Dimensional Hotel

Yu Sheng had considered countless possibilities for the favor Little Red Riding Hood would ask of him. He figured it would have something to do with the supernatural—after all, despite looking like a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, she was a professional “spirit detective.” Whatever it was, it had to be serious. Truth be told, he was a little excited. Since he also dealt with Otherworlds, this could be a great opportunity to learn something new from a “junior” in the field.

But there was also a nagging worry in the back of his mind. What if he couldn’t handle whatever she needed? If it was too tough, he’d have to find a way to muddle through without losing face.

Sitting in a cozy roadside café, Yu Sheng waited. Little Red Riding Hood was rummaging through her bag, and when she finally pulled something out, he blinked in disbelief.

She wanted him to help copy her math homework.

A massive stack of it.

He stared at the thick booklet of math papers in front of him, then glanced up at the short-haired girl across the table. His eyes went back and forth several times, his confusion evident.

This was, in a way, more daunting than battling monsters in an Otherworld. If it weren’t for the answers at the back, he’d be totally lost. Fighting entities, no matter how tough, was straightforward—you could die a few times and still drag yourself through. But math? If you didn’t know it, you just didn’t know it. Even if someone knocked him out and he woke up again, he’d still be clueless.

Foxy stood nearby, holding Irene, watching but clearly not understanding what was going on.

“You just need to help me copy this booklet,” Little Red Riding Hood said casually. “The answers are at the back, so your handwriting can be a bit messy. Just fill it up. Meanwhile, I’ll take Foxy to the mall next door to buy some clothes.” She paused, then added, “Oh, and I’ll need some cash. I don’t have much on me. After we’re done, I’ll bring back the receipts, and we can settle up.”

Yu Sheng opened his mouth, trying to find the right words. “Wait… so the favor is helping you with homework? Is that… appropriate?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” she replied, sounding slightly annoyed. “I’d already finished my homework, but it got torn up by an entity—and my teacher doesn’t believe me.” She sighed dramatically, but there was a twinkle of amusement in her eyes. “I was ready to pull an all-nighter, but since I ran into you…”

He grimaced. “My handwriting is different from yours. Even if I try to copy it, your teacher might notice.”

“Don’t worry about it.” She waved a hand dismissively. “They won’t look closely when they collect it. At least I’m making an effort. Some of my classmates just get someone else to do it entirely…”

“Alright,” Yu Sheng sighed, resigning himself to the fact that his expectations rarely matched reality. He stood up, pulled out his wallet, and handed it to her. “Take Foxy with you. If you have any questions, ask her. And take Irene. If anything happens, contact me through her.”

Foxy looked at Little Red Riding Hood, seeming a bit uneasy. But after hearing Yu Sheng’s instructions, she nodded slightly.

Little Red Riding Hood accepted the wallet, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “So you’re giving me both the person and the money? Not afraid I’ll run off?”

He was already flipping through the math papers. Without looking up, he replied, “Unless you plan to avoid every door for the rest of your life.”

Her smile faltered for a moment, a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth. “That’s… a bit ominous.”

He sighed dramatically. “This stack of papers is scarier. Ugh, I never thought I’d be facing high school homework again. Back in my day, we didn’t have this much…”

She quickly grabbed Foxy’s hand, backing away. “Well then, we’re off to buy clothes!”

Foxy blinked, then hesitantly lifted Irene and waved at him—though her other hand was firmly held by Little Red Riding Hood.

Even from several meters away, Yu Sheng could see Irene baring her tiny teeth in a silent grimace.

…

Passing through one isolation door after another, navigating a maze of safety airlocks, Song Cheng felt as if he were venturing into the belly of some colossal beast made of steel and concrete. The stark corridors echoed with his footsteps, the air thick with anticipation.

After several rigorous checkpoints, he finally reached his destination.

At the end of the brightly lit underground corridor stood a heavy alloy gate. Fully armed Special Bureau guards stood on either side, their stances rigid. Intricate patterns adorned the gate’s surface, so elaborate they seemed to swirl if you looked too long. Above it, a green light emitted a reassuring glow, displaying the words “Deep Dive Zone – D Dive Port.”

