Chapter 74: Terrifying Live Stream (Part 11)
【Today I still love him very much. The creaking sound woke me from my sleep as usual. The moment I opened my eyes, I saw the pitch-black eyes of my neighbors. As expected, those wretched things had all toppled over. They hadn't been sleeping either. In the darkness, they gave me a brilliant smile. I watched their snow-white teeth as they skillfully pried open the closed window and climbed onto the balcony.】
【Today the director specifically sought me out for a talk. He told me I could leave. I... I can finally leave. I've been waiting for this day for so long...】
【I'm going to go see him, and then possess him completely...】
【He never expected to see me again. He sat in the room I was so familiar with, holding the book I'd seen countless times. It was the book he would read during his free time when teaching me. Every time after class, he would look at it and take notes. My thoughts now are the same as back then—this must be a very important book. Everything was as I remembered, but there was someone standing in front of him. I was shocked to hear that person call him "Doctor." Doctor? What doctor?】
【He lied to me! I... I succeeded...】
The page of the diary lay open, its contents written as such. Qi An gently furrowed his brows. While extracting key points from it, he tremblingly recited its contents aloud.
But before he could finish, Liang Xuan coldly cut him off. "Earlier..."
The young woman seemed to ponder for a moment, then gave an answer that surprised Qi An somewhat. "Something unexpected happened."
In a spot invisible to the two live-streaming phones, Liang Xuan moved her lips, mouthing the words "holographic technology." "It seems we've encountered some paranormal phenomena. A girl with heavy makeup climbed out of the mirror. She... cut off my hand."
Liang Xuan deliberately guided the reason for her severed hand toward holographic technology.
A trace of fear and helplessness appeared on the pallid girl's face. Though her voice was ordinarily cold and detached, when she spoke now, it stirred an indescribable pang of sympathy in listeners. "Because... Qi An touched that girl's diary."
"Hm?" Xue Qiuzhen paused, turning her head to look at the dazed young man. She was well aware of Qi An's花瓶 role in the script, so she harbored no particular thoughts about him. But when she truly laid eyes on Qi An, a feeling arose in her heart unbidden.
No wonder they specifically chose Qi An for this role.
A 花瓶 role required not only good looks and wishy-washy behavior. There was one more essential requirement—he had to provoke intense affection from a certain type of person.
Love or disgust arising from a special charm.
"We were originally going to look for clues, but after entering the door, a girl suddenly jumped out from the mirror..." While answering briefly, Liang Xuan coldly cast a glance at Qi An, seemingly warning him not to interject.
"Is that so? Since that's the case, are we still going to that bedroom?" Zhi Le had no particular thoughts about Liang Xuan cutting Qi An off. Since the mission segment had already shifted, it was entirely normal that Qi An's group hadn't shared all the information they'd obtained.
It was just that upon hearing this, Qi An once again raised his head to look at the plain-featured Zhi Le. His behavior was rather odd—even with the script, Zhi Le should have displayed some urgency and worry about Liang Xuan's severed arm.
Yet his reaction was flat, practically worlds apart from the dramatically charged performance Xue Qiuzhen was giving beside him.
"Yes." Liang Xuan's complexion grew even paler. "We need to confirm whether that place is the only location containing... those things..."
She certainly didn't want to go, but they had been forced to accept the plea for help from the girl. Therefore, she couldn't let Zhi Le and the others raise their guard. Only by doing so would her chances of survival be greater when danger officially arrived.
Zhi Le nodded and turned naturally to lead the way.
【System: We are now conducting a Lucky Viewer selection event. Viewers who wish to participate, please send a danmaku. Word count is unlimited. We will randomly select one from among them. You will participate in this program's recording as a viewer.
Yogurt Cup: Is it time to draw? Is it time to draw? Please pick me, please pick me. I want to go see Xuanxuan in person.
Northeastern Accent: Wait, did you guys hear that little rumor? Apparently, holographic technology has been incorporated into this program. When Liang Xuan's arm was severed, it was using this technology. Liang Xuan is completely fine.
Treasure: Adding to the above, didn't someone call the police earlier? But the police left the moment they arrived.
To Harbin: Left? Did they leave because there was no danger?
...
Ke Han: Dear Heaven, please favor me. I am willing to heed Heaven's will. If you think An'an and I are a good match, please let me become this lucky viewer!
Still Showing Off?: Huh? Isn't the above person that chuunibyou kid from last time? Why did he suddenly pop up again? Weren't you saying you were going to come back and deal with us?
Treasure: Hahaha, thanks for the reminder. I remember who he is now.
System: We are now beginning the countdown. 3, 2, 1.
Unfilial: It's starting! So nervous!】
What the viewers didn't know was that at this moment, the production team's backstage was equally tense. The randomness of the selection was merely a facade. A short-haired girl in a short-sleeve shirt was sitting at the computer, manipulating this selection event.
Standing behind her was a dense crowd of people. Everyone stared wide-eyed at the mouse, and when they saw the cursor successfully click on the user ID "Ke Han," everyone let out a long, relieved breath.
【System: Congratulations to viewer Ke Han for being selected as the Lucky Viewer.
Ke Han: It seems Heaven truly believes An'an and I are a match made in fate! Baby is super happy. Did you all see the magnitude and intensity of An'an and my destiny? One random draw, and it's An'an and me!
...】
Upon seeing the comment written by the selected person, the closely watching group members' expressions all became somewhat subtle.
"Director, director! I found it!" A person abruptly stood up from a distant desk. "Didn't you ask me to find out who Ke Han is? I searched through many people, and then suddenly discovered... the little boy in the dismemberment case is named Ke Han!"
"The only missing person in this case who has never been found?" The director's voice changed. "This case happened many years ago. Ke Han couldn't possibly be alive!"
At the same time, chaos erupted at R Company.
"Is there still no contact with the production team? Can we still not get through to the phone of our company's staff who went over there?" A person who appeared to be a corporate executive asked sternly.
"No."
"I heard you say our company's program has encountered a major problem. What exactly happened?" Furrowing his brows, the executive turned to ask another person.
R Company's information technology had always been among the world's foremost. The company had recruited many professionals, which was why they were able to be the first to pioneer holographic technology.
But it was precisely because of this.
—Once their company encountered any problem, the entire world would be thrown into upheaval.
"They've all been taken over by something else. Although we can still use them now, we are no longer in the driver's seat. We can no longer modify the program." The person answering him wore an expression full of worry. "The only one capable of this is 文士!"
"And, I feel that the reason we can barely still use it is because 文士 isn't familiar with it yet. From what we've seen just now, he seems like a child, attempting to get a grip on the program..."
"With enough time, he could... control everything in the world related to electronics and information..."
The door creaked open.
Zhi Le led them into a not particularly large bedroom—definitely smaller than the girl's room from before. Moreover, the style of this room was clearly designed for a male to live in.
The large pot placed right in the center of the bed was quite conspicuous.
They walked toward it together. No one noticed that a figure had suddenly appeared outside the door.