Crew Member: Whose is this? It's blocking the camera's sightlines. Get it out of the way!
Extra: When are we coming in? We've been waiting forever. I wish I brought a chair.
Crowd: What's going on? Are they filming another movie? Do you see anyone famous?
At the end of the alley, in an old abandoned house filled with camera equipment, crew members and actors go about their business, drawing curious glances from passersby.
One particular figure catches Liáng's attention—someone strangely familiar.
???: Oh! Is that today's lunch? Mind if I take a look?
???: Not now? Fine.
Liang Yue: That's that odd person I saw at the hospital. She works for the Foundation.
Poitier: Who? You mean camera-head over there? What do you mean by odd? You think she could be a fake?
Liang Yue: No, she's a real Foundation member. I checked her information as well when I inquired about Ms. Noire's file.
Liang Yue: Her name is Latham, an Awakened arcanist, currently working in the Arcanum Containment Department.
Liang Yue: I wasn't given any access to her details. But based on our encounter, we should have no problem with her.
Poitier: Good, fine. I'm happy enough leaving the Awakened to their quirkiness.
She isn't their top priority—Liáng knows that. She pushes aside that odd feeling for now, following Poitier through the crowd and onto the set.
Assistant: What do you mean she hasn't eaten yet? Director Noire's doctor was explicit that she is not allowed to skip any meals.
Assistant: Oh, hello, officers. How can I help you?
The well-dressed woman walks over to them.
Poitier: We received a call from a Lin Wang. Did you make a report about some unknown person making physical threats and stalking Ms. Noire?
Assistant: Yes. That's right. I'm Lin, but ...
Upon hearing their purpose, Lin hesitates, glancing uncertainly over at one end of the set.
Actor I: We did it!
Actor II: Abby?! You're here!
Noire: Cut.
At this single command, the actors freeze in place.
Noire: No. I'm afraid we'll have to roll that again.
Actor II: I-I'm sorry, director.
The young actor's body stiffens instantly. Based on where he's standing, it's clear that he is only a background character in this scene.
But Noire, seated on her throne-like wheelchair—the overseer of everything—didn't miss his mistake, no matter how minor it was.
Noire: Not at all. I just want more emotion this time. She's your true love, but you have been apart for a long time. Things are different now. She is, you are.
Noire: Your reunion must be more complex. It isn't simply happiness you feel. You must mix that emotion with worry and guilt.
Noire: She doesn't know anything about what happened to you. You can't help but worry that she will never be able to understand you. You wonder if she has got herself into any troubles.
Noire: I know this is a short scene, but the audience must see your full range of emotions. You are capable of more, so be more.
Noire: I know you attended drama school, so let's see that training shine. I know you can do it.
Actor II: Yes, director. I'll try my best.
Simply being noticed by the famous director is enough to leave him visibly flustered. He immediately straightens up, shedding his nervous stance from moments before.
Noire: Good. Let's roll it again.
Assistant: Ahem, excuse me, Director Noire?
Seizing this moment before the next take, the assistant swoops in and whispers something to Noire.
Noire: ...
Noire glances toward the two officers, her face betraying no emotion. It's impossible to tell what she's thinking.
Poitier: Huh, for someone that famous, you'd think I'd have known she uses a wheelchair.
Poitier: How you feeling? Finally getting a chance to meet your favorite director. Thrilled?
Poitier nudges Liáng with her elbow, tilting forward a little as she teases her. But when she sees Liáng's face, she pauses.
Poitier: What's with the long face, kid? Where'd all your excitement go?
Poitier: Oh. Is it about the message you got?
Liang Yue: Yes. It's just something that's bothering me.
Before Liáng can explain, the subject of their discussion rolls toward them in her wheelchair.
Noire: Thanks for coming, officers. But I believe I've already explained that this was all just a misunderstanding.
Noire: As you can see, I'm in perfect health, well, ignoring these two.
She pats her legs with a cheerful laugh. It seems the director has no qualms about her physical condition, though it's hardly the kind of joke anyone else can comfortably laugh along to.
Poitier: But according to your assistant, there's been someone stalking you for months, and they've recently sent you a threatening letter.
Poitier: So what—that all just "misunderstandings" too?
Noire: I'm terribly sorry for inconveniencing you, officers. Lin is a very dedicated assistant, always looking out for me. She may have just overreacted to my situation.
Noire: I don't mean to brag, but I've been in the limelight for long enough that I've seen my share of crazy fans.
Noire: I'm used to it.
Poitier: Sure, I get that. But about that letter you received, do you still have it?
Noire lets out a wry chuckle and shakes her head.
Noire: I'm afraid I don't have it anymore.
Noire: I receive so many letters, most of them friendly, some of them not-so-much friendly.
Noire: I've made a name in this industry, and a few enemies too. If I paid any attention to the negativity, it'd only drag me down. I tend not to keep the bad ones around.
Noire: While I'm sure you would do a fine job keeping me safe, officers, I can't let myself worry over it. Besides, what are they going to do? Break my kneecaps?
