"Need a hand?" Ning Wei poked her head out.
Li Ye shook his head and pushed her back.
He stood in front of everyone. As the horde of ghosts charged, the ring on his finger spun, and a massive, invisible barrier materialized in the center, separating the living from the ghouls.
"Go easy on them!" Ning Wei spotted a familiar figure within the ghost horde.
Seeing how Li Ye controlled the ring, she knew it was fully under his command, just like the bead.
This ring's power was likely far greater than the bead's, otherwise Li Ye wouldn't have sold the bead to that person for it.
And a single ring could alter the hotel's state, demonstrating the immense energy it contained.
Even though it was just the power to control ghosts, Ning Wei was still incredibly envious.
Hearing Ning Wei's words, Li Ye casually tossed the ring he held.
The ring struck the barrier and vanished instantly, and with it, the ghosts.
The door to the room they were in slid shut. The calendar on the desk had already flipped to the day of their departure from the hotel.
Outside, voices discussing in various regional accents could be heard, along with the distinct sounds of different shoes on the carpet.
"We… we're back?" Hearing the commotion outside, Yuan Yuan still found it hard to believe they had returned so easily.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door. "Hello, excuse me."
Tang Tang bravely walked over and saw, through the smart screen, a hotel staff member in a blue uniform at the door.
Blue represented humans. They were truly back!
Tang Tang still hesitated to open the door, looking back at everyone. Only when Ning Wei nodded to her did she dare to open it.
She left a small gap, peeking out with her head to look at the staff member.
The staff member first offered a smile, then said, "I'm sorry to bother you. A guest downstairs is complaining about noise from this room disturbing their rest, so…"
The staff member peered through the gap and saw several people standing inside.
She instantly understood the reason for the noise and didn't elaborate further.
Tang Tang caught on immediately. "I'm so sorry. We were having a bit of a lively gathering with friends. We'll keep it down. Please apologize to the guest downstairs for us."
Such things were normal in a hotel, and the staff member couldn't really mediate guest disputes. As long as both parties were satisfied, it was fine.
Tang Tang's cooperative attitude pleased the staff member, meaning her job wouldn't be too difficult.
"Certainly. I apologize again for disturbing your gathering. I'll arrange for room service to send up a fruit platter."
"No need for a fruit platter. We don't want to be disturbed. We'll control the noise." Tang Tang didn't want to keep opening the door. Besides, she had checked the calendar; today was the day they were supposed to leave, and they wouldn't be staying much longer.
Once the bus horn sounded, they could quickly escape this haunted hotel. Who would care about a fruit platter then?
The staff member didn't insist. Offering a fruit platter was merely to appease the guest.
As hotel staff, they couldn't offend any guest. They had to ensure guests entered happily and left contentedly.
After Tang Tang saw the staff member out, the familiar sound of the bus horn echoed.
Everyone's faces lit up with joy. From initial fear to current familiarity, and even anticipation. This showed the torment they had endured wandering the station.
"Shall we go?" The horn meant they could board the bus, signifying the end of their adventure here.
Even if it was only temporary safety, they eagerly embraced it.
"You guys go ahead. I have a little something to take care of," Ning Wei told them.
As soon as she said this, they knew she was up to something again.
Ning Wei watched them take the elevator down from the fourth floor. Tang Tang even reminded her, "We'll wait for you on the bus. Hurry!"
Ning Wei nodded. Li Ye stood behind her.
She pulled back the curtains and saw the familiar bus with its arrogant attendant waiting. Soon, Mei Nan and others began presenting their tickets and boarding.
Ning Wei felt her pocket. The familiar texture confirmed she had a ticket too.
"Alright, time to get to work!" Ning Wei muttered to herself.
"The ghosts are gone, but you didn't make them disappear completely, did you?"
Li Ye shook his head. "I know what you're planning. I've temporarily contained them in the ring."
With a slight spin of the ring, a swarm of ghosts emerged.
They were in the state they were in before death: shattered bodies, eyes filled with despair.
Li Ye raised his hand slightly, signaling Ning Wei to do as she pleased.
They had regained their memories, no longer tools for the ring's killing spree.
Ning Wei pulled Shan Shan out and asked softly, "When you died, you were holding this ring. What were you trying to do?"
Shan Shan's face contorted further, filled with uncontrollable hatred.
"I wanted to leave evidence! I wanted them to pay!"
Ning Wei smiled faintly. "Exactly my intention. Let me help you!"
Ning Wei's plan was simple. She had Li Ye use the room card to open 4044, letting the stench escape and its secrets be exposed.
A few corpses alone wouldn't be enough to vent her anger, especially since young Master Gao was rumored to have a high-ranking official backing him.
"Your own revenge, naturally, you must enact yourself." The bodies were soon discovered, throwing the hotel into chaos. The police arrived quickly, but Ning Wei was not satisfied.
Ning Wei whispered to Shan Shan, then had Li Ye release Shan Shan from her restraints.
Ghosts typically remained where they died, especially a ghost as obsessed as Shan Shan.
Shan Shan, who had been a wispy spirit, felt an unprecedented lightness after her restraints were removed.
"What do you mean by this?" Shan Shan looked at Ning Wei, bewildered.
Ning Wei's voice was laced with temptation. "Didn't I tell you? Your own revenge, you must enact it yourself. It feels much more satisfying, don't you think?"
"You're really going to let me go?" Shan Shan had never encountered someone like Ning Wei.
By now, everyone's memories had synchronized. Any encounter, regardless of the space, left a trace.
So Shan Shan recognized them instantly. These two were the ones she had sat with for a while in the pink crystal.
Remembering everything that had happened, she didn't blame them.
It was all fate. Even without them, other guests would have come.
Young Master Gao had a penchant for taking what others had, so she couldn't escape fate's grasp.
"Hurry up and go! I might change my mind at any moment." Seeing Shan Shan hesitate, Ning Wei urged her again.