And so, the second half of Volume 3 comes to a close.
This ultra-long scenario—born from a moment of impulsive brainstorming, spanning eight core obsessions and four interconnected zones—has finally, finally concluded.
The word count for this arc alone reached 152 chapters and 610,000+ characters (approx. 61,000+ words). Combined with Part 1 (91 chapters, 350,000+ characters) and Part 2 (70 chapters, 270,000+ characters), the total for Volume 3 stands at 313 chapters and 1.25 million characters. To put it bluntly, this volume could've been a standalone novel. The fact that my initial estimate of 300 chapters wasn't far off is almost terrifying—had I not split this into sub-volumes, the sheer scale would've been overwhelming.
But at last, it's done.
Sweet merciful heavens, it's over.
This was, without exaggeration, the most stressful scenario I've ever written. The cast was large, with nearly every character being a capable veteran who couldn't just be fodder. The scenario itself was a high-difficulty, nested nightmare linking two distinct zones. Even with [Writer]'s meta-narrative allowing some flexibility in design, the execution was a logistical hellscape. It's the longest single-volume scenario I've tackled to date.
Around the 70-80 chapter mark, the influx of readers asking for updates and progress grew exponentially—at least triple the pressure during Volume 2. For the first time, I felt genuinely hunted by my audience. My writing pace slowed to one chapter a day, and the mounting stress made it harder to think clearly. But somehow, I pushed through.
Exhausting doesn't even begin to cover it. In all my years of writing, I've never been this drained. For two months, I didn't touch a single game—just grinding away to finish this volume. The last time I worked this hard… well, I can't even remember.
Looking back at Past Me, who gleefully dug this pit… yeah, I'd punch him if time travel were real.
Volume 3: By the Numbers
Duration: June 18 → February 6 (~7.5 months)
Total Chapters: 313
Total Word Count: ~1.25 million characters
I'm genuinely curious—how many readers stuck with this marathon?
The Loyalists: Followed along, occasionally pausing but mostly kept up.
The Sub-Volume Strategists: Waited for each sub-volume (Part 1/2/3) to finish before binging.
The Time Capsule Crew: Went dormant for half a year, only returning now that the entire volume is complete.
This volume underwent so many revisions—Part 1 and 2's split, Part 2's rewrite, and Part 3's edits due to… reasons. Reflecting on it now is surreal.
Design Philosophy
My core goals for this volume were:
Otherworldly Horror (Part 1):
Embodied by Alice, the "alien" antagonist who became inexplicably popular.
The oppressive, unwinnable vibe of her early appearances worked too well—readers loved her. (Note to self: Study "tsundere gremlin" appeal more.)
Cognitive Dissonance (Part 2):
The abrupt shift in tone midway is a sore spot. The "cognition block" mechanic faded too fast—I should've extended its role.
[Writer]'s beatdown became the highlight, which… wasn't the plan, but I'll take it.
High-Stakes Teamplay (Part 3):
Balancing a stacked roster (competent allies, no dead weight) and maintaining tension was hard.
The "reset" structure let me spotlight different characters per loop, though some got sidelined.
If this arc felt like a 70/100 experience, I'll consider it a win.
Volume 4 Preview: Infant's Cry Village
No more sub-volumes—just a straight 180-200 chapter descent into rural horror.
(A makeshift folk rhyme, since I'm no songwriter…)
Come sing with me, come pray with me,
Praise the mountain god's kind decree—
Bringing sons, bringing daughters,
Bless our homes with blood-soaked waters.
Walk the night road, never turn,
Never ask the stranger's concern.
Hush now, hush now, don't you peek,
Don't you speak of what you seek.
Fox-spirit, hear my plea,
Grant no illness, set me free.
Keep my grandson plump and sweet,
Tender flesh for gods to eat.
Lost in mist? Kneel and pray,
Living souls can't walk the black god's way.
Oh, our Infant's Cry's so fair,
Oh, our Infant's Cry's so rare.
While the world outside does burn,
We laugh and wait for their return.
So tell me, traveler…
Would you like to stay?
Volume 4: Infant's Cry Village—coming soon.