Dimensional Hotel

Chapter 180: Traces

Irene released her grip, and the unfurled Secret Letter immediately ignited in layers of illusory flames. In a blink, the flames collapsed inward, folding into an ordinary piece of stationery.

Yu Sheng, however, remained motionless, his eyes fixed on the paper with a solemn expression, his thoughts deep and heavy.

It took a long while before Little Red Riding Hood’s voice broke the silence beside him. “…Old Zheng… it really was him…”

The girl’s tone was hesitant and resistant, clearly unsettled by the revelation. She had come here seeking answers, but now that she had found them, the truth was far from what she had hoped for.

The sacrificial ritual in the White Exhibition Hall had indeed been a trap meant for her. The person who had lured her into the trap was none other than her trusted contact.

From the words written in the letter, it wasn’t hard to discern that Old Zheng, the contact in question, had likely been deceived and manipulated.

“The signature reads Servant of the Angel. It’s obvious the author of this letter belongs to those Angel Cultists, the same ones conducting the ritual in the exhibition hall,” Yu Sheng said calmly as he shook the letter. “The reason they use ‘letters’ for communication is probably to leverage this particular kind of magic for concealment.”

“The recipient of this letter was definitely thoroughly fooled,” Irene added. “Blessings, lifting curses, goodwill, being misunderstood by the world—classic cult rhetoric. Sometimes, it actually works.”

Yu Sheng glanced at Little Red Riding Hood’s conflicted expression, deliberated briefly, and then said, “Based on the content of the letter, it seems Old Zheng wasn’t aware it was a trap. He likely thought he was helping you… Perhaps he’s been trying to help you for a long time and ended up falling into their clutches because of it.”

Little Red Riding Hood listened silently, not speaking. After a while, she finally muttered, breaking the quiet, “Someone who deals with strange objects and otherworldly phenomena all the time… How could he fall for something like this? How long has he been duped?”

“…Likely quite some time,” Yu Sheng replied, recalling the contents of the letter. “It mentions personal witnessing, which suggests Old Zheng didn’t just rely on the promises of the Angel Cultists. He may have participated in certain rituals or at least encountered something related to the Dark Angels. By the time he led you to the exhibition hall, he was already deeply entangled.”

Yu Sheng paused before continuing, “And this letter reveals another critical detail… Those cultists weren’t targeting you alone—they’re after the Fairy Tale Organization you’re connected to.”

Little Red Riding Hood said nothing, her gaze shifting to the other notes and scraps of paper scattered around.

“Irene,” Yu Sheng called out, “see if there’s anything else hidden among these papers like this letter.”

“On it,” Irene replied, sitting down amid the clutter on the table and sifting through the materials.

She

“…Then someone came to me. They said they could help…

“They seemed suspicious. I suspected ties to some illegal sect, but they showed me things…”

The words stretched across the floor, walls, and even into the air, filling Yu Sheng’s vision. Then, as silently as they had appeared, they began to fade.

A strange, slow, slithering sound came from above.

Yu Sheng raised his head cautiously toward the source of the noise.

The ceiling had split open at some point, revealing a circular hole corresponding to the dark red markings on the floor.

From the hole came a deep, chaotic noise, accompanied by the eerie sound of something sliding against a surface. A long, slender appendage, covered in grotesque bumps and intricate patterns, extended downward.

The tentacle pulsed silently, probing the air, slowly inching toward Yu Sheng…