God of Drama

"I... who am I?" Boom— A pale flash of lightning streaks across the inky black clouds, Rain pours down relentlessly, the thunderous storm soaking the muddy earth. In the rippling water puddles, a crimson figure shatters into pieces. It is a young man in a bright red costume, stumbling through the thick mud as if drunk. His wide sleeves flap in the wind, and the mud on his costume is washed away by the rain. The blood-red color stands out in the dark night, shocking to the eye. "Stop it... Stop it!" "Everyone, shut up!" "I will remember... I will remember soon..." "I have a name... my own name!" The young man’s wet black hair hangs down to his eyebrows. His confused eyes are filled with uncertainty as he stumbles forward, clutching his head in agony, as though struggling to recall something. His shout echoes down the empty street but fades away, swallowed by the never-ending rain. Thud— In the dim light, his body trips over a raised stone, falling heavily to the ground. A stream of blood drips from his forehead, and he lies there stunned. Suddenly, as if something clicks in his mind, a faint glow appears in his murky eyes. "Chen Ling..." A name flashes through his mind. The moment he utters these two words, fragments of memory float out from the endless murmurs that nearly burst his head, merging with this frail body. "What... is this? A transmigration?" Chen Ling furrows his brows, trying to digest the memories of this body. His head feels like it’s being split open by pain. His name is Chen Ling, 28 years old, and he was an intern director at a theater in the capital. After a performance one night, he was alone on stage, arranging the actors' positions. Then, a violent earthquake struck. He felt a sharp pain in his head and lost consciousness completely. Now, thinking back, he likely died from being struck by a falling spotlight… As he slowly processes the memories of this new body, Chen Ling is surprised to find that its original owner also carries the name Chen Ling. However, their understanding of the world is completely different, with their shattered memories battling each other. Chen Ling feels like his brain is about to explode. He keeps taking deep breaths, struggling to rise from the ground, his costume stained with both black and red mud, looking completely disheveled. For some reason, his body feels incredibly heavy, like the exhaustion after days of late-night work on a play, as though every ounce of energy has been drained from him… "Let’s just go home..." The weary body and fragmented thoughts make it nearly impossible for him to think. He can only rely on the instincts of this body, heading toward the direction of "home." Though he doesn’t know how he ended up here, the original memories of this body point to this place. Every day, the original owner would walk this road after visiting a clinic to take care of his younger brother. It only takes two to three minutes to reach home from here on normal days. But for him now, the journey seems longer than ever. The rain, cold and biting, seeps through Chen Ling’s body, making him shiver uncontrollably. After enduring the chill and fatigue for ten minutes in the rain, he finally reaches the door to what his memories tell him is his home. Chen Ling fumbles in his pocket, realizing that he has no keys. So, he skillfully retrieves a spare key from the newspaper box beside the door and opens it. Creak— Warm light pours from inside, illuminating a corner of the dark, rainy night and revealing Chen Ling’s pale face. The moment he sees the light, his tense nerves relax, and the cold and fatigue seem to melt away a little. He steps inside, where two figures sit at the dining table, their eyes red as if they’ve just cried. Hearing the door open, the two figures freeze for a moment, then turn simultaneously. "Dad... Mom... I’m back." Chen Ling, with a heavy head, instinctively bends down to change his shoes at the door, but realizes his feet are bare. His soles and toes are caked in mud, leaving two large black footprints on the floor. The two figures at the dining table see the red-clad Chen Ling entering and their pupils contract violently! "You... you..." The man’s Adam’s apple moves as he opens his mouth, his face in shock. "Mom... is there any water? I’m so thirsty." After returning home, Chen Ling finally relaxes, his consciousness slipping into the brink of unconsciousness. He mumbles as he stumbles into the kitchen, grabbing a water jug and drinking greedily. Gulpp, gulpp, gulpp… In the kitchen, the red-clad figure drinks from the jug like a beast, eagerly swallowing the water. Water drips from his mouth onto the floor, forming a puddle that reflects the pale, terrified faces in the living room. "Ah... Ah Ling?" The woman gathers her courage, her voice trembling, "How... how did you come back?" Chen Ling continues to drink, seemingly oblivious to the woman’s words. After a while, he seems to feel that drinking like this is too slow, so he stuffs the jug into his mouth, chewing the plastic like it’s nothing! The synthetic material cracks and is chewed down violently, water gushing into his mouth, refreshing him! "I walked back." A voice comes from behind Chen Ling. Yes… from behind. At this moment, while Chen Ling is still drinking, his voice is clearly heard by the couple, as though another red-clad Chen Ling is standing in the invisible void behind him, arms spread wide, answering calmly. "The rain was heavy, I think I got lost." "I fell a few times on the road, and my shoes are gone..." "Mom, I made the floor dirty, but if you’re not in a hurry, you can wait until I wake up tomorrow to clean it up... I’m really tired right now." The couple in the living room feels a chill down their spines, unable to move, as the oil lamp flickers, as though an invisible hand is playing with the wick. They stand there stiffly, pale-faced, not daring to move. Finally, the jug is emptied. Chen Ling wipes his mouth, sets the jug down, and staggers toward his bedroom, leaving a trail of black footprints across the floor. "Dad, Mom... you should sleep early. Good night." He mumbles before shutting the door, followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the bed. The living room falls silent. After an unknown amount of time, the two figures, resembling statues, finally turn their heads… and look at each other. The lamp flickers before it steadies again, casting an eerie glow over the dim living room. They tremble as they sit, their faces devoid of any color. "He... he’s back." The man rasps, "How is this possible..." "If he really is Ah Ling..." "Then who did we kill last night?"