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

If that's the case, if I merge with her a few more times, will she be able to wake up directly in this city?

This idea tempted Gao Hai, but he quickly remembered that he needed to conquer Teng Hua Middle School as soon as possible. Once the Teng Hua Middle School instance was destroyed, the items he had obtained there—such as the Red Candle, White Flower, and Ram's Head, Alice's four items, and the machine that could fuse flesh and blood—would all disappear with the instance's collapse. After leaving, finding such items elsewhere wouldn't be easy, and finding a safe and reliable method would likely be difficult as well.

if it is like this……

Close your eyes and suppress the thoughts in your heart for the time being.

Gao Hai took a deep breath and decided to focus his attention on other things first.

First of all, having completed the third playthrough so far, I've gathered quite a bit of information. Whether it's the origin of Alice's four obsessions or the core obsession that ultimately defeated him, it all explains a great deal. Especially the way that core obsession committed the murder, which basically matches up with all the clues I found earlier.

The true core of Fujika Middle School is a ruthless individual who killed Alice, who was an idol, and then chased her into the school and killed four fans after her fans dismembered her and turned her into a coveted object.

The reason I was killed by the other party after destroying the surface of Fujika Middle School was probably because Alice was imprisoned inside me, and that thing misjudged my identity.

So what is this core obsession and desire?

What kind of obsession could cause this man, who was suspected to be a police officer and had personally killed Alice, to be unable to find peace and to be filled with resentment, to the point that he was able to take a higher position in authority than Alice and occupy the core position of obsession at Fujika Middle School?

Moreover, despite being the core of the instance, this obsession leaves absolutely no trace on the surface of Wisteria Middle School. Even though it so deeply hates Alice and would ruthlessly eliminate her upon sight, Alice continues to wreak havoc within Wisteria Middle School, completely concealing the scenes related to this core obsession. As a result, under normal circumstances, players would have no way of knowing the true nature of this instance.

Gao Hai felt that this ordinary-looking man in a police uniform had a deep-seated obsession with killing Alice.

But... something doesn't seem quite right. He always felt that the situation at Fujika Middle School was different from Hidal's obsession with killing Folneng in the Red Nut Gray Hole. When he was shot and killed by that police officer, Gao Hai didn't sense any tendency for the other party to satisfy his obsession.

Perhaps it's necessary to piece together the four obsessions to create a complete "Alice," and then deliver it to the core obsession to kill it?

Gao Hai felt that this idea had some possibility, but it couldn't be said to be particularly reliable.

Think carefully and recall the clues you've received before. The game hints in the dungeon often point to content related to the core obsession, and there should be something useful inside.

Choosing a lie might be better than choosing the truth.

People are still waiting for a truly fair trial.

Those who uncover secrets pay a price.

Those who cannot stand firm on their principles are not needed.

Could these four game hints be a set? Could they be pointing to something that police officer did before he died?

To be fair, Alice doesn't seem to have any inclination to hide her inhuman side. Although her words are full of lies, her actions consistently reveal her evil and wicked nature. If such a person becomes an idol and is worshipped by the entire nation, will she then suppress her true nature and stop revealing her real self?

Will such a cruel and insane idol receive the judgment she deserves? In a country like Japan, how would an idol with immense charm, adored by countless people, and clearly suffering from mental disorders be treated if her evil deeds were discovered?

The audience offstage doesn't need to care about the facts.

[A passionate fan is a perfect match for an idol]

Gao Hai couldn't help but think of these two game hints.

It seems that some things can be connected, but it's not enough. We'll have to explore that mental hospital-like place properly when the next playthrough begins.

Speaking of which, Fujika Middle School has already collapsed on the surface. So where will Miko and her bunch of troublesome classmates appear after the new cycle begins? Will they be locked up in a hospital room like me?

Hopefully, this won't become another team-wiping engine... And speaking of which, what's with Kita Ikuyo? How can the ghost from Yoruyama Middle School use her body to visit? Will she come back in her new loop? Facing the threat of two core obsessions at the same time, this kind of joke is not funny at all...

In any case, I need to carefully examine those thoughts in my heart after the new cycle begins, and I must take action.

when--

As Gao Hai was reflecting on this in his heart, he suddenly heard the sound of bells.

In the sky, all the objects of obsession had fallen. Whether it was Alice's four objects of obsession, the flesh and blood he had thrown away, or Xiong Mi's own object of obsession, they had all returned to this place and were all back in his hands.

Speaking of which... if I die in other dungeons after clearing this one, will Miss Xiongmi be turned into a doll and stuffed back in when I revive?

Suddenly remembering this, Gao Hai felt a little uneasy.

However, immediately after he had this idea, Gao Hai found the answer. He realized that as long as he made the decision to give up a certain object of obsession, he could prevent that object of obsession from returning with him after resurrection. This would avoid the embarrassing situation of killing players who were resurrected from the object of obsession and turning them back into objects of obsession when he returned from death.

when--

The second chime has already sounded.

After a brief silence, Gao Hai ultimately decided not to make a wish.

Although the machine that fused flesh and blood gave Gao Hai some new ideas, he still felt that the idea was too dangerous and had many flaws. Furthermore, he didn't have many ability slots left in his watch, and it was best not to use them recklessly without absolute certainty. Therefore, after careful consideration, he decided not to make a wish this time and simply start over.

when--

Having already made up his mind, Takami closed his eyes, thought for a moment, and then turned to look at Yotsuya Miko, who was still lying on the ground beside him.

As the bells rang, he watched as everything around him gradually disappeared into the darkness, including the seemingly asleep girl, who also gradually vanished into the darkness as if she had never existed.

After three playthroughs, I feel like I haven't built a close enough relationship with her. Although we're comrades who trust each other, triggering the memory retention and rewind functions, as well as the ability to communicate mentally, requires a deeper level of connection.

