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

At this moment, Kaguya Shinomiya pondered many things, but with so little information available, she was unable to draw any effective conclusions.

Soon, as the sound ended, Kaguya Shinomiya, having regained control of her body, quickly sat up and moved her hands and feet with barely perceptible movements, her gaze immediately locking onto her side.

"I go……"

On the other hand, Gao Hai's reaction was much stronger.

The sudden loss and regain of control over his body caused him intense discomfort, so he rolled off the bed. Even so, he instinctively reached for a note on the bedside table, then got up, took two steps back, and raised his head.

Their gazes met.

"Um, hey, Koni Jiwa? The weather's really nice today."

Although I don't know what to say right now, I'll just say hello anyway.

Thinking this, Takahashi waved to Kaguya Shinomiya, who was sitting on the bed, and tried his best to show an innocent smile.

"...You heard that sound too?"

Kaguya Shinomiya glanced at the note in Gao Hai's hand, got off the bed, stood by the bed, and asked, keeping a distance of about three meters from Gao Hai.

Based on the previous situation, it's highly likely that this man, like herself, was kidnapped and thrown into this place. Although other possibilities cannot be ruled out at the moment, communication is still necessary. Therefore, after a moment's thought, Kaguya Shinomiya decided to try to talk to him first.

"If you're referring to that voice that said I'd become a 'Sacrifice Game' player and that immobilized me, yes, I heard it. So, are you one of those people who were inexplicably brought into this place, just like me?"

As Gao Hai spoke, he took another step back, widening the distance between them to ensure they both felt safer.

"Really? My name is Kaguya Shinomiya. What is your name?"

From that indifferent face, Gao Hai couldn't discern any emotion from Shinomiya Kaguya, nor could he glean anything from her almost monotone words.

This black-haired girl in the Shuchi High School uniform, although her figure and posture were still somewhat immature and she didn't seem to have fully matured, had an icy aura that was completely different from how she was portrayed in the anime. Gao Hai suspected that even a young person in their twenties or thirties who hadn't experienced much in life might not be able to remain calm in front of Shinomiya Kaguya and adapt to her piercing gaze, which was like a sharp knife.

However, having lost his parents at a young age and already experienced the hardships of society, Kaguya Shinomiya's aura couldn't really affect him. Therefore, he quickly calmed down and immediately began to speak:

"My name is Gao Hai."

"Um, Ms. Shinomiya, if I'm not mistaken, you suddenly lost consciousness and woke up to find yourself here, right?"

"Me too. I was just tidying up at home, and suddenly I ended up here. Anyway, I think we might have gotten involved in something really serious. Do you have any experience with this?"

"Also, this printed paper is something I noticed before. It seems a bit out of place in this dilapidated house. I think it might have some things written on it, whether it's something written by the mastermind or something else. I think it has some value. Would you like to take a look?"

Having organized his thoughts logically, Gao Hai maintained a moderate speaking pace, holding up the printed paper in his hand as he spoke.

Although Gao Hai didn't look closely at the contents of the printed paper because he was observing the other person's actions, he still saw the line "[Shirakawa Apartment Living Rules]" after a quick glance.

The writing appears to be Chinese, meaning the other party might not understand it. However, considering she's already involved in this supernatural and bizarre event, perhaps this Kaguya Shinomiya possesses some kind of language advantage. No, wait, considering she's the eldest daughter of a conglomerate and her talent is almost superhuman, there's a good chance she can understand Chinese directly.

Takahashi maintained a cautious attitude throughout and did not approach Kaguya Shinomiya.

Firstly, there were still too many things he didn't understand about the current situation. Secondly, he remembered very clearly that in the original work of the series featuring Kaguya Shinomiya, this girl, who looked to be less than 1.6 meters tall, actually possessed considerable fighting power. She could overwhelm an average man in terms of muscle strength despite being a woman, and she could throw a 175-meter-tall high school boy to the ground and knock him unconscious with her bare hands. Moreover, she had systematically studied archery, swordsmanship, and hand-to-hand combat. In addition, his opponent was clearly in a highly alert state, unaware of the situation. He might end up like Master Ye's wooden dummy, being knocked down by her combo as soon as he went in, or even knocked unconscious on the spot.

