Horror Movie Set: This extra is too good at playing the tricks.

Chapter 104 Out of Tune

Outside the window, the green bamboo rustled in the breeze, and sunlight filtered through the bamboo leaves, casting dappled patterns on the turntable.

The dishes on the table were still hot, and the fish, whose bones Lu Dan had removed, was still in the same shape as before it was picked up.

The Moutai liquor, crushed by the ghostly hand, has now turned into a real stain, slowly spreading on the tablecloth and emitting a soy sauce aroma.

Everything is back.

"Beep, beep, beep."

A crisp knock sounded on the door, and the seven people in the private room reacted almost simultaneously.

Chen Hua held the teacup in reverse, ready to throw it at any moment.

Da Lu's fat body was taut, and the chair beneath him creaked under the weight.

Still somewhat dazed, Chen Zhongyi sprang up from his chair and shrank behind Lu Dan.

The door was gently pushed open, and a smiling waiter walked in carrying a tray.

She was startled by the murderous aura emanating from the room, and her steps faltered.

"Distinguished guests," the waiter's smile was somewhat stiff, "this is the last dish, beef soup."

She carefully placed the soup on the edge of the turntable, her eyes scanning the mess on the table with a hint of fear, afraid that the group of men who looked like gangsters might suddenly attack and hurt someone.

"call--"

Ye Jianguo let out a long breath, his tense shoulders relaxing. He straightened the slightly disheveled collar of his polo shirt, regaining his usual composure and gentleness.

"Hello, young lady. Could you please bring us two more bottles of baijiu (Chinese liquor), preferably high-proof? Thank you."

The waiter, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, nodded repeatedly: "Yes, sir, right away."

She fled the private room as if escaping, closing the door behind her.

Only when the footsteps faded into the distance did the huge weight on everyone's hearts finally lift.

Chen Zhongyi slumped to the ground, touched his neck and then his spine, and after confirming, he cursed in a tearful voice, "Damn! I'm alive! I'm really fucking alive!"

Looking at the table full of colorful, fragrant, and delicious dishes, he felt his stomach churning and had no appetite whatsoever.

"Wait, Brother Lu, Uncle Ye, why are you still eating here? Something feels off about me."

"This is so creepy! That ghostly hand just crawled out from under this table!"

He was truly terrified. Although the place was elegantly decorated, in Chen Zhongyi's eyes now, the mahogany looked like it was stained with blood, and the wallpaper looked like human skin. It was horrifying no matter how you looked at it.

Lu Dan leaned back in his chair, his face somewhat pale.

He rubbed his temples, and upon hearing Chen Zhongyi's words, a smile crept onto his lips:

"Old Chen, your logic is flawed."

"The film set is a random intrusion, like bird droppings falling from the sky. You can't just chop your head off because bird droppings land on you, can you?"

"Besides, if you ever get dragged into a script while you're using the toilet, you'll have to sew your butt up and never use the toilet again for the rest of your life, right?"

"puff!"

Da Lu, who had picked up his teacup to drink water to calm his nerves, suddenly spat it out.

"Cough cough cough!"

Lin Xiaoxiao couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle, her face regaining some color from the laugh.

Even Chen Hua, who had been keeping a cold expression, had a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth.

"Damn it!" Chen Zhongyi rolled his eyes in exasperation. "I knew you wouldn't say anything nice! Can't I even express my opinion?"

Although he was cursing, the fear in his heart had lessened considerably.

A short while later, the waiter knocked on the door again and brought two bottles of Wuliangye liquor.

Without wasting any words, Ye Jianguo unscrewed the bottle cap and poured the wine into the decanter. The wine was crystal clear and had a wonderful aroma.

"Come!"

He picked up his wine glass and glanced at everyone present.

Everyone raised their glasses, and even Lin Xiaoxiao, who usually doesn't drink, poured herself a full glass.

Alcohol is the best anesthetic for adults.

Especially after just surviving a life-or-death escape, a cup of this, with its spiciness burning down the throat and warming the stomach, dispels the chill in one's bones.

"Cough cough, this wine is really strong."

Chen Zhongyi grimaced from the spiciness, but still refilled his glass: "Again."

After a few drinks, the atmosphere in the private room became completely lively.

Bao Ping stood up, his face flushed, holding his wine glass, looking somewhat flustered.

"Um... everyone," his voice stammered, "in the script just now, I didn't do things properly. I'm slow-witted, stubborn, and almost..."

"Brother Lu is right, I shouldn't have done that."

"I'm not very educated and I'm not good at speaking. I'm giving these three cups as an apology, and I hope you'll all be more understanding in the future."

After saying that, he tilted his head back and gulped down a glass.

Then came the second and third cups. He drank them too quickly and choked, his face turning red.

A slender hand reached out and gently patted his back.

Lin Xiaoxiao handed a tissue to Bao Ping: "Master Bao, drink less. No one will blame you. In such a desperate situation, your kindness is more commendable than anything else."

"We survived because of everyone."

