Chapter 44: Room 104, Cursed Room – ‘Preparatory Selective, Hotel High School’ (4)
[User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
Date: Day 18
Current Location: Floor 1, Room 104 (Cursed Room – Preparatory Selective, Hotel High School)
Sage’s Advice: 3]
Day 3.
Checking the schedule, I saw it was PE time.
Initially, I thought, “Eh, isn’t it just going to be some ball games or something?”
Instead, I focused on how I should prepare for the test after class. When the teacher, who came in midway, said we wouldn’t have a test today either, I felt a wave of relief. The teachers still suspected Eunsol-noona, and until they had a plan, the testing seemed to be on hold.
So, today, we were chatting about taking it easy and maybe brainstorming our escape while letting our brains breathe in the chat tab.
And then, whoosh, the triathlon began.
BAM!
“Stamina is national power! Do you think sitting at your desks and staring at books will raise your marks? That’s delusional! Exams are like war! What do you think fuels us in battle? That’s right, stamina! The best sports for building stamina are swimming, cycling, and marathons. Boom!”
The fake Cha Jinchul stood on stage passionately declaring the importance of stamina.
“If it were up to me, I’d completely overhaul your abysmal fitness levels! But hey, I get it. You can’t just exercise all day. Still, I believe if you don’t push yourself at least once a week, you’ll struggle with long-term goals like college entrance exams. All~ the other amazing teachers agree!”
Where exactly in this bizarre school were those “amazing teachers”?
“First things first, we only have an hour of PE, so let’s warm up with some jogging. After class, gather on the field! Heard ya! A rather unpleasant incident happened yesterday. I admit, I made some mistakes, so I apologize. Hence, there will be no exams today. Instead, you’re in for a mini-triathlon that I specially prepared to boost your stamina. It’s happening, folks!”
After that, the fake Jinchul just rambled about how we’d be doing a shorter version of swimming, cycling, and running for the triathlon.
A long, exasperated sigh escaped me. Why do they seem so eager to creatively torture us? The direction things were headed was just as predictable as a sitcom plot. Those who come in late would probably be shipped off to the Old Main Building again.
I casually pondered our remaining student members.
Me, Songee, Elena, and Ahri.
I didn’t mean to sound boastful, but I didn’t think my stamina was below the average level for seniors. Elena, being an aspiring actress, was likely one of the fitter girls, and Ahri was more than capable of handling this physically.
The real issue was Songee. Just looking at her, she didn’t seem fit at all. Her Inheritance wouldn’t mean anything in this senseless stamina battle. With over a hundred people on the field recording times, what good would tricking a single person with her abilities do?
Songee seemed to be thinking the same thing.
Yu Songee (Student): Mentally preparing!
Lee Eunsol (Teacher): Think it’s going to be tough?
Yu Songee (Student): Yup. I’ll conserve my energy and drop out. Not too shabby. I can gather some intel from a different angle compared to Jinchul-oppa.
Gathering information.
Of course, if someone had to go to the Old Main Building, we should at least collect some data. Still, the thought of losing another person sent a chill down my spine. How many would escape this time? I absolutely did not want to be the last one standing again at the Mansion of Fear.
In the midst of these thoughts, I realized we wouldn’t be having tests anyway, so the lesson time passed by just like that.
WHAM!
The triathlon kicked off.
As soon as swimming began, the atmosphere in the gym quieted down.
Despite being NPCs, weren’t they just like any typical high schoolers?!
I had seen more than a few boys visibly tremble around Elena and Ahri. I mean, there were even some goofy guys who wouldn’t hesitate to bring Songee coffee from the canteen every break, leading us to wonder how long it would take for someone to confess. Songee herself was within what most would consider “reasonable” high schooler looks, but Elena and Ahri, well, they belonged to a completely different world.
So alien were they that every time they walked into the classroom, the students parted like the Red Sea. Splish, splash!
That made our little strategy meetings super easy. Any spot we picked to sit would clear up, leaving us a nice bubble of space around us.
But the swimming pool… and swimsuits?
Honestly, that might be a bit too extreme for high school minds! Sure, I thought I was used to their looks after rolling around in that Hotel hellhole, but seeing them in swimsuits hit me right in the feels. Not just the boys, even the girls were left staring, mouth agape.
Besides, Elena seemed to revel in the attention around her—she’s going to be an actress, after all! Meanwhile, I couldn’t even picture Ahri being shy about it.
