I, Hiroshi Nohara, the star of Japanese cinema!

"But speaking of which," the scarred man glanced at his watch, a look of anticipation on his face, "The third season of Nohara-sensei's reboot of 'Anshiji Residence' is going to air tonight at 10:30, right?"

"Ohhh! Right, right! I almost forgot!"

"I'm looking forward to it! I just don't know if it will be as scary as the first two seasons."

"It's... a bit risky, isn't it?" A guard who looked a bit older said hesitantly, "I heard in the newspaper that this reboot was rushed out by Mr. Nohara to appease the audience. He even told everyone not to get their expectations too high."

These words immediately cooled the atmosphere in front of the bar.

Yes, how good can the quality of a work that is rushed out be?

Although they had almost blind trust in Nohara Hiroshi, their rationality subtly reminded them not to raise their expectations too high, lest they be more disappointed later.

……

The same conversation is happening simultaneously in countless corners of Tokyo.

In the lounge of the taxi operation center, a group of drivers who had just returned from their shifts were gathered around the TV, smoking and talking in a non-stop manner.

"Well, to be honest, I really admire that young man named Nohara Hiroshi. He is responsible. If it were me, I wouldn't bother to clean up that mess."

"Who says it isn't? However, the quality of this rushed product is definitely going to be compromised. I hope... it's not like last time, where they treated me like a fool and fooled me."

In the men's dormitory of the University of Tokyo, the group of energetic academic elites appear more optimistic.

"What are you afraid of? That's Mr. Nohara! Even if he drew the storyboard with his feet, it would be a hundred times better than what that idiot named Iwata came up with with his brain!"

"That's right! I believe the teacher! He must be just being modest when he says that! Who knows, maybe he's planning something even bigger this time, ready to scare our eyes out!"

Expectations and worries.

Trust, and doubt.

Two completely different emotions, like two invisible ropes, tightly wrapped around the hearts of every old fan of "Anzhiju".

They long for the return of the familiar horror world that can make them feel a chill on summer nights, but they are also afraid that this hard-earned hope will eventually turn into a disappointing farce again.

……

10:25 pm.

The lights in Nohara Hiroshi's Special Production Team's office were brightly lit.

The atmosphere is completely different from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. It is so quiet that it is even a little depressing.

All the core members gathered in front of the huge Sony Trinitron TV.

But this time, their eyes were all focused on the man who was sitting upright, his body as tense as a fully drawn bowstring.

Hashijita Ichiro.

His forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, his bloodshot eyes were fixed on the dark screen, his lips were slightly pale due to nervousness, and his hands on his knees were clenched into fists.

This is not a simple premiere for him.

This is a public trial that will determine whether he can be accepted by the world again.

Nancun Xing, Chang Gu Lu Zou and Beichuan Yao were sitting behind him, with complicated expressions on their three young faces.

They still couldn't completely forgive this man's betrayal, but seeing him trying so hard to atone for his sins, the resentment in their hearts inexplicably dissipated a little.

Kenji Sato and Takeshi Yamamoto, the two veterans of the Kanto faction, looked at him calmly like two invigilators. There was scrutiny in their eyes, but also a subtle hint of recognition from a colleague.

They have all seen how hard Hashiichi Ichiro has worked during this period.

The human heart is made of flesh.

sometimes……

A few sighs and it was over.

Only Hiroshi Nohara remains the outsider who stays out of the matter.

He didn't even watch TV. He just leaned against his desk with a cup of warm black tea, and looked at the micro-expressions of everyone in the office with interest.

He is like a skilled chess player. After making his move, he no longer cares about the fighting on the chessboard, but enjoys observing the most real and interesting human nature presented by the chess pieces whose fate he has disturbed.

This made Hiroshi Nohara feel very accomplished!

Arrived on time at half past ten.

The familiar, classic opening with a bit of weirdness and old-fashioned feeling arrived as promised.

Everyone's heart was in their throat at this moment.

The screen lights up.

