Tangtang's mother's eyes flew wide, and she swallowed hard.
"Stop trying to scare me! What kind of act are you putting on?!"
But a bone-chilling cold seemed to be inching closer and closer to her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she caught a flash of bright red.
'It seemed that money pit of a daughter was wearing red when she died.'
WHOOSH~
A faint breathing sound tickled her ear, as if an invisible child were standing right behind her.
Her expression slowly froze. She wanted to turn her head, but in the tense atmosphere, even twisting her neck seemed impossibly difficult.
[Am I seeing things? I think I just saw a weird patch of red light?]
[So, what the host said is true?]
[Is the little girl really behind her?]
[It's already so late, I'm getting really scared.]
[First it was a woman's head, now it's a little girl in red. I'm seriously getting freaked out.]
[Does it have to be this intense? I'm gonna be scared to death.]
Tangtang's mother's terrified face was etched with uncontrollable despair.
As if to convince herself that it was all an illusion, she roared, "N-No! Impossible! She's already dead! I saw her die with my own eyes!"
Another bombshell dropped. More viewers who had been lurking and watching silently could no longer hold back.
[What did she just say?!]
[She saw her daughter die with her own eyes?]
[That bitch has been lying to us for so long!]
[She's an absolute animal!]
[Tangtang's mother, go to hell!]
All sorts of comments filled the stream, every single one of them cursing Tangtang's mother. This time, however, she couldn't be bothered with saving her image.
A small, icy hand slowly crept up her neck, carrying a bone-deep chill. This was a vengeful soul from Hell.
The stream's video feed began to fill with static and blur, with only a patch of red light growing brighter and brighter.
It looked like it was about to consume the small screen entirely.
Tangtang's mother firmly believed that as long as she didn't turn around, she wouldn't see anything unclean.
But the ominous premonition grew stronger, and she even began to feel a sense of suffocation.
'Is that a small hand touching me?'
"It's fake! It's all fake!"
'That breathing in my ear?'
"Fake! It's fake!"
Until a sharp pain shot through her neck...
"AHHH!!!!"
But the viewers were bewildered.
They couldn't see what she was seeing. All they saw was Tangtang's mother growing more and more horrified, her facial muscles even beginning to tremble.
She seemed to be afraid of something, but the viewers only saw Tangtang's mother enveloped in a shroud of red light.
When excruciating pain coursed through her body, Tangtang's mother finally broke down.
"I know I was wrong! I know I was wrong! Don't kill me!"
Then, a bizarre scene unfolded.
Tangtang's mother's hands clamped around her own neck. Her eyes rolled back frantically, and she even began to foam at the mouth.
And on her wrists, two eerily pale little hands were clearly visible.
The two small hands were gently but firmly pulling Tangtang's mother's hands, pressing them against her own neck.
The feeling of suffocation intensified. With her eyes rolled back, she was on the verge of death.
[Uh... doing this to her own mother... isn't that a bit much?]
[To the person above, I suggest you go tell the little girl that yourself.]
[Yeah, go ahead and lecture her with your great moral principles. Let's see if you die or if she's successfully brainwashed by you.]
[If you ask me, this is exactly what she deserves!]
[Good riddance!]
[An animal like that deserves to die!]
The viewers in the stream were all clamoring in support of Tangtang's actions. The few who spoke up for Tangtang's mother, thinking Tangtang was being too cruel, were immediately shouted down by the others.
Seeing that Tangtang's mother's struggles were growing weaker, as if she would stop moving at any second,
Su Nian spoke up.
Her tone was very calm, but her words were not what the viewers wanted to hear.
"Are you really going to strangle her like this? She is your mother by blood."
The pale little hands paused for a moment.
But the viewers were completely baffled.
[Why is the host suddenly playing the saint?!]
[What the hell!]
[Someone like Tangtang's mother is better off dead.]
[This host seems to stand for justice, but she's actually just muddle-headed.]
