Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 179

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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 179

 

Departure(4)

 

“It, it works! It works! Look at this!”

 

Retina Corporation’s laboratory. Manager Kim and his team members produced orbs according to Seol Ha-woon’s formula diagram.

 

Formula orbs that skipped the two processes of formula reduction and expansion. In terms of cost, it was almost revolutionary.

 

“Let me try using it once.”

 

Manager Kim, looking tense, dropped the orb on the floor.

 

Thud.

 

The moment the orb touched the floor, sparks crackled, and a roll of blue duct tape was left sitting there.

 

“Tape… came out.”

 

One researcher muttered in a deflated voice.

 

An awkward silence flowed for a moment.

 

One of the team members scratched the back of his neck.

 

“…It seems difficult to manifest overly complex formulas with this method.”

 

Perhaps they had too high expectations for the name Seol Ha-woon.

 

While the cost reduction was at an innovative level, Seol Ha-woon was still just a mage who was only now beginning to show his potential.

 

It meant there was still much left to learn. At university, and in the schools of magic.

 

“Still…”

 

Manager Kim unfolded the instruction manual that Seol Ha-woon had provided.

 

“According to the manual, it has quite diverse functions. It doesn’t seem to be simple tape.”

 

The uses of the duct tape were written down.

 

“Particularly good for sealing all cracks from large ships to spaceships…? Can be temporarily used as a substitute for circuits that circulate small amounts of magic power…? In emergency situations, first aid for trauma patients…?”

 

For mere tape uses, it was all too astral.

 

“A circuit substitute? With tape? And what’s this about first aid?”

 

A team member asked back as if he didn’t understand. Manager Kim recited directly from the manual.

 

“Uh… it reacts differently to biological tissue, so if you wrap it around bleeding areas, it provides reliable hemostasis. If you wrap it around severed surfaces…”

 

“…Is that possible?”

 

Theoretically, it wasn’t impossible. Formulas could manifest various effects depending on the mage’s will and mental visualization.

 

“Let’s prepare for testing first. Don’t be disappointed. We should actually be grateful. We’ve hit the lottery.”

 

Even if this tape was just simple tape, it would be fine.

 

Just having made acquaintance with Seol Ha-woon was already a success.

 

“Oh. But Manager, soon… this Labyrinth episode looks like it’ll be interesting.”

 

A staff member glanced at the clock hanging on the wall.

 

“Ah, right. Time has already gotten to this point.”

 

Soon it would be time for the live broadcast of Labyrinth Exploration NaN.

 

These days, few companies in South Korea work overtime during this time slot on Fridays. Even the number of people on the streets feels like it’s decreased by more than half.

 

“Then shall we all watch it here while working?”

 

Anyway, with sample analysis and clinical test preparation, overtime was confirmed for today.

 

“Yes! Sounds good!”

 

“I’ll order chicken too.”

 

The team members busily moved around setting up, and Manager Kim turned on the office TV.

 

┌──Labyrinth Exploration NaN──┐

 

Everyone watches the live broadcast together.

 

“That Truck and Robot are cute.”

 

While eating the delivered chicken, focusing mainly on Seol Ha-woon.

 

“Wow, look at those movements. Wasn’t that reaction speed just now almost cat-level?”

 

“Tiger level, tiger level. Our mage is doing well…”

 

“How good was he when he was active?”

 

Seol Ha-woon had become ‘our mage,’ and later when Eldia appeared.

 

“Our mage is quite honest too.”

 

“…The Labyrinth Person’s appearance is just ridiculous.”

 

“Come on. He’s a former soldier, so he’ll clearly distinguish between public and private matters.”

 

“Ha-woon’s screen time is quite comfortable.”

 

Seol Ha-woon films a buddy movie together with Truck and Robot. While other explorers are in a harsh and urgent situation being chased by zombies, only Seol Ha-woon has a sense of stability.

 

「Warship : Den Water」

 

A sea warship filled entirely with water.

 

Seol Ha-woon looks at the yacht wreckage scattered on the beach and ponders, then comes up with a way to cross.

