I Became a Receptionist in a Haunted Hotel

As I handed over the keycards, I added with an encouraging smile, “Good luck! You’ve got this! I believe in you!”Some of the players, who were trembling moments ago, froze for a second at my words. Then, they glanced down at their keycards, straightened up, and marched inside with the determined look of someone heading to their doom.Under my direction, the chaotic crowd at the hotel entrance quickly turned into an orderly line.The boss seemed impressed. He came over and handed me a silver necklace with a delicate wing-shaped charm.“When your shift is over, press the wing down. It’ll lock into place, and you can return to the real world. Lift the wing up, and you’ll be back on the job. It automatically tracks your hours, so no skipping shifts or you’ll be in trouble.”I turned the necklace over in my hands. It was actually kind of cute.Unable to resist, I asked, “Can I still stay in touch with the outside world while I’m working?”After all, I didn’t know a single soul here. Withou

The elderly woman with white hair said, "Oh, my dear, you’ve arrived. Let me pour you some tea."She shuffled toward the coffee table with unsteady steps. Worried she might fall, I reached out to steady her.Suddenly, a shadow darted out, landing at her feet.I froze, staring at it.It was impossible to describe exactly what it was. Its entire body was blood-red, with no discernible shape. Its eyes locked onto me, its mouth opening wide as it let out a sharp, menacing screech.The old woman crouched down and scooped it up. Strangely, the creature seemed almost liquid, stretching out as she picked it up before curling into a ball in her arms.“Mew Mew, look at you scaring this young lady.”Only then did I realize that it was a cat.“Ma’am, may I pet it?” I asked, curious.Mew Mew let out a sharp, angry meow, its expression still ferocious, but somehow, I understood its message: “Foolish human, leave this room immediately!”The old woman patted its head and laughed. “Of course you can.”

Nana said she was determined to score straight A’s so her dad in heaven could see.After that, I went to another house and knocked on the door.An older woman answered, her face lined with age.I said, “Your husband’s last words were something like ‘bag, raisins,’ weren’t they?”Her eyes widened in surprise. “Yes, how did you know? But I already went through the bag and checked if there were any raisins but found none.”I replied, “He wasn’t talking about raisins. He meant research! He’s been so frustrated in the afterlife because you misunderstood him!”She stared at me with a puzzled expression, as if trying to make sense of my words, but then her face suddenly changed.She rushed inside, pulled out a bag, and retrieved a folder from it. The label read Biological Research Projects.As she flipped through the contents, a check fluttered to the ground. The number of zeroes on it practically blinded me.Her voice trembled as she said, “So that’s what he meant… That scoundrel… he was hid

What a heartbreaking situation.The room was still unbearably hot, scattered with dried flowers. The old woman walked over and placed her son’s black-and-white photo, small and delicate, next to her own larger memorial portrait.The silence in the air was deafening, broken only by her muffled sobs of grief.I remained silent for a moment before saying gently, “Ma’am, please don’t be so sad. I think… your son might already be in the game.”She abruptly looked up at me, hope flickering in her tear-filled eyes.I continued, “Earlier today, I saw a young man who looked very much like your son. But I can’t say for sure. I didn’t want to get your hopes up… I think, if it is him, he may have entered another boss’ room.”It was as if a spark of hope had ignited in her eyes. She gasped, breathing heavily, and clutched my hand tightly.“Really? Then I… I have to find him—” she said, before breaking into a violent coughing fit.The emotional toll was clearly too much for her frail body to handle

Because of this, the lucky players who managed to escape alive were left in tears, scrambling to use every connection they had to track me down.In just a few days, my name had become legendary at the haunted hotel.…When the hotel boss called me again, his tone caught me off guard.Practically begging, he said, “Please, I’m on my knees here. When can you come back to work? I can’t do this without you, and the hotel can’t survive without you either. If you don’t come back soon, I don’t think I’ll make it…”I glanced over at my mother, who was lying in bed.It had been a week since her surgery, and she was finally able to get out of bed without issue.I felt guilty for being away from work for so long. After all, I needed to make money to support us.So, I said, “Tomorrow. I’ll make my mom breakfast in the morning, let her know, and then I’ll come in.”The hotel boss eagerly agreed. “Great, great! I’ll be waiting for you. I’ve already taken care of all your benefits, so don’t worry an