As a result, the swimming pool ambiance turned into one of those fancy photoshoots where onlookers stood gaping.
Amusingly, even the fake Cha Jinchul, meant to orchestrate the triathlon, was caught off guard, staring at Elena like a deer in headlights. I mean, even the real Cha Jinchul quivered in front of her…
Wouldn’t it be more productive if we just spent the time ogling Elena and Ahri until it was time to head back to the dorms?
Surely, refreshing our eyes would be better than aimlessly participating in a triathlon of questionable use for entrance exams, right?
CRASH!
Sadly, reality intervened as the fake Cha Jinchul snapped back to consciousness.
“Cough cough! Looks like the spirits are high, huh? You guys! I know the excitement is bubbling with everyone here at the pool, but remember, we didn’t come here to prance about. Now, let’s dive in order, starting with Class 1!”
And thus, the triathlon commenced.
SWISH!
The joyous, lively atmosphere of the swimming pool had vanished. Our previous eye-candy break, tenfold more productive than the pointless triathlon, was gone, and all that awaited us was a hellish ordeal.
Is there really such a thing as “swim or be dragged off to the Old Main Building and face death”?
Yes, I was really flailing my arms like a swimmer on caffeine.
Why the heck did these high schoolers in this twisted school have such insane stamina?! I really wish the Hotel would hold some realism in these aspects. K high schoolers are practically weaklings in stamina!
JERK!
Breathlessly counting down my laps, I darted out of the water, glancing around.
What was my rank? Holy smokes… Barely above average, it seemed!
Considering we were touted as a prep school, how in the world did these kids manage to ace swimming while keeping up with their studies?
I didn’t even want to waste energy cursing it all.
GASP! I pushed breathless to the bike section.
Honestly, I expected cycling to be more manageable.
What kind of country is Korea? Let’s face it, it’s not really a cycling paradise. I figured most K high schoolers would struggle with riding a bike properly, right?
But boy, was I mistaken about the high schoolers from the Hotel!
EHHHH?
My lungs felt like they were on fire, and we hadn’t even started the marathon yet. I had no intentions of competing for first or second place in this absurd triathlon—and just aimed for averageness—but this was making even that seem far-fetched!
With only the last lap ahead, I was pretty sure I was inching toward the dregs, closer to the last ranks.
Wait, high schoolers are supposed to have such bad stamina? Am I in some sort of bizarre alternate reality? How does this even work, Hotel freaks?!
THUD!
Then I caught sight of someone I didn’t want to see.
Songee was right in front of me.
What was going on here?
I felt a shocking jolt of confusion for a second. Was I really that unathletic, so out of shape that the high schoolers of the Hotel were normal compared to me, making me look worse than a regular girl in the high school category?
AH HA!
As I zoomed alongside her, the realization hit me. She was still dripping wet from swimming—like seriously, her swimsuit!
She wasn’t in front of me because she was faster; she was so much slower that she’d just reached the cycling part.
Taking into account that the girl students began before the boys, Songee…
DING It clicked. She had absolutely no intention of passing this triathlon.
At that moment, Songee just put her bike aside, leaving the track.
She was clearly signaling that she had checked out of this race and wouldn’t mind whether they shipped her off to the Old Main Building or not.
Based on how winded I was feeling, even with my decent stamina, Songee had zero chance of surviving among these fit Hotel high schoolers. Her decision to save her energy was probably the smarter play if she was just going to flop anyway.
FOOTSTChapter: …
I practically shuffled to the finish line, barely managing to complete the triathlon. Luckily, while I hung near the bottom markers in cycling, I managed to claw my way up to the middle rank during the marathon—a minor victory, ensuring I would live to see another day.
The standout point was that Ahri nearly grabbed first place, considering the boys started later. I had learned she was aiming to become an actress, so sure, she seemed to have more stamina than most, but coming close to first was exceptionally impressive among these monster-high-schoolers!
Thousands of thoughts raced through my head, and I remembered Songee saying Ahri could probably fly! In that case, losing to average folks in something as trivial as a performance would be the real curveball.
At last, the torturous triathlon ended, and it was time for the reports.
Yu Songee (Student): I can keep my mind intact. I will observe without objection.
*
The essence of Songee’s plan differed sharply from Jinchul-hyung’s: she wasn’t ever planning to fight. By periodically utilizing her Inheritance to protect her consciousness, she wanted to comprehend what was genuinely unfolding at the Old Main Building.
