"This Grand Hotel is one of the top hotels in the city. There are guests coming and going 24 hours a day. It's really strange that 13 healthy people just disappeared like that. I checked all the hotel's surveillance cameras, but I couldn't find a single clue."
Qiu Dingxiong shook his head and frowned as he spoke.
“Originally, you wouldn’t have needed to come over with Ma Chaoxing’s case, but I’m desperate and grasping at straws. The higher-ups have given a strict order to solve the case within a limited time, otherwise the foreign authorities will send police to investigate, which would be a huge loss of face for us humans…”
"You were quite amazing in resolving the Wang Yongjin and Zhao Risheng matter last time. As a master, could you give me some advice and think of a solution?" Qiu Dingxiong probably had no other choice but to seek divine guidance, so he begged Wang Yao for help.
After listening to Qiu Dingxiong's introduction, Wang Yao also felt curious. He had just advanced to the late stage of Qi Refining and mastered a large number of immortal techniques, and was eager to try them out. So he smiled and nodded.
"Can I take a look around this hotel?" Wang Yao asked.
"Look around as you like! Do you need someone to accompany you?" Qiu Dingxiong was in a great mood when he saw that Wang Yao had agreed, and hurriedly asked.
"No need, I'll just wander around. Master Huishuo can follow me." Wang Yao shook his head. He hadn't sorted things out yet and just wanted to stroll around the hotel.
Moreover, Ma Gu works as a security guard at this hotel, so he should know some inside information. I also plan to ask him. Having a police officer with me makes it less convenient to move around.
"That's fine then..." Qiu Dingxiong paused for a moment, then pulled a token from under the blueprints on the table and handed it to Wang Yao. "If you need a room, just take this token and find the nearest constable. Also, here's the hotel's architectural plan and layout map; would you like to take a look?"
“I don’t need that.” Wang Yao smiled, took the token, and beckoned Hui Shuo to leave the conference room on the 11th floor.
Qiu Dingxiong thought he would go to the room where the foreigners were staying, but Wang Yao didn't have that idea. The people were gone, so what could be inside? Wang Yao believed that the constables from Huadu and Zhidu had been busy here for seven or eight days, and they should have investigated everything that needed to be investigated. It was probably not an exaggeration to say that there was no trace of them.
Wang Yao could only think of one way to make someone disappear silently: the spatial teleportation he'd seen during his beast-slaying adventures. A quick swipe of the brush and the person was gone. But this wasn't his forte. He figured Yang Gu might be able to figure it out; he didn't need to show off.
He went out and downstairs, asked the front desk for directions to the security office in the lobby, and then led Hui Shuo there. The security office was on the back of the first floor, not far from the hotel warehouse. There was a large pile of toiletries, probably just purchased, such as shampoo and lotion, at the entrance.
Just as Wang Yao was about to walk forward, he saw Ma Gu emerge from the doorway.
“I figured you’d be coming to see me soon,” Ma Gu said in a low voice. “Let’s go outside and talk.”
Ma Gu led Wang Yao and Hui Shuo out of the hotel and stopped in a quiet alley next to the hotel.
“This matter is related to the underworld. Don’t get involved. It’s not a good thing,” Ma Gu said to Wang Yao with a serious expression.
"The underworld? Why would you send a dozen or so foreigners into the underworld?" Wang Yao was somewhat taken aback.
“I don’t know why, I just have a bad feeling. The underworld must have done it while I was away. I’m here as a security guard to keep an eye on the underworld,” Ma Gu said. “Think about it, how coincidental is this? A foreign tour group just happened to come, and I just happened to be in Huadu.”
"This hotel must have a lot of foreign guests, right?" Wang Yao wondered.
“Yes, this is the best hotel in the capital for foreign guests. But that’s not the key point. The key point is this…” Ma Gu said, taking out a red paper from his pocket and waving it at Wang Yao.
"What...is this?" Wang Yao asked.
“A talisman to ward off evil spirits,” Ma Gu said to Wang Yao. “Every time I leave the hotel, I set up a talisman in the underworld passage to prevent ghosts from wandering around and accidentally running into the hotel. But look, this talisman has been broken; there’s nothing on it anymore.”
"This...this hotel is connected to the underworld? Isn't the underworld in the Civilization Building?" Wang Yao asked in astonishment.
“Where in the underworld is there only one passage?” Ma Gu shook his head repeatedly. “The underworld is the interface most closely connected to the human world. Passages can be said to be everywhere, but in many places, it’s like this…” Ma Gu pinched two fingers together and gestured to Wang Yao.
"They're attached, but not connected. Only special skills can open them. However, there are still many passages for ghosts from the underworld to enter the human world. There's a particularly large one under the foundation of this hotel, which is why I've been stationed here all this time."
"You mean a ghost broke your exorcism talisman and took the foreigner to the underworld?" Wang Yao asked, frowning.
"That's probably it. The timing is perfect. According to the normal schedule, I have the 8th off and I have to come in at 8 a.m. on the 9th to take over. They chose to act on the night of the 8th. Besides, my exorcism talisman has been blessed by the Heavenly Court. How could ordinary little ghosts possibly break through it?" Ma Gu said.
"So, according to you, the one who broke your exorcism talisman must be a powerful being from the underworld?" Wang Yao asked in astonishment.
“That’s right. And think about it, this powerful being must have entered the human world from somewhere else, wandered around and broke the exorcism talisman, and brought so many foreigners away. Do you think the underworld will have a tough time this time? I’ve already reported this to the office. Let’s wait for those great immortals to handle it,” Ma Gu said.
"What did the office say?" Wang Yao asked.
"Of course, the office will report to the Heavenly Emperor, who will then instruct the Underworld office to investigate. Anyway, you absolutely must not think about this matter. We little immortals can't afford to mess with this," Ma Gu said.
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