Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 117

#47. A Hole

Song Jong-cheol’s laughter had an eerie quality, a twisted smile of self-pity and hatred. But Kim Jin-woo remained unfazed.

Which Dungeon Baby didn’t harbor resentment towards the Lower Floors, and who didn’t have a tale of woe to tell?

He, too, was one of those Dungeon Babies.

“After that day, I couldn’t even bring myself to approach the Deep Floors. I’d clutch my aching wounds and tremble at the mere sound of rain. But you know what I find most pathetic?”

Kim Jin-woo didn’t respond. Song Jong-cheol wasn’t expecting an answer anyway, and continued, “Those damn guys don’t even give a damn about someone like me. I was just collateral damage.”

Song Jong-cheol tossed back a glass of whiskey in one gulp.

“The war on the 11th floor is just them going berserk. I don’t want to know the reason, and I don’t care. There’s no way to find out the truth anyway.”

There was something unsettling about his story, and Kim Jin-woo understood why.

“Although the Lower Floors are expansive, I’ve never encountered explorers heading above the 8th floor, despite my activity near the passages.”

In truth, Jang Geori and numerous labyrinth owners served as his eyes and ears, but he embellished the truth with a few lies.

“I was wondering about that.”

Song Jong-cheol replied casually, “There are routes for Deep Floor specialists that ordinary explorers are completely unaware of.”

“A kind of secret passage?”

“Well, something along those lines. If you only associated with Lee Jun-young’s crew, you probably wouldn’t know about it. They talk a big game, but they don’t actually venture into the Deep Floors.”

Kim Jin-woo gripped his glass tightly at the mention of a path to the Deep Floors that bypassed the 9th floor. But his face remained impassive, betraying no emotion as he inquired, “This secret passage you mentioned…”

“That’s it! The goodwill information I’ve given you ends here. From this point on, I can’t just hand it over. My livelihood is on the line.”

Song Jong-cheol cut him off. He had already shown considerable goodwill, but it seemed his generosity had reached its limit.

“You want something in return?” Kim Jin-woo asked, gesturing towards the Down Jam [a type of energy drink or recovery item] on the table. Song Jong-cheol shook his head.

“It’s not exactly a price, but I have a proposition.” At his question, Song Jong-cheol held out his glass and added, “Join our gang. Then I’ll tell you everything I know about the secret passage.”

***

If a passage to the Deep Floors existed that didn’t require navigating the 9th floor, its strategic importance was undeniable. Naturally, Kim Jin-woo had no choice but to entertain Song Jong-cheol’s offer.

However, he managed to secure an agreement that he wouldn’t be involved in direct operations, given his ties to the fortress and his near-permanent residence in the Lower Floors.

Song Jong-cheol didn’t seem to expect much more, appearing content simply to have his name associated with the Association. He seemed to value the prestige of being known as the best Dungeon Baby in Korea more than Kim Jin-woo’s actual capabilities.

In fact, shortly after Kim Jin-woo accepted his offer, the explorers of Korea learned that the best Dungeon Baby in Korea was still alive and working with the Association.

It was obvious that the Association had leaked the information, perhaps more than necessary.

The impact was significant.

Regardless of what anyone said, Kim Jin-woo was the only level 12 Dungeon Baby in Korea.

[Ah, the number of Association members has increased several times since we publicized your involvement. Actually, we’ve had some unfortunate incidents recently, which led to some criticism.]

“Unfortunate incidents?” He had a suspicion, but he feigned ignorance and asked.

[Well, the Association had an opportunity to acquire a labyrinth, but for some reason, the labyrinth suddenly vanished. This led to accusations that we had stolen it.]

As expected. It seemed the Association was being falsely accused because of the labyrinth core that Kim Jin-woo had taken.

[Ugh. I still get heartburn thinking about it. It wasn’t even something we possessed, but they’re making a fuss as if we misplaced it. They’re a bunch of thieves at heart.]

What expression would Song Jong-cheol wear if he knew that the person he was complaining about was the real ‘thief’? Kim Jin-woo would likely never witness that expression.

Because Song Jong-cheol would never discover the labyrinth’s location.

“More importantly, what about that secret passage? Is it ready yet?”

[Wait. Actually, you’ve been a bit unenthusiastic lately, haven’t you? We need some additional assurance. It would be ideal if we could trust each other implicitly, but that’s not how things work. What if you simply take the information and disappear? I’d look ridiculous.]

Listening to the explanation, it seemed the Association intended to continue using Kim Jin-woo’s name as a figurehead for some time.

They would only provide the information after firmly binding him to the Association, preventing him from leaving.

Kim Jin-woo didn’t care if the Association exploited his name, but he didn’t voice his thoughts.

After ending the call, Kim Jin-woo was able to meet Song Jong-cheol a few days later.

“Do we really have to go to these lengths?” A dark passage amplified Kim Jin-woo’s annoyed tone.

“No, it’s not that I distrust you, it’s simply standard procedure.” Song Jong-cheol replied with a seemingly wronged expression, though his face remained unchanged.

“Why don’t you tell me what this great secret passage is first? Maybe it’s all a fabrication?”

At this, Song Jong-cheol jumped up and protested vehemently. “That’s absurd! What benefit would I gain from dragging you to this awful place and lying!”

Ultimately, it was the same. Song Jong-cheol still refused to reveal the nature of the secret passage, only reiterating that he should be patient.

