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

These thoughts flashed through Gao Hai's mind quickly, but did not affect his actions.

At this point, Maki stopped talking to Takami. She had already seen Kaguya and the other two explorers enter the entrance to the Red Nut Grotto and were exploring inside. Therefore, she couldn't spare any attention to continue chatting with Takami.

Gao Hai did not continue to interfere with Zhen Fei's side, but instead focused his attention on the present.

Finding a safety rope is the most important thing right now.

After the trial and error of the first playthrough, Gao Hai's current task is to find the safety rope as quickly as possible, complete the "Reach the Heart" mission, and then return to explore the large space area and the area further ahead that he was unable to explore in the previous playthrough.

Gao Hai could feel a faint, almost imperceptible sensation, as if he were being watched by something. He knew that because he had already come into contact with that core obsession and possessed memories related to it, he would be discovered and watched by it while he was in the Red Nut Gray Hole. However, compared to the core obsession of the first instance, this thing had a very small impact on him; at most, he would only vaguely feel that someone was watching him at any time.

However, this is because he is currently not inside the research base. If he were inside, this seemingly insignificant gaze would quickly escalate into a major threat capable of wiping out the entire group. Moreover, while this thing isn't doing anything to him now, things will definitely not be as easy as they are now when he decides to leave this instance.

Besides, can I really say I'm having an easy time right now?

Gao Hai lowered his head and looked at the printed paper in his hand.

[Red Nut Grotto Explorer's Guidelines (Category II)]

This is the title on this printed paper.

When Fujiwara Chika looked at the rule sheet, she still saw the "Category One Rules," the very first set of rules. But in Takami's eyes, the words on the paper had become completely different, transforming into a brand new set of rules.

[You are an explorer. Please remember that you are an explorer, an identity you must never forget. (The word "explorer" has been repeatedly crossed out, suggesting it underwent difficult selection and revision.)]

The fact that you can see this guide means you know something you shouldn't know. Leaving this cave will be extremely difficult for you now, but not impossible. It's not time to despair yet. This guide will guide you to escape from here, to escape, just as every conscious trapped person wants to do, to escape from here.

1. Maintain your identity as an "explorer" and check your clothing every 20 minutes. If your adventure suit starts to stick and is difficult to remove, you need to find another adventurer's outfit to replace it as soon as possible. Do not wear the original adventure suit anymore.

[2. The “heart” is a place every explorer must visit. Make sure you have been there at least once, and ensure you are an explorer who has reached the deepest part of the Red Nut Grotto and is ready to leave the cave. This is a necessary procedure for leaving, and don’t forget not to grab onto any damaged safety ropes.]

[3. You do not recognize the word composed of the five letters h, u, m, a, n, you do not know its meaning, and you cannot say the word. You are simply an explorer; you only need to remember the identity represented by your clothing and your own name. If you cannot remember your name, please refer to point 1 to find other explorers' clothing to change into.]

4. When changing into explorer clothing no longer helps you remember your name or reduces the stickiness of the clothing, find other clothes to change into. Rescue team members' clothing is the best first choice. Try not to change into staff clothing or security uniforms. If you must change, find other alternative clothing as quickly as possible after changing. Do not change into yellow and white striped clothing, black protective clothing, or white jackets, as these three styles of clothing do not exist in the Red Nut Grotto.

[There is no white dress stained with blood here (the handwriting is extremely messy and differs from the surrounding text, as if it was added later)]

5. The path from the Stone Pillar Square to the Veins may have changed dramatically in your eyes, and you may see many incredible sights. Proceed quickly, do not change clothes in these areas, and avoid any suspicious individuals. No matter how normal everything seems, do not forget where you are.

6. Look for the veins, for narrow, untouched caves that can only be climbed. Only by passing through the veins can you leave. Only by climbing the great cliff and returning to the entrance of the great slide can the explorer have any hope of leaving. In any case, stay rational and ensure that you retain a clear sense of self when you reach the end. This is the only way for the "explorer" to survive.

7. Do not wear tourist clothes.

8. The tourists have no idea what terrible things have happened here; they just keep laughing and having fun. Ignore them unless you want to join their party.

[9. Can you see this? Have you seen it before? Stay away from those pulleys, they'll fall. (Added in messy handwriting at the end) Just like that time you failed before, it's the same.]

[10. One type of dangerous situation that you should avoid still needs to be avoided. They won't disappear; they'll only become more dangerous than before. They don't think, so no matter how similar they may seem, don't bother them.]

