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

Lu Zhixing's live stream has already surpassed 50 million viewers.

All eyes in the Federation were on this young academician.

If anyone still has a chance to get a ticket to "Out of the Dark," it's definitely him.

Good evening, everyone.

Lu Zhixing's voice remained as calm as ever.

"I've been researching the game 'Double Happiness' for a long time."

"Its core lies neither in solving puzzles nor in operation."

He pulled up a diagram of relationships he had drawn himself.

In the center of the picture is the "big brother" played by the player.

There are four key figures surrounding him: his father, mother, younger sister (the water ghost girl), and bride (the paper doll).

They are connected by lines of various colors, marking complex emotional relationships such as "family ties," "resentment," "exploitation," and "jealousy."

"This is a story about 'home'," Lu Zhixing said slowly, "a home that has fallen apart."

"Father and Mother, for some purpose, did not hesitate to sacrifice their own son and arranged a ghost marriage for him."

"The bride is resentful; her target is her 'husband,' and she is hostile towards everyone else."

"My sister was the only 'light' in this family. She discovered the truth, but lost her life because of it."

"And we players, who play the role of the 'big brother,' are at the center of all the conflicts."

Lu Zhixing pushed up his glasses.

"Therefore, what we must do to achieve an S-rank clear is not to follow those cold rules."

"Instead, it's about finding your place again in this broken home."

"Then, make a choice."

His words left the viewers in the live stream completely confused.

[What is the cult leader talking about? Why does it seem even harder to understand than Professor Chen's folklore lecture?]

Finding my place? I need to define myself in a game?

[A choice? What to choose? To help my wife or my parents?]

Lu Zhixing did not offer any further explanation.

No matter how much theory is discussed, it must ultimately be tested in practice.

He put on the neural connection headband and spoke calmly.

"Let's begin."

[Game loading...]

It was still that dimly lit alley, with its bluestone path and vermilion gate.

Lu Zhixing didn't shout at the door like Brother Long did.

He simply stood quietly in front of the door, looking at the faded "囍" character on it.

I stood there for a full minute.

Then, he bowed deeply to the gate.

This bow is not a worship of ghosts or gods, nor is it out of reverence.

Rather, it is as a "wanderer returning home" bowing to the "door of home".

This is a matter of etiquette.

"Squeak—"

The door slowly opened a crack.

From the crack in the door came the old, hoarse female voice.

"You're back?"

Lu Zhixing did not answer.

He simply turned sideways and quietly squeezed through the crack in the door.

The huge courtyard was completely empty.

Eight Immortals Table, Paper Feast.

The "mother" eating with her head down, the "father" with a bluish-purple face, and the "bride" with a red veil covering her head.

Everything is just like the previous script.

[Task Update: Take your seats and enjoy dinner with your family.]

Lu Zhixing looked at the empty seat, but instead of greeting it obsequiously like Brother Long, he didn't rush to sit down.

He walked to the table, but did not go to his seat.

Instead, he walked to the paper bride dressed in a bright red wedding gown.

Under the astonished gaze of more than 50 million viewers.

He reached out and gently grasped the hand of the paper bride that was placed under the table.

Cold and stiff.

It's exactly the same "hand warming" tactic used by Brother Long.

But they are completely different.

Brother Long's warming of his hands carried a hint of flattery and a hint of fear.

Lu Zhixing's handshake, however, was a declaration.

A husband's acknowledgment of his wife.

He held that hand before slowly walking to his seat.

He didn't let go.

He then led his "bride" to her seat.

This action caused the live stream to explode instantly.

Holy crap! The cult leader is even more powerful than Brother Long!

[Brother Long is a hand warmer, but the leader just took him away?]

[I hereby declare that the title of the Federation's Number One Son-in-Law has officially changed hands today!]

[Cult Leader: She's mine; I have to hold her hand even when I'm eating.]

Lu Zhixing led the paper bride to sit down.

He could feel an overwhelming resentment emanating from that cold hand.

But he could also sense another cold gaze coming from the person in the main seat.

