Chapter 125
Chapter 125
Just as Qiao Yu was yawning nonstop from exhaustion, the long-absent Instance notification sounded again.
(Act Two: The Wedding Night, A Love Between Human and Ghost-complete.)
[Ding-both streamers have broken character so thoroughly that there is nothing left to break. The scriptwriter has no choice but to rewrite the script overnight.]
[The movie’s genre has been changed from palace intrigue to pure romance.]
[Due to time constraints, only a story outline is available. New portions will be issued as the plot progresses.]
-Scriptwriter Ghost: Save me save me save me!!!
-Uh… my condolences.
-They’ve even driven the scriptwriter into revealing its real identity… I can just picture it crying itself unconscious in the bathroom.
-The last one who cried itself unconscious in the bathroom just joined the fan club.
-Wild guess… the Scriptwriter Ghost is about to follow in Director Zhou’s footsteps.
-Let’s wait and see.
-Scriptwriter Ghost: I’m going bald. This is so annoying!
-Uh… tried a volumizing shampoo?
-Scriptwriter Ghost: Fuck off!
Someone shook Qiao Yu awake.
Possibly not someone human.
Xiao Zhang’s face was as white as though covered in frost, and the obsession in his eyes had deepened.
Current Charm: 42%
“Mr. Lou Yu, I’m here to touch up your makeup.”
Qiao Yu pressed his lips tightly together in disgust as he watched the hand reach eagerly for his face.
With a sudden rattle, a silver-white chain shot past his ear and lashed the deathly pale arm aside. Xiao Zhang released a shrill howl. His figure rapidly turned transparent, then vanished without a trace…
The next second, Shang Yan wrapped himself around Qiao Yu and held him close, rubbing his nose incessantly against Qiao Yu’s neck like a complete pervert.
Qiao Yu… Qiao Yu could no longer look directly at that silver chain.
He glanced at the person clinging to him in the mirror. Shang Yan’s lips were red, his teeth white, and he glowed like a demon who had just feasted on his fill of life essence. The sight nearly gave Qiao Yu a cerebral hemorrhage.
[Ding-an important NPC is missing from the Instance. Mutation is now underway…]
All thought fled Qiao Yu’s mind. He sucked in a cold breath, snatched an eyeliner pencil straight from the makeup case, and turned urgently to Shang Yan. “Quick, quick! Give me your hand.”
Shang Yan raised an eyebrow and hid both hands behind his back. “What? Not disgusted anymore?”
[Countdown: 5, 4…]
Qiao Yu: “…I was wrong. Everything was my fault, all right? Hurry up and give me your hand!”
What a classic line from a scumbag…
Shang Yan knew time was short and placed his hand on the eyeliner pencil.
Qiao Yu hurriedly chanted, “Pen Spirit, Pen Spirit, you are my past life and I am your present one. Stop fucking dragging your feet and show yourself already!”
Just as the countdown was about to reach zero, a frigid wind rushed into his face. Long nails painted scarlet pinched Qiao Yu’s face, which now looked tender enough to drip water.
“Qiao Yu, you scumbag!”
[Ding-the missing NPC position has been filled. Mutation terminated.]
Qiao Yu had yet to figure out how to deal with his long-suffering friend, while the streamers waiting on set had nearly suffered heart attacks.
First, they had been inexplicably informed that the Instance was about to mutate. Then, just before the mutation succeeded, the situation had pulled a spectacular last-second reversal and escaped certain death.
Their hearts really could not take this kind of abuse.
No. 17 and No. 19 exchanged a glance, seeming to guess how it had all happened.
Just as they prepared to sneak off and find Qiao Yu so they could cling to their mighty benefactor, their control panels suddenly delivered the script.
(Act Three: Accompany the princess consort to the imperial palace to express gratitude for the emperor’s favor-extras may improvise.)
What did it mean, extras may improvise?
While they were still confused, a crew member in a gray vest waved them over. “Extras, come change costumes. Move it.”
The two had no choice but to abandon their plan to seek protection for the moment. They got up and followed him.
The extras’ dressing room was not large. It stood in a remote, desolate courtyard where years of neglect had left the walls thick with ivy and dark-green moss spilling across the crumbling brick pavement.
The Ghost leading them walked unusually fast. No. 17 quickened his pace, accidentally lost his footing, and pitched to the side. As if the Ghost had eyes in the back of his head, he stopped and turned, a malicious smile lifting the corners of his mouth.
An instant before No. 17 fell into a dry well, an arm caught him by the collar and hauled him back from the edge.
“Bian Feibai, are you all right?”
No. 17-Bian Feibai-hurriedly nodded. Still shaken, he grabbed the other man’s sleeve with his free hand. “That scared me. Thanks, Qingquan.”
Zuo Qingquan patted the back of his hand reassuringly. “No need. You saved me too.”
“Hurry up. Stop dawdling.”
When the Ghost saw that neither man was hurt, the curve of his mouth disappeared and his face returned to its icy blankness.
So much for NPCs who acted exactly like normal people.
These ghosts would hurt them too, and their methods were impossible to guard against!
Before leaving, Zuo Qingquan glanced back at the dry well, investigation in his eyes.
Why?
Did a specific setting have to trigger the opportunity to kill?
By the time they stood outside the fence, the other streamers had arrived. Everyone stared at the dense crowd and noisy bustle within, unable for a moment to tell whether this was an Instance or a real film set.
Luo Yunmeng reached out and pushed open the gate. Its quiet creak was buried beneath the commotion, yet the “people” inside still noticed.
Every figure stopped moving at once and turned to stare in perfect unison.
The corners of their mouths remained lifted, yet not one streamer could sense the slightest happiness from them. A chill crawled down their spines.
The silent dressing room turned strange and cold. Luo Yunmeng took a deep breath, forced up the corners of her mouth, and bowed to the “extras” and crew “members” inside. She did her best to look natural, like an extra who had genuinely come to change costumes.
“Hello. I’m Xiaomeng, playing a maid. Sorry to disturb you.”
The instant her words broke the silence, the eerie chill vanished as if it had never existed. Everyone resumed their assigned work. The female ghost in charge of styling waved at them with one withered hand. “The maid wears that pink short outfit. The guards don’t need to change. Just put a layer of soft armor over what you’re wearing.”
Once the ice was broken, everyone involuntarily breathed a sigh of relief and hurried inside to collect their costumes.
Of course, changing alongside them were those… “people” who made their hair stand on end with a single glance.
Elsewhere, the Pen Spirit was furiously pinching Qiao Yu’s tender cheeks, grinding her teeth as she did so. She clearly hated him enough to bite.
Current Charm: 44%
Qiao Yu turned his head and blinked innocently. “I’m not a scumbag…”
Before he could finish, he sensed something and glanced at the Pen Spirit. Confusion had entered her eyes at some point. She stared unblinkingly at his long lashes, her gaze vacant.
Qiao Yu immediately understood and felt a headache coming on.
The moment the familiar rattle of a chain sounded beside him, his back snapped rigid. He shoved the Pen Spirit away and, before she could reach for him again, said, “Ren Yan. Your wages.”
A bright-red banknote instantly blocked Qiao Yu’s face. The Pen Spirit stared at the vivid hundred-yuan bill, her senses immediately returning. She snatched the money and complained, “Why is it so little?”
She actually thought it was not enough!
Qiao Yu watched intently as she stuffed the hundred yuan into her pocket, his heart seeming to drip blood.
Current Charm: 42%
Damn it. Was he going to have to pay his way out of every disaster now?!