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

hum-

As the strings were plucked, several clones quickly appeared and rushed out in all directions.

At the same time, the girl also altered the past timeline. Originally, she only created a clone that followed Kaguya and the other two, but after changing the past, she created an additional clone. This clone did not enter the interior of [Li Family Village], but remained outside, wandering in the rice paddy area.

tread!

Heavy footsteps fell, followed by a figure that darted out like an arrow.

Up until now, she has not seen anything that is approaching or that is not visible to the naked eye.

However, this did not prevent Goto Ichiri from taking timely action and extricating herself from the current crisis.

The first act, the blessing of the priestess, replaced the existence between Ichiri himself and one of his clones, causing the gazes of the monsters that had locked onto them to shift to a certain extent, drawing their attention to the clone that had moved away.

Next, by splashing the object of her obsession, which could create water, on herself, Ichiri, whose body was now wet, activated another effect of the priestess's blessing, further reducing the attention she received from the strange creatures.

At the same moment he made this move, Ichiri himself sprinted to the middle of two very close earthen houses, almost touching each other. Then, with a light swipe of his finger, two cardboard boxes, one large and one small, appeared from above and below, quickly assembling and connecting together, completely sealing off Goto Ichiri inside.

The blessing of the autistic activated at this moment, using a three-dimensional judgment method involving the walls on both sides and the ground below, further diminishing Goto Ichiri's presence. Coupled with this cardboard box obsession that inexplicably works in the Red Moon-level dungeon, the girl here has now become a [non-existent individual], and the monsters within the dungeon are essentially unable to detect her presence.

Then, Ichiri huddled inside the cardboard box and started playing the guitar.

The girl created even more clones.

After the obsession object that originally had a negative effect was transformed into a blessing tool unique to Ichiri herself, the number and strength of the clones that the guitar could summon were increased to a certain extent. At this time, these clones became Ichiri Goto's eyes and ears, investigating the situation on her behalf and exploring this desolate place that should have no living beings.

"call……"

As the third breath fell, this time, Yili didn't sense anything following her breath. Those unknown, strange creatures that existed here had lost their way.

With the help of blessings and the object of his obsession, Ichiri acted swiftly and finally ensured his safety.

However, the problem of how to convey the information obtained from one's investigation to others remains unsolved.

……

Meanwhile, Gao Hai, Zhen Fei, and Qian Hua were in the small house arranged for them by Li Er Yang and Li Xiao Ju, conducting a preliminary investigation of the house by the dim candlelight.

squeak-

Quietly, Maki pushed the door of the small house open a little and looked outside.

Li Eryang and Li Xiaoju were nowhere to be seen, but the clattering of pots and pans could be heard coming from the direction of the kitchen. The two hospitable villagers had said not long ago that they would prepare lunch for Gao Hai and his companions, and then they went into the kitchen and never came out again. No one knew what they would make.

{Currently, the room itself doesn't seem to have any unusual characteristics, but considering Goto's inexplicable disappearance before, I think we can't let our guard down too easily. The unusual characteristics within this instance might activate in some form we don't understand.}

Out of caution, Maki was only speaking through a mental link to ensure that nothing would pick up her voice and react.

{Whether it's Kaguya and the others' relocation, or Goto's disappearance, these changes aren't reflected in the first rule list we obtained. Hmm, I suspect this instance might contain a lot of misleading information; we must carefully verify all the data we collect.}

While speaking in the mental link, Chika hung a [Silent Doll] in the corner of the guest room bedroom.

{Anyway, we've never really entered a normal instance. Anyway, after we've checked this place enough, we still need to go outside and wander around this village. Those villagers who seem so alive are really strange; I need to interact with them more. They give me a very bad feeling. By the way, Jianzi, how's the situation on your end?}

Gao Hai tidied up the bedding that had been messed up during the inspection, while also exchanging views and situations through the mental link, and at the same time, he did not forget to check on the issues with Jianzi.

{I'm alright. Although there are paper figures everywhere, they don't seem to do anything as long as I ignore them. It's just that this village is really big; I've already lost my way back. Hmm… after walking around the streets for a while, I'm starting to feel increasingly uneasy. I suspect that lingering on the streets for too long might lead to something bad. If I can't find any useful information in the next 10 minutes, I'll try entering the houses on either side.}

Jianzi's voice quickly rang out in the mental link.

It was clear that the girl was in a very stable mood. Being forced to act alone did not seem to have put too much psychological burden on her. After she made the decision to completely ignore the paper doll, she quickly arrived at a village in the dark of night. It was a desolate village where every house had a red lantern hanging in front of it, and not a single person could be seen.

At the entrance to this village, a sign reads "Liu Family Village," which seems to match the Liu clan mentioned in the intelligence. However, for some reason, compared to the lively and cheerful Li Family Village, Liu Family Village, with its darkness and red lanterns, is a completely eerie village, and there isn't a single normal person to talk to.

"Huh...huh..."

The girl's breathing became slightly erratic.

