Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 209

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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 209

The Way Home (1)

Seo Ji-woo looked around the space that had been manifested like a fantasy.

It was a desert. Under the scorching sun, there were adobe buildings scattered here and there. The hot wind seemed to burn her skin, and people wearing turbans slowly passed by, leading camels.

“This is…”

“A memory.”

Rustle. Yoo Yul stepped on the road surface. Fine grains of sand crunched strangely underfoot.

“It’s the memory of the dead inflated into space. A kind of localized labyrinth. Think of it as observable fog that we can hardly interfere with.”

Inflating memory into space. Just hearing it doesn’t make it easy to understand.

“…These people can’t see us?”

“We’re just watching. Memory flows according to its predetermined course.”

Seo Ji-woo stared blankly at Yoo Yul.

“Mentor, are you really a Mage? This seems like magic.”

“Think whatever you want. You can only see as much as you know.”

“…Ah, yes.”

Yoo Yul gazed at the desert with deep eyes.

In Seo Ji-woo’s opinion, this mentor’s eyes were always full of power. As if her confidence had no end.

“In the desert, the concept of nations becomes vague. That’s why villains often hide there.”

Desert regions are areas that various countries claim as territory, but realistically cannot effectively control. Because of monsters, rifts, labyrinths, and above all, the murderous climate.

“Most are explorers or criminals, and merchants who supply infrastructure to them have formed villages and cities.”

However, precisely because of that, there are many shelters, cities, and villages for them in the desert. The fact that there are many monsters and labyrinths means explorers gather there.

“Merchants come to places like this?”

“There are plenty of people who would go to hell if there’s money in it.”

“Well, that’s true… Where should we move?”

“We can’t go. Not until the owner of this memory moves.”

─Damn expensive.

Just then, a voice was heard. It was the owner of the memory.

He let out a bitter laugh while looking at a few fruits and water bottles in a shabby bag.

─This is all we get for today’s supplies?

Sun-tanned copper skin, a sturdy build. But somehow tired-looking eyes.

The moment he took a step forward, space distorted and changed.

It was a base camp that looked like a temporary barracks, surrounded by adobe walls. The lingering scent of dust, sweat, magic power, and gunpowder stung their noses.

─You’re back.

He set down the food bag. Six or seven people inside looked at him. Most wore similar clothing, and their complexions were sharply honed.

There, Seo Ji-woo encountered a familiar face.

─You’re back?

A voice that pierced her heart.

Her breath caught, and her heart stopped. It felt like some ‘thread’ that supported her had snapped.

─Good work.

The only man who said “good work.” His shortly cropped hair was dyed black, but the roots were faintly blue.

Seo Ji-hyuk.

Her older brother.

“I’m there too.”

An unfamiliar voice came from behind. Seo Ji-woo flinched and looked to the side.

It was Yoo Seok-hoon. He was looking at a man in the corner. A face that was handsome even in profile, fiddling with operation maps with other team members.

“That’s how I looked back then.”

─Today’s supplies will be the end. The prices are ridiculous. Everyone gets one bottle each…

He smiled strangely, as if missing his past self there.

─Today’s supplies are the end. Everyone gets one bottle each…

The owner of the memory distributed water to the team members.

Eight bottles of water. He was trying to give one bottle each, but suddenly found himself holding two bottles. One person’s share was left over.

─Seo Sergeant. Is that person not here again?

Seo Ji-hyuk tried to answer that question, but.

─Uh-

─Leave it.

Yoo Seok-hoon blocked him. He continued while looking at the map.

─He’s not the type to listen even if we tell him. The higher-ups said to just leave him alone too. Let’s focus on our own work.

The past Yoo Seok-hoon poured water and took a sip.

“We were undercover at this time.”

The present Yoo Seok-hoon explained the past. Seo Ji-woo and Yoo Yul looked slightly annoyed.

“I thought some minimal explanation was necessary. Our target was a villain named Gustav.”

Yoo Seok-hoon’s lips twisted.

“It was our last operation.”

─Seo Sergeant.

Before they knew it, night had fallen. The owner of the memory looked at Seo Ji-hyuk, who was scribbling a letter, and asked.

─What are you doing?

─Writing a letter.

─A letter?

─Yeah. There’s a child around here.

─Ah, that friend? Was her name Lucy?

Seo Ji-hyuk smiled bitterly and pulled out some kind of doll. It was a rabbit doll.

─She said she lost her doll. I’m going to give this to her tomorrow.

