Chapter 18: The Vlogger

Even through the screen, that hand in the reflection couldn’t be ignored.

Because it looked nothing like waterweed should.

Clearly coiled around the vlogger’s hand was a slender strand of waterweed, yet the glass reflected fingers interlaced.

Liu Yu had paused the video, zooming in tight on that hand.

Long, slender fingers, skin an unnatural pallid blue—nothing like a living person’s.

Perhaps from staring so intently, she even spotted faint water sheen on it.

As if it had just clawed up from underwater, droplets still unglossed.

The instant the waterweed draped onto the vlogger’s hand, that reflected hand had materialized.

The video resumed; the vlogger seemed oblivious to any oddity, merely fretting over what to do with the weed.

But Liu Yu saw it plain: in the reflection, that pallid blue hand now tangled with the vlogger’s fingers.

The footage suddenly blurred—something interfering with the magnetic field nearby.

Liu Yu’s screen went dark for a beat.

She was utterly baffled.

What was this red figure’s game?

If out for blood, why the bizarre antics?

It almost looked like taking liberties.

Liu Yu couldn’t fathom a ghost’s motives.

Unaware, the vlogger carried the waterweed inside…

The video kept playing, but Liu Yu couldn’t just spectate.

She forwarded it to her master and junior sister.

[Master, check this video.]

[(Video share)]

[Junior sis, check this video.]

[(Video share)]

That done, Liu Yu dove back in, cranking to double speed.

She didn’t expect quick replies from them.

It was past midnight; their routines were strict—likely long abed.

As the vlogger narrated room by room, Liu Yu’s worry gnawed unchecked.

The creator after this—okay, right?

Since she’d uploaded, she’d probably wrapped without mortal peril.

With just this vid, no matter her urgency, Liu Yu forced calm.

Raised trailing her master, she’d scraped by on odd jobs—nothing heroic like “righting wrongs”—but spotting potential danger, she couldn’t look away.

The edit and upload meant the vlogger had reviewed it, knowing the house was unclean…

That thought drew a steadying breath from Liu Yu.

So, she’d likely sought a pro for cleansing…

Liu Yu patted her chest, shelving the impulse to DM her contact.

If pros were already on it, she’d just meddle.

Beyond that, one thing nagged deeper.

What was this house’s deal?

Sure, media loved red-clad wraiths these days, making them seem commonplace…

But Liu Yu knew: in reality, red was rare.

She’d handled over a hundred rites conservatively.

True red cases? A scant few.

Most, her master soloed; his peers pitched in on the rest…

She, still green, just heard tales.

Why red here?

This house rang zero bells; she’d figured it some random abandon…

Why could this everyday vlogger find a sealed-info haunt?

Normies in heavy-yin spots might miss anomalies but feel off—chilled, queasy…

Yet this creator clocked zilch “weird.”

Zero ghost-hunter chops…

Hold up.

Liu Yu caught her line of thought veering wrong.

“Eh?”

The possibility struck her as absurd.

Yet… kinda plausible?

Maybe…

This vlogger wasn’t ordinary?

That’d explain her ease.

With that angle, Liu Yu rewatched from the top.

The crisp voice filled the speakers again.

Liu Yu blinked, dissecting the tone.

First listen: pleasant.

Now? One-third offhand, one-third aloof, one-third cool detachment, one-third quiet confidence.

Not the vibe of a normie tackling a haunt.

At the window, waterweed landing—she’d barely reacted.

Throughout, flat delivery—no haunt jitters.

Recalling the reflection at that pane.

Earlier, she’d puzzled over the red figure’s odd moves.

Now, a theory clicked.

Back before entry, the red shadow on the balcony.

She’d felt eyed then.

No illusion.

The shadow had locked on the lens.

Reason? Tied to its identity.

This red ghost’s true form had to be—

A lover.

Human-ghost romance? Poignant stuff.

Liu Yu knew tales: souls lingering post-death, tethered to earthly loves.

She’d handled similar cases…

The red hue screamed tragic tale.

Vlogger so young—widowed already?

No wonder the voice chilled; heart sealed shut.

Her master always nagged her off novels, but she credited them for sharpening her logic.

From one vid, she’d deduced such a layered, heartbreaking bond.

Reds ran aggressive— even toward living loves, extremes lurked.

From the vlogger’s poise, countermeasures were in play.

Vlog guise, really just foreplay with her turned-wraith beloved?

Intriguing.

She was glad now she’d held off on the unsolicited DM.

A barrage of notifications snapped her from it.

Master?

[I woke for a pee and saw your ping. Up this late? Asking for a whooping?]

[Watched the vid. I know the account holder.]

[Don’t fret over the girl in it.]

Liu Yu blinked at the texts.

Had her deduction nailed it?