Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 127

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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 127

 

In the house(14)

 

Julione cut off part of the hull alloy to create new plywood and reconstructed it into the robot’s body.

 

She also completely repaired the main circuit board that had been temporarily sealed.

 

[Stability confirmed… 93%.]

 

After that, she replaced the engine parts of the micro spaceship and attached a mana reactor.

 

The preparations for departure were complete.

 

“Finally…”

 

The copy of the supervisor card that Eldia had given her. She inserted it into the laptop. Complex programming languages filled the screen.

 

Among them, Julione discovered a very cunning trap code.

 

“Self-destruction.”

 

As expected, a self-destruction function was built in.

 

In other words, the moment this card was used, a self-destruction countdown for that sector would begin. If they had come down just a little later, they would have been blown up in the VVIP room.

 

Julione had an intuition.

 

Eldia was wearing a mask, and Seol Ha-woon’s group was in danger.

 

─What, what is this now.

 

Then some completely unknown voice was heard. Julione looked at Truck’s camera.

 

─Is it a toy?

 

There was a man talking to Truck, which had been left in the outer lobby. A small-looking man with brown hair.

 

Julione spoke through the microphone.

 

“Who are you.”

 

─Hup!

 

The man trembled and drew the bow from his back.

 

“I asked who you are.”

 

Truck also raised its railgun.

 

─Don’t, don’t shoot.

 

Then he immediately surrendered.

 

What’s with this little guy.

 

“Speak.”

 

─I’m Im Hae-jun.

 

“…The name format is the same?”

 

─Huh?

 

Seol Ha-woon, Seo Ji-woo, Kang Hyeon, and Im Hae-jun.

 

“Tell me just one name of someone you know.”

 

─Huh?

 

“The name of someone you know. Someone similar to you. Any name.”

 

─Uh… yes, well… do you know Seol Ha-woon?

 

“Seol Ha-woon?”

 

Julione drew electric current to the railgun and asked again.

 

─Why, why!

 

“If you raise your voice, zombies will come. Just answer what I ask. What’s your relationship with Seol Ha-woon?”

 

─…I, I am. Well…

 

“Answer. I asked what relationship you have.”

 

She snapped threateningly.

 

Only this way would the truth come out.

 

Im Hae-jun swallowed his saliva and answered.

 

─He’s, he’s my master, my master.

 

Disciple? This foolish-looking kid is the disciple of that meticulous guy?

 

“…You look too stupid to be a disciple.”

 

─What did you say?!

 

“Shh.”

 

She put away the railgun for now. Im Hae-jun whispered quietly.

 

─I really am his disciple, you know?

 

Well, there would need to be something to teach for him to be a disciple.

 

“Follow me.”

 

Judging by his appearance and build, even if he caused trouble, the robot could subdue him, and more importantly, the order of precedence was important.

 

Im Hae-jun had mentioned Seol Ha-woon first.

 

─Who are you, by the way?

 

“Seol Ha-woon’s colleague.”

 

─…Colleague? That guy doesn’t keep colleagues though?

 

She opened the staff gate.

 

Rattle rattle rattle rattle. Truck entered first. Im Hae-jun nervously followed behind, trotting along.

 

“What skill did you get?”

 

She asked to help ease the tension. A topic she had overheard from Seol Ha-woon and his companions.

 

─Terminal.

 

“…”

 

From what she heard, that was supposedly the most useless skill.

 

“How stupid.”

 

─That’s not true!

 

Truck stopped in front of the supervisor’s office. Julione got up directly and opened the door.

 

“What do you mean stupid, this is really useful, oh!”

 

“Come in.”

 

She gestured inside.

 

* * *

 

Just beyond a single layer of tape, zombies were wandering around. Not dozens, not hundreds, but thousands of zombies. Occasionally their hands, or arms, or legs brushed against the tape.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

I looked at Kang Hyeon and Seo Ji-woo. They were trembling while even holding their breath.

 

“…Relax. The sound won’t leak out anyway.”

 

It was spell sealing.

 

At that moment, both of them let out deep breaths.

 

“Ah, you could have said so earlier.”

 

Actually, it was funny so I just watched.

 

Seo Ji-woo leaned against the wall.

 

“…No matter how I think about it, I trusted too much. People.”

 

She still seemed resentful.

 

“But, is there a way to get out of here?”

 

Kang Hyeon seemed to be pondering what to do next, but I don’t have any clever solutions either.

 

I didn’t know it would be this kind of betrayal.

 

“At the very least, we won’t be able to open a gate from inside here.”

