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| Descend from the Stars (STARS) |
October 3rd
Today, the hotel opened, named Wenzheng Hotel. Dad invited many celebrities to celebrate, and I asked Xiaoshan to join the festivities, but he said he had other plans and couldn’t make it.
What is he so busy with? Lately, he’s been appearing and disappearing unpredictably, and his answers are always vague when I ask. (A section scratched out in black ink) Could he be in a relationship?
November 5th
I don’t know if it’s because I just graduated, but I really hate this hotel.
Dad wants me to start learning the family business at Wenzheng, but every time I step inside, I feel like I’m becoming strange—as if I’m slowly turning from a human into a beast.
Or maybe it’s because I haven’t seen Xiaoshan in so long. He’s been even more elusive lately. I hope his first job after graduation goes smoothly.
December 6th
I might be losing my mind—I keep having this illusion that everything is coming to life. At night, my blanket seems to be talking to me. It says— (an entire paragraph scratched out)
December 17th
The new front desk clerk, Li Xing, told me she saw Xiaoshan checking into a room with another man.
December 30th
I saw it.
January 6th
(The handwriting grows messy) I’ve been by his side for thirteen years and six months—selflessly, never asking for anything in return, always giving him whatever he wanted. And yet, he dares to betray me! I won’t allow it, I absolutely won’t! He clearly likes men, but he’s holding hands with someone else!
Only I can have him. He was born for me, and I was born for him. There’s no pair more perfect than us in this world. I’ll stop at nothing.
I will have him. Forever.
January 15th
(The handwriting is frantic) I locked him in the secret room on the top floor. His body is the most beautiful work of art in this world. I love him—more than life itself. But he hates me. How could he hate me?
How could he hate me? How could he hate me? How could he hate me?
I crave his love, even just a little…
February 13th
(The handwriting is normal but pressed hard into the paper) My God, what have I done to Xiaoshan?
Why have I become like this? It’s like I’ve completely turned into a lowly animal ruled by Desire. I don’t even deserve to be human!
I regret it so much. I’m sorry. But it seems like nothing can be undone now. I have a feeling I’ll lose him forever.
Fear consumes me—I can barely hold the pen…
March 3rd
He actually dared to run away!!
(The pen punctures the paper) I caught him and brought him back. I cut off his legs so he can stay with me forever.
I love him.
I love him.
Forever, more than life itself! (An unknown liquid stains a small section of the page)
May 2nd
(The handwriting returns to normal) My love has moved him—he’s really starting to love me now.
So this is what happiness feels like. But why does he always look at me with pity?
Tomorrow, I’ll take him to the zoo. He says it’s our first date.
A date—what a wonderful word. I should pick out my outfit for tomorrow.
May 4th
(Barely legible) He tricked me and crawled into the wild python’s enclosure. He tried to leave me again—I won’t allow it, I won’t allow it!! I brought the python back to the hotel. Even if he turns into a snake, I’ll stay by his side forever! He’s mine, he’s mine, he’s mine, he’s my— (a large section violently scratched out, dried blood splattered on the page)
May 15th
Xiaoshan has returned. He's so beautiful, he's my Muse.
I love him.
Eternal love.
June 20th
Heh, this diary is really interesting.
The diary entries end here.
Xu Rongchuan read the final passage, a chill creeping up his spine.
The young man named Zhao Zheng in the diary seemed to have been gradually lured by the hotel and uncontrollably harm his beloved, before being slowly consumed and replaced by some unknown entity, turning into a walking corpse.
The hotel itself also exuded an unnatural eeriness. When it first opened, it was clearly named Wenzheng, yet this name left no trace whatsoever—whether in objective evidence or human memory—all mysteriously erased. The detailed investigation report he received before the mission only mentioned the name "Chaos."
Bizarre yet somehow fitting—this was the essence of the occult.
Closing the diary, Xu Rongchuan remained silent for a long while before speculating, "The hotel might amplify and distort human desires. When those desires become twisted beyond a certain point, people lose all rationality and become puppets of 'that thing.' It might even be able to subtly alter our intentions within a certain scope. We need to be wary of emotional traps."
Xu Dan, however, seemed lost in thought as he picked up the notebook and placed it in a bag.
"What's on your mind?"
Xu Dan asked, "Brother, what is love?"
"..." Was that really the point here?
The perpetually single Xu Rongchuan pondered for a few seconds before deciding to fulfill his educational duty. "Love is... a false emotional response triggered by hormones in the human body, often representing the stubbornness and fragility of human nature. Like Zhao Zheng in the diary, it can easily be exploited, leading to terrifying predicaments."
