Labyrinth Exploration 101 - L.E Chapter 65 (Part 1): Runaway (2)

─ “The hotel has been completely incinerated.”

The subordinate’s report came through. Sier, through the lenses of his glasses, received live footage of the scene. The entire hotel where Kang Hyun and Seol Ha-woon had been staying had collapsed, reduced to a pile of rubble dozens of meters high.

“Is it certain they didn’t escape?”

─ “Yes. We’ve reviewed the footage, and there’s no trace of them leaving.”

They had brought the hotel down from the inside. There were two possibilities.

A ploy to sow confusion, or a desperate act to survive.

According to confessions from some explorers, sustaining critical injuries would trigger forced repatriation. It was possible they’d chosen to harm themselves to call for outside help.

“Keep monitoring. Spare no manpower. Scour the hotel’s surroundings relentlessly.”

─ “Understood.”

Sier cut the communication.

*Tap. Tap. Tap.* His fingers drummed on the table as he sank into thought. It was contemplation of his own ‘struggle.’

Thus far, he had identified 63 outsiders, capturing 32 of them. He hadn’t gone out of his way to hunt them down. Overzealous searches and pursuits only stirred unnecessary suspicion. Instead, he monitored exchange offices across the continent, abducting only those who visited them.

Soon, when the labyrinth under excavation was fully opened, Sier would shove them all inside. If the outside world tried to obliterate this one, the labyrinth within the labyrinth would vanish along with it.

Those trapped in the labyrinth within the labyrinth would serve as hostages to preserve this world…

* * *

I carved out a space within the hotel’s rubble.

About five pyeong (≈16.5 m²) in size, a safe zone formed by my spells. Provisions like food, water, a desk, a chair with a backrest, and a mattress—everything was meticulously prepared, courtesy of the 【Snack Box】.

“Time to study, I guess~”

I spread an implant textbook on the desk. Across from me, Kang Hyun was reading a novel.

*Flip. Flip.*

The sound of pages turning was crisp and clear. It’s kind of fascinating. It’s a data book, yet it’s designed with this kind of functionality.

“…Ha-woon hyung.”

Kang Hyun suddenly called out to me.

“What.”

“What’ll happen to the people who got captured?”

“Sier said he’d throw them into the labyrinth within the labyrinth.”

Honestly, whether it’s Kim Doo-gyeom, Kate, or Kim Dong-ha, I couldn’t care less. My only goal is to clear this labyrinth. There are too many items I want to take with me.

Especially the black tea and snake wine—those are must-haves. If possible, I’d also like the 【Pony Projector】, since it’d boost my mobility.

“I wonder what kind of labyrinth that would be.”

“It’s probably a Consciousness Labyrinth.”

I tilted my head at Kang Hyun’s response.

“How do you know that?”

“Sindra mentioned it when explaining the plan to attack the mining site.”

A Consciousness Labyrinth. A dreamlike labyrinth that an explorer’s consciousness enters.

“That could be a headache, then.”

A Consciousness Labyrinth is far more dangerous than most. It’s especially bad if your ‘body’ gets pulled in entirely.

As a prime example, there was a person who came out after living for 3,000 years in a Consciousness Labyrinth. In reality, it had only been three months, but he experienced 3,000 years, and his mind shattered.

Kang Hyun set down his data book.

“If the labyrinth gets destroyed while we’re inside…”

“You’d end up a wreck. Or trapped forever.”

“You know a lot, hyung.”

I let out a dry chuckle.

“I’ve got a question for you. How do *you* know? Did your dad teach you?”

For a moment, Kang Hyun froze. A faint shadow crossed his face.

A raw nerve.

His past, or perhaps his weakness.

“…Hold on. Found something.”

I smoothly changed the subject. Just then, someone had been caught on the drone’s feed.

A squirrelly guy, quick on his feet, who’d gone to an exchange office to buy a ticket. Sensing something off, he was now frantically escaping.

“It’s Lim Hae-jun.”

“Hae-jun? Can we help him from here?”

Kang Hyun asked, his tone laced with feigned concern.

Empty words. His voice carried no real emotion. It’s a shell without substance.

“Nope.”

I shook my head.

“Quite the opposite. We should pray he gets caught.”

‘Ha, ha, ha!’

Lim Hae-jun, as seen through the drone, was running like his life depended on it. Knocking over obstacles, firing arrows with backsteps.

Buddy, just let them catch you already.

“That way, we’ll know where they’re keeping the explorers.”

Just then, Lim Hae-jun was nabbed. Pinned down by what looked like paratroopers, he thrashed wildly.

‘Let go, let go! Let me go! Arghhh!’

He bit at the hands trying to cuff him. Unfortunately, they were metallic—steel, no less.

‘Arghhh!’

Lim Hae-jun was dragged away, his teeth rattling. I tracked the vehicle carrying him with the drone.

“Hyung.”

In the midst of it, Kang Hyun spoke up.

“Back when you were active duty, did anything like this happen?”

I looked at him.

“…Like this?”

“Yeah.”

Kang Hyun was searching for something from me now. Probing into my past.

“Something… complicated, like this labyrinth.”

No clue.

I was about to say that when, like a lighter flicking on, an old memory sparked.

I glanced around. The ‘camera’ that might be filming us wasn’t detectable yet.

They’re probably still searching for us. The collapse was too sudden.

“…There was a labyrinth called the Parallel World. A place that perfectly replicated our Earth. Pretty dangerous.”

It was one of the episodes from my active-duty days.

Labyrinths were usually the domain of explorers, but sometimes soldiers went in too.

“Why was it dangerous?”

“There was a father who lost his daughter, and he entered it.”

What must it feel like, the heart of a father or mother thinking of their child? As an orphan, I can’t imagine it, but it’s probably a profound emotion no one else could dare judge.

For someone like me, that selfless, agape love was something to envy. But for him, it was poison. A sin.

“Predictable story. In that parallel world, his daughter was alive. Perfectly fine.”

“……”

Kang Hyun’s eyes tilted quietly.

“He watched her in secret. At first, just looking might’ve been enough. But greed grew.”

At some point, that world became his life, and this one became hell.

“He killed the parallel world’s version of himself. Became a labyrinth dweller. Fought to the end to protect his daughter.”

It wasn’t some grand ambition. No desire to overturn the world.

Just a wish to see his child’s smile for a little longer. To not lose her again.

Raised in wealth, climbing the ladder of success, his small wish was for his child to live long enough to feel enough happiness.

That’s all.

“Was he someone you knew, hyung?”

I froze, my expression hardening.

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!

•