Capítulo 61: Hypnosis

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Could you drop some reviews? It helps to get this fic a rating.

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"But, doesn't this give you a significant advantage in movie-making?" Charlize suddenly grasped the concept after hearing Christian's explanation.

"As long as you can hypnotize the movie audience into thinking it's a great film, won't that boost its reputation?"

"Is it that straightforward?" Christian smiled wryly and shook his head.

"If it were that simple, countless hypnosis experts would already be wealthy, outshining entire nations. Why wouldn't they hypnotize a wealthy individual to send you money? You could hypnotize a Wall Street tycoon into making profitable decisions, and call it a day, securing your financial stability."

"Hey, doesn't that sound plausible?"

"Do you have some peculiar notions about hypnosis?" Charlize's vivid imagination left Christian momentarily speechless.

"The essence of hypnosis is to reinforce a person's subconscious. It cannot drastically oppose their desires, and its effects rarely endure. In real life, it's not as impactful otherwise, you'd see me on posters. The reason being, the longer the gap between first and second viewings, the weaker the hypnotic influence, rendering my trick ineffective."

"I see now, what a shame" Charlize appeared regretful.

"Nonetheless, there are individuals whose hypnotic effects seem to linger for an extended period, right? Like Jodie"

At the end of the second screening of "Wrong Turn" Charlize and Christian, seated in the last row, spotted Jodie Foster in disguise. This time, however, Jodie didn't notice them.

She appeared to be recalling scenes from the movie, sporting a hint of surprise. Charlize realized that she must have also encountered the ghost portrayed by Alexis.

"I remember Jodie didn't attend the premiere. So, the last time she watched 'Wrong Turn' was during the sample screening..."

"It's an unusual scenario, although it's indeed uncommon" Christian reflected before adding.

"People with deep-seated subconscious memories or exceptionally robust subconsciousness indeed experience more prolonged hypnotic effects. Such individuals are particularly sought after by possessed spirits."

"Possessed by ghosts?" Charlize's thoughts turned to Alexis.

"Yes, it's not just the living; ghosts have a fondness for substantial minds"

Christian's words seemed eccentric, but Charlize grasped the underlying meaning.

"You mentioned earlier that possession by ghosts and entities is a means to tamper with the subconscious. If the subconscious is weak..."

"It makes one more susceptible to control by possessed spirits," Christian concurred.

"Could Jodie be in such a predicament?" Charlize inquired.

"I doubt it" Christian found Charlize's conclusion somewhat hasty.

"In this era, encountering ghosts isn't common."

"That's easy to say, but it's hardly convincing", Charlize rolled her eyes, displaying disbelief.

Christian, recalling his experiences from over half a year ago, reluctantly conceded,

"You're right"

****

Christian's home looked almost the same as the last time Charlize visited. The decor was modest, with a worn-out carpet on the floor.

"Exhausted" Charlize sighed as she walked in, immediately kicking off her shoes and sprawling on the carpet. She looked completely at ease, having just watched two late-night movies in succession. Christian couldn't help but unconsciously gulp at his relaxed demeanor.

"Wouldn't you prefer lying on the bed first?" Christian asked.

"What? You have other intentions?" Charlize shot a disdainful glance at Christian, who was still at the door.

Returning to reality from the enigmatic world of wall paintings, Christian had invited Charlize to stay at his place for a few days, which initially left the blonde girl somewhat baffled. However, after Christian explained that it was to monitor any potential side effects from the painting wall space, Charlize's apprehension transformed into understanding.

"You said you're concerned about potential side effects after returning from the painting wall space, and that's why you want me nearby," Charlize said, her expression resembling that of a patient who reluctantly checks into a hospital.

"Well, just relax."

"But..."

Christian couldn't help but admire Charlize's attractive figure once again, though the tone made it clear that whether he chose to be a gentleman or otherwise, it would likely displease Charlize.

'Unfortunately, the timing is wrong'

"I simply wanted to inform you that this carpet is quite dirty. It got neglected before the movie release, and I haven't had a chance to clean it."

Mr. Director decided to play dumb at last.

"Why didn't you mention it earlier?" Charlize jumped up abruptly. Despite her messy disposition, she couldn't tolerate Christian's dirty carpet.

***********

"By the way, I haven't heard anything from Alexis since she returned there. Do you think something might be wrong?" Charlize expressed concern a while later.

She was now comfortably seated cross-legged on Christian's bed, while Christian was preparing to camp out on the floor. Due to infrequent visitors, Christian's apartment lacked sofas and such. Charlize had been invited to stay over suddenly, leaving the carpet as the only option.

"Probably just sleeping," Christian replied as he laid down the blanket.

"In the wall painting world, she absorbed a substantial amount of the Ghost tiger's power, and I released it all at once. This could lead to some loss, which the ghost needs to recover through dormancy."

"How long does it usually take to recover?" Charlize was visibly concerned.

"It's not entirely clear," Christian shrugged, expressing his uncertainty. "But it shouldn't be too long."

"Alright."

Though Charlize had initially hoped to discuss the night's events with Christian, she unintentionally fell asleep on the bed after two late-night movies and a time approaching 4 a.m.

As for Christian, he wasn't in much better shape than Charlize. Despite being a night owl, he had his limits. After tucking the sleeping girl under the blanket, he, too, couldn't stay awake.

"It's time to tidy up," Christian mumbled drowsily while lying on the dusty carpet. After an indeterminate amount of time, he suddenly felt his body sink.

****

When he opened his eyes, Charlize was straddling his waist, her long blond hair obscuring his expression. She raised her hands high, holding a sharp knife with a gleaming blade, poised at Christian's throat.