CH 9

“Thank you for the generous donation, Master Tieling Biao. However, speaking of which, I still really want to hear Half-Immortal Liu’s opinion. After all, he is a professional.” I took out my phone and checked the time. It was not yet midnight, so there was still some time before the early morning that the short and chubby old lady had warned me about. “If worse comes to worst, I’ll just escape and call the police…”

Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain, “Young people nowadays are willing to risk even their lives for mere money. Well, since we have met, I’ll give you some advice.”

“Thank you, Half-Immortal.”

The live stream audience had increased to 37, and the number was still growing.

“When the earth’s energy is strong, it illuminates the house and bestows blessings upon those who reside there. Conversely, if the earth’s energy is weak, the house will wither, and those who live there will lack vitality and nourishment, ultimately leading to decay.”

“Host, please open the window so I can assess the earth’s energy,” Half-Immortal Liu requested.

I followed his instructions and opened the window, illuminating the area with my phone’s flashlight.

“The grass won’t grow, the flowers won’t bloom, and the trees are twisted and distorted. The energy is stagnant, impurities are accumulating, and there seems to be no way out!” Half-Immortal Liu posted his second comment after a minute or two. “Host, quickly close the window, and check if there are any grains of rice or traces of red, white, and yellow paper on the four corners of the bed.”

I lifted the camera and zoomed in, finding the corners of the room spotless without any cobwebs in sight. However, when I focused on the double bed, I felt a sense of unease.

“Rice grains!” Several small, wet grains of rice were scattered in an inconspicuous location on the inner side of the bed legs.

Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain said, “Apart from being offered to our ancestors, white rice can also be used to appease spirits. The layout of this house is very ominous, and I suspect that more than one or two people have died here. Host, go ahead and search; there should be some talisman paper under the bed to ward off evil spirits. But don’t get too close. If there are more than four talisman papers, leave the room immediately to save your life.”

“Under the bed?” I leaned down again, one hand grabbing the edge of the bed and the other holding the camera, as I stuck my entire head under the bed.

“This…” The cold ground seemed to freeze my body, making me feel numb all over. It was as if worms were crawling through my veins. This was my first time seeing such a scene, and I couldn’t find any other words to describe the hair-raising feeling other than terrifying.

Beneath the bed board that measured two meters in length and one and a half meters in width, there were numerous ghost talismans pasted with red characters on a yellow background!

Teletubies died of murder, “Oh my god, this is giving me a heart attack!”

Officer Huang of the third year class 2, said, “Brother, call the police. I knew from the beginning that this case was fishy.”

Don’t attack me, I’m fragile. “Damn, you scared the crap out of me…”

Feeling lightheaded, I sat on the ground and propped myself up with my elbow. “Half-Immortal, I didn’t count them, but I think there are more than four…”

Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain said, “Young man, you’re on your own now. These paper talismans are often used to ward off evil, attract wealth, and secure a house. But if I’m not mistaken, the talisman in your room should be for suppressing evil spirits. Now that the negative energy has been exposed, it’s obvious that the talisman has lost its effectiveness. When you entered this room, you were already in trouble.”

“So, what you’re saying is that I’m doomed, Mr. Half-imortal?”

“I’m willing to help you, but I’m in Qingcheng and can’t do much.”

The girl- who loves handsome and talented men, said, “You two seem to be having fun with your back-and-forth banter. I get it now, this Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain is just an actor hired by the host. The lines are good, the script is decent, and I give the set design a 90 out of 100. It’s better than some of the cheap special effects in domestic productions.”

Teemo Stew with Mushrooms: “Are you guys just acting? I’m only 12 years old; don’t fool me.”

So I Married a Hater: “This deceitful streamer is just showing off their acting skills and scamming ignorant viewers for gifts!”

Master Tieling Biao: “Who are you calling ignorant? Want me to teach you a lesson?”

The fear in my heart was dispelled by the barrage of comments. I sat on the bed to light a cigarette, then suddenly remembered the talismans covering the bed board and quickly stood up and moved to the side.

“Could it be true that this Peace of Mind (Anxin) Inn is really haunted?” Despite having an answer in my mind, I was still unwilling to believe it. “Without seeing it with my own eyes, mere speculation cannot prove anything.”

