This Damned Thirst for Survival

Chapter 3

In the original host's memory, such dark fog had never been seen before.

Jiang Luo temporarily etched this matter in his mind and followed the owner into the Sleeping Beauty-themed room.

It was a triple room with three large beds placed in the center, decorated with a girlish dreamy flair. A lush green plant sat in the corner, and the window on the west side skillfully avoided the malevolent energy from outside.

The owner stood by the door, looking into the room with apprehension as if there were a monster inside that might devour him, "A month ago, the three missing guests had booked this room. They were three girls, very close and still in school. Before the surveillance went down, the cameras captured them returning to the room to rest. But the next day, no one came out. When we opened the door, they had vanished."

The owner shivered, his eyes revealing terror, "Two guys staying next door could testify that the girls didn't go out that night and even bid them goodnight before sleeping. After we discovered their disappearance, we immediately called the police and searched the entire hotel, but found no trace of them."

The three listened quietly, and Ye Xun asked, "Was nothing found in the room?"

"Nothing," the owner took a drag of his cigarette, gradually calming down, "Only our cleaner found strands of their hair on the bed, proving they had slept there."

Besides that, it was as if the three girls had never been there.

The owner's body crawled with unease whenever he spoke of it, as if covered in lice, "Since a year ago, our hotel's business suddenly declined, with fewer customers and more negative reviews. Guests who stayed here would develop minor ailments, nothing serious, but strangely eerie. Moreover, guests reported hearing the sound of a ball being bounced in the corridor at night. Who plays ball in the middle of the night? Curious, a guest peered through the door gap without daring to open the door and saw a human head bouncing outside!"

The owner's face turned pale, "I-I don't know if what the guest saw was real or not, but I've never seen it..."

Upon hearing this, Ye Xun began inspecting the room. First checking the kitchen and bathroom, Jiang Luo, as a semi-amateur, followed closely. After looking around, Jiang Luo curiously asked, "Did you find anything?"

Lu Youyi shook his head, "I didn't see anything. What about you, Ye Xun?"

Ye Xun, pensive, said, "Let's look again at midnight."

Lu Youyi calculated for a moment, his expression suddenly turning grim, he whispered, "The fate of the three missing girls looks bleak."

In fact, Lu Youyi's divination indicated "great misfortune," suggesting the girls were likely dead.

Jiang Luo and Ye Xun fell silent.

The owner didn't catch Lu Youyi's words, but hearing Ye Xun suggest a midnight check, hurriedly said, "Let me take you to dinner first. Your rooms are ready. After you eat, I'll take you to rest."

Ye Xun led the way out, "We'll eat, but no need for rooms, owner. We'll stay here tonight."

The owner looked at him admiringly, fitting of someone who had devoured countless ghosts in his fifty-eight years, and readily agreed, "Alright, alright, I'll have the maid change the sheets and duvet covers for you."

Lu Youyi appeared affluent, and so did Ye Xun, but their dining manners resembled refugees, devouring food ravenously. Watching them, Jiang Luo ended up eating an extra bowl of rice, so full he lay sprawled in his chair.

After he finished, the other two were still not sated. Lu Youyi glanced at him disdainfully, "Jiang Luo, is that all you're eating?"

Jiang Luo held up three fingers, "Three bowls."