The Otherworldly God I Serve Is Actually a Demon - Chapter 9

Mrs. Chen was starting to think her daughter might genuinely have some neurological issues. First, it was the constant feeling of being watched, and now she was treating a jar like a treasure.

But as an open-minded parent, as long as her daughter wasn’t doing anything criminal, she chose to respect her lifestyle, even if she didn’t understand it.

Dinner was a full table of dishes. Ruan Jiao ate two bowls of rice, then tidied up and prepared to head back to school for evening self-study.

As one of the few day students in her class, she had received a flood of messages from boarding students asking her to help pick up packages before dinner.

It wasn’t that the school forbade boarding students from leaving campus, they were just too lazy.

Normally, Ruan Jiao would decide whether to help based on her mood, but today she agreed to every request. Because for each package she picked up, she’d earn a 2-yuan delivery fee.

Her classmates were all quite well-off and more than willing to spend a little money to save themselves the walk.

Ruan Jiao was desperate to earn money now, she was saving up to build a temple for Jun Gongyu. She didn’t care how much she earned; even the smallest amount was better than nothing.

Arriving at school, she distributed the packages she’d brought. She was early, so there was still some time before evening self-study began. Ruan Jiao sat in her pre-reserved seat and opened a social media app to pass the time.

The app had a habit: if a user opened it while a recently watched livestream was broadcasting, it would automatically push it to the homepage.

As soon as Ruan Jiao opened the app, she saw the streamer called “Starving Ghost.” The streamer seemed to have just started broadcasting, and on the screen, she was hunched over, preparing something.

Almost as if compelled, Ruan Jiao didn’t swipe away. The app thoughtfully enlarged the screen, automatically entering the livestream for her. The number of online viewers in the stream grew rapidly, with some loyal fans already active in the comments section.

[The streamer is finally live!]

[What are you planning to eat today? I really want to see you eat spicy noodles. Will they be on the menu today?]

[Front row, front row!]

The streamer didn’t keep the audience waiting long. She dragged out a piece of fatty meat glistening with yellow grease from under the table and placed it on a metal tray in front of the camera.

The meat was raw. The lean parts were bright red, as if freshly cut, but there was too much fat, yellow and greasy, like a pile of oddly shaped butter pudding.

[Is the streamer eating raw pork today?]

[This meat looks disgusting. I’m out, folks.]

[It’s not pork, is it? Pork fat is white. This must be from some other animal, but it really looks unsettling (vomiting emoji).]

Ruan Jiao frowned at the screen. She remembered that when she left the livestream yesterday, the streamer had said tomorrow’s, today’s, menu was raw “Rich and Reckless.”

So, could this be human flesh?

As this bizarre thought surfaced, Ruan Jiao felt a wave of nausea. She grimaced and held her phone farther away. But then she dismissed the idea as too shocking and utterly impossible.

Unexpectedly, the next second, the streamer pulled out a very plump human leg from under the table.

[…]

[Holy shit!!!]

[What’s going on? Props? They look so realistic.]

[I think I remember the streamer saying yesterday she was going to eat “Rich and Reckless” raw. Could this be…]

[Reported, reported! This is too disgusting. Even for views, you can’t use such realistic props for a livestream!]

Ruan Jiao was utterly stunned, even forgetting to exit the live stream. She stared wide-eyed at the screen, where a woman as thin as a skeleton bared her pearly white teeth and sank them into a pale, fleshy human leg, tearing off a bloody chunk of meat.

As she ate, she grinned, facing the screen and enunciating each word clearly:

“Tomorrow, which one of you should I eat?”

The “Starving Ghost” live stream was flooded with viewers, with the online audience surpassing 100,000 in just five minutes, and the number was still skyrocketing.

The spread was too rapid. Moderators soon caught wind of it, and the next second, the live stream plunged into darkness.

The Starving Ghost had been banned.

Goosebumps crawled all over Ruan Jiao’s arms, but the impact through the screen was somewhat diluted, so her fear wasn’t as intense as when she had encountered the peeping ghost the night before.

Still, she was deeply shaken.

She rubbed the cool hairband on her wrist, taking a long time to regain her composure, and decided she would never watch eating broadcasts again.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t considered the possibility that this “Starving Ghost” host might be a ghost, but since the host could keep streaming, they were likely human. It was just that the content was downright disgusting.

The class bell rang, and the counselor walked into the classroom right on time, but the students below didn’t seem to settle down much. They merely switched from noisily playing on their phones to doing so discreetly.

The girl who usually sat in front of them hadn’t come today. Ruan Jiao had wanted to ask her about the other supernatural incidents mentioned in that forum post. After all, the original poster’s thread had indirectly saved her life, so she wanted to find and read the entire post.

Ideally, she’d also find other ways to contact the original poster, whose forum account had long been banned.

Apart from the screenshots Xiang You had saved, everything else she’d read was forgotten. Among the dozens of screenshots, only the ones Ruan Jiao had seen the night before and the poster’s ramblings remained. Though Xiang You loved supernatural stories, she never dared to keep anything truly terrifying on her phone.

Scaredy-cat but obsessed.

“Is Xiao Fang on leave?” Xiang You poked the girl in front of her, asking curiously.

Li Fang was the name of the girl who usually sat in front. She hadn’t come tonight, and her roommate was sitting in her place.

The roommate impatiently brushed Xiang You’s hand away and snapped, “How should I know? I’m not her mother.”

“Aren’t you two best friends? How could you not know?” Xiang You’s curiosity instantly flared up.

“We cut ties three days ago. She’s been acting weird lately and hasn’t been coming back to the dorm at night.” Li Fang’s roommate clearly didn’t want to discuss the topic.

