Upon the commencement of the fourth act, the lines were delivered in real-time, leaving no room for predicting the unfolding plot. The film's conclusion was scheduled for half an hour later!
However, brevity did not imply safety; on the contrary, it signified a densely packed sequence where every minute would be filled with action, leaving no room for idle moments. Otherwise, the shortened duration would be inexplicable.
With only a few minutes left until the ghost bone's cooldown period expired, Carol and Eamonn were the only ones capable of wielding their cursed objects. Wu Zhaotian, Jiang Zhe, Qian Xiaoxue, and others were relegated to supporting roles. So far, no one had perished, which meant the next thirty minutes would be exceptionally grueling.
Suddenly, Wu Zhaotian exclaimed, "What nonsense! There's no ghost at all! Nothing has happened for so long. Why am I foolish enough to stay up here with you? I'm going downstairs!"
"No!" Carol quickly restrained him. "It's too dangerous for you to go down now!"
"Get lost! You've been feeding me lies all along!" Wu Zhaotian felt utterly helpless, cursing the script for its clichéd setup even at this critical juncture!
But what could he do?
At that moment, a gust of wind began to howl around them, sending shivers down everyone's spines.
Edith still hadn't awakened!
Moments ago, Job had risked invoking the ghost curse, nearly unleashing the malevolent spirit within her to temporarily repel the ghostly neighbor. Truly, anyone with the fortitude to harbor a ghost within themselves was formidable.
She knew the extraction of the vengeful spirit's blood was performed by an NPC from a horror film, but the successful implantation was thanks to "the Man." Only Julian and Carol were privy to this involvement.
Carol... played an enigmatic role in all of this.
However, this method couldn't be used repeatedly. What should they do next?
Just then...
Everyone experienced a surreal sensation, as if caught between dreams and reality, and found themselves back at the beginning of the fourth act!
What was happening?
Wu Zhaotian and Eamonn turned deathly pale. According to the script, they were required to descend due to their disbelief in ghosts, but they weren't foolish enough to comply. Yet, this defiance triggered an NG (No Good)!
This was the first NG in the movie, caused by their reluctance!
They exchanged glances, their faces turning ashen. They had to decide—either go downstairs or face another NG. Three NGs meant collective doom, with no other outcome possible. Thus, they had no choice but to descend.
Wu Zhaotian looked at Carol. The high heels were rented jointly by Allen and himself, with Carol usually holding onto them since she contributed the larger share. In case of danger, Carol would hand them over. With precise timing, transferring the shoes from one pocket to another took less than a second.
He also glanced at Eamonn, who carried a soul-summoning talisman purchased from Martin.
They increasingly realized Edith's irreplaceable value—if she were awake, she could provide remote protection, eliminating much of their current predicament.
Wu Zhaotian gazed at the still-unconscious Edith, genuinely terrified. However, in her current state, she wouldn't wake unless naturally revived. She resembled a comatose patient, and the exact time of her awakening was uncertain.
"Uh... Li, Carol..." Wu Zhaotian began to ask for the high heels but, in his panic, called Carol by her real name!
Thus, a second NG occurred!
At this moment, Carol felt murderous towards him—if there was another NG, they would all perish in this horror film!
Wu Zhaotian was horrified to discover his redemption tickets were overdrawn by more than five hundred! Even if Carol gave him the high heels, it wouldn't help. He had already spent many redemption tickets to co-rent the high heels with Carol, and now, instead of earning any in this film, he had lost six times his earnings due to two NGs. His overdraft limit had been exceeded!
His face turned ashen. Under these circumstances, he could only hope to find some crucial plot points to earn redemption tickets. Otherwise, upon returning to the cinema, he would die due to his negative balance!
Wu Zhaotian gritted his teeth and charged out with Eamonn, lowering the stairs without waiting for anyone to stop them and rushed downstairs.
"What the hell, nothing's happening!"
Despite being terrified, they had to speak those lines aloud.
As soon as they descended, Carol immediately pulled up the stairs! Wu Zhaotian and Eamonn proceeded forward cautiously.
Carol continued her scripted dialogue: "Very well, if they don't believe us, there's nothing we can do. We must protect ourselves!"
Descending the stairs, Wu Zhaotian and Eamonn trembled, reciting insincere lines.
"Are these people out of their minds? It's Christmas, not April Fool's Day. Let's go back to our rooms and sleep. We won't play along anymore!"
Fearful of a third NG, they adhered strictly to the script, though they moved as slowly as possible, hoping to buy time for Edith to awaken.
After all, they had no idea what awaited them!
"Hmm..." Eamonn suddenly grabbed Wu Zhaotian. "Song Jun, don't you think... it's getting colder?"
"Yes..." Wu Zhaotian quickly followed the script. "It is indeed getting a bit chilly."
Neither knew what lay ahead, so they stuck close together. Wu Zhaotian relied solely on Eamonn.
They slowed their pace further, heading towards their respective rooms.
Eamonn clutched the soul-summoning talisman in his pocket, trembling with fear. Initially, he thought sticking with veteran actors ensured survival, but he hadn't anticipated such dire circumstances!
Entering his room, Eamonn was followed by Wu Zhaotian. Though this might trigger a third NG, Wu Zhaotian preferred taking the risk rather than facing certain death alone.