─Then I’ll go with you.

─There’s no need for that.

─No. Just in case.

And so the space changed.

The owner of the memory visited the village with Seo Ji-hyuk. It was a place devastated by bombing.

Seo Ji-hyuk sat for a while in the promised ruins, where he met a child.

─You came?

The child approached. Seo Ji-hyuk smiled and handed the child a letter.

─About Jenny that you said you lost before. I couldn’t find Jenny, but I found a letter that Jenny left behind.

A letter left by the doll saying she was going on a journey and would return someday, so don’t be sad.

─Until then, you can play with this friend.

He handed over another doll. The child hugged the rabbit tightly and smiled brightly.

After that, the two left, and the owner of the memory said to Seo Ji-hyuk.

─Sergeant. Aren’t you being too soft?

It sounded like a reproach, but there was still respect and trust buried within.

─…Just. It reminds me of my younger sister.

Seo Ji-woo’s heart shook violently. She bit down hard, afraid her teeth might fall out.

It seemed like they were heading into increasingly unbearable territory.

Space twisted violently once again.

This time it was daytime. In the middle of the desert where the sun beat down mercilessly.

Kwaaaaaaaang───!

With a tremendous explosion, bullets rained down from all directions.

─It’s an ambush! Take cover!

Yoo Seok-hoon shouted urgently, and the soldiers scattered in panic. Sandstorms and gunpowder smoke obscured their vision, and gunshots and screams echoed ear-splittingly.

The owner of the memory supported a fallen comrade and returned fire, but the comrade’s upper and lower body were already separated.

The enemy’s firepower was beyond imagination. Bullets flying from all directions and swirling magic explosions. The desert city instantly turned into a living hell.

─Kheuk!

The owner of the memory groaned and collapsed. Red blood gushed from his side.

Whoooosh!

Many things collapsed and his vision became blurry. Beyond his fading consciousness, he could see enemies approaching.

Humans grinning like demons you’d see in movies, their eyes glowing red with fury.

Seo Ji-woo unconsciously stepped backward.

“…Are they even human?”

“It’s a memory. The fear felt at that time amplified the appearance of the opponents. In the end, they’re all the same people.”

Just as Yoo Yul muttered in a low voice.

──!

A bullet that flew from somewhere pierced through the enemies. The head of the one in front exploded, and someone behind constructed a barrier to defend, but,

Screeeeech!

As if waiting for this moment, a Panzerfaust—an anti-tank rocket—rushed in and blew up the entire barrier.

Kwaaaaah!

The guy’s entire body was torn into pieces of flesh.

This is why a battlefield is a battlefield, and why soldiers and explorers are distinguished.

No matter how skilled a ranker is at handling magic power, they have no choice but to die if hit directly by a modern missile.

─Hah. Hah…

The owner of the memory was gasping for breath. The world became hazy.

─Get up. It’s not over yet.

At the words to get up, everything became clear again.

Seo Ji-woo and Yoo Yul looked at that place.

Filling their entire field of vision was someone familiar yet strange.

─S-Sergeant Seol?

Seol Ha-woon. But very different from now. So alien that they couldn’t even recognize him at first.

─Get up.

Very short hair. Unlike his current thin appearance, his entire body was covered with solid muscles. His jawline was sharp, and his eyes gleamed fiercely like a beast.

Another Seol Ha-woon, opposite in almost every aspect from the current one.

─I said get up, you bastard!

Seol Ha-woon grabbed him by the collar and forcibly pulled him up. Then he aimed the anti-tank rocket slung over his shoulder toward the other side and said.

─Run! You’re not hurt anywhere.

The owner of the memory ran toward where Seol Ha-woon pointed. While running, he looked back.

Kiiiiing!

The missile Seol Ha-woon fired disintegrated some human. Immediately after, he picked up an assault rifle and blew off the heads of charging enemies with aimed shots.

“His physique is definitely different from now.”

That was Yoo Yul’s one-line comment.

Indeed, his silhouette was much more solid. He was like a weapon trained solely for actual combat.

“It was the first engagement.”

Yoo Seok-hyun continued with a mocking tone.

“I think this time was a testing process. A process of contact and betrayal. Even the side willing to accept betrayal needs to know if the information is reliable.”

Seo Ji-woo looked at Yoo Seok-hoon and asked.

“Who exactly betrayed whom?”

“…You’ll know when you see.”

* * *

Knock knock. Knock knock.

