Cannon Fodder 01

Fang Zhiyi was very familiar with this world, because supernatural phenomena existed here.

Little Hei immediately fed him a plot summary.

The female lead, Zhao Manqi, was originally just an ordinary girl who enjoyed watching livestreams and taking photos in her free time. A chance encounter brought her into contact with another world.

This coincidence was a rather obnoxious streamer. Displeased with his remarks, Zhao Manqi got on mic to argue with him. She was very sharp-tongued, and the streamer couldn't win the argument. To prove his point, he went to do an exploration livestream, ultimately paying the price for his own arrogance and foolishness.

It was after this incident that Zhao Manqi suddenly realized supernatural phenomena existed in this world.

She began researching all sorts of paranormal materials, and through this, she met a ghost, Shen Yan. The human and the ghost bickered with each other and grew together. Shen Yan couldn't stand some of Zhao Manqi's misguided actions and always stepped in to save the situation in time. After this happened many times, an ambiguous atmosphere developed between the human and the ghost.

Zhao Manqi also kept growing, starting her own new account and gaining considerable traffic. All her fans knew she was the real deal, a genuine psychic streamer. Of course, there were non-believers too, but without exception, all these troublemakers were proven wrong, with Shen Yan domineeringly protecting his girlfriend.

However, in the end, Shen Yan still dissipated from this world, leaving Zhao Manqi waiting for him in bitter longing.

"Is this... a lengthy romance?" Fang Zhiyi felt it didn't seem to have any issues.

Little Hei chuckled: "This is the story for others to see."

"You're getting more and more annoying," Fang Zhiyi frowned.

"Let me show you your story."

Another plot segment followed.

Fang Zhiyi was squatting in the courtyard of an old, dilapidated mansion doing a livestream. The dim, yellowish light made the atmosphere quite eerie.

"Really, look everyone, this footprint is even smaller than my hand. It's a bit strange." Fang Zhiyi stretched out his hand, comparing it to the faint footprint on the ground.

The comments scrolled: "Streamer, forget it, let's go home."

"I need to pee right now, but I don't dare get out of bed."

"Could it be the imprint of an embroidered shoe?"

Fang Zhiyi saw this comment and took a deep breath: "Hard to say. Modern shoe prints are rarely like this. Considering the decor of this house, it's likely a young lady who lived here back in the day..."

As he was speculating, and the audience was guessing along, suddenly his phone made a sound. Fang Zhiyi's hand jerked.

The camera shook, startling the viewers.

"What happened, streamer?"

"Don't scare us, bro!"

The camera stabilized, and Fang Zhiyi scratched his head sheepishly: "It was a call request. Scared me to death."

The audience all typed "hahaha" in laughter.

Fang Zhiyi wasn't some big-time streamer anyway, so he didn't put on airs and answered the call.

The other person was a girl with long hair, sucking on a lollipop. Her account name was Zhao Manqi520.

"Hello..." Fang Zhiyi hadn't even finished speaking before the girl launched into a rapid-fire tirade.

"Can you change your routine? Using women as a gimmick every single time. Do you think women's resentment is especially strong, or do you think we women just deserve to be made into ghost stories by you people?"

Fang Zhiyi was stunned. He instinctively looked down at the footprint. "I, I didn't..."

Zhao Manqi cut him off: "Didn't? I think you just don't have the skill to find real clues! You only know how to use gender to stir up drama and chase clout! A grown man like you, even when making up a ghost story, has to emphasize 'female'. What, afraid that saying 'male ghost' would make your own kind lose face?"

The comments exploded.

"This girl is fierce."

"Sis is right! Some men just love to create gender conflict!"

"But the streamer didn't really say anything..."

A netizen with the ID "Little Tao Doesn't Eat Candy" said: "I remember last time the streamer explored that abandoned house, he said the person who lived there was probably a man... This girl is too sensitive, no need to take it to this level."

Zhao Manqi caught sight of this longer comment and immediately retorted: "Are you so used to being gaslit by men that you even defend them when they're stepping on us women?"

Little Tao Doesn't Eat Candy was clearly not someone to be trifled with either: "I'm just calling it as I see it. I've watched this streamer for a few days; it's just outdoor exploration stuff. He's never said anything about gender differences. You're the one putting labels on people as soon as you show up."

"Oh, still speaking up for them?" Zhao Manqi sneered. "Hey, streamer, you've succeeded, huh? If you're a man, don't just stay silent." She paused, suddenly remembering a rumor she'd seen a few days ago.

Fang Zhiyi had never encountered this situation before and was somewhat flustered. "Um, I didn't mean to..."

"Stop the nonsense. Didn't you say you're an outdoor exploration streamer? Didn't she say I'm labeling you? I know about Yuying Middle School in the western suburbs. Over twenty people died there twenty-some years ago, both men and women. If you're a real man, how about going there and livestreaming overnight? Or are you scared?"

"I've heard of that school. It's a bit creepy."

"Streamer, ignore her. Hang up. Your life is more important."

"Gender conflict freaks are really scary."

Seeing Fang Zhiyi's troubled expression, Zhao Manqi felt rather pleased with herself. "I say ghosts and gods don't exist at all. You're just a fake making up stories for traffic." She paused, then added, "And a lowlife who makes money by fabricating stories about women!"

Fang Zhiyi's face flushed red. He gritted his teeth fiercely. "Fine, I'll go!"

"Hope you actually do. Don't make excuses later. A man like you shouldn't be less capable than a woman, right?" Zhao Manqi hung up the call. Today on the bus, she had encountered a creep who kept rubbing against her, making her furious, but she didn't dare say anything. Coming back and browsing livestreams, she saw Fang Zhiyi, who naturally became her punching bag.

After venting like this, she felt much better.

As for anything else, she didn't care.

The fans couldn't dissuade Fang Zhiyi. He felt that once something was said, it had to be done. So, Fang Zhiyi truly went to explore that abandoned middle school two days later, wearing a bunch of protective talismans. That day, the number of viewers in his livestream broke five hundred!

The gloomy teaching building made Fang Zhiyi's courage waver, but looking at the livestream, he still mustered his bravery and walked in.

But once he entered, he never came out again.

A few days later, the police found Fang Zhiyi's body on the sports field of the abandoned school.

Zhao Manqi hadn't paid any attention to this matter. In her view, Fang Zhiyi was just a fraud hiding behind the banner of paranormal exploration. But when she saw several private messages attacking her, she learned Fang Zhiyi had met with misfortune.

"You drove him to his death."

"Gender conflict freak, come out and apologize!"

That female netizen named Little Tao Doesn't Eat Sugar also sent a private message: "Even if, for argument's sake, his words offended you, you shouldn't have dared him to go to such a dangerous place, should you? Now he's gone. Can your conscience rest easy?"