The Haunted Cinema

He glanced at the clock, and to his surprise, it was already half-past six.

He had more than enough sleep for now. And in such a haunted cinema, he certainly didn't want to be left alone. Nor did he wish to wear Dean's clothes any longer. Instead, he carefully took the three soul-binding talismans from his pocket, storing them safely in the room. This was a place where only he could enter; no one else could breach it. Hence, he felt somewhat reassured by leaving them here.

Now… it was time to head to the restaurant.

He stepped out of the room and walked down the corridor, which remained bathed in dim, eerie light. If one stared at the lamps long enough, a sense of profound, inexplicable darkness seemed to pulse from within the light itself. Unconsciously, it left an unsettling impression.

As for the walls, Hank had mentioned that they were made of materials unlike anything found in the real world—impervious to any means of destruction. This was an independent space, completely untouched by the outside world. The "thirteenth degree" in this context, Hank explained, likely referred to a different dimension entirely.

Once he passed the corridor, the space before him widened slightly. The walls were still adorned with posters for Ghost Festival 3. On the large poster, a dark silhouette hung suspended in mid-air, with blood-red characters proclaiming Ghost Festival 3 beneath it. Below, the release date was clearly marked: July 13, 2013. The cast list followed, featuring Julian, Carol, Nathan, and even Job. Below these names were three unfamiliar ones: Hiram, Jock, and Evelyn. Each name was accompanied by a number 7 in parentheses.

He had heard of Hiram before. He was an actor from the Seventh Degree of Hell Cinema, and it was said that he had once teamed up with Julian in Ghost Festival to play the role of the male second lead—the brother of Julian's protagonist. Hank had also told him that Ghost Festival 3 was a pivotal horror film for the Thirteenth Degree Cinema. The story centered around a series of terrifying curses in an ancient mountain village. Villagers in remote, secluded areas mysteriously disappeared. A folklorist named Bai Shuhe, along with his brother Bai Wuxia, and a team of experts in folklore, journeyed into the mountains to unravel the mystery of the vanished villagers. What they uncovered was a dark event from more than thirty years prior. The villagers, struggling in poverty, had turned to grave robbing and stolen a piece of parchment from an ancient tomb. This parchment became the root of their nightmares, and a curse began to loom over the region, casting its shadow over many nearby mountain villages…

Ghost Festival 3 delves into the plot of their expedition into the very village where the ancient tomb was first unearthed, with the goal of recovering the cursed parchment. The story is rooted in the ghostly rituals of a minority ethnic group, whose members, driven to desperation by years of warfare and persecution, resorted to burying the living in ancient tombs as sacrifices. On this parchment, a malicious curse was inscribed—one that would be unleashed upon anyone daring to disturb the tomb.

Hank explained that the cursed parchment was a pivotal plot device, known as the "Curse of the Deceased." Once obtained, this artifact could be used to raise the survival odds of the actors in subsequent horror films. This might very well be the final installment of Ghost Festival. After all, few series could match the longevity of something like The Fourth Forbidden Zone. Delia, after finishing The Horror Bus, was set to star in Ghost Festival 3 as her next film. Moreover, Delia possessed a wooden comb imbued with the same dark enchantment of the minority group, which had been a powerful aid. However, with her death, the comb remained in the world of The Horror Bus.

Of course, Allen and the others were not to blame for this. Nevertheless, Hank expressed his deep regret. From the beginning of Ghost Festival 3's promotional campaign, they had been preparing with full force, ever vigilant against actors from the Seventh Degree of Hell Cinema, fearful that they might steal the parchment and bring it to their realm. After Delia's death, it was unclear whether someone would replace her or if her role would remain unfilled. In any case, the film's release was fast approaching, and everyone was working tirelessly to ensure everything was ready.

"Sir."

A voice came from behind, and Allen quickly turned to find Martin stepping into view.

"Miss, you're awake?" Allen greeted her warmly, feeling a deep camaraderie, having survived the trials together. He even considered gifting her one of his remaining soul-binding talismans as a token of gratitude for her life-saving assistance.

Martin nodded softly, her gaze lingering on the Ghost Festival 3 poster. She spoke with a touch of melancholy: "Everyone says that this horror film is crucial for the actors. But we... we can offer no help."

Allen, of course, understood the immense difficulty of the film. Its promotional campaign had begun three months prior to release, and as newcomers, they could only expect to play minor, inconsequential roles.

