Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 314

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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 314

Winter at the Tip of the Nose(4)

….

The main broadcast is extremely quiet. No sounds can be heard at all, only Lee Si-ah’s heart beating thump-thump.

Whoooosh….

The blue flame wall still burns fiercely, but it’s very silent. The monsters don’t charge in and the forest doesn’t shake either.

Seol Ha-woon raises his head to check the time.

[220 : 12 : 15]

220 minutes. That means almost 4 hours are left.

The camera shows the monsters in the distance. They only glare at Seol Ha-woon but don’t dare approach.

They’re scared of Seol Ha-woon!

-Ah hahahaha

-Kya

-Wow hahahaha

-Got scared lol

-Got their asses kicked by Je Mal-ol

-Hahahaha

-They surrendered

-Hahaha ah fuck

-Even monsters know when to give up

-Wow

-But seriously that was insane

-Fuck lol this clip’s gonna blow up

-Already rank 1 in Silt lol

As Silt says, the monsters slowly retreat. They disappear without any presence. They’ve truly declared surrender.

─Seol Ha-woon : ….

“Kya.”

Seol Ha-woon who makes even monsters flee. He silently makes an expression resembling mockery. He straightens his back and looks down at the monsters.

The camel also spits at the monsters with a very arrogant face.

─Camel : Ptui.

─Fox : Pihihi.

The arctic fox on his shoulder also wags its tail and mocks the monsters.

-Hahahaha

-lol

-Hahahaha

-No way, that’s so cute lol

-Takes after its owner, damn lol

-Wow lol

After that, the screen switches to Mubong.

Kang Jun-su’s party following the path Seol Ha-woon walked. Kang Jun-su is quite popular these days with his new pairing.

─Lee Jun-ho : Haaah!

In the fog, Lee Jun-ho leaps greatly somewhere. There’s Seol Ha-woon’s mana stake there. Lee Jun-ho places his hand on it and takes a deep breath.

─Lee Jun-ho : Haa, haa….

─Kang Hyeon : Jun-ho. Jong-su. We just need to find these stakes and follow them.

A path left by someone trustworthy. Signposts set up like stepping stones in the confusing magical wilderness.

Like that, they cross the path Seol Ha-woon left behind.

-Seolbeom ㅠㅠㅠ

-He had to go first so he could take care of the kids, so he gritted his teeth and went ahead

-Poor thing, your leg is bothering you too ㅠ.ㅠ

-Seol Ha-woon.. fool who only thinks of his younger siblings

-No, so is Seolhaun getting eliminated or not, damn it

-ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

“Whew.”

Lee Si-ah smiled warmly. Meanwhile, back to Seol Ha-woon’s perspective.

[Opening the Reincarnation Gate.]

[The Reincarnation Gate will close in 30 minutes.]

Seol Ha-woon doesn’t enter right away, but inspects and repairs the fortress. He paints something so monsters can’t climb the castle walls, and repairs the turrets to put them back up.

-Wow that

-He’s just leaving it?

-Is he really a mage?

-Really kind

-Look at him repairing it for the kids to use

-For real, that’s too selfless. There aren’t explorers like that, are there?

-At that level, they’re unqualified to be a mage lol

Seol Ha-woon’s personality isn’t that of a mage. Most mages are very jealous and obsessive about ‘their formulas’.

─Kim Jeong-wook : He’s an unusual mage. Those kinds of inventions… normally he’d get very angry if anyone even touched them.

Kim Jeong-wook says something similar through live commentary.

Seol Ha-woon boldly advances to the next zone.

5th Zone

DEATH OR ALIVE

This time it’s some kind of apartment. The colors are dark, and strange official notices are posted.

[Rest assured! The killer cannot enter the houses in our apartment complex.]

[Daily rent: 30,000 won]

Seol Ha-woon looks at the laptop placed in the living room.

[Killer Information File.HXP]

After carefully scanning through the file contents, he first sends Truck outside.

Rattle rattle rattle rattle rattle.

While Truck was going on patrol first.

─???: What’s this?

