WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

The Legendary Newbie of the Ghost Story Labyrinth

[Translator – Aren]

Chapter 44 - Sealed Underground Railway (3)

In the pitch-black darkness, the grotesque crimson glow made Seol Suyeon hold her breath.

"O-Oppa…?”

Just as she was about to shake Park Minho awake, one of the escorts emitting the red aura suddenly sat upright. He looked utterly confused, as though he had no idea why he’d woken up.

-Click.

At that moment, the escort’s hand moved on its own and shoved the barrel of his rifle into his mouth.

"Uh...?"

The man clearly didn’t understand what was happening to him. His eyes were filled with terror.

"What are you doing?!”

Horrified, Seol Suyeon shouted, to which the guards standing watch immediately whipped their heads around.

But there was no time to stop it.

-Bang—!

A deafening gunshot tore through the tunnel. The upper half of the escort’s head exploded apart. Blood and brain fragments sprayed into the air before his body collapsed lifelessly onto the ground.

"Kyaaaaaaaah—-!”

Having just seen someone die right in front of her, Seol Suyeon screamed. The commotion jolted everyone else awake at once.

"What is it? What’s going on?!”

"Huh…? What happened?!”

Before anyone could properly understand the situation, another gunshot rang out.

-Bang!

This time it came from outside the camp. At the same moment, one of the guards on watch was shot in the head and dropped instantly.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!”

The remaining sentry shouted as he opened fire toward the spot in the darkness where the muzzle flash had appeared.

-Ratatatatatatata!

Even the agents who had only just woken up moved immediately like true veterans. One of them pulled out a flare and hurled it toward the direction the enemy fire was coming from.

-Whooooosh!

If the enemy were approaching through the darkness, they were almost certainly using night vision goggles. A flare detonating directly in front of light-amplifying optics would blind them for several moments.

And it worked.

"Kgh!”

"Aagh!”

Two NCE operatives who failed to tear off their goggles or look away in time staggered back clutching their eyes.

The Sigma Four leader quickly gestured with his hand.

“Retrieve Code 3 and Code 4 and get behind cover!”

"Yes, sir!”

The operatives took position around an abandoned subway train and unleashed a barrage of gunfire toward the TBU encampment.

-Ratatatatatatat!

-Ratatatatata!

An intense gunfight erupted from both sides almost instantly. But in terms of positioning and momentum, the NCE clearly held the advantage.

The Sigma Four leader twisted his lips into a triumphant grin.

"Good! Keep pushing! Once the remaining parasites activate, this’ll be our guaranteed victory!”

Meanwhile, things were utterly miserable for TBU. Not only had they been ambushed, but for some reason one of their men had committed suicide, while three others wouldn’t wake up no matter how hard they were shaken.

"You fucking bastards…!”

Caught in a sudden attack, Kim Sungjin grit his teeth. They had passed through this route countless times before, and never once had he imagined an ambush like this.

'I have to handle this somehow!'

Kim Sungjin thrust both hands forward and activated his ability. A hexagonal structured barrier materialized in front of them.

-Baaang! Bangbang!

Sparks exploded wildly as bullets slammed against the shield. Veins bulging in his neck, Kim Sungjin shouted,

“Riddle them with bullets while you have the chance!”

The greatest advantage of his barrier was that projectiles could move through it one way. Enemy bullets were blocked, while allied rounds could pass through unhindered.

Taking advantage of the opening, the escorts unleashed gunfire and hurled several grenades at once, forcing Sigma Four to falter.

“Team leader, a barrier!”

"It has limits, so keep firing. I’ll activate my ability too, so push them hard!”

In the end, it was only a matter of time before Kim Sungjin’s barrier broke. Hexagonal Structure wasn’t invincible. Once it exceeded its durability limit, it would shatter like glass.

Cold sweat streamed down Kim Sungjin’s face as he shouted toward Park Minho,

"Keep your heads down! We’ll protect you no matter what!”

But Park Minho had no intention of sitting there helplessly. Instinctively, he understood that he needed to step in and turn the tide himself.

