Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual Chapter 29

They say for those meant to succeed, everything goes their way.

 

It didn’t seem like a phrase meant for a time like this, but regardless, while Lee Yeonwoo was pulling his hair out because his attempt to fail the ritual had itself failed—resulting in success—someone else was still gritting their teeth and holding on to survive.

 

“….”

 

Naturally, it was Director Lee Seonhae.

 

‘…I want to see my kids….’ 

 

Where was she, and who was she?

 

The first thing that came to mind was her filming crew, who would be working without her; the second was just, well, a curse word.

 

Ah, f*ck. 

 

‘Even when I try to live a truly virtuous life, huh? The world, huh?’

 

She felt like she was going to cry. It was even more terrifying because all the frantic nonsense swirling in her head felt like her brain was desperately babbling just to keep her alive.

 

‘This sensation of the brain disconnecting from the ego, it’s dizzying.’ 

 

Seriously, someone save me.

 

‘Just what kind of concept does this hotel have?’

 

It didn’t feel like reality, but more like a hidden camera prank. Her brain had begun to process this moment as a sitcom.

 

‘What is this, is this one of those survival mechanisms?’

 

Did people start imagining things like this when their optimism circuits were pushed to the absolute limit? 

 

‘No, but this hotel started it.’

 

She was so aggrieved and terrified she couldn’t stand it. She had gone through life thinking this world was quite a scary place, but she felt that something this terrifying was a bit of a problem. 

 

‘I’m telling you, someone is watching me! That ‘bloodthirst detection’ thing you only see in fantasy genres—it actually works! Why does it work even with this pathetic body?’

 

At first, it was just a gaze. Never mind the swimming pool water that glowed brightly whenever it rippled, as if bioluminescent plankton lived there. She could feel a bizarre gaze in every shadow.

 

She was able to identify its source soon enough.

 

“….” 

 

…Kieeeeeeek—… 

 

“….” 

 

Kyak, kik, kikikikikik, kik. 

 

“….” 

 

Aaaaaaaah… ah. 

 

‘Oh my god….’

 

There was a monster living in this pool. 

 

Ah, it really lived here. It breathed, it crawled, it flew. It was a chaotic mess unlike any other. 

 

‘To think the day would come in my life where I actually see a Siren.’

 

No, she wasn’t certain. She didn’t really know if it was a siren or what. It was just a monster with the lower body of a fish and the upper body of a human female. Its skin was smooth yet slimy, and it either had no eyes or three. 

 

‘It’s not important what exact name a monster like that has.’ 

 

It was more surprising that she hadn’t gone insane yet after seeing it.

 

“….”

 

…Of course, it triggered the unique curiosity of a creator, but….

 

“…Let’s get it together.”

 

She looked around from inside the tunnel.

 

‘I might have to move to a different spot.’

 

Those weren’t the only things here.

 

Inside the water slide and within the deep tanks, there were octopus-like monsters. It was probably a kraken. There was also a unicorn that looked like a crushed lump of flesh that hadn’t quite managed to become a living thing. 

 

Besides those, she had seen some ghost fish, slimes that were hard to see in the water, and jellyfish with human eyes. She didn’t remember the details because she had been so frantic.

 

“….”

 

Yeonwoo-ssi.

 

‘Just what kind of workplace is this, and how are you working here?’

 

If it were her, she would have quit long ago.

 

‘Or I would have already died ignoring safety protocols.’

 

If this were just some haunted house or a theme park, she would have roamed around excitedly. It felt like it would give her great inspiration. But now was not the time for that.

 

‘You have to be alive to shoot a movie.’ 

 

Lee Seonhae was a veteran when it came to looking out for her own life.

 

Currently, Lee Seonhae was hiding in a tunnel behind an exhibition tank. Ghost fish occasionally wandered by, but they didn’t attack her even when they saw her. Except for the fact that it was a bit suffocating for some reason, this was the safest place.

