Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 163

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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 163

 

Eight(7)

 

Punishment Magic. The innate detection system of the human called Seol Ha-woon’s attribute.

 

Personal likes and dislikes are not reflected in it.

 

“Human’s inherent magic power also leaves fingerprints. It changes depending on how you’ve lived and what kind of influence you’ve had on people.”

 

Seol Ha-woon murmurs quietly.

 

“When you commit evil deeds, your magic power becomes tainted. Others’ resentment seeps into you.”

 

Karma. It’s called retribution.

 

Strangely, this karma doesn’t occur when killing villains. Even they surely hate and resent someone at the moment of death.

 

Perhaps it’s because they’re already contaminated humans.

 

“That radar that detects the result values of such evil deeds.”

 

Tap, tap. Seol Ha-woon tapped his temple with his fingertips.

 

“Is trying to react to you.”

 

“…You’re, you’re even holding my hand.”

 

Jin Yeon-hee forced a smile, pretending it was no big deal. Seol Ha-woon didn’t even care.

 

“You’re on that precarious boundary.”

 

She wasn’t yet a villain like Kim Du-gyeom.

 

Kim Du-gyeom was an irredeemable pile of filth.

 

“You’re lingering in the process, not the result.”

 

Jin Yeon-hee is gray.

 

Humans who straddle the boundary don’t know what destruction their evil deeds will bring about.

 

“You can still correct it now.”

 

If someone can be corrected, perhaps it’s human duty to help correct them.

 

“So.”

 

Seol Ha-woon gazes at her. With eyes that are breathlessly dry, yet rippling blue.

 

“Come to your senses. Don’t contaminate yourself any further.”

 

“…”

 

The magic power contained in his voice resonates through her soul.

 

In Jin Yeon-hee’s view…

 

A demon. Or an asura.

 

Seol Ha-woon’s pupils are burning like such ghosts.

 

“What, what are you saying. Don’t say strange things-”

 

“I mean don’t toy with people using photos.”

 

Her heart sank in an instant. Her lips went completely dry.

 

Seol Ha-woon continued.

 

“I think you know what this means.”

 

She looked into Seol Ha-woon’s eyes.

 

She wanted to avoid his gaze, but her jaw wouldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe.

 

“You need to know that what you’re doing now is killing people.”

 

“…Why, why are you really doing this.”

 

“If you know it’s killing people and still intend to do it, you need to know that you too become someone who deserves to die.”

 

“I’m, I’m someone who can live without laws.”

 

“If you meet me in a place without laws, do you think you’d be safe?”

 

An endlessly dark, oppressive voice. Heat that scorches like dying embers.

 

Seol Ha-woon stared intently into her pupils for a long time, then.

 

“Just kidding.”

 

He smiled slightly and pulled back.

 

“…Ah.”

 

Jin Yeon-hee, whose whole body went limp, slumped down.

 

“Your name.”

 

Seol Ha-woon scribbled a signature on the blank paper, and Jin Yeon-hee turned her head blankly.

 

Her vision was hazy. She couldn’t see clearly in front of her.

 

“Jin Yeon-hee.”

 

“To Jin Yeon-hee” being written on the empty paper.

 

“I remembered.”

 

The phrase written in the signature was,

 

[If you don’t change direction, I will come find you]

 

“If you’re my fan, you’ll know.”

 

Suddenly, her breathing became rapid. Her whole body felt chilly. Like she had pneumonia.

 

“I.”

 

Seol Ha-woon pressed the signature into her stiff hand.

 

“Don’t make empty promises.”

 

“…”

 

As Jin Yeon-hee quietly tried to stand up, staggering,

 

“Ah. Wait.”

 

Seol Ha-woon grabbed her again.

 

“We didn’t take a photo.”

 

He took the smartphone from her cold, sweaty hand.

 

“Fingerprint.”

 

He unlocked it by recognizing the fingerprint with his finger.

 

Click.

 

He takes a selfie.

 

“Your skin is quite pale too.”

 

His gaze lingered briefly on her pallid face.

 

“Take care.”

 

Seol Ha-woon let go of Jin Yeon-hee’s hand. She left limping like someone who had lost their soul.

 

Suddenly, the fan sign event hall became solemn.

 

“Next person.”

 

Just as Seol Ha-woon called for the next person, his eyes met with Kang Hyeon across from him.

 

Kang Hyeon gave a small thumbs up.

 

* * *

 

…Ground that had completely collapsed.

 

Over the building debris torn to shreds, gray fallout piled up softly like snow, crackling. The sky was hidden behind gray curtains, and acrid particles rose between twisted steel frames and melted asphalt.

 

At the nuclear explosion ground zero, where stuffy powder scratched down the throat with every breath.

 

‘Ha-woon.’

 

Percival calls my name with a bitter laugh.

