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

"Everyone come over here quickly. The area behind this door is a place I've been before. This is my school dormitory where I usually live. It should be a safe place."

As Shizuko Ogiyama spoke with a smile, she gestured for everyone to come in.

Instead of going in directly, she stood at the doorway, gesturing for everyone to enter. It seemed she wouldn't go in until everyone else had entered the new area. This made Hoshika even more suspicious. But before she could think of an excuse, Ogiyama Shizuko began urging her and Nijika to come in. Only then did Hoshika notice that everyone else besides the two of them had already entered the new area.

For now... let's just do as they say.

Although she desperately wanted to refuse to enter, Xingge understood that if they couldn't find any other way out, and Ogiyama Shizuko turned into a monster, even with the power of the Crimson Domain fragments protecting them, they would gradually exhaust the fragments' power due to having nowhere to escape. Therefore, it was best not to act too rebellious for now and let this monster continue its act.

"coming."

As she said this, Hoshika led Hongxia forward and through the door into the "dormitory" area that Shizuko Ogiyama had mentioned.

I haven't noticed anything unusual yet.

However, Xingge smelled a more noticeable dusty odor and also felt a slight chill.

"..."

Hongxia didn't speak. Under her sister's instructions, she remained silent, but she was also constantly observing the surrounding situation.

It looked like a very ordinary school dormitory, quite rudimentary in terms of environment alone, like an old house that had been used for at least several decades and then renovated and put back into use. If this was a school dormitory, Hongxia felt that it was perhaps a bit too rudimentary.

"This is where I used to live. It wasn't a particularly luxurious place, but it was like a second home to me. I spent a lot of memorable days in this dormitory after I came to Tokyo, and I still miss it quite a bit now."

Shizuko Ogiyama, standing ahead, has begun her narration and reminiscence once again.

As always, Xingge didn't pay too much attention to what the other person said. After resting for a while, she opened the dormitory doors next to her and began to observe the situation inside.

squeak-

The sound of the door rattling was somewhat harsh; perhaps the door itself was already a bit old.

The dormitory room was quite dirty and messy, clearly having not been cleaned for a long time. Various toiletries, tables, beds, bedding, and other items were piled up in the corners, taking up a large portion of the room and almost completely blocking out the walls and floor in their location.

Is there anything inside?

While thinking, Xingge took a step forward, intending to go inside and investigate.

"What are you doing here?"

The very next second, she heard a voice coming from behind her, very close at hand.

Turning her head, Xingge saw Shizuko Ogiyama, who had appeared beside her at some point and was smiling as she looked at her.

The faint chill that had been spreading suddenly became even more biting.

Chapter Seventy: The Increasingly Prominent Strangeness and the Sisters' Reflections.

When did this guy get here?

Xingge thought to herself, "This is the second time the other party has gotten close to me without my noticing."

Although she knew that no matter how normal the other party appeared on the surface, it was inevitably a monster inside, this completely unreasonable teleportation to her face was still a bit too terrifying for Xingge. She was really afraid that this thing would suddenly say "I'm not acting anymore" and then grab her and Hongxia and tear them apart like ducks. Therefore, her face was stiff and her breathing was a little uneven.

What are you doing here? Why aren't you acting with the others?

Seemingly because Xingge didn't answer immediately, Shizuko Ogiyama smiled and asked again. Although her tone seemed no different from before, Xingge could clearly sense that the temperature of the surrounding air had begun to drop significantly. It was as if something ominous had silently appeared around them, but they couldn't find its trace.

No, I'm not here looking for anything ominous. Whatever the anomaly may be, it has nothing to do with me.

"...Just taking a look."

Xingge spoke in as calm a tone as possible.

"I was worried that I might have missed some clues, so I came here to check it carefully again, that's all."

Gradually, Xingge returned to her normal speaking tone, appearing as if nothing was amiss.

"Oh, I see. Don't worry, there are no overlooked clues here, so there won't be any problems."

Then she saw Shizuko Ogiyama smile even more brightly and speak to her in a very confident tone.

Then, the man adjusted his glasses and continued walking forward naturally, chatting with Midori Saeko and Nakatani Yoshimi as he went. The two hotel employees, who were clearly adults, acted like little followers in front of Ogiyama Shizuko, a high school student, and could only echo her words without saying anything else.

