Dimensional Hotel-Chapter 194: Angel Umbilical Cord

The moment the words ‘Umbilical Cord’ left Yu Sheng’s mouth, he noticed an unmistakable, strange expression on Little Red Riding Hood’s face. It was as if the term struck a chord, but she couldn’t quite grasp why.

She furrowed her brows slightly, murmuring, ‘I feel like… this isn’t the first time I’ve heard that term.’

Yu Sheng nodded gravely. ‘The first time I encountered it was when I was researching the records of the ‘Coming of Age’ operation seventy years ago at the Special Affairs Bureau. I mentioned it to you when I got back. One of the Deep Divers who returned to the real world kept muttering about two things before he died: ‘the crying of a baby’ and ‘Umbilical Cord.’

Little Red Riding Hood took a deep breath as Yu Sheng’s gaze fell once again on the ‘Umbilical Cord’ resting inside the small box.

Why did Old Zheng have this thing? What was the nature of this so-called ‘Umbilical Cord’? Whose Umbilical Cord was it? And how did it connect to the ‘Fairy Tale’? Answers seemed to hover just out of reach, fragments of thought swirling in his mind. He tightened his brow, struggling to assemble scattered clues into a coherent whole.

After a moment of hesitation, he spoke. ‘If this ‘Umbilical Cord’ is truly connected to the Dark Angels trapped in the ‘Fairy Tale’…’

Little Red Riding Hood couldn’t help but shiver. ‘That’s… quite a disturbing thought.’

She hesitated before speaking again, still uncertain. ‘The problem is… Old Zheng was just a regular collector of strange objects. At most, he knew a few minor tricks for self-protection against supernatural forces. But something as dangerous as the ‘Angel Umbilical Cord’… even the Special Affairs Bureau would find it explosive. How did it end up in his hands?’

Yu Sheng remained silent, his mind drifting back to the ‘Spirit Ring’ he saw in Old Zheng’s bedroom—the one that, when touched, revealed a black tendril emerging from a crack in the ceiling, swaying through the air as if searching for something.

Pondering this, he mused aloud, ‘What if the ‘Umbilical Cord’ wasn’t something Old Zheng found? What if the Dark Angels gave it to him?’

Little Red Riding Hood’s expression grew more peculiar, until it twisted into a bitter, complicated smile. ‘Old Zheng… Old Zheng…’

She looked at Yu Sheng with a resigned, wry smile. ‘Do you remember those crude ‘Spirit Runes’ Old Zheng made? Amateurish, clumsy—even a beginner would call them poor craftsmanship. Yet with those runes alone, he somehow established contact with the Dark Angels—the very beings that Heretic Cultists would sacrifice everything just to glimpse. And now, this ‘Umbilical Cord’… You know how ironic this is, right?

Those Angel Cultists treated Old Zheng as a disposable tool, even killing him because they thought he would ‘contaminate’ their deity. Yet, by their own logic, Old Zheng might have been the true God’s Chosen of ‘Anka Aila’—at least, in terms of his closeness to the Dark Angels, he was far beyond any of those fanatics.’

Yu Sheng sighed and closed the box. ‘For ordinary people, being inherently connected to a Dark Angel isn’t exactly a blessing. The things those Angel Cultists desperately pursue are nightmares that normal folks wouldn’t dare to touch.’

Little Red Riding Hood nodded toward Old Zheng’s nephew. ‘We’re taking this with us. If you find anything else suspicious among your uncle’s belongings, contact us immediately.’

She pulled out a small notepad and jotted down an address, handing it over. ‘You might have nightmares over the next few days—that’s a typical reaction after being exposed to a ‘Pollutant’. The contamination is minor, so there won’t be any lasting effects. If the nightmares persist, go to this address and find a doctor named Lin. Just say Little Red Riding Hood sent you—she’ll know how to help.’

The young man nodded hurriedly, taking the note. ‘Thank you. I’ll remember.’

After leaving Old Zheng’s house, Yu Sheng and Little Red Riding Hood walked down a quiet alley, the wooden box still in Yu Sheng’s hands.

‘When we get back, I’m heading to the Black Forest again,’ Yu Sheng said, weighing the box in his hands. ‘I’ll take this Umbilical Cord and that bullet Hunter gave me last time—see what happens.’

Little Red Riding Hood shot him an exasperated look. ‘You know every move you just listed breaks at least half of the Spirit Realm Detective’s safety protocols? If you were an ordinary detective, you’d have died at least a dozen times by now.’

Yu Sheng chuckled. ‘Even as an extraordinary detective, I’ve died a good few times already.’

Little Red Riding Hood smacked her forehead. ‘Right… forgot about that.’

