Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 312

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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 312

Winter at the Tip of My Nose(2)

─Seo Ji-woo : …Huff, huff.

─Im Hae-jun : Huff, huff….

─Kate : Maintain your posture. We still have a long way to go.

The desert heat that’s equal for everyone. Leader Kate wipes her sweat while trying her best to hide her exhaustion, but everyone looks like they’re on the verge of elimination.

Im Hae-jun’s trademark chubby cheeks have sunken in, making him look like a comb-pattern pottery.

─Seo Ji-woo : …Huh?

Seo Ji-woo stares blankly at something. Camera close-up. Crooked handwriting comes into view.

│Kang Jun-su’s Hideout│

Use as much as you want

─Seo Ji-woo : Oh, looks like a rest area?!

─Im Hae-jun : Let’s go there first!

-But that’s not Seol Ha-woon’s

-Hahahahaha

-They found a dud.

-How is that a dud;; They should be grateful. They don’t even have drinking water.

-Hahahaha

-Wow that hideout is being used too

-The foreshadowing really just clicks into place perfectly like that lol

-This is an unfinished script lol

-But why did Seo Ji-woo suddenly lose her luck?

-Found Seol Ha-un’s genes lol looks like Seol Ha-un sucked them all up.

The three people collapsed inside Kang Jun-su’s Hideout.

Deep underground, the tent ceiling completely blocks the sunlight, and with the wind flowing through, it seems much cooler than outside.

─Im Hae-jun : Wow… This is much better…. There’s water here too!

Im Hae-jun, who was tossing and turning, discovers a water bottle placed in the corner. With trembling hands, he opens the cap and they all share it.

-It’s really cute how they share even that

-ㅋㅋ It’s teamplay after all..

-This is all thanks to Seol-Beoji.

-That was made by Kang Hyeon’s team though;;

As they say, fans create haters. From Lee Si-ah’s perspective these days, the most concerning group is actually Seol Ha-woon’s fans. They praise Seol Ha-woon to a degree that seems maliciously obsessive….

─Seo Ji-woo : But where did they get this water from? Did they discover an oasis on the way?

At that moment, the atmosphere becomes awkward.

Kang Jun-su’s party has water. Logically, when walking through this desert, even if you have water, it should run out normally.

An awkward silence flows.

-Hahahahahahaha

-Look at the atmosphere getting tense

-Kate: (flinches)

-Is there a leader who missed an oasis? Pshoo pshoo

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ So they really just couldn’t find her because of Kate’s damn eye color issue

-?? How is that Kate’s fault? That’s ridiculous lol

Seo Ji-woo and Im Hae-jun’s gazes turn toward Kate.

─Im Hae-jun : …Did they discover an oasis on the way?

─Kate : …It probably wasn’t an oasis. And desert oases are more dangerous than you think. There’s a high chance the water isn’t drinkable.

─Seo Ji-woo : I can make a filtration device.

─Kate : …If we passed an oasis, that would be my oversight. But can you be sure it was a real oasis? For water… I’ll somehow solve it with my experience….

─Seo Ji-woo : Ah, just step aside. I’ll take the lead from now on. Thinking about it, it didn’t make sense.

-LMAOOOOOOO leader privileges revoked

-Hahahaha

-So this was the trailer lol

-We fought over something so fucking stupid lol

-That’s so typical of them, but it’s still funny lol

-This is ridiculous, why are they only blaming Kate? They made her the leader when it was convenient for them

-Kate’s mental is gone

-But she has a point. Seo Ji-woo’s luck stat is overpowered.

-So their luck was bad because Seo Ji-woo wasn’t the guide

-Who said they’d be the leader? They pushed her into it

-When did I ever push them into it lol They’re dolphins, not slaves. Kate was the first one to say she wanted to lead…

The KakaoTalk is on fire. It’s blazing so much that the chat messages are barely visible.

Even this chaos will be missed once Mitamnan ends.

─Im Hae-jun : Noona should take the lead! I mean, Seo Ji-woo’s luck is incredible. I haven’t really seen Kate noona being lucky,

─Kate : …Fine, let’s rest a bit before we go. I’ll give up the lead position.

