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

Did Aunt Touko notice anything just now? I hope she didn't tell my parents anything.

Xiaohua herself was completely unaware of how bad her performance had been, still thinking she had actually fooled the other person. She picked up the instant noodles she had prepared, whispered "I'm starting," and began to eat. Compared to the many people in the shelter who refused temporary supplies, either shouting that they wanted to leave and demand better service, or who remained silent and pretended to be deep and depressed, Xiaohua's thoughts were very simple: no matter what happened next, people had to eat properly, and she had to finish the last meal she could eat safely, so that she could do right by the food.

"Slurp~ Slurp~ Whew, instant noodles are still not as good as boiled noodles."

Yurikawa Kaname concluded with a sharp comment after finishing a bowl of instant noodles in less than five minutes.

Regardless of what others think, at least in Xiaohua's opinion, instant noodles that are simply soaked in boiling water are nothing special. To truly enjoy instant noodles, you have to cook them in a pot, add an egg, some ham, seaweed, and other side dishes; that's how you make truly delicious noodles.

Ugh... Just thinking about those delicious noodles makes my stomach rumble again...

The girl's expression turned troubled. Ever since awakening that Super Saiyan-like golden flash superpower, she found herself getting hungry much faster than before, often starting to feel hungry again shortly after eating. This feeling was extremely uncomfortable, but if she asked for too many supplies, it would inevitably cause the other survivors to have opinions. Therefore, Xiao Hua had been enduring it with great difficulty, continuing to try her best to bear it despite disliking it.

A little while later, Xiaohua's mother came with Touko Yotsuya. After Xiaohua said that she refused to go to the lower refuge area and wanted to stay near the entrance, the two ladies were quickly persuaded to leave by Xiaohua. So, Xiaohua and a few survivors were left alone again.

"They're arguing again. Hmm, if only I had super hearing, I wouldn't be able to hear what they're saying at all."

From afar, Xiaohua noticed that the managers had started arguing again, and everyone looked very agitated. Intrigued, Xiaohua wanted to get closer. However, she had been chased away before and hadn't been able to eavesdrop on anything, so now she could only stay at a distance and continue observing the managers' actions and expressions.

Judging from one of their actions, it seems they are about to open the shelter door?

Have new survivors arrived? But when I came here before, I heard the shelter's announcement that it already had over two thousand people, reaching its capacity, and wouldn't be accepting any more survivors. If that's the case, why are they suddenly opening the doors again? Could it be that a survivor came seeking help, and that's why the administrators are arguing about whether to open the doors or not?

The girl, who wasn't very good at reasoning, tried hard to guess the possible scenarios, and then suddenly noticed footsteps coming from behind her.

Survivors have arrived, and it seems to be the same person from before.

Xiao Hua turned around and, as expected, saw an angry old man striding forward.

Here we go again. How many times has this happened?

The girl felt a sense of helplessness and frustration from the bottom of her heart.

"What the hell is going on with you guys?! Why aren't you opening the gate?! Why aren't you letting us out?! Do you even know how much money my business is losing because of this little bit of delay?! Can you afford to pay for it, you bastards?!!"

Amidst the fierce roar, the old man, who looked to be at least sixty years old, unleashed an astonishing power, almost like a human megaphone.

As soon as the old man took the lead, many people gathered on the first basement floor of the shelter responded and surrounded him, and more and more voices followed suit.

"You said the whole city was under martial law, but I didn't see anything. You're just lying, aren't you? I've never heard of any rescue or evacuation before. You locked us up so you could experiment on us and spread viruses to us, right? Open the door! Open the door for me!"

"Locking up so many of us and only feeding us instant noodles and bottled water is torture! This is a violation of human rights! You must fully open the shelter's resource pool to us so that we survivors can distribute resources ourselves! That's true democracy!"

“My cat has been unattended for over ten hours! How dare you bastards not let your pet go to the shelter with you? Do you know how pitiful it is for her, a little kitten, to be alone at home? She's my precious daughter! If anything happens to her, your whole family deserves to die!”

At this moment, all sorts of sounds mingled together in a noisy cacophony.

The managers, who had been arguing amongst themselves, quickly stepped in to deal with the angry survivors, continuing to give them formulaic replies such as "It's too dangerous outside, we can't open the gate for now" and "We will allocate resources reasonably." Clearly, this didn't satisfy them, so they grew louder and louder, seemingly determined to stay and try to gain something by raising their voices.