"It's still very dangerous here, you'd better stay close."

At this moment, Shinji Akechi walked up to Hoshika and Nijika and said to them with a worried expression. Then he followed the three people, including Shizuko Ogiyama.

Hoshika nodded to Akita Shinji, but didn't rush forward. Instead, she observed the others again. She noticed that the old man, Hisaya Yuu, maintained a certain distance from Ogiyama Shizuko's group throughout, moving around casually as if taking a stroll.

Seemingly noticing Hoshigo's gaze, Hisaya Yuu also cast a meaningful glance, the meaning of which was unclear. Akechi Shinji, on the other hand, approached Hisaya Yuu and offered a few words of advice. Hisaya Yuu simply replied, "I'm an old man, not fast, but I won't get left behind. Don't worry about me," and then ignored Akechi Shinji. This left Akechi Shinji, who seemed dedicated to being a good Samaritan, with a somewhat embarrassed expression. He scratched his head and moved away.

Asaka Kasagawa was also keeping a certain distance from Shizuko Ogiyama. However, unlike Yuuji Hisaya, who seemed to be taking a leisurely stroll, Hoshika could tell that she was actually somewhat agitated and hesitant. This made Hoshika wonder if the other party knew something, but out of caution, she didn't approach to ask. After all, Shizuko Ogiyama had been walking and talking a short distance ahead the whole time, and considering that thing had suddenly appeared beside her, Hoshika felt it was best not to reveal too much.

step-step-

The footsteps of the survivors echoed through the empty dormitory corridors.

Aside from the few people currently present, there was no one else in sight, nor any trace of any strange or monstrous activity. The entire dormitory building was deserted; everything seemed covered in a light gray layer, yet it looked as if it had been used not long ago. It was as if just a second ago, many people were here, doing homework at their desks, listening to music in bed, doing laundry, or playing games, but a second later, they had vanished without a trace, leaving only their belongings behind, like souvenirs, like relics.

“I have a very deep impression of this place. From the moment I came to Tokyo and resolved to change my life, I have spent a significant portion of my life here.”

Shizuko Ogiyama looked nostalgic and spoke earnestly to those around her.

"My classmate is intoxicated by the glamorous world of Tokyo. She thinks that dressing up nicely, going to bars and nightclubs, and sleeping with different Tokyo men is what makes her grow up and be cool. But I don't think there's any point in doing that. In the end, she's just squandering her youth. How much youth does a person have in a lifetime?"

“I don’t want to live like her, I don’t want to be a failure years later. So I study hard, I work hard, and I try to find ways to improve myself. I’ve put in a lot of effort, and I think you ladies can understand this feeling, right? That feeling of trying your best to make a difference.”

If one disregards whether this girl is human or a monster, simply listening to her words, Hoshigo felt somewhat moved by her heartfelt sentiments. After all, she had been through that age herself, and she had once been rebellious, the kind of person who ran away from home to form a band and hold concerts in pursuit of success. In her eyes, it was truly rare, commendable, and worthy of encouragement that Ogiyama Shizuko, a high school student, possessed such a determined and ambitious spirit.

But this shouldn't be said in this setting, in this place. They're not visiting a school; they're in some unknown and strange area, searching for a way out and struggling to survive. How can you so calmly share your inner thoughts here, as if you're completely unconcerned about your surroundings? Doesn't this just create more and more problems? Won't others think there's something wrong with you?

Xingge really wanted to say something, but considering that the other party wasn't human, she held back in the end.

Hongxia remained silent, but her attention wasn't on Ogiyama Shizuko, who was engrossed in her philosophical discussion. The young woman was still thinking about the sudden look Hisaya Yuu had given her earlier. She felt the old man was trying to express something, but for various reasons couldn't articulate it clearly, so he only gave her a fleeting glance.

What was he trying to say when he suddenly looked over at that moment?

"Hey kid, can you stop grumbling all the time? You're not even twenty yet, you haven't even entered the workforce, and all you do is complain about this and that all day long. Do you think you're already a corporate slave? Please get your facts straight. Do you really think we're here to observe your high school life?"

