After the live stream ended, Zhang Shaozhong happily watched the number of fans and the amount of money donated in the background while packing up his equipment.
Night Enchantress was still excitedly reviewing the "battle" that had just taken place, mimicking Dr. Zhao's exasperated expression.
"Hahaha, did you guys see that? That guy's face turned green! A mad scientist for a reason, his mental fortitude is so weak!"
Ye Meier crossed her legs and swung her toes smugly. "Pretentious hypocrite, you were good at finishing off the enemy with that last blow, 'Perhaps there will be some gains if we sort things out,' you really went for it! Haha!"
Ling Qingxue had regained her usual aloofness and was slowly tidying up her live-streaming props—an antique-style compass (available on Taobao with free shipping) and several thread-bound books (also modern printed items).
She said calmly, “I am not lying. His breathing is sluggish, and his environment is chaotic. If this continues, he will either fall ill or suffer a disaster. If he can take some advice, it will be beneficial to him.”
Zhang Shaozhong laughed and replied, "Who cares if they listen or not? Anyway, we're not losing out this time! Our popularity has increased, and so have the tips! But speaking of which, Fairy, what you just said made a lot of sense, like 'trapped book evil' and 'sharp corner evil.' Is there anything about our rented apartment that needs feng shui adjustments? Could you help us improve our luck?"
Upon hearing this, Ling Qingxue actually took her Taobao compass and solemnly walked around the living room, then pointed to the location of the balcony and kitchen: "The airflow here is straight, which is slightly like a 'through-draft'. A screen or tall green plants can be placed to provide some cover. As for the kitchen stove... well, in this world, we use an induction cooker, which has no open flame, so let's leave that aside for now. Overall, it's acceptable."
Ye Meier, listening from the side, rolled her eyes: "Come on, kid! You actually believe that?"
The three of us—one immortal, one demon, and you, a half-baked Chaos Body—what do we have to fear about bad feng shui?
We ourselves are the greatest 'feng shui'! We suppress both the good and the bad!
Zhang Shaozhong thought about it and realized it made sense. He chuckled and stopped worrying about it.
---
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, in a rented apartment near a university.
Dr. Zhao, the "mad scientist," whose real name is Zhao Ming, sat with a livid face at his messy desk. The computer screen was still showing the "Tales of Immortals and Demons" live stream interface, but now the screen was black and the broadcast had ended.
The scene from the live stream just now kept replaying in his mind—Ling Qingxue's all-seeing gaze, Ye Meier's merciless mockery, and the barrage of ridicule directed at him in the chat...
"Bastard! Liar! Charlatan!"
Zhao Ming slammed his fist on the table, making several stacked instant noodle containers shake. "What rubbish about feng shui! What 'energy field'! It's all complete nonsense! A bunch of fools!"
He grew angrier the more he thought about it. He, a dignified PhD student in physics, had been humiliated in a live broadcast by two women who practiced feudal superstition! He couldn't swallow this insult!
He opened a popular online forum known for "exposing pseudoscience," and his fingers flew across the keyboard, typing titles that were full of inflammatory rhetoric:
[Exposing the Scam of the Popular Charlatan Duo "Tales of Immortals and Demons" on a Certain Platform!]
In his post, he described in detail what happened during tonight's live stream, of course, in a version that he "embellished."
In his description, Ling Qingxue became a "fraudster who uses psychological rhetoric and observation skills to create a mystery," Ye Meier was a "shrew with no manners who only knows how to make personal attacks," and he himself was a "scientific guardian who dared to expose the truth but was besieged."
"...Their so-called feng shui has absolutely no scientific basis and is completely misleading to the audience through vague rhetoric and psychological suggestion!"
That Ling Qingxue could spout a bunch of nonsense just by glancing at my background; that's a classic example of cold reading!
The goal is to create a false impression of 'predictability' to gain trust and potentially carry out more sophisticated scams, such as selling overpriced 'ritual items' or 'feng shui arrangements'! Everyone must be vigilant!
His short essay, filled with personal emotions, quickly attracted some attention on the forum.
Many netizens who share the same aversion to "metaphysics" commented in support: "Support Dr. Zhao! I've long disliked these charlatans!"
"Live streaming platforms are a complete mess these days, with all sorts of weirdos and freaks out there!"
"Well done, OP! Keep digging deeper!"
A few more rational netizens raised questions: "OP, it's not enough to conclude that someone is a scammer based on just one live stream connection, is it?"
"Feng shui is something that you either believe in or you don't. There's no need to get so worked up about it."
"I think Ling Qingxue has a point. Keeping the environment clean and tidy is indeed good for your health."
But these rational voices were quickly labeled as "paid trolls" or "brainwashed fans" by Zhao Ming and his supporters.
As Zhao Ming watched the increasing number of replies and likes, a twisted sense of pleasure rose within him.
He felt he was waging a great "holy war of science".
"Hmph, 'Tales of Immortals and Demons'?"
Just wait, I will continue to gather evidence and I will definitely tear off your mask completely!
Let everyone see your true colors!
Zhao Ming pushed up his glasses, his eyes flashing with a fanatical light.
He decided to keep a close eye on this live stream and find out more of their "weaknesses"!
---
The next few days were peaceful.
Zhang Shaozhong was still busy managing his live-streaming room and handling some simple "offline consultation" appointments. Although he didn't encounter any big orders like Mr. Wang's, he was making a steady stream of small money, so he was doing alright.
While studying feng shui, Ling Qingxue also became interested in "plants of this world". She dragged Zhang Shaozhong to the flower and bird market to buy a few pots of pothos and spider plants, claiming that they would "improve the indoor energy and add vitality". The actual effect was that Zhang Shaozhong had to water them.
Ye Meier became completely obsessed with live streaming, constantly thinking about how to "stir things up" in the live stream. Zhang Shaozhong had to keep a close eye on her, afraid that she would go too far.
They had no idea that a "high-IQ" hater, harboring resentment because of being criticized, had already set his sights on them and was secretly sharpening his knife.
That day, Zhang Shaozhong received a new private message from someone claiming to be the owner of a small company. The message said that the company's performance had recently declined and the employees' morale was low, and he wanted to ask them to take a look at the office's feng shui.
Zhang Shaozhong didn't think much of it, assuming it was just another ordinary business deal, and arranged a time with the other party.
What he didn't know was that this "company boss" was actually Zhao Ming using a pseudonym to impersonate him.
He meticulously set a trap, planning to expose Ling Qingxue's feng shui theories face-to-face during the "on-site inspection" and record the entire process as irrefutable evidence to "debunk" her claims!
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