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

"Huh? Eh... Ah... What's wrong with me?"

This time, Xingge finally woke up from the pain and dizziness, looking around blankly and even covering her cheek with her hand, clearly feeling bewildered by her current situation.

"Hmm, a very nice melody. Let's start the next new song with the rhythm of Hongxia beating people up."

Liang nodded again and gave Hongxia a thumbs up.

"I don't want to play such a weird song. Playing this kind of song will only make people think it's strange, okay? And... wait, Ryo, what happened to your eyes?"

Hongxia stomped her foot angrily, making a strong protest against Liang's slander.

However, at this moment, Hongxia suddenly noticed the change in Liang's face and immediately became worried.

"I'm wearing colored contact lenses, it's like a different style, what do you think?"

Liang, without changing his expression, made a peace sign, and his voice betrayed no sign of anything amiss.

However, Hongxia could clearly see that one of the girl's eyes had turned blood red. Moreover, it wasn't just the pupil that had changed color; the entire eyeball, including the whites of the eyes, had turned dark red. At a glance, one could only distinguish the structure of the eye by the depth of the red, which looked quite terrifying.

[This is another issue I intend to address. I can project my power onto you, accelerating the healing of your wounds and ensuring that you don't suffer the tragedy of dying from a mere touch by a monster due to poor physical condition. However, because of the distance and the fact that I can't focus all my attention on you, this enhancement cannot completely protect you. It has certain shortcomings, so some damage will still remain, just like what happened to Miss Liang's eyes.]

The Takahashi doll waved its hand, and only after attracting Hongxia's attention did it give a very serious explanation.

A minute ago, when Liang was hit on the head by that doll, one of her eyes was ruptured.

At that time, Ryo's eye was almost completely detached from its socket, and the eyeball itself was soaked in blood; it could be said that the entire eye was completely ruined. Later, although Gao Hai used his power to help Ryo heal the wound, he wasn't there in person and only used a small portion of his power. A lot of power was also lost during the transmission process. As a result, although Gao Hai successfully repaired Ryo's injured eye, he couldn't fully restore it, resulting in this bloody eye that looked as if it had been "darkened."

"My vision hasn't been affected, which is great, it's cool."

Liang calmly gave his answer, looking completely unconcerned. Hongxia fell silent upon hearing this, and after a long while, she sighed, unsure of how to respond.

Regardless, in order to survive, we must continue to work hard.

In order to escape this terrible place alive, and to leave this place alive with Ryo and her sister, so that everyone can leave without losing a single one of them.

I must work even harder from now on!

Hongxia silently cheered herself up, and the expression on her face gradually became firm.

"The doll... came to life... Oh, I remember now, a doll has come to life! Hey, why are you two staring at me like that? That's really rude! Wait, that thing hanging around your neck, that...that...that...that's..."

Only then did Xingge truly come to her senses, and she began to breathe out in shock when she saw the doll hanging around Liang's neck again.

Fortunately, the fragments of consciousness in Xingge's head still had some effect after she fainted once. This time she didn't faint again, but recovered after a brief stiffness. After listening to Liang and Hongxia's explanation, she tentatively accepted and believed everything, and even cautiously greeted Gao Hai.

To be honest, they are a team that is really worrying.

Gao Hai didn't want to say anything too harsh, but looking at the trio of Liang, Hongxia, and Xingge, he was actually quite unsure of himself.

Both Hongxia and Xingge are undeniably devoid of any talent as gamers. Having spent too long in a comfortable and safe environment, they are the type who cannot perceive danger or make the right choices. Hongxia is slightly better; although her reactions are slow when faced with danger, she at least knows to follow Liang's lead. Xingge, on the other hand, has many fixed ways of thinking. If she cannot maintain constant vigilance, she might easily get into trouble due to some oversight.

In contrast, Ryo was indeed a promising talent. Gao Hai didn't know much about this expressionless, slovenly girl, but his reactions to danger a few times were enough to convince him she was exceptional. However, compared to Yurikawa Hana, whom he had only recently contacted, Yamada Ryo, who had mistakenly entered the Dark Night-level dungeon, had a significant problem: insufficient basic strength. This wouldn't be too serious in a Twilight-level dungeon, but in a Dark Night-level dungeon… the situation was much more uncertain. Gao Hai didn't know if Ryo could survive such a treacherous environment and return home alive.

Well, whatever the future holds, at least for now, while I still have the ability to help, I'll lend a hand for the time being.

Thinking this, Takami couldn't help but think of the two girls, Goto Ichiri and Kita Ikuyo.

