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

I investigated the bedroom where I first woke up (crossed out)

I may have woken up here more than once.

Those were words he wrote himself.

Gao Hai was certain that it was his own handwriting; he could still recognize his own words. But it was precisely because of this that he felt intensely confused at this moment.

bedroom?

Which bedroom?

Gao Hai remembered that when he first entered this instance, he woke up in this dilapidated little living room.

In fact, in his current memory, he had just entered the instance and just woken up; everything was only just beginning. He hadn't even had time to carefully observe his surroundings or confirm what the situation was.

But the records he now possesses tell him that things are not like that. He has actually been in this instance for some time, and he has already explored it. Moreover, the places he explored seem to be different from where he woke up.

Have I forgotten those experiences of exploration?

Is this some kind of mental pollution effect? ​​Does this copy contain some kind of memory-erasing mechanism?

Or is it... that the words I'm writing down now are actually a deceptive trick created by some strange force? I really have only just arrived here, and I haven't really investigated this instance at all; is it just that some special mechanism of this instance is trying to deceive me?

Gao Hai took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.

First of all, it can be confirmed that he has not suffered from mental pollution, at least not in the conventional sense.

With his willpower amplified by various blessings to the point where he could rival the vast majority of players, even surpassing the willpower of Red Moon level players, Gao Hai was certain that if he had suffered mental pollution, even if his perception had been distorted, it should have left some kind of trace. He couldn't possibly have failed to notice anything amiss; at the very least, he should have experienced a headache, dizziness, or general discomfort, but he hadn't experienced any of those.

If the intensity of the mental pollution was insufficient to harm his mind, that would be understandable. But the problem is that he has now encountered an abnormal situation that defies common sense. If the mental pollution explanation doesn't work, then what should be the situation?

As he pondered, Gao Hai slowly stood up from the sofa, frowning slightly as he looked around.

The living room was very dimly lit, with no windows and a door on each of the four walls leading to an unknown destination. Three sofas, one large and two small, were arranged around a low table. Not far away, there was an extinguished fireplace and a small cabinet that seemed to be used to store miscellaneous items.

On the small table directly in front of Gao Hai, he saw a yellowed piece of paper.

【Admission Notice】

【Hello, Mr. Takai】

Congratulations! Your child has been selected to attend Waseda Elementary School.

This is an experimental school established by the Imperial Military to create the future; your child will become a pillar of the empire's future through this school.

Admission to our school is completely free; you will not incur any costs. We will diligently educate your child, nurturing him into a true warrior and hero capable of upholding the glory of the Empire.

Please report to the school between 9:00 AM and 11:30 AM on [Month] [Day]. Failure to do so will imply that you have doubts about the Empire's benevolence, and your loyalty will likely require careful consideration by the military.

[—Military Headquarters]

The paper itself was quite well made, but because many years had passed, it was not well preserved, and it took Gao Hai some time to decipher what was written on it.

Unlike Fujika Junior High School, which conducts its experiments in secret, Hayate Elementary School does it quite openly.

As Gao Hai was thinking this, he saw Ji Gang, who had just opened the door, carefully observing his surroundings from the corner of his eye.

He put the paper away and then turned to walk toward the cabinet on one side of the room.

The cabinet contained some plates and tea sets, as well as some baskets that looked like they were for holding fruit.

Then Gao Hai walked to the fireplace. By this time, the fireplace was completely extinguished, and only some gray dust remained inside. There was nothing of value left.

No...it seems so?

Gao Hai lowered his head and squeezed his body in a little bit.

Then he saw the indistinct writing carved in stone inside the fireplace.

They only exist because you see them.

The inscription has become very blurry, but the color difference between the inscription itself and the surrounding blackened bricks is still visible. It is clear that the inscription was carved after the fireplace had been out of use for some time, and the fireplace should not have been used again after the inscription was completed.

It doesn't seem to be an inscription he left behind.

Who carved this?

Have you found anything? Hurry up, who knows when that thing will come?

Ji Gang, who was squatting next to Gao Hai, spoke nervously.

"There are some traces, but we don't know who left them."

Gao Hai turned around and slowly stepped out of the fireplace.

[Traces? Is there anyone else here?]

Ji Gang asked, somewhat surprised.

"..."

Gao Hai turned his head and looked at the empty space beside him, where there was nothing at all.

Was anyone here just now?

He remembered that he was the only person there from beginning to end.

