Why is my journey to the world of anime a strange tale of rules?

[The first brave soul to successfully explore the Red Nut Grotto, complete the entire cave exploration, and successfully develop and utilize the cave]

[Founder and first president of Red Nut Gray Cave Tourism Development Company]

That is……

The surrounding scenery changed once again.

Gao Hai saw scraps of paper flying everywhere, including tickets to the Red Nut Gray Hole, banknotes of various colors, and other documents of all sizes.

He witnessed the transformation of this place from a completely natural cave to the gradual establishment of various facilities, the construction of a park outside the cave, and then the expansion and safety projects inside the cave, as well as the development of various basic facilities. Step by step, this place underwent earth-shattering changes.

The number of tourists coming and going is increasing.

The dangerous area behind the giant slide, which is specially opened to adventurers, is expensive but attracts many people who love adventure.

A new wave of cave tourism is sweeping through Ameli.

Pei Di, who took over the cave from Austin, successfully capitalized on the momentum and made the cave attraction even more perfect.

Gao Hai reached out and caught a perfectly intact document, unlike the other scraps of paper that were torn to pieces.

That was a letter.

An ordinary document with a very simple cover, without any decoration.

[To Wilbo:]

Hi, it's been five years since we last parted ways. After graduating from university, you wanted to work in safety management, while I came to Red Nut Gray Cave Tourism Development Company. We made a promise that no matter who made a name for themselves, we wouldn't forget each other, so now I've come to find you.

[I'm the president of this company now, a 32-year-old president, isn't that amazing? You can admire me all you want, hahahahaha]

[Anyway, you understand what I mean. I need your experience, and I need your help to further improve the safety measures at this scenic area. For example, that crevice on the gentle slope—ha, this is the seventh time someone has gotten stuck in it. I really don't understand what those tourists are thinking, insisting on climbing over it even though there's a fence around it. If that crevice weren't so narrow, ha, I can't even imagine what it would be like to fall from a 300-meter-deep crevice to the bottom. And the cliff is the same; it's so high there that even professional explorers could easily have an accident. We need to build a simple pulley elevator there, and you're the only one who's best at that.]

Yes, I need you. Laugh if you want to. I'm sure you're laughing your head off when you read this, you bastard.

Don't think I can't guess your expression, you bastard! We've been fighting with the kids from the next street since we were five. I can tell whether you need to poop or fart just by lifting your butt. Get over here right now, the plane ticket is enclosed in the letter.

[— Pei Di]

Austin, who originally developed the Red Nut Grotto, and Peddy, who took over the cave resort, along with Wilbur, who assisted him with security work.

The information that this fragment of memory showed Gao Hai was of great concern to him.

He started walking, wanting to explore the area further.

What exactly happened in this cave?

Why did a nationally renowned tourist attraction eventually turn into such a bizarre and distorted place of strange tales?

What exactly is the key?

Where did the source of all the disasters, hidden in this dark cave, originate?

Too many questions are swirling in my mind, and I can't find the answers.

Although he didn't know why he could sense the things in these fragments of memory, Gao Hai wasn't going to stop there. Instead, he decided to go deeper and try to get more clues and find the truth he wanted to find from these broken phantoms.

But at that moment, Gao Hai suddenly realized that the building he was in was becoming dark.

Just as light itself could no longer exist, it was rapidly dimming and plunging into a dark environment.

Something is approaching in the darkness.

crunch - crunch -

It looks like the trail left by a metal object being dragged across the ground.

He began to realize that he had to start running.

The once clean and tidy corridor has become dilapidated.

Muddy water began to drip from the ceiling.

The view outside the window was no longer the sunny ground area of ​​Red Nut Grotto; instead, there was a cold and gloomy cave with lights flickering inside that looked like they could go out at any moment.

coming.

His blessing still couldn't reach the other person; he couldn't sense any goodwill or malice, nor could he distinguish what it was.

