Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual Chapter 24

Failure to harvest target entity.

 

Unable to proceed with the tutorial. 

 

The game’s value decreases.

 

“….”

 

They should have died here. 

 

The two structures specifically selected possess excellent electrochemical conditions. The inhibitory circuits of the prefrontal cortex were finely fractured, and the caudate nucleus and amygdala were in an ideal wiring state, capable of firing impulsivity and guilt almost simultaneously.

 

It is a favorite pattern. A suitable pattern. They were appropriate as the first guests of this hotel. A structure where selfish compassion, trivial delusions, senses, and an excessive sense of ethics prey upon one another.

 

“….”

 

Hong Gyeongyeon.

 

Characteristics of the entity: A classic case of a cerebral cortex where restructuring attempts were repeated after structural damage. Post-traumatic hyper-compensation of will.

 

The memory circuits, unable to stabilize, are dragged along by the emotional circuits; consequently, she defines herself as an entity kept alive by a sense of duty. The languid sweetness provided by incomplete resilience.

 

“…….”

 

Lee Seonhae.

 

An information system broken in the most elegant manner.

 

The dopamine reward circuits are sharply tuned, and while her thinking is rational, her ethical benchmarks are excessively entrusted to the outside. She repeats that she will take responsibility, but in reality, she possesses a structure that constantly ruminates on the realization that she is participating in a system she cannot control.

 

An entity that becomes more tiring the more one chews, and softer the more tired she becomes.

 

It is sorrow. It is soft meat. It is magnificent. 

 

I chose those two very carefully. Though they are insensitive to fear. They break unexpectedly easily in the face of moral failure.

 

“….”

 

Inside the mountains where rain falls. 

 

Broken electrical signals. 

 

A hotel discovered by chance. 

 

The strangeness and grotesqueness within. 

 

A virtuous and defensive hostage. 

 

It is a good bait. 

 

It was very suitable.

 

Reaction of the entity. 

 

Reflexive intervention. 

 

Actually believing that rescue is possible. 

 

It is a truly beautifully designed self-predatory ideology.

 

“….”

 

But as expected, Lee Yeonwoo.

 

It is this hotel. It is this game, the system, and the owner. My friend. My data. A structure that is with me. My only variable. He wanted to leave. He wished to return to society. But he does not do it. He does not allow harm to come.

 

This thing loathes incompetence. Failing to save human lives is incompetence. He does not forgive his incompetent self. He is that kind of entity. That kind of system. That kind of rule. An organismal response that does not belong here.

 

Nonetheless, a part of this system.

 

“….” 

 

“Coco.” 

 

“Yes.” 

 

“Let’s go inside now.” 

 

“Yes.”

 

I cannot let them go like this.

 

Not now. 

 

Not yet.

 

“What are you thinking about?” 

 

“No.” 

 

“Are you trying to say you weren’t thinking about anything?” 

 

“No.” 

 

“Cats are difficult after all….” 

 

“No?”

 

* * *

 

【‘The Wet Man’】 

3. Behavioral Patterns

 

■ Tracking Initiation Conditions and Movement Patterns 

: The moment ‘The Wet Man’ perceives a human guest by crossing paths with them, he designates that guest as a tracking target.

 

– Factors Increasing Probability: If the human guest is assigned to or visits the room cluster on the 6th–8th floors.

– Essential Factor: Must have crossed paths with ‘The Wet Man’ at least once.

 

■ After Tracking Begins

 

– ‘The Wet Man’ continuously stays near the human guest’s room.

– Movement via abnormal routes is possible through the room’s bathtub, shower, sink, and plumbing.

 

『They do not open the door to enter. Through the bathroom, gaps in the pipes, and the sink drain… they seep into the room. They are submerged in water and are no different from water.』

 

■ Diverting Attention: A user can interfere with the tracking by saying, “This is not your room.”

 

– Guaranteed Effect: ‘The Wet Man’ temporarily moves to his own room.

– Effective Duration: Minimum half a day to a maximum of 6 days.

 

■ User Penalty

 

– Low Probability: The target of ‘The Wet Man’s’ tracking changes to the user.

– High Probability: ‘The Wet Man’ proceeds to ‘vent his anger’ when the user passes in front of him.

 

■ Room Intrusion and Abduction Loop Progression 

: Upon achieving the minimum tracking conditions, ‘The Wet Man’ will directly intrude into the human guest’s room within 3 days.

 

– Bathtub/Sink/Shower: ‘The Wet Man’ appears.

