Chapter 135

"What's going on?" In the Strategic Planning Department of Hailstorm Co., Team Manager Baek Chahyun muttered in a daze, bewilderedly. His was voice filled with astonishment.

It was no wonder, since Seojin's gameplay had suddenly turned into "viewable."

"What's the matter?"

"General Manager, it's… You need to see this. Seojin's gameplay just turned viewable."

"…What?!"

Bang! Crash! Clatter!

Chairs toppled over, a tumbler on the desk fell and rolled on the floor. And even a box of supplies got crushed in the process. But Kim Jeonsu, unconcerned, rushed over, staring intently at Baek's screen.

"Holy crap. Is this live? Why all of a sudden? I thought the Tower of Qualification wasn't streamable?"

"No, it's not. Other users… Well, let me try anyway." Baek's hands moved swiftly, but the result was clear.

"Access denied. It's definitely an exception. Unless a developer has given explicit permission…"

"Directly from the developer?"

"Seems so, for now."

General Manager Kim groaned in frustration. Team Manager Baek's statement was accurate.

The genius developer of Midgard was known for never making mistakes, almost to the point of obsession. Thanks to this, the colossal game had hardly any bugs, and those that existed occurred in areas where the developer hadn't intervened.

"Whatever the reason, let's watch it. If it's an error, we're lucky; if it's intentional by the developer, we need to catch any clues."

"Understood."

"Ah, did you start recording?"

"I turned it on as soon as I noticed."

"Excellent." Kim nodded, satisfied, and their conversation ended there. Both, as if by agreement, started silently watching the broadcast.

***

In the Labyrinth of Deception.

Seojin and Sydney were advancing through a dark corridor. Officially, they each only had one life left – a situation almost guaranteeing failure, so the tension wasn't high.

Then, click. A strange noise came from Sydney's foot.

"…Oops."

The meaning was clear.

"…A trap?"

"Seems so. This is the end for me. Ha ha…" Sydney turned her head and laughed awkwardly.

"If I lift my foot, I'll probably die. I'll go ahead and rest! Don't worry about me, Seojin, keep going!"

"Thanks for your hard work. I made it this far thanks to you, Sydney. Otherwise, I would have died before even reaching that three-way path."

"Ha ha, if you fail, let's try again next week! You added me as a friend, so feel free to contact me!"

"Sure."

"Well then…"

With a short sigh, Sydney lifted her foot. As expected. The floor flipped over, swallowing her up. Now, only Seojin was left in the labyrinth.

Time Limit: 37 minutes 13 seconds

Lives: 4

Labyrinth Progress: 85%

There was ample time, and contrary to what he had told Sydney, he had four lives left. Considering their progress rate, he felt he might make it through with his remaining lives. So, Seojin shrugged.

"Let's go back."

"…Huh? Go back? Where to?"

Flappy fluttered in confusion.

"Back to where we were. You know, where Sydney said she reached earlier."

"The three-way path? Why?"

"I'll explain when we're there." Seojin turned back without hesitation. Thanks to Flappy's memory, there was no need to hesitate. They returned to the three-way path.

The left was the path Sydney had taken and given up on, the middle was their recent route, and the right was unexplored. Flappy was baffled at the situation.

"What's going on?"

"Let's check this first."

Click.

Seojin took out the last flare from his inventory.

Whooosh!

The familiar sound filled the air, and light burst in the sky.

"What are you trying to check…" Mid-sentence, Flappy paused as the same sound came from afar.

"…Huh? Another adventurer?"

"Do you know where that is?"

The flare's location was distant, but Flappy was adept.

"It's the entrance. Where we first entered."

"Thought so."

"Why? You think it's always two adventurers at a time? The mage just left, and a new one entered?"

"It's a possibility. If so, what should I do?"

"…Well, doing what Sydney did seems best, right? The new adventurer will have plenty of chances."

It was a logical conclusion based on rational thought. Seojin had four lives. The new challenger would have ten. Together, they might see the end.

"You mean go back the way we just came?"

"…Isn't that better? Or do you think it's the right path?"

"No, we won't explore the right path, nor will we bring the other adventurer."

"…Why?"

"The left path is the correct one."

Flappy furrowed his brow, puzzled. Sydney had already explored the left path and reported it as a dead end.

"Let's go."

"Wait, we're really going that way…?"

"Sydney said she went to the end, right? There should be no traps."

