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Beneath the Plum Tree 李下之歌 - DEMO I

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First Demo Out Now!

I am very happy to announce that today, the first demo of Beneath the Plum Tree 李下之歌 has been officially released!

Demo I consists of the first three chapters of the book, and hopes to introduce you to the setting and some of the major characters. It is now available for you to read on the COGdemos website! You can find it using the following link:

I genuinely hope you enjoy this first demo, and do not hesitate to let me know your thoughts and your questions here on this Tumblr blog!

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Premise

The Emperor is dead, and the Lands Under Heaven are torn asunder by corruption and turmoil. As the dynasty erodes from within and virtue is forgotten, the time has now come for you to carve your own way through the brittle late Han Dynasty.

Beneath the Plum Tree 李下之歌 is an interactive novel of historical fiction, inspired by the famous Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It has:

◇ Complex characters

◇ An immersive, historically authentic setting

◇ Deep themes and symbolism

◇ Customisation based on the Five Elements

Demo

Update : 23,000 words.

Total demo :223,000 words.

Ps: I'll answer your questions soon, okay? Thank you all for your attention, see you later!

I choose, and will always choose, Blonde Blazer ✨

SMALL FIRES IS NOW LIVE ON ITCH.IO!

Surprise!

This demo features all four playable background origins and the first half of the Prologue, amounting to ~37k words in total. It serves as a taste for what you can expect out of the full game, which will be episodic in nature. The full Prologue will be released sometime in early 2026, and like the demo, the entire game will be free to play in browser.

Before you start, here's some helpful tips and reminders:

The game is rated 17+ for a reason, and the demo features a few scenes of descriptive violence, gore, and character death. A running list of content warnings is accessible from the landing page.

While it should be playable on most devices, know that the game is not optimized for mobile. Google Chrome straight up doesn't work (unfixable, sorry), others like Firefox can get buggy, and the formatting gets weird when not in landscape mode. If you run into trouble on mobile, try switching browsers.

If you run into any bugs or spelling/formatting mistakes, please send me an ask with screenshots. I'll keep a running list of minor fixes to include in the first patch. Anything game breaking will get dealt with asap.

Hello!

We're dropping part 1 of CHAPTER 3 which adds 35K of new content and optional "date" with Rupert/Prudence which significantly develops their romance route.

There were plans to include Anna's Sieun date, but she's still working on it, and I can't wait to share with you what I've cooked for the gig and Rue/Prue's romance path 😉🤘💓

So, if you're skipping the gig, I'm afraid there's not that much, but it's still the legit start of the chapter and the plot moves on... with a bang.

And as always, we’ve included a skip option.

Enjoy!

CHAPTER 3

Hey, the prologue is out. I will do a detailed post soon after my finals are done.

DEMO

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY ERRORS. REMEMBER THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.

Rostya and Alex baking together

I may still be feeling a bit weak, but that is not going to stop me from delivering on my end.

The link to the updated version is HERE. Hope you guys like it.

A Perfume and A Letter

So please, stay by my side. Not as a rival, not as a friend...something further than that, something closer than that

❄️ DEMO (coming this winter!)❄️

Dating’s hard. Especially in this climate.

You’ve tried it all—apps, setups, chance encounters—but nothing’s stuck. So what’s one more bad idea? In a moment of desperation (or brilliance), you say yes to reality TV.

Welcome to Warm Me Up, Snap Studio’s very first dating experiment.

You were expecting sunshine and swimsuits. Instead? You’re stranded in a luxury chalet with eleven strangers and one rule: pair up or freeze out. Fail to make a connection, and you’re headed straight to the Cold Zone.

Warm Me Up is an interactive fiction rated 18+ for explicit language, explicit sexual themes, alcohol use, and moral ambiguity. ❄️ FEATURES ❄️

Customize your MC. From appearance, personality, to motivations. You character is yours to make.

Rich relationship dynamics. With eleven other contestants and the cameras always rolling, things are bound to get messy. It's up to you whether you want to keep it platonic, find your person, or hook up in the pantry. Nobody's judging...except the audience.

Multiple endings. Your time in the mountains can leave quite an impression. How will your story end? ❄️ ROMANCE OPTIONS ❄️

Anjali Lal | She/Her, 25, Model/Skincare Entrepreneur

Polished, poised, and unapologetically high-maintenance, Anjali doesn’t suffer fools or wrinkles. Her sharp tongue and cold exterior might scare some off, but if you make her crack, she just might surprise you.

Dmitry Volkov | He/Him, 30, Private Wealth Manager

Outwardly, Dmitry comes off as too perfect. But he’s more than just good manners and a strong jawline. Quietly protective and endlessly thoughtful, he’ll always strive to put you first.

