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

Because of the feeling he got from the first kiss with the girl, it was somewhat unusual, which made him quite concerned.

Was this really this girl's first kiss?

Why... does he have this strange sense of familiarity?

It was as if we had kissed many times before. As soon as we started, we were able to get into the mood quickly. Our movements were perfectly coordinated, and there was no awkwardness at all.

This feeling is completely different from Kaguya's clumsy and stiff kiss last night. It's just too... Wait, something's not right. Why does this familiarity feel so much like the feeling in my dream? Why are the things I did with Miko in my dreams so similar to what I'm doing now? Why can this girl respond in exactly the same way as Miko in my dream?

Could it be that it was more than just a dream?

Gao Hai realized that he might have inadvertently touched on something very important.

But before he could ask her about it, the phone rang suddenly. It was Miko's mother calling to ask what time she would be home from playing with her classmates. The phone call interrupted the atmosphere between the two, and since they were only in the initial stage of intimacy, it wasn't appropriate to take things too far like Kaguya did. Therefore, Takami wasn't in a hurry. He simply held Miko's hand and walked her home, then left alone to return home.

Tonight, neither Maki nor Chika came to Takami's place because of the school sports meet. Hayasaka and Kaguya, having just gone through a rough patch, need to rest for a day or two, so there probably won't be any R-rated content tonight.

Well, Yili is coming. Although he doesn't know why she insists on coming, Gao Hai feels that nothing will happen between him and Yili. After all, they are completely innocent with each other; they've never even hugged, let alone flirted. Given her socially awkward personality, Gao Hai simply can't believe Yili would take the initiative to do anything to him, and if she doesn't make a move, Gao Hai himself is unlikely to lay a hand on this girl with whom he has no confirmed relationship.

It was getting dark.

People came and went on the street, some young people having fun, others tired working people finally getting off work after overtime. Gao Hai walked among them, as if they were separated into different worlds, with absolutely no sense of harmony between them.

Meanwhile, on another vast landmass separated by the ocean, in a café with a sign that read "The owner is attending a funeral and is temporarily closed," Xiong Mi once again pulled out a cigarette from somewhere, lit it, took a puff, and then looked at a young man who looked to be about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, who was stretching lazily not far away.

How does it feel to be brought back to life?

Xiong Mi grinned and asked.

"Considering that I'll be going into the dungeon again next month, it doesn't seem like much, just like any other day. However, the ordinary people who used to know me, whether they were friends or family, have already forgotten that I exist, which is good. They're still doing alright even after forgetting me, and I think it's a good thing to be able to confirm that."

The young man wearing sunglasses smiled amiably as he poured himself a cup of coffee, drank it down in one gulp without adding anything, and then frowned.

"The boss's coffee is still awful. It's supposed to be made with imported high-end ingredients, so how can it taste so bad? And can you please take down that funeral sign? We've all survived, so who is he going to mourn for? Him?"

The young man grumbled and seemed quite dissatisfied, but his expression and tone made him appear completely unconcerned, as if he was simply used to making fun of the "boss."

"Who knew that ever since you, me, and a few younger guys were eliminated at Teng Hua Middle School, that guy has completely neglected team management. Even now that we've successfully returned, I doubt he'll be back to his old self anytime soon. It's truly unacceptable for a team leader to have fallen into such a state. Well, we can't really blame him, anyway, the team won't be in any big deal without him for now. Let's talk about your situation first. Are you really sure that the entry ticket is back in your hands, and it's still at the Dark Night level?"

Xiong Mi sighed, her words carrying a hint of complaint and helplessness towards her "boss." However, her expression quickly turned serious, and she changed the subject.

"Yes, that's right. Me, and the two juniors who explored that village instance back then, all of us had our admission tickets returned to us inexplicably, even though we had already sold them. Moreover, the level marked on them was still Dark Night level, not the Red Moon level confirmed by the Red Society."

The young man's expression turned serious, but his voice remained relaxed.

"There is no convincing explanation yet for this anomaly, but I have investigated several player teams that explored this instance and confirmed that at least one team experienced the same situation as me. I think the return of the ticket is selective; only players who meet certain conditions that we do not know will receive the ticket again."

"I'm pretty sure there's some underlying reason for this. I'm afraid those of us who have regained our tickets have to go back. If we dare to refuse, something terrible might happen."

"Hmph, out of the wolf's den and into the tiger's den, it seems my brother Cat will probably only live for another month."

The man reached out his hand, and a phantom piece of paper immediately appeared in his palm.

The object resembled a piece of paper money, roughly cut from yellow paper into the shape of a coin, with faint, dark red writing on it. Upon closer inspection, one could see the following words written on the paper money:

[Dark Night-Level Dungeon Entry Ticket - Infant Cry Village]

Interlude 3-58: The "Gift" of the Crying Infant Village and Information about the Mysterious Land

Yingti Village.

