Chapter 1
989words
My viewers mock me relentlessly, calling me a coward who does nothing but cling to pillars and scream.
Through the flood of taunting comments, my system flashes a task: "Kiss the most handsome NPC in this scene. Reward: 10 days of life force."
Ignoring the actors dressed as ghosts, I walk straight toward the white-robed figure lurking in the corner—the one rumored to carry the "heaviest resentment" and curse anyone who approaches. Under his icy stare, I stand on tiptoe and kiss him. In the next heartbeat, his scorching arms lock around my waist, and his deep voice echoes through the entire livestream: "That kiss means you're mine now."
Heat radiated through my thin shirt from his touch—strangely contradicting his supposed ghostly nature. His arms tightened around me like steel bands, his strength making it nearly impossible to breathe. I felt the rumble in his chest and caught a strange, cold fragrance emanating from him—like midnight roses blooming in a frozen wasteland.
The system panel in my mind flashed coldly: [Mission complete. Reward: 10 days of life force added.]
Warmth flooded through my veins, instantly washing away the weakness of impending death. Just as relief washed over me, I tried to pull away—but his arm tightened like an iron vise around my waist. He leaned down, his scorching breath against my ear sending shivers down my spine.
The chat exploded.
"Holy shit! This NPC is incredible! Which haunted house is he from? I need to book him ASAP!"
"That delivery! Those reactions! Give this man a damn Oscar!"
"Look at Sophie's face! Bright red! This is the most epic fail of her streaming career!"
The director's excited voice crackled through my earpiece: "Sophie! Brilliant! Keep it going! This moment is gold!"
Bought? I laughed bitterly to myself. You have no idea what you're celebrating. I lowered my voice to a whisper only he could hear: "Nice acting, handsome. You can let go now before we break character."
He looked down at me, his pitch-black eyes showing not a hint of pretense—only amused curiosity. He chuckled, his breath ghosting over my ear, his voice as smooth and intoxicating as aged whiskey: "Break character? What makes you think I'm acting?"
My heart stopped. Ice shot from my feet straight to my scalp. His gaze bored into me—deep and dangerous—as if he could see through every layer of my façade right to the fear beneath. My breathing quickened while my cheeks burned. With the livestream camera trained on us, I could only maintain my frozen smile as cold sweat trickled down my spine.
"You..." My mouth opened, but words failed me completely.
"Sean Shaw," he stated calmly, as though making a formal introduction. His fingertips traced my waist with a touch so cold it raised goosebumps across my entire body. "Remember it well. After all, you've made yourself mine now."
Though he spoke softly, the mic pinned to my collar captured every word, broadcasting it to thousands of viewers. The chat exploded again, virtual gifts flooding the screen in a cascade of colors and animations.
"OMG his name is Sean Shaw! Even his NAME is hot!"
"MARRY HIM RIGHT NOW! DON'T YOU DARE WALK AWAY!"
The director's voice cracked with excitement in my earpiece: "Sophie! Keep playing along! The donations coming in right now could fund us for a year!"
Play along? I might earn the money but never live to spend it. A bone-deep chill crept up from my feet—not from the haunted house's AC, but from him. Something inhuman and frigid radiated from him, slowly eating away at my sanity.
The livestream feed suddenly filled with static, the signal breaking up with harsh electronic noise.
"What's happening? Is something interfering with the signal?"
"Damn, is the EMF in this place off the charts? My phone's glitching too!"
The director's voice turned urgent: "Sophie, something's wrong. Get out of there now!"
I wanted nothing more than to escape, but Sean's arm might as well have been forged from steel. He pulled me against him and turned, walking deeper into the shadows as if we were completely alone, beyond the camera's reach. In the darkness, his presence intensified—an invisible cage closing around me.
"Where are you taking me?" My voice cracked, desperation leaking through every syllable.
"Somewhere private," he murmured, his lips brushing my ear, his voice hypnotic and seductive. "We have much to discuss about our... arrangement."
Away from the cameras, the haunted house's cheap props suddenly seemed genuinely sinister in the dim light. The air carried the unmistakable metallic tang of blood mixed with the musty scent of decay, making my stomach heave. My breathing grew shallow and rapid, my heart hammering against my ribs.
The light at the corridor's end flickered wildly before dying with a sharp pop. Darkness swallowed us whole—so complete I couldn't see my own hand. I instinctively clutched his arm, and despite everything, his cold touch provided a bizarre comfort in the void.
He laughed softly, the sound cutting through the darkness with unnatural clarity, laced with dark amusement.
"Frightened?" he asked, his fingertips tracing circles on my wrist. His touch was so cold it sent electric shivers up my arm.
"What are you?" I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Someone awakened by your kiss," he paused, as if selecting his words carefully. His breath caressed my cheek, carrying that strange cold scent. "A lost soul, you might say."
Every muscle in my body froze. Those simple words terrified me more than any elaborate threat could have. He wasn't an actor. He was... real.
Just then, the system in my mind chimed with a crisp "ding."
[Hidden task triggered: Secure Sean Shaw's protection.]
[Task reward: 30 days of life force.]
[Failure punishment: Immediate termination of life force.]