"Exactly." Da Lu picked up a piece of braised pork with his chopsticks and mumbled in agreement, "Old Bao, stop being so pretentious."

"To be honest, when I saw you fall down, tears streamed down my face. In my entire life, apart from my mother beating me, no one has ever made me cry like this."

"Ha ha ha ha--"

Everyone laughed.

Chen Hua also raised his glass, his tone gentle: "Master Bao, you're a real man."

Upon hearing the compliment of being called a "real man," Bao Ping smiled more happily than if he had won the lottery.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and the exchange of toasts, fear was cast to the winds.

Da Lu was clearly the type who became talkative when he drank too much. He loosened his tie, put one foot on the chair, and began to boast about his glorious past: "Let me tell you, back in the day, I was the king of KTVs."

Da Lu waved his chopsticks like a microphone: "People call me 'An's Eason Chan.' That voice, that emotion—as soon as I open my mouth, young girls line up to add me on WeChat."

"Really?" Chen Zhongyi expressed doubt. "With your build, you're more like Han Hong."

"Hey, don't you believe me?" Da Lu said anxiously. "Let's go practice tonight. Anyone who doesn't go is a coward. It's on me. The biggest private room in Royal No. 1."

"Sure." Lu Dan was also a little tipsy, his face flushed. "Perfect for letting off some steam."

He looked at Ye Jianguo: "Team Leader Ye, shall we go together?"

Ye Jianguo waved his hand with a smile: "I'll pass. What's the point of an old man like me joining in on a gathering for you young people?"

"I only know two military songs, and I'm afraid they'll spoil your fun."

"That won't do!"

Da Lu grabbed Ye Jianguo's hand. "Team Leader Ye, you are our backbone. We won't feel at ease if you don't go."

"Besides, what's wrong with military songs? Military songs are really energetic. Tonight we'll listen to you sing 'Returning from Target Practice'."

"Go ahead, Team Leader Ye."

Chen Hua also chimed in, showing a rare hint of girlish embarrassment, "Actually, I'd also like to hear some songs. Although I'm tone-deaf and singing is a nightmare, I can still applaud for you guys from the sidelines."

"Is Sister Chen Hua's singing amazing?" Lin Xiaoxiao asked curiously.

"It's physically deadly." Chen Hua blushed, his face turning red to the roots of his ears. "When we had team building activities before, the moment I opened my mouth, the people in the next private room thought they were slaughtering a pig and almost called the police."

For a moment, the private room was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

......

"Alright, let's go sing karaoke tonight." Da Lu made the decision. "I'll book a private room right away."

"Singing...tips...paying the bill..."

Lin Xiaoxiao listened to everyone chatting with a smile, a few words unconsciously repeating in her mind.

Suddenly, a jolt ran down her spine and up to the top of her head. The smile on her face froze, and the chopsticks in her hand fell onto the table.

"What's wrong, Xiaoxiao?" Bao Ping, who was sitting next to her, was startled. "Are you feeling unwell?"

Lin Xiaoxiao did not answer; cold sweat soaked the back of her shirt.

[Mission Objective: Pay the bill before the restaurant closes and successfully leave.]

They defeated the clown, rewrote the script, and turned the horror movie into a rehearsal.

However, the mission objective has never changed.

Now, although they have returned to reality and it seems that everything is over, they have not paid the price.

If they get so excited that they forget the time and drag it out until the countdown ends, that's considered skipping out on the bill!

"Waiter!" Lin Xiaoxiao shouted loudly, her voice even cracking slightly.

That shout stunned everyone.

"Check, please! Check, please!" She didn't even care about her ladylike image, rushed to the door, opened it, and shouted wildly into the hallway.

"What's wrong?" Chen Zhongyi asked, completely bewildered. "Xiaoxiao drank too much? It's only been a few drinks!"

Lu Dan hadn't even reacted yet when he said, "Da Lu, you said you'd treat us? Hurry up and get ready to pay."

"Huh? Okay, okay." Although Da Lu didn't know what had happened, he still frantically pulled out his phone out of absolute trust in them.

The waiter rushed over, holding the bill, clearly startled: "Ma'am, what's wrong? Are you not satisfied with the food?"

"Satisfied, very satisfied!" Lin Xiaoxiao snatched the bill, her hands trembling. "How much? Swipe the card quickly, hurry up!"

"The total is 2850 yuan. Um... if you are a member, you can get a 20% discount."

"No discount needed." Da Lu rushed over and shoved his phone's QR code directly onto the waiter's scanner.

"Payment successful."

The moment those four words were uttered, everyone's phones vibrated simultaneously, and a black-and-white pop-up window appeared.

[Ding, payment detected. Mission objective achieved: Pay the bill before the restaurant closes and leave successfully.]

The first phase of the realistic scenario "A Feast for the Gluttons" has officially ended. Rewards will be distributed later.

Silence fell over the private room as people stared at the words on the screen.

Chen Zhongyi stared at his phone, his mouth agape in an "O" shape, big enough to fit an egg.

"Fuck!" After a long while, he finally managed to squeeze out two words through gritted teeth, followed by a series of extremely profanity-laden outbursts.

