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

"I don't think so. I can vaguely sense that we're still in the real world, but the space here is abnormal. Do you still have that feeling from before, shopkeeper? Can you still sense the monster's presence, or detect anything in a certain direction?"

Before Hongxia could comfort her older sister, Liang spoke first, offering a brief explanation before immediately asking questions.

What she was asking about was, of course, Xingge's inexplicable perception of [Funamoto Yasuo]. It's worth noting that Ryo and Hongxia's perception was stronger than Xingge's, yet they hadn't sensed anything, while she had detected the strange creature's presence first. This greatly concerned Ryo; she strongly suspected that Xingge had triggered the corresponding rules to some extent, becoming the creature's target, or even being affected by it in some way.

Therefore, when asking the question, Liang kept her eyes fixed on Xingge, so that she wouldn't be caught off guard if any unexpected situation occurred.

"...I can't feel it right now. But I have a feeling that thing from earlier will catch up soon."

Xingge naturally realized the importance of the question. She frowned, carefully looked around several times, and then gave Liang a thoughtful answer. Although the answer itself was good news, she also solemnly warned the two of them, which made Liang and Hongxia's expressions even more serious.

Regardless, with the current crisis looming, all the three of them can do is try their best to survive, nothing more.

Deep into a dangerous area filled with anomalies, being hunted by terrifying monsters. This experience is really enough! I thought it would be over after escaping that horrible place, but now I'm in a similar situation again. I really don't know when this will end.

Liang wanted to sigh, but remembering that she was the most experienced player among the three, and knowing that she had to take the lead, she remained calm and prepared to thoroughly investigate the hall.

[If we're not careful, something goes wrong here. How are things going for you now?]

A familiar voice then traveled through the link of thought.

In an instant, Yamada Ryo's unease and fear completely vanished, replaced by a strong sense of security, which quickly spread after Takami's voice rang out.

Although things are unstable throughout the city right now, and I can only provide support here for a short time, don't worry, you'll be fine.

[Don't leave this hall yet. You can rest safely here for at least half an hour. Use this time to investigate your surroundings. You're probably trapped in a small, enclosed space created by the power of a Dark Night or Crimson Moon-level monster. I'll find a way to get you out.]

As for the strange creature tracking you, it's probably not the one trapping you. It's just deliberately coming here to grab you first. Yes, that's right, there should be multiple strange creatures in this area. But don't worry, more strange creatures aren't necessarily a bad thing. At least for now, these guys are fighting among themselves and probably can't take care of you for the time being. Anyway, be extra careful from now on. I'll come back to you after I've gathered more information.

After a brief exchange, Gao Hai's voice quickly disappeared, as if it had never existed and left no trace.

But for Yamada Ryo, and for Nijika and Hoshika, the pressure in their hearts was greatly relieved at this moment after confirming the existence of this person.

Chapter 86: Gao Hai's Observations and Considerations, and the Last Words of Yet Another Victim.

To be honest, after the problems arose at Baihechuanhua, Gao Hai had wondered if Liang and Hongxia might also encounter problems.

Well, should I say it was no surprise? By the time he had time to pay attention to them, the three of them were already in danger. Fortunately, this time they weren't in the instance area, so there was no need to worry about losing internet access. Moreover, Gao Hai's power had increased as his domain expanded, allowing him to provide better support. Although, because the [Hospital] was releasing curses and contamination throughout the city, he actually had very little time to monitor the three of them. At most, he would check on them every now and then, and if they encountered danger or their vital signs started to deteriorate, he would rush over to try and rescue them.

From this perspective, Gao Hai could actually rescue them at any time. After all, even if he couldn't take the three women's bodies, he could at least retrieve their souls into his domain. However, abandoning their original bodies wasn't a good thing, especially since Yamada Ryo had already undergone the process of regeneration after death. If she were to completely discard her original body and reshape it, at the very least, there would be problems with her ability growth ceiling. Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, Gao Hai preferred to let them find their own way to escape.

However, this location is a bit dangerous...

Gao Hai stared at the location of the three people, and gradually frowned.

Kaguya, who was currently dealing with the "surgeon," was nearby. At this time, Goto Ichiri and Kita Ikuyo arrived to provide support. The three girls used a strategy of alternating attacks to delay the monster, preventing its rule-based power from completely corrupting any of them, thus confining the opponent to a certain area.

Judging from the current situation, the girls' actions are progressing smoothly. Even Gao Hai, observing from afar, can hear the hospital's frantic attempts to order the surgeon to leave the battlefield, only to be ignored, which amused him for a while. However, the three girls cannot maintain absolute control over the surgeon. After all, he is a being far stronger than the three of them. Even if they can temporarily guide his actions by breaking the rules, there are still many uncontrollable aspects in the details. For example, the city areas damaged by the surgeon's power are definitely outside their control.

