Dimensional Hotel

The wolves’ presence temporarily withdrew. The Wolf Heart, now flowing with venom, shriveled and withered in Yu Sheng’s arms. The ominous howls and the oppressive gaze from deep within the Black Forest abruptly ceased, leaving an eerie silence.

Foxy and Irene rushed out of the Little House, dragging Yu Sheng inside by force.

“Benefactor, how are you?” Foxy anxiously asked, her fur bristling in worry. “Can you still hear me?”

“I can hear you… just don’t get so close,” Yu Sheng replied weakly, struggling to breathe as icy numbness spread through his veins. “I’m on the verge of death. This thing’s venomous. I got poisoned the moment I touched it…”

“You look like you’re dying,” Irene chimed in, climbing onto Yu Sheng’s chest. Her crimson eyes scrutinized his pallid face. “So, is the Big Bad Wolf dead now? Did you kill it?”

“It’s dead… but only temporarily. Like all physical entities, it will return. The Black Forest will reset during the next cycle, returning to its state before we entered,” Yu Sheng explained with difficulty, coughing twice before continuing. “But it doesn’t matter. I’ve disrupted its cycle… we’ve succeeded, at least a significant first step. Now, get off me—you’re heavy.”

“Of course, I’m heavy. This body is made of steel and stone,” Irene muttered, climbing down reluctantly. “But you didn’t complain when I sat on your shoulders earlier.”

“I wasn’t dying then,” Yu Sheng said, pausing to catch his breath. He extended his hand to Foxy. “Help me up.”

Foxy quickly supported him, her voice filled with concern. “Benefactor, what are you planning to do?”

“You’re planning to eat that?!” Irene was stunned, staring at him in disbelief. “That’s… disturbing.”

“Worth a try. I went through hell to kill it, and it killed me once. If I don’t cook it, it feels like a waste,” Yu Sheng said, exhaling deeply.

Despite Irene’s unease, Foxy obediently wrapped the withered Wolf Heart and the discarded Tetanus Staff in her tails. Heading to the door, she glanced back. “Benefactor, aren’t you coming with us?”

Yu Sheng waved her off. “I’ll stay here.”

“Huh?” Irene looked up, puzzled. “You’re not going to die at home?”

“I’m waiting here to see when the Hunter shows up,” Yu Sheng said, his body wobbling unsteadily. “Maybe we’ll have a chance to talk… I’ll just die here if I must.”

“Fine, we’ll head back first,” Irene sighed, then added casually, “Want something to eat when you return? Foxy and I can prep for you—no cooking, just washing vegetables.”

“Wash two cucumbers and a couple of tomatoes. I’ll probably be back by morning, and I’ll want something light after dying. Let’s make cold noodles with tomato and egg sauce.”

“Alright.”

With that, Irene and Foxy left, the shimmering Phantom Door fading behind them.

The house fell silent. Yu Sheng glanced around at the chaos left by the battle. The Little House, though untouched by the Giant Wolf itself, had been devastated by the spreading fox fire and intrusive threads. Scorched marks marred the walls and floor, leaving the interior in ruins.

Sighing, Yu Sheng dragged himself to the corner where the charred remnants of a single bed lay. He sat amidst the debris, waiting—for the Hunter or for death.

The Wolf Venom coursed through his veins. His blood seeped into the Black Forest, an invisible exchange between life and death.

Faint sobs echoed, distant and muffled, as if separated by a veil. Something seemed to soothe the source of the crying, quieting it gradually.

A rustling noise emerged from the bed’s remains. Yu Sheng turned towards the sound and saw a small, furry brown creature poking its head out—a Squirrel, its head wrapped in a tattered red cloth.

“Oh, a Squirrel. I thought you would’ve fled,” Yu Sheng greeted it. “You’re quite brave.”

“Squirrel… Squirrel Knight fears nothing… fears nothing…” it repeated, seemingly dazed. Then, as if realizing something horrifying, it froze. “Wait, you’re dying… bitten by the wolf’s heart! You’ll die! Really die! Even in reality! What do we do…”

It panicked, squeaking frantically.

“I came here with my real body,” Yu Sheng said, smiling faintly through his fading strength. “Relax. I’ll come back. For me, ‘death’ is just a temporary condition. You don’t need to understand it now. Calm down, little Squirrel. If you’re staying, let’s chat.”

The Squirrel blinked, its small eyes wide with confusion, seemingly unable to process Yu Sheng’s words.

“You’re wearing the red cloth again,” Yu Sheng remarked, tapping its head gently. “You like it?”

“Red cloth… good omen,” the Squirrel mumbled reflexively. “Squirrels need their red cloaks… red cloaks scare off wolves, proof we’re not wolves…”

“Proof you’re not wolves?” Yu Sheng repeated slowly, fighting to keep his eyes open. “Are you afraid of becoming one of the forest’s wolves?”

The Squirrel fell silent, as if Yu Sheng’s question had triggered a system overload.

Yu Sheng felt the same way. His mind grew numb as the venom spread, replacing his blood with icy, malicious tendrils. His vision blurred, and the small Squirrel split into countless overlapping images.

Through the haze, he saw something beyond the Black Forest. The shadows parted, revealing intricate, root-like structures stretching into chaos. These branches supported a King’s Castle, the wilds of knights and dragons, a princess’s tower, and enchanted balls… but these weren’t what Yu Sheng sought.

He pushed his sight deeper, into the chaotic depths, searching for the source of these intertwined structures.

A profound darkness stopped him. It was void, impenetrable.

Footsteps pulled him back.

Yu Sheng’s consciousness returned to the Little House, where the extinguished fire and vanished candlelight left a chill in the air. A tall figure entered through the door, moving stiffly like a machine.

Dim starlight outlined the figure—the Hunter.

“Hello, ‘Hunter,’” Yu Sheng greeted weakly, leaning against the broken bed. He felt the void-like gaze from the hollow figure. “I’ve been waiting for you… almost died waiting.”

The Hunter approached, its empty hood seemingly observing the “dying” man.

Though the Hunter’s face was unseen, Yu Sheng sensed confusion.

Perhaps the trace of Wolf Venom in Yu Sheng’s veins disrupted the Hunter’s judgment, leaving it unsure whether to shoot.

Yu Sheng, conserving his energy, pulled out a photograph and unfolded it before the Hunter. It depicted twelve individuals in heavy protective gear, posing for a formal group photo.

“Do you remember this?” Yu Sheng asked softly. “Were you… one of them?”

The Hunter stood motionless, offering no response.

Yu Sheng waited patiently, wondering whether his death or the Hunter’s answer would come first.

Then the hollow figure slowly raised its shotgun.

Yu Sheng: “…?”

Seriously?

“Bang!”

The gunshot rang out.