Page Forty-Seven: AJ’s Distress Call
[November 21st, Thursday, 19:52]
“Hmm? AJ’s call?”
I was quite surprised. It was nearly eight o’clock, and at this time, AJ should have been busy assisting Sister Yǐjī with her live stream.
Lǐn Huā also urged, “If she’s calling now, there must be something urgent.”
Líng Shàojié’s curious eyes drifted over as well, so much so that she didn’t even board the arriving bus. The irritated driver, who had road rage, cursed and left, muttering, “Nutcase!”
I answered the call.
“Sister A, what’s the emergency?”
On the other end, AJ shouted anxiously, “Little Lingmèng, something bad has happened! Sister Yǐjī received threatening private messages!”
AJ’s frantic words sent a chill down my spine. I asked, “Don’t panic first, tell me what exactly happened?”
“Oh no! Yesterday, to dispel negative rumors, Sister Yǐjī released a photo wearing a mask, but instead, the live stream’s popularity surged, and some self-media platforms even helped promote it. There were plans for interviews with Sister Yǐjī… Of course, adhering to the principle that virtual streamers cannot reveal their identities, I rejected all offline interview requests.”
The rise in popularity and the promotion from self-media were all good news for Sister Yǐjī.
I asked, “Isn’t that all positive?”
“But someone is jealous! You see, the number of viewers on the platform is limited. As Sister Yǐjī’s popularity rises, it inevitably squeezes the space for other streamers. Those trolls who previously caused trouble in the live stream were organized, aiming to suppress those who refuse to join any agency or union but have great potential. Little Lucy faced similar threats before, and now they’re targeting Sister Yǐjī.”
“They wouldn’t even spare middle school girls, their behavior is truly despicable.”
“Fortunately, Sister Fēiyuè managed to get through it.”
AJ sounded very agitated, but I couldn’t grasp the main point of her message, which seemed confusing.
I asked, “Since Sister Fēiyuè made it through, why not just ignore them? Yesterday proved they can’t cause much trouble. Threats via private messages are less effective than causing chaos in the live stream, and instead, it gives them ammunition.”
“That’s usually how we handle it, but this group got hold of Sister Yǐjī’s personal information, threatening to expose it if she continues streaming. They also told us to be careful outside… Sister Yǐjī is worried, so she stopped streaming, and the fan group went into a frenzy.”
“Wait, how did they get her personal information? Is there an insider on the Dou Lǘ platform?”
“No, the live stream is under my name. If it was a leak from the platform, the information they have would be mine.”
“Did you see all their threat messages?” I asked.
“Yes, you probably remember the street performance before she became a streamer. Sister Yǐjī used to sing on the pedestrian street behind us to earn money… Of course, she didn’t consider it begging but ‘selling her voice.'”
“They sent over footage from back then. Even though Sister Yǐjī wore a mask yesterday, comparing the eyes in the photos and her singing style during the stream reveals it’s the same person… Sister Yǐjī’s identity might really be exposed.”
Many people filmed her performances on the street, and some of these videos likely spread online. It’s inevitable that someone with ill intent found them. Once they located the commercial area, finding Sister Yǐjī became easy.
But what could they do once they found her?
I scoffed, “Even if her identity is exposed, does that mean they will resort to violence? That’s absurd. This is a society governed by law. Don’t you think they are just bluffing?”
Although it wasn’t convincing to say this to a former delinquent, even if the other party hired a violent gang, could they really pose a threat?
Thinking about the combat capabilities in the low-rent apartment, the answer was definitely a big question mark.
There was a retired bodyguard who enjoyed fitness (Warrior), a witch who could conjure fireballs with her hands (Mage), and some were even doctors (Cleric). No matter what violent organization they belonged to, anyone who dared come would become living materials for the Magic Research Institute.
AJ sighed, “Little Lingmèng, you still don’t understand. Sister Yǐjī and I aren’t worried about this. If the threats were against Sister Yǐjī herself, she wouldn’t stop streaming. Think about it, Sister Yǐjī hasn’t left the house in years. Meals are brought back by me or Sister Xiǎo Màn. Her being found would be a miracle… In this situation, who is more easily found?”
“Táojie… tsk, why didn’t you mention this earlier?”
AJ rambled on before getting to the point, making me realize only now.
After all, they were mother and daughter (or father and child?), and they looked very similar. Táojie was essentially Sister Yǐjī with brown-dyed hair. Without considering hair color or clothing, the only way to distinguish them was by their expressions, but how many people would know this?
This group circled around twice. Compared to Sister Yǐjī, who stays home all day, Táojie would be noticed first!
AJ confirmed, “That’s exactly what you think. We’re very concerned about what might happen to her. Can you tell her about this, Little Lingmèng?”
Táojie had a hidden account in Sister Yǐjī’s fan group, and AJ hadn’t realized this yet.
“No problem, I’ll call her right now. You guys calm the fans down in the meantime.”
“Understood, Sister Yǐjī is really too scared to stream now.”
AJ hung up.
“Those online trolls intended to intimidate Sister Yǐjī offline but mistakenly targeted Táojie?”
Lǐn Huā analyzed the situation from my words, and Líng Shàojié had a look of amusement… She was always like this, always smiling unless it involved her directly.
She squinted and said, “Oh, this is a classic case of cyberbullying extending to real life. Given that there’s an organized union behind it, the likelihood is higher… Queen can help with this. If the fee is paid, she can even dismantle their online presence.”
After all, the internet was her battlefield.
But I shook my head.
“Lùxī was introduced by Queen, and she can indeed help. Forget the payment, I don’t want to owe her anymore favors… How would Senpai fight this battle?”
“Oh, is owing me a favor enough?”
Senpai shrugged and said, “Given this scenario, if I were Long Táos’ junior, I’d avoid being alone and ensure I have recording and surveillance methods. But that’s secondary. The most important thing is you need a ‘nuclear weapon.'”
“… What?”
Why bring up nuclear weapons?
“In short, you need to establish nuclear deterrence and possess the capability for a second-strike.”
