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

She remembered that gaze.

She was quite certain that she remembered that gaze.

She had felt that gaze when she was attacked by the dismembered female ghost in the starry sky and experienced her soul leaving her body for the first time.

From that moment on, it seemed that some invisible connection had been established, influencing her in the dark. Only now, when her consciousness shifted from lucidity to chaos once again, was she able to recognize this connection again and feel the other's presence once more.

【Gaohai】

That's right, the name of that being is [Gao Hai], and the gaze I felt was his gaze.

Through his own blood, his gaze was able to once again fall upon himself.

"what……"

Liang opened his mouth.

She desperately wanted to say something, but her hazy consciousness prevented her from forming clear words. She could only try her best to focus her attention on the other person, hoping to make them aware of her situation.

[Huh? How come you're connected again? Did you die?]

He succeeded; he could really feel his own gaze upon him!

What do you mean I'm dead?!

[Oh, so you're not dead yet, but have you already fully entered the dungeon world? You've gotten yourself into this mess.]

"Yes, you have a fractured skull and a severe concussion. Luckily, the blood-brain barrier didn't break, otherwise you'd probably be dead by now. But if the bones can't be repaired, you definitely won't live much longer. But it's okay, I can help you this time."

[Haha, I recently got in touch with a girl in the sealed-off area. She was luckier than you, though; she ran into a Twilight-level monster and accidentally managed to free a derivative. You're in a much worse situation, ending up in a Dark Night-level dungeon. While it doesn't seem as difficult as the White River Apartments right now, it's still extremely dangerous. A moment's carelessness could be fatal, and the consumption of domain fragments is much faster than in Twilight-level dungeons…]

Gao Hai's rambling seemed to take a long time, but in reality, it was less than a blink of an eye. It was as if, after connecting with the other's spirit and their consciousnesses were able to communicate with each other, the flow of time was infinitely slowed down, allowing Liang to gradually regain his thinking ability and begin to clearly perceive his surroundings.

I heard a faint scream, which seemed to be from Hongxia, mixed with the store manager's angry roar.

They're in danger now. That grotesque, faceless woman appeared behind the glass, and things started getting really dangerous after that eerie doll rushed out of the window. I need to wake up quickly; I have to be alert and help them. Otherwise… otherwise… Hongxia and the shopkeeper might…

Don't rush. Since you were able to connect to me a second time, it proves that our connection is actually very close, and I can do more for you.

[Yes, I should have noticed this a long time ago. After all, the "hospital" had already suppressed my power by isolating the space, yet you were still able to sense my presence through astral projection. Of course, it's also possible that you and Ichiri have a good relationship, thus receiving some kind of "favorable treatment," just like Miko's little best friend.]

[You might think I'm rambling, and I understand that anxiety, but I'm currently communicating with over 500 people simultaneously. In this situation, it's difficult to control my thoughts, so I end up rambling on and on about everything I want to say, sometimes even blurring the lines between my inner thoughts and spoken words. It's quite troublesome. Anyway, since you've connected with me a second time, it proves that you, Ms. Yamada Ryo, are quite excellent as a "node." Therefore, I can try to project more of my energy into your position.]

Gao Hai spoke casually in Liang's ear, as if chatting about everyday things. At the same time, after calming down a bit, Liang noticed that the scenery around her was in slow motion, and knew that she didn't need to be in a hurry.

What terrifying power! This kind of power is something that mortals could never possibly achieve.

However, if I could get his help, if I could get Mr. Gao's assistance, then perhaps next...

[The second link established through the gaze of blood—in other words, the "Rules of Blood" came into play? Even though the sheer number of people bleeding in Tokyo, coupled with the sealing effects of various spaces, prevented me from using this ability to help others, she was able to see me and contact me through this rule.]

[There should also be some activity in the Shimokitazawa area, which is why the spatial blockade wasn't severe and I could exert more power. It seems to be a coincidence achieved by multiple factors. Speaking of which, these three little ones, they seem to have a good relationship, right? Ryo and Nijika are band partners and have been friends for many years, while Nijika and Hoshika are blood relatives. Although Ryo and Hoshika don't have a direct relationship, they've known each other for a long time and have a deep connection.]

