Genius Engineer in the Labyrinth - Chapter 372



Only Noblemtl

Forbidden Zone (1)

Where the Catan’s shard disappeared, only moonlight remained. Alan glanced around the now-silent hangar and returned to the auditorium. The hallway was unusually quiet.

Sophia welcomed him as she was discussing with her disciples about increasing their spellcasting speed.

“You came sooner than I thought.”

“Is that so?”

“I thought you’d be spending the night in the main building, but you came back in four hours.”

Alan rummaged through his powersuit pocket and pulled out a card. The card flew out and burst, revealing the loot in front of Sophia.

A flying object resembling a bobsled, a storage unit containing an unidentified reagent, a pouch of magic stones, and an old journal all flaunted their fascinating appearance.

“It’s an aircraft···.”

“If you combine the architecture above the clouds and the red land, you’ll get the answer.”

“You must have chosen the sky to avoid the monsters on the ground. An aircraft is a natural choice. Is the reagent a cure or something?”

“We need to find out.”

Thanks to the knowledge that the powder had given me, I knew that it was a cure for the abomination disease that was under development, but I kept quiet because it was difficult to explain.

Even though the magic stone was rare, the people here could easily obtain it, so their eyes were drawn to the old diary.

“This is···.”

“It’s like a journal left by Katan.”

“What!?”

“I wrote down questions and doodles that came to mind from time to time.”

While Sophia opened her mouth slightly, Ivan grabbed the journal with his long beard fluttering. His long eyebrows wiggled wildly as he turned the pages.

“Ah, the labyrinth text···.”

The reason Sophia asked Alan for help at the Snowfield Research Institute was because Ivan and Fyodor were blind in the Labyrinth. There were only a few explorers with open eyes, and so they were called the Chosen Ones of the Labyrinth.

Naturally, the diary was passed on to Sophia. As she turned each page, the corners of her mouth grew wider.

“Interesting. Even a simple question contains knowledge of Catan. I don’t know if Catan had the ability to manipulate the Labyrinthian script or if the journal was altered by the Labyrinth’s influence. I’ll read it all.”

“You can take it.”

“You’ve already put it in your head. Is there a way to escape written in the diary?”

“no.”

The next morning, Alan took out the key. The wizards’ eyes followed the pure white wand.

“Wait, that?”

“This is the thing that will open the way.”

“It’s not written in the diary.”

“Yes, it’s not written. I didn’t say I didn’t know.”

“You annoying guy, let me touch you too.”

“This is mine. You promised me the choice first.”

“I said I was just going to take a quick look.”

Sophia made a sour expression, and the disciples covered their eyes with their hands as if they had seen something unbearable.

Alan stood in the center of the auditorium. Sophia, who had been circling nearby, stepped back just in time to help him focus.

The lecture hall we were in was a labyrinth and an isolated dimension, just like the relics were hidden here and there in similar forms.

The dictionary meaning of key is twofold.

A metaphor for a tool that opens or locks a lock, or the most important method or element needed to solve a problem.

The weapon Alan acquired had a function that lived up to its name. When he breathed magic into the white spear, the wizards’ clothes fluttered.

“There’s no response?”

“Ivan, be quiet.”

The key is a very fussy guy, so he doesn’t respond to just feeding him. Sometimes you have to put all your effort into handling him, like a newborn, sometimes like entertaining a VIP, and sometimes like treating a seriously ill patient.

‘Would things be different if I was recognized as a definite owner?’

After a while of coaxing and soothing, the key responded. As if it would grant the request this time, a spiral was slowly drawn on the smooth surface of the window. When Alan stuck it into the floor of the auditorium, the spiral of the window spread out to the surrounding area.

And the scenery I saw changed. Before I closed my eyes, it was a lecture hall, but when I opened them again, the mountain peak that had stimulated the clouds appeared.

Sophia came over to me.

“Let me touch it too.”