Curfews for university boarders were strict, but many still sneaked out at night. Li Fang was clearly one of them, and today she hadn’t even shown up to class.

Just as Xiang You was about to press further, the counselor began taking attendance, and she quickly fell silent.

Attendance was a crucial part of university life, where many students lost their credits.

Li Fang hadn’t requested leave, so when the counselor called her name, her roommate, who had just cut ties with her, didn’t answer on her behalf, resulting in an absence mark.

Xiang You had some rapport with Li Fang and, out of concern, sent her a message to let her know about the situation.

“Jiaojiao, Li Fang said her mom suddenly fell ill, so she had to take care of her and couldn’t come to school. She didn’t even have time to ask for leave. She also asked me to help deliver her group assignment. Although she didn’t specify, I feel like she must have had a conflict with her roommate, so she could only turn to me for help.”

Xiang You showed Ruan Jiao the chat history on her phone.

“Are you going to go?” Ruan Jiao asked.

“I’ll go. We’re on decent terms, and tomorrow afternoon we don’t have classes anyway. Let’s go together to deliver her things, and then we can go shopping and have fun. Her house is right next to the pedestrian street.” Xiang You tugged at Ruan Jiao’s sleeve, acting coquettishly.

Ruan Jiao knew she would definitely drag her along. After thinking for a moment, she didn’t refuse. Going out for some social interaction was good for her mental and physical health, and besides, she wanted to ask about the first-person post.

“Alright,” she agreed.

Time passed quickly.

Throughout the evening self-study session, Ruan Jiao couldn’t stop thinking about Jun Gongyu. When school finally ended, she practically flew out of the classroom with unusually light steps.

Just thinking about Jun Gongyu waiting for her at home made her wish she had wings to fly back.

“Jiaojiao, let’s go back together. We can take my mom’s car. She said she wants to meet my best friend.” Xiang You caught up to her, panting.

“Am I your best friend?” Ruan Jiao pointed at herself skeptically.

Xiang You nodded. “Of course! I’ve always considered you my best friend. Don’t you think the same?!”

Ruan Jiao fell silent. She actually didn’t think that way. She was a timid and cautious person, afraid of getting hurt after opening up to others, so she rarely shared her true feelings. Naturally, she didn’t have many friends, and the person she interacted with the most was indeed Xiang You.

Rounding it off, her best friend was Xiang You.

“I think so too,” Ruan Jiao said without batting an eye.

Xiang You was delighted. She linked arms with Ruan Jiao and enthusiastically invited her to walk together. Ruan Jiao couldn’t refuse.

Xiang You’s mother was a beautiful woman who looked exceptionally young. Ruan Jiao could easily believe she was Xiang You’s older sister. And she was the kind of sister who looked wealthy, with big, wavy hair and driving a Porsche.

Ruan Jiao got into the car and politely greeted Xiang You’s mother, who was very amiable. On her hand, which held the steering wheel, she wore a Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet that sparkled brightly.

So pretty, Ruan Jiao thought. Mrs. Chen’s hands were also beautiful, but she rarely saw her wear jewelry.

When I earn money from my part-time job, I’ll buy some jewelry for Mrs. Chen too, she thought. Although she couldn’t afford Van Cleef & Arpels, Swarovski was within reach.

Taking the car was much faster than walking, and soon they arrived at the entrance of her neighborhood.

“I’m relieved that our Xiang You has a friend like you at school. Next holiday, Auntie will take both of you to Disneyland.” Auntie Xiang sincerely invited.

Ruan Jiao smiled politely. “I’m also happy to have a friend like Xiang You. Thank you for driving me home, Auntie. Goodbye.”

“Bye, Jiaojiao! See you tomorrow!” Xiang You leaned out the car window, waving at Ruan Jiao.

“See you tomorrow.”

Watching the car drive away, Ruan Jiao turned and walked into the neighborhood.

When she got home, Mrs. Chen was still awake. She had bought a lot of snacks and fruits piled on the coffee table and had even prepared a late-night snack for Ruan Jiao.

“Tired out, aren’t you? Go wash your hands and have dinner. I made your favorite shrimp porridge.” Mrs. Chen took Ruan Jiao’s backpack and held her slightly cold hands, rubbing them between her own palms.

During high school, Ruan Jiao would come home from night classes feeling hungry every evening. As long as her mother was home, there would always be a late-night snack waiting for her. Even now in college, this habit remained.

Ruan Jiao obediently washed her hands and cradled the bowl of shrimp porridge, sipping it slowly. She noticed Mrs. Chen had bought an unusually large amount of fruit, more than one person could possibly finish.

Curiously, she asked, “Mom, why did you buy so much fruit?”

“I saw you liked it, so I bought extra today. How much money do you even have on you? If you want to eat something, just tell me.”

Mrs. Chen smiled as she spoke, but in her heart, she was thinking that the extra fruit would be just enough for her daughter to offer to the little black altar.

She didn’t understand why her daughter made offerings to that thing, but love extends to all that is dear to someone.

Ruan Jiao felt warmth in her heart and in her stomach. Though her mother was always busy, unable to stay with her all the time, and didn’t have much money, she had an abundance of love.

After finishing her meal and taking a bath, Ruan Jiao leisurely returned to her bedroom and closed the door.

The room felt chilly. She sneezed, rubbing her nose as she asked:

“Divine One, are you here?”

A white figure quietly appeared behind her. A pair of strong hands reached around her waist from behind, pulling her into an embrace.

Damp, sticky breaths fell near the base of her ear, and the voice sounded somewhat cold.

“Jiaojiao, who is your best friend?”