[Oh my god, this is so touching. I actually doubted the streamer was just after money…]
[This is so inspiring. I'm such a terrible person!]
[Streamer, don't climb anymore. I'll send you gifts!]
Chen Huaian's heartfelt words caused a partial reversal in the tone of the livestream comments, though there were still some skeptics mixed in. Some questioned whether his proof was fake, while others claimed they'd come to Mount Tai to expose him in person.
"To the friend who said they'd come to Mount Tai to expose me, you can start heading over now. I'll begin climbing at exactly 12 o'clock, and I won't go anywhere before then."
As soon as he said this, many more viewers responded in the livestream.
"Climbing Mount Tai with terminal bone cancer? Who are you trying to fool?" A young man, still fuming after losing a game of Valorant to cheaters, glared at his screen with a fierce expression. "Perfect, I'm too angry to sleep tonight anyway!"
He left a comment in the livestream:
"I'm an hour's drive from Mount Tai. Bros, wait for me to expose this streamer!"
With that, he grabbed his keys and left.
There were too many scammers online—report one, and two more would pop up, just like those cheaters in games. Now, with a sense of righteous justice, he thought to himself: If he couldn't catch the cheaters, he could at least catch a sob-story streamer live-streaming at the foot of Mount Tai.
Chen Huaian saw these comments.
In fact, he hoped people would come to expose him—the more, the better. Not only would it prove he was truly a cancer patient, but it would also make his livestream more explosive. Once the traffic picked up and caught the attention of higher-level accounts, his opportunity to make money would come.
"Bros, hit that follow button so you don't get lost. I don't have much time left—I'm racing against the clock. Besides climbing, I want to try more extreme sports in the future, like skydiving and bungee jumping…"
Chen Huaian's words sparked another wave of comments.
There were both mockers and encouragers.
However, what everyone cared about most was whether Chen Huaian was really a cancer patient and, if he was, whether he could reach the summit of Mount Tai in five hours. If he wasn't, then they'd just wait for the people coming to expose him and treat it as entertainment.
As it approached midnight, Chen Huaian checked his equipment again.
As a patient attempting to summit in five hours, he had to travel light. Originally, he planned to bring two power banks, but to reduce weight, he settled for one, which he hung over his shoulder.
His phone's battery was already failing—after just two hours of livestreaming, it was down to 27%. It drained quickly, but with the power bank, it should barely last until he descended the mountain.
"Are you Chen Huaian?"
A voice came from behind. Chen Huaian turned around and saw a young man, two middle-aged men, and a punk girl.
"Are you… from the livestream?"
"Yeah, we're here to expose you."
Zhang Rui was blunt, a cold smile on his face.
On the way to Mount Tai, he'd formed a group chat with a few viewers who'd also wanted to come and verify Chen Huaian's claims. To prevent Chen Huaian from running away, they'd gathered at the entrance first before approaching him, ensuring he couldn't escape their four-person blockade.
"Hello, hello." Chen Huaian greeted the four viewers with a smile, speaking in a relaxed tone. "I thought this would be a solo journey, but it's even better to have company."
Zhang Rui, however, didn't respond in kind. Instead, he pointed at Chen Huaian's legs and said, "Those lumps on your legs are just special effects makeup, right? Pull up your pants and let me see!"
Chen Huaian casually rolled up his pant leg.
Zhang Rui and the other viewers leaned in, shining their flashlights for a closer look.
The punk girl even reached out and pinched the lumps, then covered her mouth in shock. "Oh my god, they're real subcutaneous lumps… There are so many. How can he even walk?"
Wait, is this guy for real?
Zhang Rui felt a bit embarrassed and instinctively looked away, muttering, "Lumps don't necessarily mean bone cancer…"
"It's osteosarcoma," Chen Huaian said with a smile. "You can look up information about osteosarcoma online and compare it to my condition… Alright, it's time. I'm starting the climb."
Zhang Rui opened his mouth, wanting to say more, but Chen Huaian had already walked ahead, holding his livestreaming rig.
