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

If you want me to spend more time with you, I'll come see you every day. At worst, I'll create an invisibility trinkets and just run to your classroom.

Perhaps I can't promise you every single day, after all, I now bear the expectations of more than just the two of us, but as long as it's within my power, as long as it's something I can give you, I will do my best, I will try my best to do it to the best of my ability.

Gao Hai held Kaguya's hand and spoke earnestly to her.

{Saying something like this at a time like this is too cunning...}

Kaguya lowered her head and responded to Takahashi in a weak voice, but refused to reveal her true feelings or her thoughts.

Gao Hai was unable to obtain an answer as to whether the conversation ultimately yielded any results.

Because from beginning to end, Kaguya refused to voice her inner turmoil. This stubborn girl was determined to be serious, and Takami didn't know what to do with her. So the two just sat together for a while and hugged for a bit. Then Takami took the initiative to kiss Kaguya again, but she dodged it as she was already on guard, and in the end, he only kissed her cheek.

Sigh, it really isn't that easy after all? We've talked for so long and said so much, but has it actually had any effect?

As Gao Hai pondered, he glanced at his black watch, a look of disdain on his face. He genuinely felt that the conditions for this piece of junk were far too harsh. It made him feel like a political commissar, having to talk to Hayasaka and Kaguya back and forth, and the worst part was that he didn't even know if the talks would be effective. It seemed like he had to die once for it to work, which was particularly infuriating.

{It seems things won't go so smoothly with Ahai. I'll go talk to Kaguya again then.}

However, perhaps because his emotional change had been noticed, just as Takahashi was troubled, Chika's voice suddenly rang out through the mental link. Without waiting for Takahashi's reply, Fujiwara Chika, who had been secretly observing the area from a short distance away, stepped forward and took the initiative to follow in the direction Kaguya had left.

{Is this... alright? After all, this is a matter between Kaguya and me, and she's not very willing to talk about it with me. Chika, do you have a way to get her to open up?}

Somewhat worried, Gao Hai followed and asked earnestly through the mental link.

{I've known Kaguya for years, you know her personality really well. Besides, Akai, don't forget I'm a love detective! When it comes to love, my expertise is definitely superior to Akai's.}

Chika, who was walking in front, turned around, puffed out her chest, and showed a proud expression.

Seeing her confidence, Gao Hai couldn't continue to doubt her, so he could only let her be.

Just then, news came from Yili, who had returned to his post: Chachai and Xiao Guo had returned from the well, but neither of them were in good condition, likely having come into contact with something dangerous. Therefore, Gao Hai had to put aside other matters and rush over to find out what was happening, confirm the safety of the two players, and gather the intelligence they had gathered.

Chapter 88: The Historian's Well and the Investigation Records of Liu Family Village

Both Chachai and Xiao Guo are in very bad shape.

Although neither of them appeared to have many obvious external injuries, their mental state clearly showed that they had suffered considerable damage. Chachai was in slightly better condition, only somewhat lethargic, while Xiao Guo showed signs of dementia and was even unsteady on his feet. Chachai explained that he had just been hit by a powerful attack, which was why he was so badly injured, but he also said that such brain damage wasn't a big problem for a Red Moon-level player and that he would recover after some rest.

But what exactly did they encounter that caused them to suffer such a great loss?

He didn't keep the details a secret. After taking Xiao Guo, who was in poor mental condition, to Brother Mao and the Taoist priest for their care, he immediately rushed back to Gao Hai.

We've found a new "Liu Family Village," a new village where villagers can interact with each other.

Then, the first thing this guy said surprised Gao Hai.

{Are you sure you can communicate with villagers from [Liujia Village]? Are you sure?!}

Gao Hai hadn't forgotten the village he visited last during his second playthrough, the one filled with crimson flowers. With little time left, he asked the Fox Queen to take him to what is now Liu Family Village, only to find himself completely infected and covered in blood flowers. Although he spent some time there, he couldn't find a single villager capable of communication. At that point, all the inhabitants had essentially lost their self-awareness; they were merely imposters created by the blood flower vines.

