Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 232

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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 232

Lonely(10)

“…It’s tickling.”

I sat on the apartment sofa and scratched the back of my neck. The viewer reaction to my scene just now was incredibly good, making my back tingle.

Shaman Village

The live broadcast returns to Shaman Village. One of the starting points of Wolryeong Village.

─Lee Jun-ho : I can’t see it when I’m looking for it, where is it…?

Lee Jun-ho, carrying Grandmother on his back, looks around. He seems to be searching for some ghost.

Where are you going~

Just then, Grandfather Ghost appeared. A ghost wandering every corner of Shaman Village. Lee Jun-ho took a deep breath and revealed himself.

Where are you going~

Grandfather, who spotted Lee Jun-ho, approaches.

To the vengeful spirit trying to grab his wrist, Lee Jun-ho says.

─Lee Jun-ho : Grandfather. I brought Grandmother.

The vengeful spirit stops for a moment, and just then Grandmother on his back wakes up from sleep.

─Grandmother : …Who is it?

Grandfather Ghost’s eyes tremble with surprise.

─??? : Honey…?

The vengeful spirit asks back in a daze. His face also changes little by little. It becomes as clear as a living person.

─??? : Honey… where did you go….

Grandfather approaches his wife and asks.

─Grandmother : Who are you to keep talking to me?

─??? : Honey… together….

Grandfather’s eyes moisten with tears.

─??? : Together… we promised to go together….

Grandfather grabs Grandmother’s hand, and only then do Grandmother’s eyes widen in surprise.

─Grandmother : Ah, it was you?

A smile like a wisp of cloud appears on her lips.

Finally, Grandfather’s form is completely restored.

─Lee Yong-tae : Honey.

He firmly holds his wife’s hand. Now he sheds tears instead of blood.

─Lee Yong-tae : When going far away, I always said let’s go together. Said you’d get lost.

─Grandmother : That’s right. Of course. I always trust what my old man says….

Step. Step.

With sad background music playing, the two people depart together somewhere.

-ㅠㅠㅠ

-ㅜㅠㅠ

-ㅠㅠㅜㅜㅜ

-Don’t hit meㅠㅠ

Too many F’s lol

-What am I supposed to do, I’m not curious about ghost stories at all lol

-I.also.remember.that.woman.from.long.ago.the.reason.I.gave.up.being.an.explorer..

-We’ll all grow old someday..

─Lee Jun-ho : …Um, excuse me, Elder.

Hearing Lee Jun-ho’s quietly murmuring voice, Grandfather turns to look at Lee Jun-ho.

─Lee Jun-ho : Will I be able to meet them someday too?

Those words contained quite a lot of meaning.

I suddenly thought of several people too.

I had the same curiosity as Lee Jun-ho on screen.

Will I be able to meet them someday.

─Lee Jun-ho : I’ll be able to speak to them at least once, right?

Will I be able to speak to you at least once. Will I be able to see you again.

I’m walking through this place to find out the truth you discovered.

Wave, wave.

Grandfather waves his hand. As if to say don’t worry about such things. As if to say don’t look too far, too far away.

─Lee Jun-ho : …Yes.

Lee Jun-ho smiles and turns around.

“….”

I find myself smiling too.

Right, today I only think about today. I just move forward to tomorrow.

There’s no need to worry about the distant future.

The place I walk becomes my path.

─Lee Jun-ho : Take care. Grandfather.

Lee Jun-ho sadly waves his hand while looking at Grandfather’s back.

-He’s really handsome after all

-Lee Junho check out his Vogue cover shoot this time lol it’s insane

-But Jun-ho tries too hard to show off his good looks, Kang Hyeon doesn’t do that

-Ah this is sad. Damn

-Junho’s little sister ㅠㅠ

This labyrinth had its own narrative. Lee Jun-ho also revealed his narrative to the viewers.

There’s a reason why Mitamnan is so popular these days.