Alan held one end of the key firmly and held it out. Sophia, satisfied, continued to work hard on the latch.

“Did Katan use a staff, Fyodor?”

“When I first saw him, I thought he was a magic tool merchant. He must have owned at least one staff.”

“Is that so? Alan. Was it a place you couldn’t escape from without a cane?”

“When you board the aircraft and descend, the lightning is quiet. When you try to ascend, it hits you right away.”

The labyrinth featured both trials and escape routes, and the shelter above the clouds was no exception.

“Did you go down yesterday and come back up again?”

“yes.”

If you get a plane and leave it alone, it’s not Alan. There were a few more originally, but they were destroyed during testing.

The sleeping explorers opened their eyes and looked around. They had expressions like they didn’t know why they were lying on the ground.

Alan looked down at the white window.

‘I think I can escape the depth 7 area of ​​the mind. If I have the time and opportunity, I wonder if I can destroy it? Hmm… I guess I’ll need a blade for that?’

*

As soon as he arrived at the Space Gate Management Office on the 27th floor, Alan felt a sense of excitement. It had already been a hectic time with the mix of explorers, scholars, merchants, and tourists, but now it was particularly intense.

I opened my ears wide and focused on people’s conversations.

“What the hell is this?”

“That’s what I’m saying. This is the first time I’ve felt safer in the labyrinth than on the surface.”

“Hey, it’s too much of an exaggeration just from watching the video.”

Alan approached them for information, thinking that hacking the brain augmentation device would be quick and easy.

Taylor tapped his helmet with the edge of his hand.

“Bad idea.”

“yes?”

“I feel better now because of the influence of Yong-in-hwa. It will be easier to crack down on it now.”

The explorer and scholar who were talking noticed Alan’s presence. They couldn’t help but notice him as he was slightly releasing his magic power as he ascended to depth 6.

The explorer stood at attention and greeted Alan.

“Senior, do you have something to say to me?”

“Senior?”

It was an extremely humble attitude. But it was also a natural reaction.

Because an explorer who lets his power run wild without being involved in a dispute is very likely to be eccentric. To put it badly, he is likely to be a madman.

“It’s not that great, so don’t call me senior.”

“I don’t even know that···.”

Zion’s timid voice could be heard from behind, but for now, he focused on the explorer and the scholar. When he handed them each a magic stone, their expressions were stiff, but the corners of their lips moved slightly.

“Please tell me in detail what we were talking about earlier.”

“You are returning now. There has been a terrorist attack.”

“Where is it?”

“This is area 51-SL.”

The 51 in front is a number indicating a restricted area, and the SL in the back is an identification symbol.

The old site of the Love Hospital that I had gone to with Liberio, that was the 51-SL area. As Alan’s magic power grew slightly heavier, the explorer hiccuped.

“sorry.”

“Oh, no. I’m more sorry.”

The explorer patted his chest and continued.

“I don’t know who committed the terrorist attack.”

“You don’t know? How did the news spread?”

“The savages living around the restricted area reported their sightings to Samramanjwang.”

The restricted area is a dangerous place where you never know what will happen. Naturally, the surrounding land prices are at rock bottom and the residents are poor.

That’s why the explorer called the residents “Burrows.” Although they are not poor in spirit due to their difficult living conditions, those who have become accustomed to the coldness of Maze City think of guns rather than labor when they are hungry.

The city government’s control was so strong that it was impossible to obtain any useful information. As soon as Allen passed through the space gate, he connected to Samramansang.

Footage from that day was hidden here and there, mocking real-time censorship. Alan disguised himself as a normal user and caught a shark passing by, opening its head.

Luckily, I saw a terrorist video. It was a first-person view of meat being grilled on a rooftop.

[Look at the color. The meat is delicious.]

[The idiot had a lot of cash chips.]

[Did you kill him?]

[No, I sent you to a good place. This world is full of suffering. Hehe.]

The voice of the person who had filmed the video was heard. A light lingered at the edge of the man’s vision as he tilted the beer can.

