Started as a comics editor

Chapter 288 "Escape" Promotional Video
Just as countless players were enthusiastically discussing Avalon's potential on forums, anticipating when they would release a truly high-quality single-player game, and even debating whether they would abandon the single-player market due to the huge profits from online games—

Avalon announced its second game without any prior warning.

There was absolutely no warning.

It came suddenly.

[First trailer for Avalon's new film Outlast - Deep into the darkness.]

The players who were debating whether Avalon would, could, and wanted to make a high-quality single-player game just a moment ago suddenly fell silent.

The entire forum seemed to have been briefly paused.

But soon, the torrent of information erupted in an even more turbulent manner!
The comments section of the official post was instantly flooded with messages.

"What the hell?"

"real or fake?"

"Huh? It's only been a short time? A new game? Undertale was only released a few days ago? A week? And this is a new game? Even the donkeys in the production team wouldn't dare to do this! Is Avalon that powerful? Were they preparing this a long time ago?"

"Avalon, are you crazy? Is this production capacity even real?"

"I was wrong. I take back what I said about you guys not taking risks. You're not just taking risks, you're incredibly skilled and daring... Making money from online games? We don't care at all! We just want to make the most exciting single-player games!"

"Look at the trailer! It's a horror game!"

"Quick, watch the trailer! Quick, watch it! Holy crap! This style is off! This leap is too big!"

"..."

The release of this new trailer was like pouring a ladle of cold water into a pot of boiling oil, instantly causing a stir.

All the players' previous speculations, doubts, and expectations were shattered by this sudden, high-profile new game.

Shock!

incredible!

Then came excitement, curiosity, and... a slight shiver from being startled by the trailer.

Yes.

The genre of this new game also exceeded all players' expectations.

capital.

Rongcishan finished his day's journey on horseback and returned home, rubbing his throbbing temples.

Just got home.

He habitually opened the built-in game forum in Avalon, wanting to see what new analyses or interesting fan art there were for Undertale, and also planned to check the progress of the Genocide route to relax his tense nerves.

The game Undertale remains very popular, and the Avalon Game Assistant's category section is full of related discussion threads.

You can easily find something that interests you here in Rongcishan.

Last night, he saw players discussing the possibility of slaughtering all the monsters... Although many people criticized it as unethical, some players have indeed started experimenting with it.

to be frank.

Eijiyama would not take such a route, nor did he want to ruin his fond memories of Undertale.

But that didn't stop him from being interested... because the story of the whole game seemed to be missing something.

As a player, he naturally wants to understand the full picture of this game.

If the massacre really does lead to another ending...

So after ordering takeout, he planned to kill some time on the forum.

just.

He opened the forum, and before he could even look for the posts related to the massacre storyline he'd seen yesterday, he spotted another trending post on the homepage—[Undertale: A Small Investment, Big Returns—Just How Much Potential Does Avalon Have?]

Look at this post.

Rong Cishan paused for a moment, then smiled and clicked on the link to read the lengthy analyses left by the players, as well as their various expectations and speculations about the future Avalon masterpiece.

Some hope for a grander fantasy RPG, some expect a science fiction theme, and others think they should delve deeper into the unique narrative style of Undertale and create a sequel or spiritual successor.

In short, there is anything to say.

"As expected, everyone would think so. Undertale's creativity and narrative are really amazing. If it were paired with top-notch graphics and an even more interesting gameplay... tsk tsk."

Rong Cishan recalled his thoughts after completing Undertale, and while browsing, he sighed inwardly, "But there's really no rush. Undertale has only been out for a short time. Avalon is probably still counting their money and basking in the praise. New projects need at least a year and a half to develop, how could it be so fast? This discussion is just for fun..."

He scrolled through the replies below the post, then shook his head and prepared to close the page to get himself a glass of water.

But just then, a reply from below suddenly entered his field of vision.

[Hey upstairs! Stop talking! Look at the homepage! Avalon released a new trailer! It's about their new game!]

Ok?
New game?
Rong Cishan suddenly stopped moving, and the mouse cursor hovered over the close button.

then.

He sat back down in his chair, moved the cursor away from the close button, and went to the homepage of the Avalon Game Assistant's built-in community.

And just opened.

A post with a bright red title and an official Avalon certification icon, which was automatically pinned to the top by the system, caught his eye.

