The Haunted Cinema

Allen had come to fully understand the rules of NG. For him now, NG was simply unbearable. His role in the upcoming horror film would, at most, be a minor supporting part, with a corresponding salary that was far from impressive. Moreover, he had learned that the soul-binding talisman on him, which worked by heating up as a warning, could no longer be used in the next horror film. The Ghost Cinema would suppress all special powers of cursed objects, rendering them incapable of resurrecting any curses on the actors. However, if a cursed object was not shown in front of the camera, its powers would be entirely sealed. There was no alternative but to accept this.

If Allen wished to use the talisman, he would have to pay the price of a death redemption ticket. This, without a doubt, weakened his chances of survival even further. In truth, had it not been for the imminent release of Ghost Festival 3, Julian would have arranged for someone to lend him some cursed objects, giving him a better chance of surviving. But now, all he could do was accept things as they were.

These past few days, Allen had sensed the growing tension within the cinema.

On July 4th, the first horror film of the month premiered. This new release, Dark Blood, ran for an hour and a half and was showing in Theater 3. The lead role was played by Donna, with supporting roles from Wu Zhaotian and Elsie.

Wu Zhaotian, having no cursed objects on him, and with no one permitted to lend him any, could only rely on luck to survive. Everyone had repeatedly reminded the three of them to stay alert. Although Donna and Wu Zhaotian had never gotten along, she was still an actress with the Thirteenth Cinema, and long-term cooperation was inevitable.

The screening was scheduled for 3 p.m. By 2:40, the cast had already entered the theater. Before the film started, the other actors were required to leave the screening room. The vast number of seats allowed everyone to sit wherever they wished, either together or separately. Naturally, Donna chose to sit away from Wu Zhaotian and Elsie. Before the film started, Elsie promised to look out for Wu Zhaotian. From their conversation, it was easy for Allen to deduce—Donna's survival ability seemed remarkably strong.

As the time approached, the others left the theater, many beginning to pray, hoping that by the end of the film, everyone would return alive.

"You're curious about Donna, aren't you?" Hank, noticing Allen's silent questions about Donna, finally spoke, though he had been withholding his inquiries.

Allen replied, "If you don't tell me, you clearly don't want to discuss it."

"She…" Hank sighed deeply, then said, "Never mind. Let's not talk about it."

Julian, Edith, Nathan, Carol, and others gathered together, discussing the details of the film. Martin was by Allen's side. She was always taciturn, so she spoke little, and during these days, she had scarcely approached Allen. Eamonn, on the other hand, had been making an effort to socialize with several of the actors, and over time, he had found a few with whom he genuinely got along.

As for Allen, he didn't make a deliberate effort to socialize as Eamonn had. He could see that Julian and the others were naturally amiable in their interactions with others, without any pretense. They were not, as Donna had claimed, hypocritical. Thus, Allen treated them with sincerity as well.

At the same time, he observed that while most of the actors were united, there were a few with their own hidden agendas. Donna was one to leave aside for the moment, but Carol always gave him an impression of being inscrutable. As for Julian, Edith, and the others, they were individuals of deep sentiment, people whose emotions naturally became more extreme in such an environment. Perhaps, from this extremity, would emerge either the highest form of good, or the darkest evil.

Though his time with these people hadn't been long, Allen already felt a sense of belonging among them. Many gave him the impression of sincerity. In such an environment, everyone understood that only unity could offer a glimmer of hope, and, amidst the peril of life and death, deep emotional bonds began to form. Those who survived naturally became more attuned to their companions, cherishing life and extending compassion to those who chose to be actors.

United by the shared goal of survival, their current mission was Ghost Festival 3! And while Allen could not contribute directly, he prayed for their success in his heart and silently wished to stand beside them as a companion in this desperate pursuit of life. Though these words remained unspoken, Allen's thoughts aligned with such sentiments. He didn't believe this kind of bond could be expressed merely through words; he hoped that, through the shared adventures in future horror films, they would forge a genuine, life-or-death connection.

An hour and a half later, the film ended.

All three returned unscathed. However, Elsie suddenly collapsed into Carol's arms, crying uncontrollably. "It's gone… it's all gone! My cursed object, the burial garment, it's gone! What should I do… I had planned to bring it into Ghost Festival 3! What am I supposed to do…"

Carol intended to push her away, but Elsie clung to her desperately, crying as if her heart were broken. The others quickly gathered around to comfort her, while Julian reassured, "Elsie, the important thing is that you're safe! Don't worry, even without the burial garment, we'll still succeed!"

