I Forged the Myth of the Ancient Overlords
Chapter 280 - 280 279. You were pretending just now werent you_1

Chapter 280: 279. You were pretending just now, weren’t you?_1 Chapter 280: 279. You were pretending just now, weren’t you?_1 When Bai Qiquan saw the images that appeared on the big screen of the projection room, he drew a sharp breath.

Because it was a scene from “Cry”!

In an instant, the cold and grim atmosphere of the hospital, mixed with the smell of disinfectant and the faint wails of infants, enveloped Bai Qiquan.

It all came back, that day Bai Qiquan finally remembered the fear that Nanhua Private Renji Hospital instilled in him, and the humiliation of being too scared to walk the night road back to his dormitory.

However, since he had watched the movie several times, he managed to have some patience.

No matter how scary the footage is, if you’ve watched it several times, you can recite what comes next even with your eyes closed. Then there’s nothing to fear!

The unknown is the most terrifying!

And a horror work whose path you already know is just about switching maps and going on a rampage.

It’s like some of the games Bai Qiquan played; some games provide players with small maps or even a large one, fearing they might get lost, while others, without even a small map, leave players without a sense of security. Wandering the roads, one might accidentally walk into a dead end, fall off a cliff, run into a horde of monsters, or get run over by a train on the tracks.

Now, Bai Qiquan was like a veteran player who had been through thousands of fights in those games crafted with malice by the creators, so familiar with the alley that everyone on it had killed him before.

He subconsciously looked around.

The other audition participants, one by one, had ashen faces, staring straight at the screen, unable to divert their gazes, with only fear emanating from their pupils. They clasped the armrests tightly, pressed their legs hard against the floor, and tensed up like dead grasshoppers.

“So this is what I looked like when I was watching the movie.”

Bai Qiquan had some realization. He caressed the armrest and to his surprise, found deep finger imprints on what should have been brand new.

During this time, who knows how many candidates had sat here, gripped by the fear of Director Lu’s terrifying movie, leaving these marks behind.

Thinking about it, Bai Qiquan suddenly found it rather cool.

Is this what goes through the mind of a horror film creator?

Realizing something, Bai Qiquan suddenly looked towards Lu Ban, who was sitting in front of him.

Lit by the movie’s light, Bai Qiquan could see Lu Ban was watching them quietly from the dark corner, like a calm and understanding assassin observing his target.

Just the look in Lu Ban’s eyes sent a chill down Bai Qiquan’s spine, and he quickly turned away to continue watching the screen.

In comparison, the film segment didn’t seem that terrifying anymore.

The screening ended after about fifteen minutes, and the room was engulfed in silence.

Bai Qiquan saw that the people around him were shivering, their eyes bloodshot, looking like employees who hadn’t had a good sleep for a long time or like security guards who had been up all night at a crematorium.

He thought for a moment, and then pretended to be frightened too.

He saw Lu Ban stand up, approach them, and take a look.

“It seems that no one is qualified,”

He muttered to himself and then waved his hand.

“Can you still stand up?”

The participants shakily got to their feet and followed Lu Ban out of the projection room.

It seemed there were no more interviews for now, as the office was empty.

Bai Qiquan pretended to have been scared silly, trying to recall how he had reacted when he was frightened by the movie.

Although he was here for an audition, it now seemed staying might be even more terrifying.

As they reached the staircase and everyone began to descend, Lu Ban suddenly stopped Bai Qiquan.

“Wait for a moment, please.”

Bai Qiquan’s body stiffened, his heart racing even faster than when watching the horror film.

“Is there something wrong?”

He turned his head, showing a forced smile.

“Just now, you were not scared, were you?”

Lu Ban said in a deep voice.

“!”

Bai Qiquan’s hair stood on end as he truly felt scared, his eyes widening as he looked at Lu Ban without daring to breathe.

As Lu Ban stepped closer, the sound of his footsteps made Bai Qiquan grow even more uneasy.

“Should I admit it? Or deny it?”

“What’s he going to do?”

“I haven’t completely cleared the adult films from my computer’s hard drive. Wouldn’t I be socially dead if they were discovered?”

As countless thoughts flashed through Bai Qiquan’s mind, he saw Lu Ban walk over and pat his shoulder.

“You’ve passed the interview.”

…

“So just like that you passed the interview?”

In the school cafeteria, Bai Qiquan and his girlfriend, Pang Zhen, were having dinner.

“Yeah, then he had me stay in the office for the entire afternoon. I took the high-speed train back this morning to pack up my things, and I can start my internship right away. Once I get my diploma, I’ll be officially employed.”

Bai Qiquan idly stirred the rice on his plate as he spoke.

“So what did you do in the afternoon? Did you see his new movie?”

More than her boyfriend finding a job, Pang Zhen seemed more interested in Lu Ban’s new movie.

“How could I? I just sat at my desk all afternoon. Uh, it was actually kind of strange.”

Bai Qiquan said as he recalled the events.

“Even though there were only the two of us in the office, his eyes kept darting to the workstation next to me as if someone was there. Sometimes, Director Lu would even talk to himself as if he were having a conversation with someone. It was quite weird.”

“Could this be some kind of second-round interview test, like how a boss might sweep the floor to observe you? Did you say anything?”

Pang Zhen leaned in to ask.

“No way, he was just working there himself. He only showed me the contract and some other stuff I didn’t understand.”

Bai Qiquan scooped up the last bit of rice with his spoon and put it in his mouth, chewing as he thought back.

“What stuff?”

“Don’t remember much, seemed like there were pictures of wolves, and some people wearing armor, shadows and stuff. Mainly, I have no idea what those pictures were about.”

Bai Qiquan put down his plate and spoon.

“What about the salary?”

Pang Zhen asked again.

“The salary is high! I looked, and even during the internship they’re offering what experienced master craftsmen make. All my classmates who go into production crews bust their butts for a whole month for just a few thousand, while I’m starting out at upwards of twenty thousand right after graduation. Plus, Lu Ban said later it would include room and board, which is simply amazing.”

As long as he was frugal, he’d only need five or six years to afford a down payment on a house in Jiangcheng!

At that thought, suddenly he felt a little sad.

“I’m so envious…”

Pang Zhen couldn’t help saying.

“Why don’t you try interviewing there too?”

Bai Qiquan said offhandedly.

“I wouldn’t go. Who would want to work with someone weird who likes to make disgusting movies… Uh, I don’t mean you.”

“No offense taken. Director Lu might seem odd, but he’s actually a good guy. He even sent me a message today saying he found me an apartment and told me to go check it out when I have time.”

Bai Qiquan opened WeChat and showed his girlfriend the apartment photos that Lu Ban had sent that day.

Pang Zhen took the phone and saw it was a quiet residential area. The apartment was nicely furnished, two bedrooms and a living room, quite spacious.

But as she looked closely at the photos, something felt off.

“Look, why is there someone hiding behind the curtains here?”

She pointed at the photo of the living room window with the gathered curtains.

Bai Qiquan looked carefully over and over again and then realized there really seemed to be something there.

It was… a human face.