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

Splash—splash—

The incessant rain has enveloped the gloomy city.

Gao Hai had considered using his mental powers to directly dispel the hurricane approaching Tokyo. Doing so wouldn't be easy, but given his current strength, it wasn't impossible. However, after discussing it with the others, Maki worried that this might trigger even more severe global weather anomalies and advised Gao Hai against it. After all, while floods seemed dangerous, they didn't pose a significant threat to the players. The several shelters that had already been completed had been waterproofed in advance, so there shouldn't be any problems.

But, are there really no problems?

Despite having flown to the eye of the hurricane to conduct reconnaissance and confirming the absence of any strange or eerie presence, Gao Hai remained somewhat uneasy. He felt that the timing of such severe weather was, in a sense, an omen. However, changing the weather would indeed have a significant impact on the entire planet's ecosystem, and Gao Hai couldn't guarantee absolute safety. Therefore, after careful consideration, he decided not to take action.

"Then these areas are now in your hands."

In the office on the [Market] side, Koga reached out and marked an area on the Tokyo city map hanging on the wall, then looked at Kuma and the others behind her.

“No problem, our people can handle the evacuation and protection of personnel in this area. However, coordination with the surrounding areas is also important. In a moment, please give me the contact information of the person in charge of the area adjacent to ours.”

Xiong Mi crossed his arms and stared at the map for a while before nodding and speaking.

"Of course, the relevant personnel list and contact information have already been sent over."

Little River Tree nodded immediately, giving a very natural and practiced answer.

Jianbing sat at his desk, operating his computer. The screen was covered in a distorted color, and it was unclear what was happening. The lawyer stood silently against the wall, seemingly lost in thought.

Gao Hai, who was listening in, turned his gaze to the tall figure standing quietly next to the lawyer, looking at the fourth Red Moon-level player from the [Slacking Off Gang] who had come to support Tokyo.

This was a rather mysterious player. If Xiong Mi hadn't introduced him, Gao Hai estimated that the other party probably wouldn't have shown up at all. Even now, this person was just standing quietly in the shadows, motionless like a statue.

According to Xiong Mi, this player's name is Shao Ye, and she's a top member of the [Slacking Off Gang]. She's usually responsible for withstanding the most pressure for the team. In terms of combat strength alone, she might even be stronger than Xiong Mi. However, unlike Xiong Mi and Cat Brother, who can lead the team, this player, despite her excellent combat skills and quick reflexes in critical moments, doesn't easily gain the respect and loyalty of team members. Her own style of doing things is also very extreme, so most of the time she's just a warrior who follows orders.

Gao Hai couldn't clearly see the face of this silent, aloof woman. She wore a charred black cloak that almost completely obscured her face. The cloak seemed to be a powerful artifact, capable of shielding her from external observation; even Gao Hai couldn't see through it without actively using his mental powers. Incidentally, this player was 188cm tall, 4cm taller than Gao Hai. And although her frame clearly indicated she was female, the prominent veins on her arms exposed outside the cloak suggested she might be a strongman.

Four members of the "Slacking Off Gang" arrived in the Tokyo area. Considering the defense of mainland China, it's fair to say the "Slacking Off Gang" had sent as many members as possible. Besides the "Slacking Off Gang," many other players also came to provide support, and it seems many of them were eager to meet Gao Hai.

While he was thinking, a business card was gently pushed next to Gao Hai.

Unaccustomed to a strategic meeting with dozens of participants, Ichiri was startled and moved closer to Takami. Kita, sitting on Takami's other side, turned his head with some confusion to look at the person who had handed Takami a business card. Takami himself casually picked up the card, finding only a yin-yang symbol and the three gold-embossed characters for "Bright and Dark" printed on it, followed by a phone number.

Turning his head to look at the person who had offered him the business card, Gao Hai noticed that she was a woman with short hair and a very formal style. When she saw Gao Hai looking over, she calmly nodded slightly and introduced herself to him.

"Yan Hui, the squad leader between dawn and dusk."

Judging from her aura, she was a Dark Night level player, but her aura was already quite close to that of a Red Moon level player. Gao Hai estimated that she must be one of the more prominent figures among the players who came to provide support, otherwise she wouldn't have sat near him.

Alice's mental power was transmitted to Gao Hai's head almost instantly, and he then learned some information about this player.

Between light and shadow, the Dark Night-level player organization formed a core force among the Chinese player teams that came to their aid. She possessed a Dark Night-level blessing that granted properties to areas of light and darkness, concentrating light within a certain area and granting mental resistance to players in the bright area, while enhancing physical regeneration for players in the dark area. Conversely, monsters in the light area had their movement suppressed, while those in the dark area had their perception suppressed, making it more difficult for them to detect players also in the dark.

