"Lindsay," Carol addressed Edith, "I've been discussing with Song Jun - what do you think about gathering together to study for next week's monthly exam?"
"Yes, that's an excellent suggestion," Edith replied, following the script's dialogue.
"Excuse me..."
At that moment, a bespectacled young man approached them. "Lindsay, might I ask you something? I'm struggling with this mathematical problem."
This character and dialogue were entirely absent from the script!
Undoubtedly, this glasses-wearing student must be a novice actor - no other explanation could account for such an unexpected deviation.
Edith studied him briefly while swiftly reviewing the classroom seating chart from the script, recalling his position when she'd entered. His name, if she remembered correctly, was Jiang Zhe.
In Act One, Jiang Zhe did share a few lines with the protagonist Lindsay, which had initially caught Edith's attention. However, his role was minimal - a seemingly dispensable background character.
He clearly recognized her as the lead actress and was attempting to forge a connection, seeking the protective aura that surrounded main characters. Simply asking Lindsay for help with mathematics would likely incur minimal redemption ticket penalties - perhaps none at all.
Edith examined his mathematical problem while he mumbled anxiously, "You'll help me, won't you, Lindsay? That's right, isn't it?"
While many assumed novice actors frequently made mistakes, reality proved otherwise. They rarely committed the common error of using incorrect names, and their minor roles, often matched to their natural personalities, left little room for error. Though frightened, their pre-entry ordeals of dismemberment and physical torment ensured absolute compliance. The four newcomers in "Horror Bus," for instance, performed flawlessly without a single mistake.
Jiang Zhe was clearly seeking Edith's assistance. Until the final act, he remained unaware of the Thirteenth Level Hell Theater's true nature, knowing only of the "Ghost Theater" concept from available information. Novices typically harbored deep anxieties; despite the initial allowance for redemption ticket deductions, fear persisted. Their deductible tickets were finite, and eventually, they would face genuine spectral encounters in their assigned roles.
Edith understood this perfectly. It was crucial for them to know they weren't alone. Without hesitation, she responded, "Of course I'll help you."
Jiang Zhe visibly relaxed, but before he could speak, Edith continued, "Actually, this problem isn't too challenging. Let me guide you - focus on these two sections, and you'll find the solution."
Surely Jiang Zhe wasn't the only newcomer. Who else? Since entering the classroom, Edith had been observing every character with scripted dialogue, yet hadn't noticed anyone particularly distressed - understandable, as a day's adjustment had likely settled their nerves. These actors probably avoided unnecessary redemption ticket penalties by adhering strictly to their scripted roles.
Jiang Zhe accepted his notebook back, unable to continue conversing with Lindsay without risking precious redemption tickets - tickets that represented life itself for every actor.
After his departure, the three actors beside Lindsay resumed their scripted dialogue, making no further mention of Jiang Zhe.
"Your room is more spacious, and with your parents away, it should be ideal for our group study session, shouldn't it?" Carol inquired.
"Certainly," Edith agreed promptly. "Let's meet at my house after school tomorrow. Though among us, Yincheng, you're academically strongest - perhaps you could tutor me?"
"Of course, I'd be happy to."
Time flowed swiftly. Several students approached Lindsay for conversation as scripted, though none betrayed signs of being newcomers, their dialogue impeccable. This suggested the other novice actors possessed admirable composure.
As the dismissal bell echoed, the quartet departed campus together.
Carol continued his passionate portrayal of Tang Yincheng's affections. Despite his desire to accompany her again, Edith declined gracefully, following the script.
Aboard the bus, after choosing her seat, she discovered Carol settling beside her.
"Yincheng?"
"Allow me to accompany you once more," Carol smiled. "For the final time."
This deviated from the script! Evidently, he'd risked his redemption tickets for this opportunity, borrowing Allen's high heels! He'd previously arranged joint rental with Wu Zhaotian, offering Allen 800 additional tickets, bringing the total rental income to 1,300 tickets. Combined with his earnings from "The Confined Room," Allen's tickets now exceeded 2,000.
The bus rumbled to life.
In the gathering dusk, high school students naturally departed later than others. The increasingly overcast weather had plunged everything into darkness by the time they reached their stop.
"I'm terribly sorry," Edith expressed genuine remorse, "for having you accompany me this far."
"It's no trouble, Lindsay. After all, I did the same yesterday."
In the darkness, an eerie stillness enveloped them. Flies occasionally buzzed through the surrounding fallow fields, their drone oddly comforting amidst the unsettling quiet.
Soon, Lindsay's house materialized before them, as Carol's gaze drifted toward the neighboring residence.
At present, the house was shrouded in darkness, its curtains drawn completely, giving the appearance of abandonment.
"Didn't someone move in there?" Carol seized the opportunity to broach the subject. "It should be dinner time now. Perhaps they've gone out?"
"I find it rather peculiar as well," Edith capitalized on the moment to elaborate. "Moving in during the dead of night, no renovations over these past days, absent in the morning, and still not home now. Did anyone truly move in? Or perhaps they haven't officially relocated yet, still contemplating renovation plans?"
"Who can say, really."
The house before them lay enshrouded in an ethereal mist. Though the script forbade entry, even if permitted, Edith would have exercised restraint. While personal risk-taking was sometimes necessary, current circumstances made it decidedly imprudent.
She wondered what Carol's next move might be. Having followed her here, incurring at least fifty redemption tickets, surely he wouldn't leave empty-handed? Someone as astute as Carol wouldn't engage in such unprofitable ventures. Yet the script explicitly prohibited entering the house without narrative direction, marking any such attempt as a failure.
What purpose, then, did his accompaniment serve?
Edith had largely deduced his intentions. Carol's intelligence gathering at this stage proved challenging, given his minimal connection to the new neighbor. Direct investigation would be inappropriate until supernatural occurrences manifested in later scenes. By then, however, it might prove too late. Hence, he needed to establish legitimate grounds for investigation now.
While Edith, as an immediate neighbor, could reasonably conduct inquiries, Carol's position demanded more creativity. He would need to fabricate a plausible pretext.
Such calculation exemplified Carol's cunning nature.
What ingenious justification would he devise?