─Seol Truck: Who are you?

─???: Ahhh!

He encounters a child who appears to be around 4-6 years old. Truck quickly becomes friends with the child and goes to the child’s house together.

─Younger Sibling: Older Sister. I’m back. Are you okay?

─Older Sister: …Cough. Yeah. I’m fine. Cough.

─Seol Truck: It seems like there’s a separate illness besides malnutrition.

─Older Sister: The truck is talking…?

─Seol Truck: Is it pneumonia? Antibiotics should be enough.

After Seol Truck extends its robotic arm to heal the child’s older sister, it looks at the younger sibling again and asks.

─Seol Truck: Now tell me. What’s the way to get to Zone 6?

The younger sibling blinks and then answers.

─Younger Sibling: You have to go to the platform. From there you can go to Zone 6, and you can also exchange won. But you need a lot of won. You have to buy train tickets.

─Seol Truck: How do we get to the platform?

─Younger Sibling: You have to leave the apartment complex. If you walk down the road for a bit, you’ll see a bus stop, and from there you can take the airport bus.

─Seol Truck: But why can’t the killers enter the apartments?

─Younger Sibling: Because there are security guards.

─Seol Ha-woon: …Security guards?

─Younger Sibling: Yes. The security guards are NPCs. Just like how killers are one with the maze, NPCs are also one with the maze. That’s why the security guards can protect the apartments.

Seol Truck seems lost in thought at the child’s words, then suddenly cuts the connection with Truck.

Seol Ha-woon’s main body goes out with Camel.

Seol Ha-woon manifests construction materials with experience points and builds a new safe goshiwon called ‘Camel Building’. Seol Ha-woon’s portion has time flying by quickly…

Seo Ji-woo sat on the dormitory sofa and turned on the live broadcast.

─Lee Jun-ho: This place gives off Wolryeong Village vibes…

Kang Jun-su’s party, having arrived at the temple, quietly searches the interior.

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

─Kang Hyeon: Looks like Ha-woon hyung was here.

─Lee Jun-ho: Looks like defense, right?

─Lee Jun-ho: Let’s wait until other parties come this time.

─Kang Hyeon: Let’s do that.

Everyone admires the fortified temple. Then they enter the temple and immediately lie down on the wooden floor.

─Lee Jun-ho: Did that hyung leave this behind too?

Blue flames burning at the edges of the temple.

Kang Hyeon sniffs around.

─Kang Hyeon: Yeah. Seems like it.

“He really has a dog’s nose.”

How does he identify people by the smell of mana.

─Lee Jun-ho: Alright, alright…

The three people quietly closed their eyes.

The camera shows them sleeping soundly. The faces of Kang Hyeon, Lee Jun-ho, and Lee Jong-soo in turn, alternating.

…Everyone.

You are currently dreaming.

Their dreams aren’t visible, but voices can be heard.

It’s a dream you’re all sharing together. It will be dangerous if you stay long. You must wake up now.

“Ooh.”

Seo Ji-woo ate popcorn.

Lee Jong-soo: Oh, thank goodness. Thank you!

Lee Jong-soo’s response. Very much like Lee Jong-soo.

However, Kang Hyeon’s voice blocks them.

Kang Hyeon: Jong-su. Jun-ho. Which side will you believe?

The camera captures the candlestick that Seol Ha-woon left behind. Blue flames. Swaying precariously but never going out…

“Hey. You should trust Seol Ha-woon.”

Soon, the expressions of the sleeping Kang Jun-su’s party become peaceful. They seem to have decided to trust Seol Ha-woon.

-Hahahaha

-Wow

-But seriously what would have happened if Seol Ha-woon wasn’t there;

-For real he’s the eldest hyung

-Leader..

Yes. I understand.

Your faith is strong.

At that moment, the three people open their eyes and look at each other while scratching the back of their necks. They have the kind of faces of people who can’t get their bearings after waking up from a nap in the corner of a retreat room.

Grumble.

─Lee Jun-ho: Ah, I’m hungry.

