Michael Chen was a student at Oceanview University.
After finishing his morning classes, he headed back to his dorm room, eager to unwind online. As soon as he logged on, a hot topic grabbed his attention.
"Replay of a Female Streamer's Late-Night Live Broadcast."
The video had already amassed 230,000 views and tens of thousands of comments.
Intrigued by the mention of "ghost hunting," Michael clicked on the link.
"Hello everyone in the live broadcast room, I'm your old friend, Tammy," the video began. Tammy introduced herself and chatted with her viewers as she approached the school.
"It seems like a script the streamer has set up," Michael muttered, continuing to watch. However, his expression shifted as the video progressed.
When Tammy reached the sixth floor of the building and the eerie sound of dripping water echoed, Michael could tell her fear was genuine. It seemed she might have encountered a real ghost!
The video chat exploded with comments:
**[EarlyBird]: Just woke up to this? Seriously?**
**[ScaredyCat]: This is terrifying!**
Michael took a deep breath, his eyes glued to the screen. Tammy had entered the bathroom, and hurried footsteps echoed from the corridor. His heart pounded as a flash of white appeared.
"Wow... there really is a ghost!" Michael gasped. But before he could process it, a young man appeared on screen, declaring, "Don't think I won't recognize you just because you're an adult!"
**[WhatTheHeck]: Is this acting or real? I can't tell!**
**[Believer]: Tammy's reaction isn't fake. Is this guy some ghost-busting expert?**
The comments flew by, one after another.
Michael couldn't help but wonder if the young man was a disciple of some hidden sect, like in the novels he'd read. But when the man slapped the ghost and stuffed it into a sack, Michael fell silent.
The once-busy comment section paused momentarily.
---
"Although he deals with ghosts, why do I have this nagging feeling he's not a good person?" Michael thought.
As the video ended, the young man's words lingered: "Because I have a conscience, but not much."
Michael: "..."
Comments: "..."
---
Meanwhile, Alex Carter, sleeping soundly, had no idea he was gaining popularity online.
When he woke, it was already five o'clock in the afternoon.
"Wow, I slept till dark!" Alex remarked, glancing at the twilight outside. He ordered some food, freshened up, and opened the shutter door of his office, hanging the "Open" sign.
When choosing a place to live, Alex had opted for a small two-story building. The first floor served as his workplace, while the second floor was his living area, making life more convenient.
His food arrived soon, and he devoured it quickly before settling down to watch a popular TV series on his computer. This was his typical routine when there were no commissions—simple, yet satisfying.
As the clock struck six, he heard a voice.
"Is this Alex Carter's office?"
Pausing the TV series, Alex turned to see two men in black suits entering. Business had arrived!
His eyes brightened. "Welcome to Alex Carter's Paranormal Office. How can I assist you?"
"We're not here for a commission. We have other matters to discuss," one of the men replied.
"Oh, then I'm not interested," Alex shrugged, returning his attention to the TV.
---
The older man chuckled, while the younger one scowled, stepping forward to slam his phone on the table. "Do you know who we are?"
Alex slowly stood, picked up the phone, and with a gentle squeeze, crushed it into pieces.
"What were you saying? I didn't quite catch that," Alex asked calmly, wiping his hands.
"I... I'm actually here to commission you," the young man stammered, his demeanor changing instantly.
"You wouldn't lie to me, would you?" Alex eyed him skeptically.
"Of course not!" the young man gulped. "I've been meaning to change my phone, but was too attached to the old one. I hoped you could help. Now that it's broken, I can finally get a new one..."
"So, the commission is complete?" Alex asked.
The young man nodded, humiliated. "Yes, yes..."
"What about the payment?"
The young man's eyes widened, but eventually, he relented, pulling out his wallet and placing a thousand dollars on the table.
Alex happily pocketed the money, glanced at the young man, and asked, "You seem unhappy?"
"No, I'm thrilled," the young man replied through gritted teeth.
"Oh, just how thrilled are you?"
"..."