Chapter 315: Entertainment [3] Davi79, the young man, lounged comfortably in his expensive apartment, a girl draped across his arm as he casually dropped money on the struggling streamer. His setup was impressive—multiple monitors, high-end gaming equipment, and wealth that came from family money rather than personal achievement. "Is she going to be your new toy?" the girl beside him asked with a mischievous giggle, watching as Sarah’s grateful reactions played out on screen. "Perhaps you are going to invite her to join us? hehe~" David laughed at her comment, his fingers still hovering over the phone keyboard as he considered his next move in what he clearly viewed as an elaborate game rather than actually donating to a streamer for support. "Indeed, you know me so well, don’t you... Clara," he replied with the arrogance of someone accustomed to getting what he wanted through money. "I’m not Clara, I’m Carla!" the girl protested mockingly, though her tone suggested this kind of dismissive treatment was familiar. Still, she didn’t seem to care. "Hahaha, same thing," David replied carelessly, already turning his attention back to the stream as he began typing his true intentions behind the donations. "You see how she reacted to fifty dollars? That tells me everything I need to know about her financial situation. She’s grateful but not desperate enough to compromise herself immediately—which actually makes this more interesting." Carla rolled her eyes but continued watching with curiosity. "So what’s your plan? The usual routine?" "Something like that," David smirked. "Small streamers like her are perfect targets. They’re hungry for success, grateful for any support, and usually naive about the real intentions behind large donations. I start with the money to establish myself as important, then gradually escalate the requests." He gestured at the screen where Sarah was still expressing genuine gratitude. "She’s already accepted me as a friend on the platform. That’s the first step—establishing a private communication channel. Then I’ll start with innocent requests, maybe asking for specific games or content. Once she’s comfortable with that dynamic, the requests become more personal." "And if she refuses?" Carla asked, though her tone suggested she already knew the answer. "Then... never mind, let’s wait until she does first, haha, " David replied with callous indifference. "There are thousands of them, all hoping that one generous viewer will change their fortunes. Most will compromise their boundaries gradually rather than lose a significant source of income." On screen, Sarah was typing her response: "Of course, friend. You’ve been really generous, thank you." David smiled with satisfaction at her acceptance of his friend request. "See? Already calling me a friend. Phase one complete." The intentions of his approach were evident in how he discussed Sarah as if she were merely a puzzle to solve rather than a real person with dreams and struggles. His wealth gave him the power to manipulate vulnerable creators, and he clearly enjoyed exercising that power for his own entertainment. Carla watched with a mixture of fascination and twisted interest as David began planning his next steps in what he viewed as an elaborate seduction game, completely oblivious to or uncaring about the real impact his manipulations would have on his targets. For some odd reason, she actually enjoyed being with David for this exact reason. The psychological complexity of her situation wasn’t lost on her—Carla knew perfectly well that she was also a victim of the same scheme David was now planning to use on Sarah, but she didn’t care. She had become complicit in David’s games because the benefits outweighed her moral concerns, at least in her current mindset. David took care of her finances far better than her family ever had. Her parents had struggled with money throughout her childhood, and the constant stress of unpaid bills and delayed dreams had left deep scars on her sense of security. With David, those worries had evaporated completely—she could buy the designer purses she had always coveted, the expensive clothes that made her feel confident, and anything else she wanted without considering the cost. The financial freedom was intoxicating after years of careful budgeting and denied desires to survive. David’s wealth provided a lifestyle she had only dreamed of during her more modest upbringing, and she had gradually convinced herself that the price she paid for that lifestyle was more than acceptable. He took care of her physically as well. The expensive apartment, the high-end amenities, the constant availability of whatever she needed—all of it created an environment where questioning the relationship’s foundation felt increasingly difficult. Carla had rationalised her situation by focusing on the tangible benefits. The most surprising aspect was how she had begun to enjoy watching him operate on new targets. There was a perverse satisfaction in seeing someone else go through the same process she had experienced, as if their participation validated her own choices and made her feel less alone. Without knowing it or realising it. She had become both victim and accomplice, trapped in a cycle where helping David manipulate others made her feel more secure in her own position while simultaneously deepening her complicity in his behaviour. "She seems sweet," Carla commented about Sarah, though her tone carried signs that suggested she was already viewing the streamer as David’s next conquest rather than feeling genuine sympathy for someone about to be targeted. "I know, that’s why I’m in her stream, aren’t I?" David smiled before texting once again. *** In his own room, Noah raised an eyebrow at the gifts that were being showered on Sarah. It was really interesting to observe from an outsider’s perspective. The anonymous benefactor sending the donations was clearly not holding back with their generosity. The gifts that were being showered on Sarah started showing their cascading effects almost immediately as more people began joining the stream, drawn by the notification algorithms that promoted channels receiving significant financial support. The streaming platform’s recommendation system was designed to amplify successful content, and sudden spikes in donations triggered automatic promotional mechanisms. In this streaming app, there were certain premium gifts like Magic Castles, which cost $50 each, that would help streamers immensely beyond their simple monetary value.