Dimensional Hotel

Chapter 261: Call for Help

News that the great Door was open quickly spread throughout the Valley. Cursed Children came running, excitedly entering and exiting the new Teleportation Door. But soon enough, the youngest ones were caught by their ears and dragged back to the safety of the “Town” by their Guardians. After all, the Orphanage was still a sprawling ruin littered with construction machinery—far too dangerous for children who hadn’t mastered their abilities, or those who hadn’t even awakened yet.

Snow White, along with a handful of older kids, wandered through the debris, careful not to disturb the cleanup crew while

Li Lin shook his head with a sigh, clearly frustrated. “I’ve got tasks keeping me here. But my colleagues are already there—just ask if you need anything.”

Yu Sheng nodded, then quickly motioned for Foxy and Irene. Moments later, they slipped into the shifting shadows, following Little Red Riding Hood’s Wolf pack.

Shadowy Wolves leapt between abstract buildings—twisted silhouettes of reality, flattened into monochrome projections. The city flickered rapidly around them as they crossed multiple blocks in mere moments.

Foxy, imitating Yu Sheng, sat cautiously atop a Shadow Wolf, eyes wide with curiosity as the surreal, shadowy structures rushed past. Irene clung tightly to Yu Sheng’s shoulder, nervously scanning the surroundings, her voice wavering. “What’s happening…? Is that ‘Big Nephew’ okay?”

“It’s typical for someone with High Sensitivity and Low Stability,” Little Red Riding Hood explained, her voice tinged with regret. “I should’ve requested Special Affairs Bureau protection for him earlier. But this case is truly bizarre—he hardly interacted with any supernatural elements during Old Zheng’s incident. All he did was get close… Who knew just that could invite attention from the ‘Other Side’?”

“Who could’ve guessed?” Yu Sheng replied, conflicted emotions evident in his voice. It was his first time witnessing a normal person entangled again in supernatural events just because they’d brushed against the Otherworld once. “After Old Zheng’s issue was handled, I sent him straight home. I really thought it was fine…”

Yu Sheng paused, glancing thoughtfully at Little Red Riding Hood. “You know that shopping mall he mentioned? Could it be an Otherworld?”

“Wanxiang Mall? I’ve been there twice—it’s definitely not an Otherworld. But entrances shift unpredictably. Sometimes they appear directly in front of the victim’s face,” Little Red Riding Hood answered gravely. “Remember the freezing rain you ran into once?”

Yu Sheng froze for a moment, recalling the frog in the storm. His expression turned complicated. “Wow, if you hadn’t reminded me, I’d have forgotten. Feels like it was ages ago.”

He shook off the strange nostalgia, refocusing on the immediate issue. “You’re the expert here. From what you heard on the phone, can you guess what happened to him? Is ‘Big Nephew’ in danger?”

“When the call first connected, his voice was clear. He hadn’t fully ‘sunk’ yet—probably somewhere between L-0 and L-1,” Little Red Riding Hood said calmly, explaining with practiced clarity. “If he were an experienced Spirit Realm Detective or Investigator, he could’ve easily escaped at that point. L-0 and L-1 are nearly connected directly to reality; the safe cracks back to normal are visible even to the naked eye.”

She shook her head slowly.

“But soon the static interfered, suggesting he dropped beyond L-1. At that point, a normal person’s chances depend solely on luck. Thankfully, L-1 is usually harmless—it just looks wrong, but there’s no lethal mechanism there. Safe paths back to reality still exist… though, again, it’s down to pure luck.”

Her voice grew heavier. “The real trouble is how quickly the signal degraded—barely a minute before it was consumed by noise and strange whispers. He was descending too fast, possibly straight past L-1, even into L-2. I just hope he managed to anchor himself in an Otherworld at L-2. At least until the rescue team arrives…”

Yu Sheng listened attentively. Despite facing even Dark Angels, these practical insights into the foundational layers of the supernatural were new to him. Much of this knowledge couldn’t be found in databases. It was earned through years of experience—something only seasoned professionals like Little Red Riding Hood possessed.

Foxy turned her head, chiming in thoughtfully. “He mentioned strange changes, people and objects altering, and mirrors everywhere…”

“That alone doesn’t help much,” Little Red Riding Hood replied, shaking her head. “Distortions like that are common when slipping into an Otherworld. Often it’s the victim’s perception changing, not the actual surroundings. Mirrors… Well, mirrors are common motifs—dozens of Otherworlds feature them. We’ll know more once we reach the site. Special Affairs Bureau teams should’ve already arrived; they have plenty of high-powered detection gear, plus city-wide scanners. They might’ve already caught his descent signal.”

Irene glanced at Little Red Riding Hood, then back to Yu Sheng, finally blurting out the question she couldn’t hold back any longer. “…You two keep calling him ‘Big Nephew,’ but he does have a real name, right? What’s his name?”

Little Red Riding Hood and Yu Sheng exchanged a quick, bewildered glance.

“…No idea!” they answered together, almost sheepishly.