Ke Xue was now quite adept at sending out "lucky bags." "Today's last lucky bag, here we go!"
Soon, a netizen with the username "QQQQQ" (sounds like "前前前前前") gifted a Moon Waterfall and successfully connected the video call.
The moment Ke Xue saw the caller's name, his expression froze slightly—
[Oh ho, looking at the host's expression tells me this reading is definitely gonna be tough. Bring on whatever excitement you've got, I'm not the person who got all excited and screamed at their first ghost encounter anymore!]
[Let me guess, this reading is definitely gonna be thrilling.]
[I'm ready. For the midnight session, of course, we need something exciting. Cuihua, serve the dish!]
The video connected instantly.
On the screen appeared an old man, probably in his seventies or eighties, with a withered face. Lying in bed, he resembled a desiccated corpse. If not for the slight rise and fall of his chest, viewers would have thought he was a dead body.
But that wasn't the key point. What was even more impossible to ignore was—
A massive sore, as large as a human head, swelled on the old man's neck. This sore had a nose, eyes, and mouth, almost like a real human face.
The live stream audience was caught off guard and startled.
[Help! Am I seeing things? He has a human face growing on his neck!]
[I take back what I said before. This reading is still too terrifying for me, wuwuwu.]
The camera panned up, revealing a young man in a suit.
"Master Jiang, hello, I'm Qian Chi. The person lying in bed is my grandfather. Recently, he seems to have been... haunted by something unclean." As Qian Chi spoke, he adjusted the camera so the screen clearly showed the sore on the old man's neck.
[Just talk, don't move the camera! I don't want to see that thing!]
[Upstairs, calm down first. Although this sore is indeed scary-looking, without seeing it, how can we solve the problem? I suggest letting the host see it is enough. Whether we see it or not really doesn't matter.]
Ke Xue's tone was mild. "This tumor probably wasn't like this initially, right?"
Qian Chi felt Ke Xue's attitude towards him wasn't as warm as towards the previous callers. But that was understandable. After all, the last reading was requested by the audience, essentially overtime work. Nobody is in a good mood working overtime, so Qian Chi didn't dwell on this slight difference.
"At first, it was just a coin-sized sore, not painful to the touch, so we didn't pay much attention. Who knew this sore would keep growing, even developing facial features like a person."
"And recently, it's started to eat." Qian Chi's expression turned ugly. "At first, it kept smacking its lips, and I didn't understand. Until my grandpa, while unconscious, kept mumbling about being thirsty. I tried feeding it some water, and it actually drank!"
"Since then, it started consuming food. At first, water and porridge, now it can even eat meat. Sometimes it even wants cigarettes."
Qian Chi himself felt nauseous recounting this. When the sore first appeared, his grandpa could stay conscious normally, only falling unconscious when the sore was... active. Later, his grandpa could only stay conscious during feeding times.
Now that the sore can eat, his grandpa is almost always in a deep sleep, with hardly any waking moments for feeding. Sometimes he goes two or three days without eating, as if the food consumed by the sore flows into his grandpa's stomach.
[Silly! The more you feed that thing, the faster it grows. At the very beginning, you should have gone to the hospital and cut it off swiftly and decisively!]
[Is this sore really a person? Too terrifying.]
[How do you know what this sore wants?]
"If we don't feed it, it starts gnawing on my grandpa. Before the sore appeared, my grandpa weighed about 150 pounds. Now he's only 90 pounds." Qian Chi answered the barrage questions one by one.
"Once, I heard a voice telling me to get it a cigarette. Half-asleep, I thought it was my grandpa. When I went closer, my grandpa was still unconscious. It was the sore talking!"
[If I heard those two numbers under normal circumstances, I'd say I'd be willing to lose that much weight. Now I just want to puke~]
[Even scarier! Could this sore eventually replace Old Man Qian? Ahhh!]
[Why not take the old man to a big city hospital? Big cities have higher medical standards and better chances of a cure.]
Qian Chi sighed. "I said the same to my grandpa, but he wouldn't listen. Insisted on returning to the village."
At that moment, the previously unconscious Old Man Qian suddenly woke up.
Waking to see his grandson muttering into a phone, and learning it was about connecting with an online master, Old Man Qian flew into a rage: "Didn't I say you don't need to meddle in this?!"
"My body, I know best. Rest will cure it!"
"All these so-called masters are frauds! Don't find any masters for me!"
Qian Chi whispered in persuasion, "Grandpa, this master is genuine. He can definitely cure you."
[Seeing they're in a village suggests poor family conditions. Grandpa Qian probably worries about the money.]