-ㅠㅠ

-ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-ㅠㅠㅠ ㅠㅠ

-The kids are really charming

-Jun-ho’s ranking will probably go up today

-ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-But shouldn’t they ban articles about his younger sister; there are already tons of articles coming out

-ㅠㅠㅠㅜㅜㅜ

I placed my laptop on my knees while watching the live broadcast. Click. I opened the killer file document.

─Killer File─

· Name : Lee Seok-ho

Characteristics : Always wears a blood-stained white gown, with abnormally large and clear eyes.

Uses a rusty scalpel and surgical saw, and tries to extract the ‘eyes’ of targets encountered while patrolling corridors.

To escape his sight, never make eye contact and immediately hide your body.

· Name : ‘Clown’ Felix

Characteristics : Wears dirty and worn pierrot clothing, always with a smiling mask.

Carries an old music box, and starts ‘hide and seek’ wherever that sound is heard.

When you hear the music box sound, immediately hide in a closed space. If caught by the seeker, you become a ‘prop’.

· Name : Shadow

Characteristics : Has no specific form, appearing only as a faint child’s silhouette in darkness.

Moves through all shadows where light doesn’t reach, appearing behind targets to whisper.

Never be alone in darkness. Always stay near a flashlight or light source.

[Warning : They are one with the labyrinth, so they cannot die. Never resist, only avoid or hide.]

Outside the window is dark. Nothing can be seen. Probably because it’s currently connected to reality.

I looked at the portal.

“…Should I stock up on some supplies.”

I can’t do anything during the 3-hour rest period anyway. So it would be better to bring supplies from outside.

“Fox. Camel.”

The two animals turn to look at me.

“Wait here and watch the house for a moment.”

About to go outside the portal, swoosh.

Some sensation brushes across my mind.

“…Interesting.”

It’s a signal from the sequence.

Sequences have very high versatility. This is because I can implant my ‘senses’ into mana.

Also, my mana has strong phenomenon persistence, so information can be detected and transmitted even from spells installed long ago.

Just now, it means explorers have arrived at the fortress in Area 4.

* * *

Kang Jun-su’s party barely escaped the forest following the stakes and discovered a temple surrounded by outer walls.

“This place gives off Wolryeong Village vibes…”

The three people entered with swords drawn and quietly searched the interior.

A stone pagoda built in the courtyard and a small temple. Auto turrets installed everywhere, traces of mana circuits carved into the floor.

“Ha-woon hyung must have been here.”

Jun-ho caught on to some extent from this defensive setup.

“Looks like defense, right?”

Hyeon nodded. Jun-ho sat on the stair landing and said.

“Let’s wait until other parties come this time.”

A party with one warrior and two swordsmen is extremely disadvantageous for defense.

“It might be tough without a mage. Mal-ol hyung is so optimized for defense that he seemed to handle it alone.”

“Let’s do that.”

Hyeon also nodded.

“Wow… but Je Mal-ol really grows infinitely.”

Jong-su admired while fiddling with the turrets Seol Ha-woon had set up.

Jun-ho chuckled.

“It’s not infinite growth, he originally had that level of potential.”

“Oh right. There was that saying. The worldline where Seol Ha-woon started as a mage from age twenty.”

“Well, let’s go inside and rest for now. I’m dying of sleepiness.”

Everyone went inside the temple.

They immediately lay down on the wooden floor.

The mental fatigue accumulated from coming here is no joke.

“Did Mal-ol hyung leave that too?”

Jun-ho pointed to the candlesticks nearby. The burning blue flames were vivid.

Hyeon sniffed the air.

“Yeah. Seems like it.”

A somehow clear fragrance flows from the candlesticks. It feels like it calms the mind and body.

“Sleep well…”

The three people quietly closed their eyes.

* * *

Meanwhile, Seo Ji-woo discovered an oasis in the desert. It was an achievement Kate couldn’t accomplish.

“Here, try drinking this.”

Hae-jun drank a cup of water that Ji-woo had filtered. Hae-jun widened his eyes and gave a thumbs up.