It's a blessing perfectly suited for teamwork; no wonder she became the team leader. Hmm, according to Alice's unboxing information, Yan Hui's companion in Tokyo is her partner Qin Shou, along with several teammates they've known for some time. This team successfully cleared a dual-core Dark Night-level dungeon two months ago, and now they've further solidified their strength, making them capable of challenging the Red Moon-level dungeon. If destruction weren't imminent, perhaps in another two or three months, a new Red Moon-level player team would emerge in the China region.

So, it seems these guys have reached the same level I was at when I cleared the Red Nut Gray Hole, huh? Hahaha. On another note, this partner's name is really weird; it sounds like an insult.

While thinking, Gao Hai looked around, and Alice quickly opened the box, revealing the information of each player to Gao Hai.

The Sunflower Team, a Dark Night-level player organization, is led by Captain Yu Qingshan.

Yes, this is a player team that mobilized most of its members. In addition, Wang Gui, a new player that Gao Hai met in the cave dungeon, is also in this team. It seems that he was chosen because of his explosive ability, so you could say that he has a fairly strong support.

Gao Hai turned his head again and looked at the players in other directions.

The Dark Night-level player organization, the Architectural Club, is one of the subordinate organizations of the local Japanese organization [Market]. Its leader is Miyako Kenjiro.

According to Alice's unboxing information, this player is actually an international student from China. He became a player after marrying the daughter of the owner of a local decoration company and inheriting the company. He then simply used "Construction Club" as the name of his player team.

Besides these, there are quite a few others. Judging from Alice's box opening results, the vast majority of the Dark Night level players who came are already well-known experts. As for the Twilight level players, although their strength is not too great, they have the advantage of large numbers, and those who were selected to come are at least people who can obey commands and follow instructions, so there won't be any situations where they deliberately go against the command personnel.

Incidentally, Alice didn't open the boxes based on information from the player forums. Instead, she hacked into the players' phones, computers, and other communication devices one by one while Gao Hai was sitting in the conference room. Gao Hai actually considered stopping her, but Alice didn't communicate with him beforehand. By the time Gao Hai realized what she was doing, she had already packaged everyone's information into his brain and then disappeared again.

Ever since I let Alice out, she hasn't had a moment's peace.

Gao Hai, who desperately wanted to capture Alice, sighed inwardly for a moment before reluctantly turning his attention back to the strategy meeting.

After noting down the areas each player was responsible for, including the names of those in charge and the players' organizations active in those areas, Gao Hai, along with Ichiri and Kita, left the [Market] and went to several other places to investigate clues about Aoyama Nanami, but still found nothing.

Perhaps we'll only find clues after the crisis at the hospital is resolved?

With this in mind, Gao Hai headed to the historians' new base that evening—an underground safe zone set up by members of the Red Society in downtown Tokyo. The defenses here were far more stringent than those of the abandoned hospital from before, and the key reason for these layers of protection was, of course, the Throne of Mind stored within.

“Mr. Gao, it’s a pleasure to see you here. Our people have been investigating that instrument for a long time with the historians and players, but we still haven’t found the problem.”

Akira Toyama, along with Kenta Hayashibe and Ren Nanakawa, greeted Takahashi, who had come alone, at the entrance. Seeing these familiar faces from the [Campus Ghost Stories] instance, Takahashi felt a bit emotional. The group chatted as they walked into the fifth basement level of the unassuming building. There, Takahashi saw Tangyuan himself, who had stayed on this floor. They then entered the sealed area and officially met the complex obsession object, the Throne of Thought, created by the historian.

Although Gao Hai believes that it would be more accurate to call it a "throne of torture instruments".

"To assemble this device, we used a variety of different mental objects. From probes that pierce the brain to syringes that penetrate deep into blood vessels, electric shock devices, thermal sensors, and so on. All the objects assembled in it are the type that can stimulate the user's senses and mental power, and according to our calculations, after being activated together, the resonance of these objects can produce effects that are completely different from their original functions, but this effect has not yet been tested."

Standing next to the blood-stained chair, which was linked to various ominous-looking instruments, Tangyuan explained the situation to Gao Hai while shaking his head and sighing from time to time, seemingly very dissatisfied with the progress of the experiment.

Are all items from hospital-themed dungeons?

Gao Hai didn't pay much attention to the purpose of this thing, and directly asked about its origin.

"Not entirely. Most of the props actually came from a mental hospital, which is different from a hospital, right?"

