Eerie Stairwell

Eerie Stairwell

After closing the door, Luo Jun leaned his back against the door panel, listening to the screams outside as he panted heavily.

That maneuver had looked simple, but it had actually been the limit of what Luo Jun could do. Whether in strength or reaction speed, the Monster Little Girl far surpassed him. Not to mention her sharp teeth and disgusting tongue. Dealing with her required not only enough stamina, but also immense psychological pressure.

Just imagine it: an Ordinary Person facing a mad dog foaming at the mouth with bare hands. Even if you were stronger than it, wouldn't your nerves be trembling? Let alone when this monster was stronger than Luo Jun.

But thankfully, he had successfully shut her outside...

Luo Jun straightened up and looked at the half of a tongue still writhing on the floor. Such a powerful monster, and it didn't even give me a mission or anything? Just kicking her out used up two dice rolls.

Still, that was fine. Midnight was approaching, and the number of rolls would Refresh then.

Luo Jun casually checked the Dice Roll Record from just now, then suddenly frowned.

The first roll, used to dodge the tongue's attack, had given a Severity Coefficient of four. That was easy to understand. If he had been hit, Luo Jun's physique would not have let him die instantly, but injury would have been inevitable. Compared to the coefficient of twelve for death, four for injury was reasonable enough.

But the second time, when he kicked the Little Girl out, it had only given a Severity Coefficient of three.

That kick succeeding meant he had completely solved the monster problem. Surely that was more important than getting injured, so why was it only three times? That did not seem reasonable.

Could it be that kicking her out would not completely deal with the monster?

With that thought, Luo Jun pressed his eye to the peephole, only to find no sign of the Little Girl outside. Her clothes were scattered across the floor instead, and something seemed to be squirming beneath them, shrinking as it wriggled.

"Could it be..." A chill rose in Luo Jun's heart as he turned back to look at the half of a tongue on the floor.

What tongue? In the few seconds it had taken him to turn and look through the peephole, that half-rotten chunk of flesh had proliferated into a massive tumor, vaguely taking on a humanoid shape!

Damn it, it could get back into the room using just half a tongue?!

Luo Jun felt a chill run down his spine. The tumor grew larger and larger, already taller than him, several tentacles sprouting from its body. There was no trace of the Little Girl left!

Why had it gotten bigger?

Looking at the monster's horrifying form, Luo Jun, trapped in the entryway, no longer dared to face it head-on. He immediately opened the door and fled outside!

If it chases me, I'll find a chance to slip back into the room and shut it outside for good! If it doesn't, I'll stay out here for a while. If I'm lucky, maybe I'll find some kindhearted person willing to take me in!

With that plan in mind, Luo Jun happened to pass the Next Door and saw that its door was tightly shut, completely intact!

This was the room where that "Little Girl" family stayed, right? Hadn't "Dad" smashed the door to pieces?

Luo Jun immediately realized that all the sounds he had heard had been fake! It had been the "Little Girl's" trick to lure him into opening the door!

Impossible to guard against... Luo Jun cursed inwardly, when he suddenly heard a violent door-opening sound behind him.

The "Little Girl"... no, now it was the Tentacle Monster. It had already chased out of the room!

Feeling the Killing Intent behind him, Luo Jun did not dare look back. He sprinted forward with all his strength!

The stairwell entrance was ahead. If he could get downstairs, perhaps he would find a chance to escape!

But Just As Luo Jun was about to rush in, a tall figure emerged from the Stairwell!

An Octopus Head, a clawed left hand, a Crab Claw for a right hand, its Whole Body drenched and giving off a fishy stench...

It was the Large Monster that had knocked on his door earlier! Why was it here too?

Luo Jun slammed on the brakes, nearly dropping to his knees before the Octopus Head. When he looked back, the Tentacle Monster had already caught up!

Luo Jun steeled himself, leaped hard to the side, slammed into the wall, then scrambled backward. At the same time, he Gripped the dice in his mind and Looked towards the two monsters. As Long As they attacked, he would activate it at once!

