Chapter 1The 98-Pound Curse

To make sure I wasn't being catfished, I asked a psychic streamer to calculate my online girlfriend's true weight.

The Master did his math and said, "Your girlfriend is 98 pounds. She's got a great figure."

Before I could celebrate, he added:

"However, her weight is going to change drastically today. The heaviest part will be 6 pounds; the lightest will be 2 ounces."

As I was wondering what that meant, a comment flashed across the screen:

[Oh no, your girlfriend is getting dismembered today!]

* * *

Seeing that comment, I lost my cool.

"That’s not funny, guys. Don't go around wishing death on people."

But Master Sterling just looked at the camera.

"Kid, you've watched my streams before. Think about it—do I ever joke?"

This was Master Sterling. He had been streaming for years and had never been wrong. People fought for a chance to get a reading from him; I only got through today because of pure luck.

I panicked. "Master, is she really going to... you know?"

Mia was only 21. She was kind, gentle, and sweet. There was no reason for her to die like that.

But the Master nodded. "I’m afraid so."

"Can I tell her to hide at a police station? I’ll call her right now."

"A violent omen is heading straight for her life path. Even if she dodges it now, she won't escape the next one," he said, shaking his head.

I couldn't sit still. "Who is trying to hurt her?!"

"I don't know. Even if I did, I couldn't say. Leaking the secrets of the universe brings a heavy price."

He refused to give more details and warned me: "Don't be impulsive. If you interfere with someone else's karma, you'll be dragged down too."

I couldn't just watch. I dialed Mia's number immediately.

Yesterday, she complained to me about a guy living in the apartment above her. He kept dropping cigarette butts on her balcony, ruining her laundry. She was planning to go upstairs and confront him today.

Could that be it? A fight with a neighbor ending in murder?

The call went through. Mia’s sweet voice answered, "Hey, babe! What’s up?"

"Mia, did you go see that guy upstairs?" I asked frantically. "Don't go! Stay away from him!"

Mia sounded confused. "Why?"

Remembering the Master's warning, I tried to be vague. "I'm just worried. You're a girl going to a stranger's place alone. I don't want you getting bullied."

"But... I already went."

"What?!"

Mia sounded indignant. "You were right, though. That guy is a total psycho. Not only did he scream at me, but he actually threatened to hack me to pieces with a cleaver!"

I swore under my breath.

"Did you call the cops? Lock your doors and windows! Call the building manager!"

"No need for all that drama," Mia giggled. "I moved out."

"You moved?"

"Yeah. I don't have much stuff anyway. One suitcase was enough for the essentials."

In the background, I heard the mechanical voice of a public announcement system. A train station.

"Where are you now?"

"I'm coming to see you! I'm already on the Amtrak," she said tentatively. "Is that okay? I already broke my lease."

The people in the livestream were watching me make the call. The chat was scrolling like crazy:

[Damn, that's bold!]

[She's coming straight to his door. Don't waste the opportunity, bro!]

[98 pounds and moving in? You're a lucky man.]

I wasn't in the mood for their jokes.

The train from the next city took only twenty minutes. She’d be here any second. This was my chance to protect her.

I told her I'd be there to pick her up and hung up.

"Master," I asked, "She’s moved out and she's on a train. Is she still in danger?"

"As of right now, her fate hasn't changed."

My heart sank.

"I can see you've got a good heart, kid. I'll give you one more hint."

He pointed to a white card on my desk. "Tear that card in half."

I was confused but did it anyway.

"Now flip it over," he said.

I looked at the back. I realized it was a photo—a Polaroid a friend took of me at the beach. I had left it face-down on my desk weeks ago.

"You've already stepped into the karma of others. Your final state will be exactly what's in that photo."

The photo was torn in two.

In the picture, I was smiling in front of the ocean, but my head and my body were no longer connected.