Labyrinth Exploration 101 - L.E Chapter 67 (Part 2): Living Like That (1)

Mr. Lim, the world’s richest man, stepped out to indulge in a rare hobby. His destination: a restaurant renowned for serving the world’s most exquisite pastries.

Dressed in the most expensive and extravagant suit, leaning on the most elegant cane, Mr. Lim strode in with poise. The restaurant staff, as if fully prepared for his arrival, had rolled out a red carpet the moment he opened the door. Employees lined up on either side, greeting him with smiles.

With refined grace, Mr. Lim settled into the VVIP lounge. The chef bowed and presented the menu.

“Thank you.”

Mr. Lim opened the menu, scanning it for a while before speaking in a smooth, authoritative tone.

“Estro, I won’t bother specifying a dish. Serve me your dream.”

The chef bowed deeply.

“It’s an honor.”

“However.”

Mr. Lim stopped the chef as he turned to leave.

“I’d like an explanation of this Chevrolet Mileage Chocolate.”

Chevrolet Mileage Chocolate. Mr. Lim had caught it on the menu.

The chef smiled and began his explanation.

“The Chevrolet Mileage Chocolate is crafted from specially aged cocoa beans and rare spices. Each bite offers a flavor like embarking on a journey, with a lingering fruity note that awakens the senses.”

Mr. Lim nodded, intrigued.

“Excellent. I’ll have that for dessert.”

“Understood, Mr. Lim. Anything else you require?”

Mr. Lim paused to think, then asked,

“What about wine pairing?”

“For the Chevrolet Mileage Chocolate, we recommend Château d’Anselme’s 1990 Port. Its deep, rich sweetness perfectly complements the chocolate’s subtle flavors.”

The chef was impeccably prepared.

“Very well. Prepare it with the dessert.”

“Right away, Mr. Lim.”

Mr. Lim gave a faint smile as he prepared for his meal.

Soon, the Chevrolet Mileage Chocolate arrived.

Normally, pastries are served at the end of a course, but the chef knew Mr. Lim’s fondness for desserts.

Of course, how could they not know the preferences of the world’s richest man, with a fortune of one quadrillion dollars?

“This is the Chevrolet Mileage Chocolate?”

“The fu*k would I know, dumbass?”

“What?”

The sudden, outrageously rude and aggressive response caught Mr. Lim off guard. He turned, eyes wide, to face the speaker.

“Who are you?!”

“Who else, dumbass? Chévolet, really? It’s a car, not chocolate, idiot. That chocolate doesn’t exist.”

“…Such insolence! Owner! Get out here, owner! What kind of staff training is this?!”

“Owner? Alright, hold on.”

The man lifted his shirt, pulling out a pistol. *Click.* The barrel was aimed at Mr. Lim’s temple.

“…Calm down. Are you after my money? Young man, you’re being reckless. My bodyguards, all high-rankers, are stationed outside. One snap of my fingers, and they’ll take you down.”

Mr. Lim tried to reason with him. For the world’s richest man, who controlled the globe, to be held up so crudely was absurd. The young man was clearly headed for a tragic end. For the sake of this reckless youth’s future, Mr. Lim—

*Press!*

The man shoved the gun harder against his temple. Mr. Lim yelped.

“Ow, that hurts!”

“Hae-jun. Snap out of it.”

“…What? Hae-jun?”

Hae-jun.

The name stirred faint memories in Mr. Lim, fragments of a warm past flickering to life.

“How do you know my old name…?”

“What’s with the cane, huh?”

The man toyed with the cane’s handle.

“…Cane?”

Cane. Mr. Lim’s eyes widened.

“Thought it looked cool? It’s a pain in the ass when you actually need it.”

Mr. Lim studied the man closely.

A familiar… no, unfamiliar face.

Someone he’d met in his youth, yet so much time had passed that the memory felt distant, buried deep in the recesses of his mind.

But no amount of time could erase the intensity of this man.

“No way… Seol Ha-woon?”

“Yep. Good to see you.”

The man raised his hand. Without thinking, Lim Hae-jun raised his own. A high-five.

