Chapter 4: Landing on the Island and the Blood Moon

Ning Jing walked up to Rou Guang and said in a soft voice, "Ruoxuan, please don't be angry. It's not that we don't believe you; I'm just a little worried this time."

As she spoke, Ning Jing placed her left hand on Rou Guang’s right shoulder.

"Duan Ling, at least you understand me," Rou Guang said, turning to look at Ning Jing.

Zhi Duoxing walked over and added, "That’s right, don't be angry anymore."

"Zhang Sibo, it would be better if you just kept your mouth shut," Rou Guang said, turning her gaze toward him.

Zhi Duoxing’s expression shifted; he opened his mouth, but said nothing more.

Rou Guang then turned to face Qian Cangyi. "I'm afraid someone will bring this up again later, so let's vote now. Raise your hand if you want to go back."

"This is your last chance. Once we reach our destination, I will not entertain such requests again." Her tone was filled with provocation.

Qian Cangyi did not respond, nor did he raise his hand.

A few seconds passed, and still, no one raised their hand.

"Very well, then." Rou Guang walked to the front of the sightseeing boat, shielded her eyes from the light with her left hand, and stared into the distance.

For a moment, the five of them fell back into silence.

Before long, the white mist surrounding the boat began to thin until it vanished completely. Qian Cangyi took a few steps forward. The mist had cleared, and their destination was now visible to all five of them.

An island shrouded in darkness gradually emerged. Because of the distance, only the outline of the island could be seen; anything on the island itself remained entirely obscured.

"Ruoxuan, um, why are we arriving at the island at night?" Zhi Duoxing asked.

"Is 'Ruoxuan' a name you are permitted to use?" Rou Guang glared at him, refusing to answer his question.

After that, no one spoke again. As the boat drew closer to the island, it slowed down until it finally came to a stop at a temporary pier on the beach.

Rou Guang turned to the four of them and said, "I have prepared all the supplies in advance, so you don't need to worry. Trust me, you will be satisfied with this trip."

With that, she led the way off the boat. The four of them exchanged glances and followed close behind her.

***

Once all five had disembarked, the sightseeing boat started up again and slowly pulled away from the island.

"Hey!" Qian Cangyi shouted at the boat, but it did not slow down. He turned to Rou Guang and asked, "Yan Ruoxuan, why is the boat leaving?"

"We are to stay on this island for exactly one week. In one week, the boat will return to pick us up. Don't worry, everything has been arranged." As she said the last word, Rou Guang gave a contemptuous laugh.

Her smile froze on her face, then slowly faded.

[During the period of the Crimson Blood Moon, actors must not deviate from their film roles during discussions.]

The prompt from Hell Movie appeared in their minds—a new regulation. Qian Cangyi began to contemplate the significance of this rule. Was it a hard constraint? "During the period of the Crimson Blood Moon" implied there were periods when it was not present, and actors could only discuss matters freely during those times. The question was, what was the penalty for failing to comply?

As he pondered this, Qian Cangyi glanced at the other four; they were deep in thought as well.

*Wait, I can move?* Qian Cangyi lifted his hands and looked down at his palms.

"Are those the supplies you prepared over there?" Zhi Duoxing asked, pointing his index finger toward the beach nearby.

Qian Cangyi followed the gesture. By the light of the moon, he saw a green tarp covering a pile of wooden crates. He then looked up at the blood-red moon hanging over the island. Since they were under the Crimson Blood Moon, the actors had to speak according to their roles.

"Yes," Rou Guang nodded heavily.

Zhi Duoxing led the way, and the other four followed. Since they could not break character, they began to unpack the crates in silence. After all, the actors did not know the specific relationships between these five characters, so they had little to say to one another, though their actions remained unrestricted.

Soon, the contents were laid out: food, water, tents, medical kits, flashlights, and other survival essentials. There was plenty to sustain the five of them for half a month. Barring any accidents, there was no need to worry about running out of supplies before the boat returned. Beyond survival gear, there were also notebooks, pens, and other stationery.

They each placed their personal items into olive-green backpacks.

"It's night now. We should set up our tents and rest, then head into the island tomorrow," Ning Jing suggested softly.

Before long, the tents were pitched, and they each retired to rest.

***

Qian Cangyi lay on his mat, unable to sleep for a long time. Suddenly, he realized he could see the crimson blood moon hanging in the sky directly.

*What is going on? Why can I see the moon?*

His tent was dark blue; unless something was pressed directly against the fabric, he shouldn't be able to see outside at all.

*Could it be...*

Qian Cangyi thought of something and squeezed his eyes shut. Two or three seconds later, he opened them again. Even with his eyes closed, he could still see the crimson blood moon in the sky, even more clearly than before. This meant that no matter where they were on the island, it would be impossible to accidentally discuss matters out of character due to not seeing the moon.

Just as Qian Cangyi prepared to sit up and speak with the other actors, something extremely bizarre occurred inside the tent.

A black silhouette appeared on the tent wall. It was distinctly human in shape, though lean. While not very obvious against the dark fabric, the outline was impossible to ignore.

In the next second, the figure raised its right hand and made a slicing motion across its own throat. Then, its head tipped to one side and fell straight to the ground. Qian Cangyi’s eyes widened. He wanted to sit up and flee the tent, but his body remained frozen, completely beyond his control.

The figure on the tent bent over, its hands groping the ground as if searching for its head. A few seconds later, the black hands found the skull and clutched it. Seemingly pleased to have found its head, the figure jumped in place before placing the skull back onto its neck.

*Click.*

The head was reattached. The figure’s head turned left and right, as if working out the neck, and then a face began to manifest on it. At first, the features were blurry, but as time passed, they became increasingly clear.

A sense of ominous foreboding grew within Qian Cangyi until the face was clearly visible.

The face on the silhouette was his own!

It was filled with pain and helplessness, its eyes blood-red and brimming with despair. A chill ran down Qian Cangyi’s spine. His hands trembled uncontrollably, his breathing grew shallow, and terror seeped from his skin into his very marrow.

*What... what is this? Why is it my face?*

Qian Cangyi tried to struggle, to run, but his body remained unresponsive. Then, the silhouette vanished. As it disappeared, an irresistible wave of drowsiness washed over him, pulling him into a deep slumber.