Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 75

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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 075

 

Die With a Smile(5)

 

─Seol Ha-woon: …Yes. A little.

 

“…Huh.”

 

Maze Exploration NaN Lodging, S-Tier Spacious Room.

 

Seo Ji-woo dropped her chicken bone with her mouth agape. It was the moment Seol Ha-woon’s interview ended.

 

“Why is he like that?”

 

Of course, it was an interview that PD Kim A-rang had shown them beforehand. But the production team who aired it unfiltered and edited it dramatically like a drama or movie were too damn awful.

 

Ring. Ring. Riiiiing. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

 

Her smartphone was ringing frantically.

 

“Ugh…”

 

Seo Ji-woo pressed her forehead.

 

Right now, her dormitory was a mess. Papers with self-studied formulas scribbled on them, printed formula materials, magic theory books borrowed from the Library, and even formula journals published by various schools…

 

Among all of this, what Seo Ji-woo cared about most was ‘someone’s’ personal information.

 

Indeed, lately Seol Ha-woon’s personal information was gradually being revealed.

 

Even without Seo Ji-woo herself making an effort, even without trying to dig into his background, too many people interested in the person called Seol Ha-woon were tracing and sharing his mysterious history.

 

Seo Ji-woo picked up a printed paper.

 

[Blatant Seol Ha-woon Promotion Post] Mitamnan is hot these days, right? But for muggles who haven’t decided on their main or want to watch more immersively, this is a blatant promotion post. Other fans might find it annoying, but Seol Ha-woon is still in the top 20, so I hope you’ll look at it fondly. 1. UDT This is the keyword that represents Seol Ha-woon. UDT 64th class. I looked it up and the 64th class was apparently the most hellish batch. Somehow there were nearly twice as many applicants as usual, so they deliberately made the curriculum extremely tough to weed people out… Seol Ha-woon was second place there. But there’s almost no publicly available information from his active duty days, and there’s just one photo. Someone apparently took a picture of one hanging on a Military Base wall.

 

This was honestly thoughtless. Taking photos in Military Bases should be prohibited.

 

2. Novice Mage, Slow Genius Slow genius. That’s high ranker Kim Se-jin’s assessment. Seol Ha-woon is—though it’s still just his own claim—a 6-month mage. Many people don’t believe this. But I believe it. Because during some operation, Seol Ha-woon fell into a coma and was even diagnosed with total paralysis… He was still doing rehabilitation until the end of last year. I’ll attach interviews with Hospital staff.

 

Many reporters actually went to the Hospital to conduct interviews. They praised Seol Ha-woon’s mental strength.

 

A human triumph achieved against impossible odds. They called it a miracle.

 

…You can’t prepare to be a mage while doing rehabilitation, right? As evidence, Seol Ha-woon has been continuously improving since the first episode. In the Straight Line Maze he only fired a few bullets at most, but in the Cargo Dungeon you saw him snipe like a sniper, right? 3. Some say he has a military personality, others say he has an authoritarian mindset, but I think it’s actually an essential attitude for Labyrinths. Mitamnan is a program where explorers conquering Labyrinths compete and contest with each other, right? But Labyrinths are much more dangerous than we think… We think of them lightly because we encounter them through media like TV, YouTube, movies and dramas, but one wrong judgment and losing limbs is commonplace, you could even die. Simply put, what would have happened in the Cargo Dungeon without Seol Ha-woon? The Survival Labyrinth?? Seo Ji-woo and Lee Jun-ho would have obviously been eliminated in the Snowy Field Maze, right?? 4. Visuals Tall, long hair, walking stick, limp, former soldier, pale white skin, sharp eyes, deep cave voice. All the keywords are completely separate. That’s how unique his visuals must be. This is certain. He’s not an incredible heartthrob like Kang Hyeon or Lee Jun-ho, but his face is three-dimensional so once you see it you’ll never forget it. When you watch him on the broadcast, you keep thinking about him. Then you’re screwed like me…

 

Setting everything else aside, the important content here was number 1.

 

UDT. 64th class.

 

Seol Ha-woon was the same class as Seo Ji-hyuk.

 

UDT was a special unit. Therefore, the number of peers was small. If compared to high school, it was only about 1-2 classes worth.

 

In other words, there was no way Seol Ha-woon wouldn’t know Seo Ji-hyuk.

 

Yet he didn’t act like he knew Seo Ji-hyuk to her. Instead, he helped her from behind. In the snowy wasteland and with the dragon scales too, someone who absolutely wasn’t that type of personality was uniquely kind only to her.

 

There was only one fact that could be inferred from this.

 

Seol Ha-woon knew Seo Ji-hyuk.

 

Because he knew Seo Ji-hyuk, he was kind to her too.

 

Ring. Ring. Riiiiiing. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

 

“Ah, that’s really noisy.”