Meanwhile, Chachai and Xiao Guo encountered Liujia Village people with whom they could still communicate.

In other words, did they travel to Liu Family Village at a certain point in the past using the well as a medium? If so, what kind of village was it? Logically, Liu Family Village should have been destroyed by the power of the Blood Flower, and the Blood Flower's existence is clearly unaffected by the flow of time. This means that even a "past" point in time would inevitably involve the power of the Blood Flower; it's impossible to simply return to a point in time before the village was destroyed and then have normal contact with it.

Very suspicious.

There are many suspicious aspects to this matter.

However, it's certain that the two people who returned from the well, Chachai and Xiao Guo, were indeed themselves. They weren't some kind of monster or hostile player in disguise, nor were they affected by any spiritual transformation or corruption; they were completely their own selves. Even if they had suffered some kind of mental attack, their cognitive functions were still intact, and their memories and values ​​hadn't been distorted. Under these circumstances, Gao Hai could only decide to talk to them first.

So, how exactly did you discover that village, and how did you communicate with the people there?

After finding a room and pulling out a chair to sit down, Gao Hai looked at Chachai sitting opposite him and asked very seriously in the temporary mental link.

Finding the village wasn't easy. For the first few hours, the young man named Xiao Guo and I mainly tested the unusual properties of the well itself. We repeatedly went in and out of the well, trying to confirm the operational logic of this spatial teleportation point. It was during this process that we found Liu Family Village…

The bald monk, Chachai, then explained a great deal to Gao Hai.

Spatial distortion and stratification are normal occurrences within dungeons, and this phenomenon can exist in any dungeon regardless of level. Even Twilight-level dungeons may have some spatial division mechanism, though it will likely be only one or two layers compared to Nightfall and Crimson Moon dungeons. Therefore, regarding spatial division within dungeons, the [Historian] player believes the focus should be on the fundamental principles behind stratification, starting with this basic point to find the key elements.

{Some instances of spatial layering rely on the memories and mental changes of their core obsession. This layering is more common in Twilight and Night-level instances. The most frequent scenario is that the core obsession of the instance exhibits schizophrenia or memory disorder, or suffered severe psychological trauma at crucial moments before death or during the process of death. This causes the core obsession, after becoming the foundation of the instance, to influence the spatial structure within the instance through its memories and emotions. This is considered the first scenario.}

{Some instances have undergone a long historical process involving multiple periods, with different people dying and becoming part of the instance's obsessions during each period. If the instance's condition differs significantly across these periods, the interplay of these different obsessions will affect the instance, causing spatial layering. This is more common in Dark Night and Red Moon level instances, especially Red Moon level instances that have taken longer to form; it's entirely possible for them to have more than ten or even dozens of different spatial layers.}

Gao Hai had already personally experienced the first two types of copy space layering phenomena described by Chacha.

The former is primarily found in the Shirakawa Apartment instance. The first, second, and third floors of the Shirakawa Apartment are essentially different alternate dimensions, and the root cause of this change lies in the altered perception of Li Zhaodi herself, who is the core obsession. The latter is manifested in the Red Nut Gray Cave instance. This cave underwent decades of changes before finally forming the instance. The different deceased individuals—tourists, security guards, rescue team members, researchers, soldiers, and experimental personnel—had vastly different perceptions of the cave environment, resulting in several different spatial layers within the instance, and even distorted zones formed by the convergence of numerous cognitive remnants.

From this perspective, [Campus Ghost Stories] is actually a rather unique instance. After all, the three schools in this large instance have all undergone a long period of change. Even the Hayate Elementary School, which had the shortest time, took at least several years to form the instance. As a result, none of these instances have particularly significant spatial layering. Even if there is a certain degree of spatial distortion and warping, it is still much worse than the phenomenon of Red Nut Gray Hole, which directly splits into different spaces.

