Chapter 116: Do You Have Any Problem with My Clothes?
"Initially, we received a report from the family stating that a couple who were on vacation vanished while at the hotel. Upon inspecting the Dongshan Hot Spring Holiday Hotel, I didn't detect any malevolent energies, leading me to believe this should be handled by the police as a regular missing persons case. However, as the investigation proceeded, my perspective changed."
"During our investigation, the hotel staff were very cooperative. After accessing surveillance footage, we saw the couple enter their room and never come out."
"Yet, the staff didn't find this peculiar. They considered it quite routine."
"What they deemed normal, we found to be rather abnormal."
"We all felt that something was off."
"Later, we followed standard evidence-gathering procedures, took testimonies from the staff, and inspected the room where the couple stayed. The room was spotless, having been cleaned and showing no signs of recent occupancy. However, we found the couple's fingerprints, proving they had indeed stayed there. At the front desk, records indicated the couple checked out the day after their arrival, but surveillance footage showed they never left."
"We thoroughly searched the room where the couple disappeared and found nothing. The room had been tidied up, as it was marked as checked out at the front desk. The cleaning staff had cleaned the room, and upon questioning the cleaner, an elderly woman living nearby, she mentioned that the room seemed just like the hundreds of other rooms she had cleaned—nothing out of the ordinary."
"Later, we questioned every staff member on duty that day. They noticed no anomalies that day and felt nothing was amiss in the hotel. Just another day of clocking in and out for them. Some have been working at the hotel for over a decade and haven’t noticed anything unusual lately."
"The investigation seemed to have hit a dead end at that point. I discussed the case with my father."
At this point, Zhong Jingsong's voice hesitated momentarily. Perhaps he was blaming himself for involving his father in this matter.
Elder Zhong looked at his son with affection and patted his arm, prompting Zhong Jingsong to continue.
"At that time, my father suggested investigating the hotel undercover as a guest. Since I had already been there, I couldn't go. My father had some free time, so he volunteered. He was accompanied by two officers from the security agency."
"When they emerged, only my father was present. We had been waiting outside the hotel for them. The next day, we found my father unconscious on the road outside the hotel. The other two, like the missing couple, had vanished."
Subsequently, all eyes turned to Elder Zhong. What happened next was known only to him.
Elder Zhong had recently undergone surgery. Although he could speak and appeared mentally sharp, the doctor advised him to rest more. He didn’t speak much but gestured for a notebook to be handed to him, saying to Chi Shen, "This is what I managed to bring out from there."
"We took a full set of equipment, including micro-cameras. However, once inside, all the cameras malfunctioned, capturing neither video nor audio. So, I chose to jot down my observations by hand."
Chi Shen took the notebook and skimmed through it, breaking into a knowing smile, "I see now."
Everyone focused on Chi Shen's expression, and as he smiled, they all collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhong Yi's aunt cautiously asked, "Do you know what happened there?"
Chi Shen replied bluntly, "No."
Again, all eyes were on him.
Chi Shen added, "But I'm very curious."
Elder Zhong, not one for beating around the bush, asked, "Would you be interested in visiting the hotel? Rest assured, you'll be compensated handsomely."
"That won't be necessary," Chi Shen thought, he had been planning a vacation anyway, "Just cover my flight and hotel expenses."
Zhong Jingsong said, "That's the least we could do..."
"It's not just mine," Chi Shen interrupted, "It belongs to five of us."
The Zhong family members all wore puzzled expressions. However, Chi Shen didn't say much. He just waved with a smile and took away Master Zhong's notebook.
Watching Chi Shen leave, the Zhong family members all wore puzzled expressions.
"He agreed just like that? Isn't he afraid of the danger?"
"We were hoping he'd accept the task from the start. We're powerless over the situation at Dongshan, but he immediately recognized the old man's health issue. If not for his assistance, the surgery wouldn't have gone as smoothly. I trust him to resolve it."
At that moment, the old Mr. Zhong chimed in, "Jing Song, did you consult a fortune teller in the capital before?"
Zhong Jing Song nodded slightly, "Yes, the divination indicated that to resolve your issue, Dad, I had to come to the Harbor City. The fortune teller also mentioned that the problem with Dongshan Hot Springs could be settled simultaneously."
Zhong Yi's aunt remarked, "Back then, we all thought the prediction referred to the Bai family in Harbor City."
"Now it seems, the prophecy might have pointed solely at this one person."
Chi Shen and Zhong Yi decided on a date for their trip to Dongshan Hot Springs - the day before New Year's Day.
Everything at Le Dao Culture seemed usual lately. The development of "God of Wealth" was progressing as planned, except for the small BOSS design scheme he hadn't handed in. Apart from the two extra spirits that attached themselves to Li Xu, Chi Shen found it all rather typical.
