Chapter 2 of 10

Chapter 2

14 min read3,477 words

Under normal circumstances, actors must play their roles according to the script that appears in their minds. However, in reality, this is equivalent to sending actors to their deaths, as people in such movies will really die.

Therefore, the curse provides actors with a glimmer of hope and a chance to survive. This is the death redemption ticket. Actors in real horror movies must continuously play roles in various horror films, but if they can accumulate ten thousand death redemption tickets, they can redeem their freedom and return to the real world.

The death redemption ticket is the payment actors receive after each movie, based on their screen time and the importance of their role. The function of the death redemption ticket is to allow actors to act differently from the script, thus avoiding death by deducting the tickets they own. For example, if the script dictates that a character must enter a haunted room and be killed by a ghost, but the actor does not enter, a certain number of death redemption tickets will be deducted after the movie ends.

Of course, actors cannot act as they please. Some basic behaviors cannot be changed. First, they must act as the characters in the movie, and they cannot use information they know from the script if their character does not know it. For example, if the script reveals there is a ghost, the actor cannot warn others. This is a basic rule. Additionally, actors cannot use their real names or discuss anything about the real horror movie. In short, they must act as if they are completely characters in the movie. Moreover, some parts of the script are in red (clearly visible in their minds), and these parts must be strictly followed. If not, the consequence is death!

Based on Ye Xiang's judgment, the actor playing the driver will definitely abandon the bus and flee at the last moment. As a new actor, he has no death redemption tickets, but the deduction of tickets only occurs when the payment is distributed after the movie ends. At that time, the remaining tickets will be given to the actor. Of course, if the actor is experienced and has accumulated more tickets, they can change the plot to a greater extent.

Ye Xiang already knows his payment is two hundred death redemption tickets. This price is pitifully low, indicating that he is a cannon fodder character who will die early. Thinking of this, his heart tightened again.

Of course, before the bus breaks down, everyone cannot change the plot and can only act according to the script.

During these ten minutes, Luo Haosheng and Kang Xueyan were the only ones speaking, while he had no lines. Without lines, he could only remain silent, leaning his head against the window, observing the outside. At the same time, he was thinking about how to survive. Having entered this strange world for less than ten minutes, he had already calmed down, unlike Zhang Nianzhou, who was drenched in cold sweat, breathing heavily, and pale-faced. If not for the strict script rules, he would have asked the lead actors what was happening!

Ye Xiang, however, was different. He had already calmed down and knew that panic would only lead to death. The only way to survive was to use the rules to his advantage. Moreover, there is another rule: if a character can find a way to survive, the subsequent scenes of the script will change accordingly. Even minor characters can become more important, and in some cases, even become the main character! In that case, the final payment will also increase! Therefore, in this real horror movie, there is no absolute main character. If you have the ability, you can take the main character's place!

Ye Xiang had already made up his mind. He must make a plan in the first scene. First, the bus has not broken down yet, so he cannot do anything. But after ten minutes, he will use every opportunity to interact with as many people as possible and try to find a few people to escape with him from the bus! However, he cannot say a single extra line! This is a strict rule, and he has no choice.

Of course, even if they can escape, it does not mean they are safe. He is not so naive as to think he can survive this real horror movie so easily! Therefore, after escaping, they will still encounter strange and terrifying events. At that time, he must first gather information! First, he needs to know if there are any supernatural or strange legends about the mountain! So, the first person he will try to win over is the tour guide! If he can get information, he can learn more about the plot in advance, which might give him a chance to survive!

According to the rules in his mind, actors will never be cast in a movie where they are guaranteed to die, like the Japanese horror film "Ju-on." This means that there must be a way to survive in the movie, but this method will only gradually appear as the plot progresses. Therefore, as an extra, he must explore the movie's plot to find a way to survive!

Ye Xiang clenched his fists. He absolutely does not want to die in this terrifying place! Since there is a way to survive, he will do his best to fight for it!

He looked around the bus and noticed that most people seemed normal, with no significant reactions, but some were pale and bloodless, likely new actors. He calculated that there were forty-three people on the bus, including the driver, and eleven of them were middle-aged or elderly.

He kept counting the time in his mind...

Three minutes...

Two minutes...

One minute...

With only thirty seconds left, the two lead actors were chatting happily, and Luo Haosheng said, "Yes, you're right, I think so too. Xueyan, it's so fast, we're graduating soon. I still remember clearly when we first met at the university orientation..."

Just as he finished speaking, the bus suddenly stopped!

It has begun!

Due to inertia, Ye Xiang's body lurched forward, but he managed to steady himself. The character he played, Xia Yun, could not have known the bus would break down, so he could not take any preventive actions. However, he could now act against the script! Of course, from the moment he spoke his first improvised line, the cost would be deducted from his payment. In fact, if the lines were not seriously wrong, death redemption tickets would not be deducted, such as saying "do my best" instead of "give it my all." However, if the improvised lines affected the plot, death redemption tickets would be deducted.

"What happened? Why did the bus stop?"

"Driver, what's going on?"

The driver, a bald middle-aged man, stood up, scratched his head, and said, "Sorry, I'll check if there's a problem."

Ye Xiang admired his composure, thinking he would immediately abandon the bus and flee, confirming that he was definitely an experienced actor. Of course, doing so would be equivalent to signing his own death warrant. Such actions that completely contradict the character's logic are not allowed. According to the script rules, even if not marked in red, such actions would cause the scene to be NG! This means everything would revert to ten minutes before, and the movie would start over!

NG is a special rule. In these ten minutes, Ye Xiang carefully interpreted this rule. Unlike real movie production, a single wrong line or poor acting does not cause an NG. In fact, this real horror movie has almost no requirements for acting, otherwise, none of them, not being professional actors or even trained in acting, could possibly film a movie. The standard for NG is that changes to the plot cannot cross the line!

The line is somewhat vague and not well-explained. However, Ye Xiang has some ideas about it. First, if an actor refuses to enter the role and instead shouts, "I don't want to film this movie" or uses their real name or directly denies the content of the movie, it is not just an NG issue. Everything reverts to the previous state, like Ye Xiang's body being dismembered into pieces! This segment is completely deleted from the movie, as if it never existed!

An NG occurs when the plot changes cross the line. If even one actor NGs, everyone must return to the original position and start the scene over. However, NG can only happen three times. If a fourth NG occurs, all actors will die without exception! There is no second chance!

Therefore, changing the plot must be done very cautiously.

Ye Xiang knew this was not the best time to escape. Actors' actions must align with their character's logic; otherwise, an NG might occur. One NG means all previous efforts are wasted. He would not do such a foolish thing!

Currently, the actors on the bus seemed relatively calm. Since Ye Xiang's next actions were normal, the number remained at 10 without increasing.

The actors were all aware that panic would increase the deduction of death redemption tickets. These tickets mean the release from the curse of the real horror movie, and no one wants to lose them easily. Of course, Ye Xiang also estimated that this was because most were experienced actors.

Soon, the driver, with a grim face, announced that the bus had broken down.

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