In other words, if my exploration in the fourth playthrough doesn't go smoothly and I have to enter the fifth playthrough, maybe I should consider the issue of pursuing her.

This idea made Gao Hai feel a little strange.

Darkness had already calmly enveloped Gao Hai, beginning to send him back to the instance world.

At the last moment, Gao Hai recalled Xiong Mi's sacrifice and his own decision to kill Yotsuya Miko. He took a deep breath, finally mustered his strength, and prepared to start a new game.

This time, I absolutely cannot let anyone die for me again.

……

wake.

I opened my eyes in the dimly lit hospital room.

After a brief period of discomfort, Gao Hai quickly regained his senses and assessed his current state and surroundings.

Then, after hesitating for a moment, Gao Hai turned his head to look in the direction where the core obsession with a gun had broken in at the end of the previous playthrough.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

Well, nothing walked in and blew my head off on the spot.

Very good. It was indeed because he was killed last time when he merged with Alice. As long as he breaks free from the fusion with Alice, his core obsession will no longer target him.

Now, let me take a good look at what the so-called [Wisteria Middle School] instance really looks like!

At this moment, Gao Hai was resolute and full of confidence.

[Patient No. 304, it's time for your fresh air!]

Then two burly men, dressed in nurses' uniforms and with impressive muscles, opened the ward door and strode up to Gao Hai.

Untie the restraints and remove the metal rings.

Two burly men, each over 1.9 meters tall, lifted Gao Hai up and dragged him outside.

Gao Hai remained silent and did nothing, letting these burly men drag him forward.

Hmm... Although they seemed to be ordinary people, he could sense that these two were actually strange creatures, especially after feeling their cold body temperature and chilling touch upon physical contact, he could feel this even more clearly.

Outside the door was a long corridor, with windows sealed off by barbed wire on one side and heavy metal doors, or rather, hospital room doors, on the other side.

It seemed like a girl's scream could be heard in the distance; those high school students had probably started trying to do something reckless again.

He could protect them back at school, but this time he couldn't help those girls. However, this godforsaken place seemed to maintain a semblance of "normality." As long as they didn't do anything too reckless, no one should die. He could only wish them good luck.

I wonder where Jianzi is now...

Gao Hai's mind was filled with all sorts of thoughts swirling around.

Meanwhile, in the ward two doors down from the one he came out of, another ward slowly opened.

Three fully equipped caregivers, dressed in protective suits, carrying stun guns, and wearing masks, neck protectors, and helmets, slowly moved and gently led a patient who was strapped to the hospital bed out of the ward.

At that moment, Gao Hai sensed a familiar, terrifying aura.

So he turned his head and looked at the patient who was tightly bound on the hospital bed.

Then he saw the core obsession of the [Wisteria Middle School instance area], and saw the man with bloodshot eyes, bound like a mentally deranged madman.

Chapter 62: A New Beginning for the Mental Hospital and the Arrival of Idol Alice

crunch - crunch -

The wheels of the metal bunk bed made a scraping sound as they dragged along the white floor.

The man, bound to the iron bunk bed, had his eyes half-open and half-closed, swaying slightly as the bed moved. His eyes, covered in sleep, were unfocused and lifeless, making it impossible to tell which direction he was looking in, or whether he was looking at anything at all.

His face, clearly having been severely beaten several times, was covered in redness, swelling, and bruises, with some wounds that appeared to be healing. Saliva seeped from the corners of the man's mouth, and bluish snot dripped from his nose. No one offered to help him wipe it away.

No matter how you look at it, this seems to be just a mentally ill person that you instinctively want to stay away from.

However, Gao Hai knew that this was the target he had to face, understand, analyze, and find a way to find peace in order to destroy the replica of Teng Hua Middle School.

To be honest, Gao Hai really didn't expect to see the other person again so soon.

However, the way they met was, well, quite strange in every sense.

He was being dragged along by two burly men who were holding his arms.

The core obsession of this character was bound hand and foot and placed on an iron bed.

Why do I suddenly have this strange feeling that he and I are in the same boat...? Ugh, just thinking about it gives me goosebumps.

Gao Hai secretly curled his lip, then noticed that the two burly men holding him were extremely tense, gripping his hands much tighter. One of the men even seemed to be gritting his teeth, as if the man tied to the iron bed frame was his father's killer.

The dragging force suddenly increased.

Before Gao Hai could take a closer look at the specifics of that core obsession, the two burly men in nurse uniforms grabbed him and quickly pulled him away from the other party, dragging him to the other side of the corridor.

In the end, Gao Hai only had time to glance at the identity card left on that person's hospital bed and see the person's name.

【Hirano Sosuke】

The core of the Fujika Middle School instance, the name of the true core that formed this instance when it was once human, is this.

Clearly, this core obsession, like Andres's, is the kind that won't cause curses or contamination even if related information is known, and won't be "watched."

Moreover... compared to how this core obsession killed him at the end of last week's game, the appearance of this guy now is clearly quite different.

Although the contact time during the third playthrough was only less than three seconds, the core obsession that killed Gao Hai was wearing a formal uniform. Although the police uniform looked dirty and stained, the other party's appearance and temperament were completely different from this madman prisoner. If it weren't for his own perception being able to determine the other party's identity, Gao Hai would never have believed that these two guys were actually the same person.

No, using "person" to describe it is somewhat inappropriate, since no matter what the other party looks like, it is essentially still strange.

Even if this place maintains a superficial normalcy and seems not much different from an ordinary mental hospital, at most just appearing a bit too heavily guarded, its essence will still remain unchanged.

The lingering, chilling aura that permeated the surroundings was enough to put Gao Hai on alert.