Game Making: Start By Healing the Player -
Chapter 38
Why does Johnny want to go to the moon?
Because even after his childhood memories were blurred by those beta-blockers.
Even if he couldn’t consciously recall, the memories were still there, he had met River a long time ago.
The memory of their promise is still carried within him.
[ What if you forget… or get lost? ]
[ Then we can always regroup on the moon, silly! ]
In the lonely days since River passed away, this idea had gradually emerged from the depths of his memories.
He had forgotten everything, including the true first meeting, and the conversation of that time.
But his mind clings on to one thing, and that is the need to go to the moon, because River is missing, lost from his life, and he needs to go to the moon to find her.
This also explains why River had been folding those origami rabbits.
Because Johnny’s confession made her realize that he could not remember their first true meeting.
So she had been obsessively folding those rabbits to remind Johnny of that meeting, in her own way.
Similarly, River would rather sacrifice her health and life to finish building that house, just to remind Johnny of everything.
When they first met, River opened her heart to Johnny and revealed her true self. Johnny, too, felt something special about River that he needed in his life.
All the secrets they held are finally laid bare.
What Johnny wants is not the moon, but to be by River’s side.
She had no good way of expressing herself, but she was willing to spend her remaining lifespan trying to remind him of her, shining on him like a beacon in the night. This is a sort of mentality, a mentality that many others would never understand.
And as for Johnny, he may have lost his memory of her, but he could never forget the promise that they made when they met by the moon.
The scene lingered on a young River, holding the platypus doll in her arms and gazing at the distant moon.
In an instant, the eyes of all the players became wet and blurry.
- [ Damn this game! I can’t see my screen clearly! ]
- [ +1 for blurry screen, pls fix the game ]
- [ Fuck, my eyes hurt! I must have been watching a screen too long ]
- [ When it started, I thought the game was boring, but now I just want to ask WHYYYYY ]
- [ I’m ugly crying ]
- [ It’s not a sin for a big man to cry. Look at the boss, his eyes are red too ]
- [ What does it mean for a macho man to cry? This, this is what it means ]
- [ My heart hurts, I can’t take this shit ]
The game is unique in its use of flashback techniques, starting from the excitement of going to the moon, arousing curiosity and inner doubts.
Little by little, layers of secrets are revealed.
Combined with the powerful background music, it moved countless players.
Some of the more emotional players couldn’t help but cry as the truth was uncovered, it didn’t matter if they were male or female. They were all moved by the story of River and Johnny.
Dong Zhen cursed as he blew his nose into a napkin, his eyes were red and he trembled as he was forcefully restraining himself, needing to cry out but unwilling to lose face in front of such a large audience.
But the real shocker, was that the game was still going, the ride wasn’t over yet.
It was only after a quick conversation between Neil and Eva that everyone remembered.
This was still taking place within Johnny’s memories.
And they still had a written contract to fulfill: To bring Johnny to the moon.
[ …If they ever get lost? Wait, does that mean– ]
[ Don’t tell me you didn’t see that coming ]
[ And here I thought this was going to be some inspirational childhood dream story… I should’ve known that some girl would come along and turn it into a cheese fest ]
[ I suppose now… we know what we must do to send him to the moon ]
[ Wait, you aren’t actually going to do it… are you?]
[ It’s our job, Neil… It’s what we are contracted to do ]
[ Damn it Eva, WAIT— ]
Without warning, Eva’s figure disappeared in front of Neil. He gave chase.
Dong Zhen, who was at the edge of his seat, got a very bad feeling.
“Yo, wait, hold on, what’s this doctor trying to do?”
After several hops, Neil tracked Eva down to the memory of high school.
The background music changed, becoming tense and fast-paced. The scenery also changed, becoming a sickly yellow, like film grain.
[ I know what you are planning to do ]
[ Look, our contract is to send him to the moon… And the only way for that to happen, is if Johnny is motivated to do so ]
[ But if that means removing River, then what’s the point?! The reason why he even wanted to go to the moon in the first place is because she died! ]
[ I know. But we are legally bound by the contract to specifically– ]
[ Fuck the contract! I didn’t take this job to make him miserable, Eva. I don’t know about you, but I signed up to help the freakin’ geezers die happy ]
The conversation between the two amplified the feeling of dread in Dong Zhen’s gut. This doctor actually wants to remove River!
Her reasons are sound and legitimate, there seems to be no clauses or explicit requirements for a case as unique as this one.
However, after spending time enjoying the game and getting to know the characters, the players are unable to accept such a situation.
- [ Lady, how can you be so cruel? ]
- [ Lady, why are you being so rigid? ]
- [ I’m sorry… I need to go lay down, I can’t take this ]
Dong Zhen couldn’t help but pound his table in a rage. He was so moved by the story of River and Johnny, how could he stand such a development!
The chat was zooming on faster than before, and the viewership numbers were steadily increasing.
Obviously, no normal person could allow this to happen.
What the fuck even is that contract?
Johnny doesn’t want to go to the moon, he wants to be with River!
And now this doctor is threatening to take River away from his memories! How can this be?
But neither the viewers, the players, or even doctor Neil could stop what was happening.
Eva, who has greater authority over the machine and the mission, begins to remove and modify River from every corner of Johnny’s memories.
In the process, she also creates traps and walls to impede Neil from stopping her.
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