In This Life I Will Die as an Actress Not a Villainess Chapter 193

A few days later, at the recording studio.

I was in the middle of post-recording work inside the booth.

This project involved endless scenes of things shattering, breaking, biting, and tearing(?), with screams flying everywhere, so the amount of post-production dubbing was massive.

Plus, most of the dialogue had to be delivered in tense situations, requiring intense concentration.

“Alright, let’s go.”

“You go that way. I’ll check this side. Let’s each survive on our own.”

“You seriously think everyone here can actually survive? That’s not it, right?”

“Haven’t you seen zombie movies? Jerks like you die second fastest. The biggest loudmouth goes first. Second to die are idealists like you.”

“Hey. Get lost. Before I shove you out. I said get lost!!”

I was fully immersed in delivering my lines when I heard a mumbling voice from somewhere.

Thinking it might be static, I tried to ignore it and kept throwing out my dialogue.

“Can’t you hear me?!”

But then.

‘…Tak Yeowon, wasn’t it?’

“?”

I stopped dead in front of the microphone.

“Sena-ssi, what’s wrong?”

When I stopped acting, the director and engineer outside tilted their heads in confusion.

“Ah, sorry… I think the talkback’s on. Could you turn it off?”

Feeling myself grow unexpectedly sensitive as my immersion broke, I forced a smile as I spoke.

The director and engineer looked at me with ‘huh?’ expressions.

“We didn’t say a word, Sena-ssi.”

“What…?”

“You were delivering your lines so well, we were just listening quietly.”

“What did you hear?”

The moment I heard those words, a chill ran down my spine again, like an icy wind blowing against my back.

Do Changhyeon watched my complexion with concern from outside the booth.

“Mentor, are you okay? Did you not sleep well? When you’re on edge, you can hear things like auditory hallucinations.”

Maybe that’s it…

The director also wore a flustered expression.

“Sena-ssi, should we take a break?”

Had I gotten too sensitive from filming an action project…?

“No, I’m fine. Sorry. Let’s go again.”

I slapped both my cheeks trying to clear my head.

Then I lifted the script again to deliver the next line, opening my mouth when—

‘Truly a magnificent woman. Thanks to you, I got to see something entertaining.’

“!!!”

In that instant, a human-shaped figure reflected in the studio window.

My breath caught as I stared at that shape.

It wasn’t human—it was a zombie.

The split skull I’d been looking for on set stood out starkly.

A scream tore from my mouth.

I threw my headset without thinking.

My feet tangled and I stumbled, falling backward.

The startled director, engineer, and Do Changhyeon burst through the door from outside the booth.

“Sena-ssi!!”

“Mentor!!! Sunbae!”

Do Changhyeon quickly helped me to my feet.

My body trembled.

I turned to look at the window again—nothing was there.

As if taunting me.

I looked around inside the booth but couldn’t find anything.

“M-Mentor. Your complexion…”

“We can’t do this, Sena-ssi. Take the day off.”

“……”

No words came out.

Do Changhyeon supported me and led me out of the booth.

The strength drained from my legs.

* * *

A few days later, at the <Deadline> wrap party.

“To think I’d see a ghost. A zombie ghost at that…”

For the past few days, I’d been suffering from nightmares of the studio incident repeating itself.

Still feeling dazed today, I kept downing drinks while the staff were actually a sea of laughter.

“Wow, so on-set ghost stories really are a thing.”

“Didn’t they say if you see a ghost while filming, it’ll be a huge hit? Looks like we’re doing well.”

“A zombie ghost though? That’s seriously creative.”

Everyone chatted away with hearty laughter while only Do Changhyeon watched my complexion with concern.

“Mentor, did you get any sleep?”

“Couldn’t sleep…”

“What do we do. Stop drinking too. You can’t really handle alcohol.”

“…Who says?”

“What…? You obviously can’t.”

“Pfft.”

A few staff members who’d been listening to our conversation chuckled.

“Changhyeon-ssi, your tolerance is one bottle, right?”

“Me? Yeah…”

“Then don’t mess around.”

“Huh?”

“Changhyeon-ssi’s mentor can mentor through drinking too.”

Hearing that, I smiled awkwardly.

Do Changhyeon scratched his head sheepishly beside me.

“I didn’t know that… But didn’t you say the zombie said something?”

“Yeah, it did.”

I tossed back a shot of soju.

The staff perked up their ears.

“What did it say?”

I set my glass down on the table with a thunk.

Then I imitated exactly what the zombie ghost had said.

“Truly a magnificent woman. Thanks to you, I got to see something entertaining.”

“Huh?!”

The staff all burst out laughing in unison the moment they heard me.

“A zombie ghost with a dialect?”

“Must be from Jeolla Province.”

“I’m equally baffled.”

The director laughed heartily beside me.

“Ah, if you keep doing this, I’m getting way too excited. It really feels like it’s going to do well.”

“Is the Tak Yeowon character that funny? The ghost seems particularly fond of this project.”

“Right? I was worried since it’s an iTube Original. Really hope it does well.”

One of my fellow actors brought up the key concern about this project with a chuckle.

“For real…”

I nodded along, momentarily distracted from thinking about the ghost.

Actually, while I’d jumped at the project because Tak Yeowon was so compelling in the script,

I hadn’t been confident about the ‘iTube Original’ format itself.

In my past life, iTube had quickly abandoned their content business, crushed by the OTT services led by NetMate.

I knew that fact, and I’d never seen a work called <Deadline> back then either.

