My House of Horrors

“Boss Chen, tell me the truth, what is going on with my brother? Will he relapse?” The vaguer Chen Ge was, the more unsettled Wang Hailong felt.

“I don’t think it will repeat because it wasn’t a sickness.” Chen Ge tried to make Wang Hailong calm down. “Don’t think too much of it. The most important thing you need to do now is assimilate Shenglong into a normal life.”

Wang Hailong still wanted to say something more, but he was interrupted by Chen Ge. “Your little brother has been cut off from the outside world for a long time; he seems to have gotten used to closing himself up. This is not helpful if he wants to return to a normal life. If possible, you should bring him out some more.”

Chen Ge pitied Wang Shenglong’s condition. He was an innocent boy but ended up like this. Afraid of scaring others with his looks, he felt he had to hide in the corner of the van.

“I’ve discussed that with our father, but how can we bring Shenglong out in his condition? If people start pointing at him, won’t that just make things worse?” Wang Hailong also worried about this. Even though the thin monster had left, the trauma it left on the boy would take a long time to undo.

“Didn’t I introduce you to a psychologist last time? He might be able to help with these problems.” Looking at the silent Wang Shenglong hiding in the corner, Chen Ge did not feel that well either. “There needs to be a process for him to get reconnected with the world. If you need my help, don’t be afraid to ask.”

He turned to leave. With regards to how to help Wang Shenglong return to a normal life, Chen Ge had an immature idea in his mind. The child looks scary on the surface but has a gentle heart. If there is nowhere else for him to go, perhaps he can come help me at the Haunted House. Xu Wan is too small to make people think she’s a murderer. Wang Shenglong’s size is more in line with what the visitors think a murderer look like.

When he returned to the Haunted House, the shed was a third ready. All the benches had been arranged. To experience the Haunted House, many visitors chose to sit on the benches rather than visit other attractions.

“Xiao Chen, your Haunted House is truly popular.” Uncle Xu was impressed. “I heard a few foreigners talking among themselves about how they rode on a train for several hours just to come visit your Haunted House. Now that you have the fame, it’s time to focus on the management to bring visitors the best terror experience. If they’re impressed, every single one of them will become free promotion for the Haunted House.”

Chen Ge had a plan of his own. Terror was the most intense of all human emotions. After one experienced something scary, ninety percent of them would share it with someone else, and this would indirectly help promote his Haunted House. Sometimes, they might conclude their whole experience with one, “It’s scary”, but that was possibly the highest praise for a Haunted House.

Chen Ge entered the Murder by Midnight scenario to act as the murderer while Xu Wan stayed in the Minghun scenario to play the bride. About three hours later, many visitors survived these two scenarios. Some already got their fill while others wanted to challenge Mu Yang High School after resting.

Afraid that an accident might happen inside Mu Yang High School, he would trail after them from a distance wearing Doctor Skull-cracker’s outfit. The whole morning passed, and the highest record was a group of six locating fourteen nametags in twenty-five minutes.

After entering Mu Yang High School, many visitors realized how different this scenario was from the others, and they escaped for their lives. The underground was not locked with a steel door, so they could exit any time they wanted. However, if they regretted that decision and wanted to try again, they would have to line up once more.

Is the goal of twenty nametags too difficult? Chen Ge thought about it. Everything he did, he did to bring the visitors a better service. The mannequins consumed the visitors’ fear and screams, so they appear to be more alive. With how things are going, I doubt anyone will enter the Third Sick Hall this week.

After giving it some consideration, Chen Ge reduced the clear requirement to sixteen nametags, but even so, there were no successes. “These visitors are too cowardly. Now I kinda miss those medical students.”

Chen Ge pulled the gates shut and helped Xu Wan remove her make-up.

“You miss them, but they might not miss you.” Uncle Xu stood outside the door, counting the tickets. “Things had been going well these past few days. Keep it up. Don’t make the visitors faint or vomit again. You’ll just give me more scares by doing that.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll try to keep that under control.” Chen Ge just said that when his phone rang. He lowered his head and saw that the caller was He San. “The boy is calling at a time like this, is this a sign from above?”

Sitting on the steps, Chen Ge answered it. “Boss! The proprietor from Tian Teng Medical Schools wants your phone number, can I give it to him?”

“Wants my number?”

“Yes, after you left that day, it was chaos outside the Tian Teng Medical School. The visitors were split into two camps; one said that Tian Teng Medical School’s name was unfound and demanded a refund because they wanted to go to your Haunted House. The other half were Tian Teng Haunted House’s loyal fans. They said that it was normal for you not to be afraid because you own a Haunted House yourself.”

“Wait, what does all that got to do with the proprietor wanting my phone number?”

“Of course, it has everything to do with it! To not disappoint his own fans, the proprietor was forced to promise that he would come to visit your Haunted House to prove that owners of Haunted Houses would not be scared in other people’s Haunted Houses,” He San said on the phone. Chen Ge had a feeling that his wicked streak had rubbed off on the young man because he sounded really excited on the phone.

“They’re ready to visit your Haunted House tomorrow morning, and they’ll be bringing their own fans with them. Apparently, they want to record the whole process to face-slap those visitors who demanded a refund.”

Chen Ge was rather speechless. “Are these mindless fans?”

“No idea, I’m just calling to warn you.”

“Sure, give him my number. We’re both in the same business; more communication is beneficial for both parties.”

Not long after He San hung up, Chen Ge’s phone rang again. This time, it was an unknown number.

“Hello?”

“Boss Chen, I’m the proprietor for Tian Teng Medical School. We met some time ago.”

“Yes, how can I help you?”

“We’re planning to visit your Haunted House tomorrow, and some of our fans will tag along. Hopefully, Boss Chen will be kind to us.”

“Of course, you know I’m not the kind to hold grudges. My Haunted House is all for your visitation.”

“Boss Chen sure is nice.” Tian Teng Medical School’s proprietor added in a hurry, “Then we’ll pick one that has intermediate difficulty, not too scary but also not too simple.”