Not long ago, Kita Ikuyo, under Takami's command, went to the residential area to rescue Yotsuya Miko. Kita herself has successfully crossed the spatial barrier at the edge of the residential area and entered the area that is almost completely invaded by the hospital. Takami is worried that she might be able to rescue Miko, fearing a situation like the Calabash Brothers trying to save their grandfather. But for now, besides praying that Kita and Miko are safe, there's nothing else he can do.

As for Goto Ichiri, she's currently in the Shimokitazawa area, but she's unaware of the fall of Hoshino. Takami hasn't told Ichiri about the situation yet because this socially awkward girl has already rescued tens of thousands of ordinary people. She's working with a rescue team to evacuate survivors, re-identify them, and prevent enemy attacks. She's so busy she doesn't even have time for her social anxieties, let alone anything else. Considering that every second of delay could mean the loss of many lives, Ichiri's top-tier combat strength is far too important. Takami can't bring herself to transfer her away from the front lines to rescue the band, so she can only choose to keep it a secret for now.

Hopefully things will go smoothly.

Right now, I, Tokyo, and all of humanity desperately need good luck.

hum-

While pondering, Gao Hai confirmed through the sensory information transmitted by the doll that the spatial separation that had temporarily separated Hongxia and the others from Shizuko Ogiyama and the others had disappeared. Now, the two groups could see and contact each other again.

"Hey, you're back again?!"

Shizuko Ogiyama, who had been staying in the hall trying to find Nijika and the others, was stunned to see the three of them suddenly return. Her mouth dropped open, and she was so shocked that she didn't know what to say.

"Hey? You're back? Is it...is it really you who's back?"

Torio Mami, who was also searching, was startled and trembled for a while before daring not to come forward, seemingly worried that Nijika and the others would turn into monsters and come back to take her life.

"……whispering sound."

Hondou Haruka didn't say a word, only let out a cold laugh.

The look in her eyes as she looked at Hongxia and the others was filled with undisguised disgust and hatred. It was clear that Hondou Haruka was very unhappy that the three of them had returned alive. From the changes in her expression, it was certain that she genuinely wanted the three of them to die. The intense malice she displayed far exceeded the emotional range of a normal person.

Just because the store manager stopped her from going crazy and even hit her a few times, does she want us all to die?

Just like Mr. Gao said, this person's mental state is indeed not quite right, which is very worrying. In case it really is some kind of curse or possession, Ryo thinks it's best to make plans as soon as possible. Although Yamada Ryo herself doesn't have the courage to kill, she doesn't really have any good solutions when facing someone as unyielding as Hondo Haruka.

"A lot happened, but overall we managed to get our names signed. It was quite a close call."

Seeing that the animal doll remotely controlled by Gao Hai remained motionless and showed no intention of showing itself, Hong Xia naturally omitted the relevant details and simply described what had happened. Even this was enough to make Ogiyama Shizuko's face turn pale, and Torio Mami was so frightened she almost lost her balance and nearly fainted on the spot, mimicking Hoshika's earlier behavior.

"..."

Hondo Haruka, her face dark with anger, listened to Nijika's words with a venomous expression. This immediately angered Hoshika, who, already short-tempered, instinctively wanted to walk up to Hondo Haruka, intending to punch and slap her a few times before demanding to know who she had been looking at. However, Nijika pulled Hoshika back, and the hot-tempered older sister could only glare back, suppressing her anger. As a result, Hondo Haruka's face darkened even more, and she even seemed to be gritting her teeth.

Without saying a word, Ryoshin gently shook the doll, trying to see if Takahashi had noticed anything.

[My sensory abilities with dolls are probably weaker than your soul perspective; I can only project so little power. Hmm… that Hondou Haruka's mental reactions are definitely problematic; she seems to have taken something. She might have been exposed to something, I can't be sure, but anyway, you guys shouldn't contact her for now. Since she's someone with issues, don't get involved; she's not on the same team anyway.]

Of course, I know you're all kind-hearted people, but this is something we can't directly intervene in. I'll try to communicate with Shizuko Ogiyama through telepathy. If Haruka Hondou truly has a problem, I believe she'll make the right choice. Now, get the key first, and then we can discuss the next steps.

Gao Hai's voice quickly echoed in the minds of Liang, Hongxia, and Xingge.

Aside from Hoshika, who was still somewhat unaccustomed to this way of communicating and whose expression was a little awkward for a moment, Ryo and Nijika didn't react much. Ryo maintained a posture facing Ogiyama Shizuko to facilitate communication between Takami and her via the mental link. Nijika, on the other hand, went to the counter and searched around, quickly finding a set of keys tucked in the register.

"There really is a key."