He quickly used the scanner on the unconscious escorts lying motionless nearby.

[Noose Worm / Parasitic Entity / Early-stage Fusion]

So it really was parasites. That confirmed it. The previously infected escort hadn’t been infected coincidentally. Someone had been targeting them from the beginning.

Park Minho frowned as he considered how to wake the fallen men.

'Can’t I remove the parasites with the Leech Drain ability I just obtained?’

But he soon realized that one parasite couldn’t simply erase another parasite directly.

Still, he activated his shadow. Immediately, information about the abilities he could steal from the parasitic entity known as the ‘Noose Worm’ surfaced in his mind.

[Suicide Induction / Low-grade / 3 Coins]

[Forces a target implanted with an anomalous parasite to commit suicide. Active only while the parasite remains alive. The parasite can survive inside the host for one week.]

[Leech Drain / Mid-grade / 10 Coins]

[Continuously drains the life force of a target implanted with an anomalous parasite.]

Suicide Induction was a new ability. But he knew about Leech Drain.

‘That bastard has the same ability I do.'

If he stole that ability away, the parasite would rapidly die off as though suffocating from lack of oxygen.

'But can I steal an ability I already stole before?’

There was only one way to find out. The cost was 10 coins. An enormous amount, but this wasn’t the time to be stingy.

"You’ll be safer staying back there!"

As Park Minho approached the unconscious escorts, Kim Sungjin shouted at him.

It would be a disaster if he were hit by a single stray grenade fragment.

"I might be able to cure these guys."

"Really?!”

Park Minho nodded, then he pulled out gold coins and activated the ability.

-Cliiink.

10 coins melted into his shadow as it stole away the parasite’s anomalous ability.

[SCREEECH!]

For a fleeting instant, the dying scream of the parasite clinging to the escort echoed inside Park Minho’s mind. At the same time, a familiar energy surged through his veins like icy electricity.

'So I can steal it again!'

Of course, since he already possessed the ability, nothing new was added, but right now, his goal was simply to kill the parasites.

'I didn’t really expect anything anyway, but it’s still a bit disappointing…’

Park Minho immediately used the theft ability on the second and third escorts.

But then something completely unexpected happened. A tingling shock coursed through his entire body, and a new message surfaced in his mind.

[Leech Drain]

[Continuously drains the life force of a target implanted with an anomalous parasite.]

[Continuously slows the movement speed of targets implanted with anomalous parasites.]

A new function had been added to Leech Drain.

'What the hell? Before, it could only drain life force, but now it can slow the target too?’

It was an evolution born from repeated theft.

'That’s one hell of an unexpected reward.'

Meanwhile, Kim Sungjin continued holding up the barrier against the storm of enemy fire while nervously glancing toward Park Minho’s bizarre actions.

‘What the hell is he doing?’

He was melting precious gold coins directly into his own shadow. Whatever it was, Kim Sungjin desperately hoped the fallen escorts would wake up.

If those three rejoined the fight, their situation would improve drastically.

"Suyeon!”

At Park Minho’s shout after finishing his thefts, Seol Suyeon lowered her glasses slightly to look.

“The red color’s fading!"

Just as expected, the parasites that had lost their drain ability were rapidly beginning to die.

"Cough! Cough!"

"Kugh...!"

"Gugh! Cough!”

The escorts who had been lying unconscious suddenly twitched violently and began coughing, likely from the aftermath of the parasites dying inside them.

Color returned to Kim Sungjin’s gaunt face.

'Good. If we can just hold out like this…’

However, as if mocking his hope, a new problem arose immediately after.

-Hummmm.

A viscous, dark green corruption suddenly began spreading across the previously brilliant blue hexagonal barrier.

It was the ability of Sigma Four’s leader, ‘Corrosion.’ The corrosive power rapidly weakened the glowing shield.

"You’ve got to be kidding me!”

The barrier was their only lifeline. If it broke, they were finished.

Sensing the turning tides, Sigma Four intensified their assault and began hurling grenades one after another.

-Booooom!

-Claaang!

