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

【puff--】

Alice's voice suddenly reached his ears, and Gao Hai quickly realized that this thing had been spying on him. He immediately had the urge to find it and teach it a lesson. However, his parents-in-law were right in front of him, and Gao Hai didn't dare to imagine using his mental power to conduct a thorough search. Therefore, he could only hold back for the time being.

"Hello, should I address you as Mr. Gao or Master Gao?"

Nao Hayasaka smiled slightly, her gaze sweeping over Takami holding Hayasaka's hand and Hayasaka's own evasive manner before turning to Takami with a serious expression.

"Just call me Gao Hai. I am not the patriarch of the Shinomiya family."

The other person's cautious probing made Gao Hai realize that his actions in helping Kaguya resolve her family's problems might have a greater impact than he had anticipated. He just hadn't known this before because few people dared to approach him.

"But Kaguya-sama's ability to control the family must be inseparable from your help. Despite appearing to have no power on the surface, she easily dismantled the power of Shinomiya Hikari. After young master Hikari relinquished his power and chose to submit to Kaguya that night, it wasn't that there were no forces within the Shinomiya family opposing her. However, each time those forces didn't even have a chance to act, they would be inexplicably discovered and punished. I think only you could do something like that, right? As a loving father, I hope to get an answer from you."

This time, it was Hayasaka Masato who spoke. As Ai's father, he didn't try to beat around the bush and asked questions sincerely right away.

"Um... Dad, Mom?"

Xiao Ai's parents' serious reaction seemed somewhat unexpected. Considering her panicked and seemingly mentally blank reaction after hearing that her parents wanted to see Gao Hai, Gao Hai could understand why this intelligent girl had suddenly become so dull. This situation wasn't entirely unexpected, though Gao Hai had initially thought that his parents might try to have a pleasant meal first, rather than immediately asking questions. Perhaps it was because he had been too indifferent and uninvolved after helping Kaguya, and his sudden mobilization of several families this month had been too much, that they were frightened and were so eager to find answers?

As he pondered, Gao Hai's blessing power was also silently activating. Originating from the little girl in the Shirakawa Apartment, the blessing of perception had now been enhanced by the blessing and possessed the ability to read superficial thoughts. Therefore, even when directly facing two ordinary people, Gao Hai could sense their innermost thoughts to some extent.

As for Nao Hayasaka, her main concern was her daughter. However, after observing and realizing that her daughter genuinely liked Takami, and confirming that Takami was consciously protecting her daughter, she felt much more at ease. Therefore, her current worry was whether Takami would get tired of her daughter and abandon her. Seriously, is it necessary to think of me in that way? Just because I have three, four… well, just because I have six girlfriends and a seventh, undecided girlfriend, is it really necessary to assume this of me?

As for Hayasaka Masato's words, he... uh... uh... to be honest, Gao Hai was stunned for a fraction of a second when he read this thought. After repeatedly confirming, Gao Hai realized that Hayasaka Masato suspected that Gao Hai was actually a special operations agent sent by China. After taking control of the Shinomiya, Shijo, and Fujiwara families, he planned to take action in secret. This large-scale manipulation of the families to mobilize various resources was to further control the political and economic power of Japan, intending to gradually occupy this land through this method.

Dude, don't you think your idea is a bit outrageous?

After some effort to steady his facial muscles and avoid laughing out loud, Gao Hai pulled out a chair, then let Xiao Ai sit down first, before sitting down next to the somewhat uneasy girl.

“I helped Kaguya simply because I was willing to help her, and Kaguya did ask me for help, that’s all. I’m not actually a power-hungry person, I just don’t want anyone to hurt the people I care about. All I want is to live peacefully with the people I care about, that’s all. You don’t need to worry too much, and you don’t need to be afraid of me.”

After thinking for a moment, Gao Hai gave this answer.

In fact, Takami had no idea that those who opposed Kaguya's plans to cause trouble, as Hayasaka Masato mentioned. It was Kaguya who used the power of her obsessive objects to find out and take preemptive action to eliminate them. If Kaguya hadn't occasionally mentioned this to him, Takami would probably have been completely bewildered when Hayasaka Masato revealed it.

"This……"

It was obvious that the two of them didn't quite trust Gao Hai.

That's understandable, since it's quite difficult for ordinary people to comprehend the existence of players.

No, if it were them, it might not be so certain?

