Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual - Chapter 91

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 91.

Let me rewind time slightly, before he arrived at the Hunting Ground.

After finishing lengthy research at the Manager’s Quarters and descending to the 14th Floor Central Control Room to complete the body circuit inscription, I had just stepped outside.

“―Cough,”

Viscous water mixed with blood leaked between my lips.

For eight months of meticulous work embedding the body circuit into the system, the result was utterly disastrous. The water affinity penalty bestowed during the tutorial was a problem that even maintenance functions could not fully resolve.

“No!!”
“Calm down….”
“No!!”
“Calm yourself.”

Lee Yeon-woo gazed indifferently at the blood pooling on the floor, then wiped his mouth with a gloved hand.

“…For eight months of aftercare work, the finish is rather shoddy.”

The unpleasant sensation of blood soaking through my shirt was unavoidable. But pain was merely blocked information, and the fact that flesh no longer scattered outward like before could be considered a measure of success in its own right.

I waved off the Staff Members who had tried to support me, then straightened my wrinkled sleeves and added:

“I’ll pass on being treated like a patient.”
“Chirp.”
“You too, Coco—step back. You’re getting blood on yourself.”

As I flicked my hand, the blood on the floor instantly turned to ash and scattered.

‘It’s functioning far better than expected.’

I examined the now-clean clothes and floor, then surveyed the Staff Members once more.

“If you have complaints about my health condition, you can file a written report later. It’s been so long since I’ve seen people that it’s become quite burdensome. For now, I’d prefer to avoid unnecessary contact.”

Lee Yeon-woo maintained an appropriate distance and proceeded directly to the main point.

“So, have there been any accumulated incident reports during my absence?”
“….”
“…?”

The staff members’ expressions were peculiar. Rather, it wasn’t their expressions—it was the atmosphere that felt unfamiliar.

That was when it happened.

‘…I can hear it.’

More precisely, I felt it—what they wanted to say.

‘Is this from the physical enhancement work?’

It appeared to be a consequence of overhauling the central system for months. My neural network, now synchronized more intimately with the Hotel, received the staff members’ thoughts directly. Their sense of self became clearer, more defined.

I let out a dry, hollow laugh.

“Your reactions are quite lively. How pleasant.”

My lips curved into a smile despite having no reason to laugh. It was a consequence of emotions fading away—laughter emerging from such trivial matters. It was evidence that my immunity to ‘joy’ had vanished.

“The interface showed no major issues. If they’re reacting this strongly, it seems quite an irritating variable has emerged.”
“….”
“…Ah, I see. Impurities.”

The staff members’ thoughts flooded my mind in a cacophony.

‘Impurities.’
‘Filth.’
‘Contamination.’

A revulsion as if witnessing rotting pus creeping inside. A turbidity felt from the very existence of filth itself. An ugliness seeping through from corrosion and fractures.

And a blind murderous intent to immediately excise it and restore the perfect control zone.

“Your word choice is rather explicit.”
“Coco. Agree.”

I wasn’t entirely sure what Coco was agreeing with, but that was beside the point.

‘This is a troublesome matter to simply ignore.’

Lee Yeon-woo’s eyes narrowed to slits.

“Where exactly is that?”
“….”
“Basement Level 7, I see. The Hunting Ground where The Wet Person is presumed to still be residing. I must confess, I’ve been rather preoccupied.”

He furrowed his brow slightly. If these “impurities” they spoke of were indeed people who hadn’t entered through the proper channels, there was no time to waste.

‘Where….’

Lee Yeon-woo’s eyes swept across the room before settling on two Staff Members.

“You, and you.”
“….”
“The two of you will accompany me as escort. The rest will maintain your current duties.”

The two summoned Staff Members pressed their foreheads to the back of his hand in turn, then stood quietly behind him.

‘The protocol for addressing the Hotel General Manager has become considerably more refined.’
“Indeed.”
‘Is this another effect of synchronization?’
“Pardon?”
“….”

Lee Yeon-woo swallowed a sigh and shrugged his shoulders, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings. He felt the stares of the Monster guests waiting beyond the Front Desk for the Hotel General Manager’s attention, but he turned away without hesitation.

“We’ll postpone the meeting for now. First, we must address the problem at the Hunting Ground.”
“Understood.”
“But this is troublesome… that area is a blind spot where maintenance functions don’t apply.”
“Correct.”
“Not even time to change clothes—how stingy of them.”

Just a white shirt and trousers. I’d been working nonstop, so my appearance was absolutely disheveled. I studied my reflection in the mirror with a dry gaze, then swept my hair back.

“I’d prefer not to face variables looking this unkempt.”
“Hello!”
“…?”

Help me out?

‘How exactly?’

Immediately after, Coco—perched on my shoulder—quivered, then suddenly splattered outward like ink.

“….”
[Hello?]

Silken softness and lukewarm warmth enveloped me. The black mass obscuring my vision took shape, and before I knew it, a perfectly tailored jet-black trench coat draped across my shoulders.

Rather than express surprise, I absently ran my fingers along the fabric’s texture.

“…Quite useful. Defensive capability aside, it’s hardly inadequate for maintaining appearances.”
[Hehe!]
“I appreciate the assistance.”

I finished fastening the collar and tightened the belt at my waist, causing the coat to fold in neat layers beneath it.