The room was plunged into darkness; the lights wouldn't turn on.
"Hmm?" Eamonn's hand shook as he delivered his line. "Wh-why is the power out?"
Both were shaking uncontrollably.
Eamonn and Wu Zhaotian hoped that discovering the power outage would make "Zhang Yun" and "Song Jun" realize the presence of a ghost. However, the script dictated otherwise:
Eamonn waved his hand dismissively. "I know, it must be Lindsay's Christmas prank to scare us. Ha ha, I'm not afraid!"
Though his voice quivered, betraying his fear, Eamonn felt transported back to his initial terror during The Horror Bus when playing Clark!
Finally, according to the script, after noticing the power outage, "Song Jun" joined "Zhang Yun.""But Lindsay didn't seem to be pretending to faint just now..." Wu Zhaotian, playing Song Jun, finally uttered a sensible line.
"Hmm... Well, let's go back and check."
The moment Eamonn spoke, Wu Zhaotian was filled with excitement. He completely overlooked the fact that such a line in a horror film could be considered a death flag.
Wu Zhaotian and Zhu Dingjun stepped out of their room, with Wu Zhaotian moving quickly ahead. However, he soon remembered that the talisman was with Eamonn behind him. Turning around hastily, he said, "Zhang Yun, I—"
But what he saw made his blood run cold: Eamonn, cloaked in a black robe, was approaching him like a zombie. Behind Eamonn, Wu Zhaotian saw...
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH—"
At that very moment, Edith awakened!
Opening her eyes, she immediately sensed Wu Zhaotian's peril!
Before she could activate her spiritual medium abilities, Wu Zhaotian's scream abruptly ceased, as if he had been silenced. Then, she closed her eyes.
Both Wu Zhaotian and Eamonn were dead.
Edith sensed that the ghostly neighbor had now re-entered the second floor! She immediately activated the nearest talisman. Carol then embraced her.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Edith felt her strength waning. If she continued using her spiritual medium abilities, she risked being possessed. Possession ignored distance limitations!
Yet, she had no other choice.
With twenty minutes left before they returned to Hell's Thirteenth Degree Cinema, the remaining group had no option but to retreat deeper into the attic. Eventually, the five survivors huddled in a corner.
Jiang Zhe and Qian Xiaoxue, both new actors, were grateful their characters believed in ghosts; otherwise, they would have met the same fate as Wu Zhaotian and the others!
Edith's mind raced through the layout of the second floor. The ghostly neighbor was drawing ever closer! Soon, the attic would be invaded. She couldn't activate all the remaining talismans, as excessive use would lead to her own possession!
Ultimately, only she could restrain the ghost within a certain range. But as time passed, it became increasingly difficult. Their ace in the hole was now limited to the high heels and Job's ghost curse. However, the latter should only be used as a last resort, for it would unleash another malevolent spirit!
Meanwhile, inside Hell's Thirteenth Degree Cinema, there were less than fifteen minutes left until the film's conclusion. Everyone gathered outside the screening room, tense and anxious. Martin, whose usually stoic demeanor betrayed deep concern, stood beside Julian, who lit a cigarette. George, Elsie, Nathan, and the others exchanged uneasy glances.
How many would return alive?
Allen silently prayed, Edith, you can come back, right? You promised us you'd continue to train Martin and me...
For a moment, he forgot about the possibility of losing the high heels in the horror film.
Back in the attic, Edith clenched her fists tightly.
"Now... at my room's door..."
The current situation mirrored the script, but following it meant certain death. They needed to change the outcome!
"Silver City. The high heels," she turned to Carol, "when I say one, two, three, take them out immediately! Do you understand? I can't delay any longer!"
She had no other choice!
Her consciousness grew dimmer, threatening to lapse into unconsciousness again. She was already half-asleep.
Suddenly, she sensed the malevolent spirit... right beneath the attic!
She tried to warn Carol, but a wave of dizziness overcame her, causing her to collapse. Her lips moved, but no sound emerged.
Then, she felt the ghost... ascending to the attic!
The ghost had reached the entrance of the attic and was slowly rising!
What could they do? Was there any way to utterly destroy this ghost? Perhaps by manipulating the door? But how...
Suddenly, she recalled the bloodstains on the door when she had coughed up blood earlier. If the door were open, it might be ineffective, but since it was closed, her spiritual medium blood might work!
Most importantly, Edith had a theory about the blood-red palm.
She speculated that the blood-red palm belonged to the previous owner of the house, who had accidentally revealed the door while renovating. This door connected to an unknown otherworldly space. When the owner touched it, his hand was violently torn off by the door's evil force, and his blood was used to open the gateway to that space. Terrified by this horrific event, he fled immediately without leaving contact information for his neighbor, Lindsay.
If human blood could open the door, perhaps her spiritual medium blood could dispel the curse, banishing the intruders back to their otherworldly realm!
With renewed determination, she activated the spiritual medium blood on the red door in the other house, intending to drive the invaders back and seal the portal forever. Whether it would succeed, she wasn't sure—it was merely her hypothesis.
Then, darkness enveloped her, and she fell unconscious once more...
In that fleeting moment of awareness, Edith clearly sensed the ghost...
Finally entering the attic!