Seeing the end meant activating all traps along the way.

"…That makes sense."

"Let's give it a try, just in case."

"Okay… If that's what you think."

Flappy perched on Seojin's shoulder again. Without any traps, there was no threat to Seojin.

'And this guy always has a reason for his inexplicable actions.'

Perhaps it was the same this time. An unforeseen conclusion: Sydney had deceived Seojin.

This path stretched straight ahead, with no turns to the right or left. For about five minutes, Seojin walked leisurely through what seemed like a long corridor, reaching a spacious area for the first time since entering the labyrinth.

"…Huh?" The surprised voice belonged to Flappy. Understandably so, because straight ahead was a door that clearly resembled an exit.

"…An exit?" Flappy alternated glances between the map and the door. It was certain. That door led out of the labyrinth.

"Why? Was the adventurer earlier really deceiving you? But why?"

"It wasn't an adventurer."

[Current Progress: 99%]

Checking his progress, Seojin headed towards the door. He stepped on something, and a volley of arrows shot out.

[Remaining Lives: 3]

Three lives remained. No more traps appeared until he reached the door.

"Not an adventurer?"

"No. It was just pretending to be one."

"A being from this world? But my senses…"

"No, not human. It is a being created by the labyrinth. It's the Labyrinth of Deception, after all."

Creak.

Seojin opened the door and stepped out. A floor of white marble greeted him. It was the lobby he first entered. The nameless guide was there.

"Congratulations. You have proven your qualification."

***

"It wasn't a user?" Kim Jeonsu muttered, bewildered. He couldn't comprehend it. He knew Seojin was right, but what basis did he have for such a decision?

"…Sir."

"Hmm?" Something popped up beside the video on the screen.

"…A log file?"

"Yes, it seems… we have to assume the developer was directly involved."

Baek's statement was indeed accurate. What appeared before them was the complete log of Seojin's test - a detailed account encompassing the design, intent, hidden clues, and potential outcomes of every decision made. As they perused the data, the reality of Sydney's role became clear…

"…Not to mention a player, it's not even a regular NPC. It's closer to a dummy file."

It was even more baffling up close. Sydney, who appeared to be just another mage among the users, was in fact a construct designed to deceive participants. She was an intricate illusion, seamlessly integrated into the test, indistinguishable from real participants.

"If he had continued on the same path, twenty-five traps would have been activated before reaching a dead end. And if he had gone right…"

Baek, reading another record, said.

"He would have encountered forty-two traps before reaching another dead end."

"If he blindly continued, it would have taken at least two months to pass."

"Maybe even longer."

"Why?"

"Every week he would have been with Sydney. Although a dummy, it was designed to act according to a user's play."

"What difference would it make to be together?"

"…After exploring both paths to their ends, Sydney suggests starting over from the beginning. She speculates that perhaps she had taken a wrong turn earlier."

It was a dreadful situation. Starting over, again and again, endlessly. Naturally, this path was riddled with never-ending traps, a labyrinth designed to ensnare. It was a structure that could never lead to success until the inevitable conclusion was reached: to doubt Sydney.

'Has there ever been a test designed like that?'

Kim pondered. There was very little information on the League of Deception, but popular qualifications had ample information. And their content? Simple. Defensive qualifications required endurance, offensive ones simply good attacks.

'…In that sense, this was no different. He deceived, and was not deceived.'

The crucial part was the basis. The reason Seojin could decide immediately after Sydney vanished.

'She didn't react when he mentioned his name was Seojin, nor was she surprised by his profession as a Silver Tongue.'

That was all Kim could think of. Because it was sufficient grounds for suspicion.

'But a normal person wouldn't have concluded it wasn't human from such conversations.'

They would have just thought Sydney was strange, felt curious, or been extremely bewildered.

The answer came from Baek.

"Sir, this seems to be the clue."

Kim's gaze returned to the screen.

*It will be a terribly difficult task, but still easier than reading the minds of humans. Prove your abilities.

It was the quest message at the start. Reading the minds of humans is easier – a brief paragraph.

"…This is the clue?"

"Yes, the only clue recorded in the log."

Hah.

Kim laughed incredulously. That was the only clue.

"Incredible. I don't know why they're showing us this… One more test remains, right? Are they going to show that too?"

"It seems so."

Baek nodded. On the screen, Seojin was already conversing with the guide for the second test.