 

Seo Ji-woo picked up her cell phone. There were all sorts of messages from high school classmates, elite mage group chats, Yoon Hwa-rim and others, but the most important person, Seol Ha-woon, wasn’t there.

 

“…I wonder if he’s there.”

 

Seol Ha-woon’s spot was famous. Because he went up to Back Mountain every day.

 

She had found an excuse. Today’s interview was that pretext.

 

Seo Ji-woo left her room.

 

She took the elevator down and was about to go Outside from the 1st Floor Lobby.

 

“…What’s this.”

 

Some man in martial arts uniform was standing under the moonlight. Lee Jun-ho, who had drawn his Long Sword and was holding it up to the sky, admiring the blade’s gleam.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Lee Jun-ho turned his head.

 

“Just. I was checking my Loot.”

 

The martial arts uniform and Long Sword. All Loot brought from the Eastern Region of the World Maze.

 

“Looks good? Use it well.”

 

Seo Ji-woo was generally on the side of giving compliments. There was nothing meaner than asking someone who bought a used car why they bought that one, what a waste of money~.

 

“Ji-woo. What do you think?”

 

Lee Jun-ho raised his eyebrows slyly instead.

 

“About what.”

 

“The interview. That hyung was cool, wasn’t he?”

 

He was talking about Seol Ha-woon. Was this guy a fanatic too?

 

“What are you saying… But if you look closely at that, can’t you see the editing cuts? It seemed like malicious editing.”

 

“Isn’t that just what you want to think?”

 

“Are you crazy?”

 

Seo Ji-woo narrowed her brow. Lee Jun-ho grinned.

 

“That hyung is pretty good-looking. Not as much as me, but still. And he’s UDT background.”

 

From Seo Ji-woo’s perspective, the way he specifically brought up UDT was suspicious.

 

“…Hey. Do you know something?”

 

Lee Jun-ho swished his Long Sword around. The moonlight reflected irregularly along the blade’s grain.

 

Seo Ji-woo covered her eyes with her hand.

 

“Ah shit, what are you doing?”

 

“You can just ask him yourself.”

 

“…That’s why I’m going to ask him.”

 

Seo Ji-woo was afraid. What would Seol Ha-woon’s memories of Seo Ji-hyuk be like?

 

If possible, she wanted to trade even these dragon scales that she’d been offered a whopping 500 million for.

 

“But, couldn’t it really be that he likes you?”

 

At Lee Jun-ho’s playful words, Seo Ji-woo raised her middle finger.

 

“Fuck you. Did we appear on a dating show? The more we act like this, the more we’re playing into the production team’s hands.”

 

“Solo Signal was pretty fun though.”

 

“…Season 2 was especially good.”

 

The two looked at each other and chuckled. Lee Jun-ho said.

 

“I’m going.”

 

“Where.”

 

“To train.”

 

“Take it easy.”

 

Lee Jun-ho shook his head.

 

“I need to work harder. I need to acknowledge myself. To beat that hyung.”

 

The way he smiled while spouting strange words was oddly cartoonish.

 

“Beat what. Did wearing that uniform give you eighth-grader syndrome?”

 

Apparently, he’d been obsessed with Blade of Annihilation lately.

 

* * *

 

I came up to Back Mountain as soon as the live broadcast ended. I needed to calm my mind a bit.

 

“Ah… PD Kim A-rang.”

 

It felt like harsh words condensed from my core were about to burst out.

 

I picked up my smartphone.

 

The usual routine after the main broadcast ends is checking public opinion.

 

│SP The reason he was active in this labyrinth│

 

[Photo]

 

This is the UDT 64th class training curriculum that Jemalohi passed. Hell among hells, a fucking hellish class.

 

There’s no way someone who did this every single day couldn’t clear that level of survival labyrinth

 

─────

 

This post is normal. They’re praising me by listing the UDT curriculum.

 

│SP Jemalolja’s Activities│

 

A post listing all my achievements in this survival labyrinth. Especially when I fired the shotgun, there were many reactions saying their dopamine exploded.

 

But….

 

│SP Interview with Seol Ha-woon and Seo Ji-woo ㄷㄷ│

 

│SP Seo Jiwoo Seol Haun Daily Moments│

 

│SP Seo Jiwoo Seol Haun High Five│

 

“I can’t do this.”

 

Let’s pass on today. I mean, if it’s an explorer competition program, just include competition and labyrinths – why do they have to add this kind of dopamine too?

 

I ran my hand through my hair. I looked up at the sky while feeling the night breeze.

 

…Seo Ji-hyuk and Seo Ji-woo.

 

Actually, blaming anyone is ridiculous.

 

My sense of debt toward Seo Ji-hyuk transferred to Seo Ji-woo, creating this feeling of wanting to do something for her… like hell.

 

It’s Kim A-rang’s fault for butchering the interview like that – why wouldn’t I blame someone?

 

Rustle.

