Mrs. Li led the frozen ghost away, just like a senior mentor taking a clumsy newcomer under their wing, both ghosts appearing obedient and well-behaved.
This made several players recall the various terrifying and vicious entities they had faced since entering the game, and they couldn’t help but feel like crying out in frustration at the unfairness of it all.
It seemed that the entire hotel, both overtly and covertly, was already under Lu Qingjia’s control, right?
After all, if even the frozen ghost couldn’t escape his sweet talk, then the ghosts in this hotel, aside from the one surnamed Hao, must all be fond of him.
The one surnamed Hao, considering the time since he became a ghost and the accumulation of his grievances, was quite isolated among the ghosts.
While feeling sour, the group indeed saw the dawn of the completion of this instance, even though less than half the time had passed.
After blowing some flattering smoke, the five returned to their room, and in this horror game instance, they slept particularly soundly that night.
Meanwhile, Lu Qingjia came alone to the room where Manager Hao was being held. He told the employee on night watch, “You go rest, I’ll keep watch; it’s just my shift.”
After the other person left, Lu Qingjia took out a key and unlocked the door to find Manager Hao tied to the headboard with self-locking nylon straps.
Hao looked unwell; he had only been locked up for a few hours, but anxiety and panic made him appear listless, clearly unable to sleep.
Upon seeing Lu Qingjia enter, his face showed obvious hatred.
In his view, he had a great opportunity for wealth waiting for him, a life of luxury just within reach.
But all of it was ruined by this person surnamed Lu, who kept prying into things, leaving him in an uncertain predicament.
Manager Hao’s eyes seemed like they wanted to devour Lu Qingjia whole, and he gritted his teeth, saying, “How dare you come to see me?”
Lu Qingjia smiled and pulled a chair to sit by the bed. “As a colleague, I know you must be anxious and unable to sleep tonight, so I came to offer some comfort.”
In an instant, Manager Hao’s expression was as if he had swallowed something foul and was choking on it.
He couldn’t help but raise his voice, “Lu, don’t think that just because I’m down on my luck, you’re doing any better. A person died on your first day on the job; do you really think you can climb the ranks?”
“Every day, you chatter on and on, what good does it do to expose me? Do you get money or a promotion from it? Are you hoping the police will give you a little red flower for it?”
“Can you be a little more realistic as an adult? Did I want to kill Zhu Xiaomei? I just warned her not to talk nonsense everywhere. She kept circling around me in the office and accidentally fell down; I’m the one wronged here.”
“Are you all here just to oppose me? What did I do to deserve this? Am I really such a bad person? I never wanted this; you all brought it upon yourselves.”
Lu Qingjia had seen many people like this, selfish, greedy, and narrow-minded, with no self-awareness, able to rationalize everything to their advantage.
Even if they killed someone, they would blame the knife for being unavoidable, never believing the responsibility lay with them.
He displayed the most unattractive and thorough manifestation of biological selfishness.
Lu Qingjia showed no sign of indignation at his words, merely shrugging helplessly. “Manager Hao, believe me, I really have no intention of targeting you.”
Manager Hao wore a look of ‘hypocrite, I don’t trust you’ as he listened to Lu Qingjia continue, “Because you don’t deserve it.”
“…” Manager Hao’s face was caught off guard, as if he had been punched.
Lu Qingjia patiently explained, “Targeting such emotions requires the other party to be on par with or slightly better than oneself. In my eyes, Manager Hao is just a bit above a maggot crawling out of a cesspool, so targeting you is absolutely out of the question. Would you spend your days fixating on a worm just because it ate a bit more dung?”
Since he had appeared in the hotel yesterday afternoon, Lu Qingjia had given the impression of being handsome and elegant, with a graceful demeanor. His every word and action made people feel as if they were basking in spring sunshine, like a well-bred rich kid.
Although they had known each other for a short time, a lot had happened in these two days. Even when faced with two corpses, customer riots, and insults directed at hotel staff, Lu Qingjia had managed to calm everyone down with ease.
Deep down, Manager Hao felt envy and jealousy towards someone who seemed to have a good background and a high education.
