Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 138

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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 138

 

Spear Ghost(1)

 

[ Missing Person’s Backpack ]

 

I opened the thick backpack. There were many items inside, but I first took out the map, schedule, and lunch box.

 

First, I opened the lunch box lid. Squirm. Dozens of centipedes jumped out from inside.

 

I crushed the centipedes’ heads with the lunch box lid. I also dismantled their bodies. There was nothing inside.

 

I dismantled them just in case. Like performing an autopsy.

 

Next, I unfolded the schedule.

 

│Schedule│As I heard, Wolryeong Village has many horror and spiritual spots! First, I plan to visit Jeoldong Elementary School, which has been abandoned. I’ll also visit a famous shaman in Shaman Village, climb Imgak Mountain where fog is said to gather thickly every night, and tour all sorts of scary places!

 

The schedule had impressions written like a diary.

 

There were more people when night came! I guess everyone came to have fun. Tomorrow I must find the abandoned hospital that’s supposed to be on the mountainside. The residents told me never to go there, but since I’ve come this far, I really want to visit.

 

So there was a reason for the disappearance.

 

I turned the bag upside down and shook out all the contents.

 

[ Wolryeong Village Map ]

 

[ Camping Cooking Equipment ]

 

■Burner, pot, frying pan, and most importantly, spoon and chopsticks!

 

[ Lantern ]

 

■Lantern! It illuminates the darkness!

 

[ 3-stage Umbrella ]

 

■Blocks the rain!

 

[ 5 Yang Coins ]

 

■Wolryeong Village’s local currency! You can buy things with this!

 

[ Strategy! Cooking Secret Manual ]

 

■How to cook! Your hands move automatically when you look at the pages!

 

Finally, I opened the ledger.

 

│Customer Ledger│◇ Lee Jun-yoon (63 years old / Unemployed / Male) Balding head. Always jealous of others, filled with ■feriority complex. Dark circles are deep and wrinkles are severe. Fortune fee 300,000 won. Purchased 3 talismans.

 

The edges and corners were soaked with blood in places. There doesn’t seem to be much content, but…

 

I selected and skimmed through only the pages stained with blood.

 

◇ Kim Young-sook (47 years old / Self-employed / Female) Business fortune unstable. Severe wrinkles under eyes. Discord with husband due to ■ster-in-law. Fortune fee 450,000 won. Requested evil spirit exorcism ritual.◇ Park Ji-young (35 years old / Office worker / Male) Marriage luck blocked. Face ■ lacks color and is pale. Serious family conflicts. Fortune fee 280,000 won. Purchased ■ll three remaining relationship talismans.◇ Jung Min-ho (52 years old / Corporate business owner / Male) Business bankruptcy crisis. Anxiety visible in his eyes. Suffering from ■adaches. Giggles while looking at empty space. Family history of illness. Fortune fee 500,000 won. Reserved soul-calling ritual.◇ Lee Mi-ran (35 years old / Housewife / Female) Problems with two children. First child’s ■rades aren’t improving, second child is frequently ■ck. Even though she’s ■regnant, her complexion is dark and lacks vitality. Fortune fee 380,000 won. Purchased 2 academic talismans.◇ Choi Sang-hyun (59 years old / Unemployed / Male) Health deteriorated from ■hronic debt troubles. Doing mountain ■imbing as exercise, but not very effective. Body is ■eak, says he sees things that aren’t there. Fortune fee 600,000 won.◇ Lee A-hyun (29 years old / Office worker / Female) Complains of anxiety while preparing for job change. Bullied ■y workplace supervisor. Frequently suffers from headaches and nightmares. Serious mental stress from ■amily conflicts. Says she hears voices telling her to ■ommit suicide. Fortune fee 350,000 won. Purchased evil spirit exorcism talisman.

 

Bloodstains remained on specific characters in the ledger. I arranged the corresponding passages in my mind.

 

No separate notes needed. Sequence’s photographic memory is sufficient.

 

■feriority → inferiority.

 

■ster-in-law → sister-in-law.

 

Face ■ → Face has

 

■ll three → all three.

 

Like this, if I deduce and piece together all the above characters.

 

Everyone dies at ten o’clock.

 

Go to Imgak Mountain.

 

Imgak Mountain.

 

I opened the map.

 

Since I’m currently in Shaman Village, Imgak Mountain is quite far. I’ll have to cross a bridge too.

 

I’ll have to walk quickly again. My legs are killing me.

 

I opened the door. A second room appeared.

 

The sacred rope on the ceiling was torn, and there were several cushions on the floor, so it seems to be a waiting room.

 

I scattered magic power with Sequence to check, but there was nothing.

 

I limped over and opened the outer door.

