[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian":3,"chapter-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-618":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Surviving the Game as a Barbarian",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1327995,1764,"Chapter 618: Return of the Golden Horse (1)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-618",618,"\u003Cp>After about three meters, the passage opened into a room resembling a control center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rectangular glass panels covered the walls, showing real-time status of every location inside the building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There are a lot of controls.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were so many buttons and levers it looked like an airplane cockpit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yandel.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turning at Amelia’s call, I saw through one screen the room where our trapped exploration team members were held.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No wonder I couldn’t find it no matter how much I searched.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room had no door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, dozens of rails connected in and out, meaning movement was possible only via rails...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Now I roughly understand how we were supposed to get to that room.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You had to board the correct rails and move in the precise order, like solving a puzzle mini-game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...There was something similar on the 10th floor’s final part.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That part was truly malicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You had to try repeatedly, and failure meant the entire party’s destruction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, I’d accept that on floors three or four, but on the 10th floor? That’s just cruel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Luckily, those who were taken out earlier seem to have returned unharmed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The ones dragged out before me. The ones suspected to have turned into magic stones in the underground space. Now they all appear unharmed inside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did I carefully look inside the screen and saw that, along with Amelia, all the missing members were standing safely in that room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So what now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia asked, and I paused to consider.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless buttons and levers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we operated these well, we might rescue our comrades from here...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t press anything randomly; just stay still.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since we didn’t know what these buttons did, it was risky to try blindly. What if one released poison gas and killed everyone?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You think I’m that stupid?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just in case I said so. Let’s try the one farthest away first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...You said don’t press randomly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But if we don’t try, we won’t learn anything, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia and I then carefully examined the control room step-by-step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We pressed buttons sequentially from the screen showing the comrades’ room and the farthest buttons, learning one fact:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Buttons below the screen affect the camera position of that screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing this, we became bolder pressing multiple buttons and levers, soon understanding most of their functions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Pressing red stops the rails; green restarts them; pulling the left lever reverses the rails...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pulling the right lever changed the screen view to control another area. Each button and lever had various uses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the problem was three buttons and levers remained unknown...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What the hell are those?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike others attached below the screens, these were alone in the room center, so we couldn’t check them lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They looked suspicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by my guess, those devices probably affected the entire building...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we want to get to that room, the fastest way is to let someone turn into a magic stone and follow it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia advised, and I chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who doesn’t know that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Absolutely no. It seems life-threatening, and who knows what side effects there might be.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then we just keep waiting like now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a bad choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The downside is waiting forever for them to come out one by one, but if we stick to this method, everyone can be saved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Assuming the current state holds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Or we can try finding it ourselves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Finding it ourselves?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Checking the underground factory on the screen, over twenty people had gathered there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we stopped all rails and had everyone enter the rails to search, this might be faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, we need to find that room first to search it. Something might be hidden there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“True... We came to explore after all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right, we haven’t learned anything yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Escaping this temple is easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just exit where I came in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what’s our purpose here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We want to escape this miserable basement and return to the city. Yet we have no way to leave Rainbow Island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see, that makes sense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With agreement, no need to hesitate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia and I began stopping all rails throughout the building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then we went underground, joined the main force, shared discoveries and plans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One day, two days, three days, four days...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Amelia’s command, we steadily mapped the tangled rails like an anthill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone, take a copy of the map! Updated as of yesterday!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We confirmed this route leads back out here, so today we’ll check elsewhere.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone worked together, moving cheerfully toward a shared goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now I watched them on the top-floor control room screens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I came to check after reports of moving rails during exploration...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What? I thought I turned that off?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finding and stopping the problematic rail again wasn’t hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crackle, crackle—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I was about to go back down, all screens suddenly went completely black.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[May I have a moment to talk?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A strange voice began from beyond the screens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An ancient language requesting conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, a rainbow-colored cluster of light appeared on the central screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Do not worry. I mean no harm.