Records of the Halls of Ten Thousand Affairs: Chapter 24: Haunted Hotel (PART 7)

Records of the Halls of Ten Thousand Affairs: Chapter 24: Haunted Hotel (PART 7)

When Miaoyin returned to the hotel, she heard about Zhao Fusheng’s fainting spell.

The front desk receptionist was gossiping, but seeing Miaoyin return, she quickly pretended to be working seriously.

Miaoyin frowned and knocked on the counter: “What happened? Tell me everything, or I’ll dock your pay.”

The two girls exchanged glances, then one finally spoke up: “I heard the boss saw something in the mirror while getting ready in the morning, and he was so scared he fainted. The bodyguard rushed in, thinking someone was hiding inside to attack him.”

“You’re saying our boss, who’s such a famous philanthropist, could have enemies?”

“Right! So that part must be them making it up! Actually, after rushing in, they saw the boss crawling on the ground. What they said about seeing something was just nonsense.”

“Yeah! Just crawling, and while crawling he was screaming about something chasing him. Then his legs went limp and he collapsed, looking like he was possessed. But our boss is usually in such good health, how could he suddenly get sick? I think it’s because his family is so big and the pressure is too much, not to mention he can’t have children…”

Hearing this, Chen Jiu had a rough idea.

“Can’t have children” was also part of the karmic retribution. It was just that for someone as selfish as Zhao Fusheng, he wouldn’t truly take being childless seriously. At most, he would feel it damaged his pride as a man.

“Ugh, what are you talking about? Anyway, later he was so scared he lost his strength, and he was scaring himself. In the end, he fainted from fright. The bodyguard outside heard the commotion and rushed in, quickly calling for a doctor. Now he’s upstairs. The doctor said there’s nothing wrong with him, but if he doesn’t wake up within 24 hours, they’ll have to send him to the hospital.”

“But the boss has never liked going to the hospital. He always says hospitals are unlucky, and no one dares to make the decision for him.”

“Yeah, Manager Miao, you’re closer to the boss. Why don’t you go take a look?”

The two girls chattered on, their hands clasped together, staring at Miaoyin with expectant expressions, clearly wanting to hear more detailed gossip.

Miaoyin said: “I understand. You two continue working, don’t slack off.”

“Yes!”

Chen Jiu followed her toward the staff elevator. Neither of them expected that in the blink of an eye, Zhao Fusheng had already had an accident.

The elevator atmosphere was oppressive. Miaoyin asked in a low voice: “Master Chen, did the ghosts from the seventh floor come to claim his life?”

“It shouldn’t be that serious yet.” Chen Jiu calculated with her fingers, pondered for a moment, then said: “Zhao Fusheng has been wearing a protective talisman close to his heart all year round. I suspect there’s a problem with this talisman.”

Miaoyin nodded and didn’t ask further.

Seeing Miaoyin arrive, several bodyguards at the door nodded respectfully, then looked at Chen Jiu together, their expressions unfriendly.

“This is the master I invited to treat the boss.” Miaoyin said.

The bodyguards looked at each other but still didn’t move from the door.

Chen Jiu said: “If you don’t let me in, the yin messenger will come to collect him soon. At that point, who will pay your salaries?”

The bodyguards’ faces showed expressions of surprise, and they quickly stepped aside.

Miaoyin: “…”

The room was deathly silent. Zhao Fusheng’s face was pale, with only weak breathing remaining.

Miaoyin had never thought she would one day face such a Zhao Fusheng. The information was too overwhelming, flooding into her mind all at once. For a moment, she didn’t know how to adjust her emotions or what expression to show.

“Maybe it would be better if he just died like this.” Miaoyin exhaled, thinking of such an outcome, her heart actually felt a strange sense of relief.

“If the two of us went out, it would be hard to explain.” Chen Jiu rolled up her sleeves, sat down by the bed, and roughly pulled back Zhao Fusheng’s blanket, preparing to insert needles.

Miaoyin asked: “Is there anything I can help with?”

“Fetch a basin of clean water and a clean towel.” Chen Jiu took out her needles, turned over one of Zhao Fusheng’s wrists.

…

In a sea of flames, Zhao Fusheng slowly opened his eyes. Countless charred corpses twisted their bodies, clawing at door panels, windows, and walls, their postures painful and contorted.

The scorching heat of the flames and the choking thick smoke forced him to crawl on the ground. No… this wasn’t a dream, this feeling was too real. Who wanted to kill him?!

Zhao Fusheng pushed away the corpse beside him in terror, desperately searching for an exit.

Where was this? Wasn’t this his hotel? Why couldn’t he find the exit?

He covered his mouth and nose, crawling forward in agony, a headless fly bumping around in the fierce flames. Just as he barely caught a glimpse of a lifeline, something hard suddenly grabbed his ankle.

His expression contorted, wanting to curse, but when he turned his head, he was met with a face that was burned almost beyond recognition.

That face was terrifying, already not even resembling a face anymore, but rather a piece of charred leather. The skin had turned dark brown, cracked into countless pieces, with cracks revealing dark red flesh and gray-white bones. The nose was gone, leaving only two black holes. The lips were also gone, leaving only a blurry patch of black, thin and closely pressed against the gums.

