Chapter 17: Dimensional Strike! The Genius Director's Utter Shock

"She rushed forward with the dagger, and amid Teri's terrified screams, she stabbed Teri to death."

"However, after Teri's consciousness plunged into darkness, she didn't actually die."

"It felt as if she had fallen into a bathtub filled with water. Teri suddenly opened her eyes, jumped out of bed, and found herself back in Carter's dorm room."

"The same conversation, the same scene, repeated itself again. This made Teri, who originally thought the previous experience was just a nightmare, harbor an outlandish suspicion."

"Time and time again, through the cycles, Teri, who was once confused, anxious, terrified, and agitated, gradually became better under Carter's comfort and encouragement. She began to be kind to strangers, ended her affair with the doctor, and reconciled with her estranged father. They even celebrated her birthday together."

"This time, while having dinner with Carter, something suddenly clicked when she saw the news on TV about the murderer being treated at the hospital."

"Teri quickly told Carter to wait for her, that she needed to confirm something, then rushed off to the hospital. Although Carter didn't know what was going on, seeing her urgency, he hesitated for a moment before following her."

"Teri arrived at the hospital, but she was still a step too late. By the time she got there, the murderer had already attacked the officer guarding him and escaped."

"But this time, she finally confirmed that the man in the black mask was indeed the deranged serial killer who had murdered several women."

"The killer seized the officer's gun, and Teri was no match for him, so she could only run."

"Just as she was cornered in a dead-end alley, Carter arrived in time and tackled the killer, saving her."

"Teri, being clever, immediately ran to pick up the killer's gun and threatened him to stop."

"But the killer was mentally unstable and didn't care at all. During the struggle, he quickly gained the upper hand and pinned Carter beneath him."

"With no other option, Teri was forced to shoot."

"However, because she didn't know how to release the safety, even though she frantically pulled the trigger, no bullets came out. She mistakenly thought the gun was empty."

"While Teri hesitated, Carter had his neck snapped by the killer."

"Knowing she stood no chance and staying would only mean her death, Teri immediately turned and fled."

"Perhaps after dying so many times, combined with the hatred from seeing Carter killed, her mind became unusually calm. She quickly devised a plan to deal with the killer."

"She lured the killer to the emergency stairwell, where she successfully ambushed him, causing him to tumble down from the third floor."

"The killer was left badly injured, bleeding from the head, and unable to move."

"Teri picked up a fire axe she found along the way, her eyes red with rage, and rushed forward."

"But just as she was about to kill the murderer, she suddenly stopped."

"If she killed him now, the time loop would end, and Carter, who had died, wouldn't come back."

"For Carter's sake, she chose to commit suicide and reset the timeline."

"This time, she didn't recklessly act alone. She quickly convinced Carter, and together, they set up an ambush at the hospital. When the killer attempted to attack the officer, Teri smashed his skull with the fire axe."

"Everything seemed to be over."

"Back at the school, Teri dragged Carter to her dorm room. After a passionate session of lovemaking, by the time they finished, it was already 11:58 p.m."

"Previously, the masked man would have already shown up to kill her by this time, but this time, everything was calm, and nothing happened."

"With only two minutes left, it was clear they had truly defeated the 'killer' and escaped the time loop, which allowed Teri to fully relax."

"Feeling the exhaustion from the fierce battle and having not eaten all day, Teri's stomach growled."

"With nothing left to eat at this late hour, and wanting nothing more than to cuddle up with Carter and sleep, she grabbed the 'special birthday edition' chocolate cream cupcake her roommate had prepared for her, and quickly ate it. Soon, a wave of drowsiness washed over her, and she fell asleep in Carter's arms."

"But when she opened her eyes again, she was back on the morning of her birthday."

"The time loop hadn't ended!"

"The huge emotional drop caused Teri to completely break down. The repeated cycles made her believe that even identifying her killer was pointless."

"Feeling like she was losing her mind, she rushed back to her dorm to pack and escape."

"Her roommate, unaware of Teri's outburst, kindly offered her the cupcake she had specially prepared."

"'Cupcake?' Teri exclaimed, as the last memory of last night flashed through her mind."

"The cupcake was poisoned!"

"She had died again in her sleep!"

"Teri finally realized this, and memories from previous loops flashed through her mind. Then, it dawned on her—the one who truly wanted her dead was her introverted roommate, the one she had always looked down upon."

"The black clothing, mask, and dagger used by the killer had all been supplied by her roommate, who worked as a nurse at the hospital."

"She had even drugged the officer's coffee, helping the killer in his escape attempt, all to use him as a pawn."

"Understanding everything, Teri directly confronted her roommate, grabbing the poisoned cupcake—crucial evidence of her roommate's attempt to murder her."

"The roommate admitted everything. She had always been jealous of Teri's popularity and had a secret crush on the professor Teri was having an affair with."

"As they argued, the two got into a fight, and Teri managed to kill her evil roommate in self-defense."

"Though she was released after questioning by the police, as it was clearly self-defense, Teri moved out of the dorm and went to stay with Carter."

"After another even more intense session of lovemaking, they fell into an exhausted sleep, holding each other."

"When Teri opened her eyes again, she was in a familiar room, in a familiar setting, and she couldn't help but panic. It wasn't until Carter walked in with breakfast that she finally realized that the damn time loop was truly over."

"Excited, Teri jumped out of bed and leapt into Carter's arms."

"The movie ended with their kiss."

By the time Wayne finished telling the story, more than half an hour had passed. This time-loop concept, which had already been used in 2017, now felt like a dimensional strike, leaving the genius director James Wan utterly stunned.

"Oh my God! This is a brilliant concept! A genius story!"

It took a while for James Wan to recover from the shock, his previous restraint replaced by excitement.

Clearly, he couldn't wait to start filming this story.

"The specific details still need to be filled in by you, Director Wan. How long do you think you'll need?" Wayne asked, taking a sip of coffee handed to him by Mia to soothe his throat.

James Wan thought for seven or eight minutes before answering.

"I'll try to finish the script and shooting plan within ten days!"

Wayne nodded in satisfaction.

Although some people can write a screenplay of tens of thousands of words in a day, ten days is already quite fast for a normal process.

"Now, let's discuss the casting for the main roles in the movie."

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