 

‘This wasn’t necessary. This much wasn’t necessary… Are you satisfied now?’

 

Like rambling, he asks me about my satisfaction.

 

I answer.

 

I had neither dissatisfaction nor satisfaction. It was something that had to be done, so I simply did it.

 

‘You don’t ask me anything. I thought you would ask if I regret it.’

 

There’s no need to ask. This entire world is nothing but fake. Don’t misunderstand. I respected and liked you. It’s just that my purpose and role as a human was to ‘set things right.’

 

‘…Ha-woon. What is most precious to you?’

 

At Percival’s question, the name Seo Ji-hyuk suddenly flashes by, and the children and teachers from the orphanage flicker in my mind, but in the end.

 

There’s only one thing I hold dear.

 

Myself as a human being.

 

‘Ha-woon. Do you think you wouldn’t have done the same?’

 

Percival looks into my eyes and says.

 

‘Even if it were you, you would have made the same decision as me…’

 

People sometimes judge me arbitrarily. Even I don’t know myself completely, yet they mistakenly think they know me too well.

 

‘You definitely would have…’

 

To Percival who rationalizes himself, to a father who lost his child twice.

 

What answer did I give?

 

“…!”

 

I opened my eyes.

 

A dream I hadn’t had in so long. The feeling was strange.

 

Do I still have lingering emotions about Colonel Percival?

 

I got up and opened the curtains.

 

Exactly 5 minutes, I had overslept.

 

I left the dormitory following my usual routine.

 

Kang Hyeon was standing near the entrance on the 1st floor.

 

“…What are you doing?”

 

“Oh.”

 

He turns to look at me as soon as I call out.

 

“I thought something had happened.”

 

“Why?”

 

“…Usually here. At this time. When I turn my head.”

 

Kang Hyeon looks somewhere. Toward the back mountain. The training course I always climb every dawn.

 

“I should be able to see you, hyung.”

 

As a rule, magic training can’t be done for long periods. Especially for someone like me with naturally low endurance and stamina.

 

So I concentrate intensely for about 2-3 hours, and fill most of the remaining time with theory.

 

“Did something happen?”

 

Kang Hyeon asked. His tone was the same as usual.

 

“I get tired sometimes too. I can oversleep a little.”

 

I pressed the walking stick against the road surface.

 

“I’m already worn out and creaking.”

 

A fragment of spirit that I’m holding onto with this broken body.

 

I hold onto myself and don’t let go.

 

Because that’s the only thing I can do.

 

“I’m the same way.”

 

Kang Hyeon gave a bitter smile.

 

For a moment, a tiny fragment of emotion leaked out.

 

…Sadness.

 

And loneliness.

 

I looked at Kang Hyeon’s profile.

 

“Hyeon-ah, you had leave last week, right?”

 

“Yes. You’re probably the only one who stays here during leave, hyung.”

 

“…That’s probably true.”

 

Last week, Kim Hyeok-jin was murdered.

 

Similarly, a single strike, stab wound, untraceable sword mark.

 

Kang Hyeon met my eyes and nodded.

 

“Stay strong. Today too.”

 

I placed my hand on his shoulder.

 

“You work hard too.”

 

Now, I start my daily routine again.

 

* * *

 

@thisdudeagain Contact email ➡[email protected] July 2018Recent upload 4 days ago

 

│Why isn’t that fansite master uploading lately?│Did he get in a car accident?You’re talking about that bastard who would probably take his phone with him even when he’s dead and in a coffin, right

 

│Why isn’t he posting photos lately?│I know his personality is completely fucked and he’s a psycho, but his quality is the best─Oh, you don’t know? He apparently acted like a total asshole at the Mitamnan fan signing and got destroyed by Seol Ha-woon.└Seriously?└Yeah, he thought it was like the idol industry and acted up, but he met his match lol└If he didn’t know Mal-ol’s personality, he’s just an idiot, and if he knew and still acted up, he’s insane

 

│Is it true that thisdudeagain got destroyed by Mal-ol?│Really?─It’s a fact. Otherwise, would that arrogant psycho be keeping his mouth shut and laying low?─He’s super famous lol He was such a piece of shit.─According to rumors, he poked Mal-ol’s cheek and asked if it was true that he had no parents, and was being a total asshole when he got grabbed by the hair and dragged to the truth room└He deserved to die, it’s amazing he’s alive└There are rumors going around that he actually received death threats lol└Mal-ol kills people (for real)└For real, that guy is pretty tough too;; They say Mal-ol-haem is really scary in person─Yeah, he really went to the hospital.

