Genius Engineer in the Labyrinth - Chapter 72
Only Noblemtl
Alan followed Zion into the passage. Unlike the clearing where the camp was, the black fog had thickened again, but the sight was more familiar than the clearing.
As I waved my headlamp around, the fog cleared and I could see the rough, rugged walls characteristic of the cave.
Zion arrived at a certain location, put his hand on his waist and turned around.
“Okay, here you go.”
“It’s clean. There are no traces.”
“Oh, right···.”
Zion answered with a blank expression.
The labyrinth absorbs foreign substances or monster corpses when there are no explorers nearby. This process takes between 30 minutes and an hour, meaning that at least 30 minutes had passed.
In other words, while Allen was fighting in the camp, Zion had already organized reinforcements.
Taylor smirked at that.
“I told you, anything other than swordsmanship is a waste.”
“···.”
Zion didn’t refute, but his slightly protruding lips clearly expressed his dissatisfaction. He even kicked a rock that was sticking out with his toe for no reason.
Alan opened his mouth, imagining the battle that would have taken place here and roughly calculating how quickly it would have ended.
“You’re strong.”
“Huh.”
“Look at the way his shoulders are going up. Don’t Jake and Francois usually do that?”
Zion glanced at Taylor with pointed eyes at his question.
“Even whales dance to praise.”
“What do you mean? It seems like the order is reversed.”
“I’ll go up for a bit and come back.”
Zion’s body, which had been standing still, stretched out. He had run at full speed at a speed that was enough to leave an afterimage.
It was a speed that was difficult for Allen’s eyes to capture. After watching the place and path where Zion disappeared for a long time, Taylor asked.
“Are you jealous?”
“What is it?”
“Zion’s accumulated military power and shining talent.”
“No. I was imagining how to recreate such movements using runes and circuit magic.”
“Okay then.”
Alan and Taylor trudged toward the camp. Unlike before, there was no need to rush. Taylor spoke quietly again.
“Zion is the same age as you.”
“Oh… This is even more amazing.”
“Is that the admirable part?”
“At 18, that means he’s really good. He must be one of Breaker’s top prospects. Is he an agent that Chairman Marshall is working hard to develop?”
“Anyway, what I was trying to say was that Zion has been holding a sword since he was just a toddler, and he started entering the labyrinth at the age of eight, so don’t be too jealous. He’s been running on well-laid rails for a lot longer than you. Now that I think about it, there was no need to bring it up.”
There was silence for a moment. Taylor spoke again, seeing the camp walls in the distance.
“Actually, you are the most amazing.”
“why?”
“There is something like that.”
Taylor didn’t respond even though Alan shot him a curious look.
Maze City is a fire pit. Even seeds labeled as geniuses will quickly burn out without a guardian, or be eaten by monsters that have adapted to the place.
But what should we call a seed that grows so fearfully on its own? It could be because it hasn’t been established for a long time, but judging from what it has shown so far, it looks like it’s sprouting.
However, it is not true that Taylor himself did not think of himself as a guardian because he had a guardian. He might have thought so if he was a colleague or a senior. In fact, I had that kind of feeling at first, but not anymore.
Back at the camp, the fog had disappeared as if it were a lie. A place that was strangely outside the law, even though it was in a labyrinth. The miners were gathered in the center of the camp and having a feast of food with supplies.
Shiva, who had been waking up and hanging out, waved at Alan.
“Brothers, you’re here. I opened my eyes but couldn’t see you, so I was worried.”
“I just came back from checking the location where the reinforcements were.”
“What are you worried about? What is that cup you’re holding in your hand right now?”
At Taylor’s words, Shiva shook his glass slightly.
“This is a wound disinfectant. I opened the bottle and oh my. I realized that the wound can be treated with my own method. Should I throw it away because it no longer needs to be disinfected? So I throw it in my stomach….”
“That damn tongue. Even his excuses are so lame.”
“Then I will prepare a different repertoire next time.”
Shiva finished his bluff and then disappeared back into the miners’ midst.
Taylor watched the scene for a moment, then called out to Alan.
