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

That eerie voice, whose source was impossible to discern, suddenly rang in my ears.

Congratulations on successfully clearing the Twilight-level dungeon: Shirakawa Apartment!

[Congratulations on successfully conquering the Twilight-level dungeon: Shirakawa Apartment. You have taken the first steps on the path to truth. We wish you all the best in reaching that path.]

[Player: Gao Hai]

[Now summarizing and evaluating individual player performance]

Your rating for this review is: s

[Congratulations on achieving the highest rating in the Twilight difficulty dungeon! Your prize has been awarded.]

Wishing you a safe and smooth journey... (sizzling sound)... arrival... (sizzling sound)...

The distorted sound seemed to be disturbed by something at the end.

Gao Hai opened his eyes, and in a daze, he saw the tape recorder, and in the dilapidated room, the small machine playing the tape he found in room 109.

Then, he heard a sound coming from the machine.

I don't understand, what exactly is your reason for helping me?

Sanchez's voice, tinged with confusion, came from the tape recorder.

Haha, I only decided to help you out of sympathy and admiration for you. Besides, a game that doesn't work properly is really boring for us, so if you can succeed, that would be great for everyone.

And then a strange, indistinct voice followed, carrying a hint of cynicism and an undisguised chuckle.

I still don't understand, who exactly are you?

Sanchez asked again.

The voice that had spoken to him coughed lightly, paused for a moment, and then spoke slowly and deliberately:

As for me, I'm really just a very insignificant guy.

It's hard to say what my name is, but if you want to address me, there's a way I think would be appropriate.

Just call me KP. Heh heh, that's right, KP is my name, got it?

.

.

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Volume One: The House of Corpses

Finish

Volume One Conclusion

The first volume of the Tales of Rules series, The House of Corpses, ends here.

Next up will be the interlude volume. The interlude of the first volume will feature the daily interactions between Kaguya, Maki, and the other two, as well as tentative interactions with the player community. There will be more portrayal of the players and descriptions of various settings. Of course, there will also be some intimate moments, which is definitely a must (laughs).

The idea of ​​writing a rule-based ghost story actually came to me quite early, around the time the Zoo Ghost Story was finished being updated. After reading the Zoo Ghost Story analysis and several other rule-based ghost stories, I had the idea to write a rule-based ghost story novel.

However, the question of how to write a novel in the genre of supernatural tales with rules has troubled me for a long time.

After all, rule-based supernatural tales are generally short, requiring readers to deduce and think from a series of rules. Novels, on the other hand, are serialized works of hundreds of thousands or even millions of words long. Novels need protagonists, plots, and various developments and twists. These elements are almost nonexistent in rule-based supernatural tales. Therefore, figuring out how to combine rule-based supernatural tales with the format of serialized novels is a very brain-intensive process.

Ultimately, however, the book's success and the readers' reactions prove that my efforts and hard work were worthwhile. Thank you all; it is your enthusiastic discussions, your subscriptions, and your support that have allowed this book to steadily complete its first volume and continue its development into the future. Six more volumes will be revealed to you, telling the stories of six more original rule-based supernatural tales. I hope you will all accompany me to the very end of this book.

In addition, the second chapter of supporting character cards for Volume 1 has been released; interested readers can check it out.

Before releasing the preview for Volume 2, well, there's something I need to mention.

That means don't press that key!

I've deleted countless posts and book reviews today. It's not easy to live, why do you have to cause me trouble just for a moment of speaking out?

From now on, I will delete any posts or reviews related to Keyboard. If you persist in this behavior, I will ban you. Discussions should only focus on aspects of the book's world. Other readers should also refrain from posting related content, interacting with Keyboard's posts or reviews, or mentioning anything related to Keyboard.

Please read the text carefully and enjoy the story. Thank you everyone.

I should post the conditions for the extras in Volume 2 in the book review section tomorrow or the day after. Readers who want to participate can reply in that pinned review section according to the format.

Next up is a preview of Volume 2:

Why is my 2D travel a strange story?

Volume Two: Claustrophobia

Passing through the deep tunnel of the Red Nut Grotto, which is 400 meters deep.

Struggling to crawl through a deathly silent cave that could only accommodate one person at a time, and was even too narrow to turn around

Is there really a way out ahead in the darkness?

Hush

Don't let the corpses know you recognized them.

Do not answer the questions coming from behind you in the passageway.

Do not pull on the rope if you are lost in the cave.

Think it over carefully

In this secluded place, where should you go?

(The scenes in the two concept art images are the level of scenarios that the main characters will face in the second volume.)

Interlude 1-01: The Blessing of the Twilight Voice and the Spiritual Blessing

Gao Hai opened his eyes.

