Volume 1, Chapter 2: The Inn of Calamity

The surroundings were eerily silent—so silent it was almost terrifying...

Lin Xi felt the small figure behind him, who had initially kept a polite distance, gradually press herself against his back.

He hated this feeling. He never liked anyone standing behind him, especially not in such a dangerous environment, and certainly not this close.

Even though the person was a beautiful girl, Lin Xi didn’t dare to lower his guard for a moment. Yet, he didn’t try to shake her off or turn around to look at her either.

He was afraid that if he turned his head, he might see the skinless fat man who had wandered into the mist behind him. However, the faint sound of breathing and the sensation of the petite figure touching his back gradually dispelled his doubts.

They moved quickly, and since the inn was not far away, the group soon arrived before its dark red wooden door.

The petite girl’s trembling voice whispered, “Is that... blood on the door?”

Lin Xi said nothing. Instead, he slowly reached out and knocked on the wooden door.

Creak—

Before his hand even touched it, the door slowly swung open by itself.

Cautiously, Lin Xi peered inside. The others behind him also craned their necks, trying to see through the darkness.

Without any light inside, all they could make out was a sign hanging above the door that read “Calamity Inn.” Beyond that, everything else was shrouded in shadow.

Unwilling to give up, Lin Xi patted his pockets again. Just like when he had searched for his phone earlier, he found nothing—no light source, no tools to illuminate the darkness.

He took a couple of steps forward, then turned his head cautiously to scan the group behind him.

The sudden movement startled everyone.

Seeing that the number of people and their condition were as expected, Lin Xi let out a heavy sigh of relief.

“Do any of you have a light?” he asked.

They all patted their pockets and shook their heads in unison.

Lin Xi sighed helplessly and turned back toward the door.

In such a strange place, without light, no one dared to enter.

He wasn’t the only one afraid—everyone depended on light. Without it, many of their abilities were greatly suppressed.

To blindly rush in would be tantamount to courting death.

As they pondered what to do, the inn’s door suddenly blazed with a blinding white light from within.

Almost instinctively, Lin Xi shut his eyes tightly and raised his left hand to shield his face, while his right hand rose in front of his chest in a defensive posture.

Though he reacted quickly, the glare still temporarily blinded him.

From behind came a chorus of curses; Lin Xi realized he wasn’t the only one affected.

After two or three seconds, he slowly opened his eyes.

To his shock, everything before him had changed drastically in that brief moment.

He glanced around and realized it wasn’t the surroundings that had changed, but their location.

At some unknown point, he and the seven others behind him had all been transported inside the inn’s lobby.

The wide-open wooden door now stood firmly shut behind them.

“Welcome, esteemed travelers, to Calamity Inn,” said a portly man standing behind the reception desk. He wore a server’s uniform, but the name tag pinned to his chest was stained with blood.

Everyone turned toward the voice, gasping in shock.

The petite girl quickly covered her mouth, but it was no use; repeated dry heaves escaped from her throat.

Lin Xi was equally horrified upon seeing the fat man.

This was someone they all knew—the same fat man who had jumped into the mist to escape and rolled off his own skin. Now, his body was a writhing mass of dark red fat, tangled muscles, and grotesque veins, as repulsive as one could imagine.

Ignoring their reactions, the skinless fat man placed a booklet on the counter.

“Dear travelers, this is the inn’s check-in guide. Please read it carefully.” He gestured politely.

Terrified beyond courage, the group dashed toward the door.

No matter how hard they pushed, the seemingly worn wooden door did not budge an inch.

Watching this, Lin Xi stood still and scrutinized the skinless fat man once more.

He took several deep breaths to steady his churning stomach.

Holding his breath and focusing, Lin Xi briskly approached the counter and snatched the booklet from it.

Fortunately, the fat man smiled the entire time and made no attempt to stop him.

Only when he was ten steps away did Lin Xi finally regain his breath. Though a faint metallic scent of blood lingered in the air, it was much less intense than near the fat man.

Seeing no way to escape, and recalling the task clearly stated on the bus—that they were to stay here for five days—the group gathered around Lin Xi.

They all wanted to see what was written in the strange booklet the monster had given him.

[Survival Rules for Purgatory — Calamity Inn Edition]

First, we sincerely welcome you to Calamity Inn.

This manual fully adheres to the survival rules of Purgatory. Everything within Purgatory operates according to these guidelines.

Since this is your first time in the Purgatory world, this booklet will introduce its nature in as much detail as possible.

1. Not all creatures in Purgatory harbor absolute malice.

2. There is more than one way to survive in Purgatory.

3. Travelers are strictly forbidden from killing each other.

4. The sole mission in Purgatory is to survive.

Please remember these rules. This manual will appear only once, regardless of whether you survive. Strive to live, travelers.

After the last person finished reading, the booklet turned to ash in Lin Xi’s hand.

“Would you like to book a room?” the skinless fat man asked at just the right moment.

“There are only four rooms left. Hurry if you want one. After dark, our boss won’t entertain guests wandering the lobby,” he added with a sinister smile before anyone could respond.

Lin Xi was the first to speak. “Can we stay without money?”

The fat man chuckled, “Traveler, you must be joking. How could you possibly not have money?”

His words left the others utterly confused.

Before, the fat man had been just like them—a traveler. He must have known whether they had money or not. So what did he mean by saying that?