Kate quietly closes her eyes, while Seo Ji-woo and Im Hae-jun chatter like young birds.

─Seo Ji-woo : Damn it. I had a feeling something was off. Even while following, this anxiety wouldn’t leave my mind.

─Im Hae-jun : Noona, but why didn’t you say anything!

─Seo Ji-woo : Someone was taking the lead so confidently. I thought they had GPS installed in their head or something.

─Im Hae-jun : Is that person’s head perhaps yellow?

─Seo Ji-woo : Yeah. Bright yellow.

Mubong Fog

Meanwhile, Seol Ha-woon, who’s in the lead, has reached a new area

What a scenic view. Mountain ranges so unrealistically vast, damp moss moistening his feet, thick fog obscuring his vision. The camera captures this incredible terrain in a wide shot.

─Seol Ha-woon : …This won’t be easy.

“Wow. That’s insane.”

Lee Si-ah checked the experts’ live commentary.

─Kim Jeong-wook : Ah, that kind of terrain has very high magic power density. It’s usually called ‘Mubong (Fog Peak)’. It’s a place where natural magic power has condensed over long years, making it mysterious and also twisted.

Seol Ha-woon advances riding the camel. He doesn’t waver in the slightest. In this sequence, the camel is more amazing than Seol Ha-woon himself.

-What is that camel

-Even the camel looks like its owner lol

-Crazy look at it walking

-Isn’t it a spirit beast?

Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump. It advances through rough terrain like dancing ballet, when suddenly.

Shiiiiiii….

A whistling-like sound. The space before his eyes becomes distorted.

Who is it who is it who is it who is it who is it who is it who is it who is it.

Eerie whispers, two pitch-black hands appear from thin air trying to snatch Seol Ha-woon.

-Whoa what’s that

-Suddenly it’s turned into a horror story ㄷㄷ

-If it were Im Hae-jun he would’ve fainted

-Look at Seolha, she’s not even fazed lol

-Ah that startled me

-Damn

-Damn that startled me crazy

-Ah my heart

The chat window is in turmoil, but there’s no change in expression from Seol Ha-woon, the person actually involved.

─Seol Ha-woon : Huu….

Passsss-!

Instead, he condenses magic power in his hands to create a solid and sharp stake.

Thunk!

He drives it into the road surface.

Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!

The scream is eerie.

─Kim Jeong-wook : That’s exactly ‘anchoring’. Simply put, stake driving. It’s an advanced formula where you drive your own magic power like a wedge into the core of unstable magic phenomena to forcibly stabilize the flow. It’s difficult, but he did it well.

The expert, Kim Jeong-wook, watches such Seol Ha-woon with satisfaction.

“I see.”

Lee Si-ah also nodded.

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

Seol Ha-woon advances through this Mubong while driving stakes like stepping stones. It’s an environment that doesn’t bother him at all, but naturally it’s for the follow-up teams.

-Really Seol Ha-woon just does everything

-Lowering the difficulty like crazy

-Crazy Seol-daddy

-No way ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-Only now do I realize~~

-Seolha is pretty as always haha

In the midst of this, he reaches a temple. A space that roughly resembles Wolryeong Village.

-Something feels ominous?

-There’s no such thing for Seol Ha-woon

-Even if a ghost appears he’ll just grab it by the hair

-Mal-ol just has no fear

Indeed, Seol Ha-woon just enters the temple.

He’s not alone to begin with anyway. He’s together with the camel and fox.

─Seol Ha-woon : Ah, my leg.

Seol Ha-woon, who entered the interior, first weaves together experience orbs and his magic power to put a cast on his left knee, then lights blue flames on the candlesticks.

-Ah really my heart aches every time I see that leg

-Can that never be healed forever?

-ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-I heard it’s magical damage

-Still pissed at the bastard who leaked the medical records

-I heard he got caught

Seol Ha-woon lies down on the temple floor. Quietly, and comfortably falls asleep.

Time passes.

