Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 87

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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 087

 

An Ordinary Day(3)

 

Labyrinth Exploration│NaN Seol Ha-woon School Violence Controversy

 

Tail News Reporter Lee Seung-jin

 

Explorer Seol Ha-woon has been embroiled in controversy over school violence and military bullying.

 

A post titled ‘Exposing Seol Ha-woon’s School Violence’ was uploaded to an online community. The author, Mr. A, revealed himself as Seol Ha-woon’s middle and high school classmate, claiming he “suffered serious violence” from him…(omitted).

 

Seol Ha-woon has not made any particular statement regarding this controversy so far…

 

…Since he is a hot topic figure who appeared on the popular program Labyrinth Exploration NaN and created the trending phrase ‘I’m definitely right,’ public attention is even more focused.

 

│Seol Ha-woon, from school violence to military bullying… Departure countdown?│

 

│Seol Ha-woon profile vote ranking plummets│

 

Knock knock.

 

The sound of knocking on the door.

 

Knock knock.

 

Once more.

 

Someone else has come looking for me. I’m unusually popular today.

 

Ah, could it be the production crew?

 

I hurriedly opened the door.

 

“…What is it?”

 

It was an unexpected person.

 

Always in neat uniform attire, a noble without gaps or flaws. Her face seemed to glow at a glance, and a woman with an indescribable aura shimmering around her.

 

Kate looked straight into my eyes and asked.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Yes. I’m fine.”

 

“How about leaving the show?”

 

“…”

 

What complete nonsense right off the bat.

 

I seriously considered it just now. My middle finger was itching but I barely held back.

 

“Are you crazy.”

 

A slightly toned-down response.

 

Kate clasped her hands behind her back as if she had expected this.

 

“May I come in? Just one step.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

Kate came inside and closed the door. It seemed she wanted to have a rather private conversation.

 

“I’ll ask just one thing.”

 

“What.”

 

“Seol Ha-woon. Did the labyrinths we’ve experienced so far seem fake to you?”

 

A meaningful question. My intuition reacted.

 

She knows something.

 

“Then, are those labyrinths real?”

 

I responded with a question instead of an answer. Kate’s eyes narrowed. A gaze trying to see into my mind.

 

“I’m giving you a warning.”

 

Kate continued.

 

“Seol Ha-woon, you could get seriously hurt or even die. You specifically, more than anyone else.”

 

Kate’s danger detection was wrong.

 

No, it was half right.

 

The future of the debut team, except for just one person, is death. It’s not ‘anyone else,’ but all of us could get seriously hurt or die.

 

“Then I’ll die.”

 

“You probably think it’s nonsense right now.”

 

Kate responded calmly.

 

“But it’ll be too late if you regret it later.”

 

“…The first round results are pretty close anyway.”

 

“Then I hope you get eliminated. For your sake, Seol Ha-woon.”

 

She’s worried about me.

 

No, that’s not right. ‘Worried’ carries too much weight as a word.

 

Just, concerned? Apprehensive?

 

“For my sake?”

 

“Yes. I heard that you saved me in that labyrinth, Seol Ha-woon.”

 

“…I didn’t go there specifically to save you.”

 

“I see. Then, may I ask what happened in the labyrinth?”

 

Kate was more straightforward than I expected.

 

I almost got flustered.

 

“…Well. It’s the unconscious labyrinth, isn’t it. My memory is hazy too.”

 

“…”

 

She looks at me silently with obvious eyes. As if trying to gauge the truth and lies in my words.

 

However, that would be impossible for you. A gently raised noble cannot read the depths of my heart, having rolled through reality and endured all kinds of human nature.

 

“Really, you don’t remember anything at all?”

 

I pretended to think and stroked my chin.

 

“Well… I don’t think I was a prince.”

 

She let out a hollow laugh of disbelief.

 

“I never wanted a prince to begin with. I’ve wanted a white horse since I was little.”

 

“Ah yes. I see.”

 

I gestured toward the door.

 

Would you please get lost now.

 

“There’s no white horse here. Maybe a pony.”

 

“Yes.”

 

She nodded and grabbed the door handle. In that state, she quietly muttered something.

 

“Imbécile. J’espère que vous ne regretterez rien à l’avenir.”

 

I smiled slightly. It was just funny.

 

“Where do nobles learn methods to kill people with words?”

 

“…Kill with words? I was just talking to myself.”

 

Her pretending innocence while opening the door was ridiculous.

 

To such a her, I said.

 

“Let’s have some tea.”

 

“I’ll pass.”

 

I picked up a tea bag from the desk and threw it.

 

It’s a tea bag I made by dividing tea leaves and making it pretty. It’s more precious to me than a luxury bag.

