The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty news & patch notes

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Hi everyone, this is ZerocreationGame.

Today, we would like to share some important news regarding The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty.

First, an update on the game’s achievements and the progress of its manga adaptation.

As a visual novel set in the late Ming Dynasty, the game has officially surpassed 1.4 million copies sold worldwide, with over 110,000 copies sold overseas.

We are deeply grateful for the incredible support from every single player!

Building on this success, the official manga adaptation, titled飢えた子羊, will soon begin serialization in the renowned Japanese manga magazine, Monthly Comp Ace. A tankobon (standalone book) release is also planned for the future.

The manga's main storyline will remain faithful to the original game while featuring exclusive optimizations in dialogue and character presentation. Leveraging the unique expressive power of the manga medium, readers will experience even richer facial expressions and more intricate action details.

We hope you will experience and enjoy it.

Second, our plans for IP expansion.

We are currently in in-depth discussions with multiple partners regarding animation, film, and television adaptations for The Hungry Lamb.

Our original intention remains unchanged: to allow more players worldwide to experience the charm of Chinese history and culture, to spread the "Xia" spirit (chivalry) inherent in our story, and to ensure that the captivating character of Man Sui is known by people across the globe. This is also the direction we continue to strive toward.

Lastly, news regarding our latest work, The Weeping Swan: Ten Days of the City's Fall.

Cumulative sales for The Weeping Swan have already surpassed 150,000 copies across all platforms worldwide.

Next, we will officially release the The Weeping Swan: Ten Days of the City's Fall Artbook. This collection will compile design insights from our art team, publicly revealing a vast number of sketches and creative reflections for the first time.

Furthermore, a physical novel for The Weeping Swan has entered the planning phase.

Unlike the Hungry Lamb adaptation, the Weeping Swan novel will feature more extensive creative reinterpretations while keeping the world-building and character foundations intact.

We maintain an open and proactive attitude toward future IP adaptations for The Weeping Swan and sincerely hope to see this work presented in new and diverse forms.

Please stay tuned!

大家好，这里是零创游戏！

5月17日至5月24日（共7天），限时史低折扣活动即将开启。

【折扣信息】

◆《饿殍：明末千里行》 史低65折，限时价24.05元（原价37元）

◆《哀鸿：城破十日记》 史低85折，限时价35.7元（原价42元）

在《哀鸿：城破十日记》中， 大家期待的良穗拥有专属番外结局——「良田满穗」，静待你亲自抵达。 烽火之中，众生皆苦。 而你，将见证他们的去处。

Hello everyone,

It's been a while. We are happy to report that the script for The Weeping Swan: Ten Days of the City's Fall is now fully complete, and our wishlists have surpassed the 100,000 milestone. The game has now entered the voice acting and art production stages. Preparations for the Japanese voice-over are also underway. We expect all production work to be completed by March of next year. If everything goes smoothly, the game will officially launch in Early 2026.

Below are some notes and thoughts from our creative process during this period:

