Free Web NovelChapter 1739: Chapter 1000: Room 7023
There’s a small first aid kit at the service desk, and Tong Han quickly tended to the wounds of Yang Xiao and Sato Shouta. This, of course, also included Hasegawa Hideji, who had attacked Yang Xiao, although the treatment for the latter was evidently much rougher, causing him to grimace in pain.
As the observation deepened, everyone gradually realized that although the hot spring hotel appeared new, it wasn’t a completely new building. It had recently been renovated, with some inconspicuous corners still bearing traces from the previous renovation, looking very old.
"It’s getting late, everyone, let’s each get on with our tasks!" Qingshui Cangjie said, "We have 16 people this time, which is the largest number of participants in a mission I’ve been involved in so far. I suspect this mission will be quite challenging. If we want to survive, we must work together in harmony and trust each other. I’m counting on you!"
From the start of the mission, Qingshui Cangjie exhibited the aura of a leader, and with his imposing and serious demeanor, he was quite convincing.
Of course, this approach worked only on newcomers to the nightmare, but for old hands like Yang Xiao, no matter how much he elaborated, it didn’t stir any emotions within him.
After that, everyone headed to their respective floors to rest, with a tacit understanding not to take the elevator but to use the stairs of the emergency exit instead.
Once most people had left, the main hall of the hotel returned to peace, with only Jiu Shan Sha Yue and Mitsuo Takeda remaining. freeweɓnovel.cѳm
Dressed in an old suit, Mitsuo Takeda exuded the demeanor of an elder and proactively inquired, "Miss Xin Yuan, tonight there are only two posts here: either as a service desk attendant or as a night patrol guard. You may choose first; we will switch shifts every two hours. Is that okay with you?"
"That’s fine. I’ll take the first patrol shift, but before that, could Mr. Takeda accompany me for a walk around the hall? I’d appreciate it!" Jiu Shan Sha Yue politely inclined her body.
Upon hearing that Jiu Shan Sha Yue was willing to be the first to patrol, Mitsuo Takeda was quite surprised. After a while, he nodded, "Miss Xin Yuan is very brave. Let me accompany you for a walk then."
Thus, accompanied by Mitsuo Takeda, Jiu Shan Sha Yue walked around the main hall. They arrived at a nearby security room, fumbling to find the switch, and upon turning it on, only one of the two lights lit up, while the other flickered continuously, emitting a crackling sound.
"It’s a problem with the light tube; it must have aged after being unused for a long time. If we can find a replacement, I can install it," said Mitsuo Takeda, staring at the dirty light tube. The entire security room was filled with an indescribably musty smell.
They searched the room but did not find any spare light tubes. However, they did discover two flashlights and a box of batteries in an inconspicuous drawer. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
The flashlights were of the older model, and the batteries were unopened. Fortunately, once the batteries were installed, the flashlight lit up. Though not very bright, it was enough to delight them—a pleasant surprise.
Kneeling down, Mitsuo Takeda examined the drawer handle, which was covered with a layer of dust. "This drawer hasn’t been opened for a long time. It must have been left by the previous security guard of the hotel. It seems no one has cleaned this area for quite a long time."
Even without Mitsuo Takeda mentioning it, Jiu Shan Sha Yue could see that. The setting here clashed with the new decor outside—it was still furnished with old-style wooden tables and chairs and a large metal cabinet against the wall for storing clothes and personal items.
The edges of the metal cabinet were already rusted, clearly items meant to be discarded. The fact that they were still here only indicated there hadn’t been time to clean them out.
The hotel’s public areas were mostly renovated, but many corners, especially those out of customers’ sight, were quite decrepit—looking like they hadn’t been touched for at least ten years.
"Strange..." Jiu Shan Sha Yue gently stroked the tabletop. The surface was wooden, typically prone to scratches during daily use. However, this tabletop had far fewer scratches than expected, and apart from a few newer dings, there were barely any visible scratches.
Mitsuo Takeda was also drawn over, inspecting the tabletop closely with the flashlight, and after a while, his brows furrowed slightly. "It is indeed strange. This table has clearly been here for a long time—the legs have left marks on the floor, yet it appears almost unused, as if it was abandoned immediately after being brought here."
There were too few clues to deduce anything further, so the two went on to their respective tasks; Jiu Shan Sha Yue stayed in the security room as agreed to keep watch, while Mitsuo Takeda returned to the service desk to perform his role.
They naturally each took one of the found flashlights, and before leaving, Mitsuo Takeda additionally took some batteries, pocketing them for emergencies.
However, the downside was that the security room was somewhat secluded, invisible from the service desk, and the reverse was true as well. This was a relatively private spot.
Both Jiu Shan Sha Yue and Mitsuo Takeda were experienced individuals, so they agreed to each come out from their respective spots every few minutes to check in with each other.
Alternating their checks, they didn’t mind the hassle, as safety was the priority.
If an emergency arose, they were to shout loudly to alert everyone staying upstairs, hoping to bring them down.