However, since Chachai introduced these two situations first, Gao Hai can be sure that the spatial layering within the [Infant Cry Village] instance is different from these two more basic situations. The spatial anomalies occurring within this instance probably need to be classified into a new category.

{Mr. Guo and I repeatedly entered and exited the teleportation point near the [Well], and found that the villages we arrived at were not exactly the same each time, but rather varied. Therefore, we conducted a more in-depth study of this teleportation point, trying to understand the basis of this teleportation and the root cause of the spatial fission within this instance. During this research process, I gradually became certain that the spatial changes in this instance cannot be absolutely categorized into the two situations I just mentioned. Although there are certain similarities in the phenomena, their true underlying causes must be different.}

As Gao Hai had expected, Chachai did indeed give such a reply.

The first thing he and Xiao Guo confirmed was the essence of the well's teleportation point: the concept of "hidden history."

Just as the villagers of Lijia Village sealed up this well and no longer used it, and did not want anyone to discover its existence, the reason why this well could become a spatial teleportation point is that it represents a part of history that the villagers in the instance hope to hide, forget, and never see again.

From this perspective, the space connected to this well is actually the space as perceived by the villagers of Lijia Village, and it is formed by the power of their obsession.

For example, the "fake village" that Gao Hai entered earlier, located near the edge of the primeval forest and responsible for robbing passing caravans. That space represents the real history of Li Family Village, a period when they relied on plunder and murder for survival. During that historical period, the villagers, who were able to utilize the power of the mountain god of Little Black Mountain to some extent, created a fake village and fake villagers. They used these fake villagers to burn, kill, and plunder, and then sent the obtained supplies and women back to the real village deep in the mountains through some means, making these fake villagers bear the brunt of the enemy's attacks and retaliations.

This is why Gao Hai sensed something amiss when acquiring the memories of these fake villagers. Ultimately, these villagers were merely imposters created by the mountain god's power. They didn't know who they truly were, possessing only fabricated memories. To avoid suspicion and genuine contact with the mountain god, Li Family Village deliberately portrayed them as "followers of the Fox Goddess." Furthermore, the supplies they plundered, after being delivered to specific houses, were actually taken by the real villagers—a fact these imposters were unaware of and would never consider.

To be able to devise such a scheme using the power of the mountain god, Gao Hai had to admit that Li Ziyong was quite capable. However, given that he had access to such extraordinary beings as deities, the fact that he only used their power to harm and plunder others made Gao Hai think Li Ziyong was utterly despicable. But then, considering the era these people lived in and their level of education, perhaps some things were already predetermined?

Why this past became something the villagers of Lijia Village wanted to forget and never see again is currently unclear. Perhaps it's related to the Fox Queen? In any case, after Gao Hai entered the well, Chachai and Xiao Guo came into contact with several other spaces, confirming that this teleportation point did not just lead to the fake village that Gao Hai had visited.

One of the villages observed and recorded by Chachai was a village where a wedding banquet was held. This village was also called "Li Family Village," but the villagers seemed weaker than those in the fake village; they appeared to be ordinary people suffering from chronic malnutrition. The wedding banquet held by these villagers was not actually a wedding banquet, but a cruel ritual in which the eyes, mouths, noses, and ears of young girls were sewn shut with needle and thread before being submerged in a lake as a sacrifice to the mountain god.

Through this cruel method of sacrificing living people, the villagers of Li Family Village sought a response from the mountain god of Little Black Mountain. They did receive a somewhat ambiguous response, a reaction that Chachai couldn't quite understand at the moment. He spent a considerable amount of time observing closely, almost getting captured by the red-clad monsters that emerged from the water in the process. It was at this time that Xiao Guo was nearly killed by the monsters while cooperating with Chachai's actions, and although he survived, he was severely injured, which is why he was later mentally corrupted and suffered brain damage. However, Chachai didn't care about such trivial matters. As a "historian," he had seen many such things; compared to that, the specific results he observed were more important.

