Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 131

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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 131

 

In the house(18)

 

Eldia’s story was familiar. For me, it wasn’t even a special tale.

 

Eldia was better than those who killed people for fun, but she was worse in that she had taken far more lives than they had.

 

…If the people here truly count as ‘lives,’ that is.

 

I asked her.

 

“Now, what about the data?”

 

“What did that truck say?”

 

Eldia answered with a question instead.

 

“You’re a smart person, so you’ll acknowledge it.”

 

Julione had sorted through the data for Eldia’s sake. She presented proof that the path to immortality Eldia desired was impossible, and at the same time asked me to show this data to Eldia.

 

It’s one of the reasons Eldia is still alive and breathing.

 

“Also, she said thanks. That you graduated from university on her scholarship.”

 

“…How tragic.”

 

Julione said that when Eldia saw this data, she would acknowledge it. That she would accept her mistakes and willingly pay for her crimes.

 

I don’t think so.

 

Rather, I believe the opposite.

 

Once someone has set foot on that path, they can never turn back. They cannot face their corrupted selves.

 

So right here, right now, Eldia herself will prove that there’s no need for second chances…

 

That’s the extent of my curiosity.

 

“This data might seem meaningless right now. But if I’m given just 6 more months, no, just 3 more months, and if I can get more test subjects-”

 

──-!

 

I pulled the trigger. Eldia tried to resist again, but I had mixed magic power into the bullet.

 

“Kugh!”

 

With her abdomen pierced, she staggered like she was dancing before leaning against the wall. She slumped down, leaving a thick trail of blood.

 

“Haa, haa, haa… Keurgh!”

 

She gasps for breath. She coughs up blood. Then, as if she absolutely cannot accept it, she clutches her wound tightly and spits out words that barely sound like words.

 

“I… did nothing… wrong.”

 

With eyes that won’t close, Eldia looks at her past. She recalls those days she still misses.

 

“Why… at such… a young… age…”

 

Her fingertips slipped and touched the cold metal floor.

 

Slowly, the light in her irises faded.

 

“What exactly… did I… do wrong…”

 

Her voice stopped. All vital signs came to a complete halt.

 

Now, it’s time to finish up.

 

I placed my hand on the supervisor’s circuit board. With a final hack, I set the coordinates for the 「Wormhole Generator」.

 

The destination is a black hole.

 

「Wormhole Setup Complete」

 

I opened the gate to the Supervisor’s Office. As I walked with my walking stick, the scenery suddenly caught my eye.

 

The space beyond the Research Facility.

 

As I gazed at it, I became curious.

 

If even this vast space is fake. If the people here are merely fakes made of magic power.

 

How can I be real? How can I be certain of that?

 

I quietly pondered this.

 

“…Ha.”

 

An unconscious sneer escaped me.

 

There’s no need to worry.

 

If I’m fake, I’ll surely cut myself off.

 

Trust yourself, Ha-woon.

 

* * *

 

I returned to the Esmos Ship.

 

〔Survivor confirmed. Please come inside.〕

 

〔Survivor confirmed. Please come inside.〕

 

Robots were processing boarding procedures. They were robots from the Escort Ship. After all the zombies had left, Julione restored their data, making them good friends to civilians once again.

 

〔Total civilians: 223. Total explorers: 39. Boarding complete.〕

 

In this Labyrinth, 11 explorers were eliminated. They’ll be waiting in the Waiting Room.

 

Oh right, if this is their third elimination, they’ll be kicked out of the program.

 

“Master~”

 

Just then, Im Hae-jun approached. He was with Julione.

 

She smiled broadly.

 

“Good work.”

 

“Yes. Will you be leaving now, Julione?”

 

“Yeah. I’m going to take the spaceship and request rescue. Together with this guy.”

 

Julione put her arm around the robot’s shoulder.

 

“Wow~ How cool~ As expected of the captain~”

 

Im Hae-jun’s flattery is like breathing. He doesn’t rub his hands together, but his whole body is practically groveling.

 

“And… I was originally going to take this with me.”

 

Julione picked up the truck at her feet. Now the truck’s front bumper is more familiar than Julione’s face.

 

“Since you gave me the robot, I’ll give you this instead. It was originally yours anyway.”

 

I looked at the truck she held out to me.

 

Most engineers are very attached to their machines, and Julione seems to be especially that type. Even so, if she’s willing to give me the truck.

 

“Yes. Thank you.”

 

I accepted the truck. Julione seemed reluctant to part with it, but soon wore a bittersweet smile.

 

〔Warship separation preparations complete.〕

 

“Shall we watch?”