“Let’s activate the camp’s defense system for now. We’ll be able to hold out long enough until Zion arrives.”
“It’s already turned on.”
“Uh···, okay.”
Blue waves covered the barrier and then disappeared. It was a structure that was normally in a reserve state, but would deploy a defensive barrier when someone approached or an impact was transmitted.
That’s why the enemy within is so scary. If we had attacked from the outside, they would still be breaking through the defenses, but as a result of the undercover infiltration, they’ve already cleaned up the inside.
“I’m already bored. Should I have just followed Zion and gone up together?”
“It’s dangerous.”
“Are you following Zion? Yes, the miners are in danger.”
If 100 miners went up together, it would be difficult to control and safety could not be guaranteed. Since the camp’s defense facilities were restored, they could hold out for a few days until Zion brought in people.
The convoy sent for the experiment had been cleared by Zion, and the next magic stone transport was still far away, so unless something unexpected happened, it would be much safer to stay here.
“And I have to check the loot too.”
“You’ve become a great explorer too. Greed is a sight to behold.”
“It was like this from the beginning.”
“No, not that.”
Perhaps it was because I was influenced by the automaton modeled after animals. Time passed quickly as I investigated the DT-10, which resembled a dragon turtle. There were also many other things to do.
Nothing major happened. This was expected, since this was the mine that Lockhart had won the business rights to.
Five days after Zion disappeared, she appeared beyond the barrier with a group of people. Among them were people whom Alan had met.
Omar, the wizard with a rough and tumble demeanor, saw Taylor and strode towards him.
“Wow. You’re still alive. Do you know how worried I was?”
“What a shameless bastard. Who died? You should have ground your beak on the stone floor more.”
“You can’t do it now, right? It’s nice to hear your witty remarks after such a long time. I thought you were going crazy, but I guess not.”
“···.”
Taylor took Allen and left. Omar also began to give instructions to his subordinates, as if he had no special business to attend to.
“Talking to him just makes me tired. The only answer is to just ignore him.”
“Did Mr. Omar teach you too?”
“It was the same then as it is now. At the training camp···.”
Taylor’s lips were forced shut by the long-awaited withdrawal. It was a natural result, as the training center that trained agents was highly classified information.
Taylor made a face as if she was about to sneeze. What could she do if she felt uncomfortable, when she couldn’t speak?
There were quite a few people from other organizations besides Breakers. Their uniforms were different, so it was clear who they were, but it wasn’t clear who belonged where.
Zion, who had come before Allen knew it, answered his curiosity.
“That’s the city inspector general.”
“The person over there.”
“I don’t know either.”
As Taylor smiled and looked as if he was going to say something, Zion struck the player.
“Want to come see the lab?”
“Let’s go quickly.”
Alan was more interested in the research results than the magic stone. He tried to enter while Zion was away, but the defenses were tight, and the researchers were just sucking their thumbs while threatening him with data.
The laboratory hidden inside the mine was also crowded with people. A man blocking the entrance blocked Alan’s path.
“Explorer? Where do you belong, and why do you want to join?”
“You deserve it.”
“Yes, I understand. Please come in.”
Judging by the way Zion’s speech and attitude changed with a single word, it was clear that he belonged to Breaker.
The researchers who were occupying the place were very cooperative. I was talking to someone, and I heard words like sentencing and consideration. It was clear that there was a legal deal.
A tour of the laboratory was literally a tour. Whenever I tried to examine the magic cables or the memory modifications of the computer, I was met with harsh stares.
Zion smiled awkwardly, wondering how he could not do that.
“Sorry. I’ll let you know later if I have any good information.”
Taylor, who had stubbornly refused to come to the lab because he thought it would make him break out in hives, seemed to have expected this.
“It’s under Lockhart’s name, but it’s not entirely owned by Lockhart. Can one company really monopolize the huge food source that is the magic stone mine?”
“You mean the stakes are divided? That’s why I told you not to take any of the obvious loot.”
This was not a wild place, but a civilized society. Survival of the fittest and the strong taking all still applied, but to assert them, you had to have the power to match.