“Let’s proceed for now. You’ll understand everything when we reach the lower floors.”

Song Jong-cheol, who had promised to reveal the secret passage, arrived with an exploration team composed entirely of Dungeon Babies.

Kim Jin-woo, having been notified in advance the day before, followed without complaint. Since he was the one seeking the information, he decided to simply comply.

But there was a limit to his patience.

Song Jong-cheol, who had instructed him to follow without explanation, remained silent about the secret passage, naturally leading to annoyance and irritation.

“Fine, I’ll trust you and descend to the lower floors.”

“Should I thank you? I’m deeply grateful.”

The statement could be interpreted as a veiled threat, but Song Jong-cheol didn’t seem to care. The explorers accompanying Song Jong-cheol were the ones who reacted to his words.

Perhaps Song Jong-cheol’s position and influence within the Association were more significant than he realized; the faces of the explorers who witnessed him arguing back and forth with Kim Jin-woo were filled with surprise.

They had never seen anyone contradict Song Jong-cheol’s wishes before.

Moreover, Song Jong-cheol himself was accommodating Kim Jin-woo’s requests. This seemed unsettling to the other members.

“Hey, who is that guy that Jong-cheol *hyung* [older brother or respected male figure] is being so nice to?”

“How would I know? He doesn’t tell us anything. He hasn’t even introduced him.”

“I’m dying to know.”

“Stop it. He told us not to speak to him before we left, so if you step out of line, you’ll get an earful again.”

They whispered as quietly as possible, but Kim Jin-woo, whose senses had become dramatically heightened recently, unintentionally overheard their entire conversation.

It seemed Song Jong-cheol hadn’t disclosed his identity to the group.

He didn’t know if it was due to annoyance or ulterior motives, but it was a welcome development for him.

It was comfortable because no one bothered him or tried to engage him in conversation.

As Kim Jin-woo moved through the Lower Floors with Song Jong-cheol’s consideration, he suddenly noticed that the group hadn’t encountered a single creature on the 5th floor.

Was it luck, or was it intentional?

As if reading his thoughts, Song Jong-cheol spoke slyly, “It’s best to avoid encounters with creatures in the early stages that don’t yield significant rewards.”

They seemed to have their own methods. Kim Jin-woo simply nodded, knowing they wouldn’t provide further explanation even if he asked.

In this manner, the tedious march continued for several days.

During the uneventful journey, devoid of any battles, Kim Jin-woo was able to observe the members of the group more closely.

Although the Dungeon Babies’ levels weren’t outwardly apparent, it was clear that they were quite experienced at first glance.

Their demeanor was distinct. They exhibited a relaxed attitude in their overall behavior, and while they were vigilant, they showed no signs of fear.

Perhaps these were the Deep Floor exploration team that Song Jong-cheol had mentioned.

Kim Jin-woo narrowed his eyes and scrutinized them, and he suddenly noticed that their luggage appeared particularly large and heavy.

Once he became aware of it, their backpacks began to pique his curiosity.

“What’s in there? It seems too bulky to be just food and exploration tools.” Unable to suppress his curiosity, he asked, and Song Jong-cheol smiled slyly.

“You’ll find out when you get there.”

He revealed nothing from beginning to end. Since he was the one who needed the information, he couldn’t press him further and remained silent.

“Check if there are any other explorers around!”

The group, which had been moving steadily, came to a halt. But Song Jong-cheol’s instructions weren’t to check for nearby creatures, but for other explorer groups.

This was suspicious, but Kim Jin-woo didn’t bother to inquire. Song Jong-cheol offered an explanation, “It’s not good for the secret passage to become widely known. It’s always wise to be cautious.”

“Ah…”

It seemed the secret passage he had only heard about was drawing nearer.

“There are a few creatures about 15 minutes away from here, but I don’t detect any explorers.”

“I don’t sense anything either.”

A few Dungeon Babies who had temporarily left the group returned and reported the situation.

“Well, if they’re in their right mind, they wouldn’t deviate from the established route and come this way.”

The place where they stopped was a secluded passage on the 7th floor.

“Take a final break and check your equipment! And remember to be careful with the luggage you brought until the very end!”

Song Jong-cheol, having ordered them to rest, turned to Kim Jin-woo and smirked. “Just wait a little longer. I’ll surprise you soon.”

***

The place where Song Jong-cheol and his group stopped again was, unexpectedly, near the outskirts of an unfamiliar labyrinth.

“We’re here.”

“What?” Kim Jin-woo unknowingly echoed Song Jong-cheol’s words. The labyrinth’s emblem, visible from a distance, was clear and unfaded, indicating that it was a labyrinth with an owner.

He assumed Song Jong-cheol’s group had taken a wrong turn or that it was simply a route they were passing through.

But that didn’t seem to be the case.

“This is it. Our secret passage.”

Song Jong-cheol, uttering these incomprehensible words, crossed his arms and turned his gaze towards the labyrinth as if awaiting something.

“Anyone can see that’s an active labyrinth?”

“That’s right. That labyrinth has an owner.”

He asked again, wondering if he had misunderstood, and Song Jong-cheol replied nonchalantly. “So?”

“That’s our secret passage.”

Kim Jin-woo couldn’t comprehend what he was talking about at all. Song Jong-cheol seemed to relish his confused expression and chuckled.

“I told you I’d surprise you, right?”

No sooner had Song Jong-cheol finished speaking than a group of soldiers emerged from the labyrinth in the distance.