Chapter 3715 Evil Strength (16)

The horror-thriller mockumentary "Shock" broke the box office record for mockumentaries in its first week, even surpassing sequels of popular films directed by renowned filmmakers. Considering that mockumentaries themselves cater to a niche audience, this can be called a box office miracle.

Audiences have many questions about this sudden hit mockumentary, particularly intrigued by the behind-the-scenes work of the director's team. However, the mysterious director has yet to reveal his real identity, but most critics speculate that he is a well-known director in the circle, possibly Daniel Merrick, who directed "The Blair Witch," or Renny Harlin, the director of "The Dyatlov Incident." However, both have publicly denied it.

Some also speculate that it is the transitional work of director James Wan, although James Wan has not made any statements, keeping this speculation alive. Many are more focused on the behind-the-scenes interactions between the actors, especially the lead actors. Their brilliant performances have gained wide recognition, and audiences want to know about their mental journey during filming.

"For me, it was a very wonderful experience." Danny sat in the studio, looking much better than before. He had bulked up a bit, his face rosy, and his spirits high, making him appear more prosperous than the downtrodden figure he once was. He was already handsome, but he now looked even more so.

"I think you must already know." Danny covered his mouth and said, "I'm not a professional actor at all, nor is my brother. Previously, he was a stunt motorcycle rider, and I was supported by him. Later, I worked part-time delivering food; economically, we've always been struggling. When the director approached us, he didn't tell us we were filming a mockumentary."

"You weren't informed?!" The host asked in surprise.

"No, no, no, we knew we were acting, but we didn't know filming had begun," Danny shook his head and said, "The director told us we were starring in the second installment of 'Ilvermorny.'

"Hey, wait." The host stretched out one hand and said, "Was your director Chris?"

"No, it wasn't. But he's one of the creators behind 'Ilvermorny.' He knows Director Chris, and we even had a video call with Director Chris. We all thought it was about playing the role of professors at that magical school."

"Oh my gosh." The host exclaimed, "So what reason did they have to deceive you into going to the sanatorium?"

"For exorcism," Danny said, "They told us there was a simple actor training before officially shooting, and then took us to a filming base in the suburbs of New York. It turned out the nearby sanatorium was haunted, disrupting our peace. Worried about harming ordinary people, we had no choice but to deal with it."

"Are you saying you can actually perform exorcisms?"

"Didn't they tell you?" Danny said, somewhat surprised, "Just like how the mages in 'Ilvermorny' truly exist, Ghost Riders also exist. Johnny, Carter, and I are all real Ghost Riders."

"God!" The host exclaimed, gesturing in the air, then said, "Can you... can you..."

With a "whoosh," Danny turned into a flaming skull head. The host was so frightened he nearly fell off his chair, but the flames instantly disappeared.

"Oh my God, I swear this is definitely not special effects," the host said to the camera, "I've worked in this studio for ten years; we don't have such technology. Did you just see that? He can really become a Ghost Rider! God, it's amazing!"

But he quickly displayed his professionalism and said, "So you can actually help others perform exorcisms? You can also judge sinners?"

"Yes," Danny said, "But don't worry, sinners in the eyes of Ghost Riders aren't simply criminals but people who are evil and have connections with devils. I'm not going to judge you for spitting on the street or littering."

"What about robbery? Murder?"

Danny shook his head and said, "We don't judge based on a person's crimes in the real world. Our eyes can observe their souls, and only if their soul has degenerated can we potentially judge them with flames. If it's simply murder, it wouldn't reach that level. After all, many police officers have killed criminals; are they guilty too?"

"So it's just a mysticism ability."

"Exactly. The evil you commit must be enough to cause your soul to degenerate for us to be able to see it. And even if we see it, we may not be able to judge. We usually use this ability to deal with devils or their avatars."

"That's truly fascinating," the host exclaimed, "So you performed an exorcism on Mephisto in the sanatorium, unaware of the cameras?

"That's right. Believe it or not, the guy playing Mephisto was also brought in by the director's team."

"Wait, I'm a bit confused," the host said, "Wasn't Mephisto played by Dr. Rodriguez?"

"Of course not. Or rather, the normal version of Dr. Rodriguez is played by Dr. Rodriguez, while the demonic version and the disappearing act were not."

"Then who played it?"

"Mephisto."

"What?"