But Gao Hai's instincts were already warning him that he had to run away with all his might and not be caught by the darkness.

crunch - crunch -

The dragging sound was incredibly slow, yet it was rapidly approaching.

That thing has already discovered itself.

Even though he was in a dilapidated cave that wasn't actually in reality, but rather in someone's memory, the thing still found Gao Hai and was rapidly approaching him, intending to end his life right there.

We must get out of here.

The more Gao Hai moved forward and ran, the less he could continue moving.

The walls on both sides are getting closer and closer.

The originally high ceiling is constantly being compressed downwards.

This place has somehow become a low, dark cave.

Amidst the sobbing, one could faintly hear someone shouting, "Hang in there!"

Then, Gao Hai opened his eyes.

He looked at Fujiwara Chika, who was lying in his arms, being held tightly in his embrace.

Yes, I can sense her emotions; it's her real self, not some ghost or something pretending.

Her face was a little red, making it seem like she wasn't asleep, or perhaps she had woken up quite early? In any case, although Chika was currently lying obediently in Takahashi's arms, her head resting on his slightly numb arm, it wasn't hard to tell from her occasional slight trembling and the increasingly obvious blush on her cheeks that she was awake, just pretending to be asleep.

In my dream, she was the one who held me while I slept, but when I woke up, the situation was completely reversed?

In any case, at least Consort Zhen didn't see this scene, thank goodness.

As Gao Hai was thinking this, he suddenly heard the "click" of the door lock opening beside him.

The next moment, the heavy metal door was pushed open, and Shijo Maki, dressed in a black soldier's uniform, appeared outside the door with a blank expression, her purple eyes staring straight at Takami, who was holding Chika and sleeping on the single bed.

"Uh, what a coincidence..."

Faced with this overly dramatic scene, Gao Hai, unsure how to react, twitched the corner of his mouth and finally raised the hand that wasn't being held down by Chika and waved it gently at Maki.

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Angry, Tsundere Girl and a New Exploration

Shijo Maki was very angry.

She felt an unprecedented, overwhelming atmosphere, so angry that she felt like she was about to explode.

Over the course of twelve hours, she and Kaguya carefully explored the entertainment area on the third floor and managed to obtain a set of soldier's uniforms, which they hid in the dormitory area on the second floor. After spending the first night, Kaguya, dressed in a researcher's uniform, was responsible for sneaking into the command room, while Maki, wearing the soldier's uniform, went to the personnel rest room to bring out Takami and Fujiwara Chika, took them for basic checks, and then led them to the quarantine area.

Throughout the entire process, both Maki and Kaguya were extremely cautious. In this place where eeriness was everywhere, one wrong step could lead to their complete annihilation.

In the dormitory on the second floor, they saw the figures lying on the beds, some of them nearly dehydrated and covered with sand and dust; others were swollen and rotten beyond recognition; still others looked as if they had been squeezed flat, showing a bloody and mangled mess.

Even so, the two girls could not smell the stench or the slightest blood on the corpses. On the contrary, they could even hear the creatures snoring or chatting amongst themselves, as if they were still alive.

When they reached the lounge on the third floor, the situation was even worse. Blood was flying everywhere, and there were dismembered corpses all over the place, but they were all wearing researchers' or soldiers' clothes. They were drinking and playing on various entertainment facilities like living people, having a good time. Some people even invited Maki and Kaguya to play with them.

What seems to keep these things alive is the clothes they wear.

As long as these items are dressed in clothing that represents a certain identity, no matter how severely they are damaged, nothing will happen. They seem to have escaped birth, aging, sickness, and death, and are no longer bound by the laws of nature, able to live on forever.

Maki and Kaguya did not rashly try any of the games in the entertainment area on the third floor. They carefully explored each room one by one, and finally, in a small corner room, they took the clothes of one of the two dismembered corpses as they flirted with each other.

