Dimensional Hotel

The reason Yu Sheng gave was, of course, just a joke.

In the end, Little Red Riding Hood still called the Guardians of the Orphanage into the room. However, instead of using the excuse of “ordering takeout,” she simply said there was something important to discuss. Moments later, a group of people entered the room.

Yu Sheng stood up and glanced around. As expected, he didn’t recognize most of them. Turning to Little Red Riding Hood, he asked, “Is everyone here?”

“Some have to stay back in the dormitory area to watch over the younger siblings,” Little Red Riding Hood replied. “They’ll come in shifts, just to be safe.”

“Oh, that works too.” Yu Sheng nodded. Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of something at the back of the group, and he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “…Why is there a cat here?”

He saw a tabby cat perched openly on the windowsill not far away, with a posture as dignified as if it were attending the meeting itself. Its demeanor was so lofty that Yu Sheng was stunned.

Before Yu Sheng could even process the scene, the cat raised a paw, licked it leisurely, and spoke in a deep, magnetic voice akin to a documentary narrator: “Why can’t I be here?”

Yu Sheng’s jaw dropped. Even Irene and Foxy were dumbfounded, the three of them staring at the tabby cat in shock for a long moment before exclaiming in unison, “It talked!!”

“That’s ‘King,’” Little Red Riding Hood finally stood up, her expression a mix of amusement and satisfaction, clearly enjoying Yu Sheng’s surprise. “He’s also a member of the Fairy Tale Organization and has been for a long time. Incidentally, he’s pretty strong—second only to ‘Snow White,’ the most formidable fighter of our generation.”

Yu Sheng listened with a stiff, almost electrocuted expression. It took him half a minute to recover, glancing back and forth between the imposing cat and Little Red Riding Hood. Finally, he squeezed out, “…Why?”

He wasn’t even sure why he was asking that. His mind was just filled with one question: why?

“Oh, that’s a long story,” the tabby cat on the windowsill spoke again, maintaining that magnetic documentary-narrator tone. “When I was just a stray kitten wandering the streets, a passing child gave me a piece of steamed bread. I followed him home. That night, he had a dream, and I fell into that dream. When I woke up, I found myself able to think like a human…”

Yu Sheng listened in a daze, a strange sense of surrealism creeping in. Despite having encountered countless bizarre phenomena in this place, this one was pushing his tolerance to new levels. Just as he began to ponder whether this cat’s story even made sense in the Borderland, he noticed Little Red Riding Hood winking at him.

“Don’t believe it,” she whispered. “The story changes every time.”

Yu Sheng hesitated. “Then…”

“Nobody knows how it happened, not even King himself,” Little Red Riding Hood shrugged. “When he first barged into the Orphanage, we thought he was just a stray cat from outside—until he suddenly summoned an Adventurer squad and took down several people.”

The tabby cat waved a paw lazily at her. “I can hear you.”

Little Red Riding Hood spread her hands with a smirk. “Anyway, that’s how it is. Though the principle remains unclear, we later confirmed that he was indeed influenced by the Fairy Tale, so we officially recruited him as a member. This time, we wanted to see if your plan would also work on a unique individual like King.”

Yu Sheng didn’t know how to react, still feeling like his experiences in this place were far too limited. He turned to look at Irene, but the little doll looked away. “Don’t look at me—I’ve never seen anything like it either.”

Yu Sheng then looked at Foxy.

Foxy stared intently at the cat for a while before her eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands. “Oh! It’s a naturally gifted beast that sensed the world’s spiritual energy!”

“…Damn, I really envy this silly fox,” Irene muttered, holding her head. “Living life so simple and happy…”

“Red Hood,” Snow White spoke up suddenly. “Let’s get to the point. You called us here—what’s going on?”

Little Red Riding Hood immediately turned to Yu Sheng.

“Ahem, let me explain,” Yu Sheng cleared his throat, stood up from the sofa, and looked around the room. Though he didn’t know most of the people here, he knew that they must have heard about him from Little Red Riding Hood. “In short, I have a ‘defense’ plan…”

He explained the plan as succinctly as possible, detailing the background and the current situation regarding Little Red Riding Hood and Xiao Xiao. He also shared some insights into his own “special” abilities, omitting some details but clearly describing the connection between ‘Blood’ and the ‘Wasteland.’

As expected, once he finished speaking, the room fell into a prolonged silence. The group of teenagers exchanged glances, and skepticism clouded almost every face. It was an abrupt revelation, an almost absurd proposal, and if it weren’t for Little Red Riding Hood’s strong endorsement, Yu Sheng was sure they’d be questioning his very presence there.

“It’s normal for everyone to have concerns,” Little Red Riding Hood finally broke the silence, her voice calm and reassuring. “The main purpose of this gathering is to discuss the situation first. Regarding what Yu Sheng mentioned, I can confirm that it’s true. Both Xiao Xiao and I have visited that ‘Wasteland’, and there were no adverse effects from coming into contact with his blood. However, the effectiveness of this so-called ‘Protection Mechanism’ is still uncertain. After all, Xiao Xiao and I have only experienced the transition from the Black Forest to the Wasteland once. Moreover… the question remains whether everyone is willing to establish this kind of ‘Blood Pact’ with a third party.”

It was clear that the last statement was the real crux of everyone’s hesitation.

A ‘Blood Pact’ has always been a sensitive topic in the field of Mysticism. Forming such a bond with an unknown entity entails enormous risks. This wasn’t about rejecting Yu Sheng personally but rather the natural caution of those who had already become ‘Guardians’—some even serving as Spirit Realm Detectives for several years.

Not even Yu Sheng himself was sure whether his proposed solution truly counted as a ‘Blood Pact’.

“Oh, come on! Stop hesitating!” Irene, usually impatient, couldn’t stand the lingering uncertainty. Even the Cat seemed indecisive, and that was saying something. Irene finally stood up from the sofa—though even standing, her presence remained surprisingly inconspicuous. “The Angel Cultists already have their eyes on you. You’re constantly living on the edge. When an opportunity presents itself, you have to seize it!”

Little Red Riding Hood shook her head gently. “Precisely because we live on the brink of death, we must be extra cautious while we’re still alive.”

Irene fell silent, having nothing more to say.

Clapping her hands to gather everyone’s attention, Little Red Riding Hood turned to the group. “Let’s move to the next room and discuss it. No rush.”

It was clear that, despite being on the cusp of adulthood, Little Red Riding Hood naturally commanded authority like a big sister to the group—though not to the Cat, who always acted aloof. After she spoke, the room quickly emptied as everyone moved to the adjacent space without a word of protest.

The Cat was the last to leave, casting a solemn glance back at Yu Sheng before stepping out. Little Red Riding Hood nodded toward Yu Sheng before following the others. “I’ll go and keep an eye on things.”

Yu Sheng merely waved his hand without speaking, and the room soon fell into silence.

From her fluffy tail, Foxy pulled out two drumsticks and handed one to Yu Sheng. “Benefactor, have a drumstick.”

Yu Sheng casually patted her tail. “You eat it. I’m not hungry.”

The sound of Foxy devouring both drumsticks in quick succession filled the quiet room, while Yu Sheng remained calm and patient.

Time passed, and footsteps approached from the doorway. The door creaked open, and Little Red Riding Hood returned, followed by a slender, frail-looking girl—codenamed ‘Snow White’.

Yu Sheng raised an eyebrow. “Looks like you’ve chosen the first test subject.”

Little Red Riding Hood nodded. “Yes, we decided to send one person to test it out.”

“Why her?” Yu Sheng asked curiously, quickly adding, “I’m just curious. No particular reason.”

“No problem. Besides me, Snow White is the most unstable one among us,” Little Red Riding Hood replied calmly. “She possesses the most destructive power, but because her energy release is too rapid, her level of corruption is extremely high—she’s sixteen, and her state is nearly as severe as mine. She’s constantly dragged into nightmares almost every day, making her the perfect candidate to test whether your ‘Protection Mechanism’ can truly work.”

Snow White approached Yu Sheng, her gaze unblinking and intense. “What do I need to do? Some sort of summoning or spirit-binding ritual?”

Yu Sheng chuckled, pulling out a small knife and casually slicing his hand. “Just drink.”

Snow White froze, her face blank. “…Huh?”

Realizing it might be a bit shocking for someone unfamiliar with his methods, Yu Sheng thought for a moment. “Want me to get you a straw?”

Again, Snow White stared at him, bewildered. “…Huh?”