Chapter 129: Stray Cat
"The director has vanished, the patient has disappeared, the media has received anonymous letters, and the bodies are hidden within the hospital."
"Ever-changing blood-written messages, whispers from locked rooms—who unfastened the chains on the doors at midnight?"
"What did they see? Why did they all go mad on the final night? Who is the patient, and who is the doctor?"
"Screams, shrieks, cutting, stitching—humanity dissected, where the sun never rises in the pitch-black ward."
Liu Dao's heart began to race just from a quick glance at the information on his phone screen, his breathing growing uneven. "Should we reconsider?"
Before coming, he had worried that Chen Ge might refuse to cooperate over issues like pay or scene safety, so he had prepared plenty of backup plans. He thought he could meet any demand the other party made, but once they actually started talking, he realized things had slipped out of control from the start.
Not only did the haunted house owner not worry about his own safety, but he also found their provided scenes too fake, and in the end, he even went online to pick out an abandoned hospital that looked terrifying and horrifying!
Is this guy a psycho?
Liu Dao muttered to himself, his smile stiffening. "Mr. Chen, the staff probably wouldn't dare go into the place you've chosen. If you think the script isn't suitable, we can revise it."
"No problem." Chen Ge waved a hand.
"Thanks for understanding. So, shall we discuss the script?"
"No need for staff to accompany me. I'll go in alone."
"Did you misunderstand something?" Liu Dao broke out in a cold sweat. It took him a while to find the right words. "You really want to go live-stream there alone in the middle of the night?"
"Is there a problem?"
Seeing Chen Ge's calm and composed demeanor, Liu Dao felt that all the plans he had stayed up late organizing were a waste. "No problem. Take another look at the contract, and let me know if you need anything."
He pulled a temporary contract from a black case. Chen Ge scanned it briefly—the terms were loose. This was their first collaboration, so they decided to test the waters first.
Chen Ge would promote the ads Liu Dao provided during his live stream, and in return, they would secure platform recommendations and channels for him.
"I've watched all your streams. Everything's fine, but your equipment isn't professional enough." While Chen Ge reviewed the contract, Liu Dao opened the black case and placed it between them. "These are the streaming devices we're lending you: a GoPro portable waterproof and shockproof camera, usually used by extreme sports teams for skydiving, paragliding, or diving. Next to it are an anti-slip chest strap mount and a wrist strap for the camera. Below is a handheld stabilizer and a wireless earpiece. Once you start streaming, we'll have someone handle the relay for you, and you can watch it on your phone via a short video platform."
Liu Dao introduced each item in the black case. "Take them home and get familiar with the usage first. Qin Guang's next paranormal investigation hasn't been set yet, but it'll definitely be within three days. Our stream will be on the same day as his—success or failure hinges on this one shot."
After all, going up against a major streamer like Qin Guang for popularity, Liu Dao wasn't very confident. That's why the contract he offered was only temporary, valid for one stream before being voided.
Avoiding risk was a merchant's instinct, and Chen Ge understood that. After signing the contract, he took the black case from Liu Dao.
"Once I confirm Qin Guang's streaming time, I'll notify you. I hope you'll be prepared." Liu Dao extended his hand to Chen Ge. "Pleasure working with you, and stay safe."
"Mm." Watching Liu Dao leave, Chen Ge placed the case in the staff break room and went back outside to sell tickets.
Around noon, the sky suddenly darkened, and by two in the afternoon, a light rain began to fall.
The roads grew wet, and the number of visitors dwindled. Watching the increasingly quiet New Century Amusement Park, Chen Ge felt uneasy inside.
The number of people visiting the haunted house was increasing, but the park's overall visitor count was steadily declining. If New Century Amusement Park were shut down, his haunted house would naturally be affected too.
"The number of horror scenes is far from enough. Relying solely on a haunted house to support the entire park is too difficult." The only reason New Century Amusement Park was still operating was that it had no competitors in Jiujiang. But once the future virtual amusement park in the eastern suburbs was completed, New Century would likely be abandoned by visitors entirely.