The man turned his head. A bright flash of light fell on the wall covering the restricted area. The dome was destroyed in one blow.

[Hey, are you taking a picture?]

[Of course! You’ll earn a lot of money if you upload it.]

Darkness poured in through the gaping hole. The man zoomed in. Even though the image quality was poor, he could clearly see the rampaging monster.

Alan escaped the swarm. The flash that destroyed the dome was what the explorer called a terror.

‘I have to go keep my promise.’

The powder handed over the key to free the disciple whose name he did not even know, and Alan accepted. Even if it was verbal, the contract was concluded.

“Brother, are you going? I am going.”

“yes.”

“I was worried because I lost contact with the High Priest, but I am relieved. My brothers and sisters will be there and will be able to hear the details.”

As Shiva went ahead, the other comrades naturally followed. Sophia, Fyodor, and Ivan were with them. The other disciples had dispersed.

“I’ll have to see how you use that cane.”

“Is that all?”

“The name of the disciple trapped in the stone is Sonia.”

“no way···.”

“We’re not sisters. But we do say hello to each other because our names are similar.”

Sophia is an elven sorceress who is well over 100 years old. She was still alive when the Labyrinth was first discovered, so she had plenty of time to become acquainted with the people of Catan.

We arrived at Area 51-SL. The city defense forces had blocked the roads into the area and set up checkpoints here and there.

Far inside the translucent magic barrier, a pitch-black hemispherical area was visible. Shattered fragments of the barrier orbited like satellites.

A hundred meters from the checkpoint, a drone appeared and drew a red line. As the car stopped, a soldier in a power suit landed next to it with a thud.

“stop!”

There was a strong sense of irritation and anger in his voice. He seemed determined to deal with any useless excuses harshly. Shiva was the best remedy at times like this.

“Brother, thank you for your hard work. I am Shiva, a monk of the Mosin religion.”

“Haa···. So you’re a member of the Mother Church. I’ll verify your identity.”

A blue light burst from the power suit visor, sweeping across Shiva’s face. Then, a communication was sent inward.

“Confirmed.”

The road opened up. On the way to the place where the Mosin people were gathered, gunshots were heard from the direction of the checkpoint. Taylor looked back, but the building blocked his view.

“Alan, what are you talking about?”

“A drone shot at a person filming from a rooftop. They quickly stopped the bleeding and arrested him.”

The shooting without tolerance was an indicator of how sensitive the city government was to this terrorist attack.

The large truck driven by the box stopped in front of the building occupied by the Mother Church. It was easy to find as the patients lined up to visit.

“Brother, it’s complicated, so I’ll go by myself.”

Shiva ran to the field hospital, while still providing some minor treatment to the injured soldier.

After a while, Shiva returned.

“The High Priestess is inside the restricted area. She has entered with powerful figures, including Sister Iris of the Seven Stars.”

Iris, who always wears a suit, is a superhuman with a depth of 7. The news of her deployment meant that something was not normal going on inside.

Alan turned his eyes to the area of ​​rippling darkness. The space inside was warped, and much larger than it appeared. With the outer shell of the barrier peeling away, it could have been much larger than it was the last time he visited.

Shiva’s explanation continued.

“The defense forces are preventing the monsters born from the darkness from spreading into the city.”

“We need to resolve this internal issue quickly.”

“Infection is a big problem.”

Alan saw a scene where darkness twisted the human form and transformed it into a grotesque monster. It was a type of curse, so it could be treated, but the aftereffects were severe.

“Are you blocking the entrance?”

“Only those with a confirmed identity and a depth of 5 or higher are allowed. And once you enter, you cannot exit.”

“We’re fine. Do you know who the culprit is?”

“It’s a secret, so only you guys should know it.”

Shiva looked around with a stern look. But everyone knows. That statement itself means that those who know know.

Shiva swallowed hard and lowered his voice.

“The collector is the culprit.”