I’m a Max-Level Taoist Master, and You’re Throwing Me Into a Rules-Based Horror Game?! - Chapter 113

Chapter 113: I Couldn’t Act Earlier, but Now You Dare Provoke Me? (Please subscribe, please vote for monthly tickets!)

Bar Drinking Rules:

[Rule 1: You may drink alcohol given to you by someone of the opposite sex, but you must not let them see you drinking it.]

[Rule 2: You must not drink alcohol given to you by someone of the same sex, but do not refuse—they will be very unhappy.]

[Rule 3: You must drink four full glasses of alcohol before leaving the bar.]

These three rules sounded strange, causing many chosen participants to hesitate outside, observing and trying to decipher them in advance.

The first two rules clearly outlined the conditions for being attacked: drinking in front of someone of the opposite sex or refusing alcohol from someone of the same sex would trigger an attack.

That was the literal meaning of the rules.

After reading them, Zhang Yangqing had already grasped their essence.

In fact, he understood them better than anyone else.

Combining all three rules, Zhang Yangqing interpreted them as [No Rules at All].

For him, the only real concern was food and drinks.

The items in this strange world weren’t something you could casually consume.

The challenge of this stage was to get alcohol from someone of the opposite sex and drink it without them noticing.

Winning the favor of the opposite sex was the real difficulty of the bar challenge.

Zhang Yangqing didn’t even need to try—he had already brought two women with him. Even if he hadn’t, simply sitting down would have attracted female attention.

Drinking in front of them? He could probably vomit in front of them without consequence.

If you dare attack me, the one dying won’t be me.

This time, it wasn’t just the viewers from the Dragon Kingdom—even international audiences were feeling envious.

• This is too much. This transcendent from the Dragon Kingdom keeps breezing through these challenges just by relying on his looks. (IP: Indus Republic)

• Honestly, even I can see how huge an advantage good looks are in this stage. (IP: Ursus Federation)

• I refuse to believe he can keep coasting on his looks forever! (IP: Sakura Empire)

• Though I am curious how Cardinal Greco will handle this stage. (IP: Eagle Union)

• As a holy man, this might be his weak point. (IP: Britannia Dominion)

Most people could see that this stage posed no real challenge for the Dragon Kingdom’s chosen participant.

Even if they didn’t want to admit it, deep down, no one believed he’d run into trouble here.

Even if he did, his combat prowess was still a reliable fallback.

The chosen participant from the Football Kingdom, Edson, was like most others—he observed the bar for dangers before entering.

Peering through the open door, he saw that the place was packed.

Rows of muscular men sat inside, their chiseled physiques and beast-like eyes radiating intensity.

Even as they drank, Edson felt their gazes piercing through him.

It was as if they were waiting for the chosen participants to step inside.

The atmosphere was thick with menace.

Before even entering, a wave of oppressive energy washed over him.

Glancing at the bar’s name—Sinking Bar—he gulped.

Doesn’t this place sound a bit… ominous?

Despite the heavy atmosphere, he reminded himself that as long as he didn’t break any rules, he should be fine.

Steeling himself, Edson stepped inside.

Following convention, he didn’t immediately approach any women.

First, he memorized every detail of the bar, mentally simulating potential dangers.

The bartender was a man in formal attire, and there were three other male waitstaff.

Unfortunately, all the staff were male—otherwise, he could have tried getting alcohol from a waitress.

“Ah! Why didn’t I think of that?”

The thought of waitresses made him want to slap himself.

This stage was actually simple—practically a free pass.

He could have befriended a waitress outside, had her come in to serve him four drinks, then sent her away while he drank in secret.

But now that he was inside, he couldn’t leave until he’d finished four glasses.

So he scanned the bar’s patrons.

The gender ratio wasn’t terrible—aside from the row of men near the entrance, there were quite a few women inside.

The ratio was roughly three-to-one, with around a dozen women present. Plenty of opportunities.

But here was the problem: most of these women were either with male companions or already being approached.

If he tried to ask someone’s girlfriend for a drink, or if he tried to “steal” someone else’s target, would he get beaten up?

The best approach might be to wait near the entrance for women who had just arrived.

Edson had a plan, but he hesitated. Something about this stage felt off—it shouldn’t be this straightforward. Yet, he couldn’t pinpoint why.

So, while other chosen participants were already using their silver tongues to secure a drink or two, Edson remained frozen in place.

Football Kingdom viewers were baffled. Does Edson have gynophobia?

Even more conflicted was the chosen participant from the Eagle Union.

He was transgender—male in appearance but identified as female.

So he debated: should he ask men or women for drinks?

After much deliberation, he realized: This is the Strange World. Local societal rules don’t apply here.

If he wanted to survive, he had to play by the Strange World’s rules.

So he sat at a table with several women and started chatting them up.