"The actor playing the Mephisto version of the doctor is Mephisto himself. I think everyone who has seen the movie 'Ilvermorny' should be familiar with the mages. The mages' mana comes from making contracts with Demon Gods, and Mephisto is one of them. In this movie, he appeared as Dr. Rodriguez."

"Goodness." The host was so shocked he couldn't speak. He said, "Are you saying the director got a real demon to play the demon?! How did he do it?!"

"Actually, it's not that hard." Danny explained, "After 'Ilvermorny', many audiences became aware of Karmatiji and the Global Sanctuary. But what you don't know is the Supreme Magician's office in New York is called the Holy Sanctuary, where there are many employees responsible for communicating with the Demon Gods. They handle all matters related to Earth and the Demon Gods, like Earth's diplomacy department."

"So, mages don't have one-on-one contracts with Demon Gods?"

"Formal contracts are indeed one-on-one, but before signing, you have to study all the clauses and draft the agreement. After signing, many small details need to be worked out. Sometimes when contractors are busy, the Demon Gods have to go to the Holy Sanctuary to coordinate with other contractors of Demon Gods."

"Oh my, that doesn't sound magical at all." The host waved his hand and said, "Stop it, don't ruin my fantasy about magic."

Danny shrugged and said, "Can't help it, that's reality. There's always a heap of tedious and annoying backstage work to do. I also hope everyone can acknowledge the contribution and effort of the behind-the-scenes crew. Even though mages are cool, ordinary people are equally worthy of respect."

"Let's talk about the movie again." The host said, "Did you contact Mephisto through the Holy Sanctuary and got him to agree to act?"

Danny nodded. The host then asked, "But how did he agree to act in a plot where he fails and gets banished?"

Danny laughed and said, "That's how demons are. As long as you offer a high enough price, they'll even dare to sell their soul and reputation. The Holy Sanctuary offered him a fee, so he naturally would put in his best performance to earn it."

"What about the murders in the documentary?"

"It's definitely camera tricks." Danny shook his head and said, "The film actually only showed one body, which was a prop made by the director. The rest of those news segments were fabricated through camera splicing, I assure you no one got hurt during the filming process."

"Including Mephisto?"

"Even if that nail was real, it wouldn't harm Mephisto. His power is beyond the imagination of ordinary people. There are levels even among Demon Gods, and Mephisto is among the strongest. He controls an entire dimension and is known as the king of hell..."

"Wait!" The host interrupted again. He said, "King of hell? Isn't hell Satan's domain?"

"No, Mephisto is the lord of the Hell Dimension. No matter how much you dislike him, that's the reality. Plus, the dimension is merely called hell, humans don't actually go to the Hell Dimension after death unless you've made a contract with the dimensional lord."

"So where do people go after they die?"

"I can't say for sure since I haven't died yet." Danny laughed and said, "If I ever die someday, maybe I can come back in a dream and tell you what the afterlife is like."

The two chatted for a while longer. During the commercial break, they got up from their seats and walked backstage together. Danny adjusted the microphone on his collar as they entered the dimly lit corridor, a flash of deep red passed through his eyes.

"Alright, Danny. Your situation isn't severe and doesn't need medical intervention. Like I've said, your main issue is in communicating with the Spirit of Revenge. You should better go study at the New York Temple for a while, especially focus on learning meditation. Stop experimenting on your own..."

In the Arkham Sanatorium's office, Shiller said to Danny who sat opposite him, "Filming the movie to improve your living conditions is just an added bonus. The main goal is to stimulate your potential in emergency situations, allowing you to successfully collaborate with the Spirit of Revenge."

"Yes, I understand. Doctor, thank you." Danny said, "If it weren't for the movie you filmed that made me famous, I might still be hiding in a cramped rental apartment, relying on my brother's support. But, is it really okay to have Mephisto take my place during interviews? He won't say something ridiculous, right?"

"Don't worry, demons know the media and hot topics better than you. Plus, his eloquence is better than yours. If you went to face so many cameras, you might be speechless, which won't help your condition. As your psychiatrist, I wouldn't recommend you overexpose yourself to the public."

"True." Danny nodded dejectedly, "If reporters interviewed me, I might not be able to say anything. Demons are naturally gifted at lying."

At this moment, the door was knocked. Shiller tidied the documents in his hand and said, "Come in!"

A few uniformed staff members walked in, the leading one nodded to Shiller and said, "Doctor, now only your office remains to be moved. If it's convenient, could we start moving your furniture?"

"No problem, our conversation is over, you can start working."