This inhuman monster grabbed Zhao Fusheng’s ankle tightly, its voice hoarse and torn, not sounding human: “Zhao Fusheng… you beast… go to hell…”

Zhao Fusheng let out a miserable cry, desperately kicking with his legs. At the same time, his throat was filled with thick smoke, and he howled with all his might: “Get away! Get away!”

However, the moment he began to struggle, the countless charred corpses behind him seemed to come alive, their postures grotesquely crawling toward him. Countless hands tore at his body, grabbed his throat, pressed on his chest, wanting to drag him down with them.

In the extreme chaos, a clear bell sound rang out, silently spreading ripples in the void.

“Nameless and without origin swiftly disperse and perish”

A distant female voice came from nowhere, murmuring softly, seemingly real yet unreal, gently dispelling the illusion and chaos.

In an instant, Zhao Fusheng felt the entire world pause for a moment. Then everything he could perceive rapidly receded, his entire body heavily sinking down, falling into a patch of darkness.

When he opened his eyes again, the gorgeous ceiling lamp came into view, and he returned to the familiar hotel room.

Zhao Fusheng couldn’t stop panting heavily, his whole body covered in cold sweat, his lower body soaked, leaving a human-shaped imprint.

Chen Jiu put away her needles, her tone carrying a faint mockery: “Boss Zhao, escaping death, how does it feel?”

“You…” Zhao Fusheng wanted to flare up, but then thought of that old Qingxu running away halfway, leaving him with no choice but to rely on this yellow-haired girl before him. He could only suppress his anger, the corners of his mouth twitching, and said: “Many thanks, Master Chen.”

Miaoyin brought a new towel, concerned: “Boss, how are you feeling now? The doctor who came earlier was at a loss, couldn’t find any cause. It’s all thanks to Master Chen…”

Zhao Fusheng nodded and said: “I understand. You go out first, I want to talk to Master Chen alone.”

Miaoyin paused, responded with a sound, exchanged a glance with Chen Jiu when she turned, then quietly stepped out.

Chen Jiu looked him up and down, but saw Zhao Fusheng arduously moving his obese body, getting off the bed, then bending down and kneeling, respectfully kowtowing to Chen Jiu.

“Master, save my life…” Zhao Fusheng’s voice was hoarse, his body trembling violently, clearly still not recovered from that overly real terror.

Chen Jiu was in no hurry to speak, changing her posture, deliberately asking with confusion: “Save you? What do you mean? Who wants to harm you?”

Zhao Fusheng slowly straightened his body, trembling as he pulled a life-saving talisman from his chest, holding it in his palm for Chen Jiu to see: “This… this is what that old Taoist left me. All these years, I never dared to leave it… I never expected it would suddenly fail today.”

Only then did Chen Jiu see that the golden light of this talisman had become extremely dim, gradually emitting wisps of black smoke.

“Oh… at death’s door, nothing to hide anymore, finally willing to tell me the truth?” Chen Jiu leaned forward slightly, looking at him with an unfriendly gaze: “Boss Zhao, this job I cannot take. I advise you to quickly distribute all these ill-gotten gains accumulated over the years. Is life more important or money more important?”

Zhao Fusheng’s pupils suddenly contracted, he swallowed, and said: “Master Chen, how much money would it take for you to help me? Name your price.”

Chen Jiu saw he still showed no sign of repentance, couldn’t help but rub her forehead, muttering under her breath: “Dying is also from greed.”

Compared to losing his entire fortune, Zhao Fusheng would rather give a portion of the benefits to Chen Jiu. He absolutely could not hand over the family business he had built over these years to others.

“Then you should seek another expert.” Chen Jiu packed up her tools and got up to leave.

Zhao Fusheng’s gaze suddenly turned cold, and he said behind her: “Chen Jiu, I know you don’t want to save me, but do you know the consequences of not saving me?”

Chen Jiu’s footsteps stopped, she did not turn back.

Zhao Fusheng slowly stood up, his voice sinister: “This formation has already shown cracks. I will run far away, they won’t find me, and the resentment cannot be resolved. They will rush out from the seventh floor. At that time, the ones who will be unlucky are the other hundred or so innocent people in the hotel. Whose lives will those be? Chen Jiu, Master Chen, is this your Tao, to see death and not save?”

Chen Jiu turned to look at him, the veins on her forehead bulging.

No solution. Even if she drove them away in time, among more than a hundred people, how many would believe? Or if more than a hundred people weren’t enough, and they spread outward, what then?

He actually dared to conceal such a serious matter, dragging so many innocent people to be buried with him even as he sought death himself. Truly despicable to the extreme.

But from the moment she felt pity for Miaoyin, she had already become entangled in karma with this entire matter, unable to stand by and do nothing.

Chen Jiu cursed under her breath, stepped forward a few steps, grabbed his collar, and said angrily: “Take me to the formation eye immediately!”

Zhao Fusheng admired her anger, then laughed wildly with a contorted face.