PCJ – Chapter 508 An Old Acquaintance

“What are you doing here?” A sharp voice came from behind Zhang Jiaohua.

Zhang Jiaohua turned around and glanced at the person.

“What does it have to do with you?” Zhang Jiaohua replied coldly.

“It absolutely has something to do with me. This haunted house now belongs to Beijing Film Company, and starting today, no unauthorized individuals are allowed to enter this area,” the man, Gong Dapeng, an employee of Beijing Film Company, announced.

“You people dare to take over this place?” Zhang Jiaohua asked with a curious expression.

Gong Dapeng sneered, “Our company plans to shoot a movie here. In this world, apart from lazy ghosts, greedy ghosts, and broke ghosts, there are no other kinds of ghosts. I didn’t expect someone as young as you to be so superstitious.”

Zhang Jiaohua glanced at Gong Dapeng. “Perhaps you won’t think this way for long.”

Gong Dapeng’s face was darkened, indicating bad luck and impending misfortune.

Laughing dismissively, Gong Dapeng said, “Alright, leave now. And don’t come back again.”

Zhang Jiaohua didn’t linger further and left the haunted house. With the Beijing Film Company taking over, it seemed unlikely that Han Qiulong and his group could proceed with their exploration. Although it wasn’t directly related to Zhang Jiaohua, he still felt uneasy about potential accidents involving acquaintances.

When Zhang Jiaohua returned to Guluba Alley, Zeng Lei also came by to inform him about the situation.

“From now on, we won’t have any authority over this. Beijing Film Group is far beyond the jurisdiction of a local police station like ours. Jiaohua, is that haunted house really safe now?” Zeng Lei asked.

Zhang Jiaohua shook his head. “It’s hard to say. For now, it’s fine.”

Zeng Lei nodded. “Well, it’s out of our hands now. We’ll leave it to fate.”

Initially, Zhang Jiaohua thought the matter was unrelated to him. However, a few days later, an encounter brought him back into the situation.

Chen Dianzi’s younger daughter, Chen Cheng, unexpectedly appeared in Beijing and recognized Zhang Jiaohua at a glance.

“Jiaohua, what are you doing here?” Chen Cheng rushed over and grabbed Zhang Jiaohua.

“Sister Chen Cheng, what are you doing here?” Zhang Jiaohua was equally surprised.

“The production team is planning to shoot a movie nearby. I came to check out the location. I didn’t expect to run into you here,” Chen Cheng explained.

Although the filming of The Tomb Storm encountered serious issues, the film was a huge success. Its strong market reception encouraged the production team to create a sequel. This time, Beijing Film Company developed a script titled Haunted House Storm, and the original cast of The Tomb Storm was set to star in it.

“What movie are you shooting? Not in the haunted house, right?” Zhang Jiaohua’s expression turned strange. This group seemed to have an uncanny knack for courting danger. The last time, during the filming of The Tomb Storm, they narrowly escaped with their lives. Now, they had chosen another perilous location.

“What? Is there really a problem with the haunted house?” Chen Cheng asked.

“Recently, more than ten people died there,” Zhang Jiaohua replied.

“Really?” Chen Cheng’s eyes widened in shock.

The harrowing experiences during the filming in Meizi’ao were still fresh in her mind. Despite the success of the movie, the thought of facing danger again made her uneasy.

“Would I lie to you?” Zhang Jiaohua said seriously.

“That won’t do. I have to tell the director to change the location immediately. Jiaohua, where are you staying? How can I find you?” Chen Cheng asked anxiously.

“I’m studying at Fourth High School and living in Guluba Alley. If you go to Koufu Restaurant and ask for the Fatty, he’ll know how to find me,” Zhang Jiaohua replied.

“Wouldn’t it be better if I just visit you at Fourth High School?” Chen Cheng laughed.

“Better not. If the school finds out I know a big star like you, it’ll be endless trouble,” Zhang Jiaohua quickly responded.

“Wouldn’t that be great?” Chen Cheng laughed even harder.

Zhang Jiaohua scratched his head. “Not at all.”

Chen Cheng hurried back to convince the director to change the filming location, while Zhang Jiaohua returned to his routine. They chatted for a bit on the way before parting ways.

“Director Lin, this haunted house is no joke. Recently, it caused quite a stir in Beijing, with over ten fatalities. Shooting a movie there is far too dangerous. We should pick another location,” Chen Cheng pleaded, her face full of concern.

“Chen Cheng, you’ve been in the industry for a long time. Don’t you understand how this works? The filming location was decided long ago. How can it be changed so easily? As for the issues you mentioned, I’ve looked into them. The haunted house itself is fine. It’s true that people died, but they didn’t die in the house; they died in the tunnels beneath it, reportedly due to oxygen deprivation. Our filming will all take place inside the house, so there’s no risk. Besides, the haunted house is already famous, which will generate a lot of buzz for our film. It’s great for promotion,” Lin Jianming replied, clearly reluctant to change the plan.

