At this moment, Edith was seated in the common lounge on the third floor.
She was the lead actress of The New Neighbor, another horror film released around the same time as Phantom Hotel. This particular movie carried a distinctly Japanese aesthetic and leaned heavily into the suspense genre.
Before her sat two people: Julian and Job.
These three could easily be considered the core strength of Hell's 13th Cinema. Although Edith did not personally possess any cursed objects, it did not diminish her remarkable ability to survive. To the actors in this theater, Job was like an untouchable Snow Queen, cold and aloof, while Edith represented life and hope—a goddess in their eyes.
"The delay in the release of Ghost Festival 3 gives us more time to prepare. No matter what, accumulating more Redemption Vouchers and cursed objects to strengthen ourselves remains our top priority," Julian said solemnly. Even now, he was already beginning to draft a strategy for the filming of horror movies over the coming months.
Later in the month, Julian would also star in The Azure Sea, a horror film co-produced with Hell's 5th Cinema. The 13th and 5th Cinemas had collaborated before, so there was a degree of familiarity between them.
"I'm considering negotiating with the 5th Cinema," Julian continued, though there was a trace of hesitation in his voice. "I want to trade the voodoo doll for what Sam has... that thing."
Edith immediately shook her head. "No way! The voodoo doll is a cornerstone of our survival. In life-threatening crises, it can take a death on our behalf. It's an extremely rare cursed object! How could we possibly trade it away?"
"You know as well as I do," Julian argued, "that 'that thing' can only be obtained if we offer the voodoo doll. Otherwise, unless we pay over 4,000 Redemption Vouchers, Sam will never agree to sell. I've thought it through—if we have 'that thing,' it will give us far greater chances of success in Ghost Festival 3."
Job, however, remained silent, offering no opinion.
"We should still discuss this with everyone," Edith insisted. "Don't forget that the voodoo doll has already saved your life once. You're not invincible, Julian. There will come a time when your life is at risk again. The voodoo doll is your ultimate safeguard—it cannot be traded away! Compared to Ghost Festival 3, your survival is far more important. You're the heart and soul of the 13th Cinema, the pillar that every actor here relies on!"
Edith understood Julian well. He always acted with the bigger picture in mind, prioritizing the collective good over personal safety. His willingness to sacrifice his strongest survival tool wasn't for selfish reasons, but for the greater benefit of the 13th Cinema. And yet, Edith also knew that "that thing" was indeed worth such a trade.
"Job!" Edith turned to the silent figure beside her. "Do you agree with this?"
"I have no opinion on the matter," Job replied nonchalantly, her expression as indifferent as ever. "You can decide for yourselves."
At that moment, Julian abruptly shifted the conversation. "By the way, Edith. About Allen and Martin, those two newcomers..."
On the fourth floor, inside Screening Room 7, Allen and Martin sat in the tenth row, their seats side by side. The atmosphere felt almost like a real cinema. If each of them were holding a bucket of popcorn, they might well have been mistaken for a couple on a movie date.
"If I ever get out of here," Martin broke the silence, "I swear I'll never watch another movie again. Not that I was a big fan of them to begin with."
"I'm the opposite," Allen replied. "I've always loved movies, especially after the rise of 3D films. I made it a point to watch at least ten new releases every year. Though horror films weren't really my thing—I preferred Hollywood sci-fi. Domestic films, on the other hand, often relied on pretentious scripts due to low budgets, which ended up confusing audiences. No wonder people dismiss them as trash."
For Allen, this setting felt eerily familiar. He had always been a movie enthusiast, frequently going to theaters with coworkers to catch the latest releases. Typically, he'd check reviews on Douban beforehand. If the reviews were overwhelmingly negative, he wouldn't waste money on a ticket. Instead, he'd buy discounted group tickets on apps like Gewara or Meituan. Sitting in a theater like this was second nature to him.
What he could never have imagined, however, was one day finding himself inside the screen, not as a spectator, but as an actor in a horror movie.
