Chapter 68: Survival Task
In the first-floor lobby, five staff members had already taken their seats around the round office table.
Ji Li's eyes were half-closed, as if conserving energy or quietly pondering something.
Tongguan and Chang Nian whispered to each other, their peripheral vision occasionally glancing at Fang Shenyan's left hand, cigarette in hand.
Yu Guo sat at the corner of the table, fiddling with his phone, seemingly trying to attract old viewers to his new livestream.
Fang Shenyan smoked quietly beside Ji Li, his eyes downcast, patiently waiting.
This time, only one newcomer would arrive as a replacement. It wasn't particularly important—the staff's real tension came from the mission that would follow the newcomer's addition.
None of the five present were ordinary; they all understood that this mission would be the promotion task to reach the two-star hotel level.
The difficulty promised to be unprecedented.
Tongguan and Chang Nian, in particular, felt this acutely—they were among those most familiar with the two-star promotion tasks. Even Tongguan, who usually remained unflustered, showed a trace of seriousness.
Time passed, slow and tense, until Yu Guo suddenly shouted, drawing everyone's attention.
He immediately followed it with a strange laugh, reciting livestream lines and welcoming words for viewers, earning exasperated glances from the others.
At that moment, a bright white light suddenly appeared in the center of the lobby. Its intensity clashed with the golden tone of the hotel, yet its aura was unmistakably consistent.
This was the hotel's doing.
Following the white light was a slightly hurried, nervous figure—a slender woman.
None of the male staff moved to greet her, so Chang Nian rose from her chair, knowing that she and her partner were the best suited to receive newcomers.
Seeing that it was a woman, Tongguan didn't step forward, leaving the task of calming and advising her to Chang Nian.
Ji Li, acting as the interim manager, sat with arms folded, eyes closed, appearing calm on the outside but with a mind far from at ease.
Within his mind, the second and third persona were conversing, targeting the fourth persona, which remained completely hidden.
'I can't be certain if the fourth persona possesses supernatural abilities…' the third persona said coldly in his mind.
He had already relayed all prior interactions with the fourth persona to the second and to Ji Li, withholding nothing.
The second persona yawned and said in a low voice:
'Perhaps the gray soul interfered with mine, so I sense some of its presence. The fourth persona exists, I know it's hiding. Its aura, in some ways, resembles the gray soul's.'
After a pause, the third persona added:
'I'm unsure about the fourth persona's uniqueness. I was swayed by just a few words, tempted toward dual thoughts. Was it my weak mind, or some inherent power in its words? I still don't understand.'
In truth, given the third persona's intelligence, it shouldn't have been so easily influenced—but it happened. After three days of analysis, this was the only ambiguous conclusion reached.
Ji Li listened but did not prioritize this concern.
What truly worried him was that night three days ago.
He had seen a black dot in the center of the outer moat, sinking rapidly, seemingly concealing itself.
Ji Li did not believe in coincidences; that dot was most likely the ghost that had followed them from Republic-era Street.
From this, he began to speculate whether the upcoming promotion task would involve this ghost…
"Ji Li? Ji Li?"
A voice calling his name drew him from his thoughts. He lifted his eyes to see beside him.
Chang Nian had brought the new female staff member forward. Ji Li opened his eyes and glanced her over, slightly shaking his head.
The woman appeared ordinary, around twenty-five, attractive but simple, with a subtle charm in her features.
Her eyes were red, suggesting Chang Nian had already explained the hotel's rules and the task in full.
Though she did not sob, her plain demeanor gave Ji Li no reason to pay particular attention.
He had no interest in asking her name, instead handing her the staff manual.
No matter their background or ability, Ji Li needed them to understand the unspoken rules of the hotel. A person ignorant of ghosts could easily hinder the team during a mission.
After handing her the manual, Ji Li lit a cigarette and closed his eyes again, waiting for the mission briefing.
The woman, noticing Ji Li's cold demeanor, turned her red eyes and spoke:
"You must be the hotel manager, Mr. Ji Li. My name is Tao Xiaoyi, but you can call me Xiaoyi. I'm new here and hope for your guidance…"
Ji Li had just begun thinking about the Republic-era Street ghost when her words interrupted him. He frowned and looked at her again.
He noticed something unconventional in her, a subtle calculating manner beneath her innocent appearance.
But these were minor clevernesses. Annoyed by her endless chatter, his gaze grew colder as he interrupted:
"I can't help you. If you have intentions, direct them toward that person—don't bother me."
The 'that person' referred to Tongguan.
The others had expected Ji Li's reaction, though his half-joking, half-sarcastic remark directly targeting Tongguan caught some off guard.
Tongguan narrowed his eyes, locking gazes with Ji Li. The gray-black mix in his pupils stirred a slight unease in his normally calm mind.
Chang Nian was initially confused by Ji Li's words but quickly understood.
It seemed Ji Li had noticed Tongguan's hostility toward him, and there was now a hint of open opposition.
Tongguan let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head slightly, and said softly, "Fair enough. Then you needn't trouble yourself, Ji Li. Any problems, just come to me."
Ji Li glanced at Tongguan but offered no retort. Just as he was about to resume communicating with his two personas in his mind, his phone buzzed unexpectedly.
A clear ringtone sounded from each staff member's phone. A new email from Tianhai Hotel had finally arrived.
Recipient: 'Acting Manager Ji Li, Tianhai Hotel Branch Seven'
*Please arrive at the Republic-era Street district in the southern part of the city at midnight, November 1, 2015.*
*Survive for 48 hours to complete the mission and receive the new resident.*
*This is a hotel promotion mission. Completion will upgrade Branch Seven to a two-star hotel.*
*Benefits of this level: 1. Expand staff to twenty members; 2. Unlock post-mission rewards.*
Sender: 'Tianhai'
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