Labyrinth Exploration 101 - L.E Chapter 71 (Part 1): Die With a Smile (1)

Percival’s end was exactly as I told Kang Hyun.

In a parallel world, I killed his daughter. Enraged, he slaughtered his own subordinates before being buried within the labyrinth.

At the time, only one elder of the Hailford family knew the truth. To protect the family’s honor, he asked me to keep silent, and I willingly agreed.

In the end, I was the only survivor.

Back then, too, I was the only one who lived.

“…….”

Back in the hotel. Kate’s unconsciousness stirred awake. She was sitting on the edge of the bed in her room. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

She wouldn’t be able to fully recall the events of her unconsciousness. Dreams fade and scatter faintly, leaving only tiny fragments buried in the drawers of her memory.

Yet, someday, she’d surely dig into Percival’s final moments.

Even if it wasn’t because of this labyrinth, Percival was someone precious to her.

“Kate-ssi.”

I called out to her.

“…?”

She turned to look at me. Her thick eyelashes blinked hazily.

Her expression seemed drained, almost languid.

I looked deeply into her eyes and said, “Snap out of it. We’re inside a labyrinth.”

Kate’s eyes trembled faintly.

“…Labyrinth.”

“Yes. We need to get out now.”

She seemed lost in thought for a moment but soon regained her usual demeanor.

“Right. Thank you.”

Her flat response caught me off guard. Before I could react, Kate stood up first.

“Let’s go.”

“…Yeah. Let’s move.”

Kate stepped out of the hotel room.

We escaped the labyrinth.

[ Emergency Quest Completed ]

■ Stat Point Selection Ticket

[ Labyrinth Reward Acquired ]

■ Skill 【Dream Droplet】

* * *

I emerged from the rift alongside Kate. All the explorers had escaped the Unconscious Labyrinth. Even Kim Doo-gyeom, whom I hadn’t saved, was out.

The moment Kate awoke, the entire Unconscious Labyrinth vanished.

…Yes, the entire labyrinth.

I confirmed it through my Status Window today.

[ Labyrinth Reward Acquired ]

■ Skill 【Dream Droplet】

A labyrinth reward—a skill obtainable only within a labyrinth. In other words, this wasn’t a fake labyrinth controlled by the broadcasting station.

It was a *real* labyrinth, created for unknown reasons or invented by someone.

“Hey, hyung!”

Lim Hae-jun came running over. He glanced at me briefly before speaking only to Kate.

“Kate-ssi, are you okay?!”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

“What about you, hyung?”

“…Too late for that.”

“Huh?”

I looked at Sier on the screen. He sighed as his gaze flicked between Kate and me.

─ “Tch. My defeat, it seems.”

His voice, calmly accepting defeat, felt suspicious to me. Kang Hyun seemed to share my skepticism, lowering his broadsword while glaring at Sier.

─ “I’ll admit it. My struggles were meaningless.”

Sier continued, unfazed, his tone serene.

─ “I’ll release you. I won’t interfere with you anymore.”

“No way I’m falling for that!”

Lim Hae-jun shouted, yanking back his bowstring. That kid’s gonna need implants when we get back—his front teeth are properly busted.

─ “Do as you wish. If you find something valuable in our world, take it to yours. If you do, perhaps we can leave even a faint trace beyond.”

Sier’s gentle voice left the explorers with complex expressions. Lim Hae-jun flinched, his body trembling. Probably feeling conflicted emotions.

Sier was a labyrinth dweller who knew this world was a labyrinth.

If we left, this labyrinth—this entire world—would cease to exist.

─ “That’s enough for me. I’ll gladly hand it over.”

Suddenly, Sier wore a faint smile. Exhausted, resigned, a powerless laugh.

─ “But please, remember just one thing.”

Sier’s tone settled into a quiet calm.

─ “This world we live in… it was as precious to us as yours is to you.”

*Zzt.* The signal flickered, and the video cut off.

The explorers fell silent for a moment. Just stillness.