Yu Sheng took a deep breath, gazing at the sky. ‘Alright, that’s enough for today. Time to head home. Want me to walk you back?’

‘No need,’ Little Red Riding Hood replied, a hint of a smile on her face. ‘I’ll take the Shadow Wolf Path with my pack—run off some steam.’

‘Alright. Take care.’

‘Got it—bye!’

The ethereal Phantom Door swung open in the living room of Wutong Road No. 66, and Yu Sheng stepped through, instantly returning home from another district. As he entered, he immediately spotted three Irenes huddled around a computer—one furiously typing on the keyboard, one whipping the mouse around with uncanny speed, and the third intently studying the minimap. Nearby, Foxy was meticulously hanging freshly washed tails one by one on the balcony’s clothesline, her silver-white tails shimmering brilliantly under the sunlight.

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Seeing this familiar, mundane scene, Yu Sheng relaxed, casually hanging his coat on the nearby rack and calling out to the busy Doll and Fox, “I’m back.”

“Benefactor’s back!” Foxy was the first to rush over, circling Yu Sheng a few times in sheer excitement. “Did everything go smoothly?”

“Smooth as always,” Yu Sheng replied, slightly dizzy from the Demon Fox Maiden’s energetic twirling. He steadied her with a hand and glanced at the array of tails hanging out to dry. “You’ve been washing your tails pretty often lately—and it’s always such a big ordeal.”

Foxy replied with complete seriousness, “It’s winter—cold and dry. Tail maintenance is important. Plus, when they’re all clean and fluffy, they’re perfect for cuddling while sleeping!”

Yu Sheng couldn’t quite understand. After all, even if Foxy meticulously cared for her tails, they would just end up launching as missiles in battle—and she could regrow them whenever needed. Was it really worth the effort? But seeing the happy and earnest expression on the Demon Fox Maiden’s face, he decided not to question it further. Cyber Fox Immortals were just like that…

One of the Irenes broke away from the group and approached Yu Sheng, looking up curiously. “What’s that in your hand?” she asked.

Yu Sheng hefted the wooden box in his hands, his expression growing serious. “If I’m not mistaken, it’s the ‘Umbilical Cord’ of the Dark Angels.”

The three Irenes froze in shock. The sound of being killed blared from the computer speakers, prompting two of the Irenes to frantically hammer at the keyboard in a desperate attempt to resurrect while vehemently cursing the game developers.

The Irene standing in front of Yu Sheng took a half-step back, eyes wide. “What?! You brought that home?!”

Bending down, Yu Sheng opened the wooden box to let her take a look. “I found it among Old Zheng’s belongings. Before coming back, I visited his nephew again. I suspect Old Zheng had strong ties to the Dark Angels trapped within the ‘Fairy Tale’ and didn’t fully trust the Angel Cultists. So, after acquiring this Umbilical Cord during a ritual, he hid it. Now, it might be the key to solving the Dark Angels’ ‘Anka Aila’ mystery.”

As Irene saw the shriveled Umbilical Cord within the box, a hint of instinctive revulsion crossed her face, despite being immune to mental contamination. After listening to Yu Sheng’s explanation, she raised a skeptical eyebrow. “You’re not planning to pickle it in wine, are you?”

Yu Sheng’s eyes widened. “…What?”

Seeing his reaction, Irene’s face grew more complex. “You’re seriously not planning to soak it in alcohol, right?”

With a wry smile, Yu Sheng defended himself, “Do I really seem like the kind of guy who eats everything? I’m planning to take this to the Black Forest and see how the ‘Subset’ of the Fairy Tale reacts to it. Hopefully, I can figure out the state of ‘Anka Aila’ and, if possible, identify its weakness.”

Irene blinked and furrowed her brows. “Honestly, maybe you should just pickle it instead.”

Yu Sheng stared at her, incredulous. “Is my plan really that unreliable?”

“It’s not about reliability,” Irene countered, suddenly growing serious. “Have you considered the possibility that bringing that ‘Angel’s Umbilical Cord’ into the Black Forest might accelerate the awakening or escape of the Dark Angels? It’s risky.”

Yu Sheng frowned thoughtfully. “You’re right. There’s a risk. That’s why I’m preparing to sever the Umbilical Cord’s connection at any time. But we’re just too short on information about Anka Aila to ignore this lead.”

Seeing his resolute expression, Irene’s own worries eased, but she still couldn’t help but ask, “Are you sure you can sever its connection? You’re not exactly an expert in sealing techniques.”

Yu Sheng pondered for a moment, his face growing serious. “If all else fails, I’ll just eat it.”

For a moment, little doll was completely stunned. A few seconds later, she leapt up in disbelief. “…So you really are planning to eat it?!”