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

Gao Qi stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and turned his back to Manager Liu.

"What makes Hao Ren so terrifying is not how much he knows about folk culture."

"The key is that he can perfectly translate these cultures into the language of games."

"He knows when to show you what."

"When and what rules will be set for you?"

"When to trigger your emotions."

"This is an almost instinctive, absolute control over the player's psychology!"

"This ability is a talent, it's an art!"

"No matter how much money you spend or how many experts you hire, you can't learn this!"

Gao Qi's voice was filled with helplessness and frustration.

This was the first time he had so clearly acknowledged the gap between himself and a young person.

Manager Liu was stunned.

He never expected that Gao Qi would hold Hao Ren in such high regard.

"Then... what should we do?" Manager Liu's voice was trembling.

"Are we just going to watch him trample us underfoot step by step?"

Gao Qi remained silent.

He gazed at the myriad lights outside the window, remaining silent for a long time.

Just when Manager Liu thought he was going to give up.

Gao Qi suddenly turned around, a crazed glint in his eyes.

"If we can't learn it, we can buy it!"

"Pass on my message!"

"Immediately contact the largest human resources company in the Federation and get me a list of acquisition targets!"

"List every single small studio on the market that has made or is currently making horror games!"

"No matter how small their scale or how bad their work, as long as they have potential and ideas!"

"Buy them all, regardless of cost!"

"I want to use all the independent game developers in the entire federation to build my dream factory of 'Chinese horror'!"

"I refuse to believe that ten thousand mediocre people are no match for one Zhuge Liang!"

Gao Qi's voice echoed in the empty office, carrying a sense of resolute determination.

Gao Qi's outrageous plan caused a huge uproar within Aurora Entertainment.

Using the acquisition of independent studios to suppress an independent developer?

This is an unprecedented operation in the history of Federation games.

This is no longer a matter of business competition.

This is war.

The news quickly leaked through various channels, shaking the entire Federation gaming community.

"He's gone mad! Gao Qi has completely lost his mind!"

"Is this some kind of 'if you can't beat them, you might as well buy the whole track' approach?"

"Why do I feel that the more Gao Qi acts like this, the more afraid he seems of that 'good person'?"

Public opinion was almost unanimously critical of Aurora Entertainment's "money power."

But no one can deny that this tactic is very effective.

Chinese-style horror is a brand new, blue ocean market with unlimited potential.

Although Hao Ren was the founder, he was only one person.

Aurora Entertainment, on the other hand, can use capital to instantly create hundreds or even thousands of "imitators".

Even if 99% of these imitators are trash.

But as long as one person can achieve even a little success, they can take away the traffic and market share that should belong to Hao Ren.

A large number of ants can indeed kill an elephant.

……

Regarding the turbulent events in the outside world.

Hao Ren, however, remained unusually calm in room 404 of the Happiness Apartment.

He even had the leisure to pan-fry himself a piece of A5 grade Wagyu beef, paired with a glass of 82 Lafite.

"Acquisition?"

Hao Ren cut off a small piece of beef, put it in his mouth, and a playful smile appeared on his face.

"That's a good idea."

"Unfortunately, we're heading in the wrong direction."

He opened the system backend.

After two waves of excitement: "Double Happiness" and Professor Chen's completion of "Embroidered Shoes".

His total shock value has quietly surpassed... 80 million!

This is a number that would drive any game company crazy.

But Hao Ren wasn't blinded by greed. Instead, he turned his attention to the more expensive and "hellish" items in the mall.

【Product Name: Yinxi (Core Logic Module)】

[Product Description: Build a complete "Ghost Opera Troupe" that can interact with players in real time. Includes full AI for all four main roles (male, female, painted-face, old man, and clown), as well as exclusive "stage" scene materials. The Ghost Opera Troupe will perform different "excerpts" based on the player's actions, each corresponding to a death ending.]

[Product Price: 2000 million Scare Points]

Hao Ren's eyes lit up as he looked at the introduction.

Ghost Opera Troupe?

This is good.

In Chinese horror, opera elements are absolutely a game-changer.

The poignant and melodious singing style, along with the bizarre and gorgeous costumes, inherently carried a sense of terror that penetrated to the bone.

"I bought it."

Hao Ren clicked "redeem" without hesitation and then continued reading.

Product Name: Walking the Underworld (Folk Custom Interaction System)

[Product Description: Allows players, under specific conditions, to enter a special scene called "The Underworld Market" through "out-of-body experience." In the Underworld Market, players can trade with various "ghosts," purchase information, and even accept quests. However, each transaction requires a "price."]

[Product Price: 5500 million Scare Points]

"The underworld market?"

Hao Ren's breath hitched slightly; this setting was quite interesting.

This is no longer just a horror scene, but an "underground world" that can operate and sustainably in the long term.

Players can receive all sorts of bizarre side quests here.

For example, helping a hanged ghost to deliver a message to their family in the living world.

Or, buy a hot steamed bun for some starving person.

These tasks do not offer direct rewards.

However, whether or not it is completed may affect the direction of the main storyline, and even the player's own "virtue".

This greatly increases the game's playability and replayability.

"Great stuff, I have to buy it!" Hao Ren clicked the redemption button again.

With the two powerful weapons of "yinxi" (shadow play) and "yinxi" (walking the spirit world), his "Chinese horror universe" has a real skeleton.

He can connect the ghost marriage in "The Red Veil", the search for relatives in "The Embroidered Shoes", and the family in "Double Happiness".

Let players experience an endless cycle of reincarnation in this vast and despairing world.

"Let me think, what should we call the next game?"

Hao Ren stroked his chin, lost in thought.

He has too many cards to play right now.

There are enough DLCs to make just from the sequel to "囍".

For example, the "exclusivity" storyline triggered by Brother Long could be made into a story called "The Cage".

The "Chen Family Past" storyline triggered by Professor Chen could be adapted into a story about the extermination of an entire family.

But he doesn't intend to do that.

It's too fragmented.

What he wants to do is to be a master of all things.

A truly epic horror masterpiece that perfectly blends all elements together.

Just then.

His Nebula platform private messages rang again.

He is the "leader of the cult of science".

Dear friend, how have you been?

Lu Zhixing's message was, as always, concise and to the point.

I've figured out the plot of *The Wedding*. The Chen family was probably wiped out. The bride was the mastermind, wanting to be with her "elder brother" who was used as a sacrifice. The little girl who turned out to be a water ghost was the "elder brother's" sister; she discovered the truth and was killed by the bride. Is that right?

Hao Ren raised an eyebrow as he read the private message.

He truly deserves to be the youngest academician in the Federation.

Just by watching the live stream and the little bit of background information Professor Chen revealed, one can deduce the whole story with a high degree of accuracy.

【almost. 】

Hao Ren replied with three words.

So, what's next?

Lu Zhixing replied instantly.

The story of "Double Happiness" isn't over yet, is it? Where is the "soul" of the "eldest brother" of the Chen family, the character the player plays?

Hao Ren looked at the question and smiled.

He stretched out his fingers and slowly typed on the virtual keyboard.

The seventh day after his death is approaching.

[Of course, it's time to come back to reality.]