Labyrinth Exploration 101 - L.E Chapter 85 (Part 2): An Ordinary Day (1)

Morning light seeped through the curtains.

In a dim room, a monitor flickered, and some ‘man’ sat there, staring blankly at the screen.

│School Violence and Military Violence… Was Seol Ha-woon Always Like This?│

│Back-to-Back Revelations—Where’s Always-Right’s Integrity?│

│Production Team Incompetence or Contestant Misconduct?│

│SSEN Scoop! Seol Ha-woon, Always-Right’s Two Faces│

The portal site’s main page was swamped with articles about Seol Ha-woon’s past.

To him, it didn’t matter. He couldn’t care less what kind of person Seol Ha-woon was or what kind of soldier he’d been.

The real problem was…

*.* I heard from an insider he messed with Kim Doo-gyeom a ton beyond that stuff. Writers and PDs all knew about it.
│Like 1,305│Dislike 112│
*.* Never got why people stanned “Always-Right”. Just seemed like a washed-up jerk to me.
│Like 1,005│Dislike 198│
*.* A guy like that? Should lock him up in some old-school Samcheong Education Camp. That face alone—I never liked it!
│Like 995│Dislike 812│
*.* Lol Jesuldan’s crashing hard lol—skydiving from the top~~
│Like 885│Dislike 310│
*.* Why’d he have to pick on poor sweet Kim Doo-gyeom;
│Like 815│Dislike 52│

Staring at the flood of comments, the man clenched his fist. His teeth ground together.

These people were being fooled.

The whole world was being fooled.

Kim Doo-gyeom wasn’t that kind of guy. Not the saint he played on TV.

No way in hell…

‘Hey.’

He remembered Kim Doo-gyeom showing up at his place. One day, after a part-time shift, he’d come home to find Kim Doo-gyeom sprawled on his sofa like he owned it.

Trespassing.

‘Long time no see?’

His throat locked up right then—no words, no breath. He stumbled back and tripped over the doorstep.

‘What’s with the freakout? F*ck. People’d think I’m some monster.’

Kim Doo-gyeom crouched down, smirking at him like it was a joke.

‘Hey. Came to apologize. Sorry about back then. But honestly, you were pretty pathetic. Sh*t, was lending a pair of shoes that hard?’

That voice—half-assed apology with an outstretched hand—still rang clear as day. His heart pounded; it felt like blood was leaking from his eyes.

‘F*ckin’ hell. Not gonna answer? You’re making me think of the old days again.’

‘…Why, why’re you here.’

‘Why, you little sh*t. Still a loser, huh? Told you, I’m sorry. Here.’

Kim Doo-gyeom dropped a bag on the floor.

‘What’s this~?’

*Click.* He sneered and dumped it out. 50,000 won bills fluttered across the floor.

‘It’s 50 million, 50 million. First time seeing it? Call it compensation.’

Compensation.

50 million.

He just stared, numb.

‘Hey. You know, right? I’m going to be on Labyrinth Exploration.’

That bragging tone. That smug face. Those mocking gestures.

All of it was loathsome.

‘If I make it big later, I’ll toss you another 100 mil in cash. How’s that? Already locked down deals with everyone else but you.’

‘……’

He couldn’t speak.

Not out of anger or resentment—just pure, hollow futility.

It was so damn unfair.

‘Sigh, f*ck. Greedy for cash, huh? Fine. I’ll throw in another 50 mil. 200 total. Deal?’

That’s the kind of guy Kim Doo-gyeom was.

Endlessly looking down on anyone weaker, using them just to feed his sadism. People like me? Barely human to him.

‘Now. Sign the contract.’

He forced a fingerprint on it.

That paper with his print—it’s still in Kim Doo-gyeom’s hands.

‘But. If you snitch later?’

Oh, but you don’t get it.

‘I’ll kill you. For real, no joke. I’ll slit your throat, your dad’s, your mom’s, and that dog’s too—make kebabs out of them.’

If I expose you, you plan to use that contract to nullify the exposé? When that contract itself is proof of your demonic nature?

“…F*cking bastard.”

Tears fell as he set his hand on the keyboard.

* * *

─Seol Ha-woon is caught up in school violence and military violence controversy.

At a logistics warehouse, forklifts rumbling back and forth. In that place thick with the site’s stench, a man stared at his smartphone in the corner.

─Seol Ha-woon, who shot to fame on *Labyrinth Exploration NaN*…

“Hey, Lee Do-hyun.”

A middle-aged guy popped up behind him.

“Hiding out here slacking?”

The man, Lee Do-hyun, spun around fast.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t do stuff you gotta apologize for… Oh~ this?”

The team leader jabbed a finger at the phone screen and smirked.

“Seol Ha-woon’s school violence? Hey~ I knew he was that type. Something about his face from the jump. Like a beast, you know? The kind that tears into the weak and never lets go, ruthless—”

“No. It’s not true, the school violence.”

Lee Do-hyun’s face hardened as he cut in. The team leader gave him a puzzled look. What’s up with this quiet kid?

“…Not true?”

“Yeah. Absolutely not.”

“Absolutely? How do you know?”

“Same orphanage. Me and Seol Ha-woon hyung.”

“…Ah~”

Lee Do-hyun’s an orphan. No family.

To the team leader—father of two sons and a daughter—this kid’s someone he looks out for, for some reason.

“So that’s it. Wait, Seol Ha-woon’s an orphan too?”

“…Yeah.”

“Oh… Didn’t know. So that’s why you have that too….”

The cane-shaped ring dangling from the smartphone.

It was merch. Seol Ha-woon merch. Who the hell makes a cane into merch, he thought.

“Hmm. Well… So Seol Ha-woon didn’t beat anyone?”

“He did beat people.”

“…What? Then it *is* school violence.”

The team leader’s brow furrowed.

“More like the ones Ha-woon hyung beat were the bullies. The punks who picked on the weak.”

“What… How do you know that?”

Lee Do-hyun locked eyes with him and answered.

“Because I was the one being beaten.”

“……”

The team leader’s jaw dropped. He rolled his eyes awkwardly and coughed.

“Ahem, well. That’s that. Let’s get to work. Work. Come on~ Tons to do today. I’ll cut you loose before 1…”

“Half-day.”

Lee Do-hyun cut him off, bold as hell.

“I’m taking it. Got something to handle.”

The team leader blinked, thrown.

Today’s stacked—might not finish even with overtime ‘til dawn.

“…Sigh.”

Those eyes were dead-set. Fingers twitching. If I don’t let him go, he might torch the place.

“Fine. Go on.”

He’s usually a pushover, so if he’s like this, it’s gotta be big.

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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