 

There was a presence. I lowered my head. Seo Ji-woo was standing among the bushes.

 

“…What are you doing?”

 

A greeting delivered while scratching here and there as if her whole body was itchy.

 

“…What do you mean.”

 

I answered just like that for now. In my head, I prepared what to say. That broadcast interview was a damn evil edit.

 

“You didn’t reply to my message. An offer came in for 500 million. For the dragon scale.”

 

“If you want to sell it, sell it. Are you a kid?”

 

“Hmm… I won’t sell it!”

 

Seo Ji-woo smiled. It was a face that already knew something.

 

“Oh, and I got an offer from Emer but decided not to go.”

 

Emer. That school I harshly criticized for compiling overly pedantic formula books.

 

“I searched more thoroughly, and the rumors are really bad. People from the academic society say so too.”

 

“…What do you want me to do about it.”

 

“Seo Ji-hyuk. You know him, right?”

 

Seo Ji-woo threw a surprise uppercut. My heart moved for a moment.

 

I looked into Seo Ji-woo’s face. It wasn’t just probing – there was some conviction in it.

 

“You know him. There’s no way you wouldn’t know a classmate. 64th class. The hell class where only 30 out of 400 selected people passed.”

 

I expected this. Spending the same time in the same space, I couldn’t hide it for long.

 

Even the pre-regression Seo Ji-woo eventually found me.

 

What’s important is from now on.

 

I told Seo Ji-woo.

 

“…I do know him.”

 

“Right? Ha-woon, you’re ‘that person,’ aren’t you?”

 

I know what ‘that person’ means too.

 

Again, that future is trying to repeat itself.

 

The future Seo Ji-woo asked me if I was ‘that person.’

 

I had answered yes.

 

I shouldn’t have done that.

 

“In the letters I received, my brother mentioned he had a friend.”

 

Seo Ji-woo pulled out a bundle of letters from her chest.

 

Letters. Those damn letters were the problem.

 

When I received Seo Ji-hyuk’s letters from Seo Ji-woo, my emotions surged uncharacteristically and I said things I shouldn’t have.

 

“Someone trustworthy. Others mistake him for a Doberman, but he’s actually like a retriever.”

 

It’s annoying to hear again. That dog-like bastard comparing someone to a dog.

 

“Right? Seo Ji-hyuk’s friend, Seol Ha-woon.”

 

I glared at Seo Ji-woo.

 

This guy who only spouts correct words.

 

But if it goes like this, the future will just repeat.

 

I want to hide Seo Ji-hyuk’s death. I want to hide Seo Ji-hyuk’s failure.

 

I want Seo Ji-hyuk to remain forever a proud older brother, a soldier faithful to his duties. I don’t want to reduce Seo Ji-hyuk to a failure.

 

The years spent with Seo Ji-hyuk, his life that saved mine, and my life that saved his….

 

This is my desperation.

 

“No, I’m not.”

 

“…Huh?”

 

Having been half-convinced, Seo Ji-woo tilted her head with wide eyes.

 

“I said no. Just because we’re classmates doesn’t mean we’re all close. Actually, there are more people who hate each other because of factions.”

 

I couldn’t let you find out about Seo Ji-hyuk’s death.

 

I couldn’t tell you how Seo Ji-hyuk died, how he was ‘used.’

 

“Then… why?”

 

Seo Ji-woo asks. I contemplate. I think desperately.

 

The easiest method is right in front of me.

 

“Why do you think? It’s because of the broadcast.”

 

“…Huh?”

 

I put on a mask.

 

Facial Expression Acting is easy enough.

 

“Did you see the internet? It’s all about us. Cameras will probably stick to us soon too.”

 

Only I know Seo Ji-hyuk’s end.

 

“…You honestly know too. Why do you think I saved you?”

 

So, if only I don’t open my mouth.

 

If only I don’t open my mouth and can just push Seo Ji-woo away forever.

 

“Let’s maintain this state a little longer. It won’t be bad for you either, right?”

 

In this life, I might be able to keep your promise to protect your sister.

 

“I’ll pretend to be somewhat interested in you. You just do what you’re doing now. Right now is perfect.”

 

“….”

 

“Let’s debut together, shall we?”

 

Seo Ji-woo said nothing. Bewilderment spread across her large eyes looking at me.

 

“Wow….”

 

She ran her hand through her hair. Sweat came out on her hand. She must be quite pissed off.

 

“…Ha.”

 

A rotten smile bloomed across Seo Ji-woo’s face. She bit her lips tightly while glaring at me, then thrust up her middle finger.

 

“Go eat shit.”

 

Then she turned around and left. Her steps trampling the grassland roughly were quite harsh.

 

Why is it.

 

I felt like I had just looked in a mirror.

 

I think I understood what Seo Ji-hyuk meant by that crazy remark about his sister resembling me.

—————
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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