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

Amidst Alice's laughter, tinged with amusement and wicked pleasure, the twisted, blood-red vines severed one by one from their connection to Gao Hai's body. While inflicting intense pain on Gao Hai, they also released him from his restraints. The fox queen suddenly froze, her attention shifting from Gao Hai to the direction of the mountain god's power, and her flesh and blood, fused with Gao Hai's, separated on their own.

As the two forces binding him disappeared simultaneously, Gao Hai felt his body lighten. He then struggled to fall from the high platform of the ancestral hall, crashing heavily to the ground and rolling twice before landing beside the hall's main entrance.

The Fox Queen didn't react to this. She seemed to glance at Gao Hai, but quickly looked away.

But the writhing crimson vines refused to let Gao Hai go. Although their vitality seemed to have decreased a lot, they still moved slowly. The broken surfaces gradually regenerated and recovered, and the crimson flowers that had faded gradually showed a tendency to regain their bright colors.

squeak-

It seemed as if an invisible hand had grasped the ancestral hall door and pushed it open a crack.

[Teacher, you need to escape quickly! The Fox Queen isn't paying attention to your situation right now, so this blood flower is being ignored. If you want to survive, you must escape this village before these creatures recapture you. That's all Alice can do for you. If you want Alice's help again, you'll have to pay a price!]

The girl's voice rang in his ears, her rising and falling into a singing tone as if she were singing a eulogy for Gao Hai.

Of course, even without Alice's emphasis, Gao Hai knew that the swarm of crimson vines that had appeared behind him, provoked by the Fox Queen, was approaching him, trying to grab him again. Theoretically, the creature's main body should still be under the Mountain God's suppression, yet it could still create such a tenacious clone, which disgusted Gao Hai immensely. However, there was some good news. Firstly, the swarm of crimson vines had been significantly weakened by the Fox Queen's power and shouldn't recover for at least an hour or two; secondly, the crimson vines parasitizing Gao Hai's body had mostly disappeared. As long as he could escape this wave, Gao Hai wouldn't need to worry about parasitism for at least ten days.

"Huh...huh..."

Struggling, Gao Hai gritted his teeth and suddenly activated the power of the berserk blessing.

A crimson light covered his pupils, and then Gao Hai suddenly leaped up, smashing open the ancestral hall door and landing on the open ground outside, before getting up again.

The paper doll village shrouded in darkness once again came into Gao Hai's view.

A distinct smell of blood followed, entering his nostrils.

"Oh, you actually managed to escape alive? Now I've lost again."

Standing in a corner of the courtyard, Chen Qiu pursed his lips, playing with the blood-red dice in his hand. His expression seemed somewhat disappointed, yet at the same time, it also revealed a strange sense of pleasure.

Turning around, I saw Hayasaka lying not far behind me, leaning against the wall of the shrine.

Both her legs were severed at the knees, the cuts were very jagged, as if they had been ripped apart by some kind of animal. There was also a deep penetrating wound in her abdomen, and even though the girl was covering the wound with her forearm, which was now only a severed hand, two or three pieces of intestine were still slipping out.

"Don't think I did it. I have no interest in that. I just bet a few dogs could take her apart, and I lost. Sigh, ever since I met you, it seems like I always lose when I make bets. Could it be that you're actually my nemesis?"

Not far away, Chen Qiu chuckled and pointed innocently to his side, where several blood-soaked black dogs, exuding an ominous aura, were feasting on a severed hand and two severed legs. By now, only a few bits of flesh and bones remained.

It is a Red Moon-level obsession item.

Moreover, this feeling is both illusory and real, making it a Red Moon-level obsession with the ability to transform between the real and the illusory.

This type of supernatural power is somewhat similar to the power of the Void [Teacher], although it is much lower in level. It is very likely that only one of these dogs can exist in reality at the same time, while the rest are "false" forms that can only be touched and cannot be touched. However, it is still deadly enough for a player like Hayasaka who has not actually reached the level of the Crimson Moon.

