There is no gate or a way out, and it’s all expected. Xiao Qing threw a vase to confirm it wasn’t an illusion, then turned and headed straight for the front desk. The computer at the front desk was on, and the screen displayed the last query information – Room 2201, Laura Carter.
“I’m sorry, guests, this is a work area, non-personnel cannot enter,” a front desk lady suddenly appeared in the lobby. She didn’t seem to have any doubts about why she was here, but instead looked at the several strangers at the front desk with a puzzled expression. “Are you here to check-in?”
Xiao Qing calmly circled out from behind the front desk. “No, we’re here to find a friend.”
Xu Yintang continued, “His name is Gerald, and we arranged to meet him here today. Do you remember him?”
Hearing the name Gerald, the front desk lady’s face briefly showed disgust, and her tone turned harsh.
“You’re looking for Gerald? How much does he owe you? How did you find your way here? Laura has already divorced him! She won’t give a single penny to Gerald!”
It seemed that Gerald owed a significant amount of debt, and Laura had helped him deal with many creditors.
Xiao Qing said, “Calm down. If you’re talking about Laura, the singer, she has nothing to do with this. We’re just here to find Gerald. I’m sure he was here recently. Please think carefully, did you see him here today?”
He spoke earnestly, and the front desk lady hesitated for a moment, frowning as she tried to recall whether she had seen Gerald. She said indignantly, “He must have heard that Laura is about to become famous and came to ask her for money! That scoundrel! Laura must have been blind to pick him!”
The front desk lady was likely the one who checked the room information for Laura. All the clues to the murder in Room 2201 were coming together.
Laura, who sang in the hotel’s restaurant, was noticed by a talent agent and was about to sign a record deal. Her ex-husband, Gerald, heard about it and came to ask her for money, leading to a conflict that resulted in Laura getting her throat cut by Gerald. He fled, leaving her in the room to bleed to death, and Laura turned into a vengeful spirit, forever trapped in the best and worst night of her life.
The front desk lady, concerned that Gerald might have come to look for Laura said, “No, I need to send security to the 22nd floor right away. That guy Gerald goes crazy when he drinks, and I don’t want him to harm other guests.”
She was about to call security, but Xiao Qing stopped her and said politely, “If you don’t mind, we’d be happy to handle it. Please rest assured; we just want to talk to Gerald about his minor issues – in a friendly and peaceful manner. Since he’s already divorced, we won’t disturb Miss Laura, I swear on my family’s reputation.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
What family was he referring to? Of course, it was a family he made up on the spot.
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“Alright,” the front desk lady said. “Laura stays in 2201. You can take the staff elevator from here, and it will take you directly upstairs.”
She added, “The 22nd floor is for our hotel’s important guests. Please be very careful and don’t disturb their rest.”
“Don’t worry,” Xiao Qing smiled. “We are all reasonable people and never resort to violence.”
He was telling the truth, in reality, they were all law-abiding civilized individuals.
The front desk lady, partly convinced, looked at him, wanting to question his words. However, when she turned to see the empty lobby with no security in sight, she had no choice but to believe these people’s assurances that they wouldn’t resort to violence.
It’s okay if Gerald gets beaten, but if guests complain, both she and Laura will likely get in trouble, and they might even get fired from the hotel.
The front desk lady hesitated, watching them as they entered the elevator. The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. After a considerable internal struggle, she finally decided to call security.
Inside the elevator, Xiao Qing smiled and said, “Do you believe me that we’d encounter trouble if we took the regular elevator?”
Xu Yintang asked, “Did you smell it?”
“A little bit, it’s not the same as the smell of a corpse. It’s more acidic, like the smell of vomit.”
Following the principle of not being the only one grossed out, Xiao Qing vividly described the smell he had detected, ignoring the fact that they had just finished dinner.
“In the elevator, there’s definitely something there. Sugar, can you send your kid to check if he can eat it later? For now, we won’t go inside to avoid any elevator accidents. Also, I smelled the smell of a corpse in the stairwell, so if we need a stairwell escape later, be cautious.”
