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The cabin echoed with emptiness.
For a moment, Christian felt a twinge of embarrassment. He checked his watch again and listened to the theatre's ambient sounds.
"My apologies, my time estimate was slightly off, it's running a few seconds ahead..."
Silence followed.
Charlize's eyes suddenly turned icy, scornfully judging the failed charade before her.
'Give back my anxiety and fear'
Meanwhile, inside the cinema, the audience for "Wrong Turn" remained fixated on the large screen with both fear and anticipation. They longed for the appearance of the murderous demons, who had remained hidden since the film's start. Even Jodie Foster, Emily, and Sheldon, who had seen the movie before, couldn't help but share in the general atmosphere of unease and suspense.
"Show yourselves"
"This is the heart's cry" Christian looked as though he'd heard the audience's voice in the theatre.
"I intentionally delayed the reveal of those murderous demons' true forms at the beginning of 'Wrong Turn' to build anticipation. This deliberate creation of anticipation is not only a common cinematic technique, but it also harnesses the audience's power. It's a cinematic trick."
"So, you mean you use the camera to guide the audience, making them unconsciously ask what you want?" Charlize somewhat grasped Christian's earlier words, and at the same time, she realized the critical moment the director had calculated.
It was the moment when the murderous monsters finally entered the cabin in the "Wrong Turn" movie.
"Show yourselves. Ghost Tiger, Mandrill, or Wei Changhui"
This time, Christian wasn't embarrassed by the scene. On the cinema's big screen, the killers dragged the red-haired girl's body into the cabin. As they entered, a foul-smelling black whirlwind suddenly swept through the cabin in this world.
"Dragon from the clouds, tiger from the wind..." Christian murmured. The whirlwind inside the cabin paused, and a tall, grotesque figure emerged in the room's center.
"Boy, you're asking for trouble"
A Tiger-like roar thundered in Charlize's ears, making her understand the meaning of deafening. Christian couldn't help but cover his ears.
"Don't rush into action, You must know where we are and what the consequences of your actions will be."
The tall figure hesitated, his dim eyes scanning the surroundings.
"Now, this is your sanctuary, Mr. Wei Changhui, transformed into a Mountain God" Christian's face bore a smirk.
"No matter how decrepit and squalid it may appear, a God's sanctuary always remains sacred. At the very least, the gods themselves can't be freely harmed here, can they?"
"You're testing my patience" Wei Changhui's voice was still seething with anger, but his thoughts seemed to clear.
"Isn't this place the real world?" he wondered aloud.
"Painting"
Christian's response was concise, but Wei Changhui immediately grasped the situation.
"That's it. You've constructed this world using the fear generated by those humans sacrificing to me outside, and you've lured me here through their expectations, right?"
"Bingo" Christian snapped his fingers. "Conversing with intelligent people is a breeze"
"Indeed, if you act in this world fueled by their sacrifices, it's easy to provoke a backlash against me, who has become a mountain god..." Wei Changhui clenched his teeth, his hideous face resembling that of a real tiger.
"So, when you struck a deal with me, you were deceiving me?"
"To be precise, I didn't deceive you. I fulfilled my promise to make you a mountain god. However, becoming a deity isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Afterward, you didn't ask, and I didn't tell," Christian lied with a mocking expression.
"Speaking of it, your current demeanor is quite similar to your behavior in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. At the outset, you had nothing, and you were invincible. But once you entered Nanjing, you were dazzled by the power and became unsure of your actions. Is that why you're throwing a tantrum now as a mountain god?"
"I've got a quick temper" Wei Changhui snorted. "But even so, what can you do to me? What's your plan besides keeping me here temporarily?"
"Don't fret" Christian remained composed. If he had a feathered fan, he'd probably be waving it now. "The answer will be revealed at the last moment. By the way, we're still expecting a guest, and they should be arriving shortly."
"What?"
"What? What's going on? WTF?"
In the movie theater, the audience remained unaware of the unfolding events in the world behind the screen. They were still engrossed in the horror of the murderous monster in the movie.
At that moment, the killers were dismembering the red-haired girl on the floor. For first-time viewers, this scene appeared eerie and unsettling. However, for Judy Foster and others who had already watched the movie, it was a shock.
"What's with that suddenly appearing ghost?"
In their eyes, the floor's dirty marks transformed into illuminated lines, resembling a genuine magic circle, and a ghost emerged slowly, bathed in the blood from the girl's dismembered body.
It was a ghost, a female ghost. She didn't resemble the dead red-haired girl, it was an entirely unfamiliar image, but.
"Why does it look so much like Charlize, but with some noticeable differences?"
Jodie Foster was equally astonished when she saw the female ghost. This scene did answer her earlier questions, but she couldn't fathom the technique Christian had used to achieve this effect. What puzzled her even more was that the actress portraying the ghost bore a striking resemblance to Charlize, though Jodie didn't recall such a woman in the movie's crew.
"Is it Charlize in makeup? Something feels off"
Jodie pondered, "But now I understand why, when I watched the footage, I always felt an air of mystery in Charlize's scenes."
"She's possessed by that ghost" Emily immediately concluded.
Seeing the ghost suddenly prompted many second-time viewers to piece together the clues they had in mind. This sudden realization gave them a sense of accomplishment, despite not being professionals like Jodie. Instead of wondering how this magical scene was achieved, they felt a thrilling sense of accomplishment. Some couldn't help but cheer or exchange their thoughts.
Of course, this left the first-time viewers feeling dissatisfied. They also scolded the unruly spoiler enthusiasts around them, briefly causing chaos in the theatre.
Of course, while reprimanding others, their curiosity quietly grew. Perhaps they should give it a second watch soon? See what these spoiler enthusiasts are talking about?
Well, if they get the chance, they might also become spoiler enthusiasts.
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