Yet the scene In Front Of him left Luo Jun Stunned.

The two Large Monsters crashed into each other. The Tentacle Monster seemed to want to pursue him, but the Octopus Monster tightly embraced it, as though trying to stop it.

Why? Could these two monsters not be together?

The better they tear into each other, the more time it buys me!

Luo Jun ran all the way back to his room door, raised his hand to grab the handle, but could not turn it...

"Uh..." Luo Jun froze, then remembered that in his rush to flee, he had left the Room Card inserted in the room...

Without the Room Card, naturally, he could not open the door.

Damn it, I locked myself outside?

Just then, a scream came from the distance. The Octopus Monster had been pierced through by several tentacles, then collapsed to the ground as foul-smelling blood spread everywhere.

Having Wiped Out the Octopus Monster, the Tentacle Monster whipped its tentacles and chased toward Luo Jun!

"This is bad!" Luo Jun's heart turned cold. He looked up and suddenly discovered another stairwell entrance ahead!

Right, how could such a large Hotel have only one Stairwell? As the Tentacle Monster drew closer and closer, Luo Jun glanced at his room door, memorized the number "0315," then decisively turned around, plunged into the Stairwell, and leaped downward!

He had yet to adapt to his vastly increased attributes. He used too much force in that jump, clearing half a floor without losing momentum. Seeing that he was about to crash into the wall of the landing, he could only twist his body in midair and protect his head.

With a thunderous crash, he hit the exceptionally sturdy Hotel wall. The impact left Luo Jun dizzy, as if his internal organs were trembling along with him...

Too Late to care about the pain in his body, he looked upward, only to find the Tentacle Monster stopped at the stairwell entrance. It seemed to hesitate for a moment before turning around and leaving...

"It didn't follow me?" Luo Jun was quite surprised, but then his spine turned cold.

That monster did not even dare come down. That meant there was something even more terrifying in the Stairwell!

The instant that thought arose, Luo Jun felt his vision go black and a chill creep into his heart.

The previously ordinary Stairwell suddenly became cold, gloomy, and dark, as though someone had switched off the lights. Only the faintly glowing emergency exit sign in the corner was barely visible!

What had happened?

Luo Jun immediately focused his mind, fully on guard and ready to activate the Dice of Heavenly Secrets at any moment.

Yet after waiting for a while, nothing happened.

There was no point lingering here. Luo Jun's eyes had already adapted to the darkness. Relying on his exceptional senses, he had a visible range of about two meters, but anything farther away seemed shrouded in Black Mist, impossible to see.

Luo Jun felt his way forward with one hand against the wall. Soon, he saw a sheet of paper posted on the wall.

New rules! Luo Jun was delighted and immediately stepped forward to read them:

You are currently in the Corridor of the Midnight Hotel. To ensure your safety, please follow the rules below.

1. Do not run in the Corridor. Take only one stair per step.

2. Keep the Corridor clean. Do not litter.

3. If you encounter other creatures in the Corridor, please follow these principles: If they are traveling in the same direction as you, maintain a distance of at least five steps from each other. If they are traveling toward you, those going upstairs must stand still to one side and let those going downstairs pass first. After passing, those going downstairs must bow to those going upstairs to express their gratitude.

4. If you find that the stairs do not lead to an end, stop moving forward. Do not turn around or look back; back up instead. If you step onto level ground within thirteen steps, leave the Corridor immediately. If you do not step onto level ground within thirteen steps, stand still on the thirteenth step.

5. There are no vending machines on the landing. If you see one, insert a coin and buy a packet of Animal Crackers, but do not take it out. Then leave without looking back.

6. The Corridor does not lead to the First Floor. If you wish to go to the lobby and Front Desk, please take the elevator.

7. Do not believe Rule Four. It is its trap!

8. Do not go to the basement level! Do not go to the basement level! Do not go to the basement level!

(End of Chapter)