Whiiik─

As wind blows and the lantern light that Seol Ha-woon lit flickers.

Your walking seems quite uncomfortable.

A desolate voice flows in.

It’s that thing from the preview!

Lee Si-ah focused her eyes.

Your walking seems quite uncomfortable. Don’t you feel resentful or bothered?

The camera slowly rotates 360 degrees, filming Seol Ha-woon lying peacefully, capturing the conversation between Seol Ha-woon and the unidentified entity.

Rather, I consider it proof of myself.

Proof of Seol Ha-woon himself. What could that mean? The proof of Seol Ha-woon that Si-ah thinks of through her gaze is unchangingness.

He is a person like eternal snow that never melts.

What are you wandering in search of?

To this strange question and answer, Seol Ha-woon responds with confidence.

I am not wandering. I am simply moving forward.

“Huh…”

Si-ah finds herself nodding for no reason.

Seol Ha-woon who doesn’t wander is an explorer. The most complete explorer.

-That’s such a Seol Ha-woon-like answer

-There’s one stat that’s become the most valued among explorers these days lol Mental strength.

-Seol Ha-woon just seems like someone with such healthy and strong mentality that I want to keep watching him

-The only ray of light in our weakened modern society..

-These.days.I.get.vicarious.satisfaction.watching.this.person.hehe

Be careful.

The other party’s tone becomes distorted. As if human and beast sounds are mixed together.

They will come.

─Seol Ha-woon: …!

Seol Ha-woon opened his eyes. Lick lick. Lick lick. The fox was licking his cheek from beside him.

Seol Ha-woon instinctively looked at the center of the temple courtyard.

There was a door that hadn’t been there before he fell asleep.

[5th Zone Entrance Reincarnation Gate: Opens 444 minutes after knocking]

─Seol Ha-woon: Camel.

Seol Ha-woon immediately moves with the camel. Walking around all sides of the temple, scattering magic power and experience orbs around the perimeter.

Snap.

He flicks his fingers to construct a formula based on them.

-But why does he keep flicking his fingers?

-Isn’t he just showing off?

-lolol

-It just looks cool lol

-But what’s he doing?

-It would be better if he stopped showing off a bit lol

─Kim Jeong-wook: It’s not simply for show. It’s a technique to instantly spread magic particles from the fingers to ignite the formula.

“He said it’s not showing off.”

Don’t speak if you don’t know. Seol Ha-woon isn’t someone who puts on airs. Rather, he’s an excessively efficient person, so you should assume there’s reason and basis for even his smallest actions.

Crrrrrack─-!

Then, the ground at the temple’s edge shook and rose up. Hard rocks surged up as if wrapping around the temple.

Seol Ha-woon climbed up onto those castle walls and installed some objects.

─Seol Ha-woon: It’s been a while.

They were scarecrows. The moment she saw those somehow familiar things, goosebumps rose on Si-ah’s back.

“Don’t tell me this is.”

Meanwhile, Seol Ha-woon’s ‘fortress reinforcement’ sequence unfolds in a long take.

He creates turrets and places them on castle walls in all directions, attaches stake launch pads to the camel’s saddle, and applies reinforcement formulas to the walls.

─Seol Ha-woon: …All preparations are complete.

After that, Seol Ha-woon gets down from the camel and approaches the door. The Reincarnation Gate with all kinds of monsters carved like sculptures.

Knock knock.

Seol Ha-woon knocked on it.

Thoom?-!

The road surface vibrates and the shape of space becomes distorted. The sky turns a deep red-purple color, the world bends, and a status window appears.

[Time Remaining 444 : 44 : 44]

[They are coming…]

Si-ah shouted without realizing it.

“It’s Defense!”

The episode where Seol Ha-woon truly stood firm as Je Mal-ol, the Defense Labyrinth.

That Seol Ha-woon from back then is about to be recreated!

-Defense

-It’s Defense damn

-Holy shit

-Crazy

-Ah goosebumps

-Wow

-Wow

-Shit

-I

-I became a Mal-ol fan because of the Defense Labyrinth

The real-time chat naturally went wild, and Si-ah turned her eyes to the laptop monitor.

