Ten days had passed since they had entered the labyrinth and navigated its endless traps.
The Minotaur continued to hunt them without rest, and hunger and exhaustion had begun to erode their sanity.
Survival itself had become a struggle.
Proof of that?
Their seven-person raid party was now down to only three.
Jin-hyuk, Park Hana, and Jang Cheol-sik.
Three.
"If this continues, we're all going to die."
Jang Cheol-sik muttered, his expression hollow.
"Right. That devilish bastard will use us until we're useless and throw us away."
Park Hana nodded grimly.
They had been used as trap bait and Minotaur lures for days.Their fates had always been one of two choices:
Die in a trap or die as a distraction.
Lee Haemin and Jang Mina had died exactly like that.
They had tried to kill Jin-hyuk first… and now they were dead.
Park Hana's Chat Window
Anonymous1: Just give up already. You don't look like you have any skills.Anonymous6: He looks like someone who can reach the 10th floor. Don't complain.Anonymous3: Two newbies are nothing but snacks for someone skilled.Anonymous4: His personality is trash. He's going to kill you anyway, but he talks politely? Creepy.Anonymous9: The killer next to me is being kind. I'm crying.
These were people from the Black Crow Guild—outside supporters who hadn't entered the tower.
"What info did you find about him?"
Anonymous5: All his old Tower videos are private.Anonymous3: Everything's blocked. His Viewtube, blogs, even his phone. Can't hack anything.Anonymous2: No face, no info.Anonymous1: Zero results.Anonymous6: He's like the Phantom of the Opera.Anonymous4: Does he wear the mask while pooping too?Anonymous7: Searched everywhere. He didn't even make a broadcast channel.Anonymous3: He's not chasing subs. Total solo enjoyer.
Since day one, Jin-hyuk had worn a strange mask.
He hadn't at first, but once Park Hana panicked and accidentally turned on her stream, Jin-hyuk purchased a black mask immediately.
Since then, his face was hidden.
Anonymous3: Should've gone crazy if I knew this was coming. Jealous as hell.Anonymous4: If I knew relic strategies and locations, I'd be pissed too.Anonymous7: His frontal lobe must've snapped.Anonymous1: All the guys with him are dead. Go learn from him.Anonymous2: Like he'd tell anyone.Anonymous3: Lol even I'd keep secrets to myself.
'Why did I even ask these idiots for support…?'
Park Hana gritted her teeth.
They were laughing and offering nothing useful.
"Shut up. Did my brother get the message?"
Anonymous1: Yeah, we told him.Anonymous5: I did too.Anonymous9: He said you're too deep inside to reach.Anonymous3: You're grouped together but still can't be found.Anonymous4: Bear Grylls in distress.Anonymous2: Everyone's doing a U-turn.Anonymous6: Little is known about the labyrinth. Maybe three more weeks before they reach you.
Three weeks.
In just ten days, five of them were dead.
Three more weeks was impossible.
Park Hana's expression twisted.
Jin-hyuk was sleeping comfortably in front of her.
Nothing fazed him.
This monster-like guy wouldn't die no matter what they tried.
Right.
She hadn't killed him.She had only tried.
Why? Because she wasn't certain.
Attempted murder was a lighter offense.
But now he was actively killing them.
'Six lives are more important than one.'
Even now, only two besides her were left.
He had to die for them to live.
"How about now? While he's sleeping?"
Jang Cheol-sik picked up a rock. Crude—but enough to crush someone's skull.
"One hit and it's over—"
"No."
Park Hana shook her head.
"This man has monstrous reflexes. Whether it's a frontal assault or a surprise one—we can't win."
They were first-time killers.He was a veteran of death.
Emotion-driven attempts would get them killed.
"Then what? Wait here until we die?"
"Suffer? Why?"
Park Hana exhaled and took out a sharp stinger coated with clear liquid.
The Sting of the Giant Bumblebee.
"That…"
"He has to eat, right?"
It was their job to gather moss and mushrooms, cook them, and serve him food every day.
"Let's prepare it. His Last Supper."
Park Hana imagined Jin-hyuk convulsing and dying from the neurotoxin.
Her misery faded for a moment.
Tap tap.
Something poked Jin-hyuk's shoulder.
"You… should wake up."
It was Park Hana.
"…What is it?"
"The meal is ready. Come eat."
"Ah. Is it moss and mushroom stir-fry?"
