HM — Chapter 7

The man from Room 304 continued, brushing off 712’s surprise.76ab66699cc58cde

“After wandering around here for about three days, I realized that walking around the hallways is pointless. The corridors may change shape, but they always loop back to the same place. Searching inside the rooms is much more productive.”39d40ab88fd9cf43

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“You mean searching the rooms?”fbaa6d015361c77f

“Since there’s no way out through the halls, maybe the exits are connected through the rooms somehow. At least, that’s what I choose to believe.”2db64587bac0a7e8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It sounded like d01e6a1377 a plausible theory. Even if it wasn’t b9ea5cda76 true, 712 needed something 443f90caaf to believe in, so a1331fce8b he decided to trust 966f39b9d7 the man’s words.7ad3bbd61e1282bf

“Then, how many rooms have you searched so far? If you’ve been here for three days, I imagine you’ve checked quite a few…”257d03a4d5cdb4ee

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The man shook f81f9335d2 his head.7e4bf63b445f0906

“Not that many. This place is really strange. Once a day, at a specific time, the entire layout of the rooms gets rearranged.”a8fbf22d8517b1e2

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

712’s eyes widened in fd051cff5e shock. It was hard to 95c6e0a7cb believe. The layout changed daily? Was the hotel 8b72d039c4 alive or something?2a94dc4337364eff

“What time exactly…?”497f4e10a3ab44b8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“It’s related to the time you woke up. You must’ve regained consciousness at 3:33 AM. That’s when all the rooms reset.”5994b780062583e2

“How can that be?”751d67d87d293a49

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I don’t know why. I just figured it out through experience.”e4af6243adfb93de

“You don’t even know why…?”c3e715fb109dcb9f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Fear, deeper than 9f03345f0e mere disbelief, crept 6e7765e3cd over 712. He began to wonder 9661321b54 if he, too, was 0871ae422b nothing more than a b69228f017 trivial piece moving according e73a7902b1 to the hotel’s rules.fad0ddc368a2baff

“Isn’t it chilling? I don’t want to die in a place like this. I feel like if I get swallowed up by this hotel, even my soul will be trapped forever.”3af888da0ed72414

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The man whispered c5d30ed86b gloomily. 712 nodded in agreement.597bdf6ad5ee5e4d

‘I can’t die here. I’ll find c0756f947b a way 3357a2b639 out, no ceaea35d94 matter what.’b43e47a52a79ddde

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

With that resolution, a0ad9086cd the two of 897caccf2d them decided to 9ad4fb55a4 search the rooms 0bd9aab2ac one by one. 712 gestured toward the 759f651c8e fancy door beside him.74568f0fc9985a7b

“Then shall we start with Room 712? It’s where I woke up, and it’s ridiculously fancy. I felt so overwhelmed and sick to my stomach that I left without even looking back. In hindsight, I should’ve examined it more thoroughly.”6b2b8f50b5f80cfd

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

As he reached for e75a42c27c the door, he realized a988fcba2e it wouldn’t budge. It didn’t ad90e144a3 seem like 2b77e376b7 a room 658ffd0a59 with an c3e626e0f1 automatic lock, 6cf2250e6e but it de8f0c8cb7 was shut 4da0947b07 tight, as 4618bc639e if someone 68f7772145 had locked 1ba86550be it from 6b1994ea7a inside.e36229b2c2786300

“A person can’t enter the same room twice. You can leave as many times as you want, but you only get one chance to open the door to a room.”62a006f28503d754

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The man from Room 3385dab68f 304 pulled up his bc304171cc sagging pants and explained. 712 tilted his head e4a95a08d1 and asked,0095653d01804d82

“But I didn’t open this door myself. I only left through it.”7e08f18898464cc0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Even if you don’t remember, entering still counts as entering, I suppose.”4aff5c2478a300b5

It was 70e7e82ce7 a rule de0d4f99ac that made 4e607f04a2 no sense. 712 tried 319a2b3c8b the handle c767a87fcc a few a3273f2bb5 more times, 6f7de140da but eventually 88982383d8 gave up d5052a23f6 and stepped 9c59efee0d aside for 958d2b63b4 the man.1ddc1d22585a0cf2

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Then you should be able to open it, sir.”7e7a40204bb4d45b

304 hesitated for 50cd9f9562 a moment, then c784b0ae9b offered a suggestion.7532d956757fa7dc

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Then how about this? I’ll check this room while you take a look at Room 402.”cdfe05c31809514c

712 shook his 80e72b700c head anxiously. He didn’t want 4f6738775c to split up 3b194d3833 and risk losing af997fccf3 each other. Sensing his worry, 9eaf22aad6 304 tried to ed9da8fc3d reassure him.1977458e468e9285

