Chapter 49: Underworld Horror

The word “coincidence” was something Lu Zibing only dared to think, not say aloud. The phrase “copying a theme,” however, slipped out before he could stop himself.

The comments were much more direct than he was:

[They’re going to be on the same show, and they picked the same theme. Won’t that be awkward?? If you’re going to copy someone, at least wait until the show is over.]

[When outfits clash, the uglier one is embarrassed. Anyway, I’ve never seen Sheng Pingsha’s works before. I just think this doesn’t seem like the style of the “old artist” you guys were talking about earlier, hehe.]

[Ah, it’s another closed-circle mystery… I have a feeling this retro theme is going to become popular.]

Lu Zibing’s livestream audience was, of course, biased towards Director Shang. Seeing the direction the wind was blowing, and fearing that someone might use it to make trouble, he quickly spoke up to forcibly change the subject: “Ahem, anyway, let’s take a look first. There’s no basis for judgment without comparison, right? I still have a pretty good impression of Senior Sheng!”

Sheng Pingsha had been famous for a long time. His skills in storyboarding, camera work, and so on were certainly top-notch, and he had his own unique style.

Plus, with all the hardware in place, after watching for ten or so seconds, Lu Zibing, speaking from the heart, said that the quality of this trailer definitely surpassed Director Shang’s previous work, “Eldritch God.”

The entire trailer was dark-toned and low-saturation, with a smooth rhythm. After watching the whole thing, it was easy to see the general direction of the story.

The background of “Island of the Wizard” was set in the previous stellar calendar. The male protagonist was attending a small boat party. There were thirteen people on the boat in total, including his old friends and new acquaintances brought by friends.

But when the party on the boat was in full swing, a sudden storm struck. They got lost on the stormy sea. In their despair, the boat drifted to an island. Everyone went ashore and found an empty villa on the island.

With no other choice, everyone temporarily took shelter in this island villa. Little did they know that this was only the beginning of the killing. The thirteen people died one after another, and from beginning to end, the color of blood was accompanied by a wizard’s song.

“What do you think?” After watching, Lu Zibing didn’t comment, but instead asked the chat.

Although he hadn’t started watching “Infinite Heartbeat” yet, he had looked up a lot of related information out of interest. He could spout some of the tropes with his eyes closed.

For example, the secretly connected people had grudges against each other, and there was more than one murderer; or, the real murderer was not any of the people present, but an “outsider” who was detached from the situation; also, if it was more complicated, there might be “opportunistic killings”…

There were real-world reasons why the detective mystery genre was in decline today. The reason detectives in the past needed to deduce from subtle details was that the tools available to humans in that era were not yet powerful enough to obtain complete truths.

By the end of the previous stellar calendar, detective shows had become dominant. Now, with interstellar technology, there were almost no unsolvable crimes, and the methods of tracking down criminals had become quite simple.

But that didn’t mean people no longer liked tension and suspense. The reason Shang Jingyan’s “The Witch of Blizzard” was so popular was precisely that it tapped into this unmet audience need.

Her choice of Infinite Flow was just right. It wasn’t a stale, previous-stellar-calendar setting, yet it confined the characters to a restricted scene. The addition of supernatural elements made everything even more unpredictable.

The audience might not think this deeply, but their viewing experience would express it directly:

[At first glance, it’s quite exciting, but I always feel like something’s missing.]

[I only have one question: What’s the essential difference between this and the closed-circle mystery works of the previous stellar calendar?]

[But I feel like it’s well done. I’ll watch it when it airs.]

Lu Zibing dared to bet that the audience who said “I’ll watch it” were mostly looking for a substitute—”Infinite Heartbeat” wasn’t enough, and now there was a new show that looked pretty good in all aspects, so why not check it out?

[Wait, no, I suddenly realized, does Sheng Pingsha’s show have a reincarnation element??]

[Streamer, go back, look at the 30-second mark. The color of the clothes is a clear indication!]

[Wow, that sounds kind of interesting. I’m really interested!]

Lu Zibing was stunned. Reincarnation?

He rewatched it to confirm, and it was true.

At this point, Lu Zibing’s expression was a bit subtle: “…”

It was hard to say, to say the least.

To be precise, the reincarnation theme wasn’t anything new either. Shang Jingyan had made it popular again and connected it with horror. After “Moebius Sea,” the trope of reincarnation and loops had quickly been used in all sorts of ways by Dreamweavers.

Sheng Pingsha was really treating himself as a substitute for Director Shang, copying two tropes at once!

Reincarnation plus a closed-circle mystery, with a total of 12 characters. Lu Zibing thought it would be complicated and brain-burning.