The courses at the police academy had instilled in me a good habit of critical thinking. Before reaching a conclusion, a complete chain of evidence must be established.

I lit the cigarette, and the live broadcast room had grown quiet. Despite the earlier incident, the number of viewers had increased to over sixty, who were now watching simultaneously.

“Whether you think I’m a fraud or an actor, I will stay here for one night. I don’t believe in ghosts and will not be afraid of them,” I said, gritting my teeth and lying down on the bed. I had made my decision, and I felt much more relaxed.

Master Tieling Biao gifted 99 ghost coins to the super thrilling live broadcast room, saying “Well said, I like what I’m hearing, here’s a gift!”

Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain gifted 99 gohst coins to the super thrilling live broadcast room, saying “Money is just an external possession, we can’t take it with us when we’re born or when we die. Why bother, host?”

The truth is, I knew the mess i was getting myself in. However, this was a mission from the underworld show, and if I broke the agreement recklessly, I might offend that mysterious organization and end up disappearing from the human world.

Since I couldn’t avoid it, I must face it head-on. “I’ve seen so many ruthless, cunning, and inhumane criminals, would I still be afraid of a vague and illusory ghost?”

“I’m not just here to spend the night; I’m actively seeking out ghosts! If everything turns out to be fake, it’ll prove that the Underworld Show is nothing more than a group of people dressed up as ghosts with sinister intentions.”

“Although this is the task they’ve given me, it’s also an opportunity for me to reveal their true nature!”

At this point, my rationality overcame my fear, and I picked up the camera and aimed it at myself. “Dear viewers, I’m just as curious as you are. Do ghosts really exist in this world? Are supernatural phenomena real? Which of the countless urban legends are true, and which ones conceal dark conspiracies? There are too many unknowns waiting for us to explore, and today is just the beginning!”

“I’ll do my best to recreate the tenant’s death process and guide everyone through the suffocating death scene! From now on, I am the tenant who died under mysterious circumstances. I’ll act according to his thoughts and try to trigger the same deadly outcome—witnessing that scary, thrilling scene that led to him being scared to death!”

Recreating the victim’s death simulation, a technique similar to a dramatic reenactment, was extremely helpful in solving cases, but it was also a very complex process that often required meticulous planning and the assistance of psychological experts.

In this deserted village inn, however, everything had to be kept simple. Although I was not a psychology expert, I did have some knowledge of environmental psychology and criminal psychology.

Teemo Stew with Mushrooms remarked, “The style has changed, and suddenly the host seems quite appealing.”

My senior sister fell for me wondered, “What’s with this feeling of anticipation and suspense…?”

Officer Huang of the third year class 2, “I’ve known from the beginning that the host was a professional in the industry. It’s time to show off some real skills!”

“Death simulation is not some fancy, high-level concept. It’s simply a matter of accurately reenacting the scene based on the victim’s personality, the initial location, the motive, and the criminal psychology,” I said as I turned the camera towards myself. “I’ve done some research on this murder case. The victim was a local man in Jiangcheng, unemployed and deep in debt due to his gambling addiction. He couldn’t go back home because he owed too much money, so he chose to hide in the rural and tranquil Peace of Mind (Anxin) Inn.”

“What’s interesting is that he had been staying there for half a month with no incident until this one fateful day. What happened on that day? Or was it something he did that triggered his own death?”

I picked up the camera and started to walk around the room, saying, “He spent half a month hiding in this place with no entertainment other than a broken TV and faced two scary and elderly faces every day…”

“Moreover, the death occurred in the middle of the night. What would a bored and restless man do? Could it be that…”

I rummaged through the drawers and finally found something under the pillow—a brightly colored card.

Teemo Stew with Mushrooms, “What did you find, Mr. Host? Does that card contain valuable information left by the victim?!”

The girl who loves handsome and talented men, “Hehe, little Teemo, it’s not that we won’t tell you; it’s just that sometimes silence speaks louder than words and everything is better left unsaid.’”

Officer Huang of the third year class 2, “Upstairs, please be mindful of your words and actions. This topic is too heavy for a minor.”

The girl who loves handsome and talented men; “Too heavy, your sister! I bet you’re just a paid actor hired by the host. Your tone is so rigid, be careful you don’t get left with no lunch after the show!”

Teletubies died of murder: “Wow, this livestream is really intense…”
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