Chapter 564: Everyone's a Riddler-like Character! (Requesting Subscriptions, Monthly Passes)

As Song Ren was filled with confusion and bewilderment, the game screen had already turned black.

It was practically an opening thunderclap!

First, Ethan was certainly going to face some things; for that, he was completely mentally prepared.

Moreover, he had already made many conjectures beforehand, such as the organization called the Alliance causing another major incident.

Evelyn might not have died, but would make a comeback in this installment.

But what he absolutely hadn't expected was Chris leading a team, suddenly barging into Ethan's house and killing Mia.

What in the world was this!?

Could Chris be the real mastermind?

But this made no sense at all!

Although Chris only appeared briefly at the very end of the previous game's story, there was DLC content that allowed players to control Chris.

Judging from the plot description of Chris in that content, he was definitely a positive character.

He had saved the world multiple times and eradicated evil bio-pharmaceutical companies.

But what was the situation now?

"Go! Go now!"

The escort team member behind him, wearing a gas mask, shoved Ethan, urging him to move faster.

Outside the door, Chris stood with his back to Ethan.

Just then, a baby's cry came from the side. A team member came down from the second floor, holding the infant Rose in his arms, and handed her to Chris: "No threat, target acquired, sir."

Seeing his daughter right there, Ethan was instantly enraged.

"Rose? What are you going to do with my child?"

Ethan, from behind Chris, issued an order to his team members.

"Take him away."

Accompanied by Rose's cries, Ethan, whose heart was fixated on his daughter, burst forth with unimaginable strength, directly struggling free from the escorting team members and charging towards Chris, wanting to reclaim his daughter, Rose.

"I said! Don't touch her!"

However, before Ethan could reach Chris, a nearby team member directly struck him to the ground with a rifle butt.

His vision spun, only Rose's cries echoed in his ears, and his sight gradually blurred.

Ethan struggled to get up, but could only be dragged out of the house by the escort team members. Desperately, he raised his hand, seemingly wanting to grasp Chris and keep his daughter: "Rose... Rose..."

Amidst Ethan's shouts, his vision went completely dark.

About two or three seconds later, a phone ringtone sounded amidst his daze, and Ethan seemed to have returned to the past.

However, the slightly ethereal scene told players that this was a flashback.

"Hello, doctor," Ethan answered the ringing phone.

"Mr. Winters, your child's results are in. If it's convenient for you, could you and your wife come to the hospital next Thursday at 4 PM for a meeting?"

"No problem, see you then."

Hanging up, Ethan looked at Mia, who was slowly walking towards him, and explained, "The doctor called, setting up a meeting for next Thursday."

But Mia looked worried.

Ethan looked at Mia in front of him and comforted her, "Mia, be optimistic, we've talked about this."

"Yes, we've barely talked about anything else."

Mia sat on the armrest of the sofa, shaking her head. "I've been wanting to tell you, I'm not worried about Rose."

"Then what are you worried about?" Ethan completely failed to understand Mia's meaning.

"She's perfectly fine, I know," Mia stood up and looked at Ethan.

"Then what else are you concerned about?"

"I'm concerned about us, Ethan!" Mia walked towards the door, shouting angrily.

"I'm concerned about you! But you're just..."

"Mia, what are you talking about?" Ethan walked towards Mia. "Are you hiding something from me? Please tell me."

As his voice fell, Mia's face grew even uglier. She looked at Ethan with a complicated expression, wanting to speak but holding back, and at that moment, Ethan's phone rang again.

"Damn it... I... I'll take this call first." Ethan held up his phone.

Mia, standing by the door, gave Ethan a deep look, angrily punched the doorframe, and then left the room.

Ethan's phone still rang in the room, but Song Ren was completely bewildered by this point.

What in the world was going on?

A string of questions swirled in Song Ren's mind.

Why did Chris kill Mia?

What was Mia hiding from Ethan?

Why steal Rose?

Couldn't they just say everything at once?!

Why keep hesitating and acting like a Riddler-like character!

What would happen next? Song Ren was now full of questions.

And then, the game screen gradually appeared.

Amidst a ringing sound, Ethan slowly opened his eyes to a scene of utter devastation.

Around him were the bodies of the escort team and damaged vehicles; it seemed all the other members, except for Chris, had met a tragic end.

Just like those unlucky souls in the previous Resident Evil DLC.

"So the story is going to revolve around uncovering the truth of why Chris kidnapped his daughter?"

"Good grief, the last game was about finding his wife, and this one, just like The Witcher: Wild Hunt, is about finding his daughter!"

Song Ren couldn't help but exclaim.

As for this Riddler-like setup, although it was an old trick, it never failed. It always managed to pique players' curiosity; even if you were furious enough to stomp your feet, you still wanted to know what the pangolin said!

At the same time, several more mysteries emerged: how did the car flip, what kind of entity attacked them, and where had Chris and Ethan's daughter, Rose, gone?

Clearly, Ethan would have to discover everything himself.

Controlling Ethan, who staggered up from the ground, Song Ren answered the phone to a man's voice.

However, after only two sentences, the other party realized Ethan wasn't the phone's owner and immediately hung up.

"So... they're just going to make me fumble around now!? What the heck! In the last game, at least it was still sunny before entering the house, but now it's suddenly night?!"

Picking up the nuclear-powered flashlight from the ground, Song Ren swallowed hard.

In the game at this moment, heavy snow fell in pitch darkness. Before him lay a dark path with no end in sight, and the flashlight's beam wasn't strong, further compounded by the snowy weather that severely limited his vision.

The only good news was that the game still maintained the tradition of its predecessor: this flashlight was a nuclear-powered flashlight.

"Why does this feeling seem so familiar..." Song Ren advanced cautiously, muttering inwardly.

Narrow vision, cramped pathways, a sinister and terrifying atmosphere, and a dim flashlight.

Scene after scene of unpleasant memories constantly replayed in his mind, and combined with the current environment, made his hands and feet feel a bit numb, and his heart race.

Fortunately, the journey was uneventful, apart from being startled midway by a not-quite-dead crow and an unclear dark shadow. There weren't any major jump scares, just a tiny bit of grim atmosphere.

Of course, what gave Song Ren more to complain about was Ethan's left hand, which seemed to be truly ill-fated.

In the previous game, it was sawn off by his wife Mia with a chainsaw; now, barely into this game, it was already bloody from barbed wire. He had no idea how much more suffering awaited it.

Following the path through the heavy snow, Song Ren soon guided Ethan to an abandoned cabin. He didn't find anything useful there, but as he turned after entering the underground attic, a rumbling sound made him jump.

But what worried him more was that there had clearly been a struggle upstairs just moments ago.

Would he encounter monsters soon?

He was unarmed right now!

Cautious, Song Ren controlled Ethan to slowly ascend to the second floor. But to his surprise, he found nothing out of the ordinary there, except for what seemed to be freshly spilled blood that hadn't yet dried.

Through the gaps in the doors and windows, he could see that dawn was already breaking outside.

Howling wind and snow poured in through the cracks.

Ethan climbed out through the gaps in the attic's wooden walls and clutter, emerging outside the house, then proceeded along the cramped path.

Soon, the view before him suddenly opened up.

"Where... where am I?" Ethan muttered, looking at everything before him.

(End of Chapter) <>