Chapter 36: Station 22: Untitled

Chapter 36: Station 22: Untitled

The Ararat Hotel, built on the snowy peak, was grand and expansive in scale.

However, the harsh cold of minus twenty to thirty degrees Celsius quickly drove people, whose clothing was ill-suited for the weather, inside, leaving them with no time to admire its exterior.

Yan Qiling didn't feel any adverse effects from the temperature.

He strolled through the snow, his gaze sweeping over the hotel's Gothic spires.

The building featured a pristine white façade, complemented by deep red tiles, and adopted a symmetrical double design, standing tall at three stories high.

Amidst the intensifying blizzard, it was enveloped in a fine mist of snow, adding an eerie mystique to its sacred aura.

Stepping through the golden revolving doors, the warm air that greeted them instantly soothed everyone's spirits.

The hotel lobby was brightly illuminated, with the light filtering in from the snow outside, dispelling the oppressive atmosphere brought on by the icy winds and fog.

At the center of the hall stood an oak reception desk.

The female receptionist who had greeted them before was now standing behind the counter, preparing their room reservation. Due to the number of guests, she was quite busy, and a male receptionist was assisting her on the side.

For some reason, Yan Qiling felt a resemblance between the lower half of the male receptionist's face and the jawline he had glimpsed in the driver's rearview mirror.

His gaze lingered on the man for a few seconds before shifting to the most eye-catching decoration in the hall — a plethora of portraits covering almost every inch of the walls.

The portraits, of varying sizes, were arranged in a meticulous grid from floor to ceiling on both walls flanking the hall. The primary red wallpaper peeked through the gaps, serving as borders between the pictures.

The frames, square or round, some as small as a fist, seemed to harmoniously blend when assembled together, creating an aesthetically pleasing sight.

Most of the portraits depicted still life scenes, with occasional portraits of individuals in classical attire. The brushstrokes were so lifelike that it felt as if the subjects could step out of the paintings at any moment.

...This was not a good omen.

After examining the portrait, Yan Qiling began to study the layout of the hall.

The overall structure of the hall formed the shape of the Chinese character "zhòu," which symbolizes a curse. The front desk was nestled in a recessed area, with broad semicircular staircases on either side leading to separate entrances of corridors above.

Beyond this "zhòu" shaped hall, doorways were carved out on both left and right sides, but their destinations remained unclear.

Most guests had already completed their check-in procedures.

Yan Qiling wasn't in a hurry, as he noticed Ming Yiyang, who had previously been upset, conversing with the receptionist at the counter.

With a hint of amusement sparkling in his eyes, Yan Qiling took a moment to observe the couple also inspecting the walls.

The woman wore no makeup, yet her husband appeared younger than her. Both seemed to be in their thirties, standing close and clinging to each other intimately.

Ruman clung to her husband's arm, clearly on edge.

"Honey... this seems like the hotel from The Shining..."

Her husband, Rao Haocang, held her hand tightly and pondered for a moment.

"It doesn't seem so. In The Shining, the staircase is right in front of the entrance, and the reception desk is on both sides."

"But... these materials, the patterns, they're all very similar... And these portraits, don't you find them particularly eerie?"

Noticing her excessive nervousness, Rao Haocang began to reassure her.

"Don't worry, there are no ghosts in The Shining. It's mainly about the male lead going mad and attacking people. As long as we're careful, we'll be fine. Aren't you cold? Should we go to the front desk and get a coat?"

"Will the clothes from the front desk be okay to wear? Won't there be any issues...?"

"There's no choice. We'll definitely have to explore outside later. Without a coat, we'll be stuck here..."

"Ahhhh, don't say that word, it's too ominous! Mistakes bring peace, mistakes bring peace!"

They hadn't been trying to lower their voices, and the middle-aged man towering behind them like a small mountain couldn't help but interject.

"Well, there are plenty of horror films set in hotels. What if this is a crossover world?"

Rou Haochang swiftly embraced Ruman, startled by the unexpected voice. He turned to glare at the middle-aged man.

"We're aware of that. There's no need for your reminder."

Meng Liangchen scratched his head, realizing he had uttered a discouraging remark but not feeling it was inappropriate. He spoke candidly,

"I just wanted to share my thoughts. Are you still short on exploration team members? Count me in. I don't know anyone else, and it's too risky to wander alone."

Assessing the man's physical condition roughly, although Rao Haochang found his speaking style a bit off-putting, he nodded in agreement.

"Alright, then let's stick together... My wife is timid, so don't frighten her."

Within a few minutes, the fourteen individuals who had entered the hotel had formed various small groups, fearlessly venturing into this unfamiliar world with remarkable efficiency.

Ming Yiyang finished sorting out the room cards and turned to see Yan Qiling standing before the grand wall on the right, his gaze fixed on the magnificent display of framed artwork.

The man had one hand in the pocket of his deep gray tweed coat, his yin-yang eyes seemingly shimmering with an odd glow.

Before he could decipher the other's thoughts, Yan Qiling, sensing someone approaching, had already withdrawn his gaze, turning his head and putting on his usual fake smile.

"Thank you for your hard work."

