The Haunted Cinema

Hank nodded and spoke, "He's one of the surviving actors from Horror Bus. Unfortunately... Charles and Delia have both perished."

At Hank's words, Julian's previously cold gaze was momentarily clouded by a hint of sorrow.

"Is that so... Even Delia is gone?" he murmured.

"Yes," Hank sighed heavily. "I know you both worked together on Ghost Festival 2. It was a miracle you all managed to escape with your lives."

Charles had only survived three horror films, and as such, he was not particularly memorable to the others. But Delia was different. She was a seasoned actress, renowned not only for her talent but also for her striking beauty. Yet, in Horror Bus, a horror film of relatively low difficulty, she tragically met her end.

"Well," Julian said, quickly recovering from his grief. After all, life and death were common occurrences in the Ghost Cinema. "As for these new actors, let's bring them along for dinner and ask them how they managed to survive the film. And, if they have obtained any cursed objects capable of protecting them, we cannot take them by force. Rest assured, in the Thirteenth Cinema of Hell, my word is law—no one will dare oppose me."

"Alright, Julian, you should rest for now," Hank said. "That film must have taken a lot out of you."

With that, Julian and Edith White left the group.

Allen watched Julian's retreating figure, his admiration for the man growing with each passing moment.

"Well, gentlemen," Hank continued, "My name is Hank, and I'm what you might call a veteran actor. I've appeared in six horror films. The others here at least show me some respect, so if you ever need anything, feel free to come to me or Nathan. We've always been in charge of the newcomers' management."

"I'm Ivan," muttered Ivan, "but... you all seem pretty average. How did you survive?"

"Just luck," Allen replied with a faint smile.

"Right," Ivan shrugged. "Well, I'm just a nobody, so no need for introductions. I'll be off now."

Once Ivan left, the remaining group didn't seem overly concerned. They appeared accustomed to his departure.

The woman wearing glasses then spoke, "Hmm, I don't think I've introduced myself. I'm George. I've only played roles in four horror films... Never had the chance to be the lead. Anyway, I look forward to working with you all. You seem like quite exceptional people."

Allen smiled at her, while Eamonn, with a smug grin, added, "Of course. Miss Shi, at least you've said something sensible for once."

The boy with extremely short hair, who seemed to be of a similar age to Ivan, spoke up, "By the way, we still don't know your names."

The youth displayed a level of sophistication and maturity that seemed to belie his age.

"Well, I'm Allen," Allen replied, reluctantly continuing his introduction. "A few hours ago, I was just an ordinary office worker, and now..."

Hmm?

He suddenly realized something.

He had entered the horror film around 8 PM. Nathan had mentioned that dinner was at 7, so the time should have already passed. Why, then, had Julian referred to dinner?

That thought led him to another question. The release times of the horror films were fixed, and they had found the horror film posters, which had shown them their dismembered bodies, forcing them to accept the existence of the Ghost Cinema and obediently play their roles. This process must have taken some time. It was unlikely they had all found the posters just before the films began.

So...

"Excuse me, what day is it today?" Allen quickly asked. "Is it June 22, 2013?"

"No," Nathan, sensing his confusion, immediately responded. "Did you find the poster on June 22? It's actually June 25 now. After you find the poster, you'll be transported into a closed space, either your body will be dismembered, or your soul will be extracted... Regardless, during this process, you'll be indoctrinated with the rules of the Ghost Cinema. Once you fully believe in them, you'll be cast into your role in the film. If you refuse to accept, you'll never escape."

Allen's mind raced as he recalled the horrific scene where he had seen his head separated from his body, and his flesh torn apart by a chainsaw... He now began to feel a surge of nausea in his stomach, a sensation he hadn't experienced at the time.

"Similar experiences happen to everyone," Nathan remarked without the slightest surprise. "When I first came in, my body was nailed to a wall by countless iron spikes. Then each spike was pulled out one by one, tearing my flesh off bit by bit. If I hadn't fully accepted the rules of the Ghost Cinema and played my role, I would have never been able to escape. So, there's no other choice. Regardless of how much time it takes, on the day the film is set to release, you will be cast into it."

At this point, Martin, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke. "What exactly is this cinema... and how did it come into being?"

"I don't know," Nathan said with a shrug. "That's the question I've been trying to answer myself. Not just me, but also Julian, Hank, Edith... we all want to know. But no one has any answers. The Ghost Cinema of the Twentieth Degree... Perhaps it truly did originate from Hell. I don't know who these films are made for, or why we are forced to play one role after another..."

The Ghost Cinema. The terrifying place that had completely altered Allen's life. From now on, he would continue to play one role after another in horror films, until he earned ten thousand death redemption tickets and could finally buy his freedom, leaving this place and returning to the real world.

It was a long, treacherous road ahead. Thankfully, he was not alone. The people around him would become his companions in the trials to come.

"I haven't introduced myself," the boy with the mature gaze said, "I'm Carol. Before I entered the Ghost Cinema, I was just an ordinary college student. No matter what, I will survive and return. From now on, let's all work together."

Beside him, the long-haired, delicate-looking girl smiled warmly and said, "I'm Elsie, and... I..."

At that moment, Elsie suddenly linked her arm through Carol's and added, "I'm his girlfriend, just so we're clear! Carol's very kind, but don't get any ideas about him!"

With that, her gaze turned to Martin, making her intentions clear.

This playful display was almost too much to bear, and Allen couldn't help but chuckle. Carol, on the other hand, quickly tried to shake off her hand, protesting, "You... Stop it! Who's your boyfriend? I only saved you once! Why are you still clinging to me? We were just playing lovers in the film, it wasn't real!"