Jong-woo Kim | He/Him, 23, Fitness Influencer

Bubbly, bright, and built like a Greek statue, Jong-woo brings the sunshine wherever he goes. He’s a little awkward, endlessly enthusiastic, and surprisingly wise for someone who still calls his mom every day. Whether he’s working out or working the room, you can’t help but smile when he’s around.

Kailee Blake | She/Her, 26, Interior Designer

Kailee's all smiles and sweet touches, but it's clear she knows how to play the game. While her affection might feel genuine at times, her true motives stay tucked behind that charming facade. If you’re not careful, you’ll think she’s on your side right up until she twists the knife with a smile.

Kalea Mahelona | She/Her, 22, Student

Kalea is candy personified: sweet, soft, and easy to break if you’re not careful. She’s clumsy, shy, and easily flustered, but once she warms up to you, she’s all in.

Linden Craft | They/Them, 31, Café Owner

Grounded and honest, Linden is the breath of fresh air you didn’t know you needed. A little quiet and unreadable, they offer comfort by simply being. With their steady presence and emotional maturity, they make it easy to be exactly who you are.

Luca/Lucia Gigliotti | He/Him OR She/Her, 28, Luxury Art Curator

Cunning, cultured, seductive: Lu thrives on tension and desire. With them, love—if it exists at all—is a just game. Whether you join in is your choice. Either way, you’re in for one hell of a ride.

Makai Jones | He/Him, 27, High School History Teacher

Aloof, unreadable, and hard to impress, Makai keeps his guard sky-high. He’s cautious and most people don’t get past the walls he’s built. But if you do manage to earn his trust, you’ll find someone loyal, grounded, and quietly ride-or-die in a way that never asks for recognition.

Marcel Toussaint | They/He, 29, Mixologist

Flamboyant, passionate, and just a touch unhinged, Marcel refuses to be ignored. They flirt for sport and love watching people fall for them, whether or not they plan to catch them. But sometimes, even a wildcard wants something real…it just might take a while. A very long while.

Misty Delgado | She/Her, 26, Park Ranger

Misty is the epitome of cool and always in control. She takes life one day at a time and is definitely not one to rise to the drama. Sometimes, she’s so laid-back it makes you wonder if she’s here to make a real connection…or just enjoy the view.

Santiago/Santina Reyes | He/Him OR She/Her, 28, Tattoo Artist/Small Business Owner

'GLORY! TO THE WIRE MOTHER' (Commandant Policy Administration, CPA Press, 2050)

DEMO (TBA)

— It is imperative that you read the content warnings. Infinita Nocte: 2051 discusses multiple triggering topics, some in graphic detail. This IF does not shy away from deeply disturbing and problematic themes. See the end for a collection. Infinita Nocte: 2051 is a story of tragedy, politics, war, and sublime transcendence found in bonds with others. This is not a romance. Relationships pursued with the characters are cruel and full of greed. These are not relationships where you date and try to love them or have them love you— these are unlabeled relationships where you either punish them or they punish you. They are persistent power struggles more than anything else.

Customisable appearance, barring colours— the MC has albinism for the narrative.

Uncover a grand political scheme that could spell the world's doom.

Join a resistance— or don't.

Find yourself consumed by vile characters; become inseparable for all the most wretched reasons. Bring out the worst in them and let them bring out the worst in you.

The nations of the world have united to become 8 factions. Culture is destroyed, ancestry means nothing, and you are not your own. A secret deal struck between the Emperium— that is, the home of the Unison— and the Eastern Assembly changes the trajectory of your life forever; you have become unrecognizable, even to yourself. When you and your little sister are finally selected for transfer to the Emperium in 2039, the Unison's Second Sovereign expresses his displeasure. Feeling that the Eastern Assembly has grown too complacent in wake of their prosperity, he orders a massacre before your eyes and you are the sole survivor. The thing that saves you? His maddening superstition. It's been 12 years since the Second Sovereign took you back to the Emperium and transformed you into his perfect lapdog. You carry out orders without question— you know better than to earn his disapproval. You are appointed to UNIT 01; the best of the best. His personal unit. You come to learn that not everything is as it seems. Navigate your fellow unit members, investigate a plot unfolding within the walls of the Emperium itself, and stop the Unison before it's too late— or, pave the way to their victory.

YOU — THE GENERAL [F/M/NB]

You are a 26-year-old general in UNIT 01. You are the only one among them to have never been in battle personally, but this is the last thing you have ever seen mockery for. Soldiers from all areas of the hierarchy whisper about you— the way you mutter to yourself, the way you talk to the walls, the way you receive special treatment from the Second Sovereign. Safe to say, you have nobody to call a friend but Avis.

AVIS VYRONNA

Avis, an 18-year-old recruit and your apprentice. She's earned herself a reputation for being a bubbly and cheerful young woman, always seeking to improve and uplift those around her. You would give her the clothes off your back if you were both on the highest peak the Earth had to offer. Despite your difficulty with expression, she knows how much you try. You want nothing more than to keep her safe— safer than you could keep your sister.

