Labyrinth Exploration 101 - L.E Chapter 22 (Part 1): The Fall (2)

Kang Hyun wakes up in the pale light of dawn. The world is still cloaked in indigo, the sun not yet risen. His eyes always open at this precise moment, as if bound by some unspoken promise, like dying and being reborn again.

His routine is obsessive.

The moment he rises from bed, he begins his morning exercises. Forty-five minutes of mana breathing, followed by forty-five minutes of mana training. In between, he mixes in hundreds of push-ups and bodyweight exercises using equipment.

Afterward, he precisely measures 60g of oatmeal, 40g of protein powder, 60g of blueberries, 120g of tomatoes, and 120g of bananas, blending them with water.

*Whirrrrr.*

He swallows the liquid shake whole, then prepares something to chew. He pours oil into a frying pan and places 400g of beef sirloin on it.

*Sizzle.*

His eyes, still hazy, watch the frying pan. As the surface of the beef faintly cooks and the juices begin to seep out, he transfers it to a plate.

Blue rare.

He cuts into the still-bleeding meat and eats it as is.

Next, the shower always starts with his head.

He shampoos his hair, washes his face with cleansing foam, and scrubs his body with body wash. For ten years, he’s used the same skin lotion on his face and the same body lotion on his body.

Exactly 130 minutes after his morning routine begins, the morning sun peeks over the horizon.

Kang Hyun dresses and steps outside with his sword.

He always steps out with his right foot first. The broadsword rests on his left hip.

There is not a single deviation in his actions.

This is the routine Kang Hyun has followed without fail since childhood.

But this time, it’s a little different.

Because he’s not at home.

When he leaves his room, he encounters quite a few people. Lee Jun-ho, Seo Ji-woo, Ryu Yeon-hwa, Yoon Hwa-rim, Lim Hae-jun, Zhao Yun, and more… They greet him, and he responds with a faint smile, but once outside the dorm, his expression turns icy.

He’s already forgotten what he said or what greetings he received.

He stops at the exit on the first floor.

If he checks his watch here, it’s exactly 6:33 a.m.

Kang Hyun counts silently in his head.

One.

Two.

Three.

When he turns his head to the side, he sees someone climbing the hill behind the building.

It’s Seol Ha-woon.

He always climbs that hill at 6:33 a.m. What he does up there is unknown, but it has somehow become part of Kang Hyun’s routine.

Kang Hyun suddenly wonders.

Is he like me?

He doesn’t know yet.

Perhaps he never will.

—

Two days after the cargo labyrinth raid.

It was the day for feedback from the mentors. The 96 aspiring explorers stand on the set, their faces tense. The mentors, including Yoo Ji-in, are seated in the judges’ seats.

“Team A1-B11, please step forward.”

First, Lee Jun-ho’s alliance team, dressed in uniform, lines up before them.

Warrior Mentor Kim Yoon-jun picks up the microphone.

“I found your raid quite entertaining. The Lizard Spawning Pool is tricky because you can’t predict the number of monsters, but you handled it well. The downside… you were all doing your own thing.”

Mentor Kim Yoon-jun pointed out their lack of coordination. His gaze focused on Lee Jun-ho.

“Lee Jun-ho, Warrior. I understand you wanted to showcase your performance. But it’s also important to adjust your pace so your teammates can keep up.”

Lee Jun-ho nodded, managing his expression. However, the way he pressed the corners of his lips suggested he wasn’t entirely pleased.

Warrior mentor DK speaks up on his behalf, voicing his discontent.

“Well, I don’t think it’s Lee Jun-ho’s fault if others can’t keep up with his pace. While teamwork is important, it’s also crucial to have the ability to subtly assist when a more efficient method is available.”

DK sweeps his eyes over the rest of the team.

“I was more bothered by the other teammates who just waited for Lee Jun-ho to do everything. Even if Lee Jun-ho is fast and strong, shouldn’t they take some initiative to help? They could’ve at least brought him a drink or something… Ah, that last bit’s a joke.”

Lee Jun-ho lowered his head as if holding back a laugh. Warrior Kim Yoon-jun set the microphone down, seemingly avoiding unnecessary conflict among the mentors.

“Here are Team A1-B12’s evaluation scores from the mentors.”

Kim Yoon-jun: 93 points, DK: 98 points, Yu-yul: 82 points, Kim Ji-an: 95 points. Total: 368 points.

Lee Jun-ho looked flustered at Yu-yul’s low score.

The mentors’ evaluations are subtly important. They serve as a benchmark for explorer tier rankings, influence voting numbers, and if the scores are too low, there’s a risk of elimination.

“Team A4-B12, please come forward.”

Next up is Kang Hyun and Lim Hae-jun’s team—our team.

We step forward and stand side by side.

“Well, this team…”

Warrior Kim Yoon-jun looks at me and lets out a small chuckle. The other mentors’ eyes are also fixed on me.

“There was an unexpected performance from the mage. Sniping the orc shaman from long range. Was that a military tactic?”

“Yes, sir. It was.”

Beside him, Kim Ji-an chimed in with a hint of regret.

“He could’ve been an archer…”

“But I also think it must’ve been quite convenient.”

On the other hand, Warrior DK seemed somewhat displeased.

“While the other team members were hauling cargo and fighting orcs, you were just giving orders from above, right?”

I nodded. It was true. It was also a fatal flaw of mine as a mage.

Mages operate from a distance, so mobility is crucial. Since they’re the most targeted position, they need to constantly change locations.

“Well, it’s better than being a burden on the ground. Still, you provided decisive help from above. That smoke grenade was quite amusing, though it was a bit too obvious…”

DK trailed off and shifted his gaze. It landed on Yoon Hwa-rim.

Kim Yoon-jun picked up the microphone again.

“Mage Yoon Hwa-rim?”

“Y-Yes, yes.”

Yoon Hwa-rim clenched her fists as if she knew this was coming.

“You put your team in danger by dozing off while driving.”

The mentors must’ve received edited footage from the staff. Footage edited to fit the narrative the staff wanted to convey.

No matter how sharp their eyes are, they wouldn’t have caught Kang Hyun’s deliberate sabotage—or if they had, they likely ignored it.

“I’m sorry…”

“This isn’t something an apology can fix.”

“If it weren’t for the team, it could’ve been a life-or-death situation.”

Warrior DK added. Yoon Hwa-rim’s face turned pale.

Then Yoo Ji-in redirected the question.

“What does the escort team think?”

Lim Hae-jun raised his hand first.

“…It was tough, but I think it was a trial we could overcome!”

He was defending Yoon Hwa-rim. Of course, he couldn’t say they almost died because of her.

Still, Lim Hae-jun is a good guy.

This time, Yu-yul took the microphone.

“Mage Seol Ha-woon?”

Dangun

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