Chapter 231: The Town Where Memories Are Forbidden

Chapter 231: The Town Where Memories Are Forbidden

The light in the sky gradually dimmed as the red-skinned little train traveled through the streets bathed in the afterglow, stopping before the next attraction.

Lena hopped off the train and found that Attraction Six, "The Taxidermist's Factory," and Attraction Seven, "The Crown Hotel," were conveniently located next to each other.

Considering it was already late and, according to the rules of Fairy Tale City, the night might be more dangerous, Lena decided not to proceed further and planned to stay at the Crown Hotel for the evening.

She first visited the neighboring "Taxidermist's Factory."

The factory was not large, with only two floors connected by a long assembly line.

The conveyor belt, stained with blood, hummed as it operated. Above it, heavy and sharp iron hooks were installed at one-meter intervals, seemingly designed to hang the "products" upside down and transport them to the second floor for processing.

The iron hooks, clearly overused, were somewhat rusted at the top, but their sharp tips still gleamed coldly, reflecting a layer of indelible bloodstains when directly illuminated by light.

Although the factory before Lena no longer housed any skinners or victims, the blood-stained iron hooks, the conveyor belt marred with blood, the burlap sacks and ropes scattered in the corners, and the skinning knives in the product processing area on the second floor still offered a glimpse into the factory's once bloody history.

It wasn't difficult for Lena to reconstruct the scene in her mind:

Victims, either unconscious or struggling, were stuffed into burlap sacks, their mouths crudely tied shut like animals awaiting slaughter.

If there were many "products," they might be left hanging in the corner of the factory for a while, breathing in fear in the stifling sacks, the air in their nostrils tinged with the scent of blood—leftover from the previous victim.

The burlap sacks in the corner gradually decreased...

When it was someone's turn, they would be dragged to the side of the assembly line, hung upside down on an iron hook, and brought to the second floor in despair, accompanied by the dull hum of the conveyor belt and the pounding of their own heart.

Once lowered from the hook, the sack would be untied, revealing to the victim a long, blood-streaked knife and the grotesque smile of the butcher behind it...

Lena followed the scenic guide and toured around the first floor, then crouched on the conveyor belt to reach the second floor, where she visited a large iron pot, skinning knives, and other weapons.

The design of the second floor resembled a slaughterhouse, with a noticeable incline and drainage channels on both sides for washing away bloodstains with water.

At the bottom of the drainage channels, Lena saw a large clump of hair mixed with bits of flesh.

Despite the ground being thoroughly washed, a heavy scent of blood still permeated the entire second floor, as if it could coalesce into a crimson mist in the air.

Wandering through the faint blood mist, Lena eventually stopped before a forest of human skins.

Densely hung, these skins swayed gently in the breeze, emitting an indescribable stench.

It was clear that the skinners were skilled; each piece of skin had been removed intact, completely separated from the flesh. The thin, translucent skins fluttered in the wind, lightly touching one another, revealing clear skin textures in the light.

Lena, small in stature, carefully navigated around each piece of skin, making her way through the exhibition area.

Taking a few steps forward, Lena suddenly felt a sense of unease and turned back—

She saw the skins, as if blown by the wind, slowly turning toward her...

Toward Lena’s direction.

The hollow skins remained silent, their facial parts showing uneven undulations that vaguely outlined human faces.

They seemed to be looking at Lena, as if trying to convey a plea.

'Stay... stay.'

'Remain here with us in the factory.'

In a daze, Lena seemed to hear the whispers of human skin.

Stepping out of the factory, Lena sniffed at her arm and clothes, wrinkling her nose in disgust, feeling that the lingering scent of blood was impossible to shake off.

“I’ve finished my tour,” Lena found the staff member at the entrance, handing over her all-access pass, “Can you stamp it for me?”

“Sorry.”

The staff member paused, forcing a stiff smile: “Due to the special nature of this attraction, you can only collect the stamp the day after your visit.”

Lena keenly interpreted the deeper meaning behind the rule:

The town stipulates that visitors must complete the entire experience at each attraction to collect the corresponding stamp.

However, for “The Factory of the Human Skin Collector,” one must wait until the next day to be eligible for the stamp...

—This implies that the impact of this attraction does not end until the visitor leaves the factory.

Tonight, there would certainly be mortal danger.

Lena pondered as she reclaimed her all-access pass and entered the nearby hot spring hotel.

Before she even stepped inside, she noticed a red notice with black letters prominently posted beside the hotel door.

“Welcome to Crown Hotel, where we strive to provide a refined and secure environment for a good night’s sleep. To ensure you have a safe and enjoyable stay, please read the following rules carefully.”

“1. Due to resource constraints, the hotel will turn off the lights between 23:00 and 06:00 the next morning. Please make sure to be asleep during this period.”

“2. No ambient sounds are set up within the hotel. If you hear music in your room, immediately turn off all lights and remain still in the darkness until the music stops.”

