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

Princess Zhenfei even gave up on herself in the end.

Meanwhile, as the girl on this side was feeling conflicted and shy, Chika, who had changed into casual clothes, cheerfully knocked on Kaguya's door. After waiting for a while, Kaguya opened the door with a slightly flustered expression.

"Um, Fujiwara-san? Is there something you need? Whether it's going to the hot springs or shopping, we'll probably have to wait a while, right?"

Kaguya was puzzled when she saw Chika arrive.

"Hmm, I feel like Kaguya-san is acting a little strange. Is she hiding some kind of secret?"

Chika, with her long pink hair, chuckled and tilted her head slightly towards Kaguya's room, only to see an open window with its curtains gently swaying in the breeze.

"What secrets are there? So, is there something you need from me?"

Kaguya sighed, then subtly turned around to check the situation before opening the door and showing Chika her room with an indifferent expression.

As for Hayasaka Ai, who was originally discussing tactics with Kaguya in the room, she had already climbed back up to the second floor and returned to her room, 201. Yes, since she had already decided to win over Takami, this trip to the hot spring hotel was naturally of paramount importance to Kaguya, a good opportunity to make the most of her chance.

To be honest, Kaguya simply didn't have the courage to carry out the tactics Hayasaka initially proposed. Things like talking to Takami in the middle of the night in thin pajamas, or deliberately appearing in front of Takami disheveled after a hot spring bath—how could she possibly do such a thing? Wasn't there a more reliable way, one that didn't require too much of her effort, while still making Takami fall for her? Doing something like that would be too shameful!

Those plans, which were so shameful, made it difficult for Kaguya to calm down. Even when Chika arrived, she was unable to adjust her mindset and expression, so it seemed that something was seen through by her.

"Hmm, although I have a feeling that Kaguya is hiding something, it's not important right now. Anyway, let's go out for a walk. We'll all be having fun together tonight, so how about we prepare the snacks we might need? We can ask the hotel staff to deliver them in advance, but it's also fun to choose and buy them ourselves."

With a slightly excited smile, Fujiwara Chika waved her little hand and said that, and seeing that the other party did not intend to say anything strange, Kaguya secretly breathed a sigh of relief, smiled and said okay to Chika, and the two left together to the shopping street near the hotel.

At the same time that the two left, Takami and Maki simultaneously received a message from Chika, informing them that she had taken Kaguya shopping with her.

In other words, now it's just me and that idiot left.

The moment Maki saw the message, she realized what Chika was trying to say.

Regardless of how things develop between her and Gao Hai, if they want to take things to the next level, she needs to act now. For example, if she wants to go shopping tonight, she should invite Gao Hai now and secure the spot in advance. Or, if she wants to go to some entertainment facilities with Gao Hai after soaking in the hot springs tonight, she can make arrangements in advance so that she can take the lead.

How could Princess Zhenfei not understand such a subtle hint?

"What the heck, it's like he's planned everything out perfectly, this guy..."

After muttering a slightly annoyed remark under her breath, Maki took a deep breath, gently patted her cheek, and then stuffed the "secret weapon" into her pocket, making thorough preparations at that moment.

I've thought about this long enough; now I can't afford to be indecisive or hesitant anymore.

So let's go all out!

Having made up her mind, Zhenfei opened the hotel room door and then planned to go upstairs to invite Gao Hai.

As a result, while she was still in the corridor, she saw Gao Hai walking towards her.

"Hey, Maki, Shinomiya and Chika went out for a stroll. I'm feeling pretty bored staying cooped up in the hotel. How about we go out for a walk together?"

As he said this, Gao Hai stepped forward and skillfully took Zhenfei's small hand.

"Ah...oh...okay..."

The girl, her face slightly flushed, lowered her head and answered Gao Hai in a soft voice, letting him lead her forward.

As for the series of plans and actions that were just brewing in Zhenfei's mind, unfortunately, she has completely forgotten about them.

Interlude 2-20: Analysis and Reflections on Alice's Game

At dusk, on a slightly noisy street, two figures were walking side by side.

Gao Hai held Zhen Fei's hand and walked calmly down the street, while Zhen Fei, her face slightly flushed, followed closely behind him. The two walked in silence until Gao Hai stopped. Zhen Fei then subconsciously took a step forward before belatedly realizing what was happening and quickly stopping as well.

"What are you thinking about? Why are you so flustered?"

Gao Hai smiled and asked, looking at Zhenfei's startled reaction.

"...N-nothing. I was just thinking about that 'Alice's Game' you mentioned before, Hai-kun."

At first, she instinctively denied it, but after hesitating for a moment, Maki spoke up again in a low voice.

"Oh, that? Well, I was just mentioning it casually, and you actually went to see it?"

Gao Hai was somewhat surprised. After suspecting that he might be pulled into the Red Moon-level dungeon by the power of the watch, he had indeed paid close attention to the [Campus Ghost Stories] dungeon. Therefore, he had searched for related information on the player forums many times during this period. Among them, there was a lot of information about the rules and related information of Fujika Middle School, so it was the place he focused on.