 

─Seol Ha-woon : Let’s dismantle this yacht and make a submarine.

 

─Truck : A submarine from a yacht? You?

 

─Seol Ha-woon : Why would I do it when there’s an engineer here? I’ll just provide the idea to Mr. Truck.

 

─Truck : Impossible.

 

─Seol Ha-woon : Making the impossible possible is what mages and magic power do.

 

─Truck : You’re telling me to do it. I’m not a mage.

 

─Seol Ha-woon : Just try making it first.

 

“Good chemistry.”

 

“Right. That Truck will become famous too.”

 

Truck and Seol Ha-woon are cute every time they talk. Truck is originally cute, but Seol Ha-woon seems to become cute along with him.

 

─Truck : Hey Robot. Do you think what he’s saying is possible right now?

 

─Robot : Beep. Everything Agent Seol Ha-woon says is true.

 

─Truck : You’ve been brainwashed. Snap out of it.

 

─Robot : Everything Agent Seol Ha-woon says is true.

 

─Truck : …Stupid fool.

 

Watching the trio of Robot, Truck, and Seol Ha-woon, everyone naturally smiles.

 

─Seol Ha-woon : I’ll leave the submarine design to you. Then I’ll go do some farming.

 

─Truck : Hmph. You should give me something that makes sense to do…

 

Truck grumbles but takes out his robot arms and starts welding and assembling.

 

Whirrrr- Whirrrr-

 

Seol Ha-woon goes to Den Water’s control room and soon tells the viewers about this warship’s story.

 

[It was a message saying Jenny had gone to play at her new friend’s house… to Esmos.

 

Why didn’t I receive this message?

 

The higher-ups had blocked it.

 

Sometime, a voice I thought I had heard from beyond the gate echoed in my ears.

 

Dad.

 

Dad.

 

Dad.

 

That voice crying out like that came to mind.

 

Jenny was there.

 

Perhaps she had been alive for a long time. Outside this gate…]

 

“…It really is a labyrinth.”

 

“Right. I’d go crazy too.”

 

Manager Kim thought of his daughter who would be watching the live broadcast at home.

 

─Truck : Hey. It’s done.

 

─Seol Ha-woon : Already?

 

─Truck : I’m quick with my hands.

 

Seol Ha-woon goes back out to land and looks at the submarine Truck built.

 

It does look roughly like a submarine though.

 

─Truck : Just the design like you said. With this shoddy welding, even if the sea is shallow, diving would be difficult. No engine or fuel either.

 

─Seol Ha-woon : That’s enough. This tape is all-purpose.

 

Seol Ha-woon grabs at the air. Zzajjajjook. Duct tape stretches out. With it, he wraps and attaches all sorts of parts to the exterior joints and interior deck.

 

─Seol Ha-woon : Done.

 

─Truck : What do you mean done.

 

“Does that work, Manager?”

 

“It doesn’t.”

 

Manager Kim, an engineering graduate, shook his head. A submarine is a marvel of modern civilization. Submarines are machines that are harder to build than airplanes.

 

─Truck : …Are you really planning to ride that?

 

─Seol Ha-woon : Of course. Robot. Float this in the water.

 

The faithful friend Robot lifts the submarine and floats it on the water.

 

“Surely he won’t get eliminated like that.”

 

“On KakaoTalk they’re asking if it’s a new suicide method.”

 

While everyone was puzzled, the three-person party all boarded the submarine together.

 

─Seol Ha-woon : Entering.

 

They dive.

 

They go down into the water. Deep, deeper still.

 

Even when Seol Ha-woon turns the steering wheel, the hull changes direction.

 

“What’s this, Manager?”

 

The subordinate glanced at him.

 

“…You’re right. And I thought since it was a submarine, it would go down thousands of meters.”

 

─Truck : Huh. How can this be.

 

─Seol Ha-woon : This is magic engineering.

 

─Truck : …What exactly did I learn.

 

The moment I thought Truck’s feelings were exactly my feelings…

 

The team members’ gazes drift from the TV to somewhere else.

