You made all the streamers on the internet kneel before you when you were asked to make a game.

Mad Dragon's boastful words were met with a screen full of question marks and ridicule in the live stream.

【? 】

[Surrendered quickly enough? Brother Long, are you serious?]

[I have never seen such a refreshing and unconventional pre-war declaration!]

[Brother Long, your persona has collapsed! Where's your physical damage buff? Where's your iron fist?]

"Shut up!" Brother Long's face flushed red, and he roared, his neck stiff, "What do you mortals know?!"

"This is called a tactical retreat! Preserving our strength is the key to winning the final war!"

"I call this going from one extreme to another!"

"I was too aggressive last time, this time I'll be a little more timid, so what?"

While he was trying to explain, he clicked the download button for "囍" (Xi).

The progress bar is moving forward rapidly.

This time, he didn't bring any metal knuckle dusters.

Instead, he took out a bottle of nitroglycerin from the first-aid kit next to him and held it tightly in his hand.

"I'm ready."

Brother Long took a deep breath, his eyes filled with a tragic determination, as if he were about to be executed.

"You dog-like planner, come on!"

[Game loading...]

[Friendly reminder: Before you go home, please make sure this is really your home.]

This hint made Brother Long's heart skip a beat.

What does it mean to "confirm whether this is your home"?

Are there still counterfeit and shoddy products at home?

Before he could think it through, everything went dark, and when it came back to light, he found himself standing in an old alley.

The sky was a dusky yellow, like evening.

The air was filled with the aroma of food and a faint smell of burning paper.

The two flavors mixed together created an indescribably eerie taste.

The alley is paved with bluestone slabs, and there are tall courtyard walls on both sides. The walls are mottled, revealing the dark red bricks inside.

The top of the wall was covered with withered yellow weeds.

At the end of the alley stood a vermilion, tightly closed gate.

On the door, there was a huge, somewhat faded "囍" character.

Two stone lions are placed in front of the gate.

The stone lion's mouth was stuffed with some kind of talisman paper, the yellow paper covered with twisted symbols drawn in red paint.

"This...this is how 'Double Happiness' begins?"

Brother Long was stunned.

This scene was completely different from what he had imagined.

There was no scene of paper money raining down and suona horns at the beginning of "The Red Veil".

There was also no rain or ghostly wailing at the beginning of "The Embroidered Shoes".

It's unusually quiet here.

It even carries a hint of...life?

[This scene doesn't seem so bad, it's not that scary.]

Indeed, there are more in the mortal realm than in the previous two.

Why do I feel like this is the calm before the storm?

Brother Long also felt that something was wrong.

Based on his understanding of dog-related planning, the calmer the start, the bigger the pitfalls often lie hidden behind it.

He walked cautiously, step by step, toward the vermilion gate.

As he approached the door, a task prompt appeared before his eyes.

[Mission Objective: Go home.]

"go home?"

Brother Long hesitated as he looked at the tightly closed door.

He remembered the helpful reminder at the beginning.

Before you go home, please make sure this is really your home.

How can I confirm this?

This game didn't even provide an ID card or household registration book!

He circled the gate twice, trying to find some clues.

The gate was very heavy, with two bronze animal head door knockers on it.

Brother Long tried to push the door, but it didn't budge; it was clearly locked from the inside.

Is anyone there?!

Brother Long shouted at the top of his lungs.

In the alley, only his own echo drifted.

"Open the door! I'm home!"

He called out again.

There has still been no response.

"Damn, how do you play this?"

Brother Long was getting a little annoyed.

He raised his hand, ready to knock on the animal-head door knocker.

Just as his hand was about to touch the door knocker.

"Squeak—"

A screeching sound rang out.

The door opened a crack by itself.

A narrow gap, just big enough for one person to pass through.

It was pitch black through the crack in the door; nothing could be seen.

A gust of stale, musty wind blew out from under the door, making Brother Long shiver.

[It's open! The door's open!]

"Don't go in, Brother Long! This is definitely a trap!"

I feel like there are hundreds of burly men behind that door waiting to beat you up!

Brother Long also felt a chill run down his spine.

This unknown fear is more torturous than a ghost suddenly appearing.

He stood at the door, hesitating for a full minute.

