Chapter 22 Mad Dog Hotel
The crowd scattered, running backward in terror.
A dog-headed man in a suit walked into the hall, and the automatic door opened in front of him.
It successfully entered the hall, opened its mouth and stuck out its tongue, then charged towards the crowd.
"It's coming! It's coming!" Tian Miaoying exclaimed, grabbing Lu Qi.
Lu Qi's breathing quickened slightly. She glanced at the elevator, which was blocked by people, and pulled Tian Miaoying up with her. "Let's take the stairs!"
Lu Shi'an had already pulled the dazed Huang Zhenyi along and ran towards the emergency exit.
Lulu followed behind Lu Qi, and the five of them ran up eight or nine floors in one go through the emergency passage.
Once away from the first floor, Lu Qi slowed her pace and leaned on the handrail, catching her breath.
"Don't stop!" Lu Shi'an glanced down. "It's not safe yet. Hang in there, let's go back to our room first!"
Lu Qi felt excruciating pain in his heart and lungs. He nodded and was about to take a step when suddenly his body was lifted into the air.
Lulu scooped her up in her arms. "I'll carry you, Lu Qi."
Lu Qi quickly said, "No need."
Her room was on the 19th floor, while Lu Shi'an and Lulu's room was on the 17th floor. It would be too much of a burden for them to carry someone weighing 180 pounds up ten floors in a princess carry.
Lulu ignored her and ran upstairs with Lu Qi in her arms.
His relaxed demeanor stunned the four of them, as if Lu Qi were just a ten-pound backpack, having no effect on Lulu's movements whatsoever.
He had been walking beside Lu Qi before, so nothing seemed amiss. Now, carrying Lu Qi, he was leading the pack, nearly two floors ahead of the other four.
Lu Qi quickly patted his shoulder, "Slow down, slow down, wait for them!"
In this special situation, they cannot be separated.
Lulu glanced at her pale face, her brows furrowed, as if she were struggling with something and weighing her options.
"Wait for them!" Lulu reluctantly stopped when Lu Qi tugged at his clothes again.
He stood in the stairwell, holding Lu Qi, impatiently shuffling his feet on the ground, waiting for Lü Shi'an and the other two to come up.
About two or three minutes later, the rest of the people finally arrived. He glanced at the panting Lü Shi'an, who was leaning on the armrest. When Lü Shi'an looked up, he met Lulu's eyes.
His peripheral vision was full of sarcasm, instantly dispelling any sympathy he had felt for Lulu just yesterday.
You brat, you deserve it.
Lulu started again, slowing down to just half a floor ahead of the three, and walked leisurely ahead.
Lu Qi sat in his lap, looking at Tian Miaoying's flushed face, feeling a little guilty, and whispered to Lulu, "I'm rested enough, put me down and let's walk."
Her breath brushed against her ear, and Lulu looked down at her: "Do you want to leave, Lu Qi?"
Lu Qi nodded.
“Okay.” Lulu readily put her down and intertwined their fingers. “Let’s go together.”
His usual ability to regulate his emotions is already quite advanced, but in this surreal and magical moment, his tone still conveyed the joy of a date.
Lu Qi could hardly imagine what kind of environment shaped Lulu.
The group struggled to climb up, and Tian Miaoying, true to her reputation as a girl who could dig from one end of the beach to the other, climbed all 19 floors by herself.
For the last two floors, Huang Zhenyi pulled her along, but he himself was also struggling to climb, and the two of them staggered along, half supporting and half helping each other.
Upon reaching the 19th floor, I saw several female doctors who had participated in the training standing on the corridor, discussing something anxiously.
"Why are you standing outside?" Lu Shi'an walked towards them. "Do you know what happened downstairs?"
"You saw it too?" The leading female doctor rushed forward anxiously. "Then can your room cards still be used?"
The group was startled.
Ignoring her injured leg, Tian Miaoying immediately took out her room card and swiped it to open her own room.
She paused at the door, then turned back in alarm: "It won't open..."