"Then, the 'Rules of Love' should be able to activate on the three of you. Perfect, I'll test the strength of this rule's power."

[It's time to open your eyes, Yamada Ryo!]

Something was released as Gao Hai spoke, and it took effect on him.

The release of this power seemed to be aided by the blood flowing from her, but she couldn't confirm the more specific way it worked. After all, Liang's current perception was only achieved through a trick, and it was far inferior to the strength of a certain girl with yin-yang eyes. Being able to understand to this extent was already her limit.

hum-

It seemed like he heard the sound of something operating; hmm, the source of the sound appeared to be the laptop, specifically the crimson light emanating from it. It seemed that when Gao Hai released his power, he inevitably consumed the power of that crimson light.

Then, Liang felt a tingling sensation on his forehead, knowing that the wound on his head had begun to heal.

My body gradually regained sensation, and I was able to move around again.

Despite still feeling weak and powerless, as if she had just woken up from a dream, Liang clearly realized at this moment that she had broken free from the feeling of time slowing down and had returned to the normal flow of time.

open one's eyes.

The first thing Liang saw was Hongxia, who had fallen to the ground not far away, her knees scraped and bleeding, and was struggling to get up.

Further away, Xingge rolled awkwardly on the ground, and a small doll flew down from mid-air, reaching out to grab Xingge. However, Xingge dodged the attack with her roll and missed, immediately letting out a sharp cry like a child throwing a tantrum.

The time from when he was attacked and knocked unconscious to when he regained consciousness should not have exceeded 30 seconds.

It seems that Xingge deliberately lured the doll monster to attack her after realizing something was wrong, hoping to create an opportunity for Hongxia to escape the hall. This is quite easy to see, after all, Xingge now has several horrific lacerations on her body, and blood is still slowly dripping from the fingers of the doll that is swaying in mid-air, as if being held and waving by invisible arms.

"Sister! It's cold!"

Hongxia wasn't as badly injured as Xingge, but she had clearly taken a hard fall and could only limp up, shouting helplessly at Liang and Xingge.

"Run! Run!"

Xingge, desperately dodging the doll's attacks, shouted, not even having time to glance over.

what should I do?

Having never experienced such a life-or-death crisis before, Hongxia was already panicked.

No, she wasn't unfamiliar with such dangerous situations. It's just that in the past, there was always someone to help her make the decision, and there was always someone stronger or more opinionated who acted first.

Whether it was like Mr. Gao Hai directly eliminating the enemy, or like Liang astutely finding strategies to avoid danger, back then she only needed to follow others' instructions; back then, she didn't need to think, she only needed to obey. But this time, she realized that she had to make the decisions herself.

clam down.

I need to calm down as soon as possible.

My sister and Ryo are both here, and they are in grave danger. I have to take action!

Ignoring her slightly disheveled long yellow hair, Hongxia endured the pain in her legs and got up from the ground. The panic in her heart was soothed by some force and turned into tranquility, and her thinking speed began to increase.

Running away is pointless. If she were to abandon Ryo and her sister and run away, then Hongxia felt there was no point in living. In that case, she might as well kill her now.

But how can we salvage the current situation? The doll rushed out when my sister took out the pen; is the pen the key? Wait, Ryo just mentioned that the key is the signature. Only after signing will we be recognized as members of the apartment. So, if I can sign all three of our names, maybe we can change the current situation and stop that terrifying doll from chasing my sister!

Where is that pen? Where did that pen go?

Hongxia quickly looked around and immediately spotted the pen that had fallen to the ground.

She limped over, and when she realized she was walking too slowly, she simply fell forward, endured the pain, rolled over to the pen, grabbed it, and then rolled toward the window where the register was located.

