Chapter 19

As the hanged ghost walked, he explained the requirements of the haunted house to Yan Zhao. For example, he advised not making physical contact with the visitors, not chasing them if they were timid, and being careful not to get hit.

Yan Zhao: “…”

“Do you know why the headless ghost is headless? He was beaten out of shape by visitors before and never wants to see a visitor’s face again.” The hanged ghost patted his shoulder. “If you can’t handle it, remember to shout, and we will come to save you.”

Yan Zhao: “I didn’t expect this to be a dangerous job…”

The hanged ghost led him into the haunted house. The lights inside were still on, but there was still a creepy atmosphere inside.

The hanged ghost marked out an area for him: “You can run from here to there.” He gestured while pointing to a row of cabinets hanging skulls on the wall. “That is your home. These skulls from left to right are called Xiao Hong, Xiao Hua, and Ah Mei. They were all beautiful girls in their past lives.”

Yan Zhao: Don’t make such strange settings!

Yan Zhao asked: “What is the name of the character I’m playing, and is there any background?”

When he acted, he often pondered about the character’s background. Now, even as a ghost, he had to be a dedicated one!

The hanged ghost pondered for a moment, stroking his chin: “Your name is Xiao Yan, and you used to be a star. You were killed by a director and your body was disposed of here.”

Yan Zhao: “???”

Director: “Cut this part for me.”

The hanged ghost gave Yan Zhao a few minutes of on-the-job training, probably imitating a groundhog’s “Aaahhhh” a few times, and then it was over.

“You are now qualified.” The hanged ghost stuck out his tongue. “Scare more visitors, make them didn’t dare to come to this place again, that is our highest mission.”

Yan Zhao: “But isn’t the haunted house closed down?”

“…” The hanged ghost looked into the distance, with a solemn expression. “Alright, let’s get to work.”

The haunted house space was small, and the cameraman couldn’t move around, so he fixed high-definition equipment in a few corners, ready to capture the entire process of Yan Zhao scaring people. There were many videos of celebrities being scared by ghosts. Have you ever seen a celebrity scaring others as a ghost?

After opening, the first batch of customers quickly arrived.

Yan Zhao hid in the cabinet, where there was also monitoring equipment to see the situation around the corner, making it easier for him to come out and scare people at the first opportunity.

With the first scream, the haunted house became a groundhog’s den, with people and ghosts screaming, one after another.

On the monitor, the fastest to walk through were two young ladies. They supported each other’s arms, gazed straight ahead, and were almost running. It has to be said that this is a clever method. Except for the privileged Dementor who could grab the ankles of the visitors, the other ghosts only dared to show their claws and teeth in front of them.

Here it comes, the ghost’s first business venture!

Yan Zhao held his breath, biding his time, and suddenly jumped out of the cabinet when the young lady passed by this graveyard of skeletons!

The young lady hurried on, exclaiming, “Wow, this ghost popped out of the cabinet, amazing!”

Yan Zhao: “???” What’s going on? It’s okay to eat whatever you want, but you can’t speak nonsense!

Failing to scare the person, Yan Zhao hid back in the cabinet, waiting for the next visitors.

Luckily, there were few insensitive visitors, and soon he harvested the first batch of scared people. As his acting as a ghost improved, many visitors were scared into running away, and some even cried. Well, mostly children.

So, for the sake of children’s mental health, you adults shouldn’t bring them here to seek thrills!!!

A voice came through the earphones: “It’s almost time to change shifts, Xiao Yan, do you want to take a break?”

Yan Zhao had already scared 18 people to tears and was ready to continue and scare 20 more before leaving. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, “I’ll play a little longer.”

“This guy is addicted to being a ghost!” the director commented.

“Old Yang, it’s going too smoothly on his end, it will be difficult to edit,” the assistant director reminded. The sponsors specifically requested them to praise and criticize…

The director clicked his tongue, ran his fingers through his hair, and directed the group of actors: “Activate plan No. 3, the troublemaker’s team, go!”

The actors immediately sprang into action.