Noire: Frankly, the only thing I am worried about is that your presence is another distraction for my crew.
She casts a grateful, and perhaps apologetic, look around the set.
Noire: So, it's very much appreciated that you went out of your way to check in on me, but I have a movie to make. I can't disappoint my fans.
Noire: Now, if you'll excuse me, we're burning daylight, and I still have four more scenes to film.
Noire: These Hollywood producers may have opened doors for me, but they also give me so many problems lately.
She smiles at the officers, as if to signal the conversation's end.
Liang Yue: Is this really just because of your movie?
Noire has already begun to turn her wheelchair away, but Liáng stops her in her tracks.
Noire: Pardon me?
Liang Yue: You seem to be refusing our assistance because you've decided this threat is only a harmless prank.
Liang Yue: You've decided that it's worth the risk to focus on your film.
Liang Yue: I don't mean to judge your decision. It may be understandable in some cases.
She moves closer, lowering her voice as she leans in to deliver the next sentence in a hushed voice.
Liang Yue: But if this threat is not just a prank, if it is serious ...
Noire: Am I sensing disapproval?
Noire narrows her eyes a little and raises a hand to halt her approaching assistant.
This is a good sign. Liáng has earned the chance to talk for at least a little longer. She pushes aside her conflicting emotions and carries on in a voice only the two of them can hear.
Liang Yue: There has been an increase in patients coming from Chinatown showing signs of mental instability.
Liang Yue: Their symptoms include confusion, amnesia, drowsiness, and volatile anger. None of the patients seem to have anything in common. No prior history, all without clear cause.
Liang Yue: Does that sound familiar?
Noire: Sorry, is this leading somewhere?
After a moment of thought, Noire shakes her head, her calm face carrying a perfectly measured hint of confusion.
Liang Yue: A case, eight years ago.
Liang Yue: Hé Rìjūn, the scriptwriter for your first big hit, Detective C07. She burned to death in her own house.
Liang Yue: However, the cleaners found a film reel in the debris, surprisingly intact after the fire.
Noire: ...
Liáng has been watching Noire's every expression. She doesn't miss the fleeting shift in her eyes at the mention of the film reel.
Liang Yue: Strange, isn't it? Every other item was burned to ash, yet this one 8mm reel was as good as new.
Liang Yue: The cleaners felt the same way, so, being curious, they played the reel.
Liang Yue: Three of the five who watched it ended up in an asylum, one jumped from a building, and the last, according to the reports, became like an empty shell of a person.
Noire: And what's happening here reminds you of that?
Liang Yue: There are some commonalities between the cases. I can't ignore the possibility that they're related.
Liang Yue: Two in particular stand out to me, the similar symptoms of those affected, and you.
Liang Yue: Hard to shake the thought that these are not coincidences.
Whispers spark among the crew as they eye this secret conversation.
Extra: What are the police still here for? Are we gonna get back to filming?
Crew Member: Who knows, but it doesn't seem good. We're losing light here. Can these guys wrap it up already?
These murmurs, of course, don't escape Noire's and Liáng's notice. When she speaks again, Noire's tone is far more direct.
Noire: Is that an accusation?
Liang Yue: No, not at all. I'm just hoping you might be able to shed some light on our case.
Liang Yue: After our initial investigation, we officially recorded it as an ominous arcanum incident, and determined that the cause was that 8mm film reel, which contained a film titled Reunion of the Three Swallows.
Liang Yue: To this day, however, the exact nature of the arcanum hasn't been conclusively determined. We still aren't sure why it has this strange effect on people's minds, nor why the damage appears to be irreversible.
Liang Yue: Perhaps more importantly, we still don't know the origin behind the arcanum on the reel. There are many possible causes that might create such an effect.
Liang Yue: One of the most common thoughts is from absorbing powerful emotions from an arcanist.
Liang Yue: The darkest emotions possess the strongest power, anger, hatred ...
Liang Yue: Emotions so strong that they can outlast their bearer's death, like a curse from beyond the grave carrying out their last will as an obsession.
Liang Yue: And in such cases, these objects are sure to lead to disaster.
Liang Yue: I believe that this film is, undoubtedly, one such cursed item.
Liang Yue: If it is the case that this film was involved in these new incidents, then we must find out what obsession it's carrying out, and find a countermeasure.
Noire: I assume you're already on the case.
Liang Yue: Indeed, I am, Ms. Noire. I've been studying the report on the original case, including some of the theories of the original investigator.
Liang Yue: One of those theories suggests that despite your collaboration on the C07 series, there were many points of conflict between you and Ms. Hé.
Liang Yue: In fact, the reports mention you had a violent quarrel with her on the day of the fire. There was even a question about whether you might have been responsible for her death.
Liang Yue: So, as you can see, I have more than a strong reason to believe you are connected. And if this cursed reel is behind these recent incidents ...
Liang Yue: I'm afraid that you may be the intended target of this curse.