[Elderly folks are often like that. Yesterday I took my mom to the hospital for medicine, and I didn't dare tell her how much it cost. If I told her, next time she definitely wouldn't dare come.]
Ke Xue looked at the barrage and chuckled, correcting them. "You're mistaken. His family has money."
[...The host can still laugh at a time like this. Don't know whether to say you're heartless or lack compassion.]
[When the host laughs, there's definitely a trick. I've decided to observe a bit more before commenting.]
[If they have money, why live in a village? Big cities have better medical care and are more comfortable, right?]
Ke Xue shook his head, adopting a mysterious tone. "They want to leave, but the sore isn't willing to leave."
"That's true. Only back in my hometown village does this sore become quiet." Qian Chi's eyes lit up hearing Ke Xue's words. "Master, do you know the reason?"
"Because he is also from the village."
Ke Xue's tone was mild as he spoke, but his words hit Qian Chi and the live stream audience like a thunderbolt.
[!!! Is that what I think it means???]
[Oh ho! No wonder Old Man Qian is unwilling to see a master. Probably knows the reason himself!]
[Upstairs, you just said you'd observe, why comment all of a sudden!]
[Without knowing the full picture, withhold comment. Now knowing the full picture, commence commenting (bushi).]
Ke Xue hinted, setting the stage. "Human-Faced Sore (人面疮). After death, a wronged soul turns into a vengeful spirit, willing to scatter its soul to grow on its enemy's body. Generally, only someone with a life on their hands would develop one."
Old Man Qian showed a flash of guilt upon hearing Ke Xue's words. Unfortunately, Qian Chi, with his back turned, didn't see it.
"My grandpa lived his whole life in the village, how could he possibly have a life on his hands? If he killed someone, the villagers would have known first." Qian Chi looked displeased.
Ke Xue: "You don't know, but your grandpa does. Or, you could ask the villagers if they recognize the face on his neck?"
"You just said that sore is from our village. Of course people from the same village recognize each other." Qian Chi seemed to find a loophole in Ke Xue's words.
Ke Xue nodded agreeably. "That's true. This person is also someone you know—"
"Your grandpa's good friend, Zhou Da."
Qian Chi's face changed. This person indeed had deep connections with his family.
"So it's him causing trouble!"
[Former friend transforms into vengeful spirit seeking revenge... Is it the distortion of human nature or the collapse of morality...]
[First two readings: Besties. Last reading: Besties turned bitter enemies.]
Qian Chi explained to the camera: "This Zhou Da indeed was my grandpa's good friend in their youth."
"I heard from my family that our families were neighbors long ago. But his family was very poor. My family was relatively well-off in the village. My grandpa had a bad temper since childhood; other villagers didn't get along with him except Zhou Da. So my grandpa and Zhou Da were childhood friends."
"With that bond, later when my grandpa started a business, he brought Zhou Da along. But Zhou Da wasn't as good at business. Later, maybe because he had too many children to feed and got desperate, during business he got into a dispute with a customer and in the heat of the moment, killed someone. He spent many years in prison before getting out."
"Like I said before, his family was poor with many kids. Before Zhou Da went to prison, his family could barely afford food, almost starving to death. My grandpa often helped them out back then. After Zhou Da went in, my grandpa gradually stopped helping them."
"One year, his family came to borrow grain again, and we didn't lend it. I heard not long after, several of Zhou Da's children died. Could it be Zhou Da held a grudge against my grandpa because of this?"
[In those times, grain was scarce. Who didn't have family members starve? This Zhou Da is a pure leech! Sucking the Qian family's blood all along, and even blaming his children starving to death on the Qians!]
[Helping is a gesture of goodwill, not an obligation. Even as neighbors, no one is duty-bound to help another. Some people are like that: help them a hundred times, they don't remember the kindness; fail to help once, they hold a grudge!]
Regarding Ke Xue's earlier somewhat amused expression and tone when discussing his grandpa, Qian Chi felt some dissatisfaction, though he didn't voice it. Now seeing the barrage sympathizing with his grandpa, he felt somewhat vindicated.
However, upon hearing Qian Chi's words, the Human-Faced Sore suddenly went berserk. This finally let the curious audience witness the "sore eating a person" scene Qian Chi had mentioned.
The Human-Faced Sore first strained to stretch its "head" as far as possible, then its teeth gnawed wildly at anything within reach, even biting several holes in the headboard behind Old Man Qian. Old Man Qian, who had just regained consciousness, was promptly knocked out again from the pain.
