My game can make money starting from the Three Kingdoms period.

"This game can make money?!"

It seems that Lu Xiao has only just figured out the real way to play this game!

The downsides? This game is all advantages!

The game did not continue immediately.

Lu Xiao is now extremely interested in this game.

Just then, my phone rang. It was a message from my younger brother: "Brother, it's almost Chinese New Year. Are you coming home this year?"

Lu Xiao didn't reply. He could imagine the scene of being ridiculed by his parents for not having money to go home.

My parents have said more than once that he's not doing anything productive, saying that games can't put food on the table.

They even said that so-and-so next door got married this year and had a baby next year, while Lu Xiao, at his age, was still single. He didn't look for someone himself, nor did he go on blind dates. They said that Lu Xiao had completely embarrassed them.

Look at my younger brother, he has good grades and is obedient, he will definitely pass the exam.

Does Lu Xiao set a good example as an older brother?

More than once, they told Lu Xiao to leave the industry and find a regular job.

Even if you want to make games, fine, but learn from others: they praise even the worst games to the skies and rake in all the commercials.

To put it bluntly, they just think Lu Xiao isn't making enough money and are stubbornly refusing to compromise with pay-to-win games.

What's wrong with looking down? Who cares if the game is a pay-to-win scheme? Making money is what matters.

"How much money can you make from this game?" Lu Xiao's curiosity was completely filled with "The Family".

After finishing his meal, Lu Xiao browsed the game's official website to research its background.

The game starts in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, when Lu Xiao experiences Lu Dafu's first life from his perspective. Players will be randomly assigned a starting location upon entering the game.

Lu Dafu died in the first year of Zhongping, which is 184 AD, the year of the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

Lu Xiao tried hard to recall Lu Dafu's life.

He started with a few acres of meager land and a virtuous wife. That's already a pretty good start.

As a result of her own impetuousness and haste, without experiencing farming, Ah Cui was unable to pay her taxes and had to sell her land.

Then they became tenant farmers, barely scraping by.

Lu Dafu was listless and lethargic, so the master of the house made an example of him by breaking both his legs.

This left Lu Dafu paralyzed at home, completely unable to work.

Ah Cui remained devoted to him until her death.

Fortunately, there was a filial son, Lu Xiaoniu, who took care of his paralyzed father, Lu Dafu. Lu Dafu was also very lucky to have survived for so long.

I wonder what means Lu Xiaoniu uses to make a living.

So this second life must be from Lu Xiaoniu's perspective.

Lu Xiao thought of the game's interactive gameplay, which was that during the Qingming Festival in each calendar year, players could burn incense to send messages.

But only two words can be conveyed, so this requires utmost caution.

These two words are related to the character's trajectory this year and in the future, and will ultimately affect the amount received.

This requires Lu Xiao to interact in a reasonable and effective manner.

"My ultimate goal is to increase the assets my character possesses before death. The game doesn't prohibit cheating or swindling. Just like in a real world, you can use any means necessary."

"Furthermore, if we want the game to continue, we also need to consider the character's ability to have offspring. If I marry a wicked wife, then I'm just throwing my money down the drain."

Lu Xiao was aroused with an unprecedented interest.

This is not just a game, but more like a challenge. You need to convey messages strategically based on the characters' personalities, weaving together an unpredictable ending.

Players then receive monetary rewards, thus gaining positive feedback.

This is what justifies the 1 billion yuan R&D figure!

"From a long-term perspective, the best path is undoubtedly to accumulate strength and enter the business and political arena. And this must be prepared in advance."

The game is titled "Families," and that must be the meaning behind it.

"The key is determining which two words the incense is meant to convey. Interesting! This game is really interesting!"

"Can I delete my account and start a new one? I'm even willing to spend money to start over!"

If he could reopen the business, Lu Xiao vowed that he would manage Lu Dafu's life well.

Put on your helmet.

Unfortunately, once the arrow is released, there's no turning back.

Perhaps because it's in closed beta, the in-app purchase feature isn't available.

We cannot relive Lu Dafu's life.

I remember the staff saying that everyone only has one chance to play.

Lu Xiao blamed himself for being impetuous and not listening to the staff's explanations, which led to the game starting like this.

From now on, I must be extremely careful every time I burn incense or speed up the process!

Choose to continue the game.

However, this time it's not a first-person perspective.

At this moment, Lu Xiao stood at a high vantage point, observing everything that was happening in the world.

He was like an omnipotent God, yet also like a bystander who could only stand idly by.

Luting, Tanxian County, Xuzhou

Despite the mud, Lu Xiaoniu kowtowed before the grave.

"Mother, Father was behaving strangely today, just like you described. He didn't even recognize me!"

"Mother, how are you? Are you paying taxes over there?"

"The tax collector said that my father and I had accumulated a thousand coins in taxes, which he would use to pay off my debts when I grew up and joined the army. If I didn't go, he would break my arms and legs and make me a human pig to be paraded through the streets to earn money to pay off my taxes."

