Chapter 2

"Honey, hurry—why didn't you open the door?"

The woman's face lit up, then fell just as fast when she saw my front door was still bolted shut, not open at all.

I only gave a cold laugh. Now I understood.

Just like the chat said, this couple only wanted to trick me into opening the door.

Her face twisted, and she started hammering on the security door for all she was worth.

"Open the door! Hurry! My husband's coming back up any second!"

"What is wrong with you? Do you have no sympathy at all?"

I said calmly,

"I can call the police for you."

"You said your husband went downstairs, so my advice is you go home right now, bolt yourself in, and wait for the police."

Without waiting to see how she reacted, I quickly dialed the police, then went straight back to my computer and kept streaming the game.

But information travels too fast online.

The second I loaded into the match,

my teammates started throwing on purpose, feeding kills, typing like mad, all begging me to go save her.

Some said they'd carry me and hand me the win. Others said they'd send me a big rocket gift.

The enemy team even said that if I went and saved her, they'd surrender outright and let me win the match.

At that point, my stream just detonated.

Some viewers cursed me out.

"You animal! They're married, how could she not have a key? You tell her to bolt herself in, and when that abuser gets back he beats her to death?"

Others started whipping up the crowd.

"Everybody go report the streamer! Trash like this thinks he can make a living online?"

"I already called it in. Have the cops haul the streamer off! I bet he's staging this for content, stirring up drama."

I tried to explain.

"Guys, I'm just a small streamer. Stepping in to help only works when your own safety is guaranteed."

I thought carefully about the woman's face again, then added,

"I've lived here about half a year, and I've never once seen this couple."

"I have no idea what's really going on out there. Charging out blind would be stupid."

"And let me say one more thing to everyone watching: you should never let your guard down."

There was no way I could bring up the chat overlay, so all I could do was explain as best I could.

But the viewers in my stream weren't listening to a word of it.

"Ha. You think you're fit to lecture us? Who the hell do you think you are?"

"You don't have a mother? If your mom got beaten, would you sit there behind a locked door running your mouth like this too?"

The viewers weren't satisfied attacking just me anymore. Even my family got dragged in.

"Your mom gave birth to a thing like you? Should've just flushed you down the toilet back then."

Someone sent a fireworks gift.

"Streamer, streamer, your mom's the fireworks—look, she blew up!"

The screen lit up with the fireworks effect, throwing its glow over my grim face.

Out in the hall, the woman pounded on the door again and let out a hopeless wail.

"Leo, please, I'm begging you, open the door. I really am going to be beaten to death."

"Just open the door and I'll do anything you want. I'm only twenty-five, ninety-five pounds, and I clean up and put on makeup real pretty."

Hearing her voice, my stomach dropped.

Before I could get a word of explanation out, one of my old fans spoke up in the fan group chat.

"Streamer, did you hear that? Out there is a desperate woman begging you to save her!"

"All you have to do is open the door and you could save a life! Instead you locked it and cut off her only way out!"

"Streamer, I'll trade ten years of my life for you to die a terrible death!"

This person had watched my stream from way back, was always active in the group, and had plenty of friends there.

The moment she spoke, a swarm of veteran fans piled on.

"Yeah, streamer, just open the door and let her hide inside first, would you? It's one woman. What are you scared of?"

"Take him on! Aren't you always showing off your muscles? How come you go soft when it actually matters?"

"To think I sent you all those gifts. I must've been blind. I'm having my kid file for a minor's refund right now."

Watching the whole fan group turn on me, I quietly typed one line into the chat.

"I've never told a single neighbor my name or what I do. So how does the woman out there know I'm Streamer Leo?"