Thumbs up!

“Wow, it’s delicious! Is Ji-woo a god?!”

“…I’ve filled all the water.”

Kate faithfully filled the water bottles with water from the filtration device.

“Oh, good. You guys rest. I’ll go do some reconnaissance.”

Ji-woo solemnly went out to scout.

“Take care~ Leader fighting!”

Hae-jun saw her off as she departed somewhere into the desert, then sighed and came back to lie down in the tent.

“Kate noona. Are you okay?”

“…”

Kate silently put the water bottles into the duffel bag.

“Don’t think too badly of it. Honestly, what’s so special about being a leader. It’s just that in this situation, the person who can give the greatest benefit to the team members is the leader.”

Hae-jun covered his mouth and whispered.

“And honestly, Ji-woo noona just has good luck.”

Hae-jun yawned while sowing discord.

Kate was dumbfounded.

“Ha… I don’t know how many days she’ll go on about discovering the oasis. It’s really hard to humor her.”

While Hae-jun was grumbling.

“Hey! I found camels too!”

Ji-woo quickly returned. Even riding a camel. Even not just one but two of them.

“Wow, as expected of Ji-woo noona!”

Hae-jun jumped up and ran over. He clapped and cheered on both sides of Ji-woo.

“Ji-woo! Ji-woo! Ji-woo! This is a leader! This is what a leader is!”

Clatter clatter. Clatter clatter. His flattering skills are very good.

“Ha! Over something like this.”

Ji-woo shrugged her shoulders and raised her nose proudly.

Kate let out a hollow laugh watching such Hae-jun.

“Where did you get the camels from. Really crazy. Just hard carrying. Wow, Ji-woo noona really…”

Even doing that, there aren’t many antis, and even from Kate’s perspective, she’s not really hateable. Probably Ji-woo also knows and is using Hae-jun as a lackey.

That might also be Hae-jun’s talent.

* * *

Back to the main broadcast.

Skilled Shaman’s House

Crash! Crackle! Jun-ho, who arrived at the shaman’s house, turns the entire house into a mess. He digs and turns everything upside down like a madman.

-Showing his true colors

-Caught you red-handed, you pervert lol crazy destruction maniac

-Human butcher form is insane ㄷㄷ

-Hahahaha you look even cooler when you’re angry

-Wow.. it’s like he’s doing a photo shoot..

-Whoa, holy shit, look at the magic power in that sword

His sweat-soaked hair sways, and his completely crazed eyes are scary yet cool.

He definitely has character.

─Jun-ho : …?

Jun-ho, who stopped slashing, quietly tilts his head.

It’s an entrance leading to the basement. He grins and goes down the stairs.

Everything around is pitch black.

Hehehehehe

Dokkaebi fire illuminates his body for a moment. Chinese characters and letters stuck to the wall are shown in close-up.

This village, the sacred tree that is the guardian of Imgak Mountain… everything originated from that damn tree.

─Jun-ho : …Sacred tree? Imgak Mountain?

The spirits are weaving an invisible barrier relying on the sacred tree’s energy, ah, there’s no way to escape. This shackle that seems trapped in eternal ages…

─Jun-ho : …This bastard was also trapped here.

The purple light of the dokkaebi fire gradually illuminates the letters.

I finally deciphered the village’s five elements and the weak links of the earth veins that spread out like a spider web centered on the sacred tree.

If I drive stakes containing impure energy into each of those acupoint locations, I will surely be able to defile that tree’s sanctity, weaken it, cut off the earth’s spiritual veins, and escape from this trap-like place.

The problem is the vengeful spirits bound together with terrible resentment. Monsters that devour even my protective talismans without a care.

I don’t yet have a way to deal with them. The evil god doesn’t lend power to deal with mere vengeful spirits.

…I discovered a method.

And, the next passage.

A fragment of another world that the evil god personally showed. Opening the path that leads there, they will summon them.

