Chapter 8: The Livestream Begins

In just a few moments, the viewer counts in my livestream shot up to eleven. It seemed that the channels on the Hell Show were quite effective in guiding traffic. But, without exception, all the viewers in my livestream had been tricked into joining. Some were watching adult films, and suddenly an ad popped up, causing them to enter the terrifying livestream room, pants down and all, clutching tissues.Poor kids. I hope I didn't leave them with lasting psychological trauma.The rest of the viewers had entered by accident, but they shared one thing in common—they were all alone at the moment."Streamer, your room looks oddly familiar. I think I've seen it on the news?" A user with the ID 'Officer Huang from Class 2, Year 3' suddenly posted a colorful comment: "Streamer, I'm from River city. You're not staying in the Peaceful Inn, are you?""Finally, a normal person," I said, pulling out the prepared newspaper. "That's right, this is the Peaceful Inn.""Maybe you guys don't know what kind of place this is, so let me show you the newspaper. Three months ago, a strange death occurred in this building. The police never figured out the cause and had to chalk it up to an accidental death.""But recently, a photo of the deceased circulated online. In the photo, the man's pupils were dilated, and his jaw was open at a 90-degree angle. Anyone with some common sense would know that he clearly saw something terrifying before he died!""What did he see? Don't you want to know?"The livestream suddenly fell silent, perhaps because people were trying to decide whether I was telling the truth."The room number is 203. The room where the death occurred three months ago is right across from me." Ash fell from my cigarette, and I didn't even realize it had burned down until I lit another. I glanced at my own image on the screen."Tonight, I'll take you all through the truth of the incident. Yes, I'm going to risk my life to experience this terrifying event. That's the purpose of this Super Thrilling Livestream."Feeling quite pleased with myself after saying this, but the viewers didn't seem to buy it.Tieling Escort: "You're full of crap. If the police couldn't solve it, what makes you think you can?"Don't Spray Me, I'm Fragile: "Screenshot taken. Waiting to watch the streamer piss himself."Ping An Business Manager: "Streamer, what you need is a family insurance package from our company. One policy covers the whole family..."Officer Huang from Class 2, Year 3: "The Peaceful Inn is definitely spooky. You should be careful!"The barrage of comments quickly eased the fear and tension in my mind. Technically, I didn't need to interact with anyone according to the Hell Show's task—just survive the night. But skilled people were among the viewers, and if things took a turn for the worse, perhaps asking for help would be my only way out."Alright, everyone calm down. Let's take a look at the surroundings first. Though I don't understand feng shui or metaphysics, I've attended two years at the police academy, so I'm familiar with crime scene investigations."Room 203 wasn't the one where the death occurred three months ago, but since the Hell Show specified this room, there had to be something wrong with it."The doors and windows are intact, the floor is clean. The furniture is old but spotless, you could say it's spotless." I crouched down, holding my cigarette: "There's no blood or suspicious items under the bed. The wardrobe is a bit damp, and the TV across from the bed is just for show... Wait?"I moved the old-fashioned box TV slightly and discovered that there was a mirror attached to the wall behind it.It wasn't too large, about thirty inches. The TV screen perfectly hid it."Streamer, a mirror facing the bed is a big taboo. Looks like this room isn't meant for the living," said Liu Bansian from Qingcheng Mountain in a comment, which immediately revived the previously quiet livestream.Tieling Escort: "What a load of nonsense. I've had a wall of mirrors in my bedroom for years and I'm doing just fine."Qingcheng Mountain Liu Bansian: "Believe it or not, mirrors are used in feng shui to ward off evil and drive away bad spirits. They should face the direction of harmful energy. If they face a person, that's the 'mirror curse'—it's like a mouth, constantly draining life force. It can make people uneasy at best or cause their families to fall apart at worst."Handsome and Talented Guy Who Loves Women: "Looks like the one upstairs is a fraud. Anyone who really practices Taoism wouldn't type so fast."I rubbed my temples, looking at the endless barrage of comments. If I hadn't experienced that night on the Lightless Road, I would probably still be an atheist. But that terrifying interview felt like a hammer, smashing my previously unshakable beliefs into pieces."Do strange powers really exist?" I took the camera: "Liu Bansian, take a breath. I admit, this place isn't very lucky. Can you take a look and tell me if staying here tonight will cause any problems?"Qingcheng Mountain Liu Bansian: "You know this is a haunted house and you still want to stay? Let me give you some advice, young man—pack your things and leave. Otherwise, your