To go in or not to go in? That is the question.

Just when he was in a state of great inner turmoil.

Suddenly, a hoarse, aged female voice, as if she hadn't spoken in a long time, came from the crack in the door.

"You're back?"

Brother Long was startled and took two steps back.

"Who? Who's speaking?"

The voice didn't answer him, but continued speaking in that slow, leisurely tone.

"You're back... come in."

"Standing at the door... what kind of appearance is that?"

"Everyone at home is waiting for you."

"Wait for me?" Brother Long was taken aback.

"Yes..." the voice said softly, "Your father, your mother, your wife... are all waiting for you to cook dinner."

father?

mother?

daughter in law?

Brother Long's mind is a little slow to process this.

This game gives you a family set right at the start?

Is there such a good thing?

He thought of the paper bride in "The Red Veil" and suddenly shivered.

Could the "daughter-in-law" here be that one?

"Who...who are you?" Brother Long asked, mustering his courage.

"Silly child, what nonsense are you talking about?"

There seemed to be a hint of reproach in that voice.

"We are your family."

"Come in quickly, the food is getting cold."

After saying that, the voice disappeared.

The gate remained ajar, like the mouth of a giant beast ready to devour its prey.

Brother Long stood there, cold sweat pouring down his face.

He felt he was in a dilemma.

Go inside, who knows what you'll encounter.

If we don't go in, the mission won't be completed.

And judging from the tone of that voice, it seemed like the consequences would be severe.

[Brother Long, don't believe her! She's definitely lying to you!]

【Yeah, what kind of family talks like that? It sounds like they crawled out of a grave!】

But the mission is to go home, what can we do if we don't go in?

Brother Long gritted his teeth, and a crazy idea surged into his mind.

He recalled how the leader of the Church of Scientology played "The Red Veil".

respect!

Yes, we must respect the rules of this world!

He cleared his throat, and through the crack in the door, shouted loudly in what he considered to be the most filial and sincere tone.

"Grandma! I'm home!"

He felt that the aged voice must be his grandmother's.

It's always good to establish a kinship first.

But through the crack in the door, there was only deathly silence.

Several seconds later, the voice sounded again, its tone filled with confusion.

"grandmother?"

"Who is your grandmother?"

"I am your mother."

Brother Long: "..."

Viewers in the live stream: "..."

Hahahaha!

[Sorry, I really couldn't help it! Brother Long is just too entertaining!]

One wrong step leads to another! Mistaking his mother for his grandmother right from the start—what an unfilial and rebellious child!

I can already see Brother Long's fate—he'll be hung up and beaten by his "mother"!

Brother Long's face instantly turned a deep liver color; this was even more humiliating than being scared to his knees!

"Cough cough... Mother! I'm back!"

He quickly changed his tune, his voice so embarrassed it could be dug out with his toes.

"Um."

The voice inside the door seemed somewhat satisfied.

"Come in."

Brother Long gritted his teeth and slowly moved to the door.

He took a deep breath, turned sideways, and squeezed through the narrow crack in the door.

Before me was a huge courtyard.

The courtyard was large but empty, with a huge eight-immortal table in the very center.

The table was laden with a sumptuous spread of... dishes?

Brother Long stared intently, and his stomach churned violently.

What was on the table wasn't food at all.

Instead, they were plates of "chicken, duck, fish, and meat" made of paper.

Painted with vibrant oil paint, it is incredibly lifelike.

At the head of the table sat an old woman with a withered face, dressed in a black funeral shroud.

She had her head down, holding a pair of chopsticks, and was "eating" the paper-wrapped rice in her bowl, taking small bites.

She is the "mother" who just spoke.

To her left sat a middle-aged man, also dressed in funeral clothes, with a bluish-purple face; he must be her "father."

He remained motionless, staring blankly ahead.

To the right of "Mother" is an empty seat.

Next to the seat sat a figure dressed in a bright red wedding gown and covered with a red veil.

It was that one who haunted Brother Long's dreams... the paper bride!

The whole family is here, all together.

Brother Long's legs began to go weak uncontrollably.

He finally understood what the game was called: "囍" (double happiness).

I finally understand what "This time, we're going home" means.

This is fucking asking him to come back... for a funeral!