He dryly chuckled twice and said, “I hope Senior Sheng can handle the main series well.”

–

As soon as Sheng Pingsha’s trailer came out, the Jing Rice Flowers in the Exile Star System exploded.

Closed-circle mysteries and song-based murders were classic combinations, but Sheng Pingsha had also chosen the “witch” element, and there were also thirteen people. Even the song was sung in the tone of a father and son.

This definitely couldn’t be called plagiarism, but everyone could see that he was clearly trying to ride on Shang Jingyan’s popularity to return to the public eye.

Even if someone of Shang Jingyan’s generation had done this, it wouldn’t have caused such a big controversy, but Sheng Pingsha was the “former number one,” Shang Jingyan’s senior.

As a junior on the same show, someone you’d see all the time, Shang Jingyan couldn’t say anything. Maybe to prove that they were harmonious and friendly, she’d even have to endorse Sheng Pingsha—this approach was really a bit unseemly.

Some former old fans were extremely shocked to hear this. How could the Dreamweaver they liked in the past become like this!

The popularity continued to ferment. The next day, Sheng Pingsha posted: [Released a preview for my new work, and unexpectedly, it caused controversy. Please do not compare my work with Little Friend Shang’s. It’s not good for either side [clasped hands].]

A few seconds later, the top comment was: [? From now on, let’s call you Tea Senior.]

Unfortunately, it was quickly blocked and deleted.

—Lu Zibing had already determined that Sheng Pingsha was targeting the market for Shang Jingyan substitutes. But obviously, Sheng Pingsha himself and the people who currently supported him didn’t think so.

With this post from Sheng Pingsha, his side immediately occupied the moral high ground.

[Shang Jingyan’s fans, don’t be KY^[1]KY: “Kuuki Yomenai” or “can’t read the atmosphere,” used to criticize someone for being insensitive or inappropriate.. Closed-circle mysteries existed in the previous stellar calendar. Are they now patented and monopolized by you?]

[It’s normal for a theme to cause similar works. Don’t like it, don’t film it. I think Director Sheng can completely surpass the original and become even better!]

[They’re both on the same show. Maybe they actually discussed it. You guys are arguing here, don’t get slapped in the face by the main characters themselves later.]

–

V066.

“Aaaah, I’m so angry! How can he be so good at shifting the focus? The problem isn’t copying a theme!”

Jiang Yuran was so angry she almost smashed her light brain. “Smug and pretentious, I don’t believe Sheng Pingsha ‘didn’t expect it to cause controversy’ before posting!”

You could even see some familiar faces inside—Director Shang’s haters.

These people were really tireless, more attentive to Director Shang’s every move than her fans.

Jiang Yubai was depressed: “I didn’t expect Sheng Pingsha to be such a person.”

He had really liked “Moonlight River” in the past.

He originally couldn’t understand what benefit Sheng Pingsha would get from doing this. After returning to prominence after many years, his first work would be full of controversy.

But after seeing the direction of public opinion on the star network, he understood. What Sheng Pingsha wanted was controversy. Controversy created heat. Otherwise, if he just released a new work, how many people would be willing to click on it?

And the public doesn’t care about grudges, they only look at the works. As long as “Island of the Wizard” was of high enough quality, he would succeed.

The once aloof and detached old artist had turned to follow the black-and-red route^[2]black-and-red: using controversy to gain fame, which inevitably shattered some filters.

Although the Jiang siblings believed that Shang Jingyan was the best, she was, after all, too young. They couldn’t help but worry: Would the public end up thinking that “Island of the Wizard” was better?

–

“Wandering Kitchen” production team hotel.

These two days, Guan Gaoyang could be described as extremely excited. He even opened an alternate account to mock the Jing Rice Flowers.

Unexpectedly, when he shared this with Hua Feitian, Hua Feitian said disgustedly, “Copy cat.”

He immediately knew she was talking about Sheng Pingsha. Guan Gaoyang almost choked: What was going on? Didn’t you say you hated Shang Jingyan?

“Ah, well, this isn’t copying, right? Didn’t you also say you wanted to do a snowstorm villa themed project…” Guan Gaoyang said halfway through, and seeing Hua Feitian’s dangerous look, he quickly swallowed his words. “I was just talking nonsense, just joking. How can you be the same as him?”

He then turned off his light brain and angrily denounced, “You’re right, I also think he’s being unethical.”

Guan Gaoyang actually knew the real impropriety of Sheng Pingsha’s actions, but he was just being stubborn.

“A petty, jumping clown. Don’t mention him in front of me again,” Hua Feitian said decisively.