"I'm not like you," Martin said suddenly. "I love horror movies."
"Oh, really?"
"Do you think it's strange for a girl to enjoy horror films?"
"Not at all. A few of my female coworkers are big fans of horror, especially suspenseful ones from Japan, Korea, and Thailand. They're always complaining about how terrible domestic horror movies are."
"I've watched a lot of horror films online—mostly Japanese, Korean, and Thai as well. Japanese ones focus on ghost stories; Korean ones delve into societal issues; and Thai ones are steeped in religious themes and karma. Personally, I prefer Japanese horror. I've watched the Ju-On series five times in Japanese and twice in the American remake."
As Martin spoke, her gaze shifted toward the massive screen before them.
Just then, a voice rang out from behind them. "Ju-On isn't all that scary—definitely nothing compared to the films in this ghost theater."
Allen and Martin turned around in unison to see Edith standing behind them.
"Perfect, you're both here," Edith said with a faint smile. "I was just looking for you."
"Miss Bai..." Allen's expression immediately turned serious. He knew Edith's status among the cinema's actors was second only to Julian's. As a seasoned survivor of numerous horror films, Allen held immense respect and admiration for her.
"By the way, do you prefer milk or coffee?" Edith gestured to the two cups resting in the recessed holders of the seats beside her. "The cafeteria serves fresh milk and coffee at all times. Have you noticed? And don't worry, the milk here isn't like the questionable stuff from certain brands—it's perfectly safe and fresh."
Over the past few days, Allen had come to appreciate Edith's warmth and humor. Her cheerful, optimistic personality made her well-liked among the actors of the 13th Cinema. Even Donna, who was notoriously difficult, showed her some respect.
Hearing Edith mention the infamous milk brand, Martin couldn't help but laugh. Edith's sunny disposition was infectious, even to her.
"Take whichever you like," Edith said, handing the drinks to them. Allen took the coffee, while Martin opted for the milk.
"Alright, let's get down to business," Edith said as she sat down, her smile fading into a more serious expression.
"How long do you think you can survive here? Or rather, what's your plan for ensuring long-term survival? You can't afford to ignore this question."
Allen immediately replied, "To survive, the key lies in Redemption Vouchers and cursed objects. I think we need to take risks instead of avoiding dangerous areas in the script, and we should actively try to save others in peril. Of course, we should act within our limits. The problem is, the cost of using Redemption Vouchers is so high that most of the time, we barely break even after a movie. So, taking calculated risks is essential."
"I feel the same," Martin agreed. "That's exactly what I did in my first horror film. I understand that avoiding danger only leads to a quicker death. Redemption Vouchers can only be earned by facing risky situations—I'm fully aware of that. Right now, though, I only have a Spirit-Summoning Talisman..."
Edith nodded, her expression one of approval. "Your analysis is spot on. It's rare for newcomers to think as clearly as you two do. Most prioritize renting cursed objects with their vouchers and staying as far from danger as possible. Even though they know taking risks can earn more vouchers, very few have the courage to do so. Their mindset is usually to survive the present and worry about earning vouchers later."
Allen nodded. Initially, he had thought the same way. But during The Locked Room, he was pushed to his limits and realized this approach was unrealistic.
"However," Edith continued, her tone shifting, "you must also understand that this is an incredibly dangerous path. Ivan died because of it. His reasoning wasn't wrong, but he lacked sufficient information about the horror film he was in. Overconfidence in what seemed like a low-difficulty movie led to his downfall. In his place, I would have spent more time observing and analyzing the script before taking action. I would also have prioritized group efforts, even if it meant earning fewer vouchers. Safety always comes first. If you only have one cursed object, save it for the most critical moment. Cursed objects aren't omnipotent—their effects are limited, their duration uncertain, and once used, there's a cooldown period of thirty minutes. Not to mention the risk of the curse rebounding."
Allen listened intently and replied, "*So the most