After speaking, he patted Xu Dan's shoulder as the latter blinked in confusion. "The wise avoid love's river. Let's dedicate our lives to humanity's justice at Pangu instead!"
Xu Dan nodded, though not entirely comprehending.
"Let's go check out Room 5409, the one Zhao Zheng mentioned."
Xu Rongchuan left the room and returned to 5402. It was 8:30 PM—Wen Shu had already been relocated, leaving Muse's display platform empty.
He reloaded his pistol with fresh bullets and extended an arm for Xu Dan to hold.
"Remember to play the role of my 'partner,'" Xu Rongchuan reminded. "I suspect 'that thing' has a strong connection to Zhao Zheng. Since Zhao Zheng's beloved became a Snake-Human Hybrid, it's likely to have an unusual fascination with hybrids too. The moment you stepped into this hotel, it may have already set its sights on you."
Xu Dan, utterly unperturbed, pressed closer to Xu Rongchuan, delighted. "Brother, what's a partner? Like Zhao Zheng and Shen Shancang?"
"No, they weren't partners," Xu Dan replied. "Partners respect and cherish each other. Between them, there was only Zhao Zheng's unrequited feelings."
Xu Dan seemed to consider arguing but eventually nodded. Xu Rongchuan ruffled his hair. "Good boy."
The top-floor hallway remained deserted. The moment they stepped out, Xu Rongchuan's intuition prickled.
Something was watching them.
In a short span of time, the hotel seemed to have changed. The corridors and decor remained the same, yet inanimate objects appeared to take on an eerie vitality. Xu Rongchuan cautiously halted his steps, as if seeing the carpet patterns beneath his feet squirming like the skin of some creature sliding past...
But when he looked again, the carpet was just a carpet—the momentary squirming had been an illusion.
Xu Rongchuan stepped forward, and Xu Dan leaned close to his ear, whispering, "I hear breathing."
Yes, Xu Rongchuan heard it too—a long, deep breath, faint and intermittent... He had heard it once late at night, but it had disappeared by dawn.
Why was this happening at noon? Had Zhao Zheng's death awakened 'that thing'?
The doors along the corridor remained quietly shut. The top floor housed high-end VIP guests, with only a few rooms. As they passed, it felt as though unseen eyes lurked behind every peephole, watching them with ill intent.
5403, 5404...
Until 5408, where the corridor ended. Beyond lay only a grand floor-to-ceiling window, framing a sunlit view of the sky.
The 54th floor of the hotel had no 5409.
Xu Rongchuan stopped before the glass and his left hand pressed against it as he gazed at the drifting clouds outside. His right arm wrapped around Xu Dan's waist. "Any thoughts?" he asked.
Xu Dan rested his head on his brother's shoulder, his soft hair brushing against Xu Rongchuan's neck, tickling slightly.
"My intuition isn't giving me any hints," Xu Dan said. "What do you think?"
Xu Rongchuan approached 5408 and rang the doorbell. No response. Then, taking Xu Dan with him, he entered the fire escape and began tapping the walls while descending all the way to the 53rd floor.
The walls were solid, and the 53rd floor mirrored the same layout—ending at 5308.
The 51st floor was identical. It seemed the entire hotel had no rooms ending in 09.
Xu Rongchuan finally stopped at the 50th floor, deciding not to search further, and took the elevator back to the top.
If a room that must exist couldn't be found, there were a few possibilities... time, space, or a misalignment in human consciousness.
Before the mission, he had reviewed the hotel's structural blueprints filed with the fire department. From an architectural standpoint, hiding a room on the top floor would be difficult—so that possibility could be ruled out first.
The remaining two—time or consciousness misalignment—were plausible. The hotel had already exhibited several similar phenomena.
For instance, Wen Shu being trapped in a transparent space that was visible yet unfindable, or the hotel originally being named "Wenzheng," though no one remembered it.
Xu Rongchuan turned back to face the floor-to-ceiling window, carefully visualizing the possible form of 5409 in his mind. He closed his eyes, emptied his thoughts, and walked straight ahead... only to bump into the glass with a thud.
Xu Dan: "?"
Xu Rongchuan: "..."
Ahem. Clearly, it wasn't that easy. It seemed they'd have to pursue the last clue.
He said, "Do you remember the front desk employee mentioned in the diary? Zhao Zheng's first loss of control happened because 'she' told him: 'Xiaoshan is in a room with another man'."
Xu Dan immediately understood. "She's the only person we can confirm was working at the hotel before Zhao Zheng lost control."
Xu Rongchuan was pleased that he had grasped the key point: "Perhaps she might have clues about 5409."
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