Lu Qi took out his own card and tried it too.
“That won’t work either.” She shook her head. “Our package expires today, and this card is no longer valid.”
“Yes,” Huang Zhenyi murmured, “the training course is over, so our leases are up for life…”
A moment of silence fell over the corridor.
Tian Miaoying suggested, "Let's call the front desk first!"
"The landline is in the room," the female doctor sighed. "We were just about to look up the hotel number when we discovered there was no internet."
"What about data traffic?" Lu Shi'an asked.
"That's why we need a landline—because there's no Wi-Fi or mobile data!"
"Are we going to have to stay in the corridor forever?" Huang Zhenyi asked anxiously.
A young female doctor broke down in tears, saying, "I'll stay anywhere, I just want to know what that thing downstairs was!"
Another silence followed.
"Is that... is it real..." Tian Miaoying whispered, "Could it be that we've stumbled into some kind of prank show, and that person is just there to scare our actors?"
"Then how do you explain the network 't'?"
"Signal jammer?"
Lu Qi said, "It's strange that the internet can be cut off, but the emergency call can't be made."
Lu Shi'an nodded heavily, "The Favivia Hotel is a big hotel. If word gets out that they're playing a prank on their guests, it will be a disaster for them."
"There can't really be a monster!" the young female doctor shouted. "How could there be a man with a dog's head in this world! He was perfectly fine when he went out!"
Putting aside the unknown dangers, from an appearance standpoint alone, a man with a puppy's head is not as frightening to Lu Qi as a real man.
The atmosphere was oppressive when suddenly the sound of snowflakes rustling through the corridor.
The group looked up like startled birds, hearing the announcement that had been broadcast earlier in the restaurant—
"Distinguished guests, good morning. This is the control room of the Fivana Hotel."
Tian Miaoying opened her eyes in surprise, and Lu Qi gestured for her to shush.
"The pet dog that wandered into the lobby has been taken back by its owner. Guests who just left can come back to check in."
"A reminder: All guests are requested to proceed to the front desk to check in as soon as possible. Our staff will then arrange a new room for you."
"Thank you for your cooperation, goodbye."
"What is that!" the female doctor exclaimed. "They call that a pet dog?"
"And it was even taken back by its owner!" Huang Zhenyi's eyes widened. "Whose pet is it? Who is the owner?"
Holding Lu Qi's hand, Lulu suddenly spoke up: "Now that the problem is solved, we can go downstairs and ask the front desk for a room."
He remained unusually calm and fully accepted the content of the broadcast.
Lu Qi glanced at him but did not object. "Let's go down and take a look first. We can't stay here any longer."
That makes sense. All the room cards present had expired, and they couldn't contact anyone outside. They couldn't just stand there idly in the corridor.
They took the elevator downstairs, and Lü Shi'an cautiously stopped on the second floor.
He, Huang Zhenyi, and two male doctors went out first to look downstairs.
Just as the broadcast said, the dog-headed man was no longer in the lobby on the first floor.
Four greeters, two security guards, and three receptionists stood at their posts.
Everything was as usual, as if nothing had just happened.
When Lü Shi'an returned, he reported the situation to everyone, and the group walked nervously toward the front desk.
"Hello," the receptionist greeted them warmly as soon as she saw them. "Are you here to check in?"
Lu Shi'an shook his head: "We want to leave. Please tell us how to get there."
"These are special times, and for your safety, the hotel does not recommend that you leave the park."
The receptionist has already said these words countless times.
Lu Qi was observing the surroundings when Lulu suddenly stepped forward and handed the expired room key to the front desk, saying, "Help me and her check in."
People around them stared at them in surprise, and Huang Zhenyi asked anxiously, "Hey, why did you move in here!"
Lulu turned around and coldly scrutinized him. "You can leave."
Huang Zhenyi choked: "I..."
The man who just stepped out the door turned into a monster; he wouldn't dare to try it.
But we can't just stay here like this!
Huang Zhenyi looked at Lu Qi for help.
