But Zhou Xun woke up.
He, Yu Chengzhou, and the others woke up from their dream.
Those humans who had been swallowed up by the "home" also appeared alongside them.
Those people were overjoyed.
Their return from the dead is the best reward and gift they could receive.
Only Zhou Xun still wanted to open the dungeon. He tried again and again, but all he got were repeated replies from the system:
"All horror game instances are currently closed and players cannot access them at this time."
...
The shadows enveloped the "home," and as they spread, they also enveloped other instances.
All the sins and karma were borne by Chiyo on her own.
His emotions became increasingly detached.
But in his half-awake state, Qianyuan could always sense that his family was always with him.
"Baby……"
Dad doesn't need to endlessly kill people in the game anymore, but he's still quite busy learning basic human skills, such as cooking, planting, flower arranging, knitting, and organizing. He's learning how to take good care of his baby and this family.
He would blow up the kitchen while Qianyuan was sleeping, and when Qianyuan woke up, he would pick her up, check if she needed more clothes because it was cold, braid her hair, and cuddle with her.
Sometimes my brother would still go out to check on other instances and help Qianyuan suppress those bosses that weren't sleeping properly.
He used to say all the time that he wanted to take a break and go on vacation with his son, but when he had free time, he thought about working for his son for free.
Sometimes when he comes home, he finds his son sleepwalking on the carpet, sofa, or next to the dolls, as if he were raising a cat, experiencing the novelty of encountering a cat growing in the corner of the house all the time.
The second brother likes to follow his son wherever he grows up.
The corner that he used to sleep in was now warm and cozy with Qianyuan nestled next to him, making her want to stay asleep forever.
When the older brother sees the two of them huddled together in the corner of the living room like spineless creatures, he can't help but frown.
"Why did you let the baby sleep here? What if he catches a cold?"
He scolded her while reaching out to touch Qianyuan.
But the little one with its eyes closed silently melted into the shadow beneath it, becoming a dark, fluid cat that its brother couldn't catch at all.
"Baby..."
The older brother's tone was somewhat helpless: "Don't sleep here, okay? I didn't put a carpet here, it'll be cold."
Qianyuan opened her eyes a little bit, but ignored her brother.
The older brother continued to coax him skillfully: "Who is the well-behaved little one? Who is the most obedient baby of your brother?"
Upon hearing this, Qianyuan silently emerged from the shadows.
His older brother led him up, like leading a little child, step by step, until he was finally placed on the soft sofa.
It has to be said that Qianyuan was quite pleased with it. Under the glow of the fireplace, the little guy's head bobbed up and down, and it looked like he was about to fall asleep again.
The older brother sat down and, while drinking the coffee that his father had poured—which was so bitter it could kill three cows—slowly told Qianyuan about the latest developments in the entire horror game.
After saying that, the older brother smoothed Qianyuan's hair and suddenly said mischievously:
"I looked at the human world through the mirror."
Qianyuan's lifeless eyes, which had always been like those of a doll, blinked once.
Seeing that he reacted, the older brother immediately continued, "Guess who I saw?"
"That human was the only one still trying to enter the game instance, so he was the first one I saw."
"But he still doesn't look good. He's not strong at all, and he's not as good-looking as your brother. I really don't understand what's so good about him."
"Hmm... maybe it's acceptable by human standards, but there are countless good-looking people and plenty of good-looking monsters. Do you want me to catch a couple for you to play with when I have time?"
"Okay, okay, I know you don't like it. I've also seen those humans who are always with that kid, they're all fine, and they're still living together, just like us."
“Baby, we are all waiting for you to wake up, so don’t rush. Just wake up when you are ready. Your family will always be waiting for you.”
The older brother lowered his head and seemed to vaguely see the tears in Qianyuan's eyes, but by the time he reached out to wipe them away, they had already dried.
After thinking for a moment, the older brother said to the little one, "When you come back, shall we travel everywhere? We can go wherever we want in the whole horror game. In spring we can see cherry blossoms, in summer we can see the sea, in autumn we can see maple leaves, and in winter we can soak in hot springs."
“Dad studies cooking every day, and I don’t know if he can restore the kitchen to its original state before you wake up.”
Under my father's culinary influence, the kitchen has almost become a forbidden zone, like a god-level dungeon.
It's the kind that kills both monsters and humans.
The boilers are constantly protesting, asking Dad to go and mess with the vegetable garden or the sewing supplies instead of always chasing after them and causing trouble.
However, when the older brother wanted to step into the kitchen to give feedback based on public opinion, he saw his father conjure up all his arms, holding various knives, with some unknown mixture of contents scattered everywhere, and he chose to remain silent.
Alright, alright, only the cubs can be persuaded. Let the kitchen utensils hold the fort for now.
The older brother could only try to comfort the victim.
As they were talking, the living room clock started chiming, signaling that it was time for the family dinner.
The older brother led Qianyuan to the dining table. As usual, they ate, talked, and maintained the warmth of their home.
Even though the rules of "home" are no longer rules, and the older brother and father are no longer bound by rules, they still maintain what humans call "home".
They truly became like family.
Amidst the clinking of glasses, the dishes that Dad had personally cooked were discreetly moved by the older brother to the front of the second brother. The second brother hesitated for a moment, but in order not to let his son wake up from the poisoning, he silently took on the responsibility.
At that moment, the butler brought in an exquisitely crafted eight-inch cake, with candles burning on it, casting a warm and comforting glow.
The older brother said, "I specifically looked it up and found that humans also have a birthday cake ritual when they eat. From now on, we'll celebrate our baby's birthday every day so that our baby can eat his favorite little cake every day."
Qianyuan gazed at the candlelight before her, and realized that the large gap that had once been left in her life had been gradually filled by the monster family.
He longed to lift his head, to hold his father's and brothers' hands again, but he was enveloped by intense drowsiness and fell into a deeper, more profound dream.
Before falling asleep, his father kissed his forehead as always and said, "Goodnight."
A gentle, deep voice, mimicking a human lullaby, softly hummed:
"My darling, here's something sweet for you, so you can sleep well tonight..."
"My little devil, let me tease your eyes and make you love this world..."
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