"Put it on the table, and we can look at it at the same time."

Kaguya Shinomiya did not answer Takami's first question, but answered the second one.

She pointed to the low, round table on one side of the room, moved her feet, and walked to the side of the table, standing directly across from Gao Hai.

"Watch them at the same time?"

Gao Hai didn't quite understand what she meant. Was she planning to stand with him? But right now, she was clearly very wary and resistant to him.

“Reading the reversed text is not difficult for me; you can just put it on the table.”

Perhaps sensing Takami's confusion, Kaguya Shinomiya offered a brief explanation while maintaining a defensive stance, keeping a table between them.

"If you're sure, that's fine too."

Having understood what the other party wanted to express, Gao Hai slowly placed the printed paper on the small round table, in the center of the table. The text on the paper was facing him, so Gao Hai could read it without any difficulty. As for whether Kaguya Shinomiya herself would have any difficulty reading it upside down, since she had no problem with it, Gao Hai didn't care about being a gentleman. Although the beautiful girl was pleasing to the eye, they might be facing a life-or-death situation right now, and he didn't have that much leisure time.

After putting down the printed paper, Gao Hai let go of her hand and returned to the position where he was standing across the table from Shinomiya Kaguya. He then turned his gaze to the contents of the printed paper.

On the other side, Kaguya Shinomiya remained vigilant, also multitasking as she looked at the contents of the paper. Just as she had said at the beginning, reading the text on the upside-down paper was no challenge for Kaguya Shinomiya; she could even read the entire printed page faster than Takami and memorize all the content at a glance.

[Shirakawa Apartment Living Rules]

This is the title on the printed paper; the font is deliberately enlarged and highlighted in red, so it's easy to spot at a glance.

When you see this guideline, you've probably only just woken up in this apartment. I imagine you're still unaware of what's going on, and you might be thinking about opening the door and leaving, calling the police, or whatever else you might be thinking. But I suggest you don't do that yet. Read this guideline as quickly as possible, and memorize it. It's your only way to survive here.

I hope you understand that from the moment you were chosen by Shirakawa Apartments, you could never escape it. Adapt to these rules, strive to survive—this is the only, and necessary, thing you, we, and everyone trapped here must do.

The printed font is a very ordinary boldface, and it looks like the entire text has been deliberately bolded.

Upon seeing these words, Gao Hai instinctively felt a strong sense of unease deep within his heart. However, he tried his best to remain calm by consciously maintaining his composure and continued to look at the specific content of this so-called code of conduct.

Rules and regulations:

1.白川公寓只能在8：00至17：50之间从大门进出，非此时间段内不可进出公寓，不可从大门以外的任何地方进出公寓

(Sometimes, entering or leaving the apartment at times like 7:59 or 17:51 is safe, though this isn't absolute. But believe me, it only happens sometimes. Some people who thought they had mastered these safe times have paid the price for it, and I don't think you want to be one of them. As for trying to leave from outside the main door, like through a window, I can only say don't do it unless absolutely necessary.)

2. Do not linger outside your room after 21:00 PM.

(Stay in your room, the same room you were in when you woke up here. Once it's past 9 PM, anywhere in this apartment except your room becomes unsafe—the hallways, the stairwells—enough people have paid the price. Don't worry about the time; the clock in your room is absolutely accurate, and every clock in this apartment is absolutely accurate; they won't lie to you.)

3. When you hear a child crying and knocking at the same time, do not open the door or make any noise. Pretend no one is home until the sounds stop.

