not what I’m supposed to do?”

 

—I did.

 

“No.”

 

I shook my head.

 

“We’re in a relationship where we need mutual cooperation anyway. I decide what my work is. So you should also do what you need to do.”

 

—…What I need to do?

 

“Yes. You just need to open the door.”

 

Julione was silent.

 

She’s stubborn, but she probably isn’t someone with strong obstinacy. I hope she isn’t.

 

“Listen carefully.”

 

I lowered my tone. I continued speaking as calmly as possible.

 

“Don’t make me your enemy.”

 

I don’t have the luxury of having a power struggle with the supervisor on a spaceship crawling with zombies.

 

“That would be comfortable for both you and me.”

 

You need to open your heart to me so we can both be at ease. Whether we like it or not, this labyrinth seems like it’ll take at least a week.

 

“I told you I brought food, didn’t I? Bad people don’t bring food.”

 

I shook my outer garment containing the energy bars. The packaging rustled.

 

─…Fine.

 

Hissss!

 

The door opened. I quickly stuck my foot in first.

 

In case she changed her mind.

 

“…It’s quite messy.”

 

I looked around the interior of the supervisor’s office and let out a hollow laugh. It seemed to be about 30-40 pyeong, but there was no room to step due to all kinds of facilities and equipment.

 

Maybe she didn’t open it because she was embarrassed.

 

“It’s not as bad a place as it looks.”

 

Julione spoke bluntly. Her voice was heavy with fatigue.

 

“It seems so. At least it’s the safest place.”

 

I set down the food I brought from the vending machines. I pushed aside electronic components on the floor to make space.

 

“It’s delicious. Please eat.”

 

Julione picked up an energy bar. She tore open the packaging with her thin fingers.

 

As expected, it seemed her nutritional intake hadn’t been smooth.

 

“How long have you been here?”

 

“…Three years.”

 

“You haven’t gone outside during that time, have you?”

 

Julione closed her mouth. Her pupils shook.

 

I added one more comment.

 

“You’re not really a supervisor either.”

 

Her colleagues were already dead. Probably a very long time ago.

 

If she had really been a supervisor, if she had been someone of at least that level of position, she wouldn’t have been able to survive.

 

“…”

 

She glared at me. Her eyes became sharp.

 

“I have no intention of blaming you. As I said, we have the same purpose.”

 

“…Right. I’m a maintenance worker.”

 

Julione opened up about herself more honestly than expected. Her voice was too tired.

 

“For a year I just worked while eating and sleeping in the ship’s underground. But when I came up, it had become like this.”

 

“Ah… But why is the staff area so clean?”

 

There are no zombies, not even corpses visible. It’s too different from the lobby that became a complete mess.

 

“Most ran away, and some committed suicide. I disposed of the suicide corpses. They’re probably drifting in space.”

 

I carefully examined the supervisor’s office while listening to her words.

 

“Ah, it’s here after all.”

 

「Desktop」

 

I found the desktop. I had been looking for this desktop for a long time while being chased by zombies in the lobby, but it wasn’t in the lobby.

 

Then the only remaining place was this supervisor’s office.

 

This was the reason I was willing to threaten her to get in.

 

“This. May I use it?”

 

“…Be careful. It’ll strain your brain.”

 

“It’s fine.”

 

I pulled out the blue cable from the desktop and connected it to my wrist.

 

「Starting download…」「Current Location: Esmos Ship Supervisor’s Office – Micro Spaceship」■ A micro spaceship equipped with hibernation facilities. The engine is broken.■ Repair requires special parts issued by the Cosmos Ship.「Download Successful: Special skill selection available.」□ Lv.2 Hacking□ Lv.1 Modification□ Lv.1 Locking

 

Various knowledge settled in my mind. I also learned detailed information about this ‘supervisor’s office’.

 

“This is your only means of escape, isn’t it?”

 

This place itself is a micro spaceship. If we just repair the engine, it can separate itself from the hull and escape anywhere.

 

“…Right. It’s my only hope. I’ll never leave here.”

 

I could understand why she was wary of me. Even now, when I recited information about the spaceship, she bristled like a hedgehog.