 

“Make it yourself, alone.”

 

Kate caught it reflexively.

 

“It’ll be delicious. I didn’t bring it from the World Labyrinth for nothing.”

 

She didn’t refuse that much. No, she was definitely going to refuse but gave up the moment she smelled the tea leaves.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“And.”

 

I stopped her as she was about to go outside.

 

I still had something left to say.

 

“I may be foolish, but I don’t regret it. If I was going to regret it, I wouldn’t have lived this way.”

 

Kate flinched and turned to look at me.

 

To roughly translate what she just said, it was ‘Fool. I hope you won’t regret it later.’

 

“….”

 

I shrugged my shoulders at her dazed expression.

 

“I’ve been to many different countries.”

 

This kind of thing happened quite often.

 

British soldiers would talk among themselves in French, American soldiers would talk among themselves in Spanish.

 

I learned various languages to understand those conversations. Fortunately, I had quite a talent for languages.

 

There was no more effective way to gather information than pretending not to know while understanding everything.

 

“Well then, Savourez bien votre thé.”

 

It means ‘Enjoy your black tea.’

 

Kate cleared her throat and left.

 

* * *

 

“…Tea leaves.”

 

Kate, who had returned to the dormitory, stared blankly at the tea bag. It was somewhat embarrassing, but she had brought it upon herself. She had used her uncle’s bad habit exactly as it was.

 

Come to think of it, there were such days.

 

The day when she was curious about the French her uncle occasionally muttered to himself, so she secretly learned it and surprised him. The day she was praised for being smart.

 

Now it was a past that had become too distant.

 

Buzz.

 

Suddenly her smartphone vibrated. It was the Mitamnan group chat. A chat room created with the explorers who had cleared the Snow Field Labyrinth together.

 

[Lee Jong-soo : Wow guys, did you see this?]

 

[Ji Hye-in : What what?]

 

[Lee Jong-su: You’re absolutely right lol A new exposé post just went up]

 

[Ji Hye-in : What, again? Link please]

 

[Lee Jong-soo : Yeah but it’s a bit different. Take a look]

 

Lee Jong-soo sent a link.

 

“A new exposé post….”

 

Had the floodgates opened, causing a waterfall to overflow?

 

Kate pressed the link firmly.

 

│I am Seol Ha-woon’s junior.│

 

First, a post claiming to be Seol Ha-woon’s junior.

 

She watched with her hand resting on her chin. The sentences on the screen reflected in her blue eyes.

 

I am Kim Jun-seok, UDT 68th class, who was Seol Ha-woon’s junior….

 

A post that immediately verified with real name and military discharge certificate. At first, she just read through the sentences casually.

 

“….”

 

Soon her pupils dilated. Her hair stood on end.

 

That was the kind of content it was.

 

* * *

 

│I’m reporting Mitamnan SHW for military violence.│SHW was a famous lunatic in the military. Many trainees gave up completing training because of SHW, and many juniors quit UDT altogether……..Never trust SHW. He’s selling his military service, but he’s trash that even UDT filters out. These kinds of bastards are really what’s rotting society.

 

“…These kinds of bastards are rotting society?”

 

Kim Jun-seok. Once a soldier, but now living honestly as a barbecue restaurant owner, he let out a hollow laugh at the military violence exposé post.

 

“He just wrote whatever the hell he wanted.”

 

The military violence is bullshit. Oh, of course violence exists in the military. Especially in special purpose units like UDT, you get hit. Of course you get hit. It would be strange not to get hit.

 

Of course, excessive assault wouldn’t be acceptable, but at least Seol Ha-woon wasn’t that kind of person.

 

Seol Ha-woon only hit those who deserved to be hit.

 

So Kim Jun-seok could identify who this was. It just naturally came to mind.

 

The bastard who would put on airs saying things like “What did I do wrong? Who are you to say anything?” The one who screwed up operations, putting comrades in danger, extorting locals and trying to steal loot as he pleased before getting caught.

 

The psycho bastard whose reason for enlisting was to build a career in UDT and break into the explorer community and entertainment industry to pick up women.

 

“It’s you, isn’t it? Yoon I-jun.”

 

A famous piece of trash. The bastard who got hit a few times by Seol Ha-woon and tried to sue, but when a court-martial was about to be held because of his own wrongdoing, he quickly discharged.

 

“…Sergeant Seol. I’m not doing this because I like you, you know?”

 

It’s just that bastard is fucking annoying.

 

Seol Ha-woon wasn’t popular with his juniors. Instead, he was reliable.

 

The kind of person you were glad to have as an ally. The kind of person who would have made you piss yourself if he were an enemy.