Upon hearing the question, Tangyuan frowned and pondered for a moment before giving an answer that even she herself couldn't quite convince.

"Keep it sealed."

After thinking it over, Gao Hai, who had no intention of sitting down, gave this answer.

He carefully sensed the strange artifact assembled from dozens or even hundreds of obsessions with his mental power, but still couldn't find anything special. He only roughly confirmed that once all these obsessions were fully activated, they should significantly enhance the user's mental strength, creating a very powerful "amplification" effect. However, the price would likely be that the user would be in a state worse than death by then, a pain that even players with strong willpower would find difficult to endure.

I wonder what the point of making something like this is?

With so many obsessive objects forcibly linking their minds, weaker players might suffer brain death on the spot. Even among powerful players, a strong individual like Xiong Mi would likely find it difficult to withstand the demands of such a machine, and might have their spirit drained within an hour.

Furthermore, given the unsustainable consumption of the artifacts, there is another crucial issue: the [Hospital] seems to be able to contact the person using this machine through some unknown means, thereby influencing them. Like the player whose face was hollowed out and turned into a puppet, being completely transformed is tantamount to death; even Gao Hai could only choose to annihilate him completely, with no other option.

So, to truly use this thing, one must possess both the immense mental energy required to ignore such a large-scale consumption of mental energy and the ability to resist the erosion of that thing in the [hospital], is that right?

So, currently, which player has the power to do both of these things and actually start this machine?

It seems like... only I can do this?

After some investigation and consideration, Gao Hai finally came to a conclusion that made him feel uneasy.

Of course, he wouldn't make that choice.

After all, although Gao Hai has strong mental strength, he has no hobby of torturing himself, so it is absolutely impossible for him to willingly sit on such a torture device.

"So, what's next? Are you going to contact me now?"

Having already parted ways with Ichiri and Kita, Takami pondered his next move under the cover of night. Just then, he suddenly received a mental message from Kaguya, who expressed her wish for him to arrive at Kaguya's residence as soon as possible, seemingly having something important to tell him.

From the other person's tone, Gao Hai felt he could guess what it was about.

Interlude 4-54: The Refugee Resettlement Plan and the Things That Suddenly Disappeared

On the thirteenth night after the end of the 【Infant Cry Village】 instance, at Kaguya's mansion.

After personally investigating clues about Aoyama Nanami to no avail, and after welcoming the arrival of the "Slacker Gang" and participating in the strategic meeting of Tokyo players, Takami received a message from Kaguya. After parting ways with Ichiri Kita, he arrived at the mansion he had visited many times before.

Splash—splash—

The rain, which had been falling from day to night, showed no signs of stopping, and the temperature was gradually becoming damp and chilly. However, Gao Hai didn't seem to notice anything amiss. He simply recalled the movie "Weathering With You" and couldn't help but wonder if the rain would really flood Tokyo. He imagined all sorts of scenarios in his mind before finally entering the mansion.

Kaguya wasn't the only one waiting for him; Maki, Chika, and Ai were also there—four beautiful girls with distinct styles waiting for Takami alone. If we follow the precedent of what happened when Takami encountered this treatment last time, the next scene would likely be a replay of the Battle of the Five Armies. Unfortunately, as the girls' date ended, some real-world problems began to surface. While no enemies had appeared yet, the signs of impending disaster were becoming increasingly clear, and a major catastrophe could strike at any moment. Even Takami couldn't continue his carefree date under these circumstances.

Therefore, some arrangements that should have been made in the first place must now begin.

"We need to make sure that Maki's parents, Chika's parents and sisters, and Ai's parents are all settled in advance. Since that thing hiding in the [Hospital] has made me its primary target, we can't expose too many weaknesses to it. So it's best to move everyone's families to [Alice's Hut] first. It's not in the real world, so it should be quite safe there."

In a small lounge on the second floor of Kaguya's house, Takahashi sat in a chair and looked at the girls around him seriously.

"Just my parents and sisters? Hmm... Ah Hai, can I bring my grandfather along too?"

Chika, who was sitting not far from Gao Hai, nodded first, then hesitated for a moment before asking hesitantly.

"Of course, important relatives, family, and friends can be brought along, but even though Alice's cabin has been expanded, it can't hold many people. Moreover, we still don't know how the [disaster] will occur or how long it will last. So, I'm sorry, but we'll have to be careful about the arrangements for sending people into the cabin."

Gao Hai hesitated for a moment, then nodded solemnly, but also emphasized the personnel issue very seriously.

"My three older brothers don't need to be considered; letting them in would only dirty the place."

