The Haunted Cinema

"Gentlemen, this is the accommodation area. You are free to choose whichever room you prefer. There are no keys for the rooms here; once you select a room, simply open the door and enter. After choosing, the room will be exclusively yours—no one else will be able to enter. The rooms are equipped with all the necessary furnishings for daily life. Water and electricity are supplied uninterrupted, twenty-four hours a day, and hot water is always available. Each room also has a clock. At eight o'clock, please join us in the dining hall for dinner. Of course, if the time difference makes it difficult for you to adjust and you wish to sleep a little longer, we can set aside some food for you."

The Thirteenth Cinema, as it was called, spanned four floors. The accommodation area was located on the highest, the fourth floor. The layout of the rooms resembled that of a hotel: carpeted floors, with doors to rooms lined up along the corridor, each spaced about twenty meters apart.

After Nathan's explanation, the group glanced at the rooms around them. Frankly speaking, entering such a place as this—this ghostly cinema—was enough to stir resentment in anyone. But resentment, of course, was futile. There was no other choice. They were powerless to fight the cinema, so their only option was to comply, bide their time, and find a way to collect the ten thousand death redemption tickets required to escape this place.

Hank, standing nearby, added, "The time difference isn't difficult to adjust to; you'll be fine in no time. As for the food here, it's passable. Since we've come this far, might as well give it a try. Also, if a room is already occupied, the name of the resident will appear on the sign outside. Rooms with no names are available for selection. Let me emphasize again: you cannot enter a room that is already occupied, and each person can only select one room. That's all."

"Thank you," Allen replied, nodding firmly.

Eamonn, meanwhile, chuckled heartily, pulling a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. "Brothers, fate has brought us together. Come on, have a smoke."

In truth, the cigarettes were Clark's. Eamonn had merely borrowed them for the occasion.

"No thanks," Hank waved his hand. "I don't smoke. Cheryl and the others do, though. You can give them a cigarette later. If that's all, I'm going to head out now. Oh, and just to reiterate—every room is pretty much the same. If you're not happy with the room you've chosen, don't even think about switching with someone else. Once you've picked, that's it."

After speaking, Hank and Nathan left.

Once they were alone in the hallway, Eamonn took out the cigarette, lit it with a lighter, and took a deep drag. Holding the cigarette box in front of Allen, he asked, "Hey, Brother Ye, care for a smoke? Honestly, the ones I usually bring are much better. I use them to bribe those big bosses, you know, the heads of the industrial and commercial bureau. These ones are just average."

"No, thank you," Allen politely declined. "I don't smoke."

"Tch, what's wrong with smoking?" Eamonn exhaled a cloud of smoke leisurely. "Everyone goes on about how smoking is bad for your health, but how much money does the country make off tobacco taxes every year? Us smoking? We're helping the country by boosting tax revenue! You really think the warning on the cigarette box is sincere? Besides, all my brothers smoke, and I haven't seen any of them fall ill. Life's too short not to enjoy a little pleasure!"

Allen smiled and said, "Do as you please, sir."

"Enough with the formalities. In a place like this, calling me 'sir' feels out of place. If you're not opposed, just call me 'big brother'," Eamonn said, holding his cigarette, continuing, "Don't mind it. Call me big brother, or brother, it's the same. People like us, always on the move, making deals, we often pray to gods and deities. Yet, how blind could I be, ending up here of all places! And at twenty-seven, I'm stuck playing the role of a recent graduate!"

Allen sighed, his tone resigned. "It's unavoidable. But looking at the actors here, though this place is perilous, it seems there are ways to survive, to protect oneself. If we all work together, we'll surely find a way to escape this place."

He then turned his gaze to Martin, speaking with gratitude, "By the way, Miss, thank you... You truly helped me a great deal earlier, especially at the end... That soul-binding talisman, you were the one who placed it, weren't you?"

"Mm," Eamonn quickly added, "Miss, really, thank you! At that moment, I was too slow, and Zhang Dekun and Jiang Yi got ahead of me. But when the movie was nearly over, I was inexplicably pulled onto that bus. If it weren't for you and that talisman... well, I'd probably be reporting to the King of Hell by now."

Eamonn, a seasoned traveler in the business world, was a man who valued relationships. He had already mentally noted Martin's kindness, intending to find a way to repay the favor in the future.

"It was nothing, just a small favor," Martin replied casually, "Fortunately, I had enough redemption tickets. Although most of them are already used up, I'll find a way to earn more with the next horror film."

"Mm." Allen then said, "When we head for dinner later, it's important to make connections with these people, especially with someone like Julian—he seems to value camaraderie. Even someone like Job, with his cold demeanor, should be befriended. Building good relationships now could prove invaluable later."

