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

Hongxia was unsure what her older sister was planning to do, and looked up at her with some confusion, while Yamada Ryo sat silently on the stool beside her.

"Let's go over to the stage and take off our wet shoes and socks while we're at it. Staying in cold water all the time can easily make us catch a cold. We don't know when anyone will come to take care of us, and we can't just sit here like this. Let's go."

Without saying a word, Xingge pulled Hongxia up and took the initiative to pick up the laptop that was emitting red light.

"Hmm, okay, it's cold. We'll just wait over there on the stage."

Hongxia didn't have any other thoughts about this, and obediently followed Xingge to change positions.

"..."

Yamada Ryo didn't say anything. She just nodded slightly, stood up, and silently watched the water flowing under the bar before turning around to follow Nijika and Hoshika.

The water level in the shop is still rising.

Although the leaking gaps in the door have been sealed, it is clear that water is still slowly seeping in.

If there is no solution, continuing like this will definitely cause problems.

However, they don't seem to have any solutions.

Splash—splash—

As the three moved, the water, which was above their calves, splashed outwards with each step they took.

Soon, Xingge took the lead and walked to the stage on one side of the Starry Hall, which was used for band performances. The stage wasn't very high, but there shouldn't be any problem with water accumulation in the short term. So Xingge climbed onto the stage first and placed the only light source in the room, the computer that emitted a red glow, on the drum set that hadn't been tidied up and taken away on the side of the stage. Then she turned around and pulled Hongxia up, and then pulled Liangye up as well.

slam-la-

Hongxia sat down by the edge of the stage, took off her shoes, then her white socks, revealing her fair little feet. She wrung out the wet socks a few times and then placed them on the side of the stage.

Liang sat down next to her. Unlike Hongxia, she was wearing black pantyhose, so it took her a little longer to pull them off from her thighs. After taking off the pantyhose, Liang visibly shivered, as if she was more afraid of the cold than Hongxia.

"Would you like me to lend you my coat to wrap your feet? You don't want to catch a cold."

Noticing her friend's reaction, Hongxia decided to take off her coat.

"Need not."

But Liang immediately shook his head to stop Hongxia and turned his gaze towards Xingge.

"Has no new messages come in from that computer?"

Her gaze was fixed on the computer emitting a red glow, and her voice betrayed a hint of unease.

"No, we can still only see that citizen announcement."

Xingge was actually waiting for some new information to appear on the computer. When Liang asked her about it, she checked again and quickly received a disappointing answer.

"Well, it'll be fine. We'll just wait here for a while. Didn't Pochi-chan say it's okay? Let's trust her and Mr. Takami."

Seeing that Liang and Xingge's expressions weren't good, Hongxia clapped her hands and spoke up. Despite this, the composure she tried to project was actually quite forced, the kind that was obvious at a glance.

At this moment, neither Liang nor Xingge had any intention of exposing Hongxia. Rather, the fact that someone was showing a slightly positive attitude gave them a bit more confidence, which was understandable given their unease.

However, this is only temporary.

Splash—splash—

The muffled sound of the torrential rain outside carried into the room, striking the hearts of the three like the beating of a heavy drum.

No one could maintain an optimistic and positive attitude under such circumstances, especially after realizing what might happen. The three people present remained in a state of confusion and fear, unable to shake off these negative emotions.

What exactly is happening outside?

Is Pochi-chan really okay? Is she really safe now? And what about Kita-chan? I have absolutely no idea how she is doing.

Those monsters... they really can't get in here, right? This place is absolutely safe, isn't it? Will anything really not break in?

And even though it's quite late, there are still quite a few pedestrians on the street. Have they all been safely evacuated? Has no one been captured by the monster? Are all the neighbors in the surrounding blocks safe and sound?

Hongxia's heart was churning with a mix of emotions. She was worried about her bandmates, then about the neighbors and strangers she had barely spoken to, and then about the rescue workers mentioned on the radio. Before she knew it, her little hands were clenched tightly.

In contrast, Liang simply sat cross-legged on the stage, her expression calm, while occasionally rubbing her calves and feet to slightly raise the temperature of her skin.

Of course, she only appeared calm. Ever since realizing she was in a life-threatening situation, Yamada Ryo had become quite tense. If anything unusual were to happen now, even if she didn't scream, she would definitely be terrified.

This seemingly calm and collected cool girl, like Goto Ichiri, is the type who could wander through haunted houses without getting scared. However, this is because Ryo is deeply aware that everything in haunted houses is fake and she knows she can't actually be harmed. This awareness allows Ryo to remain unmoved when facing various haunted houses and horror movies, appearing fearless. But in reality, Yamada Ryo is quite timid. She even decided never to drive again after accidentally bumping into a wall while learning to drive. Now, knowing that the outside world is full of eerie creatures, her stress level has risen to a very high point, and she could reach her limit at any moment.

Despite saying that, Ryo didn't realize that although she was extremely nervous, her breathing and heartbeat were not erratic. In fact, not only her, but also Hongxia and Xingge, the three girls who were not particularly brave, remained calm. No matter how much fear grew in their hearts, they never lost their basic judgment and would never do anything irrational out of helplessness.

It's as if something was implanted into their souls early on, bearing the burden of negative emotions and thus ensuring their mental stability.

If nothing unexpected happens, the three of them will probably continue to wait until rescue arrives.

However, it is precisely because accidents are unpredictable that they are all the more terrifying.

Tuk-tuk-tuk——

A knocking sound came from outside.

