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

"Sister Wengu, what are you doing on the TV screen?"

Xiaohua was stunned; she didn't quite understand what was going on.

The person on the screen is you, not me; you've been sucked into the television set.

On the screen, Fumiya Otoha immediately spoke up.

[You should be able to notice the anomalies around you, right? Like all the text is reversed, that's because you were sucked into the TV screen. As for me, I think I was pushed away by your force, which allowed me to avoid that monster's attack and not be sucked in.]

As she spoke, Otoha Fumiya's expression became more anxious.

Okay, okay, let's not talk about this anymore. Your current situation is extremely dangerous; we need to get you out of here right away.

[I won't go into too much detail since you're not a player. In short, you've now triggered the strange rules of this eerie creature, and its power is constantly eroding you. If you don't deal with it properly, you will definitely be killed.]

I've encountered similar strange creatures before, though I can't be sure it's the same one, but I do know a little about how to deal with it. However, if you want to figure it out, you'll have to follow my instructions. No matter how nonsensical or incomprehensible my words may sound, they will definitely help you, understand?

On the television screen, Fumiya Otoha, with a serious expression, spoke. The concern in her expression seemed genuine; anyone who saw it would believe that she was truly concerned about Yurikawa Hana's safety and was willing to make efforts for it.

"Okay, okay, I understand. So what should I do?"

Yurikawa picked up the shard. Somewhat confused, she replied to Fumiya Otoha's words while looking up again. She noticed that there were more televisions now, and they were clearly moving closer to her, gradually encroaching on the space around her.

What exactly is going on with all this stuff?

[Let's get straight to the point. I know the general situation where you are. So first, among the TVs around you, are there any that look slightly different? Whether it's the color, appearance, or structure of the TV itself, or even the picture and sound on the screen, anything different, can you spot it?]

After receiving Xiaohua's answer, Wen Gu Yinyu quickly continued talking, while Xiaohua once again observed the television screens surrounding her.

Sizzle... sizzle...

The piercing noise seemed to have become even louder than before.

As Xiaohua's gaze swept across the distorted static on the screen, she felt as if something was writhing and struggling to crawl out. It was as if the act of observation itself had produced some unknown effect, causing the televisions to undergo further abnormal changes.

Will finding a different kind of television help me escape my current bizarre situation?

The girl stared wide-eyed, looking at one television after another for a good thirty or forty seconds before finally noticing a television in the corner with a white casing, while the casings of the other televisions were all gray.

"Ah, I found it—"

Just as the girl, having finally spotted her target, spoke up in surprise, about to ask the fragment of the television screen what Otoha Fumiya should do next, the unusual television set suddenly trembled a few times, then flew into the air, turned around, and abruptly flew to the side, seemingly fleeing.

Chase after it and grab it! That unusual television is the key to escape!

The reflection of Otoha Fumiya in the fragments immediately shouted.

"Huh? So we're supposed to catch each other?!"

Completely unprepared for this turn of events, Xiao Hua paused for a second before quickly getting up and rushing towards the flying television set.

Fortunately, the thing didn't seem to be very fast when it first took off, so Xiaohua didn't lose it even after a brief moment of hesitation. But as the girl started chasing, the thing's speed began to increase significantly, forcing Xiaohua to quicken her pace.

whoosh-

Rings of fire reappeared, smashing all the television sets blocking the way.

Do not use your fire to attack that unusual television set. If you destroy it, it will be even more difficult to find your way out again.

When the fragmented Wen Gu Yin Yu saw Xiao Hua use flames, she quickly reminded her.

Xiaohua herself didn't have time to reply. Realizing that the television in front of her was flying faster and faster, she didn't have time to think and could only do her best to chase after the strange television that kept flying in the second-floor corridor.

No, I'm losing strength more and more, and I'm about to lose my catch-up.

The girl, gritting her teeth, gasped for breath. Upon closer inspection, she saw the television set turn a corner and fly towards the railing outside the corridor.