 

Pitter-patter-patter…

 

It was raining before I knew it.

 

“Ah, my knees.”

 

Weather that chills to the bone. It’s the worst for people with bad joints. 200 times scarier than ghosts.

 

“Ten o’clock… what time is it now.”

 

I have to get to Imgak Mountain by ten o’clock. If I don’t go, it might be game over.

 

I was about to walk forward when.

 

“Hey~ where are you going~”

 

An elderly person’s characteristic metallic voice flows in thinly.

 

“Where are you going~ let’s go together~”

 

I looked in that direction.

 

“Where are you going~”

 

There was an elderly person. They looked at me and smiled.

 

Suddenly, their eyes turned red and swelled up as if about to burst.

 

Clatter-clatter-clatter-clatter!

 

Flailing their arms and legs like a crane fly, they ran over and snatched my wrist.

 

You

 

said

 

let’s

 

go

 

to

 

ge

 

th

 

er

 

didn’t

 

you

 

!

 

Blood flowing from their eyes deeply fills the spaces between wrinkles. The jawbone is visible through the torn corners of their mouth, and their teeth are filthier than most beasts.

 

I answered.

 

“Yes. Let’s go together.”

 

The elderly person says nothing. After having a staring contest for a few seconds, they suddenly turn around.

 

The elderly man says nothing. After a few seconds of staring each other down, he suddenly turns away with a huff.

 

It seems like he’s trying to run away.

 

“Let’s go together.”

 

I followed the old man as he walked.

 

“I said let’s go together.”

 

The old man doesn’t respond.

 

“You just said let’s go together.”

 

The old man’s footsteps gradually quicken.

 

“Let’s go together.”

 

I persistently stuck to him.

 

“Hey, old man.”

 

I mixed words with each step.

 

“Old geezer. I said let’s go together. You were talking fine, but why did you suddenly clam up… Won’t you answer?”

 

The old man’s form suddenly melted into the mist.

 

He ran away. How boring.

 

“Just let me catch one of them.”

 

Isn’t there a talisman to prevent ghosts from escaping?

 

[Warning: You will die if your mental strength reaches 0.]

 

[Mental Strength ■■■■■■■■■□ ]

 

“What?”

 

This labyrinth’s system seems to be ‘mental strength’, but I lost a whole bar? Does that make sense?

 

[Mental Strength ■■■■■■■■■■ ]

 

“Ah. It fills up quickly.”

 

Now that makes sense.

 

I walked again.

 

* * *

 

“Ah, please…”

 

Meanwhile, Im Hae-jun was sitting in a room of unknown name.

 

He absolutely couldn’t go outside.

 

He slightly opened the door crack to look, but at that moment his whole body froze. The atmosphere alone was enough to drive him crazy.

 

Kuuuuuung──!

 

Thunder.

 

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!”

 

Doong- Doong-

 

The sound of a wall clock ringing from somewhere.

 

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!”

 

Knock knock──!

 

A sudden knock.

 

“Aaaaaaaak!”

 

Im Hae-jun stuck to the wall and rubbed his hands together.

 

“Aaaak, please save me!! Please save me!! Kyaaaaaaaak!!!!”

 

Knock knock──!

 

“Kyaaaak don’t knock kyaaaaaaaak kyaaaak you bastard aaaak kyaaaak damn it kyaaaak kyaaaak kyaak.”

 

Knock knock──!

 

“Aaaaaaaak…”

 

He fainted just like that.

 

* * *

 

Every labyrinth has a purpose, that is, an exit. A labyrinth without an exit cannot exist. Therefore, the top priority is finding the ‘purpose’.

 

What should we do in this eerie village?

 

I walked toward Imgak Mountain with an umbrella in one hand and a map in the other.

 

Several people brush past me. Even though it’s raining, they’re just walking while getting soaked, so they’re probably more likely not human.

 

“…Is this the place.”

 

I reached the entrance of a long bridge. A large warning sign was placed there.

 

Wolryeong Village Precautions 1. Never cross the bridge after 11 PM and before 5 AM. 2. Even if you hear strange footsteps while walking on the bridge, never show any reaction. 3. Never look into the river water from the bridge. Even if you hear calls for help, ignore them and quicken your pace. 4. Never wear red clothes. 5. ‘　’ does not exist in Wolryeong Village. The residents of Wolryeong Village cannot speak or write ‘　’. 6. If a strange phone rings three times from a payphone while walking, you must answer it. If it rings four times, you must ignore it. 7. If an unknown being calls you or you feel a presence, never make eye contact. However, if the unknown being’s joints are particularly bent and its limbs appear abnormally long, run away. 8. Odd hours are safe, even hours are dangerous. Remember this. 9. When something is frightening, wear red clothes. You can be protected.