─Lee Jong-soo: Jun-ho. Let’s go get some food supplies together.

─Lee Jun-ho: Oh, okay. Hyeon, you rest.

The two people left to get food.

“Food just rolls my way anyway.”

Seo Ji-woo felt once again that she was lucky.

Whoooosh.

The sound of a cart can be heard. It’s Yoon Hwa-rim. Kang Hyeon warmly welcomes Yoon Hwa-rim’s party, and they finally join up.

-Unexplored assembly, damn

-It’s going to get lively now

-Hahahahaha meeting like that would actually be pretty touching.

-It’s the mages

─Yoon Hwa-rim: Wow… So Mal-ol-haem made this place too?

They explore the fortress with admiring faces. The turrets, castle walls, surrounding magic power, and so on.

─Kim Woo-hyeon: Wow. Older sister, hyung! The circuits inside the turrets are still connected. I think we could use them too if we inject magic power!

─Yoon Hwa-rim: Really?

The mages all touch and examine Seol Ha-woon’s turrets with admiration.

─Kang Hyeon: Then, when Jun-ho and Jong-su arrive, let’s knock on this door.

─Yoon Hwa-rim: …What door?

─Kang Hyeon: Over there next to the portal.

There’s a door where Kang Hyeon pointed. But when the camera switches to Yoon Hwa-rim’s perspective, there’s nothing there.

─Kang Hyeon: Ah… I guess sleeping is the condition.

─Yoon Hwa-rim: Sleep?

─Kang Hyeon: Aren’t you all tired? Let’s take a nap inside there. Then maybe… No. If I tell you, that could become a weakness.

─Yoon Hwa-rim: Hmm… I understand for now.

Yoon Hwa-rim took out bedding from her cart.

“Wow, Hwa-rim really made things comfortable.”

Seo Ji-woo lay down comfortably on the sofa.

-Why a sorcerer is truly essential

-Hahahahaha

-I can hear the sound of mage prices going up

-Yoon Hwa-rim seems better than Seol Ha-woon for convenience

-Seol Ha-woon specializes in smashing things

-If the two combine, wouldn’t that make a tank?

─Yoon Hwa-rim: Do we just need to sleep?

─Kang Hyeon: Yeah.

The four people enter the temple one by one, starting with Yoon Hwa-rim.

Yaaawn──-

The sound of yawning can be heard, and everyone quietly falls asleep.

And then.

─Seo Ji-woo: Ugh. I really can’t see anything.

“Huh? That’s me.”

Seo Ji-woo concentrated. She sat up.

The party is in Zone 4’s secret realm. Using Seol Ha-woon’s stakes as landmarks, they escape from the forest.

Im Hae-jun stretched and said.

─Im Hae-jun: As expected of Master Ha-woon, I want to say something like that.

─Seo Ji-woo: …Hey. If me and Seol Ha-woon fell into the sea, who would you save?

─Im Hae-jun: Obviously Master Ha-woon.

“No matter how many times I see it, it’s so ridiculous. He doesn’t even think for one second.”

-Hahahahaha

-hahahahahahahahaha

-Hahahahahahahaha

-Hahahahahahaha

-Ah, so damn cute lol

-These guys lololol

-This really sounds like a conversation between actual high school siblings lol

─Seo Ji-woo: Wow, so ridiculous. I fed you in the life game.

─Im Hae-jun: Hey. Master has trouble with his legs.

─Seo Ji-woo: …Ah. That’s true.

─Im Hae-jun: And older sister, you’re good at swimming.

─Seo Ji-woo: Well~ I’m athlete level.

-Hahahahaha

-Hahahaha

-haha

-haha

-Hahahaha

-haha

-Hahahahahaha

-No, Jiwoo is so simple-minded too lololololol

-If you can’t use one leg, that’s understandable lol

-Hahahahahahaha

In real talk, there are only laughs. Same goes for real tears.

What’s so funny about this.

─Kate : Just move forward. You said you’d be our guide.

─Seo Ji-woo : Yeah. Let’s go.

“Here it is.”