Despite trying to appear fearless in the mental link, Miko had to admit that she was still quite nervous walking alone on the empty village path.

After all, there were quite a few things following behind him.

With just a slight tilt of his head, Jianzi could see the shadows swaying behind him, the shadows of things moving under the dim red light.

She knew that it was a paper figure that had followed her all the way.

Those paper figures she saw on the way to the village, lingering by the roadside, chatting or laughing—these figures followed Jianzi after she passed by, each carrying a red lantern, and entered the quiet village with her.

What exactly do they want to do?

When will these things finally stop? And what will they do to her, who is in the foreground? These questions swirled in the girl's mind, and she could never find the answers.

The only certainty is that these paper figures all share the same destination.

Do you know how to get to Yingti Village?

Do you know where Yingti Village is?

I want to go to Yingti Village. Do you know where that place is?

Voices, whether male or female, old or young, kept ringing in Miko's ears.

They kept asking questions.

The paper figures that seemed silent, following the girl, were actually asking questions incessantly.

All these obsessions point to the village of "Oriole's Cry," a name that puzzles Jianzi and is currently completely absent from the instance.

Miko simply ignored them skillfully, pretending she hadn't heard anything, and continued walking forward.

Shinomiya-san and Hayasaka-san, are they still in this village? If so, where are they? Is there any way I can find them and reunite with them?

As the girl pondered, she carefully walked toward a house on the side of the road.

A gust of cold wind blew past from the front, causing Jianzi to shiver involuntarily.

She looked up at the dark red lantern hanging on the house, at the flame burning inside the lantern, and at the double happiness symbol embroidered on it.

This word... seems to be used in the context of marriage?

If that's the case, is this village, adorned with red lanterns, actually preparing for a wedding?

In that case, where would the bride and groom be?

Realizing this, Miko walked a little further ahead before suddenly stopping.

This place... seems somewhat familiar...

Although there were some differences in the details, as she ventured deeper into the village, Jianzi gradually felt a sense of familiarity.

Can't go wrong.

I am approaching... the place where I and my predecessors were when the instance invaded the real world.

I was transported to the future by my senior's blessing, so I didn't witness what happened later.

But after that, her senior told her what happened next, so she knew that her senior had encountered a bizarre scene on this road where a wedding procession and a funeral procession collided.

Wedding...red...funeral...white...

The things following behind him were all carrying red lanterns, making them appear as vibrant red as a wedding procession.

So where will the white color be?

Jianzi slowly raised his head and looked ahead.

In the dim light, she seemed to see a faint white light, gradually approaching from the end of the dirt road.

She then realized that she had to get off the street immediately and could not stay there any longer under any circumstances.

Should we try to send our blessings directly to our seniors?

Such a thought crossed Miko's mind, but she quickly dismissed it.

The situation with Shinomiya and Hayasaka is still uncertain. Once I leave, there will be no possibility of them reconnecting. Furthermore, the preliminary investigation of this strange village under the cover of night is not yet complete. If I really leave this place, it might be very difficult to get back in, and I might lose a lot of clues in the very first playthrough.

Take a gamble.

The girl gritted her teeth, randomly picked a house that looked pleasing to the eye, quickened her pace and ran a few steps, then leaped more than three meters into the air, clearing the courtyard wall and landing directly in the yard.

hum-

The next moment, a clear sound of a clapper being struck rang out from outside, and then Jianzi heard the voice of the night watchman.

Chapter Seven: The Night Watchman Reappears and the Watching Gaze

hum-

Amidst the dull hum, the footsteps of the night watchman, who was striking the clapper, began to echo as he walked slowly along the dirt road outside the wall.

Even though she couldn't see the other person's face, Jianzi felt an extremely strong sense of fear, as if the thing slowly moving on the road was so terrifying that just seeing it would lead to a fatal crisis.

You can't look at it, you can't pay attention to it, you can't think about it.

If it sees it... that thing will come in here immediately.

The girl gritted her teeth, trying her best to suppress her senses and focus her attention on herself, ignoring the sounds outside.

hum-

Another knock rang out, and Jianzi clearly heard a murmur of many things hidden within the knocking sound.

Then, she heard the night watchman's voice.

[Dry weather, please be careful with fire!]

The same words, which I had heard before, echoed slowly from outside the courtyard wall.

[Keep your doors and windows closed, and don't listen to deceitful words!]

But the next sentence was different from what Miko remembered hearing.

The night watchman let out another strange laugh.

Miko found it hard to describe what kind of laughter it was. She just felt that... humans shouldn't laugh like that, and that no human could possibly make such a strange, extremely uncomfortable laugh.

[For those still awake at this hour, which deity do you wish to sleep with tonight?]

Despite the teasing tone, the night watchman's words sent an even stronger chill through Miko.

What is meant to be yours will come to you, and what is not meant to be yours you will not be obtained. Blessings will come when they are meant to be, and misfortunes will come when they are meant to be.

The Fox Goddess brings us rain and sunshine, peace and prosperity year after year to Liu Family Village, and happiness for generations to come to the Liu family.