Gao Hai took out a pen, looked down at the sentence he had written on his hand: "I act alone." After thinking for a moment, he circled "alone" to remind himself and reinforce this impression.

Although his memory of being alone in the instance was flawless—he had no recollection of investigating or exploring the small living room with anyone or anything, and encountered absolutely nothing unusual—Gao Hai now had to treat even the slightest anomaly with utmost care. Because… it had all been far too peaceful. In his view, the time from his awakening to his exploration of the instance had been far too peaceful.

Why doesn't he remember encountering anything unusual?

Why has his investigation gone so smoothly so far, without seeing any rule lists or encountering any dangerous situations?

He wouldn't have paid any attention to such an anomaly in the first place.

If he hadn't seen the writing left on his palm.

And... where did this pen come from? Why do I have no recollection of it at all?

These doubts and suspicions clearly arose in Gao Hai's mind, and were not forcibly blocked by any distorted mental force.

Even so, he still couldn't find anything that could be described as strange.

[What's wrong, Gao Hai? Are you thinking about your girlfriend? It's okay, we'll definitely get back.]

Ji Gang reached out and patted Gao Hai on the shoulder, smiling as he spoke to him.

Is Kurika really alright? I hope she can adapt to the new school environment.

Sitting on the sofa, holding his admission notice, Takai sighed deeply, his face showing utter exhaustion.

"Let's find Kaguya first. I have a feeling this place is getting weirder and weirder."

Gao Hai tilted his shoulder, brushed aside Ji Gang's hand, and then walked towards the door next to the fireplace.

Open the door, and behind it is a spacious corridor.

Nothing unusual.

Gao Hai still didn't sense anything unusual.

It was so safe here that he felt he could wander around and explore without encountering any danger.

Although the idea seemed incredible, Gao Hai really felt that way.

At the same time, he instinctively felt a sense of urgency, a strong sense of crisis that seemed to come from nowhere. It was as if something deep within his consciousness was reminding him that he had better speed up now, reminding him not to be misled by the scene before him.

Click——

So he closed the door and walked deeper into the corridor.

So Yoshitsugu and Takai followed beside him, and the three of them walked together down the corridor.

Takai, who was walking at the very back, turned around and locked the door he had come from. He seemed to suddenly feel a little afraid of the small living room behind the door.

step-step-

In the dimly lit room, footsteps, seemingly coming from nowhere, gradually drew closer.

Takahashi had already opened the next door and then saw Kaguya Shinomiya standing cautiously in a large hall behind it.

Click——

The door closed again.

In the mirror on the side of the corridor, Gao Hai strode forward, continuing his journey deeper into the darkness of the corridor.

……

……

……

Splash—splash—

The sound of rain continues to this day.

Xiong Mi lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, exhaled a puff of stale air towards the window, and then stretched before returning to the house.

"Boss, you're not in a good mood?"

In this bar, which was essentially the secret base of the "Slacking Off Gang," a young man at the counter immediately noticed that Xiong Mi looked unwell upon returning and asked her a question.

"You know why, that kid... I really don't know what he's after."

Xiong Mi sighed, sat down at the counter, picked up a glass of wine that was still burning, and swallowed it down along with the flame.

"The problem is, Big Sister, you told others to enter the dungeon in the evening. That's basically one of the most dangerous times in the dungeon, second only to entering at night. That's like starting elementary school early in the morning. Aren't you just setting a trap for newbies?"

The young man shrugged, his words tinged with confusion.

"If it were an ordinary person without any ability, it would indeed be considered digging a pit, but given the level of danger of starting from an early elementary school, it wouldn't be difficult for that kid."

Xiong Mi shook his head, his tone unusually solemn.

"I have to let him enter the dungeon at a relatively dangerous time. Even if he gets injured or bleeds, at least he will encounter danger and at least he will realize the danger."

"If we enter the instance during the day, that would be the most troublesome situation. Although it is indeed safer that way, if we explore Zao Li Elementary School at the beginning of the game when it is relatively [safe], he might really not be able to get out."

"That awful place, only those who have actually experienced it know what it's like..."

As she murmured her thoughts, Xiong Mi's voice was drowned out by the sound of the rain.

At that very moment, in that dark little bedroom, Gao Hai had already opened his eyes and slowly got up from the bed.

He got out of bed and subconsciously turned around to tidy up the messy bedding. Then, he vaguely noticed a sound coming from under the bed, like something moving gently under the bed.