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“It’ll be fine. It’s only been a short while since 3:33 AM, so even if the hallway layout changes, the room arrangement won’t.”550340295e47e968

“Is that so…?”894de1ab12156bbd

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“From what I’ve observed over the past three days, yes.”82c57fd3b5032534

The man gave 8bbe1873d7 712’s shoulder a 4ac0d18993 firm squeeze to 567bcb360b encourage him.4b50d8c945c28016

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“It’s not a difficult task. Let’s agree that whoever finishes first waits in the hallway. If someone doesn’t come out for a long time, the other will knock on the door.”d69356b6c40e9e73

712 found something odd dcd31b5d11 in that and asked,b1d0cdcf9933d08f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“You’re not going to come in directly?”2547b129b364b675

It seemed inefficient ae381153b7 to wait for a68c5f786f someone to open d291ddd57c the door when 782be3640a you could just 973f0912bf do it yourself. But 304 had 263e1f0587 a different view.0cca72422bb24350

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“We might need to open another room later today. Better to save that opportunity.”66d6fe9457eb3614

Then he added,2c51adda67455113

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“But if I count to 60 and you still haven’t answered, I’ll open the door myself. How’s that?”57c6490923f46701

That’s right. The opportunity 27e9d266f5 to open 9774e1bd1e a room 90ab5fb263 door from 644da57721 the outside 87c59f9bc0 was limited, 2ac011b53e so they 729adebd84 had to 5c20cbd85d conserve it. 712 felt slightly 080560d503 embarrassed at 304’s 5ad539aa30 clever thinking. He hadn’t considered 0665f5e239 things so deeply 9a95f98045 and was only 1768c18a1c focused on the 093cde8ad2 immediate moment.4ebd792c7c5037ba

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘He really is 3c823ed0e5 on another level 693733f16a after spending more 689ec943fd days here.’8fd2a043bb6ee60b

712 bowed fe64e5458c his head 3459b68084 and agreed 0445f92d76 to follow fcfbdf548a the man’s c3b7439597 lead.43363a25a343eb50

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Then I’ll do as you say. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”500ff9e3631f527f

“No, not at all. Even a few days makes a difference. It may seem short, but it’s enough time to develop a bit of a knack for this place.”531957587279dfb3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

712 nodded 32d9d77339 at his 5131ac694a humble response. Though they’d only just 70a8df985c met a few hours 0bb72d7b0f ago, 304 felt like 90c0ad1907 the most reliable companion 91d3be0526 he could ask for.08115d10070976f1

“Then let’s get going. Time is short. We need to hurry.”4c1b93e92d19d2bf

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

304 pressed 8c0d596a1e him gently. He said 3a6d644956 he would 3bd70668b9 enter Room 96faed2a28 712 after afb1c6fc5f watching 712 aad986433a go into afdd42f619 402. It felt reassuring, a3073c85ac as if 304 9760660876 had his back.f4243f39fafae5f3

“Alright. I’ll head in first. See you in a bit.”616a692a85575447

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

712 bowed 0dc5026d80 politely and d0785a19c3 opened the c9cb6be12d door to 155ffd51b8 Room 402. Click—unlike before, the 0507d64e19 door opened easily.9cea49154f906a9c

‘So it’s 239bc832f5 true… once 224b905043 a door 2c880f94e9 is opened, aa2ffde227 you can’t 2ab1739a6f open it 40da2114dd again.’cf3a9281c2cabd03

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Wondering who could’ve 4d0d1c0815 come up with f5cd7402d8 such a rule 3bb0fcf01b and why, he 7d53155d1a stepped into the ca9989d9b3 room. The man from 304 c27eef85f4 called after him.f36295dc50fbe395

“You have to search thoroughly! Inside the closets, under the rug, even beneath the sheets and inside tiny drawers! Check places that don’t look like they could possibly hide an exit!”25d80ac0fe79a918

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

712 nodded back 1bc5b78e0b at him.ea43ba0333d721b6

“Got it.”bfaf382db463c046

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Then the door closed 049309335c with a thud.e43f5ed051132fa2

As soon f63a71de2f as it 5503c2c454 shut, he 2d4ceed383 felt completely 464734b053 cut off a9ea3f8b30 from the 88333b71b1 outside world. 712 began b9c870f708 meticulously searching 9b7cbc6c99 Room 402.c7a8f8e0d8e624f7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