"Please...be careful...that die is...the most dangerous one..."

Hayasaka barely managed to lift her head and weakly spoke to Takami.

It was only then that Gao Hai noticed the faint crimson light swirling in the air around him. It seemed that while he was trapped inside the shrine, Hayasaka had been activating the power of her crimson domain to protect it and prevent Chen Qiu from tampering with it. Perhaps it was precisely because her main focus was on protecting the shrine that she suffered such severe injuries.

pat!

Chen Qiu released his grip, and the blood-red die fell to the ground. Gao Hai then felt the parasitic vines within his body tremble, as if guided by some external force. However, due to the Fox Queen, the power of the blood flower within Gao Hai's body had been almost completely lost, so nothing could actually be drawn out.

"As expected, it didn't work. I lost again. Mr. Ziyong clearly said that you would die as soon as you went through that door, but you not only came out alive, but you also left no hidden dangers. You really made me lose miserably. If I had known this would happen, I should have used this move before you went through that door."

Upon seeing this, Chen Qiu shook his head and sighed in displeasure, then disappeared from the spot.

They've already run away?

The opponent escaped the moment Gao Hai locked onto the past with his mental energy and was about to launch an attack. This was very strange. Gao Hai was certain that Chen Qiucai had not been able to detect his attack, but the opponent seemed to have foreseen the future, running away and disappearing a second before Gao Hai silently prepared to launch a fierce attack, without leaving a trace.

No, the traces are still there.

Gao Hai looked at the blood-red die that was still left in the courtyard.

He could sense that something inside the die was also watching him and waiting for him to make some kind of move.

[Teacher, compared to this player who doesn't even dare to confront you head-on, I think it's more important to escape what's behind you. Don't forget there's still something chasing you. Or perhaps you actually enjoy being held in the arms of a seemingly petite, motherly girl? If so, maybe Alice could give it a try; it might be quite comfortable?]

"Phew...it seems I'll just have to hold this grudge for now."

A crimson domain suddenly burst forth.

At that moment, Gao Hai activated the power of etherealization, quickly moved to Hayasaka Ai's side, picked her up, and rapidly healed her injuries using the power of the Crimson Domain.

The treatment process was not smooth; Hayasaka's wounds were clearly imbued with some kind of cursed power. However, compared to a Crimson Moon-level artifact, it was obvious that the Crimson Moon-level blessing was far more powerful. Therefore, at the cost of consuming most of the power of the Crimson Domain, Takami still managed to repair the wounds on Hayasaka's limbs and abdomen, and incidentally re-established a temporary mental link using the artifact.

{I'm sorry, Master, my strength is insufficient; I can only barely hold him off.}

Hayasaka's voice rang out from the mental link.

{This time we fell into an ambush. It's not your fault; that player and the villagers must have had a deep partnership, otherwise they wouldn't have set up an ambush there. This won't happen again. Next time I see him, I'll take him down!}

Gao Hai's tone was calm, and there was no trace of pent-up anger in his voice.

squeak-

Something pushed open the door of the ancestral hall and came out.

Takami and Hayasaka had already passed through the courtyard gate and arrived at the dirt road outside in a very short time.

The mental links between the players and the "Slacker Gang" and the historian have not been restored. Takami and Hayasaka have both lost their mental links within the team for various reasons, so there is no way to confirm the situation of the other two at the moment.

In the dark paper village, something was wriggling, approaching the two people's location.

【Teacher, you'd better hurry! The Fox Queen's power has already left this village. That thing is turning this place into its territory. If you don't leave soon, you and the little maid in your arms won't be able to get out.】

Alice's voice rang out again, but this time it lacked the joking tone of before and became much more serious.