 

Inside here, there isn’t even any machinery visible to attempt hacking.

 

Physical methods would be difficult too.

 

No matter how strong Kang Hyeon is, he can’t cut through a gate, and he shouldn’t. The hangar’s condition would be very bad.

 

If even a hole were made, what’s beyond would be space immediately.

 

“Then that’s hopeless.”

 

“It’s not like we have absolutely no support to rely on.”

 

An operation heavy on randomness isn’t really an operation at all.

 

But I prefer the expression ‘based on trust’ over the word ‘random.’

 

“Truck.”

 

I didn’t send Truck away early for no reason. She can operate the spaceship, which is a very important asset.

 

Seo Ji-woo’s eyes widened.

 

“Ah! That’s right!”

 

“If Truck brings the spaceship…”

 

Kang Hyeon nodded as well.

 

I trust my comrades. Doubt and trust are separated by a thin line, but once ‘assessment’ is complete, there’s no going back.

 

No matter how excellent an elite may be, if they’re an enemy, I’ll definitely kill them. No matter how worthless trash they may be, if they’re an ally, I’ll definitely trust them.

 

In that regard, Truck and Julione even belong to the elite ally category.

 

“But will she come back for us? She needs to go to her hometown.”

 

Seo Ji-woo muttered worriedly.

 

“Saving us once won’t make much difference in time. She’ll have to travel light-years anyway.”

 

Though I say that, I’m just as anxious in truth.

 

This is why the military extremely abhors randomness.

 

It means betting the lives of an entire unit on just one person’s feelings, or mere luck…

 

* * *

 

“So if we enter that terminal’s range, communication becomes possible?”

 

Inside the supervisor’s exclusive micro spaceship. Julione asked while preparing for departure.

 

“Yes.”

 

Im Hae-jun answered from behind the passenger seat.

 

“Um, Captain. But… don’t people usually sit in the passenger seat~?”

 

Hehe. He smiled with a hint of aegyo.

 

Indeed, some robot drum was currently sitting in the passenger seat. It was crushing the seat with its heavy bottom.

 

“You’re not my co-pilot.”

 

“…What? Ah~ That’s not what I meant~ The chair looks like it’s about to burst because of that thing.”

 

“Departing.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Kuuuuuung──!

 

The spaceship separated from the Esmos ship.

 

“Ugh!”

 

Im Hae-jun’s entire body swayed greatly.

 

“Captain! I’m, I’m flying away!”

 

“Grab onto anything.”

 

He hurriedly hugged the passenger seat headrest. In that position, he looked out through the glass window.

 

“Ahhh… Oh…? Woooow…”

 

He exclaimed in admiration without realizing it.

 

Distant light. An overwhelming galaxy.

 

The vast spectacle of space, a beautiful sea of stars, spread out endlessly.

 

Shuuuung.

 

The micro spaceship turned stably.

 

“How did you end up drifting all the way here?”

 

Julione asked.

 

“Ah… we were actually a party. But.”

 

It was a three-person party: Kim Dong-ha, Jin Ho-jong, and Im Hae-jun.

 

“I sacrificed myself.”

 

Im Hae-jun took on the zombie aggro himself and barely managed to escape through the ventilation duct.

 

“Actually… I was so scared of zombies that I almost gave up.”

 

He absolutely hated this kind of atmosphere. He couldn’t even watch horror movies alone, so what was with zombies popping out?

 

“…A guy like that came into a place like this to make money?”

 

Julione frowned as if finding it absurd. Im Hae-jun gave a bitter smile.

 

This person doesn’t know what kind of beings they are. That’s why it’s a bit sad and regrettable.

 

“Now I’ll patrol around the mothership.”

 

Julione unfastened her safety belt.

 

“Robot. You handle the detailed controls.”

 

〔Confirmed.〕

 

The fuel was perfectly full. This much would be more than enough for a round trip to her hometown.

 

Thanks to Eldia, that woman, showing unnecessarily excessive kindness to earn our trust.

 

“Im Hae-jun, you use that terminal to find your master.”

 

“Yes. I was already doing that!”

 

Im Hae-jun stared intently at the Lv.3 Terminal.

 

* * *

 

“Keep the terminal on. That’s our lifeline.”

 

“I’m doing that.”

 

Kang Hyeon answered while looking at Seo Ji-woo. Their gazes met directly. Seo Ji-woo squeezed her eyes shut.

 

“…Ah, fine. I really survived thanks to you. Kang Hyeon. Thank you for leveling up the terminal.”

 

“I didn’t plan to go this far either. You despised me first.”

 

“…This is driving me crazy, really.”

