Chapter 64

     “The first supernatural plot of “Cliff Banquet” happened at the end of the second episode.”

     Shi Xi followed the butler’s footsteps while quickly browsing the comics and retelling the plot to everyone: “The butler took several guests who changed into formal clothes to the rooftop to attend the banquet. “

     “The butler led the way quietly in front, and the guests discussed the unique decoration style of the villa in a low voice. The atmosphere was calm and harmonious, so they were shocked when the villa suddenly lost power.”

     “The surroundings fell into panicking darkness. Several guests stood at the corner of the stairs, a little at a loss. The butler immediately comforted them with a calm voice, saying that the power supply of the villa was a bit unstable recently. This was the second sudden power outage this month. He would arrange for emergency repairs immediately. Please stay where you are for the time being and wait for the waiter to come and light the wall lamp to avoid injury because you can’t see the environment clearly. “

     “Several guests proposed to use mobile phone flashlights for lighting, but they soon found that everyone’s mobile phones were turned off. I don’t know if it was because of insufficient power or a malfunction. The housekeeper told them not to worry and to stay where they were, and then left quickly.”

     Hearing this, Director Song said: “In fact, from here on, the housekeeper’s behavior has been a bit strange. He would not have thought that the mobile phone could be used for lighting, but he never mentioned it from beginning to end, as if he knew that the passengers’ mobile phones could not be used here.”

     “Yes, the problem can be found at a glance with a God’s perspective, but the protagonists in the comics did not find it,” Ji Mingxu took out his mobile phone and raised his eyebrows at Lu Xiu: “Then should we cooperate with the plot and turn off the phone?”

     “Well, I forgot to tell you, I asked someone to install a camera in the villa to record the whole process of our game,” Lu Xiu said: “On the one hand, it is for commemoration, and on the other hand, it can be edited into a video and posted on the Internet to share with comic lovers.”

     Ji Mingxu applauded: “You even thought of this, you are worthy of being a perfectionist.”

     “Let’s get back to the topic,” Director Song looked at Shi Xi: “Shi Xi, continue to review the plot.”

     The villa is very large. In order to listen to this plot, they deliberately slowed down their pace, but they were already very close to the place where the plot took place.

     The group of travelers stood in place waiting for the waiter to light the wall lamps. After a while, they noticed a person standing at the top of the stairs on the second floor, silently, without knowing when they had appeared. It was too dark around them to see the person’s face clearly, and they could only judge from the silhouette that it was a tall woman.

     Shi Xi spoke quickly, but her words were clear: “Before they could speak, the woman took the initiative to walk towards them, saying that she was the waiter who came to light the wall lamps. She stopped less than a meter away from the travelers, lit a wall lamp, and the ghostly green flame illuminated the corridor and the woman’s face. She was actually wearing the same mask as Sister Zhenbao, and wearing the same dress as Sister Zhenbao!”

     Director Song hissed: “Do I have to prepare in advance?”

     Ji Mingxu joked: “Then I will also prepare a posture for escape.”

     As they spoke, they had already stepped onto the stairs. Shi Xi put the phone in her handbag, and the lights in the villa went out, and it was pitch black around.

     Lu Xiu: “The lights went out as fate would have it.”

     Director Song said: “In a romantic TV series, the male and female protagonists can be arranged to cuddle at this time to warm up their relationship.”

     Ji Mingxu: “But this is a supernatural comic without a CP.”

     Shi Xi: “So there may be a situation where you cuddle with ghosts.”

     “…”

     “I refuse this kind of cuddle.”

     Lu Xiu put away his smile and asked: “Mr. Butler, why is there a power outage?”

     The butler immediately answered, and his words were exactly the same as what Shi Xi had repeated before.

     Ji Mingxu touched his chin: “The incident developed according to the plot of the comic, and it didn’t seem so scary, because I knew what was going to happen, and I already had a bottom line in my heart.”

     Others felt the same way. After the butler left, they were not too nervous, and even had the mind to chat.

     “Brother Lu hired professional actors, so their ghosts shouldn’t be worse than the NPCs in the escape room, right?”

     “Of course.”

     Yu Xiaoqian didn’t participate in their chat at all. She was so nervous that her palms were sweating when she thought about her plan. She remembered that in the comics, the female ghost who lit the wall lamp would go to pester the character played by Director Song. In order to get the shot, she planned to stand in front of Director Song and drive the ghost away after the ghost NPC took action!

     “Huh?” Ji Mingxu suddenly said, “Why is my phone turned off?”

     Lu Xiu chuckled, “Why, do you think the atmosphere is not right and want to increase it?”

     “No,” Ji Mingxu said seriously, “It really can’t be turned on.”

     Everyone took out their phones doubtfully, but none of them could be turned on!

     Shi Xi pursed her lips, “When I was reading the comics just now, my phone still had 80% of its battery. It is impossible for it to be turned off because of low battery.”