 

│Mitamnan Fan Meeting Review│Winner notification text.jpg Fan meeting hall interior.jpg Lim Haejun V sign.jpg Long-haired guy in the distance.jpg First off, I got selected by picking Haejun. Since Lim Haejun and Seol Haun were on the same line, I got to see Seol Haun too. The fan meeting itself was super comfortable. There were quite a few notorious troublemakers, and it felt a bit tense in the early-mid part, but from the middle on, everyone just communicated comfortably and I had a really fun time. The reason is… hehe search it up. Seo Jiwoo.jpg Jiwoo that I took a pic of while waiting for Haejun. Jiwoo poses really well and was super energetic. And he’s really pretty… Kate.jpg Kate was like real royalty. She practically had an army following her lol I’d say the gender ratio felt like 8:2. Haejun.jpg When you see Lim Haejun in person, he’s genuinely adorable. Maybe because he’s still young, his cheeks are like steamed buns lol But every time he talks, he seriously acts like he’s always right, which makes him even cuter. Malorham.jpg Malorham. He looks way better in person than on screen. He’s my top tier cold handsome guy. He looks like someone who jumped out of a manga lol That’s why when he’s expressionless, he’s really scary. He’s skinny but has broad shoulders so his build looks huge. His height is almost 190cm after all. Just having the nerve to do that kind of thing to someone like him, I think that’s impressive in itself… ─There’s nothing but praise for Malor’s real-life appearance ┗If Kang Junho is 1.2 screen = real life, then Seol Haun is about 1.5 screen = 1 real life ┗Common thing about Seol Haun in real life: handsome but scary ┗Damn, you’d have to see it to know. ─I guess every review commonly includes the story about how he got wrecked lol Ah, it must have been so satisfying, I regret not being able to go.

 

“…There are no copies. I deleted everything.”

 

SEIN Entertainment Agency CEO office. Jin Yeon-hee put down her smartphone on the sofa.

 

“What, what do you want exactly?”

 

The CEO looked anxiously at the data chips and photos scattered across his desk.

 

“I don’t want anything.”

 

Most of them were photos of him dating a civilian girlfriend. Shots of him playing around with his face completely covered.

 

Childhood friend, devoted sunflower, or something like that.

 

“I just thought, this is enough bullying.”

 

He was once my favorite. At first, I wanted him to acknowledge me. Later, it turned into greed.

 

Now, even I don’t know what I wanted anymore.

 

“That’s all.”

 

Because of me, the person I like might suffer.

 

I might mistake that for something special.

 

That could happen.

 

But when the time comes to repent, you must repent. When the time comes to set things right, you must set them right.

 

I must acknowledge that those things of mine were wrong.

 

“…Su, suddenly? For such a long time, huh? And then, what’s your scheme now?”

 

“Not suddenly. About… 5 minutes, was it.”

 

Exactly 5 minutes.

 

It was only that long, but I experienced hell sufficiently.

 

Actually, I was sick for three days and nights after that day.

 

While suffering from terrible body aches and nightmares, I was finally bounced back to ‘reality.’

 

“R-really? You’re really letting me go? No, I asked Tae-hwan too and he said he absolutely can’t break up. He said he’d rather die than break up. He said he’d rather get married-”

 

“Ah, I know. And this is the money I received from that side. I didn’t spend a single penny.”

 

Money wasn’t the purpose from the beginning anyway.

 

“I’ll get lost, so tell them to eat well and live well.”

 

“Hey, hey hey hey. Arthur. Forget the money. Take the money. Please take it.”

 

“Ah, I said it’s fine.”

 

Throwing everything away, she came out of the building with only one camera hanging around her neck.

 

──Pitter patter.

 

Of all times, it starts raining again. And I don’t even have an umbrella.

 

“Haah….”

 

Jin Yeon-hee leaned against the wall and looked up at the raindrops.

 

She felt empty.

 

“Really… there’s absolutely nothing.”

 

You avoid shit because it’s dirty. But all this time I mistook it for avoiding it out of fear, acting like I was something special….

 

“Nothing’s left.”

 

She had burned her life away like a cigarette.

 

She took out a cigarette and put it in her mouth.

 

“Should I become a reporter?”

 

When you think about it, it’s really funny.

 

There are too many people who get endlessly angry at celebrities’ tiny specks of dust, while pretending not to see politicians’ filth.

 

I was one of them too.

 

“Right.”

 

If tormenting others is my nature anyway, I’d rather torment the bastards who really deserve to be tormented.

 

Like that person who said he has radar in his head.

 

Jin Yeon-hee took out the autograph paper from her camera bag.

 

Still, instincts don’t go anywhere – when she came to her senses, she had even laminated it so it wouldn’t get crumpled.

 

to Jin Yeon-hee If you don’t change direction, I will come find you.

 

Direction.

 

Since he told me to change direction, I should buy a compass first.

 

Jin Yeon-hee chuckled and put away the camera and autograph.

—————
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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