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

But now, he has become the "destined one" in the eyes of others, and he happens to be the target of a group of crazy cultists, which makes Gao Hai feel somewhat ridiculous.

However, regardless of what those guys were thinking, Gao Hai's attitude was the same: kill them one by one, or kill their entire families if they came in droves. From the moment these guys killed him in the first playthrough, and by casting a curse that caused his death in the safe zone, Gao Hai had no possibility of reconciliation with them.

"How much information do we have about the other six Red Moon level players?"

Gao Hai asked the question that was currently of most concern to him.

"Aside from some basic information, there's almost nothing. How should I put it, these guys are abnormally wary. Judging from this guy's memories, the seven of them erased each other's memories after each cooperative operation to ensure that their trump cards weren't exposed and to prevent killing each other. Therefore, I can only find out the extraordinary powers that the other six have revealed in this mission from this guy's memories, and I still can't determine whether it's the effect of obsession objects or blessings."

Xiong Mi shook her head as she spoke, and then gave a general explanation of the characteristics and abilities she had extracted about the other six cult players.

This group of players is indeed quite strange. From the prisoner's memories, it can be seen that these people were clearly comrades-in-arms who cooperated to solve the dungeon, but after leaving the dungeon, they might fight each other to the death at any time due to various reasons such as beliefs and ideals. And if they didn't die, they could continue to cooperate when they entered the dungeon again.

To ensure the survival of this twisted team, they used various cursed and contractual artifacts to intimidate and exploit each other, forming a group that both hated, betrayed, and loved each other, cooperated, and trusted one another. The level of abstraction involved is astonishing; perhaps only an extremely dangerous existence like a Red Moon-level dungeon could have led these people to construct such a bizarre team.

Regardless, compared to encountering enemies without any information during his first playthrough, this time, Gao Hai finally obtained information about these lunatics and knew their situation. If he encounters them again, Gao Hai is certain he won't be killed inexplicably this time.

"The instance has been drastically distorted, rendering previous exploration experience largely ineffective, and now a bunch of crazy players have run in. Ha, to be honest, I don't know what to do in this situation. But you, don't you feel any despair at all?"

At this moment, Xiong Mi let out a long sigh. She had been expressionless and reliable as usual when she was in front of Chika, Miko, and Goto Ichiri. But now that she and Gao Hai were alone, she finally showed a somewhat negative expression.

In her view, the mission has now completely failed.

Qi Hai and the others were trapped in the atrium area of ​​the main teaching building. Although Gao Hai said that the contact over there had not been cut off, Xiong Mi estimated that the chances of them getting out safely were slim.

His deputy, Kenpachi, was dead; Hayashibe Kenta, a Red Moon-level player from the [Red Society], was dead; and Takami's new lover, Hayasaka Ai, had also died in the main teaching building. Three players, two of whom were Red Moon-level, had all died in one building. Add to that the terrifyingly large number of strange students already gathered in the building, and Xiong Mi didn't dare to imagine just how chaotic the main teaching building had become.

Even though this doesn't mean Xiong Mi will accept her fate or stop resisting, she now knows perfectly well that the mission has been a complete failure. With only a remnant of their forces remaining, they have no chance of clearing this instance, and because this instance mission doesn't have a time limit, they can't even wait out the time to escape. In other words, they are all destined to die here.

Goto Ichiri is a bit slow-witted and probably didn't think of this, but Aoyama Nanami and Nanakawa Ren, those two Red Moon-level players, will definitely figure it out. By then, Xiong Mi will probably be on the verge of collapse, since there aren't many people like her who would rather die than surrender in the next second.

However, Xiong Mi was also very clear that Gao Hai couldn't possibly be unaware of this.

This man, who had fought alongside her at Fujika Middle School and was, in fact, her savior, wasn't stupid; he knew exactly what the situation was. However, his emotional reaction was no different from usual, showing absolutely no problem.