[11. But this is what we deserve.]

【12.■■■■■…… (Unrecognizable text, appears to have been deliberately smeared with a ballpoint pen)】

[13. Don't try to save anyone else; save yourself first... (The following text becomes increasingly fragmented and unreadable due to interference.)]

If you can't find the entrance to the blood vessel, go to my office. I'm behind the red door; they've always kept that door open for me. I'll leave a key inside. The red door—that's where I am. Please come find me, and I'll take you safely out of here. You can call me Wilbur; I'm here to help you.

Compared to the first set of rules, this set of rules is much stranger. Many of the articles look like they have been revised repeatedly, and the handwriting is very messy, as if the writer was sleepwalking. It is much more difficult to decipher the content.

But why am I seeing these changed rules, and why am I seeing content so different from the first playthrough?

Is it because I'm being watched?

While thinking, Gao Hai had already located the narrow cave where the safety rope was.

However, this time was different from before; there were other people here, and they were people we had met before.

"Two more players have joined us. It seems we're in luck this time."

Seeing the four people already in the passage, Gao Hai couldn't help but frown.

Chapter 31: The method to achieve the Normal End has been unlocked.

Ahead in my line of sight are the three seemingly friendly but actually estranged veteran players I encountered on my first playthrough, and that sarcastic newbie.

I remember that the aloof woman was named Shelby, the talkative Japanese man was named Kawano, and the chatty newbie was an outdoor streamer named Dennis. There was another person who hadn't revealed his identity, but Gao Hai wasn't interested in knowing his name, since these guys hadn't brought him any good things in the last playthrough.

Gao Hai's gaze quickly swept over the four people. Judging from the direction they were heading, they were clearly heading towards the larger space, which was no different from the previous cycle.

But this time, the location where I met these guys was completely different from last time. Did I accidentally block their path?

"Hello, you two. I'm Kawano, an explorer and a player. And you?"

The Japanese man named Kawano showed delight upon seeing Takami and Fujiwara Chika, especially when he saw Chika, his attention was noticeably focused for a moment, as if he cared about this young girl in the prime of her youth.

"Excuse me, please make way."

Gao Hai, who didn't intend to have much contact with these people, simply frowned and stood in front of Fujiwara Chika.

He hadn't forgotten the slight malice he felt from this man during his previous playthrough. However, the other party consisted of three veteran players, and the cave wasn't very large. If a conflict were to break out, he might not come out on top. Therefore, Gao Hai decided to proceed cautiously and get rid of this group as soon as possible.

"Why be so cold? It's not a good idea to act alone in a place like this. The combined strength of the two of you can't possibly match the combined strength of the six of us, can it?"

Kawano blocked Takami's path, just like in the previous game. This man seemed to have no concept of manners, displaying a firm desire for Takami to join the team. Although his smile appeared genuine, his voice carried an undeniable air of authority.

He seemed to sense something again, something trying to influence his mind, but he couldn't find its source. Moreover, this power was so faint that Gao Hai, currently being "watched" by the power of his core obsession, could barely feel it… Wait, speaking of which, although this team appears united on the surface, neither Shelby nor the silent man seem to have willingly teamed up here, yet they both stand to this person's left and right. Could it be…?

He turned around and looked at Fujiwara Chika, who was cautiously trying to peek out from behind him and seemed a little confused about the situation.

She seemed to be somewhat persuaded by Kawano, but for the moment she was still obediently following Gao Hai and waiting for him to make a decision.

Could it be some kind of obsessive object that can help this guy build a loose team?

“I have no interest in your group activities, so get out of the way. I won’t be polite all the time.”

After a brief moment of thought, Gao Hai did not show any unusual expression and gave his answer in the same cold tone as before.

Then, regardless of how the other person would respond, he gestured for Fujiwara Chika to follow him, and the two of them prepared to leave together.

"Uh, honestly, there's no need to be so cold, is there? I'm just thinking of everyone..."

Kawano's brows furrowed slightly.

It's not working; this shouldn't be happening.

This man does indeed possess an object of obsession, and it is a very rare, mentally manipulative object of obsession.

By extending an invitation, one can subtly guide the thinking of the person they are talking to to some extent, thereby ensuring that the other party makes a choice that is beneficial to them, or at least does not harbor any ill will towards them.

The effect of this obsession item isn't very strong; it can't truly control other people's thoughts. However, if used covertly, it can still help Kawano gain some benefits.