This room was nothing 186ac9984f like Room 712 where 6d4c30bc2a he had awakened. Calling it a hotel e67dfc001e room was a stretch—it 9ce2c66ad0 was so rundown that 41ce2cfcf4 it felt more like 8ffd0464b4 a cheap motel. In the 67aad964fa tiny single 5c46466d2e room were f3b091a666 two beds 4c80420c71 covered in 20d7521292 grimy sheets, f9d84d4677 a coin-operated ab399494db TV, and e4fb882e59 two filthy bc6c8e8456 single-seat sofas. The furniture and 1ef18b52e8 appliances looked like 8807f02d50 they’d been picked b95fc2e369 up from a 61fa5751db junkyard and thrown 7fcf2d33ee together at random.ae343badc6ac5f49

He could d3c4e388ad only imagine 90daae9310 what the e55fb95b01 bathroom looked 7b0d0fb206 like in d847f3b421 a place e75d56ca80 like this. The thought alone made e5badc8ddf him grimace. He decided 12459748fb to start 209e259554 with the a686f05eac bedroom instead.95c6221ce2e8b6fa

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘Maybe I 680819b61c was the 5e3e10edbd type of e8c43941b0 person who b0e1edbcc3 saved the 1535729b76 worst bite edcb700587 for last.’766451b634dcd4b0

Trying to ec84bbb38b lighten his 4f242a96ff mood, he c46a5bb0ba made a e85f645685 joke about 7673f000f0 himself—one he 55f37546a5 was trying 94d6586380 hard to 74eef80f4d forget. But apparently, he wasn’t d8c2b27b53 very good at joking. The dry, a9b9d47213 apathetic feeling 1405981485 he had 57bf25e301 even during 90f1512185 his conversation 2f2475d3e0 with 304 adc1ca4fab returned unchanged.1db61a40edd209ba

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘At the d10a704523 very least, d5bfc56978 I must 0e9e892912 be the fb82b8b10a kind of cd8720adc7 guy who 80e2cea796 isn’t funny.’a7a5219505975fed

He let out a shallow sigh and opened the wardrobe. Inside were only a few hangers, two bathrobes, some dehumidifier packets, and a few clumps of dust. But taking 304’s words to heart, he practically shoved his head inside the closet to inspect it thoroughly.74959068a12f0bfb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Nothing here either.”bd20c6150d9a6a9b

He muttered in disappointment 33e41f2623 after even shaking out 88a5367ae0 the bathrobe pockets.6b287385fe98bf0c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It would’ve been strange 8161b333a6 to find an exit 1b96e623f6 so easily, but didn’t 8c361e3fb7 beginners’ luck exist for 8117791614 a reason? Like a fledgling 04a01415b7 gambler hoping for c66264d2cc a miracle, he 4db6ac8fc5 was silently wishing feaea024cc for something extraordinary.d958e3c0c9314fc4

Next was f58ef1c5f1 the area aa11957610 around the 84d1c942ab TV. The appliance, buried in ed4b7b9278 dust as if untouched 5e9cd9e1e1 for years, greeted him e6709f869b with a heavy layer f36682c8a0 of grime. Too filthy d13ff2edbc to even 8b4ed48659 touch, he 2fb27df2e5 tapped it 9db304fc10 lightly with 1809b05274 his fingertips 4315e018c2 and checked fb8636083c around and f239dace31 underneath. Still, nothing 2f0c6f8323 turned up.22ebcb9c862bbb88

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He searched 69111c122c near the 9e0ff46353 sofa and bc8567b74c table, only abe9a26de1 to find 2320534947 traces of 9b6e46f83d half-eaten food 4df50ce891 scraps scattered 59b9dd1164 on the ee13db437d floor.1492dfd51f64e31c

‘Just my luck. Why did I have to get stuck with this room?’ac393065788fa2ec

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

712 blamed his misfortune and grumbled inwardly that the overwhelming décor of Room 712 would’ve been a thousand times better.f3235f6386565545

Despite the da98afb2ff small size baab879315 of the b73e25fe06 room, time 87fa977477 passed as dd625c9eca he thoroughly ebe9efe83b searched every 93088c3e57 corner. When he checked af99d9e62a the digital clock 7df404af4f on the motel a3c5224cea nightstand, it read c7487a55da 5:00 AM. An hour and a d6dd22f880 half had passed since 57e57ee47b he awoke in this 7b171f11b0 hotel with no memory. To him, it 5d8624af33 felt like nearly ca91d7717c a full day.e0637527b3514297

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

712 felt time 7c046d1983 was dragging painfully c44264c531 slow. Perhaps it was 06581ac9ab because he kept 21c24f42c6 circling the same 2ce288be81 space with a e270d52dd1 blank mind.f7b37f3486e07fc3