Now that they were face-to-face, Gao Hai could sense the faint blessed power within Hayasaka Nao and Hayasaka Masato. As a gift from the Blood Flower, this power was enough for them to live healthily for at least a thousand years, meaning that in terms of life form, they had actually surpassed ordinary humans.

So, now that they have superhuman characteristics, will the information blockade of the [Sacrifice Game] still be effective against them?

Gao Hai decided to tell the truth.

Since these two have transcended the limitations of ordinary life, they will inevitably understand what Gao Hai's world is like someday. In that case, instead of letting them worry and guess because of the information gap, it's better to just show them directly.

"Please sit down. I can tell you all are very worried about your daughter. I can tell you now that I will not do anything to let her down, and I really have no interest in things like controlling the Japanese economy. As for why, I will show you later."

As Gao Hai said this, he gently waved his hand, and the chairs opposite him at the dining table automatically pulled out, and the two of them were gently helped to sit down.

Interlude 4-36: Worldview Updates, Communication Between the Two Sides, and the Girl's Inner Conflict

After speaking frankly about the matter, Gao Hai immediately felt relieved.

Although this made things very, very difficult for Xiao Ai's parents, they were already very nervous from the beginning, so overall it didn't really change much.

However, the family gathering that Xiao Ai was hoping for was probably not like this, and Gao Hai felt it was still necessary to apologize to Xiao Ai for that. Of course, this should only be done after communicating with her parents, and the order of events should not be reversed.

"This...is there really such a thing...?"

"It's truly...unbelievable, but this does explain why Miss Kaguya was able to defeat Lord Huang Guang so easily, and why she wasn't afraid of his subsequent retaliation at all..."

After demonstrating some extraordinary power, Hayasaka Ai's parents went from initially thinking that Takami was mentally ill, to feeling surprised and doubtful, to questioning their own lives and worldviews, and finally, with great difficulty, chose to believe him. However, the incredibly shocked expressions on their faces were hard to shake off for a while.

To be honest, seeing the two of them looking like their worldviews had been shattered, Gao Hai was actually a little amused. However, these two were, after all, Xiao Ai's parents, so he restrained his mischievousness and remained calm and composed throughout, refraining from any pranks.

Although this made the atmosphere of the family dinner much quieter, and everyone lost their appetite, Gao Hai was actually a little disappointed. If possible, he would have preferred a proper, harmonious, and enjoyable family meal. After all, this was the first time he had ever experienced a "family dinner" since birth, and Gao Hai had to admit that he was somewhat longing for this unfamiliar experience.

In the end, the family dinner lasted about an hour and a half, of which about an hour was spent Gao Hai explaining and demonstrating various supernatural powers, and telling the couple that they had also obtained supernatural powers, enabling them to have a lifespan far exceeding that of normal people, and basically never have to worry about getting sick for the rest of their lives.

Well, the last thing we talked about was the only topic that made Xiao Ai even slightly happier. After all, the conversation often revolved around those overpowered items in the dungeon, and recalling the experiences of the past two months, Xiao Ai couldn't pretend nothing was wrong, even in front of her family. So, the girl's face was quite grim for almost the entire time. But the thought of her family members living longer, healthier, and more carefree lives did lighten Xiao Ai's mood somewhat.

In addition, because the conversation was too serious, none of the three members of the Hayasaka family had much of an appetite. In the end, only Takami finished his and Ai's portions of food. Ai herself only ate about half of her food, while the Hayasaka couple ate about a quarter to a third of their food.

"Can we talk alone again, just the two of us?"

After the meal, Xiao Ai's father, Hayasaka Masato, spoke softly to Takahashi, his expression now much more sincere than his initial cold demeanor.

"Xiao Ai, come over and talk to me alone for a while."

On the other side, Nao Hayasaka also took Ai's hand and walked away alone, seemingly intending to have a heart-to-heart talk with both of them.

Gao Hai stood up, exchanged a glance with Xiao Ai, and then walked with her father to the open space outside the restaurant, while Xiao Ai stayed inside the restaurant to continue talking with her mother.

By this time, the sky had completely darkened. Under the cover of night, Hayasaka Masato, who was over forty years old, took out a cigarette and subconsciously wanted to light it. However, he then turned to look at Takahiro, and only after Takahiro nodded did he put the cigarette in his mouth. Then, Takahiro gently waved his hand, and the cigarette in the man's mouth lit up, causing Hayasaka to stop his movement of reaching for a lighter.

"Extraordinary power beyond the comprehension of ordinary people, really, I never thought I would actually see it with my own eyes one day."

The man spoke with a sigh, his voice revealing a hint of confusion.

