Chapter 331: The Unusual Hotel
Chapter 331: The Unusual Hotel
After ending his call with Old Qi, Chen Chuan used his Boundary Token to examine the area and discovered that the incident had made the news yesterday, which was quite rare.
It was worth noting that Hong Sheng District was the least noticed area in the Central City, synonymous with old and backwardness. It was home to a large number of residents without citizen status, filled with gangs of all sizes, and even the City Patrol Team rarely ventured there.
This was one of the areas where haunting incidents were most prevalent, and the headquarters of the Golden Shrimp Team had once been established here. However, the problematic street was located in the southeast of Hong Sheng District, extending towards the city center. Perhaps due to this reason, it had attracted attention.
But based on his understanding, even with all the attention, expecting someone to resolve the problem was futile. It would be more likely for the news to be suppressed than for a solution to be found.
The occurrence of a mass disappearance event, if it was indeed a haunting incident, indicated that it was becoming more powerful. If left unaddressed, it would soon lead to an even larger-scale disaster.
After a moment of thought, he decided to take action.
He prepared the necessary items, including ritual materials, and placed them in a carry bag. Changing into casual attire, he went downstairs to get his vehicle and drove towards the haunting incident site.
On the way, Old Qi sent him a photo of a missing colleague. She was a woman in her thirties with short hair, wearing glasses and a staff uniform, looking competent. The reason for her disappearance was a client's request to retrieve last year's guest list from a hotel.
The client offered a high price, and based on past experiences, it was deemed safe as long as one didn't stay at the hotel. So, Old Qi's colleague accepted the task.
However, the hotel was no longer as harmless as before; it had become a place where one could enter but not exit. This had trapped his colleague inside.
It had already been ten days or half a month since the incident, so Old Qi's colleague's chances didn't look promising.
In the afternoon, around two o'clock, he drove along the avenue and reached the area, finding a pile of obstacles blocking the road. However, the wide street entrance wasn't entirely blocked.
He slowed down and drove through a gap on the side, and once past the obstacles, his view opened up. The street was deserted, and he could almost see to the end, except for some suspicious figures lurking in building corners and alleys.
They seemed to be gang members, but he paid them no mind and continued driving. Soon, he spotted the hotel.
He noticed there were no parking spaces ahead, and the nearby ground was littered with debris and trash. Fortunately, there was an empty parking lot about a hundred meters away, so he parked there.
Carrying the Xuejun Blade, he got out of the vehicle, closed the door, and headed towards the hotel.
Initially, he didn't sense anything unusual, but as he approached within thirty or forty meters, his Second Self began to exhibit faint signs of virtualization.
"Hey, don't go in!" a voice shouted from behind.
Chen Chuan stopped and turned towards the source of the shout, noticing a dirty-faced boy on a nearby residential building. But as his gaze met the boy's, the boy quickly retracted his head.
Old Qi had told him that the area was deserted, but when Chen Chuan arrived, he could sense people watching him. This scrutiny lessened as he approached the hotel.
It made sense; ordinary people wouldn't abandon their homes. Only those with some means would dare to flee.
He turned and said, "I'm here to resolve this issue."
As he continued walking, after a while, just as he was about to enter the hotel, the boy shouted again, "Don't resolve it!"
Chen Chuan pondered for a moment, understanding the sentiment behind the words. While this anomaly was dangerous, the real threat might be the potential expansion of the haunting incident. If it was indeed a haunting, the affected area would grow, eventually engulfing everyone hiding there.
Alternatively, when those tasked with handling the issue arrived, it might be easier and more cost-effective to deal with the people than the problem itself. Without people, the haunting would naturally disappear.
"Stay where you are and don't move," he replied.
As he spoke, he stepped onto the hotel's staircase and pushed open the glass door. Almost instantly, as he crossed the threshold, his Second Self experienced intense virtualization.
Inside, he surveyed the lobby, finding it empty. The half-drawn curtains and old-fashioned chandelier were spotlessly clean, and the floor tiles gleamed like mirrors.
The dining tables were neatly arranged, with guests' clothes hanging on the chair backs. The dishes and food on the table appeared freshly served, and he even spotted a slice of cream cake that still exuded a sweet aroma.
The problem was that the situation had occurred almost a month ago, and with the current weather, the body should have decomposed by now. Yet, it remained as fresh as ever.
He touched the Boundary Token, and under the strong influence of Alteration, the token was already unusable, which was expected.
He walked around the lobby on the first floor, and aside from traces left by guests, there was nothing else. So, he decided to go upstairs.
To his surprise, the elevator was still lit and functional. However, instead of entering, he chose to take the stairs.
Just as he entered the street, five vehicles drove in, carrying people with moss-like hairstyles, their hair dyed in various colors. At a glance, they were members of the Moss Clan.
After driving for a while, the vehicles stopped, and the gang leader in the front car stood up and waved towards an alley. Immediately, two people ran out, and he took out a cigarette. His subordinate quickly lit it for him, and after taking a puff, he asked, "Has there been any movement these past few days?"
The man replied, "Boss, those scumbags have been well-behaved. No one dares to cause trouble. But just now, a car entered and it seemed to be heading towards the hotel."
The gang leader was surprised, "Is there really someone going in there to die?"
A subordinate beside him said, "Big Brother, it might be someone from the commission company. Those guys, as long as they get paid enough, they're not afraid of death."
The gang leader spat on the ground and smirked, "Whoever they are, if they want to die, let them. We'll follow the boss's instructions. No one who enters that place is allowed to come out." He pointed with his hand, "You guys, set up roadblocks at the intersection."
"Yes, Brother."
As he watched his subordinates busy at work, one of his trusted henchmen asked, "Brother, are we just going to stay here and watch? How long will this take?"
"At least two months."
The gang leader leisurely smoked and said, "The city is about to hold an arena tournament. Many people from other central cities have come here recently. If this place causes trouble, it won't look good for the city officials. The boss said that as long as we keep an eye on this place, we'll all get a bonus afterward."
(End of Chapter)
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