118 A Match Made in... Hell?

 

Han Fei woke up punctually at 8 am. He had a very important scene to shoot that day, the set was not at Northern Street but at Xin Lu Tv Station at the city centre. Today, Han Fei was going to bring back to life the final duel between Meng Changan and Meng Changxi. It was his job to manifest the pain and despair that was suppressed within Meng Changxi before the camera for the past decade. After meeting up with the crew, they took a van together to the intelligent city centre. After going through multiple security scans, Director Jiang communicated their purpose with the tv station’s workers before they started their shoot.

“Han Fei, we need to wrap up this shoot before noon, the station only gives us one morning to use their place.”

“That is more than enough.” Han Fei stood at the roof and allowed the breeze to caress his face as he looked out into the city. The faces of all the victims crossed his mind, so did the clues that Meng Changxi had pieced together using 10 years. Standing at the edge of the roof, Han Fei pulled his shirt off. His lean body was covered in words and scars, his eyes gradually took on the spirit of Meng Changxi. If you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you… Han Fei never really understood the meaning of that quote until he had faced absolute darkness. When one gazed long into the abyss, one’s body would involuntarily lean towards it. Without sufficient courage and determination, one would be swiftly consumed by the abyss, becoming a part of it. He had experienced exactly that which was why he could personalize the desolation Meng Changxi must have felt as he edged along the abyss for the past 10 years.

“I wish to tell everyone a story, a story about love and death…” The words echoed from Han Fei’s lips. From the back, it was easy to mistake him for the actual Meng Changxi. The man was taking a leap of faith because the land around him had all fallen away. He was not a good person but he was not a bad person either. He had blood on his hands. He merely wished to tell the truth at the final moment of his life. A monologue that lasted for 3 minutes and 36 seconds, a shoot that was completed without a single cut.

Everyone present was drawn into Han Fei’s acting, it was as if they were transported back in time to that fateful day. No one shouted for the scene to end. After Han Fei finished his lines, Director Jiang stood up and he looked at Han Fei with shock and surprise. To capture this climactic scene for the movie, he requested from the tv station’s manager to borrow the place for a whole morning but Han Fei only used 3 minutes and 36 seconds to hand him the perfect cut.

“This is more than just his acting skill, there is an indescribable empathy and understanding that he radiates. It’s like he has been through the same thing as Meng Changxi did.”

“Director, do you mind if we share this actor’s information with our station’s superiors?” Not only the people from the crew, even the station workers who came to watch were mightily impressed.

“His name is Han Fei, a person that is bound for the stars.” Director Jiang answered before he grabbed the script and walked towards Han Fei. They prepared for the next scene. In just 2 hours, Han Fei completed Meng Changxi’s last scene. His demand for perfection was even greater than Director Jiang. Sometimes, Han Fei requested for a reshoot even though Director Jiang thought it was already good enough. Han Fei believed he could do better.

To be honest, Han Fei had his own agenda. He was going to use this climactic scene to help the audience understand the danger of the Butterfly. As long as the movie existed, Meng Changxi’s warning would be spread through the media. More people would be cautious of the Butterfly. Han Fei was making more than a movie. Kinship not necessarily built empathy but a good movie could help the audience get into characters, to invoke their sense of affinity. Han Fei worked so hard because he wanted people to look through the smoke and mirrors and really understand what Meng Changxi was trying to say.

‘The Butterfly will eventually come for me. It is a master manipulator, I can’t put it past the Butterfly to frame me for past crimes. It is cunning and dangerous, I have to expose it before everyone’s eyes.’ After Han Fei was done with the shoot, Director Jiang worked the rest of the morning with Zhan Yueyue and Mian Nian. Being in the same movie as Han Fei, these two new actors had great improvement but they were still not as efficient as Han Fei. Han Fei who had nothing else to do decided to call Huang Yin. Since he was already at the city centre, he decided to meet the man.

They decided to meet at a coffee shop near the tv station. Han Fei was the first to arrive. He found a corner booth and sat down. Han Fei was not a coffee drinker. The thought that this was going to be a social interaction with no specific purpose still triggered his anxiety somewhat. ‘It feels easier to hang out with ghosts. Either I’ll eat you or you’ll eat me. There’s no need for all the other social commonalities.’

After some time, Huang Yin arrived in his car. He took the coffee from the robot waiter and waved happily at Han Fei.

“Brother, you truly surprised me that day! How come you didn’t tell me you are an actor when we were at the con? I have to find that out from the television myself, it was a crime news channel if I was not wrong.”

“Didn’t you question why a crime news channel would report on an actor?” After seeing Huang Yin in person, Han Fei sighed in relief. Huang Yin was still his usual happy go lucky self.

