Chapter 331: The Strange Hotel
Chapter 331: The Strange Hotel
After ending the call with Lao Qi, Chen Chuan used his Boundary Vessel to check the area and found that this incident had made the news yesterday, which was quite unusual.
It was well-known that Hong Sheng District was the least noticed area in Central City, synonymous with old and backwardness. It was home to a large number of residents without citizen status, and various gangs of all sizes thrived there. Even the City Patrol Team rarely ventured into these parts.
As a result, this was one of the areas with the most urban legends, and the headquarters of the Golden Shrimp Team used to be located here. However, the street where the current problem was occurring was on the southeast side of Hong Sheng District, extending towards the city center, which might be the reason it had attracted attention.
But based on his understanding, even if this incident received attention, it was futile to expect it to be addressed, and it would be easier to suppress the news altogether.
The occurrence of a mass disappearance event indicated that if it were an urban legend, it was becoming more dominant. If left unattended, it would soon lead to even larger-scale casualties.
He pondered for a moment and decided to go and handle the situation.
Chen Chuan prepared the necessary items, including ritual materials, and placed them in a bag. He changed into casual attire and went downstairs to get his vehicle. Then, he drove towards the location of the urban legend.
On the way, Lao Qi sent him a photo of the missing colleague. She was a woman in her thirties with short hair, wearing glasses and a staff uniform, looking very capable. The reason for her disappearance was that a client had commissioned her to find last year's guest list at a hotel.
The client had offered a high price, and based on past experiences, as long as she didn't stay at the hotel, there was minimal risk. So, Lao Qi's colleague accepted the commission.
However, the hotel was no longer like before; it had become a place where one could enter but not leave. As a result, the colleague found herself trapped.
But it had been ten days or half a month since the incident, so Lao Qi didn't hold out much hope for his colleague.
At around two in the afternoon, Chen Chuan drove along the avenue and reached the area. He noticed that someone had placed obstacles in the middle of the road, but they couldn't completely block the wide street.
He slowed down and drove through a gap on one side. Without the obstacles, his vision became clearer, and the street ahead was almost empty, with only a few shadowy figures visible in the corners of buildings and alleys.
They seemed to be gang members, but Chen Chuan ignored them and drove further in. Soon, he spotted the hotel.
He noticed that there were no parking spaces in front, and the ground was littered with all sorts of debris and garbage. Fortunately, there was an empty parking lot about a hundred meters away, so he parked his vehicle there.
Carrying the Snow Lady Sword, he got out of the car, locked it, and headed towards the hotel.
At first, he didn't sense anything unusual, but when he was about thirty meters away, the second self on his body began to exhibit faint signs of virtualization.
"Hey, don't go in!" a voice shouted from behind.
Chen Chuan stopped and turned to look at a certain place on the street. On the balcony of a residential building, there was a dirty-faced boy who shouted at him but quickly retracted his head.
Lao Qi had told him that there was no one left in the area, but when Chen Chuan arrived, he could sense that many people were watching him. It was only when he approached the hotel that this attention gradually lessened.
It made sense; how could the ordinary residents here abandon their homes? Only those with some means would dare to venture outside.
Chen Chuan turned and said, "I'm here to resolve this issue."
As he continued walking, he noticed that just before he reached the hotel entrance, the boy shouted again, "Don't try to resolve it!"
Chen Chuan pondered for a moment. He understood the sentiment behind these words. While the anomaly here posed a danger, it also meant that fewer people came to exploit and control them. But if it were an urban legend, the affected area would continue to expand, eventually engulfing everyone hiding here.
Or, by the time those responsible for handling problems arrived, it might be easier and more cost-effective to deal with the people than the problem itself. Without people, the urban legend would naturally disappear.
"Stay where you are and don't move," Chen Chuan replied.
With that, he stepped into the hotel lobby. After a few steps, he pushed open the glass door, and as he crossed the threshold, the second self on his body exhibited strong signs of virtualization.
