After hearing the broadcast on the radio, Boss Hu Tao walked to the door opposite the counter.
The chandelier above creaked as it swayed.
The door lock was tight, and through the window, she could vaguely see the dim light outside and the blurry outline of the street.
"Tch, still not letting the Hall Master out?" Boss Hu Tao muttered.
She knocked again before continuing down the corridor.
At the end of the hall, there was an open door, and just a few steps down, another door awaited.
But when Boss Hu Tao opened the folding door, she was caught off guard. The scene before her was identical to the first corridor.
And the door behind her had already slammed shut.
Something was definitely off.
"Is this... ghost hitting the wall? (′?ω?)"
Being a professional, Boss Hu Tao had encountered this phenomenon many times. But since she couldn't use her elemental powers in the game, it was hard to tell if it was a ghost or just some quirky game mechanic.
Walking forward, the clock read twenty-three fifty-nine.
She walked down the same corridor, but everything seemed the same as before.
When she reached the main entrance, two cockroaches suddenly fell from the ceiling.
They ignored Boss Hu Tao entirely and crawled toward the bathroom.
"Oh, so you dare ignore me, huh? (*???)!!"
Annoyed, Boss Hu Tao followed the cockroaches, heading straight for the bathroom door.
Bang! Bang!
The bathroom door suddenly slammed open as if someone inside had been pushing it forcefully.
"Ah! ∑(￣□￣;)!"
That moment, without her usual powers to protect herself, Boss Hu Tao's nerves were shot.
She realized that now, with all her viewers watching, she had to act calm and composed.
She walked up, grabbed the doorknob, and tried to turn it, but it wouldn't budge. No sound came from the other side either.
"Tch. Trying to act like a ghost? If you've got the guts, come out and face me!" Boss Hu Tao yelled as she kicked the door a few times.
The onlookers held their breath, half-fearing she would actually open the door and unleash something terrifying.
The door still wouldn't open, and Boss Hu Tao, feeling slightly more at ease, put her hands on her hips. "Don't worry, everyone! If it dares to come out, I'll take care of it."
She kicked the door again, then continued moving forward.
Though she tried to mask it, Rui Shen could sense that Boss Hu Tao wasn't as confident as she seemed. There was a hint of unease in her actions.
Grandpa Zhongli, who had been watching from the side, raised an eyebrow at Rui Shen. Since stepping into the internet café, he could no longer feel his elemental power, and his physical strength was suppressed too.
Rui Shen, being the one who managed the café, noticed Zhongli's gaze and smiled in return.
Grandpa Zhongli's heart skipped a beat, and he thought, could this guy really be from another world? If that's true, could he be one of the Five Descendants, perhaps even the throne of the Third Sky?
This was going to be more complicated than he thought.
Back in the game, Boss Hu Tao entered the third cycle of the hallway.
Once again, the scene was the same, but this time, she heard a knock from the bathroom door.
Boss Hu Tao swallowed nervously and walked forward with exaggerated confidence.
"Doesn't matter if I'm scared, I can't lose face!" she muttered.
As she approached the bathroom door, the knocking became more urgent, followed by strange crying sounds from within. Several cockroaches crawled near the door frame.
"Why cry? No matter what kind of monster you are, don't even think about causing trouble for me!" Boss Hu Tao shouted, steeling herself as she reached for the bathroom door.
But once again, the door wouldn't budge.
"Good. I didn't want to open it anyway." Boss Hu Tao sighed in relief.
She kept moving forward, still glancing over her shoulder, because in many ghost stories, the door would suddenly open once someone passed by.
Step by step, she entered the fourth cycle.
No knocking, no crying.
When she reached the end of the hallway, however, the door leading to the next section slowly began to close.
At the same time, she heard the bathroom door open behind her.
A cold chill rushed down her spine. Classic horror story setup: the front door closes, and the back door opens.
Her heart raced, and she quickly twisted the doorknob in front of her.
But it was locked.
Frustrated, Boss Hu Tao gritted her teeth, cursing under her breath.
Why was she stuck in this situation?
Though she hated it, she had no choice but to turn around, slowly, and face the door behind her.
When she reached the bathroom, the crack in the door had widened slightly, and several cockroaches crawled out.
With her heart pounding, Boss Hu Tao bravely walked closer. The onlookers held their breath.
Finally, she reached the bathroom door.
Peering through the crack, the darkness within seemed almost palpable.
She took a deep breath and moved her face closer to the gap.
Suddenly, a pale face appeared through the crack, and the door slammed shut.
Boss Hu Tao screamed and jumped straight up, landing squarely on Rui Shen's neck.
Her legs instinctively locked around his face.
Rui Shen's expression was unreadable as Boss Hu Tao ripped off the virtual blindfold and yelled in panic, "Smash this hall! Smash this stupid internet café (＞д＜)!!"
"Please, calm down, Boss Hu Tao," Grandpa Zhongli quickly said, trying to soothe her. "It's just the game. It's scary, but it's not real."
Boss Hu Tao looked down at the crowd, who were watching her with concern. Feeling a little less embarrassed, she straightened up.
Rui Shen, nonchalantly, patted her thigh. "Ahem, can you get off now? (￢_￢)"
Boss Hu Tao blushed, realizing her position, and quickly jumped off.
"Er, uh, right. The Hall Master is very impressed with this shop. Try scaring a few more people so I can drum up some business," she said, trying to save face.
With that, she hurried out with her follower, Zhong Li.
Rui Shen looked at their backs and thought, "Wait, Boss Hu Tao didn't even pay me."
But then again, she was the landlord, so he didn't mind too much. Besides, he had a little fun with it. He had been able to "experience" her in a way that wasn't all too bad.
As more people gathered around the counter, eager to try the game, Rui Shen happily collected the Mora from each guest, turning on the machines.
Business was better than he expected, but the café had only 20 machines, so some guests would have to wait for a turn.
While they waited, the snacks and bottled drinks on the counter were being sold, and of course, the emotional value from the reactions of the players kept flowing in.
Boss Hu Tao had given the most emotional value, while Grandpa Zhongli, with his stone-like demeanor, provided the least.