"Even if it's popular now, promotion can't be neglected."
The manager wasn't one to put on airs and casually explained:
"The pace of the internet is so fast these days. If you don't show your face for a while, people will forget you."
"Look at those brands, the more popular they are, the more they spend on promotion."
"Alright, you guys chat quickly, lunchtime is almost over."
With that, the manager patted the video blogger next to him, "It's up to you, brother."
The man patted his chest and smiled, "Don't worry, brother. I have experience with this."
*Click.*
The manager closed the door and left.
The smile on the man's face instantly vanished.
He turned and opened the box, saying to himself:
"You guys should have experience with this too. I'll blend in with the tourists first, and then find a place to hide and change.
When you see me, cooperate by showing some reaction.
Run when you need to, scream when you need to."
As he spoke, he took out his photography equipment and costume from the box.
"I'll be wearing this costume, so recognize it."
"Can you do it? Do you need me to give you some 'scare' training?"
After rattling off a string of words, he looked up at the people in front of him.
His eyelids drooped, revealing dark circles.
He said listlessly, "Just call me by my online nickname—'Suo Da'.
I rushed here all night and didn't get any rest, so please don't mind my tone."
As for just now...
He had to put on an act in front of the sponsor.
"..."
The employees looked at each other, completely bewildered.
This person's expressions changed so quickly.
But then again, it made sense.
They were all struggling workers.
Some people might look glamorous on the outside,
but in private, they were exhausted.
Everyone was the same when it came to making money.
"No need for training, this is fine."
The man dressed as a butcher picked up the chainsaw and turned it on.
"Let's get to work."
As he spoke, the other employees also got ready.
Seeing this, Suo Da nodded, "Alright, I'll head out first."
...
One fifty PM.
The haunted house staff were ready.
Two PM.
The entrance to the haunted house opened.
Tourists who had already lined up at the entrance began to walk in groups of two or three.
Basically, in groups of five or six.
The next group could only enter every few minutes.
When it was Shen Jie's turn, because there was a couple ahead of them, they were divided into two groups and entered one after another.
Since they were all guys, they were here to have fun, not to pick up girls.
So, there was no need to insist on going in together.
"Then you guys go ahead."
Shen Jie waved goodbye to his three friends and stayed behind with Jiang Lin, "We'll be right behind you."
This was Jiang Ge's first time here, and it was only right that he looked out for him.
"Brothers, are you five here together?"
Behind Shen Jie, a slightly overweight man, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, asked.
He had a smiling face and looked easy to talk to.
Shen Jie glanced at him and nodded, "Yeah, it's a rare weekend."
Then, he subconsciously asked, "What about you?"
"Ah, I'm here with my brother too. He went to the restroom, so he asked me to scout ahead for him."
The man smiled, "He's afraid of ghosts."
The two of them chatted as they went back and forth.
The man introduced himself as Suo Da, and said he came here specifically after watching videos online.
Shen Jie's face lit up at this, "Me too!"
Soon, the staff at the entrance of the haunted house called out, "Next group."
Jiang Lin, Shen Jie, Suo Da, and a young couple lined up and entered the haunted house.
The visibility inside the haunted house was very low.
It was pitch black, with only some glowing objects in the corners to faintly show the way.
The surroundings were quiet. Jiang Lin kicked something.
He looked down and saw a skull.
A young girl behind them held her boyfriend's arm and said in a soft, scared voice, "So scary."
"Don't worry, I'm here."
The two of them whispered affectionately.
Jiang Lin glanced at Suo Da beside him and asked Shen Jie:
"Do you believe ghosts exist?"
Shen Jie was carefully looking around and casually replied:
"I didn't believe it before. But then I became a fan of the underworld, didn't I?"
"If you believe in ghosts, why are you still coming to a haunted house?" Suo Da asked, somewhat surprised.
He didn't believe it at all.
The more people dressed up as ghosts and tried to scare him, the less he believed in such things.
After working for so long, he had basically been to all sorts of eerie places.
Shen Jie shrugged, "This isn't a real ghost. What's there to be afraid of?"
As long as he knew it was fake, it was fine.
"Right, Jiang Ge?"
Jiang Lin looked at the haunted house in front of him and said calmly, "Keep that thought."
"?"
Shen Jie was a little confused.
Before he could ask more, two rapid footsteps suddenly sounded ahead.
*Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap,*
Accompanying them was the terrifying sound of a chainsaw.
"No, don't come here—"
"Hahahahahaha... Die, all of you, die!"
"No—ahhhh—"
The woman's terrified screams and the butcher's laughter echoed in their ears.
"This way!"
The group ran in the opposite direction of the sound source and finally stopped in front of a room.
Upon opening the door, they were met with white cloths hanging everywhere.
They fluttered about in the air, obstructing their vision.
A child's voice, from who knows where, repeatedly clapped its hands and sang:
"Ghost bride, ghost bride, nobody wants her.
Given to a scholar, she was still disliked.
Ghost bride, ghost bride, truly unlucky.
Riding in a sedan chair, she met disaster.
Wuwuwuwu, ghost bride, so pitiful.
Dead, dead, no one to bury her..."
...
A gust of cold wind blew, and Shen Jie couldn't help but shrink his neck.
"The atmosphere is so realistic, no wonder it's so popular..."
Suo Da said, "Let's go in and take a look."
Seeing that all three had gone in,
the young couple behind them, hand in hand, fingers intertwined, walked in intimately.
*Click,*
The door behind them closed.
The couple was startled and looked back, but saw nothing.
The girl blurted out, "The door can close automatically?"
"Someone must be operating it."
Shen Jie also glanced back, then turned his head to look around.
"It's probably to prevent us from running out this way. There should be another door inside. Everyone, let's look for it."
As he spoke, he heard Jiang Lin say, "Found the door."
Shen Jie and Suo Da lifted the white cloths around them and went forward to take a look. It was indeed there.
The door was behind a piece of white gauze, and could only be seen by lifting it.
Shen Jie wondered how Jiang Lin had found it so quickly.
As he was thinking, a scream suddenly erupted from behind them:
"Ahhhhhh—"
"Ahhhh!"
The girl in the couple grabbed her boyfriend's arm and screamed desperately.
The boy was also screaming, his face contorted in pain.
"What's wrong, what's wrong?"
Shen Jie and the others quickly rushed over.
The girl extended a trembling hand and pointed forward, "My eyes, my eyes!"
...