This behavior naturally attracted the girls' attention, and Gao Hai had no intention of hiding it, so he directly voiced his guess. As a result, after that, Kaguya Maki, Chika, and the other two girls all began to pay attention to the [Campus Ghost Stories] instance and helped him investigate related information. They even tried to learn and collect information on other Red Moon-level instances, just in case.

To be honest, even knowing that I might be pulled into the Red Moon-level dungeon by the power of the watch, these girls didn't have any intention of backing down. They seemed to trust me a lot, believing that even with such an extremely difficult dungeon, I could still clear it. This kind of trust is truly heartwarming, but it also puts a lot of pressure on me.

Thinking about this, Gao Hai couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.

"So, do you have any ideas? We can talk about it as we walk."

Holding Zhenfei's small hand, Gao Hai continued walking, talking as he went.

"I do have quite a few ideas. Speaking of which, Hai-kun, how much information have you looked at regarding the Fujika Middle School section?"

With this topic as a starting point, Maki's tension noticeably eased, and she spoke to Takahashi in a gradually smoother voice.

"I've already read both sets of game rules, namely the 'Alice's Great Adventure Game' in the teaching building and the 'Alice's Puzzle Game' in the dormitory building. I've also read the 12 game hints that players from Fujihana Middle School heard at the start of the game, which were compiled from statistics."

Gao Hai nodded in response, his mind already replaying the intelligence he had seen earlier.

In the junior high school called Fujika Middle School, there are four "Alice's Games," located in four areas: the teaching building, the dormitory, the playground, and the swimming pool. However, currently only the rules for the teaching building and dormitory areas are visible. The playground and swimming pool are semi-enclosed, and players cannot find the rule lists even if they enter these areas. Furthermore, the relevant rules originally recorded by players in the real world have mysteriously disappeared.

As for the reason, although there is no definitive conclusion yet, many players speculate that the removal of the obsession items in these two areas led to the closure of the related game content. However, many people do not accept this speculation, because the disappearance of obsession items leading to area closure usually only occurs when core obsession items are removed; the disappearance of ordinary obsession items does not affect the instance.

Besides this speculation, another theory suggests that since the games in the "playground" and "swimming pool" areas have already determined their winners, there's no need to continue. Furthermore, once the games in the "teaching building" and "dormitory" areas are decided, a further transformation might occur in the Fujika Middle School area. Of course, this theory is considered even less plausible, and while the players on the forum can't directly explain why, Gao Hai already has a guess.

The winners of "Alice's Game" are all killed by strange occurrences within Fujihana Middle School.

Players who truly win by strictly following the game rules have absolutely no chance of surviving. This wasn't mentioned by the players on the forum, but for Gao Hai, who had carefully read the rules, understanding this wasn't difficult.

"In the end, these two sets of rules are completely different from the rules we encountered in Shirakawa Apartment and in the Red Nut Gray Hole."

"The rules of Shirakawa Apartment were written by Mr. Lin Xusheng. Although the rules have many problems due to their outdated nature, they are undoubtedly survival rules written to ensure the survival of the survivors."

"The rules in the Red Nut Gray Hole are divided into the research base section and the cave section. The former was written by the base personnel to maintain order within the base itself, while the latter was left by Mr. Wilbur to prevent a tragedy by venturing into dangerous territory for those who would come after him."

"What these rules have in common is that they are all written from the perspective of 'human beings.' Whether their purpose is to 'maintain' or to 'escape,' they are ultimately for the good of more people. Therefore, these rules can be used by players, and we can basically trust all of their clauses."

"But from the very beginning, these two games didn't feel like they were left by normal people. To be honest, all I could feel from these rules was a strong sense of malice. If we really believed in these rules and followed them, I don't think we would have survived."

While Gao Hai was pondering, Zhen Fei was also sharing her analysis, and clearly, her thoughts coincided with Gao Hai's.

The biggest difference between the Fujiwara Middle School instance and the previous two instances lies in the stance of the rule writers, and for players, this difference is extremely fatal.

"In that case, Maki, where do you think the way out of the Fujika Middle School instance lies? You know, although this instance is extremely dangerous, quite a few players have still managed to escape alive. Since some people can leave alive, it proves that this place is not a dead end, and there must be a way out hidden inside."

Gao Hai thought for a moment and then asked.

"As for a way out... I think it's most likely to be the 'bad kids' within the rules."

Princess Zhen lowered her head and pondered seriously for a while before giving this answer.

"Judging from the two sets of rules, completing the game and becoming Alice's friend is likely a dead end. Conversely, becoming a 'bad kid' who won't become Alice's friend is the corresponding path to survival. In other words, if a player can obtain the identity of a 'bad kid,' they have a chance to survive."

"Of course, considering the existence of creatures like the Big Bad Wolf mentioned in the rules, even if a player obtains the identity of the Bad Kid, they still have to face all sorts of dangerous monsters. This identity only gives the player the possibility of survival."