Xiong Mi herself had never been to this instance, but she still had a deep impression of it.

Initially, this dungeon was in an undefined state. Although it was labeled as Night-level, it was actually almost entirely safe, making it a low-risk dungeon that even Twilight-level players could attempt to enter. If I remember correctly, according to previous investigation records, the dungeon's setting was an empty village, with almost every house containing an item of obsession. However, these items were inexplicably all single-use items, disappearing after use, and they also had many functional flaws.

As a newly discovered, and not yet fixed, Dark Night-level dungeon, the [Slacking Off Gang] naturally couldn't ignore it. However, precisely because it was an unfixed Dark Night-level dungeon, the players' efforts in investigating it were naturally less than those in a true Red Moon-level dungeon. Therefore, at that time, only one of the [Slacking Off Gang]'s two deputies, the Cat Brother who was later killed at Teng Hua Middle School, and the two players he led, a total of three people.

In fact, after bringing out a large number of items from that dungeon, the [Slacking Off Gang] considered entering the dungeon a few more times to acquire as much loot as possible. However, Xiong Mi, who hadn't yet entered Teng Hua Middle School, objected to this, so the [Slacking Off Gang] decisively abandoned further investigation and exploration of the dungeon, handing it over to other player teams.

As for why Xiongmi decided to give up investigating this instance, it's related to the game hints that Maoge received after entering the instance.

The four prompts are:

1. Unjustified gifts may be more terrible than plunder.

2. God's mercy will ultimately be bestowed upon each of His believers.

3. The doll chosen by fate is not yet in place.

4. This obsession is still in its infancy.

The third and fourth tips are common in unfixed instances and don't require much attention, but the first and second tips made Xiong Mi wary.

An unexpected gift? An entirely deserted village where players can freely search for items they desire—isn't that a gift to the players? Moreover, these items are almost all single-use items with significant limitations; they're basically things that expire or return to the instance after one or two uses. In a sense, the items in this instance are more similar to consumable items like the Purple Ash Talismans crafted by players. No, ultimately, can items that can't even be used infinitely really be considered items of desire?

Moreover, the mercy of the gods… gods? Although Xiong Mi herself had never actually encountered any gods or anything like that, having played many Red Moon-level dungeons, she knew very well that the “gods” in the Ghost Story dungeons were almost never good. After all, distortion and madness were the norm in the dungeon world. Even if gods truly existed in such places, they could only be evil gods who wreaked havoc on humanity, enemies that players had to fight against.

Furthermore, Red Moon-level dungeons all possess the ability to influence the real world to varying degrees, and dungeons at this level can no longer be completely confined by the dungeon world. Therefore, if the Infant Cry Village dungeon is upgraded to Red Moon level after being fixed, players who have previously entered the dungeon might encounter problems. Therefore, for safety's sake, no one should be sent in to check until this dungeon is completely fixed.

Xiong Mi's warning led to the hasty retreat of the "Slacking Off Gang." Although many player teams subsequently reaped considerable rewards in this dungeon and even mocked the cowardly "Slacking Off Gang," it wasn't until several unlucky members of the "Red Society" died in the dungeon, and other players who, like the "Red Society," tried to scavenge for loot also suffered heavy casualties, that everyone realized this dungeon might be a trap.

"We've contacted the Crimson Society. Although they have Crimson Moon-level Infant Cry Village tickets, the tickets themselves are in an abnormal state, presumably unusable. In addition, the survivors of the Crimson Society haven't received any more Dark Night-level Infant Cry Village tickets. According to Akira Toyama, it seems that because they entered and exited Infant Cry Village once after it was fixed, some rule within that instance considers that they have already paid the reward, so it won't pull them in again."

While sitting on one side of the coffee shop, Jianbing typed on his computer and talked to Xiongmi and Maoge sitting not far away.

"So it really was just me and those two unlucky guys going in. Oh well, it's just a 4-core Red Moon-level dungeon, right? It sounds like it's only half the difficulty of [Campus Ghost Stories], so it shouldn't be a big problem."

Cat Brother spoke with a helpless tone, but his expression showed no displeasure. He seemed completely indifferent to the crisis he was in, and even to his own life or death.

"It seems that only players who entered this instance when [Infant Cry Village] was at the Dark Night level would encounter this problem. It's a pity, because neither I nor the lawyer can come in to help. You'll have to rely on yourself."