However, even without her reminder, Gao Hai could already deeply sense the changes in this place. Even without the paper figures appearing, the feeling that the space itself was targeting him, making every step feel slow, was quite uncomfortable. Without the power of etherealization, Gao Hai suspected that he might not even have the strength to run out of the courtyard.

If we use the Blood Key... no, not being able to find the door is one thing, but the space here has undergone abnormal changes. The Blood Key, a Dark Night-level object of obsession, may not be effective at this time, and it may even bring danger to Chika Maki.

Sending blessings... won't work either. I can't abandon Hayasaka at this time. Besides, without her guarding the door, my playthrough would have ended long ago. How can I be thinking about such things now... Well then, it seems I still have to use this method.

tread!

Gao Hai's footsteps landed heavily on the ground. He suddenly broke free from the state of nothingness, and the things in the surrounding darkness accelerated their movements at that moment, as if something was coming from all directions to meet them.

Second bomb, launch!

A surge of flames erupted from behind Gao Hai in the next moment.

Amidst the howling and roaring sounds, a terrifying shockwave slammed into Takami, sending him flying as he was holding Hayasaka, accelerating him out of the village.

The thing in the darkness vanished into nothingness under the intense light, leaving only indistinct screams and wails.

Behind Gao Hai, in the direction of the thing that had been locking onto him, he felt a strong gaze fixed on him, and... it seemed to be looking at Hayasaka Ai, who was in a weak state, in his arms at the same time.

Chapter 77: Falling into Another Twisted Space and the Land of Burning Ashes

Amidst the raging flames, Takami had already carried Hayasaka across the edge of the village and landed steadily on the dirt road in the woods.

I could feel the space behind me constantly distorting.

As expected, Paper Doll Village and Li Family Village were not originally in the same space; these two places should not have been directly accessible within the instance. However, with the interruption of the Welcoming the Gods Festival ceremony, the Little Black Mountain God, one of the deities within the instance, has begun to malfunction, thus causing problems with the spatial structure within the instance.

However, considering the villagers and player Chen Qiucai's ambush, it's possible that someone secretly manipulated things during this process, further exacerbating the spatial disorder within the instance. In short, the current situation cannot be easily determined.

Speaking of which, if different spaces within this instance have started to overlap, it's possible to encounter similar situations if you venture in other directions. If this continues, what will become of this instance due to the butterfly effect? ​​Let's just hope things develop for the better; after all, it's already experienced enough bad things.

tread--

With heavy footsteps, Gao Hai's pace was constantly increasing.

In just a few seconds, his speed exceeded 100 kilometers per hour, almost the speed of a car traveling at full speed. This was despite the fact that he was traversing complex mountainous terrain while carrying someone in his arms.

As Gao Hai crossed the woodland ahead, he felt the distortion of space more clearly. He felt the road that was originally normal continuously lengthening or suddenly shortening. The surrounding scenery was also stretched and compressed at this moment. Gao Hai could even see the outlines of trees broken off, revealing the dense rings inside. He saw the bodies of animals standing silently in the woodland being cut off, and the flesh on the cut surface was still gently wriggling, and the blood was still flowing silently.

[The teacher's luck seems to be quite bad, or perhaps too good? Hehe, although I don't know if the teacher likes this kind of plot development, Alice can secretly tell the teacher that the teacher has now entered a new space. The teacher couldn't return to the village, but was trapped in another place, and can now begin a brand new adventure. Doesn't that sound exciting, teacher?]

Alice's voice echoed in my mind, her tone full of wicked humor.

That's enough! Just hearing that sound makes me want to punch it.

Gao Hai was beginning to regret putting Alice's personality template onto the Mountain God's operating system. Although this thing could bring Gao Hai some assistance, it was always making sarcastic remarks and deliberately acting cute, which was really annoying!