"As for how to obtain the identity of a 'bad kid,' according to the rules of the school building, perhaps we need to blow out the candles in other players' hands or our own? The rules of the dormitory building are much simpler; it probably only requires not going to bed on time after dark to become a 'bad kid'?"

The girl spoke very seriously about her analysis and thoughts.

Meanwhile, Gao Hai nodded gently, listening attentively to Maki's thoughts, while also pondering the contents of the second set of rules for "Alice's Game" that he had seen earlier, trying to guess and deduce the hidden information within.

[Alice's Puzzle Game!]

Welcome to Alice's lodging area! This is where Alice rests, plays games, and becomes good friends!

Alice loves making friends and wants to become best friends with everyone. So let's play a game! After playing together, everyone will be Alice's friend!

The goal of the game is very simple! Alice will give you a puzzle, and you just need to find the item that corresponds to the puzzle in the dormitory building and take it to the correct place. Isn't that easy? It's super easy to pass the level, so everyone come and play with Alice!

However, it's essential to follow the rules when playing games. Good children are those who follow the rules, so please remember the rules Alice is about to tell you!

[Rule 1: Each person's riddle is unique. Each person can only find the answer to their own riddle. You cannot tell others your riddle and ask them to help you find the answer, nor can you tell others your riddle's answer and ask them to help you find the corresponding item. Otherwise, a very, very bad big bad wolf will come looking for you and eat you up in one bite!]

[Rule 2: Cleanliness and hygiene are very important. Your bed sheets and blankets must be neatly folded, and there can be no trash on the floor. Otherwise, the cleaning teacher will be very angry and will come to find you and make you clean up!]

[Rule 3: After dark, good children must lie in bed and sleep soundly. No making noise or running around. Aunt Owl will check everyone carefully, so you must sleep well!]

[Rule 4: The dormitory building does not have a basement. If you see the entrance to the basement, pretend you don't see it. It's a trap used by naughty kids to play pranks.]

[Rule 5: Grandpa Niu patrols the stairwell every day. When you see him, be sure to greet him warmly and say "Thank you for your hard work!"]

[Rule 6: You are not allowed on the dormitory rooftop. The rooftop is a no-go area. Uncle Cat hates rule-breakers. It will be very bad if you make him angry. But you can try bribing him with dried fish.]

[Rule 7: No one is allowed in the dormitory building during the day. The giraffe inspectors will come to check regularly, so please do not stay in the dormitory building during the day.]

[Rule 8: Saving water is a good habit! Never waste water. This is a virtue that the faucet taught us all, and we must remember it well. Maybe the faucet will turn it on to check!]

[Rule 9: Pencil Brother is always sleepy because he loves studying, so he often sleeps in the hallway. Please be understanding and don't run or make noise in the hallway.]

[Rule 10: The lights in the restroom are broken, so you can't tell which is the men's or women's restroom. Before you go in, be sure to loudly ask if anyone is inside and make sure it's the men's or women's restroom before you enter.]

[Rule 11: Lights may only be turned on in the dormitory after the morning bell rings. Lights must be turned off after the evening bell rings. Lights are not allowed at night, as this will disturb others. Please be a good student; a good student is considerate of others!]

[Rule 12: You must solve Alice's riddle and put the items in the correct places to leave the dormitory building. You have to play the game to the end to win, so you absolutely cannot leave early!]

Rule 13: Cheating is absolutely forbidden. Each person's puzzle is unique, and everyone must complete their own game independently. Helping others or being helped is strictly prohibited. Alice hates cheaters the most, and she would never be friends with a cheater. So please, please don't cheat!

Those are all the rules! Good luck everyone, and let's play together with Alice!

Once we've played the game, we're all good friends!

……

To be honest, Gao Hai always felt that the biggest difference between the author of this rule and the authors of the previous two instances was actually the tone and manner of their writing. After all, neither Xu Sheng, Wilbo, nor the staff at the research base would use such a disgusting tone to write the rules in such a hesitant and awkward way, nor would they play this kind of maliciously cutesy trick.

"In any case, one thing is certain: the [Wisteria Middle School] instance is still extremely dangerous for us right now. If we're considering the possibility of getting caught up in this place, we probably need to find a way to enhance our own abilities. Hmm, maybe we could try trading for some more suitable items that we're attached to?"

After thinking it over, Princess Maki finally came up with this idea.

Gao Hai, who had been listening attentively to the girl's advice, nodded seriously, then suddenly came to his senses and realized something was wrong.

Wasn't I shopping with Maki? Wasn't I relaxing and unwinding? How did we end up talking about serious stuff all of a sudden?! All that romantic atmosphere we worked so hard to build just vanished like that?!

"What's wrong? Why do you suddenly look so pale? Are you nervous?"

Zhenfei, who was standing to the side, noticed the change in Gao Hai's expression and looked at him with some confusion, asking him a question.

"...No, it's nothing. It's just that I've only just realized that you're quite a serious girl."

It's like those company bosses who voluntarily work overtime during holidays. Although we players have to work our butts off every month, we can't equate our situation with those bosses.

"What? That sounds like you're mocking me! I was clearly trying to explain the rules to you very seriously, okay?"