Chapter Summaries

Song Ren played as Chris, who stormed the village to avenge Ethan and planted a bomb in The Mold. Chris uncovered Miranda’s history and her plan to use Rose as a vessel for her daughter, while Ethan’s fate remained uncertain as the final battle approached.

• Chris’s teammate reported that Ethan had been confirmed dead, and Chris vowed to make Miranda pay.
• Song Ren controlled Chris as he fought through the mutant-filled village with abundant weapons, ammunition, and artillery support.
• Chris reached The Mold, planted a bomb, and found Miranda’s underground laboratory.
• Chris’s documents revealed that Miranda had discovered The Mold after losing her daughter Eva and had conducted experiments to find a compatible vessel.
• The records explained that Miranda had created Eveline and eventually targeted Rose, whom she took after disguising herself as Mia.
• Song Ren wondered whether Ethan was truly dead as Chris advanced toward the final confrontation with Miranda.

Ethan learned that he had died three years earlier and continued to exist as a conscious Molded, but he remained determined to save Rose. The Duke brought him to Miranda, where Ethan prepared for his final battle.

• Chris told Mia that Ethan was dead and that they needed to destroy the village, but Mia insisted Ethan was special.
• Ethan awoke in a snowy place, where Eveline told him he had died at Jack Baker's house three years earlier and was made entirely of Mold.
• Ethan realized that Mia had known the truth but had stayed with him, and he vowed to save Rose despite his condition.
• The Duke told Ethan he had been unconscious until near dawn and took him toward Miranda.
• Ethan reached the Duke's shop, sold what he could, upgraded his weapons and equipment, and headed toward the altar.

Ethan fought Miranda to save Rose after her ritual failed and the Mold chose Rose instead of Eva. He killed Miranda and rescued Rose, but his body began to crumble as he held his daughter.

• Miranda pulled a baby from the Mold, but realized the infant was Rose and that Rose was draining her power.
• Ethan reached the altar, and Chris shot Miranda before urging Ethan to save Rose.
• Miranda hid Rose behind a Mold barrier and battled Ethan, who fought on despite his injuries and slow calcification.
• Ethan blasted Miranda with his shotgun, killing her and breaking the barrier.
• Ethan found Rose among Miranda’s remains and held her as his right hand turned to dust.

Ethan sacrificed himself to destroy The Mold and save Rose, leaving Chris and Mia to escape the village. Years later, Rose visited Ethan’s grave before departing on a mission, where she revealed her formidable powers and the story ended with a mysterious faceless man appearing.

• Chris carried the dying Ethan and Rose toward the aircraft while The Mold began to revive and pursue them.
• Ethan gave Rose to Chris, then stayed behind and took the detonator to keep the vines from reaching them.
• Mia reunited with Rose aboard the aircraft, while Ethan detonated the bomb and destroyed The Mold and the village.
• Years later, Rose visited Ethan’s grave on his birthday and reflected on her father’s memories and sacrifice.
• Rose angrily warned an agent not to call her Eveline, then left with him in an armored vehicle as a faceless man appeared in their path.

Players praised Resident Evil Village for Ethan Winters’s tragic story and its blend of horror, exploration, resource management, and combat, which helped drive a surge in sales. After mourning Ethan, players noticed the game’s unresolved plot threads and gathered on Chen Xu’s blog and Nebula Games communities to protest his habit of leaving questions unanswered and killing beloved characters.

• Players who finished Resident Evil Village praised Ethan Winters as a devoted husband and father, and said goodbye to him in emotional comments.
• Players praised the game’s exploration, resource management, weapon progression, and shifts between horror and satisfying combat, helping Resident Evil Village achieve an explosive sales surge.
• Game designers recognized that Resident Evil Village integrated resource management, puzzles, and shooting by shifting which gameplay elements dominated at different points.
• Players listed unresolved questions about Umbrella, Blue Umbrella, Chris, and Rose, including Rose’s connection to Eveline and her future faction.
• Players recalled other tragic game characters and, despite understanding Ethan was not the first character they had lost, gathered on Chen Xu’s blog and Nebula Games communities to riot.

After Resident Evil Village’s success, players worldwide crusaded against Chen Xu for its emotional traps. Chen Xu announced The Witcher: Wild Hunt DLCs and let players fear Geralt’s death, while hinting that his next game would offer some comfort.