Song Cheng took out his ID card and swiped it on the scanner marked “Customs Inspection.” As the gate slid open, a shimmering, distorted light greeted him. Stepping through, he entered an expansive hall filled with large, cube-like tanks arranged in neat rows. Each tank, about three meters square, contained a pale blue liquid that seemed to glow softly. Beneath each was a complex black metal base, humming with latent energy.

Technicians in white uniforms moved briskly among the tanks, checking readings and adjusting equipment.

As he stepped forward, a momentary dizziness washed over him, followed by a ringing in his ears. His headset chimed softly: “Entered D Dive Port. Current Deep Dive Zone located at Paning-III Station. Average depth: Level Unknown. Environment: Stable.”

Shaking off the lingering sensation, he spotted a familiar figure ahead—a man in a white uniform, his long gray-white hair tied back in a sleek ponytail.

“Director!” he greeted, approaching Xu Jiali with a hint of surprise. “You came personally?”

Xu Jiali turned, his pale, colorless eyes meeting Song Cheng’s. “Given the unprecedented circumstances, I thought it necessary. Your team is ready.”

He nodded, glancing at the six tanks nearby.

Within each, a deep diver was being lowered by mechanical arms. They wore sleek black power armor, faces concealed behind fully enclosed helmets with dark red visors that flickered with streams of data. Each carried a compact reactor pack on their back, powering mental shields and specialized observation equipment.

Suspended in the pale blue liquid, the divers descended slowly. Moments later, a faint humming emanated from the black metal bases beneath the tanks, growing steadily louder, filling the hall with a resonant vibration.

A voice over the intercom announced, “Configuring ‘Deep Sea’ environment. Personnel, prepare for descent. Umbilical connections ready, awaiting manual command.”

A technician monitored the controls, eyes fixed on the fluctuating readings. After a few tense seconds, he called out, “Initiate umbilical connections!”

Staff moved swiftly, inputting commands into each tank’s interface. From the depths of the liquid, black metallic tendrils emerged, resembling spines with glowing segments of dark red light. They snaked through the fluid, attaching seamlessly to the chests of the divers.

“Umbilicals connected. Inducers injected. Beginning descent,” the announcement continued.

The liquid began to ripple, transforming before their eyes. It was as if each tank now held a fragment of a vast ocean, the water undulating with unseen currents, shimmering with ethereal light.

The next moment, all the deep divers vanished from Song Cheng’s sight, leaving only the “umbilical cords” connected to their power armor, still floating in their original positions. These cords gently swayed in the liquid, as if indicating that the divers remained within the chamber—just no longer visible to those outside of it.

“Do you think this will work?” Xu Jiali asked softly, his gaze distant. “What will they find?”

Song Cheng hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “The inducer allows them to enter the spirit realm. It’s effective for certain Otherworlds, especially those accessed through thoughts or dreams. But Nightfall Valley is… unique. We’ve yet to find a stable entry point. At best, they might catch a glimpse. With the recent anomalies—even the numbered passengers are uncertain. I fear they may return empty-handed.”

Xu Jiali nodded thoughtfully, his expression unreadable.

He was about to elaborate when a sudden, piercing alarm blared, sharp and jarring against the backdrop of humming machinery.

“Contamination detected!” a technician shouted, leaping into action. “Initiate emergency retrieval!”

The emergency stop was activated. The tanks drained rapidly, the luminous liquid disappearing in seconds. Sparks flew from the umbilicals as they disconnected, and the divers reappeared, collapsing onto the tank floors. One tore off his helmet, retching violently. Another stumbled to the tank wall, pounding on the reinforced barrier, his muffled voice urgent.

Song Cheng and Xu Jiali rushed over.

“We reached the end of the passage!” the diver gasped, his voice distorted through the barrier. “There was a light—no Nightfall Valley, nothing! Just… just math problems! Massive ones! They were everywhere! It’s all huge, freaking math problems!”