I kept swallowing nervously, my whole body trembling. When I turned my head, the four characters of "Soulbound Inn" swayed in the wind.
Panic rising, I turned to look again. The Soulbound Inn remained as ancient as ever, but a faint green glow surrounded it. This was clearly a place for ghosts to stay—yet Howard Zhang was still inside.
I rushed into the lobby. With a creak, the door to the room Madam Bone had just entered opened. My eyes widened as Madam Bone stepped out again.
"Which room did that woman just enter?"
Madam Bone glanced at me, a faint smile rising at the corner of her mouth.
"Young man, people shouldn't harbor evil thoughts. This inn is meant for ghosts. This road is dangerous—there are always accidents. Madam Bone has watched over this place for years, and it's the first time I've seen a living person come in!"
I nodded hurriedly.
"Is Howard Zhang in a marked room, Madam Bone?"
Madam Bone shook her head.
"Young man, you carry such heavy Bloodbane. You should leave quickly. Since you arrived, the dead, lifeless guests have all grown restless. That young man just now—I'm afraid he's beyond saving."
"Madam Bone, can you help me? Are you the owner here?"
Madam Bone let out a raspy laugh. Suddenly, the room twisted—the once smooth, pale walls became mottled and ancient, the furniture rotted, dust thickened on the floor, and cobwebs choked the corners. Even Madam Bone’s face contorted: her skin peeled away, revealing a grinning skull wrapped in tattered cloth.
I held my breath, but didn't look away.
"You've got strong nerves, young man. Soulbound Inn has twenty-one floors, each warped by the ghosts who once stayed here. I don’t know which room Howard Zhang is in, but remember—each floor above is home to stronger, more twisted spirits."
I nodded.
"Remember well, young man—if you don’t escape Soulbound Inn before dawn, there’s no hope left for you…"
I ran into the corridor, the floor groaning beneath me. I saw row after row of decrepit rooms, knocking on each door one by one. Fear gnawed at me, but I had to find Howard Zhang.
Room 101 opened. With a nervous heart, I waited as the door swung open. It was a man, his figure transparent, but he didn't look frightening.
"Can I help you?"
"Sorry to bother you, sorry to bother you."
After that, I knocked on every room on the first floor. The ones who answered all seemed like spirits, not ghosts. I went up to the second floor.
Strangely, the layout of the second floor wasn't like the first. It was circular, with only six rooms. Two of them were open, but when I looked inside, they were empty.
For the remaining four, I knocked on the door of Room 201. After a long while, no one came to open it, so I knocked harder.
"Damn it, who is it?"
The door was suddenly yanked open. The figure was still somewhat transparent, but there was a faint yellow hue. The ghost before me was disheveled, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
"Sorry, sorry, I knocked on the wrong door. My apologies."
I quickly nodded and apologized. Fortunately, this ghost only gave me a strange look before turning around and closing the door. I was so scared I stumbled back several steps.
The ghost's back was completely sunken in, and the back of its head looked as if something had crushed it, the whole area caved in. The flesh behind was mangled and bloody.
Still shaken, I looked at Room 203. I raised my hand, and the door swung open.
"Young man, come in and have a seat."
It was Sophie Sun—a ghost, her beauty laced with menace, long hair veiling half her face, her gaze both seductive and predatory.
"Sorry to bother you, miss. You should go back and rest." I turned to leave, but her icy hand gripped my shoulder.
"Hey, since you're here, why not come in and sit with me? Keep me company. Don't you think I'm beautiful?"
The female ghost clung to me. I forced a smile and tried to pull her hand away.
"Maybe next time, when I have more time."
I removed her hand, thinking that was the end of it. But suddenly, she spun in front of me, both hands wrapped around my neck, pressing against my chest, trying to push me into the room.
I shoved the female ghost away.
"Miss, I really have something urgent... you—"
She didn't respond, just lowered her head. I quickly started to run, but with a sudden motion, her arm stretched out like a rope, wrapping around me and pulling me back.
"Let go!" I shouted, but the female ghost just laughed, a chilling sound.
"I'm not letting go. What are you going to do about it?"
I struggled furiously, but she had me tightly bound. I felt myself being dragged into the room bit by bit.
I fought with all my strength. Vaguely, I saw a surge of black energy erupt from my body. With a snap, I broke free, and behind me came a piercing scream. The female ghost fled back into the room, slamming the door shut.
Staring blankly at my own hand, I saw a faint black mist lingering there. What was it? But I couldn't worry about that now—I needed to keep knocking on doors.
"Uncle Qingyuan, stop knocking." A young boy's voice sounded behind me. I turned and saw my cousin's son. I walked over.
"Dad's in 619. I tried to warn him, but he threw me out."
I patted the boy's head and sighed.
"Let's go."
I went upstairs. Each floor had a different layout, and the higher I went, the colder and gloomier it became.
When I reached the sixth floor, I was shivering. Following the room numbers, I arrived at Room 619. There was a jar placed at the door—I picked it up and put it in my pocket.