But the project was entertaining, and I desperately needed something refreshing, so I’d jumped in without looking back.

I really hoped I’d get compensated for suffering at the hands of a zombie ghost.

I smiled slightly as I clinked glasses with my team members.

* * *

[<Deadline> Set Ghost Story! Exclusively Revealed on Solo Life!]

[<Deadline> Success Guaranteed! Han Sena Witnesses Studio Ghost]

[Tak Yeowon X Zombie Ghost Chemistry]

As my zombie ghost encounter story hit the internet, comments came pouring in.

-Did Tak Yeowon help them find peace?

-So when’s the movie coming out. Hurry up and give it to me.

-They’re dropping so much behind-the-scenes content. Insane. So fun.

I was also actively promoting the film myself using social media.

To create a different outcome than my past life, I needed to guide people past the unfamiliar barrier of iTube Original.

Some comments worried that too much of the film’s content was being revealed.

-The teasers are good but. Solo Life is showing too many lines, I can already see how the plot’s going to flow.

-My prediction. At this rate, Tak Yeowon’s the final survivor.

-Everyone dies and only Jeong Haeseon’s brother survives.

⤷ This is it.

⤷ Pilgrimage incoming.

⤷ Isn’t the director panicking and revising the script right now?

I smirked reading those comments.

Then I posted a photo of me with my arms around the zombie actors on social media with a brief caption.

-You’re all wrong lolol. Think harder

* * *

Back at the filming location.

Another large-scale action scene was scheduled for today.

The set was a run-down residential area.

It was a precarious scene where the sheltering survivor group faced two hordes of zombies blocking their path.

Someone had to step forward and lure the zombies away.

The action directors had also come to set, sharpening their focus and joining the scene direction.

“Just do it like we practiced. Just like we practiced!”

Tension filled the set since everything was scheduled to flow in one continuous take.

“I’m putting all my faith in Mentor!”

Do Changhyeon called out brightly.

“Ready!”

But that only lasted a moment—once it was time for the director’s cue, Do Changhyeon’s eyes completely changed.

“Action!”

* * *

Inside the empty, dilapidated house.

Everyone wore anxious expressions in the hair-trigger situation with the zombie horde approaching from the distance.

“Who’s going?”

All the survivors just watched each other, unable to step forward.

Lives were at stake.

“I’ll go.”

I stood up smoothly and moved forward.

Jeong Haeseon’s pupils shook as he looked at me.

“Then me too. I’ll step up.”

“Didn’t you say you want to see your brother? Will you be okay?”

When I spoke as if testing him, Jeong Haeseon nodded with a frightened expression.

I glanced at the people watching us and sneered.

“You’re all so clever. When did you tell me not to calculate with lives?”

People turned their heads, avoiding my gaze.

“Ready?”

“Open the door.”

The moment Jeong Haeseon opened the door, I bolted outside.

As the two of us started running, the camera installed on rails followed at high speed.

Mid-run, a zombie blocked my path.

Without hesitation, I swung the hammer I’d brought at the zombie.

From the camera angle, it would look like I’d struck the zombie’s head precisely.

Leaving the fallen zombie behind, I ran again.

A dust-covered campaign truck came into view ahead.

I leaned against it briefly to catch my breath, then looked the other way.

From the alley where Jeong Haeseon had gone, zombies were pouring out.

At the end of that flood, Jeong Haeseon was gritting his teeth and swinging a baseball bat at the zombie horde.

It looked like he’d be overwhelmed any second.

Watching that, I let out a small sigh.

“Idiot.”

That’s when a Kaaak sound came from overhead and the vehicle window shattered.

A zombie reached out toward me.

I struck down hard again on the zombie’s head, caught in the window by its shoulders.

The zombie slumped limply.

I dragged the zombie out of the vehicle.

Then I quickly climbed into the car and started the engine.

‘Candidate Number 3, Yoo Sechul! Once more, Yoo Sechul! Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!’

The moment I started the engine, the car lit up everywhere as a parody campaign song blasted loud enough to blow through the neighborhood.

‘We trust you, Yoo Sechul! Nation’s guardian, Yoo Sechul! Heart’s protector, Yoo Sechul!’

Listening to the unbearably tacky music, I made a sharp U-turn without hesitation and drove toward where Jeong Haeseon was.

The camera on a different rail stuck close to the vehicle’s side.

“Hey! Move!”

I floored the accelerator and stuck my head out the broken window, shouting at Jeong Haeseon.

The truck raced forward at breakneck speed.

Jeong Haeseon’s eyes bulged wide.

“Ahhh!”

Jeong Haeseon quickly rolled toward a gap.

The truck plowed straight through the zombie horde.

The pre-installed zombie mannequins got pushed by the truck and crushed against the wall, bursting.

Jeong Haeseon watched the scene while sprawled on the ground, hands trembling.

As sticky blood fountained out from the zombies, Jeong Haeseon dry-heaved.

“Urgh.”

The surviving zombies from behind charged this way again.

I jumped out of the driver’s seat and grabbed Jeong Haeseon by the collar, yanking him to his feet.

“Run.”

Jeong Haeseon frantically grabbed my hand and ran.

That’s when something exploded behind us with an ear-splitting sound.

It was the campaign truck.

I stopped mid-run and stared at the rising flames as zombie body parts separated and scattered everywhere.

Jeong Haeseon dry-heaved again.

I looked at Jeong Haeseon pathetically, then grabbed his hand again and dragged him along.

“Cut! Okay!!!”