I was finally able to confirm that this cruel sacrificial ritual worked because the villagers used the act of sacrifice to make the mountain god sense the life force fluctuations of the offerings. This, in turn, triggered a fluctuation in the mountain god's power, thereby giving the land in this area more vitality.

Chatchai believes that the Li Family Village he observed during this period was in its "earlier" stage, a fact supported by the fact that he couldn't find villagers familiar to Gao Hai, such as Li Ziyong and Li Duosun. Crucially, Chatchai argues that the "Little Black Mountain God" of this period hadn't yet established a genuine channel of communication with the villagers. In other words, he believes the mountain god at this stage was likely still in a state of near-dormant activity.

Regardless of how these villagers devised the cruel method of torturing the girl and drowning her as a sacrifice to the mountain god's bride, the process of life extinguished during this act unconsciously resonated with the mountain god's power. The resulting fluctuations in this resonance influenced the land's vitality, making the soil where the villagers grew crops more fertile. Consequently, the villagers passed down this ritual from generation to generation, treating it as a necessary means of survival.

This inference is riddled with doubts. For one thing, the death of a mere individual human being could trigger a fluctuation in the mountain god's power—this seems particularly contrived. However, considering that the villagers seemingly unearthed something related to the mountain god from the [Ghost Cry Cave], there might be an element of using ritual items involved. Furthermore, following this line of reasoning, funerals are also considered dangerous and taboo in Li Family Village, perhaps for the same reason, since those who die naturally also undergo a process of life force fading. If sacrifices can trigger a fluctuation in the mountain god's power, then those who die naturally could very well have the same effect.

This is a period of history that the people of Lijia Village hope to forget.

Gao Hai couldn't help but think of the core obsession, seemingly a bride-shaped creature, that players who had previously explored this instance in the [Red Knot Society] had confirmed. He hadn't actually seen that core obsession yet, but he had seen more than one bride-shaped ghost. Although the villagers' sacrificial ritual had successfully invoked the mountain god's power, the girls they killed had likely all become twisted ghosts, constantly threatening the village's safety. Even though they later successfully established a connection with the mountain god, no longer needing to continue the previous sacrificial rituals, and could control and resist the surrounding ghosts to some extent, the days of being threatened by those female ghosts were probably still very painful for these villagers.

{Then, I successfully observed another space where a village had just been established, fields were being gradually cultivated, and everyone was struggling to get enough to eat and sleep, constantly threatened by wild animals. I didn't discover much noteworthy during this period, but one interesting point was that the villagers didn't worship a mountain god, but rather something called a "Black Immortal." This entity never appeared in that space, but based on the villagers' reactions, they seemed to believe it was a completely black creature that guided people through the mountains. Some villagers thought it was a bear, while others had no idea what it was, simply respectfully referring to it as the "Black Immortal."}

According to the investigation, the original villagers may have been guided to settle in Xiaoheishan by a black spirit. For this reason, many villagers held the black spirit in high esteem, almost worshipping it as a deity. However, after further investigation, I discovered that while these villagers outwardly displayed worship, deep down they harbored more fear and disgust towards the black spirit. These villagers didn't seem grateful to the black spirit for finding them this place to live. Although this sounds strange, they seemed to believe they were forced to stay, even though, based on the memories I read, they actually entered this primeval forest voluntarily.

The black spirit described by Chachai was clearly not the same as the strange creature Gao Hai encountered. Based on the information he obtained from the space he reached through the well, it was certain that the early black spirit was a non-human being with self-awareness and intelligence. It did indeed guide the villagers who ventured deep into the primeval forest, and in hindsight, the place it guided them to was a valley area with an irrigation river, definitely a good place. However, because this place was relatively good, there were more ferocious beasts and poisonous insects than in other places, and the villagers, having ventured too far into the primeval forest, found it difficult to return on their own. As a result, many villagers began to feel that they were forced to stay in such a place, leading to resentment towards the "black spirit."

