Labyrinth Exploration 101 - L.E Chapter 75 (Part 1): Die With a Smile (5)

─Seol Ha-woon: “…Yeah. A little.”

“…Hah.”

*Labyrinth Exploration NaN* dormitory, S-tier’s spacious room.

Seo Ji-woo dropped a chicken bone, her mouth agape. It was the moment Seol Ha-woon’s interview concluded.

‘What is he doing?’

Of course, it was an interview PD Kim A-rang had shown in advance. But the production team, who aired it without filtering—editing it so dramatically it felt like a movie—were absolute dogs.

*Wing. Wing. Wiiiiing. Wing. Wing. Wing. Wing. Wing.*

Her smartphone buzzed incessantly.

“Ugh…”

Seo Ji-woo pressed her fingers to her brow.

Her room was a mess. Scattered papers with scribbled spell formulas, printed spell research, magic theory books borrowed from the library, and even spell journals published by academic factions…

Among them, what Seo Ji-woo cared about most was *someone’s* personal details.

It wasn’t even her doing, but lately, Seol Ha-woon’s personal information was slowly leaking. Without her digging or prying, too many people, far too curious about him, were piecing together and sharing his history.

Seo Ji-woo picked up a printed sheet.

[Seol Ha-woon Hype Post]

– Labyrinth Exploration NaN is pretty hot these days, right? For those who haven’t picked a fave or want to dive deeper as a muggle, this is an unapologetic hype post. If you’re a fan of someone else, it might rub you the wrong way, but since Ha-woon’s still in the 20s ranking, please look at this kindly. –

*1. UDT*

– The keyword that defines Seol Ha-woon. UDT 64th class. I looked it up, and the 64th was apparently the hell class. For some reason, there were nearly twice as many applicants as usual, so they deliberately made the curriculum brutal to weed people out.

Seol Ha-woon was second in his class.

There’s barely any public info from his active-duty days, just one photo. Someone snapped it off a military base wall.

Honestly, that’s pretty reckless. Photography’s banned on bases. –

*2. Novice Sorcerer, Slow Genius*

– Slow genius. That’s high-ranker Kim Se-jin’s take. Seol Ha-woon—though it’s still just his claim—has only been a sorcerer for six months. A lot of people don’t buy it. But I do. Why? During a mission, he fell into a coma and was even diagnosed with full-body paralysis. He was in rehab until late last year.

I’ll attach interviews with hospital staff.

Reporters who visited the hospital praised Seol Ha-woon’s mental strength. A human victory against impossible odds. A miracle, they said.

…You can’t prepare to be a sorcerer while in rehab, right? Proof is, he’s been improving nonstop since episode one. In the Linear Labyrinth, he barely fired a few bullets, but in the Cargo Labyrinth, he was sniping like a pro. –

*3. Always-Right*

– Some call it a military mindset, others a boomer attitude, but I think it’s essential for the labyrinth. *Labyrinth Exploration NaN* is a show where explorers compete and perform, right? But the labyrinth is way more dangerous than we think. We watch it on TV, YouTube, or movies and dramas, so it feels trivial, but one wrong move can cost you a limb—or your life.

Plainly, without Seol Ha-woon, what would’ve happened in the Cargo Labyrinth? The Survival Labyrinth? Seo Ji-woo and Lee Jun-ho would’ve flunked the Snowfield Labyrinth for sure. –

*4. Visual*

– Tall, long hair, cane, limp, ex-soldier, jade skin, sharp eyes, cave-deep voice. Each keyword stands alone. That’s how unique his vibe is. Guaranteed. He’s not a jaw-dropping heartthrob like Kang Hyun or Lee Jun-ho, but his face is so striking you can’t forget it. Watch him on air, and he’ll stick in your mind. Then you’re screwed like me…

Above all, the key point is number one. –

‘Seol Ha-woon is from the same class as Seo Ji-hyuk.

UDT is a special unit, so there aren’t many in a batch. Like one or two high school classes at most.

In other words, Seol Ha-woon *has* to know Seo Ji-hyuk.

Yet he doesn’t act like he knows him around me. Instead, he helps me from the shadows. In the Snowfield, with Dragon Scale, he’s oddly kind to me despite his personality.

There’s only one conclusion.

Seol Ha-woon knows Seo Ji-hyuk.

And because he knows Seo Ji-hyuk, he’s kind to me.’

*Wing. Wing. Wiiiiing. Wing. Wing. Wing. Wing.*

“Ah, seriously, so noisy.”

Seo Ji-woo grabbed her phone. Messages from high school friends, elite sorcerer group chats, Yoon Hwa-rim, and more flooded in, but the most important person—Seol Ha-woon—was absent.

‘…I wonder if he’s there.’

Seol Ha-woon’s spot was well-known. He climbed the back hill every day.

She had her excuse. Today’s interview was the perfect pretext.

Seo Ji-woo left her room.

She took the elevator to the first-floor lobby and headed outside.

“…What in the world.”

Under the moonlight stood a man in a martial arts uniform, Lee Jun-ho, holding a longsword, admiring its glint against the sky.

“What’re you doing?”

Lee Jun-ho turned his head.

“Just checking my loot.”

Martial arts uniform, longsword—all spoils from the World Labyrinth.

“Looks nice. Use it well.”

Seo Ji-woo leaned toward compliments. Nothing’s worse than asking someone why they bought a used car or what they paid for it.

“What do you think, Ji-woo?”

Lee Jun-ho raised an eyebrow slyly.

“About what?”

“The interview. That guy was cool, right?”

He meant Seol Ha-woon. Was he one of *those* fans?

“What… But if you look closely, don’t you see the edit cuts? Felt like a shady cut.”

“You sure you’re not just wanting to think that?”

“Are you nuts?”

Seo Ji-woo furrowed her brow. Lee Jun-ho grinned.

“That guy’s got some life to him. Not as much as me, but still. UDT, you know.”

Seo Ji-woo found his emphasis on UDT suspicious.

“…Hey. You know something?”

Lee Jun-ho swished his longsword—*swish, swish, swish*. Moonlight glinted off the blade.

Seo Ji-woo shielded her eyes.

“Hey, what the hell?”

“Just ask him.”

“…That’s why I’m going.”

Seo Ji-woo was scared. What would Seol Ha-woon’s memories of Seo Ji-hyuk be?

If possible, she’d trade the Dragon Scale, offered at 500 million, to know.

“But, like, maybe he just likes you?”

At Lee Jun-ho’s playful remark, Seo Ji-woo flipped him off.

“Fu*k you. What is this, a dating show? The more we act like this, the more the production plays us.”

“The solo signal was kinda fun, though.”

“…Season 2 especially.”

They locked eyes and smirked. Lee Jun-ho spoke.

“I’m off.”

“Where?”

“Training.”

“Take it easy.”

Lee Jun-ho shook his head.

“Gotta work harder. I need to acknowledge myself. To surpass that guy.”

His odd words and comic grin felt strangely cartoonish.

“Surpass what. Got eighth-grade syndrome from that uniform?”

Seems he’s been obsessed with *Blade of Annihilation* lately. [T/N: This is a parody of the popular manga/anime ‘Demon Slayer’.]

* * *

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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