(Sometimes, the nights in this apartment can get quite unsettling, but all you need to do is pretend you don't know. Children are the biggest taboo in this building. I can't tell you too much, but you'll understand when you have the chance. But for now, all you need to know is that curiosity is the last thing you need here. If you want to survive, don't be curious.)

4. After nightfall, do not turn on the lights or make any noise indoors.

(This rule is actually a derivative of rule number 3: Don't turn on the lights, don't talk, keep your room dark and quiet, as if no one has ever lived there. This is essential for your survival. Of course, don't forget to lock the door, but that's common sense, so I probably don't need to write it down for you.)

5. There are no children in the Shirakawa Apartment. If you encounter any children in the apartment, do not interact with them and avoid them as much as possible.

(Those chosen for this apartment building have never had children; the youngest resident to date is over 20 years old. Furthermore, no one other than those chosen has ever been allowed into this apartment building—there have been no exceptions. Therefore, do not come into contact with any children you see in the apartment. Of course, you can try if you don't believe me, but you'll have to bear the consequences yourself.)

6. When children block your path and you have no way to avoid them, climb onto a tall cabinet and wait for them to leave.

(If you've ever been in an apartment hallway, you'll see lots and lots of cabinets, each about two meters tall, almost reaching the ceiling, though still big enough for a person to crouch on. These cabinets are what we managed to set up, and we usually leave some potentially useful supplies on top. If you're stuck and can still manage, climb to the top of a cabinet. Some people who broke Rule 1 have survived this way. If you're in that situation, remember to stay on the cabinet until 8 a.m.)

7. If you encounter children in the apartment and survive, do not bring up the topic anywhere, whether discussing it with others or talking to yourself, and do not even leave a written record.

(Perhaps you've already noticed that this rule deliberately avoids describing certain things. As I mentioned before, children are the biggest taboo in this apartment building. I can't tell you why; you'll understand why it has to be this way once you experience it, and I believe you'll be able to keep quiet then. Before that happens, all you need to do is try your best to follow the rules and pray you don't have that "lucky moment." If you survive, don't think you can relax when you're alone. Don't talk, don't record; many people have already paid the price for this, even implicating others.)

Room 304 does not exist in Shirakawa Apartments. Do not communicate with anyone claiming to be from Room 8.304.

(When you encounter anyone who is not a child in the Shirakawa Apartments, if you decide to communicate, the first thing you should do is determine which room they come from. As long as it's not room 304, they are trustworthy, or at least someone you can communicate normally with. But if they claim to be from room 304, do not have any further contact with them, even if they were once your friend; they are no longer. Avoid them, do not communicate with them, and if necessary you can use force, but never cause any potentially fatal or unconscious injuries—absolutely not.)

9. Guests must stay at Shirakawa Apartments for at least one day out of every three days, and you may only leave Shirakawa Apartments for a maximum of two days.

(If you think you can just escape the apartment, you're sorely mistaken. Many people think that way, but they can only leave for a maximum of two days. When the third day arrives, whether they like it or not, they will return to the Shirakawa Apartments. Moreover, they usually return at night, and what does entering the apartment at that time mean? I don't think you want to know. It's very difficult for those chosen by the apartment to truly escape, but don't give up. My friends and I, who wrote these rules, and many others haven't given up. Survive, only by surviving can we find a true path to survival.)

10. If you stay at the Shirakawa Apartment for 6 consecutive nights, you cannot stay at the apartment on the 7th night thereafter, and you cannot stay at the apartment for 7 consecutive nights.

(The number 7 seems to have some significance in the Shirakawa Apartment. Some people believe that 7 days here represents a cycle. I don't know if that's true, but I do know that people who stay in the apartment for 7 consecutive days will disappear on the 7th day, even if they stay in their own rooms. So, don't stay in this apartment all the time. Going out for a walk occasionally is good for your health, isn't it?)