"If things go smoothly, you should also be able to possess such power. The changes in ordinary people in this world are still relatively small, and it may take many generations before everyone becomes extraordinary. But after receiving the blessing power, your lifespan has reached the point of thousands, so living to an era where extraordinary power can be normally recognized by the whole society and is constantly improving and progressing is absolutely no problem."

Gao Hai used his mental power to create an invisible filter for his nose to prevent him from inhaling the smell of smoke, and spoke calmly to Hayasaka Masato beside him.

"...I really can't imagine such a future. I can hardly imagine it even now. Especially since you said that the world will face an apocalyptic crisis within two months, and my daughter will have to go to the battlefield to face the danger. To be honest, if I hadn't actually seen what you showed me, I... no, even now, I would hardly believe it. Really, what's wrong with this world? How did it suddenly become so unfamiliar?"

Takahashi could detect a hint of desolation in Hayasaka Masato's voice.

He could sense the man's confusion and helplessness. For him and his wife, the limit of what they could imagine was that Gao Hai was a descendant of some powerful family from China, America, or somewhere else, and that he was in Japan to do something. In that situation, although the Hayasaka family, as an affiliate of the Shinomiya family, had little influence, they believed they could still fight for something for their daughter, at least find a way to provide her with some security.

When they actually met Gao Hai, their worldview was shattered. The worst-case scenario they had imagined—national political struggle—had turned into a world on the brink of destruction, and their daughter was running off with this young man to become a superhero who would save the world. Moreover, she was one of the strongest people in the world who could stand up for her, a situation where victory was likely impossible without her.

All the pre-arranged lines for negotiating with Takami were now useless. In this situation, Hayasaka Masato couldn't think of anything else he could say. Especially since Takami had told him that he and his wife had also received the blessing of extraordinary power, allowing them to live for at least two thousand years. They might even outlive the entire history of Japan—how could this not be bewildering?

"Everything will be alright. Everyone will survive, whether it's your daughter, you and your wife, or most people in this world.

Seeing his confusion, Gao Hai assured him. He had originally intended to say "everyone will survive," but remembering the Red Moon-level player who had been modified and possessed and died a few days prior, he could only change his words to "most people," unable to make a perfect promise.

"Most people..."

Hayasaka Masato closed his eyes, and after a moment of silence, he stubbed out his cigarette, exhaled, and turned to bow deeply to Takami.

"I'm entrusting my daughter to you, Gao Hai."

His voice was earnest, almost pleading.

"I will."

"Xiao Ai is a very important person to me, and I will definitely protect her."

Sensing the emotional turmoil emanating from the man's heart, Gao Hai simply nodded gently, solemnly giving his promise.

While the two were talking, Nao Hayasaka and Ai Hayasaka were also having a conversation inside the restaurant. Incidentally, because of her hearing blessing, Takami could actually hear the voices of the mother and daughter inside the restaurant, even though she was chatting with Masato Hayasaka outside.

"So, does Xiao Ai really like this Mr. Gao?"

Nao Hayasaka blinked, hugged her daughter, and asked softly.

"Yes, I like my master very much."

Despite feeling somewhat ashamed, Hayasaka Ai still gave her answer.

"So how did you fall in love with him? As far as I know, you've only known him for a few months in total, right? And you were probably helping Miss Kaguya gather information when you first approached him, weren't you? The fact that you willingly call him 'Master' shows that you've made up your mind to follow him for life, doesn't it? Mom wants to know, why are you so sure that he is your master for life?"

Resting her chin on Ai's head, Hayasaka Nao asked gently. Hearing this, Hayasaka Ai couldn't help but recall the various things she had experienced with Takami, and a blush quickly appeared on her face.

"If I had to say how I came to like my master, it would probably be because he saved me, right?"

"At that time, I didn't know what my master did. I was just worried that the young lady would be deceived by a bad man. After all, my master had already been two-timing me before, and it was hard to believe he was a good person without knowing the inside story. As a result, because I investigated too deeply, I got involved... I encountered some danger, and then my master and the young lady came to rescue me. I guess that's when I became attracted to my master?"

Hayasaka's narration contained clearly omitted parts, a fact that did not escape Hayasaka Nao's observation.

Her daughter's situation was likely more complex than simply encountering danger. It's not her style to become so devoted to a man just because she was rescued from peril. The situation must have been extremely dangerous, leaving her with severe nightmares. And Mr. Gao's actions went far beyond simply rescuing a damsel in distress. He must have stayed by her side almost the entire time, supporting her for a considerable period and repeatedly risking his own safety to protect her. Only then would her daughter be so won over.