 

“Hah….”

 

A hollow laugh escaped her involuntarily.

 

Indeed, Lee Seonhae had already learned her lesson after trying to hide elsewhere.

 

‘My leg hurts.’

 

Her calf had been pierced.

 

‘There’s no blood, but is this… is this right….’

 

It looked slightly punctured, but there was no blood. Instead, the area around the wound was cold and dry. It felt as if tiny waves were rippling beneath her skin. It was revolting, and naturally, it hurt.

 

‘Thanks to that, walking on two feet is no longer an option. No, if a monster comes in here, I’ll literally have to crawl to escape… Just what am I supposed to do?’

 

She scratched at the area roughly before barely stopping herself before it could bleed. 

 

‘I can’t believe I’m doing something this crazy.’

 

She guessed that the monsters here also induced mental derangement or contamination.

 

‘Come to think of it, there was that strange sink, too.’

 

The bathroom where she could hear the sound of water droplets. A strange voice came from the sink where water had pooled. The water inside began to wriggle, and then suddenly, monsters started crawling out of the sink’s pipes.

 

‘Wow.’

 

It was truly, in so many ways, horrific.

 

“….”

 

Though there was something even more horrific.

 

‘…I definitely saw it, when it got bright for a moment, on the floor of the pool….’

 

With a depth that felt exactly like the ocean, far down below. 

 

She had seen a massive eye slowly opening. 

 

‘It was in an incredibly deep place, and it was very… big.’

 

The moment she barely managed to escape the pool after being possessed by the siren, she had almost died while spacing out. 

 

‘The facilities here are all strange, too. It feels like they’re throbbing as if they’re alive, and although I can’t see well because it’s dark, on the ceiling… there was definitely something pale and massive.’

 

Was this the ‘Cosmic Horror’ she had only heard about? She wasn’t a specialist in that genre, so she didn’t know well. But she had a colleague who dug into nothing but Cosmic Horror, so she knew the gist of it.

 

As expected, it was terrifyingly huge. Lee Seonhae felt confident she could even make a Cosmic Horror film now, a genre that had been completely foreign to her.

 

‘…At this rate, it might be worth a shot?’

 

If only she could make it out alive?

 

“….”

 

Lee Seonhae swallowed a bitter smile along with her lips.

 

‘It’s a relief I was the only one dragged here; otherwise, all my innocent kids would have been killed.’

 

Despite everyone’s dissuasion, it was Lee Seonhae who had insisted on opening the door to this hotel. Hong Gyeongyeon, who couldn’t break his own habits, eventually joined in, but the beginning is always the problem. I’m the problem.

 

‘If the others had come, they would have fainted for sure….’

 

She was definitely being observed. She could feel it.

 

‘I don’t know who’s watching me. Then again, there are so many monsters here that might be looking at me, so it’s probably hard to define it as just one.’

 

She didn’t know how many hours had passed. But seeing as she was hungry, at least several hours must have gone by. During that time, it was natural that Director Lee Seonhae hadn’t just been hiding and doing nothing.

 

She shook the walkie-talkie.

 

“Mmm….”

 

It was a difficult situation.

 

‘This thing only makes strange noises.’

 

She had found it in a locker in what seemed to be a staff breakroom or something. After searching around, she had found a paper with frequency settings. Even though she followed it exactly, she couldn’t contact anyone.

 

She just heard crying sounds. Or vibrations, or something like layered voices.

 

‘It’s not like I didn’t hear human voices… but that was definitely strange.’

 

She heard Lee Yeonwoo’s voice. But the content was strange. “Rescue request… received… you will be rescued… you rescue… won’t….” It just repeated things like that.

 

‘There was a telephone, too, but that wasn’t helpful either.’

 

It was an old landline she found at the information desk, and it wasn’t connected to a line anywhere. Yet it rang on its own first. Having the veteran experience of a film director, she didn’t pick up.