 

For now, it seems best to follow the rules. If I act fearlessly and go against everything, I might become the first victim in a horror movie.

 

“There’s no watch.”

 

Since I don’t know if it’s after 11 PM now, there’s no need to walk on the bridge.

 

I went down below the bridge.

 

Sssssss—

 

The dark, wide river ripples like human hair. It’s definitely a river, but it looks as deep as the sea.

 

“Huh?”

 

I found some almost completely shattered wood pieces on the shore.

 

[Broken Ferry Boat]

 

■ A broken ferry boat. It’s completely shattered, can it even float on water?

 

Rip. I tore off duct tape and wrapped it around the ferry boat. After properly restoring the boat’s shape, I floated it on the water with telekinesis.

 

It floated safely. I climbed on top of it. When I stuck my walking stick into the river water like an oar, the ferry boat cut through the current and moved forward.

 

Then, I felt a presence behind me.

 

“Sob sob sob…”

 

I mustn’t make eye contact… but I can’t help this curiosity.

 

I glanced over.

 

“Ah. You don’t have eyes.”

 

A woman in white mourning clothes. Fortunately, her eye sockets were hollow, with no eyes.

 

But if I look closely at the eyeball area, I can see objects that look like blade fragments.

 

“You were harmed.”

 

Did she suffer terrible misfortune while alive?

 

I reached in and pulled out the fragments.

 

[Sharp Blade Fragment]

 

■Who… who… who on earth… why…

 

“If I have time, I’ll find out who it was.”

 

“Huuuk…”

 

The ghost gradually disappeared.

 

“…This one looks troublesome too.”

 

By now, Im Hae-jun must be dead.

 

* * *

 

“Hae-jun is dead.”

 

“…He just fainted.”

 

At Kang Hyeon’s words, Lee Jun-ho replied as if dumbfounded. Im Hae-jun had fainted with his eyes tightly shut.

 

He has quite a severe fever, and his face is so pale he looks like a corpse.

 

“Ah, but I can’t handle this labyrinth alone either.”

 

Lee Jun-ho glanced to the side. Kate was sitting with her arms crossed.

 

“You’re scared too, right?”

 

Kate answered immediately.

 

“No.”

 

Lee Jun-ho let out a hollow laugh. You’re going to protect your pride even in this situation?

 

“Then let’s do this. We need straw rope right now. The three of us can split up and….”

 

“Let’s work in pairs.”

 

“I thought you weren’t scared?”

 

“Working in pairs is more efficient. There are four of us.”

 

“Does he look alive to you?”

 

Lee Jun-ho grabbed Im Hae-jun’s wrist and lifted it up.

 

As soon as he let go, it dropped with a thud.

 

He lifted it again, and as soon as he let go, thud. Thud.

 

“He’s alive.”

 

Kate had put on a poker face.

 

“Fine. Pairs it is. But you go with Im Hae-jun. I’m scared to death.”

 

“….”

 

Kate pressed her lips tightly together. Lee Jun-ho chuckled.

 

“You’re scared, aren’t you? Be honest. Then we’ll all move together.”

 

For reference, Kate had been found unconscious while hugging the folding screen by herself. When they shook her awake, she said she was just taking a quick nap because she was sleepy.

 

Lee Jun-ho’s eyebrows curved like crescent moons.

 

“Still not scared?”

 

“….”

 

The time it takes to finish rational judgment, distinguish between pride and stubbornness, and make a decision that benefits oneself.

 

For Kate, five seconds is enough.

 

“It’s scary. This is my first time with this Eastern atmosphere. I’m used to Western ones though. Should we all move together just until I get used to it? Just until I get used to it.”

 

“…Alright then. We need to get straw rope first.”

 

At Lee Jun-ho’s words, Kate tilted her head.

 

“You keep saying straw rope, straw rope, but what are you going to do with this straw, rope? What purpose does this straw, rope serve?”

 

“….”

 

Lee Jun-ho stared intently at Kate.

 

It seems like she’s subtly cursing with “straw rope.”

 

“Well. I’ll tell you. This is an item I bought.”

 

Lee Jun-ho took out an old book and showed it.

 

[ Wolryeong Ghost Stories ]

 

“There’s quite a lot of information in here.”

 

“Open it. So we can read together.”

 

“Here.”

 

Lee Jun-ho opened the book right in front of Kate’s nose. It was a page with a bodiless head ghost.

 

Kate quickly backed away while trembling.

 

“…Kate seems quite timid.”

 

At Kang Hyeon’s words, Kate cleared her throat.

 

“As I said, ahem.”

 

Her voice even cracked.

 

“I told you. This is my first time with Eastern fantasy.”

