'Hmm... this is a bit strange.'
The Seven-Colored Egg, which had been quietly observing from the shadows, had a question mark cloud appear above its head.
This youth was clearly not right.
But for the moment, it couldn't quite pinpoint what was wrong.
It felt as if there were two consciousnesses within the youth, yet they also seemed to be one.
Remembering its master's instructions, the Seven-Colored Egg decided to observe further.
In storybooks, those who acted rashly were usually cannon fodder.
...
In the live stream, a group of viewers had also noticed.
If they had seen such a scene in any other live stream, they would have assumed the youth was unfilial, going through a rebellious phase, or something similar.
But in the Underworld Live Stream, there were only a few possibilities.
And that youth...
A viewer recognized him.
"Xu Ran, it's Xu Ran! It seems this is the home of that big shot who might have encountered a ghost."
"Huh? The upstairs neighbor knows him?"
"Of course, he's quite famous around here. Good at studying, good-looking, and plays the piano beautifully..."
For the college entrance examination in June this year, with his abilities, he could have chosen any top university in the country.
Many music conservatories had extended olive branches to him after he won an award in his second year of high school.
There was even a childhood sweetheart, a campus belle who was a skilled ballet dancer, and they had promised to attend university in the same city.
Originally, Da Feng Novel Network
He was destined for a brilliant and promising future.
But...
A month before the college entrance examination, Xu Ran suddenly contracted a strange illness.
He would suddenly cry out during class.
Pounding his head, he would run out.
After that, they rarely saw Xu Ran.
He was reportedly seeking treatment at various hospitals.
"His current appearance is completely different from how we usually see him."
Xu Ran was good-looking, capable, and had a great personality.
He was also well-liked at school.
A viewer provided a brief explanation, but didn't reveal more specific information about Xu Ran.
What was said were just objective facts.
"Heaven..."
"So now he's... has a split personality? Or is he possessed by a ghost?"
"Could it be soul possession...?"
The viewers in the live stream speculated.
Xu Ran was undoubtedly the 'child of other people' that parents often spoke of.
The viewers would also feel envious.
But thinking about his once bright future that vanished inexplicably.
And not knowing who was inside his body...
The viewers suddenly felt a chill run down their spines.
A shiver of fear.
...
In the live stream footage—
The sound of the youth banging on the table continued.
The woman quickly got up, "Okay, okay, I'll get it for you, don't rush."
She went to the refrigerator, quickly took out the roasted meat and various braised pork dishes, and put them in the microwave to heat up.
Then she took them out with oven mitts.
"Be careful, it's hot..."
"Meat! Meat!"
As soon as the dishes appeared on the table, the youth became happy.
His eyes were only on the meat, and he didn't even bother with chopsticks, reaching out with both hands to grab it.
He stuffed handfuls into his mouth.
"Mmm, mmm, meat! Delicious! Meat! It's all meat!"
Soon, a plate of braised pork was finished.
With his hands and mouth covered in oil, the youth then set his sights on the roasted meat next to it.
He picked it up and gnawed on it contentedly.
"Slow down, eat slowly..." the woman watched worriedly, a hint of fatigue in her brow.
"Hehehehe..."
As he ate, the youth suddenly flashed a sinister smile at the woman.
"If you treat me like this again next time, I'll die to show you!"
After saying that, he slumped his head onto the table.
His eyes tightly shut, he had fallen asleep just like that.
The woman had just breathed a sigh of relief.
The next second, the youth's eyes suddenly opened.
He stared blankly at his greasy hands, with unchewed roasted meat still in his mouth.
"Gag—"
He rushed to the bathroom and started vomiting.
His stomach felt uncomfortably full.
He stuck his fingers down his throat and retched, vomiting continuously.
"Ranran, don't do this, don't do this, eat this..."
Tears welled up in the woman's eyes, and she knelt beside the youth, offering him an emetic.
Xu Ran vomited until his body felt weak, his senses reeling.
His heart felt even more exhausted.
"Mom, am I incurable..."
He asked Xu Ma in a low voice.
Leaning weakly against the toilet door frame, his eyes were unfocused.
For a fleeting moment, he truly wanted to give up.
"Silly child, you're not. There are still so many renowned doctors. If one doesn't work, we'll find the next one."
The woman wiped the corners of his mouth, her heart aching:
"Ranran, don't give up, we can't give up."
Xu Ran sat for a while to recover some strength.
He forced a smile onto his pale face, "Mom, don't worry, I won't give up."
He wiped away Xu Ma's tears, "You know me, when I encounter difficulties, I only become stronger."
Whether it was exams, piano, or... the 'illness'.
After comforting Xu Ma, Xu Ran said he wanted to rest and returned to his bedroom.
He changed out of his dirty t-shirt.
Looking at his disheveled reflection in the mirror, he finally couldn't hold back and punched the wall.
Bang!
Veins bulged on his hand.
He suppressed his emotions and let out a low roar:
"What exactly do you want! How long are you going to torment me!"
His studies, his family, his love...
Everything that was once beautiful was now gradually slipping away from him.
In the beginning, it was just sudden headaches and strange actions.
Then gradually,
He started sleepwalking and doing things he would never normally do.
Binge eating, going to amusement parks late at night to have them open, lifting girls' skirts...
More severely, he once jumped out of a second-story window.
However, he remembered none of it after waking up.
He had no idea what he had done.
Several times, he woke up with a stomach ache and had to go to the hospital.
Even more terrifyingly...
Sleepwalking gradually changed from passive to active.
Sometimes, he wouldn't even be asleep, but would suddenly lose consciousness.
...
"What exactly are you?!"
Xu Ran's roar received no response.
It was as if he were shouting at empty air.
He sat on the ground, dejectedly holding his head.
He was unwilling!
While others rested, he studied.
While others played, he practiced piano.
He didn't slack off even when he was sick.
...
He had worked so hard to achieve all this.
Now, it was all being ruined by something unknown within his body.
He was unwilling.
But what else could he do?
He had been to so many hospitals, and none could help.
Everyone wanted to send him to a mental asylum.
Sometimes, he would wake up from nightmares, drenched in cold sweat.
In his dreams, his future was reduced to a cold, desolate mental hospital room.
No friends, no family...
Only him, banging on the door, going mad...
"No, don't..."
"I don't want that!"
Xu Ran mumbled, his eyes bloodshot.
Suddenly, he stood up and took out paper and a pen.
He began to write.
"I don't know who you are. If you are truly another personality of mine, I can cooperate with you, but please don't destroy my current life..."
His slightly hurried handwriting filled the notebook.
'Plop'
His hand trembled.
The pen fell to the ground.
He vaguely heard a sharp laugh.
As if mocking him, or perhaps expressing something.
...