Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 146

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

Labyrinth Exploration 101 Episode 146

 

Spear Ghost(9)

 

Whoooosh…!

 

Water pours down like cannons on the mountain slope. I have the ink-black journey spread like a tent while checking the CCTV’s magic power preservation data.

 

Spell formulation footage playing in mid-air.

 

Looking closely while fast-forwarding, tap.

 

I tapped a certain moment with my finger.

 

“…Found it.”

 

A woman in a red blouse goes up the mountain with a man, but when coming down, only the man is alone.

 

Then that man, wearing red padding, goes up the mountain with a man in a coat, but when coming down, only the coat man is alone.

 

He devoured them.

 

Now the hypothesis is almost certain.

 

Red clothes are his constraint.

 

[1. To devour an opponent, he must be wearing red clothes himself.]

 

I memorized the face of the man in the coat.

 

Fast-forwarding through the CCTV footage, he returns to this mountain area again with several people.

 

“…Film crew?”

 

It’s a procession heading to the abandoned hospital. Probably the film crew that all went missing.

 

The problem is, the padding jackets they’re all wearing are red. Red is quite a popular color though.

 

Did they receive group gifts or something.

 

I raised my head. The abandoned hospital was right ahead if you went down from the mid-slope.

 

Might as well go check it out.

 

Whiiiii——

 

I gripped my walking stick in the wind and rain.

 

Wolryeong Hospital Entry Prohibited Absolutely Do Not Enter.

 

There was a no-entry signboard in front of the abandoned hospital. I checked my mental strength.

 

│Seol Ha-woon│■■■■■■■■■■│

 

It’s maxed out. It won’t drop.

 

“Shall we go….”

 

I entered the abandoned hospital.

 

The interior itself was ordinary, but soon an unfamiliar sense of deathly silence washed over me.

 

In the lobby, waiting chairs were scattered in disorder, and non-functioning computers and charts were strewn across the counter.

 

The wallpaper was peeling here and there, revealing gray bare patches, and there were stains that looked like handprints.

 

Then.

 

Whiiiik!

 

The door behind me closed by some supernatural force.

 

…Actually, I caught it with telekinesis just before it closed.

 

Creeeeak…!

 

The edge of the door trembles. The ghostly energy of the abandoned hospital and my magic power are having a tug of war.

 

I stared with my eyes and released magic power.

 

Craaaaaack——!

 

The entire door was torn off. Shattered fragments flew into the hospital lobby.

 

If it picked a fight first, I should give it more punishment than that.

 

I released telekinesis in all directions.

 

Bang! I picked up the lobby chairs and swung them like baseball bats.

 

Crash! Craaash!

 

I smashed them all to pieces.

 

Shatter! I completely destroyed the windows and punched holes in the ceiling.

 

Whoosh! I personally set fire to the counter.

 

“I’ll stick some talismans on too.”

 

I drew talismans on the walls with magic power.

 

The ‘Exorcism Talisman’ I saw at the used bookstore.

 

Bang—! Thud—! Crash—! Crack—! Shatter—!

 

I also directly grabbed my walking stick and smashed the fluorescent lights. Clang. Clang. Clang. Like whack-a-mole.

 

In the middle of continuing my rampage, a wheelchair rolls down from the other end of the corridor. It smells of ghosts.

 

I struck with Pin Point. A single-point explosion erupted right under the wheelchair.

 

——!

 

The wheelchair melted into liquid.

 

“…Hmm.”

 

Was that too much?

 

I came here to find clues, not to destroy everything.

 

“That’s why you shouldn’t pick fights.”

 

I blamed the ghosts as I walked through the hospital interior. On the 1st floor corridor, near the stairs, there was a camera lying on the ground.

 

As soon as I picked it up and opened the viewfinder, footage started playing.

 

[Ah shit. Meat got stuck in my teeth.]

 

[Should I give you dental floss?]

 

[No wait. *pick pick pick*… Got it. How’s the camera?]

 

It seems to be footage left by that film crew.

 

There are five people.

 

[It’s good. Should we go right away?]

 

[Yeah. Let’s go.]

 

[Yes.]

