WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

The Legendary Newbie of the Ghost Story Labyrinth

[Translator – Aren]

Chapter 77 - Backrooms Settlement (2)

"Ivan, interrogate these guys once they wake up.”

"Understood.”

Park Minho had Ivan come to Seol Suyeon’s apartment and had the three NCE agents abducted to Floor 8.

"You guys ought to know what it feels like to be kidnapped too.”

It was only fair they experienced what it was like to suddenly get hit with a taser one day and wake up in an interrogation room.

"Uuugh......"

"Ngh......"

"......"

The unconscious trio lay sprawled inside Floor 8’s prison cells like dead fish.

"When they wake up, they’ll be wondering where they are and who the hell I am.”

The next day, the three men regained consciousness, and Ivan began their interrogation.

"We don’t know anything! Where the hell is this?!”

At first, they were fairly defiant, especially Gold Tooth, their team leader. But Ivan was a seasoned professional. None of them were Awakened, and there was only so much they could endure. In the end, they spilled everything.

Ivan later came to report his findings.

"It appears they’re members of one of the NCE’s lower-level divisions. It doesn’t seem the NCE had begun actively targeting the two of you just yet.”

"Figures. Considering what Professor Kim told us, they showed up a little too early.”

It had probably been more of a ‘something seems suspicious. Let’s go check it out’ type of situation. If the NCE had already identified them as prime suspects, they would have sent a Special Operations unit instead.

“However, now that NCE personnel have been abducted, wanted notices will almost certainly be issued for both of you.”

Park Minho didn’t seem particularly bothered.

"It would’ve happened sooner or later anyway.”

"Understood. What would you like to do with them?”

"Let’s go pay them a visit first, shall we?”

"I’ll take you there.”

As they headed for the prison, Unit 1 immediately hurried over to Park Minho’s side. Unit 2 tried to follow as well, but Park Minho left it behind to guard Seol Suyeon. When they arrived at the cells, the three NCE agents were lying there with their legs wrapped in bandages, gritting their teeth against the pain. The moment they saw Park Minho, they couldn’t hide their shock.

"You bastard!”

"You...!"

Unlike the other two, who immediately flared up, Gold Tooth had enough sense to read the room.

"Shut it, you idiots.”

Ivan, the terrifying man who had been interrogating them, was treating Park Minho with obvious respect. That alone told him Park Minho was someone important.

"How’s the knee, Team Leader?”

At Park Minho’s question, Gold Tooth frowned. The gunshot had shattered his kneecap, leaving him in agony as though everything below the knee had been severed. He couldn’t even walk anymore.

Yet instead of glaring resentfully, he lowered his head.

"......I’m grateful it stopped at my knee.”

"Hoh......?!"

Privately, Park Minho found himself impressed with the man’s composure. Honestly, it would’ve been easy to resent him. Anyone could scream and curse at him for asking that when it was him who shattered his knee.

But thanking the man who shot you for sparing your life? That spoke volumes about Gold Tooth’s ability to navigate a situation. Park Minho found himself slightly more interested in this team leader.

'Not that I’m planning to do anything with him right away…'

Despite his outward demeanor, Park Minho was certain the man was seething inside. Right now, Gold Tooth was probably swallowing his pride, gathering information, and desperately plotting to escape. Park Minho decided to crush whatever plan the man had spent the entire night agonizing over.

He would do it using time.

"Do you remember me?”

At Park Minho’s question, the team leader and the other two frowned in confusion. Apparently they didn’t.

What? Have you kidnapped so many people you can’t even remember? Thanks to you guys, I got tased, dragged into the NCE, then pumped full of memory suppressants and truth serums.”

The mention of the taser seemed to jog their memories, seeing how their eyes widened.

"Wait? That villa…?”

"So you do remember. Well, it wasn't exactly a pleasant reunion.”

"No……”

The team leader’s face fell. Just when he needed to make a good impression, one of the worst possible memories had resurfaced.

Park Minho decided to enlighten them.

"Back then, I didn't know any better. Totally green. But things have changed. Take a look around. This is Floor 8, and I’m the ruler of this place.”

