Today's big scene was the showdown inside the Red Door Room between Elise and the "Old Woman" spirit possessing Josh.
Lin Shaye's performance was textbook perfect.
She didn't rely on exaggerated screaming or twisted facial expressions.
Instead, she used rapid but suppressed breathing, slightly dilated pupils, and a look of pure revulsion—like she was staring at the filthiest thing in existence—to crank the tension up to eleven.
When the stunt double playing the possessed Josh crawled out of the shadows in a bizarre, ergonomically impossible posture, the temperature on set felt like it dropped ten degrees.
"Cut! Perfect! God, Lin, your eyes just gave me goosebumps!"
Director James Wan's voice came over the radio, filled with rare excitement.
Just as Lin Shaye finished her performance and let out a long breath, a blue orb floated gently off her.
[Gaze Attribute: Layers of Terror +3] (Blue/Rare)
Cassius was ecstatic.
While pretending to adjust his prop instrument, he casually drifted closer and absorbed it.
A cooling sensation flooded his eyes.
In an instant, he had a brand-new understanding of how to use his gaze to convey a complex sequence of emotions: Shock—Confirmation—Bone-deep Fear.
It wasn't just staring wide-eyed anymore. It was about subtle shifts that the camera lens would pick up.
These kinds of micro-adjustments in the eyes were exactly what separated the pros from the amateurs, especially in close-ups.
Meanwhile, Patrick Wilson contributed a green orb while filming a scene where he wandered through the hallway, dazed and haunted by spirits.
[Presence Attribute: Vulnerability +2]
Cassius happily accepted that one, too.
Presence wasn't just about being strong and steady. The right amount of vulnerability could be just as compelling.
---
Three days of shooting wrapped up.
Cassius walked out with six hundred crisp dollars in his pocket. He felt his spine straighten just a little bit.
His attribute panel had seen some modest gains:
[Acting Attribute Panel]
Dialogue: Lv0 (4/100)
Physicality: Lv0 (13/100)
Expression: Lv0 (4/100)
Gaze/Eyes: Lv0 (4/100)
Emotion: Lv0 (15/100)
Rhythm: Lv0 (3/100)
Presence: Lv0 (8/100)
...
Although his base stats were still far from leveling up, the specialized sub-attributes he had absorbed gave him a much more three-dimensional understanding of acting.
It was a shame he couldn't see other people's stats.
He was dying to know just how god-tier the attributes of veteran Hollywood actors were.
Dragging his slightly tired but mentally buzzed body back to the familiar, run-down apartment building in Koreatown, Cassius was still replaying moments from the set in his head.
The motion-sensor light in the hallway was, as always, flickering like a strobe light.
He navigated the dark to his door and reached for his keys, then froze.
Two massive suitcases with cute cartoon characters on them were piled in front of his door.
A petite figure was squatting next to them, back turned to him, practically burying her head inside an open backpack as she rummaged for something.
She was muttering to herself, sounding like Korean.
Hearing footsteps, she whipped her head around.
She had a distinctly Korean look—pale skin, big eyes, refined makeup, and hair dyed a trendy light ash-brown.
She looked young, like a college freshman. She was wearing an oversized hoodie, skinny jeans, and limited-edition sneakers.
"Annyeonghaseyo!"
Seeing Cassius, the girl immediately stood up and bowed flusteredly. Then, in heavily accented English, she said:
"Excuse me, are you Mr. Cassius?"
Cassius's English was no longer clunky. Thanks to the Dialogue attributes he'd picked up, his accent had improved massively.
So when he heard this thick Korean-accented English, he paused for a second before nodding instinctively.
"And you are?"
"I am Lee So-yeon!"
The girl's eyes lit up. She started explaining rapidly in a mix of English, Korean, and broken Mandarin:
"I am a new student at USC Film School! From Seoul! I heard Shen Man unnie moved out. Is there a room available?"
It took Cassius a moment to piece it together.
This girl had somehow heard through the grapevine of Korean students at USC that Shen Man had moved out, managed to find his address, and just showed up with her luggage.
Talk about execution. Maximum efficiency.
"So you want to rent Shen Man's old room?"
Cassius leaned against the doorframe, sizing up this "uninvited guest."
The apartment did have an empty room, and he did need someone to split the rent.
But living with a strange Korean girl?
The vibe felt a little weird.
"Ne! Yes!"
Lee So-yeon nodded vigorously, clasping her hands together in a pleading gesture. Her eyes were full of that fearless "newborn calf" energy.
"Please, Cassius oppa! I looked at many places, all too expensive! This location is very good! Not too far from school, and close to Hollywood!"
"I want to be a director! I need to feel the atmosphere here!"
Cassius's mouth twitched.
Feel the atmosphere?
The only atmosphere around here was weed, urine, and the philosophical musings of the homeless.
Where was the Hollywood starlight?
He noticed the airline tags still stuck to her luggage. She must have literally just landed.
"You... just moved in? Without seeing the room? Without discussing the price?"
"I trust Shen Man unnie's taste!"
Lee So-yeon looked serious, then added somewhat shyly:
"And my budget is really small. Whatever price you say, oppa, as long as I can afford it..."
Looking at her baby-faced features written with "I'm naive and reckless for my dreams," Cassius felt like he was looking at himself and Shen Man when they first got off the plane years ago.
He sighed and opened the door. "Come in first. No point negotiating rent in the hallway."
The apartment was as cramped as ever.
But compared to the emptiness Shen Man left behind, it now had a bit of life—mostly scattered scripts and supermarket flyers Cassius had left lying around.
Lee So-yeon walked in like she was entering a shrine. She looked around curiously, her eyes fixing reverently on the yellowed Godfather poster Cassius had scored from a thrift store.
"Wow! Is this a Hollywood dreamer's dorm? Very... story-like!"
Lee So-yeon commented, struggling to find a positive word.
Cassius: "..."
Thanks. It's just poverty.
After a somewhat chaotic conversation, Cassius got a basic read on her.
Lee So-yeon's listening comprehension was better than her speaking, but she got confused when it came to specific numbers and lease terms.
It seemed her family was well-off, but sending her here for school was their limit.
They made it clear: she could experience life, but they weren't going to fund a director's dream indefinitely.
So, she needed to figure out how to make money, fast.
In the end, they agreed on a rent.
It was slightly higher than what Shen Man paid, but still way below market rate, utilities included.
Cassius figured at least next month's rent was covered.
After signing a makeshift rental agreement, Lee So-yeon happily dragged her suitcases into the room that used to belong to Shen Man.
Cassius collapsed onto the creaky sofa in the living room, feeling the magical realism of it all.
His former roommate had just gone back with broken dreams, and immediately, a replacement arrived with brand-new dreams.
And she was imported from Korea.
Hollywood really was a revolving door.