"Damn it, designer! This is a trap too? If we hadn't realized this, and time had dragged on until the end, would we have just died?"

"That's so insidious, so vicious! They're practically trying to kill someone!"

Chen Zhongyi was so angry that he stomped his feet.

"Huff..." Lin Xiaoxiao leaned against the door frame, panting heavily. Her legs went weak, and she almost slid to the ground.

Da Lu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, still shaken. "If you hadn't reacted quickly, I probably would have been singing for the King of Hell in the underworld before I could even show off my divine singing voice."

Ye Jianguo's face was also very grim. He was a veteran of many battles, but he almost failed because of this detail: "We were blinded by victory. Luckily, we had Xiaoxiao."

Lu Dan walked over and gently patted Lin Xiaoxiao's shoulder, his voice filled with admiration: "Thanks to you, my brain just short-circuited."

Chen Zhongyi leaned closer and took Lin Xiaoxiao's hand with a look of deep emotion:

"Sister Xiaoxiao, you are like a second parent to me, really! I'll go and clear out all the flowers in the shop right now and send you the biggest flower basket."

Okay, okay, stop joking.

Lu Dan checked the time. "I can't eat anymore. Now that the mission is over, everyone should go home, take a shower, and change your clothes."

"This whole outfit is so unlucky, it really needs a wash." Chen Zhongyi sniffed his sleeves and frowned.

"Meet me at 7 p.m. at the entrance of Royal No. 1," Big Lu shouted. "Nobody's allowed to be late!"

The group said their goodbyes and left the restaurant.

The sunlight outside was a bit dazzling, and the streets were bustling with traffic and noise.

.......

The afternoon passed both quickly and slowly.

Lu Dan returned home and soaked in the bathtub for a full hour, the warm water reaching his chest.

"The pen never stops..." He closed his eyes, recalling the feeling of mastering the rules at that moment.

It is an addictive power, but also an extremely dangerous temptation.

My roommate has fallen into a deep sleep, with his left ankle injured.

"Sleep well..." Lu Dan said softly, "I'll take you to listen to some music tonight, even though you might not understand it."

At 7 p.m., night fell.

At the entrance of Royal No. 1, the largest KTV in Anshi, lights flashed and luxury cars gathered.

The seven people gathered on time, and everyone had changed their clothes.

Ye Jianguo was dressed in a Zhongshan suit, looking exceptionally smart, like an old-fashioned gentleman.

Lin Xiaoxiao changed into a light blue dress and put on light makeup, looking so beautiful that it was hard to look away.

Da Lu, dressed in a floral shirt and carrying a bag, exuded the air of a nouveau riche. "Let's go—" he waved his hand and led everyone into the largest VIP room.

Deafening music, colorful lights, and a table laden with beer and fruit platters.

"The first song has to be mine!" Da Lu grabbed the microphone and immediately requested "Borrowing Five Hundred Years from Heaven."

"I really want to live another five hundred years!!!"

To be honest, this guy wasn't bragging. He has a deep voice, can hit high notes, and actually has a certain presence.

This lyric, in particular, resonated with everyone, and everyone applauded and cheered enthusiastically.

Next up was Ye Jianguo. The old team leader picked up the microphone somewhat nervously and requested the song "Little White Poplar."

"A little white poplar tree, growing beside the sentry post..."

His voice wasn't as skillful as Da Lu's, but it was full of energy, carrying a sense of vicissitude and determination.

As he sang with emotion, Ye Jianguo's eyes welled up with tears, perhaps as he thought of his former comrades-in-arms.

Lu Dan sat in the corner, holding a bottle of beer, watching quietly.

Taunted by the crowd, Chen Hua had no choice but to pick up the microphone. As soon as he opened his mouth, he sang "Sweet Honey" as "Happy Old Home," making everyone laugh so hard they were doubled over.

Bao Ping clapped along awkwardly to the rhythm, a relaxed smile spreading across his face.

Watch Lin Xiaoxiao and Chen Zhongyi play rock-paper-scissors; the loser gets his face smeared with paint.

"Lu Dan, stop pretending to be deep and come here."

Lin Xiaoxiao waved to him with another microphone, "This song, 'The Ordinary Road,' is specially dedicated to you."

Lu Dan paused for a moment, smiled, got up and walked over to take the microphone.

The lyrics scroll across the screen.

"I have crossed mountains and rivers, and passed through crowds of people..." His voice was somewhat deep, with a unique magnetism.

Everything I once possessed vanished like smoke in the blink of an eye…

"I was once lost, disappointed, and directionless, until I realized that ordinariness is the only answer..."

They got completely drunk that night and sang until their voices were hoarse.

It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that the group helped each other out of the KTV.

The streets were empty, and the streetlights stretched their shadows long, the seven shadows intertwined, appearing exceptionally close together.

"Let's go." Lu Dan waved his hand, turned around and walked into the night with Chen Zhongyi.

"Let's meet up again later!" After saying goodbye, the others also went home.