To be honest, the sight of two humanoid carcasses, seemingly crushed by a truck, entwined together was enough to easily leave a psychological scar. At least, Maki, who witnessed it, was quite traumatized and nearly vomited on the spot. Incidentally, after removing the clothes that represented their "identity," the two figures quickly began to emit a foul stench, and chunks of flesh started falling off their bodies, with blood spurting out, which perfectly explained why there was blood everywhere on the third floor.

Wearing this outfit was a huge test for Consort Zhen, as it was stained with blood and even contained fragments of bone and flesh.

But in order to confirm Gao Hai's safety as soon as possible, and to see with her own eyes that he was alright, Zhen Fei finally overcame her psychological and physical discomfort and reluctantly put on the soldier's uniform.

Strangely enough, the soldier's uniform was several sizes too big for Maki, but when she put it on, it fit her perfectly, as if it had been tailor-made for her. It was very comfortable to wear.

Having gained a deeper understanding of the concept of "playing an identity," Maki then went to the personnel rest room and, posing as a soldier, took away Takahashi and the rest of the exploration personnel.

Then she saw Takami holding Fujiwara Chika tightly in her arms and refusing to let go.

"The second exploration mission is about to begin. Please get started as soon as possible."

With a blank expression and even a hint of murderous intent, Maki spoke coldly. Upon seeing this, Takahashi immediately let go, and Chika, finally free, hurriedly got off Takahashi, panting and blushing, and stood aside.

So exciting.

Chika, clutching her chest, felt as if her heart was about to stop beating.

She hadn't been able to fall asleep for long last night when she suddenly felt some movement beside her. Before she could figure out what was happening, Gao Hai turned to face her, reached out and hugged her, pulling her into his arms.

The height difference between Gao Hai and Qian Hua is nearly 30 centimeters, which means that Qian Hua is almost pressed into Gao Hai's chest, and she has to stick to him.

Coupled with the absolute difference in strength, even though Chika tried her best to struggle, it had no effect whatsoever. Instead, it aroused some instinctive reaction from Gao Hai, like a thug's excited punch, making him hug her even tighter.

Unable to break free, the girl eventually grew tired of struggling and, after confirming that Gao Hai was truly asleep and not deliberately taking advantage of her, had no choice but to give up. She nestled in Gao Hai's arms, using his body as a bed, and closed her eyes to sleep.

This experience is very exciting.

For Fujiwara Chika, who had never been in a relationship and had almost no in-depth contact with any members of the opposite sex, it was quite exciting.

Especially on the morning of the second day, when Gao Hai's body had its morning instincts, the stimulation was even stronger, so strong that Qian Hua thought she was about to stop breathing on the spot and fainted.

Fortunately, the soldier who appeared to help prevented something extremely bad from happening.

Thinking this, Chika looked up and was utterly shocked to discover that the soldier was none other than Shijou Maki. She gaped, speechless.

"Please put on your uniforms and come with me for a medical check-up."

Maki continued speaking expressionlessly. At this moment, her aura was extremely cold, almost making Gao Hai wonder if she had been completely assimilated by some strange force and turned into a non-human monster. Fortunately, due to the blessing, Gao Hai could still confirm that this girl in soldier's clothes was indeed one of his own. However, her emotions now carried a hint of subtle malice. It wasn't that she actually hated Gao Hai, but rather that she was particularly annoyed by his level of malice.

As for the source of this malice, Gao Hai was naturally quite clear about it.

awkward.

At this moment, Gao Hai felt extremely embarrassed.

It was supposed to be a scary, hardcore rule-based supernatural game before, but how did it suddenly turn into a chaotic battlefield? There's definitely something wrong with this turn of events, right?

Not knowing what to say, Gao Hai could only quickly straighten his yellow and white striped explorer uniform, then signal Chika to follow him. He then followed Maki, who had turned and left, to go with her for the so-called medical examination.

After another ten minutes or so, after a few scans by various instruments, he and Qianhua were told to proceed to the quarantine zone as soon as possible to begin the next round of exploration.