Chapter 31: Human Skin Script (9): Overbearing Posture

Lou Hao circled around the entire first floor before finally finding the Director in a room, just waking up.

Lou Hao: “…” So all those perfectly arranged filming setups were just for show!

The Director scratched at the fur on his face. Seeing Lou Hao, he seemed extremely impatient, waving him off dismissively. “Just casually film a few shots during the day. Our main scenes are at night. You all have free time during the day.”

Lou Hao blocked the doorway, completely unruffled by the Director’s attitude. He said coldly, “Director Mao, I’m not here to discuss the shoot. I’m here to talk about salary.”

Director: “Salary? You’re coming to me now to talk about salary? Wasn’t it already agreed that I’d help you all break into the industry, and you wouldn’t take any salary?”

Lou Hao’s eyes flickered with shock. He truly hadn’t expected this kind of backstory behind their identities.

Lou Hao: “You… this is exploitation.”

The Director pointed at the sky, the ground, and then Lou Hao, gesticulating wildly, fur flying everywhere. “I’m exploiting? How am I exploiting? Do you think it’s so easy to enter showbiz? Especially for you Outsiders! Who wants to watch a bunch of Outsiders act? You can’t do anything right! Asking you to dig out a heart and you scream bloody murder. You know what’s trending in TV dramas right now? Heart extraction!”

“You say I’m exploiting? I say you’re burning bridges! I cover your food, your drink, I get you into showbiz, and now you want to go back on your word and demand money? No way! If you don’t want to work, then get lost!”

Lou Hao: “…”

He had never witnessed such a spectacle before.

Luckily, the Director was inside the room, and the heavy rain and thunder masked the noise. Otherwise, the entire villa would have come running to watch the commotion.

But this spectacle was still overheard by Xie Lincheng, who had excused himself to the restroom to escape Zhou Cao.

“Director Mao, Director Mao, please calm down, calm down,” Xie Lincheng, who had apparently been listening outside the door for who knows how long, pushed past Lou Hao, entering with a smile to placate the Director. “Getting too worked up might disturb the others, isn’t that right?”

This statement actually seemed to calm the Director down, but his attitude remained the same. “Fine, fine. The salary matter is non-negotiable. You two, leave.”

Xie Lincheng: “Indeed, the salary matter was settled long ago. We have no reason to go back on our word. But Director Mao, while a base salary of zero we accept, having no subsidy at all is a bit unreasonable, wouldn’t you say?”

“Subsidy?”

“Yes. Director Mao, you also know I’m an Outsider. Outsiders all like to sleep at night. But the crucial parts of your production are all at night. And look at this weather. Torrential rain from morning till night. It’s horribly cold and damp in this villa. We Outsiders have weak constitutions. We can’t do anything right. We might even get sick.”

The Director stared at him in shock.

Lou Hao also stared at him in shock.

Xie Lincheng, with his curved, peach-blossom eyes, remained completely composed.

Lou Hao: “Right!”

Director: “…Fine. What are your card numbers? Send them to me. At most, I can subsidize you fifty a day.”

Fifty? That was way too little. He couldn’t bring himself to offer that! Lou Hao wanted to argue further, but Xie Lincheng stopped him.

Xie Lincheng: “Director, can you give us cash? We just arrived. We haven’t gotten our bank cards sorted yet.”

Director: “Then we’ll talk when you’ve sorted them out. You think I’m going to swindle you out of fifty bucks? Besides, who carries that much cash these days?”

He even glanced at them as if they were nouveau riche bumpkins.

Xie Lincheng: “…”

While Xie Lincheng hesitated, Lou Hao made his decision. He said, “Put my share into Lu Ren’s account.”

Director: “Lu Ren? That’s doable, but you have to tell him. If he doesn’t agree, I won’t agree to it.”

Lou Hao: “I’ll inform him.”

Xie Lincheng’s eyes lit up. Immediately, he added, “Same for mine. Oh, Director, you said the main scenes are at night, but I didn’t see you at night. Also, Bai Luwei is playing the female ghost, right? Who was she acting opposite last night?”