But at this moment, sharp and bitter curses flowed from those lips that seemed to be insulated from such words, and Manager Hao couldn’t believe it at first.
Until his mind processed the meaning of those words.
“You, you bastard, what right do you have to look down on me? It’s just that you were born into a good family; if it weren’t for your family, what do you think you are?”
“Haha, Manager Hao, your thinking really jumps around; how did the topic suddenly shift to family?” Lu Qingjia said, looking at him with a helpless expression.
He continued, “Alright then, let’s start with family.”
Seeing his calm demeanor made Manager Hao feel like he was about to vomit blood. Lu Qingjia continued, “I looked at the employee records, and I see that Manager Hao is thirty-six this year and unmarried.”
“I don’t mean anything by it; after all, everyone has the right to choose their own way of life.”
“However, it seems that Manager Hao is still struggling with this, and it appears that your single status is not a voluntary choice. After all, in the past two years, seventy percent of your leave requests were filled with reasons for going out to meet potential partners.”
“When chatting with the staff before, everyone mentioned how you often complained about your failed blind dates upon returning.”
“I want to tell you, just as you said earlier, we are all adults now; you need to understand that young women in their twenties are not considering you because they are shallow and only look at appearances. Perhaps they just don’t want to date someone their parents’ age.”
“Girls who can’t even get a cup of cola at a fast-food restaurant are not being materialistic; they might just not want to work hard only to lower their quality of life for a pig that doesn’t even look good.”
“And asking others if they are virgins, or saying that girls who dress revealingly have loose morals, you should know that when they block you after cursing you, it’s not a sign of poor upbringing. In fact, not throwing bricks at you is already a sign of their generosity and kindness.”
After talking for a while, Lu Qingjia suddenly realized he had strayed off-topic. “Sorry, I got a bit carried away.”
“Because every time we talk about this topic, you always emphasize that it was your parents who taught you from a young age.”
“Indeed, as you said, family has a huge impact on a person, just like how you, Manager Hao, exude the stench of inferior genes from top to bottom, which really shouldn’t be allowed to propagate. The world has already made a selection in a euphemistic way.”
“Look, it’s quite successful, right? Your family hasn’t been harmed at all, and you haven’t even noticed this fact.”
Manager Hao was so angry that his mouth twisted, gasping for breath, wanting to curse.
But one thing was clear: in discussions like this, a rich and handsome man naturally held a crushing position over a poor loser. Manager Hao knew that no matter how he retorted, he couldn’t hold his head high in front of this pretty boy surnamed Lu.
“You bastard, did you come here tonight just to mock me?”
Lu Qingjia shook his head. “Not really; I just have something to do later, and since I’m free now, I thought I’d chat with you.”
Then, as if he thought of something, he suddenly said, “Oh right, before, everyone was looking into your motive for killing employee Zhu Xiaomei and searched your dormitory. They found the adult films on your computer and the unopened condoms in your drawer.”
“According to Dr. Zhou’s judgment based on the length of the films you watch most often, along with physical evidence, it turns out you’re a quick one.”
“Hahaha! No offense intended; this was originally your privacy, but now everyone knows. As a manager, I apologize to you.”
Manager Hao’s face turned crimson, as if he were about to bleed from embarrassment and anger. “You, I’ll fuck your mother, Lu, I’ll fuck your ancestors.”
His expression was twisted with rage. “If you fall into my hands, I’ll make you wish you were dead.”
“Do you really think tying me up means you can sleep easy? Let me tell you, don’t have such sweet dreams. Hahaha, be careful; don’t wake up tomorrow to find another corpse.”
At this point, Manager Hao had lost his mind and was speaking without thinking, but after he finished speaking, he realized that Lu Qingjia’s face had lost its mockery, his expression restrained, showing a disinterest that felt familiar.
Yes, it was that condescending look he had on the afternoon he joined, as if he were looking at a fool.
Lu Qingjia said, “So who do you expect to help you create an opportunity to escape?”
Manager Hao’s expression changed, staring at Lu Qingjia in shock.
