When I entered the guesthouse, I shed my wet clothes and cranked up the heater. Then I hopped into the shower. Hot water poured over me, thawing my frozen body with steam.

Since I didn’t have spare clothes, I wrapped myself in a blanket. Then I boiled some water and sipped it. I didn’t care how clean the cups were, but I wished there was tea to warm me up.

That made me laugh wryly, but my mind was racing to figure out how to meet Fred. I reached for the pamphlet and looked through the contact information. I dialed a few numbers, but no one answered. It seemed this business wasn't customer-friendly.

The middle-aged man I met earlier was my only hope. However, my hope faded as the night wore on and no calls came. I eventually dozed off.

In the middle of the night, I woke up with a fever. Wrapped tightly in my blanket, I couldn't stop shivering. My teeth chattered uncontrollably.

In my delirium, I desperately longed for a sip of warm water. However, I couldn't even summon the streng