Xiao Hua initially considered intervening in the situation. However, after spending some time on the underground level, she noticed that although the survivors were shouting loudly, not a single one of them dared to actually confront the armed management personnel. Therefore, she simply stood by and watched, ready to intervene if anything went wrong.

The shelter where Yurikawa Hana, her parents, and Yotsuya Touko were located was an underground parking garage in a skyscraper, with two levels. The survivors who had accepted the situation were mostly concentrated on the second basement level. Those people had either actually encountered the monsters during the evacuation or witnessed players using supernatural powers, so they understood the current situation to some extent and stayed obediently on the second basement level. Those gathered on the first basement level, however, were mostly those who didn't understand the current situation and were determined to cause trouble for the administrators.

To prevent these people from doing anything impulsive, Xiaohua, after noticing them gathering and heading towards the main entrance from time to time, proactively came up from the second basement level and stayed near the entrance. However, for over ten hours, the group had only protested without taking any real action, so Xiaohua remained inactive. As for why she didn't go up to persuade or drive them away, that would be asking too much of Xiaohua, a not-so-bright high school girl. The fact that she considered the possibility of trouble if these people stormed the entrance and came to check was already a result of her intellectual growth through experience.

Sigh, when are these people going to stop arguing?

At this moment, Xiao Hua, who didn't think the argument would lead to any different results, sighed and continued to sit on the plastic stool in front of the tent provided to her by the shelter management, swinging her little feet, and then tugged at her collar uncomfortably.

I feel a bit stuffy in my chest.

Perhaps it was because her body started to grow even further after awakening her superpowers, a few hours ago Xiaohua's mother first noticed that Xiaohua had grown about two centimeters taller. Then, she herself started to feel a bit tight in her chest. After going to the bathroom to take off her clothes and check, Xiaohua found that her own big rabbit seemed to have grown a little as well.

Honestly, don't grow any bigger! Growing this big is pointless and only hinders your actions.

As she pondered this, the girl stretched her slightly sore shoulders. Then she noticed two managers slipping away from the side path next to the gate and heading to a secluded spot, seemingly wanting to discuss something.

Hmm? Aren't those the two who had the biggest argument and were the most emotional before?

Xiao Hua noticed the two people and, after thinking for a moment, quietly followed them, intending to eavesdrop on their conversation.

This time, the girl's infiltration went very smoothly. Of course, it was also possible that the two of them simply didn't have the energy to pay attention to their surroundings. In any case, Xiao Hua quietly crept up to them and finally heard what they were saying.

"This is the third time we've urged you. How long are you going to keep dawdling? You saw the message on the radio. Do you really think it's right to disobey orders like this?"

One of the shelter managers, who was completely oblivious to his surroundings, asked excitedly.

"No, I still only have this one thing to say: absolutely not! I will not open the door, nor will I retreat to that so-called 'Golden Realm'. We've been hiding behind closed doors for so long without encountering any danger. We're safe enough here. As for other things, they're none of my concern. I only know that maintaining the status quo ensures our safety, and that's enough."

The other manager simply shook his head in response, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

"The situation has changed. Now those monsters have ways to break into the shelters. We weren't found because there are at least tens of thousands of shelters in Tokyo. We were just lucky to escape and not become the unlucky ones. Now you're disobeying orders and not retreating. If the higher-ups find us first, that's fine; at worst, we'll just be punished. But what if those monsters find us first?"

Upon hearing this, the man was already furious and wanted nothing more than to punch him. However, because both of them were armed, he restrained himself and tried to reason with the other man and persuade him.

"Whether such monsters exist or not, who knows? I only know that as the person in charge, the more I do, the more mistakes I make, and the less I do, the fewer mistakes I make. So I won't approve any risky operations. We'll stay safely in this shelter and not go anywhere else. You seem quite young; you've probably never done this before, have you?"

But he received a completely unyielding response from another manager, and was even reprimanded in return.

Such conversations had clearly occurred more than once, but the shelter's doors remained closed throughout. The vast majority of administrators supported keeping the shelter shut down, ignoring everything happening outside and any new instructions from higher-ups.

