Dimensional Hotel

(.)

Once the squirrel finally calmed down, it started explaining what had happened in the Black Forest to Yu Sheng and Little Red Riding Hood.

“She came in a few hours ago. At first, I didn’t even notice her—she didn’t cry or panic like most kids do when they first arrive,” the squirrel said, perched on Yu Sheng’s shoulder. It let out a weary sigh. “Maybe it’s her first time physically entering the Black Forest, but I’d bet she’s been having nightmares about it for ages…”

“Which way did she go?” Little Red Riding Hood cut in, her voice firm. “Show us.”

“This way,” the squirrel pointed with a tiny paw, then shook its head. “But it won’t help if you chase after her. That path leads too deep—no trail, no warm cabin lights, no protection. You’ll just run into packs of wolves…”

Little Red Riding Hood didn’t even pause to listen. She was already walking ahead. “We’ll see for ourselves,” she said coolly.

“Hey, wait—” the squirrel squeaked, bouncing nervously on Yu Sheng’s shoulder before lowering its voice. “You do realize your own condition, right?”

Little Red Riding Hood stopped briefly, turning her head a fraction. “I’m aware.”

Then Yu Sheng followed her into the deeper woods. The squirrel couldn’t stay silent—it hopped between Yu Sheng and Little Red Riding Hood, chattering anxiously. “This is madness! Marching straight into darkness without any light! The wolves’ll snap you up the moment they smell you. Even the Big Bad Wolf might show!

“At least take a breather! Or try to find the path or a lit cabin. Pull yourselves together first! Especially you, Little Red Riding Hood—you’re not stable yet…”

It suddenly stopped, staring at Yu Sheng. “What about you, grown-up? Aren’t you supposed to be her friend? Why aren’t you stopping her?

“Can’t anyone spare a thought for a poor squirrel? Nobody listens to squirrels anymore!

“Why is everything so hard for squirrels—especially adorable squirrels like me?!”

It threw its tiny paws into the air, screeching in frustration. Before it could get completely hysterical, Little Red Riding Hood plucked it off her shoulder, holding it fast.

“You’re too loud,” she said bluntly. “Keep it up, and I’ll toss you into those thorn bushes.”

That made the squirrel snap its mouth shut. After a moment, it muttered, “You can’t just give up on yourself like this.”

“I’m not giving up,” Little Red Riding Hood replied, her tone calm and measured. “Honestly, I’m more in control than I’ve been in my recent ‘dreams.’”

The squirrel’s eyes flicked nervously between her and Yu Sheng, like it wanted to ask something but didn’t know how. Meanwhile, Yu Sheng stayed at Little Red Riding Hood’s side, quiet and alert.

He was sensing the forest around them—feeling for small shifts in the air, for hidden blood connections, for the wolves’ movements, and especially for the Big Bad Wolf’s presence.

Faint howls drifted from deeper in the forest, echoing around them.

The last pale glow of dusk was long gone, replaced by a heavy darkness. Still, it wasn’t complete blackness; a thick, uneasy gloom draped the trees, carrying a cold, watchful air.

“They’ve noticed us… they’ve noticed us,” the squirrel whispered, twisting a dry pine needle nervously between its paws. “This is insane—we’ll be devoured in the dark! It’s a nightmare… a total nightmare!”

Yu Sheng narrowed his eyes, ignoring the squirrel’s panic. In the howling wind, he sensed something observing them. He could almost feel its gaze brush over him, like a hidden watcher peering through the trees.

But it stayed concealed. The Big Bad Wolf was waiting.

Yu Sheng kept track of that ominous presence, but he also noticed Little Red Riding Hood slowing her pace.

She was trembling.

“You okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” she said evenly. Her voice and face were steady. “You have to be on guard in the deeper parts of the forest.”

Yu Sheng studied her closely.

That unseen gaze in the woods lingered on her too.

He could feel the fear rising from her—a deep, powerful fear rooted in her childhood, magnified by the endless darkness. It seemed to saturate the air around her, feeding into the forest itself.

Yu Sheng moved closer, gently taking her hand.

She jerked in surprise. “What are you—”

“Don’t be afraid.”

She stiffened in embarrassment. “I’m not scared.”

“You can’t hide it from the wolf,” Yu Sheng warned, locking eyes with her. “It sees your fear. It’s watching you.”

She blinked, her eyes widening. After a moment, she asked quietly, “How do you know?”

He sensed her fear settle a bit at those words. The Big Bad Wolf seemed to hesitate as well, staying out of sight.

Yu Sheng focused, still tracking that distant presence. “Because my blood stained its teeth. It’s only a matter of time before I turn it into my prey.”

Little Red Riding Hood stared at him, stunned.

She didn’t fully understand. She wasn’t entirely convinced. But her fear subsided, if only by a little.

That was enough.

Yu Sheng released her hand.

He couldn’t really blame her for being afraid. In the Black Forest, fear went far beyond normal emotion—especially for her. It had become a curse, tied to her earliest memories. The giant wolf haunting her here was nothing less than an embodiment of that terror.

No wonder the children cursed by these fairy tales struggled so hard to break free.

From her shoulder, the squirrel looked at them both with a complicated expression. At last, it said quietly, “She’s been to the depths before, you know… Most Little Red Riding Hoods face that darkness. That’s where it usually begins.”

“Shut it,” Little Red Riding Hood muttered, her voice oddly subdued.

“Did the ‘lures’ off the path trick you?” Yu Sheng asked, his curiosity piqued.

She walked on, head lowered, without responding.

“What else could it be?” the squirrel sighed. “Flowers, mushrooms, weird shiny trinkets—at first they look harmless, but end up being bait for the wolf’s claws and fangs—”

Little Red Riding Hood glared and raised the squirrel threateningly. “I’ll throw you into a thorn bush.”

“Don’t feel bad,” Yu Sheng said quietly. “I’ve been tempted off the path before. Grown-ups aren’t immune to these traps. Just last time, I nearly wandered away if the squirrel hadn’t warned me.”

She glanced at him in surprise. “You? You got lured away?”

It was the same tone she’d used when she first learned he ate normal food—like it was beyond her imagination.

He suspected she was thinking something rude about him but had no evidence.

“It’s normal,” he said, shrugging. “What was it that tempted you?”

She kept her mouth shut, as though she’d rather not remember. Even the squirrel, normally bold, decided to say nothing.

“Fine,” Yu Sheng said at last. “If you don’t want to talk about it—”

He stopped in mid-sentence. Little Red Riding Hood stopped, too.

Up ahead, a shape loomed in the thick forest.

It wasn’t the child they were hunting.

It was a cabin.

“No—don’t go near it!” the squirrel gasped, its fluffy tail shaking. “Something’s wrong. This can’t be right…”

“It looks just like the cabin I saw before,” Yu Sheng said softly. “The shape is exactly the same.”

“It might look the same, but it isn’t!” the squirrel cried, voice quivering with fear. “There are no lights! A real cabin in the forest would glow with lamplight or a hearth. It should fade away if it’s pitch-dark. This—this is wrong. Really, really wrong…”

Yu Sheng and Little Red Riding Hood exchanged a glance.

Then, moving with caution, they took their first steps toward the dark, unlit cabin.

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation

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