"Best not to think too much about it," Allen said, his tone tinged with resignation. "For now, we can only focus on surviving and improving our chances of staying alive."

The restaurant on the third floor had already gathered a number of people.

It was not particularly large, but the variety of food laid out in every dish was abundant. The lids had been removed, revealing the feast within, which included delicacies typically found only in five-star hotels. Nearby were plates, glasses, and utensils, all for the taking.

When Julian and Edith entered the restaurant, they drew the collective gaze of those present.

"Good day, everyone," Julian said, offering a faint smile. "It's truly heartening to see you all alive once more. Of course…"

His expression shifted, momentarily clouded with sorrow. He walked to a nearby table, picking up a glass of wine and raising it high. "Let us not forget the dearly departed—Charles, Delia, Frankie, Horace... Let us honor their memory. Everything rests on Ghost Festival 3 next month. All of this... is for the sake of survival. To survive in this hellish existence!"

Everyone raised their glasses in unison, shouting, "Survive! Survive!"

Survival…

It was the ultimate wish of everyone trapped in this haunted cinema.

With the help of the cursed relics of the deceased, the mortality rate had decreased. Yet, actors still occasionally met their end in these terrifying films. Despite this, each person held steadfast in their will to survive.

This unwavering determination was the very force that kept them going.

"Survive… such a grandiose phrase."

However, a cold voice interrupted, drawing everyone's attention.

A dark-skinned woman slowly entered the restaurant, her gaze fixed with intense hostility on Julian. "Every time I hear such words, I feel a surge of nausea," she said sharply.

At this moment, Allen and Martin arrived at the entrance of the restaurant, just in time to overhear the words of the dark-skinned woman. Allen recognized her immediately—her name was Donna, one of the survivors from the horror film The Dark Tomb.

The actors had warned him not to approach her too readily.

The others cast swift glares of anger in Donna's direction, but Julian remained unfazed. He drained his glass and, with a casual air, said, "Think what you will. In the end, as long as you honor the agreement to cooperate with us, we will continue to assist you."

At this, Ivan, whose temper was the quickest to flare, could no longer hold back. He pointed at Donna and shouted, "What are you posturing for, you black woman? Edith is the only one among us with true psychic abilities, and even she isn't as boastful as you! Say one more word, and we'll start thinking you're mute!"

Donna's gaze, however, turned icy and cutting—her eyes were filled with a cold malice and unrestrained venom.

By now, Allen had entered the restaurant, and he, too, felt the weight of that stare.

It sent a chill down his spine.

He had never seen eyes like hers—ones so steeped in hatred and contempt, so openly laced with murderous intent.

"Enough, Ivan," Hank intervened, stepping between them. Turning to Donna, he said, "Donna, our agreement has always been to cooperate in the films, while maintaining our privacy. We've abided by it, and we expect you to do the same. You must understand, we tolerate your presence only because you are an indispensable part of our efforts."

"At last, the truth comes out," Donna sneered, a twisted smile curling her lips. "This talk of surviving together—it's just mutual exploitation, isn't it? I heard Delia is dead, right? And you're not grieving her loss, are you? What really troubles you is the loss of that comb, isn't it? We had an agreement, but your hypocritical faces make me want to vomit!"

"****..." Ivan, seething with fury, lunged forward to continue his tirade, but Hank quickly grabbed his arm, holding him back.

"Enough!" Julian's face had darkened, his voice commanding. "Donna, stop. Don't forget the promise you made to me!"

Donna seemed to be about to speak again, but then her gaze fell upon Edith standing behind Julian.

At that moment, Edith's ethereal eyes seemed to freeze the very air around her, as if touched by the chill of ice.

Donna's lips parted several times, but in the end, no words escaped her.

This subtle detail did not go unnoticed by the others, including Allen, who was somewhat taken aback. Could it be that this woman, Bai Edith, possessed even more presence and authority than Julian?

Then, Bai Edith turned to face Allen and Martin, a gentle smile spreading across her face. "Aren't you two the newcomers from The Horror Bus? Come, the food here is quite good."

With her naturally graceful demeanor, Bai Edith's smile made the atmosphere seem infinitely more pleasant. Allen nodded, smiling back as he replied, "Yes, we'll be relying on everyone's guidance from now on, Miss Bai."