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

"I will keep it in mind."

The conversation between Gao Hai and the lawyer was straightforward and to the point, with no beating around the bush.

Of course, these were all veteran players who had experienced various dungeons, and normally people at this level wouldn't try anything funny when communicating with each other. But listening to the lawyer and other players' voices in the communication, Gao Hai still felt a little emotional. After all, he was not only assisting the various Red Moon level veterans, but also guiding the lower-level players and some lucky ordinary people who had contacted him.

The lower-level players were relatively easier to deal with; at most, Gao Hai would need to explain some basic knowledge about high-level monsters to them, and once that was clear, they could proceed normally. However, the ordinary people who had established contact with him for various reasons were a much more troublesome group. Gao Hai had to carefully explain the various aspects of monster tales to each of them, cautiously warning them not to panic or back down in dangerous situations, but also not to act recklessly, and that their primary concern should be self-preservation. Even though he had done his best to help the survivors, he still occasionally encountered situations that left him unsure how to evaluate them.

For example, one second someone might warn you about a potentially extremely dangerous, eerie creature that can detect your voice, and the next second the person energetically asks, "What should we do then?" and lures the creature over. These are considered relatively normal situations among what Gao Hai has encountered. Others include people frantically praying and kowtowing upon seeing Gao Hai, only to realize after Gao Hai explains the basics that the person didn't listen at all and was just focused on praying; or people who, upon seeing Gao Hai, immediately mistake him for an eerie creature and jump off a building before he can even speak, only to continue their suicide attempts after being rescued; or people who insist on arguing with Gao Hai about the concept of urban legends and the origins of this genre, disregarding the safety of the surroundings and demanding that Gao Hai admit that urban legends are a new literary form invented in Korea...

Although Gao Hai wouldn't tolerate such extraordinary individuals, having encountered so many brilliant minds still made him question his own existence to some extent. Therefore, the rational exchanges with the various Red Moon-level players were incredibly pleasant for Gao Hai; he didn't have to worry about blood pressure or headaches, which was reassuring.

Of course, not all survivors are problematic; some are still able to communicate rationally and take notes. For example, Miko's good friend, Yurikawa Hana, is a promising talent. Although she has lost contact and her whereabouts are unknown, Gao Hai has difficulty determining her condition and can only hope that she survives.

Furthermore, among the trio of Hongxia, Liang, and Xingge who accidentally entered the instance, Gao Hai sensed that Liang had some talent and might become a promising talent. However, considering that the three of them had only just settled down and had only just obtained their identities at the [Zhenyang Apartment], Gao Hai couldn't be sure how things would develop from there.

Troublesome things just keep piling up...

After calming down, Gao Hai let out a soft breath and got back into work mode.

The first people they contacted were Xiong Mijian and Bing, the two duo located at the nurses' station on the second floor.

The lawyer has successfully uncovered what might point to the core obsession; here's some information he wants to convey...

"Received. We have also successfully retrieved a necklace of obsession, and also obtained some other information."

In the chaotic nurses' station, which looked as if it had been run over by a steamroller several times, Xiong Mi wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and stood amidst the shredded remains of nurses and doctors. Not far away, Jian Bing had just shaken the blood off the blade of his knife. A short distance away, behind the broken walls, more rooms could be seen that had been smashed. Clearly, while the lawyers had been violently investigating, Xiong Mi's side hadn't been any gentler.

[New information? What is it? Let me see if I can connect it with what the lawyers have said]

Upon hearing Xiong Mi say this, Gao Hai immediately became focused.

"The patient's name, D-2003, has disappeared. I speculate that it may be because he became a medium for the power of the [Hospital], causing his existence to gradually disappear from the real world and become unsustainable. However, in the process of using this patient for experiments, the hospital used the code name D-2003, which allowed some information that would have disappeared along with his own existence to be preserved and successfully investigated by me."

As Xiong Mi spoke, he kicked aside a broken piece of equipment next to him, causing it to roll to the side of a doctor's head that was still wriggling not far away. Then Jian Bing walked over and stomped on the doctor's head until it was smashed.

"This experiment was initially conducted in secret, and it was likely that only the hospital's senior management and a few doctors and nurses who knew the details were involved. The selected D-2003 was originally a person with a complete family, but during a home invasion robbery, his seven-year-old daughter was stabbed to death by the robber. D-2003 witnessed this scene and killed the robber on the spot, and from then on, he fell into an extremely serious mental disorder."

"According to existing investigation records, D-2003 had engaged in more than 15 acts of self-harm and violence before being admitted to this hospital. He became extremely aggressive due to severe paranoia and mania, and repeatedly inflicted violence on his wife and parents. These completely uncontrollable behaviors prompted his family to finally decide to send the man to a mental hospital, and after confirming that existing treatments would be unlikely to help him recover, they agreed to a prefrontal lobe resection."

