Genius Engineer in the Labyrinth - Chapter 47
Only Noblemtl
Field trip (1)
A few days after the investigation at the shooting range ended, Alan’s footsteps naturally led him to the labyrinth.
It seems like only yesterday that I escaped from the collector, but now my body is trembling, and I wonder if I have a serious level of exploration addiction.
After exiting the labyrinth station, Alan naturally got in line. In fact, the line was longer than before the collector started causing a ruckus.
Alan, who didn’t even want to waste time waiting, got into the leopard-drawn cart and lost himself in thought.
‘Runes and circuit magic can be components of each other.’
This was the conclusion I reached after a few days. If you draw the runes in small size, that is, if you carve them in the milli, micro, and nano realms? When you look at them with your eyes, it becomes circuit magic.
The opposite is also true, of course. When engraved, it is a circuit, but when viewed from a distance, it is a rune.
Which method is good for which design and which material is good is currently being studied. It is impossible for Alan alone to figure out everything in a few days, and there was also the issue of funding.
‘Is there an institution that applies or researches in the same way?’
Alan thought there was. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a lab full of intellectuals who came up with concepts on their own?
But just knowing the concept was a huge advantage for Alan.
‘It was knowledge that did not exist in the universe. It is too unrealistic to assume that no one knows about it, so I guess that means they do not want to release it into the market.’
Knowledge is power and money. Considering that the price of the beginner’s version of the Star Character Interpretation is 5 million coins, how much should the concept that Alan started studying be valued?
Of course, knowledge and application are different. That’s why Alan goes down to properly apply knowledge. Because imagination that is not brought out is just an illusion.
Even Allen, who had been riding comfortably on the wagon, had to get off when he passed the fortress’ entrance gate. The explorers were passing through the newly-established security checkpoint one by one.
A soldier with his helmet visor up reached out to Alan. Seeing the explorers handing over their identification cards, Alan did the same.
Light from the artificial eye scanned the ID, and the security checkpoint examined Alan’s body.
“Confirmed. Forward.”
The soldier gave his permission in a dry voice. It was not surprising that his throat was dry after talking all day.
Alan, who had entered the fortress completely, looked around. The security was much stronger than before. The number of Titans and automatic turrets had increased, and the number of magic circles drawn on the walls had also increased.
‘It’s probably an attempt to calm other people’s anxiety.’
However, the collector who escaped safely from the siege with Chairman Marshall was a depth 7 expert. If such a person were to decide to deceive, he would inevitably be breached again.
‘Now that the security has been tightened, they might be targeting other countries’ labyrinths.’
It wasn’t Alan’s problem. I was busy with my own work, so who would care if the criminal was caught or killed?
As I passed through the door and saw the maze in front of me, all distracting thoughts disappeared.
‘The goal of this expedition is the goalkeeper···.’
I bought a reinforced exoskeleton to try to catch the goalkeeper on my own, so it would be better to go down after meeting him face to face. I just hope I get a chance to meet him face to face.
‘···And the cave.’
I also wanted to know the difference between facing an enemy in a group and facing it alone. When you cooperate, your individual weaknesses are hidden by the strengths of others, but when you are alone, they are revealed without filtering.
*
Arriving at the 9th floor campsite, Alan waited for the gatekeeper while simultaneously working on his craft and studying. Sometimes, when he felt frustrated, he would pass the time by repairing the explorers’ magical tools.
‘I’ve already missed it twice.’
At first, I only heard that they had been caught, and the second time, they had priority right in front of my nose. Unfortunately, the party that engaged first had priority, so I had no choice but to turn back.
Why are there so many explorers at the 9th floor campsite? They were all competitors.
‘There’s nothing we can do about it, one goalkeeper is worth more than a bunch of automatons.’
Alan glanced at his watch and stood up. The other explorers also headed down since it was time for the water gate to regenerate.
When Alan, riding on the cart, encounters a group of automatons, he stops for a moment with his eyes and runs away. The automatons, who would have rushed at him like crazy, were unable to chase him when he disappeared like that.
How long have I been wandering around the 10 floors of the maze?
Push!
This time, as if the heavens had helped, a large manhole appeared right in front of Alan.
‘God help you?’
Alan’s eyes slightly distorted. It was a phrase that he remembered but for some reason did not like.
Anyway, now was the time to focus on the goalkeeper. The automaton did its best regardless of whether the explorers were children or adults, or in groups or alone.
The leopard, freed from the cart, leapt forward. However, due to the command that Alan had input, it chose to evade rather than attack.
The maze was filled with the horrible sound of a hammer striking the air. The leopard dove down, kicking against the wall to avoid the attack.
The goalkeeper focused on the leopard, but checked on Alan occasionally.
‘It’s clear that the behavior patterns are diverse because there are so many stars on the soul stone. If it were another automaton, it would have just chased the leopard to death.’
Alan took out the grenade launcher that had been loaded onto the cart. He pulled the drum magazine out to the side and checked its condition.
‘No problem.’
I tapped the magazine with my palm, and with a click it fully engaged the launcher. I aimed it at the goalkeeper and looked into the scope.
The crosshair was set on the goalkeeper’s chest. The locations of the automaton’s magic path and soul stone were random, but the chest was most likely the location.
‘The goalkeeper can’t see properly, so there’s nothing he can do.’
Alan stood up straight instead of lying down. The reinforced exoskeleton was fixed in place, supporting the user’s body firmly.
When I gave magic to the handle, it went through the circuit and entered the inside of the launcher, stimulating [Explosion] and [Repulsion]. [Spiral] and [Acceleration] given to the muzzle were also imbued with magic.
The goalkeeper’s single eye lit up for a moment. It was because he had identified the movements of the enemy targeting him. He made a move to run towards Allen.
‘It’s late.’
Boom!
A heavy yet light sound came to my ears. The recoil of my upper body flowed through my waist to my lower body, and most of it was dissipated by my reinforced exoskeleton.
And the flying magic bullet. The front part with the rune of [Penetration] engraved on it dug into the outer armor of the goalkeeper, and the [Explosion] located on the body reacted late.
Boom!
The outer armor shook and flames and smoke poured out from the hole. But the goalkeeper’s durability was so great that he did not stop walking.
As Alan was about to fire again, the goalkeeper’s dangling right arm fell off, as did the blasting hammer he was holding tightly.
Boom!
The explosion heard again was not Allen’s work. Luckily, the blast hammer, which was gathering power, was struck, causing additional explosions.
The goalkeeper’s body tilted greatly, with his right leg torn apart. The goalkeeper’s charge was not perfect, so he could not fire the eye beam.
Alan lowered the launcher and opened his lips slightly.
“Ask.”
The leopard, who had been watching until then, jumped up. The goalkeeper, whose balance was broken, could not hold on and fell forward.
Wow!
The only loud sound was the drill’s fangs gnashing against the armor around its neck.
“good job.”
Alan rubbed the leopard’s face, which had torn off the goalkeeper’s head. It was an automaton, so it just stood there blankly without responding, but what could be wrong with such good performance?
Alan placed the goalkeeper’s head on the cart and approached the body. He took out his cane and rolled the body around to check the inside.
‘The penetration is okay, but the explosion is a bit disappointing. The launcher’s aiming performance also needs to be improved.’
Mixing circuit magic with runes can sometimes produce unexpected results or defective products, but for a first attempt, the results were excellent.
Allan alone silenced the goalkeeper with one kick of a Matan.
“Oh, you were there too.”
And a leopard as blunt as its owner.
Alan, who was rummaging through the goalkeeper’s body and collecting only relatively light and valuable parts, turned when he heard a sound behind him.
“Oh, I missed it.”
The other explorers arrived late. This was not a campsite, so they had to avoid each other, but Alan was alone, so they just stood there blankly.
“Sightseeing is prohibited.”
Alan aimed the grenade launcher right at him.
You had to react strongly because you never knew what would happen in the labyrinth. If you showed weakness, you risked being perceived as prey.
The party, who had been looking back and forth between the grenade launcher and the water gatekeeper, shook their heads and disappeared into the fog.
Alan took only the expensive parts and went back to the 9th floor campsite. The inconvenience of being alone is that you need a safe place to investigate something.
Alan, who had taken a seat in the corner, began his research as usual. A few explorers were wandering around needing repairs, but he didn’t approach them because there were no signs for business.
Not all of them did so. When someone approached, the leopard that had been lying down in front of them got up.
“Wait a minute, it’s me. Me. Don’t you know who I am?”
Alan looked up at the familiar voice. A blond man with a relaxed expression, Carlson, was in front of him.
“It’s been a while.”
“You’re still blunt. I almost didn’t recognize you because of the automaton staring at me and the mask.”
“Then how did you know?”
“Because of the eyes. The numb eyes are the same now as they were before. How long has it been since we broke up? A little over two months?”
“I think it’s about that much.”
Only after Alan had the leopard sit down next to him did Carlson come closer, armed with his shield and shotgun as before.
“He looks well-built. Your complexion has improved.”
“A lot of things have happened.”
“Please don’t do that. Tell me.”
At the request of Carlson, who is a talker, Alan had no choice but to reveal some information. Like that he created the leopard himself, and that he was originally sick but is now feeling better.
“So you came down here alone? Wait a minute…”
Carlson paused, his eyes quickly scanning Alan’s hands and the cart.
“Isn’t that the goalkeeper’s part? We were the ones who were squabbling together on the 6th floor. Could it be that Aung and I were in chains?”
“···.”
“It’s sad that you don’t even deny it.”
Carlson was smiling, even though he was sad in words. He seemed to have come from a harmonious and wealthy family. He was positive about himself, so he knew how to positively affect others.
After asking each other about their recent activities, Alan opened his mouth.
“What brings you here, Carlson? You must be busy with college right now.”
“That’s why I came. The labyrinth department I go to doesn’t just sit back and take the loot that explorers bring back. There’s a culture that says you have to experience it yourself to learn.”
Alan nodded. There was definitely a big difference between seeing it with your own eyes and experiencing it.
Carlson turned his head and pointed to a group of people huddled together on one side.
“If they look a little awkward, they’re students of the Labyrinth Department.”
“People with considerable armament and momentum will be escorts.”
“That’s right. And the person over there is Professor Oros.”
Professor Oros was a large orc. At first, Alan thought he was not a professor but an escort.
Carlson smiled as if he knew what I was thinking.
“I was like that at first too. I was looking at the textbook during the first class, when I suddenly heard a thumping sound in front of me. I looked up to see what it was, and what was it….”
“Student Carlson. What are you talking about so interestingly?”
It was a deep voice.
Carlson’s shoulders shook in confusion.
“Haha… I met an acquaintance… Oh, my name is Alan and I am a magic engineer.”
“oh···.”
Oros’ eyes simultaneously captured Alan’s equipment and the leopard lying beside him. He nodded slightly.
“You are a valuable talent. It is nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too.”
“A magic engineer walks alone? That’s really rare.”
Alan was the same. He wasn’t a racist, but all the orcs he’d seen so far had been rough and crude in their behavior.
But the orc’s eyes were filled with intelligence. He was even a professor. The world was so vast and there were so many amazing things.
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