> "What happened next? What else did Lucas do?"
"I mean... even if a child hid a kitchen knife and hacked at a door, is that really enough to traumatize a grown man?"
The video footage paused at that moment, lingering on the faces of Lucas's adoptive parents. The husband sat quietly, still visibly shaken. The wife's hand rested on his leg, trying to offer him comfort.
Although her eyes were a little red, there were no visible signs of tears. Her expression was composed—too composed.
She finally spoke, with a voice that carried both reassurance and subtle caution.
> "You've misunderstood. My husband has always been… sensitive. It's not entirely because of Lucas."
The man behind the camera remained silent, his attitude unreadable. He didn't agree. He didn't argue.
The wife, as if eager to end the session, gently patted her husband's leg again.
> "That's all we can tell you," she said calmly. "We've said everything we know."
And with that, the video ended.
...
The internet exploded once again.
> "Lucas's childhood is something straight out of a horror movie!"
"He wasn't just mentally unstable. There's something else going on here."
For many, it was their first time seeing such raw, contradictory accounts of someone who had now become a public figure.
> "It seems that Lucas's psychological problems manifested early in his life."
But not everyone was buying the adoptive parents' story.
> "Don't you think the wife's attitude was weird? She kept interrupting him, kept stopping her husband from saying more. That's not normal."
> "Exactly! The husband was clearly about to reveal something, and then—bam—she shuts him down."
> "I don't think it's weird. He's just a kid with issues. What more are you expecting to find out?"
> "Hey, by the way... does anyone know where that Sunshine Orphanage is?"
> "Never heard of it."
> "I checked the maps—nothing came up."
> "It's like it never existed..."
...
But that mystery only served to fuel curiosity. The video had given the audience something they couldn't resist: an unsolved mystery. Players and viewers alike, still resting between rounds of the horror game, threw themselves into the search for the elusive Sunshine Orphanage.
Then, without warning, a forum post exploded in popularity.
> [I Finally Found It: Sunshine Orphanage Exists!]
It was suddenly on every trending page, turning bright red as it racked up views by the second.
The poster, clearly someone who had gone the extra mile, had included a photo.
The picture showed a dilapidated building framed by dark skies. The entrance gate bore the rusted words "Sunshine Orphanage," barely legible through vines and decay. Weeds grew in wild patches along the path, and the air around the building looked heavy—like it hadn't been disturbed in years.
According to the poster, the orphanage had long been abandoned—except for one inhabitant:
> "There's only one person left here. A strange old man who calls himself the director."
He described a small room where the man lived, filled with nothing but broken furniture, dusty floors, and an old radio playing static.
> "It's like he's still living in the past. He doesn't even seem to know about the horror game phenomenon or the internet chaos surrounding Lucas."
And then, attached to the post, was a transcript of the poster's conversation with the old man.
---
Poster: Is this… is this Sunshine Orphanage?
Old Man: Who are you looking for? Are you one of the kids who came back from the hospital?
Poster: No, no! I just want to ask you about someone. Do you remember a child named Lucas? His adoptive parents gave him that name.
Old Man: Lucas…? You mean Xiaobei?
Poster: You actually remember him?
Old Man: Of course I remember him!
Poster: Was there something... off about him when he lived here? Maybe he behaved differently than the other children?
Old Man: What are you talking about?! Lucas was the most well-behaved child we had! Obedient, mature beyond his years, always helping the younger ones. He even helped clean and cook sometimes. He was like a little adult. Never caused trouble.
Poster: ...
Old Man: Why are you looking at me like that?
Poster: It's just... the Lucas I know seems nothing like what you're describing. Grandpa, is there something you're not telling me? Don't worry. He'll never know what you tell me.
Old Man: I told you the truth! Stop trying to trap me! By the way… how is Lucas? Is he doing okay? Tell him not to come back here. He should live his own life now.
---
That conversation sent shockwaves through the forum.
How could it be? The Lucas described by the old director was a perfect, gentle child, nothing like the unstable and sinister version painted by the adoptive parents.
> "This is crazy. Are we even talking about the same person?"
> "That old man sounded sincere. Maybe the adoptive parents were lying?"
> "It's like Lucas has two faces—one everyone adored and one that terrified people."
And with that, the narrative turned.
Many now began to side with the old man, trusting his warm, heartfelt recollection over the guarded and eerie testimony of the adoptive couple.
Of course, not everyone was convinced.
> "Something about the old man's tone bothers me."
> "Yeah. It's like he knows more than he's willing to say. That smile? It's off."
But these skeptical voices were quickly drowned in the flood of opinions pouring in. Everyone was hooked.
The mystery of Lucas was no longer a side story. It was the story.
...
Then came a chilling reminder:
> [System Prompt: Please note that all players must enter the next horror game within one week. Failure to comply will result in termination.]
> [Countdown Begins…]
[5:23:59]
[5:23:58]
...
Somewhere in his resting quarters, Lucas opened his eyes.
He had slept through an entire day and night after completing the last nightmare scenario.
The lounge television was on. The news was playing.
> "A tragic fire broke out in the Second Hospital yesterday. 213 lives were lost. Officials are still unsure what caused the blaze."
Lucas didn't move.
He stared at the screen in silence.
After a long pause, he exhaled softly.
> "...I told them this would happen."
...
Behind the scenes, a young author stared at his empty document editor, watching the blinking cursor as it mocked him with stillness. He squinted, peering at the blank white page.
Then he laughed, muttering to himself:
> "Even the screen wants me to update. Ugh... fine. Here comes the next chapter."
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