[Holy moly, those chompers are something else! Crunchy!]
[Upstairs, are you even human? The old man fainted, and you're still making sarcastic remarks!]
[Hah! I'm saying it! Didn't you notice Master Ke hasn't mentioned how to solve the Human-Faced Sore? There's definitely more to this than what Qian Chi said.]
[I think so too, haha. When Qian Chi was telling his story earlier, I felt something was off. According to his account, his grandpa had a bad temper, so the Zhou Da who could be his friend must have had a good temper. For a good-tempered person to end up killing someone in a dispute seems too fake!]
Qian Chi grew anxious. "Master Ke, please help my grandpa!"
"Zhou Da, calm down first!"
Ke Xue's voice was clear and crisp, like the sound of jade striking ice, yet it carried a strangely soothing quality.
The Human-Faced Sore stammered: "...took the blame... revenge..."
Ke Xue nodded. "Take your revenge in peace. I won't interfere."
Finally realizing Ke Xue wasn't planning to help him, Qian Chi said angrily, "I paid! Why won't you solve my problem?"
Ke Xue gave Qian Chi a curious look. "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Why should I interfere?"
"However, since you paid the divination fee, I can resolve part of the issue for you. For example, why Zhou Da is seeking revenge against your grandpa."
[Tea-sipping ears have quietly perked up.]
[Let me see!]
"Do you remember you just said Zhou Da got into a business dispute and accidentally killed someone?" Ke Xue asked.
Qian Chi nodded.
"Your grandpa was the one who killed the person. Zhou Da merely took the blame."
Qian Chi's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible! Why would he take the blame for my grandpa?"
"Money, of course. Didn't you say his family was poor with many kids? He wasn't good at business, couldn't earn much. Several of his grandchildren were on the verge of starvation."
"Your grandpa told him if he took the blame, he'd give the Zhou family a large sum of money to improve their lives and promised to raise his children properly. Zhou Da figured he couldn't earn that much money in several years outside anyway, so he agreed. In those days, without surveillance cameras, and with Zhou Da holding the weapon and confessing, the case was decided just like that."
"Who knew your grandpa would go home and not give the matter a second thought? Not only did he not give the Zhou family the money, but when the Zhous, starving, came to borrow grain, he simply drove them away. By the time Zhou Da was released from prison, only Zhou Da's wife and one son and daughter survived out of the original family of nine."
Qian Chi wanted to argue, but inexplicably felt Ke Xue's version was the truth.
The villagers all knew his grandpa had a bad temper and liked to quarrel. In contrast, Zhou Da was timid and submissive his whole life, never argued with anyone. When news of Zhou Da's murder spread back then, the villagers didn't believe it. Only after Zhou Da went to prison did people speculate that, desperate for money to buy food, Zhou Da had snapped.
Thinking this internally, Qian Chi stubbornly defended his grandpa: "If that were true, it would be a huge conflict. How could Zhou Da still come to see my grandpa after getting out of prison?"
Ke Xue: "Of course because Zhou Da still hoped your grandpa could give his family a leg up. Who knew not only would your grandpa refuse to help, but heaven wouldn't favor him either."
"His son died in an accident while working away from home to support the family. Zhou Da took his wife to demand the owed wages; his wife was beaten to death. In the end, only he and his daughter remained."
"His daughter, raised with difficulty, died later due to difficult childbirth. The husband,嫌弃 (disdainful) she gave birth to a girl, didn't want the child. Zhou Da raised his granddaughter alone. Later, Zhou Da also died, due to health issues from his youth and the immense stress."
Qian Chi sneered. "Zhou Da died several years ago. If what you say is true, he would have come for my grandpa long ago. Why only now?"
"Because of his deep-seated obsession, Zhou Da's soul remained with his granddaughter after death—"
Ke Xue's tone became唏嘘 (wistful/sighing) here. "He's only coming now because his only granddaughter died a few days ago from illness, unable to afford medical treatment."
"All ten members of Zhou Da's family are now gone."
"Do you know Zhou Da's granddaughter came to see your grandpa a few days ago?"
Qian Chi clenched his fists, not speaking. Although his grandpa hadn't told him about Zhou Da's granddaughter's visit, he happened to be visiting that day and witnessed it.
At that time, Zhou Da's granddaughter said she needed 20,000 yuan for medical treatment, promising to repay the money once cured. Qian Chi almost thought his grandpa would be swayed, but fortunately, his grandpa quickly refused.
Qian Chi had been happy then that his grandpa was no longer soft-hearted. Little did he know he was severing his grandpa's last lifeline.
