Hearing Director Jiang's praise, Han Fei felt a little embarrassed. He couldn't tell Director Jiang that he had truly experienced it firsthand."I've really found a treasure. With you anchoring this drama, the first few scenes are solid." Director Jiang looked at Han Fei, a relieved smile on his face. "I knew your acting was so good; there's no way you wouldn't become famous. Now it seems you've been looking in the wrong direction. You should try more horror films in the future.""My dream is still to be a Comedian. I like seeing everyone smile, and I really enjoy that feeling.""People always need to eat, right? You can gain fame through horror films and then act in comedies." Director Jiang was very satisfied with Han Fei. "You passed the audition. Go home and get some good rest today; you'll officially join the crew tomorrow.""I..." Han Fei didn't know if he could survive tonight. According to the game's rules, he had to log in every day."I'll try my best to get you a better salary, don't worry." Director Jiang was very straightforward, all his emotions showing on his face, which might also be why he hadn't become a big director yet.From the audition to passing, it only took about ten minutes. After Han Fei had a free crew lunchbox, he was about to leave when his phone vibrated again. This time, it was Li Xue calling him."Did you find anything?""Courtyard No. 21, North Street, Old City District. I'm waiting for you here. I found Meng Shi.""Okay! I'll be right there!"The flower of evil crew was at Courtyard No. 15, North Street, not too far from Courtyard No. 21. Han Fei ran over directly following his phone's navigation.Walking past old buildings, Han Fei finally stopped at the entrance of an old Family Compound."Over here!" Li Xue's voice echoed from inside the Family Compound. She was dressed the same as in the morning, but a Phantom series motorcycle was parked beside her."Meng Shi lives in the Family Compound on North Street?""There are twelve people named Meng Shi in the entire city. I screened all of them and didn't find anyone matching your description. You didn't seem to be lying, so I expanded the search, and finally found Meng Shi." Li Xue said this, staring at Han Fei's face for a long time."Keep talking, why are you looking at me?""Follow me." Li Xue led Han Fei into Unit 4, and they went up to the Third Floor.At the door of the rightmost apartment on the Third Floor, there was a brazier with half-burnt joss paper inside. Looking into the room, a black and white photo was placed on a dark altar."You told me in the interrogation room that you met Meng Shi last night, but the Meng Shi who matches your description actually passed away ten years ago.""Passed away?" Han Fei stood rooted to the spot, not even daring to enter the door.The shop owner died a few days ago, and Meng Shi died ten years ago. Han Fei realized that everyone connected to that game, except himself, seemed to be dead."No, there's one more person." Holding onto a sliver of hope, Han Fei looked at Li Xue. Before he could speak, Li Xue seemed to know what he wanted to ask."Chen Chen is Meng Shi's grandson, originally named Meng Chen, and he also died ten years ago.""Are they all dead people?" Han Fei felt a chill run down his spine. He never expected the NPCs in the game to be people who had died ten years ago in reality.Recalling how he had sat with them just last night, eating dumplings, and even feeling quite warm, Han Fei's scalp tingled.What kind of underworld game is this?"Excuse me, if you have nothing else, please leave. I don't want to be disturbed anymore." A white-haired Middle-aged Man walked out of the somewhat cramped room. He looked only forty or fifty, but his hair was completely white, and he wasn't in good health."Uncle, we didn't mean to disturb you. There are many suspicious points in this case, and with technology more advanced now than before, many cold cases have made breakthrough progress. You must also want the murderer brought to justice as soon as possible, right?" Li Xue, who usually seemed fearless, was uncharacteristically gentle in front of the victim's family, her tone soft and patient."It's been ten years, and the murderer still hasn't been found. My health is getting worse, and I can't hold on much longer." The Middle-aged Man walked into the kitchen, placed a bowl of freshly made dumplings on the altar, then lit an incense stick and bowed three times to the black and white photo."Did Grandma make dumplings every New Year's Day and Lunar New Year's Eve?" Han Fei looked at the Old Woman's photo on the altar and unconsciously walked into the room. "I remember her saying that dumplings symbolize 'changing years and handing over prosperity' and 'reunion and good fortune.' Eating dumplings can get rid of a year's bad luck."Han Fei's words seemed to touch a memory deep in the man's heart. He looked at Han Fei in disbelief, as if the Old Woman had indeed said similar things in her lifetime."Grandma was very good at cooking. Her stewed fish soup was very fresh, milky white, and you could smell its aroma from far away...""How do you know all this?" The Middle-aged Man actively approached Han Fei. "Have you met my mother? You must have only been a teenager ten years ago, right?""I did meet her. She even invited me to eat dumplings." Han Fei didn't know how to explain, and he didn't want to be mistaken for mentally ill, so he rationally changed the subject. "Uncle, can you tell me about Grandma?"Some memories are very painful. The Middle-aged Man hesitated for a long time before letting Li Xue and Han Fei into the house."My mom was a good person, a very good person. She never married and adopted three orphans. She used all the money she painstakingly saved to support these three Children." The Middle-aged Man sat on the other side of the sofa. "I'm the eldest. I've been in poor health since childhood. My mom named me Meng Changshou. I'm the least successful of the three brothers.""The second one is Meng Changxi, an abandoned infant with a somewhat deformed face, but he was very smart and excelled in both academics and character since childhood. However, perhaps because of his face, he was a bit insecure and had an introverted, gloomy personality.""The third one is Meng Changan. He's the most capable of us three brothers, with the best grades and the most friends. He's received so many awards they wouldn't fit on a wall. He's now even joined the big company Eternal Life Pharmaceuticals and is reportedly already a department executive."Mentioning the third brother, Meng Changan, the Middle-aged Man's eyes finally showed some color, but that gleam quickly faded again. "The third brother used to send me money every month, but since Mom's accident, he hasn't come back.""What exactly happened to Grandma ten years ago?" Han Fei wanted to know this even more."Actually, I didn't know about it at first, until the second brother went missing, and the police came to the door. That's when I realized something was wrong." The Middle-aged Man's eyes were filled with self-reproach and pain. "After my mom retired, she ran her own cold drink shop. The police found many animal carcasses and a dead person in the freezer at her shop.""Corpse in the freezer?""The forensic doctor estimated the time of death to be a week prior. My mom must have known there was a body in the freezer during that week, but she didn't call the police." The Middle-aged Man clenched his hands."Did Grandma kill that person?" Figuring out whether the Old Woman was good or bad was very important to Han Fei; it was a crucial breakthrough for his survival in the game.
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