This is a bit troublesome. If they accidentally get too close during the battle, these three little ones might get killed by the aftershocks of the attack. Either they'll be blown up along with the subway station, or the subway station will be blown up and they'll be buried inside and smashed into mincemeat. Then they'll be the real Ryou-chan and Niji-chan... Ahem, okay, that hellish joke isn't the point right now. Anyway, let's try our best to provide them with some help and hope they can come out alive.

Takahashi didn't intend to tell Ichiri and Kita about their situation, nor did he mention Kaguya.

It wasn't that he had any ulterior motives, but rather that their situation was far too dangerous. Telling them that there were several survivors nearby could easily distract them and cause problems. Against an enemy of that level, even a slight misstep could have dire consequences. Gao Hai couldn't afford to gamble on the possibility of trouble, so he had no choice but to withhold information from them for the time being.

As for the claim that during combat, one person engages while the other two observe from the shadows, it's impossible to have the observer go and rescue someone. After all, battles against a "surgeon" are unpredictable, and no one can be certain of what might happen. Therefore, there must always be someone ready to take over, and the second observer must be there to fill in if the first person encounters a problem. In other words, only by operating in a three-person team, taking turns, can the safety of everyone be guaranteed to the greatest extent possible.

This could even be considered a risky move that reduces the margin for error; normally, more manpower should be mobilized. The problem is that Gao Hai simply cannot find more help right now, so he can only make do with what he has for the time being. Therefore, he would never accept the idea of ​​transferring people away.

Hopefully, the three of them can escape safely. If they are affected, there's nothing that can be done. But in any case, he can at least guarantee to save their souls, so overall, there's no need to worry about the situation getting too bad.

Thinking this, Takahashi glanced towards Yamada Ryo, whose location was closest to him. He saw that Ryo was still in the relatively safe hall, investigating and gathering information. Nijika and Hoshika were beside Ryo, with Nijika whispering to him about the situation, while Hoshika kept watch.

That underground space had been severely distorted. Gao Hai wasn't actually inside and couldn't fully focus his attention, so he couldn't see the specifics clearly, only vaguely sensing the abnormal distortions in the space itself. He guessed that either some kind of strange creature with the ability to alter terrain was influencing that place, or the space itself had been altered by a special kind of pollution or curse. Of course, it was also possible that both were true, but he couldn't be sure, since the aura of the strange creatures there was somewhat chaotic. He estimated that there were at least four or five Dark Night-level creatures active in that area.

"This place is way too clean; it doesn't even seem to have a speck of dust..."

Unaware that Gao Hai had glanced at her, Hong Xia was gently touching the wall. Upon discovering that the walls of the hall were spotless, with not a speck of dust, and even the corners of the walls looked brand new, the girl, sensing something was amiss, couldn't help but whisper something.

"Indeed, it's so clean it's almost too deliberate. This place... can probably no longer be considered the real world."

Liang replied to Hongxia in a low voice, her gaze still fixed on the subway map hanging on the wall. However, although it was called a map, it was actually a jumble of lines that was worse than a child's scribbles, or rather, a poorly made, complex maze that was not intended for anyone to find their way out.

A normal subway map shouldn't look like this.

Think, reflect deeply. As Mr. Gao once said, beneath seemingly abnormal phenomena often lie related information. This completely distorted map itself might hold some hidden clues.

With that thought in mind, Ryo reached out and gently touched the circuit diagram, trying to tear it off the wall.

tear-

Her attempt went even more smoothly than expected. With ease, Liang tore the map off the wall, revealing the text on the back under the light, and allowing the nauseating stench to gradually permeate the hall.

"Liang, these things are..."

Hongxia looked at what was hidden behind the picture, and her expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

"Maybe this is the person who left the message."

Liang didn't react much to this, she just covered her nose with her hand, and then continued to turn her gaze to the text left on the back of the map.

Hmm, there's quite a bit of content, and the handwriting is rather messy, making it quite difficult to read.

I've been stuck here for a long time, and it seems like getting out won't be easy. I need to find a way to make some records.

Luckily, I had a pen with me, haha, but this is the only paper I can use to take notes; it's the only paper I could find here.

I don't know if anyone else will see my record; I hope this won't become my suicide note.

In short, this place is very strange. I really don't know why I ended up here. I was just going home from get off work as usual, taking the subway escalator, and somehow I ended up in this place and can't get out anymore.

