Labyrinth Exploration 101 - L.E Chapter 32 (Part 2): Snowflower (7)

Without any warning, the people charged at Seo Ji-woo with a chaotic thud-thud-thud.

“Wha—?!”

In an instant, her limbs were seized. She looked into their eyes—no pupils. Just hazy, grayish voids. A cold dread shot down her spine.

Jin Ho-seung—or what looked like him—opened his mouth. At an angle no human could achieve.

“Holy SH*T—!”

Ji-woo fired off a burst of mana, trying to lasso his neck, but it phased right through him. His body rippled like liquid.

*Creeeak.*

Just as Jin Ho-seung’s gaping maw was about to swallow her head whole—

*—Bang.*

A gunshot rang out. A mana-infused bullet tore through the wooden planks and pierced his temple.

*Boom!*

At the same time, Lee Jun-ho burst in, slicing through the door. He swung at Jin Ho-seung and his team—

But his blade passed right through them. Their bodies sloshed like slime.

“They won’t cut?!”

“Hey, hey! What’s going on?!”

“Can’t you tell?! They’re all labyrinth dwellers! Get out now!”

Lee Jun-ho dragged Ji-woo outside.

*Whoooosh—*

In the raging blizzard, Lee Jun-ho and Seo Ji-woo stood their ground. The five figures trudged toward them.

None of their human mannerisms remained. Even the ‘patient,’ ‘Lee Yong-seung’, was the same.

“Fluid-types.”

Seol Ha-woon appeared behind them, a pair of Rimless Glasses perched on his face.

Lee Jun-ho bit his lip.

“Never seen guys like this before.”

Muttering, he slashed the air a few times. No sword aura formed.

To unleash sword techniques like Sword Force or Sword Aura, you first needed to ignite mana—which took longer in the cold.

“…….”

Seol Ha-woon studied them through the glasses. His perception expanded, revealing their weak points—

But the weak points were moving. Hundreds of times per second. And they were so tiny that physical shots were useless.

What a trash-tier item.

Meanwhile, the creatures charged first.

“Ji-woo and I will take one each. Jun-ho, you handle three.”

“Why do I get three?”

“You’re a warrior.”

Seol Ha-woon fired at one. Bang-bang-bang! Aiming for the weak spots, but the bullets just phased through.

The enemies accelerated. Lee Jun-ho took on three as promised, while Seol Ha-woon and Seo Ji-woo engaged one each.

The patient, Lee Yong-seung, latched onto Seol Ha-woon.

Their attacks were simple.

Latch on and swallow. The deadliest method for fluid-types.

“…Get off me!”

Especially for a mage like Seol Ha-woon, with limited mobility.

“Hey! You okay?!” Seo Ji-woo shouted.

Seol Ha-woon tried to push the creature away, but it attempted to swallow even the hand pushing it into its body.

‘No choice then.’

He concentrated mana into his palm, visualizing something brutal—

A weapon with maximum lethality at point-blank range.

A shotgun.

“Eat this and die.”

*—KWA-BOOM!*

A thunderous blast erupted. Mana exploded at close range, shredding the fluid-body into vapor. The labyrinth dweller died with a sound like rushing wind.

These things were liquid. Weak points didn’t matter if you could evaporate them outright.

“…Ah.”

But his hand was hot. Beyond just hot, it felt slightly shattered.

“Hey! Got one!” Lee Jun-ho yelled. One of his foes melted away.

“I tied one up!” Seo Ji-woo added.

Sure enough, the fake Jin Ho-seung was tangled in her threads.

Binding a fluid-type, cutting one clean through—real talent, these two.

Limping, Seol Ha-woon approached the restrained Jin Ho-seung.

He pressed three fingers—index, middle, thumb—against its chest.

A dark memory surfaced. A past execution, someone kneeling, bound.

*—BANG.*

[ Seol Ha-woon has eliminated a hostile labyrinth dweller. ]

[ Random Box acquired… ]

***

After the battle ended, Seo Ji-woo returned to the cabin, nearly buried in snow. Just in case, she’d tethered herself to the cabin with a mana thread, so she didn’t lose her way.

“Wow… where even are we?”

Lee Jun-ho looked around the cabin and laughed dryly. A wolf glared at him from the entrance.

“And what’s this wolf’s problem?”

Seo Ji-woo lit the fireplace like it was her own home.

“Lay him here.”

Lee Jun-ho placed Seol Ha-woon on the bed. He’d collapsed after killing all the labyrinth dwellers.

“Hey. Lee Jun-ho. But how did you know? That they were labyrinth dwellers.”

Lee Jun-ho pointed at Seol Ha-woon.

“This Mr. Seol figured it out. Said they were all left-handed.”

“Left-handed?”

“Yeah. We learned it too, remember? ‘Hostile labyrinth dwellers have distinct traits. Explorers must use those as clues to face them.’”

Reciting it like a textbook, Lee Jun-ho continued.

“Seems like these labyrinth dwellers were human mirrors. When the sun sets, mirrors don’t reflect well, so they reverted back to their original state.”

human mirrors. Meaning they mimic already eliminated explorers, but because they are mirrors, they move in a ‘reversed’ state.

“…No wonder. They were acting so damn weird.”

“Tell me about it. Well then, Ji-woo, I’m off.”

Lee Jun-ho stood up.

“Why? At least rest for a day.”

“Nah. Feels like being together will drain my energy.”

“Drain your energy?”

“I don’t want to be a third wheel.”

Lee Jun-ho smirked, saying something strange. Seo Ji-woo tilted her head, then looked back at Seol Ha-woon. Beads of sweat had formed on his forehead.

‘Sweat beads?’

The fireplace was barely lit—how was he sweating in this cold?

Seo Ji-woo’s eyes widened.

“…Mana overuse!”

A side effect of using too much mana.

In this situation, first aid was essential. His mana recovery needed to be stabilized first.

“Hey, hey. Help me out before you go!”

Seo Ji-woo started removing Seol Ha-woon’s clothes. Lee Jun-ho came over to help. From the thick outer coat to the jacket, shirt, undershirt, and thermal wear.

“Ah, seriously, how many layers is he wearing…?”

The moment his upper body was finally bared.

Both of their movements stopped.

“…What is this.”

“…Yeah.”

Seol Ha-woon’s entire body was covered in scars. From stitched wounds to dozens of stab marks, eight bullet wounds, and a burn that consumed nearly half his side… the excruciating pains of a distant past remained as traces.

“Uh, anyway! I’ll go get some ice!”

Snapping out of it, Seo Ji-woo bolted outside.

“Got it.”

Lee Jun-ho examined Seol Ha-woon and noticed a gray chain around his neck.

“…Dog tags.”

‘What, once a soldier, always a soldier?’ He chuckled and picked it up.

[ Seo Ji-hyuk ]

“……”

The fire in the fireplace blazed red. The hot color stained his irises. Lee Jun-ho stared blankly at the name engraved on the dog tag.

His body stiffened like stone.

Dangun

I'm currently Translating the following novels: "Labyrinth Exploration 101" & "The Monarch Who Levels Up by Devouring " If you want to support me and read more chapters please subscribe to my Patreon!

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