"Mother, I don't want to be a human pig. Fortunately, I met the Yellow Turban leader, who gave me a bowl of talisman water and said he would lead us to conquer the prefectures and counties."

"Mother, please forgive me... I brought Father a bowl of poisoned water."

From God's perspective, Lu Xiao touched his nose in frustration.

Indeed, I played this game terribly.

If the game weren't set in the Han Dynasty, a time when the Han Dynasty governed the country with filial piety and selected officials based on integrity, Lu Xiaoniu would have abandoned Lu Dafu long ago.

Describing Lu Xiao's life from the very beginning as a complete bastard is no exaggeration.

He rushed through life without experiencing hardship or hunger, but instead transferred those burdens to Ah Cui and Xiao Niu.

Even knowing they were fictional characters, just lines of code, Lu Xiao still felt the same way.

At this moment, he was completely immersed in the game and the story.

The incense is about to burn out.

Lu Xiaoniu kowtowed again, "Mother, after I've dealt with Father, I'll go and join the Yellow Turban leader and start an uprising. If I succeed one day, I'll return to repair Mother's grave."

Is he going to join the Yellow Turban Rebellion?

No!

With focused mind, the word "Do not turn back" was conveyed to the other side.

Lu Xiaoniu felt a sound explode in his mind.

"Mother?! You're still alive?"

But after that sound, there was no further movement.

The incense burned out and fell away, leaving a last wisp of smoke, like a mother withdrawing the hands that had been stroking his head.

Without a response, Lu Xiaoniu was at a loss.

He believed this was a warning from his mother, telling him not to rebel.

Lu Xiaoniu didn't leave; he sat on the ground, muttering to himself, hoping that voice would appear again.

Lu Xiaoniu is a well-behaved child who is sensible from a young age and often helps his mother with housework.

Even though his family had been dragged down by Lu Dafu, his mother, A Cui, still taught him to be filial to Lu Dafu and to cherish his health and appearance.

Three years ago, A Cui fell seriously ill and was bedridden. Twelve-year-old Lu Xiaoniu shouldered the responsibility of supporting the entire family.

They herded livestock for the wealthy, worked for their neighbors, begged and groveled, barely surviving.

The saying "Marrying an unworthy wife ruins three generations, choosing a bad husband ruins a lifetime" perfectly describes this family's situation.

As night fell, Lu Xiaoniu returned home.

The broken bowl containing talisman water, placed next to the haystack, remained unmoved.

Lu Xiaoniu then assumed that Lu Dafu had seen through his trick.

Lu Xiaoniu wasn't afraid. Lu Dafu was already crippled, so even if he urinated all over him, he wouldn't react.

Lu Xiaoniu was preparing to join the Yellow Turban Rebellion, but with Lu Dafu as a burden, it was definitely not an option.

Lu Xiaoniu could simply abandon Lu Dafu to fend for himself, but he couldn't bear to do so.

So Lu Xiaoniu caught a pufferfish, intending to give Lu Dafu a quick death.

However, today Lu Dafu acted strangely again, just as his mother had described, which made Lu Xiaoniu waver.

It seems that only Lu Dafu like this is a living person.

With a heart full of trepidation, I took a closer look.

died!

Lu Xiaoniu felt neither sorrow nor joy, but inwardly he felt an unprecedented sense of liberation.

Lu Xiaoniu did not bury Lu Dafu next to his mother's grave, believing that Lu Dafu was unworthy.

A few days later, someone came to the village and called him away.

"The Azure Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise; in the year of Jiazi, great fortune shall befall the world!"

The people, chanting slogans, wearing yellow turbans and carrying forks and sticks, joined the uprising.

Someone came to call Lu Xiaoniu.

They were going to attack the county town and asked Lu Xiaoniu to help with logistics.

Lu Xiaoniu refused, citing his father's recent death and the need to stay home to observe mourning.

He remembered his mother's words to him on Qingming Festival: "Do not go against it."

Lu Xiaoniu felt more relaxed than ever before, and he set some goals.

First, he attached himself to a wealthy master, herding livestock and helping to cultivate some land to ensure he wouldn't starve.

Strive to gain the master's favor, and like the older brother next door, become the master's servant.

When the upper part of the family was established, the master would rent some land for them to plant.

Then find a wife, have many children, and when the children grow up, they will be able to work the land.

Lu Xiaoniu swore that he would never be a bastard like his father.

Lu Xiao was very satisfied; Lu Xiaoniu showed maturity and composure at such a young age.

Because he delivered the message in time, he did not participate in the uprising and his achievements became someone else's military merit. This prevented the game from ending in the second generation.

Lu Xiao confidently activated the time acceleration.

The following year, during the Qingming Festival, the year was approaching.

Lu Xiao and others waited for Lu Xiaoniu to burn incense.

However, Lu Xiaoniu was delayed by herding livestock, and by the time he remembered to pay respects to his mother, the Qingming Festival had already passed.