Chapter 172: Escaping the Hostel

The trio exchanged a lot of information. Han Fei benefited a lot from it. He realized there were many rules in the game that he could use to his own advantages. Han Fei left the second floor of Corner Coffee around 2 pm. Once he did, his phone started to vibrate. ‘The second floor even screens phone signals?’ Han Fei turned to glance up the stairs before he swiveled his attention back to his phone. Most of the messages were from Director Jiang. You Long Culture was very interested in the series of docu-movies. They wanted to draft an official collaboration contract with Han Fei. With the popularity from Twin Flower, You Long Culture now had full confidence in Han Fei’s vision.

‘Flower of Sin almost got cut due to budget issues but now before the new script is even ready, we already got the sponsor.’ After making the replies, Han Fei asked about the payment cut from Twin Flower. He was eager to make the purchase of the high-class gaming hub. Walking down the street, perhaps because Perfect Life was going to enter OB soon, its advertisements could be seen all over the intelligent city. Due to its Iyashikei nature, players of all age groups were excitedly discussing the upcoming gaming phenomenon. This game would be a cultural reset.

“Hopefully nothing happens after the OB.”

Han Fei was in no place to worry about others. The moment he mentioned anything related to the black box, his brain would explode. The only thing he could do now was to get strong and survive in that horrid world. Han Fei reached home around 4 pm. He sat down to study and then committed a series of martial arts practice. Han Fei lived a monk-like lifestyle. He abandoned all bad habits and focused on strengthening his body and will.

When it was around midnight, Han Fei stood beside the wall of crimes and picked up the gaming helmet from the table. ‘I need to clear Yi Ming Private Academy’s map as soon as possible. I worry about my neighbours after being separated from them for so long. I hope everyone is fine.’ Putting on the gaming helmet, his world was dyed red. “Welcome to Perfect Life!”

Opening his eyes, Han Fei was inside a dark corridor. There was no sound, no light. He reached forward to push at the door before him. Han Fei barely applied any force and he frowned. ‘The door’s not locked?’

Han Fei lowered his head and noticed the lock of Room 104 was broken. The handle was sticky with dark red residue. Han Fei strode into the room and Zhang Guanxing was missing. ‘There is no sign of struggle. Looks like he has left before the threat arrived.’ Han Fei took out the red uniform from his inventory and walked around the small bedroom. He visited all the corners but Xu Qin’s pet did not come out. ‘Did it leave with Zhang Guanxing?’ The shadow was a master at concealing itself, if even it had slipped away, it meant that something incredibly scary had been to this place. Putting away the red uniform, Han Fei closed the door. Honestly, he was slightly panicking. When he was around Zhang Guanxing and the shadow, at least they could watch each other’s back but now he was all alone inside the bedroom. ‘The building is incredibly quiet, it’s like it has been deserted.’

He had no idea what presence was responsible for that, he could not even be sure if the thing was still inside the building or not. Han Fei’s heart raced thinking about the perils that he might need to face on his own. ‘Should I stay here or try to leave?’

While he teetered between the two choices, Han Fei busied himself by searching the bedroom. When he opened the cupboard, he found the rice-cooker sitting inside it. Weep’s urn was still kept safely inside and there was a paper note edged underneath it. A message was hastily scrawled—2nd floor Bathroom at the Cafeteria.

‘Did Zhang Guanxing leave this note? But why has he gone to the cafeteria?’ Han Fei had to be careful. He had to consider the possibility that the note was faked. Studying the note further, Han Fei suddenly realized the handwriting look strangely familiar. As he placed them, chill tingled up his spine. ‘I’ve seen this handwriting before!’ Han Fei’s powerful memory lined up the handwriting on the message with the appreciation notes he had previously found inside the hostel manager’s office. One of the appreciation notes was written in this exact handwriting. ‘This note is left behind by the ghosts. They want to harm me.’ Wiping away his cold sweat, Han Fei was thankful that he remembered those details. He really could not be too careful in this world, one wrong step and he’d be dead. ‘The real note probably has been swapped out for this fake one. This means that Room 104 is no longer safe anymore. Someone has been in here.’ Han Fei looked around as if anticipating a ghost to jump out from the shadows. It was pointless to wait inside the bedroom now, he might as well leave while he still can.

All the windows on the first floor were sealed up behind anti-theft nets. The only exit was the front door or the window that Zhang Guanxing used on the 2nd floor. Placing Weep’s urn back in its place, Han Fei sneaked out from Room 104. The corridor was eerily silent. Han Fei felt extremely unsettled. Even though he experienced no chill from the landlord’s ring, there was no telling when something might suddenly decide to show up from the dark.

‘The blood stain on the front door has darkened. The talismans and papers have basically glued onto the door. It hasn’t been in use for a long time already.’ Leaning against the wall, Han Fei slipped into the stairwell. He climbed the steps and felt something slippering under his feet. Curious as he was, Han Fei knew he did not have time to stop for a close examination. He just wanted to leave. The atmosphere at the hostel was too creepy, it was as if he was the only one alive still remaining at the building.

Invisible creatures appeared to crawl in the thick darkness. The oppressive tension pressed down on Han Fei. Holding his breath, Han Fei arrived at the 2nd floor. He carefully made his way to Room 201. When he reached out to open the door, Han Fei’s hand touched something wet on the door handle. It was blood!

Han Fei’s every nerve tensed from this discovery. The blood was still very much liquid. It meant that someone had used their bloody hand to open this door less than a minute ago. It meant that they were still around!

His heart palpitated heavily. Han Fei did not dare to enter Room 201, afraid that the thing was waiting for him inside it. Outside the door, Han Fei slowed his breathing. Using the lightest step, he moved to the door of Room 202 without making any noise. The door handle of Room 202 was also stained with blood but the stains had almost dried.

Han Fei moved down the corridor before finally stopping before Room 204.

The corridor beyond that was so dipped in darkness that Han Fei was convinced that the darkness would claim him if he moved any further. The door handle of Room 204 was relatively clean but the lock had already been broken. Han Fei held the handle and eased it open very slowly to limit his sound production as much as possible. When he was halfway through the motion of opening the door, a piercing chill came from his ring finger!

There was no warning, the frost almost froze his finger off. He whipped his head around and realized the door to Room 201 had been silently opened and something was coming out from it.

‘I need to run!’ With no time to hesitate, Han Fei bolted into Room 204. With adrenaline pumping through his veins, Han Fei leaped over the balcony of the second floor and landed among the bushes. The fall scraped Han Fei’s arm but that did not stop the man. He picked himself up from the ground and continued to run.

After he believed he had put enough distance from the hostel, Han Fei only then dared to turn back to look. There was a man standing inside Room 204. He radiated malice. His face was painted in blood and a sadistic smile hung on his face. Due to the distance, Han Fei could not get a good look but the man’s body size and frame reminded Han Fei of Ma Manjiang.

‘Is it really him?’

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