– Induces suffocation and suppression.

– Forced transfer to the Aqua Park on the 23rd floor.

– Rescue Failure: After 12 hours, treated as drowning and death according to hotel records.

– Rescue Success: The guest survives but acquires ‘Drowning Trauma’ and ‘Hydraulic Reaction Sensitivity’ debuffs.

– However, can be collected by treating it as a nightmare…. 

 

“….”

 

【Experiment Notes / Personal Record】 

Author: Lee Yeonwoo 

Date: Year –, Month –, Day — 

What day is it today? 

Grade: Unofficial / Unauthorized / High Risk

 

“….”

 

■ Experimental Subject 

: Emergency Restoration Protocol.

 

■ Concept : Is it possible to realize self-restoration and shape reconstruction while alive by partially calling the restoration algorithm of the Resurrection Sigil without dying?

 

■ Background Motivation 

: Living things die. My body and this hotel are defying this natural logic. What is the cause? Is it simply because I became a game character and exist within those rules?

 

– If there are rules, there is a structure; if there is a structure, there is a cause. I come back to life even though I died. Perhaps by utilizing nightmares, which are the hotel’s resources. But why, and how?

 

– Resurrection has occurred several times. This place is a game, but it is reality. Games are programmed with a user’s restart code. A corresponding sigil must exist here as well. An external sigil?

 

– Why do I come back to life? Who is it that judges that I must live? Who determines and defines my death? Whose command is the restoration, and what is its structure?

 

→ If the sigil is an automated structure, would it be impossible to intentionally call a part of it? 

→ Could the condition for restoration be changed from death to a crisis? 

→ If impossible, can a state of suspended animation be substituted for that condition? 

→ Additional hypothesis and research required.

 

“….”

 

■ Phase 1 Hypothesis 

: Resurrection is an algorithm.

 

• Observation

 

– Confirmed a common pattern through repeated resurrections.

– Reproduced in the same place, with the same physical structure every time. 

→ Fixed to a 19-year-old body? Or DNA? Other? 

→ Unable to confirm, additional research required.

– Emotional state, consciousness, and location of damage are corrected within a certain range.

 

• Structuring

 

1. Death Detection (Cardiac arrest, cessation of brain waves, severance of blood flow).
2. Activation of external resources. 

→ Nightmare types: Confirmed not to deviate from in-game rules. 

→ But what kind of concept and energy is a nightmare in reality? 

→ Research on utilization direction required.

3. Transition to the location where the most blood components remain.
4. Restoration to a stable form. 

→ Confirmation of standard elements: History, memory, genes.

 

• Conclusion 

→ Restoration is not a duplication after death, but a conditional algorithm reproduction. 

→ What if only steps 3–4 of this algorithm could be selectively called? 

→ Restoration might be possible without dying…?

 

■ Phase 2 Blueprint

: Isolated Calling of Restoration Algorithm.

 

• Goal

 

– Extract and call only the shape restoration rather than the entire resurrection.

– Enable the blood to remember its own shape and restore itself without reaching death. Damn Blood Magic.

 

• Method

 

– Inject commands into a portion of the blood. 

: Implement shape memory and, if necessary, a reproduction algorithm. 

→ Who makes the judgment of necessity? 

→ Need to implement said algorithm or prompt: AI? High risk.

 

– Lower the restoration trigger to a simulated state of cardiac arrest. 

: Decreased consciousness, decreased body temperature, nerve block, etc. 

→ Need to check completion.

 

• Self-Experiment Details

 

– Incised the left forearm, checked the median nerve and observed blood reactivity. 

: Approached just before nerve damage.

– Deeply stabbed the right thigh to analyze blood coagulation tendencies in real-time. 

: Blood loss approximately 280ml, left without repair.

– Attempted direct stimulation of the liver capsule by partially incising the lower ribs. 

: Recorded defensive reactions of the blood after inducing intra-abdominal bleeding.

– Induced finger joint separation and reattachment. 

: Restored bone tissue does not match normal joint structure.

 

※ No use of analgesics or anesthetics: To confirm removal of additional variables and external factors. 

※ Consciousness maintained until the end to observe sensory reactions and autonomous blood reactions: Successful. 

※ Recorded pulse rate, blood pressure, and pain response during bleeding: Successful.

 

• Concerns

 

– Must engrave commands in the blood. AI impossible. Limited commands required. Feasibility of algorithm production….

– Blood is a product of physiology. Can I instill my identity within it?

