Jiang Zhe was brought by Qian Xiaoxue. His current state was concerning, and in the third act of the script, he would play a pivotal role in triggering subsequent horrors. Most importantly, his actions in the coming scenes were marked as critical, necessitating their completion.
However, Edith had a systematic plan for what to do next. While she could not guarantee the survival of everyone, nor could she ensure her own absolute safety—after all, nothing was certain in the real world, and no one could promise absolute immortality in a genuine horror film, not even Edith herself.
The house was vast, with numerous rooms, easily accommodating seven people. According to the script, a few were supposed to stay on the first floor, but no one dared to do so; they all opted to stay on the second floor.
"Take a look," Edith said, unfolding a floor plan in the living room downstairs. She pointed to the diagram, "All the rooms on the second floor have been arranged. There are enough rooms for each of you to have your own. Men on the left, women on the right. You should all know the locations of the bathrooms. Bring your change of clothes and remember, no one should shower after ten o'clock tonight. The rest of the time, you can allocate as you see fit. Oh, and according to our plans, prepare your Christmas gifts for the exchange. I've ordered a special Christmas feast. Have any of you tried roasted turkey?"
"That sounds great!" Wu Zhaotian smiled, his character, Song Jun, being a straightforward and honest person. Wu Zhaotian himself wasn't particularly simple-minded, or he wouldn't have survived this long, but his appearance often led to such misconceptions.
Carol examined the floor plan and nodded approvingly. "Alright, then we'll wait until midnight to welcome Christmas. It's not common for Chinese people to celebrate Western holidays this way, but most do it on Christmas Eve, mainly to give businesses a chance to run promotions."
Edith responded, "As long as we remember our roots, celebrating the holiday is just for fun. No need to overthink it."
"Still, Lindsay, it's too much for you to pay for dinner alone. We should all contribute..."
"No problem. It's rare for us to gather like this. Next year, we'll be preparing for the college entrance exams, and after graduation, we won't have many opportunities to meet like this again."
The sky grew darker, and a fierce wind howled. The neighboring house loomed ominously, adding to the chilling atmosphere.
Job placed her belongings in her room and sat on the bed. She reached into her pocket, touching her cursed object. In Hell's Thirteenth Degree Cinema, Edith, Job, and Donna were all formidable figures, each in their own right. Job, in particular, was exceptionally proud. The third act of the horror film would bring true mortal danger, but at this moment, she felt more excitement than fear.
Carol, meanwhile, had his own thoughts. The "new neighbor" remained hidden in the neighboring house, and no information had been gathered. There were no clues about the cursed objects of the deceased in this horror film. However, considering the moderate difficulty of the film, it was challenging for Carol, who had to rent high heels from Allen at a high cost, to gather such information. In terms of survival tactics, he was far less equipped than Edith. Yet, his deep cunning and strategic thinking had kept him alive and earned him Julian's favor. Surviving in this real horror film was no easy feat. He vowed to do whatever it took to survive, no matter the cost.
At seven o'clock, the Christmas feast for seven people, ordered by Edith (or Lindsay), arrived. The expense was considerable, demonstrating Lindsay's wealth. Edith had placed the order online using Lindsay's bank account, whose details she knew from the script.
Roast turkey, grilled meat, thick soup, salad, pasta, drumsticks—sumptuous dishes adorned the table, complemented by a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, creating a festive atmosphere. Edith uncorked a bottle of premium cola and poured it for everyone. Carol, Wu Zhaotian, and the others expressed their gratitude, even though it was part of the performance, every detail mattered.
The seven gathered in the living room downstairs to eat. A tough battle awaited them, and they needed to be well-fed. During the meal, they exchanged pleasantries, which are omitted here.
Throughout the meal, Jiang Zhe's condition remained concerning. He ate mechanically, his eyes vacant, and he spilled his cola several times.
Edith observed him with a mix of sympathy. According to the script, he would die again tonight. She had no absolute assurance of saving him, as she would also need to protect Qian Xiaoxue, a new actor.