The three people sitting on the stage turned their heads almost simultaneously, their three pairs of eyes locking onto the only entrance and exit in the starry sky—the door that had been locked and destroyed by Yili.

"...Was someone knocking on the door just now?"

Hongxia blinked and turned to look at the two people beside her, wanting to confirm whether they had heard the knocking sound earlier.

"Hmm, a very clear knocking sound, is it rescue?"

Xingge nodded and stood up, but didn't immediately go to open the door; she simply stood there. After repeatedly checking the broadcast information on the computer, although she was still reluctant to believe in supernatural things, she was able to calmly observe the situation and confirm the specifics before taking any action.

"..."

Liang didn't speak, but unconsciously held her breath, her small hands gripping the hem of her skirt so tightly that her fingertips turned white.

She certainly heard the knocking.

Unlike Hongxia and Xingge, Liang felt a strong sense of unease the moment she heard the knock. It was like being suddenly doused with ice water on a cold day, every cell in her body groaning in the cold. This forced her to curl up slightly, but Hongxia and Xingge, whose attention was focused on the door, didn't notice.

"Outside...it should be a rescue operation, right? Um, should we reply?"

Hongxia, who had been praying for rescue to arrive quickly, hesitated and spoke softly, looking up at Xingge.

"...Wait a minute."

Xingge noticed Liang's reaction as soon as she looked away. After thinking for a moment, she put her hand on Hongxia's shoulder, signaling her to keep quiet for the time being.

It's quiet now.

After the three people inside stopped speaking, the place became completely quiet, with only the indistinct sounds of flowing water and breathing continuing to accompany them.

Was that knocking on the door just now the arrival of the rescue team?

Although I don't quite understand how the other party was able to knock on the door normally when the water was so severe, the person who would come to knock on the door at this time must be a rescuer, right?

Hongxia had some random thoughts running through her mind, but she didn't dare to move. She just sat there nervously looking towards the gate.

Is anyone inside?

Tuk-tuk-tuk——

Then, a second knock came at the door.

The rhythm was similar to the first knock, almost identical, and not difficult for Hongxia and the others who played music to recognize.

But unlike before, this time there were voices coming from outside.

It was a very clear, distinct voice, not like the sound coming from behind a door, but rather like the normal voice of an elderly man speaking directly in front of the three of them.

Subconsciously, Hongxia opened her mouth as if to reply, but this time Liang suddenly raised her head and, after noticing her friend's actions, immediately covered her mouth with her hand and made a shushing gesture to Xingge.

That sound was off.

Such an instinctive warning spread strongly in Liang's heart, forcing her to take immediate action.

【We are rescue workers, please open the door】

Tuk-tuk-tuk——

Then a third knock on the door and the old man's voice rang out.

【We are rescue workers from Tokyo. If anyone inside can hear us, please come and open the door】

Please open the door and come out to take shelter with us. A much heavier downpour is coming soon, and it will be too late if you don't come out now.

Tap tap tap—tap tap tap—

Along with the old man's voice, the knocking on the door began to ring repeatedly, and at the same time, sounds like many people were moving around could be heard.

"Is there going to be even bigger torrential rain?"

Xingge frowned, still harboring some doubts and conflicted about the current situation. The information revealed outside the door undoubtedly worried her. She couldn't help but consider the possibility that the rescue team outside might indeed be on the other side, and that she might miss her chance to be rescued because she didn't trust them due to the information on the strange computer. After hesitating for a moment, she decided to go and take a look, so she stepped off the stage and stepped back into the water.

"Wait a minute, something's not right with that sound."

Liang reached out to pull Xingge, but failed to grab her.

"I'm just going over to take a look. Don't forget the door is broken; even if I wanted to, I couldn't open it. You two stay where you are and don't move. Didn't the message say that as long as the door is closed, we'll be fine? At most... uh, maybe we'll encounter some strange hallucinations? Anyway, I won't open the door; I'm just trying to check the situation outside. Don't make a fuss; just wait patiently."

Xingge turned around and shook her head at Liang's pale lips, then chose to go to the vicinity of the gate to check the situation.

Before actually seeing those things, it's always difficult for people to convince themselves that something beyond imagination exists in this world. Like the fire-breathing dragon in the garage, words and seemingly strange phenomena alone cannot convince everyone until they are truly proven.

pat!

Xingge took out a flashlight, turned it on, and let out a stark white light.

Wow – Wow –

Then she waded through the water and slowly moved forward, heading towards the doorway on the side of the starry sky.

This stretch of road isn't very long, only about twenty meters.

The water temperature seemed to be even lower than before, and as she walked, she couldn't help but shiver. But there was nothing else she could do at the moment, so Xingge could only try her best to endure it.

Are there really rescue team members outside the door? Or... is it some kind of monster in human skin?

As Xingge slowly made her way through the cold, damp water, she couldn't help but let her mind wander.

[Repeating, is anyone inside...?]

Tuk-tuk-tuk——

The knocking sounded again, and the old man's voice rang out once more.

If we disregard the oddity of the unusually regular knocking, there's nothing wrong with just listening to the old man's voice. If we had to say something, it would probably be that his voice sounded quite old, making it hard to imagine that someone his age could be a rescue worker.

However, considering the torrential rains and floods currently affecting the entire city, it doesn't seem strange that some elderly people might temporarily join the rescue efforts. Of course, elderly people who can do this must be in exceptionally good physical condition, otherwise they wouldn't be able to withstand it.