 

[…This is the abandoned hospital in Wolryeong Village where missing person cases have been occurring one after another recently. In the past 3 months, 4 residents have disappeared without a trace just in this area alone.]

 

[According to residents’ reports, all the missing people were last seen near this abandoned hospital. The police are ignoring such testimonies and taking no particular action.]

 

[So our news crew came to visit the scene directly. This hospital, which was closed 4-5 years ago, is currently a restricted area, but….]

 

Ding-

 

Another system notification appeared.

 

[ Recognition Level Up! ]

 

[ Recognition Grade: 17 ]

 

[ An additional 60 days of trial version is granted. ]

 

“Must be airing live.”

 

Based on my biological clock, it’s exactly Mitamnan’s live broadcast time.

 

[The interior is completely in ruins, but traces of someone having been here recently can be found everywhere. Especially on the stairs leading to the basement… Aaaaah! What is that!]

 

At the screaming sound, I looked through the camera viewfinder.

 

“What the hell.”

 

My eyes widened.

 

“Why is that thing there?”

 

This was the first time I’d been surprised since coming here.

 

* * *

 

The live broadcast firepower is insane.

 

Posts are going up not just on KakaoTalk but on various communities too. Especially the Seol Ha-woon and Kate fandoms are going crazy.

 

For Lee Si-ah, it’s just fascinating.

 

“…He’s grown so much.”

 

Seol Ha-woon, who conquered Silt alongside Kate, is absolutely right.

 

He’s now shoulder to shoulder with that Hailford, who was famous for his ultra-massive, global fandom even before Mitamnan aired.

 

Just looking at how various communities have opened separate ‘Seol Ha-woon’ tabs, just looking at the post regeneration speed…

 

Compared to his 96th place days, it’s like the advancement of civilization.

 

Back then, there were only four or five people besides me spreading posts, so I was practically creating and spreading content for 20 hours alone.

 

│Notice) Absolutely NO derivative posts about other fans or other explorers! Only Seol Ha-woon!│

 

│Seol Ha-woon staring contest with mercenary.gif│

 

│ㅋㅋㅋ Isn’t the S-rank mercenary that Mal-ogi picked kinda cute though?ㅋㅋㅋ│

 

│Found lookalikes for the two S-rank mercenaries│

 

Now posts and memes upload in massive quantities even if I just sit still.

 

“…Shouldn’t I get an award or something?”

 

Lee Si-ah mutters to herself for no reason. 1% of the shares should be mine.

 

Of course, it’s a joke. Naturally, as a fan, she never expected anything in return for her loving support.

 

─Yoon Yoon: This is the place. They’re buried pretty deep, so it’ll take time to dig them out.

 

Meanwhile, Seol Ha-woon dug out the dead chickens from the poultry farm to secure food supplies.

 

─Yoon Yoon: These chickens were exposed to demonic beast toxins. The moment you eat them, you’ll have a rejection reaction and cardiac arrest. You’ll die.

 

The poultry farm owner was horrified, but Seol Ha-woon put them into some kind of box.

 

When he put the purple-stained chicken corpses into the box, they turned into snacks.

 

“Wow.”

 

Amazing.

 

─Yoon Yoon: Wow… This is delicious?

 

The village resident also ate the snacks and was impressed.

 

-Ah, that must be it. Loot obtained from the World Labyrinth.

 

-It’s also a mage’s duty to make good use of spoils of war when the time is right ㅇㅇ

 

-This is why it’s important to collect loot well from each labyrinth.

 

─Seol Ha-woon: 537 chickens. Secured as food supplies.

 

After that, he went to find the herbalist with the village chief.

 

─Hyeon Dan: Yes. I’m the herbalist.

 

In a shabby cabin in the mountains, there were two children.

 

Short Hyeon Dan and even shorter Hyeon Seon-ah.

 

─Seol Ha-woon: Hyeon Dan, please pack your things and come to the village.

 

─Hyeon Dan: Huh? But I don’t have a house there.

 

─Seol Ha-woon: I’ll build separate lodging. Village Chief? From now on, I’ll control all the village’s food supplies. We’ll gather them in storage and implement rationing.