*Smack!*

Instead of a high-five, the man’s large hand delivered a hard slap to the back of Hae-jun’s head.

Lim Hae-jun’s eyes nearly popped out.

—

“Argh!”

He shot up like a spring.

*Thud!*

“Ow!”

He crashed into something—a glass window. Lim Hae-jun flinched, checking his surroundings. He was inside some strange capsule.

“What, what! Open the door! Open the door! Argh!!!”

*Pssshhh.* Lim Hae-jun flailed, accidentally opening the capsule.

“What… where am I?”

He tried to stand, but his body felt drained, his limbs trembling. His mind was foggy, like he’d just woken from a long dream, though he couldn’t recall its contents.

“Lim Hae-jun.”

Someone called his name.

“Hyun-hyung?”

It was Kang Hyun. He nodded toward the door.

“Come help.”

He was facing off against a group of heavily armed gunmen.

* * *

“…The heir of the Ryu Clan. Young Master Ryu Yeon-hwa, I presume.”

Ryu Yeon-hwa’s subconscious. I gazed at him, seated before a folding screen. Curiously, the setting was reminiscent of the Joseon era.

“Indeed. I’ve heard you’re a highly skilled fortune-teller.”

The white-haired man sat with a posture that complemented his traditional pipe.

“Quite so. Very skilled.”

To awaken someone from a dream, you first have to make them sense something’s off. Some, like Lim Hae-jun, are easy to wake. Others are more difficult.

Ryu Yeon-hwa is somewhere in the middle.

“Let’s see it, then. I’m curious about my future. I’m soon to meet His Majesty.”

He toyed with his fan, a faint smile on his lips.

“Very well.”

I grabbed a handful of rice grains from a pouch and scattered them across the table with a *shrrr*. Pretending to read the pattern, I spoke.

“…Interesting. The seat of falsehood.”

“The seat of falsehood?”

Ryu Yeon-hwa echoed.

“Yes. It means this world isn’t real.”

“What? This world isn’t real?”

“Exactly. You understand well.”

“What kind of… what sort of fortune-teller are you?”

Ryu Yeon-hwa, naturally, was skeptical.

But if you turn skepticism into undeniable truth, they’ll wake from the dream.

“Believe me. My words are true. I can even show you proof.”

“Proof?”

I grabbed another handful of rice.

“Yes. Let’s be logical. If the number of rice grains I’m holding matches the number you choose, will you believe me?”

“The number I choose?”

“Exactly. You haven’t told me a number yet, and I’ve already grabbed the rice, haven’t I?”

“Hah!”

Ryu Yeon-hwa let out a scoff, fanning himself.

“Go on, then. I’ve got nothing to lose.”

He glared at me, clearly unimpressed, but eventually spoke a number.

“…Five.”

I opened my fist. Exactly five grains of rice fell onto the table. Ryu Yeon-hwa’s eyes widened.

“Young Master Ryu. What do you think?”

“…That’s absurd. You expect me to believe this world is fake just because of that?”

“Shall we try again, then?”

I calmly invited him to continue, grabbing another handful of rice.

“…Fine. Let’s do it.”

Ryu Yeon-hwa smirked, a clever glint in his eyes.

“333,003.”

Three hundred thirty-three thousand three. A number impossible to hold in one hand.

I opened my fist. *Tuk tuk tuk.* Exactly three grains fell. Ryu Yeon-hwa raised his chin triumphantly.

“Hah! And you call yourself skilled? Hey! Guards, drag this fraud—”

“Look behind you.”

“…Behind?”

“Yes. Go on.”

I gestured to the back. Frowning, Ryu Yeon-hwa turned his head slightly.

In an instant, his neck stiffened.

The folding screen behind him.

“Exactly 333,000 grains are etched there.”

The entire screen was covered with intricately drawn rice grains.

“How… how is this possible…?”

“I told you.”

*Snap.*

I snapped my fingers, and 333,000 grains of rice poured from the screen. *Argh!* Ryu Yeon-hwa screamed as he was buried under a wave of rice.

“It’s all fake.”

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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