The barrier shook violently from the explosions. At the sound of cracks spreading through it, Kim Sungjin grit his teeth so hard they nearly shattered as he forced himself to endure.

-Drip.

Because he had pushed himself too hard, dark blood began pouring from Kim Sungjin’s nostrils. Even sheer willpower had its limits. It was only a matter of time before the barrier shattered.

'We’re done for…’

Despair spread across Kim Sungjin’s face.

If he died here, what would happen to the family he left behind?

His hospitalized daughter would probably be forcibly discharged. And the rest of his family would likely be relocated to the lowest residential district. No, it might end even worse than that. After all, this mission had drawn Executive Director Yoon’s personal attention.

'No. Even if my brain burns out…!'

He had to endure no matter what. But regardless of his determination, strength continued draining from his body.

'Is this the end…?'

Just as despair overtook him again, Park Minho stepped beside him and held something out.

“Team Leader, would this help?”

Kim Sungjin’s eyes widened the instant he saw it.

"An Energy Core!”

The Energy Core was a lump of soot-black material. It could amplify output-type abilities such as defensive barriers.

“I can hold out with this! But how did you…?!”

"If found it on another floor. Just use it for now.”

"Thank you very much!”

Kim Sungjun grabbed the Energy Core with trembling hands.

-Huuuum!

An overwhelming power pulsed from the small sphere. Of course, because of Kim Sungjin’s own limitations, he could only draw out a tiny fraction of its immense energy. But even that was more than enough.

-Craaack! Craaaaaack!

With a sound like freezing ice, the Hexagonal Structure barrier reconstructed itself. This time it became vastly larger and sturdier. At the same time, the sticky corrosion contaminating it failed to endure and evaporated completely.

"......!"

For a moment, Kim Sungjin forgot the battle entirely as he stared blankly at the overwhelming fortress he had just created with his own hands.

Meanwhile, the Sigma Four team leader’s eyes widened in shock.

“What in the……! Don’t tell me he was a mid-level ability user?!”

If that barrier wasn't a bluff, there was no longer any way to break through.

"Team Leader! What do we do?!”

At his subordinates’ desperate question, he bit down hard on his lip.

To make matters worse, TBU’s firepower suddenly intensified.

The three escorts who had collapsed because of the parasites had somehow gained consciousness. Though they staggered around while bleeding from the nose, they still managed to rejoin the battle and open fire.

-Ratatatatatatatata!

Trusting the barrier, the escorts fired aggressively, and finally, Sigma Four began taking casualties.

“Gaaah!”

"Kgh!"

Two operatives were struck by bullets and collapsed almost instantly.

The Sigma Four leader squeezed his eyes shut before making his decision.

"Concentrate all firepower, then retreat. The operation has failed.”

His subordinates already knew the situation was hopeless, so nobody objected. They unleashed every bit of firepower they had left before throwing smoke grenades and retreating in perfect coordination.

-Booom! Fssssh!

The TBU escorts shouted,

"Team Leader! Should we pursue them?”

The enraged escorts looked ready to charge after them immediately, but Kim Sungjin shook his head.

"That’s too dangerous. Right now, protecting the VIPs takes priority. Recover the wounded and secure the perimeter immediately."

"Understood."

After maintaining the barrier and watching the surroundings for quite some time, Kim Sungjin finally judged that the enemy had fully retreated and released his ability.

"Phew......"

Overcome with relief, his legs nearly gave out beneath him. His body was a complete wreck.

"Are you alright?”

At Park Minho’s question, Kim Sungjin bowed so deeply it bordered on prostration.

"Thank you. Truly, thank you. If you hadn’t helped us, we would’ve all died here…”

His daughter would have been thrown out of the hospital and left to die miserably in the lowest district. Kim Sungjin genuinely could not help but feel overwhelming gratitude toward Park Minho.

He grabbed Park Minho’s arm and repeated himself over and over.

"Thank you. Thank you so very much…”

* * *

After returning the Energy Core to Park Minho, Kim Sungjin said he would report the coins Park Minho had used and make sure headquarters compensated him for them. Park Minho nodded calmly on the outside, but inwardly he was positively ecstatic.