 

“Don’t worry. You and I have different purposes.”

 

I extended my hand to her.

 

“Let’s cooperate. I’ll help you escape.”

 

“How can I trust you?”

 

“Don’t trust me. Anyway, I’ll be the one running around outside. Instead, please help me too. It seems like several people have already come and gone.”

 

I could tell from her attitude.

 

It was probably a scenario setting that ‘rescue teams had come before’.

 

“I’ll be somewhat different from them.”

 

I wonder if helping Labyrinth People has become something like a hobby.

 

Julione looked at me for a long time before slowly shaking hands.

 

* * *

 

I left the supervisor’s office. First, I walked while suppressing my presence with a formula.

 

It reminds me of the past. It’s a formula I used when dealing with Goblins in the very early stages of Mitamnan.

 

“…”

 

Avoiding four zombies without eyes and ears, I reached the gate where hacking had failed. I pulled out a cable from my wrist and connected it.

 

「Hacking Successful」

 

The gate opened.

 

“Entering residential area.”

 

─Confirmed.

 

We communicate through the terminal. Since I still don’t know much about this hull, I need her information.

 

“…So this is the residential area.”

 

I raised my eyebrows at the scenery inside the ship. Artificial lighting flickered dimly, and cabins were lined up around a central park.

 

“Oh. Found vending machines.”

 

I immediately spotted vending machines. This time there were several. It seemed to be an entire vending machine section – a goldmine.

 

Energy bars, beverages, drinking water, toys, even small cameras, wireless communication chips, modules, batteries, toy trucks…

 

“It’s practically an electronics store.”

 

「Hacking Successful」

 

「Hacking Successful」

 

「Hacking Successful」

 

I swept them all clean. I put half in my bag, and among the electronic devices, I took apart a toy truck.

 

─What are you doing?

 

“Just a moment. I think this might be useful.”

 

I attached a micro camera to the toy truck. I put wireless communication chips, modules, batteries, etc. in the cargo area and controlled the joystick.

 

“I’m sending a car over to you right now, okay?”

 

─…A car?

 

“Yes.”

 

The truck moves forward quietly. Even its design is truck-like, making it convenient for transportation.

 

Rattle rattle rattle rattle.

 

Shaking up and down, it reached the Staff Gate.

 

“Please open the door.”

 

Whirrrr— I controlled the truck through the opening beyond.

 

“I’m here.”

 

I parked in front of the Supervisor’s Office. As soon as Julione opened the door, she quickly took in the truck.

 

“Did you receive it?”

 

─I got it. Interesting.

 

There was laughter mixed in Julione’s voice. The tension from before seemed to have eased somewhat.

 

“You can modify that, right?”

 

─Of course.

 

“If we both have the same field of vision, response and information exchange will be easier.”

 

─Confirmed.

 

“Yes. I’ll wait.”

 

I waited while munching on an Energy Bar.

 

Before long, the truck returned. Rattle rattle rattle rattle. On top of the truck, besides the Camera, there was another object attached. It was an Electric Launcher. To put it precisely, a Miniature Railgun.

 

“Oh~ You’re even going to provide cover fire?”

 

─Just in case, I’ve loaded Medical Supplies too.

 

Julione said somewhat proudly. I looked at the top of the truck. Transparent Medicine Bottles were neatly arranged.

 

“Good.”

 

─Let’s go.

 

Rattle rattle rattle. The truck moves. Its back is quite cute.

 

The truck tried to take the lead boldly but hesitated and looked back at me.

 

─What are you doing.

 

“I thought you were going to lead.”

 

─Let’s go side by side.

 

“Yes. Let’s do that.”

 

The truck and I walked side by side. The small wheels rolled to match my stride.

 

「Companion Unlocked: Equipment Engineer ‘Julione’」「You acquire a special skill.」「Lv.1 Duct Tape」■ You can condense Magic Power and manifest it as a sticky form of tape.

 

“Oh.”

 

It’s a skill with a trustworthy and familiar name that I really like. Traditionally, quite a lot of people in the Military trust Duct Tape to an almost faith-like degree.

 

I’m one of them too.

—————
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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