 

One person, two people, three people, soon everyone looks at Seol Ha-woon’s duct tape sitting alone on the desk.

 

After a brief silence.

 

“…Everyone watch the live broadcast.”

 

Manager Kim was the first to get up from his seat. The team members quickly followed him.

 

“No, it’s fine. Keep watching. I’ll do it alone-”

 

“No. No. We were all thinking the same thing.”

 

The team members also found themselves no longer interested in Mitamnan.

 

Mitamnan could be watched later, but money is better earned sooner rather than later. Especially when company circumstances aren’t good like now.

 

“Then… everyone.”

 

Seol Ha-woon is using duct tape.

 

Even that tape’s performance looks much better than expected.

 

‘That’ tape is ‘this’ tape.

 

Then, if they could time the tape release properly?

 

“Let’s work overtime all month. But I’ll take care of you according to how much you do.”

 

The team members nodded as if it was obvious.

 

* * *

 

Lee Si-ah tilted her head while looking at Seol Ha-woon captured as memes in various communities.

 

[Seol Ha-woon looking at Eldia]

 

[Labyrinth People beautification controversy]

 

[Eldia appearance gif.gjf]

 

“…I don’t think so.”

 

Even during the broadcast, along with Eldia’s appearance, Seol Ha-woon’s expression watching her through CCTV is causing a stir. Other fandoms are giggling saying ‘Seol Ha-woon captured’.

 

But Lee Si-ah has seen this expression of Seol Ha-woon’s before.

 

No matter how much the production team tries to cover it with editing and background music, Lee Si-ah can see it.

 

That time, at the fan meeting.

 

The day Seol Ha-woon glared at that malicious fansite master.

 

Though subtly different, it’s that type of expression.

 

She didn’t bother commenting. It was obvious she’d get sarcastic replies like ‘that’s just what you want to believe~’.

 

Since Seol Ha-woon was the protagonist during the Defense Labyrinth, this time it’s the turn for the haters to get mocked.

 

“Don’t they know the production team’s pattern yet…”

 

Lee Si-ah focused on the live broadcast again.

 

-That submarine moving is fascinating.

 

-Is it really made with tape?

 

-I thought the companion skill was trash but it’s pretty decent

 

-It’s because Seol Ha-woon uses it well

 

-On my way to see the awesome Eldia lol

 

Thud!

 

The smoothly sailing submarine shakes.

 

─Truck : Zombies!

 

Truck startles in surprise. No, that truck really seems like a person. Whether it’s upgraded to share senses, its expressions are alive.

 

─Seol Ha-woon : Yes. They seem to have gills or something.

 

The camera showed the outside. A zombie at the bottom had grabbed onto the submarine’s stern.

 

─Truck: Why are you so calm?

 

─Seol Ha-woon: I always prepare Plan B.

 

At that moment, kuuuuung-

 

An explosion sound faintly reached them, and the forced discharge system activated.

 

[Emergency: Forced Discharge System Activated]

 

Kugugugu──

 

The purification waterway opened wide and the current rushed rapidly. The swept submarine spun round and round.

 

─Truck: Aaahhh.

 

─Seol Ha-woon: Hold on tight.

 

Truck extended its robot arm to grab the submarine’s railing, and Robot hugged Seol Ha-woon tightly from behind.

 

─Robot: Please be careful, Seol Ha-woon sir

 

─Seol Ha-woon: You be careful.

 

─Robot: Please be careful.

 

─Truck: Aaahhh.

 

The interior shaking violently in 360 degrees.

 

─Truck: Aaahhh.

 

─Robot: Please be careful.

 

─Truck: Aaahhh

 

─Robot: Please be careful. Truck, please move aside. Seol Ha-woon sir is in danger.

 

─Truck: What do you mean move aside, aaahhh.

 

In the midst of that chaos, the camera suddenly looked at Seol Ha-woon.

 

─Seol Ha-woon: …This is funny.

 

He laughed.

