The two waitresses maintained their perfect smiles.
Facing Huang Mao, who was charging at them with a machete, the waitress on the left didn’t even blink. She slowly raised her right hand, which was covered in a white lace glove.
Across a distance of over 10 meters, she aimed at Huang Mao’s neck and gently made a pinching motion.
Snap.
The crisp sound of bone breaking was exceptionally loud in the deathly silent plaza. Huang Mao’s charging body froze instantly.
The machete fell from his hand as he desperately clutched his own neck.
Under the horrified gazes of everyone present, his head rotated a full 180 degrees toward his back.
His entire cervical spine had been crushed into pieces by an invisible, massive force out of thin air. He didn’t even have time to scream before he collapsed limply to the ground like a tattered sack.
The crowd gasped in unison.
A few terrified girls slumped to the ground, covering their mouths to keep from crying out. With just a gentle pinch from a distance, a living person had been erased.
The waitress on the right spoke again. Her sweet smile now looked more terrifying than any demon in the eyes of the crowd.
“Guests. If you do not wish to dine, your end will be just like this impolite gentleman. So, please, come in.”
If they didn’t go in, they would die immediately. If they went in, there might still be a slim chance of survival. Wang Ziming’s face turned ashen.
He was a smart man, and after gritting his teeth, he waved his hand.
“Go. Get inside.”
He was the first to step out of the car and lead his men in.
The others could only steel themselves, their legs feeling as heavy as lead as they slowly walked toward the massive doors glowing with golden light.
Inside the SUV, Su Shuang’er and Mu Yingying exchanged a look, their eyes filled with solemnity.
“We can’t avoid it.”
Su Shuang’er took a deep breath and pushed open the car door.
Ignoring the filth on her clothes, she reached out with her hands—clad in Alloy Gauntlets—and gently but steadily lifted White Night out of the trunk.
‘Auntie Frost… they might not let a bicycle inside. This is a hotel,’ White Night reminded her.
Su Shuang’er would rather take the risk herself than leave White Moon behind.
“Don’t be afraid, Little White Night,” Su Shuang’er said, gently stroking the handlebars.
“We can try to negotiate with them. I won’t feel at ease leaving you out here.”
Mu Yingying walked over carrying the Solid Steel Pipe and sighed, though her eyes were equally determined.
Thus, among the group of desperate survivors, a strange sight appeared.
Two women covered in stains, one in front and one behind, carefully pushed a Rusty Bicycle across the soft red carpet, stepping into the inn one step at a time.
Walking across the dark red carpet that was so thick their feet almost sank into it, Su Shuang’er and Mu Yingying protected White Night as they finally reached the massive brass-carved glass doors.
The air was filled with a mixture of food aromas.
Just as Su Shuang’er was about to push the bicycle across the threshold, two figures in red uniforms silently glided forward, blocking their path.
“Valued guests, I am very sorry.”
The waitress on the left bowed slightly, a mechanical smile on her face, but her pure black eyes remained ice-cold.
“This hotel is furnished with Persian Carpets. To maintain a clean environment, it is forbidden to bring… means of transportation inside. Please leave it outside the door.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the surrounding temperature seemed to drop to the freezing point.
Su Shuang’er’s hands on the handlebars stiffened, her knuckles turning white from the force of her grip.
Leave White Night outside?
No one knew what monsters were hidden in this Black Mist. She could not rest easy leaving the defenseless White Moon here.
‘Auntie Frost, Auntie Ying…’ White Night’s soft, trembling voice rang out urgently in their minds. ‘You two go in first. Don’t worry about me.’
White Night had seen with her own eyes how Huang Mao’s neck had been snapped through Telekinetic Crushing.
The combat power of these two waitresses was too high; they were not opponents the women could handle.
‘I’m just an inanimate object. The Weirdnesses outside might not do anything to me. You go in first to save yourselves. I’ll wait for you out here. Please, don’t get into a conflict with them for my sake…’
White Night did her best to persuade her two aunties.
“But…”
Su Shuang’er was still hesitant. she simply couldn’t let her guard down regarding White Night.
“You two lovely ladies, this bicycle is very important to us. Could you make an exception?”
Mu Yingying also stepped forward, her 1.9-meter frame standing in front of the bicycle to shield Su Shuang’er and White Night behind her. Although she liked to talk trash sometimes, she never backed down in a critical moment.
the smiles on the two waitresses’ faces gradually faded, and their expressions became stern.
“Guests who do not follow the rules are unwelcome.”
The waitresses’ voices became incredibly eerie. They seemed to have little patience and were ready to strike at the slightest disagreement.
Su Shuang’er clenched her fists, the Alloy Fighting Gauntlets reflecting a cold light. Her muscles were tense, ready to resist to the death.
Mu Yingying’s thumb had already pushed the Companion Gold Coin to her fingertip, her gaze as sharp as a blade, ready to gamble her life at any moment.
In the bicycle’s basket, White Night’s soul partially emerged.
She tightly gripped the Black Little Girl’s Bow. If the waitresses dared to move, she would use the bow’s power to protect her two aunties, even if it meant her soul would be scattered.