Even though he had already stepped into a dead end, with almost no chance of turning things around, this man still maintained a very casual and relaxed demeanor. Xiong Mi even vaguely felt that the other man had become more open-minded and composed, as if... how to put it, as if he had actually prepared to die, and even looked forward to it, as if he couldn't wait to die.

Has this person gone mad?

Considering the various instances of her companions going insane that she had encountered before, Xiong Mi looked at Gao Hai with a scrutinizing gaze. She genuinely suspected that Gao Hai had gone mad at this moment, which was why he could maintain an optimistic attitude in such a desperate situation.

"Desperate?"

Gao Hai was taken aback by Xiong Mi's question.

He quickly understood what Xiong Mi meant and realized that his attitude at that moment was actually a bit strange in the eyes of others.

However, he simply couldn't feel despair.

Hayasaka Ai's death did not stir any ripples in Takami's heart, because he knew it was fake. He knew that as long as he died once, the lovely girl who regarded him as her master would be resurrected, and they would return to the beginning of the game, where there were no casualties.

Even if everyone on Maki's side died—whether it was Aoyama Nanami and Nanakawa Ren who led the group, or Maki and Kaguya who were close to him—even if they died tragically right before Takami's eyes, he wouldn't be affected in the slightest. At most, he might feel a pang of pity for the girls' unsettling deaths and think that if there were a next time, it would be better to find a way to make them die even faster.

After four dungeon explorations and more than ten deaths, Gao Hai is now truly incapable of having an emotional response to death. He will not be affected in the slightest by his own or others' deaths; he will only pay attention to the pain of the dying process—that is the limit of what he can do.

After all, for someone with the ability to rewind, death is nothing but a false illusion, merely the failure of a game, just a button with the alternative name of "start over." Call it indifference, call it a loss of humanity, but he has become like this, and unless he loses his memory, there is no possibility of returning to his previous state.

Therefore, he will not be able to despair about it, so he will never despair about it again.

“Even if there’s only a sliver of hope, we can’t give up. Besides, in my opinion, we’re still a long way from being in dire straits. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure everyone leaves this instance alive, and I’ll also rescue everyone who’s trapped. Ah, of course, that is, assuming that those who were stuffed with rag dolls can actually be saved.”

But Gao Hai couldn't possibly say that.

Even when facing Princess Zhenfei, he couldn't express these feelings. Perhaps after Miko has died enough times, he could talk to that girl, but not with anyone else yet.

So Gao Hai just grinned and smiled, putting on an optimistic expression, and encouraged Xiong Mi.

"...Is that so? Never mind, just let me know if there's anything you need from me."

Xiong Mi nodded slightly, showing no particular reaction to Gao Hai's attitude.

"Of course, I couldn't get through this alone."

Gao Hai smiled and replied.

"..."

Xiong Mi didn't say anything more. This experienced player could naturally tell that Gao Hai was unwilling to tell the truth, and at the same time, he could also hear that his seemingly empty promise was actually filled with strong confidence.

Even though more than one teammate had already died, this man confidently claimed that he could keep everyone alive...

Not going insane or anything... resurrection? Life granting? Time reversal? Or some other kind of ability?

This kid has quite a few secrets, but that's precisely why he's become that "miracle," achieving what others couldn't. However, possessing such abilities inevitably comes with burdens; hopefully, he can handle them.

Based on just a few unusual behaviors, Xiong Mi was able to deduce the source of Gao Hai's confidence and see the hidden dangers behind this power.

"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. Anyway, a bunch of people are already watching you. Although they're not on campus right now, it won't be long before they make their move and try to get into the campus to find you. What are your thoughts now?"

Xiong Mi yawned and changed the subject.

"While I do think I'm quite charismatic, I don't really want this kind of attention. So, if I get the chance, I'll definitely take them all out; that's the only way to have peace of mind. By the way, it's about time to let the others in. There's no need to avoid others when discussing combat strategies."

Gao Hai touched his face, his voice carrying a very ordinary confidence.

Then, remembering that there were three girls waiting outside the door, he first checked on Miko and Chika's situation through the mental link, and then opened the door to let them in.