[Tsk tsk tsk, judging by his expression, he definitely knew. And earlier, when talking about the Zhou family, although not directly stated, the disdain in his tone was unmistakeable. He must have been quite happy about not lending the money back then!]
[If Zhou Da hadn't taken the blame back then, with an extra strong laborer at home, maybe a few more family members could have survived. What a shame.]
[That may be true, but for Zhou Da, taking the blame was the choice that maximized benefit at the time. Although we don't know the exact sum, it must have been enough to entice Zhou Da and support the family. The one to blame is Old Man Qian for not keeping his word!]
[The first time the Zhou family came asking after Zhou Da's imprisonment, if he had given the money as promised, with that money, the Zhous wouldn't have lacked food later, and the whole family might have survived.
The second time the Zhou family came to borrow grain, if he had lent it, the Zhou family wouldn't have lost so many members.
The last time, when Zhou Da's only granddaughter was sick, if he had been willing to pay the medical fees, things wouldn't have come to this!]
"Then his insistence on returning to the village is...?" Remembering what Zhou Da just said about revenge, a conjecture formed in Qian Chi's mind.
Ke Xue nodded affirmatively. "Exactly what you're thinking. Right now, its 'brain' isn't fully developed yet, only having simple feeding desires. Later, when it fully develops, it can think like a normal person. Then, it will recount everything that happened. That's his purpose in insisting on returning to the village."
In the city, one could certainly live a better life. But for the deceased Zhou Da, perhaps clearing his name regarding the past and exposing Old Man Qian's inaction over the years was the only way to quell his hatred.
Qian Chi gritted his teeth. "Can't it be resolved? I can pay."
Ke Xue shook his head. "I only do divination; I'm not a god."
"Don't bother looking for others either. He's now completely fused with your grandpa. If he dies, your grandpa dies too."
If someone claimed they could remove the vengeful soul, Ke Xue thought it might be possible. However, Old Man Qian's current survival relies on the energy provided by the vengeful soul. If removed, given Old Man Qian's recent ordeal, he probably wouldn't last more than a few days anyway.
Qian Chi's mouth opened and closed as if to say something, but ultimately, he remained silent.
As if knowing what Qian Chi wanted to ask, Ke Xue kindly answered him: "His goal isn't to harm your grandpa, but to borrow your grandpa's body to live again and prove himself. With him providing energy to your grandpa, your grandpa can live several more years."
[Actually, Grandpa Zhou is really kind-hearted. Even at this point, he doesn't seek a life for a life, only wanting the villagers to know Old Man Qian harmed his family.]
[Old Man Qian is too stingy. If he had finally helped Grandpa Zhou's granddaughter get treatment, allowing at least one person from the Zhou family to survive, I believe Zhou Da wouldn't have chosen this path. And even at this point of mutual destruction, he only wants to expose Old Man Qian's true nature. Grandpa Zhou, you're such a good person!]
[Tsk tsk tsk, this ghost is too kind-hearted. If it were me, I'd definitely finish off this Qian guy. Since I'm already dead anyway, might as well take one down with me.]
[Probably due to personality. His whole life was too bitter; he just wants to enjoy his final time properly. And for Old Man Qian, living like this now is worse than death.]
[What if Old Man Qian commits suicide?]
[Upstairs, you overthink. A selfish person like Old Man Qian would never commit suicide. Such people value their own lives the most.]
While netizens discussed the matter, the screen suddenly filled with numerous Moon Waterfall gifts. The viewer who promised to gift 100 Moon Waterfalls if they saw a ghost had appeared.
The screen became a dazzling blur, momentarily obscuring Ke Xue's face. Only his voice could be heard: "Next live stream is in two days."
With that, the screen went black, not even giving the audience time to process.
[Why? No, wait—why? It was just one extra reading. Why two days later? It should be one day!]
[So, did we lose out? A huge loss? Or lost so badly we don't even have underpants left?]
[Which genius suggested one more reading? Now look, we can't watch for two days, wuwuwu.]
100-Gift Brother: [Don't end the stream! Why end it?! The waterfalls aren't finished!]
[100-Gift Brother: In the end, my feelings were misplaced!]
[Next time, then, haha.]
[Seriously suspect the host was running low on energy (肾虚/metaphorically exhausted) by the end, otherwise he wouldn't have ended the stream so abruptly.]
[100-Gift Brother, I trusted you so much! Why did you cover for the host ending the stream? I hate you!!!!]
100-Gift Brother: [The earlier stream was too engrossing, I forgot...]