It's that "mother".

"Have a meal."

The old woman raised her head, revealing her dark, hollow eye sockets.

She used her chopsticks to pick up a paper chicken leg and put it into the empty bowl in front of Lu Zhixing.

Rule 1: You cannot refuse food offered by elders.

The blood-red rules reappeared.

Lu Zhixing stared blankly at the paper chicken leg in the bowl.

He actually picked up his chopsticks and took the paper chicken leg from the bowl.

Then, it was placed in the bowl of the paper bride beside her.

"You're weak, eat more," Lu Zhixing said softly.

His tone was so gentle, as if he were speaking to a real wife.

The entire live stream was stunned speechless by Lu Zhixing's actions.

This...this is blatant defiance!

The rule is that "you cannot refuse when elders serve you food."

He didn't refuse, but he immediately gave it to someone else!

Does this count as violating the rules?

The "mother" sitting in the main seat stared intently at Lu Zhixing with her dark, hollow eyes.

The temperature in the courtyard seemed to have dropped to freezing point.

A terrifying killing intent began to permeate the air.

But the expected punishment did not come.

The "woman" just stared at him intently, but made no further move.

She also seemed to be judging whether this behavior had crossed the line of the rules.

In the midst of this suffocating standoff, the paper bride beside Lu Zhixing slowly picked up her chopsticks and took the paper chicken leg that Lu Zhixing had given her from the bowl.

Then, she slowly brought it under her veil and made a "eating" motion.

At this moment, "Dad" stiffly turned his head and picked up the cup of wine that looked like muddy water.

"My son... have a drink with your father."

Rule Two: Father and son drink together, finishing their drinks in one gulp.

Lu Zhixing looked at the wine that his "father" handed him.

This time, he didn't give it away again.

He picked up his wine glass and stood up.

"father."

He called out calmly.

Then, he did something even more shocking than "serving food to his wife".

He took the glass of wine and walked to the center of the courtyard.

Then, he slowly poured the muddy water from the cup onto the ground.

"This first cup of wine is offered to the ancestors of my Chen family."

He bowed respectfully to the air.

After doing all this, he returned to the table and poured himself another glass.

Then, they walked to the center of the courtyard again.

It spilled on the ground again.

"This second glass is a toast to my tragically deceased sister."

He bowed again.

Finally, he filled the glass for the third time.

This time, he didn't spill any more.

Instead, he took his wine, walked back to his seat, and raised his glass to his "father," whose face was pale and bluish.

"Father, this third cup is for you."

After saying that, he tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

And that "father" slowly drank the wine in his cup.

"Good...good son."

A strange smile appeared on "Father's" face.

He reached out, wanting to pat Lu Zhixing on the shoulder.

But this time, Lu Zhixing didn't let him run into her.

He gently turned to the side, dodging the hand that carried the aura of "corpse".

"Father, please sit down."

He spoke calmly, then sat down peacefully.

The whole process was smooth and seamless.

He not only followed the rule of "father and son drinking together," but also expressed his attitude and incidentally avoided the "corpse aura" debuff.

The viewers in the live stream were completely numb from watching it.

[This...is this something a human could come up with?]

The ultimate goal of science is human relationships and social interactions!

[Master, I'm kneeling before you! This isn't a horror game, it's a bureaucratic simulator!]

We've eaten and drunk wine.

Next, we'll face the final challenge.

The bride serves tea.

The paper bride did indeed stand up.

Holding the blood-red cup of tea, she walked up to Lu Zhixing.

[Rule Three: When the bride serves tea, she must not raise her head or make a sound.]

Lu Zhixing looked at the teacup that was being brought to his lips.

He neither looked up nor made a sound.

He simply reached out and gently pushed the cup of tea away.

Then, he took the paper bride's hand and pulled her back to her seat.

He never let go of that hand from beginning to end.

After doing all this, he slowly raised his head.

His gaze was fixed on the "mother" in the main seat and the "father" beside her.

He spoke in a calm, almost unsettling tone.

"This home."

"Today, I'm in charge."