'My ability evolved, and now I’m even getting the coins I used refunded…? What a jackpot.'

Once the area was roughly secured, they examined the bodies they had shot. Kim Sungjin and the TBU escorts were visibly shaken.

"They’re NCE bastards."

"My god…They came this deep into the Backrooms…?”

"And they’re from a Special Containment Unit. The ones who use entities.”

This underground railway, Floor 5.5, was practically TBU territory.

Tensions with the NCE had been escalating recently, sure, but nobody had expected them to intrude this openly. Everyone felt chills run down their spines.

Park Minho bit his lip as well.

'These lunatics are extending their reach into the Backrooms now…’

The NCE already ruled as a multinational superorganization even in reality. Until now, they had been so busy responding to countless anomalies in the real world that the Backrooms had received comparatively less attention. But recently, that attitude seemed to have shifted.

Park Minho realized then that the Backrooms weren’t truly safe either.

Kim Sungjin and the escorts searched the corpses and gathered anything worth reporting to headquarters, then decided to depart immediately.

"Minho-nim, for safety’s sake, we need to move as quickly as possible.”

"That’s fine with me.”

Park Minho had no desire to be ambushed again either.

So they departed at once, moving at nearly a run. After pushing themselves for 10 exhausting hours, they finally reached the end of the tunnel.

At the far end stood an emergency escape hatch.

"This is it. You just walk through normally.”

Beyond the hatch stretched a long corridor filled with endless darkness.

But after walking through it for some time, light finally appeared ahead of them. And then a completely new place unfolded before their eyes.

The Floor 7 Survivor Zone.

The headquarters of TBU.

The very first thing that caught Park Minho’s attention was the dazzling brightness. Dozens of massive searchlights crossed overhead, flooding the entire area with light.

"This is our headquarters."

Kim Sungjin explained as he led the way forward.

Ahead of them stood a structure reminiscent of the gate to a military stronghold.

Massive concrete walls of impossible thickness stretched out like the perimeter of a prison. Barbed wire covered everything, and heavily armed soldiers stood guard throughout the area.

Park Minho couldn’t help muttering in admiration.

'This isn’t some shabby survivor camp but a real military fortress.'

He was astonished that something like this even existed inside the Backrooms.

At that moment, a harsh voice blasted from the loudspeaker near the gate, stopping the group.

"Halt! Halt! Anomaly and contamination level inspections will now commence. All personnel are to wait in line according to procedure.”

There was no helping it since it was standard procedure. To make matters worse, there seemed to be an unusually large number of returnees today. Explorers and TBU personnel alike were lined up in a long queue before the steel gate.

“My apologies. The line is quite long.”

Kim Sungjin could have pulled some strings if he held a higher position, but he had no authority to bypass the procedure, so he could only keep apologizing.

"You must be exhausted. I’m truly sorry.”

"It’s fine. Really.”

The people standing in line glanced at Park Minho and began whispering among themselves.

"What’s this? Team Leader Kim is being ridiculously polite, isn't he?”

"Seriously? That guy’s usually got such a nasty temper. Who is that?”

"Doesn’t even look like an Awakened…”

To them, Park Minho and Seol Suyeon didn’t appear particularly special. What puzzled them was why so many heavily armed escorts were surrounding the pair.

In truth, Park Minho was wearing the Front Bell Badge the hotel had given him, but the people gathered here were mostly nobodies who wouldn’t recognize its significance.

"What’s going on…?”

"No clue.”

Suddenly, the area around the gate became noisy. Then the gigantic steel gates slowly opened, and a pitch-black military tactical vehicle rolled out.

"Isn’t that an Executive Director-class vehicle?”

"What? Did something happen?”

The appearance of a top-ranking executive’s care shocked not only Kim Sungjin but everyone waiting nearby. In this place, Executive Directors were practically gods.

But then, the vehicle stopped directly in front of Park Minho. A man in a suit stepped out from inside and bowed respectfully toward him.

"Welcome. Director Yoon sent me personally. Please, come right in.”

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