Xiong Mi sighed. For a moment, she hesitated, wondering if she should ask Gao Hai if he could think of a solution. But she quickly dismissed the idea. To be honest, the "Slacking Off Gang" was already on the verge of collapse. Gao Hai, who had no connection to her, had saved so many members and brought the gang back to life. Such a huge favor was owed; to continue troubling him with dangerous tasks seemed rather unfair.

Well, it's up to fate, but we can only do what we're told. Whether Brother Cat and those two juniors live or die is up to their own destiny.

"I can only wish you good luck. By the way, this was given to you by the boss, so you'd better try your best to bring it back alive."

As Xiong Mi spoke, he took out a dark red, 9 trillion yuan banknote from the Heaven and Earth Bank. This crudely made banknote emitted a strong stench of decay and dust, and just by taking it out, a chill filled the entire coffee shop. Clearly, it was an aura that only a Red Moon-level object of obsession could possess.

"...Wouldn't it be a bit wasteful to give me this?"

Cat, who had been calm and collected and seemed indifferent to everything, suddenly turned serious upon seeing the ghost money. He frowned slightly and appeared to be considering refusing it.

"Stop talking nonsense. This is something you risked your life for, so it's yours to use. Stop being so hesitant. Let's find a way to communicate properly with the Red Society and figure out what the situation is like in the fixed state of Infant Cry Village."

Xiong Mi said irritably, forcibly stuffing the paper money into Cat Brother's hand, while in her heart she was recalling the conversation she had with the two people from the [Red Knot Society].

The reason why the "Infant Cry Village" instance has the name "Infant Cry" is not readily apparent during the undefined phase of the instance. While Kenta Hayashibe and Ren Nanakawa, who survived the fixed phase of Infant Cry Village, confirmed the existence of four different core obsessions within the instance, they did not actually have a clear understanding of the meaning behind the term "Infant Cry."

According to the two survivors, after the instance entered a fixed phase, its main scene was still a village, and the villagers there exhibited characteristics that were almost identical to those of living people. No matter what method was used to test them, they were no different from normal humans, and there was no problem at all.

The village in the instance is called [Li Family Village]. The vast majority of the villagers are surnamed Li, forming a large clan of over 600 people. There are also a considerable number of villagers with the surnames Liu and Zhang, forming two other families in the village. The Liu family has about 200 people, and the Zhang family has about 100 people. The three families together have a total of more than 1000 people.

The Li family seems to worship the "Little Black Mountain God" behind Li Family Village, and every household has a stone taken from Little Black Mountain. The Liu family, on the other hand, worships something called the "Fox Goddess," and members of this family keep a statue of a fox-headed human in their homes. The Zhang family is small and extremely exclusive, and the players of the Red Alliance haven't obtained many clues about them. They only know that this family seems to worship both the mountain god and the Fox Goddess, and also seems to hold a third belief. It's unclear whether these people believe in so many supernatural things to gain more buffs for themselves or what.

One of the three core obsessions confirmed by the [Red Society] is this [Fox Queen]. This core obsession is extremely bizarre and terrifying. One [Red Society] player died without even seeing its true form. Then, on Black Mountain, the players encountered a group of strangely shaped paper figures and discovered that a female paper figure dressed in a red wedding dress, which these paper figures surrounded, possessed an aura at the core obsession level. They were nearly left behind on the mountain. Although no one was killed, almost everyone suffered trauma and a decline in their condition as a result.

Then, in this situation, the [Red Society] encountered a third wave of obsessive creatures attacking them in the field area of ​​the instance. This time, they were attacked by paper figures, but completely different from the paper figures on the mountain. These paper figures had no eyes and emitted childlike voices. The [Red Society] players couldn't pinpoint the location of the core obsession, but they sensed the presence of a source emanating from these rotting paper figures, confirming that a core obsession-level entity was operating behind them.

Then, the Red Society was utterly decimated by these paper figures. By the time they managed to escape, only Hayashibe Kenta, Nanakawa Ren, and two other players remained; the rest had perished. The survivors, carrying their few remaining mementos and belongings, struggled towards the escape route they had finally found.

Yes, although they encountered three waves of powerful bosses, they did find a way out, a normal way to clear the instance. It was a path located to the side of [Little Black Mountain], deep within the primeval forest. Following that path would allow them to escape the instance alive. It's said that this path was the route the villagers of [Li Family Village] took when they fled from elsewhere, and therefore all the villagers believed it was the only passage connecting the inside and outside.

The journey was far from smooth. Besides the core obsession, there were some troublesome and eerie creatures lurking within the instance. There were ghostly troupes performing silent mime shows in the middle of the night, skeletons in tattered armor marching along the road, sometimes strange fires would suddenly erupt around them, sometimes a strong stench of decay would appear carrying some kind of invisible curse, and villages would suddenly turn into desolate ruins. Various terrifying phenomena and dangers appeared one after another. When they finally reached the mountain path, a black bear standing upright, more than three meters tall, blocked their way and could speak human language, demanding that they leave behind blood and food.

