Chapter 45
by GideonChapter 45: Hotel – 11
Qing Guizhu, whose true form was a fox: …?
Thanks. I feel thoroughly insulted.
He looked at the Puppeteer expressionlessly. His pupils slowly transformed into the vertical slits of a beast’s eyes.
“Back in our territory, someone as arrogant as you wouldn’t live very long…”
The Puppeteer wasn’t listening in the slightest.
He winked at Night Jiujui.
Without needing any further explanation, Night Jiujui immediately understood what the Puppeteer wanted to do. She promptly imprinted the dinner knife in her hand.
And the very next second after Night Jiujui finished the imprint—
“First one—”
The Puppeteer raised his index finger, slowly lowering its tip toward the player at the very end of the line.
That same indescribable feeling of oppression descended once more. Even Qing Guizhu, sitting opposite them, instinctively fell silent because of the dangerous premonition rising in his heart.
And then…
Qing Guizhu watched as the player who had been pointed out approached Night Jiujui, his face filled with terror, yet his body behaving with extraordinary obedience.
He dropped to one knee and raised his head toward Night Jiujui.
This player wasn’t particularly bad-looking, actually. But his expression was so revolting that it completely overshadowed whatever good looks he possessed.
Still, at least he was an A+ rank player…
Night Jiujui felt absolutely nothing as she picked up the imprinted dinner knife. Slowly and casually, she made a light cut across his forehead—as though she were tracing a pattern.
In reality, the moment the knife first touched the player, she had already completed the imprint.
Along with the notification announcing that the puppet conversion was complete came the notification that points had been deducted.
“-1,000…”
“-1,000…”
…
With the Puppeteer’s cooperation, Night Jiujui gradually became expressionless as she continued imprinting the players one after another, all the way until she reached Storm.
She had thought this would be a sure thing, but unexpectedly…
The very moment she completed the imprint—
【Promotion player Storm has been detected as having cleared the instance!】
【Player clearance conditions (complete either one to qualify):
1. Collect two room cards of a rank equal to or higher than your own. 【Third-floor residents may apply for replacement room cards if they lose them, but each replacement will cost 1,000 points.】
2. Obtain tokens gifted by two hotel guests whose ranks are equal to or higher than your own. 【Completed! (Collected tokens: 1. Token from Tu Jin, owner of the hotel—reward obtained through room service. 2. Token from Night Jiujui, a third-floor resident of the hotel—voluntarily given.)】】
【It has been detected that no players other than Storm remain alive this round. This instance will end ahead of schedule! Thank you to all participating NPCs! Rewards will be automatically distributed after the instance closes!】
Night Jiujui: …?
Fuck【a type of plant】!
Her Highness the Princess, who had shared the original self’s visual perspective and learned what had happened: …
Ummm…
She looked at Tu Jin, who was painfully trying to figure out how to cover up the fact that a mass NPC massacre had taken place in his hotel. After a brief hesitation…
【I have a bold idea. Perhaps we can make up for some of our losses?】
Hmm?
【I mean, does the original self or the Puppeteer need anyone to do odd jobs?】
Meeting the original self’s questioning gaze, Her Highness the Princess looked at Tu Jin and slowly revealed a sweet smile.
【If word gets out that the Puppeteer slaughtered the guests and the hotel did absolutely nothing about it… Surely you wouldn’t want this hotel to end up with no NPCs willing to visit in the future, would you?】
As for the hotel survivors and everyone who knew what had happened, you can just silence them all. Then, tell the outside world it was the players—specifically, that one called… Storm—who did it.
After all, he’s the only player in the entire instance who successfully cleared the promotion round. The others didn’t just fail to clear it; not a single one of them survived…
With that fact alone, even if Storm tries to appeal his case, who’s going to believe him?
That way, the hotel’s reputation will remain spotless. Customers will keep coming in and spending points, and you’ll have even more puppets at your disposal…
Isn’t that a win-win situation?
Night Jiujui and the Puppeteer: …
Hmm.
As expected of an alternate self. It seemed they all had their own tricks.
The Puppeteer slowly, very slowly, revealed a gentle smile.
Under Night Jiujui’s warning gaze, he glanced at Qing Guizhu with regret.
What a pity. He wasn’t one of the people who knew the truth…
Qing Guizhu: …?
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