She hoped he would survive.
At eight o'clock, Edith, Carol, and Job washed the dishes together.
At half past eight, they began exchanging Christmas gifts.
At nine o'clock, they gathered to play poker. Meanwhile, Edith kept an eye on the neighboring house.
Some began to take turns showering. Those with cursed objects, like Carol, showered immediately, as the cursed objects had to be removed during the process. Next were those without cursed objects, like Qian Xiaoxue. Edith, being the last, had no concerns about showering.
By ten o'clock, everyone had finished showering and returned to their rooms to prepare for sleep, as they needed to wake early for school the next day.
Time continued to pass...
As the clock neared eleven, Edith estimated that the moment was approaching. She gently pulled aside the curtain and saw—
Jiang Zhe, stumbling awkwardly, walked out and headed towards the neighboring house!
He reached the door of the neighboring house, pushed it open, and... entered!
Edith wasted no time. She reached for the bedside lamp, but as the script dictated, it wouldn't turn on!
One of the most common tropes in horror films—power outage!
"What's wrong? Is the bulb broken?"
Edith immediately tried the light switch, but the room remained pitch black. She hurried out and attempted to turn on the lights outside.
At that moment, the door of a nearby room opened, and Carol, wrapped in a coat, stepped out.
"What's going on, Lindsay?"
"Jiang Zhe has gone to the neighboring house! I don't know what will happen! That house feels sinister! Quick, we need to go!"
What lay inside the neighboring house? The answer was about to be revealed, as the script dictated that Tang Yincheng and Lindsay would enter the house to confront the "new neighbor"!
Rushing to put on a few layers of clothing, Carol and Edith rushed downstairs, with Job joining them shortly.
"What's happening?" Job asked, pushing open the door. "Are you going out?"
"Jiang Zhe has gone to the neighboring house for some reason! We need to get him out! He seems possessed!"
"Yes," Carol added, "Actually... Lindsay has been suspecting that the recent disappearances are due to the new neighbor in the neighboring house!"
"What do you mean?" Job inquired.
Exiting the house, Carol and Edith took the lead.
Finally, they could enter.
The mysterious "haunted house"!
Reaching the door, Edith grasped the handle and pushed it open. Inside, the room was pitch black.
"Is anyone there?"
Edith called out, a necessary line to avoid the unreasonable intrusion. After a few calls, she began to move deeper into the house.
Job followed closely behind. As the last person, Qian Xiaoxue, entered, the door slammed shut!
Another horror film cliché. Entering a confined space, the door would always close and refuse to open again.
"What's happening?" Qian Xiaoxue asked, rushing forward. "Why are we here?"
"Jiang Zhe came in here," Edith said, alertly scanning the dark surroundings. The house was much larger than Lindsay's, and a sense of danger already permeated the air, though not yet life-threatening, it made her uneasy.
Using her medium abilities, she could faintly sense Jiang Zhe's location. He was definitely not on the first floor.
Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream pierced the air!
"Second floor!"
Edith immediately raced towards the stairs!
Rushing upstairs, in the darkness, Jiang Zhe emerged, his hands drenched in blood.
"No... no... it can't be..."
He rambled incoherently, and from the darkness behind him, a black silhouette began to emerge!
It was a figure shrouded in a black cloak!
The figure moved slowly, appearing before them, then suddenly collapsed to its knees, falling to the ground.
"Jiang Zhe? What's wrong with him?"
A putrid odor filled the air. Edith approached and yanked off the hood of the black-cloaked figure, illuminating the face with her phone screen.
Though she had known this from the script, Edith still shuddered.
It was a person who should have been dead long ago.
The first missing female student!
Edith had seen her photo in newspapers and on websites.
Clearly, she had been dead for some time. Her body was cold and rigid, yet it had been walking among them moments ago.
Was "the black figure" referring to this? Those captured and killed here were dressed in black and animated as living dead, wandering the house.
Yes, the living dead!