Goto Ichiri still looked timid and hesitant, while Miko glanced at Kumomi with some fear, probably sensing something and knowing what had happened inside. As for Chika, she seemed rather sullen; considering her lively nature, the process of silently and cautiously guarding the door must have been quite agonizing for the girl.

"Now, let me tell you the information I obtained from the 'interrogation,' and then we can discuss the next tactical arrangements."

Before the three entered, Xiong Mi had already burned off all the excess parts of the player and used his body to block the container containing the brain, and then began to speak in a serious manner.

Everyone turned serious at that moment, including Goto Ichiri herself, who temporarily set aside her social anxiety and became focused.

Guh—~

But before that, some discordant sounds rang out from the three of them.

"Hmm, speaking of which, I've been using up all my stamina since the start of the dungeon, and I've even used blessings a few times. I haven't replenished my stamina at all. How about we eat and talk?"

Gao Hai listened to the rumbling in his stomach, then looked at Jianzi, whose face was flushed, and Chika, who was a little embarrassed, and then at Xiong Mi and Yili, who were not hungry because of the Red Moon level blessing. He showed an awkward but polite expression.

Chapter 67: The Time for Slurping Noodles and the Time for Rest and Recovery

Use a fork to pick up the steaming noodles and put them in your mouth, chewing gently.

The crisp, delicious vegetables made a crunching sound as they were crushed by your teeth.

Lower your head, take another sip of the rich and fragrant soup, and feel the flavor burst on your tongue.

Gao Hai let out a long sigh and let out a heartfelt lament.

He felt that his soul had been purified at this moment, and the meaning of life had been sublimated in this instant. Through the subtle flavors that permeated his taste buds, he seemed to see his troubled yet happy life, and the road he was about to walk in the future.

Ah, perhaps this is the truth of life.

After all, eating is our true first instinct for survival.

so……

"Is it really necessary to make such a fuss over eating instant noodles?"

Xiong Mi finally couldn't help but complain.

"This is Master Kong instant noodles, a high-end brand. It's no exaggeration to treat it with the utmost care. This is different from low-end instant noodles like Master Kong or Qiaomianguan, which are usually just for the sake of getting by. People who choose to buy Master Kong instant noodles are genuinely looking for the taste. That alone is enough to set it apart from other instant noodles."

Reflecting on life, Gao Hai brandished the plastic fork in his hand and retorted very seriously.

"Hmm, the taste is indeed very special. This is the first time I've ever eaten something like this."

Fujiwara Chika, standing to the side, nodded in agreement with a serious expression, but judging from her reaction, it wasn't that she thought the instant noodles were delicious; she was simply curious because she had never eaten such food before.

Yotsuya Miko didn't speak, but quietly ate her noodles in small bites. She didn't seem to finish her food very quickly, but the bowl of noodles she was holding became incredibly light. However, this could also be because she didn't speak at all, while Takami and Chika would stop and chat occasionally, thus wasting time.

Incidentally, even though neither Kumami nor Goto Ichiri were hungry, they were slurping noodles with Takami and the other two. Kumami got hungry while eating and chatting with Takami and couldn't resist making a bowl herself, while Goto Ichiri felt excluded because everyone else was eating instant noodles, so she quickly ordered one too.

Furthermore, the instant noodles originated from Xiong Mi herself. She carried various brands of instant noodles and instant rice, along with self-heating hot pot and even snail rice noodles, in a spatial backpack-like item she was obsessed with. Considering the sheer variety of these items, Gao Hai strongly suspected that this woman was actually a junk food enthusiast.

"So, next, hmm... the first step, should we continue digging along Eriko Asamoto's trail? Hmm..."

Getting back to the main topic, Gao Hai asked while slurping his seafood ramen noodles.

"This is, after all, the route with the most leads and the most abundant intelligence we currently have. To obtain crucial information related to Morihara Koji, we must find the abandoned Japanese military base located in the forest. Considering those cultists are still active outside, and it's getting closer to nightfall, well, this route is basically out of the question right now. As for that third obsession… let's not think about it for now. She's still blocked by the core obsession from Bydos. Even if we can successfully break free from that obsession, if we do manage to interfere, your little girlfriend will immediately be hunted down by another core obsession, huh?"

