The moment it became clear that strange monsters were present, the fragile sense of security within everyone snapped.
And then—at such a critical time—the power went out.
The entire hotel was swallowed by darkness.
Not a single finger could be seen.
Suddenly—
Panic erupted like wildfire.
"AHHH!"
A timid girl screamed, unable to hold it in.
"Did the monsters get inside? Help!"
"Run! Run, everyone!"
"Bozu, where are you? I'm scared!"
Chaos broke out.
The hotel manager immediately grabbed his loudspeaker and shouted, "Don't panic! Don't scatter! Take out your phones—use your flashlights!"
His voice carried across the entire hall.
At once, people fumbled for their phones and switched on the flashlights.
Hundreds of beams lit up at once, pushing back the suffocating darkness.
The tense atmosphere eased—just a little.
The manager let out a breath of relief before turning sharply to the head of security. "Captain Wang, take men to the main gate. Find out what's going on!"
Captain Wang nodded, taking two guards as he rushed off.
Moments later, he returned, face grim. "The main breaker hasn't tripped. The power lines are severed."
The manager's expression darkened. "What about the backup generator?"
"Already being started," Captain Wang replied. "But its output is low. If we power the whole building, it'll last only three hours. My suggestion—bring all guests down to the first three floors, cut power to the rest. That way, the generator should last until dawn."
The manager hesitated, then nodded firmly. "Do it!"
Their plan was sound.
Unfortunately, fate had other ideas.
A moment later, the hall lights flickered back to life.
The crowd exhaled in relief. The panic subsided, but only briefly.
Because then—
Crash!
The sound of shattering glass rang from the main entrance.
Everyone froze.
Thick, rolling black fog seeped through the cracks in the boarded doors, spreading into the hall.
Within seconds, the planks were swallowed whole.
"Hold the line! Don't retreat!" the manager shouted.
But his order barely left his lips when something yanked a wooden board into the mist.
The guard behind it was instantly exposed.
"AHHH!"
His screams curdled blood as the fog enveloped him. Blood ran in rivulets across the floor, flowing into the hall. Within breaths, the guard collapsed—face hollow, brain and organs completely gone.
The sight shattered what little courage the crowd had left.
Terrified screams tore through the air. Panic erupted into full-blown chaos as people shoved desperately toward the stairwell.
Hundreds crammed into the narrow staircase. Inevitably—
A stampede began.
"Don't squeeze! Don't push! Line up!" the manager pleaded, but his words fell on deaf ears.
In such blind terror, reason vanished. Survival instinct reigned.
Crash!
The stairwell window exploded.
A massive shadow leapt inside.
When it straightened, everyone saw its form clearly: a creature over two meters tall, shaped like a monstrous bat.
It had no hair—only wrinkled gray skin stretched taut over a skeletal frame. Vast wings unfurled behind it. Its scarlet eyes gleamed above a cavernous mouth, gaping wide like a basin filled with blood.
A devil.
"Ghost!" someone screamed.
The stairwell erupted in renewed panic. Those who had forced their way up moments ago now clawed desperately to get back down. But the way was already blocked.
Black fog advanced from the hall. A monstrous vampire loomed at the stairs.
They were trapped.
"ROAR!"
The beast lunged, snatching up the nearest boy with terrifying ease. It sank its teeth into his neck as he shrieked in agony.
"Help me! Please!"
But the crowd scattered. None dared approach.
Crash!
Another monster burst through the window, joining the slaughter.
Meanwhile, from the dark fog in the hall, colossal tentacles writhed forth, latching onto screaming victims and dragging them into the abyss.
Their cries ended in silence.
From within the black fog came guttural roars—monsters reveling in their feast.
"R-Ric… are we going to die?" Jitto stammered, pale, trembling beside Fenric at the elevator doors.
Fenric remained calm, though his brow furrowed.
The Bay Hotel was located in AH City's bustling center. If this place had fallen, then the surrounding districts were likely under attack as well.
Where had these creatures and this suffocating black fog come from?
And what about his father? Had he been caught in similar danger? Thankfully, he wasn't without protection—his Transformer companion could at least guarantee escape, if not victory.
As Fenric's thoughts raced, a sudden cry rang out.
A figure dashed forward, jade sword flashing, severing the life-stealing tentacles.
It was Yuhan.
[Chapter End]
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[Translator's Note:For those saying I'm begging for power stones—lmao.
First of all, I'm not. Second, I don't care whether the book enters the rankings or not.
With 10k+ readers of the book, even if I didn't say anything, the book will still be seen in the Power Rankings.
I'm only reminding everyone to leave one stone so we can keep the top spot, which lets the update rate stay at five chapters a day.
That's still better than getting just two or three chapters daily, right?]