An annoyed voice suddenly rang out, interrupting Hongxia's thoughts.

It was Asaka Kasagawa, the young woman who worked at the same sales company as Shinji Aketa. She had probably had enough and spoke to Shizuko Ogiyama, who was still trying to continue talking, in a very unpleasant tone, her brows furrowed.

"Kasakawa, don't be like this. There's no danger right now, is there?"

Akechi Shinji walked over somewhat awkwardly and whispered some advice. Judging from the helpless expression on his face, he was probably already very familiar with his companion's temper.

"That's right. We were wandering around here completely lost, and she kept saying that this was a place she knew well and could lead the way. In the end, she really did act like a tour guide, talking as we walked. Honestly, do you really care what she was saying? I certainly don't care to listen to a little kid's life insights!"

Kasakawa Asaka, clearly in a bad mood, didn't give Akeda Shinji any face. As she spoke, she walked to the front of the corridor on her own, passing by Ogiyama Shizuko's position.

"No, Kasakawa, don't say that. She probably meant well. Isn't chatting casually like this a good way to ease tension? Ah, I'm sorry, Ogiyama-san, my colleague has a rather impatient personality, but she doesn't mean you any harm."

Shinji Aketa quickly followed to continue comforting the other person, while also bowing and apologizing to Shizuko Ogiyama.

It seems to be a minor incident.

But Xingge and Hongxia had already quietly taken two steps back, preparing to deal with an emergency.

After all, the moment Asaka Kasaka spoke, both sisters felt an extremely strong chill. And throughout this process, Shizuko Ogiyama simply watched Asaka Kasaka with a smile, remaining silent like a doll, standing there in place, her head moving only with Asaka Kasaka's movements, and even her breathing was barely perceptible.

If Shinji Akeda hadn't come up to comfort and apologize just now, Shizuko Ogiyama... might have immediately revealed her true colors.

Xingge made a judgment in her heart.

Interrupting her narration and clearly showing disinterest in the content—was this the reason? If so, then we can currently identify two possible reasons why Ogiyama Shizuko might exhibit strange characteristics. One is conducting investigations alone, especially investigating areas that Ogiyama Shizuko herself might not be paying attention to, which would immediately attract her attention. The second is interrupting her, expressing disinterest in her narration, or belittling her, which would cause Ogiyama Shizuko to stop speaking and undergo some unknown, strange change. Hmm… Ms. Kasagawa was persuaded to quiet down, so Ogiyama Shizuko's change stopped. If she hadn't stopped and continued speaking, perhaps…

Hoshika unconsciously trembled as she thought of a certain possibility, and then she noticed that Shizuko Ogiyama, who should have been not far ahead, was gone.

"Uncle Hisaya, why are we so far away? Why are we going back?"

A girl's voice came from behind Xingge.

Nijika, who sensed something was wrong first, turned around and saw Hisaya Yuu-o walking out of a dormitory behind her, and Ogiyama Shizuko walking out beside him.

Midori Saeko and Nakatani Yoshimi followed beside Ogiyama Shizuko, neither of them showing any expression, while Ogiyama Shizuko herself was smiling warmly. Meanwhile, Hisaya Yuu, who had somehow slipped into the dormitory room, had lost his initial composure. He was clearly very nervous, and there were faint beads of sweat on his forehead.

"I'm just worried that I might have missed something. As people get older, they tend to worry more. After all, there are so many rooms here. If I just take a quick look at the door and leave, I still feel a little uneasy."

Hisaya Yuyu said without changing his expression, trying hard to control his breathing so that he wouldn't get too excited.

"Oh, I see. Don't worry, there are no overlooked clues here, so there won't be any problems."

Then, he received a calm reply from Shizuko Ogiyama. Shizuko Ogiyama then continued walking forward and began talking to Saeko Midori and Yoshimi Nakatani beside her, continuing to recount her various experiences in the dormitory building.

This scene looks familiar.

Xingge raised an eyebrow, looking at Hisakuya Yuxiong who was wiping the sweat from his forehead and showing a regretful expression, and clearly realized that this person was not simple.