Xiong Mi nodded very seriously and gave a very straightforward analysis of the current situation, while slurping up her Korean spicy beef noodle soup.

"Regarding Ms. Eriko, the biggest problem right now is the contradiction, isn't it? Hmm... Based on our initial contact, she had a complete set of arterial blood vessels from her previous life; she was a living, breathing person. But later investigations uncovered more than one piece of information related to Ms. Eriko, things that had no connection to our initial direct contact with the core obsession. Hmm... In other words, our current investigation is missing a link. Filling this gap might be the key to unraveling the obsession. Ah, and of course, hmm... there's also the issue of the 'teacher's' identity."

Fujiwara Chika, who naturally joined the discussion, was not at all shy. While explaining the contradictions in the information from Takami's first and second rounds of investigation, she slurped up her spicy and sour tonkotsu ramen.

"..."

Miko Yotsuya remained silent. She was still a little afraid of Xiong Mi, the elder sister, and although her perception far surpassed everyone else's and she could stand on her own, Miko herself wasn't good at thinking about how to resolve core obsessions. Therefore, she was now just obediently listening and sipping the soup from her Yuan Gu chicken broth ramen. She was the fastest to finish her noodles among everyone present, and now only the soup remained in her plastic bucket.

"..."

Goto Ichiri remained silent as well; she wasn't exactly a brainy person either. In fact, she was still quite confused even in the second playthrough, completely unaware of the current situation. Therefore, she listened blankly to Takami and the others' conversation, occasionally nodding and saying "uh-huh" as if she were participating, while also slurping her miso ramen.

In any case, the atmosphere is at least quite harmonious right now.

After their previous exploration, filled with various dangers and exhaustion, the group could finally take a short rest. Gao Hai was quite emotional about this, considering that in the first two areas of "Campus Ghost Stories," whether it was Fujika Middle School or Hayate Elementary School, he had been chased and killed like a dog, making it incredibly difficult to get any rest. He could only recover his energy by sleeping for a while in that blood-red city after being killed.

Although the current combined instance of Nightfall Mountain Middle School and Bydos Research Institute is a complete mess and no solution has been found yet, at least the monsters here do follow rules, and there is a good balance between tension and relaxation, allowing for rest and recovery of energy and stamina.

However, this might also be due to the influence of the KP with clown makeup behind the scenes?

Gao Hai couldn't help but think of the thing he had seen in his dream.

KP, these inhuman beings, seemingly transcending time, at least four-dimensional beings, Gao Hai just doesn't quite understand their stance, and what their relationship is with this [Sacrifice Game].

The writer is undoubtedly a fool who can't play the game, but even such a piece of trash must abide by the rules, secretly guiding the former Japanese military and researchers to turn "Campus Ghost Stories" into a restricted, detached instance from the real world. And while the conditions for clearing it are incredibly bad, this also proves that "KPs must set conditions for clearing instances," and that "the core obsession must be able to be broken" is a rule that KPs must adhere to.

If players are searching for loopholes in the rules of the monsters to find a way out, then these Keepers (KPs) seem to be following rules set by something higher up, guiding the creation of one dungeon after another, and witnessing players cracking them.

Considering that the Keeper (KP) in the Shirakawa Apartments mistakenly led Sanchez to wipe out the original surviving members of the apartment complex, it seems possible to interpret this as a rule that "the instance can only be solved by players." This feels like the organizers of a competition venue going to great lengths to ensure the audience's enjoyment. And these players? They're probably the actors on stage, like slaves facing lions and tigers in the Roman Colosseum, using their blood to please something.

And... that clown KP said that time is running out.

No, it's not just that. The Faceless One also said that time is running out.

The more Gao Hai thought about it, the more stifled he felt.

He could sense that something existed in his path, a vast shadow that was not yet visible and had completely obscured him.