• Players turned Chen Xu’s old interview clips into memes and joined domestic and international online crusades against him.
• Yang Xin and Ruan Ningxue complained about the players’ bombardment, while Chen Xu said he was used to it.
• Chen Xu announced that Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine would launch on December 20, with Geralt taking his final bow in Toussaint.
• Players feared that Geralt would die and speculated about how the DLCs might end for him.
• Chen Xu refused to reassure players, saying their pessimism would make the surprise greater, and hinted that his next game would offer comfort after Ethan’s loss.

As FOW debated whether to delay Lost Curse to avoid competing with The Witcher expansions, Alex persuaded the company to postpone its release. Chen Xu took his team to Boston and other locations to research a new game, while players eagerly began the newly unlocked expansions.

• Grayson argued that FOW should release Lost Curse as planned, but Alex warned that The Witcher expansions could draw huge attention, especially if Geralt died.
• After discussion, Alex decided to delay Lost Curse until the New Year and suggested a theatrical apology announcement.
• Chen Xu told Yang Xin, Ruan Ningxue, Meng Zuo, and Qin Yi that the new project involved family, an apocalypse, and zombies.
• Chen Xu led the team to Boston, Pittsburgh, and East Colorado University to gather references.
• FOW announced its delay with a three-minute stage play, prompting players to speculate about the expansions and Geralt's fate.
• Blood and Wine and Hearts of Stone unlocked, and players entered the game as soon as they could.

Grayson began the Blood and Wine expansion and explored Toussaint, whose fairy-tale atmosphere and welcoming people contrasted sharply with the rest of The Witcher: Wild Hunt. As Geralt investigated the Beast of Beauclair, he uncovered a message accusing Toussaint’s old knights of failing to uphold their Five Virtues.

• Grayson chose to start Blood and Wine with a new save and was struck by the expansion’s unusual design and Toussaint’s bright, distinctive setting.
• Geralt arrived in Toussaint to investigate the Beast of Beauclair, a killer targeting nobles ahead of the duchy’s tournament.
• Geralt defeated a female Vampire at an abandoned vineyard, examined the victims, and later reported his findings to Duchess Anna Henrietta.
• Duchess Anna Henrietta gave Geralt the White Raven Vineyard and promised him a large payment for resolving the case.
• Geralt questioned the captain of the guard and concluded that the Beast was exposing how its victims had violated the Five Virtues, accusing Toussaint’s old knights of hypocrisy.

Grayson played through the main story of Blood and Wine, following Geralt as he investigated Dettlaff’s killings and faced choices that determined Toussaint’s fate. Geralt defeated Dettlaff, and in the ending Grayson reached, he settled at White Raven Vineyard as friends and family gathered around him.

• Geralt met his old friend Regis, who had been revived by Dettlaff and asked him to uncover the truth behind the killings.
• Geralt brewed a Vigo Potion with Regis’s help, learned that Dettlaff had killed under blackmail, and discovered that the mastermind was Syanna.
• Dettlaff threatened to destroy Toussaint unless Syanna met him, and his lesser Vampires attacked Beauclair when the duchess refused to hand her over.
• Geralt and Regis sought the Unseen Elder’s help, then defeated Dettlaff; Regis killed him when he would not relent.
• Syanna killed the duchess during the final ceremony, while a guard killed Syanna, bringing Toussaint’s tragedy to a close.
• Geralt later settled at White Raven Vineyard, where his friends and family gathered, and Grayson finished the DLC impressed by its story and scope.

Players praised the stories and content of The Witcher: Wild Hunt’s Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions, and many felt Chen Xu had priced them far too cheaply. The chapter ended with players especially celebrating Hearts of Stone’s storytelling and Master Mirror’s defeat.

• Players discussed Blood and Wine’s endings, including Geralt’s happy ending and the difficult choices involving Syanna, Dettlaff, and Regis.
• Players praised Hearts of Stone’s darker story about Olgierd, who traded his brother’s life and his emotions to Master Mirror for immortality and restored wealth.
• Players said they chose to save Olgierd and drive Master Mirror out of the world after seeing the devil’s cruel schemes.
• Players discussed the characters and outcomes of both expansions on the forums as more of them completed the content.
• Players compared the expansions’ extensive stories and gameplay with their prices and said Chen Xu was practically giving them away.
• Players praised Hearts of Stone’s focused campaign and storytelling, with some considering it more compelling than the main game.