Kaguya herself had a cold expression, clearly showing no affection for her family.

“My grandparents’ generation has already passed away, so we don’t need to consider them when evacuating. However, Hai-kun, can the students in Shuchiin be evacuated first? I don’t mean evacuating to Alice’s Hut, but the normal evacuation procedure.”

Maki echoed softly, but unlike Kaguya, who always kept to herself, Maki had friends at school, so she hesitated. After Maki spoke, Chika and Hayasaka also showed hesitant expressions, clearly indicating they all had close friendships and didn't want their friends to encounter any problems in the impending disaster.

"I know, I know. Aren't we here to discuss countermeasures? Don't rush, don't panic."

Gao Hai nodded solemnly once again, and continued to discuss the situation with the girls with a serious expression.

Now, Alice's Blessing Hut has become a formal, independent space. The stability of its interior no longer requires Gao Hai's power; all he needs to expend is his mental energy to open and close the hut's entrance. This is precisely why the blessing has become the topic of discussion tonight, and why the girls have gathered together.

Considering the ever-present threat from the hospital, Gao Hai and the other girls renovated Alice's cabin during this time, stocking up on food and adding various supplies for temporary refuge. He didn't devote all his energy to dating during this period; Gao Hai wasn't that foolish, and the other girls who had dated wouldn't just sit idly by after the dates ended. Everyone was trying to figure out how to deal with the approaching enemy.

Currently, the relatives who need protection are: Maki's parents, Chika's family of four, Ai's parents, Ichiri's parents and her younger sister Nari, Kita's parents, and Miko's mother. These fourteen people are direct relatives who must be protected and cannot be harmed under any circumstances. In addition, Chika's grandfather, Miko's only friend Yurikawa Hana, and Nijika and Ryo from the band's end—these four also need to be protected. These eighteen people have received the Blood Flower's blessing of longevity, essentially being certified by the Blood Flower as the most important family and friends of their girls, so they must be protected at all costs.

Of course, besides these people, we also need to consider Nijika's older sister, Ijichi Hoshika, Ryo's parents, and Yurikawa Hana's parents. So, the final count is twenty-three people. If it's just for temporary survival, this number should be enough for Alice's cabin. But unless Takahashi regularly uses his reality distortion power to conjure up various supplies for them every day, it definitely won't last long.

Gao Hai is no saint. Although he is indeed willing to fight for human civilization in this world, his priority is still protecting the girls around him and the family and friends they cherish. Gao Hai doesn't see anything wrong with this idea. In his view, only by protecting those around him can he be qualified to talk about saving more people.

"Let's first finalize the list of people to be sheltered in Alice's Hut. I know you all have many friends and family members you care about, but Alice's Hut has limited capacity. At the moment, we can only consider those with the closest relationships. Please make a decision as soon as possible."

At the end of the discussion, Kaguya spoke very seriously, and soon after, everyone came up with a list. The people on the list were no different from what Takahashi had expected, and it was clear that everyone had finally reached a consensus.

"Miko, Ichiri and Kita couldn't attend this meeting because of other commitments. Let's contact them later and see if they have any suggestions regarding the list."

By the time the discussion ended, it was nearly midnight.

Hua la la la——

The torrential rain outside the window shows no sign of stopping; it continues relentlessly until now.

"If you need to contact them, contact them now. You can do it through the mental link. It's better to get this over with as soon as possible. Since those guys attacked our master for the last time a couple of days ago, there hasn't been any new activity. I don't think they would give up so easily. They must have some new methods waiting for us. If possible, I think it would be best to move them to Alice's Cottage by tomorrow... no, it would be best tonight."

Hayasaka Ai's voice was full of doubt and worry. After everyone suggested that relatives and friends be moved in advance to prevent them from being used by the enemy, she became worried about her parents, to the point that she was becoming somewhat radical.

"Wouldn't we be a little too hasty tonight? In any case, the enemy's forces available in the real world are still quite limited. It's unlikely that they could launch a large-scale attack without Kaijun noticing, right? Hayasaka-san, it's better to calm down. The situation isn't that bad yet."

Maki frowned and spoke to reassure Hayasaka Ai, who was overly worried.

Takami had already contacted Yotsuya Miko, who was currently at home, ostensibly doing homework with Yurikawa Hana but actually using a site-reinforcing artifact he obtained from the [Market] to strengthen her house, and Ichiri, who had gone to Nijika's house in the middle of the night to make arrangements after settling her parents. As for Kita, because she hadn't yet used the watch's function, a completely secure mental link hadn't been established, but Takami knew she had gone to Ryo's house to inspect and make arrangements.