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

"No, you still have." Lu Zhixing shook his head. "You still have your performance."

Lu Zhixing paused for a moment, then continued.

"Your greatest wish is not to kill everyone in the Chen family."

"But I want your brother to see you wearing the most beautiful costume, standing on the biggest stage, singing a song called 'The Matchmaker' for him alone, a song about passing the imperial examination with flying colors."

These words completely shattered Xiaodie's last line of psychological defense.

The black aura surrounding her receded like a tide.

On her face, covered in greasepaint, two lines of bloody tears seeped from beneath two black buttons.

She no longer screamed, nor did she go mad.

He just stood there, letting out suppressed whimpers like a wild beast.

That was the culmination of countless years, endless grievances and sorrow.

In the live stream, tens of millions of viewers watched this scene in silence.

For the first time, they felt such strong empathy for a "ghost" in a game.

What they felt was no longer fear, but a deep-seated desolation.

[I...I'm crying, this damn game planner, they're so good at killing!]

So, all she wanted to do was sing a play for her brother...

The Chen couple deserve to die ten thousand times over!

[Cult Leader, you must help her!]

Lu Zhixing waited quietly.

He slowly spoke after Xiaodie calmed down a bit.

"I may not be able to bring you back to life."

"There's no way I can let you see your brother right away."

"But I can break the rules just once, for you and for myself."

He held up the wooden mask in his hand.

"This backstage is your territory."

"And that stage is your prison."

"Now, what I need to do is help you get out of this cage."

After saying that, he handed the wooden mask to Xiaodie.

"Take it."

"From today onwards, this troupe of a hundred ghosts will decide where to perform, what plays to perform, and who to perform for."

"It's all up to you, you decide."

Xiaodie looked at the wooden plaque, then at Lu Zhixing.

Her sewn-up eyes seemed to be trying hard to see into the heart of the person in front of her.

for a long time.

She slowly extended her cold hand and took the wooden plaque.

The moment she took the wooden sign.

【Ding! 】

[Congratulations to player "Science Cult Leader" for completing the final quest in "Return of the Soul"—"Breaking the Cocoon"!]

[Clearance Rating: S!]

You have completely uncovered the truth behind the "Chen Family Past" and changed the fate of the key figure, "Ghost Qingyi - Xiaodie".

[The world-building "underhanded tactics" have been fully unlocked!]

As the first player to achieve an S-rank clear, you have received a unique reward—the "Theater Master's Token."

The wooden mask in Xiaodie's hand transformed into a stream of light and merged into Lu Zhixing's soul.

A brand new token emitting a faint glow appeared in his inventory.

[The Opera Troupe Leader's Token: A special item. Holding this token will grant you the friendship of the "Hundred Ghosts Opera Troupe," allowing you to summon them in specific scenarios to perform a... life-changing "play" for you.]

Lu Zhixing was deeply moved as he looked at the reward.

This reward goes beyond the scope of ordinary game items.

This is almost equivalent to giving him GM privileges that allow him to change the course of the game's storyline!

And all of this stems from the choice he just made.

He had no choice but to simply complete the task of "telling the truth".

Instead, they chose a deeper level of empathy and liberation.

He handed the reins back to that pitiful ghost.

In doing so, they earned the greatest reward for themselves.

"It's almost dawn."

Xiaodie's voice rang out again.

But this time, it wasn't that eerie, overlapping tone.

Instead, it was a clear, melodious voice, belonging to the girl herself.

Although, it still carried a hint of coldness.

"You should go now."

As she spoke, she gently waved her water sleeves.

The scene before Lu Zhixing's eyes began to change rapidly. The gloomy backstage disappeared, and he returned to the courtyard of the Chen family mansion.

The sky was beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

His soul had become as faint as smoke, as if it would dissipate at any moment.

At the very last moment when the soul dissipated.

He glanced at the paper bride, dressed in a red wedding gown, still waiting at the door.

He glanced again in the direction of the stage.

He seemed to hear a melodious opera tune carried on the wind.

"Thank you for your kindness, young master."

"We'll meet again in the afterlife."

……

The moment Lu Zhixing logged out of the game.

The entire federal network has gone completely insane.

#The Master's S-Rank Clearance and Return to the Night#

#Lord of Shadow Play#

#I'm a Boss to a Female Ghost#

Countless keywords dominated the trending topics on all social media platforms.

Lu Zhixing's actions and the heartbreaking truth he revealed gave all players a completely new and subversive understanding of "Chinese horror".

It's more than just scary.

It can also "kill someone by destroying their spirit".

While the entire internet was lamenting "Xiaodie's" fate.

Hao Ren finally made a new move.

His "Underworld Zone" underwent an unprecedented major version update.

The entire interface of the special zone has been transformed into a rustic scroll style.

In the center of the scroll, two large characters are written in unrestrained cursive script.

Reincarnation

Below the scroll is a line of small print.

This time, we won't go to hell; we'll create hell.

The update announcement consisted of only a few short sentences.

[The large-scale immersive open-world Chinese-style horror game, *Reincarnation*, is coming soon.]

This game will integrate the storylines of all series, including "The Red Veil," "The Embroidered Shoes," "The Wedding Ceremony," and "The Return of the Soul," to construct a complete and freely explorable "Chinese horror universe."

You will no longer be merely an "intruder" or a "returner."

You can choose your origins, your identity, and your path.

You could be a Taoist priest wandering the world, slaying demons and monsters.

[This could be a wandering spirit trader who roams the underworld and makes deals with ghosts.]

[It could even be setting up a stage and putting on a performance of joys and sorrows... by actors.]

Every choice you make will influence the course of the world.

Is it to light a lamp that burns eternally, bringing a glimmer of light to this boundless hell?

Or will I become one with this endless darkness?

The announcement concluded with a brand new promotional video.

The video feed was completely black.

There were only faint, intermittent sounds of chains dragging on the ground.

A hoarse, aged voice echoed in the darkness.

"Young man..."

Do you want to know the truth about this world?

Do you wish to possess the supreme power to transcend life and death?

"bring it on……"

"Come to the underworld."

"Use your lifespan in exchange for a never-ending drama."