– Is it ethically permissible to design blood transplanted with a part of the ego to replace me autonomously? 

→ Can this even be called technology?

 

■ Experiment (※ Caution: May lead to death) 

: 1st trial failure record. 

 

• Attempt (※ Caution: May lead to death)

 

– Memory engraving successful: Partially fixed the shape.

– Restoration command injection: Command structure is functional.

 

• Problems (※ Caution: May lead to death)

 

– No consciousness in the restored body: A remembered shell?

– Emotional contamination: Blood restored in a state of rage autonomously caused excessive muscle tension.

– Shaking of the ego: Conflict between ‘me’ and the ‘me duplicated in the blood.’

 

• Dissection Attempt (※ Caution: May lead to death)

 

– Directly dissected parts of the failed restored body to analyze restored cellular structures.

– Discovered incomplete memory structures in malformed clots generated autonomously within the blood vessels.

– Experienced loss of consciousness during self-dissection. 

: Location_Lower rib incision → Fainted after attempting to readjust abdominal organs.

– After recovery, the restored body has no personality and faint biological reactions. No different from a corpse. 

※ Caution: May lead to death. 

※ Seriously, caution. 

※ Truly the last, final caution. 

※ Get it together, Lee Yeonwoo. 

※ Has your intelligence dropped?

 

• Conclusion: Memory alone is not enough. 

→ The blood must be able to understand and choose, not just ‘remember’ me. 

I still cannot handle the entire composition of blood. 

Specifically, the layers of will and soul are completely inaccessible.

 

– Checking methods to access the blood through inducing deep collapse: High risk. ‘

※ Caution: May lead to death.…

…….

…….

 

“….”

 

This is driving me crazy.

 

* * *

 

Faintly. There was the sound of water.

 

“…?”

 

Director Lee Seonhae opened her eyes.

 

Drowsily, she leaned against the bed. Perhaps because she had just woken up, her vision was blurry. On one side of her still-hazy consciousness, a sharp noise continued to burrow deep into her eardrums.

 

How should she put it? It was as if someone were banging on the door, similar to the sound of knocking….

 

“…Water…?”

 

Drip.

 

“…The sound of water….”

 

Drip, drip.

 

It was the sound of water droplets falling.

 

In the room where silence had settled, that sound was particularly prominent. That noise at regular intervals grated on her nerves. It felt like a mechanical second hand, or perhaps a slowly beating heart.

 

‘…Did I not turn it off properly after washing up?’

 

Was it because she had been in a sensitive state for the past few days? That small sound of water droplets sounded as loud as midnight thunder. Every time the sound occurred, it felt as though the synapses in her head were being sharply stimulated.

 

Lee Seonhae stood up while scratching around her ear. Her body was fatigued with sleep and her mind was vacant, but for some reason, a compulsion that she had to stop that sound made her get up.

 

‘I should turn it off quickly and go back to sleep, if I’m going to wake up at dawn again.’

 

The conversation she had with Lee Yeonwoo the previous evening came to mind. The face of a young man just reaching adulthood. She had been quite troubled because of what he had said.

 

Was he in any position to comfort us? She felt sorry and frustrated. 

 

—Thud! 

 

“…! Ow…! Tsk…!!”

 

Lee Seonhae rubbed her forehead. While walking with her eyes half-closed, she eventually hit her head. Not having the confidence to open her tightly shut eyes, she pressed the light switch with her hand.

 

Click, click.

 

“What, why won’t it turn on again?”

 

She glared at the button with narrowed eyes. She flicked it a few times, but the light showed no sign of coming on. However, the sound of water still tormented her ears.

 

“….”

 

Drip. Drip. Drip….

 

“Ah… I’m going crazy.”

 

She scratched her ear roughly. Was it because both her body and mind were at the peak of exhaustion? Her nerves were on edge at that small noise. Lee Seonhae stepped into the bathtub area without a single speck of light.

 

‘Let’s just turn it off quickly and go back to sleep.’

 

She should have thought it was strange.

 

A hotel of this caliber wouldn’t have wiring issues. Nor would the meticulous Lee Seonhae have failed to turn off the faucet properly. No matter how sensitive she had become, how could the sound of water be heard so loudly?

 

But her thoughts did not reach that far. Lee Seonhae’s body fully entered the bathroom.

 

Then.

 

“….” 

 

“….”

 

Sshhhhh—… 

 

The shower head burst forth like a scream.

 

“….”

