The Horror Hotel

第14話 "Wha-what is that?!"

Lin Ze’s eyes widened as he stared at Jack’s corpse, which now had the unnerving, unblinking gaze of a freshly resurrected undead. The corpse creaked and cracked, a grotesque sound like bones grating against each other. It slowly stood up, its arms hanging limp, dripping with the green liquid that had once been the monster's digestive juices.

Tang Momo, still nestled in Lin Ze's arms, let out a high-pitched squeak. "Wha-what is that?!"

Lin Ze blinked, then sighed deeply. “Well, I guess our guest isn't quite as dead as we thought.” He scratched his head. “Maybe the 'undead' part wasn't just for show.”

The skeleton, if it could even be called that, moaned in a low, eerie tone. “Braaaaains…”

Lin Ze raised an eyebrow. "Jack... that’s the best you can do? After all that meat, you want brains? Honestly, it's like a pizza place running out of dough and serving up... more dough.”

Tang Momo winced, looking at the creepy figure with growing discomfort. "It’s going to eat us, isn't it? I mean, come on! It looks like it hasn’t had a decent meal in ages!"

Jack, or whatever remained of him, took a lumbering step forward, his skeletal feet making a sound like breaking twigs. He paused for a second, then shook his head in confusion. “Brains... or... meat...?”

Lin Ze couldn't help but laugh, his voice full of amusement. “Let me guess. You want more of that *special* black meat from the dump? It's probably the last thing you should eat, considering what it’s already done to you.”

“Brains!” Jack’s empty eye sockets flared with a gleaming red glow. He raised his arms, which hung too loosely at his sides, and tried to strike a pose. The effect was more "clumsy zombie chic" than terrifying.

“Oh, come on," Lin Ze groaned, "Not this again. I’ve already fed you a *ton* of meat. Now you want to go all *brains* on me? What’s next, are you gonna demand a hotdog?”

Tang Momo smacked Lin Ze lightly on the arm, now slightly more comfortable despite the eerie scene. “You’re just encouraging it! What if it attacks us?”

Lin Ze turned to her, his grin wide. “What? This guy? I think he might just be looking for a snack.” He patted Jack’s empty skull. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”

He snapped his fingers, and instantly, the undead figure froze, mid-motion, as if trapped in time. Lin Ze grinned. “You see, I’ve got this nifty little trick—no need for brains when you've got an *undead leash*.”

The skull let out a soft clatter as it tried to resist, but to no avail.

Tang Momo rolled her eyes. “I still don’t get it. This whole thing’s weird.”

“Well,” Lin Ze said, dusting off his hands dramatically, “the Ghost Hotel has all kinds of... unique features. You know, once you get past the undead chef and occasional resurrected body, it's just like any other hotel. Except we might not give refunds.”

Jack’s mouth opened one last time in an exaggerated yawn—well, as much of a yawn as a skeleton could manage—and his body collapsed, lifeless, back into the pile of meat.

“See?” Lin Ze said, holding out his hands. “No need to worry. Just another day at the office.”

“Uh-huh. Sure,” Tang Momo said, still skeptical. "Next time, can we just skip the resurrecting monsters part of the job?"

"Deal," Lin Ze said, tossing a wink her way. "But hey, at least we’re never bored. This place is a goldmine of weirdness."

Tang Momo sighed, rubbing her temples. "What’s next? An undead cat who wants to eat my shoes?"

Lin Ze smirked, an odd twinkle in his eye. "Not yet... but it's on the list."