Let’s watch Labyrinth Exploration NAN live broadcast together

Kim Byeong-su

LIVE 130,073 viewers

─Kim Byeong-su: Wow… It’s Defense.

–Wow

-Holy shit

-Mal-ol is insane

-Wow

-Fuck I’m going crazy

-Ah I got goosebumps lol this is

-Insane shit

-Back to the basic lololol

-Mitamnan fucking edits well

Right next to it, I turned my gaze to another live broadcast.

Eyes on me!! Live Commentary

Lee Yoon-ha

LIVE 78,073 viewers

─Lee Yoon-ha: Kyaaaaaaah! It’s Defense!!

-Just insane

-Wow shit

-The captain’s specialty came out

-Ah, boss ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-I screamed as soon as I saw the scarecrow for real

-For real the editing showing the scarecrow briefly was amazing

-Show us Seol-bastard

-Our captain!!!!

-Ha

-You really need to show us the captain

-Defense comes out here, goosebumps lol

-For real the captain’s screen time always exceeds expectations

-Insane

-It’s battle. The captain’s Mental Visualization..

-Come out, Mage of the Battlefield!!

I also accessed the 3rd place broadcast by viewer count.

Will Seol Ha-woon really be eliminated?

Yoon Seo-hyeon

LIVE 55,073 viewers

─Yoon Seo-hyeon: I don’t think he’ll be eliminated at all? Ah but Defense, really gives me goosebumps.

-For real

-Just insane

-Seol Ha-woon is the main character though

-If the door closes he can’t come out

-Mitamnan is just pushing Seol Ha-woon hard as fuck

-It’s just Seol-favoritism lol

-It’s like script-rigging level

-Aren’t they pushing him because he gets eliminated later?

-Defense is fucking insane, it’s gonna be so fun lololol

-Gonna be hype as hell

-For real got goosebumps the moment I saw the scarecrow lol

All the other live commentaries were the same.

The return of Je Mal-ol, the king of Defense.

Meanwhile, the staff gathered again on the set stage. After Seol Ha-woon passed through the door first, the next person to pass through was expected to come out soon.

Who would be the second to turn their back on their ideal world and return to reality?

Drumroll…!

The door set up on one side of the stage quietly opened. Then, Kang Hyeon walked out.

Clap clap clap clap clap!

Just like when Seol Ha-woon returned, enthusiastic applause burst out.

The staff rushed to him, handing him a bouquet and pouring out congratulations.

However, even amid the pouring spotlights and warm reception, Kang Hyeon stood there blankly like someone who couldn’t grasp reality.

“Congratulations.”

Kim A-rang lightly patted his shoulder. Kang Hyeon didn’t respond.

She suddenly looked at the area around his eyes. Under the lights, tear stains were faintly glimmering. They were traces where the moisture hadn’t dried yet.

It was understandable. His ideal world was an ordinary daily life with his deceased father. The path of giving up happiness that couldn’t be exchanged for anything and returning would never have been easy. Especially at the end of that path was the ‘fake Seol Ha-woon’ who willingly chose annihilation for his sake.

“…If you need psychological treatment or anything, just say so anytime.”

“I’m fine.”

Kang Hyeon shook his head. He looked around and carefully asked.

“…By any chance, where is Ha-woon hyung?”

“He’s resting in the dormitory right now.”

“Ah.”

“Should I call him?”

“No, no. It’s fine. Let him rest.”

This journey was more intense than any labyrinth. Honestly, he needed time to think too.

When facing the real Seol Ha-woon, what should he say? What expression should he make?

“The other kids will… come out soon too, right?”

“Yeah. It might take another day or two, or maybe three or four more days, but everyone will definitely come out.”

Kim A-rang’s words carried conviction. It meant the other explorers’ situations were similar to his own.

In each of their happiest memories, they were walking toward this side together with another Seol Ha-woon who was guiding them.

“Yes.”

Kang Hyeon smiled bitterly and wiped around his eyes with his sleeve.

“That’s a relief.”

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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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