"Unfamiliar ceiling..."

He muttered something under his breath and slowly sat up from the floor of the cabin.

Turning his head, he saw the small courtyard behind him.

There was also that two-story detached house that he had just explored after he transmigrated here.

Then turn back and look at yourself.

The burn marks have disappeared, and my whole body has fully recovered and I am now healthy.

No, that's not right, it's not just about health.

A leisurely sound seemed to gradually subside in my ears.

That change has penetrated into every single cell.

Gao Hai stood up.

He could feel his body becoming stronger than before, so strong that it had almost reached the limits of human capability, and perhaps even exceeded them to some extent. His basic qualities, such as strength, speed, and reflexes, all seemed completely different from the past, reaching a level that a normal person could never achieve in their lifetime.

"call……"

Taking a deep breath, Gao Hai stepped out of the hut, jumped, rolled three times in mid-air, and then supported himself on the ground with his little finger, standing steadily upside down.

He felt as if he had inexhaustible energy.

My spirits were lifted like never before.

Is this... a blessing?

As Gao Hai began to ponder what was going on, certain information suddenly appeared in his mind, making him realize what was happening.

After clearing the Shirakawa Apartment, as a reward for passing this level, he received a blessing from the [Sacrifice Game].

Dusk, dark night, red moon.

These are the three difficulty levels that exist in the [Sacrifice Game].

When a player completes one of the levels of the game, they will receive one of four ratings: A, B, C, or D. Players who achieve ratings A and B will receive a "blessing," granting them physical strength and lifespan that are difficult for humans to attain, or even surpass human limits. The S-rank rating is a hidden rank in addition to the four basic ratings. It is the highest rating that can only be obtained by players like Gao Hai who have found the core flaw in the dungeon's mystery and destroyed it.

Gao Hai has now received the [Blessing of the Twilight Voice], the highest level of blessing that a Twilight-level dungeon can provide him.

Blessings cannot be stacked.

If a player achieves a B-rank rating and then an A-rank rating, they will be able to increase their buff level. However, if a player has already achieved the highest rating in a dungeon of that level, and then participates in and clears another dungeon of the same level, regardless of their final rating, they will not be able to obtain any more buffs. They can only receive rewards by acquiring items or other dungeon resources.

Furthermore, only players who achieve an A-rank rating in two Twilight-level dungeons are eligible to participate in Night-level dungeons; and only players who achieve an A-rank rating in two Night-level dungeons are eligible to participate in Red Moon-level dungeons. This made Gao Hai wonder if players who achieve two A-rank ratings in Red Moon-level dungeons might encounter hidden items above the third level.

"So the reward for conquering the Shirakawa Apartment dungeon is to turn me into a little Captain America? The problem is, I'm not even in a 50/50 situation, but it does explain why those two veteran players are so physically strong."

Gao Hai shook his head and said with a sigh.

However, this kind of reinforcement doesn't seem to have much significance.

Even Old Guo, who could withstand the physical attacks of the fake Kaguya, would still be doomed in a direct confrontation with the power of the supernatural tales. Ultimately, this kind of "blessing" reward doesn't actually give players the power to resist the eeriness of the supernatural tales; instead… it gives players even more power to fight other players.

"I don't need to run faster than the ghost stories, just faster than other players. I don't need to defeat the ghost stories, just defeat other players and make them work for me? Is this the true purpose of the rewards in the sacrificial game?"

Gao Hai closed his eyes and muttered to himself, his expression gradually becoming serious.

So, what's next...?

【Thanks--】

It seemed as if I could hear that ethereal voice echoing in my ears.

Gao Hai was slightly taken aback, then felt a certain power gradually reverberating within his body, giving him a completely different and wondrous feeling, entirely different from the feeling of receiving a "blessing." It was warmer, gentler, and more profound.

He understood that this was a blessing belonging to both the girl and Xusheng.

It is unlike any obsession; it is uncontrollable, free from any contamination, and is the most sincere blessing that penetrates deep into the soul.

Gao Hai first saw the little girl, saw her smile slightly at him, and then she disappeared.

The next moment, he noticed a subtle change in his senses. He realized that from this day forward, he would be able to immediately discern whether others harbored goodwill or malice towards him. Moreover, he could also identify things that were not human but disguised themselves as human through some kind of rule, and sense their abnormalities.

His physical strength increased slightly again. He had a stronger resistance to hunger, pain, and other sufferings that had once plagued the girl, and his healing speed after injuries also improved.

Furthermore, he seems to have developed a greater fondness for sweets.

A blessing from the spirit?

Can you still get such a reward by dismantling the core of the ghost story and unlocking the dungeon?