 

Kang Hyeon put on a deliberately stern expression, then burst into laughter. Seo Ji-woo also swept back her hair and giggled.

 

“Puhaha.”

 

“Don’t laugh… Pfft.”

 

Watching the two of them, it’s hard for me to believe.

 

If that appearance is fake.

 

If you, who seem even more real than Eldia, are fake.

 

“Radar contact.”

 

Kang Hyeon’s expression became serious again.

 

“Try communicating.”

 

─…Who is this?

 

A voice came through first. A familiar tone that was immediately recognizable. It was Im Hae-jun.

 

Seo Ji-woo gripped the terminal.

 

“Huh? Is that you, Im Hae-jun?”

 

─Oh! It’s me, Im Hae-

 

─Crackle. This is Julione.

 

Im Hae-jun had his terminal taken away by Julione.

 

You’re still a subordinate there too, Hae-jun.

 

“Julione? Who’s that?”

 

─…Truck.

 

“Ah! Truck! You came back for us!”

 

Seo Ji-woo gripped the terminal while making a moved expression. Kang Hyeon also let out a sigh of relief.

 

“Where are you now? We’re trapped in some kind of prison right now.”

 

─I’ve located your position. But the hangar is damaged.

 

I took the terminal.

 

“Can you open the gate?”

 

─It should be possible with Eldia’s supervisor authority. That woman had planted a self-destruction code, but I’ve disabled it.

 

“Good. Then please open the gate first. I’ll explain the details later.”

 

─It’s dangerous. If we open the gate, the air will be sucked out.

 

“It’s fine. Please open the gate right now.”

 

“Huh? Right now? What about us?”

 

Seo Ji-woo asked in bewilderment. Kang Hyeon explained instead.

 

“We’ll be fine. We sealed ourselves with tape. Only the zombies will get sucked out.”

 

“Oh right. But can we really withstand it with tape?”

 

I gave Seo Ji-woo a meaningful look.

 

“You’re here too. Two mages can handle it. Okay?”

 

I trust you, the elite mage whom Seo Ji-hyuk praised as a genius.

 

“…Okay.”

 

Seo Ji-woo looked slightly surprised, but rolled up her sleeves as if telling me to trust her.

 

“Truck. Did you hear that? Please open the gate now. Watch out for zombies bursting out.”

 

─Confirmed.

 

Now when the gate opens, there will be an enormous pressure difference. The vacuum darkness of space. The zombies will be sucked into that bottomless pit.

 

Whoosh!

 

I created more tape. Layer upon layer like a cocoon. Without even the tiniest gap. Seo Ji-woo also wove lines densely through the spaces between.

 

Truck responded.

 

─Opening now.

 

* * *

 

As soon as the gate opened, an enormous number of zombies flew out into space from inside. It was like a Cthulhu-like vacuum cleaner sucking them all up.

 

Mysteriously, no sound could be heard. It was as quiet as a mouse.

 

Though it shouldn’t be surprising, I felt it to my bones. From a cosmic perspective, we really are infinitely small and insignificant beings.

 

“Ah, so refreshing. Those zombies really!”

 

Im Hae-jun swung his clenched fists around.

 

Julione calmly settled him down.

 

“Originally, they were all people.”

 

“…Why, why are you saying that? Making people feel awkward.”

 

After blankly watching the zombies flying out through the gate, when they had been completely cleared away.

 

Julione activated the spaceship. Into the gate where they were waiting…

 

Safe landing.

 

“Robot. Close the gate.”

 

［Confirmed.］

 

Hissss. The gate closed.

 

The internal pressure stabilized again, and Julione lowered the spaceship’s boarding gate.

 

In the corner of the sector, where the spaceship’s searchlight illuminated the interior.

 

Rip rip rip!

 

The sound of tape being torn off echoed. Im Hae-jun, who turned to look that way, grinned broadly.

 

“Oh! Hyung! Master!”

 

He ran toward them.

 

“Can’t you see me?”

 

Seo Ji-woo narrowed her eyes. Kang Hyeon placed his hand on Im Hae-jun’s head and asked.

 

“Hae-jun. Did you level up your terminal too?”

 

“Of course! Terminals are super important.”

 

“But Seo Ji-woo hates terminals.”

 

“…Ah, seriously, cut it out. I won’t do it! I don’t hate them anymore!”

 

Julione also approached them.

 

Seol Ha-woon raised his eyebrows at her. Julione chuckled.

 

“When I came to my senses, I realized I was your Plan B?”

 

“…Yes. Mutual trust. I believed in you.”

—————
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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