A Night of Frightful Fun
Sometimes what frightened people wasn't the frightening thing itself, but the atmosphere and the reactions of those around them. Many people's instinct in that situation might be to fight back, but if a few timid companions screamed and dragged them away, well, all they could do was run for their lives.
The frightening scenes had no effect on the painted woman. The You sisters were locals, and after being "shocked" so many times, they'd gradually gotten used to it. Xu Huo was expressionless too.
The four of them watched the "head" bob along with the current, saying nothing.
More and more water dripped from the "head." Perhaps it was feeling a little awkward. After a few seconds of silence, it was about to float away when several visitors from other districts happened to walk in through the entrance. They looked up, saw a wrinkled "head," and immediately screamed in terror. They turned to run, only to be blocked by staff who had been waiting behind them. In their panic, they fled into Culture Street.
The screams gradually faded into the distance. Xu Huo looked at the street full of "Demons and Monsters and Ghosts," then turned to ask the painted woman, "Who are you going to scare later?"
The staff were usually in full costume, while most visitors wore only a mask or a hood for effect. But the atmosphere was great. The staff didn't chase visitors around nonstop, and performance troupes periodically came down the street. The chaos of demons and monsters was full of laughter and cheer.
Until a head was hoisted on a pitchfork above the parade.
Blood dripped down, splashing onto the ground along with a heavy, metallic stench. A few visitors got splattered too, frightening quite a number of people.