ISAAC MERCIA — THE SECOND SOVEREIGN [M]

The Second Sovereign: 37-year-old leader of the Emperium, Unison, and your life. His vulnerability to superstition paired with your albinism led him to take you under his wing among the massacre; he takes you for a totem of good luck. He insists on having you by him whenever possible. Isaac has red, spiky hair in a side-part with blonde streaks. A scar runs from his chin, through his lip, up to his left brow. It forms a cleft through which you can see a flash of his tooth and gums, even when his lips are pressed together. He is never without a grin on his face.

LANCELOT DEVEREUX [M]

A fellow soldier in UNIT 01. 31-years-old and scum of the earth. Lancelot cannot go a day without being with a woman and often discards them as soon as his attraction has fled him. You do your best to keep Avis away from him. Lancelot fails to control himself— or, he simply doesn't want to. He has quite the reputation for visiting the Lower Emperium, promising the women that he'd take them to the Upper province among other bribes. Vain and petulant, he is quick to fly into a rage, especially when rejected. You can't tell if you want to bring him under your heel or to avoid him altogether. That would make you feel less sorry for yourself, wouldn't it? Either way, you're both aware of your mutual loathing. Lancelot has deep blue, wavy hair streaked with lighter tones. While attractive, you think his face is doing nothing but begging to be punched. His skin is tan with olive undertones and completely clear. He makes sure to take excellent care of his appearance.

VLADIM PETROV [M]

A sleazy 25-year-old lieutenant. Despite being significantly lower in rank, he seems to have no respect for you at all. His constant, close-lipped smile appears more serpentine than Isaac's toothy grin. He always looks at you as if he knows more than he would ever be willing to tell. You think him frustrating, a nuisance, and a waste of time. Vladim wears a cap with an opaque hood over blonde, chin-length hair. His face, long and thin, is equipped with two icy blue eyes that read you better than you read yourself.

ADILA MUHONGO [F]

A 30-year-old soldier and member of UNIT 01. Adila is quiet, calculative and uncaring. You, most of all, she perceives to be a waste of space— whether you live or die, it would change nothing for the unit. You have never seen her crack so much as a smile. The only times she acknowledges you is when you express agreement with her proposals; even then, it is only a contemplative glance. Her dark brown kinky twists just about brush her shoulders. Adila's eyes are dark and unreadable, enough to make you swallow on the rare occasion she does look at you.

MERIDA [F]

A member of the resistance organization, deep in the Lower Emperium's belly. She is known among her peers for being determined and unwavering, leaving no room for failure. She strives to execute perfection and has a burning hatred for the Unison and all that it stands for. Like you, she was forcibly taken to the Emperium— only, she wasn't so lucky to earn the favour of the most powerful man in the faction. Her brown hair is buzzed short for practicality. A brutal scar stretches the length of her face diagonally. Legally dead, she lurks in the shadows of the Lower Emperium.

JULIUS MERCIA — THE WIRE MOTHER [M]

An absolute mystery and the real leader of the faction. He gives orders that are relayed through the Second Sovereign. No man has seen the Wire Mother up close, barring Isaac. When training with the rest of UNIT 01, you often see him watching beside his brother in the distance. Through your impaired vision, you've gathered that he has long, blonde hair and ivory skin. He only appears during festivals, dressed in a white gown and a red veil marked with the Unison's insignia. The Wire Mother gives all the air of delicacy. He is entirely and utterly intoxicating— hypnotizing.

READ THE WARNINGS CAREFULLY! This is an 18+ story riddled with uncomfortable topics, as follows:

War, descriptions of gore, discussions of rape culture, sexual assault including rape (off screen), misogyny, death, death of a child, loss, mutilation, body horror, substance abuse, mental illness, emotional abuse, mental health discrimination, ableism, classism, discussions of internalized homophobia

This list is subject to change. Things might always be added as the story progresses. Infinita Nocte: 2051 is a broad criticism of many things at once, particularly neutrality and complacency, and the behaviours and beliefs of the characters depicted are NOT a reflection of my own. The political nature of the story is not an invitation for debate with me. I am quite openly a queer leftist; any kind of hate, bigotry, anything of the like, is absolutely unwelcome. All of the characters are intended as critiques, however this does not mean the world of Infinita Nocte: 2051 is meant to reflect our real world. Everything is entirely fictional. I do not, personally, refer to the characters as ROs for my own comfort. tldr: every single person sucks and so does MC. Just keep this in mind. Infinita Nocte: 2051 is a work of tragedy intended for 18+ audiences prepared to engage with a piece of literature intellectually and within the bounds of dark fiction.