Labyrinth Exploration 101 - L.E Chapter 27 (Part 1): Snowflower (2)

In just eight hours, I completed the framework of the cabin. I erected four neatly trimmed beams and laid down the flooring. It looked bare, but it was halfway done.

“…Another day should be enough.”

A muttered remark for the viewers.

Honestly, half a day should be enough. Foundation work is always the hardest and most time-consuming part of construction. Plus, the tools I’m using are ridiculously good—I can get ten times the efficiency with a tenth of the effort.

“For now…”

I’ll stop here.

I slumped onto a tree stump.

*Crackle, crackle.* Basking in the warmth of the pre-lit bonfire, I placed a frying pan over it. Once the surface was properly heated, I tore off pieces of samgyeopsal and placed them on it.
[T/N: Samgyeopsal; means “three layer flesh”, referring to striations of lean meat and fat in the pork belly that appear as three layers when cut.]

*Chiiiiik──*

In a situation like this, samgyeopsal is perfect. Among meats, it’s a champ—calories per mass are top-tier.

Staring at the sizzling pork belly, I held my breath for a moment.

Suddenly, fine flakes drifted down softly. I lifted my head quietly.

Snowflakes descended serenely from the pure white sky. Some caught on branches, forming delicate patterns, while others settled on the ground, piling up in silent layers.

A hazy, dreamlike scene. It felt as if time had stopped. As if the entire world was drifting away from me…

“……”

Without a word, I flipped the meat. The seared side was a perfect, artistic brown—a flawless Maillard reaction.
[T/N: The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars to create melanoidins, the compounds that give browned food its distinctive flavor.]

I’d been in similar situations before. Deserts. Snowfields. The Arctic. Glaciers. Underground. Coal mines. I never cared where I was. We never cared. Because that damn stuff was our training.

Unconsciously, I glanced across.

It still felt like *he* was right there. Drooling as he stared at the frying pan.

*Ha-woon. Isn’t this done yet?*

Seo Ji-hyuk. Flapping his arms like an idiot as he asked, I answered.

*Not yet.*

*The hell you mean, “not yet”? Looks plenty done to me.*

A shadow, grown long without my noticing, fell upon his spot. A faint smile escaped my lips.

*Just wait a little longer.*

You idiot.

Seo Ji-hyuk, who had chuckled at those words, no longer existed in this world.

I’d never see his grin again.

Gritting my teeth, I lowered my head, pretending to inspect the pork belly as I flipped it.

It was properly cooked now.

No need to cut it up. When meat is cooked right, the inside is done without needing to slice it open.

I picked up the whole strip with tongs and bit into it directly. Juices burst explosively from the cross-section.

“…Tastes good.”

Was it the scenery? Or maybe because I’d just finished some hard work?

Or perhaps…

I pulled out the dog tag I wore like a necklace.

Though I always carried it, it wasn’t mine.

[ SEO JI-HYUK ]

My comrade’s last request. His dying wish—to pass his dog tag to his younger sister.

I’d met his sister face-to-face, yet I couldn’t bring myself to hand it over.

Partly because… I was afraid.

I didn’t know why.

I didn’t understand.

Because I didn’t even understand myself.

—

**Production Team Monitoring Room**

“…Damn, that looks delicious.”

In the group monitoring room, where dozens of screens each tracked a single explorer, Kim A-rang watched Seol Ha-woon’s samgyeopsal mukbang.

*Gulp.*

Unconsciously, she swallowed. The meat was cooked just right—perfectly charred.

Putting some kimchi in that pork fat would be the icing on the cake, but unfortunately, maybe because kimchi has low-calorie efficiency, there wasn’t any.
[T/N: Kimchi is a traditional Korean side dish (banchan) consisting of salted and fermented vegetables, most often napa cabbage or Korean radish.]

“Seriously, we could just air this as a mukbang and call it a day. Wow… He’s just tearing into it.”

The rookie writer gulped too.

The sight of him biting straight into a whole strip of samgyeopsal with his teeth—if they clipped that into a short, it’d easily hit ten million views.

The rookie writer pressed her temples.

“This is driving me crazy, seriously. PD Kim, let’s go eat Seol Ha-woon’s— no, I mean, samgyeopsal tonight.”

“Absolutely. No question.”

Just as they were discussing dinner, PD Lim Hyung-wook sneaked up from behind.

“What’s this? Kim PD, still stuck on Seol Ha-woon?”

He scoffed as he glanced at Kim A-rang’s screen. She replied curtly.

“Yep.”

“C’mon~ Why’re you so obsessed with the guy in 96th place?”

Lim Hyung-wook was always like this. Ever since their first year after joining at the same time, he’d been undermining her.

Kim A-rang calmly pointed at the screen.

“Take a look yourself. Ha-woon’s got a solid character going.”

“He’s dead last. What’s so special about a washed-up UDT guy?”

“Sure~ Keep thinking that~”

Seol Ha-woon was connected to multiple plotlines. Kang Hyun, a top contender, had acknowledged him. He was mentoring Lim Hae-jun, who had high potential but weak mentality. And just now, he had a standout moment in the shopping segment.

When Seo Ji-woo got distracted by luxury goods, he casually tossed her a handbag full of survival gear and muttered:

“It’s cold outside.”

“Well~ If Kim PD’s pushing for him, maybe he’ll crack the top 40. Who’s gonna argue with the right-hand woman?”

Kim A-rang ignored Lim Hyung-wook’s sarcasm.

Just then, PD Yoon Sa-hyeok returned from his break.

“Oh! PD Yoon, you’re back!”

Lim Hyung-wook immediately bowed. Kim A-rang shook her head.

‘That’s why you’ll never be the right-hand man. Yoon Sa-hyeok doesn’t care for flattery. He’d rather have someone slap his cheek if it meant they worked hard and stayed awake.’

“How’s it going?”

Yoon Sa-hyeok asked Lim Hyung-wook.

“Fine. No major issues. You finished editing and reviewing Episode 4?”

Yoon Sa-hyeok nodded. The premiere of Labyrinth Exploration was just around the corner. Even while monitoring, his chest tightened occasionally at the thought.

“PD Yoon, you’ve really been working hard. I heard you got called for the National Audit too…”

“Hard work? I just do my job.”

Not ‘Go rest’ but ‘Go work.’ Classic Yoon Sa-hyeok.

He sipped his instant coffee and stood behind Kim A-rang.

Dangun

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