"I don't care! The kiss scene we shot was my first kiss! And when you recited your lines with such passion, I could tell you had feelings for me! I don't care, I don't care... I'm your girlfriend now!"

Carol gave a bitter smile, uncertain of how to respond.

Cheryl, however, cast a cold glance at Allen and the others, her voice tinged with icy sharpness. "I am Cheryl. You must have heard my name by now. Can someone tell me, how did Delia die?"

Having seen the cast list, Allen knew that Delia was the actress who played Carlin, the female lead in Horror Bus.

"I'm sorry..." Allen replied. "I was separated from her afterward, and I never saw her again. As for how she died, I truly don't know."

At that time, the already deceased tour guide, Miss Mu, had appeared, and Dan and Carlin had followed her. Allen had only received a notification about the lead's death, but the exact details of Carlin—Delia's—death remained a mystery to him.

Cheryl's face immediately darkened with anger, but Hank swiftly pulled her back, preventing her from lashing out. It was clear he had deep feelings for Delia, but the fact that she had perished while these new actors had returned alive was a source of resentment.

"Heh," a chubby, good-natured man chuckled, "I'm Wu Zhaotian. Sir, Cheryl had a soft spot for Delia. They acted together as rivals in a horror film once, so don't take it personally."

Wu Zhaotian, the chubby and affable man, had the demeanor of someone who avoided conflict. He exuded a gentle, almost Buddha-like warmth, and his smile was wide and open.

"It's fine," Allen waved his hand dismissively. "I'm not offended."

At this point, there was only one person left who hadn't introduced herself.

Allen turned his attention to the cold, aloof woman, who had remained silent all this time. Her beauty was striking, rivaling Martin's in elegance, but her expression was as frigid as her demeanor.

"Job," the woman spoke, her voice as emotionless as her appearance, offering no further explanation.

"That's her name," Hank smiled, though his expression was tinged with an apologetic air. "Sorry, she's quite taciturn, hardly speaks a word. Don't take it personally."

Allen understood. In such a terrifying place, it was no surprise that people's personalities might become twisted. After all, playing a role in any horror film could mean walking toward death.

"Then..." Allen ventured, "Is everyone here?"

"Yes," Hank confirmed. "What you see is everyone in the Thirteenth Degree Cinema."

Allen mentally sorted through the information about everyone present.

There was Julian, the most experienced actor and pillar of strength; Edith, the only medium-quality spirit actor; Hank, tall and composed; Nathan, who seemed to handle the management of new actors; Ivan, blunt and forthright; Job, cold and aloof; Cheryl, who had an attachment to the deceased Delia; George, with her thick beer-bottle glasses; Carol, who displayed a maturity beyond his years, and his girlfriend, Elsie; the kindly Wu Zhaotian; Martin, who had done him a great favor; and Eamonn, the one whose survival was a mystery. And then, of course, himself, Allen.

That made thirteen, but...

Suddenly, Allen recalled the dark-skinned actress who had left earlier.

"Um... there was an actress who left before us. She was..."

"Her name is Donna," Hank explained. "Her situation... is a bit unique. It's best if you don't approach her."

Allen didn't press the matter. Everyone had their own secrets.

So, counting carefully... that meant there were fifteen actors in the Thirteenth Degree Cinema now.

Fifteen people...

"The road ahead is long," Nathan remarked. "You'll get to know each other gradually. Now, let's go. I'll show you to your quarters. Come to the restaurant at seven. There's a clock in the cinema, so use that as a reference."

Hank followed suit, and the three of them—Allen, Martin, and Eamonn—followed Nathan as he led the way.

As they left the cinema, the remaining group began to engage in quiet conversation.

Cheryl remained unable to come to terms with Delia's death. She sank into one of the seats in the cinema, her voice seething with anger as she muttered, "They must be lying!"

"Let it go." Carol, struggling to free himself from Elsie's grasp, sighed, "What we need to focus on now is Ghost Festival 3. With Delia's death, there are bound to be some changes. As for the new recruits, aside from Eamonn, the other two seem promising. Allen, for one, is always observing and reading the room. As for Martin, his eyes are guarded, and he speaks little, but he clearly isn't a simple character. The quality of this new batch might just be worth looking forward to."

George, sitting beside him, let out a weary sigh. "A handful of veteran actors have perished, and now there are new faces... How long can we survive? How are we ever going to amass ten thousand redemption tickets?"

"It's inevitable." Carol, though aware of the gravity of the situation, spoke with a resigned tone. "We're all troubled by this. No matter how many redemption tickets we earn, they're often depleted after just a few films. More often than not, we end up using them to rent the cursed objects of the deceased."

"It's alright," Elsie leaned playfully toward Carol, flashing a teasing smile. "I'll unconditionally lend you that cursed shroud I possess—the one that's been worn by a ghost! As for the rest of you, you'll need at least five hundred redemption tickets just to rent one horror film!"

"Let's talk seriously," Carol, completely unfazed by Elsie's antics, responded coolly. "This time, Ghost Festival 3 is crucial for us. With Delia's death, the cursed comb, the one that manipulated nightmares, is lost to us. That's a huge blow. This time, we must get into Ghost Festival 3 and obtain that ancient parchment of curses! It must, absolutely must, be in the hands of the Thirteenth Degree Cinema! To achieve that, we'll sacrifice whatever cursed objects we have left without a second thought!"

George adjusted his glasses, his eyes sharpening with a newfound wisdom. "Of course. Isn't that what we've been planning all along? All cursed objects will be surrendered to Julian and the others for free—just to get that parchment! As long as that parchment makes its way to our hands in the Thirteenth Degree Cinema..."

Meanwhile, Job, who had remained silent, continued to stand off to the side, deep in thought, his gaze distant and unreadable.