 

Systematic as always. KakaoTalk reactions are good too. Seol Ha-woon’s actions always have perfectly fitting logic and reasoning.

 

─Seol Ha-woon: For Hyeon Dan, the herbalist, considering the risk burden, I’ll give two extra daily ration tickets, up to four maximum based on performance. Please steadily supply herbs.

 

─Hyeon Seon-ah: No, no! No! No herbs!

 

The younger sister spreads her short arms wide to protect her older sister.

 

-Please keep those kids alive

 

-This labyrinth will really have a happy ending, right…? The Seer one was kind of sad…

 

-Ah, empathy addicts, get lost. If we don’t eliminate the labyrinth, we die, but your heads are really in flower fields

 

-This is exactly why the beautification controversy keeps coming up as an unsolvable mystery lol

 

─Hyeon Dan: My little sister also knows that being an herbalist is dangerous. Our father went out to gather herbs and never came back. It’s okay~ It’s what big sister does!

 

─Hyeon Seon-ah: But, but…

 

─Hyeon Dan: I won’t die~ I’m better than father!

 

Seol Ha-woon looked at the two children, then to the herbalist Hyeon Dan.

 

─Seol Ha-woon: Hyeon Dan. Tear this when you’re in danger.

 

He held out a ‘Stronghold Teleport Scroll’.

 

─Seol Ha-woon: You’ll be teleported to this village. Also, your first priority isn’t herbs.

 

His tone was very cold and businesslike, but the content was completely different.

 

─Seol Ha-woon: It’s your survival.

 

-He takes good care of the kids

 

-Does anyone know “차도남”? It was a trendy term back in the day lol that’s exactly what this is

 

-Hahahaha Houn is cute

 

-But seriously, in that village, Seolhaun alone seems like they’re from a different world lol

 

Seol Ha-woon seems to lack affection, but surprisingly has it.

 

But when an important moment comes someday, he seems like he’d cut ties more coldly than anyone else.

 

That thin-ice-like precariousness, that cliff-edge danger might be Seol Ha-woon’s unique charm.

 

After that, Seol Ha-woon gathered up the village’s food, magic stones, and people.

 

─Seol Ha-woon: I’ll distinguish everyone’s roles.

 

After organizing the civilian formation, he climbs the castle wall alone and sets up a scarecrow.

 

-Wow what’s that thing again?

 

-That guy really uses a lot of unique formulas

 

-An active mage speaking here. Jemal-ol has experienced a lot, that’s why. These days, all the so-called elites just learn formulas in their rooms, or at most run completely safe simulations, right? Then they’ll definitely get overtaken. Mental visualization is ultimately human strength. There has to be a difference.

 

You can only grow by risking your life. Only those who have brushed past death know the preciousness of life. That preciousness accumulates as a mage’s foundation and strengthens mental visualization…

 

Perhaps this is why Seol Ha-woon shows noticeable growth every episode.

 

[Base Construction Time Limit]

 

18 : 00 : 00

 

Lee Si-ah also watched the other teams with interest.

 

─Yoon Hwa-rim : Everyone try a little harder!

 

Yoon Hwa-rim’s concept is cheerleading. There are no exceptional mercenaries, but Yoon Hwa-rim talks a lot to encourage them and uses buffs to make the mercenaries’ bodies lighter.

 

─Yoon Hwa-rim : Our team is amazing, so amazing!

 

The mercenaries smile at his encouragement.

 

As a result, quite a sturdy castle wall is built.

 

-This guy’s also a Jemal-ol victim.. Got crushed excessively from the start by teaming with someone strong for no reason

 

-Stop talking nonsense, how is that Seol Ha-woon’s fault lol Back then they weren’t close yet so they were sensitive lol And the ones who crushed him were you guys damn

 

-For real, anyone would think Seol Ha-woon wrote hate comments lol The bastards who terrorized his Instagram

 

-Nothing’s wrong between those two but they’re making up drama by themselves lol

 

There’s so much of this kind of instigation. I heard that internally they get along well calling each other oppa and dongsaeng.

 

…Though of course I only heard rumors too.

 

─Jo Woon : Good!

 

Mountain pass between mountains. Jo Woon, who set up base at the natural fortress, had already thrown off his shirt.