“Why so many questions? Does every scene require me to be there in person? Just do your acting. Don’t worry about the rest.”

The Director shooed them out. Xie Lincheng and Lou Hao didn’t force themselves to stay longer.

Xie Lincheng slung an arm over Lou Hao’s shoulder, laughing. “Didn’t expect that stubborn brain of yours to be so sharp sometimes. Using money to build connections and strengthen relationships. Not bad. But the premise is, we still need to be able to reach that number the next time we enter.”

Anomalies with goodwill toward Outsiders were few. Even fewer were willing to give them their contact information. And of those who did, they had yet to find a single one they could successfully contact afterward.

Lou Hao looked at him with disdain. “Shut up. You and I aren’t on the same crooked path. I’m just repaying a kindness.”

“Fifty bucks worth of kindness?”

“That’s only for one day. Who knows how many days we’ll be stuck here.”

Still, no matter what, it was far too little. His, Lou Hao’s, life was worth more than this pittance. He removed Xie Lincheng’s hand and strode quickly toward Xu Xiye. In this process, he didn’t notice Zhou Cao, his face gloomy, staring at him with jealousy.

“Teacher Lu Ren.” Lou Hao sat down opposite Xu Xiye once more. This time, Xie Lincheng was with him.

Lou Hao explained the situation. He had expected the other party to readily agree, but was met with refusal.

Xu Xiye looked serious. “No, I won’t accept money from unknown sources.”

Xie Lincheng: “What unknown source? The source is very clear. It’s our subsidy. We’re asking the Director to transfer it to you.”

Xu Xiye was wary. “Why transfer your subsidy to me?”

Xie Lincheng: “To be friends. Just take it for now. We can grab a meal together sometime later.”

Xu Xiye was guarded. “That’s not how you make friends. Once money gets tangled up in friendship, things get complicated. I don’t agree.”

Xie Lincheng: “…” Why was his charm so difficult to deploy in the Inner World?

Lou Hao had long grown impatient with Xie Lincheng’s roundabout style. He stated directly, “I told you earlier, it’s to repay a kindness. Last night, I found my way out because of your presence. Just take this money. I won’t feel at ease otherwise. Of course, I know this amount isn’t enough. I’ll figure out more later.”

Xu Xiye hesitated. “Fine. I’ll only take yours. And this one-time subsidy is enough. I’m not the kind of person who does favors expecting something in return.”

In fact, he wasn’t even clear on what favor he’d supposedly done.

Xu Xiye recalled last night’s events. Lou Hao had mentioned finding a way out, but all he’d seen was him walking into the room and then wriggling a bit. What way was there to find?

He scrutinized Lou Hao, trying to be as tactful as possible. “Is there something wrong with your head?”

Lou Hao frowned. “What could be wrong with my head?”

Thinking carefully, there really didn’t seem to be anything wrong. He wasn’t like those emotionally unstable Outsiders, jumping at every shadow. Nor did he appear overly stressed. More importantly, he could crawl. Logically, there was no way he could be going crazy. So why were his words so hard to understand?

Xu Xiye: “So you were also acting last night?”

Lou Hao: “Acting? You could say so. Our every move is on camera. Everything can be considered acting.”

Xu Xiye’s eyes went blank. He let out a breath, seeming to deflate a little. Damn it. It was all acting the entire time. So this was also acting right now! And he was going on about repaying kindness, wages, and subsidies!

What this horror ghost film was actually filming, Xu Xiye had no hope of guessing anymore.

It’s fine, he consoled himself. That scene just now at least proved he wasn’t someone who took money recklessly, but rather a positive bystander character.

But just in case Lou Hao really was mentally ill, Xu Xiye stared fixedly into his eyes.

Nothing happened.

He thought for a moment, then lightly slapped the table, staring intently again. After a long moment, still nothing happened.

He felt discouraged.

He was clearly being forceful and had even learned the overbearing stance. Why couldn’t he do what he wanted?

Just wait. He would definitely master this move.

Seeing the two of them still sitting opposite him, staring, he said with a hint of anger, “I’m going to eat now. You two can leave.”