"However, right after the surgery, D-2003, who should have been a living dead, exhibited a series of abnormalities. He became very gentle and kind, communicating amicably with the doctors and nurses, as if he had returned to being the good husband he once was. The hospital's reaction to this was strange. From the moment they first noticed D-2003's abnormal behavior, they immediately blocked the news from his family and immediately conducted several tests on him. It was during these tests that the doctors discovered that D-2003's cognition had reverted to that of when his daughter was still alive. He had completely forgotten everything that had happened since the day the robbers broke into his home, and even claimed that his daughter was right beside him, always with him."

Xiong Mi spoke at breakneck speed, glancing at the only intact table in the nurses' station (actually, it was dragged over from elsewhere by Jianbing), and the various documents scattered on it. In order to obtain these clues quickly, after learning from Gao Hai about the methods the lawyer had used, Xiong Mi also tried some methods that wouldn't normally be used. And as it turned out, with Gao Hai's assistance, the feeling of this superhuman, brute-force approach to obtaining clues was truly wonderful.

Of course, that's not what I need to worry about right now. The focus now is on the core issues related to my obsession, which are gradually making progress.

"Next, according to the doctor's investigation record, D-2003 had her daughter drag a chair in the ward, and then the doctors actually saw the chair move without anyone touching it. At that time, the ward's surveillance camera showed serious malfunctions, making it impossible to see the situation inside. As for the more detailed test results, I won't go into detail. I just think that judging from the reactions of these medical staff, D-2003's situation should not be the first time for them. They were prepared for these anomalies. Although there were many shortcomings in their actual handling, the fact that they were able to provide a contingency plan in advance proves that they have indeed seen similar situations before."

"In short, during the experiment, it was discovered that D-2003 seemed to be able to interact with a daughter that no one else could see. With further contact, D-2003 began to try to persuade others to 'find and jump into their own hole,' and some abnormal phenomena gradually began to appear around the medical staff who had contact with this patient. One of the more critical incidents was caused by a visit from the patient's family. D-2003's family had opted for a prefrontal lobotomy under duress, and they would still visit the patient from time to time after the surgery. To prevent any accidents, the hospital would administer sedatives to D-2003 whenever this happened, ensuring that he remained unconscious during the family's visits. However, one time when his wife came to visit, he inexplicably woke up from a deep sleep."

"The final result of this accident was that D-2003's wife died on the spot, her body torn in two while still alive. After that day, D-2003 never showed any interaction with his invisible daughter again. Instead, he began to fall into a deep sleep all day long, or lie motionless in bed while awake, like a normal person who had his frontal lobe removed. But the hospital tried to communicate with him again and found that D-2003 could still communicate in this state. He seemed to have recalled something because of his communication with his wife, but he chose to regard those memories as dreams, believing that everything he saw in the real world was a false dream, and that only the dreams were real."

"After that, D-2003 was placed in the most secure ward, and little information became available afterward. It is only known that anything related to his wife and daughter would attract his attention. Things related to his daughter before her death would evoke fond memories, while things related to her after her death would turn him into some kind of enraged monster. Even so, his reactions to the real world became less and less frequent, and in the most recent records, D-2003 had become indistinguishable from a corpse. However, even in this state, D-2003 could still exert some unknown influence on those around him, causing more and more people to become aware of the existence of the 'hole'."

As they spoke, Xiong Mi had already returned to the elevator, changed into a doctor's uniform, and was still dragging half of the doctor's ghost's body. Jian Bing, who was standing next to him, had also changed into a doctor's uniform and took away the arm of a nurse ghost that had been severed by a chainsaw.

Through the connection of thoughts, Gao Hai can quickly transmit messages to the players. Therefore, while Xiong Mi was explaining the information, she was also able to understand the information from the lawyer's side from Gao Hai. So, later on, she was talking and taking action at the same time, preparing to return to the ward area.

"Based on the information from both the lawyer and Shao Ye, D-2003 was dissected and his head was cut off and made to look like the one in the ward, which should have been done during the research phase. However, it's also possible that the researchers decided to kill him during the hospital phase because his abilities were too dangerous. This information isn't the main point; what's important is whether I can successfully see that thing next. I hope that the necklace I worked so hard to get for so long can really open the passage."

"Hmm, that's quite detailed information. I've already passed it on to the others. Also, I've temporarily reinforced the chaotic area on the first floor leading to the wards. Passing through within 3 minutes shouldn't be a problem. Let's hurry."

Just as the conversation ended, the elevator arrived at the first floor.

So Xiong Mi didn't say anything more, and quickly walked out of the elevator with Jianbing, heading towards the hospital entrance they had come in through, on their way back.

[Have you been working so hard for so long? It doesn't seem like it took that long, right? Compared to the time at Nightfall Mountain Middle School, the team probably wouldn't have found any clues at this point, or even have a direction, right?]