Of course, everyone, including Allen, knew this was just a well-meaning consolation. Not everyone relied on cursed objects for survival; some may have kept them hidden as secret trump cards (Donna, for example, might be one such person). Yet many, including Nathan, Wu Zhaotian, Carol, Edith (whose psychic abilities were equivalent to having a cursed object), and George, had no cursed objects. Now, Elsie had joined their ranks. Even Frankie and Horace, who had died in The Dark Tomb, had no cursed objects. In this scenario, survival had much to do with luck—take Cheryl and Ivan, for instance. Although they appeared less capable than Nathan and Carol, they happened to possess cursed objects.

Aside from Allen and Martin's soul-binding talismans, there were only seven cursed objects remaining, held by Julian, Hank, Cheryl, Ivan, Job, and Donna. Julian was the only one with two cursed objects. Now, Charles's mirror, Delia's wooden comb, and Elsie's burial garment had all been lost. As the release of Ghost Festival 3 drew closer, four of the six cursed object bearers still had new films to shoot. In fact, in the horror film The Locked Room, three of the cursed object holders would be involved!

"What is going on?" Ivan, ever impatient, spoke up. "That burial garment was under your outer layers. How could it possibly have disappeared?"

"Because… because the curse revived!" Elsie sobbed. "That burial garment was cursed from the horror film! I had no choice but to quickly take it off! If I hadn't acted fast, I wouldn't have made it out at all!"

The curse revived?

Everyone gasped in shock.

"Are you sure?" Carol asked, her voice laced with anxiety.

"Of course!" Elsie continued to cry. "The garment suddenly became freezing cold, and then, on the chest area, there was a large patch of blood. What else could that be if not the curse reviving? I immediately threw the burial garment aside, and when I looked back, I saw it… it was visibly puffing up! The ghost from that horror film must have been inside it!"

Once a cursed object is exposed in front of the camera, the Ghost Cinema releases its ability from suppression. Though the curse is still controlled, it is no longer absolute. If time passes, there is a risk of the curse reviving. Once revived, it cannot be suppressed again.

"Wait a minute…" Julian immediately understood. "Does that mean Dark Blood now has two ghosts?"

Donna let out a cold laugh as she approached, saying, "Thanks to her… I nearly perished within this place, unable to return."

A gasp of horror swept through the room. This was undoubtedly the worst-case scenario—when the curse revives, the ghost from the previous film invades the new one... This situation should have been a guaranteed fatality, yet all three had miraculously returned! The ghost that intervened would not be bound by the script's control!

There was no question… It was only Donna who had played the crucial role here.

"You…" Julian glanced at Donna, his expression softening into a smile. "Thank you."

He knew that without Donna, neither Wu Zhaotian nor Elsie would have made it back alive. The fact that she could protect herself while also ensuring the survival of the other two was a testament to her formidable survival skills. Despite her abrasive attitude, Julian chose to accept her, overlooking many of her biting sarcasms and harsh remarks, for this was the primary reason he remained tolerant of her.

"Don't mention it," Donna replied, turning away. "Your thanks mean nothing to me. I was only concerned with saving myself. As for those two, it was incidental. Also, two new actors met a tragic end."

No matter how one viewed it, this horror film had dealt a significant blow to their morale. And soon...

The release date of The Locked Room arrived, coinciding with the day before Ghost Festival 3 premiered.

The atmosphere was oppressive. At dinner, no one seemed eager to speak. Despite preparations having started months ago, the reality of the situation was still too much to bear.

Ghost Festival 3! The dangers of this film were self-evident—sacrifices were all but inevitable. Even Julian could not confidently declare that he would make it back alive!

The heavy atmosphere filled everyone with unease. Many ate hastily, scarcely finishing before leaving.

"Tomorrow's film truly is a matter of life and death," Allen said, his own anxiety now seeping in from the others' tense moods. Although he wouldn't be involved, if any of them perished, the cursed objects would be lost, and the core of the Thirteenth Cinema would suffer irreparable damage. The future was becoming increasingly uncertain.

Several people came to discuss The Locked Room. Martin, too, had asked him about it. Silent as always, she had exchanged only a few words before ultimately offering a brief, "Take care."

As a newcomer, Allen was hardly regarded by the others. He understood—they didn't believe he would make it out alive. Though The Locked Room was a relatively low-difficulty horror film, nothing compared to Ghost Festival 3, the death rate for a new actor like him, with only a few expendable talismans to his name, was still far too high.