Soon her moment of glory would appear. Seo Ji-woo fixed her gaze on the TV with excitement.

On screen, Seo Ji-woo stares intently at the eerie thorn bushes hidden by vines.

─Im Hae-jun : O, Older Sister, where are you going? This isn’t the path, is it? Th, that temple-like place is the right way, isn’t it?

─Seo Ji-woo : No. Just follow me for a moment.

─Kate : Let’s go. It’s Seo Ji-woo after all.

-It’s Seo Ji-woo.

-Seo Ji-woo is Seo Ji-woo

-She found something

-She’s got a dog’s nose

-She’s a mole

-Lucky mage

“Not bad.”

Seo Ji-woo decided to accept her luck being turned into a meme.

─Im Hae-jun : …Wh, what is this place, Older Sister? It feels scary?

A cave discovered at the place her luck pointed to.

─Seo Ji-woo : I don’t know. This place, somehow it has a feeling to it.

Digging in like a mole, she discovers a single box.

─Seo Ji-woo : …It’s a box.

In the deepest place, on a flat rock that looked like an altar, sat a single old wooden box.

─Seo Ji-woo : I’m opening it.

The moment she opens it, the entire cave brightens brilliantly.

[Reincarnation Key]

Description: Can be inserted into the Reincarnation Gate to open the door early.

Magic power can be infused to deploy a protective barrier that guards against impact.

─Seo Ji-woo : Open the door early? What’s the Reincarnation Gate?

─Im Hae-jun : Another treasure! It looks like a protective barrier artifact. Isn’t this incredibly expensive?

-Holy shit

-That’s a defense skip item

-Crazy lol

-So awesome

-Just luck lololol

-Fuck lololol

-I really want to be friends with Ji-woo

-Shit lmaooo someone’s gonna have to defend like crazy for 444 minutes lol

─Kate : Let’s go to the temple for now.

The three people move back to that place.

“…But why is this guy.”

Seo Ji-woo picked up her cell phone. She had sent dozens of KakaoTalk messages, but there was no reply from Seol Ha-woon.

“Is he sleeping?”

Scrape scrape. Scrape scrape.

“….”

I opened my eyes.

It was an unfamiliar place. The ceiling was made of wood-

Scrape scrape. Scrape scrape.

I could hear the sound of something being ground. It sounded like grinding ink, or maybe grinding vegetables.

I lifted my head to look in that direction.

“…?”

Tae-woo was sitting in a chair performing a tea ceremony. Sensing my gaze, he spoke.

“This is my workshop. You nearly died. Refinement is that dangerous a process.”

The Mage’s Workshop. Unlike Tae-woo’s appearance, it was very Eastern in style.

I blinked and asked.

“Is it alright for you to interfere in worldly affairs like this?”

“It’s pure repayment. With human emotion, I too am worthy of helping you at least once.”

Help.

He hadn’t been injured by the bear.

Unlike before my regression, thanks to me.

But could a mage of Tae-woo’s caliber really be defeated by a bear? That suddenly seemed questionable.

However, it was entirely possible. Because a bear is a bear. There were times when dozens of high rankers barely managed to kill a single bear.

Asiatic Black Bear. Its alias was Dread.

Clack. Tae-woo set down his tea.

“However. You must return on your own.”

“Of course. But where is this place?”

“You’ll have to figure that out.”

“Pardon?”

Whoooosh. His body seemed to waver for a moment.

“…?”

He suddenly disappeared.

“What the.”

I sat up in a daze. I picked up my walking stick and limped to open the workshop door.

“….”

For a moment, I was speechless.

It was a mountain.

I was in the middle of a mountain.

That much is fine. It could be a mountain. Since it’s a mage’s workshop.

However.

“What the…?”

Thinking I might have seen wrong, I expanded my vision with Sequence.

It was the same.

The scenery visible in the distance was too unfamiliar. It looked like South Korea, but from too long ago. Houses, buildings, and people coming and going in forms I’d only seen in textbooks…

“The past?”

A hollow laugh escaped from my lips.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————