This old man probably knows very well what Ogiyama Shizuko is. He's probably looking for an opportunity to slip away because he's not confident he can deal with her. In that case, maybe we can try to get some clues from him later... No, asking him won't be that easy. After all, Ogiyama Shizuko seems to be able to teleport to our side at any time. She'll probably detect any slight deviation in our actions immediately.

As she pondered these thoughts, Xingge continued walking down the empty corridor, her mind replaying the events of earlier, when suddenly some more things came to mind.

Before teleporting to Hisaya Yuuko's side, Ogiyama Shizuko stood quietly in place, watching Kasagawa Asaka express her dissatisfaction. At that moment, Hisaya Yuuko should have already silently slipped into the adjacent dormitory room, but Ogiyama Shizuko showed no reaction, as if she hadn't seen anything. However, for non-human entities, the term "seeing" isn't entirely accurate, since Mr. Takami mentioned that these things don't necessarily rely on human physiological senses to perceive their surroundings.

So, could it be because it was already tied up with Asaka Kasaka at the time and couldn't spare the time to deal with Yuo Hisaya's side?

After all, this thing doesn't seem to have the ability to create clones, so if someone has already done something that triggers the rules in front of it, it can't deal with another violation for the time being and has to wait until the current matter is resolved before it can attend to the next matter.

Xingge thinks this speculation is very likely.

So, if Hongxia and I want to escape this situation, the best time would be when this thing is too busy to deal with us? Maybe behind the clutter piled up in those rooms, there are doors leading to other areas. If we can create an opening so that Shizuko Ogiyama can't pay attention to us for a while, with two of us here, it's not impossible for us to clear a path and find a door to escape in time.

If that's the case...

Xingge hesitated slightly and glanced at Hongxia, who was still nervously observing the people in front of her.

She knew that if her guess was correct, the opportunity should arrive soon. After all, Asaka Kasakawa was clearly fed up with Shizuko Ogiyama's behavior. Even though Shinji Aketa had managed to calm her down, Shizuko Ogiyama's behavior remained unchanged; she was still chatting and walking around like a tour guide. So, Asaka Kasakawa would definitely explode again soon, and whether the second explosion would end smoothly was hard to say.

It's certain that Yuuya will take action at that time, and she and Nijika can seize that opportunity to find a way to escape. As long as they can find a way out of this area, even if that thing catches up again, they can withstand it with the protection of the Crimson Domain fragments; it shouldn't be a big problem.

However, it's unlikely that Asaka Kasaka, who first confronts the monster, will survive.

As the one who triggered the flaw in the rules of the supernatural entity, once Shizuko Ogiyama truly changes and reveals her inhuman side, Asaka Kasagawa, an ordinary person who has never encountered supernatural entities before and has not received one-on-one guidance from Takami, would absolutely not be able to calmly and rationally deal with her. She would either scream in terror and flee in panic, or collapse on the spot and be captured, and her fate would be death.

If she and Hongxia were to seize this opportunity to escape, they would have to disregard Asaka Kasaka's fate. Even if they wanted to save her, they could easily use the power of the Crimson Domain fragments to withstand the attack from the bewitched Ogiyama Shizuko and rescue Asaka. However, that would undoubtedly increase the consumption of the fragments' power. Given the current unknown number of enemies, the size of the distorted area, the exit route, and the arrival time of rescuers, it would be unwise to expend too much of their only protective force for an unstable survivor.

The greater one's ability, the greater one can be as a hero. Xingge knew very well that she was not Gao Hai, and she didn't have the power to protect too many people under these circumstances. In fact, Gao Hai had clearly told Xingge when he was guiding her that when he was weak, he could only let other players and survivors die. It was only after he became stronger that he managed to save some people. Therefore, acting within one's capabilities was an important principle that must be kept in mind.

However, I wonder if Hongxia can accept such behavior... Oh well, I'm the one who raised her to be such a kind and simple person, so let me be the bad guy, and don't let her make this choice! Anyway, when it really comes down to taking action, even if Hongxia wanted to save people, she wouldn't have the strength to do so.

Xingge quickly came up with a general plan of action in his mind, and silently led Hongxia forward. In his heart, he already considered Midori Saeko, Nakatani Yoshimi, Akita Shinji, and Kasagawa Asaka as dead men.

"..."