A while back, I argued that our characters possess their own souls. Some in the community challenged this: "How can a fictional character have a soul?" Doesn't the author's word dictate everything? Can they truly defy their creator's intent and act autonomously? Would they ever seize the pen from the writer and forge their own destiny? Here's my perspective: Most of the time, an author has full command over their creations. But there are those rare, defining moments when control slips away. When writing within an established world, be it as a fan or licensed creator, one must honor the core essence of its characters. In my own original works, I have free reign over the fates of minor, background characters. But pivotal characters, particularly those born from real-life accounts, historical records, or classic literature, demand a different respect. To force my own will upon them would render their actions hollow and break their credibility. These are the characters that slip from an author's grasp, as if guided by a soul of their own. In truth, "Rebel Leader Li" was absent from the original outline for "The Hungry Lamb". He stormed into the narrative as I immersed myself in period music and historical texts during writing. I could never have made Li show mercy to the reviled "Swine Demon" of Luoyang, nor alter the ending history had decreed for him. The Weeping Swan: Ten Days of the City's Fall is filled with such spirits, none more so than its second heroine, Lin Pianpian. She evolved beyond my control, almost seizing the pen herself to continually reshape her own tale. The initial draft of "The Weeping Swan" featured only one leading lady: Su Lianyan, the renowned courtesan of Yangzhou. Then, during development, an unexpected thing happened: a minor NPC caught my fancy. I promoted her to a supporting role, but the more I wrote, the more she seemed to guide the narrative... She soon ascended from a tertiary character to the second lead, and finally, to a co-protagonist... By the end, Lin Pianpian had blossomed from a fleeting extra with just five lines into a second heroine boasting over five hundred, transforming the Weeping Swan into a dual-female-led narrative. ... What follows is a detailed, yet largely spoiler-free, account of how this transformation unfolded. For those who wish to go in completely blind, I invite you to revisit this dev log after the game launches in April. That said, I believe the details shared here will do little to diminish the actual experience— ... Initially, Lin Pianpian was conceived as a direct homage to the source text of Ten Days of Yangzhou, a "shameless" prostitute surviving in the fallen city's ruins. Her character was born from this very passage in Ten Days of Yangzhou: "A native of this commandery, she was heavily painted and finely adorned, resplendent in her attire. Holding court amid talk and laughter, she glowed with self-satisfaction." In this scene, Wang Xiuchu, the narrator of Ten Days of Yangzhou, is among a group of captives. As the men are herded into a courtyard for slaughter, he witnesses a woman who, faced with the soldiers, responds not with fear or grief, but with unrestrained laughter. Wang's original intent was likely to portray such women as devoid of shame. In my pursuit of authenticity, I initially recreated this moment exactly. Yet, after writing it, I found myself wanting more. I was captivated by the woman who dared to laugh in the face of death. What story lay behind that defiance. Furthermore, my protagonist Su Lianyan was conceived as a figure of purity, an almost idealized "idol." This left my narrative without contrast, failing to capture the full spectrum of womanhood in wartime Yangzhou. Thus, I decided to expand the role of the "laughing" prostitute, positioning her as a foil to the "reserved" and virtuous Su Lianyan. I gave this laughing woman a placeholder name, "Hui'er," made her a figure from the protagonist's past, and began my research. To my surprise, accounts of their "laughter" appeared repeatedly in writings about late-Ming prostitutes. In Dream Memories of Tao'an, a passage describes the streetwalkers of Yangzhou's Twenty-Four Bridges. They solicited clients daily, facing beatings if they failed. Yet, in the deepest night, these very women would pool their coins to buy a single lantern, gathering in its glow to share jokes and laughter amongst themselves. This is a masterful use of "joyful imagery to convey profound sorrow", a contrast that made the moment feel painfully real. My research then led me to the Lyrical Language of the Green Mansions, an anthology of poetry penned by the prostitutes of late-Ming China. I was deeply moved by the works of one celebrated prostitute, Jing Pianpian. Inspired, I renamed my character from 'Hui'er' to 'Pianpian,' leaving her family name undecided for the time being. As I wrote, "Pianpian" grew in depth and substance. Her history with the protagonist gained authenticity, steadily elevating her from a minor role to a pivotal tertiary character. Then, midway through writing the Weeping Swan, as I explored endings beyond the original outline, a rereading of a literary classic sparked an idea. It was then I gave "Pianpian" the surname "Lin", solidifying her place as the secondary heroine. Throughout the rest of development, fueled by ongoing research, "Lin Pianpian's" presence demanded more space. By the final draft of the Weeping Swan, she had unequivocally claimed her role as a second protagonist. In essence, my creative process was a constant dialogue with history and literature. I was merely assembling the fragments of a soul that already existed. "Lin Pianpian" was never truly under my command. I am convinced she is a character possessed of an absolute soul. Of course, Lin Pianpian is not the only such character in the Weeping Swan, but her journey is the most definitive, hence why I've focused on it. In truth, even my protagonist Su Lianyan defied the outline, making choices that stunned me. Characters like Fang Zhiyou, Qionghua, and Liang likewise seized agency, each beginning to inscribe their own fate. The Weeping Swan: Ten Days of the City's Fall is now fully written. We have entered the voice recording and art production phase, targeting completion by next March, for a release in March or April. Stay tuned!

1.修改了繁体中文下部分文本与UI的错误翻译

ヾ(＠゜▽゜@)ノ 感谢玩家宇秋对此做出的贡献~

Hello everyone, I'm Ji Ling from ZeroCreation Games.

ZeroCreation Games' fourth title, "The Weeping Swan: Ten Days of the City's Fall", is scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2026.

As per tradition, this first making-of article will cover the game's inception.

When did I first conceive "The Weeping Swan"?

"The Weeping Swan" has two narrative frameworks—they must be examined and explained separately.

First, "The Weeping Swan" is a love story between a scholar and a courtesan—a tale of a talented scholar and a beautiful lady.

Such stories have existed since ancient times.

For centuries, works like "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio", "Three Words and Two Slaps", and "Dream Memories of Tao'an"... Many dramas have been written on this theme.

In recent years, classical-style songs like "Difficult to Refuse" and "Peeking Through the Window" have also adopted this theme.

I've written several short scripts about scholar-courtesan romances, but never a full-length story on this theme, so I've always wanted to.

……

Oh, but it's worth noting that the term "courtesan" had a different meaning in ancient times.

In ancient times, "courtesan" generally referred to entertainers who sold their skills but not their bodies, while "prostitute" referred to those who earned a living by selling their bodies.

For "The Weeping Swan", I originally planned to write a story about a scholar and a Yangzhou courtesan.

But as I wrote the script, I grew increasingly fond of a character who initially had only a dozen lines, a "prostitute", and she eventually became the second female lead.

This shifted the story from a "pure romance between scholar and courtesan" to a love triangle among "scholar, courtesan, and prostitute".

This is slightly off-topic; I'll elaborate on it in the second production discussion.

...

Returning to the main subject, I'll continue with the project proposal for The Weeping Swan.