Even if a few people felt they couldn't just cower and pretend not to hear, and stood up to try to change things, the managers who held an absolute advantage had no intention of cooperating at all. No matter how much they tried to persuade them, they still refused to open the door.

"Evacuate to the 'Golden Realm'? So the shelter is actually not safe now, and those things could come in at any time?"

Unlike before, this argument had an extra listener, who, having grown impatient, stepped forward.

"The shelter is absolutely safe. Please go to the rest area. What's happening here is none of your business."

The manager, who had no idea who Xiaohua was, turned his head coldly and said...

hum-

The next second, with the lights going out and the screams of the survivors coming from the direction of the gate, Xiao Hua felt a familiar chill gradually spreading inside the building.

Chapter Seventy-Three: Chaos Erupts in the Darkness and the Fugitives.

For those in charge of managing the shelter, the current situation is frankly a dilemma.

The broadcast, originating from an unknown source, repeatedly urged the survivors to move to a so-called "area covered in golden light," insisting that it was the only truly safe place at the moment and that remaining in the shelter would inevitably lead to disaster. Upon receiving the communications, the administrators immediately attempted to contact the players still active outside, only to find that communications were severely disrupted and they were unable to reach anyone outside.

In this situation, the local government officials, who had never encountered any supernatural forces before the Tokyo catastrophe, were somewhat at a loss, unsure of what to do. After all, these people were temporarily pulled in due to a severe shortage of shelter management personnel; they had no idea of ​​the overall situation, only that something terrifying was killing people outside, and that their shelter was there to protect the safety of those who had taken refuge there, so their only responsibility as those in charge was to maintain order.

Then, as the broadcasts continued, the content became increasingly erratic. Sometimes the broadcasts became familiar, the voice of someone an administrator knew, warning them never to open the shelter doors; sometimes it became the somewhat familiar voice of a young girl who seemed to have broadcast information many times before, stating that areas experiencing broadcast malfunctions were dangerous and required immediate evacuation; and sometimes the broadcasts became filled with piercing screams, like recordings of a massacre, the terrifying and desperate howls sending chills down the spines of everyone who heard them, to the point that someone eventually lost control and smashed the broadcast system.

Even if the radio is destroyed, it will continue to broadcast, constantly transmitting contradictory information that no one knows is true or false.

This led to a heated debate among the managers. Some felt they should act, believing such a serious malfunction in the broadcast indicated something major was happening and that an evacuation was absolutely necessary, or at least someone should be sent out to investigate. Others vehemently opposed any attempt to open the doors, insisting on remaining hidden and pretending not to have heard anything. Ultimately, those advocating for staying put gained the majority of the managers' approval. After all, the situation was completely under control, and remaining still avoided the responsibility of taking risks. In their view, avoiding responsibility was the best course of action.

However, some things cannot be easily avoided by pretending not to know.

hum-

With the ear-piercing crackling of burning power lines, the entire shelter was plunged into complete darkness.

"What happened? Wasn't the safety line in the shelter supposed to be absolutely foolproof?"

"Where is the backup power? It should be able to restore automatically, right? Didn't they say that every shelter has at least one backup generator? Or is that a lie?"

"Don't panic, don't rush. Let's check if the gate is open first. Although I remember those people saying before they left that the gate could be opened with a mechanical switch even if the power was off, we still need to check to make sure. Damn it, they just dumped everything on us and left. What are those bastards doing..."

Even with the obvious anomalies now present, the managers, who have little experience with supernatural tales and artifacts, still fail to realize the impending danger and continue their chaotic bickering.

However, this was unavoidable. After all, the players in charge of this area simply found these people after confirming the shelter was at full capacity, dumped management responsibilities on them, and left. Therefore, there isn't a single player in this shelter at this moment. Considering the number of shelters and the difficulty of the rescue mission, it's impossible to leave players to guard these full shelters; this is a problem that cannot be perfectly solved under the circumstances of insufficient manpower.

"Eee-ah-ah-ah—"

Fearful screams rang out from the darkness.

Some managers realized there might be a problem and suggested opening the gates again. However, this suggestion was immediately opposed by the others, and they still could not reach a consensus, continuing to argue and quarrel in the chaos.

Meanwhile, Yurikawa Hana, who was originally there, had already left and headed towards the area from which the screams were coming from.

