NOVEL NEXT Chapter 379: Guilt Creeps Up the Spine
(TL: A lot more Undertale spoilers.. Go play it if you haven't already)
On Xia Yuan's screen, Toriel's body split apart, her face twisting into an expression of agony and madness—as if she couldn't believe the person before her would do such a thing. Xia Yuan's own face mirrored shock.
[Heh…]
[To strike… when I least expected it—]
[I was still worrying… whether you'd adapt to the world outside…]
[Ah… hahaha—]
"AAAAAH!!"
Xia Yuan stared, horrified, as Toriel died before her eyes. She was utterly distraught.
"I—I really didn't mean to! Aahh…!"
"So there's hidden mechanics like this? The game's design is genuinely brilliant. Ah Fang, take notes."
"Told you it's a masterpiece. Still don't believe me?"
Mei Fang hesitated, hand hovering mid-air, as Xia Yuan exited the game in a fluster to restart.
"What's wrong? You look conflicted."
Lin Youxi propped her chin on her hand, studying Mei Fang.
"I'm… facing a dilemma."
He scrunched his face into a pained expression. "I wanted to show you why this 'simple-looking' game is a timeless masterpiece in my eyes… but I'm also worried my Yuanyuan might suffer irreversible emotional damage and spiral into eternal emo."
"I'm notthatfragile! I'll just reload—I force-quit without saving anyway."
Xia Yuan muttered, "I've played single-player games for years. I know how this works. It can't possibly affect previous saves…"
"If Ah Fang's warning you, maybe it's not so straightforward…"
With trepidation, Xia Yuan restarted the game, returning to the save point outside the house.
"Toriel should be inside… right…?"
She guided her character into the living room—and exhaled in relief upon seeing the Toriel she'd killed earlier calmly reading a newspaper.
"You awful, rotten Ah Fang! You scared me for nothing!"
The game's protagonist, a human who fell into the monsters' underground realm, was initially taken in by Toriel. She hoped the protagonist would stay with her forever, as some monsters harbored deep hatred for humans.
Among them, the King of Monsters' loathing was the fiercest. He needed six human souls to break the barrier and wage war on humanity. Five children had already ignored Toriel's warnings and left, only to have their souls harvested by the king. Toriel sought to prevent the protagonist from meeting the same fate.
"Honestly? If it were me, I'd stay with Toriel forever. Life here's so cozy, and she's so strong and kind… But I guess I have to leave to finish the game…"
Grumbling, Xia Yuan progressed until reaching the door Toriel had locked. Their dialogue repeated as before—until Toriel suddenly spoke anew:
[Wait…]
[Why are you looking at me like that?]
[As if you've seen a ghost?]
[Do you know something I don't?]
[No, that's impossible…]
"???"
Xia Yuan's mouth clamped shut. She whipped her head around to Mei Fang, eyes wide with panic, pleading.
"This is exactly why I said—"
"C-can I keep playing?!"
"Probably shouldn't."
Lin Youxi, ever the instigator, chimed in:
"You've come this far, Yuanyuan. See it through."
"Ugh… fine…"
Xia Yuan re-engaged Toriel in battle.
The combat was turn-based in a sense: On your turn, you could attack (a QTE minigame where center hits dealt max damage) or choose dialogue-driven "Mercy" options. During the enemy's turn, bullet-hell patterns forced you to dodge to survive.
Toriel, of course, never truly tried to kill the protagonist—she always held back at the end. Xia Yuan cleared the fight easily this time, finally reaching the reconciliation scene where Toriel embraced the protagonist. She sighed in relief.
"Whew… If that's all the consequences, I can live with it. Still feel guilty, though."
"Keep going."
"Huh? Does it change later?"
Xia Yuan backtracked to find Toriel—but she was gone.
"……"
Pursing her lips, she glanced at Mei Fang, who only shook his head silently. "Play it yourself."
Lin Youxi added, "I didn't check for Toriel after my run. Maybe it's scripted. Don't overthink it."
"Uh…"
Xia Yuan pressed forward until re-encountering the tutorial guide, Flowey.
[Clever. Very clever.]
[You really think you're smart, don't you?]
[In this world, it's kill or be killed.]
[That's why you can do whatever you want.]
The text matched Lin Youxi's playthrough, easing Xia Yuan's nerves—until the game twisted the knife:
[But don't act so high-and-mighty.]
[I know what you did.]
[You.
Killed.
Her.]
Flowey's text crawled onto Xia Yuan's screen, its face a grotesque parody of innocence as it hammered home[You killed her]. Mei Fang felt Xia Yuan shudder violently.
[Then you went back.]
[Because you regretted it.]
[Hahaha…]
[You naive IDIOT!]
Flowey's taunts dripped with venom, mocking Xia Yuan's hypocrisy and faux righteousness. She slammed the game shut, utterly shattered.
"You okay, Yuanyuan…?"
"H-how could I be okay?! Waaah—"
Xia Yuan buried herself in Mei Fang's chest, demanding hugs. He stroked her hair soothingly.
"It was anaccident! I didn'twantto kill her—"
"Shh… I know, I know—"
"I'm so mad! This isevil! What kind of heartless monster made this game?!"
While Xia Yuan raged, Lin Youxi's interest in the developer spiked. "How does a single-player game 'corrupt' other saves? The technical implementation's fascinating… Yuanyuan, let me check your files."
"Not now! Justfinishthe game! I don't need Ah Fang calling me 'Mommy' anymore—I just want to see thatflower DIE!"
Xia Yuan shook her fists. "It's the final boss, right? Thatthing'spure evil! Isn't it, Ah Fang—?"
"Can't answer that. Spoilers."
"Then I'll watch Youxi play. Ah Fang, no more secrets—give us thebestroute! I'mdonesuffering! I won't let thatflowermock me!"
"Alright, alright… I'll guide you through the Pacifist Route."
"'Pacifist Route'?"
Lin Youxi's eyes narrowed. "So there's a 'Genocide Route' too?"
"Technically, it's called the 'No Mercy Route'…"
After localization by Yuanxi Interactive Entertainment,Undertalewas titled传说之下 (Tales Beneath). This RPG, subverting conventions with meta-narrative brilliance, achieved legendary status by breaking the fourth wall—characters addressing theplayer, not the protagonist.
Countless newcomers, whether curious like Xia Yuan or genuinely mistaken like her "accidental" kill, faced Flowey's ruthless interrogation after slaughtering kind-hearted Toriel. Their immersion skyrocketed.
But once sin stained a save file,the game remembered.
Unless players knew the obscure purification method, their guilt would haunt every subsequent playthrough.
[The monsters you spared will still die by my hand.]
[Never forget: Those once bloodstained can never reclaim mercy.]
Even pure-hearted souls like Xia Yuan couldn't escape this reckoning.
Yet for those who clung to compassion, the story rewarded them with joyous endings—simultaneously provoking introspection and warming hearts.
At Xia Yuan's desperate pleading, Lin Youxi vowed to never reopen the game after achieving the True Pacifist ending, letting the characters live happily ever after.
Thus, while Mei Fang (grudgingly) called her "Mommy," Lin Youxi secretly binge-watched CStation videos of the No Mercy Route—facing the terror of its hidden superboss, Sans:
[What a beautiful day.]
[The birds are singing.]
[Flowers are blooming.]
[On days like these…]
[Kids like you…]
[Should be BURNING IN HELL.]
AsTales Beneath's secrets went viral, its iconic trackMegalovaniaand Sans fight videos flooded CStation's gaming section.
Clearly, the platform's creators all feltguilt creeping up their spines.