Though the old man appeared nothing more than a frail, hunched elder dressed in drab, ancient clothes,
everyone present—including the bearded veteran—could feel the oppressive terror radiating from him.
Lin Yu felt it even more vividly, as though he were facing some hungry predator.
A fear that came straight from the soul surged up, instinct itself screaming a warning:
This old man… was a ghost!
Yet none of them dared reveal their terror.
Lin Yu glanced at the others: the punk's body trembled uncontrollably, the mature woman's fingernails dug deep into her palms.
But no one screamed or flinched.
They all understood—
Showing weakness now might mean instant death.
The elder's murky eyes swept across them. His face stretched into a grotesque imitation of a kindly smile.
Then he spoke.
"Cough, cough… Welcome, all of you, to the Yellow Springs Inn!
This old man is the inn's bookkeeper. By order of the proprietress, I've come to assign you your duties."
His voice was raspier than his cough, carrying an unnatural chill.
He coughed twice more before continuing.
"Cough… cough… But before you begin work, there are some rules of the inn you must hear!"
Everyone pricked up their ears at once.
The bearded veteran's warning echoed in their minds—what came next would surely be the "basic rules."
"First," the old man said, "whether you're at the front desk or the kitchen, you must do your work diligently. Slack off, and… hehe… the proprietress will not forgive you."
Lin Yu caught a flicker of something in the elder's eyes—fear.
Even this ghost was afraid of the proprietress!
It seemed she was not only stronger than him, but might strike even her own underlings.
Lin Yu quietly noted this down.
"Second," the old man continued, "the inn is old and fragile. Things break easily… If you damage something, you must pay the price."
He lingered on the word pay, his tone heavy with meaning.
Everyone understood: even breaking a plate here might cost them their lives.
"Third—do not offend the guests. The proprietress will not punish you for rudeness… but many of our patrons are quick-tempered. If they find an excuse to discipline you, the proprietress will not protect you!"
When he finished, the old man gave a chilling chuckle.
"Well then… any questions?"
The bearded veteran said nothing, and naturally the others didn't dare speak either.
The elder nodded in satisfaction and began his assignments.
"You there, the big one. Strong build, plenty of muscle—go to the kitchen and help Cook Meng chop vegetables."
He pointed at the bearded man first.
The man nodded. The elder gestured toward the open wooden door.
"Out the door, left turn—that's the kitchen."
The veteran glanced back at the others, his eyes saying take care, then stepped through the door.
Next, the elder turned to the mature woman.
"You'll clean the guest rooms. Out the door, turn right. Go to the storeroom and find Madam Zhang—she'll give you the tools and instructions."
The woman's face was deathly pale. She nodded stiffly, then, imitating the bearded man, walked inside.
Then the old man's gaze fell on the middle-aged man in the suit.
"You look educated… Go straight ahead, up to the second floor. Enter the room marked 'Bookkeeping' and wait there. I'll need your help balancing the accounts."
The suited man hurried to obey, quickly disappearing through the door.
Now, only Lin Yu and the timid, bespectacled girl remained.
The elder studied them for a long moment before saying slowly,
"Two tender little lambs… You'll serve as waiters in the main hall. Take orders, deliver dishes. That much needs no instruction, does it?"
"Go straight inside—the main hall is ahead."
He grinned at them then, his shriveled face twisting with malice, as though already savoring the moment they made a fatal mistake.
Being chosen last was terrifying enough.
Coupled with that sinister grin, even Lin Yu felt a chill in his heart.
Beside him, the little girl was shaking all over.
"Let's go."
Lin Yu tugged gently at her arm, steadying her trembling legs, and led her toward the wooden door.
They passed by the elder, stepped into the doorway, and entered a dark, decaying corridor.
Dusty firewood and broken junk cluttered the sides.
Ahead loomed a three-story wooden building, ancient in style—the main body of the Yellow Springs Inn.
A cold wind howled through the hallway, accompanied by faint ghostly laughter, making the girl nearly collapse in fright.
Perhaps to brace herself, she finally spoke for the first time, her voice trembling as she turned to Lin Yu.
"Um… what's your name?"
"I'm Li—"
She was about to introduce herself, but Lin Yu cut her off.
"No need to say it. I'll just call you Xiao Li."
"Same for me—you can call me Lin-ge."