Labyrinth Exploration 101 - L.E Chapter 20 (Part 2): Rush (4)

“Ugh, seriously! Why did she have to drive while sleepy? So annoying!”

The radio transmitted Lim Hae-jun’s complaints. I could still hear his voice from the highest tree.

“Who knows.”

“That mage, seriously….”

Lim Hae-jun blamed Yoon Hwa-rim, but I felt ambiguous about it. I had seen the incident with my own eyes.

The cause wasn’t drowsy driving.

“Ugh! There are so many orcs!”

“Bravo 1. Stop complaining and work harder.”

Our role was to escort the transport team. In other words, we had to shoot or cut down orcs moving through the forest to prevent them from getting close.

However, the slower the transport progressed, the greater the burden on the escort team.

Lim Hae-jun, rolling through the forest like a squirrel, had already taken out over 100 orcs, and even the martial artist Ichiko had a cramp in her forearm from cutting orc necks.

“I’m almost out of mana. I’ve used all my forked arrows too.”

“You still have wire arrows.”

I was also running low on mana. I didn’t have enough to maintain my sniper rifle, so I was back to using my fingers.

The only reason I had lasted this long was thanks to the mana breathing technique Yu-yul had taught me.

The difference in mana before and after learning it was almost double.

“Wire arrows? Wire arrows aren’t much help against orcs.”

“Fight until you’re about to die, then run.”

As I said that, I ate an MRE.

It was canned combat rations. I had received them before the mission started, and they were surprisingly tasty.

“—What’s that? Who’s eating something?”

Lim Hae-jun’s sharp voice came through the radio.

His hearing was too good.

“I’m not eating because I want to.”

“—Was that you? Seriously, unbelievable!”

Spellcraft is like that. It’s far more efficient to amplify existing matter than to create something from nothing.

In other words, I was forcing myself to replenish nutrients to infuse the can with spells.

“I need the can.”

“—While some of us are rolling around in the dirt—@#!@()#!”

I turned off the radio.

I kept eating the combat rations. I had about seven cans left, and I planned to finish them all.

Now, only 1 km to the destination.

Not far, but for them, it’d be a march of torment.

* * *

“Ugh….”

Sweat poured down like rain. In the dry forest, it felt like taking a shower, with all the moisture in their bodies seeping out through their skin.

The cargo transport was handled by Lee Jong-su, Kang Hyun, and Asher in turns, and later joined by the escort team’s warrior Jin Yun-hwa, but now everyone was reaching their physical limits.

“Huff, huff—”

Lee Jong-su’s legs gave out. He trembled, gripping the cargo handle, his lower body shaking.

“…I’ll take it from here.”

Kang Hyun took Lee Jong-su’s place, grabbing the cargo.

*Swish—*

The sound of rustling leaves wasn’t far away. It was the orcs moving.

The escort team was also at their limit. The transport team’s speed was, at best, a brisk walk. They couldn’t keep blocking the orcs forever.

—

“—500 meters left.”

—

Seol Ha-woon’s voice came through the radio. 500 meters. A distance that would normally be a stone’s throw away, but now it felt insurmountable.

*Grrrr—!*

The orcs’ breathing echoed from close by.

“Ah… I can’t do this anymore.”

Lee Jong-su stopped, leaning against a tree. Jin Yun-hwa was already pale. Both warriors were struggling just to walk.

Yoon Hwa-rim carefully placed a hand on Lee Jong-su’s shoulder.

“Hang in there.”

“Hang in? Are you F kidding me?”

Lee Jong-su glared at Yoon Hwa-rim. She flinched.

“Sorry….”

“Damn it, because of your drowsy driving, how many people are suffering?”

*Grrrrr!*

The orcs’ roars shook the forest. There were too many of them. The sheer number was overwhelming.

*Kraaaaa—!*

A different kind of roar echoed. The orc horde had detected them.

Soon, they would be surrounded again.

*Khkh.*

The radio crackled.

—

“—Kang Hyun. From now on, focus only on my voice.*

—

*Thud thud thud.* The countless footsteps of orcs pounded the forest. Lee Jong-su closed his eyes, as if giving up. Yoon Hwa-rim, already mentally broken, shed tears.

From the sky, metallic objects rained down.

“Huh!”

“Ah!”

Mistaking them for bombs, the group ducked instinctively, but—

*Shhhhhh—*

They were cylindrical cans. They rolled on the ground, releasing smoke. Thick gray clouds filled the area.

“Huh?”

The smoke spread densely between the trees. In the blink of an eye, it filled the forest.

Kang Hyun belatedly understood Seol Ha-woon’s plan.

“Everyone, grab the cargo!”

“Ah, yes!”

“Uh!”

The team latched onto the cargo. Kang Hyun pulled it like an ox.

The radio continued.

—

“—Orcs rely on sight. You can make it.”

—

Orcs have excellent night vision and decent eyesight, but their hearing is poor. When their sight is gone, they quickly lose their sense of direction. Sometimes, they can’t even distinguish friend from foe.

—

“—Go straight.”

—

Meanwhile, the eyes guiding the transport team weren’t on the ground. They were much higher, overlooking the land, piercing through the fog.

—

“—35 degrees to the right.”

—

Kang Hyun followed the instructions, navigating the winding forest.

—

“—25 degrees to the left.”

—

He closed his eyes. The direction was entirely in Seol Ha-woon’s hands.

—

“—30 degrees to the right.”

—

After a few steps.

—

“—45 degrees to the right.”

—

How far had they gone in this damned forest?

—

“—From now on, go straight. 100 meters left.”

—

“100 meters. Straight.”

Kang Hyun muttered as if spitting blood.

“100 meters!”

“100 meters!”

The team echoed Kang Hyun’s words like a mantra. From then on, Kang Hyun’s burden lessened slightly. Everyone else began pushing the cargo with their last reserves of strength.

“Urgh… ngh.”

“Haaagh.”

Amidst dying groans, the smoke slowly cleared, and the trees grew shorter.

“There… it is!”

A shout signaled the end. Kang Hyun looked up and saw the light of the portal, the exit.

They had reached the destination.

“…It’s over.”

The transport team collapsed. They were beyond exhausted—completely spent.

Soon, the equally battered escort team, Lim Hae-jun and Ichiko, returned. They too collapsed beside the transport team, gasping for breath.

“Haa, haa, haa…”

“I’m dying, I’m dying…”

“Urgh…”

Even the urge to blame someone for drowsy driving was too much effort now.

*Tap. Tap.*

Suddenly, the sound of a cane echoed. Everyone’s gaze turned toward it.

It was Seol Ha-woon, limping more severely than usual.

“Hmm….”

The team looked at him. The distrust and suspicion from before the labyrinth were gone.

“Well done, everyone.”

Seol Ha-woon nodded expressionlessly. Then he approached Kang Hyun and extended his hand. Kang Hyun gladly took it.

“Thanks to the escort team.”

Kang Hyun acknowledged Seol Ha-woon. But Seol Ha-woon took another step. He pulled Kang Hyun close, as if embracing him, and whispered in his ear.

—

‘Why did you do it?’

—

*Whoosh.* The forest wind blew. Leaves rustled eerily. Shadows fell over their faces, creating spiderweb-like patterns.

Seol Ha-woon rephrased his question.

—

‘The cart. Why did you break it?’

—

At that moment, Kang Hyun’s eyes turned icy cold.

Dangun

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