Planning for a vacation, Chi Shen decided to counsel Li Xu, getting him to converse with the two spirits clinging to him. As for the outcome... Chi Shen didn't know the specifics, only that the spirits left, crying tears of joy.
With the spirits gone, Chi Shen felt a bit more at ease. He and Li Xu took leave, saying they were off for inspiration. Hearing this, Li Xu immediately perked up, asking with sparkling eyes if he could join. After some contemplation, Chi Shen declined.
After all, he only secured reimbursement for five, not counting a sixth in Li Xu.
Moreover, given Li Xu's unique nature, he feared that entering the hotel might trigger unforeseen events. Losing the hotel was of no concern to him, but a ruined vacation was.
Thus, Li Xu absolutely couldn't accompany him.
Chi Shen wasn't the only one going to Dongshan Hot Springs; Zhong Yi would be with him. Since the elder Mr. Zhong was unharmed, most of the Zhong family planned to return home, as there were many affairs to handle.
They shared a flight with Chi Shen, who arrived promptly at the airport, catching the attention of all Zhong family members.
The Zhongs were thoroughly equipped, carrying every possible spirit ward. Everyone dragged massive suitcases.
In contrast, on Chi Shen's side...
Sunglasses, hoodie, casual pants, a lightweight backpack, and a tablet for gaming in hand.
He truly looked ready for a New Year's holiday.
Zhong Yi's aunt's eyes wandered between Chi Shen and his backpack for a while, her expression ever-changing. After a moment, she asked, "Is this why you wanted reimbursement for five people?"
Amidst his game, Chi Shen took a moment to reply to her, "To avoid trouble, I thought they should have tickets too."
Upon finishing that statement, multiple hands reached out from Chi Shen's bag to wave hello. The Zhong family members unanimously stepped back, distancing themselves a bit from him.
Zhong Yi was accustomed to such incidents, but he felt the need to chime in. After hesitating for a while, he finally said, "After we land, should I take you shopping for some clothes?"
Chi Shen paused his game, pushed down his sunglasses, and looked at Zhong Yi, "Do you have a problem with my attire?"
Under the weight of an invisible pressure, Zhong Yi pondered and replied, "Not at all... but even the best clothes shouldn’t be worn all the time, right?"
Chi Shen laughed, unzipping his bag to reveal a bright yellow hoodie, "I have a whole closet full of these at home."
Zhong Yi felt blinded by the dazzling yellow. He remained silent.
Chi Shen then chuckled, "Let's go. Vacation time!"
Chapter 116: Do You Have Any Problem with My Clothes?
"Initially, we received a report from the family stating that a couple who were on vacation vanished while at the hotel. Upon inspecting the Dongshan Hot Spring Holiday Hotel, I didn't detect any malevolent energies, leading me to believe this should be handled by the police as a regular missing persons case. However, as the investigation proceeded, my perspective changed."
"During our investigation, the hotel staff were very cooperative. After accessing surveillance footage, we saw the couple enter their room and never come out."
"Yet, the staff didn't find this peculiar. They considered it quite routine."
"What they deemed normal, we found to be rather abnormal."
"We all felt that something was off."
"Later, we followed standard evidence-gathering procedures, took testimonies from the staff, and inspected the room where the couple stayed. The room was spotless, having been cleaned and showing no signs of recent occupancy. However, we found the couple's fingerprints, proving they had indeed stayed there. At the front desk, records indicated the couple checked out the day after their arrival, but surveillance footage showed they never left."
"We thoroughly searched the room where the couple disappeared and found nothing. The room had been tidied up, as it was marked as checked out at the front desk. The cleaning staff had cleaned the room, and upon questioning the cleaner, an elderly woman living nearby, she mentioned that the room seemed just like the hundreds of other rooms she had cleaned—nothing out of the ordinary."
"Later, we questioned every staff member on duty that day. They noticed no anomalies that day and felt nothing was amiss in the hotel. Just another day of clocking in and out for them. Some have been working at the hotel for over a decade and haven’t noticed anything unusual lately."
"The investigation seemed to have hit a dead end at that point. I discussed the case with my father."
At this point, Zhong Jingsong's voice hesitated momentarily. Perhaps he was blaming himself for involving his father in this matter.
Elder Zhong looked at his son with affection and patted his arm, prompting Zhong Jingsong to continue.
"At that time, my father suggested investigating the hotel undercover as a guest. Since I had already been there, I couldn't go. My father had some free time, so he volunteered. He was accompanied by two officers from the security agency."
"When they emerged, only my father was present. We had been waiting outside the hotel for them. The next day, we found my father unconscious on the road outside the hotel. The other two, like the missing couple, had vanished."
Subsequently, all eyes turned to Elder Zhong. What happened next was known only to him.
Elder Zhong had recently undergone surgery. Although he could speak and appeared mentally sharp, the doctor advised him to rest more. He didn’t speak much but gestured for a notebook to be handed to him, saying to Chi Shen, "This is what I managed to bring out from there."