[Official release: Avalon's new game, Outlast, releases its official trailer – Deep into the darkness.]

Rong Cishan's movements froze instantly, his brain seemed to have been paused, and for a moment, it went completely blank.

He just saw the reply.

He initially thought it was a player joking and trying to bait him, since the topic was indeed very popular... He only opened the forum homepage to see if anyone was trying to bait him.

just.

He didn't expect that.

I will actually see news about the new game.

"Outlast? A brand new work?"

Rong Cishan muttered to himself, as if he didn't recognize the words: "Avalon? New game? Trailer? Now??"

what?
He was stunned.

No, it's impossible, right?

That's absolutely impossible, isn't it?

How long has it been since Undertale was released?
So his first thought was—he misread the date! Last year's post has been bumped up! Or some fake account is playing a prank!
Rong Cishan leaned closer to the screen... and then he saw the posting time and the official verification mark.

The post was made two hours ago.

The blue diamond-shaped badge that represented Avalon's official logo and that he was extremely familiar with was clearly displayed next to his post ID.

"..."

Rong Cishan gasped sharply.

It really is.

but……

Undertale has only been out for a short time! The game's popularity is still at its peak! The player community is still discussing the plot, characters, and meta elements like crazy! Fan works are springing up like mushrooms after rain, and Avalon itself is enjoying unprecedented acclaim and praise!

At this point in time, any normal company should be consolidating its achievements, pressing its advantage, and using this wave of popularity to create DLC, hold events, or at least give its team a breather, right?

But Avalon...

Rong Cishan felt that his understanding had been shocked like never before...

He paused for a moment, then clicked on the post with the scarlet title. The post itself was extremely concise, consisting of only one line of text and a uploaded video.

"Avalon's brand new immersive horror experience, Outlast, is now available for pre-order. Venture into the darkness, confront your fear, or... be swallowed by it. Can you survive the first night?"

An immersive horror experience?
Rong Cishan felt his head buzzing. Not only was the timing of the game's release unexpected, but the game genre... was it for real? Was Avalon really that unconventional? No, this wasn't just unconventional... it had completely exceeded everyone's expectations.

Rong Cishan thought for a moment and immediately clicked on the video.

After a brief loading period.

...The video has started playing.

The screen was completely black.

The only sounds were an extremely suppressed hissing sound, like the static of an old camera, and... heavy, dragging footsteps that seemed to be right next to my ear.

Sudden.

A blinding white light suddenly exploded, accompanied by a piercing scream that seemed to tear your eardrums apart.

The footage is violently shaky, a typical first-person perspective shot of a handheld camera while running.

The pale light intermittently illuminated the surrounding environment—peeling paint, rusty iron gates, and dark red, long-dried, unidentified stains on the ground… The air seemed to be filled with a putrid smell of dust and blood.

The camera suddenly switched to a chilling, eerie green—night vision mode had been activated.

The field of vision became narrow, distorted, and filled with noise.

In the swaying green vision, a huge, unusually large figure, like a small mountain, appeared at the end of the corridor, its heavy footsteps making the floor shake.

The figure was blurry and indistinct, yet it exuded a suffocating sense of oppression and pure malice.

"Huh...huh..."

The violent, fearful gasps were the protagonist's own.

The gasping sound was deliberately amplified, making it incredibly clear in the silent darkness, gripping the viewer's heart.

The scene shifts again, this time to a brief but chilling third-person perspective, with a 'surgical scene' being broadcast live on the screen.

However, this doctor wasn't holding a scalpel; instead, he was holding a pair of scissors that looked like they could cut off a neck.

He was torturing the 'patient' on the hospital bed when suddenly, his cloudy eyes flashed an eerie green light in night vision mode, and he looked up and stared straight at the camera.

Then came the fast-paced editing.

A withered arm suddenly extends from the darkness! A terrifyingly loud crash as an iron door is slammed shut! The protagonist crawls desperately through a narrow ventilation duct, while outside, there are low growls like those of a wild beast.

Then, the screen suddenly went black!
Immediately following was the sound of a camera being slammed to the ground and rolling, the lens spinning wildly, revealing only a blurry, distorted green ceiling and the ground rushing past.

Then, a filthy hand slammed down on the rolling camera lens!

