/
Chapter 67
I didn’t have to bother, however. When Jung Garam said, “Mapping,” a 3D, bird’s eye view of the current floor in the building appeared in the left corner of our eyes.
On that map, a red dot that seemed to mark our party flickered and moved slowly along the path.
Taken aback at the unexpected skill, I looked back at Jung Garam. I didn’t realize, until later, that the suited guide looked at me strangely as he explained our surroundings, “To the left, we have the fitness center….”
To my great annoyance, the skilled fighter in our entourage–the grey-haired woman in the maid uniform–looked at me before lowering her head. I wondered if I had caught her attention.
“Ah, it’s nothing.” I bowed my head and pretended to focus on the guide’s explanation.
“…On the other side, that door leads to the back garden. There you can find a 120 centimeters deep infinity pool. Visiting hours are until 6 pm…”
I looked closely at Jung Garam’s map, attempting to catch any discrepancies.
That’s when I located the extremely large pool model on the map in the direction pointed out by the manager. I was deeply impressed; this skill…it would be so useful in a dungeon!
“By the way, what’s over there?” In the middle of our tour, Kim Sangyoon pointed with his chin to a small hallway next to the back garden door.
Two users, probably armed, stood guard in front of the hallway. As Kim Sangyoon fielded his question, I checked Jung Garam’s map…the hallway stretched almost endlessly on the hologram.
What kind of hallway is this long?
In addition, at the end of the corridor, there was a space for a small room– an obviously suspicious architecture. When Kim Sangyoon pointed at that hallway, the guide’s professional demeanor fell–that reaction made everything felt more suspicious.
However, the manager immediately resumed his professional expression and replied, “Oh, that way’s connected to a special reagent research lab. Of course, it’s an area that requires some security……”
“There are labs here?”
“Yes, Ah! You won’t be bothered by that complex at all–it’s a place where only researching doctors will pass through, quietly….”
The manager’s explanation was smooth and natural, but…it bothered me still. I’ve already gauged through Jung Garam’s mapping skill that the room at the end of the hallway was far too small for something like a full-fledged lab.
I wasn’t the only one who felt that way. Jung Garam, behind me, sarcastically said, “Ahn Hospital must be studying reagents in a studio apartment, huh?”
Kim Sangyoon simply nodded and moved on, unwilling to out himself as a suspicious individual. He asked no further questions.
After that, I listened to more introductions of various facilities and services without interruption. The guide smoothly explained the various amenities provided, pointed out aspects of the luxurious interior and guided us to the room.
“Thank you so much. If you need anything else, please feel free to page me. I hope you’ll have an amazing stay.” The tour ended at our room, and he handed us the key.
After making some final checks of the condition of the room, he gave us his final greetings and disappeared.
When the door closed, Seo Dawon said, “Send Kim Sangyoon towards that hallway.”
I looked at the Warrior, “Back then…the hallway next to the back garden…I think Sangyoon-nim will have to check it out.”
Kim Sangyoon also nodded, “As expected, it was the most suspicious place?” Then, he seemed to remember something and asked, “By the way…how should I get access to that place? I’ll be subdued if I try to make a fuss.”
“That’s….” I looked towards Seo Dawon.
Seo Dawon met my eyes, and he pointed to himself. And then, as if to shush me, he used his other hand to place his index finger over my lips.
I guess that means…to stay quiet–he’ll figure something out himself?
“I’ll have…someone who can help. Um…You’ll probably figure it out when you get there.”
“I understand”
I looked at Seo Dawon; fortunately, he seemed to agree with my interpretation of his charades.
Though I didn’t tell him directly, Kim Sangyoon guessed that my helper would be Seo Dawon. “This time around, will he be helping too?”
Since Seo Dawon didn’t gesture to keep anything a secret, I simply nodded, confirming his theory.
But if Kim Sangyoon and Seo Dawon are going to move together…what am I supposed to be doing with Jung Garam here? Are we some sort of diversion tactic?
“Originally, we were all supposed to go to the first-floor hallway…Strangely, some parts of the map were blocked when we moved up the floors?” Jung Garam said, as if he read my mind, zooming in and out of the holographic representation of the hospital.
I didn’t notice it until Jung Garam explained it, but he showcased some sections on the third floor–where our room was located–that were blurry as if the map’s pixels were broken. “This usually happens when [anti-vision] spells that block [mapping] are at work…But it’s damn expensive to use as security for buildings like this one. Usually, these high-level security skills are reserved for military units…To use something like this for a mere hospital–something smells fishy.”
So, what you’re saying is that there are [anti-vision] protections inlaid in certain sections on this floor to nullify probes and obscure the hospital layout? I looked closely at some of the sections that seemed badly shattered–almost hazy white.
These places were areas that we passed while being guided by the manager…I didn’t feel anything particularly strange? To be exact, I felt there was no place that could hide any kind of special facility?
Besides, why would they only have [anti-vision] on this floor…? Why wouldn’t they cover the suspicious hallway on the first floor with that protective skill?
My question seemed to show itself on my face.
Seo Dawon looked at my overwhelmed expression and explained, “So, the first floor is likely a bait. The fact that they have security personnel placed there also draws attention…”
They’re going to go there in spite of all that?
When I looked as if I still didn’t understand his motive, Seo Dawon laughed, “I can’t send Lee-kyung-ie to a trap!”
Jung Garam bluntly added, “We just need to check if Koo Hui-seo is kept in the spaces hidden by [Anti-vision]. Furthermore, if you can just remove the [anti-vision] ‘skill anchor from that location, the skill will be immediately destroyed. If you’re lucky, you won’t be detected.”
So the plan, to summarize, was like this:
When the day grows dark, Seo Dawon and Kim Sangyoon will sneak into the first-floor hallway to check for Koo Hui-seo. Jung Garam and I will rummage through this floor’s anti-vision blind spots. The first team to find Koo Hui-seo will contact the other through the system [message] app.
Since the first floor corridor, Kim Sangyoon’s responsibility, had a high chance of being a trap manned by skilled Users, Seo Dawon will accompany him in a [summoned] state, in case of emergency. Also, a Mage’s magic was crucial in hiding a person of Kim Sangyoon’s size.
Besides, Seo Dawon is known as a dead person–if the two are caught, one advantage would be that the enemy would find it hard to identify the intruder. And…It’s not like I could help if those two get into a battle with armed personnel over there…
Instead, Jung Garam and I will stay on this floor to dispel the [anti vision], and, if Koo Hui-seo truly is on this floor, we’ll contact the other group straightaway.
There were fewer guards on this floor than on the first. Jung Garam said that the [anti-vision] effect can be resolved by finding and moving items anchoring the skill. Usually, these items are disguised as ornaments or decorations–if anything stands out, we could simply try and move them around…
Maybe the reality of the situation hadn’t hit me yet, but I wasn’t too nervous since I had Jung Garam by my side. However, I was a little worried about Kim Sangyoon traveling with Seo Dawon…If something were to go wrong, I wondered if Seo Dawon would bother to save the Warrior.
“Kim Sangyoon….you can’t abandon him,” I told him, while the Warrior left for a bathroom break.
“What the heck, you want me to be jealous…?” Seo Dawon did not give me a definite answer and instead said something so confusing.
TL:
Seo Dawon: “I’m jealous”
Choi Lee-kyung: “What could this mean…?”