Xiao Qing briefly went over the information he had gathered, and Xu Yintang added, “Second Treasure said the front desk lady smells the same as regular people.”
She didn’t have the pleasant scent of a player or the odor of a corpse, her scent was similar to that of regular people.
Xiao Qing nodded, “I can hear her heartbeat, unlike Laura and those corpses.”
“What about inside the elevator?”
“I didn’t listen very carefully, just a slight noise, very faint.”
Xu Yintang nodded, “So, currently, there are four known ‘entities’ in this place – corpses, ghosts, the front desk lady, and something uncertain inside the elevator. Which one do you think Gerald might be?”
Huahua thought for a moment, “A ghost, probably. Since Laura is a ghost, and Gerald is a murderer, he must have some flair.”
“In that case, assuming the worst, it means that the 22nd floor is likely to have not only Gerald as a ghost but also an army of corpses, just like the restaurant. Xu Yintang analyzed the adversaries they would likely face.
Xiao Qing continued, “Don’t worry, first, let’s clarify the objectives of all our future actions: 1. Find a way to leave this place and return to the hotel. 2. Collect information as much as possible, ensuring our safety, to prepare for the next few days.”
“I assume there are two possible ways to leave this place. One is to deal with Gerald, and the other is through Room 2201. Of course, we might need both.”
After Xiao Qing finished, he naturally looked at Xu Yintang and blinked his eyes twice. Xu Yintang was silent for a moment, then continued to arrange the action, “Once we get upstairs, we’ll head straight to Room 2201. I’ll lead the way, Xiao Qing, you cover the rear. Huahua and Old Wang, protect Tiantian. Room 2201 is to the right after getting out of the elevator. Follow me and be ready for combat at any time.”
Tiantian raised her hand weakly, “Don’t worry about me, I’ll catch my breath soon.”
After Tiantian had consumed about half a bottle of Euphoria Potion to regain her composure, she had also prepared some stamina-boosting potions. In a bit over ten seconds, the potion would take effect, fully restoring her health. However, she wouldn’t be able to deal with the female ghost as violently as before.
“You can only use ‘Explosive Growth’ once a day, using it more often can weaken your kidneys.”
Huahua took care of Tiantian and retrieved a bottle of medicated oil from the medical kit to apply to her teammates’ temples, helping to refresh and clear their minds. “I’ve personally tested medicated oil, and it’s the most effective. It helps stabilize your mental state after a mental shock and also assists in calming emotions. You should keep some in your backpacks when you go back.”
Xu Yintang curiously touched the green liquid on his forehead, feeling its smooth, oily texture. The cool, stimulating scent rushed to his brain, instantly invigorating him.
The elevator ascended floor by floor.
“We’re almost there,” Xiao Qing watched the floor numbers jumping from 18 to 19 and signaled to his teammates. At the same time, he adjusted their positions, with Old Wang on one side and himself on the other, shielding the two girls behind them.
Xu Yintang took a step forward, his hand reaching into his pocket to touch a small tentacle, ready to pop out and protect his mom at a moment’s notice. He was prepared to tear apart and crush anything that posed a threat.
In this situation, they didn’t need Second Treasure, big brother was enough to carry the team. Second Treasure, held within his brother’s grasp, yawned and savored a small piece of food he had just bitten off from Laura’s soul. The taste of death and blood was more intense and sweeter than a hospital nurse’s scent.
*Munch, munch, munch…*
Hehe, a child with a mom and a big brother is a treasure.
Author’s Note –
- Xiao Qing successfully used his persuasion skills, gaining the trust of the front desk lady and obtaining a clue – a safe way to go upstairs.
- Huahua used the item [Medicated Oil], slightly boosting the team’s mental resistance.
Wasn’t 2201 Tiantian’s room? Is this one of those things where each player corresponds to a ghost and must survive and avoid the death routes of their roles? So Tiantian would need to avoid getting her neck sliced open?
Awwa second treasure is so cute(｡･ω･｡)ﾉ♡
I love the relationship between the brothers 😭
Lol second treasure just having a grand ole time
Thank you for your translation 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