Shao Lili was like a little imp playing hide - and - seek with us. She only gave us some strange clues on the phone.
On Ma Su's phone, she was standing in a pitch - black corridor, her face so terrified that she was almost crying.
"Sister Su Su, this isn't fun! Can you stop playing such jokes?!"
Shao Lili looked at the situation around her, her voice trembling, "Can I stop playing? I want to go home. I don't want to stay in this place anymore."
Ma Su's face also turned increasingly ugly. "You're not in the hotel? Where did you go?"
"I am! Sister Su Su, I... I did as you said!"
Shao Lili wiped her eyes. "You said to act like I was throwing a little tantrum and hide first. So I took advantage of going to the restroom and hid in the gym. I was playing games inside, forgot the time, and fell asleep! After I came out, I went back to my room to sleep! Sister Su Su, I took pictures for you!"
Shao Lili's words made me frown more and more tightly.
"What does this mean?!"
I had already let Huang Dabiao go. It seemed he had nothing to do with this. Instead, Ma Su was highly suspected!
"..."
Ma Su was silent for a moment. "Miss Du, listen to my explanation!"
It turned out that Ma Su was an expert at hyping up the artists she managed. She always instructed the Tao Ran Media artists to create some unexpected situations on variety shows.
She wouldn't tell anyone in advance. Only she and the person involved knew about it.
Although the director and the production team were kept in the dark, the post - show effects were almost always surprisingly good. And with Ma Su, the public - relations expert, personally leading the artist to apologize and offer red envelopes, most directors would give Ma Su and her team a face considering the soaring ratings.
For this "Future Water World" lifestyle show, Ma Su had another devious idea. How could she make her artist the most talked - about among the six guests?!
She suddenly remembered the women's enthusiasm for the supernatural and metaphysics at the charity dinner.
Combined with the remote location of the "Future Water World", it was simply the best environment to stir up supernatural topics!
So she discussed with Shao Lili and asked her to hide and wait for others to find her, then return to the room unnoticed and claim that she had been there all along, making the audience think it was a small supernatural event.
Shao Lili was always enthusiastic about events where she could be the center of attention. She readily agreed.
Just as she said on the phone just now, she was so engrossed in playing games in the gym that she forgot the time. It wasn't until Ma Su called her that she rushed back to her room in a hurry.
She took a few random pictures and then went to rest.
While sleeping, Shao Lili proudly thought about how to act pitiful in front of the production team the next day, making everyone think that she had encountered a supernatural event. This way, she could not only gain a wave of fans' favor but also have explosive topics for other shows in the future!
After all, a personally - experienced supernatural event could be hyped up even after many years!
Shao Lili paid great attention to her appearance for the next day.
The show was originally scheduled to start at ten o'clock, but no one came upstairs to invite her down.
She was waiting for the production - team staff and the cameraman to come upstairs and show a shocked expression when they opened the door and saw her. But she waited and waited, and no one came. It wasn't until Ma Su called in a rage that she learned the staff had already been there!
Could it be that she was so focused on her makeup that she didn't hear the knocking on the door?!
Shao Lili opened the door suspiciously and found that everything in the corridor had changed. It looked as if it had been burned.
Everything was pitch - black. Even the carpet on the floor had burned to ashes, and it made a creaking sound when stepped on.
Shao Lili was a bit flustered, but she thought it might be a trick set up by the production team on purpose to deceive her so that her panicked expression could be captured by the hidden cameras.
Thinking of this, Shao Lili couldn't help but curl the corner of her mouth.
The show effect was going to be off the charts... She reached out and touched the wall, and her fingers were immediately covered with a thick layer of ash.
The prop team really deserved a big bonus.
Shao Lili thought to herself, but on her face, she showed a terrified expression. She carefully groped her way to the elevator.
The elevator was on the fourth floor. Shao Lili thought the production - team members were being redundant. Since they had created a special fire - scene effect, it was obvious that one wouldn't take the elevator. This was basic safety knowledge!
She turned around and went to the stairwell.
There were also obvious signs of fire here. Shao Lili walked while observing the surroundings. She thought the production team was really spending a lot of money... It was just a variety show that could only afford small third - or fourth - tier stars like them, but they created such an environment, and she was the protagonist!
Once this show was broadcast, countless audiences would surely feel sorry for her. She had just thrown a little tantrum because of the role - ranking dispute, which was just a harmless squabble of a little girl. Then she obediently followed the production - team's arrangement and returned to the guest room to rest... But the production team was so petty that they created such a terrifying scene for the show effect, scaring the artist into a panic.
Shao Lili was overjoyed in her heart, but her face showed more and more fear, and tears began to well up in her eyes...
"Is anyone there?"
The empty stairwell was filled with a pungent smell of burning, which made Shao Lili feel nauseous. She felt a little panicked and couldn't help shouting, "Director Gao?! A Sa?! Where are you? I... I seem to be lost!"
The only response was a cold silence...
The whole hotel was so quiet that Shao Lili's breathing could be heard clearly.
It was already past ten o'clock in the morning. She could see the daylight coming in through the window and the shadows of the green trees beside the window. However, there was no sound. The branches swayed by the wind didn't make the expected "rustling" sound, and the birds on the branches opened their beaks but didn't chirp...
"Is anyone there?!"
Shao Lili couldn't help screaming. She quickened her pace and didn't care if the charred garbage on the ground would dirty her shoes. She rushed from the fourth floor to the first - floor lobby in one breath.
The first - floor reception hall of the hotel was decorated just like the upper floors, with traces of fire everywhere.
The burned wallpaper was peeling off, and the chandeliers on the ceiling were all blackened...
Shao Lili was really scared this time!
Even the top - notch movie special - effects teams couldn't create such a realistic effect, could they?!
Could it be that the whole hotel had caught on fire while she was sleeping?
Shao Lili no longer cared about her image. She screamed and ran towards the door!
Suddenly, an extremely old voice sounded behind her, "Girl... Do you have shoes?"