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With every word, the light cluster stretched and bounced like a rubber ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not an AI or anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How should I take this mysterious presence trying to talk beyond the screen?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Marx, it’s been a while. I’m glad to see you’re doing well.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While pondering, the mysterious entity greeted someone # Nоvеlight # directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marx?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Could it be... you mean me?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tilted my head just as Hamsik cautiously looked at the screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ah, now I realize you don’t know who you are or why you’re here. That was your wish.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[What are you talking about? You know me?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Of course.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the positive reply, Hamsik grabbed my hair tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seemed as stunned as I was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it was time for a friend to step in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m glad to meet you, but how about introducing yourself? Who are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Director of the lab. Call me that if you need a name.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Director is too long; just ‘Director’ is fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Suit yourself.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I threw a casual remark to feel out the tone, but the reaction was surprisingly mild.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoever this was, they truly didn’t care about titles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well then, Director, tell us. If you appeared before us, you must have a reason.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before finding out who the Director was, I asked the purpose. It’s what I value most when meeting strangers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is this guy’s goal?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sadly, the Director answered evasively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Captain Baekin, is he doing well?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Captain Baekin?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Even stuck here, I can sense things. You met that friend recently, didn’t you?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Intuitively, I understood who ‘Captain Baekin’ referred to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one who defeated the fearsome Lord Dreadfear and whom we met in a mysterious place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Who exactly are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[A pitiable being blessed and cursed at once. Marx, same as that friend.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you won’t tell me anything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Don’t be impatient. You’ll reach the truth someday.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oddly, the phrase resembled what Captain Baekin said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The difference: Baekin spoke uncertainly, but the Director sounded confident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[But I can give you a clue. Conveniently, Marx, that friend is right beside you.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A clue?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Before starting, I’ll ask first. Marx, do you want to know your past? Remember, you lost your memory by your own request.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the Director’s question, Hamsik trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the time was short.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Yes, I want to know.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Hamsik’s reply, the light cluster on the screen began moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You are currently in a research facility named Panthelion. It was a secret underground institution operated by the Empire.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Hamsik said he had been here before, I wondered why this story was starting now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, I listened carefully without cutting off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The Empire established this lab for one purpose: to create loyal and powerful biological weapons stronger than any soldier.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Many mages, scholars, and alchemists gathered to study all knowledge and conduct experiments. Yet, results were always insufficient.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[This changed when witches appeared. An unprecedented war broke out, and the Empire was under threat.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[All talent was gathered to the lab, and unprecedented support was given. Most importantly, new test subjects increased.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Thousands of monsters, including those created by witches, were brought in daily. Panthelion’s research made tremendous progress in a short time.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light cluster flickered wildly as if opening eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[One of those test subjects was you, Marx.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I... was a test subject...?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Yes. You were captured here and underwent harsh experiments until a witch who once favored you attacked with her army.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...So I was freed thanks to the witch?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[No, you weren’t freed. You died during the process.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You died? Then why am I here?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Your death was significant to the witch. It was engraved so deeply it couldn’t be erased.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I don’t understand! What does that have to do with me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Hamsik’s outburst, the Director replied mechanically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You died in the witch’s arms, saying that if there were a Land of Dawn, you wished to live there peacefully without memories, reading books.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the entire story the Director told about Hamsik.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the Director continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I was in a similar situation. Though I made many mistakes as human, I got a chance to atone with the witch.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tone was still flat, but...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[But time changes everything.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I wasn’t imagining it, the voice seemed different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Even you, didn’t you finally fail to endure that long time and left there?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I only reluctantly did because of this guy—]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Hamsik could be overwhelmed, I intervened quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough. So what exactly do you want to say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to my big data, none of these long-winded types were sane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This guy was the first to appear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was probably behind kidnapping my comrades here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All in all, he was hard to trust...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I want to propose a deal.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A deal...? Go on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I will let you leave this place.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For now, it seemed worth hearing him out.\u003C\u002Fp>",1651,"2026-06-05T19:33:18.084Z",1,"novelbin.me","8a38f1a5aeb3eb6649cc70ff3bea4073c1d218002827d66413dddafcaa7bb492","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-619","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-617",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]