Grayson admired the storytelling and happy ending in The Witcher 3’s expansions. On a location-scouting trip, Chen Xu revealed that his next project would be The Last of Us, a post-apocalyptic game focused on emotional bonds rather than horror.

• Grayson praised Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, especially the atmosphere and presentation of Hearts of Stone and Geralt’s happy ending in Toussaint.
• Chen Xu’s team reached a park in Salt Lake City, where Meng Zuo asked whether the new project would destroy the cities they had visited.
• Chen Xu explained that a fungal outbreak had devastated the United States, and the game would contrast urban ruins with nature reclaiming the cities.
• Qin Yi asked whether the project would be a horror game, and Chen Xu said it would use zombies but focus on emotional bonds.
• Chen Xu revealed that the project was The Last of Us and decided that the first game’s open-ended story was complete without a sequel.

After returning from location scouting in Boston, Chen Xu revealed the keywords “virus, apocalypse, bond” for Nebula Games’ new title, prompting players to speculate that it was a Resident Evil sequel. He gathered the team to introduce the new game, The Last of Us, and discuss adapting it for Huanyu VR.

• Chen Xu returned to Nebula Games with his team after nearly a month away, while players followed the year’s awards race between The Witcher: Wild Hunt and Wasteland 1978.
• Players noticed that Chen Xu and Alex had skipped award events, then heard rumors that they were developing new games.
• Leaked photos showed Chen Xu’s team scouting locations in Boston, and Chen Xu confirmed a new game by posting the keywords “virus, apocalypse, bond.”
• Players speculated that the game would continue Resident Evil and answer questions about Rose and Ethan, while industry designers were surprised by the prospect of another horror game.
• Chen Xu joked with Ruan Ningxue and the team about the players’ expectations, then invited everyone to a meeting to introduce The Last of Us and discuss adapting it for Huanyu VR.

Chen Xu explained that The Last of Us would center on emotional interaction and planned adjustments for its VR release. Meanwhile, FOW announced Wasteland 1981, and Grayson reassured Alex that they had the advantage over Nebula Games.

• Chen Xu told the team that The Last of Us would use a linear narrative and build emotional bonds through player interaction.
• Chen Xu and the team discussed adapting The Last of Us's atmosphere, stealth, and environments for VR without making horror its core.
• FOW confirmed that Wasteland 1981 was in development, with Alex handling its story and gameplay framework and Grayson building its open world.
• Grayson argued that FOW had the advantage over Nebula Games in development progress, marketing, and the likely appeal of its game.
• Alex listened to Grayson's analysis and became less worried about competing with Nebula Games.

FOW built anticipation for Wasteland 1981 until Nebula Games revealed The Last of Us with a trailer depicting Joel and a girl surviving a dangerous post-apocalyptic world. The chapter ended with the game’s logo and players left speculating about its story and gameplay.

• FOW released details about Wasteland 1981, including a mature protagonist, a dog companion, and motorcycle repairs and modifications.
• Nebula Games and Chen Xu announced The Last of Us and posted a video, surprising players and FOW executives who had expected a biohazard sequel or horror game.
• The trailer showed a post-apocalyptic city reclaimed by nature, a quarantine zone, and the outbreak that brought chaos.
• The video followed Joel and a girl as they faced infected, raiders, and other dangers while traveling through the ruined world.
• The girl narrated their struggle to survive and questioned whether their sacrifices had to mean something before The Last of Us logo appeared.

Players and FOW reacted to The Last of Us’s cryptic promotional video, while Alex feared Nebula Games might disrupt FOW’s campaign. Grayson restored Alex’s confidence, and the chapter ended with FOW continuing its reveals as Nebula Games shared only concept art.

• Players watched The Last of Us’s promotional video and remained unsure about its story, gameplay, and genre, though they learned the protagonist was Joel and later learned the girl was named Ellie.
• Alex inferred that The Last of Us was probably a linear, story-driven zombie game, while Grayson argued that FOW’s Wasteland 1981 had the stronger prospects.
• Grayson persuaded Alex that his fear of Nebula Games stemmed from The Witcher: Wild Hunt’s surprise success, and Alex regained his determination.
• Alex and FOW continued their promotional campaign with regular content releases and insider leaks, gradually raising player enthusiasm.
• Chen Xu released no further major announcements for The Last of Us, instead sharing scene and character concept art, prompting players to complain that the game might not be finished.