     Hearing this, everyone felt numb.

     By now their eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and their vision was much clearer than when the lights had first gone out. However, they felt even more panicked than before.

     Ji Mingxu looked at a camera and showed his mobile phone: “Dear audience, our phones are really malfunctioning. It’s definitely not a staged effect for the show. Even if the production team could have swapped our phones when we changed into our dresses, what about Xiao Shi’s phone? She was just using it, and everyone saw it”

     Lu Xiu said in a low voice: “I seem to know why the chief director said that this is irreplaceable, a real strange house.”

     Zhang Xiuming swallowed nervously: “I think it’s just a coincidence, not that strange.”

     Yu Xiaoqian was even more panicked. She didn’t think this would happen. So will we rush in later? Will there be real ghosts?

     What they didn’t know was that the program team behind the scenes was also puzzled by this.

     The chief director watched their interaction through the screen and asked the deputy director nervously: “Is this a plot they deliberately designed? According to the personalities of these people, as long as one person starts acting, the others will definitely cooperate highly.”

     The deputy director shook his head blankly: “The acting skills of the teachers are so good that I can’t tell whether it is real or acting, but the effect is very good. I am starting to get scared.”

     The chief director knocked on the table: “Continue to observe first.”

     “She’s here.” Shi Xi looked at the stairs, where a slim woman stood. The picture was very similar to a scene in the comics.

     “Madam, are you here to light the wall lamp?” Lu Xiu asked.

     “Yes.” The woman answered in a hoarse voice and walked towards them without any footsteps.

     Shi Xi felt a little strange and said something that was not in the comics: “Why didn’t you bring a lamp?”

     The woman paused, offering no response. Instead, she cupped her hands around the wall lamp, igniting the wick with a ghastly green flame.

     With a flick of her wrist, she snapped shut the playing card-shaped lighter in her hand, the sound echoing sharply in the silence. She turned towards the group, revealing half of her face, the other half obscured by a mask. Beneath her eyes, vivid red streaks of blood marred her skin, piercing through the mask and streaking down her cheek in a horrifying spectacle.

     After seeing her appearance clearly, everyone was shocked and had goose bumps.

     “How can she be wearing the same mask as me?!” Yu Xiaoqian watched the woman under the light in utter disbelief, her palms growing cold. “In the comic, the one who appears here should be…a ghost dressed like Director Song!”

     From the start of the variety show recording, the comic’s plot had been unfolding step by step. Everyone assumed this time would be no different. But the ghost NPC who appeared had suddenly changed!

     This meant the plot had deviated from the comic!

     The ghost NPC, dressed exactly like Yu Xiaoqian, stood in the eerie green light. Her face was expressionless and pale, her figure and features strikingly similar to Yu Xiaoqian’s. At first glance, it was as if Yu Xiaoqian was looking into a mirror.

     “I didn’t expect there would be this trick. The program team is really good at it,” Ji Mingxu took a deep breath and said, “I say, how long are you going to look at each other affectionately like this?”

      This statement shattered the deadlock. The ghost NPC turned its gaze, locking onto Yu Xiaoqian.

     The moment she was targeted, Yu Xiaoqian’s head buzzed. Only then did she realize that she had been too optimistic. When truly faced with this situation, it was incredibly difficult to remain calm.

     The ghost NPC narrowed her eyes and walked towards Yu Xiaoqian, and Yu Xiaoqian’s face suddenly became ugly.

     Just then, Shi Xi took a step forward and stopped the ghost NPC.

     Ji Mingxu and Lu Xiu turned around and stood on both sides of Shi Xi, looking like they were escorting her, completely blocking the ghost NPC’s way.

     Shi Xi ignored the ghost NPC’s bloody face and leisurely climbed up a step with a faint smile in her eyes: “Thank you for lighting the lamp.”

     The ghost NPC said nothing, Shi Xi climbed up another step and reached out to hold her wrist – in the comics, the ghosts in the villa are attached to the lighter. As long as the lighter in their hands is seized and destroyed immediately, the ghost’s soul can be scattered.

     The ghost NPC’s face suddenly changed, picked up the hem of her skirt and ran upstairs, disappearing around the corner in the blink of an eye.

     Shi Xi took back her hand as if nothing had happened: “You ran too fast.”

     Ji Mingxu pulled the corner of his lips: “Because she knew that if she didn’t run, she would be dead.”

     Yu Xiaoqian looked at their reliable backs, and her heart slowly fell back to its original place. She thought that even if they were competitors, Shi Xi was a respectable opponent.

     When Shi Xi turned back, Yu Xiaoqian looked at her calm eyes, and her heart was settled again. She clutched the hem of her skirt and said thank you.

     “You’re welcome.” Shi Xi looked away and looked behind her. The housekeeper had come back at some point and was standing not far away watching them.

     “Mr. Butler, you’re back,” Shi Xi asked calmly, “When will the power supply be restored?”