 

His smile was rare. Unlike other explorers who would force themselves to smile dozens of times whenever they thought the camera was filming them or when they might appear on broadcast, he was different.

 

─Truck: Aaahhh.

 

─Robot: Please be care-

 

Watching Truck and Robot bumping into each other, Seol Ha-woon’s eyes and mouth curved brightly.

 

It was a smile mixed with sincerity.

 

Lee Si-ah suddenly found herself thinking.

 

Robot and Truck.

 

Companions.

 

Perhaps Seol Ha-woon, deep in his heart, wanted companions he could trust and be with…

 

[Hang-ol-chi.]

 

“Ah shit!”

 

Lee Si-ah almost reflexively cursed, but this advertisement was somehow different.

 

[Always Right Chicken.]

 

Suddenly the voice changed. It was a familiar tone.

 

Soon the background turned black, and a model appeared holding up a golden chicken leg.

 

[Chicken is always right.]

 

Seol Ha-woon appeared in close-up. Like a proper CF, the quality was incredibly good.

 

“…Looks delicious.”

 

Lee Si-ah quickly changed her stance.

 

[Always Right Chicken. Hang-ol-chi.]

 

Look at Seol Ha-woon’s performance.

 

He seems to get more handsome by the day. His hair is jet black while his face is so white, and the chicken is so golden that the colors stand out against each other.

 

-Wow, I was right, they actually filmed this in the end ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

 

-Malolham’s visual power is at its peak these days;;

 

-Did Seol Ha-woon get something fixed?

 

-Are you seriously sick? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I’m stuck in a maze, where do I have time to fix it ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

 

–There’s a reason they call it a stone slab. If you’re not good-looking, you just don’t get votes lol Are we picking celebrities or what?

 

She happened to be hungry. Lee Si-ah picked up her smartphone.

 

“…Huh?”

 

But the very next CF also caught her attention.

 

[Any day, and every day]

 

It was Kang Hyeon. He smiled as he walked through a bright city.

 

[Benefits pour down like sunshine as much as you want.]

 

He drank coffee at a cafe and ate food at a restaurant. Each time, various benefit icons entered Kang Hyeon.

 

[Wherever you go, KH is with you. Always KH.]

 

“They really went all out with the mid-roll ads today.”

 

Seeing that all the advertisements were short, it seemed like they were filmed during the vacation period and immediately aired.

 

-KH I thought he would do it since he has the same initials as Ganghyun lol

 

-kh got him

 

-Hyeon is handsome~

 

-Our house..dog also..says Kang Hyeon..is the most..handsome!!

 

-Kang Hyeon’s visuals are really shocking the more you look. Even including all celebrities, he’s top tier, how is he an explorer with those looks

 

-Stop being so over the top, seriously

 

[One day, a hero appeared in a world cursed by an evil demon lord…]

 

The next commercial break starts with narration first.

 

[Where am I?]

 

Im Hae-jun looks around with a serious expression. A fairy approaches him.

 

[You finally came, ping!]

 

[Who are you?!]

 

[I’m Magrella-ping! What’s your name, ping?!]

 

[Hae-jun-ping!]

 

“How cute.”

 

Lee Si-ah giggled as she watched.

 

Next came Seo Ji-woo, Yoon Hwa-rim, Lee Sin-hye, Lee Jong-soo and others… After watching what seemed like a Mitamnan spin-off commercial, it quickly returned to the main broadcast.

 

「Warship: Everfine」

 

─Lee Jun-ho: This is creepy.

 

This time it was Lee Jun-ho’s party’s segment.

 

They had reached a theme park warship called Everfine.

 

A dangerous zone filled with rides but eerily empty of people.

 

─Lee Jun-ho: I think there’s someone over there?

 

Near the theme park’s flume ride, a man was cautiously looking around while pressing his terminal repeatedly.

 

The party approached him. They were initially in combat stance, but James quickly surrendered.

 

─James: I-I’m James. Who are you all?

 

Supervisor James. A gentle-looking man. He suggested they travel together, saying there was a way to solve this zombie crisis at the hull’s center, and Kate looked at him with suspicious eyes.