At the knocking sound, I struggled to get up.

“I’m dying from exhaustion…”

I limped with my walking stick and opened the door to find Kim A-rang there.

“…What’s the matter?”

“Ah. I have something to tell you.”

Kim A-rang had a suitcase in one hand. She seemed to have stopped by briefly before leaving for vacation.

“About the medical record leak this time… they said the investigation started right away, so don’t worry too much, and here’s the duct tape contract.”

She held out a different contract.

“It looks like the duct tape will pass human application clinical trials too, so there are many hospitals and military units that want to stock duct tape. Not just in our country but overseas too. It’s a related contract, so read it and decide.”

“Ah yes.”

“You’re going to be rich~?”

Kim A-rang mixed in a nasal sound as if envious, but somehow she seemed to be watching my reaction. Probably because of the medical record leak.

I’m actually fine with it.

“Well, I’ll be going then. Rest comfortably~”

“Yes. Have fun.”

I closed the door.

I was thinking about how much I could earn with this contract as I turned around,

Knock knock. Knock knock. Someone knocked again.

Bang bang! Bang bang! Much more intense than Kim A-rang.

I opened the door.

This time it was Im Hyeong-uk.

“…Mr. Seol Ha-woon.”

“PD Im?”

For some reason, his entire body was drenched in sweat.

“What’s wrong?”

He kept gasping as if scared of something, unable to meet my eyes directly.

“By any chance, by any chance.”

He asked in a trembling voice.

“Do you know Captain Yoo Seok-hoon?”

At that moment, my expression hardened.

“…How do you know that person, PD Im?”

* * *

Under the dark and clear night sky of the desert where primary colors stood out.

The owner of the memory opened his eyes. He blinked while looking up at the distant sky full of stars.

─You awake?

Suddenly, at a voice heard right beside him, he startled and lowered his gaze.

Seol Ha-woon was sitting on the sandy ground.

─Sergeant Seol…?

─You didn’t die.

There was no change in Seol Ha-woon’s face as he spoke dryly. From the battlefield just before, he had always been expressionless.

─Ah. Wait a moment.

The owner of the memory took out a bottle of water from his duffel bag and offered it.

─Here. It’s yours, Sergeant.

Seol Ha-woon shook his head.

─You drink it.

─Uh…

The owner of the memory hesitated then drank the water.

He drank sip by sip while watching for reactions, but eventually gulped it all down.

─Hah… S-Sergeant Seol.

─What.

─Why are you… traveling alone, Sergeant? Did you receive some separate mission…

He couldn’t finish his words and his mouth was blocked. Because of Seol Ha-woon’s gaze.

Indeed, those eyes were preventing him from asking Seol Ha-woon any questions.

For some unknown reason, Seol Ha-woon was ‘suspicious’ of the memory’s owner.

The owner of the memory quickly changed the subject.

─…Th-then, what happened to our unit?

─Two died on our side. More than half of the US military side was destroyed. Those guys who were showing off calling themselves mages and warriors all died too.

Seol Ha-woon speaking of death was indifferent.

─You live. Don’t die.

Seol Ha-woon brushed off the sand and stood up. The owner of the memory stared blankly at such Seol Ha-woon.

Seo Ji-woo also fell into thought for a moment.

The Seol Ha-woon of this time, though he may have less tactical value than now as a mage, was more deadly dangerous than anyone else.

A human weapon who seemed like he would commit any act for the sake of his mission.

She followed the departing Seol Ha-woon with her eyes…

Chicken is always right, always right chicken.

“…Huh? Wh-what?! What is this!!”

Seo Ji-woo’s eyes widened. Yoo Seok-hoon also made a similarly miserable face.

“I didn’t expect to see this here…”

Next to them, Yoo Yul made a sound of suppressing laughter.

Seo Ji-woo glared at her.

“Was that you, Mentor?”

“I played a little prank. Since you were watching like it was TV.”

“…No. Why would you do this?”

This is ridiculous. I’m already sensitive because of Seo Ji-hyuk right now.

“We have to wait anyway. Even the orb I made has limits. The memory needs loading.”

Tssssss. Suddenly the space went dark, and electric current-like energy flowed up through the air.

That magic power formed clumps and created another shape.

A long-haired man, Seol Ha-woon. With something golden clutched in one hand…

The reason chicken is always right is because it is chicken. Always right chicken.

“Ah geez, please tone it down a bit!!!

Seo Ji-woo couldn’t hold back.

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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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