Even if it was a gang like Greenblood, Alan was too small to take all the spoils of this battle. The corporation was too big.
“It’s much easier to explain ten if you tell me one. Just think of us as working at the request of Breaker.”
“It’s such a shame.”
“It’s still the corporate influence, no, it’s a typhoon for us. We don’t have the ability to withstand it.”
“When will I be able to feel it as my breath?”
“We need to reach at least depth 6. Then we can confidently make demands on companies without worrying about what others think.”
Now that the troops had arrived to take the miners back to the surface, it was time for Alan to return home.
The moment I was ready to go up and leave the tent, Zion came inside and put something in his arms.
“This is···.”
“The turtle’s magical power and soul stone. I said I caught it.”
“Thank you···.”
Before Alan could express his thanks, Zion disappeared. He must have snuck out, as he heard someone calling out to him desperately.
Taylor’s eyes lit up as he looked at the DT-10’s powertrain.
“Zion must have claimed it as his. Thanks to him, I hit the jackpot.”
“There was no need to take care of it.”
“You should receive when it is given. It is not nice to see people not being too greedy.”
Alan silently pointed to the cart. Taylor removed the automaton’s outer armor, and found it filled with magic stones.
“no way?”
When I opened the drawer of the box standing nearby, I saw that it was also tightly packed with magic stones.
“You saved up so frugally. How much is this?”
Alan just shrugged. He was using his experience of scraping together parts to escape the Novak Clinic.
“The evasion expert is here. Did you also cut costs on my body’s magic wear?”
“···.”
“Why aren’t you answering me? Hey, Alan?”
Taylor followed with an anxious expression, and the corners of Alan’s lips hidden behind his mask twitched slightly.
*
The miners arrived safely on the surface. Before they went to the hospital, Alan visited Hassan.
“Do you know what Mr. Abdul said to me before?”
“···?”
“If my son wanders around the labyrinth, please beat him up and convince him.”
“Uh… If I get hit right now, I think I’ll die….”
Still, Alan threw a punch. It was a weak jab, but thanks to his reinforced exoskeleton, the blow was enough to hit Hassan in the nose.
“Eww!”
Shiva treated Hassan, who was bleeding profusely from the nose. It was literally ‘giving a disease and giving medicine’. Hassan, whose philtrum had turned bright red, smiled and got into the ambulance and disappeared.
Now the only ones left are Alan, Taylor, and Shiva. The three of them, who had been walking together, stopped in a deserted place as if they had made a promise.
“It is time for us to part ways. Brother Taylor, I have a question for you. Are you sure that you have come to the mine survey in good faith?”
“If you say so, you’re a liar. We’re aiming deep into the labyrinth, and to do that we need a priest to join us.”
“Does that mean you did it to look good?”
Alan looked straight into Shiva’s eyes at her question.
“There is that reason, but I also wanted to see and judge from this side. I needed to know if he was really someone worth working with. Are all priests good?”
“That’s not it.”
The divine power of the Mother Church is a change in the nature of magical power due to a special magical power training method. Only aptitude and effort were needed for growth, and personality was not important.
Although the proportion of sages is high because they were well educated from a young age, the Matsin religion was ultimately a gathering of people.
“So please evaluate and think about each other to choose each other.”
“Each other… I was arrogant. I thought I was the interviewer because everyone wants to be a priest. That’s right. There may be differences in ability among colleagues who overcome adversity together, but there is no hierarchy in status.”
Taylor looked at Alan with a proud expression.
“I have a mission to purify the poor souls who are trapped in the labyrinth. If possible, I would like to do it with my brothers.”
Taylor asked, taking Shiva’s hand in his.
“Seeing as you were with Zion, weren’t you thinking of joining Breaker?”
“I only joined briefly because of the high priest’s recommendation, there was no compulsion.”
“If you work for a company, you’ll have to do things you don’t want to do.”
“That’s right. There are a lot of disputes between companies. Since you brothers are not affiliated with any company, you will be less likely to get involved in incidents.”
End