The Haunted Cinema

The third act is also the final one, which took Allen by surprise. Moreover, he was astonished to find that the final script was not given all at once.

However, more than these unexpected elements, when the final act arrived, it provided Allen with crucial information.

That is to say—the specific details about the venue to which one returns after the film concludes: the Ghost Cinema.

What exactly is the Ghost Cinema? Could it truly be something created by demons from the depths of hell? According to the information Allen gathered, anyone who picks up a movie poster becomes an actor in the Ghost Cinema. Unless they die or accumulate ten thousand Redemption Tickets, they cannot leave.

Allen's assigned theater is the Thirteenth Cinema of Hell.

There are twenty such Ghost Cinemas in total. Each is located in a completely sealed space, an alternate dimension where the laws of reality do not interfere. Actors from different theaters cannot cross into one another's spaces. Within each cinema, actors are provided with food and lodging, ensuring long-term survival without issue. When not filming, they live inside the cinema, awaiting the premiere of their assigned films.

Typically, films are promoted according to their difficulty level, and the timeframes for these promotions vary. Films with higher difficulty may begin their promotional period three months before release, with new posters and brief synopses appearing in the cinema, as well as the casting of major roles. Only at the film's start will secondary or minor characters be cast, typically filled by rookie actors who find the posters. For these films, if the lead character survives, sequels might even be made. On the other hand, films of lesser difficulty might start promoting only a week before release, and many of the roles are filled by newcomer actors. These productions are less challenging, with promotion beginning just two weeks prior and the casting of leads determined promptly.

While these twenty cinemas are separate, they are not entirely isolated. Occasionally, there are cross-cinema collaborations for film productions. For instance, a horror film with many actors may involve casting from multiple cinemas, allowing actors from different theaters to collaborate on a single production.

It's worth noting that most of these horror films lean heavily towards an Asian aesthetic, with a significant emphasis on Chinese style. The majority of the actors are Asian, primarily Chinese, with a smaller number from Japan, Korea, and Western countries. Each time a film is to be made, actors enter the screening room, where, once the movie begins, they are pulled into the story and the script is implanted in their minds. They must then act according to the script.

Once an hour has passed and the film ends, regardless of whether the characters live or die, they are returned to the cinema to receive their pay. If the Redemption Tickets are in the negative, death is the only option.

An hour...

Allen has but this short time left to reverse his fate!

His Redemption Tickets have already dwindled to thirty-five, with the decline showing no signs of stopping.

For Allen, he is truly on the brink of despair. Yet, the so-called "contaminant" remains an unsolvable enigma! Moreover, the current plot is not unfolding with the leads, but right here with them!

As the third act begins, Allen continues as a character in the script, and his Redemption Tickets have finally stopped decreasing. From this point onward, as long as he follows the script, his tickets will not be deducted. Even if they dwindle to nearly nothing, as long as they do not turn negative, he will not die. But...

Allen knows that the script will likely end with his death!

Even the lead character is not immune to the perils of a horror film! In many of these films, even the protagonist dies to accentuate the cruelty of the story. Who can make it to the final moment is anyone's guess. The protagonist may possess a certain halo, but that only lasts until the film concludes!

Now, as the script is delivered line by line, Allen has no idea what the next scene will bring. When it's his turn to speak, the lines appear in his mind, accompanied by the appropriate tone, expression, and actions.

Allen now has no choice but to take it one step at a time. For the moment, there is no other option.

After all... he can no longer afford to lose any more Redemption Tickets.

At this moment, he and a few others are seated on the bus. The weather outside is unbearably cold, and staying out any longer is simply unbearable.

"Do you think ghosts really exist in this world?"

Cathy delivers her line, while Zhang Dekun and Jiang Yi, seated beside her, wear grim expressions.

"We might as well stay up all night," Allen begins his line. "By tomorrow morning... if we haven't returned, the travel agency will come looking for us. After all, we're just one group in a tour, and if one group disappears, it's a huge matter."

"And... maybe someone is already searching the mountain for us!" Clark also speaks his lines in a hurry. "Yes, that must be it! We're going to survive this!"

At this moment, the large bus holds only five people.

Earlier, after the horrifying footsteps on the roof, the dead body of Ms. Mu had been thrown off the roof. The horror movie is now rapidly approaching its climax. And how should they respond to this so-called "low-difficulty" film? How can they find hope?

The "contaminant" is still a mystery.

But how should they proceed now? What should they do?

"Speaking of which..." Jiang Yi suddenly speaks up. "Now that you mention ghosts, I just remembered something."

"What is it?" Allen asks, suspiciously.

"I remember, before the bus broke down… I saw a few tomb mounds outside the window. It looked like a cemetery... But since the trees were so dense, I couldn't see clearly. Then, about ten minutes later, the bus broke down…"

A cemetery?

Ten minutes ago?

At this moment, only the lines assigned to him appear in Allen's mind, so he had no idea about this line until Jiang Yi spoke it.

Allen is immediately struck with horror.

Wasn't that... when he first entered this horror movie?

Back then, his body had been dismembered, with only his head remaining. He received all the terrifying information about the Ghost Cinema and was forced to believe in it, swearing to follow the rules. That's when he entered this horror film. He had been overwhelmed by terror and incomprehensible despair at the time, with no mind to look out the window and notice a cemetery.

So that's where it all began...

"Let's go!" Allen, no longer hesitating, says. "We're going to find it! We'll find that cemetery!"

This is where it all started!

Cathy and Clark immediately stand up without any hesitation.

"But..." Zhang Dekun raises his hand, gesturing to stop them. "Do you think the ghosts are in that cemetery?"

Of course! Allen thinks to himself, but doesn't respond.

And according to the script, Allen is supposed to retrace his steps, so this action won't deduct any Redemption Tickets.

However, the moment he steps off the bus, Allen feels a chill.

He hasn't forgotten... he is just a supporting character! Not even the second lead, just a minor character who died in the second act!

In any horror film, where does a supporting character ever discover the source of terror and save everyone? That role is meant for the protagonist! The supporting character's job is to be the cannon fodder, paving the way for the protagonist to uncover the dangers ahead.

As they journey onward, the script will likely arrange for Allen's death along the way!

Though the script has been altered by his interventions, the basic rules of a horror film still apply.

He remembers that when he first picked up the movie poster, the name at the very top was Charles—obviously the actor for the male lead, Dan. His own name appeared much further down the list…

Overcoming the protagonist is not a simple task. He has expended so many Redemption Tickets and even received some help from Cathy, who is suspected of being the second female lead, just to survive. But with the few tickets he has left... can he truly survive?

Yet that cemetery is clearly the source of it all. The "contaminant" must be connected to it. At this point, with no other choices left, if he doesn't go there, he will certainly die! But if he goes there, he won't lose any Redemption Tickets, and there's a chance he could end everything...

His fists clench tightly.

So what if he's not the protagonist?

After all, the protagonist's halo is not absolute!

Allen grits his teeth and lifts his head.

He... is going to take a gamble, risk it all, and surpass the protagonist to seize a fleeting chance at survival!