It was still the same Kamishige uncle wearing the ominous mask, the same old bicycle parked in the dusk, and the same familiar opening line.

"If you're passing by, come take a look. It's time for Anzhiju again..."

That's it!

Everyone in the office breathed a sigh of relief subconsciously.

Hashiji Ichiro's tense body also relaxed a little.

He knew that, at least at the beginning, he had perfectly fulfilled Nohara Hiroshi's requirements.

The story officially begins.

Season 3, Episode 1 - "Lend It to Me".

Late at night, in an ordinary apartment bathroom.

A young white-collar worker who just got off work is preparing to wash away his fatigue.

The air was filled with mist and the lights were dim. Everything seemed so ordinary, so... normal.

However, just as he took off his clothes and was about to turn on the shower, the bathroom door creaked open a crack.

Then a voice came from the gap.

A woman's voice, her tone devoid of any emotion.

"Um..." Her voice, as if coming from an ancient well, carried a chilling feeling that didn't belong to a living person: "Can you lend me your towel...?"

The man was startled, but seeing the pitiful tone in the other person's voice, he hesitated and handed over the towel hanging next to him.

"Thank you." The woman took the towel and disappeared behind the door.

The man breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it was just a prank.

But the next second, new words came out from the crack of the door.

"Um...can you lend me your soap...as well?"

"..."

The man began to feel something was wrong, but he still handed over the soap.

"Can you lend me your shampoo...?"

"Can you lend me your shower gel...?"

The woman's demands are becoming more and more excessive and more and more expensive.

Something would squeeze in through the crack in the door little by little every time something was "borrowed".

The man finally felt the fear from the bottom of his heart. He wanted to escape, but his legs felt like they were filled with lead and he couldn't move.

Finally, the "melting woman" who had completely squeezed into the bathroom finally showed a weird smile on her face.

She stretched out her equally swollen hands, pointed at the man's body, and whispered in a tone that sounded almost like a dream:

"Um... can you lend me yours... too?"

She was pointing at the man's arms, his legs, and his... head.

As her sticky fingers touched the man's skin, his body began to melt and deform bit by bit like a candle. Finally, he was completely absorbed and merged by the woman...

The picture stopped abruptly.

"..."

The office fell into a dead silence.

Everyone felt a chill running from their tailbone to the top of their head.

"...Oh my god."

It was unknown how long it took before Nancun Xing squeezed out the word that best expressed his mood at the moment.

He subconsciously touched his arm and felt the skin there was still numb.

"This... this story..." Hase Luzou's face turned pale. "It's not about ghosts. It's about the cheap, yet potentially fatal... kindness of those of us living in the city."

"That's right." Yamamoto Takeshi let out a long breath. "In a cold city like Tokyo, we're always taught to be kind to others. But who knows, will the helping hand you extend be taken for granted by a monster lurking in the shadows?"

"It's questioning us about the rules of urban survival: should we be indifferent and protect ourselves, or... be so kind that we bring disaster upon ourselves?"

These words made everyone present fall into deep thought.

They finally got it.

Hiroshi Nohara's reboot of "An Shibai Shin Season 3" is no longer simply pursuing sensory shock.

Instead, it injects a deeper layer of philosophical thinking into the familiar Japanese horror atmosphere, which is enough to resonate with all urban people.

This is no longer just a simple horror animation.

This is a modern urban fable packaged as a ghost story.

As Hashijitaro looked at the shocked and thoughtful expressions on everyone's faces, his heart, which had long since sunk to the bottom, finally, slowly surfaced.

He knew that he had made the right bet.

No, it was Section Chief Nohara who made the right bet once again.

He is just a loyal executor.

……

This new shock brought by "An Zhi Ju Zhen Season 3" once again swept across the entire Neon in just a few minutes.

In the late-night restaurant, the nightclub guards who were just worried about the quality now looked like they had their acupuncture points pressed. Their faces turned pale and their hands holding the wine glasses were trembling slightly.

"...From now on, if anyone ever borrows something from me in a public bathroom again, I'll...I'll call the police!"