Upon realizing something bad might have happened, the girl's first instinct was to find her parents and Miko's mother, Touko Yotsuya. Not thinking things through, she didn't consider whether to open the door first or warn everyone to be careful. Instead, she sped up, using her body, enhanced by the blessed power and the golden light of the high seas—a body that had essentially reached or even exceeded human limits—to move quickly. In no time, she descended the stairs from the first basement level to the second, the place where most of the survivors were now located.

I smelled blood.

Having experienced that battle in the edge of space, I've become familiar with this nauseating, foul smell of blood.

Someone died.

It's still unclear who it is. In the darkness, many flashlight beams can be seen flickering. Terrified people are scattering in all directions; some are sitting and crying loudly, others are hiding and trembling, and still others are grabbing sticks or baseball bats to try and bolster their courage. But Xiaohua, who has actually encountered strange creatures before, knows all these actions are futile. Faced with things beyond common sense, ordinary people, unless they awaken their own supernatural powers, will find their struggles useless. She now only hopes not to see her parents' or Aunt Touko's bodies, and that they won't become unfortunate victims.

Fortunately, when she saw the person lying dead on the ground, she immediately realized that the person was not someone she knew. Then she spotted her parents and Aunt Touko gathered nearby and confirmed that they were safe and sound.

Only after she felt relieved did Xiaohua feel a pang of guilt and remorse. In that critical moment, her first thought was for the safety of her family and friends, neglecting the others present, and even feeling a sense of relief that the deceased was a stranger. This made Xiaohua feel ashamed and remorseful. Therefore, without much thought, she quickly stepped forward and walked to the corpse, using her still-developing senses to try and identify the aura surrounding it.

The familiar chilling feeling confirmed that he was killed by a strange creature.

But why is it here? How could a strange creature appear in a shelter for no reason? Logically, this place should be protected by the power of the "Rules of the House." With so many people gathered here, no strange creature should be able to break through the constraints of the rules and enter here, right?

"Hey, whose kid are you? Don't get too close to the corpse, there might be a monster nearby."

An older man saw Xiaohua approach the corpse and called out.

"I have superpowers and can fight monsters, so don't worry about me. Um, everyone be careful. The monster that killed this person should be nearby. Pay attention to whether there are any suddenly appearing people or objects around you. If you find anything strange that makes you feel uneasy, that might be the source of danger!"

Xiaohua simply waved her hand at the stranger's well-intentioned reminder, and then she shouted loudly to the hundreds of survivors gathered there (most of whom were not gathered around the body), hoping to alert everyone to be vigilant.

"What superpower? Is it just chuunibyou (middle school syndrome)?"

"Who let this child come here? Isn't there any responsible adult here?"

"Didn't that body have any family or friends? How come no one has taken any action to deal with him after he's been dead there for so long?"

Naturally, no one believed Xiaohua. However, in the eyes of these survivors, a mere high school girl had absolutely no credibility, and no one believed what she said.

Why does it feel like nobody cares when I say something? Everyone used to listen and follow Mr. Yu Qingshan and Xiao Jianzi's instructions very seriously. I have superpowers too, so why doesn't anyone listen to me?

Xiaohua was very confused. She couldn't understand why the survivors' reactions were so different from when they faced the players.

"Strange! Very strange!"

Another scream rang out from the darkness.

The chilling aura became immediately apparent. Previously, Xiao Hua, who wasn't particularly adept at sensing things, could only barely detect the residual scent on the corpse and couldn't track the enemy, so she could only verbally warn everyone. But now that the thing lurking in the darkness had attacked again right in front of the girl, she wouldn't miss it.

"Over here—"

A golden light, like a flame, burst forth in an instant.

The girl quickly made her way through the crowd and arrived in front of the victim, who was being grabbed by a pale arm and whose entire body was rapidly turning white, as if all the blood in his body was being drained.

Then, as the golden light from Xiao Hua collided with that arm, a violent flash of light, accompanied by the smell of something being burnt, erupted. The arm twisted instantly, becoming limp as if its bones had been broken, and quickly retreated, avoiding the golden light from Xiao Hua and disappearing into the darkness.

"Wow, so bright! What's that? So she actually has superpowers like those 'players'? That's great! I thought no one was here to protect us!"