 

He was an object of fear to his juniors. Even superiors were reluctant to deal with him.

 

Seol Ha-woon himself didn’t say much. He didn’t act violently either. Yet everyone feared him.

 

Just a person whose very presence was frightening.

 

Looking back now, he was a superior who followed principles and tolerated very minor transgressions. A leader who could sacrifice himself for his subordinates.

 

A younger brother who was like an older brother, an excellent commander.

 

“Yoon I-jun, you son of a bitch. I still have nightmares about that day. I almost really died because of you….”

 

Kim Jun-seok placed his hands on the keyboard.

 

│I am Seol Ha-woon’s junior│Hello. I am Kim Jun-seok, UDT 68th class, who was Seol Ha-woon’s junior. I’m 3 years older than Seol Ha-woon, but I entered the military late so I suffered quite a bit….

 

Sergeant Seol Ha-woon.

 

I don’t like you, but I support you for fulfilling your duties for your subordinates.

 

That’s why I was glad to see you appear on TV. Your unchanged appearance was amusing. Sometimes I even got nostalgic.

 

Sergeant Seol Ha-woon was not someone who bullied juniors for no reason. It wasn’t bullying but corporal punishment, discipline. In the first place, Sergeant Seol was someone you couldn’t mess with, so there was no need to use fists. Just his appearance would straighten out the unit’s discipline. So I think I know who the person claiming to have been hit by Seol Ha-woon is. In my memory, there’s only one bastard who got hit enough to hold a grudge….

 

After writing a few hundred characters, deleting them out of embarrassment, writing a few hundred more characters, getting annoyed and thinking about not writing at all.

 

This person harmed civilians during operations and put comrades in danger. I still get furious thinking about that incident….

 

He carefully suppressed his heart that was about to get too heated. There was a lot of stream of consciousness, but you’d probably understand it all anyway.

 

“Phew. This should be enough.”

 

After skimming through it one last time, he pressed the enter key.

 

“…Done.”

 

Your post has been created. Comments appeared immediately. Views and recommendations shot up instantly. Probably because he revealed his dog tags and real name.

 

It was on a different level from that bastard hiding behind anonymity.

 

“Hmm.”

 

Kim Jun-seok pressed refresh.

 

│Is the post below factual?│

 

│Then what about Seol Ha-woon?│

 

│Summary) Just saying he’s a bastard who deserved to get hit│

 

│ Hahahaha I’m right, reevaluation? │

 

│I’ll organize the hamburger tier list│

 

│These idiots are swaying like reeds again lol│

 

│Where did all those bastards who were stirring up shit while claiming neutrality go?│

 

│You still can’t explain the school violence allegations, right? lol│

 

Related derivative posts poured in like rain.

 

“…Ugh, how embarrassing.”

 

Suddenly, another post caught Kim Jin-seok’s eye.

 

│Hello. I’m Seol Ha-woon hyung’s younger brother from the orphanage.│

 

An orphanage peer?

 

“What’s this now.”

 

Click. As Kim Jun-seok read through the post, a smile soon spread across his lips.

 

“Sergeant Seol. Looks like you’ve been living quite well.”

 

* * *

 

…My first impression of Seol Ha-woon was of someone big and scary. A strong and reliable hyung.

 

But I don’t remember having many conversations with him.

 

When I was young, he was even more frightening than the orphanage teachers.

 

Still, the memories he left behind are fresh and warm.

 

The hyung who would buy chicken and eat it alone, then pretend to be too full to finish it and leave several pieces for the younger kids who were drawn by the smell.

 

Back then, I couldn’t understand why he would buy three whole chickens just to eat only about four pieces.

 

│Hello. I’m Seol Ha-woon hyung’s younger brother from the orphanage.│Hello. I was from the same orphanage as Ha-woon hyung. First, I’ll attach a picture frame and photo. I don’t actually have that many memories of Ha-woon hyung. He was always a man of few words. But one thing I’m certain of is that hyung never did anything like school violence. The ones who committed school violence were actually the people who got beaten by Ha-woon hyung. That gang bullied us orphanage kids….

 

There were exactly four men that Seol Ha-woon regularly beat up. Shameless thugs.

 

The memory of that day still feels like last night.

 

…At first, hyung only gave warnings. He just warned them to stop. But those people ignored him. Then one day, one of our orphanage kids came back after being beaten. He cried saying they even stole the necklace he got from someone whose name and face he didn’t know, whether it was his mom or dad. It was a necklace that had been around his ankle since he was a baby. That was me. That was the first time I saw Ha-woon hyung’s angry expression. He came to me and asked where that bastard was, then we went out to find him together.