Lu Qi hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward to ask the receptionist, "May I ask... what happened just now?"
The receptionist smiled and looked at her: "Which aspect are you referring to?"
Her expression showed no sign of anything wrong with a man's head being turned into a dog's head.
"Do I even need to say that!" the impatient doctor exclaimed in horror. "How did a perfectly healthy person turn into a dog!"
“The specific situation is still unclear,” the receptionist replied gently. “We only know that it is very dangerous outside the park, so we suggest that you stay in the hotel.”
"You're still laughing! How could you not know?!" The young female doctor slammed her hand on the table. "What happened?! What's going on?! Please tell me, I'm in a hurry to get home!"
The receptionist remained unfazed, still all smiles: "We completely understand your feelings. If you really don't want to stay at the hotel, you can leave directly."
These words, coupled with the smile on her face, made it hard not to be angry.
“You…” The female doctor was trembling with anger when she was suddenly tugged at.
It was Lu Qi who pulled her.
She asked the receptionist, "Which part of the 'industrial park' specifically refers to? Do you have a map?"
"The park refers to the hotel and the nearby scenic area. I'm sorry, we don't have a specific map." After answering, the receptionist patiently added again, "The park has plenty of supplies, so you can check in with peace of mind."
The tense female doctor couldn't help but shout, "Check-in, check-in, check-in! This endless sales pitch, are you a receptionist or a salesperson?!"
Lu Qi looked at Lulu, and the moment she looked over, Lulu, as always, immediately met her gaze.
He knew what Lu Qi wanted to say to him, and offered his opinion: "It's getting dark, there's no cell phone signal or network, it's dangerous to go out rashly."
This was also Lu Qi's thought. No one knew whether stepping out of the glass door would turn her into a monster, so she did not stop Lulu from checking in.
"We plan to stay here for one night and check out the situation outside tomorrow morning." She and Lulu reached the same conclusion, then turned to Tian Miaoying and the other two and asked, "What about you?"
Lu Shi'an didn't answer immediately, but Tian Miaoying firmly followed Lu Qi, "Of course I'll go with you." How could she dare to go alone!
Huang Zhenyi followed up, "Brother Lü, why don't we wait until dawn to talk about it?"
Lu Shi'an was somewhat uneasy. "With the appearance of that supernatural creature, it might be even more dangerous here at night."
Lu Qi analyzed: "If this world really becomes fantastical, then going out alone at night is the most dangerous thing to do."
Conversely, if it was just a prank on a TV show or some bizarre medical anomaly, then staying in a hotel for one night wouldn't be dangerous.
This is her deduction.
Tian Miaoying suddenly spoke up: "When that dog and that man left, didn't they say there was a police station two kilometers in front of the hotel? I saw some people had already left, why haven't the police arrived yet after all this time..."
These words made everyone's expressions even more unpleasant.
"Check-in is now complete." Lu Shi'an solemnly handed his expired room key and ID card to the front desk.
The receptionist smiled and took it, saying, "Okay, we'll check you in right away."
Lu Shian added, "Please give me a suite, not free, we'll pay for it."
It's best not to separate until things are clear.
The receptionist ignored them and continued operating the system. After a while, she returned Lu Shi'an and Lulu's ID cards and gave them new room cards.
"Sir, here is your room key."
The two took a look and found that Lu Shi'an's room was 0218, while Lulu's room was 2602.
"Didn't we agree to book a suite?" Lu Shi'an asked.
"I'm sorry, during this special period, guests are not allowed to choose their room type," the receptionist said. "Thank you for your cooperation with the hotel management."
Lu Shi'an frowned: "I'll pay double or triple the price."
The receptionist remained unmoved, saying, "I'm sorry, you are not authorized to choose a room."
The group exchanged glances. Lu Qi, realizing something, asked Tian Miaoying and Huang Zhenyi for their ID cards before checking in himself.
She handed over her three ID cards along with her own.
"Okay, we'll check you in now."