She was starting to feel more and more like she and her boyfriend had incompatible values. And why had she fallen in love with him in the first place? She couldn’t even remember.

Hua Feitian hadn’t received love from her parents, so she instinctively wanted to seek the feeling of being pampered and indulged in an intimate relationship. And Dreamweaver peers, as long as they had talent, were somewhat arrogant. But Guan Gaoyang was different.

They were originally just trying it out, but who knew the fans would object. The more the outside world didn’t let her do something, the more she wanted to do it, so she had been in a high-profile relationship until now.

…Forget it, Hua Feitian shook her head. She still liked Guan Gaoyang.

She opened her light brain and began to carefully select chefs.

Hmph, that Shang Jingyan had already filled her chef vacancy, she couldn’t fall behind!

–

X71 saw all the noise on the star network most clearly. It felt like its CPU was about to burn out from anger: [What a senior! He’s simply a person with a major intellectual disability! Particularly annoying! Very annoying!]

Because the core rule included “cannot speak ill,” X71 could only say words like “intellectual disability” over and over again, which had very limited impact.

Shang Jingyan: [.]

She was originally a little annoyed, but seeing X71, she almost laughed.

[Don’t be angry. If you’re angry, his goal is achieved.] Shang Jingyan comforted it. [The more this kind of thing happens, the more you have to be calm.]

It was fake to say she wasn’t at all annoyed. No creator could remain completely calm about this kind of thing.

But now that the other party hadn’t even released the main series yet, if she took any action, it would be exactly what the other party wanted, directly sending him another wave of popularity.

Shang Jingyan thought to herself, the “true, good, and beautiful” of literary works didn’t seem to have any impact on human nature. The various things in the interstellar world were just a reskinning of the entertainment industry events she had seen in her previous life.

The production team was probably also very awkward. She saw that Qin Xiao had sent her a [heart tired, crying] emoji. It was obvious that Sheng Pingsha’s actions hadn’t been communicated to them at all.

Shang Jingyan thought for a moment, tapped on the small windows of the other people, asked a question, and after receiving a positive reply, edited a post.

Jingyan v: [Preview: My small kitchen is underworld horror ^_^]

She also attached an audio clip.

Fans and onlookers who were waiting for Shang Jingyan to express her stance rushed over in a second after seeing the new post notification, but their attention was diverted after seeing it.

What is underworld horror?

Everyone was already prepared for “horror.” They had just been guessing what style of horror it would be.

They clicked on the audio with anticipation, but the screen was pitch black. Only in the background was there a male voice with an old opera-like tone, sighing three times: “Today’s grand feast, may the hosts and guests enjoy themselves—”

“Bang, bang, bang,” three strikes of a gong, followed by the sound of stringed and woodwind instruments, with faint, indistinct sounds of noise and laughter. In the last three seconds of the audio, all sounds melted away, and a smiling, tongue-lolling ghost face flashed, almost making people drop their light brains.

The ghost face raised its hand and tapped on the screen, saying, “You must come, oh.”

The screen went black.

[Holy crap, it’s really underworld. My goosebumps instantly stood up!]

[It’s Chinese horror, right? I guessed right!!]

[Ahhhh, damn it, Director Shang, you clearly know we can’t go now, but you still tell us we must go!]

Shang Jingyan was the first to promote in the name of the show. Seeing this, Hua Feitian quickly uploaded a thirty-second preview. The remaining three Dreamweavers followed suit. Sheng Pingsha, on the other hand, was the last.

They were neatly lined up. Qin Xiao sent Shang Jingyan: [!!!]

Visibly weeping with joy.

And when Shang Jingyan refreshed again, the trending searches already had #WanderingKitchenPreview#, and the popularity of the five Dreamweavers surpassed the original #ShengPingshaReturns#, diverting most of the attention.

–

In the following days, Sheng Pingsha temporarily calmed down, and the production team promoted in an orderly manner. However, when Shang Jingyan saw him offline, she felt that he had a rather resentful air about him.

—It seemed that he originally wanted all the attention to be focused on himself and his new work before the show aired, but now that had failed.

And the preview he released at the last minute, following the trend, was very mediocre, not making any waves.

Shang Jingyan had expected this, because according to the production team’s arrangements and her inquiries during private conversations, at that time, others had already finished their previews. But Sheng Pingsha probably hadn’t, because he was busy with his own masterpiece.

Meeting Sheng Pingsha’s expression, Shang Jingyan smiled kindly back: It’s just that you didn’t achieve your ideal promotional effect. Why are you so unable to take it?

