I Return From Hell

Chapter 147: Chapter 140: This Hotel Has Taboos

’Stay at a hotel, and there are rules to follow?’

’This hotel is a little weird!’

’Don’t tell me it has some kind of secret?’

In an instant, a thousand thoughts raced through Xia Yu’s mind. Ultimately, out of caution, she decided to investigate these so-called ”rules” to prevent any impact on the upcoming Mist Event.

”Hello, I’d like a room.”

She quickly went downstairs to the front desk and spoke.

The young girl at the front desk skillfully produced a flyer and a contract, saying, ”These are the hotel’s rules. You must abide by them.”

”If you’ve finished reading and still choose to stay, then... please sign here.”

”Only then will I help you with the check-in process.”

???

Hearing this, Xia Yu’s mind was filled with question marks.

’This Internet celebrity hotel has some nerve.’

’Didn’t they turn this place into an internet-famous photo spot for the web traffic, for the money?’

’So why pull a stunt like this?’

’Aren’t they afraid of driving customers away?’

’Or is this stunt the very reason they get so much traffic?’

Filled with doubt, she cast her gaze upon the flyer, and her eyes immediately narrowed:

Welcome to the Peace Inn.

Dear guest, if you wish to stay at our inn, you must abide by the following rules. Otherwise, you are responsible for the consequences.

First, do not pick up any cards you find on the ground.

Second, do not sit at the desk to work.

Third, do not visit other rooms at night, or you will see things the room’s occupant cannot.

Fourth, do not go to the fourth floor! Do not go to the fourth floor! Do not go to the fourth floor!

If you can abide by the rules above, you will have a chance to trigger the ’Dreams Come True’ rule.

Dreams Come True, as the name implies, means that on the night you stay at this inn, whatever you dream will become reality.

”A ’rules creepypasta’?”

A thought stirred in Xia Yu’s mind.

She instantly sensed the heavy-handed gimmick. ’Isn’t this a bit too obvious?’

’Do they really think ”rules creepypastas” exist in real life?’

’They must be trying to cash in on the ”rules creepypasta” trend!’

’I have to admit, the owner of this hotel has a good head for business.’

She flipped it over.

Printed on the back were photos of the Peace Inn’s exterior and some of its rooms. They looked perfectly ordinary, nothing worth mentioning.

”I’ll sign.”

Xia Yu picked up the pen and, with a few quick strokes, wrote her name.

Her handwriting was beautiful.

The front desk girl’s eyes lit up. She couldn’t help but compare it to her own penmanship, which she had specially practiced, and suddenly felt that her own handwriting was a bit ugly...

Erm.

She sized up Xia Yu.

The air of a cool and aloof queen.

A stunning, perfect figure.

Her exposed skin was so flawless it looked like it would break from a mere puff of air, inspiring envy.

...

Abashed, the front desk girl lowered her head and said, ”Ma’am, could I see your ID, please?”

「Five minutes later.」

The check-in process was complete.

”206?”

Xia Yu turned and went upstairs, preparing to check out her room.

On the way, to learn more about the inn, she decided to look it up online: The Peace Inn was founded 28 years ago. It had its heyday and was often fully booked.

Its biggest source of customers was the teachers and students from the adjacent Huayang Normal School.

Because the soundproofing here was excellent.

It was close to the school.

And it had themed romance rooms.

Unfortunately, after the school closed down, the inn’s business plummeted.

Later, a fire broke out at the inn, and it was eventually abandoned.

A year ago, the owner, Xie Chengyong, took over the Peace Inn. He spent a fortune on renovations, and its ’distressed,’ vintage style attracted many people. He also posted videos on major platforms claiming that people who stayed here had a chance for their ’dreams to come true,’ as long as they didn’t break the four taboos.

Violating any of the taboos would not only prevent their ’dreams from coming true’ but would also cause dizziness, illness requiring hospitalization, or even life-threatening danger.

Afterward, people started trickling in.

Some streamers and influencers claimed their ’dreams really did come true,’ while other streamers and influencers who broke the taboos really did get colds, fevers, and even ended up in the hospital.

Some stories were true, some were false.

Ultimately, this turned the place into an internet-famous photo spot with a huge amount of traffic.

”As I thought.”

”It’s Xie Chengyong’s marketing gimmick.”

Xia Yu was absolutely certain. Still, after a moment’s thought, she found a computer, skillfully opened the website provided by Hong She, and asked the ’customer service’ for detailed information about the ’Peace Inn’.

She transferred 300,000.

And waited patiently.

In the meantime, she sent a message: ”Using a computer is too inconvenient. When will this be available on mobile?”

The ’customer service’ paused for a few seconds before replying: ”Soon.”

A few more minutes passed.

The ’customer service’ sent a large block of text. A portion of it was completely different from what she found online, instantly putting Xia Yu on high alert: 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

The first part of the information was mostly the same.

The difference was:

A married graduate advisor and one of his students came to the Peace Inn for a night. They supposedly spent the entire night ”reviewing her thesis”—an academic spirit worthy of admiration.

Just as dawn was breaking, the graduate advisor’s wife showed up and set fire to the inn.

Because it was discovered in time, there were no casualties.

An incident this big should have, by all rights, caused a huge stir.

However, the married graduate advisor had a powerful background. After he paid a personal ’visit to apologize’ to all involved parties, they all chose not to press the matter.

His wife went to prison for attempted arson.

After that, the whole incident was smoothed over.

At that time, the school was closing down and customer traffic had severely declined. After accepting a compensation payment, the original inn owner chose not to renovate, instead abandoning the property.

A year ago, the current owner, Xie Chengyong—who was that same graduate advisor—took over the Peace Inn. The information from this point on is identical to what was found online.

The only other thing worth mentioning is that the graduate student involved with Xie Chengyong at the time has mysteriously disappeared.

The police have opened a case and investigated Xie Chengyong, but they found nothing.

The message ended there.

”Disappeared?”

Xia Yu keenly sensed that things weren’t so simple. However, she wasn’t a detective. She quickly suppressed her curiosity and focused her attention on the inn’s owner.

A rich, well-connected, unfaithful man with a head for business.

’He’s anything but simple.’

’I wonder if he’s here?’

”In any case, the so-called taboos and ’dreams come true’ here are all fake.”

”It’s all a marketing gimmick.”

Xia Yu felt relieved.

She didn’t want to have to deal with the Ghost Clan from the Different Dimension Space while also being on guard against the dangers of the inn’s ’taboos’.

Soon, she and Little Flower arrived at room 206.

CREAK.

The door opened.

A stooped, frail figure came into view.

’Who’s there?!’

Xia Yu’s pupils contracted and her whole body tensed, but upon a closer look...

’A cleaning lady?’

”Why are you here?”

she asked with a frown.

”Cleaning the room.”

The cleaning lady lowered her head and said, ”Yu Xia at the front desk told me a guest was staying in room 206 and asked me to come clean it.”

The reason seemed plausible enough.

Xia Yu grew wary. ”It’s clean enough. It doesn’t need to be cleaned. You can leave.”

”Alright.”

The cleaning lady nodded to leave, then added another reminder, ”Young lady, you absolutely must not break the taboos.”

”Those taboos... they’re more effective on pretty girls.”

???

A glint flashed in Xia Yu’s eyes.

’Have the cleaning lady constantly plant psychological suggestions so the customers scare themselves?’

’This is part of the gimmick, too, isn’t it?’

’That Xie Chengyong really knows how to manipulate people.’

”Is the inn’s owner here?”

Xia Yu suddenly asked just as the cleaning lady was about to leave.

A flash of resentment flickered and vanished...