To be honest, the scene was quite comical, with a small girl rolling around on the ground like a spinning top. However, the other two on the field were too preoccupied to pay attention to this. Xingge had already been injured several times by the strange doll's pursuit; if she hadn't suddenly felt a surge of strength and stamina, she would probably have had her throat torn apart and died by now. Liang, after regaining some mobility, immediately turned her attention to the window, looking directly at the distorted, grotesque creature.

A strong chill coursed through her body, as if trying to shut off the flow of her blood.

Unlike the doll that leaped out of the window, this clearly more terrifying creature simply sat motionless opposite the window, its shattered face facing her. It made no move to attack, but its mere presence was enough to give Ryo a chilling feeling that made it hard to breathe.

We cannot back down.

The girl stood up, focused her mind amidst the shouts of "Are you alright, Liang?" coming from the side, and took a step forward.

We can't let this thing's attention be diverted to other people.

It's some kind of monster related to cognition. My spirit is very resilient, and I can find protection from Mr. Gao Hai. So even when it looks at me and attacks me, I can hold out for a long time; I won't fall easily. Hong Xia and the shopkeeper might not be able to do that; their mental strength might be severely damaged when facing this thing. So now it's up to me to watch over this monster and distract this monstrous thing.

"Hongxia...signature..."

The cold voice sounded harsh, as if it were being squeezed out of the lungs.

She walked to the counter, grabbed the register, and handed it to Hongxia, who had caught up from behind.

The petite blonde girl didn't notice the twisted monster behind the window. Once its attention was forced to focus on Ryo, neither Hongxia, who was nearby, nor Xingge, who was a little further away, were affected by it, nor did they see its presence. In the sisters' eyes, the area behind the counter window remained pitch black, with nothing active within it.

slam-la-

Hongxia had already opened the register.

Liang gradually felt the emptiness of her consciousness drifting away, and felt her thoughts once again drifting away from her body.

slam-la-

Hongxia beside her continued flipping through the register, turning to the latest page as quickly as possible.

Liang began to notice that the surrounding light was gradually dimming, and the entire hall itself was becoming darker, more gloomy, and more dilapidated.

Something is approaching from the corridor.

Something far more dangerous and terrifying than the creature behind the glass is slowly making its way here.

rustling --

A faint sound came from beside her, but Liang could no longer make out what it was.

All she could sense were the desiccated corpses lying on the floor behind the glass counter in the duty room. Only the twisted corpses in every room, sealed behind every door. Only one deformed corpse after another, contorted by agony.

Pain...pain...pain that can't be stopped...

Chaos... mental chaos... everything is falling apart...

But they said nothing happened, there were no problems, and there was nothing unusual from beginning to end.

They are lying...

They are all lying...

They... they...

“It’s done!”

Hongxia's soft shout brought Liang's increasingly chaotic thoughts back to normal.

The petite girl stood on tiptoe, holding the register high in her hand, revealing three signatures on the register: [Ijichi Seika; Yamada Ryo; Ijichi Nijika].

Behind the pitch-black windowpane, there was no sign of any monster.

Xingge, who was lying on the ground panting, got up and saw a small doll-like figure lying on the ground, motionless, just like a real doll.

Liang heard the footsteps stop. The unknown, terrifying monster stopped behind the door, slowly turned around and left, without actually entering the hall.

ended.

Now, the three of them are safe for the time being.

"To kill us just because we didn't sign the register, that's pretty rock and roll."

As he said this, Liang relaxed and sat down on the floor with a thud against the counter.

"What exactly is your understanding of rock and roll? This kind of thing doesn't count as rock and roll."

Hongxia sat down next to her and didn't forget to tease her friend.

"Hongxia... Liang... are you two alright? Ugh, this godforsaken place... what are they trying to do...?"

Xingge struggled a few times before weakly sitting up, clutching a laceration on her shoulder and asking a question with a pale face. Clearly, she was in the worst condition of the three, but Liang noticed that her wound had stopped bleeding, so he assumed that Mr. Gao Hai had done something behind the scenes and that she was alright. He then remained seated on the ground without moving much.