The players of 【Red Alliance】in the end successfully overcame these difficulties. Instead of being forced to investigate everything to achieve a perfect victory like Gao Hai, these Red Moon-level players still demonstrated remarkable tenacity.

However, at the end of that road, they encountered a rock blocking their way.

They saw what was inside the stone.

Thus, they learned the last core obsession within this instance, and finally understood that the so-called "Little Black Mountain God" was a truly existing non-human being.

Interlude 3-59: Reflections Beyond Time and a Night When Nothing Happened

The night gradually deepened.

After cleaning up the somewhat dilapidated house, Gao Hai thought for a moment, brewed a pot of tea, and bought some snacks he wasn't sure if the girl would like, such as potato chips and candy. Then, Gao Hai sat down in the living room, waiting for Goto Ichiri to arrive.

Hmm, I seem a little nervous. What's going on?

Gao Hai glanced at the clock, which showed 10 o'clock, and his thoughts began to wander slightly.

Actually, since receiving the call, more than half a day had passed, and he had more or less guessed why Ichiri had come to his house. Although the reason seemed strange no matter how you looked at it, it seemed quite reasonable if it was Goto Ichiri.

But it's still really strange.

So, what kind of relationship do I have with this girl now?

This question made Gao Hai fall into deep thought for a moment.

Together with Goto Ichiri, they traversed the river of time to complete the mission of saving the vast majority of victims in the entire instance. Although the experience was incredibly arduous, the ultimate reward was undoubtedly satisfying. However, while the matter was successfully resolved, the fact that Takami and Goto Ichiri had to spend a considerable amount of time together in a confined environment during the completion of this difficult mission seemed to have developed a somewhat ambiguous and inexplicable relationship.

If we're talking about any kind of interaction between a couple, then there was absolutely none. Whether it was kissing, hugging, or flirting, Gao Hai didn't do any of it. In fact, in that situation, he really wasn't in the mood to do those things; Gao Hai wasn't the kind of guy who was constantly in heat.

Even without any romantic involvement, they did spend a considerable amount of time together, and in that situation, they were truly inseparable, fighting tooth and nail to achieve their current outcome. It was precisely because they accomplished all of this together that they went to the orphanage together, and only left after seeing Chiyo Hachiya and Alice bickering.

Ah, speaking of which, although initially it was because Fujihana Middle School was too anthropomorphic and there weren't many people who could be Alice's companions, so they put her in an orphanage, now she's become very close to Hachiya Chiyo, and they've become best friends who would sabotage each other. So, although I didn't end up becoming friends with Alice, I've at least found her quite a few close friends.

Thinking back to the words "Let's be friends" that Alice left him when she gave him her blessing, Gao Hai felt a slight pang of regret. Now, Alice, who had gained a new life, no longer remembered Gao Hai's existence. To be on the safe side, Gao Hai had erased any information that might reveal anything about himself or his comrades. Even though this was somewhat regrettable, Gao Hai believed it was for the best. After all, he wasn't yet powerful enough to ignore all risks, and it was better for these children who had suffered so much to live ordinary lives.

Speaking of which, there are actually a few normal people at Fujihana Middle School, such as the group of students in Class 1 who never harmed anyone. However, Primarch Alice is too young to be friends with them, so she wasn't grouped with them.

As for Chiyo's classmates, considering they were all elementary school students, we tried to select some who hadn't done anything too outrageous. We put them in a juvenile detention center or something similar, hoping they could be reformed.

Ultimately, it's Eriko, this high school girl, who's particularly troublesome. After all, there are tens of thousands of her, just like the Misaka Sisters from A Certain Magical Index. The problem is, the Misaka Sisters are all very obedient and go wherever they want, but these tens of thousands of Erikos are all very individualistic girls, and all of them have suffered inhuman torture and have serious mental problems. Because of this, Takami and Goto Ichiri had to use the power of their obsession objects to give them plastic surgery one by one and spent a lot of energy to place and settle them.

Sigh, just thinking about it makes me tired...

Gao Hai was a little distracted.

While waiting for Ichiri to arrive, his thoughts drifted away, and he began to recall the times he and Ichiri had worked together to save these victims.

What he didn't see was Kita Ikuyo, who was watching him intently from the side.

What exactly is this man going to do to Pochi-chan?

With a completely absent-minded expression, could it be that he's already starting to imagine how he'll treat Pochi-chan later?

Damn it, I have no way to stop him now. No matter what he wants to do to Pochi-chan, I can only watch from the sidelines now that I'm just a spirit.