The entire screen was instantly filled with that terrifying hand! Accompanied by a low, brutal roar, as if it came from the depths of hell!

The trailer abruptly ended.

The screen went dark, leaving only a scarlet logo, as if smeared with blood—"Escape".

"........."

in front of the screen.

After watching the entire promotional video, Rong Cishan sat in front of the computer, his body feeling as if he were nailed to the chair.

The screen had been dark for a long time, leaving only the scarlet, blood-red Outlast logo imprinted on his retina, impossible to erase.

The room was unusually quiet, with only his own breathing and... the sound of his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

Boom!Boom!Boom!
He wasn't scared by the content of the trailer... well, a little scared, mainly because the atmosphere was just too good!
Suppressed static, heavy footsteps, piercing screams, distorted night vision, the enormous shadow of a non-human monster, a filthy hand slapping at the camera...

A twisted, insane, malicious, and threatening hellish mental hospital.

Pure, primal, and filled with a fear that caused him physical discomfort.

The entire promotional video seemed to exude a strong sense of bloodshed and chilling fear.

It has a strong cult vibe.

But one fact shocked him even more.

Avalon... they really made a new game!

They not only did it, but they did it so quickly!
...And without a doubt, this is a horror game, and a horror game that looks exceptionally well done.

The immense sense of absurdity and the unbelievable impact left his mind buzzing.

A subject matter that is completely contrary to expectations, yet the efficiency is beyond imagination.

No.

This is beyond efficiency; it's an unbelievable explosion of production capacity!

And this is such a bold choice of subject matter. First, they shocked players with a heartwarming and healing pixel indie game, winning countless praises and tears, and then immediately launched such a hardcore, dark, and psychologically challenging 3D horror game?
This is no longer a simple style change; it's like riding a roller coaster from heaven to hell!

And... it will be released in ten days!
"I rely on..."

Rongcishan stared at the release date on the screen and muttered to himself.

He picked up the water glass on the table and poured the last half mouthful of cold boiled water into his mouth. The icy liquid slid down his throat, which slightly suppressed the burning and icy throbbing in his heart.

Then, his gaze fell once again on the trailer's title—Into the Dark.

The shock had not yet completely subsided, but another stronger, more primal emotion was quietly growing in my heart—curiosity!
A thirst for challenge!
In short—I want to play!
After all, the extreme oppression and suffocating feeling of having nowhere to escape shown in the trailer, the despair of being chased by inhuman monsters... it's too real! It's too oppressive! It brutally tears at the most primal fear nerves of mankind, yet it's like the whisper of the devil, tempting players to challenge their limits.

A horror game made by Avalon.

And it will be released in ten days!

Who wouldn't be interested?! Who wouldn't want to try it out?!
……

at the same time.

It wasn't just Rong Cishan who watched the promotional video; many other players did too.

And all players felt the same way.

incredible!

Avalon responded to players' questions in the most direct and straightforward way, proving that they not only have the ability to make high-quality games, but also do so quickly and well, and with a completely different style!

The buzz surrounding Undertale hasn't died down yet.

Their new game was brought out just as quickly as possible.

This efficiency, this boldness, and this display of technical prowess have drawn the attention of the entire gaming industry.

Players were absolutely thrilled. Previous discussion threads were instantly flooded, replaced by a tsunami of traffic to the Outlast trailer and countless discussions intertwined with exclamation marks and question marks.

The name Avalon has once again captured the attention of all gamers in the most unexpected way.

Obviously.

Tang Yao's time-sensitive promotional campaign has had a far greater effect than expected.

However, slowly.

...Subsequent discussions among players deviated slightly from the intended meaning.

"A horror game! Avalon! The second single-player game! Wow! Is this another healing game disguised as a traditional game? Like Undertale! Under the guise of a traditional RPG, the monsters are all friendly and cute, while those terrifying monsters in this trailer are..."

"Haha, after playing Undertale, I feel like it's really possible!"

"I also feel it's possible!"

"..."

Avalon.

Tang Yao looked at the posts on the forum that had gone off-topic, her expression somewhat strange. After hesitating for a moment, she stood up.

Sure enough, let's skip the live stream hype and let the players play first... the surprise is best saved for the first time!

Ok.

(End of this chapter)