The two of them weren’t very harmonious at the launch, and the subsequent clashes, the other people all knew clearly, and were watching with their hands folded.

In this atmosphere of undercurrents and eager anticipation, “Starry River Wandering Kitchen” finally aired—

–

This season of the show was broadcast live throughout, divided into five camera angles. This first episode would have five groups of amateur diners reveal the mystery of the five small kitchens for the audience in the form of restaurant visits.

This method maximized everyone’s expectations, not to mention the competitive relationship between the guests, which was also highly anticipated. As soon as the broadcast time arrived, the number of viewers had already risen to a terrifying number.

“Why is it so slow!”

Jiang Yuran looked at the road ahead, feeling like ants were crawling on her heart.

—She and her brother were lucky enough to have both grabbed the identity of diners for Shang Jingyan’s group. And that streamer Lu Zibing from the Gamma Star System had also come to V066, but unfortunately, he hadn’t gotten the first spot and was extremely unhappy in the live broadcast.

Today, she and her brother would explore the restaurant, but for some unknown reason, Director Shang had chosen the farthest route. They hadn’t arrived yet, but Sheng Pingsha’s group was about to start eating!

Jiang Yuran’s own small screen on her light brain was also playing the live broadcast of Sheng Pingsha’s group, watching with gritted teeth.

The style of Qing Xun Wood Restaurant was just the most basic restaurant style in the interstellar world. The most popular style now was called “holographic restaurant.”

Equipment was installed in the restaurant to combine reality and virtuality. Diners could be in a tropical rainforest one second and at the bottom of a coral reef the next. They could also choose to have their favorite virtual characters sit across from them and dine with them.

Except for the food that was eaten, everything else could be simulated. Even the appearance of the food could be modified—many people used this method to deceive their vision and lose weight.

Moreover, because it was based on reality, it didn’t require diners to connect to the star network to feel it. Patients with Externalization Syndrome could also enjoy the visual feast.

And Sheng Pingsha’s small kitchen appearance was far more stunning than his previous preview. It was in the martial arts style of his famous work, built entirely as an inn in “Moonlight River.”

This inn was built in the desert, providing clear water and fresh food to people passing through the desert.

Yellow desert, camel bells ringing. When the diners arrived, a young man came out smiling, clear and handsome. Looking at his features and appearance, he was precisely the male protagonist of “Moonlight River”!

[Ahhhh! It’s the boy I loved the most in the past. Just for this, I’ll vote for Sheng Pingsha!]

[The setting is also too beautiful. As expected of the number one person back then.]

[The memories of watching “Moonlight River” when I was a child suddenly came rushing back, so nostalgic…]

The comments were all excited. Essentially, Sheng Pingsha adopted the “selling nostalgia” themed restaurant model that Shang Jingyan had mentioned earlier. To summarize all of Sheng Pingsha’s works, his own style was not actually martial arts. The only work under this label was “Moonlight River.”

But in the wave of praise and memories, few people pointed this out.

Jiang Yuran glanced at it from time to time, and the next time she looked down, her face was full of question marks: “?”

What trick was Sheng Pingsha playing?

After the diners sat down, they accidentally saw a bloody human leg exposed in the back kitchen!

[Scared me, ahhhh, what’s going on!]

[My god, eating in such a restaurant is too exciting.]

[Is it a black-hearted inn setting?? It’s also a horror style?]

Sheng Pingsha had indeed created a similar plot. The protagonist overturned the black-hearted inn and rescued the people in the kitchen who hadn’t been killed yet. Now, moving this setting to his own small kitchen couldn’t be said to be copying Shang Jingyan.

The comments were also shocked. Some people found it novel and were cheering, but others weakly questioned:

[Uh… Setting the diners to live in a black-hearted inn, won’t it really turn people off? I wouldn’t even dare to eat the food served.]

[Is it just me who feels uncomfortable? The setting of this restaurant is clearly the inn in “Moonlight River.” It was a very beautiful memory in my childhood. Why turn it into a villain setting…]

[I also feel a bit awkward.]

Shang Jingyan had designed a similar food street in the theme park earlier, where tourists could buy food with strange shapes, bloody and twisted. But Jiang Yuran inexplicably felt that it was more acceptable than Sheng Pingsha’s design.

She couldn’t say the subtle difference, so she could only darkly curse “drawing a tiger and ending up with a dog” in a place where the camera couldn’t see, saying, “Why is he also using horror elements!”

Jiang Yuran was anxious for her own Dreamweaver, worriedly thinking: He has created the atmosphere of horror, and it’s also Chinese-style. What will Director Shang do…

Carrying her apprehension, the production team’s car finally drove to Shang Jingyan’s group’s small kitchen.