Inside, the lobby was empty. The half-drawn curtains and old-fashioned hanging ornaments were spotlessly clean, as if meticulously wiped down. The floor tiles gleamed like mirrors.
The dining tables were neatly arranged, and on the backs of the chairs hung guests' clothes. The dishes and food on the tables looked as if they had just been placed there, and he even saw a half-cut cream cake that still seemed to emit a sweet aroma.
Chen Chuan entered the hotel, only to find himself in a predicament. Almost a month had passed since the incident, and with the current weather, any evidence should have decayed by now. Yet, to his surprise, everything appeared as fresh as if it had just happened.
He touched the Boundary Vessel, a device granting access to domains, but as expected, it was unusable under the strong influence of the current situation.
Chen Chuan walked through the lobby on the first floor, noticing only traces left by guests, with no other clues in sight. He decided to head upstairs.
Surprisingly, the elevator was still functioning, but instead of using it, he opted for the stairs.
Just as he entered the hotel, five vehicles drove into the street. The passengers had their hair styled like moss, dyed in various colors, an obvious indication of the Moss Gang.
After driving for a while, the vehicles stopped, and the gang leader in the front seat gestured to an alley. Immediately, a gang member lit a cigarette for him. He took a puff and asked, "Any news or movements in the past few days?"
The gang member replied, "Boss, those trash have been keeping quiet. No one dares to cause trouble. Though, a vehicle just entered a while ago, heading straight for the hotel."
The gang leader was surprised, "Someone's daring enough to walk into a death trap?"
One of the underlings spoke up, "Boss, they might be from the contracted company. Those guys will do anything for money, fearless of death."
The gang leader spat out the window and smirked, "Whoever they are, let them die. We follow orders from above. No one who enters comes out alive." He pointed at a few members, "You, set up roadblocks at the intersection."
"Yes, boss."
As the gang members worked, one of the leader's trusted underlings asked, "Boss, are we just going to wait here? How long will this take?"
The gang leader, watching the 12-story hotel, one of the tallest buildings in the area, took a drag from his cigarette. "The city's hosting a fighting tournament soon, and many outsiders are flooding in. If trouble starts here, the city officials lose face. Our boss said we'd get a bonus if we keep watch. So, we wait."
The trusted underling looked at the hotel and sighed, "Boss, you said the hotel's suspicious. Why not blow it up? That'd be easier."
The gang leader glanced at him, "Blow it up? You gonna do it, or should I? Haven't you heard? People who reach the entrance act like they're under a spell."
"That spooky?"
"Damn right!" The gang leader finished his cigarette and called a few members, "Come, let's take a look."
They approached an armored vehicle in the parking lot. The leader circled it, impressed, "New ride! Get it inside."
Suddenly, a gang member noticed a boy across the street sneaking peeks at them. He aimed his gun, and with a 'bang,' the boy ducked. The gang burst into laughter.
One underling examined the vehicle, "Boss, this must be the contracted company's car. Taking on such jobs, they're not ordinary."
The gang leader scoffed, "You stupid? Entering that hotel's a death wish. Get it outta here fast."
A few members tried to move it but struggled. One said, "Boss, this is a modified vehicle. The glass is bulletproof, and the lock's a heavy-duty twist handle. We can't jimmy it open."
The leader checked the lock himself and cursed. It was a shallow rotating disc, a unique modification. This lock required specific finger and arm strength to open, a challenge for most but not for Chen Chuan, who could effortlessly unlock it with a twist.
"I don't believe it. Get a tow truck, now!"
Inside the hotel, Chen Chuan searched from the first to the twelfth floor, finding empty rooms and hallways frozen in time, as if the occupants had just left.
Throughout his exploration, he felt a sense of being watched. He had checked almost everywhere, including the rooftop, but one place remained: the basement.
An old building, it lacked an underground garage. According to the map, the basement housed backup generators and cold storage.
Chen Chuan opened the safety doors and descended to the basement.
(End of Chapter)
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