The luck he felt last night vanished in an instant as he realized that this person surnamed Lu might not just be superficial; he had been misled by Lu Qingjia’s attitude of shifting responsibility onto others.
This guy had never mentioned Mr. Li, but it was clear he had been observing everything.
Sure enough, Lu Qingjia leaned forward slightly. “What do you think? A fool like you, who exposes himself so easily, why would you think a cunning killer would go through the trouble to protect you instead of simply eliminating the root of the problem?”
Lu Qingjia’s warm smile appeared to Manager Hao like an invitation from death.
He finally said, “Weren’t you asking me why I’m so free, specifically to mock you?”
“Because as the temporary manager of the hotel, for every person about to die, I want to do my part to ensure they leave this world without regrets.”
The atmosphere in the room shifted from tense to eerily oppressive, and Manager Hao clearly felt the terror.
He saw Lu Qingjia stand up and take a step aside.
Suddenly, two female ghosts appeared behind him, having stood there for who knows how long, unnoticed due to the angle.
Manager Hao recognized these two; one was Mrs. Li, who had died the previous night, her face pale, lips swollen and purple, clearly having died from poisoning.
The other was someone he knew even better, Zhu Xiaomei, who had crashed through the window in a panic while trying to escape from his room that morning, only to be thrown down and frozen to death in the snow.
Manager Hao’s eyes widened in terror, letting out a piercing scream, desperately trying to struggle, but the tough nylon straps rubbed his wrists raw, yet they still held him tightly.
The two female ghosts gradually approached, and the temperature in the room plummeted, the air becoming suffocating and foul.
They emitted eerie laughter, their gazes filled with hatred and resentment. The once charming and attractive women were now devoid of allure, leaving only a terrifying distortion. The originally young and delicate girl was now stiff and cold, her fingers curled, making cracking sounds like ice breaking.
Manager Hao felt as if he were in a sealed room at sub-zero temperatures filled with toxic gas, his mouth agape, throat making gasping sounds, the inhuman pain causing him to curl up like a shrimp.
Then, a vague consciousness brought a voice—
“Tonight is still long; take your time. Dying all at once is so boring.”
This voice slightly alleviated his suffocation, but it was no different from a devil’s whisper.
Seeing that Mrs. Li and the others might not be bored tonight, Lu Qingjia left the room.
Of course, the variables that occurred in the cycle would not affect the facts that had already happened.
For example, the next morning, when the staff came to check if the one surnamed Hao was still confined in the room, they found him still very much alive.
Because his time of death had not yet come.
However, when the staff opened the door, they were met with a scene of him in utter terror, tears streaming down his face, having lost control of his bodily functions, completely stunned by fear.
But as a murderer with poor social connections, the hotel staff had little sympathy for him, and no one even bothered to clean him up.
In the morning, Lu Qingjia informed the kitchen that all customers’ meals would be upgraded to the highest standard, and drinks could be ordered freely.
Additionally, all entertainment facilities in the resort could be used for free today.
The scale of this gesture left everyone dumbfounded. “Manager Lu? Isn’t that a bit much? This adds up to quite a sum; the head office—”
Lu Qingjia pulled out a card. “No problem, I’ll treat you. Let’s start with a million as a deposit.”
Customers and staff suspected he was the kind of rich heir who worked just for fun and didn’t care about money, especially since he was doing so well?
For a moment, the oppressive atmosphere in the resort lightened considerably due to various events, and someone even comforted Lu Qingjia, “Manager Lu, you’re a good person in charge. You didn’t want these things to happen at the hotel; you’ve done very well.”
Everyone thought it was the rich heir feeling guilty, so he was throwing money around to buy peace of mind.
The five players were also a bit stunned by his generosity, and the glasses-wearing one secretly asked, “Brother Lu, that’s money from points, right?”
“Although your performance in this instance will definitely not be low, that’s still a hundred points, which isn’t a small amount.”
For example, boosting one’s physical abilities by ten points would yield a very noticeable improvement. Also, the talismans from the previous night could now be bought in pairs.