"The Weeping Swan" is not just a love triangle among "scholar, courtesan, and prostitute", but rather a serious historical tragedy based on factual events.

This historical tragedy portrays dynastic transition, a shattered homeland, and recounts the massacre of hundreds of thousands of civilians.

During the creation of "The Weeping Swan", I read "History of Peasant Wars in Late Ming", which significantly aided my writing process.

Following the release of "The Weeping Swan", I read "The History of Southern Ming".

After reading "The History of Southern Ming", I proceeded to read "Dream Memories of Tao'an", further deepening my understanding of the dynastic transition during that era.

China is a vast country with significant differences between its northern and southern regions. Even in the late Ming Dynasty, one could craft many stories with distinct flavors.

For the story of the Northwest Central Plains, I narrated "The Hungry Lamb: Travelling in the Late Ming Dynasty", whose theme relates to "famine".

Then perhaps I could also create a story about Jiangnan.

I plan to produce "The Weeping Swan: Ten Days of the City's Fall", this time focusing on "massacre".

……

Like "The Hungry Lamb", "The Weeping Swan" will ground itself in the perspective of ordinary people, immersing players as a commoner in a late Ming Dynasty city ravaged by massacre. Through his first-person viewpoint, players will experience the story, make relentless choices, and struggle to survive until the swords are sheathed.

This story, like "The Hungry Lamb", will use dual narratives to enhance contrast.

Players will simultaneously navigate the dark and brutal "city massacre line", while repeatedly recalling the opulent Jiangnan of years past—untouched by slaughter—evoking a powerful contrast between past and present, heightening the narrative's emotional impact.

...

Of course, as evident from the store page description of "The Weeping Swan", I've gone beyond just using a dual narrative technique in this game, while also giving the protagonist "madness" as a trait, suggesting the entire story might be nothing more than the protagonist's hallucination of "Lion Camel Kingdom".

Bold, daring creations inevitably face resistance, and I accept that as part of the risk.

Still, to at least bring the work to light, I've had to adapt and act more shrewdly.

"The Weeping Swan: Ten Days of the City's Fall" will continue to tell historically grounded, soulful, and profound stories, but we must draw on ancient wisdom and employ unique narrative techniques to avoid becoming a political target.

I want to write about a city's massacre during the Ming-Qing transition.

In a modern society that has overthrown feudal dynasties, cultural works should not merely depict "Qianlong's tour of Jiangnan", but must also portray "Dodo's slaughter in Jiangnan".

There's no need to whitewash the atrocities of any feudal regime.

"The Hungry Lamb: Travelling in the Late Ming Dynasty" exemplifies this approach to the Ming dynasty's final years.

"The Weeping Swan: Ten Days of the City's Fall" reflects the same reality in the early Qing dynasty.

I aim to be an impartial creator—one who cherishes Chinese culture, yet opposes feudal dynasties.

Dark history is the path our ancestors walked—not a shackle for those living today.

We must confront them with clarity—no concealment, no confusion, and no turning back.

...

After all this, you may ask:

What is the core message of "The Weeping Swan: Ten Days of the City's Fall", or what does it seek to convey?

First, as Wang Xiuchu, author of "Ten Days of Yangzhou", concluded in his work:

May future generations, fortunate to live in peaceful times and enjoy untroubled pleasures, yet fail to cultivate self-reflection and indulge in reckless waste, read this and feel a sense of vigilance.

Like Wang Xiuchu, I hope to craft stories forged in blades, blood, and darkness, reminding people today of how precious peace truly is.

Second, I aim to show how "Culture" flows and is passed down through the long river of history.

Many plotlines in "The Weeping Swan" intertwine with numerous literary classics from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Works like "Journey to the West", "The Plum in the Golden Vase", "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", "Water Margin", "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio", "Three Words and Two Slaps", and "Dream of the Red Chamber" are all referenced, with two even serving as the titles for the "True Endings", directly tied to the finale.

Dynasties may change, but culture endures.

Third, it embodies a kind of "keep moving forward, don't look back" philosophy, conveying a traditional Chinese aesthetic of "clearing clouds to see the sun" that I want to express. Without going into detail, I hope players who reach the true ending will feel this essence.

……

Alright! That wraps up this episode's discussion. Next time, I'll probably delve into the dual-heroine setup of "The Weeping Swan"—how the second heroine, Lin Pianpian, took over my writing and reshaped my original plot, and evolved from an NPC into a second lead.

As of July 2025, all scripts for "The Weeping Swan: Ten Days of the City's Fall" have been completed, including Liang and Sui's standalone chapter, bringing the total to nearly 370,000 words—1.5 times the length of "The Hungry Lamb".

Furthermore, we will expand scenes, add voice acting, include CG, and incorporate additional music, striving to surpass our past work and set a new benchmark for Chinese text adventure games!

Further updates to follow.

"The Weeping Swan: Ten Days of the City's Fall" is now live on Steam! Please add it to your wishlist—your support means everything to us!