It's hard to imagine such a sight. Although Mr. Gao only showed a small part of it, those terrifying and bizarre things were still chilling. I felt almost unable to move just by seeing a small, harmless part of the controlled creatures. How much pain and torment has my daughter endured to get to where she is now?

Presumably, the other girls were the same: Kaguya, Maki, Chika, and that Yotsuya Miko, as well as the little girl from that band. These girls surrounding Mr. Takashi must have gradually come together to form a team after experiencing various dangers with him.

Nao Hayasaka's investigation into Takami was quite thorough. Having overcome past biases and gained a true understanding of Takami's situation, she quickly realized that the relationships between Takami and the girls around her were likely entirely genuine. The bonds forged through shared struggles in extremely dangerous environments—a kind of camaraderie—were difficult to break. Therefore, what might seem distorted to outsiders was perfectly normal and undeniably close to Takami and the others.

It seems that all I can do is wish my daughter well.

No, not necessarily. Since they've formed an inseparable polygamous relationship, it's necessary to consider the relative importance of each girl. My daughter was raised as a servant from a young age, and according to the intelligence, her relationship with Mr. Gao developed relatively late. So, how can I ensure she receives the attention she needs, and how competitive she is? These are crucial questions.

"So, you didn't just fall for him because he saved you, right? Is there some other reason?"

Thinking this, Hayasaka Nao asked again, carefully observing Ai's expression.

"Hey, do you want me to go into details about this? Shouldn't we be focusing on the [Sacrifice Game] issue right now?"

Xiao Ai, who originally thought the matter would be over after a few words, struggled a bit. She glanced at Gao Hai, who was standing far away outside the store, and the blush on her face became more and more obvious.

“Tell me about him. He’s my daughter’s first love, and he’s basically going to be her husband. I want to know more about him from my daughter’s perspective. Wouldn’t that be better?”

Nao Hayasaka simply smiled and hugged Ai tightly, not giving her a chance to escape. Ai, whose physical abilities had been enhanced multiple times, also dared not lay a hand on her mother, who was still in a normal human body. After hesitating for a while, she could only speak softly.

I hope they won't hear me. It would be really embarrassing if they did, since I haven't said these things to my master yet.

My master has the blessing of hearing, and his mental power is so strong now, eavesdropping would be a piece of cake. Ugh, but Mom's been pestering me like this; she definitely won't let me off the hook if I don't tell her. I guess… this kind of thing is best left unsaid…

"Actually, I can't really explain it. If I had to say I'm in love, I guess I decided it was him the moment I was rescued by my master?"

Finally, the girl spoke in a weak voice.

"Before I understood the real master, I was actually very afraid of and disgusted with him. I thought he must have used some despicable means to deceive the young lady and the true concubine."

"But after he helped the young lady seize control of the Shinomiya family, he walked away unscathed without taking a single penny. I think that's when I started to wonder about my master's behavior and began to want to know more about him. But no matter how much I investigated, all I could see was that my master was very lazy in his daily life, and also... a bit of a show-off. That's all I knew."

"It wasn't until I encountered real danger that I realized what kind of life my master had been facing all along. I realized that it was thanks to my master's protection that the young lady was able to survive until now, to become stronger and stronger, and to truly take control of her own destiny. And I, too, finally... got rid of that bastard Shinomiya Hikari, and no longer had to monitor the young lady every day and report her information to the family."

As Xiao Ai spoke, a look of reminiscence gradually appeared on her face, while Gao Hai outside listened quietly to the awkward girl's unwillingness to be honest with him face to face.

"I am very grateful to my master. He saved the young lady who was originally destined for a tragic fate, and he saved me."

"I've always found it hard to believe that my master, who has endured so much suffering, can still maintain an appearance almost like an ordinary person, without his personality changing drastically because of the power he has gained. His thoughtfulness and care for me are completely different from those of the young lady who never appreciates me. Speaking of which, I slept in all morning today because of my master's insistence. If it were the young lady, she definitely wouldn't understand how hard I've worked. So I think, apart from the most important thing—my master saving me—just the fact that he's willing to understand me, to accommodate me in my daily life, and to find ways to make me happy and relax is already enough to make me happy."

"If I had to give more reasons, well, I can't think of any right now. I just... enjoy being with my master. That's probably it?"

Xiao Ai's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible hesitation.