Considering that if he let the television fly away, he might not be able to leave easily, Xiao Hua steeled his resolve, put away his fire ring, focused all his attention on the television, and suddenly accelerated forward, vaulting over the railing. He then stood on the railing, using the second-floor corridor railing as a springboard to leap forward, collapsing the railing as he sprang forward, rapidly closing the distance between himself and the television.

"Caught!"

Xiao Hua, shouting like this, finally managed to grab the television set in mid-air.

[That's great! You've finally accepted us!]

On the TV screen on the third floor of the mall, Yuri Kawana's hand finally touched that of Kōshō Rin.

The image of Otoha Fumiya reflected in the fragment of the television screen had vanished without a trace. From the beginning, the fragment had not reflected anything at all; only Xiaohua's own senses had been deceived.

"This……"

When she realized something was wrong, everything around her had already changed. A twisting force surged towards the girl, threatening to completely distort her.

At that moment, the golden-red flames spread out, completely enveloping Xiaohua the instant the monster named Little Boat Bell made its move.

Boom——

Amidst the violent explosion, the small boat bell's body was charred black by the flames, its skin torn open and bleeding profusely.

But unlike before, this time the thing neither let go nor collapsed and dissipated on the spot. Instead, it continued to hold Xiaohua's hand tightly, revealing a tearing smile to her.

You couldn't refuse us... You accepted me, you were the one who took my hand...

The little boat bell emitted a low laugh. Its target from the beginning was Xiao Hua, this special being who had awakened a special supernatural power and could communicate with Gao Hai to a certain extent, and even remotely absorb and release Gao Hai's power.

If we can defile her and make her belong to the [hospital], we might be able to harm that false god and reverse the current situation.

Therefore, it waited here for a long time, followed the car and observed it for a long time, looking for an opportunity to attack Xiaohua. The silly girl was indeed unable to see through the illusion it created and could not break free from the constraints of this mirror world. In the end, she was captured by it.

hum-

The problem right now is that even if it is captured, there is no way to complete the conversion immediately.

"Ugh..."

The girl was whimpering in pain. The unintentional effect of the rule had caused the power of the little boat bell to greatly erode her consciousness, but the ever-burning flames posed a significant obstacle to the little boat bell. Even though these were only unconsciously released powers, the little boat bell could hardly break through them quickly and could not complete the transformation of Yurikawa Hana. It could only rely on time to slowly wear her down and pollute her consciousness and soul.

A fire of this scale... it couldn't have been a spur-of-the-moment decision; it must have been prepared from the very beginning. But how could someone so foolish manage to do it? She couldn't have seen through any of the traps at all...

"Waaah... I... I won't give in..."

When she realized something was wrong, the orange-haired girl had already opened her eyes, stubbornly staring at the charred corpse of Xiao Chuanling, showing no fear whatsoever at her terrifying appearance.

"Mr. Gao once said... I'm stupid, I'm not good at thinking..."

"So... all I can do is... do my best with what I can..."

"That means assuming... I'll be deceived... that I'll have his power ready at all times... ready until the crucial moment... and then unleash it all at once!!!"

It shouldn't have released this much power in the first place.

Judging from her previous performance, this foolish girl should be nearing her limit and is about to be unable to use the power of the false god.

But now Xiao Chuanling realized that the reason why Bai Hechuanhua was approaching her limit so quickly and entering a state where she could no longer use the power of Gao Hai on a large scale was because she had been maintaining a power originating from Gao Hai within her body, a power that could only be released in life-or-death crises. That's why she was so much weaker than she appeared, and why she started panting and having nosebleeds after using her power only a few times.

This tactic couldn't possibly have been Xiaohua's own idea. It was a strategy Gao Hai devised for her after realizing, during his guidance, that she was completely unsuitable for dealing with supernatural tales and would only be able to take a beating if things got really bad. The girl herself, after receiving the plan from Gao Hai, followed it very diligently from beginning to end without making a single mistake.