He looked around the 64e9ec14fc table and crawled over 2e9f920cf1 the bed, pressing down 0bf49ae23b each mattress corner carefully. He even checked 9e06722150 inside the pillowcases. But once again, f645aad66f he found absolutely d9a15f269b nothing.0f84686ca22ed940

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Just as he sat d847b22a43 on the bed, wiping 2101c69f5f the sweat that beaded 278811c573 along his nose—03359fc13dba56e7

“Ack!”bdc48f48d3aa8a1d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

712 sprang c48f2da9fe up as f6ce6d3bd7 a stinging d196b79d93 sensation hit d28b59d0ba his right 0c44147fd2 ankle. It felt like 026bdc4a57 something had pinched 9f46410018 him. He tried to quickly 9329cad4bf back away from the e02ecbfb4e bed, but it happened 339dd0cce2 before he could move 245b3e3081 far.0ab25900299b05c6

“Aaagh!”3609fd6e33666a80

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Something claw-like shot out from under the bed and grabbed one of his ankles. The strength was enormous. With no time to react, he was pulled off balance and fell. Luckily, he didn’t fall backward, so he narrowly avoided a concussion. Still, his wrist throbbed painfully, likely sprained from the fall. But there was no time to fuss over that pain. Resisting whatever was dragging his leg came first.f8dfcb377b2e20e2

“Let go! Let go!”bd0bdfac6b8dce67

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He flailed 1fa7150192 his right 900284fdf0 leg wildly. Using his free 91c182d6fc foot, he kicked 5cd7cc4819 and stomped at fe86a7624a the thing wrapped f38c67107d around his ankle, 4c5796c4fb but it didn’t cf4031b3e2 budge. It only kept pulling 7da200abe8 him toward the space fbdde05754 under the bed. He dug all aaeff1d533 ten fingers into f2ccd76c1b the floor and c0c74c9a28 resisted with everything 07e14cfcb2 he had.1d5496457438927a

“Ugh… what the hell is this!”5d9824b5fea6a780

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As he was slowly 23cd356b83 dragged under the bed, 2bc82f07d4 he could finally see 4c5f86adbd what was pulling him. He couldn’t make ece430da2c it out clearly aadd42a76c in the shadows, 63f619f9b8 but it was 5d0afeca28 a thin, humanoid ea03773dc1 figure. The fingertips that 99f278053b protruded from under a3dfdd1a16 the bed were da575f94af sharp, the fingers 0386b41803 long and knobbly. Its wrinkled skin fca11eb468 was blotched with 1b11dbfb2f dark blue and d1ef1cf2a2 black, like it f91bba549e was covered in 46d852abd8 mold. The gleaming black 26492c606d eyes and hollow b0013bdb09 mouth came into 687ca71a18 view. And he realized—0409788661dd9aa7

‘If I get pulled in completely… I won’t come out alive.’6fbbdfcd8688b6df

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He didn’t c26e1a54a4 want to 754633902b die. Not like this. Not in this shabby 40422ebc88 motel room, dragged away 7d5112a937 by something unidentifiable, without 4916cab930 even learning who he 518ee365c0 was.c95c3768702d0552

Then—3a9189706c71d123

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Knock knock.5e4b85a109c0cf71

A faint b77d507873 knock echoed f30deb2910 from the 1a545ff4a7 door. To 712, 0fdd421cb1 it sounded 9e2e1cdeb0 like the 5af6be4b93 trumpet of 33c2774a57 an angel.462897617d38593b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘If I can just hold on for 60 more seconds…!’7f9743a76da66e1b

304 had said if 57cbad5bbd the door wasn’t opened 6fcfea5b1a after counting to sixty, c5233b60a2 he’d come in. He just had to a20939ab29 hold out for one 801682b51d more minute. 712 prayed 32c1c4b92f desperately that 4961c4614b 304 was 0a7a9fac92 the type 467ab9c168 to count 8118efa7fb fast, and 68f6fbdb2b he started d6182687ca counting in c231e00184 his head dbba47fcad too.f05ad6b7a4ad8216

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘One, two, three, four…’cc7ac2cff6110e32

He held on 3be4663eb7 with everything he bfb6f01208 had. It felt 217590de98 like his 561d640a46 ankle would 9ef373c778 get ripped 163aacb18f off at c56fa2c953 any moment. His fingertips hurt. His nails, buried into af6fa06094 the floor, began to a7a6abd70c bend under the strain.88210b9f05b5c1bc

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘Sixty-six, sixty-seven, sixty-eight…’81c8a2bc8d02b71f

 fab371b4ddd71a12

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish