Genius Engineer in the Labyrinth - Chapter 61
Only Noblemtl
Green Blood (4)
The overhead doors of the warehouse went up, and the orcs that Alan had dealt with were dragged out, leaving red marks on the floor.
As Alan was untying the rope connecting the leopard and the orcs, Kiki approached them with a jaunty gesture.
“Why are there so many? Did you really handle it all by yourself?”
“no.”
“I knew it. No matter how special you are, it’ll be impossible to deal with the green goblins in one breath. Let’s see who your helper is.”
“I sorted it out with these kids.”
“A child? Ugh!”
Kiki was startled when she saw the leopard suddenly poking its head in. Her gaze was drawn to the box moving around on an endless track.
Kiki quickly climbed up onto a nearby locker and quietly climbed down. The goblin’s characteristic cowardly nature demanded that she run away excessively even at the slightest provocation.
Kiki, her pride hurt, watched the automaton from a distance.
“The leopard···.”
Drill fangs that could even pierce through iron plates, red-tinted forelegs, and runes carved all over its body. Kiki’s gaze naturally moved to the box at its burdensome appearance.
The structure was layered like a wheel or a lunch box. It looked easy enough, so I poked the outside with my fist.
“You look a little weak… Ugh!”
The box, reacting to external stimuli, slammed into the cheeky goblin.
Kiki rolled on the floor clutching the back of her head, but the sight of her tightly wrapped around the pipe was impressive.
“No leaks! Alan, save me!”
Annoyingly, Alan and Taylor ignored the commotion and chatted while looking at the pile of orcs nearby.
“You swept away everything lying here without a magic launcher?”
“yes.”
“How long has it been since you entered Maze City?”
“It came around the beginning of July, so about four months.”
“You should remember the monumental date of entering the super-large city where the Great Labyrinth exists. No, that’s just like you. Then I guess we can change our plans.”
If the reach level is between 11th and 20th floor, it is expressed as depth 2, so even if it is the same level, the strength varies greatly.
Moreover, since each person’s characteristics and abilities are different, there are sometimes people who break the mold set by the public.
Taylor stroked his chin for a moment and examined Alan’s various features. For one, there was one in front of him. Despite his weak body due to excessive magical power, he went down the labyrinth alone, and used his large mana heart to operate multiple automatons to cover up his shortcomings.
Alan, unable to contain his curiosity, pressed Taylor for an answer.
“How would you change your plans?”
“I was planning on staying in the middle level of the cave for a while, but I guess I can go down to the lower level right away. I’ll talk about the details later, but let’s get things sorted out here first.”
Alan immediately took off his reinforced exoskeleton. Since it was a device custom-made for each person’s body type, it was difficult to use it right away.
Still, it was a new experience to touch the exoskeleton. The days when I only knew how to touch junk all my life now seemed distant.
What I liked most was the fact that I was in control of my life, no matter which direction I moved in.
Alan said, pointing to the exoskeleton.
“Would you like to wear one?”
“The artificial muscles I have now are much better than these cheap ones made in back alleys.”
“What about the stuff that Dali used? That’s made by Chilseong’s subsidiary called Fullmoon, so I’m sure you’ll be satisfied with it.”
“You should use that. It’s good to give in, but first, take care of yourself and then think of others. If you keep giving, those who receive the favor will also try to take advantage of you.”
“Are you going to do that?”
“Of course not me. It’s about time the sleeping hostages of the prison woke up.”
As Taylor said, the magic engineers who were under the influence of sleeping magic were repeatedly raising and lowering their heavy eyelids.
“This is···.”
“My arm? Where did your arm go?”
“Drrrrrr.”
All kinds of reactions came out.
As Alan approached the three of them, they quickly turned away, probably thinking they were villains, given their indifferent eyes and masks.
“Who? Save me! I’ll keep my mouth shut for the rest of my life!”
The armless man bowed his head. The cross-section showed that he had originally had a prosthetic arm, but it seemed that the orcs had torn it off. It was natural, considering that the magic engineer’s arm might have been equipped with some kind of equipment.
Alan hit the table with his cane to control the growing noise. The two people who were crying covered their mouths, and the one who was still half-asleep came to his senses.
“I’m not a gang member. We’ve taken care of the people who kidnapped you, so calm down.”
“Really?”
“Thank you.”
The brightness was fleeting, and darkness took over most of his complexion. It was a natural reaction, since all of the equipment that could be considered the lifeblood of a magic engineer had been stolen during the kidnapping process.
Alan, who knew the situation, threw three bags containing magic stones in front of each person.
“It will be a stepping stone for your recovery. Take them one by one and go home.”
“thank you.”
“excuse me···.”
“Do you have anything to say?”
At Alan’s question, one of them looked around to see if he could get another one. Then he found a goblin with a modified body, but for some reason, he was reluctant to give up because of the expression full of sorrow.
“no.”
As the three people left, Kiki approached them and opened her mouth.
“Why are you giving it to me like this? You can just kick me out. No, you can’t. Even if you receive a rescue fee, it won’t be enough.”
“What can a magic engineer do when all his equipment has been stripped? The brain expansion device must have been left behind because it would kill him if it was removed carelessly, but even if it is safe, it is already an empty shell.”
“That’s true. I feel a bit lost when I think about that situation.”
“So, consider it as saving three people and forget about Kiki.”
“Hey, sir.”
“Is there a problem?”
“I don’t know. Something feels strange… It feels comfortable, but also uneasy. Did a bug get in? My chest feels ticklish.”
As is often the case with goblins, Kiki quickly snapped out of her reverie. Greenblood’s hideout was full of things that could easily catch the greedy goblin’s attention.
“Even the people who were sleeping gave me pockets. … Then can I get some too?”
“I, I. You goblin cub. Where did you leave your conscience? Did you leave it at the treatment center while you were modifying your body?”
“Sir, I also took care of a muscle pig.”
In the place that Kiki proudly pointed to, there was a young orc who looked like a newbie, without even an exoskeleton.
Would it be an illusion to think that the corner of the nearby fallen cabinet and the dent in the back of the orc’s head are similar?
“I got lucky and got it. I’m proud of it, kid.”
“Yes. Think of me as your child and take care of me.”
“No, are you crazy? I wouldn’t give a truckload of money to someone like you even if it was free. I said, get out of here!”
Taylor pushed away Kiki, who was clinging to her in a dirty way. Alan opened his mouth at the sight.
“Kiki.”
“Why? What are you going to give me?”
“Do it in moderation.”
“Well, I see… But I worked hard too….”
Kiki, who was intimidated by the indifferent eyes, quietly began to clean up. If the beak had stuck out just a little more, it could have been called a relative of the stork.
Taylor whispered, one side of her mouth slightly raised.
“What’s going on? I thought the goblin would give me something if I hung on to it.”
“A fair reward should be given when a worthy task has been accomplished.”
“Yes, yes. You’re doing very well. If the standards for rewards and punishments are strange, those who quickly climb up like goblins will become spoiled.”
Kiki was gloomy for a while, but after accepting the magic stone pouch that Alan offered, her mood quickly brightened and she left the warehouse with light steps.
Taylor loaded two trucks with useful supplies and started them up.
Tudadadada!
There was a rough engine noise, and the truck shook as if it would break apart at any moment.
“What era are we living in that we have to do something like this? If it’s a truck, is it diesel? Do you know how to drive?”
“yes.”
I learned it from Vito while I was wandering around for a few months after escaping from the clinic. It was just a way to pass the time, but I was glad to finally have the chance to use it.
“But you didn’t reveal who the client was. I guess you approached him more secretly than I thought.”
“It’s so clumsy that we might not notice it easily, but in this case, it might be better not to know. If we get entangled for no reason and a large group comes out, it’ll be a headache. Let’s get going.”
Trucks and police cars passed each other as they left the old industrial area.
*
A five-story building that accommodates new registrants and beginner explorers, commonly known as the Sprout Hall. Although the building is low-rise, its area is very large. Alan and Taylor were sitting in the lobby on the first floor.
“I never thought I’d get a reissue at this age.”
[Labyrinth Explorer ID Card]
-Name: Taylor
– Floor: 20th floor
-Speciality: Reconnaissance and Detection
-Special skill: None
Alan also looked at the ID card from the side.
“It’s the 20th floor. The last time I went in and out, it said it was the 35th floor···.”
“I guess this is a sign that I should stop using my old ID. I feel a little strange thinking about re-entering the workforce. I guess I’m destined to never be able to escape this labyrinth until I die.”
“That’s good, because it means you’re being honest. But you came here for another reason.”
“Oh, that’s right.”
Light burst from Taylor’s eyes, creating a square screen in the air.
Although it was a hassle to explain everything in detail, Taylor found this type of information delivery somehow endearing. It was like being a grandfather telling old stories to his grandson while he sat him on his lap.
“This is a request. Rather than just going down, it’s more efficient to link up with the requests in the area. Sometimes, wizards or researchers will give you work like this through the Explorer’s Guild.”
“Fortunately, I’m not going down there protecting anyone.”
“If that were the case, I wouldn’t have bothered to look into it. But the question I asked is a bit different. Up to the middle level of the cave, there are only defensive bases that are constantly being created and destroyed, but on the lower level, there are fixed fortresses and ruins.”
“I’ve heard of that.”
“When I was young, I had to learn by asking for advice from my seniors, but these days, it’s available in all things. The world has really become a better place.”
It was just a mild complaint. Taylor knew that important information was still kept secret. For example, the secret passage he had found last time.
“Oh, that’s not the point. The goal of the quest is to find metal plates or books from fortresses or ruins. New technologies are usually found in such places.”
“If I look for it, it’ll be okay if I look at it first, right?”
“The decibels of the voice have gotten a little higher. This is the only time it responds well. But don’t expect too much. As you know, the history of labyrinth exploration goes back over 100 years, and caves have long been one of the passages.”
“But the letters found in the labyrinth can’t be deciphered even with magic. It’s like they were scribbled on purpose to cause trouble.”
“A blueprint is just a drawing, so you can interpret it somehow. But let’s stop talking about this. My head is already starting to hurt.”
Alan, who got up from his chair, still held onto hope.
“I hope to make new discoveries.”
“I told you it’s difficult. You’ll have to go through the primeval forest at least to find something that will satisfy your thirst for knowledge.”
“But you never know.”
“This guy is so stubborn.”
Even as he said that, Taylor was satisfied. Alan was full of the spirit of challenge and desire that an explorer should have. Only those with such will could survive long in the labyrinth.
As Taylor came out of the building, he asked Alan a question.
“Do you have enough seeds of the bloodsucking flower?”
“Western Sky? Suddenly there….”
Before he could finish his sentence, several scenes flashed through Alan’s mind. The first memory that came to the forefront was Taylor’s gaze being captured by the sight of the fairy.
“Because of the boss, Yohwa?”
“No, it’s not that. I’m just worried about your health.”
“There will be at least a 10 year age difference. Is that okay?”
“In an age where even the body can be changed, what does age matter… Hmm, hmm!”
The corners of Alan’s mouth twitched slightly. He himself didn’t notice it, and Taylor didn’t notice it either because of the mask.
Their conversation was cut short for a moment as Taylor bit her lip. The same thing happened when they arrived at the monorail station and waited for the train.
A hologram appeared indicating that the next train was arriving. It happened to be heading towards Western Sky.
“So···, are you going?”
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