"3. In the event of experiencing Rule 2, quickly forget the music in your mind and refrain from humming songs or tapping rhythms; otherwise, you will bear the consequences."

"4. The room is absolutely safe. If you hear unfamiliar breathing or footsteps at night, it is normal. Do not panic and continue sleeping."

"5. There is no room service in the hotel. Do not respond to any knocks on the door and do not let them know someone is inside."

"6. If you have already been discovered, remember that they cannot distinguish between the living and the dead."

Below these neatly printed rules, a few lines were hastily added in handwriting:

"7. There are no snakes near the hotel. If you see signs of a snake or hear its hissing, immediately seek shelter and try to contact the staff!"

"8. Recalling memories brings danger. This is a special warning: No recalling! No recalling! No recalling!!"

After reading what seemed to be newly added rules from a few days ago, Lena nervously pressed her lips together.

If she hadn't guessed wrong, she was probably the one who couldn't control her memories and inadvertently brought a terrifying monster into reality...

Her pale silver eyes lingered on the word "snake," and Lena felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, closeness... even reverence.

Could the monster she released be a snake, or something similar to a snake?

What did "snake" mean to her before she lost her memory?

Knowing herself, Lena didn't belong to the group of people who lacked self-control and invited death. Therefore, there must have been a special reason that made her uncontrollably recall "snake" multiple times.

For instance, the prototype of the snake was close to her; or recalling the snake had become a habit...

Noticing something gradually surfacing in her mind, Lena immediately shook her head, causing the two braids at the back of her head to swing rapidly in the air, successfully interrupting her thoughts.

No more thinking!

Maintaining her state of amnesia was her best choice for now!

Gathering her composure, Lena stepped into the hotel lobby.

The staff behind the counter, with a face marred by yellowish-green livor mortis, glanced at Lena with a dull expression and handed her a key to a single room.

"Room 444?"

Lena slowly read out the key number, unable to help but say, "Can't I have a luckier number?"

The staff ignored her, his unfocused eyes gazing vacantly into the distance.

With no other choice, Lena pouted and made her way up to the fourth floor with the key in hand.

Apart from the somewhat outdated facilities, the Crown Hotel looked much like any ordinary hotel in the material world, with dark red carpets lining the corridors and ceramic vases placed at the corners. However, the bouquets in the vases had long withered, leaving only grayish-green twigs and decaying leaves, with worms visibly wriggling in the rotting petals.

Finding the corresponding room number, Lena opened the door to find the interior surprisingly tidy, as if it were still being regularly cleaned.

First, Lena cautiously checked the bedside table, under the bed, inside the wardrobe, and beneath the desk, ensuring there were no hidden dangers. Then, she opened the window to let in some fresh air and patted the soft pillow and bedding.

Having completed these tasks, Lena finally relaxed, spreading the crumpled paper on the desk and staring at it for a moment before picking up her pen to jot down her new findings.

[Amnesia seems to be a self-imposed measure I took previously.]

[Reasons: 1. In a town where recalling is forbidden, amnesia can minimize danger; 2. My memories might have released a snake-like monster.]

Lena pondered, her chin resting on the pen, muttering to herself, "Back then, I must have thought that if the culprit of my memories was forgotten, the 'snake' would disappear too?"

"But now it seems to still exist intact..."

Recalling the circular tracks on the hill where the house stood, Lena shuddered.

At first, she speculated that perhaps once the memories of the townspeople materialized, they could no longer be influenced by their owners, even if those who remembered had lost their memories or died; the memories would not easily fade away.

But she quickly dismissed this theory.

From the clues, it was evident that Lena wasn't the only outsider to enter the town—had many people left behind materialized memories, and these memories never disappeared, the town would long ago have been filled with all sorts of strange things!

She had yet to encounter anyone else's materialized memories, which likely meant that "the Snake" was special.

It should have vanished with Lena's loss of memory, but it hadn't; instead, it remained hidden somewhere in the town...

Lena scratched her head in frustration. "This is really difficult."

Before her lay a dilemma with no clear solution.

If she remained amnesiac, the information at her disposal would be extremely limited; she wouldn't even know the original form or characteristics of "the Snake," let alone how to combat it.

But if she tried to recover her memory, she might disrupt the plans of her former self, plunging herself into another unknown and potentially dangerous situation.

"Knock, knock."

At that moment, there was a knock on the door.

A staff member's voice came from outside. "Hello, we have taken note of your earlier dissatisfaction with room 444. The hotel management has given it due attention."

"Please open the door so I can verify the issue and escort you to a new room."

Lena's eyelid twitched, and she immediately thought of the fifth rule—

"There is no room service in the hotel. Do not respond to any knocks on the door, and do not let them know there is someone inside."

So, she held her breath and feigned an empty room, planning to wait until whatever was knocking left.

However, the door was knocked on twice more.

"Knock, knock."

Still at that slow, mechanical pace.

"Guest, are you in the room?"

Pausing for a moment, the thing outside chuckled and answered its own question, "I know, you're in there."