 

She pointed to the massive glass window of the Esmos Ship.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

I approached and stood there.

 

“…What a tedious view.”

 

Julione sees space she’s already sick of, but to me it’s far too unfamiliar.

 

〔Separating the Esmos Ship.〕

 

Chiiiiik. A sound like a steam engine operating echoes throughout.

 

The mothership and warship separate from each other. The Esmos breaks away from the Cosmos.

 

〔The mothership will generate a wormhole.〕

 

──-

 

The mothership’s energy fluctuates. Silently and quietly, it creates a distortion at a point in space.

 

It forms a ‘passage’ that folds dimensions.

 

The Cosmos Ship increases its output and enters into it, while the Esmos moves away in the opposite direction.

 

I looked back behind me. Quite a few people were standing like me. Not only numerous survivors but also Seo Ji-woo, Lee Jun-ho, Yoon Hwa-rim, Im Hae-jun, Kate, Kang Hyeon….

 

Before long, the mothership filled with zombies disappeared beyond the wormhole.

 

〔Complete.〕

 

The robot said to everyone.

 

〔Congratulations on your survival.〕

 

Cheers erupted. Hundreds of people embraced each other, and joy and sorrow filled the warship like droplets.

 

However, I felt like I was only distancing myself from them. I felt as if I had briefly stepped away from the vanishing point.

 

I turned around one step. Kang Hyeon was standing there. He looked at me.

 

Eyes that showed no emotion. The me reflected in his retina was the same.

 

My eyes and your eyes are similar.

 

This thought occurred to me.

 

We might, perhaps, resemble each other.

 

* * *

 

Restoration work on the living quarters began. Robots and survivors joined forces to revive the apartment. As Julione had said, drinking water, oxygen, everything was fine. It would be plenty for at least 3 years until the rescue team arrived.

 

“Are you guys going back now too? To where you originally were?”

 

Julione asked while grabbing her helmet strap and spinning it around.

 

“Yes. We’re going back.”

 

“…Captain. Where do you think that place is?”

 

Im Hae-jun beside me asked casually. I cursed with a sidelong glance.

 

Julione answered while stroking her chin.

 

“Well. Probably another world?”

 

“…Huh, what?”

 

Im Hae-jun was startled. Julione smiled and continued.

 

“At least it must be a world where magic science technology is more advanced than ours. That’s why 50 people came all at once. The reason is probably because of this mothership’s materials. Materials that we absolutely cannot handle right now.”

 

Julione made a very meaningful expression and made a splendid wrong guess.

 

“By any chance. Did you guys come from the future?”

 

“Ah… haha.”

 

Im Hae-jun gave a bitter smile, and I shook my head.

 

“We came from a very distant place. That’s all.”

 

“…I see. That must be it.”

 

That’s when it happened.

 

[ The labyrinth will end in 10 minutes. ]

 

[ Please prepare. ]

 

I gave Im Hae-jun a look. Im Hae-jun nodded. Julione seemed to have intuited it as well.

 

“I guess it’s farewell?”

 

“Yes. Please go ahead.”

 

“Alright. Take care.”

 

I shook hands with Julione.

 

〔Agent Seol Ha-woon. Farewell.〕

 

The robot watching from the side also extended its hand to me.

 

“Oh. You too.”

 

I shook hands the same way. Julione watched warmly and said.

 

“…I hope we’ll have a chance to meet again later.”

 

I didn’t answer. Julione didn’t expect anything more than that either.

 

“Take care.”

 

“Yes. Farewell.”

 

Julione entered the supervisor’s office with the robot. I came out to Esmos’s lobby with Im Hae-jun.

 

The graffiti that had filled the walls saying everyone would die had been cleanly washed away.

 

“Hey mister! You can’t just throw that in the trash! We don’t have a waste disposal ship so we have to do all the recycling!”

 

Survivors were cleaning the lobby, talking and laughing with each other. It wasn’t just them. The explorers were also mingling together and helping with the work.

 

“….”

 

Then I spotted wild Lee Jun-ho. He was alone. He was sitting in the lobby, lost in deep thought.

 

I sat down next to him.

 

“Sorry about that.”

 

Lee Jun-ho kept his gaze on my feet.

 

“About what?”

 

“Killing him without saying anything.”

 

“…Hah.”

 

He let out a hollow laugh and raised his head.

 

“It’s fine. I don’t mind. Hyung… would always do that anyway.”

 

“Always?”

 

The title ‘hyung’ didn’t seem to stick well in his mouth, but he smacked his lips and continued.

 

“Yes. Even if hyung’s companion had been that kind of person, you would have done the same thing.”

