Collapse Iron: The Five Heroes of the Clouds Won't Let Me Go

People at Erxiang Paradise have two opinions about the show "Please Be Happy".

Some viewers believe that seeing the victims of the Death Demon incident smile again, overcome the past, and emerge from the shadows is proof that Nissou Land is gradually emerging from the shadow of the Bloodstained Games and ushering in a new life.

However, some viewers felt that this practice of reopening the wounds of the victims of the "Death Slayer" incident and making them available for public viewing was extremely morbid.

People don't really care whether the victims in the show actually found happiness; they just use the victims' smiles to overcome their own fear of the demon.

Clearly, Nissou Paradise has taken the second approach.

Television programs are ultimately a tool of capital.

They interview victims, help them, and tell the audience that the victims have moved on from the trauma, then use the audience's empathy to generate traffic.

For capital, this is the best code to attract traffic.

The victims, in turn, became the victims of capital.

Manyuan was one of the victims.

After being encouraged, comforted, and helped by new friends she met, she truly emerged from the shadows.

She flashed a radiant smile on the screen, as if reborn, full of vitality.

Cheng Xiao could see happiness and redemption in that smile.

But the next moment, the show director called a stop, praising Manyuan's smile as too real and touching, and saying that the show was very effective. Everyone around applauded, saying that Manyuan was the pride of the production team.

Manyuan was stunned.

She finally learned that all those who helped her were actors doing it for the sake of the show.

It's all an act!

But her pain and her tears were real.

As an ordinary girl, she really couldn't laugh, and she didn't know what was so funny about it.

Nobody cares; everyone only cares about the audience's reaction and the money brought in by the traffic.

Manyuan collapsed again.

It's as if someone who has struggled to get ashore is dragged back into the water. This time, they don't even want to struggle anymore; they just want to drown.

Everyone is trying to make the victims smile, but if they can't even feel pain, how can they empathize with the world and perceive everything else?

Manyuan is dead; her spirit is dead, leaving only an empty shell of paranoia.

Since everyone wants to laugh, and if you believe that laughter equals happiness, then laugh! Let's all laugh!

Thus, the so-called "happiness surgery" was born.

A surgical procedure that cuts through the sensory areas of the prefrontal cortex, removing all perception of pain.

But people can no longer perceive any emotions, and their hearts will no longer experience ups and downs.

This surgery was originally intended as a way to bring happiness to the program crew.

However, because the patient ultimately chose to commit suicide, the "happy surgery" was a joke, and viewers discovered that the interviewee's smile was fake.

As a result, "Please Be Happy" was on the verge of bankruptcy.

At this time, Man-wish, who had been silent for a long time, reappeared on the screen, showing himself in front of the camera with absolute confidence, cheerfulness and sunshine.

She inspired countless victims of the Death Prophet incident.

The company also promoted her as a role model to boost traffic.

Man-Wish then founded Man-Wish TV, which broadcast various programs aimed at bringing happiness to people.

People see her as someone who went from "becoming happy" to "bringing happiness."

After reading the story of fulfilling wishes, Cheng Xiao rubbed his temples:

"So, those few oddballs in the research group actually underwent happiness surgery. No wonder they were like they were possessed."

Little Ha, chin in hand, replayed the events:

"Do you know why I hate The Masked Fool's Tavern? I don't hate the tavern, but I hate the Masked Fool as it is now."

"Oh? As the God of Fun, you dislike your own followers?"

"Of course, because my New Age followers are walking the narrowest path of pleasure, nobody's happy about that, right?"

Just when Man Yuan was on the verge of collapse, there was still hope, but an email from a fool became the last straw that broke the camel's back.

There was a mask in the email.

There's another sentence: "The way you cry is really funny."

Cheng Xiao: "Wow, this is a living beast! Is it too late for me to wipe out the tavern now?"

Cheng Xiao couldn't stand it any longer.

Little Ha: "How about it? Pleasure built on the suffering of others is pretty boring, isn't it?"

Cheng Xiao: "Putting myself in their shoes, I also tried to inflict pain on the fools in the tavern, so they could experience it for themselves."

"Ah, it's no use. Some people may feel bad, but many fools don't care about these things anymore. For them, their pain is also part of their pleasure."

"You're such an irresponsible guy, look at the kind of perverts you have working for you."

"You can't blame Benha for this. The nature of pleasure is unknown. How can Benha force a definition of pleasure? That would erase the unknown nature of pleasure and allow that guy, Boshizun, to take advantage of it."

"So, what are you trying to achieve by saying all this?"

Xiao Ha propped his head up and looked at Cheng Xiao with a gentle smile.

"Cheng Xiao, please help me."

Cheng Xiao suddenly realized:

"The Starry Sky Train's arrival at the Two-Phase Paradise—was that your doing?"

"Part of it is... because the train is ultimately part of Akivili's forces, and I need their help. Besides, that guy Hoshi... he reminds me of Akivili."

"and you...."

"A star is a star, and you are you. I want to make a request of you, hoping you can help me."

"Aha, what happened to you?"

"Would you like Benha to tell you another fairy tale?"

"......No."

"Oh, really? I'm telling you a fairy tale about what happened back then~"

Cheng Xiao shook his head: "No need, I'm not interested. I only know that you need my help right now, and as an old friend, I will help you."

Little Ha smiled brightly, resting his chin on one hand, his face flushed.

Two small tiger teeth peeked out in his smile:

"Cheng Xiao, you really make me happy. Bring me more joy, more and more, until I'm full."

Cheng Xiao patted his clothes and stood up:

"Some things are truly heartbreaking. The Paradise of Two Realms is not a paradise that brings happiness to everyone... It's a joke, but also an ideal."

Now that he knew about Man Yuan's past, Cheng Xiao naturally couldn't just sit idly by.

Manyuan must be plotting something. That "happiness surgery" is not a good thing, and we must not let Manyuan continue.

Cheng Xiao hadn't paid much attention before, but now he'd go and test it out. He wondered what the differences were in the improved version of the Happiness Surgery.

If it's simply a matter of severing neurons, the [Horse] talisman can be fully restored.

Just as Cheng Xiao was about to pull his consciousness back to reality, a list caught his eye.

That is the list of victims who died at the hands of the Deathbringer.

One name in particular stood out:

Himeko Murata.