The atmosphere became incredibly heavy.
“Let them bring that bicycle in.”
Suddenly, a raspy, low male voice drifted out from deep within the hotel lobby. The voice carried a sense of stale death, yet it held an unquestionable authority.
As soon as the voice spoke, the two waitresses, who were about to strike, trembled and immediately lowered their hands. They bowed deeply toward the interior of the lobby, then turned around, their stiff smiles reappearing.
“Since the Head Chef has spoken…”
The waitresses stepped aside and bowed respectfully at a 90-degree angle, making an elegant gesture to invite them in.
“Valued guests, please enter.”
Because the Head Chef inside had spoken, they were even more polite than before.
“Whew…”
Mu Yingying let out a long breath, only to realize her clothes were completely soaked with cold sweat. Her fingers holding the gold coin were trembling slightly.
Su Shuang’er’s tense body also relaxed, but her grip on the handlebars tightened.
She looked down at the bike frame, her eyes full of the relief and lingering fear of someone who had just survived a disaster.
‘That scared me to death… Auntie Frost, Auntie Ying, you were too foolish…’
White Night’s soul returned to the bike, feeling both moved and helpless.
“Call us foolish then. Who told you to be our little darling?” Mu Yingying forced a smile and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.
Su Shuang’er didn’t say anything; she just touched White Night’s seat.
She pushed White Night and took a deep breath, stepping over the brass threshold that felt like the dividing line between life and death to enter the hotel within the Black Mist.
The brass-carved glass doors slowly closed behind everyone, letting out a piercing grinding sound. A single door separated two different worlds.
Outside was the rolling Black Mist, while inside was a brilliantly lit hotel.
Seeing the waitresses back down, the other survivors could only follow and pour into the inn.
Stepping into the lobby, Su Shuang’er gripped White Night’s cold handlebars.
The air smelled of lavender, but the scent did not bring relaxation.
White Night’s soul huddled within the frame, using the bicycle’s perspective to observe her surroundings.
The interior decoration of the hotel was luxurious. Above them was a dome over 10 meters high, hanging with a massive crystal chandelier. The light illuminated the lobby, and the floor was covered with a thick, dark red Persian Carpet that muffled all footsteps.
In the center of the lobby was a transparent kitchen covering nearly 100 square meters. Its four sides were made of explosion-proof glass reaching the ceiling. Inside, one could see stainless steel cookware, cutting boards, and steamers.
There was no one in the kitchen at the moment, only several large pots “bubbling” over a low flame. White steam condensed into water droplets on the inner glass walls.
Around the kitchen stood dozens of round tables.
These tables and chairs were plated with pure gold, gleaming under the lights and giving off a sense of eeriness.
“Valued guests, please follow us to your seats.”
Two red-clad waitresses glided forward with stiff smiles.
They bowed slightly and made guiding gestures. The crowd didn’t dare to disobey and headed toward the golden round tables.
Mu Yingying pushed White Night, and alongside Su Shuang’er, they were led to a table near the left side of the transparent kitchen.
Wang Ziming and several of his men were arranged at the table next to theirs. The two tables were less than 2 meters apart; one could touch the other’s chair back by reaching out.
Su Shuang’er sat down next to White Night, her hand resting on the bicycle’s crossbar, her palms sweating slightly.
She habitually leaned most of her body toward White Night, as if the metallic touch of the bike could give her peace of mind.
‘Auntie Frost, don’t be afraid. I’m right here,’ White Night comforted her in her mind while observing the movements around them.
The guests sat down one after another, and many began to speak quietly with those at their table or neighboring tables. But after only a few seconds, panic began to spread through the crowd.
“What… what’s going on?”
Mu Yingying suddenly turned her head, her long legs under the table tensing instantly.
Her face, which usually wore a playful smile, was now filled with shock.
“Shuang’er! Do you hear that?” Mu Yingying lowered her voice, pointing at Wang Ziming’s table less than 2 meters away.
Su Shuang’er also noticed the anomaly, her cool eyes widening.
It was too quiet.
There were dozens of people sitting in the lobby, and many were opening their mouths to speak with agitated expressions. However, they couldn’t hear any sound from the neighboring tables. They could only hear each other’s breathing and heartbeats, and the hum of the chandelier’s electricity, but they couldn’t hear a word from the people at the next table.
‘Physical soundproofing?’ White Night gasped in her mind.
Those people were expressive and waving their arms, but the entire scene was dead silent, looking incredibly bizarre.
Wang Ziming at the next table had also noticed this phenomenon. He stood up abruptly, his hands propped on the golden tabletop, his brow furrowed.
He turned his head and looked sharply at Mu Yingying and Su Shuang’er. His lips moved quickly as if he were shouting.
However, they couldn’t hear anything on their side.
“You can’t hear us talking either, right?” Mu Yingying swallowed hard and tried to raise her voice, shouting at Wang Ziming 2 meters away.
Wang Ziming watched Mu Yingying’s lip movements, narrowed his eyes slightly, and then nodded with a grim face.
He had understood Mu Yingying’s lip-reading and responded to her guess with a nod.