‘Continuing to be bound by the Game era would be wasteful.’

It was better to use what was available. I stepped into the narrow elevator with the two staff members, my expression blank as I stared ahead. After a moment of consideration, I spoke.

“Thank you for cooperating with the situation. I’ll provide appropriate compensation later.”
“….”
“…I’d have to decline such decorative taxidermy, though….”

My face stiffened slightly at their bizarre loyalty—permanently preserving my gift in the center of the Lobby. Clearly, my sense of humor didn’t align with these Hotel people.

‘At least the humor matches, right?’

While entertaining such idle thoughts.

“….”

The Elevator descended silently, gliding downward without a sound.

Within the narrow box descending with unnatural slowness, Lee Yeon-woo simply stared at the closed doors with sunken eyes. Fatigue and irritation churned from the depths of his being, but he suppressed them effortlessly with a shallow sigh.

There was no frustration, no anxiety.

‘This is not a difficult matter.’

Problems that arose could be resolved, and that would be the end of it.

* * *

And so I returned once more.

“….”

Basement Level 7, Port City.

“….”
“….”
“….”

Within the taut silence that permeated the space between the three figures, Lee Yeon-woo assessed the situation.

‘There is nothing new to be alarmed about.’

This was a variable he had anticipated since Director Lee Sun-hae’s visit, when she warned that ‘this Hotel might be deeper and wider than expected.’ The possibility of a backdoor existing in areas beyond his control, unknown to him.

‘Though I never expected to confirm this security breach in such a manner.’
[Kill them.]
‘There are other ways to resolve this problem.’

That wretched Cat.

Adjusting Coco’s collar—now transformed into a coat—with indifference, Lee Yeon-woo swept his gaze across the two figures crouched within the Water Mist without the slightest interest. A boy who had yet to shed his youthful appearance, and a young man of comparable age.

Their clothing and weapons were forms beyond his conventional understanding, yet they were unmistakably human.

‘Not particularly welcome news.’

The meaning of this sight was unmistakable.

‘People have infiltrated through blind spots rather than official routes.’
[Unauthorized entities.]
‘If they proceed into the Hotel interior like this, the Monster Guests’ reaction will be predictable.’
[Precisely!]
‘The welcoming festivities will become quite bloodstained.’

They weren’t ‘The Human Guest’ recognized by the Hotel System. Just from the sharp murderous intent displayed by Coco and the Staff Members, I could vividly envision the gruesome fate awaiting these young ones.

‘But before that….’
“….”

My brow furrowed slightly.

‘If an unregistered entrance has been left unattended in an area beyond my control, I cannot rule out the possibility that someone has already been torn to shreds in the Hunting Ground without my knowledge.’

An unpleasant assumption.

[No.]
‘What’s already happened cannot be helped.’

Backups and debugging were problems for later. For now, collecting these lost children took priority. What caught my eye were the pallid, sickly complexions of their youthful faces….

“….”

Ah.

“This way.”

Without even looking, I beckoned the Staff Members behind me with a flick of my finger. Only when they drew near did I first look at the Staff Member on my right.

I grasped his lower jaw and met his gaze.

“You look worn out.”
“….”
“Wouldn’t you say?”

A grotesque murderous intent and fanatical hostility.

‘He must be out of his mind.’
[No, sir?]
‘Defending him like that—their friendship runs deep.’
[No, sir.]
‘There’s no need to be so serious about it.’

Lee Yeon-woo, who had been observing the Staff Member with a dry gaze, lowered his hand from his face and adjusted the man’s collar.

“Unfortunately, there is nothing here.”

Lee Yeon-woo added.

“Perhaps you saw an illusion?”
“….”

The definitions that Lee Yeon-woo, synchronized with the Hotel’s core, uttered became absolute rules within the Facility. Since the Hotel General Manager had declared that “there is nothing,” then nothing was indeed there.

As the two Staff Members stared at me, Lee Yeon-woo drew a firm line.

“This level of escort is sufficient.”
“….”
“I will attend to my duties, so please return to your respective work areas.”

Lee Yeon-woo withdrew his hand from the Staff Member and clasped his hands behind his back.

After all, there were no low-ranking Monsters in the Hunting Ground foolish enough to rashly attack someone who wielded central control authority. There was no reason to provoke those young ones by bringing along Staff Members radiating unnecessary murderous intent.

‘There’s nothing more troublesome to handle than those driven to reckless action by fear.’

Of course, what he trusted most was this ‘coat’ he was wearing now.

[….]
[…?]
[Pardon?]

Ignoring the Cat’s dull reaction—sharp as it usually was—Lee Yeon-woo dismissed the Staff Members without hesitation.

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
“….”

At the low voice, the Staff Members retreated in deathly silence, seeping into the water mist. No matter how much their sense of self had strengthened, the System could never defy the Administrator’s control.

“….”

In the heavy silence that descended.

With ennui etched across my face, I slowly turned my gaze toward the two lost children frozen in the darkness. My emotionless eyes took in their young faces.

My dry, mineral-black eyes rolled, gold glinting within the pupils.

“―….”

A shallow sigh dispersed quietly between the lapels of my coat.

And then, with impeccable precision and a parched voice, I cut through the humid air.

“…Do you require assistance?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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