Rules of the Strange: I Became a God in a Bizarre World Through Taoist Arts

After he finished speaking, only the sound of firewood burning in the fireplace remained in the kitchen.

three seconds.

Five seconds.

Seven seconds.

Those watching the live broadcast on the sky screen couldn't help but swallow hard, fearing that this risky answer was wrong.

Finally, the eerie voice from the ghost story rang out again, now carrying a hint of seduction.

【oh?】

Interesting...really interesting...

【Chosen One, have you forgotten that your so-called "stepbrother" clearly stated that you are the only woman in the family?】

Its voice is not pleasant to hear.

It's a sticky sensation that pierces the soul.

Shen Xingzhu rubbed his ears, but instead of panicking, he smiled.

"Tampering with memories isn't difficult at all. My Xuanmen's Mind-Controlling Mantra can do it, let alone a personality eager to escape reality trying to fabricate a reason to accept everything?"

"My judgment is based not on his memory, but on the truth that he subconsciously refuses to acknowledge."

[The answer is correct.]

Now, the chosen one, please state your reasons.

The ghost story returned to its calm, still silence.

Shen Xingzhu curled her lip in disgust. It's the same old story. She always pretends to be mechanical when faced with a difficult question.

But she didn't call it out on.

He paused briefly before continuing to answer the questions from a first-person perspective.

"Everything my stepbrother said when he bullied me before was true, except for the one sentence, 'I am the only woman in the family,' which was false."

"Aside from the insulting words, two conclusions can be drawn."

"First, my father liked men and 'married' me to a man who had a son."

"Secondly, my son and I have an extremely low status in the new family. Just as my stepbrother said, we are worse than pigs and dogs. We are in the role of 'serving' people."

"But these are not enough to determine my gender."

"What allowed me to confirm this was my stepbrother's inhuman words and the actions he took when he beat me."

"He was deliberately stepping on my genitals."

Shen Xingzhuo frowned, as if he was in pain.

"If I were a woman, his threats and humiliation would have taken a completely different form."

"And then there's the detail about how I was a castrated pig..."

"What he wanted was to destroy my identity as a male, to make me unable to hold my head up in this family forever."

"As for his reasons for doing this..."

Shen Xingzhuo continued with his analysis, "I don't think he was speaking out for his mother who was hurt because of her father's infidelity."

"On the contrary, it might be that he wants to completely replicate and inherit the distorted power dynamics of this family through me. That's why he's so eager to find a sense of existence in the weakest member of the family and threatens me to treat him the way my father fawned over his father."

"That's why his actions became the cruelest evidence I could use to prove my gender."

【…】

The ghost stories have fallen silent again.

Because Shen Xingzhuo had already answered its next question—what are the relationships between the characters in this family?

This made it lose face, so it wanted to confiscate the rewards that belonged to her and the Tianxia Kingdom.

[Correct answer.]

The "Thorn Hotel: Sleepless Night" ghost story is 85% complete. Congratulations to the chosen one who has now unlocked the completion conditions.

[Normal Completion: Conditions met. The chosen one has completed the explanation of family relationships. Leaving this ghost story instance now will be considered a successful completion.]

[Perfect Completion: Requires completing the fusion of all personalities and granting the original body owner a happy ending.]

The ghost story paused for a moment.

Now, the chosen one, please make your selection.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xingzhuo crossed his arms and leaned against a clean spot.

She lowered her eyes and pondered, truly not expecting that simply analyzing her own gender would fulfill the requirements for passing the level.

However, the story is only 85% complete.

Is it really that easy to clear the S-rank Ghost Stories Club?

Suddenly, she remembered one of the rules in Rule Three.

To leave the hotel, a settlement must be reached. To stay, there must be a compelling reason to remain.

Yes, a reconciliation hasn't been reached yet, so she can't leave at all!

Therefore, the conditions for passing the game normally are completely fake!

If she had actually chosen that path, she would probably be nothing now.

What a low-level trap...

But Shen Xingzhuo didn't expect that such a trap would actually catch its prey.

Several chosen ones from different countries, upon seeing this option, opted for the normal completion without a second thought.

Even their commander's attempts to contact them from outside the battlefield couldn't stop them from going to their deaths.

then……

Some unfortunate countries were even dragged down and perished.

Upon seeing such interstellar news, the people of Tianxia Kingdom have repeatedly expressed their gratitude for having a chosen one like Shen Xingzhuo.

As a result, the comments section became more positive and encouraging towards learning.

Shen Xingzhuo, who was making a choice, was still thinking.

Although there is only one option to stay, a reason is still needed.

She remembered the last rule of the Hidden Rules.

【I love you……】

This is the essence of ghost stories themselves.

That is, the consciousness of the main personality, Snow White.

Love can awaken a princess. Remember, only love can.

Therefore, the last hidden rule is also the key to awakening the princess's dominant personality!

This is the dominant personality trying to save itself! It's also pleading for help from her!

And that's why she stayed!

Her voice remained as firm as ever: "I choose to complete the game perfectly, so I'll stay!"

Well then, chosen one, I wish you...

[Successfully venturing into a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood...]

The ghost stories carried a hint of amusement, like watching a show.

Shen Xingzhuo gave a cold laugh and replied, "Thank you for your kind words."

The ghostly voices faded away, leaving only Shen Xingzhuo and Piao Piao staring wide-eyed at each other.

She placed Piaopiao in front of the skeleton in the pot and asked in a calm voice:

"One body belongs to the shop owner, but who is the other?"

Piao Piao struggled for a moment, how could this damn woman have such a strong grip!

After struggling again to no avail, he replied, "It's Karl!"

Shen Xingzhuo narrowed his eyes, not expecting it to be a knight!

Karl, as the armed embodiment of the king, symbolized the collapse of royal power with his death.

and so……

There is a traitor inside the hotel...

The King is already an open secret!

Shen Xingzhuo once again reviewed the current faction divisions—

She herself is the first among the good people.

Then there's Jenny, who acts as her protector, and Charlotte, who helps her even though she suffers the consequences herself.

As for Piao Piao, although she always wanted to escape, she had already been put into the puppet stand-in, so she could barely be considered a good person.

Excluding Byron, Karl, and the shopkeeper who are already dead...

Shen Xingzhuo realized that after losing the important force of the knights, the king would likely exercise his power and gather another dark personality—Gregor—to use for his own purposes!

She almost immediately understood what she needed to do next!

The key to healing is not to awaken Snow White, but to depose the king!