"It's an honor for me, Ming, to be of service to Mr. Yan," Ming Yiyang replied with a forced smile, handing over the room card.

Following the instructions from Chi Zhe, they had upgraded to a presidential suite.

Si Shuhao, who was synchronizing information and pretending to have "run into" them, walked over with Chi Zhe.

The hotel was well heated, so Chi Zhe took off his black down jacket and draped it over his arm.

His azure daoist robe marked his profession, making him stand out in the environment, much like Simon in his Dalaran attire.

Si Shuhao's expression of awe had yet to fade since they entered the hotel.

"This hotel looks incredibly real."

In the previous worlds she had experienced, like the school in the Pen Spirit world, they appeared to be schools on the surface, but the classrooms were devoid of any signs of life. It was as if no one had ever lived there.

Moreover, accidents prone to blood and gore would occur without warning, making her feel as though she was trapped in a nightmare related to schools.

She had initially imagined the "Slaughterhouse" to be an even more grim and gruesome place, filled with random killings.

But so far, she felt that it wasn't much different from staying in a hotel in the real world!

There was even a visitor's guide available at the counter, which she briefly flipped through. It was richly illustrated, detailing the tourist attractions near Mount Ararat Hotel, along with contact numbers for tour guides!

Upon hearing her words, Chi Zhe touched the tassel on his left earlobe and gave a meaningful smile:

"Well, that's the terrifying aspect of the Slaughterhouse..."

"The Wujian Masters you've encountered before were all at the Corpse or Ghost level."

"At that level, although they were ruthless and cruel, they didn't qualify to be hosts for the 'Slaughterhouse,' for their powers were insufficient to create a complete Wujian World. Isn't that right, Teacher Yan?"

Caught off guard by the sudden mention, Yan Qiling took over the conversation with a gentle demeanor, adapting smoothly:

"Yes, their world is like fragmented islands, and most of the rules are self-evident. This is a sign of inadequate power."

"The current Ararat Hotel is a Human Rank Intermediary Master's construct. An Intermediary Master with such capability can create a meticulous microcosm. Moreover, they begin to possess greater wisdom."

He looked at the wall adorned with countless oil paintings in frames.

The cold light illuminated the edges of the metal frames, outlining the exquisite relief patterns on them.

"It confines us within this tiny hotel, meticulously refining every detail here to make us feel 'real' and 'normal.'"

"You've probably read the visitor's guide, right?"

Si Shuhao, who had been listening attentively, promptly took out the booklet from her bosom:

"I have, it's right here."

Yan Qiling didn't take it, but instead, he smiled and prompted her:

"You might want to look closely at the text inside. Isn't it detailed? However, these details are useless when it comes to understanding the laws of death in this world."

"Useless information now permeates the entire hotel."

The girl's hand paused on the booklet, her eyes fixated on the dense array of letters before her, suddenly realizing something.

Though the Pen Spirit world was terrifying, their objectives had always been clear-cut.

Whether it was using a student ID to enter a classroom or deducing the "teacher's" answers from limited clues, every step was distinctly outlined.

Even relying solely on intuition, she could discern what was absolutely forbidden and what was best avoided.

And within those margins, they sought opportunities for survival.

But now, that objective had vanished.

If the previous two worlds were like a written exam, then now, she held a blank sheet of paper.

A blank sheet with all the questions concealed!

The more real this world became, the richer the information, the more exponentially misleading distractions arose, making it less likely to obtain valid information...

At this moment, apart from checking the room, she had no idea what else she was supposed to do or what she might face shortly.

A delayed sense of fear surged within the young girl, making her fists clench instantly.

"Relax," Yan Qiling reassured her with his usual composure and gentleness, "The key to unraveling the 'truth' lies in not placing too much trust in 'common sense.' Nothing is inherently obvious. If everything proceeds smoothly, it often signifies that you're on the path it intends for you."

{Yan Qiling=Yan Qiling, Qiling=Qiling}

"While it possesses greater intelligence, that's where its capabilities end."

The young girl nodded, having learned something new.

With his hands in his pockets, Ming Yiyang tilted his head slightly and looked at them, "Has Professor Yan's lesson finally concluded? Can we, then, proceed to... check into a room?"

Si Shuhao was displeased with the emphasis this person placed on certain words.

"Ming Yiyang, you really have such an odd way of speaking."

"If you don't like it, don't listen."

"I can't install a filter in my ears, but you can certainly keep your mouth shut! Why don't you go talk somewhere else? Tsk tsk tsk!"

Yan Qiling and Chi Zihao pretended not to hear the childish bickering and proceeded up the stairs on the right.

In reality, the hotel had direct elevators, but for safety precautions, they both opted to walk without prior agreement.

The presidential suite was numbered 210, located at the end of the corridor.

The hallway was long and dimly lit. On the left side, red wallpaper adorned with repetitive marigold patterns stretched along, but this wall had no windows.

On the right were orderly rows of room doors, starting with room 201.

"...Another one of these enclosed corridors," Si Shuhao grumbled uneasily, leaning a bit closer to Yan Qiling.

For some inexplicable reason, massive oil paintings were hung on this wall at intervals of one meter.

The portraits depicted a variety of individuals.