"You're being a bit too much," the punk girl, Su Xiaoqian, shot Zhang Rui a disapproving look. "Whether it's osteosarcoma or not, there's definitely something wrong with his legs. Combined with the evidence, the chance of him lying is very low. Have a little compassion, okay?"
"Yeah, young man," one of the middle-aged men chimed in. "My father also passed away from cancer—it was osteosarcoma. I know what it looks like. Whether or not this kid has osteosarcoma, the fact that he's here climbing Mount Tai despite his illness, instead of lying in a hospital bed, is already commendable."
"Exactly," the other middle-aged man added. "Bone cancer often leads to concurrent fractures, so high-intensity exercise should be avoided. Yet this kid is here climbing Mount Tai. His courage and determination are undeniable."
Zhang Rui, feeling ashamed, scratched his neck and fell silent.
Seeing that Chen Huaan was already walking ahead, the four quickly caught up.
"Streamer, that rig looks heavy. Want me to carry it for you?" Su Xiaoqian, feeling guilty, stepped forward and offered.
Chen Huaian shook his head. "No need. I need to adjust the angle myself, and carrying the rig while climbing is part of my promise to the viewers."
"You're amazing, kid!" one of the middle-aged men gave a thumbs-up, full of admiration.
"So impressive!"
Everyone was encouraging Chen Huaian.
Finally, Zhang Rui spoke up too. "Bro, I'm sorry. I lost a game earlier and wasn't thinking straight. I said things I shouldn't have."
"It's fine. I understand everyone has concerns. After all, making money isn't easy," Chen Huaian replied without looking back.
"Here, I'll send you some gifts as an apology."
Hearing this, Chen Huaian immediately turned around with a warm, money-loving smile. "What are you sending me?"
"…Huh? Uh, I'll send you the Big Rockets—the ones that cost 2,000 yuan each."
"Great, thank you. You're such a good person."
Zhang Rui: "…"
He realized that while the streamer's illness was real, his desire to make money was also genuine.
But it was understandable—having a serious illness would naturally make someone want to earn money for treatment, right?
Still, he was a bit confused.
Wouldn't Chen Huaian's cancer get worse with all this exertion?
But since his family was well-off and Chen Huaian needed the money, he decided to just send the gifts.
Zhang Rui opened Chen Huaian's livestream, followed him, and sent 10 Big Rockets in one go.
[Holy crap, big spender!]
[Isn't that the guy who went to expose him? He must feel guilty. Looks like the streamer really is a cancer patient.]
[First time seeing someone expose a streamer live. Front-row seat!]
[Sigh, the streamer's really going through it. I'll send some gifts too. Streamer, if it's too much, you don't have to climb. We'll still support you.]
…
The 10 Big Rockets indeed triggered a chain reaction of gifts.
At the same time, it attracted more people to the livestream.
The number of viewers was rapidly increasing.
People saw the shower of gifts and the sensational title "Terminal Bone Cancer Patient Attempts to Summit Mount Tai in 5 Hours," and many stayed to watch.
"Thank you, boss, for the 10 Big Rockets!"
Chen Huaian was delighted and immediately gave Zhang Rui a shoutout on camera.
The guy was a bit shy, blushing and ducking out of view.
After the platform's cut, Chen Huaian would pocket 10,000 yuan from the 10 Big Rockets.
That was equivalent to 100 pulls in the "Luck Koi" gacha.
Indeed, the internet was where the money was.
As Chen Huaian watched the gift value accumulate rapidly, he couldn't help but feel a bit wistful.
Taxi drivers, construction workers, delivery guys—they worked hard all day, yet they couldn't earn as much as a popular streamer could in half an hour from donations.
But he was also putting in the effort.
As he took his first steps up the stone stairs, intense pain spread through his legs, and beads of sweat dripped from his forehead.
The skeptical and mocking comments in the livestream gradually decreased.
Zhang Rui and the others silently followed behind Chen Huaian, even though his pace was slow. They watched his staggering figure, their throats tight, unable to say a word.
Chen Huaian was in pain.
Sweat soaked the protective talisman on his chest.
The faint fragrance grew slightly stronger, lingering at the tip of his nose.
In his mind, Li Qingran's smiling face appeared.
What was that girl doing now?