The North Hall.
"Are those from the East Hall? I just saw them in the human world."
"Wow, so Jiang Wuchang's live stream really doesn't use beauty filters."
"Captain Qin's bangs are so long, can he see the road?"
"Is that Black Wuchang thinking about whether there's a fight to be had?"
*Crack crack...*
*Slurp slurp~*
A group of ghosts and monsters were either lying down or standing; some were cracking melon seeds, others were sipping wine.
Without exception, their eyes reflected the figures of the ghost envoys from the East Hall, as if watching a live-action TV series.
...
"We're here."
The Underworld.
The ghost envoys from the East Hall, led by Fang Hei Yi, had arrived at the North Hall's underworld.
Upon clearly seeing the scene before them, Xu Youzhi and the others couldn't help but freeze.
The scene was somewhat bizarre.
There were no welcoming ghosts or monsters, nor any fireworks.
In fact, it was hard to even spot a single ghost envoy.
In contrast, there were piles and rows of paper effigies and paper monsters crowding the entrance to the underworld.
They varied in size.
This was manageable, but the key point was...
As Xu Youzhi and the others walked down the middle of the path, the paper effigies on both sides all had glowing eyes, staring intently at them.
As they moved forward, the paper effigies also looked forward; as they turned right, the paper effigies also turned right.
The surroundings were extremely quiet.
Jiang Lin felt as if countless gazes were falling upon them through the paper effigies.
Even though there were no other ghost envoys around, there was still a feeling of being watched.
...
"I'm feeling a bit creeped out..."
The viewers instinctively rubbed the goosebumps on their arms.
Looking at the streamer and the others, then at the rows of paper effigies around them, they couldn't tell who was more eerie.
And...
They suddenly felt as if they were being watched.
They looked left and right, but there was nothing there.
"It seems lively at my place..."
"Me too, there was a noise in the living room just now, I didn't dare to look."
"No wonder the older generation didn't like to keep overly realistic portraits or dolls at home, I get it now."
"Having a live dance party at home?? Maybe you can even make a 'friend' or two."
"You really dare to imagine that, upstairs!"
...
"Don't mind them, these are the guys who are too lazy to go out but want to join the fun."
Fang Hei Yi walked ahead, explaining:
"As long as you synchronize your gaze with the paper effigies, it's like watching a live broadcast. However, there's a distance limit; if it's too far, the connection will break."
Er Hei added, "Yeah, some paper effigies are afraid of loud noises; a scare can drive them away."
As he spoke, he demonstrated.
He suddenly clapped his hands towards the 'onlookers' nearby.
*Bang bang!*
Two explosive sounds came from his hands.
The next second, among the masses of paper effigies, many scattered, jumping away like rabbits.
Fleeing in all directions.
However, some paper effigies didn't run. They remained in place, clapping along as if mimicking the action.
Others stood still like wooden figures, staring blankly at Er Hei's hands.
San Hei shrugged, "See, they're not very threatening."
Paper effigies are also divided into many types.
There are those specifically for synchronizing live broadcasts, those for combat, and those for flight.
Of course, there are also all-round types, which are more difficult to create.
...
As the group of ghost envoys walked further into the underworld, their vision gradually filled with other colors, and houses of varying heights.
In the sky, many paper cranes and paper boats could be seen flying.
On the ground, between the houses,
Many small moving paper figures could also be seen, walking forward hand in hand.
Besides the small ones, there were also extra-large ones, as tall as a house.
With their hair tied up in buns and their faces painted with blush.
Holding a paper katana in their hands, they walked around.
According to Fang Hei Yi, these were the defenders of this area.
Although they looked intimidating, their biggest role wasn't managing ghosts, but managing the paper effigies.
To prevent those paper effigies from causing trouble or mischief.
...
As Jiang Lin and the others walked deeper, the surrounding paper effigies followed closely, not falling behind.
Those that had run away in fright also returned, running with their little paper legs.
Diligently.
Synchronizing the entire scene to their lazy ghost owners who were lying in bed, eating and drinking.
In the various houses of the underworld—
The ghost owners watched the synchronized live broadcast and listened to Fang Hei Yi's commentary along the way, couldn't help but complain:
"Why did they send this guy to pick them up?"
"Fang Hei is starting to speak the blunt truth again."
"Who's going to replace him?"
"If we wanted to go out, would we be lying here watching a synchronization? That's hilarious."
"..."
...
Perhaps this is what is meant by "one scene, multiple broadcasts."
Unlike the ghost owners' complaints, the attention of the human viewers in the live stream had been completely diverted.
They no longer cared about Fang Hei Yi's blunt truths.
The gazes of thousands of viewers were fixed on the screen, reflecting a dreamlike scene constructed from various colors.
It was dazzling.
Blinding.
Unlike the sci-fi style of the West Hall, the desolate style of the South Hall, and even more so than the ancient style of the East Hall...
The North Hall's style was filled with a dreamlike quality.
It felt like being in a fairyland, or a fairytale world.
The sky was filled with hazy white mist, and the sound of flowing water could be faintly heard.
Following the sound, they saw a dreamlike blue-purple stream flowing down from a tall building.
Looking to another side, on a castle-like building, clusters of sparkling crystals grew.
As the camera zoomed out, some buildings were actually built in lotus ponds.
Inside the buildings, rows of paper figures entered and exited.
Ethereally, melodious music drifted from the depths.
"I originally thought that since the North Hall was all made of paper, it would be quite plain."
"These, they can't all be made of paper, can they? I don't believe it."
"I suspect the North Hall has brought my dreams to life..."
The scenery of the North Hall was vastly different from what the viewers had imagined.
Such magnificent, dreamlike scenes, and you're telling me they're all made of paper?
And not only that,
Even the clothes of the ghosts and monsters, and the paper boats they rode, were incredibly varied.
Colorful.
Testing the limits of detail.
Craftsmanship... can it really reach this level?
"To a certain extent, it's possible. My family runs a paper crafting shop."
A viewer with knowledge of the craft chimed in, explaining:
"They can make paper figures, paper houses, paper cars, and with some painting and paper-cutting, they can create many elaborate designs."
If, in addition, some underworld techniques were used to make the paper creations more tangible.
It would be entirely possible to achieve this effect.
Although modern times have gradually developed towards mechanization and standardization, many traditional handicraft techniques cannot be replicated by machines and are more complex and exquisite.
According to his grandfather's accounts, the craftsmanship of the ancestors in the past could even make paper figures so lifelike.
They could even deceive ghosts to a certain extent.
"There's also a saying in folklore that houses, cars, and servants burned in the human world,
If they successfully reach the underworld, they will turn into real houses, cars, and servants."
Although this viewer had never seen it firsthand, he thought it was unlikely to be baseless...
At this moment, seeing the style of the North Hall.
He even suspected that this saying might have originated from the North Hall.
...