Chapter 95: A Wave of Rule-Breaking Chosen Ones!
The next morning felt like an extension of the night.
Rain continued to patter outside, casting a dreary mood. Thick clouds blotted out the sky, allowing little light to filter through. Most of the Chosen Ones kept their curtains drawn, reinforcing the illusion that darkness still reigned.
If not for their alarms, many would have mistaken the gloom for deep night. Their bodies still carried the exhaustion from yesterday, likely a lingering effect of being caught in the rain. Still, a good night’s rest had helped most recover—especially those with higher resistance among the superhumans.
Well, except for the two who had recklessly charged to their deaths early on: one by foolishly engaging the rabbit-eared savage spirit solo, and the other by sheer overconfidence.
Out of the 196 Chosen Ones who had retreated to their bedrooms, twelve never woke up. Their screens had gone dark.
A few of the deceased were even superhumans.
The causes of death varied—some had chosen the wrong room, others failed to secure their cabinets properly. Even those who sensed danger couldn’t always escape in time. Physical discomfort had dulled their judgment.
Yet, there was one small mercy: no one had been ambushed and killed by the black cat in their sleep.
Most Chosen Ones had locked their bedroom doors securely.
So far, the black cat’s only confirmed kill was that one overconfident superhuman.
In terms of achievements, Zhang Yangqing stood unrivaled. The rest hadn’t even notched their first kill.
Most alarms were set between seven and eight in the morning. In this world of horrors, adequate rest was crucial—a single lapse in focus could spell doom.
Japan’s Chosen One, Abe Hirohira, awoke feeling mostly recovered. Still, this was the first time in his life he’d slept in such miserable conditions.
No use complaining now. If I want comfort, I’ll sleep well after escaping.
Survival was the only goal.
Though his instincts weren’t as sharp as Miller’s from Eagle Country, Abe had studied enough clears to understand the basics. Anyone who’d trained to his level had some degree of intelligence.
As he got up, his loyal shikigami stood watch.
“Did anything strange happen last night?” he asked.
In a way, Abe was cheating—his multiple shikigami acted as extra eyes, monitoring blind spots. While he was out, they guarded the apartment. Dangerous tasks? Delegated to spirits.
This was an advantage no ordinary Chosen One could match.
“Master, aside from some movement in the living room, there was no major disturbance. However, shadowy figures appeared outside the window. As you instructed, I ignored them.”
Abe nodded.
Rule 12: After midnight, if something appears outside the window, pay it no mind.
Rules were rules. Investigating could invite unnecessary trouble.
Abe had learned his lesson—this wasn’t a world where he could act recklessly.
He’d shifted his mindset, now emulating the strategies of standard clears rather than the… unorthodox methods of Dragon Country’s representative.
Most survivors adhered strictly to the rules, avoiding unnecessary risks.
It might’ve seemed cowardly, but it was his best shot.
For extra caution, he even had his shikigami open the door for him.
Stepping out, many Chosen Ones noticed something odd—those with keen noses caught a faint metallic tang in the air.
Fresh blood.
Not the putrid stench of the second bedroom, but something recent.
Soon, they found a small pool of blood near the sofa.
Abe’s mind raced.
“The black cat—where is it?”
Only two possibilities: the cat, or whatever had lurked in the living room last night.
It made sense. Cabinets, drawers, and doors could be locked—according to the chain-smoker, that kept the horrors at bay.
But sofas, chairs, and tables had no locks.
Had the cat fought something here?
His shikigami had reported movement.
Following his orders, the spirit hadn’t investigated, only waking him if danger approached.
Soon, Abe spotted the black cat curled in its bed.
While feeding it, he noticed a wound on its right forepaw—small, already healing. Only a superhuman’s sharp eyes would’ve caught it.
As the cat ate, Abe’s stomach growled.
The fridge’s contents were tempting, but logic overruled hunger.
It was 8 AM. None of the Chosen Ones had eaten since arriving.
Unless they were complete fools, they’d pieced together the second challenge: Before noon, secure a way to obtain a balanced meal from the supermarket or cafeteria.
Zhang Yangqing had already planned for this last night.
Before stepping out, Abe—like many others—checked the peephole for threats.
It was almost amusing how uniformly cautious they’d all become.
Outside, the world was marginally brighter. Still overcast, still raining—but better than the suffocating darkness of night.
Abe noticed others heading out, dressed formally: morning coats, maid uniforms, pressed shirts, jackets.
Compared to the outlandish attire of yesterday’s savage landlord, these tenants seemed almost… normal.
Just as the Chosen Ones prepared to approach them, deaths began piling up.
Maple Country’s representative was shoved down the stairs, impaled on suddenly protruding spikes.
Clockwork Country’s was hunted by an elephant-nosed horror, his body snapped in half on the fifth floor.
Rose Country’s was hurled from the seventh story, dashed against the pavement.
The morning’s death toll climbed rapidly—31 in total.
Last night’s 12 deaths had seemed manageable. Now, viewers worldwide were stunned.
[What’s happening? Our Chosen One didn’t do anything wrong!]
[Is this round about surviving random attacks?]
[Then why are some unaffected?]
[Dragon Country’s guy makes sense—nothing touches him. But ours was on his second run! How’d he die so brutally?]
Most deaths stemmed from sudden ambushes by savage spirits.
Dragon Country’s audience wasn’t worried—their representative treated such encounters as free target practice.
But the attacks seemed… random.
Was this round purely luck-based?
Soon, Eagle Country’s veteran—a survivor of Horror Travel Group—provided an answer on the global channel:
[Notice anything? These victims all broke the rules for triggering supernatural events.]
