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

First, the series of investigations that began in the morning yielded no results. The only thing they knew was that Ms. Goto had encountered danger while acting alone, and the others had not found anything unusual from beginning to end (Hayasaka was unaware of the Life Club and the Ghost Story Club due to information blockage). In Hayasaka's view, this continuous failure of investigations meant that this approach was no longer viable, and it meant that they had to find other solutions.

Secondly, Ms. Goto's situation serves as a hint. She encountered danger while acting alone and utilizing some kind of supernatural power. Without other factors in mind, Hayasaka believes that "acting alone and displaying a special side" can be considered a sign of danger. Once a player fulfills this characteristic, dangerous things can happen, to the point that the powerful veteran player was forced to erase his memories to advance.

So, summarizing these two points, and adding to what Ms. Fujiwara mentioned earlier about the unique "atmosphere" of Japan, and considering that the two core obsessions of Yoruyama Middle School, Eriko Asamoto and Koji Morihara, who had not changed anything before, both suffered from school bullying before their deaths, perhaps in order to know what is hidden deeper in this instance, players need to find that intangible and colorless "atmosphere" within this instance.

But how can one find something like this?

While thinking, Hayasaka placed a completely blank book back on the bookshelf, then keenly noticed that someone was standing behind the bookshelf.

The bookshelves in the school library are hollow, so if people on either side move books from the same spot, they can see what's on the other side. It was while Hayasaka was picking up a book and putting it back that he saw a pair of feet on the opposite side of the bookshelf through the gap between the books.

Something's not right.

Hayasaka quickly recalled that the person behind the bookshelf had been standing there ever since she started standing there, without moving an inch. Every time she took a book and put it down, she could see those feet motionless in the same spot through the gaps between the books.

This situation is highly abnormal. Although the students in this school are actually all disguised monsters, their movements are no different from those of living people. They would never stay still in one place. Even a student engrossed in reading would at least have the rise and fall of their breath and the movement of turning pages; their body would not remain completely still.

But every time she saw the person behind the bookshelf, the person's position never changed.

Indeed, just by looking at the person, Hayasaka could determine that the distance between the person's left foot and the pattern on the nearest tile was 1.07 centimeters, the distance between the right and left feet was 4.23 centimeters, and the angle between the feet was 57.4 degrees. These figures had not changed at all in more than twenty minutes. It could be said that the person behind the bookshelf was like a sculpture, completely without any movement.

This is clearly completely inconsistent with the monsters' actions in the Nightfall Mountain Middle School instance.

Hayasaka reached out and patted Takami and Miko on the shoulder, indicating to them that he had noticed a problem.

Then, Gao Hai carefully protected Miko and followed behind Hayasaka. The three of them moved slowly and came to the corner of the bookshelf.

With Gao Hai already prepared to immediately summon rescue team members, use suppression grenades, and release his mental domain, Hayasaka suddenly took a step forward and moved to the other side of the bookshelf, looking at the place where the person opposite the bookshelf should be.

empty?

The girl, her eyes widening slightly, was somewhat surprised to find that there was no one behind the bookshelf.

if it is like this……

She quickly returned to the spot where she had first spotted the other person, removed a book again, and found that the person was no longer visible through the gap in the bookshelf.

Has it disappeared?

Hayasaka, who thought she had made a discovery, was slightly discouraged at this moment.

Gao Hai, who had not noticed anything unusual, suddenly frowned at this moment.

He had just discovered, through the senses on the rescue team's badge, that Lao Guo, the rescue team member he had sent to sneak into the main teaching building, had been killed.

Chapter Seventeen: Those Who Awaken in the Bythos as Night Falls

14:00

Back in the main teaching building, it's time for the fifth period.

Gao Hai found that his mind was gradually calming down, and the previous feeling of irritability was gone.

Perhaps it's because they realized that getting frustrated was pointless, so they simply let time pass by and wait for things to change.

Hayasaka was still somewhat unconvinced. Earlier in the library, she thought she had found a clue, but the person standing behind the bookshelf never reappeared, which was a bit of a blow to the girl. Takami comforted her for a while, and then tried to take her to the place where the dormitory rule list and the main teaching building rule list were located, to see if she could see the survival rules. However, she found that she could only see the initial basic rules.

As for whether the library rules had changed in Hayasaka's view, Takami had no way of knowing. After all, even if they had changed, he wouldn't be able to perceive them from his own perspective. This extremely distorted information-blocking rule meant that players who knew the deeper rules and actually obtained the information were often left to fight alone, unable to cooperate effectively with their companions, which was truly disgusting.