[ Quest Completed ]

■ WP + 10,000

“…Hyung.”

Lim Hae-jun stood beside me.

“It’s kinda sad, isn’t it?”

This kid was hissing like a wildcat a minute ago, but now he’s already swayed by Sier.

I ran a hand through my hair.

“…People, you know, they sell emotions when things don’t go their way.”

Sier is a rational being. That’s why it’s even stranger. He’s not the type to give up—more like someone who’d weigh probabilities meticulously until the very last second before defeat.

“What the. Aren’t you being brutally logical?”

I ignored Lim Hae-jun and looked at Kate. She had her usual face on.

“Hyung, how many WP did you collect? I hit 10,000. Three days left to the deadline, right?”

“Yeah, I saw. You got caught trying to pull a ticket.”

“…What?!”

Lim Hae-jun’s voice shot up, shrill as a bell.

“You didn’t help me even though you *saw* all that?!!”

“Ugh, so loud. Did you swallow a marching band?”

“That’s so unfair!!”

I plugged my ears and glanced at Kang Hyun. He’d already lost interest in Kate, apparently, and was fiddling with his broadsword.

“That’s so unfair, seriously, I’m so disappointed!!!”

I left the lab. As Sier said, there were no barricades or troops. Leaning against the empty wall of that place, I muttered, “…Feels kinda unsatisfying.”

In terms of cinematic structure, we’ve already had the rise, setup, climax, and resolution.

The writers and PDs monitoring this are probably eating it up.

That’s what I thought.

* * *

[ Would you like to purchase a ticket? ]

[ 10,000 WP ]

I bought a ticket at the exchange shop. Less than three hours remained in the labyrinth’s time, and I’d already collected everything I needed.

For starters, I bought over 100 kilograms of tea leaves. Probably enough to donate a decade’s budget to the orphanage.

“…Ticket. I’ll use it.”

I told the android-like employee at the exchange. He smiled brightly and guided me.

There was a slot for inserting the ticket in what looked like an elevator.

I inserted the ticket.

*Whir.*

The elevator door opened. As soon as I stepped inside, it started moving.

*Thud!*

A tremor, like the ground below was vibrating. I closed my eyes and waited.

*Ding.*

The door opened again.

“Huh?”

I flinched, startled. Outside was the familiar arcade set—and crowded. Most explorers had returned, Kate among them.

We’d returned to the original world.

“…I’m beat.”

Muttering, I plopped into a random chair.

Soon, words flickered at the top of the set stage.

[ Deadline Ended ]

It meant the labyrinth was over.

Then, Yoo Ji-in appeared.

“Everyone, hello! It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

She surveyed us with her usual radiant charm. But the explorers’ reactions were lukewarm.

We’re all exhausted.

“Congratulations! Did everyone get the loot they wanted?”

Some faces looked satisfied, others disappointed.

“Sadly, 26 people were eliminated in this labyrinth.”

*Tap.*

Someone nudged me. I turned to see Seo Ji-woo.

“Yo, where were you? I heard there was some crazy stuff going down in your area.”

I was in the west, Raynos, while Seo Ji-woo was somewhere in the east. Suddenly, I got curious.

“Nothing happened on your end?”

“Oh, come on, nothing? I hit the jackpot. I killed a dragon, *dragon*. Check this out.”

Seo Ji-woo, as if waiting for her cue, held something out. It was a *Dragon Scale*.

So *that’s* why she struck up a conversation—she wanted to show off.

I smirked. “I got something good, too.”

If it’s about bragging, she picked the wrong opponent. My loot was a massive haul of snake wine—a unique item that boosts Luck.

“Really? Let’s do a show-and-tell. Look at this.”

Seo Ji-woo tossed the *Dragon Scale* to me.

It didn’t look much different from a slightly oversized snake scale.

I appraised it lightly.

【Dragon Scale】

■ Rank: Epic

■ Overview: A mystical scale shed from a dragon.

■ Can store a significant amount of mana. When carried, grants a +0.5 to mana stat.

Holy crap.

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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