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Chapter 10: 10

Han Fei was embarrassed by Director Jiang’s heavy praise. He thought about telling him the truth but he realized how ludicrous it would sound.

“You’re a gem. With you in this movie, the earlier scenes of this movie are settled.” Director Jiang flashed a gratified smile at Han Fei. “I don’t understand how come you never achieve popularity considering how good your acting skill is. Now I realize it’s because you were in the wrong genre all along. You should attempt more horror films in the future.”

“It’s still my dream to be a comedy actor. I like to make people laugh; I enjoy that feeling a lot.”

“There is more than one road that leads to Rome. You can make a name for yourself as a great horror actor and then you will have the freedom of choice to pick the script you want.” Director Jiang was very satisfied with Han Fei. “Needless to say, you’ve passed the casting. Go home and rest. You’ll officially join the crew starting from tomorrow.”

“I…” Han Fei had no idea whether he would even live to see another day. Based on the game’s rules, he would have to log in every day.

“I’ll do my best for you in terms of pay so don’t you worry about that.” Director Jiang wore his feelings on his face and that could be why like, Han Fei, he had not caught his big break. Only about 10 minutes had passed since he arrived at the set. Han Fei swiped a boxed lunch from the crew and was about to leave when his phone vibrated. This time it was Li Xue who called. “Have you found anything?”

“Old City, Northern Street, Compound 21, I’ll be waiting for you here. I’ve found Meng Si.”

“Okay, I’ll be there immediately!” The set for Flower of Sin was situated at Compound 15 so it was not that far away from Compound 21. Han Fei followed his GPS and ran over there immediately. After passing through many old buildings, Han Fei finally arrived at the entrance of a family compound which looked quite aged.

“This way!” Li Xue’s voice echoed from inside the compound. She looked the same as she did in the morning. There was a Honda Repsol parked beside her.

“Meng Si stays here?”

“There are 12 Meng Si’s listed in the city, I’ve screened through all of them but none matches the description you gave. However, you did not look like you’d lie to me for no reason so I expanded my net of research, and I finally found your Meng Si.” At this point, Li Xue stopped and stared at Han Fei for a long time.

“Well, why’d you stop? And why are you looking at me like that?”

“Follow me.” Li Xue led Han Fei into the compound and they headed up to the third floor. There was a pot of ash placed at the door of the house on the right. There was half-burned paper money inside it. Looking into the house, there was a ceremonial table painted black which had a black and white picture on it.

“The Meng Si whom you described for me in the holding cell fits this old woman who died 10 years ago.”

“She’s already dead for 10 years?” Han Fei stood at the door and did not even dare to step into the house. The convenience store boss died several days ago and this Meng Si died a decade ago. Han Fei realized that everyone who was related to the game, other than himself, was already dead.

‘No, wait, there is still another character in this story.’ With one last bit of hope, Han Fei turned to Li Xue. Before he spoke though, Li Xue seemed to know what he was about to ask.

“Chen Chen was indeed Meng Si’s grandson, his actual name was Meng Chen. He also died 10 years ago.”

‘So they are all dead people?’ Han Fei felt a chill run up his spine. He did not expect every single NPC he had encountered in the game would be dead people from the real world. He thought he had found warmth and comfort with these ‘people’ in the game. Thinking back to his experience, his scalp numbed. ‘What kind of hellish game have I gotten myself into?’

“I’m sorry but if there’s nothing else, please leave. I do not wish to be disturbed anymore.” A middle-aged man with surprisingly white hair walked out from the small house. He looked around 40 but his mannerism suggested an age much older.

“Uncle, we do not wish to disturb you but there are simply too many suspicions in this case. With far advanced technology, many cold cases have found previously-missed breakthroughs. You would wish to see the actual culprit brought under the punishment of law, right?” Li Xue, who appeared so brash and impersonal to others, was now so kind and patient with the victim’s family.

“It has been 10 years and there is not one trace of the murderer. My body is failing me by the days, I can’t stand much more disappointment.” The middle-aged man walked into the kitchen and took out a bowl of cooked dumpling and placed it on the ceremonial table. Then he lit a joss stick and bowed thrice at the black and white picture.

“Granny would make dumplings on the first day of every new year, right?” Han Fei studied the picture of the old woman on the table as he wandered into the room. “I remember she liked to say that dumplings have the meaning of unity and they are meant to usher in the new year. Having dumplings on 1st of January will help you chase away the negative aura from the previous year.” Han Fei’s words seemed to evoke some memory within the man because he turned to look at Han Fei with disbelief. “Granny was a very good cook, she was especially famed for her fish stew. The soup would be milky white in color and you could smell her cooking it from miles away…”

“How did you know all these?” The middle-aged man staggered towards Han Fei. “You’ve met my mother before? But you would be only around ten when she died.”

“I have indeed met her before, she even treated me to a bowl of dumplings.” Han Fei did not know how to explain the situation without sounding like a crazy person so he wisely changed the subject, “Uncle, can you tell us more about granny?”

Some memories were incredibly painful. The middle-aged man hesitated for a while before he entreated Han Fei and Li Xue to join him in the living room.

“Mother was a very kind person. She did not marry but she did adopt three orphans. Every single penny she earned, she used to raise these three children.” The middle-aged man took the edge of the couch. “I was the oldest but I was born with a weak constitution. My mom named me Meng Changshou, I’m also the least gifted of our three siblings.”

“My first younger brother is called Meng Changxi, he was an abandoned baby with a deformation on his face. But he had a bright mind and he always did well in classes. However, due to his appearance, he had low self confidence. He was shy and introverted.

“My second younger brother is called Meng Changan, he’s the brightest of us three siblings. He excelled at school and had many friends. The number of awards he had won could fill up a whole wall. He was scouted by Afterlife Pharmaceutical and currently I hear he is the head of his own department.”

Speaking of Meng Changan, the middle-aged man’s eyes brightened somewhat but that radiance soon dimmed. “He still sends me a monthly allowance but we have not met since our mother’s accident.”

“What exactly happened to granny 10 years ago?” Han Fei was most curious about that.

“Actually, I did not know much about it at the beginning. It was not until Changxi’s disappearance and the police’s visitation that I realized something was wrong.” The middle-aged man’s eyes filled with regret and guilt. “After mother retired, she opened a dessert shop. The police found many animal carcasses and a dead body inside her shop’s refrigerator.”

“What? She was involved in the famous Frozen Body case?”

“The coroner determined the time of death for the victim as 1 week prior. It was impossible for mother to not realize a dead body was stuffed in her refrigerator for that seven days but there was no report of her calling the police about it.” The middle-aged man crossed his arms.

“The granny wouldn’t have killed that person, right?” To determine the nature of the old woman was crucial to Han Fei, it would be a great breakthrough for his necessary survival in the game.