Labyrinth Exploration 101 - L.E Chapter 66 (Part 1): Runaway (3)

A person whose depths cannot be fathomed, impossible to pin down.

Kang Hyun gazed at the sleeping Seol Ha-woon, lost in such thoughts.

He had faced Ha-woon as an enemy, only for him to turn ally in an instant. At times, Ha-woon seemed to conceal his past, yet he would suddenly lay bare his innermost thoughts.

He appeared to doubt others, yet now he slept so defenselessly, as if he trusted Kang Hyun completely.

Calculated yet random, methodical yet aimless.

If Kang Hyun had to find a single word to describe Seol Ha-woon—*chaos*.

A man like an enigma, where nothing could be certain, and no predictions should be made.

To Kang Hyun, at least, that was the kind of person Seol Ha-woon was.

“…….”

Leaning his broadsword against his shoulder, Kang Hyun let his gaze drift downward.

He was curious.

If he were to cut Ha-woon open, what would he find inside? What kind of entity lay coiled within…?

Lost in thought, he closed his eyes.

Slowly, Kang Hyun drifted into sleep.

* * *

I jolted awake.

“Ha…!”

A ragged breath tore from my lungs. My heart pounded as if I’d died and come back to life.

Probably because of my leg.

This damned throbbing pain never goes away. Lately, it’s even started creeping into my head and the back of my skull, maybe because of my nerves.

At this rate, I’ll die before my lifespan’s even up.

“Hm.”

I checked on my party. Kang Hyun was sitting against the wall, his broadsword propped against his shoulder.

He looked like he might be awake, or asleep, or even dead.

Not a single breath could be heard—utter stillness.

I stared at him quietly.

Suddenly, a flicker of suspicion stirred within me.

What was he hiding from me? What principles governed him? What hidden side of him had I yet to detect?

“…….”

All of a sudden, Kang Hyun opened his eyes. His slightly puffy face was heavy with sleep.

I said to him, “Get up. Let’s move.”

Leaning on my cane, I stood. By now, this cherished item felt like an extension of my body.

Kang Hyun asked, “To the labyrinth?”

“Yeah.”

*Snap.* I flicked my fingers.

The second detonation signal.

*BOOM!*

An explosion roared from somewhere in the rubble.

This bomb was entirely different from the last. It wasn’t about raw power but ‘smoke’—a massive smoke bomb designed for concealment.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Explosions chained one after another, and I donned my gas mask. Kang Hyun eyed it enviously.

“You’ll be fine. Tough guys like you don’t need one. Let’s go. We’re clearing a path.”

I threw on my coat and pointed in one direction.

“Yes.”

Kang Hyun swung his sword, slicing through the debris with clean precision. A path opened up. I used my mana to hold the ceiling in place, preventing a collapse.

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

Feeling the chain of explosions and vibrations, we pressed forward through the passage.

*Wreeee. Wreeee.*

The further we went, the louder the sirens blared.

— “Please stand back. Everyone, please stand back. It’s dangerous. Please stand back.”

The mechanical voices of robot police echoed.

*Shhhfft.*

Kang Hyun cleaved through the final layer of debris. Outside, everything was pitch black. The smoke I’d conjured with my magic formula had engulfed not just the Armand Hotel but the entire area.

Its performance far exceeded my expectations.

I’ve got some talent, don’t I?

“Kang Hyun. Grab my coat.”

“Yes.”

Kang Hyun took hold of my coat from behind. I waded through the smoke. Screams, cries, curses, and coughing rang out in chaotic disarray.

The perfect environment for an escape.

I quickly spotted a vehicle. A heavily modified, beastly SUV. There was one person inside, but…

“Whoa, what the hell?!”

Thankfully, he stepped out first. A man wearing VR-like glasses.

“Damn it, I can’t see a thing! What’s going on here?! I’m busy as hell, damn it! Hey! What’s the situation?!”

He stormed off to complain to someone, and I slipped into the driver’s seat without a fight. Kang Hyun, already in the passenger seat, asked, “Hyung. You good at driving?”

“Of course.”

I slammed the accelerator. *Vroooom!* Weaving between the center line and the sidewalk, I broke free from the congested road.

A sudden thought crossed my mind.

Could I use [Mana Coefficient] on this car? A vehicle’s an item too, in a broad sense.

Guess I’ll find out.

I channeled mana into my hands gripping the steering wheel. The sensation of leather against my palms. Mana flowed beneath, seeping into the wheel, the chassis, the tires, the windows…

[Mana Coefficient has been activated.]

Success.

I could feel my circuit, the flow of mana, within the SUV.

As expected, [Mana Coefficient] didn’t just enhance an item’s power. By infusing my mana, I could amplify its performance entirely.

*VRROOOOOM!*

I floored the accelerator. The speed surged dramatically. Kang Hyun quietly fastened his seatbelt.

“Hey.”

I called out to him. He fidgeted with his seatbelt, avoiding my gaze.

“You’re supposed to wear a seatbelt anyway. It’s not that I don’t trust your driving, hyung—”

“I know. Put mine on too.”

It’s faster than I expected, and I’m a little nervous myself.

* * *

We escaped the city. At some point, the buildings grew shorter, and the drones and air taxis zipping between skyscrapers vanished.

No signs of a blockade, so I eased up a bit. We even stopped at a drive-thru for burgers.

“These burgers are good,” Kang Hyun said.

“Eat up. We’ve got a fight coming.”

I ate a burger while driving. It floated to my mouth through the air. I’ve been practicing telekinesis lately, so simple tricks like this are within my reach.

“…Hyung, you always plan ops like this alone?”

“Sometimes alone, sometimes with others.”

“Was it more comfortable alone?”

Kang Hyun munched on fries as he asked. Instead of answering, I threw a question back.

“What about you?”

“…Half and half, I guess. Depends on who I’m with.”

“Smart answer. Same here.”

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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