"What else is there? Bats and moths?"
She snapped irritably.
Annoying.
Jin-hyuk stood up, his body feeling light.
He had gained 21 Rift stat points in a week.
His battle sense had sharpened through constant clashes with the Minotaur.
Still Level 1, yes.
But…
Not an ordinary Level 1.
The best Level 1.
Once the labyrinth cleared, he was leaving this place immediately.
Jin-hyuk approached the "meal."
A foul smell assaulted his nose.
A bowl of moss and mushrooms—truly the taste of survival.
Still, it was nutritious.
"Miss Park Hana, more water please."
"…Water?"
"Mr. Jang Cheol-sik, more mushrooms."
"Sure, if you want seconds of this trash."
After some small talk, everything was ready.
Jin-hyuk picked up chopsticks fashioned out of bat bones.
All three put food in their mouths simultaneously.
But…
"Hehe."
"He ate it."
The two grinned.
Cold air filled the space.
Thud…
"…I used poison."
Jin-hyuk set his chopsticks down.
"Right. The poison spreads through your blood vessels. No use resisting."
Anonymous1: He gulped it down lolAnonymous3: That's what food thieves get!Anonymous7: Is your throat burning?Anonymous2: He must be terrified. Can he even lift his hands?
The public chat window filled with mockery.
Of course.
Antidotes for lethal neurotoxins were extremely expensive.
He couldn't afford one.
Once the poison spread to the heart… death.
"If only I ate the poison."
At those words, Jang Cheol-sik stiffened.
"Poison… you knew?!"
"It's not the first time you people tried something like this. Did you think I'd just eat whatever you handed me?"
Blind trust? Here?
Laughable.
But Park Hana didn't panic.
"Who said the food was poisoned?"
She had expected him to be cautious.
So she poisoned the chopsticks, not the food.
Even cautious people had to touch their utensils.
"Huh! Kuak! Kuhk!"
A choking sound.
Blood sprayed.
Blood vessels bulged grotesquely.
But…
"W-What…?"
The one vomiting blood—
was not Jin-hyuk.
"K-Kuack… Kuak!"
Jang Cheol-sik clawed at his neck, body spasming.
The poison spread instantly.
His heart stopped moments later.
"This… how did you know? How?!"
"Because it was different."
Since entering the labyrinth, Park Hana had never been the one to call him to eat.
It had always been Jang Cheol-sik… until today.
The sudden change was suspicious.
"Because of such a tiny detail?"
"Tiny details matter the most."
Reflexes and persistence helped him clear the Tower…
But his greatest strength was something else.
The eyes of someone who survived to the end.Someone who analyzed everything—no matter how trivial.
Anonymous1: What the hell.Anonymous4: He figured that out from one tiny thing?Anonymous2: His view of her changed instantly?Anonymous5: Poisoning the chopsticks… ruthless.Anonymous7: He's Conan.Anonymous3: Come on, anyone would've noticed.Anonymous2: I noticed too.Anonymous6: 22222Anonymous8: 33333
"And you people—"
Jin-hyuk looked at the chat window.
Anonymous3: Is he talking about us now?Anonymous2: Think we're scared because you're staring?Anonymous3: Come to my neighborhood if you're so tough.
"Your mouths sure work well. Nothing scary about hiding behind a monitor."
Jin-hyuk smiled.
"But if you have a brain, think about why I'm addressing you."
If he wanted to ignore them, he would've blocked the stream.
He would've never worn a mask.
There was a reason for all this.
To see who supported Park Hana—
And to gather proof of their misconduct.
"In case you outsiders don't know, there's only one time a live broadcast is allowed."
The Tower had rules.
[Live broadcast is allowed only during boss battles or upon clearing a floor.]
Breaking that rule—
[Appropriate measures will be taken for view manipulation or misconduct.]
Punishment was harsh.
[Anonymous has left the chat.]['The Crow Caws' has left the chat.]Madam Dolse: W-what?Jack Pauer: Why are they leaving?['Madam Dolse' has left the chat.]Tyg123: Wait!Jo Yeon: Wait, don't go!['Jack Pauer' has left the chat.]Note20: Fuck.DaramiS2: What just happened?
One by one, the viewers disappeared.
Moments later—
[Current Viewers: 0]
"T-this… this can't be happening."
Park Hana collapsed to the ground, alone.