 

Perhaps because boys grow up watching men’s backs, Seol Ha-woon’s broad back as he led the way still remains in his mind even now as an adult.

 

Ha-woon hyung protected us from that day on. The people who got beaten sued Ha-woon hyung, right? But who got forcibly transferred? According to them, Seol Ha-woon hyung dropped out so he’s not in the high school album, but those people were forcibly transferred for school bullying before hyung even dropped out. They’re not in our high school graduation album either….

 

* * *

 

│About Seol Ha-woon│Hello. I was from the same orphanage as Ha-woon hyung. First, I’ll attach a picture frame and photo…. …He cried saying they even stole the necklace he got from someone whose name and face he didn’t know, whether it was his mom or dad. It was a necklace that had been around his ankle since he was a baby. That was me….

 

Kate scrolled down.

 

─Damn, you really are…

 

─Kind of like the neighborhood hyung who’s good at fighting but kind

 

─Guess they weren’t just a bully but the top dog lol

 

─Somehow this feels sad…

 

─I only knew he was UDT, but he had no family at all

 

─There was a reason for his shitty personality

 

─If this is true, then what the hell is that bastard who exposed it thinking ㅋㅋ What made him so confident to run his mouth?

 

─His own life is fucked but Seol Ha-woon is doing well, so he must be filled with jealousy and inferiority complex

 

─No neutrality stamp on this post? Fuck, what’s with these bastards doing whatever they want.

 

Kate read through all the comments.

 

It seemed like the operation would end in failure.

 

Actually, Kate herself hadn’t been enthusiastic about it. From the beginning, she had been suspicious of the character and identity of the person who wanted to expose him, and perhaps deep in her heart, she had wanted him to stay.

 

As a rival who could match her talent.

 

Ding!

 

Just then, another message came from the group chat.

 

[Lee Jong-soo : Wow fuck, this time Kim Du-gyeom’s school violence came out;;]

 

[Lee Jong-su: Why is this week so spectacular lol]

 

[Ji Hye-in : Huh really? Link please!!]

 

[Lee Jong-soo : Here.]

 

[#Exposing Kim Du-gyeom’s hypocrisy….]

 

Kate clicked the link. She read the post exposing Kim Du-gyeom’s lies.

 

Slowly, she sank into her chair.

 

“…Life really is something.”

 

Life.

 

Your life and our lives.

 

Sometimes it seems like just moments, so we sometimes become obsessed with what’s right in front of us, but in the end, those trivial things make up our lives.

 

The past that has gone by, the evil deeds committed or the hands carelessly extended create the present.

 

They either lift us up or make us collapse.

 

“I guess everything comes back around somehow.”

 

Kate closed her laptop. She looked at the sunset falling outside the window. The slowly seeping crimson light colored the room like balsam flowers.

 

* * *

 

“I’m fine. How about you guys?”

 

Meanwhile, Kim Du-gyeom was on a call with Ryu Yeon-hwa.

 

─It just became a mess and ended. Nothing special happened.

 

After finishing his shower, Kim Du-gyeom sat on the sofa drinking cola.

 

─…But. Could Seol Ha-woon really be that kind of person.

 

Kim Du-gyeom’s brow furrowed.

 

What’s with this bitch? How can she say something like this after seeing Seol Ha-woon’s behavior? Her head really is a flower garden.

 

“Well….”

 

Just as he was giving a half-hearted response.

 

Buzz.

 

A message came from his manager. It was a message containing some link.

 

“What’s this?”

 

Kim Du-gyeom clicked the link.

 

He froze in that position.

 

Suddenly it felt like his heart had stopped. He just swallowed and stared blankly.

 

“Shit.”

 

His lips barely moved.

 

─Huh? What did you say?

 

“This fucking… shit──!!”

 

Kim Du-gyeom unconsciously slammed down his smartphone. Crash! In the shattered smartphone’s LCD screen, a post that had already been seen by countless people spread out.

 

│Exposing Kim Du-gyeom’s hypocrisy. Everything about him is a mask.│

 

I am Kim Du-gyeom’s middle sch■■■ classmate. We attended the same local Explorer High Sch■■■. As you know, Explorer High Schools are built far from downtown due to training requirements. In that quiet suburb, Kim ■■gyeom was a demon. He showed off his talents while tormenting oth■■■, ostracizing them, extorting them, and ruling like a king…

 

Even with sexual assault, he cl■■■ed it was consensual and the victim transferred schools. The reason was simple – Kim Du-gyeom’s exceptional talent. From that day forward, Kim Du-gyeom quietly went on a rampage. He developed the belief that no matter what he did, he would be fine…

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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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