FOW planned to use a limited test of Wasteland 1981 to draw attention from The Last of Us, while Nebula Games invited gaming journalists to preview its story-focused game. The journalists began their three-day closed test, and Li Yue reacted with surprise to the opening character setup.

• Alex and Grayson discussed how Wasteland 1981 could compete with The Last of Us, and Grayson proposed launching a limited first-round test.
• Chen Xu invited domestic and international gaming media to review The Last of Us in advance.
• Journalists gathered at Nebula Games, where Li Yue said he trusted the studio despite the trailer’s ordinary appearance.
• The journalists entered dedicated Huanyu VR pods and started The Last of Us.
• Li Yue watched the game begin and looked surprised by its character setup.

Li Yue played a flashback in which Joel and his daughter Sarah faced the start of an outbreak and fled the city with Tommy. A soldier shot Sarah during their escape, and she died in Joel’s arms.

• Li Yue watched Joel come home to Sarah, who gave him a birthday present before going to bed.
• After Tommy called, Sarah explored the house, found clues about a spreading infection, and saw reports of violence and explosions on television.
• Joel returned, shot an infected neighbor who broke into the house, and took Sarah and Tommy out of the city.
• Joel refused to give a stranded family a ride, and the group drove through traffic and past infected people toward the highway.
• A soldier shot at Joel and Sarah after they escaped the infected; Tommy killed the soldier, but Sarah had been wounded.
• Joel held Sarah as she died from her wound, and Li Yue was stunned by the scene.

Li Yue and the other journalists were struck by The Last of Us’s emotional opening, especially Sarah’s death and the abrupt jump twenty years ahead. As Li Yue explored Joel and Tess’s quarantine-zone city, the game revealed a harsh world where civilization had changed but not vanished, leaving Sarah’s lasting significance unresolved.

• Li Yue was stunned when Sarah died during the outbreak and the game abruptly shifted to news reports from the post-catastrophe world.
• Twenty years later, Li Yue noticed Joel still wore the broken watch Sarah had given him as a birthday present.
• Joel and Tess’s conversation revealed a world of ration cards, military rule, smugglers, and Firefly rebels.
• Li Yue watched soldiers kill people who failed or fled infection screening, and the city’s rules showed how little human life mattered.
• The reviewing journalists praised the opening’s pacing and realistic world, and wondered what Sarah’s death and Joel’s watch would mean for the story.

Li Yue explored The Last of Us’s scarce supplies, Cordyceps outbreak, and stealth-focused combat while Joel and Tess made their way through a smuggler passage. He found that loud combat quickly overwhelmed Joel, leaving him to proceed cautiously through the infected-filled building.

• Li Yue examined the backpack inventory and limited supplies as Joel and Tess took a secret route through the quarantine zone.
• Joel and Tess encountered a trapped smuggler whose damaged Gas Mask meant he would become infected, leaving them to choose whether to abandon or kill him.
• Tess explained how Cordyceps infected people, created Clickers, and spread spores that required survivors to wear Gas Masks.
• Li Yue learned that Runners could swarm toward noise and that Listen Mode helped Joel detect enemies while sneaking.
• Li Yue tried fighting with a brick, but the alerted Runners overwhelmed Joel, convincing him that stealth was essential.

Li Yue and the invited journalists became immersed in Joel and Ellie’s journey through a devastated world, where Tess’s sacrifice pushed Joel to continue escorting Ellie. After Bill helped them obtain a car, Joel and Ellie reached Pittsburgh and witnessed the Hunters’ brutality, leaving the reviewers to confront how dangerous humanity had become.

• Joel and Tess discovered that Ellie was infected but immune, and Tess revealed her own bite before asking Joel to take Ellie to Tommy.
• When soldiers arrived at the Capitol Building, Tess stayed behind so Joel and Ellie could escape, and Joel continued the journey with Ellie.
• Li Yue recognized that Joel’s grief over Sarah shaped his cold treatment of Ellie, while journalists reviewing the game became increasingly absorbed in its story.
• Joel and Ellie found Bill, who helped Joel obtain a car after discovering that his old friend Frank had died and left him a letter.
• In Pittsburgh, Joel and Ellie fought the Hunters and found a warehouse full of victims’ bodies, shocking Ellie and prompting the reviewers to consider the cruelty of the apocalypse.