 

‘What else can I even do?’

 

There was no right answer.

 

‘Run away, hide, pray, curse, cry….’

 

Resignation added itself on top of the bizarre thrill climbing up from her fingertips. It felt like she had tried everything she could possibly try. Her mind was gradually going blank, as if it refused to think. 

 

‘If I’m still alive despite coming this far, it’s not because I’m good at this. It’s just that the crazy b*stard with the knife postponed killing me.’

 

Struggling desperately to live is more embarrassing than one would think. 

 

‘Wouldn’t it also be a sorry thing to do, whining to Yeonwoo-ssi to save me?’

 

Resigning herself to death was still, well, a bit unfair. But hadn’t she struggled enough after doing all this? To be honest, it didn’t feel bad just staring blankly like she was now.

 

‘…No, am I thinking too lightly of the situation right now? Am I trying to give up on things I should try more of? But what if I move recklessly and get hurt again like this time?’

 

She was lucky to only have one leg injured. It didn’t even bleed. But next time, it might not be a leg, but her head. It’s a foolish thing to try blindly in a state where she has zero information.

 

‘So, from here on, even if I just… let go….’

 

It seemed like it would be a decent enough death.

 

“….”

 

…Where else could be more of an ‘abnormal place’ than this, right? 

 

It’s embarrassing, but just as she began to think that,

 

A change occurred.

 

[—…Director Lee Seonhae?]

 

The walkie-talkie. It was a sound coming from there. 

 

“…!” 

 

[Director, are you there?] 

 

“Uh….”

 

 [Your voice is echoing. If the place you are in right now is a pipe or a tunnel, you can speak comfortably. If you see a monster with a physical form nearby, do not speak and tap the walkie-talkie twice.] 

 

“…No, I’m inside a tunnel.” 

 

[Ah, I see. Then you can speak comfortably.]

 

The other person asked. There was no hesitation in the question.

 

[Is a Phantom Fish swimming nearby?] 

 

“Ah, yes. You mean the ghost fish, right? Do these things bite?” 

 

[They don’t bite, since they’re ghosts.] 

 

“….” 

 

[I suppose those words aren’t much comfort.] 

 

“No, they’re somewhat… comforting.”

 

She became a bit lukewarm. It wasn’t that she was dissatisfied with the situation, but because she was anxious.

 

“…Just a moment ago, I heard the General Manager’s voice through this walkie-talkie.” 

 

[I spoke more stupidly than I am now, didn’t I?] 

 

“Yes, a bit… it was blurry and crackling… I don’t think I could hear well.” 

 

[Did you ignore it?] 

 

“I turned it off immediately.” 

 

[Well done. As expected of a horror-thriller film director.] 

 

“I’ll take that as a compliment for now.” 

 

[It was an admiration.]

 

As if the communication were difficult, mechanical noises crackled. Feeling an eerie vibe, she opened her mouth.

 

“…First, I should tell you this, but I don’t know how much longer I can hold out here. My body is very cold and I’m hurt in various places, and some murderer is even searching for me.” 

 

[You are in a critical situation. I have confirmed it.] 

 

“No, I mean….”

 

Is it okay to say this?

 

“….” 

 

[Director?]

 

But she had to say what needed to be said.

 

“…So I wanted to say, don’t blame yourself too much even if you see my corpse when you get here. I feel sorry because it feels like I’m just causing a nuisance before I go. I’ll try to stay alive as much as possible, but, uh, I’m truly sorry for making things inconvenient.” 

 

[You don’t need to apologize for such a thing, because you didn’t end up in this situation because you wanted to. It always seems that the one who caused the trouble doesn’t apologize, and only the innocent victim does.] 

 

“Haha, you’re right… thank you for saying that.” 

 

[But do not worry. Thanks to Director Lee Seonhae sending a rescue request, I was able to specify your location quickly. I’ll be there soon.] 