“Director Lin, do you remember that kid from Meizi’ao?” Chen Cheng asked.

“Of course, his name was Zhang Jiaohua or something like that. I actually wanted to invite him to act in this movie too, but his parents outright refused,” Lin Jianming said.

In Tomb Mysteries, Zhang Jiaohua’s role was minor and added as an afterthought. As such, most people didn’t remember his character.

“I saw him today when I was scouting the set. He said the haunted house isn’t simple,” Chen Cheng explained.

Lin Jianming didn’t know exactly what had happened during the previous filming but understood that without Zhang Jiaohua and the others, the crew might have faced disaster. Two powerful figures, He Siye and Long Ye, never reappeared, and Lin Jianming suspected they had perished in the underground tunnel.

Lin frowned. “There’s nothing I can do about it. The production company insists that the film must be shot at the haunted house. They want to use Haunted House Storm to promote the site and develop a ghost-themed attraction for commercial purposes.”

“What should we do then?” Chen Cheng asked anxiously.

“There’s nothing I can do. The contracts are signed, and I don’t have the money to pay any penalties,” Lin Jianming said with a bitter smile.

A few days later, the Haunted House Storm crew held a press conference to announce the launch of the Tomb Mysteries sequel.

Zhang Jiaohua originally thought the Paranormal Exploration Club would halt its activities, but Han Qiulong soon informed him that they planned to sneak into the haunted house on the weekend after the staff left to continue their investigation.

“We’re determined to explore this haunted house. Zhang Jiaohua, are you in or not?” Han Qiulong asked.

Zhang Jiaohua shook his head. “I’m not going. I advise you not to take such a pointless risk.”

“If you won’t come, then forget it. I’m definitely going,” Han Qiulong said, clearly excited about his first paranormal investigation.

Zhang Jiaohua sighed. Since Han Qiulong was so determined, he could only warn him: “If anything seems off during your exploration, don’t hesitate. Leave immediately.”

“Zhang Jiaohua, you’re so superstitious. Do you really believe in ghosts and spirits?” Han Qiulong laughed dismissively.

On the weekend, one of Zhang Jiaohua’s former instructors, Li Chuyi, arrived at his home in Gulou Hutong, led there by Zeng Lei.

“Lu Cunyang was injured during a mission and is still unconscious. Can you wake him up? I’ve tried everything and had no choice but to come to you,” Li Chuyi said, her eyes brimming with tears.

Clearly desperate, Li Chuyi sought Zhang Jiaohua’s help despite knowing he was just a high school student. She remembered his offer of help and decided to take a chance.

“What happened to him?” Zhang Jiaohua asked, puzzled.

“It’s strange. Ever since his mission ended, he’s been unconscious. We can’t figure out whether he’s injured or poisoned,” Li Chuyi explained.

“Where is he?” Zhang Jiaohua asked, frowning. The situation sounded complicated.

“He’s at the First Military Hospital in Beijing. Can you come take a look?” Li Chuyi pleaded.

“Alright.” With such a vague description, Zhang Jiaohua had to see the situation firsthand.

He followed Li Chuyi to the hospital and saw Lu Cunyang lying in a hospital bed. His condition was peculiar—his vital signs were normal, and there were no visible injuries, yet he remained unresponsive.

“Where was he hurt?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

Li Chuyi hesitated, bound by confidentiality.

“He fell into a coma while on a mission at the southwest border,” Chen Hongyi interjected as he entered the room.

“He’s not injured. He’s been afflicted by a gu (a spirit-based poison). This is serious. If it’s not addressed within a few days, he may never wake up,” Zhang Jiaohua said, quickly diagnosing the problem.

“Can you help him wake up?” Chen Hongyi asked.

“I can try, but I’m not sure it’ll work. I’ve never encountered this before,” Zhang Jiaohua admitted.

“Do it. The military hospital has no clue what’s going on. Multiple expert consultations yielded nothing because this isn’t a medical condition,” Chen Hongyi said, fully aware of what gu entailed.

“If anything goes wrong, I won’t take responsibility. Expelling the gu involves risks, and the process could worsen his condition. He might never wake up,” Zhang Jiaohua warned.

Without hesitation, Chen Hongyi replied, “If anything happens, I’ll take full responsibility. Just do your best.”

“Alright.” Zhang Jiaohua nodded. “Everyone needs to leave the room.”

He proceeded to clear the room to begin the delicate process of treating Lu Cunyang.