"Boss, what are you thinking about?" Xu Wan came out of the haunted house with an umbrella and stood beside Chen Ge.
"Nothing." Chen Ge turned to look at Xu Wan. "You've worked hard today. Knock off early. I need to go make the mannequin bodies."
After cleaning up, Chen Ge locked the haunted house door and headed to the workshop where he made mannequins, umbrella in hand.
Before he even reached the place, he saw Boss Qian squatting by the roadside, chatting with the fried yogurt vendor.
"What are you doing out here?"
Boss Qian looked up, saw Chen Ge, and struggled to his feet. "Bro, have you thought about the high-end custom order? I have a feeling you're about to spark an unprecedented revolution."
"Not interested." Chen Ge went into the underground workshop and buried himself in making mannequin bodies.
"Think it over! You could become the godfather of a new industry!"
...
At nine-thirty in the evening, all the mannequin bodies were finished. Twenty-four headless torsos wrapped in newspaper stood in the workshop, a truly spectacular sight.
"So realistic. It's art."
"Leave the mannequins here for now. I'll come pick them up tomorrow morning." Chen Ge grabbed Boss Qian's shoulder. "You can admire them from a distance, but don't touch them."
After a few more instructions, Chen Ge left with his umbrella.
He emerged from the underground passage to find the rain pouring harder.
"Twenty-four mannequins—how am I supposed to haul them back? I'll ask Uncle Xu for help tomorrow." He opened his umbrella and walked along the street. The shops on both sides were closing up, and a few owners were calling for their children, getting ready to head home.
Chen Ge didn't pay much attention at first, until he passed a small alley behind the street and heard a child crying.
He turned to look. In the alley stood a few young boys, throwing stones and bottles at something.
One of the kids seemed to have cut his finger. He was crying as he picked up broken bricks from the ground and hurled them toward a corner.
"Jiabao, Jiaming! Stop playing and get ready to go home." A lottery shop owner walked to the alley entrance and called out.
"Dad! My brother got scratched by a cat!" a taller boy shouted.
"Scratched by a cat? Let me see!" The man hurried into the alley. Chen Ge hesitated, then followed.
Seeing his child's scratched finger, the man picked up the crying boy, comforting him.
With his father there, the boy cried even louder.
"It's okay. Dad will get revenge for you. Was it this cat that scratched you?" The man picked up a brick from the ground and threw it without holding back.
The brick hit flesh with a dull thud.
Chen Ge blocked the brick with his shin, standing in the middle of the alley, staring at a battered cardboard box in the corner.
Inside the box was a white cat, covered in grime, with a gash running from its eye to its mouth.
The cat was fierce—baring its teeth, wounded all over, blood streaming into its eyes, yet it still guarded the box.
"Why doesn't it run?" Chen Ge stepped forward and saw that inside the box were four kittens, but they were all dead.
The kids nearby held sharp branches, and broken bottles and bricks littered the ground, yet the box itself remained clean.
"What's wrong with you?" The man grabbed a broom from the alley entrance and pushed Chen Ge. "Move!"
His shin still aching, Chen Ge, for some reason, grabbed the man's arm as he pushed, slammed him hard to the ground, then seized his hair and pressed his face into the mud.
His pupils contracted, and Chen Ge's eyes became terrifying, like a dead person's opening theirs.
Yin Pupils!
The man tried to resist, but when he saw Chen Ge's face, he felt a chill run through him, his teeth chattering.
"Let's talk this out, talk it out." The man dropped the broom, slumped in the mud, his voice trembling. "There are cameras all around here. It's not worth it over a stray cat. I'll leave right now."
His eyes slowly returned to normal, and Chen Ge let go.
"Jiabao, Jiaming." The man scurried away, the other kids following close behind.
The alley fell silent. Chen Ge looked at the cardboard box in the corner. As he moved closer, the injured cat arched its back, flattened its ears, and narrowed its pupils into vertical slits, ready to attack.
It was terrified, refusing to let any living person near.
Slowly crouching down, Chen Ge avoided any actions that might threaten the cat. He simply opened his umbrella and placed it over the cardboard box.