 

Then she glared at Lee Jun-ho.

 

“Anyway. If you look here.”

 

Mental Power: Human mental power. Though it varies by individual, in Wolryeong Village one must hold onto their sanity. If they fail to do so, they become a ghost or get devoured by ghosts. To recover mental power, one must twist straw rope to make sacred rope, and use the sacred rope to form a base. See attached materials.

 

“We need to twist straw rope to make sacred rope for mental power to recover. Everyone’s mental power got reduced, right?”

 

“Ah. We can share that with each other.”

 

Kang Hyeon tapped his wrist twice. Lee Jun-ho and Kate did the same.

 

Lee Jun-ho│Mental Power ■■■■□□

 

Kate│Mental Power ■■■□□□

 

Kang Hyeon│Mental Power ■■■■■□□

 

“…Everyone’s maximum is different too. Same with consumption.”

 

Kang Hyeon has seven bars, Lee Jun-ho and Kate have six bars.

 

Kang Hyeon said.

 

“Ha-woon hyung probably has about ten bars.”

 

“Hey. You never know. He might actually be more scared. More than that.”

 

Lee Jun-ho opened the Wolryeong Ghost Stories again.

 

“Let’s hurry and get some straw rope. Kate, you also need to get this straw, rope. I saw some crazy old man on my way here.”

 

An old man with bloodshot eyes asking to go together.

 

He almost got killed but barely managed to escape alive.

 

“That’s this.”

 

│Grandfather Ghost│◇ Grabs wrists while asking to go together. If mental power is 1 or below, drags you to Samdo River in the fog. ◇ Danger Level ★★★☆☆ ◇ Countermeasure: Wearing straw shoes makes you unrecognizable.

 

“This is why we need a lot of straw rope. This shaman village seems bigger than it looks.”

 

“So that’s why we need this straw, rope.”

 

Just as Kate was asking back.

 

Grumble.

 

A grumbling sound echoed from somewhere.

 

It was Kate. Lee Jun-ho chuckled.

 

“Seems like you’re hungry.”

 

“….”

 

Grumble.

 

Lee Jun-ho’s stomach was the same. Kate chuckled.

 

“Seems like you’re hungry?”

 

“…No. I have diarrhea. Sorry about that.”

 

In the middle of their standoff, Kang Hyeon stood up first.

 

“First, let’s move. We need straw rope, right?”

 

Lee Jun-ho asked casually.

 

“Aren’t you scared?”

 

Honestly, the reason he’s been showing off here is actually because he’s terrified.

 

Kang Hyeon blinked and answered.

 

“No. I’m so scared I might shit myself too.”

 

* * *

 

I crossed the river of the shaman village.

 

When I got off the swaying ferry boat and planted my walking stick on the mound.

 

“There. Who are you?”

 

Someone shined a flashlight on me.

 

“Excuse me? Who’s there?”

 

My eyes were dazzled, so I couldn’t see the other person’s face clearly.

 

“…A person.”

 

I gave the most appropriate self-introduction.

 

“Ah, yes. I see.”

 

A man wearing a hat approached. A young man with thread-like eyes and an innocent impression.

 

“I’m Kang Woo-hyuk from Wolryeong Village. You must be an outsider?”

 

“Yes. Is this the village square?”

 

I had a plan for now.

 

A very shrewd rest plan utilizing the [Land Contract Spell Document].

 

“No. You need to go a bit further for the open ground. What are you planning to do at the open ground?”

 

“Well… Ah, what time is it now?”

 

Kang Woo-hyuk looked at his wristwatch.

 

“It’s almost midnight.”

 

Midnight.

 

8. Odd hours are safe, even hours are dangerous.

 

“But where are you trying to go, coming out at this late hour?”

 

“Do you know Imgak Mountain?”

 

“Imgak Mountain? Why there?”

 

“Ah. I heard everyone dies at ten o’clock. They said to go to Imgak Mountain.”

 

“Hmm. Is that so. Well, that could be possible.”

 

That could be possible. This fellow had a few screws loose too.

 

I asked him.

 

“Could you possibly guide me to the village square?”

 

“Ah yes. Of course. Please follow me.”

 

The moment Kang Woo-hyuk turned around, I was startled.

 

Behind his back. Right at his spine, there was a sashimi knife stuck in.

 

“…What a mess.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

Kang Woo-hyuk looked back.

 

“Nothing. Let’s go.”

 

I gestured forward and followed behind him.

 

“By any chance, are you the village youth leader, Woo-hyuk?”

 

“Haha… I’m not quite a village head. Please think of me as autonomous patrol.”

 

“Ah yes.”

 

Actually, well, if I really had to think about it.

 

People are scarier and more dangerous than ghosts.

—————
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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