"What do you mean?" Tian Miaoying asked, confused.
Lu Qi shook his head, "I'm not sure either, but if we process them together, it might be closer."
Perhaps it can be done sequentially, like picking up tickets.
Lu Qi's idea was half successful.
The room key she received was 2602, the same room as Lulu's.
Tian Miaoying got 2603, right after them.
Huang Zhenyi's room number was also obtained, but instead of Lu Qi and the others, he got the room number 0218 where Lü Shi'an was located.
The same machine was used to check them in, and I don't know why there were so many gaps in the middle.
"Thank goodness," Tian Miaoying breathed a sigh of relief, clutching her room key, "at least I'm sitting next to you guys."
If she were all alone on another floor, Tian Miaoying was afraid she would burst into tears on the spot.
Huang Zhenyi, who was assigned to a room with Lü Shi'an, was also very satisfied and gave Lu Qi a thumbs up: "Smart, Sister Lu."
Lu Qi frowned, still pondering the pattern in the room's layout.
They checked in, while the others hesitated, some pressing the front desk for answers, while others checked in hesitantly.
A dozen or so people were making a ruckus there. Five of them left first and went to their respective new rooms. They agreed to meet in Lü Shi'an's room after putting their things down.
It's fine that Lü Shian and Huang Zhenyi are together, but it's a bit worrying that Tian Miaoying is alone.
Lu Qi and Lulu discussed that they should go to Tian Miaoying's room first to check on her condition.
After swiping the card to enter, Tian Miaoying's room was already occupied.
Both sides were stunned when they met.
"Professor Meng?" Tian Miaoying exclaimed in disbelief.
The female professor, who was over sixty years old, nodded to them and said, "Hello."
She had short, glossy black hair, wore a pair of refined glasses, and exuded a scholarly air. Her figure and complexion were excellent, and she was elegant yet possessed a strong and energetic spirit.
It was the kind of vigor unique to canine scientists—optimistic and resolute.
"It really is you, Professor Meng! What are you doing here?"
"I couldn't get in touch with the person who was supposed to pick me up, so I decided to find a place to sit first. The receptionist arranged for me to stay here."
Meng Feiqin checked in before the announcement came on.
After discovering she couldn't contact her assistant and couldn't get a taxi, she went to the front desk for help.
The receptionist advised her to stay, which puzzled her, and then she overheard an announcement.
"They didn't charge me and even put me in this presidential suite," Meng Feiqin said with a smile. "Anyway, I didn't have anything urgent to do, and seeing that they were in a difficult situation, I just went along with their work."
Tian Miaoying hurriedly asked, "Do you know what happened downstairs just now?"
"What's up?"
Lu Qi and Tian Miaoying exchanged a glance; the professor indeed still didn't know.
They briefly recounted the story of the dog-headed man, and Meng Feiqin exclaimed in surprise, "Such a thing really happens? Could it be some kind of prop?"
"We weren't sure yet, so we just glanced at it and ran with the crowd."
"We can't even make a call to the police right now, we can only wait until tomorrow to see how things go."
Professor Meng Feiqin's expression turned serious. "Don't be afraid, children. There are over forty people participating in our training alone. With so many people in the hotel, no matter what kind of monsters or demons they are, they can't withstand such strong yang energy."
Tian Miaoying laughed, "You're one to talk. As soon as I opened the door and saw you, I wasn't afraid at all."
Upon seeing her idol, she changed from trembling in Lu Qi's arms to turning around and waving to the two of them, "Bai Bai, you can go now."
Lu Qi chuckled, "Your face changes so quickly. Shall we go then?"
"Let's go, let's go, don't disturb Professor Meng and me."
She and Lulu left. She had been worried that Tian Miaoying might be in danger after being separated from her, but to her surprise, she was assigned to share a room with Professor Meng Feiqin.
Lu Qi felt relieved and swiped the QR code next door, number 2602.
Having already seen Professor Meng's room, Lu Qi was still amazed by Fevina's presidential suite when she opened the door.