Recalling the hints of Versailles players in Xiong Mi's words, Gao Hai smiled and then turned his attention to another player from the "Slacking Off" gang, who was still communicating with him and was currently the only Red Moon-level player acting alone in the dungeon: Cat Brother.

Unlike the lawyer and Xiong Mi, who quickly provided information and took action, he remained on the second floor, still at the nurses' station, and hadn't left for almost a minute. His reason for doing so was quite simple: he had discovered something that existed in the previous records.

The hole in the nurses' station.

"This thing is really big."

Cat Brother squinted and looked ahead at the dark passage located in the wall.

In the nurses' station on the second floor of the hospital, there is a hole in the wall, a pitch-black hole large enough for a two-meter-tall adult to walk through.

The light could not illuminate the cave, and even the player's superhuman vision and perception could not penetrate the darkness to see what was inside.

This thing isn't really related to the instance.

Cat Bro can confirm that the power contained within this enormous and eerie hole originates from the [hospital].

Close your eyes.

The feeling of letting go was like being touched by something, making one's body tremble involuntarily.

Jump in!

It was as if a gentle voice was speaking in my ear.

Jump into the hole!

We are all born falling.

Why not just plummet to the very bottom, to the very depths?

Everything you desire is here.

Here you'll find all the happiness you've been searching for.

All your wishes can come true here.

Within our perception, there is an irresistible force urging us on and trying to control us.

Despite being prepared for what to face, Cat Bro still had to admit that this thing was even more powerful than he had anticipated after actually coming into contact with it. Of course, compared to the terrifying aura emanating from that terrifying being he hadn't actually encountered in the previous dungeon, [Infant Cry Village], this guy was far inferior.

Come here, everything you want is here.

The gentle voice seemed to embrace him completely.

"Does it have everything? Can I find all the answers I'm looking for here?"

Cat Brother, with his eyes closed, stood in front of the dark cave and asked in a low voice.

We have everything; everything you could want is here.

The gentle voice seemed to draw closer, and in the darkness, it was as if invisible tentacles began to wrap around Cat Brother's body, trying to pull him little by little into the cave.

"Can you really give me what I long for?"

Cat Brother's steps were unsteady, and he slowly became unsteady on his feet, like a drunkard.

Tell me, tell me what you want, and I can show you anything.

That gentle voice completely captivated Cat Brother, and before he knew it, he had gotten even closer to the cave.

Are you having doubts?

A pale human hand reached out from the hole and gently stroked Cat Brother's cheek.

Are you hesitating?

Eyeballs emerged from the hole, peering at Cat Brother who was frowning and closing his eyes.

Come on, come quickly, jump in—

"Then let me ask you."

Then, Cat Bro suddenly spoke, interrupting the seductive voice.

Why does 1 plus 1 equal 2?

Cat Bro kept his eyes closed, but his words carried a serious tone.

[...Once you jump in, you'll know why.]

The alluring voice seemed a little confused, perhaps because it had never encountered such a question before, and could only give such an answer in the end.

"Oh, so what is the structure of the key material for controlled nuclear fusion?"

Cat Bro's expression remained unchanged; he calmly spoke with his eyes closed as always.

Jump in...jump in...

The seductive voice became much drier, as if it had no idea how to answer, and eventually turned into an attitude that carried a sense of coercion.

"Oh, one last question, why is your head pointed?"

The next moment, as Cat Bro was about to burst into laughter, darkness expanded in an instant, completely engulfing Cat Bro in front of him.

Just before this thing completely swallowed Catman, a playing card flew backward, and then Catman's body appeared out of thin air, reaching out to grab the playing card.

Ahead, from the dark hole, one doctor's and nurse's head after another was peeking out.

It was clear that his earlier act of pretending to be fooled had somewhat angered the other party.

"So, I've drawn out the arrangements left by the hospital here. What should we do next?"

As he spoke, Cat Bro stretched his body.

Then he turned and ran without hesitation.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Cat Brother's Bait Time and Deepening into the Cave of Obsession.

a few minutes ago.

Are you sure you want to do this?

Gao Hai's voice reached Cat Brother's ears, unusually tinged with hesitation.

"Well, someone has to be in charge of this. I've been separated into a separate group, so let me do it."

Cat Brother stood at the entrance of the nurses' station on the second floor, stretching his body as he responded to Gao Hai.

[But you should be well aware of how dangerous this is, right? If we really have to do this, I can't support you. You'll have to rely on your own strength to deal with an opponent who could potentially surpass the Red Moon level. Are you really confident?]

Gao Hai asked again, his tone very serious.

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure. After all, I don't have much experience in dealing with monsters that truly surpass the Red Moon level. Even after going through that awful place, Infant Cry Village, and witnessing the existence of those things, I still have no confidence at all in a direct confrontation with them."

Cat Brother chuckled and, in a very carefree tone, said something that Gao Hai couldn't put his mind at ease about.

"However, this task needs to be done by someone."