 

─James: …I was the supervisor of this place.

 

James explained his past. He had been the theme park’s supervisor, but everything was destroyed by the zombie crisis.

 

─James: …I ran away. I shouldn’t have done that.

 

─Lee Jun-ho: Let’s go for now. Zombies might appear soon.

 

─James: Yes. Have you had a meal by any chance?

 

─Yoon Hwa-rim: I did eat a chocolate bar.

 

Then James smiled modestly.

 

─James: Follow me. There are no zombies in the Underground Restaurant. I’ll treat you to some steak.

 

Everyone’s expressions brightened at the mention of steak. Even Kate’s lips twitched upward.

 

-Looks like they’re collaborating with an NPC

 

-Another episode working with Labyrinth People.. seriously questioning the PD’s ideology.

 

-But why does only Seol Ha-woon have Companion Skills?

 

Then it switched to Seol Ha-woon’s perspective.

 

─Seol Ha-woon: Oh, my leg…

 

Seol Ha-woon lies down clutching his left leg like an elderly person.

 

─Truck: What happened to your leg?

 

─Seol Ha-woon: My body was damaged in an accident during an operation.

 

─Truck: …I see. You seem to have suffered a lot too.

 

Then Seol Ha-woon quietly fell into thought, shaking his head as he spoke.

 

─Seol Ha-woon: I’m alive, aren’t I? The real suffering was done by those who are dead.

 

Those who are dead. Lee Si-ah sensed fragments of the battlefield in Seol Ha-woon’s smallest speech patterns.

 

How many people who had been by his side must have died?

 

-Seol Ha-woon speaks of death without hesitation

 

-Ha-woon’s character development is definitely top tier

 

-Will he really get 1st place in Most Correct Words?

 

-Today’s the turning point lol Seems like Most Correct Words got hooked on Eldia.

 

“Eldia…”

 

Lee Si-ah found Eldia suspicious. She seemed like a good person to anyone, but having such a good person in such a hellish space was odd.

 

Or maybe she returned to this hell precisely because she was such a good person?

 

Lee Si-ah naturally trusted Seol Ha-woon, but Ha-woon Gallery and other communities were in chaos.

 

[He won’t be swayed, right?]

 

[Ah; the Ha-woon I know wouldn’t do that]

 

[Just evil editing, ignore it]

 

[But damn, only giving evil editing to Most Correct Words is fucked up]

 

[Everyone calm down;; Kang Hyeon got a lot of evil editing too]

 

[If he falls for Labyrinth People, it’d be the worst. Not that I hate it, but it’s socially problematic]

 

[Why is everyone freaking out lol Seol Ha-woon won’t be swayed by mere Labyrinth People, stop overreacting]

 

“You guys don’t know Seol Ha-woon…”

 

Well, it could be frustrating if you don’t know. Lee Si-ah puffed up with pride as one of his longest fans.

 

Though it was also evidence that the fanbase was growing.

 

Seol Ha-woon’s fandom was rapidly expanding these days. You could tell just by looking at the weekly voting rankings.

 

Now even Lee Si-ah, and probably Seol Ha-woon himself, would be getting ambitious.

 

Starting at 96th place and debuting at 1st.

 

It wasn’t an impossible story.

 

* * *

 

“It works!”

 

Cheers like shouts filled the Retina Research Lab.

 

“It works!!”

 

“I, I’m watching too.”

 

Circuit substitute.

 

At first, he wondered what it meant.

 

But when he cut a perfectly fine mana circuit and connected it with tape, it worked just fine.

 

That wasn’t all.

 

As a result of Manager Kim’s personal experimentation on his own body, it also provided hemostasis when applied to wounds.

 

Much more easily and reliably than bandages.

 

Manager Kim gulped.

 

This spell orb—duct tape—could be used in almost every field. Its versatility was that remarkable.

 

It was definitely a product that would be a huge hit.

 

Since everyone felt the same way, the team members embraced each other without anyone taking the lead.

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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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