The 26th floor is the highest floor of the hotel's residential area, with only four suites on the entire floor. Each suite has four bedrooms and two living rooms, including two bedrooms with walk-in closets, a study, and a business meeting room.
Lu Qi was somewhat lost in thought when she was suddenly upgraded from a standard room to a presidential suite.
"Are you tired?" Lulu pointed to the sofa. "Let me massage your legs."
The sofa has a panoramic floor-to-ceiling window on the side.
The view outside the window was dazzling; from the garden to the distant coast, all the lights were on.
The beautiful night view almost made Lu Qi forget the strange events that had occurred that evening.
She sat down on the soft sofa, and Lulu knelt down beside her feet, massaging her calves.
His fingers were long and slender, like hands born to play musical instruments. At this moment, they were pressing on Lu Qi's calves, which had just climbed more than ten floors, making Lu Qi groan softly in comfort.
"Does it hurt?" Lulu immediately looked up to examine her complexion.
Lu Qi shook her head, "How can you have such a good attitude after something like this happened?" She was still thinking about getting a massage at a time like this.
Lulu smiled and said, "Lu Qi, no matter what happens, I'm happy as long as I'm with you."
Lu Qi chuckled, "What's wrong with you, love-struck fool?" Is this the time for sweet talk?
"Lu Qi, are you a little scared?" Lulu leaned forward and brushed aside her disheveled hair.
Lu Qi sighed. Of course he was scared of such a bizarre thing.
"Don't be afraid." Lulu kissed her chin. "Touch me, caress me and your body will release dopamine, and you will become happy."
Lu Qi was shocked.
Lulu's expression was so innocent that she wasn't sure if he was flirting or just acting cute like a puppy.
She chose the latter, shyly pushing away Lulu who was licking her chin, "You're not a dog, touching you won't give me dopamine!"
Lulu looked at her with a smile, "You're much better now than before."
Lu Qi covered her face.
She couldn't deny that her tense emotions had indeed eased considerably.
"It won't be that fast, you're not a magic pill." She blushed and kicked him with her foot. Lulu understood and continued to massage her legs.
Lu Qi dared not stare at Lulu anymore. Her phone still had no network. Her eyes darted around and she saw the "Fivina Hotel Check-in Instructions" on the coffee table.
Lulu's gaze followed Lu Qi to the manual.
It wasn't time to meet up with Lü Shi'an yet, so for the time being, Lu Qi picked it up and flipped through it.
The first page is the preface, written in both Chinese and English:
[Dear guests:]
Thank you for choosing Hotel Verona. We are committed to providing you with the best stay experience.
Please read this handbook carefully. During your stay, please be sure to abide by the hotel rules outlined in this handbook to avoid any accidents.
There were two sentences in total, and the second sentence made Lu Qi feel inexplicably awkward.
She turned to the next page, the header of which read "[Fivina Hotel Rules]", and the text contained only one sentence:
[1. A person is a person, and a dog is a dog. Dogs with owners have collars; dogs without collars are stray or wild dogs.]
What is this? Lu Qi looked bewildered, finding it indescribably strange.
Scroll down further, and the rest of the pages are blank, with only the header indicating "[Fivina Hotel Rules]".
Those blank spaces seemed to have been deliberately reserved.
Noticing Lulu glancing at the booklet in his hand, Lu Qi showed it to him directly, "What a strange check-in manual, is this some kind of code?"
"A code word?" Lulu asked.
“If this is a prank show, could this be a clue left for us, like the first letters of each segment spelling out ‘Danger, Run!’ or something like that?” Lu Qi tried to spell out the first letters, “RGYM?”
“RGYM,” she murmured, “…everyone has their own destiny?”
"Everyone has their own destiny?" Lulu smiled. "Yes, that's true."
He lowered his head, his forehead rubbing against Lu Qi's knee, his eyes narrowing with pleasure. "Lu Qi, you are the best person ever. You will definitely have a good life."
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Author's Note: First update~
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