After checking on Yan Zhao, the director went to see the progress of the others. Ning Yunfan, as Prince, looked very handsome, attracting a group of little girls who all wanted to take pictures with him; Qiu Chengtian was busy catching the dogs that visitors had secretly brought in, sweating profusely; Fang Xingyu’s doll was the most difficult, the headgear was very heavy, and it was not ventilated, so he had to take a break every half an hour, otherwise he couldn’t stand it; Wu Miaozhu, with her sweet and lovely appearance, was asked by many visitors to play with them…

“Wait, why did Ling Xiao leave his post? Why did he run away?!!!” the director shouted, “Cameraman, what’s going on?”

The cameraman carried his equipment and said, “Teacher Ling said he wants to expand the market!”

What market did he expand?!!! Couldn’t he just complete the task obediently??? Well, it was good to have some highlights, anyway, he would bear the consequences whether it was good or bad—Hey, wait!

“Why did he run to the haunted house!!!” the director roared.

…

“Watch me bridge the gap between the living and the dead!” Ling Xiao carried a small basket and leaped away like a wild dog.

The staff at the haunted house didn’t stop him when they saw him, and deliberately let him go in alone.

Then Yan Zhao saw a familiar figure appear on the monitor, with the cameraman following behind.

Had he completed his task? Yan Zhao was somewhat surprised, but then he focused his attention again, preparing for a warm reunion with Ling Xiao.

If there was a road to heaven, you wouldn’t take it; if there was no door to hell, you barged in!

“Hahaha, that female ghost just now was wearing a Vacheron Constantin lambskin, the lighting was too dark for me to be sure…”

The playful sound of Ling Xiao’s laughter gradually approached, and Yan Zhao suddenly pushed the door open, stepped out, and delivered his lines: “Leave your head behind!”

“Come here!” Ling Xiao pushed the cameraman forward, “Here’s your passage fee!”

Yan Zhao: “……”

The cameraman wore a look of despair on his face, not knowing how many times he had been bullied by Ling Xiao along the way………..

Yan Zhao patted the cameraman’s shoulder: “Take him, you can go now.”

Ling Xiao: “Is that it? How can you not be dedicated at all?”

Yan Zhao fiercely said: “You, cry for me!”

Ling Xiao clenched his fists, pretended to cry with two drops of tears squeezed out from under his eyes: “Ah, I’m so talented, I should switch to acting.”

Yan Zhao said emotionlessly to the camera: “That’s 19.”

Director: “This counterfeit guy doesn’t count!!!”

Ling Xiao carefully examined Yan Zhao’s makeup: “This is well done, I can’t recognize you at all.”

Yan Zhao glanced at the small basket he was carrying: “I still recognize you; have you delivered the apple to Snow White?”

Ling Xiao sighed, “No, why doesn’t anyone like to eat apples anymore? Big, crisp, and sweet apples, good for all, only 20 yuan each.”

Ling Xiao was restless, he looked around and walked to Yan Zhao’s cabinet, flicking the skull and said, “Why does it have a flower on its head?”

Yan Zhao said softly, “This is the dowry that Ah Mei received before she died.”

Ling Xiao stepped back, clasped his hands and said, “Miss, I have offended you just now, I apologize!”

Ling Xiao opened the cabinet and looked inside, “Alright, I knew there was something inside, you little rascals are so mischievous!”

Seeing Ling Xiao delving into the cabinet, Yan Zhao grabbed him and said, “What are you doing? This is my spot!”

Ling Xiao squeezed in, “It’s okay, bro, let’s squeeze in together. I’ll help you scare people.”

Yan Zhao crossed his arms and thought for a moment, “Oh, I understand now.”

Ling Xiao: “Right? I’m so clever.”

Director: “???”

“What kind of riddle are you playing? Speak up!”

The cabinet looked narrow, but it was actually quite spacious. Yan Zhao and Ling Xiao crouched inside without feeling crowded.

Yan Zhao looked at the screen, and the screen’s light shone brightly in his eyes: “Here they come, a man and a woman.”

Ling Xiao rubbed his chin: “A young couple, good, I like it.”