 

He takes the lead in cutting trees and breaking stones to procure raw materials. Then the mage mercenaries solidly reinforce the fortress.

 

─Jo Woon : Everyone! You can rest if you’re tired!

 

As expected, the continent’s top pick, Jo Ja-ryong. He looks like a game illustration, and his personality is truly Jo Ja-ryong.

 

─Mercenary : General! We’ve procured food supplies from nearby.

 

Even the mercenaries call him general.

 

─Jo Woon : Yes. Good. Please put everything in the storage room…

 

However, not all defense teams are doing well.

 

─Ryu Wei : …I think it would be good to build a castle wall here.

 

─Sirian : Here?

 

Ryu Wei is a bit naive.

 

─Ryu Wei : Uh, is that not good?

 

─Sirian : Well… if you want to do it, go ahead~

 

Ryu Wei’s S-rank mercenary is a skinny short-haired man like a necromancer.

 

He seems extremely irresponsible and annoyed, but Ryu Wei keeps reading the mood.

 

─Ryu Wei : Yes… first we’ll build a castle wall on this line here.

 

─Sirian : …Not there. Do it more forward.

 

─Ryu Wei : Ah, forward?

 

─Sirian : Yeah. Forward. The space needs to be wide.

 

─Ryu Wei : Uh… what’s good about it being wide?

 

─Sirian : It’s comfortable. I hate cramped spaces~

 

Ryu Wei is clearly being controlled by the S-rank.

 

─Kate : …Haah.

 

Back to Kate’s scene. Contrary to appearances, she’s incredibly hardworking.

 

Elite among elites among elites, the pinnacle of the social pyramid, a noble princess who’s only walked the so-called celestial dragon path, yet her clothes are covered in dirt, her hair is all disheveled, and she works like an ox.

 

-Really Kate is doing the work of 100 people alone.. feels sorry for her

 

-Sorry my ass, Hailford’s net worth is 600 trillion. Mind your own life

 

-This week’s votes will probably go mostly to Seol Ha-woon and her

 

-Slandering Kate like this? She’s just a textbook example of noblesse oblige

 

Suddenly, Kate’s very displeased eyes are shown in close-up.

 

Where that thorny gaze reaches.

 

─Min Seok-jae : Snore…

 

Min Seok-jae is there.

 

-lololol wow that old man is so annoying lololol look at the bubbles coming from his nose damn lol

 

-Really crazy lololololol

 

-lol he just farted lololol

 

─Min Seok-jae : Ah.

 

Uncle Min Seok-jae opened his eyes. Kate seemed expectant, but pretended not to care and quickly turned her gaze away.

 

Is he finally going to do some work?

 

─Min Seok-jae : Ugh, need to poop.

 

Min Seok-jae immediately heads into the grass field.

 

─Kate : …Shit.

 

Harsh words almost burst out from between Kate’s teeth.

 

-Ah seriously that damn XXX is a fucking XXX bastard for real

 

-XX bastard that XXX needs to be XXXX

 

-lol calm down slaves lmao

 

-They’re not slaves, they’re butlers you sick XXXX

 

-hahahahahahahaha

 

– Hahaha calm down hahaha

 

-But Kate, watching her again this time lol she’s really good at manual labor

 

「11:30:00」

 

Again, Seol Ha-woon’s base.

 

─Akiman: I’d like to train some of the civilians.

 

Akiman makes a proposal to him.

 

─Seol Ha-woon: Would that be helpful?

 

─Akiman: I understand your concerns. However, utilizing residents in combat would help with internal unity. 0.1 is better than 0. And that 0.1 will create 0.2.

 

Seol Ha-woon seems to ponder, then nods.

 

─Seol Ha-woon: 0.1 is meaningless. Can you train them to 1, no, 2? We don’t have much time.

 

─Akiman: It’s possible.

 

─Seol Ha-woon: Yes. Please do so.

 

He exchanges with the S-rank mercenary with an open mind, but he firmly holds the decision-making power.

 

This is Jemallot’s way of handling things.

 

─Kate: ….

 

Next, Kate again.

 

She finished cleaning up all the mess Min Seok-jae made, and was just about to rest.