Lu Qingjia replied, “No worries, what’s spent will be earned back tenfold.”
This is the world of the big shots!
The glasses-wearing one thought it was just Lu Qingjia’s confidence in clearing the instance, so he didn’t say more.
The day seemed to pass quickly, with both customers and staff relaxing and enjoying themselves. It felt like in the blink of an eye, night had already fallen.
Lu Qingjia stood up and said to the players, “It’s about time; let’s go.”
This was the third night, and according to reports, the resort would catch fire that night.
The five were momentarily dazed, as Lu Qingjia had easily dealt with the greatest threats in the instance for two consecutive days, and they almost forgot that the fire was also part of the test.
When the fire broke out, they naturally couldn’t stay in the resort.
But outside, a blizzard was raging, and even though they had enhanced their physical abilities, it was impossible to survive a night out there.
However, they had at least considered it. The glasses-wearing one said, “I snuck into the storage room and found a tent. It’s a bit small, but if we take a few extra blankets and some food and strong liquor, we should be able to make it.”
But Lu Qingjia said, “No need!”
He gestured for everyone to look outside, where they saw a sightseeing cable car slowly returning to the dock, but there wasn’t a single person on it, which was unsettling.
That cable car wasn’t small; it could easily fit all of them, and its enclosed nature and insulation were certainly better than a tent.
Lu Qingjia urged everyone to move quickly. “Grab more warm blankets and coats; one day’s worth of food per person is enough. Besides the liquor, bring a bundle of rope and a crowbar, just in case.”
The group, initially excited about having a better refuge, suddenly realized—
“This is the tool Mr. Li and his mistress used to escape?”
“They went down the mountain and operated the empty cable car to return. The control panel for such a cable car has no operation records; as long as we take a little risk, we can leave without anyone knowing.”
Indeed, in this weather, operating outdoor sightseeing facilities would definitely not be allowed according to operational rules, and taking the cable car down the mountain was particularly risky.
But compared to exposing their murderous crimes or being responsible for dozens of lives, taking this little risk was trivial.
At some point, smoke had already begun to rise from the hotel, and at this time, everyone was asleep, unaware that death was approaching.
After gathering warm items, Lu Qingjia passed through the lobby and took a look at the employee records at the front desk. Sure enough, the records of the female employee who hadn’t participated in the cycle had all been destroyed.
She had only been employed for a little over a month and hadn’t yet been confirmed, so she hadn’t been entered into the head office database. As long as everyone died, and all records were deleted, a big fire would burn away all traces of her existence here.
Before leaving, he turned back and saw the ghosts of Mrs. Li and the female employee standing at the end of the corridor, their faces showing helpless sorrow.
Having died first, they must have returned to consciousness earlier. They might have tried to extinguish the fire and save all the innocent people, but they were powerless.
Lu Qingjia smiled and, from a distance, mouthed to them—
“Don’t worry!”
The five of them squeezed into the cable car with enough warm items. It wasn’t as warm as inside the hotel, but it certainly wasn’t too cold.
They watched the hotel burn all night, the surrounding snow and wind melting away from the heat, with countless screams and struggles echoing from afar.
Some players couldn’t bear it and closed their eyes, and by the next morning, the fire showed no signs of diminishing.
But by morning, the scene before them changed; the hotel, which had still been burning fiercely, instantly turned into a dilapidated ruin that had been abandoned for years.
For some reason, there were no plants growing around, so the entire ruin was not covered by vegetation.
The surrounding blizzard had disappeared, replaced by clear skies, and it was evident that the season was not winter but clearly summer.
It was obvious that the players had temporarily returned to the real world of this instance.
The group emerged from the cable car, which had become so dilapidated it was almost unrecognizable, shedding their thick clothing.
At that moment, Lu Qingjia heard the sound of a car engine in the distance, easily perceptible due to the emptiness of the mountain.
He looked down from a concealed spot and saw a white van approaching, but it didn’t come into view.
Instead, it drove into a hidden hollow in the mountain, where several burly men got out.
Lu Qingjia smiled; these two truly lived up to their cautious and ruthless reputation from years ago.