The young couple slowly approached, in the pitch-black graveyard, with the sound of the wind whistling through, and occasionally the mournful low singing of what seemed to be a woman.

More and more white bones appeared under their feet, and occasionally props emerged from the walls or the top…

“Hee hee”, A little girl’s voice came from all around, “My flowers, where are you?”

“Wow! Ah Mei is speaking!” Ling Xiao was shocked, “Isn’t she the pale pink skeleton?”

Yan Zhao: “She’s naturally pale, it’s the color of her bones.”

The girl hugged her boyfriend’s arm tightly: “I’m so scared!”

The boy trembled: “I’m so scared too…”

“Creak.” A prop door on the wall opened, and a fake hand slowly reached out.

The young couple screamed wildly, and then with a “bang”, a cabinet with a skeleton hanging on its side actually opened!

A crack ghost grabbed a rough man and jumped out, blocking their way!

Yan Zhao used his elbow to hold Ling Xiao’s neck: “Today, I’m going to kill you and marry you to Ah Mei!”

“No, please! Save me!” Ling Xiao reached out to them, with a painful expression, tears streaming down his eyes.

The young couple, feeling weak in the legs, huddled together. They were extras hired by the production team, placed in the “wander freely” group, unaware of what would happen inside.

Yan Zhao’s hand circled around Ling Xiao’s head: “Your head is quite round, a perfect complement to Ah Mei’s flat skull.”

“No… I’m going to be strangled.” Ling Xiao coughed, “Come and save me!”

The way was blocked, and the young couple couldn’t leave. The girl asked, “What should we do?”

Ling Xiao handed the fruit basket forward: “This apple is from the Vatican, blessed by the Pope. Just press the switch, and its holy light can purify this demon!”

Director: “What the heck? Forced buying and selling!”

Trembling, the girl approached to grab the apple lamp. Ling Xiao shouted, “Wait!”

The girl, in despair, asked, “What now?”

Ling Xiao extended his hand: “Twenty yuan.”

The girl: “…”

A faint light illuminated the dark room. Yan Zhao released Ling Xiao, covered his face, swaying but not moving away from the path.

The girl: “Why isn’t he dead yet?!”

Yan Zhao, with an air of indifference: “Without tears, I won’t die…”

The girl suddenly realized and angrily pinched her boyfriend’s arm. The boyfriend cried out, and Yan Zhao weakly rolled into the cabinet.

Ling Xiao made the sign of the cross: “You saved the world.”

Yan Zhao tapped the camera and reminded, “That’s 20.”

“Happy cooperation!” Yan Zhao and Ling Xiao high-fived and continued to keep watch.

Director: “…”

“Damn, I want to kill these two idiots.”

The director roared, “Why hasn’t the troublemaker group arrived yet?!”

A voice came through the earpiece: “We’re here, we’re here, already inside!”

Ling Xiao said, “Zhao Zhao, do you know your makeup doesn’t last long? It’s smudged.”

Yan Zhao fanned himself with his hand: “I’ve sweated so much.”

Ling Xiao, using the faint light from the screen to observe, noticed Yan Zhao’s damp forehead and neck, beads of sweat glistened.

“This place is quite stuffy…” Ling Xiao rolled up his sleeves. Despite the haunted house being infused with cold air for a chilling effect, it was still warmer than the freezing outdoors. The actors playing ghosts were energetically moving around, making it quite tiring.

After a while, two children approached from a distance, accompanied by an adult.

“Be subtle,” Yan Zhao nudged Ling Xiao with his elbow, “Let’s play on their emotions.”

Ling Xiao gestured with an “OK” sign.

As the extra reached the graveyard, the staff operating props pressed the button, and the fake door opened with a fake hand emerging.

“Waaaa!” The little boy screamed, tears already rolling down his cheeks.

Yan Zhao, about to push the door open: “…” Maybe it’s better not to go out now?

The director covered his face: “They’re crying too soon…”

The assistant director awkwardly commented: “Kids are not easy to control their emotions.”

“I don’t care!” The director said to the group, “Continue according to the original plan.”