"......Seriously?”

The team leader looked utterly unconvinced. He’d never heard of a human becoming the ruler of a Backrooms floor.

"That’s right. And do you know why I’m telling you such a huge secret?”

"......Hmm.”

"It’s simple. Because I have absolutely no intention of letting any of you leave for a very, very long time.”

"What…?!”

"The NCE’s already starting to pay attention to me. If word got out that I’m the master of Floor 8, it’d be a real headache. So, I’d appreciate it if you three stayed in this prison.”

The team leader stared at him in disbelief, faced with this absurd situation of the one who had forced this secret on them saying nonsense like that.

"Do you really think you can survive with the NCE as your enemy? If you release us now, we’ll do everything we can to negotiate a peaceful resolution.”

Park Minho shook his head.

"We crossed that line long ago. Anyway, I’ll see you around. Assuming I even remember you by then…”

"Please! At least hear me out!”

The team ladder pleaded desperately, but Park Minho completely ignored him.

"Ivan.”

"Yes."

"Lock them up in the deepest part of the prison. Keep them alive. And unless something truly important comes out of them, don't even bother mentioning them to me.”

"Understood.”

The three of them would now rot in prison for 10 or 20 years. If Park Minho’s terrible memory got the better of him, it might even be for the rest of their lives.

* * *

On the way back from the prison, Park Minho ran into Gu Bonjae.

The giant figure emerged from the darkness.

"Young man."

"Good afternoon, sir. Are you settling in well?”

At Park Minho’s greeting, Gu Bonjae gave a bitter smile.

"I’m a sinner. I ought to be rotting in a prison cell. Compared to that, a place like this might as well be a hotel.”

"I’m glad to hear that.”

"I actually came because I have a proposal.”

Gu Bonjae glanced at Unit 1, who was standing behind Park Minho.

"Hm…? Is it about this guy?”

"To be honest, I think it’s a shame. The mannequins that follow you possess remarkable combat ability, but they fight with nothing but their bare hands. Without weapons or armor, there’s a limit to what they can do.”

He wasn’t wrong. The two mannequins excelled at punches and licks, but they hadn’t been able to deal any decisive damage to Gu Bonjae.

"That’s true.”

"So, what do you say to letting me upgrade this guy? I’ll fit him with armor and proper weapons. I can raise his combat capabilities considerably. If we're preparing for a war against the Molting Church, shouldn’t your subordinates be upgraded as well?”

As a master metalworker with decades of experience, Gu Bonjae possessed a wide range of skills.

"That’s a good proposal. But I’m against anything that would sacrifice mobility.”

"Don’t worry too much. Manchin and that foreign kid, Nicola, agreed to help. That boy’s an absolute prodigy!”

If the three of them worked together, Units 1 and 2 would undoubtedly become much stronger. Park Minho turned toward Unit 1.

“What do you think?”

As soon as he was asked, Unit 1 showed immediate enthusiasm.

"Kiek! Kiki!”

Apparently, the thought of getting weapons installed had him excited. Park Minho gave his approval.

"Alright. But if they try to give you something you don’t like, make sure you say no.”

"Kek!"

* * *

These days, the hottest topic in the TBU’s Fortress City was Floor 8.

Practically every major incident lately had happened there. Floor 8 had traditionally been considered a relatively safe transit area. A place explorers simply passed through.

However, one day the anomalous crystal formations had begun sprouting everywhere, twisting the mine tunnels beyond recognition. Fortunately, the situation eventually stabilized, but people said Fortress City had narrowly avoided a catastrophic disaster. And before the aftermath had even settled, something else happened.

The Miner entities completely sealed off every entrance to the floor temporarily.

In reality, Park Minho had ordered the lockdown to prevent the party that stole the rare ore from escaping, but explorers who didn’t know that were terrified. The only saving grace was that the Miner entities hadn’t attacked anyone. Eventually the blockade was lifted, but rumors spread like wildfire.

“I saw the miners sprinting somewhere like mad. I’ve never seen them move that systematically before.”

"This is top secret, but…They say someone saw the entire Texas Chainsaw party get dragged away.”

