[Issuing horror tale clearance rewards...]
[Dragon Country has gained 20% National Fortune. All citizens are immune to disease for one month.]
Drenched in the pouring rain, Chi Mu took a deep breath of the long-lost fresh air and smiled.
[Ding! System has detected widespread confusion among viewers regarding the Host's escape from the hotel.]
[Once the Host explains it, the final system reward will be issued.]
Chi Mu cleared his throat and began speaking to the air—he knew the live broadcast was still on, and everyone could hear him.
"I was able to leave the hotel because the escape method was hidden in the rules of Sequence One all along."
"Rule 6 of Sequence One states: During the meeting with your online lover, you must follow the rules. I had already uncovered the truth behind all the killings in the hotel, which means the system no longer considered me as being 'in the middle of the meeting with Yang Qu.'"
"So, Rule 6—You cannot leave the hotel unless your online lover asks you to—no longer applied. In the world of horror tales, it's not just about obeying the rules. It's about using them."
Hearing his explanation, Qin Jianghe's eyes lit up with realization, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"So that's it! We, the Dragon Country's think tank, are some of the best minds in deduction, but we were too focused on obedience. We completely overlooked the rules themselves… What a brilliant young man!"
In the Dragon Country live stream:
—"So the method to escape the hotel was there all along in the rules! I thought that line was just a restriction!"
—"Mu God, take my knees. Absolute legend!"
—"Baka yarou! How did we in Baka Country miss such an obvious clue?!"
Everyone was amazed at Chi Mu's insight and careful observation.
That's right—the real escape route had always been in the rules. And not just any rule, but one from the very first sequence. It appeared so early that most had completely overlooked it.
Then, the system's mechanical voice echoed once more in Chi Mu's mind:
[Ding! Host has completed the explanation. Final reward granted.]
[Reward: Immunity from one instance of horror tale corruption.]
"This is a great reward," Chi Mu mused. "It gives me a margin for error in the next tale."
Just then, a thunderous boom echoed through the city, followed by the long whistle of a train.
A massive locomotive pulled up in front of Chi Mu, its doors slowly creaking open.
Then came the eerie, mechanical announcement:
[The next horror tale is beginning. All players who survived "My Creepy Online Lover" must continue to the next round.]
[Besides Dragon Country, a new Chosen One will be randomly selected in each Blue Star nation.]
[Title: Rules of Horror - The Seven-Day Train]
[Difficulty: S-Rank.]
[Tale Overview: This is a train bound for heaven. Angels ride this train... but so do demons. One thought leads to salvation, another to damnation. If you want to reach paradise, you must uncover the demon's true face.]
Chi Mu's brows furrowed. An S-Rank tale? This one was even more dangerous than the last!
After a moment's hesitation, he stepped aboard the train.
Simultaneously, the live broadcasts across other nations reactivated, showing the faces of each country's new Chosen One standing before the train.
Each held a ticket in hand, indicating their car number and cabin assignment.
—"Urah! This time, our comrade from Bear Country will surely make it!"
—"Yoshi! Our Baka Country Chosen One is none other than Mauri Kawashiro, a renowned mystery writer! Redemption is at hand!"
—"Dragon Country friends, we of Kimchi Country are your allies! Let's share information, okay?"
Once on board, Chi Mu saw a stream of passengers shuffling about, looking for their assigned seats or cabins.
"Angels and demons ride this train. I need to gather information—fast."
He glanced down at his ticket. Car 5, Compartment 520.
Navigating through the packed aisles and pushing past the crowd, Chi Mu finally found his compartment after passing through three train cars.
"Dear passengers, this is your conductor speaking. The train will depart in one minute. Please mind your step and stay safe."
The intercom crackled with the calm voice of a middle-aged man.
Chi Mu stepped into his compartment, which turned out to be a four-person mixed dorm-style room—cramped, but decent.
"Hello there, young man," greeted an elderly gentleman lounging on the top bunk near the window.
"Good evening, sir," Chi Mu replied politely, then began scanning the rest of the cabin.
There were four bunks in total, arranged in two layers. Three were already occupied. The only empty one was the bottom bunk near the door.
Chi Mu sat on his bed and immediately noticed a folded A4 paper resting on the mattress.
[Rule Sequence One]
The train ride will last seven days.
All time displays on this train—watches, clocks, devices—may be incorrect.
The true passage of time does not exist aboard this train.
Drinking water inside your cabin is strictly forbidden. However, you must drink at least six bottles of 3L water daily.
If a red dog's head appears in your window, do not make eye contact. If you do, it will board the train.
Once the corridor lights go off, you are allowed only one trip to the bathroom.
If the conductor calls your name during ticket inspection, do not respond.
Angels aren't always angels, but demons are always demons.
Your fellow cabin passengers may disembark mid-journey. Their spot will not remain vacant. A new passenger will replace them.
Feeling sleepy on the train is normal.
As he read, Chi Mu immediately spotted inconsistencies.
Then, the system's mechanical voice echoed again:
[Ding! Host has obtained new rules.][System function activated: Highlighting one false rule.]
The final rule—"Feeling sleepy on the train is normal"—was highlighted in red.
"So it's not normal to feel sleepy here?" Chi Mu murmured, now fully alert.
He turned his attention back to the rest of the rules.
Rules 4 and 6 clashed hard: drink 18 liters of water a day, but only use the bathroom once at night?
That was clearly impossible. On top of that, drinking inside the compartment was forbidden.
Other rules were just as strange. Chi Mu's eyes swept the room, observing his fellow passengers.
Besides the friendly old man, there was a bespectacled young man about Chi Mu's age, and a scruffy middle-aged man with a five o'clock shadow.
Outside, the train roared to life, pulling out of the station.
Chi Mu's second nightmare tale… had officially begun.