 

Kiyat-ho~ Kiyat-ho~

 

Another S-rank, Kellinik, is flying around the sky like a monkey.

 

─Kate: That bas….

 

Kate’s patience seems to be reaching its limit.

 

─Kate: Kellinik. What about what I asked for? Installing the watchtower-

 

─Kellinik: Ah~ Right~ Sorry~ I’ll get it done quickly~

 

Kiyat-ho~ Kiyat-ho~ He flies off along the castle wall on his wire again. Is that 3D maneuvering gear? Interesting.

 

─Kate: …Should I cut the wire.

 

Kellinik also doesn’t seem like he’ll do what he’s told. He looks exactly like a slippery good-for-nothing.

 

─Kate: Haah.

 

Kate also sighs and shakes her head.

 

With no choice, she goes outside the village alone to install the watchtower herself and returns.

 

─Kate: ….

 

The area she had just cleaned up was already a mess again. More liquor bottles, food waste, and this time even vomit.

 

Min Seok-jae.

 

A vein bulged at Kate’s temple.

 

The corner of her mouth twitched, and her face contorted. Her face turned red like an Angry Bird. Steam seemed to be coming out of her ears.

 

Having lost her thread of reason, she finally.

 

─Kate: Min—Seok—jae—!!!!!!!!!

 

-hahahahahahahaha

 

-Hahahahaha why is Kate so cute hahaha

 

-Really feel so bad for her..

 

-Hahahaha

 

-But that S-rank mercenary is fucking disgusting. That shit doesn’t listen at all. Fuck, that bastard should have gone to Jemallot.

 

-Fucking hilarious lol the people having meltdowns are even funnier lmaooo

 

-If he had gone to Malolgi, he would’ve been all buddy-buddy with him lol Malolgi is exactly the type that middle-aged guys love lol talking about military stories together lol

 

-Agreed lol Min Seokjae’s clothing looks military-style too, so he seems like a former soldier? If he had met Mal-ok, they would’ve been a perfect match and worked their asses off together

 

-Stop talking bullshit, saying it’s not their fault makes me want to fucking kill them for real lmaooo

 

Actually, Min Seok-jae definitely gives off ex-military vibes. Both in how he talks and what he wears.

 

“Would’ve been fun if he met Ha-woon.”

 

[Chicken is always right. Always right chicken. Hang-ok-chi.]

 

“…Ugh.”

 

Another mid-roll ad. It’s Hang-ok-chi imitating Jemallot. They’re probably targeting Seol Ha-woon as a model, but it was actually tasty.

 

Ding-dong-

 

A delivery arrived just then.

 

“Ah, finally!”

 

Lee Si-ah quickly went out to receive it. She placed the package on the table.

 

Explorer Association Official Trading Cards NAN Series

 

“…Money-grubbers.”

 

She barely managed to buy it through a lottery, but it’s only five cards for 100,000 won. Even worse, damn resellers are involved so the basic market price is 30-40.

 

Lee Si-ah doesn’t really have high expectations. She just bought it thinking of applying for a fan meeting.

 

She tears open the card pack and flips through them.

 

“Huh?”

 

Suddenly, a yellow color that pierces her retina.

 

No, a golden color so brilliant it hurts her eyes.

 

Lee Si-ah’s fingertips trembled. Her eyes, nose, and mouth became as big as ping-pong balls.

 

And then.

 

“…Waaaah!”

 

She jumped high while clutching a card in her hand.

 

“Waaaaaaah!”

 

2024 ROOKIESEOL HA UN#GOLD1 of 3

 

It’s a Gold Card.

 

Not Kang Hyeon’s, not Lee Jun-ho’s, not Im Hae-jun’s, but Seol Ha-woon’s Gold Card.

 

Gulp. Lee Si-ah looked at the card again.

 

“…Is this a dream?”

 

Or is this the reward for all the sales work she’s done while cutting back on sleep?

 

She squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again.

 

It’s still a Gold Card.

 

Not a dream, not the Labyrinth, but actual reality.

 

“Yes!!!”

 

Lee Si-ah hugged Seol Ha-woon’s Gold Card to her chest and bounced around excitedly.

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