Quietly marveling, Hongxia picked up the keys and examined them. She noticed that each key was labeled with a name. There was one key for the South Gate and one for the North Gate, presumably for opening the two doors to the lobby on the first floor. There was also one key for the Inner Plaza and one for the Laundry Room. Hongxia deduced that the four doors on the first floor leading to the Inner Plaza were all identical, and that every laundry room door on all three floors should also be exactly the same. Then, the fifth key, after these four, was the room key.

[Room 304 Key]

Hongxia quickly confirmed the room number marked on the key.

A room on the third floor? Is it really that high up? And room 304 is located very close to the laundry room on the inner side of the third floor, which is a place that is strictly prohibited from entering according to the rules.

Liang frowned. Originally, she hadn't paid much attention to the rule, thinking that if there was a problem, she shouldn't go in. But after what happened in the lobby, Liang now strongly suspected that something terrifying might come out of the laundry room and attack living people. Therefore, she couldn't help but feel nervous when she discovered that the room key she had obtained was near the laundry room.

[...I'm no longer surprised to see this room number anymore; I even have this feeling of "Ah, it's this number again."]

In the realm of thought, Gao Hai suddenly sighed and said in a helpless tone.

Is there anything strange about this number?

Compared to Liang, Hongxia was the first to use the temporary mental communication network set up by Gao Hai, and asked the other party a question.

"It's nothing, just some minor personal matters. The key issue now is our next move. I personally don't recommend you continue working with these three survivors, at least not until we've ruled out the problem with Hondou Haruka."

Gao Hai didn't answer Hong Xia's question directly, but instead evaded it. This only fueled Hong Xia's curiosity, but seeing that Gao Hai had no intention of answering and immediately steered the conversation to a more serious topic, she could only suppress her curiosity for the time being.

How exactly do I do it?

Liang followed Hongxia and asked a question. Unlike Hongxia, Liang's attention was now entirely on what Gao Hai was talking about.

[Let's try communicating and then split up. After all, even if we can eliminate Hondou Haruka, that Torio Mami is still a problem. She's too timid and not suitable for investigation. Of the three, only Ogiyama Shizuko has some ability, but it would be difficult for you to choose between winning her over and eliminating the other two. So, let's compromise a bit. Try to persuade them to stay in their rooms for a while, and then you can go to the inner plaza to investigate. Return to 304 around 22:30 PM, close to curfew. How about that?]

Gao Hai quickly responded, showing restraint in offering his suggestions. He had considered imprisoning Hondou Haruka, dislocating her joints and jaw to prevent suicide and transformation, but he knew Hongxia and Liang were incapable of such actions. The two girls, still naive and innocent, hadn't truly experienced the harsh realities of the dungeon, and he couldn't expect too much. As for Xingka, while she was more proactive than the two high school students, such a task was still too much to ask of her, so he hadn't offered that suggestion in the first place.

Of course, even with this suggestion, Gao Hai couldn't be sure if the three of them would accept it.

"..."

Hongxia didn't speak; this type of negotiation still seemed somewhat difficult for her.

"What are your plans next? Shall we go check on your own rooms first?"

It was Shizuko Ogiyama who spoke first. It's worth mentioning that although she had received the message from Takami, Shizuko Ogiyama only showed a slight expression of surprise at the beginning. Otherwise, she remained as calm as before, as if nothing had happened. Takami was very impressed by her control of her emotions.

“We plan to investigate the first-floor corridor and that small square first, to figure out what’s going on here. Thank you very much for coming with us to look for the pen, but since we can’t determine the level of danger, we’ll conduct the investigation ourselves first. You can go back to your rooms now.”

After a brief hesitation, Ryo spoke earnestly, conveying Takahashi's meaning to Shizuko Ogiyama.

"it is good."

To Ryo's surprise, Ogiyama Shizuko didn't ask for a reason at all. She simply nodded in agreement and turned to take Torio Mami and Hondou Haruka back.

However, this step was not so smooth.

"What if I don't leave?"

Hondou Haruka looked at Hongxia and the others with a cold smile, narrowed his eyes, and spoke in a very arrogant tone.

Chapter 11: Gao Hai's Player Class and the Noticed Anomalies

When faced with Hondou Haruka's latest antics, the solution offered by Nijika and the other two was quite simple and straightforward: Hoshika herself would step forward and slap him twice across the face, causing the arrogant Hondou Haruka's face to swell up and his lip to be scraped and bleed a little.

Then, the arrogant Hondou Haruka who had just been so domineering instantly lost her arrogance. Although she still had a fierce expression on her face, she dared not resist in any way and obediently followed Ogiyama Shizuko and Torio Mami back to room 109.