No, in the end, even the name "Black Immortal" was something the villagers imposed on that thing. What its real name was, what it originally looked like—these questions remained unanswered even within the space where Chachai observed it.

This is also why Chachai realized that the spatial division within this instance probably has some kind of unique difference in essence.

The information has been hidden, and actively hidden by some intelligent being.

Chachai said with certainty.

Initially, I was more inclined to believe that the spatial divisions within this instance arose during a long formation process due to the different memories and impressions of different villagers, and this idea seemed reasonable based on the apparent changes we observed at the beginning. However, as I explored the well several times, I began to realize that things were not as simple as I thought. The information within these instances seemed to be deliberately concealed.

{For example, the original appearance and characteristics of the "Black Immortal" are information that cannot be found even in the early village space. All related information can only be summarized from the villagers' indirect impressions. This is very strange. If this instance is really split based on "impressions," then in that early village space, I should have been able to directly contact another Black Immortal. If I couldn't, it means that this information is hidden.}

{Then, based on my skepticism about this point, I carefully reviewed the different spaces I had observed. I then discovered that in all the observed spaces, even in the earliest stages before the villagers worshipped the mountain god, the only surname in the village was "Li." In other words, even looking back at history, the two branches that should have existed—the Liu and Zhang families—could not be found. They were erased from history, wiped away by some force beyond our comprehension, a force superior to the supernatural. In other words, behind the spatial fragmentation phenomenon in the [Infant Cry Village] instance, there must be at least one intelligent individual with the capacity for thought. It is this being that manipulated the spatial fragmentation, causing its illogical changes.}

Chatchai did not directly reveal who was behind it all.

But Gao Hai knew in his heart who the possible target was.

The mountain god of Little Black Mountain, the fox goddess.

The possibility lies somewhere between these two.

Based on the clues, the Mountain God should have already lost its self when the villagers arrived at Black Mountain. The only uncertainty is whether the Fox Queen has gone mad. Judging from the displayed power, Gao Hai is more inclined to believe the Mountain God made some kind of adjustment to the spatial structure of the instance, since the Fox Queen's current abilities don't seem to involve such informational or spatial modifications. But the Mountain God… perhaps someone established a special connection with the Mountain God, and through this connection, the Mountain God successfully interfered with the flow of information within the instance, thus concealing something?

Gao Hai thought of Jiang Shi, the man who was also infected by the blood flower and continued to fight for a long time after being infected.

He has not yet witnessed the fate of this Jiang woman, nor has he encountered the strange creature that Jiang woman has transformed into. Instead, he has seen some villagers making offerings to him and setting up his memorial tablet in their homes.

Could it be that he did something?

Gao Hai's thinking time did not last long.

After all, Chachai's words were far from finished.

After confirming that some information had been deliberately concealed, I began trying to reach Liu Village via the [well].

A single, casual remark sent a jolt of suicidal thoughts through Gao Hai.

Thinking of the blood-soaked Liu Family Village, and then looking at the calm-faced Chacha in front of him, he was at a loss for words.

Well, at least he's back safe and sound. Since he's back, there must be no major problems. Let's get some information first.

How did you find Liujia Village?

After experiencing intense internal turmoil, Gao Hai maintained a calm expression and asked in the temporary mental link.