[But this was the teacher's own choice, and the teacher knows it very well, doesn't the teacher? It's precisely because Alice is the one talking to the teacher now that the teacher can remain sober. After all, only by being accompanied by the terrifying threat that once killed oneself can one's nerves remain taut. The teacher decided to bring Alice back with that in mind, didn't she? But Alice is very sad. The teacher actually sees Alice this way. Alice clearly likes the teacher very much and wants to be friends with the teacher. Waaah, the teacher is such a bad adult~]

When will this ever end?!

Gao Hai, expressionless, continued running while carrying Hayasaka, a fire burning fiercely within him.

{Haijun, how's things going over there? You've been gone for quite a while now, and all the temporary mental links established by the obsessive objects have been severed. Is everything alright? Where are you now?}

At that moment, Maki's communication came through the mental link of her black watch. Gao Hai quickly calmed down and explained the general situation to her. After telling Maki not to worry and to guard the village to ensure safety, Gao Hai turned his attention back to his current location. He noticed that as he continued to move forward, the surrounding trees and bushes began to show increasingly obvious signs of burning and logging. Then, after Gao Hai had traveled a considerable distance along the dirt path through the forest, the surrounding trees began to thin out, and the blackened marks left by the burning became more and more numerous.

This is how the same thing?

The unusual situation, unlike any of the other spaces he had visited before, set off alarm bells in Gao Hai's mind, making him even more cautious in his actions.

As he continued forward, Gao Hai gradually noticed a ruined village at the foot of a majestic mountain in the distance, and a mountain stronghold atop the mountain.

The ruined village, seemingly burned and beyond recognition, was located in a similar area to [Li Family Village], suggesting it was likely a parallel entity from a different dimension. Meanwhile, the village built against the mountainside was brightly lit, and Gao Hai noticed movement within it from a distance. However, due to the vast distance, even with his extraordinary mental abilities, he couldn't confirm the exact situation.

The stench of burning lingered in my nostrils, refusing to dissipate for a long time.

When Gao Hai arrived at this place, he could see that the surrounding woodlands and original village sites seemed to have been set on fire more than once, which was why they had become the scorched earth they were in today.

Who set fire to the village, destroyed it, and damaged the surrounding woodland? Perhaps it was the same group that built the stronghold. It seems there were quite a few people active in that stronghold, but I don't know the specifics of the situation inside.

Which point in the history of this instance does the space I've arrived at belong to?

Gao Hai's ominous premonition gradually grew stronger.

{Master, that house up ahead looks like the kind of building that bandits or similar groups would construct.}

Hayasaka, who had recovered considerably and could walk normally, stood beside Takami and spoke cautiously through the temporary mental link.

{Yes, I know that different spaces are probably divided based on different historical periods. The place we're in now is likely a microcosm of some historical period. Does that mean this village hidden deep in the mountains was also once attacked and conquered?}

While answering Hayasaka, Gao Hai was pondering the village's past history. He hadn't forgotten that the village was far from densely populated areas, requiring a walk of dozens of kilometers to reach the nearest town. Given this distance and the harsh environment of the primeval forest along the way, it was unlikely that any soldiers would intentionally come to cause trouble. Therefore, the situation the two were currently witnessing was actually very incongruous and abnormal.

Soldiers under normal circumstances wouldn't enter such a place, so could they be deserters? As for the bandits Hayasaka mentioned, Takami didn't deny that possibility. However, he had some doubts about whether bandits could organize themselves to travel tens of kilometers through such treacherous terrain.

{Ugh... Ugh...}

Just as Takami and Hayasaka slowed down and both were carefully surveying their surroundings, Kita's indistinct voice rang out from the depths of Takami's mind, sounding as if he had just woken up.

Only then did Gao Hai remember that when facing the tearing apart of the fox queen and the blood-red flower, there was actually someone else facing the corruption with him. However, compared to the tenacious Gao Hai, Kita Ikuyo probably lost her self-awareness in an instant; if it weren't for Gao Hai's mental protection, she might have already been completely destroyed.

{Are you awake? How did you sleep?}