“Dragged away? Since when did Miner entities kidnap explorers?”

"I don't know. I don’t know what any of this means……but I’ve got a bad feeling.”

Soon after, a sign, clearly written by a human, appeared on Floor 8.

It warned that anyone who harmed the miners or other entities would be punished.

As a result, TBU’s Director’s Council had no choice but to address the issue.

"We have convened this meeting to discuss the significant changes occurring in Floor 8. This matter undoubtedly has direct implications for the security of Fortress City.”

The meeting had been called by Advik, the executive director representing the Indian faction. With Rahul and several Awakened having disappeared on Floor 8, he had suffered a major setback. The losses had driven him to the brink, and he was desperate to recover them.

"According to my investigation, it appears a Korean named Park Minho has unlawfully occupied Floor 8.”

The information Advik presented immediately drew the attention of the other executives.

At the mention of a Korean, several of them instinctively glanced toward Director Yoon.

"How can a human possibly claim ownership of a Backrooms floor?”

"Exactly. That’s impossible to believe.”

The directors responded with open skepticism. However, Advik brought up the information Rahul had given him.

"This comes from Rahul, a trustworthy mid-ranking explorer. According to him, the Molting Church originally plotted to seize control of Floor 8.”

"What? That’s impossible!”

"He said several explorer parties joined forces to stop their scheme, but somehow, that Park Minho fellow managed to seize administrative control of Floor 8 from the Molting Church.”

If true, it was astonishing. The directors immediately erupted into discussion. Advik continued.

"So I dispatched additional explorers alongside Rahul to investigate Floor 8…and every single one of them has since disappeared.”

The room stirred uneasily.

"They disappeared?”

“What in the world is happening on Floor 8?”

"This…doesn’t sound like a simple problem.”

Advik insisted that a proper investigation team had to be assembled.

"If something happens to Floor 8, Fortress City is finished. That’s why we need to thoroughly investigate this Park Minho. And if it’s true that he really controls Floor 8……”

At that point, Advik’s personal ambitions began to show.

"We cannot leave authority of that magnitude in the hands of a single individual. We should either persuade him to transfer administrative control to the organization or TBU itself must become involved in governing the floor. We have every right to oversee what happens in our own backyard!”

One of the other directors spoke up.

"And if he refuses?”

Advik’s expression hardened.

"For the sake of the Backrooms’ security, we may have no choice but to employ stronger measures, right?”

* * *

With Executive Advik leading the charge, TBU officially adopted a hardline stance toward Floor 8. The news was immediately passed to Park Minho through Director Yoon.

Behind the scenes, Director Yoon had been quietly feeding the contents of the director’s meetings to Park Minho through Ivan.

"Minho-nim, Director Yoon says he’s delayed things for as long as he possibly could, but he’s reached his limits.”

Apparently, discussions within TBU had continued even while Park Minho was away in the real world.

After learning Park Minho was absent, Director Yoon had argued for caution and managed to drag the discussions out, but he couldn’t stall forever.

"He said he held them off until your return, but the hardliners now have the majority. There’s nothing more he can do.”

Park Minho nodded.

"Director Yoon’s done a lot for us.”

"What will you do? TBU’s Awakened will likely arrive within a few days. They’ll use an investigation as an excuse to poke into everything before trying to force negotiations. If you respond by mobilizing entities, the situation could spiral completely out of control.”

"True. If it comes to that, TBU will throw everything they have into the fight.”

Park Minho didn’t think he would lose, but both sides would suffer enormous losses. From his perspective, every single Miner entity was a valuable asset.

"Exactly. Floor 8 is their lifeline after all.”

"It’s possible Advik is deliberately trying to escalate things.”

Park Minho had no intention of playing into Advik’s hands.

My plan is simple. Continue allowing TBU free passage through Floor 8, just like we've been doing. If they want to investigate, let them. As long as they aren't causing real problems, ignore them. But explorers and workers belonging to Advik’s Indian faction are banned from entering Floor 8.”

And that wasn’t all. He also decided that any supporters of Advik passing through Floor 8 would have all of their belongings confiscated.

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