By now, you should have a basic understanding of the situation in this apartment building. You might think I'm exaggerating, but believe me, these things that seem like a curse clinging to us are nothing to joke about. These are rules that every one of us here must abide by. Every single rule here was bought with human lives; treasuring them is treasuring your own life.

I am Xusheng, a long-time resident of this apartment. My room is 309. If you want to know more, you can come and find me during the day. I am usually available except on Sundays.

……

The rules, which were over two thousand words long, seemed like a lot, but Gao Hai didn't spend much time reading them.

But watching it is one thing.

The psychological trauma suffered as a result is another matter entirely.

This...this is...this isn't a supernatural tale about rules?! This is definitely a supernatural tale about rules, okay?!

My everyday life in my youth, my harem in the world of anime, the protagonist treatment in my otaku-themed novel featuring a hedgehog cat—how did I end up as a guinea pig in a supernatural tale of rules?!

Why? Tell me why?!

At this moment, Gao Hai tried his best to keep his expression calm, seemingly unperturbed, but in his heart he was already roaring.

Chapter 4: Why shouldn't I get a cheat code as the protagonist?!

Strange tales of rules.

As a unique genre that was once popular on the Chinese internet, combining elements of reasoning and horror/fantasy, Gao Hai had a deep understanding of it.

Whether it was the Zoo Ghost Stories that became an instant hit, or the various things that followed, such as Mount Dalo, Secondary Academy, Espedro City, etc., these articles, which were based on rules and regulations, went from normal to abnormal, provoking people's reasoning and thinking, and at the same time making people feel cold, and they once fascinated Gao Hai for a period of time.

However, precisely because he knew what this thing was, he had absolutely no desire to actually enter a place that was related to supernatural tales.

This is terrible! This is horrible! What did I do wrong?!

These kinds of supernatural tales, with their talk of mental pollution and delusional thinking, are child's play. They frequently involve spatial overlap, displacement, and even parallel worlds, with time reversal being commonplace. The bosses behind them are often incomprehensible and invincible entities like Cthulhu or the Supreme Being. Gao Hai isn't some legendary investigator; he's just a nobody novelist. Why should he have to suffer like this?

Would it be better to commit suicide now and be reincarnated?

Gao Hai couldn't help but start to seriously consider this question.

Then I couldn't help but think that in some strange tales, if you commit suicide, you not only won't die, but you'll suffer even greater torment.

Damn it, can't those writers who write supernatural tales be a little gentler? Don't they ever think about how miserable it would be if someone were unlucky enough to transmigrate into the world they're describing? Can't they show a little compassion for a poor protagonist like me who's been wronged by a bastard author?

"Rules of conduct?"

While Takahashi's mind was racing, Kaguya, who had read the contents even earlier than him, frowned slightly.

This so-called rule was bizarre in every way, giving her a very uneasy feeling. Although she had never believed in anything supernatural or superstitious, the strange voice and the terrifying experience of losing control of her body had shaken Kaguya's worldview to some extent. Now, seeing such a strange set of rules for living, she couldn't help but think about it.

"If this rule isn't a prank, uh, speaking of which, where's the clock in this house again?"

Gao Hai thought of the "absolutely accurate" clock mentioned in the rule, and his first thought was to find the clock in the room to confirm the current time.

At that moment, he subconsciously looked down and noticed a black watch on his left wrist.

表？

When did I start wearing a watch?

It's an unremarkable black watch with no brand or decorations, looking quite ordinary.

Before his gaze settled on the watch, Gao Hai had no idea it was there; he had no real sense of wearing anything on his wrist. Only when he noticed the watch did he finally realize he was wearing something.

Then, when Gao Hai raised his left hand to examine the watch closely, he discovered that it was covered in cracks, and only one minute hand was on the twelve-marked dial; there was no hour or second hand. The minute hand was pointing directly at the zero mark, showing no sign of moving, and Gao Hai saw no buttons or switches to adjust the hands.

What kind of weird thing is this?

Could this be my cheat code as the protagonist?