In terms of socializing, Allen was far more skilled than Martin. Martin's upbringing had left her somewhat isolated, lacking the understanding of how to engage with others, leading her to develop a somewhat reclusive nature. Though she had started to learn the importance of social interactions, she wouldn't have approached someone with Job's demeanor.

Eamonn, on the other hand, was different. After graduating from vocational school, he ventured out early into the world, starting by traveling to fishing villages to buy seafood and sell it in the city. Now, he had become the seafood supplier for several major hotels in Shenzhen. Over the years, he had dealt with countless people—whether shady characters or the heads of large industries. Competition in his line of work was fierce, and building strong relationships was paramount. He had learned to handle the powerful, the influential, and even the local enforcers. His dealings with all kinds of people, from petty thugs to directors of the industrial and commercial bureau, had been essential to his success. Without these connections, he could never have grown his seafood business to its current scale. Even now, as he met with the actors, though he spoke little, he was always observing—looking for those with power, those with strong ties, those who were approachable.

"Anyway, let's pick our rooms," Allen said, "The time's already past four in the afternoon. We're all tired, so let's rest for a bit. By the time we wake up, it'll be almost time for dinner. We can discuss things then."

He then turned to Martin, "You choose first."

Martin brushed her hair from her ear, glanced around, and said, "No need to bother. You two go ahead. I'll just pick whatever's left. Mr. Yu mentioned earlier that the rooms are all quite similar."

The three of them then selected their rooms. When Allen entered his, he found it to be quite similar to a standard hotel room. The room had a single bed, neatly made with fresh linens. On the table were a thermos and a cup, along with a penholder. The drawer contained several first aid supplies. There was also a wardrobe stocked with clothes for all seasons, both undergarments and outerwear, everything one could need.

"Are the rooms not supposed to be freely chosen? Why is it that all the clothes here are clearly men's clothing? And... the size of these garments..."

Holding up a jacket, Allen compared it to his own frame, and to his astonishment, it seemed as though the clothes had been tailor-made to fit his exact measurements!

"What in the world is going on?" Allen couldn't help but feel a sense of disbelief.

He then moved to the bathroom. Inside, there was a shower cubicle, a toilet, a tissue dispenser, and a trash can. On the vanity, there were a tube of toothpaste, a toothbrush, and a cup. Towels were neatly folded to the side, and there were also soap, shampoo, and body wash. He turned on the faucet at the sink, and water immediately flowed out. The shower also had both hot and cold water controls. Allen adjusted it to hot water, and the temperature was perfectly pleasant—he imagined that taking a shower here would be quite enjoyable.

It seemed that they had taken great care in providing for their needs, from meals to accommodations. As for the source of the water and electricity, there was no need to wonder; if they could be transported into a real-world horror movie, then these basic utilities were nothing. This ghost cinema was clearly designed to keep them well-fed and well-rested, to ensure they could fully embody their roles in every terrifying movie they found themselves in.

When Allen had entered the horror world of The Horror Bus, it had already been past eight in the evening. Now, however, his eyelids were heavy, the result of having experienced so much danger and excitement that his weariness had been suppressed. But now, in the stillness, fatigue overtook him. He turned off the lights, took off his outerwear, covered himself with the blanket, and lay down on the bed. Within ten minutes, he had fallen into a deep sleep.

In his dream, he found himself back on that dreadful bus. The dead driver, covered in blood, staggered toward him, followed by Ms. Mu, Jiang Yi, and the others—also drenched in blood—advancing ominously in his direction...

"Please, no! Don't come closer!"

Suddenly, he jolted awake from the dream.

In the darkness, for a brief moment, he had the illusion that he was lying in his own bed at home. But after a while, he fully realized where he was. This was the ghost cinema. He could never go back.

The thought struck him—he had been missing for days, and his parents must be frantic by now. No matter how hard they searched, they would never find him. His office didn't have cameras in the hallways, so they would never see the eerie scene of him picking up that horror film poster and disappearing. In a strange way, that was the only bit of luck he had in this entire nightmare.

"Dad... Mom..."

Allen had always harbored the deepest affection and concern for his parents. Thankfully, they were both in good health, or else the blow to them would be devastating. But he could easily imagine that after his disappearance, they would be crying every day, desperately searching for him. Over time, who knew how much it would break them...

He could only silently pray that they would remain well, in good health, until he could gather enough redemption tickets and return to the real world—to reunite with them once more.

And from this day forward... Allen's terrifying life within the ghost cinema was about to begin.