we meet Leon again

The staff, dressed in pristine white attire, stood at the entrance with emotionless faces, scanning the three of us.

Their voices carried an unnatural coldness, reminiscent of machines.

"Please refrain from making loud noises," one of them monotoned.

Vivian's protest was abruptly silenced as I covered her mouth.

Confusion turned to terror, tears streamed down her face.

[Do not engage with those in white attire.]

I cursed myself as adrenaline coursed through my veins.

"Please refrain from making loud noises," the white-clad man repeated, his movements slow and deliberate.

Upon closer inspection, we noticed his scraped knees, stark white bones visible through torn fabric.

The eerie sound of fabric and bones rubbing together sent shivers down my spine.

Was there any way to break this rule? The rule…

"David, quickly! Dial 01 for the manager's phone!"

[If you've interacted with anyone in white attire, press 01 to connect to the lobby manager's phone.]

There was still hope. David fumbled with the phone's keys, while Vivian clung to my clothing, her hands trembling.

"Please… do not… make loud… noises…" The man in white suddenly froze, his head tilting with a metallic "clank" as it hung from his shoulder.

He mechanically repeated the same sentence.

As he departed, the door slammed shut, and it was as though nothing had occurred, except for the dark red stains on the carpet—a chilling reminder of his presence.

My legs turned to jelly, and I sank against the wall, perched on the edge of the bed, watching the two people in the room, exhaling a deep sigh of relief.

Vivian occupied the seat beside me, visibly shaken and quietly struggling for breath.

Across from us, David sat, methodically puffing on his cigarette, his expression obscured by swirling smoke.

The ambiance of this place exuded an unmistakable sense of danger, and a profound fear gripped me.

I couldn't help but wonder if I'd survive to witness the third day in this perilous situation.

As I contemplated our dire circumstances, the idea of seeking help from the outside crossed my mind—a potential lifeline in this menacing environment.

I reached for our cell phones, hoping to call for assistance, only to be dismayed by the complete lack of signal. It felt as if all communication had been deliberately severed.

With our last glimmer of hope extinguished, the mounting tension in the room intensified, giving rise to a throbbing headache. Desperate for relief, I reached for a painkiller and lay down on the bed, eventually drifting into an uneasy sleep.

My slumber was abruptly disrupted by David. Glancing at the clock, it read five in the afternoon, leaving us with a mere three hours before the restaurant closed.

We hurriedly tidied ourselves up and made our way to the elevator. This time, it operated smoothly, without any unexpected stops, and we reached the third floor.

The sign displaying the rules remained unchanged, and everything appeared exactly as it had before. The only noticeable difference was the absence of the bald man, replaced by a man named Leon.

Gesturing for David to remain at our table, I approached Leon, who donned a tall chef's hat and fixed an unwavering gaze upon us.

"Hello, would you like to try our delicious meat soup?" he inquired.

The mere thought of his hands sent a shiver down my spine, but I suppressed my disgust and politely declined, feigning disinterest.

Leon didn't press the matter further and shifted his gaze to Vivian, who stood there, seemingly entranced by his presence.

I discreetly pinched her and guided her away. After grabbing a few small bread rolls, I ushered her back to our table. Vivian remained in a daze as David and I quietly discussed our predicament.

It was impossible to forget that just yesterday, Leon had died before our eyes.

However, he had now taken the bald man's seat inside the restaurant.

David signaled me discreetly, and when I turned to look, I saw the bald man savoring his soup at the back.

This implied that those taken by the staff would be the next staff members.

Escape would be impossible unless we found replacements.

Buzz—

My phone vibrated, reminding me it was already six o'clock.

To ensure we didn't exceed our time limit, I had set alarms at each checkpoint.

"Let's move," Vivian urged, and we passed by Leon's window once more.

Leon's expression remained unchanged, with no acknowledgment of our presence.

The elevator resumed its journey.

3—

4—

4—

It appeared stuck on the fourth floor as the numbers blinked four times before slowly opening.

A group of well-dressed men entered in an orderly fashion, and as soon as they stepped in, I felt an unsettling chill.

These men looked as if they had just emerged from water, with droplets cascading down their pant legs. Soon, the elevator floor grew damp.

The water seemed deliberate, flowing only around them, steering clear of us.

David noticed the anomaly, gripping me tightly and signaling for Vivian to follow. We hastily exited during a brief pause on the fifth floor.

I couldn't resist a backward glance, and the leader of the men was crawling over his comrades, heading our way.