“Damn it…” Mu Yingying cursed under her breath, cold sweat breaking out on her back.
Just as the crowd was unsettled by this eerie “localized silence,” a sound rang out.
Shua—
The shadows in the four corners of the lobby twisted. Under everyone’s gaze, dozens of identical red-clad waitresses appeared out of thin air.
They walked with synchronized steps and identical smiles, fanning out to stand beside every golden round table.
Now, every table was assigned two monitors.
“Valued guests, please have some tea first to warm your bodies.”
The waitresses standing by Su Shuang’er’s table spoke simultaneously.
One of them picked up a blue-and-white porcelain teapot from the table and filled the white jade teacups in front of them.
As the pale green tea poured out, a scent of orchids drifted across the table.
Tea was served? Was this a Chinese restaurant?
Su Shuang’er captured this detail. The hotel was a Western classical building with Western crystal chandeliers, Persian Carpets, and Baroque-style chairs. Yet, what was served were Chinese blue-and-white porcelain pots and white jade teacups, and the tea being brewed was Chinese green tea. This lack of coordination carried an air of creepiness.
“Guests, do you have any questions?”
Seeing that Mu Yingying and Su Shuang’er were just staring at the teacups without moving, one waitress tilted her head, her pure black eyes staring straight at them as she asked with a smile.
Mu Yingying didn’t want to pay her any mind, but since the waitress had spoken, she felt she had to answer.
“We were wondering why we can’t hear the voices from the neighboring tables?” Mu Yingying took a deep breath and threw out the question, forcing herself to stay calm.
The smile on the waitress’s face seemed to widen a bit as she replied in a voice so sweet it was nauseating, “Because our hotel wishes to provide an excellent dining experience for every valued guest. We want the restaurant to maintain a quiet and elegant environment. Guests should not be disturbed by the noise of neighboring tables while dining. Therefore, the Rule of No Disturbance has been applied to every table.”
“So that’s how it is. Such… thoughtful service.” Mu Yingying gave a dry laugh and nodded.
Seeing that the two waitresses made no further moves, Mu Yingying secretly breathed a sigh of relief; as long as they didn’t start a fight over a disagreement, it was fine.
“Guest, the tea is getting cold. Please drink it while it’s hot.”
The waitress’s eyes, which lacked whites, fixed on the teacups on the table again. There was a hint of urging in her tone.
Mu Yingying was indeed thirsty. Her nerves had been highly strained in the Black Mist earlier, and her throat felt like it was on fire.
However, drinking tea from such an unknown source? Who knew what the tea in this Weirdness restaurant was brewed with?
Su Shuang’er simply turned her face toward White Night, pretending she hadn’t heard the waitress’s urging.
White Night’s voice echoed in their minds.
‘I will observe our surroundings. For now, these Weirdness waitresses only see me as a means of transportation; they don’t notice my soul. My field of vision is wider, so I’ll warn you if there’s danger.’
‘Those waitresses can’t see me, but that Head Chef who spoke earlier but hasn’t appeared probably did.’
White Night remembered that back at the entrance, it was that raspy voice that gave special permission for her to enter.
Why did he let me in? Was it because he saw through me, or did he see the uniqueness of my soul? If he knows my background, why would he let me into this trap designed to devour people?
The more she thought about it, the more White Night felt this hotel was like a setup, and the three of them had already walked deep into the chessboard.
White Night steadied her mind. She didn’t dare look at the waitresses, nor did she look at the mist-covered transparent kitchen.
She slowly moved her gaze toward the walls of the lobby, which were covered in dark red velvet wallpaper.
With just one look, White Night’s soul trembled violently.
Under the glow of the wall lamps, a whole row of massive photos hung on the wall. Rather than photos, it was more accurate to call them funeral portraits.
All the photos mounted in black-gold frames were black and white.
‘The texture of these photos… it’s too clear.’
Judging by the texture of the characters’ clothes and the details of their hair, the resolution was very high. The camera used must have been a high-definition one.
In this era, color photos should have already existed, yet the ones hanging here were deliberately developed in gray and white.
In such a brilliantly lit environment filled with the reflections of gold and crystals, hanging rows of depressing black-and-white photos on the walls felt wrong.
This contrast made anyone who looked feel uneasy.
White Night focused her gaze on a large photo directly facing their table.
It looked like a “family portrait.” The background was a blurry shadow, and there were four people in total. They were standing in unnatural poses.
In the center sat an old man with a kind smile and benevolent eyes, leaning on a cane. Behind him stood two tall young men, both very handsome.
And beside the old man stood a teenage girl wearing a dress and twin tails.
“A dress and twin tails… that looks a bit like Little White Night’s outfit, though she’s not as pretty as our Little White Night.” Mu Yingying was also looking at the photo.
“I suspect the relationship between that Head Chef and that girl is unusual. He saw that Little White Night was dressed similarly, so he gave us preferential treatment and let us in.” Su Shuang’er also analyzed the photo.
“Not bad, Shuang’er. Not only do you have a big butt, but your head is also sharp.”
“However, what I see is no less than what you’ve found,” Mu Yingying said, curling the corners of her mouth proudly.