Perhaps this information might not directly aid our escape, but hoarding it for when we can finally unravel this mystery could be essential.
Yu Songee (Student): Heard something akin to voices, lights…
Yu Songee (Student): Exceptionally beautiful…
Yu Songee (Student): Almost felt like I was losing my sanity—a being akin to an angel or fairy. I shall dub her the Guider.
Yu Songee (Student): Descended into the basement. Packed full of people. The Guider is being revered.
Yu Songee (Student): …
Yu Songee (Student): These individuals appear to be the original faculty and students of this school. They seem to represent the “originals.”
Yu Songee (Student): The Guider delivers a peculiar sermon.
Yu Songee (Student): This earthly existence is a playground of suffering. No need to hold onto attachments. The ascendance is approaching. The Lord looks upon us, bringing salvation. Shed your skins of trivial worldly attachments, weak hearts, and wicked thoughts. Combine them all into your outer covering, and return to purity. The Lord has prepared paradise for us.
Yu Songee (Student): Feeling my limits…
Yu Songee (Student): Final report. The “fakes” sent from the Old Main Building are referred to as “skins” here. This isn’t merely to deceive anyone; it’s an essential part of their beliefs. Shedding the skin is key to salvation. Can’t take it anymore. I’m going to challenge the Guider.
*
The reports wrapped up.
*
[User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
Date: Day 18
Current Location: Floor 1, Room 104 (Cursed Room – Preparatory Selective, Hotel High School)
Sage’s Advice: 3
Teammate Location Information (*)
Yu Songee: Dead]
Songee has met her end.
Well then, let’s sort through what we learned. As anticipated, she did come back with a treasure trove of useful information.
1. The real nature of the Old Main Building
→ It’s a place truly occupied by a bizarre religious sect.
2. The reason why killing five is inconsequential.
→ The majority of the people within the school had already been “substituted.” With hundreds of students in this school, that meant, naturally, there were at least hundreds in the Old Main Building!
3. The rationale for substituting and dispatching fakes.
→ According to their beliefs, it’s about the process of salvation. They must discard their human “skins” before being chosen by the Lord to enter paradise. The “skins” are precisely what we recognized as fakes. What happens to the original body post-shedding? That question remains a mystery. Do they genuinely arrive at a paradise? And if they shed their skins, do the originals lose their bodies? Jinchul-hyung had the original Seungyub once, so… This is all so perplexing.
4. Just what is the Guider?
→ It’s unclear. An extraordinarily beautiful entity with supernatural powers.
We learned so much but–feels kinda unhelpful right now. Our priority is to escape, and this info will be handy for when we return to resolve the chaos in this room.
Lee Eunsol (Teacher): Strange. Shedding worldly desires for enlightenment? This feels reminiscent of Buddhism…
Kim Mooksung (Teacher): Let’s analyze outside. Cha, with strength, and Yu, with Inheritance, both dead. Winning isn’t feasible; our true goal is escape.
Lee Eunsol (Teacher): For now, we should attempt to escape school.
Han Kain (Student): There’s plenty of security, always on alert.
Lee Eunsol (Teacher): The students are the focus of surveillance. The teachers can move freely.
Kim Mooksung (Teacher): How about I drive while the students hide?
Lee Eunsol (Teacher): Got a car?
Kim Mooksung (Teacher): I pocketed the principal’s keys earlier.
Lee Eunsol (Teacher): Looks like you’ve been quite the model citizen.
Kim Mooksung (Teacher): That’s harsh.
Kim Ahri (Student): STOP. When can we be ready?
Kim Mooksung (Teacher): Now’s our chance while the iron’s hot. Tonight!
*
The first escape plan was drawn up.
Having stolen someone’s car keys, the teachers would drive off to sneak past the guards while students hid in the back of the car.
On face value, it seemed foolproof. The guards would never trouble a teacher’s car, right?
Though I couldn’t shake off the nagging worry. Our party’s power landscape had already shrunk dramatically.
Now that Jinchul-hyung was gone and Songee’s departure had taken away our “Diverse Perspectives,” it felt piercing.
Shall we hold on to hope that Ahri reveals some mysterious strength we haven’t seen yet?
*
That night, we bore witness to the most “overwhelming power” we had seen since arriving at the Hotel.
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