However, after learning about the concept of "atmosphere" from Chika Fujiwara, upon closer reflection, this rule that makes cooperative exploration increasingly difficult for players might actually be... a manifestation of the "atmosphere" within this instance.

The more you refuse to conform like those strange students, the more you refuse to pretend everything is normal and blend into this seemingly idyllic atmosphere, the harder you try to find the hidden unpleasantness, the more isolated and helpless you will become, the more unable to communicate normally with others, and the more severe the rejection and even attacks you will receive. The outward manifestation of this, the distortion of a world of supernatural tales, is this information blocking and censorship mechanism.

Thinking about it that way... well, it's even more disgusting.

Gao Hai couldn't help but begin to suspect that as players acquire more and more information and become increasingly unable to communicate with their companions, this mechanism might lead to further deterioration and could potentially cause him huge trouble.

But, well, whatever the case, let's at least get through this period first.

Thinking this, Gao Hai shifted his gaze to the textbook on the table, only to find that he simply couldn't absorb the content. Even if he looked at it carefully, he could understand some of it, but he simply couldn't concentrate on the book like a student.

On the podium, the teacher, who was actually a monster, was still giving a lecture with great intonation. As he spoke, Gao Hai began to feel that the teacher was singing a lullaby and decided to hypnotize him right there in class.

Forget about all that. Anyway, I'm not a real student, and I don't really attend classes at school. At worst, I can just ask Kaguya Maki to copy my homework.

Having quickly figured it out, Gao Hai, just like his behavior in class in his previous life, simply relaxed his mind and let his thoughts wander, essentially giving up.

As a result, the four afternoon classes passed by uneventfully.

When the bell rang for the fourth period, and the players gathered again in the cafeteria, they solved their food problems, discussed their action plan, and then divided up their tasks to explore again, only to find themselves empty-handed once more. The sky was gradually darkening, the crimson sunset fading from dazzling to dim, and everyone was exhausted by this point.

"This lousy place is really frustrating; a whole day has passed and there's been absolutely no progress..."

A player named Hayashi Kenta from the [Red Guild] leaned against the window, gazing at the star-studded night sky, and spoke with a helpless expression. It was clear he was thoroughly exhausted from the entire day's investigation.

"..."

As for Jianbing, who was often called "Jianbing Guozi" by Xiong Mi, he was sitting on his bed with a blank expression, taking out a notebook and writing and drawing, recording his investigation experience throughout the day, and also drawing a rough map of the school.

Gao Hai's gaze did not linger on the two people, but instead turned to the other two [students] in the room.

Yes, at this moment, Gao Hai is in dormitory 203, not in dormitory 212 where he should have been.

After discovering the problem and confirming through the hidden rule table that he probably wouldn't be able to rest in his original bed that night, Gao Hai moved to dormitory 203. He then asked a strange student, through Lin Bu Jiantai and Jianbing, to suggest temporarily exchanging dormitory beds. This is why he appeared in this place at night.

At first, when Gao Hai brought up the idea, the seemingly ordinary young man refused without hesitation, looking at Gao Hai with obvious rejection. But when Lin Bujian and Jianbing spoke up together, the student quickly fell silent, then nodded in agreement to exchange dorm rooms, and was now packing his pillow and bedding to take to room 203.

Furthermore, when Gao Hai initially made the request, not only did the supernatural student he was talking to refuse, but another supernatural student in the dormitory also chimed in, saying things like "students shouldn't exchange dormitory beds." However, once it became a three-way conversation between Gao Hai and the other student, the one who had spoken up immediately walked away. Gao Hai could even detect a hint of disgust in that student's actions and expression, as if the student who had agreed to exchange dorm beds had become some kind of foul-smelling garbage.

Is it because we used our numerical advantage to force the other party to agree to our conditions, which is tantamount to bullying?

While he was thinking, the strange student had already slunk out of the dormitory, leaving an empty bed for Gao Hai.

The remaining student, the only one in the dormitory who was actually a monster, was behaving strangely and timidly. Even though the three players on Gao Hai's side hadn't done anything, the monster student became restless, as if he were in some terrible situation, and even seemed somewhat afraid of the three players on Gao Hai's side.

There's something wrong.

"Hey you--"

While pondering, Gao Hai stepped forward, intending to try to communicate with the student.

I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!

