The Three Children Story adds a sense of mystery which is a key part of horror. Just not knowing what happened to them creates unease.
The three children can be seen as innocent victims, and their story of possible harm or suffering in the game makes the horror more visceral. It makes the player feel sympathy and also fear for their fates.
In Layers of Fear, the Three Children Story contributes to the horror in multiple ways. First, their presence, whether it's through apparitions or just the hints of their existence, creates an atmosphere of mystery. We don't know exactly what happened to them, and our minds start to imagine all sorts of terrible things. Second, if they are victims, it taps into our natural aversion to harm coming to the innocent. Their story might also be linked to the overall backstory of the haunted location, and as we uncover bits and pieces of it, it adds to the sense of dread. For example, if they were killed in a particularly gruesome way in the house, every time we explore a new room, we wonder if we'll find some evidence of their tragic end.
Chapter 848, "Just an Adopted Daughter", is the clearest early answer because it turns Gu Qiang's situation into a concrete plot event. A useful checkpoint is the way the scene starts with With a "snap," the old lady slammed the photo onto the table, clearly...
Chapter 873, "The Sooner, The Better", is the clearest early answer because it turns Shuiyun Temple's situation into a concrete plot event. The chapter gives readers a real answer by opening on Under a curse?!" Wan Jia stood up excitedly.
Chapter 909, "Hexin Sanatorium", is the clearest early answer because it turns Rong Kexi's situation into a concrete plot event. The chapter turns that into something concrete by moving from Jiang Li looked at him, as if recalling something.
Chapter 841, "Isn't this Daniu?", is the clearest early answer because it turns Rong Kexi's situation into a concrete plot event. It opens with Zhao Lang took the photograph and glanced at it, chuckling, "It... and closes on Jiang Li looked at the old woman and found her quite familiar..
The best chapter pointer here is Chapter 2, "What Kind of In-laws Are They?". It opens with On the top floor of the Financial Building, a gathering of dark clouds... and closes on Jiang, Lin Manru, turned pale and quickly explained, "It's not eloping, my....
Look to Chapter 18 for the clearest answer. It begins with In the corner, a girl in a black dress sat quietly, holding a glass of..., keeps building through Her serene yet cold temperament, along with her exquisitely beautiful..., and lands on Hurry home, what is a young lady like you doing.
Chapter 22 is the strongest chapter-level answer because it starts from Hearing this, Su Yinwan looked at Shang Shaojing with a face full of... and follows through on Jiang Li's righteousness temporarily shut Jiang Yan up, but after a few....
Chapter 926, "Doomsday Beehive Exploded?!", is the clearest early answer because it turns Jiang Yan's situation into a concrete plot event. It opens with What's this?" Zhao Lang looked at the unimpressive box in his hand... and closes on This time, it was Zhao Lang who came in..
Chapter 934, "Gu Pansheng's Grace [Extras: Protagonist's Edition]", is the clearest early answer because it turns Mom's situation into a concrete plot event. The chapter gives readers a real answer by opening on Twenty minutes later, Jiang Shixu had finished cooking.
The best chapter pointer here is Chapter 18, "Criminal Law stipulates that kidnappers will be imprisoned.". It opens with In the corner, a girl in a black dress sat quietly, holding a glass of... and closes on Hurry home, what is a young lady like you doing running to a place like....