fortune will be affected."Tieling Escort sent a tip of 99 Soul Coins to the Super Thrilling Livestream.Tieling Escort: "Streamer, don't listen to that Taoist priest. If you stay here tonight, I'll tip you 99 every hour.""Now that's some gifts," I said, checking the time on my phone—it wasn't yet midnight. There was still a while before the old woman's warning about not leaving the room. "Thank you, Tieling Biao Ye, for the tip. But I still want to hear Liu Bansian's opinion. After all, he's the professional."I pulled out my phone and glanced at the time again, still not yet midnight. The old woman's warning hadn't yet come into play, so I still had time.Qingcheng Mountain Liu Bansian: "Young people nowadays are willing to risk their lives for money. Fine, I'll give you some advice.""Thank you, Bansian."The viewer count jumped to thirty-seven and continued to rise."Strong earth energy results in bright light, and the residents of such places are naturally blessed. When the energy weakens, the place withers, and the people living there will naturally decline. Open the window first, I need to assess the energy," Liu Bansian's comment appeared a minute later.I opened the window and used my phone to illuminate the room."The grass won't grow, flowers won't bloom, the trees are oddly shaped. It's high around the edges and low in the middle—energy is stagnant, bad vibes are accumulating, there's no way out!" Liu Bansian finally added, "Quickly close the window. Check the corners of the room for rice grains or traces of red, white, or yellow paper."I moved the camera closer to the room corners. It was completely clean, not a spider web in sight. But as I pointed the camera at the bed, I felt uneasy."Rice grains!" There were a few wet rice grains scattered on the inner side of the bed frame, looking as though they had been soaked in cold water.Qingcheng Mountain Liu Bansian: "Rice is used to honor ancestors or to appease spirits. The layout of this room is very ominous. I'm sure more than one person has died here. Check under the bed. If there are more than four pieces of talismans, get out immediately. It's the only way to stay alive.""Under the bed?" I crouched down again, one hand holding the bed frame, the other holding the camera, and stuck my head under the bed."This..." The cold floor seemed to freeze my body, and I felt a creeping sensation, like bugs crawling through my veins. The scene in front of me was unlike anything I had ever encountered. My scalp tingled—terrifying, no other word for it.Under the two-meter long, one-and-a-half-meter wide bed, yellow talismans covered the floor, all with red characters!Teletubby Murdered: "Holy crap, this is giving me a panic attack."Officer Huang from Class 2, Year 3: "Call the police, man. I had a feeling this place was shady."Don't Spray Me, I'm Fragile: "I'm scared shitless right now..."I felt dizzy, propped myself up with my elbows, and sat on the floor: "Liu Bansian, I didn't count, but I'm guessing there are more than four..."Qingcheng Mountain Liu Bansian: "You're in big trouble. These talismans were meant to ward off evil, but they've lost their power. The evil energy is now seeping out. You've already brought bad luck into the house.""Do you mean I'm doomed?""I'd love to help, but I'm too far away. You're on your own, kid."Handsome and Talented Guy Who Loves Women: "You two are having too much fun, huh? I figured out what's going on. Liu Bansian is just a shill, a part of the show. Nice script, good props. I'll give it a 90 out of 100. Better than some low-budget horror."Teemo Stew Mushroom: "Is this acting? I'm twelve years old, don't lie to me."The growing fear was drowned out by the barrage of comments. I lit another cigarette, and the thought of all those talismans under the bed flashed through my mind. I quickly stood up, stepping away."Could it really be that the Peaceful Inn is haunted?" Though I already had my answer, I didn't want to believe it. "But I haven't seen anything with my own eyes. I can't make conclusions based on guesses."My police academy training kicked in—when forming a conclusion, a complete chain of evidence was necessary.I took a drag from my cigarette. The livestream grew quiet, with more than sixty viewers now tuning in."Whether you think I'm a scammer or an actor, tonight I'm staying here. I'll stay the whole night. If I die, so be it. I don't believe in ghosts!" I declared firmly.Tieling Escort tipped 99 Soul Coins: "Nice, I like your attitude. Here's a tip!"Qingcheng Mountain Liu Bansian tipped 99 Soul Coins: "Wealth is nothing but a passing thing. You're risking your life for it. Why bother?"The Hell Show task was in my hands now. If I backed out, the mysterious organization behind the show might retaliate, and I'd vanish without a trace.There's no escaping. Only by facing the challenge head-on could I have any chance. "I've seen so many ruthless criminals, deceitful, evil people—why should I be afraid of a ghost?""Tonight, I won't just survive. I'll go looking for ghosts. If it's all fake, I'll expose the Hell Show for what it really is—nothing but a group of humans hiding behind the guise of monsters!"This was my opportunity to uncover the truth!