This hall seems to be the central area here? I'm not sure, but no matter which direction I go or how far I walk, it seems I always end up back in this hall.

[As long as I turn around, as long as I turn back, I'll be back in this place. So it's like it's been following me all along? Could it be that this hall has been secretly moving behind me without my noticing, stopping as soon as I turn around?]

No, perhaps this place itself is constantly moving?

Otherwise, why are the places I visit different every time? Although these corridors and passages are indeed similar, the places I enter are different each time I go in any direction. I shouldn't ignore this.

But how do I get out of here? I've been stuck here for so long, why can't I find a way out? And why can't I see anyone else besides myself?

We can't give up yet. No matter what, we can't give up now.

I have family waiting for me to come home, and so many things I haven't done. I have to go back, I absolutely have to go back!

The text at the top appears to be the earliest document. This record is relatively neat in its handwriting and is the easiest to read.

Still can't find a way out.

But I'm not alone here. There are things wandering in those passageways; they look like people, but they aren't.

I almost got caught and killed! I really don't know how I escaped.

On the bright side, at least things are lively now, so I don't have to worry about being driven crazy by loneliness.

The second written record contained much less information. Liang was not quite sure of the time interval between the two records, but judging from the degree of distortion in the text, she estimated that the person's mindset was probably not very good when writing the second record.

I discovered a rotting passage, but I didn't dare go deep inside. There were too many monsters; they seemed to live in those rotting areas?

The lighting seems to play a special role here; you absolutely must not go to dimly lit areas, as they are extremely dangerous.

The main hall is absolutely safe; they won't follow us in from here.

I don't seem to be very hungry or tired? I've never noticed this before.

I need to reduce the amount of writing I need; there's not much ink left, and the space on this paper is also very limited.

The third record was separated from the previous one by some smaller records, but they were all unimportant. After reviewing them and confirming that they were meaningless, Liang turned his attention to the content further down.

I lingered here for a very long time, so long that I can no longer remember what the outside world looks like.

How long has it been since you last ate? How long has it been since you last slept?

These are questions I always tend to ignore, but I shouldn't. Am I still human? Why haven't I felt tired or hungry all this time? And what are those monsters lurking here? Why do they never enter this hall? Why are they relentlessly chasing me? Why do they keep laughing at me?

I can't remember the last time I met anyone else.

Am I alone? Am I here by myself? Or are there other people here who have simply disappeared?

[I've been stuck here, unable to escape no matter what I do. Am I already dead? Have I become a wandering ghost, suffering again and again because I don't want to die? And why am I trapped in this place?]

How can I leave this place?

What should I do? I want to go back, I want to go home, please let me go home.

[God, if God truly exists, I beg you, I beg you, please let me leave this place, let me be free from this place!]

The fourth record was very messy, and it took Liang quite a while to roughly understand what it was about.

[Found it, the way out isn't in those corridors]

I will not continue to be lost; I will find my way out.

I will leave here.

The last record was very brief, and the handwriting was much neater than before.

However, judging from the current situation, these records have ultimately become the unfortunate man's suicide note. As for him personally, his final fate has now been revealed to the three of them.

"In this state, we can consider it a relief. As for taking him out of here for burial, let's talk about that after we can leave this place alive."

Liang sighed, put away the record in his hand, glanced again at the crack in the wall and the rotting, bloated corpse squeezed into the hole, and finally shook his head and turned to leave.

The victims who failed to escape alive were seen with their mouths open, as if calling out something in their final moments.

What he wanted to say last, none of the three people present knew.

What they knew was the chilling aura gradually approaching from all around, and other things that didn't belong here and had intruded upon this place.

"time to go."

Liang said in a low voice, her gaze drifting to the passageway on one side of the hall, towards the figure peeking out from there. She had realized that this so-called "safe" hall had never been safe for the three of them.

Chapter 87: Summary of the situation and encounters in actual action.

The lights were as bright as ever, so bright they were almost as pale as the skin of a dead person.

The corridor stretched out almost infinitely ahead, with no end in sight, as if one had stumbled into some unsettling alternate dimension.

No, this really is already considered an alternate dimension. How could such a scene exist in a normal world? Even according to Mr. Gao, we haven't truly entered the instance world yet, but this distortion phenomenon alone is enough to be considered an alternate dimension.

"So, before we set off, let's do one last intelligence review."

Ryo Yamada's voice was very calm, and her two brutal experiences of death made her appear very composed and reliable. Although she still harbored an uncontrollable fear and timidity deep down, Ryo, who knew very well that she needed to mature, did not show any flaws in her expressions or actions throughout, making Nijika feel like she was about to forget her lazy friend.