Unexpectedly, the student suddenly curled up on the ground in terror, trembling as if he had been beaten up by Gao Hai.

What's going on? Because it became the only individual in the dormitory, it automatically entered "bullied mode"?

Gao Hai tried to communicate with the student again, but no matter what he said, the student curled up on the ground could only keep repeating "I'm sorry" and "I was wrong", and could not give any meaningful response other than that.

"Tonight, perhaps we'll find out where the dangers of this instance lie."

Jianbing, who had been mostly silent, looked at the trembling, creepy student cowering on the ground and spoke.

"Maybe. To be honest, after being cooped up all day, I'm actually starting to hope something will happen."

Seeing that the other person rarely spoke, Gao Hai casually replied with a sentence, then looked up at the clock hanging in the dormitory.

21:55

At this point, there were only 5 minutes left before lights out.

After communicating with Zhenfei again via the mental link and confirming that there was nothing unusual in her dormitory, and that the other dormitories were also safe through the communicator provided by Xiong Mi, Gao Hai went to the bed he had switched to and lay down.

As for the strange student who kept repeating the same answers no matter what they were asked, the three of them, after some discussion, gave him the order: "You're not allowed to sleep in bed tonight," to see if it would have any effect. As it turned out, it was almost lights out, and the student showed no intention of going back to bed, actually obediently following their order.

Perhaps it's because our orders aligned with the actions of the "bullies"?

Gao Hai wasn't sure if what he was doing was right or wrong. After all, the enigmatic condition for passing this level—"changing the predetermined future"—was unsettling. He couldn't help but wonder if they, along with their group, might be led astray if they acted like "bullies." However, they hadn't uncovered any significant clues, so using this strange student as a test was a desperate measure, and they could only try it and see what happened.

And, after lying down on the bed, Gao Hai suddenly remembered something else.

The mutated [Nightfall Mountain Middle School] now presents him with layers of mystery, and he has no way to break through the surface enigma of this instance. But... there's still one more? The last of the four areas in [Campus Ghost Stories], the instance area called [Baydos Academy], what changes have occurred there? That clownish KP couldn't possibly have left this final area unchanged. Will he have a chance to come into contact with that instance area in this instance quest?

22:00

Lost in thought, the clock struck the lights-out time.

The lights in the room automatically turned off at that moment.

Complete darkness enveloped the small four-person dormitory, and with his vision obstructed, Gao Hai suddenly felt that his hearing had become more acute, to the point that his breathing and heartbeat seemed to be amplified.

"call……"

What will happen next?

It was late at night, after darkness had enveloped everything. Now was the time for ghost stories, the time for the evil creatures of eerie tales to roam, the time for those things that could not be found in the daytime... to come alive.

Where are they now?

"call……"

Gao Hai's breathing had calmed down.

He lay quietly in bed, not planning to sleep that night, intending to just lie there all night and see if he could wait for those things to appear.

On the beds of Kenta Hayashibe and Kenmochi, there were even, steady breaths, but not the sounds of someone falling asleep. It was clear that these two players shared the same intention; everyone was silently waiting for the strange thing that might descend.

1 second, 10 seconds, 100 seconds...

Gao Hai silently counted in his mind.

从22:00到第二天的7:00，需要数9个小时，也就是540分钟，32400秒。

Gao Hai was confident that he could count from 1 to over 30,000 in one go without any external interference, but whether that "external force" would appear, and in what way, was something he could only imagine in his mind at this moment.

It was at this moment that he suddenly noticed that there was no fourth person breathing in the room.

This wasn't originally a problem worth paying attention to, since there were actually only three living people in the dormitory. No matter how much the remaining student looked like a living person, he was still just a fake created by the power of the strange creature.

But it's not right.

Even if it's a counterfeit, it's a counterfeit that's incredibly lifelike.

These seemingly normal students, shaped by the power of ghost stories, breathe, blink, and have their own likes and dislikes—beings with rich emotions like living people. Even if these things aren't real, they at least simulate the process as if it were.

Therefore, when they turn off the lights to sleep and rest, they should also close their eyes and rest like real people, making even breathing sounds.

Gao Hai slowly raised his head, propped himself up slightly, and looked at the floor.

The bathroom door was open, and the curtains weren't fully drawn, so some light still shone into the room, preventing it from being completely dark.

But Gao Hai didn't see the person on the floor.

The student who should theoretically still be sleeping on the floor at this moment has disappeared to who knows where.