 

“…I would have.”

 

If Julione had been someone like James.

 

“That’s why it’s okay. Just, don’t change. There’s nothing more annoying than people who suddenly change.”

 

“People all change originally.”

 

“There should be some consistent people too, sometimes. Even if everyone else changes, just someone who stays the same. If everyone changes, this world becomes so shitty, how would we live?”

 

Lee Jun-ho pointed at the truck by my side.

 

“But what’s that toy? You carry it around like some sacred object.”

 

“My loot.”

 

“…What? That thing?”

 

“Yeah. I’m taking it. Home.”

 

Lee Jun-ho shook his head as if it was absurd.

 

“I didn’t know Jemalmali had that kind of childlike innocence.”

 

What’s Jemalmali again.

 

Pazuut!

 

Just then, light flashed through the air. The spaceship ceiling’s lights spread unnaturally like paint.

 

Lee Jun-ho clicked his tongue.

 

“Guess we’re going.”

 

I silently closed my eyes.

 

Whiiiiiii….

 

The sound of wind wrapping around my body. The sensation of my feet lifting off. Carried by this mysterious current, floating, I slowly opened my eyes.

 

Right in front of me was the panel of the sleep machine.

 

Chiiiiik.

 

The lid opened.

 

I raised my upper body.

 

“Everyone worked so hard~”

 

The usual spaceship set stage, with the cheerful Kim A-rang PD. Other staff members had all gathered and were applauding.

 

You’re in a very good mood.

 

“Thanks to you, this labyrinth will be a huge hit too~”

 

I looked for my walking stick first. AC-0308 was leaning against the sleep machine.

 

“Long time no see?”

 

But actually, there was no other loot.

 

I raised my hand to Kim A-rang.

 

“Excuse me, PD. Where did my truck go? I had it tucked under my arm when I came here.”

 

“Ah~ Everyone’s belongings are treated as loot and will be settled. You can bring them back by spending coins.”

 

“…Coins?”

 

“Yes. So, that’s our next schedule.”

 

“….”

 

Honestly, while the truck is loot, I can’t sell it anywhere. It’s not particularly useful either. I can’t even ride it when exploring the Labyrinth.

 

Is there really a need to spend coins to bring back such a thing?

 

“You must be tired, but please come to the Settlement Room.”

 

* * *

 

I returned to the dormitory. I turned on the lights in the dark room and placed the truck and pistol on the desk.

 

For some reason, the room felt empty, so I turned on the TV.

 

─Oh Dong-jun! Actor Oh Dong-jun!

 

Some variety show was doing a person quiz. A corner where they suddenly show a photo and you guess that person’s name.

 

I was just watching without much thought when suddenly

 

─Okay, next!

 

“Huh?”

 

My photo appeared on the corner.

 

Long-haired Seol Ha-woon. A best shot with quite a bit of Photoshop added.

 

─Ah, ah this person, Jemallot! Jemallot!

 

The contestant urgently called out my nickname, but the PD cut him off with a laugh-tinged tone.

 

─Not the nickname! Real name!

 

─That, that… no, Jemallot, ah no no no. What was the name, what… Seol Song-i?! Seol Chan-song?!

 

─Wrong!

 

─No, no wait a minute!

 

“Wow….”

 

I opened my mouth. How can you know Jemallot but not know the name?

 

I didn’t realize when watching variety shows, but this is how the person involved feels.

 

─Ah hyung, really… It’s Seol Ha-woon, Seol Ha-woon….

 

The other contestants looked at him as if truly disappointed, and he also grabbed the back of his neck and hung his head low.

 

─Hyung is in big trouble, really. Big trouble. These days he’s at his peak, huh? His stock is the highest.

 

─No… Ah~ I know this person. I really know him. Jemallot, Seol Ha-woon. How much I like him. I really went to the theater and watched in admiration. I voted, I voted too. I’ll show you. I’ll show you my cell phone. Look at this. Look at this….

 

I let out a hollow laugh at the celebrity desperately making excuses, then suddenly.

 

I looked at the truck.

 

I stared at it intently.

 

Quietly, fixedly, piercingly.

 

The truck was also facing me. Its flat, wide front bumper was looking at me.

 

Wouldn’t it say something?

 

Creak creak. Wouldn’t it change its wheels?

 

“….”

 

But no matter how long I waited, the truck remained silent.

 

It just lay there in that spot, unmoving.

 

“…Ridiculous.”

 

I lay down on the bed and turned on the Dream Bubble.

 

Looking up at the bubbles dripping from the ceiling, somehow like stars in space, I fell into a deep sleep.

—————
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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