Labyrinth Exploration 101 - L.E Chapter 35 (Part 1): Hate You (2)

The joint team of cargo carriers and escorts was finalized. Kang Hyun (A4) and Lim Hae-jun (B12) gathered in the conference room.

─ Yoon Hwa-rim: “I see three possible routes. The spoils are in the underground tunnel, and once we retrieve them, there are three paths to exit. I recommend the third path.”

Yoon Hwa-rim confidently suggested the route. Since I already knew everything, I relaxed and watched.

*Where’s the popcorn? I kinda want to munch on some.*

─ Yoon Hwa-rim: “What do you think?”

She looked expectantly at Kang Hyun, who then turned to me.

─ Kang Hyun: “What does the escort team think? I heard you were a soldier..”
─ Yoon Hwa-rim: “He probably doesn’t have one. Let’s just stick to my plan—”

Just as she was about to bulldoze ahead without even hearing my thoughts—

─ Seol Ha-woon: “No.”

“…Huh?”

A strange, unsettling discomfort prickled at the back of my mind as I watched.

The editing just now felt off. There was a weird double cut, and the camera lingered *way* too long on the team members turning to look at me in shock.

*Huh? Why? What’s going on? It’s a good plan, so why?* Those close-up shots of their expressions—I don’t remember that happening.

─ Seol Ha-woon: “Over 70% of escorting is about movement. If the route is wrong, even the escort becomes meaningless. In that regard—”

On screen, Seol Ha-woon took a deep breath and countered Yoon Hwa-rim outright.

─ Seol Ha-woon: “Yoon Hwa-rim’s route doesn’t look good at all.”

The editing grew even more dramatic. Yoon Hwa-rim and every other team member were zoomed in on, their expressions exaggerated.

Their faces were *weird*. Most were scowling, looking at me with clear disapproval.

─ Yoon Hwa-rim: “Why? It’s the easiest path.”
─ Seol Ha-woon: “It might be when entering the cargo location. But there’s a section where we’ll be surrounded once we start transporting the cargo.”

Yoon Hwa-rim bit her lip. She glanced around the room, scanning the team. They responded with shrugs and shakes of their heads, as if silently siding with her.

*That didn’t happen.*

Well, it *did* happen—just in a different time and place.

─ Yoon Hwa-rim: “An open field is better, though. We can fight together.”
─ Seol Ha-woon: “Escorting isn’t about fighting together; it’s about preventing the enemy from getting close in the first place. So, we’ll keep the entry route the same but change the escape route.”

The team stared at Seol Ha-woon, who was outright rewriting Yoon Hwa-rim’s plan, their eyes filled with doubt.

─ Yoon Hwa-rim: “…Then we’ll have to go through the forest. How are we supposed to—”
─ Seol Ha-woon: “The escort team will lead. Besides, the orcs will also have their vision obstructed. We’ll pick off the orcs that enter the forest one by one.”

Silence followed.

No one spoke.

─ Yoon Hwa-rim: “No, I mean—”
─ Seol Ha-woon: “Shh.”

*Shh?*

*Shh?!*

*I shushed Yoon Hwa-rim?!*

*That was supposed to be for Lim Hae-jun!*

On screen, Seol Ha-woon continued.

─ Seol Ha-woon: “Yes. In this mission, my word is absolute.”

My actual phrasing was: “Yes. In this mission, my words will absolutely be correct. At the very least, I’ll strive to make it so.” But no matter how long I waited, the second half never came.

*They edited it out.*

A heavy silence fell over the meeting room.

No one looked at me. Instead, the camera cut to each of them wearing expressions like they’d just bitten into something rotten.

─ Kang Hyun: “We’ll follow…”

A sigh slipped into his words. *He never sighed.*

Is this AI-generated?

─ Kang Hyun: “…the escort team’s opinion.”

The tone of reluctant surrender. Seol Ha-woon’s lips twisted—not into a smile, but a bitter smirk.

─ Seol Ha-woon: “Good.”

“…Ugh. My head’s spinning.”

Did I just dream that?

It felt like someone had smacked the back of my skull, but the broadcast was still rolling.

Next came Yoon Hwa-rim’s perspective. She slumped against the wall, looking dejected, as Lee Jong-su approached her.

─ Lee Jong-su: “Just bear with it. It’s a joint team. They deserve their chance to shine too.”
─ Yoon Hwa-rim: “…Shine? What if the whole team falls apart because of this?”

I nodded belatedly.

*So this is the infamous ‘devil’s edit’ I’ve heard about.*

“…Kim A-rang.”

So this is how the pendant’s boomerang from the final qualifiers comes back to bite me.

I glanced at the live chat.

-What’s this guy’s problem? What the hell is that ♬♪ bastard doing ♬♪♬♪♬?
-Did Seol Ha-woon get shot in the head or something?
-LOL idk about the plan but why’s he talking like that?
-LMAO he’s such a boomer
-Fcking boomer special forces
-Tell that idiot to f*ck off
-Why is Kang Hyun even listening to this psycho?
-Hwa-rim is so pitiful fr
-This guy’s a legit nutjob LMAOOOO

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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