Just like the loosely organized group that Kawano has put together, apart from the curious Dennis, the other two are not people who like teamwork. They only stayed because they were persuaded and pleaded with him.

But the man in front of me didn't seem affected at all.

Could it be that the other party possesses an object of obsession capable of counteracting mental manipulation? Or is this guy's mental fortitude so strong that he can even withstand the power of such extraordinary items as objects of obsession?

He wanted to try again to see if he could persuade the other party to stay.

"You fucking ungrateful bastard, huh?"

But Gao Hai was too lazy to waste time with him. He stepped forward, a blood-red pair of scissors appearing in his left hand, while his right hand was on the gun holster at his waist, ready to draw his gun and fire at any moment.

Damn scoundrel!

"Haha, don't say that, please, please take care."

Kawano's expression darkened for a moment upon realizing that the other party was indeed impossible to communicate with, but he immediately turned into a smile and obediently made way for Takami.

Shelby and the other man remained silent, wary of Takami and Chika's group, but had no intention of helping Kawano. Kawano wasn't sure if this strange man would pull out some obsessive object that he couldn't handle in a one-on-one confrontation.

Especially when the other party clearly showed hostility, considering the characteristics of his obsession object, Kawano had to start thinking about the possibility that [this man is actually a perverted killer, a twisted and terrifying madman, but he won't attack him immediately because of the inducing effect of the obsession object].

"Why be so aggressive? Wouldn't it be better if we all worked together?"

Although Kawano made way, Dennis frowned and stepped forward, somewhat puzzled, to block Gao Hai's path.

Before he could finish his sentence, "We're all human, why do we hurt each other?", Gao Hai had already covered Dennis's mouth with his hand. Then, with a single forceful movement, he slammed the man against the wall, causing the man's back to hit the wall with a thud, and a look of pain appeared on his face.

"Saying the wrong thing here can have a high price to pay. Please think carefully about what you should say next time before you speak."

With that, Gao Hai led Qian Hua away, ignoring the commotion of the four people behind them.

Upon hearing Gao Hai's words, Kawano realized something and looked at Dennis, about to say something.

However, before that, Dennis, who felt he had been hit for no reason, spoke up first, clearly unhappy.

"What are you doing? We're all human, why can't we just talk properly?"

Are all so-called "team-wiping engines" this persistent?

Just as he wanted to make that comment, Takahashi grabbed Chika's hand and sped away.

Kawano then understood what Takahashi meant, cursed Dennis as a "bastard" and immediately took out his obsession item.

The next moment, Gao Hai felt that the direction of that gaze had shifted.

The gaze that had been fixed on him, from the world where the research base was located, quickly shifted its attention after Dennis said, "We are all human."

Then, a wave of malice began to spread through the cave.

The piercing cries, the painful moans, and the chaotic footsteps, like the sounds of many people trapped here struggling, echoed together in the cave behind Gao Hai and Qian Hua.

This time, Gao Hai and Fujiwara Chika, who managed to get away in time, were completely unaffected by that reckless newbie player. As for what happened to the four of them in the end, Gao Hai had no interest in finding out.

However, will revealing one's identity as a "human" directly attract the attention of the core obsession?

From this perspective, if I capture a few players and try to induce them to say "I am human" at a specific point in time, wouldn't that distract the thing and allow me to successfully reach the "real ground" and complete the game?

Gao Hai suddenly froze.

During the time between dying and resurrecting in the previous playthrough, he was still thinking that this dungeon was impossible to complete, an illogical dead end.

But now, after Dennis's self-destructive farewell performance, he suddenly discovered the key to breaking the deadlock.

The reason the security guard's world is impassable is because this twisted and malevolent obsession is constantly watching those escaping the cave. Therefore, as long as that thing is distracted by other players during the time he and Maki are trying to escape, their survival is guaranteed.

This method is highly feasible.

However, for it to succeed, at least one player must be sacrificed and left behind.

No, there should be two. Although the corrosive effects of the security guard uniform haven't been shown yet, it's easy to deduce from the various rules that this role is extremely dangerous. Therefore, one player playing the role of a security guard must say something like, "You're off duty now, it's my turn to take over," so that the other players can smoothly leave the cave and head to the surface.

In just a few seconds, Gao Hai successfully came up with a feasible way to get through.

A method with a very high probability of success, but which involves many operational difficulties, to achieve a "normal end" or "normal completion".