Lou Hao and Xie Lincheng paused, then left together.

Only when they were far away, at a corner, did Xie Lincheng sigh. “These days, it’s not easy to even give money away. By the way, was he angry just now? Why?”

“I don’t know,” Lou Hao said seriously. “Kind of cute.”

Xie Lincheng: “…”

It was a little cute, but whatever. Let’s get back to serious matters. “How did he help you last night?”

Lou Hao: “I don’t know. But I’m certain it was him.”

Xie Lincheng: “Why didn’t you ask just now?”

“Are you stupid? What’s there to ask?” Lou Hao said. “Anomalies have their own traits and thought logic. You won’t get much out of asking. Maybe he just accidentally bumped into me, and I used that contact to walk out.”

“I told you, I was still fully lucid at that time.”

Xie Lincheng nodded thoughtfully. “What’s his original form?”

Lou Hao: “Darkness.”

Xie Lincheng nearly choked. Sometimes he really felt Lou Hao was too chuunibyou, spouting off about darkness, light, and the strong at every turn. “Can you be a little more reliable?”

Lou Hao glanced at him sideways, his gaze sharp. “What I saw was just a black mass.”

“Fine, darkness it is. I’m going to investigate the Pollution Source’s lair tonight. Help me keep an eye on the changes in the Contamination Level.”

“Hah, afraid you’ll get trapped inside and can’t come out? Don’t worry. If I notice something’s wrong, I’ll drag you out immediately.”

“Just watch it. First, we go through the plot, then into the Pollution Source’s past, right?”

“Correct. For me it was… anyway, change the plot, make contact with the Pollution Source.”

The two were standing in a corner, talking, when Zhou Cao walked over with a gloomy face. He grabbed Xie Lincheng’s arm and glared at Lou Hao. “Can you stop clinging to my boyfriend all the time?”

Lou Hao: “??”

Xie Lincheng: “…”

Zhou Cao: “How can someone like you even have the nerve to stand here? Don’t think no one’s figured out your true colors yet. Murderer.”

Lou Hao: “What did you say?”

Zhou Cao: “I said you’re disgusting, a hypocrite. Your true face has already been exposed. Mur-der-er.”

Lou Hao gave him a cold look and said to Xie Lincheng, “You handle this.”

Lou Hao left. Zhou Cao turned to face Xie Lincheng with a victor’s stance. Seeing the frosty chill in Xie Lincheng’s peach-blossom eyes, he couldn’t help but freeze.

Xie Lincheng: “He’s a murderer. How do you know?”

Zhou Cao grew agitated. “What do you mean? You think I’m slandering him? That ‘motorcycle-riding, hot-blooded cool guy’ persona is just his public image. Someone already dug up evidence of him hitting someone with his bike and fleeing!”

Xie Lincheng: “Someone dug it up? How did you find out about it?”

Zhou Cao’s eyes reddened. “You don’t believe me? You’re still defending him? Xie Lincheng, I’m your boyfriend. You’d rather believe him than me?”

Xie Lincheng took a deep breath and said coldly, “I’ll ask you again. How did you find out?”

Cowed by his imposing air, Zhou Cao looked indignant but still answered, “People are already talking about it everywhere. I heard it with my own ears. They say there’s even a video. It was recorded. That’s what happened. Have you fallen for him? Let me tell you, don’t even think about leaving me!”

Xie Lincheng turned his face away, his tongue clicking impatiently inside his mouth. He wanted to just walk away, but his arm was still tightly held. The way the other looked at him was like looking at a faithless lover, giving him a massive headache.

He’d been proposing in anomalous worlds for years and never been troubled by romantic entanglements. Who’d have thought he’d run into this now?

He frowned and coldly shook off the hand. Just as he turned, arms wrapped around his waist from behind. “Don’t go! Where are you going? To find him, right? Don’t you dare!”

Xie Lincheng pushed the person away forcefully. Turning around, he grabbed Zhou Cao’s face, staring at him with icy eyes. “I’ll remind you one more time. Zhou Cao, you are Zhou Cao from S City. Wake up. The Security Administration Bureau doesn’t have a quota for rescuing ordinary citizens. Even if you die here, you can only blame your own bad luck.”