{This problem was indeed very troublesome at first. Although Mr. Guo and I repeatedly crossed the well, we were still unable to reach the hidden area. However, after careful consideration, I remembered your previous mention of being transported to Liu Family Village under the cover of night via paper figures. I suspected that these derivative spirits, such as paper figures, might have some strong connection to the hidden information. Therefore, I used a possession that could modify my own identity to try to contact those paper spirits and absorb their aura, causing confusion between my own identity and that of the paper figures. Then I tried to cross the spatial teleportation point of the well.}

{I tried many times, and on the last attempt, I could barely tell if I was a person or a paper doll. I have to say, this is definitely in the top ten most dangerous things I've ever done. Fortunately, all that effort paid off. I successfully reached a new area, one I'd never reached before. On the surface, it seemed similar to the previous villages, but upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a completely different place.}

{The village there was completely different from Lijia Village and the other villages we visited, both in terms of house layout and the villagers' clothing style. I felt a very strong sense of oppression in that village, as if something in the air was watching me constantly, something terrifying. It was a very unpleasant feeling; even I could only barely endure it for about half an hour. Because of this, I couldn't have a long conversation with the villagers, which is a real pity.}

Chachai sighed deeply, clearly indicating that he wanted to go back and investigate further.

Unlike the villagers of Lijia Village, who were outwardly friendly but inwardly malicious, the villagers of Liujia Village, according to Chachai, were extremely friendly, to the point of being hospitable.

When the villagers first saw Chatchai, they were somewhat fearful and hostile. However, after Chatchai explained that he was just passing through and hoped to stay for the night, the villagers gradually lowered their guard. Then, some villagers took the initiative to lead Chatchai inside and arrange food and lodging for him. Afterward, these villagers probably observed Chatchai through some method, confirming that he was alone and genuinely meant no harm. So, the villagers began to treat Chatchai well, even bringing out rice wine and fruit wine.

After confirming that the entrance to this strikingly different village did indeed bear the inscription "Liu Family Village," and that all the villagers were indeed surnamed Liu, Chachai disguised himself as a passing traveler and slowly engaged with the villagers. He even tried to act nonchalantly to see if they would steal his belongings or ambush him, but not a single villager did. They genuinely treated Chachai with kindness, which was truly astonishing.

Later, the clan chief, Liu Qigui, even came to see Chachai specifically to apologize for any shortcomings in hospitality, explaining that the village was small and lacked resources. This clan chief, like those in Li Ziyong's village, was a cultured man, literate to some extent. However, compared to Li Ziyong, Liu Qigui gave the impression of being an honest and straightforward person, without any ulterior motives, making him quite agreeable. In fact, Chachai had a very positive impression of the entire Liu family village.

While I can't be sure if it's all an act, the villagers of Liujia Village gave me the impression of being a group of reclusive hermits, untouched by the world's troubles.

After some thought, Chachai made this assessment of the villagers of Liujia Village.

{Although they all looked quite young—which was indeed strange—there wasn't a single elderly person in the entire Liu Family Village; the oldest I'd estimate was close to forty. And these villagers sometimes seemed overly mature; despite being quite young, they all looked like they were in their seventies or eighties, or even older. They spoke and acted slowly and methodically, and even when I deliberately told exaggerated rumors, they only showed a slight surprise at most.}

{Furthermore, they all worship the Fox Goddess, and every household displays a statue of her. I inquired about the Fox Goddess, and they said that long before they moved to Xiaoheishan, the Fox Goddess was already the deity worshipped by their entire village. In the words of these villagers themselves, they believe that they are actually descendants of the Fox Goddess, and that this deity is actually the ancestor of the people of Liujia Village.}

{And their hostility towards the people of Lijia Village was extremely strong. After I mentioned that I had been to Lijia Village, all the villagers showed obvious hostility. Especially after I mentioned Li Ziyong and said that I had almost been deceived by him, these villagers even expressed sympathy for me. According to the clan chief Liu Qigui, the Li family seemed to have been bandits for a period of time, so when the village was established, almost every villager had several lives on their hands. This group seemed united internally but often schemed against each other, and they were even more cruel and inhuman to outsiders. Especially after believing in a mountain god of unknown origin, they began to practice human sacrifice. They even killed people from Liujia Village to perform sacrifices for this purpose.}