 

“Uh, do I live?” 

 

[Hmm, perhaps?] 

 

“….” 

 

[I expect you have many questions, but let’s talk once we meet.] 

 

“…Ah, you caught what I was going to ask….”

 

An awkward laugh escaped her.

 

“…But what’s the principle behind this walkie-talkie that it allows us to contact each other like a cell phone? Oh right, you said to ask questions later. Should I just wait here quietly?” 

 

[How long have you been waiting in there?] 

 

“It feels like several hours, but I’m not sure.” 

 

[Nearby.]

 

It was then. Splash, splash.

 

[Do you hear footsteps?] 

 

“…Yes.” 

 

[I see. You can go out now.] 

 

“Right now?” 

 

[Yes, now.] 

 

“….” 

 

[Now.] 

 

“….” 

 

[Now.] 

 

“….” 

 

[Now.]

 

Bzzzzt, crackle—…

 

[You h■ve to g■ out n■w¿] 

 

“Ugh, creepy.” 

 

[Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?] 

 

“I’m hanging up.”

 

Click. She turned off the walkie-talkie immediately.

 

“…Ugh.”

 

She picked at her ear. 

 

‘That leaves a really nasty aftertaste….’

 

It felt as if something remained in her ear.

 

The thing that had come through the walkie-talkie was not speech. It wasn’t a voice or a language, yet that something was persistently talking toward Lee Seonhae until the very end. Only after turning off the walkie-talkie did she realize it was a corrupted language.

 

‘…Anyway,’

 

Let’s see.

 

“….”

 

Lee Seonhae watched outside the tunnel. Footsteps at a moderately slow pace. Even though it had been quite noisy, the crazy bastard with the knife passed her by. That was meaningful information.

 

She nodded to herself.

 

‘…Horror movies have rules.’

 

The information a suspicious entity gives out in the beginning is usually the correct answer.

 

‘To make a lure work well, you have to mix a certain amount of truth into the lies.’

 

Cute ghost fish shimmered before her eyes.

 

“….”

 

She knew it made no sense, but right now, these things looked the safest.

 

‘At this point, they even look cute.’

 

As I thought, it must be too early for me to die.

 

‘The way I’m catching on to eerie things like a ghost because I don’t want to die.’

 

Since it’s come to this, let’s hold on just a bit more. Lee Seonhae unknowingly showed an awkward smile. She was sincere about not wanting to show Lee Yeonwoo her corpse.

 

“…Though I don’t have the energy to try anything more.”

 

The walkie-talkie voice that had been heard just as she was about to resign herself. When the judgment was made that the thin hope had been a quagmire, Lee Seonhae found she didn’t even have the strength to get angry.

 

‘Of all things, to be played by a walkie-talkie now.’

 

The psychological damage was severe. 

 

‘How fleeting and weak a human being is.’

 

Lee Seonhae decided to stay here for a while. It was a pretty plausible shelter for a spot chosen solely for the reason that she was alive. It was the best in the sense that monsters couldn’t see her even if she talked.

 

As she leaned back roughly, the ghost fish shimmered before her eyes again.

 

“…Ah….”

 

Lee Seonhae muttered.

 

“I’m craving grilled mackerel.”

 

Was it because she was looking at a school of fish?

 

‘I must have no energy to run away if my appetite is acting up.’

 

Is this that thing, the survival instinct? Even though she knew she couldn’t eat, her appetite absurdly returned. It seemed that wanting to live was ultimately an emotion that longed for ordinary things.

 

‘Am I going crazy?’

 

A hollow laugh escaped her. This narrow tunnel couldn’t be any more cozy.

 

“….”

 

…Fine, let’s see how long I can hold out.

 

She curled her body up as much as possible.

 

* * *

 

And a few hours later.

 

‘—F*ck!!!’

 

Lee Seonhae was running like hell.

 

What a persistent survival instinct. As expected, she clearly wanted to live.