With that, the three women rushed downstairs to Zhao Rong. "Big Brother, let's just go to that haunted hostel," one said. "We'd rather be strangled by a ghost in our sleep than die from vomiting in this disgusting hotel!"

Hearing this, Zhao Rong snatched back his 2,000 yuan, throwing the receipt in the receptionist's face. "A disgusting place like this charges 1,000 yuan a night with a 5,000 yuan deposit? This place is garbage. We're not staying."

When she saw them actually leaving, the receptionist flew into a rage. "You bunch of paupers! You're really going to turn down our fine hotel for that haunted dump? Fine! Just you wait! In the middle of the night, after you've turned off the lights and fallen asleep, a ghost's hand will reach out from under your bed and scare you to death!"

Seeing how snobbish she was, even calling them paupers, the group immediately retorted. Lili stepped forward and pointed at the receptionist's nose. "So what if we like the thrill of a haunted hostel? What's it to you? Piss you off, doesn't it? Good!"

Yu Lan was even more direct, taking out her phone and snapping pictures of the hotel's interior. "Just you wait. I'm going to post these pictures online and spread them everywhere so everyone can see what a dump this place is. After this, not a single person will ever come to your hotel again! You just wait to go out of business and starve!"

Xuelian took it a step further. Pulling a can of pepper spray from her pocket, she sprayed it right in the approaching receptionist's face. "We don't have time to get our hands dirty with a snob like you," she said.

Before Xuelian could finish, the receptionist collapsed, clutching her eyes and screaming. "Damn it! You people are vicious! If you don't want to stay, just leave! Why did you have to spray pepper spray in my eyes? It hurts so much! I'm dying! I can't take it..."

Seeing the once-arrogant woman now writhing on the floor, Zhao Rong and his friends exchanged a smile and walked out of the Wish Hotel.

After leaving the Wish Hotel, the group circled back to the haunted hostel. To their surprise, the old sanitation worker was still out front, sweeping the ground. Zhao Rong approached him. "Sir, it's so cold and late. Shouldn't sanitation workers be resting by now? Why are you still sweeping?"

When the old man saw them return, he said in surprise, "Why didn't you stay at the Wish Hotel I recommended? Why come back to this haunted place?"

Recalling its state, Zhao Rong replied, "Sir, that place you recommended was filthy, chaotic, smelly, and disgusting, and the staff was incredibly snobbish. We'd rather stay in this haunted hostel than that other one."

The old sanitation worker shook his head helplessly. "You young people never listen to your elders, and you'll pay the price. If you stay here, just be prepared to be scared to death in the middle of the night." With that, he took his broom and headed home.

Watching him leave, the group didn't give it a second thought and walked toward the legendary haunted hostel across the street. When they arrived, they were taken aback. To their amazement, its name was literally "The Haunted Hostel."

Zhao Rong scratched his head in astonishment. "Holy moly, that's bizarre. Does the owner not want any business? Naming your place 'The Haunted Hostel' is basically telling people to stay away."

The assistant shuddered. "Look at this place. There are no electric lights at the entrance, just a single, glowing red lantern. It's so creepy and sinister."

Lili pointed to a mannequin standing beside the building. "And putting a mannequin out here in the dead of night is just terrifying." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Yu Lan gestured to the building next door. "Look, even the video hall is playing horror movies." Zhao Rong turned to see a blackboard at the entrance listing several titles: *A Wicked Ghost*, *Ju-on: The Grudge*, *The Ring*, *Hanako of the Toilet*, and *Silent Hill*.

Although the hostel's exterior was spooky and unnerving, the interior was a complete surprise. When the group stepped inside, they found it to be warm, comfortable, and inviting, and the receptionist at the front desk was very polite. A feeling of warmth washed over Zhao Rong. "Why does this place feel a bit like a Home Inn?" he remarked. "It's actually quite cozy."

The assistant, impressed by the cleanliness, gave a thumbs up. "This Haunted Hostel might be haunted, but the housekeeping is top-notch! Look, the floors are spotless, the tables are spotless... everything is immaculate."

Lili went to check out one of the rooms. Seeing that it was pristine, with a clean bathroom that had a toilet and a shower, she exclaimed happily, "I would much rather deal with ghosts here than stay in that filthy, disorganized Wish Hotel!"

Standing behind her, Yu Lan readily agreed. "Yes, let's stay here! It's so clean, warm, and cozy... it's wonderful!"

Xuelian walked up to the front desk. "Miss," she asked the receptionist, "how much for one night?"

A place this clean, warm, and bright must be at least 200 yuan a night for one room...

To her surprise, the receptionist replied politely, "A standard room is 50 yuan per night, and a triple is 70. And there's no deposit required."

When the group heard how incredibly cheap it was, they immediately handed their IDs to the receptionist, paid the fee, and checked in.