Honestly, when Gao Hai first saw that weird woman with her multicolored hair causing trouble, he actually considered whether he should kill her himself. But when Xing Ge slapped her twice, the woman immediately shut up. Even though her face showed defiance, her body immediately obeyed and left, which really amazed Gao Hai. How to put it? This person seemed more formidable than anyone else when she was making a scene, but when it came to actually hitting her, she didn't dare to fight back at all. Moreover, according to Yamada Ryo, Xing Ge had already beaten her up once before. In other words, this woman with messy hair deliberately provoked him knowing she was likely to be beaten, and then immediately cowered after being hit.

It's really hard to understand, could this person be a masochist?

In short, after this little interlude, Shizuko Ogiyama and her two companions returned to their room, while Nijika and her two companions, under Takahiro's guidance, entered through the north gate. They decided to first scout the first-floor corridor before heading to the inner plaza to investigate. During this process, Takahiro explained to the three of them the basic rules of conduct for various players, the types and abilities of strange creatures, and the analysis and countermeasures for ghost stories, essentially giving them a crash course in becoming players.

During this process, Ryo also recounted the note about room 201 that he saw behind the glass counter. Ryo himself focused on the information on the note that the key to room 201 was hidden in the laundry room. However, Takahashi quickly pointed out that the real key information was that there might be a cat in room 201. Based on the three's previous encounters on the street, he speculated that the cat might be some kind of strange creature or derivative strange creature that humans had transformed into. He then told the three that room 201 was worth exploring in depth.

[To project this wisp of consciousness, I used Miss Liang's consciousness as a medium. However, to maintain this connection, I cannot deplete her power, otherwise she will be drained of her mental energy and die in no time. What I am actually consuming is the power of the fragment of the crimson domain in the laptop. Without replenishment, that fragment cannot last long, so you must find a way to find derivative artifacts or objects of obsession to replenish the power of this clone of mine.]

The squirrel plush toy hanging around Liang's neck, at this moment, crossed its arms and spoke very seriously.

The power of the Crimson Domain is directly connected to me. Through this power, I can forcibly unleash monsters of the Crimson Moon level and below. However, since I cannot be present in person, I need to contact the monster's object of attachment to achieve this effect. As for derivative monsters, since they are essentially just manifestations of things like "fantasy" or "nightmare," they lack a true origin. As long as the Crimson Domain, which is my power, can contact their true form, I have a way to destroy and absorb their power, thus better helping you.

[Regardless, if you think that everything will be fine just because you have my help, then you will probably not escape death in the end. If you want to be saved, you must first learn to save yourselves. Right now, people are dying all over Tokyo, and I can't devote too much power to you. It's the limit that I can create this clone to help you. So from now on, you have to find a way to increase the power of this clone of mine, lest I run out of power and lose power after a while.]

[Of course, there's no need to worry too much. The fact that this Night-level dungeon could break through my rules and enter the interior is itself a cause for concern. I've already dispatched rescue teams to investigate, and if more victims are identified, I think a player team of at least Night-level strength will soon enter the dungeon. So don't be too nervous; as long as you can hold out for a while, rescue will arrive.]

Both Ryo and Nijika listened attentively to Takahashi's words, nodding earnestly. Having witnessed this man casually tear buildings apart, obeying his commands was perfectly natural for the two girls; there was no need for any doubt. As for Hoshika, she was still somewhat bewildered, finding it hard to believe that this little squirrel doll was being controlled by a near-divine being, and that this being was actually Ichiri and Kita's boyfriend.

However, although he didn't understand the situation, after making a few stupid mistakes and truly understanding the consequences of them, Xingge learned from his previous experiences and would never do anything thoughtless again. He also maintained due respect and awe for Gao Hai, this mysterious figure, and carefully remembered and strictly adhered to his words.

"There seemed to be nothing unusual in the hallway. Every door from 101 to 112 had no obvious abnormalities in appearance, and all of them were locked and could not be opened directly. The laundry room on the first floor was also locked and could not be opened directly. Well, if I had to point out something unusual, I think the main problem with the hallway was the coldness and a slight sense of decay. It was significantly colder here than in the lobby, as if there was a chill in the air, but I couldn't find the source. Also, both the wallpaper and the floor looked very old, and there was a strange feeling that it was gradually rotting, which made me feel a little uneasy."

After walking around the first-floor corridor, Ryo tried to summarize what she had seen and heard along the way. Takahashi nodded like a teacher to her, and after Ryo finished speaking, he turned his gaze to Hongxia standing to the side.

[Do you have anything to add? Communication between players is crucial in dungeons. If you have any additional ideas, please speak up. In this environment, everyone needs to analyze and think about their situation as much as possible, not just blindly follow orders, understand?]

Gao Hai's tone was just like that of a teacher. Upon hearing this, Hong Xia subconsciously straightened up, puffed out her chest which wasn't rising and falling much, and her expression became tense.