"We took a full set of equipment, including micro-cameras. However, once inside, all the cameras malfunctioned, capturing neither video nor audio. So, I chose to jot down my observations by hand."
Chi Shen took the notebook and skimmed through it, breaking into a knowing smile, "I see now."
Everyone focused on Chi Shen's expression, and as he smiled, they all collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhong Yi's aunt cautiously asked, "Do you know what happened there?"
Chi Shen replied bluntly, "No."
Again, all eyes were on him.
Chi Shen added, "But I'm very curious."
Elder Zhong, not one for beating around the bush, asked, "Would you be interested in visiting the hotel? Rest assured, you'll be compensated handsomely."
"That won't be necessary," Chi Shen thought, he had been planning a vacation anyway, "Just cover my flight and hotel expenses."
Zhong Jingsong said, "That's the least we could do..."
"It's not just mine," Chi Shen interrupted, "It belongs to five of us."
The Zhong family members all wore puzzled expressions. However, Chi Shen didn't say much. He just waved with a smile and took away Master Zhong's notebook.
Watching Chi Shen leave, the Zhong family members all wore puzzled expressions.
"He agreed just like that? Isn't he afraid of the danger?"
"We were hoping he'd accept the task from the start. We're powerless over the situation at Dongshan, but he immediately recognized the old man's health issue. If not for his assistance, the surgery wouldn't have gone as smoothly. I trust him to resolve it."
At that moment, the old Mr. Zhong chimed in, "Jing Song, did you consult a fortune teller in the capital before?"
Zhong Jing Song nodded slightly, "Yes, the divination indicated that to resolve your issue, Dad, I had to come to the Harbor City. The fortune teller also mentioned that the problem with Dongshan Hot Springs could be settled simultaneously."
Zhong Yi's aunt remarked, "Back then, we all thought the prediction referred to the Bai family in Harbor City."
"Now it seems, the prophecy might have pointed solely at this one person."
Chi Shen and Zhong Yi decided on a date for their trip to Dongshan Hot Springs - the day before New Year's Day.
Everything at Le Dao Culture seemed usual lately. The development of "God of Wealth" was progressing as planned, except for the small BOSS design scheme he hadn't handed in. Apart from the two extra spirits that attached themselves to Li Xu, Chi Shen found it all rather typical.
Planning for a vacation, Chi Shen decided to counsel Li Xu, getting him to converse with the two spirits clinging to him. As for the outcome... Chi Shen didn't know the specifics, only that the spirits left, crying tears of joy.
With the spirits gone, Chi Shen felt a bit more at ease. He and Li Xu took leave, saying they were off for inspiration. Hearing this, Li Xu immediately perked up, asking with sparkling eyes if he could join. After some contemplation, Chi Shen declined.
After all, he only secured reimbursement for five, not counting a sixth in Li Xu.
Moreover, given Li Xu's unique nature, he feared that entering the hotel might trigger unforeseen events. Losing the hotel was of no concern to him, but a ruined vacation was.
Thus, Li Xu absolutely couldn't accompany him.
Chi Shen wasn't the only one going to Dongshan Hot Springs; Zhong Yi would be with him. Since the elder Mr. Zhong was unharmed, most of the Zhong family planned to return home, as there were many affairs to handle.
They shared a flight with Chi Shen, who arrived promptly at the airport, catching the attention of all Zhong family members.
The Zhongs were thoroughly equipped, carrying every possible spirit ward. Everyone dragged massive suitcases.
In contrast, on Chi Shen's side...
Sunglasses, hoodie, casual pants, a lightweight backpack, and a tablet for gaming in hand.
He truly looked ready for a New Year's holiday.
Zhong Yi's aunt's eyes wandered between Chi Shen and his backpack for a while, her expression ever-changing. After a moment, she asked, "Is this why you wanted reimbursement for five people?"
Amidst his game, Chi Shen took a moment to reply to her, "To avoid trouble, I thought they should have tickets too."
Upon finishing that statement, multiple hands reached out from Chi Shen's bag to wave hello. The Zhong family members unanimously stepped back, distancing themselves a bit from him.
Zhong Yi was accustomed to such incidents, but he felt the need to chime in. After hesitating for a while, he finally said, "After we land, should I take you shopping for some clothes?"
Chi Shen paused his game, pushed down his sunglasses, and looked at Zhong Yi, "Do you have a problem with my attire?"
Under the weight of an invisible pressure, Zhong Yi pondered and replied, "Not at all... but even the best clothes shouldn’t be worn all the time, right?"
Chi Shen laughed, unzipping his bag to reveal a bright yellow hoodie, "I have a whole closet full of these at home."
Zhong Yi felt blinded by the dazzling yellow. He remained silent.
Chi Shen then chuckled, "Let's go. Vacation time!"