[Why is she suddenly speaking up for Tangtang's mother? I don't get it.]
But after pausing for only a split second, the pale little hands resumed viciously choking Tangtang's mother.
"She is your mother by blood. If you kill her with your own hands, you will also suffer retribution."
Su Nian said unhurriedly, her voice devoid of any emotional fluctuation, as if she were stating a simple, mundane fact.
[So what? Repay evil with kindness?]
[She's already dead, what retribution is there to be afraid of?!]
[This host is so timid, I really don't get it!]
[I don't understand! An animal like that dies, so why should poor Tangtang have to suffer retribution?!]
Tangtang's mother had stopped struggling. Her life force was about to be extinguished.
Until Su Nian spoke again.
"There's no need to ruin your own rebirth for a piece of scum. She will die in a car accident seven days from now."
"That will be her retribution. You can move on in peace, and your next life will surely be a good one. If you still insist on killing her, I won't stop you."
Her clear voice carried steadily through the screen. After learning of Tangtang's mother's fate, a different tone emerged in the chat.
[Yeah, this piece of scum already ruined her life. Should she let her ruin the next one too?]
[Yeah, poor Tangtang, just go in peace. That scum doesn't have much longer to live.]
[Even though I support you getting revenge yourself, you still have a next life. To throw it all away for a piece of scum is really not worth it.]
Tangtang's mother remained in a state between life and death, but Su Nian could clearly see that the small hands had gradually loosened their grip.
Tangtang's mother slowly began to breathe again, and the image of a well-behaved little girl started to flicker in and out of view on the stream.
Unlike the monsters of legend, she was clean and neat. Aside from her expressionless face and ethereal, floating state, she looked no different from an ordinary person.
"Thank you~~"
The voice was a flat, childish tone, but it was inexplicably creepy.
Su Nian showed not a hint of fear. She said calmly, "Don't linger in the mortal world. Go now, to the place you're supposed to be."
[Gotta say, this host is actually really kind.]
[Sigh, the poor child.]
[Go on, you'll definitely be very happy in your next life.]
[LoveAtFirstSight has gifted a Carnival!]
Carnival x1, Carnival x2...
Ten consecutive lavish special effects bloomed across the screen.
After sending ten Carnivals, this user, LoveAtFirstSight, typed out a few words.
[Let me connect. I want to talk to Tangtang...]
Su Nian was a little confused but nodded nonetheless.
She accepted LoveAtFirstSight's request to connect.
The moment she accepted, an urgent voice came through: "Child, child, look at me! It's me, your aunt..."
"Back then, after your father passed away, your mother took you, and I was powerless to stop her. I never thought this would happen to you, my sweet child..."
Halfway through, she broke down into sobs.
Tangtang tilted her small, pale face. She had a faint memory of a beautiful aunt who was very good to her.
"Sweetheart, go in peace. Don't seek revenge on your mother. I set up a gravestone for you. Don't be afraid down there, your father will protect you. It's all my fault..."
Tangtang froze. 'Father?'
Her memories of her father were too distant. Right now, all she wanted was to reach out and touch this aunt of hers.
But Su Nian sighed, disconnected the live call with LoveAtFirstSight, and said to Tangtang,
"You must sever your ties to the mortal world. Go now, don't miss your time."
The little girl's ashen face showed a hint of confusion. As if in thought, she remained motionless.
'The child is too young,' Su Nian thought with a sense of helplessness. 'She's probably still fixated on taking Tangtang's mother with her.'
She could only urge her again, "Go now!"
After a few more minutes, the girl's figure gradually turned transparent, and the bloody red glow in the stream began to dissipate.
[Sigh, that poor child.]
[Just leave quickly. This world was too cruel to her.]
[I hope she has a happier next life.]
[Go now, sweetie... ]
The ghostly apparition seemed to have finally found peace, but Tangtang's mother suddenly snapped her eyes open.
"Master Bailian! Save me! That monster, that ghost is trying to kill me!"