“Never mind that. You got to give me an autograph and then I have something important to discuss with you.” Huang Yin took out his phone with a mysterious wink.

“I don’t think you really want my autograph. What is it that you wish to discuss with me?”

“Do you still remember the game, Perfect Life? It will enter OB soon. It will be the first global game to be fully managed by a photon computer admin!” Huang Yin revealed the big news to Han Fei.

“A photon computer admin? How is that possible?” Han Fei gasped in disbelief.

“Humans might make the rules but compared to the rule-makers, computers are better rule-followers and administrators.” Huang Yin leaned over to Han Fei to whisper. “The photon computer used at Xin Lu’s core is the 7th generation computer. According to rumors, Perfect Life’s admin would be the 8th generation photon computer. Just imagine, a 7th generation photon computer is already powerful enough to manage an entire city, the 8th generation will be even more powerful! Furthermore, according to my insider information, one of the biggest reasons Perfect Life was made possible was due to existence of this 8th generation photon computer.”

“But what does that have to do with us?”

“Well…” Huang Yin pressed a button by his seat and a black curtain instantly draped around the booth, to form a private space. “Do you still remember the possibility of a cryptic world existing inside Perfect Life that I told you about?”

“Of course, didn’t you say it was just a rumor?”

“That was then. My mind’s changed now. Something happened to me not too long ago.” Huang Yin took a deep breath and continued in his lowest whisper. “I have accidentally entered a hidden map. I met an old lady who cooked a bowl of porridge for me.”

“That sounds like a normal game experience to me.”

“But that’s not all. The key is before that, I had a dream inside the game! I dreamt that I was in a world crowded with ghosts and monsters!” Huang Yin’s voice trembled from perhaps fear or excitement. His finger tapped against the table. “After I logged off, I skipped work for a day. I spent the whole day searching online for information on the existing 6 Perfect Life’s versions. I compared all of them and found nothing remotely related to that world. Then I slowly realized the problem. The hidden map that I encountered, perhaps that was a channel that can lead us to the cryptic world!”

“So you’re telling me the cryptic world is real?!”

“During Deep Space’s tests, there was no mention of any hidden maps. I believe there are indeed channels that connect the surface and cryptic world, but they are concealed inside these extremely rare hidden maps!” Huang Yin said seriously. His eyes were bloodshot, it was clear that the man had spent many sleepless nights investigating this. “For now, there are still human admins but when the OB arrives, the game will be monitored by the photon computer. By then we should have the chance to enter that world to investigate!”

“We?” Han Fei repeated with a frown. “What does all these have to do with me?’

“Brother, let’s be honest here, you’ve shown such plain interest in the game. When I first met you, I noticed how unique you are from the rest. Other players play the game to relax, but you appear to approach it due to your own unique reason.” Huang Yin studied Han Fei seriously, “I’ll say this. The cryptic world is not what you’d imagine. I’ve been there myself. The horror is unspeakable! Only those with the strongest heart can survive there!” He then opened his phone. The main page contained all the news articles on Han Fei. “You are the person with the strongest heart I know. Furthermore, you’ve shown obvious interest in the game and its cryptic world, so you are the best teammate I can find to go on this adventure with me!”

“You want me to be your teammate?” Even as a professional actor, Han Fei did not know what to say.

“I really can’t bear going back there alone ever again. Therefore, I need a friend to cover my back.” Huang Yin extended his hand, “I’ve used my smurf account to join the core of the cryptic world exploration unit. I will make use of their experience and analysis to draft the safest route for us to undertake.”

“As you’ve said, the cryptic world is horrifying, why would you want to return there? Is it to find the Easter Egg left behind by the founder?”

Huang Yin shook his head. “I have my own reasons. No matter how long it takes, how much money I spend, I need to return to that world.”

“But why?”

“There’s one thing that I need to confirm.” Huang Yin’s voice took on a rare severity.

“Okay.” Han Fei stood up and studied Huang Yin again, “Can I trust you?”

“My mother died when I was really young, I can honestly say that I was traumatized by her death. I did not grow up with any friends. But as I grew up, I learned how to smile but that is merely a disguise. I keep a distance from everyone, but you, when I first saw you, it was like I was seeing my former self, all flustered and panicked in the crowd. It was why I actively accosted you for conversation.” Huang Yin extended his hand once more to Han Fei. “This is my first time reaching out to another person, I really hope you can be my teammate.”

“I pray that you won’t regret this.” Han Fei raised his own arm to shake Huang Yin’s hand.

One of them managed to work his way to become the building manager of an apartment filled with ghosts with his intellect and bravery. The other was pulled through the gates of hell through pure luck. He landed inside the most dangerous room, offended several ghosts in one night, had his life targeted by several murderers but somehow managed to survive.

It had to be said that these two would be good partners.