Jiang Yuran walked into the area and was stunned. She knew why Director Shang had chosen the most remote address—the space here was really big!

“It’s so dark…”

It was pitch black all around. She carefully identified, and saw a faint greenish light in the distance, as if it were the reflection of water ripples.

Looking up, there were stalactites on the rock cave above, as if they were underground.

Her vision gradually adjusted to the darkness, and she saw the underground river beside her.

[Ahhhh, we’ve finally arrived at our Director Shang’s!]

[What place is this simulating?]

[Director Shang said “underworld” style. Could it be…]

There was faint music floating in the silence, as if countless overlapping chanting sounds were mixed in, but when you listened carefully, you couldn’t make it out.

[Hiss, my back is getting chills. As expected of Director Shang!]

[Although I haven’t seen a single building yet, it feels very Chinese. It’s so magical.]

[Are we going to walk along the river?]

With just one glance, everyone could feel the difference between Shang Jingyan and Sheng Pingsha. Shang Jingyan’s setting seemed more “real,” more eye-catching.

Was it a difference in mental power? Jiang Yuran thought as she walked towards the light by instinct. Along the way, she saw boats floating on the underground river beside her, all lit with a faint greenish light.

Because the atmosphere was sufficient, the diners were not impatient. After walking for about 200 meters, warm-toned light finally appeared ahead—

They were two red lanterns.

They swayed in the wind, like two bright red eyes.

The lanterns hung under the eaves. As they approached, they discovered that a huge mansion building was lurking in the darkness.

Jiang Yubai looked up at the words written on the plaque and took a light breath.

The two characters “Underworld Court”, inlaid with gold and silver, were particularly eerie and terrifying in the reflection of the bloody dim light!

“You’ve finally arrived. Why so slow?”

There was the sound of iron chains, clinking in the darkness.

The diners let out low cries of terror. Two figures, one thin and one fat, came towards them. The faint light of the lanterns illuminated their appearance:

The one on the left was wearing white, smiling, with his tongue hanging out of his mouth; the one on the right was wearing black, with a fierce expression, and blood-red tear streaks under both eyes.

Both of their faces were pale and lifeless, and they both wore tall hats. One hat read “Wealth at First Sight,” and the other read “Peace Under Heaven.”

Jiang Yuran had read some papers about the Chinese underworld when playing “Building 18.” At this moment, she blurted out, “It’s Black and White Impermanence^[3]Two deities in Chinese religion in charge of escorting the spirits of the dead to the Underworld!”

“Why are you shouting so loud? It’s not like we haven’t seen each other in a long time.” White Impermanence dug his ear, his tone higher.

And Black Impermanence’s voice was lower: “Let’s go, the banquet has already begun.”

The diners were in an uproar. Jiang Yuran quickly realized that Director Shang had also made a scenario script in this virtual restaurant!

But, what roles were they, the diners, playing? It sounded like they were going to attend an underworld banquet with these two ghost messengers.

“Oh my god, it’s so realistic…”

“Am I a guest at the banquet? It feels like I’ve really transmigrated.”

“Look, our bodies have also been changed by the holography!”

Jiang Yuran was both excited and scared. Taking advantage of the light, she looked down at her body and let out a scream.

Her lower body had become translucent and fading, just like the ghosts in hide-and-seek!

The cold gate was pushed open by Black and White Impermanence. Instantly, the noise inside rushed out. Jiang Yuran widened her eyes, and a lively banquet scene was presented before her.

Ebony tables and chairs, bronze candlesticks, golden flames, colors intertwined, magnificent. Various delicacies were placed on the Eight Immortals tables, all of which were alluring in color, aroma, and taste.

The waiters in the hall were all ghost messengers dressed in black, all covered with vermilion and yellow talismans, their faces unseen. Behind the screen was an “underworld orchestra,” with a bone maiden holding a pipa, a tree spirit beating a wooden drum, and a fox demon playing a zither…

This unexpected visual impact made people want to scream. The comments instantly exploded:

[My god!! Ahhhh, so scary, but also so attractive!!]

[Quick, quick, quick, I want this! I strongly suggest that Director Shang open chain restaurants!]

[I want to go eat too, ahhhh!]

And White Impermanence took the bronze wine goblet handed over by the waiter and laughed at the crowd: “Old friends, today is the grand feast of the underworld. May the hosts and guests enjoy themselves!”

Jiang Yuran was completely immersed in this moment. She no longer thought about Sheng Pingsha at all. She had only one thought in her mind—

There would never be any design more outstanding than this “Feast of the Underworld”!