Without knowing it themselves, they will become the evil god’s chess pieces, helping to eliminate the vengeful spirits.

Sssssssss. Cold and sharp sound effects surge in.

─Lee Jun-ho: The method… was us?

-Holy

-Crazy

-Whoa

-Huh

-Wow

-Ah

-Right

-The explorers were going around killing vengeful spirits

-The shaman is definitely the culprit

-Wow this twist gives me chills

-So the enemy wasn’t a vengeful spirit after all ㄷㄷ

-The shaman called the explorers to escape herself but instead they were killing the vengeful spirits;;

-Damn there was someone who wrote a prediction post, did they come from the future?

-I saw this on the community and there’s gonna be pilgrimage tourism lol

─Lee Jun-ho: …Wait. Stakes?

The stakes seen near the abandoned hospital flash by in a flashback. Jun-ho hurriedly grabs the radio.

─Lee Jun-ho: Hey police box! Is anyone there right now?!

Wolryeong Police Station

─Seo Ji-woo: Hey Im Hae-jun, wake up!

Receiving Jun-ho’s message, Ji-woo calls for Hae-jun while gathering her flashlight, sacred rope, and red beans.

─Seo Ji-woo: We’re heading out too!

But there’s no response.

─Seo Ji-woo: Follow me!

Ji-woo is about to leave but notices the lack of presence and looks around inside the police box.

─Im Hae-jun: …Snore.

Hae-jun is sleeping on the only mattress. Ji-woo’s brow furrows.

─Seo Ji-woo: Hey.

─Im Hae-jun: Snore…

-Hahahahahaha

-Wait, it’s you again already hahaha

-Isn’t he pretending to sleep?

-Looks like they’re pretending to sleep lol

-hahahahahaha

─Seo Ji-woo: Tsk. Fine. You sleep.

Ji-woo shakes her head and pretends to leave, stomping her feet, then quietly lifts her heels and stands behind Hae-jun.

─Im Hae-jun: …

As expected, Hae-jun sneakily opens his eyes.

─Im Hae-jun: Phew. Finally she’s gone. Ugh so annoying. I’m scared to death, why do they want to take me when they can go by themselves-

─Seo Ji-woo: Hey you bastard!

The moment Ji-woo grabs Hae-jun’s curly hair.

─Im Hae-jun: Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

Hae-jun was so startled he started crying.

Si-ah burst out laughing and clutched her stomach.

Death Temple

“Ah that’s funny. Ah my stomach hurts.”

As Si-ah wipes the tears from her eyes, the scene changes to the Death Temple.

─Kate: …

Kate’s party slowly wakes up.

─Yoon Hwa-rim: What, what is it…?

─Kate: One person is missing.

Yoon Hwa-rim, Ryu Yeon-hwa, Lee Sin-hye.

One other person is missing.

Lee Jong-soo.

─Yoon Hwa-rim: Who… Jong-su?!

-Whoa Lee Jong-soo

-Ah right, whoever broke the boat seemed like a man

-Lee Jong-soo was suspicious somehow

-Yeah, he was strangely fearless. Even though Lee Jong-su is supposed to be a cowardly character

─Yoon Hwa-rim: Then, then Jong-su?! Shouldn’t we go catch him?!

─Kate: No. We can’t get out of here anyway. We’re screwed. I was planning to handle it from inside.

─Kate: Then, then what about us?

─Kate: Can’t help it. Let’s just eat lunch and rest.

Kate smoothly pulls out the lunch bag. Everyone looks dumbfounded but.

─Kate: It’s like avoiding robbers only to meet a dokkaebi.

─Yoon Hwa-rim: Avoiding robbers to meet a dokkaebi…? What does that mean?

Then Kate, as if thinking of someone, grumbles sullenly.

─Kate: There is. Someone like that.

-Who is it?

-Who else would it be, Seol Ha-woon

-I respect Kate but her fans though lol

-Isn’t that sarcasm rather than respect?

-Hahahaha

-Aren’t Kate and Seol Ha-woon both mage candidates?