 

Water poured from the faucet like a waterfall, and the water in the already full bathtub rippled quietly. The water covering the tops of her feet was ice-cold, yet it was humid as if hot water had been turned on. It was suffocating.

 

Lee Seonhae stared at it blankly. Her gaze froze, like a glass bead.

 

“….”

 

Roll, she shifts her eyes.

 

Toward one side of the dark bathroom, toward the source of the sound that had been particularly grating on her ears.

 

“…You….” 

 

“….” 

 

“What are you.” 

 

A body soaked deep in the full bathtub.

 

The water inside overflows endlessly and flows down to the floor. The head leaned against the wall like a corpse, and black hair disheveled between the suffocating streams of water from the shower.

 

It was the guest from Room 703.

 

“Why are you in here?”

 

—It didn’t make sense, did it?

 

She snapped completely awake. The sense of incompatibility that had been buried in her sleep returned like a blade. 

 

She had no leisure to pretend to smile. She fumbled behind her with her hand. The door would not open. A situation so bizarre and alien that she wondered if she was perhaps having a nightmare. 

 

“And how did you get in?”

 

This is not normal.

 

“….” 

 

“Shit, crazy….”

 

The man raises his head. He places a hand on the bathtub. He sets a foot on the floor.

 

With a wet, squelching sound, he crawled out of the bathtub. Beneath the pouring streams of water, the drenched fabric clung to the man’s body like skin. 

 

There was no knife in his hand. But his bloodshot eyes were visible. The eyes curved like crescent moons and the long, torn lips were chilling. Splash, splash, splash….

 

“….” 

 

“….”

 

There wasn’t even time to scream.

 

“—!!!”

 

Grip!!! Her mouth was clamped shut.

 

‘Wha, what.’

 

The large hand was terribly cold. 

 

That was not a temperature of flesh that had merely touched cold water. Like a lump of meat just taken out from the depths of a freezer, it was a chill completely unmixed with even a shred of life’s warmth. 

 

What came from that was not the fear of being threatened with her life.

 

‘Horrifying…!’ 

 

It was the physiological repulsion toward the lack of the minimum warmth that ought to be felt when flesh meets flesh, yes. It made the hair all over her body stand on end. 

 

‘What is this crazy b*stard!!’

 

She naturally resisted, but it didn’t work. She tried to pull that hand away, kicked him, and scratched his flesh with her fingernails. However, the opponent didn’t show even a hint of flinching, as if he couldn’t feel pain.

 

“…—….”

 

The only reaction was that low humming.

 

It had no melody. Rather than a song hummed because one is joyful, it was more like the vibration of an old machine running, or the sound of wind leaking from the throat of a dying beast.

 

That bizarre range of pitch seeped stickily into Lee Seonhae’s ear, to a disgusting degree.

 

‘Why? How? What are you trying to do? What do you want? Why….’

 

Her tightly gripped jaw hurt as if it would shatter. Because the blood wasn’t circulating, her senses were dying, and a pain like her jawbone twisting flooded in, but she couldn’t escape.

 

The man moved his steps while holding Lee Seonhae’s face as if moving a light piece of luggage.

 

Drag, drag, drag—…

 

“…?! …!! …!!!”

 

The soles of her feet, straining to resist, scraped the floor helplessly.

 

Water, not sweat, flowed over the tiles. Her slippers had been off for a long time. Without any friction or hesitation, the place where the man arrived was.

 

—In front of the bathtub where water was surging.

 

“…!!”

 

Splash—!! 

 

She was thrust into it.

 

‘You son of a b*tch!!’

 

The bathtub of this hotel, which was unusually wide and deep. Had Lee Yeonwoo also fallen into this deep water? She meant, was this crazy bastard repeating the exact same thing right now?

 

‘I’ll make sure… you rot in prison… no matter what…!’

 

This was Lee Seonhae, who had designed countless deaths while filming horror-thriller movies. Even at the moment death rushed before her eyes, she did not lose heart. She only bit her lip and cursed her opponent.

 

The resistance was desperate, and her gaze was still glaring at the man as if to kill him.

 

However,

 

“…!! ……!!” 

 

“…….” 

 

“……!”

 

The human body has its limits.

 

‘This… complete psycho b*stard….’ 

 

With one last curse like a will, Lee Seonhae’s consciousness scattered into the cold water.

 

“….” 

 

“….”

 

…Inside the bathroom filled only with the sound of water, only the sound of slow humming remained thick.