After all, I really am an idiot, and I really can't understand many things.

However, Mr. Gao is very intelligent; Mr. Gao is a truly powerful being.

So whatever he says, I will do without any doubt, and wholeheartedly believe in him. This will definitely bring good results, it definitely will!

Rumble, rumble, rumble——

The flashes of light from the violent explosion flickered on the television screen.

Click——click——

Cracks began to spread across the screen, gradually widening.

A piercing scream rang out from inside the television set. The little boat bell, its entire body covered in flames and no longer recognizable as beautiful and lovely, struggled desperately, but it was unable to expel the power that had tainted its body. Instead, its injuries became more and more severe.

bang——

The old television screen shattered, and Xiaohua's body flew out of the shards and crashed heavily to the ground.

"Cough cough... ooh cough cough..."

The girl, having endured a great deal of corrupting power, struggled to support herself, but lacked even the strength to stand up. Unlike before, having released that power, she was now truly weakened, unable to summon flames again, and even unable to see her surroundings clearly.

You will still die... You will die here... Your companions have long since fled, you are all alone here... You can't change anything...

Completely different from before, amidst a shrill scream like a vengeful ghost demanding its life, the LCD screen hanging on the wall not far away lit up, displaying the image of Xiao Chuanling, whose entire body was severely burned.

"Hoo... I understand, the key to your power... Ugh... Cough cough cough... I understand..."

The girl ignored the other person's hysterical roar, and instead struggled to recall their previous contact, trying to find that crucial point in it.

What good does knowing do... You have no power left... Die, you scoundrel who rejects true happiness and refuses to walk the righteous path!

Meanwhile, Xiao Chuanling roared as she leaned out of the television, her eyes filled with hatred as she reached out her hand towards Xiao Hua, who was lying on the ground, ready to kill her on the spot.

drip-

The sound of car horns approached from a distance.

I don't know why it appeared here, on the third floor of an indoor shopping mall, and it sounded like the horn of some kind of large vehicle.

【…? 】

Sensing something was wrong, the little boat bell turned its head and looked towards the source of the sound.

Then she saw the broken walls, the scattered appliances and concrete fragments, and then two bright car headlights.

The next second, the headlights magnified in my field of vision, and the front of the bus behind them also magnified in my field of vision.

Bang! ! !

The twisted little boat bell, along with the television screen behind her, was sent flying, tumbling and rolling a long distance in mid-air before crashing heavily to the ground.

The bus, which looked dilapidated but could drive freely inside the building as if it were smashing through a piece of paper, had already spun around the mall once before stopping in front of Xiao Hua, who was lying on the ground.

"Baihechuan, are you alright?"

The car window opened, and Wen Gu Yinyu leaned out and cautiously asked Xiao Hua.

"Ugh... It's nothing, it's just that I feel like I can't stand up, and I'm so hungry I really want to eat something..."

Xiao Hua reluctantly raised her head, smiled, and answered, while also touching her stomach.

"You really are a glutton! Well, I'm afraid you're going to eat all the snacks I just got. I really don't understand how you have such a good appetite."

Another figure leaned out of the car window; it was Li Ling, the vice-captain of the Sunflower Squad. This female player, who had previously encountered Xiao Hua in the edge of the residential area, looked at the girl she had met again with a smile tinged with emotion, and waved to signal the driver to open the car door.

It was obvious that this reinforcement was brought by Otoha Fumiya.

Previously, Xiao Chuanling impersonated Fumiya Otoha to deceive Xiao Hua, and after revealing her true identity, she claimed that Fumiya Otoha had run away, which was indeed true to some extent. After Fumiya Otoha was thrown away by Xiao Hua's force, thus narrowly missing being captured on the screen, the player, after regaining her mobility, only approached the third floor briefly to observe the situation before retreating immediately.