-They say XXXX candidates can never become friends with each other. I saw on YouTube that there’s that kind of competitive psychology.

-It’s not competitive psychology, the mage slots are predetermined from the start. Probably maximum 1 person every 2-3 years. If you fall behind once, you’re behind for 3 years.

-The only person Kate couldn’t beat

The only person Kate couldn’t beat. Somehow that’s cool.

Imgak Mountain

The screen switches back to Imgak Mountain.

There’s a shadow climbing the dark mountain slope.

‘He’ is shown in close-up.

─Shaman: Hah… it was a tedious job.

It’s the shaman after all!

That shaman that Ha-woon and Hyeon encountered at the beginning!

“That bastard!”

Si-ah also clenched her teeth tightly.

─Shaman: Now finally…

The peak of Imgak Mountain. Under the moonlight, a giant tree stands.

The shaman grips a large stake and glares at that place. Under the drooping tree branches, a man with a walking stick can be seen.

─Shaman: …A man?

Just as the shaman furrows her brow.

─Seol Ha-woon: You came.

Whoooooosh…!

The magic power contained in that voice shakes the mountain terrain. The leaves rustle against each other, singing a desolate song.

-Wow

-He’s here

-Holy shit lololol

-He ended up coming to Jemallot after all

-lolololol All roads lead to Mal-ol

-This guy really knew everything..

-At this point it’s scary

-Just marry each other ffs

-Seol Ha-woon has final boss energy for real;;

Standing upright, Seol Ha-woon lights a cigarette while glaring at the Shaman.

─Seol Ha-woon: I’ve been waiting.

In the darkness, his eyes flash with an eerily sinister gleam.

However, the Shaman doesn’t back down. She doesn’t cower even against Jemallot. Rather, she openly reveals her hostility without hiding it.

“Ooh~”

Still, he’s quite something.

─Shaman: I have received a divine revelation.

Demonic energy surges from the Shaman’s blazing blue eyes that seem ready to pop out.

─Shaman: The evil god has descended through me. You have all come here according to his will, to save me-

─Seol Ha-woon: Shut your mouth. Before I tear it apart.

Thud──-

The walking stick strikes the road surface forcefully. Instantly, the darkness of the mountain stirs and parts. A bluish light blazes forth brilliantly.

-Whoa;;

-So fucking cool

-lolololol

-Isn’t he really a mage?

-That’s sick..

-lololololol

-If Seol Ha-woon gets his ass kicked after this, it’d be a legendary plot twist lol

─Shaman: How dare a mere human like you defy the evil god. Do you think someone like you can overcome this?

The Shaman wears a mocking smile, and Seol Ha-woon retorts by exhaling cigarette smoke with a huff.

─Seol Ha-woon: …I.

Whoooosh──-!

At that moment, magic power exploded from Seol Ha-woon. Blue torch-like currents devoured the entire screen.

-Holy

-Whoa

-Huh

-Whoa;

-Holy shit lol

-Holy

-Whoa

-Whoa shit

-Magic power release;;

-Wait what

-Magic power is just coming out of his body?? Is that normal??

-Isn’t that CG?

-That bastard is the final boss, not the shaman lol

It’s pure magic power. The magic power has hands attached to it, as if gripping the mountain air tightly.

“Whoa….”

It’s a scene you’d only see in comics. He really looks like a mage. Could it be CG? It’s suspicious enough to doubt.

─Seol Ha-woon: I don’t fight battles I’ll lose.

The statement about not fighting losing battles isn’t much different from Jemallot.

The camera captures Seol Ha-woon’s full body,

─Shaman: Ha!

Then switches to the opposite side─capturing the Shaman’s entire body turning crimson red.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

Tense background music gradually builds up!

Always── right.

Lightning flashes across the darkened screen.

At the end of it, there’s a chicken drumstick.

A drumstick, of all things.

“Oh please!!!!!!”

Lee Si-ah felt a headache coming on and clutched her face.

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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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