Xie Lincheng shoved hard and released his hand. Zhou Cao fell to the ground, looking a bit dazed. Xie Lincheng lowered his eyes, dusted off his hands, and left.

He wanted to give Zhou Cao a couple of punches to sober him up, but under the camera’s eye, any negative action was inadvisable.

Just like celebrities under a live broadcast lens.

Their argument drew the attention of some. Wen Danning and the other few had just come downstairs and were standing not far away, watching. Lou Hao was with them.

Xie Lincheng signaled them, and the group walked to the innermost table where they usually sat and sat down.

Wen Danning: “Just giving up on him?”

Xie Lincheng: “How am I supposed to handle him?”

Wen Danning: “True. Our Affinity is too high in this round, especially Zhou Cao’s. He really does seem to like you.”

Xie Lincheng: “…”

Xie Lincheng: “Can we drop it? This isn’t my thing.”

To change the subject, he relayed Zhou Cao’s words about Lou Hao being exposed.

Lou Hao’s expression was foul. “I feel my limbs degenerating even more.”

Su Qing kept her head down, her expression unnatural. After hesitating, she confessed her own situation. “Last night I saw the corpse from Bai Luwei’s story. I feel I’m being affected too. I want…” She looked at Lou Hao. “I want to peel you…”

She didn’t finish the sentence. Instead, she picked up an apple and a fruit knife from the table and began peeling it.

I want to peel off your skin. I want to strip away all your disguises.

Everyone understood her meaning from her action. If even Su Qing, in her state, was having such thoughts, then Zhou Cao’s case went without saying.

Zhuo Heng scratched his hair and tentatively suggested, “We could tie him up?”

Everyone signaled him to shut up. The terrible thing this round was that there were many things they couldn’t do.

Xie Lincheng asked Lou Hao, “How far has your degeneration progressed? Can you still resist? How about you go tie him up or knock him out now? You’re already exposed anyway.”

Lou Hao refused. “No need. Doing those things will only worsen my condition. If it’s not him, the Anomalous Phenomenon will just find another way to target me.”

Xie Lincheng looked at him with pity.

Lou Hao gave a cold snort. “Don’t look at me like that. I have my own plan.”

Xie Lincheng shrugged indifferently.

Seeing Su Qing unable to loosen her grip on the knife handle, Wen Danning consoled her, “The more nervous you are, the easier you fall into the trap. No matter what you see, the best method is always calm and distance. Right now, besides eliminating the Pollution Source, we have no other way. By the way, Zhuo Heng, Li Sha, how are your conditions?”

Zhuo Heng: “I’m okay. Haven’t run into anything, except occasionally hearing someone call my name at night.”

Li Sha also said she was fine, adding, “I’m a Forensic Doctor, known as the Surgeon here. I’m not afraid of corpses or ghosts.”

Wen Danning nodded. Zhuo Heng looked at her with admiration.

“Alright then. We can use this time to find clues,” Wen Danning stood up and looked at Lou Hao. “I think using brute force will be difficult to resolve the Pollution Source.”

Lou Hao had no rebuttal. What brute force could a person whose limbs didn’t obey him talk about? He looked at Xie Lincheng and scoffed, “Looks like she thinks you’re useless too. Good judgment.”

Xie Lincheng: “I’m not a brute. I’m the intellectual type, thanks.”

~

Zhou Cao sat alone on the cold floor for a long time. He thought about Xie Lincheng’s words and watched his cold departing back. His expression gradually shifted from stunned to vicious.

His script had updated a great deal. The final lines were:

【My name is Zhou Cao.】

【I deeply love my boyfriend, yet time and again, he argues with me because of others.】

【I don’t blame him. He’s merely being misled by others. I will strip that person’s skin clean off and let him see the true face underneath.】

Of course he remembered he was Zhou Cao. He and Xie Lincheng had come here together from out of town. Xie Lincheng was his boyfriend. He remembered all this very clearly without needing any reminder.