Most chosen participants didn’t encounter major pitfalls in this stage, nor did they face trouble from same-sex patrons.

The approach was simple: “I’m thirsty but can’t afford a drink—mind sparing me one?”

This worked best with women near the bar.

The most audacious strategy belonged to the Britannia Dominion’s chosen participant.

A self-proclaimed playboy, he was a natural at picking up women.

He first ordered a drink for himself, then, spotting a female patron sitting alone, casually slid into the seat beside her and offered his glass.

“This drink suits you. If you don’t like it, you can give it back.”

If she handed it back, he’d have successfully obtained alcohol from a woman.

Then, he could drink it where she couldn’t see.

There was even a trick to his drink choices—he ordered types women typically disliked.

Though he occasionally misjudged, he completed the task quickly.

Soon, the Britannia Dominion’s participant finished and exited the bar.

Normally, clearing a stage came with rewards.

But as he searched, he suddenly felt dizzy.

His movements became sluggish.

“Is the alcohol just that strong?”

It wasn’t just him—many participants who’d left were experiencing similar symptoms.

Some even “felt” the cruise ship violently rocking, as if it were sinking.

Others “saw” terrifying sea creatures lurking nearby.

Panic spread. No one knew what was happening.

Meanwhile, Edson, still inside the bar, suddenly snapped to attention.

He realized what this stage was truly about.

If the first two stages tested time, this one tested speed!

So, he used his method to secure drinks from women—but didn’t consume them immediately.

After collecting four glasses, he retreated to a corner near the exit, faced the wall, and downed them all in one go.

This ensured no one saw him drinking.

The exit appeared. He bolted.

What followed was pure speed and adrenaline.

Just as he’d guessed, his vision blurred. “Hallucinations” set in.

Bizarre sights flooded his mind.

This triggered Rule 16: If you begin hallucinating, locate a bar that is not on the 5th floor and order a Bloody Mary.

Edson’s earlier hesitation stemmed from suspicion—this stage felt too straightforward.

The conditions for being attacked were spelled out too clearly.

That wasn’t the Strange World’s style.

He suspected hidden dangers.

Hence, he recalled Rule 16.

Hallucinations didn’t occur randomly—there had to be a trigger.

Since Rule 16 mentioned bars, the hallucinations likely originated there.

The bar’s rules also mandated drinking. The connection was obvious.

The best strategy was to drink last, then—without using Elevator No. 3—find a bar that wasn’t on the 5th floor.

As Edson’s hallucinations worsened, he finally spotted a bar on the 9th floor.

He’d visited this floor earlier with a tourist—there had been no bar then.

Its appearance now confirmed he was on the right track.

Dodging “traps” on the floor and “falling debris” (all hallucinations, but terrifyingly real), he stumbled toward the bar.

Soon, he arrived at Sinking Bar.

Inside, only the bartender remained. The decor was completely different from before.

The previous bar had been luxurious, with shelves of exquisite liquor.

This one looked like a centuries-old wreck, decayed and overgrown with seaweed.

The bottles on the shelves were cracked and broken—hardly fit for cocktails.

The bartender moved mechanically, polishing a glass with a blackened rag of dubious age.

“One Bloody Mary, please.”

Edson’s words seemed to activate the bartender, who placed a glass before him.

Then, from who-knows-where, the bartender produced bottles of unidentifiable liquids, pouring them into the glass.

The mixture frothed and bubbled, darkening to a sinister crimson-black.

“Your Bloody Mary is ready. Enjoy.”

With that, the bartender resumed polishing another glass, as if nothing had happened.

Edson stared at the witch’s brew before him and swallowed hard.

His hallucinations intensified. The ship seemed to sink, seawater creeping closer.

There was no time to waste.

Gritting his teeth, he downed about a third of the bubbling, blood-red concoction.

Instantly, the hallucinations vanished. Everything returned to normal.

He stood alone on the 9th floor.

No bar. No people.

If not for the half-finished Bloody Mary in his hand, he might have dismissed it all as a hallucination.

Calming himself, Edson exhaled deeply. He carefully stored the remaining drink.

The smarter participants knew: the real reward of this stage was the Bloody Mary.

Only by triggering hallucinations could you obtain it.

Those who drank it all would struggle in later stages.

Since it was a reward, the Bloody Mary could likely save someone’s life when needed.

Though there was a workaround—you could always go back for another.

But that wasted time, and the second attempt might be even more dangerous.

Nineteen chosen participants had already died in this stage.

The Maple Dominion’s participant, for instance, drank too slowly.

He’d consumed his first glass immediately and hadn’t even finished the required four before hallucinations struck.

Under their influence, he couldn’t tell if the next person offering a drink was male or female.

Drinking the wrong alcohol or refusing a same-sex offer triggered an attack.

Thus, unless you had the Britannia Dominion participant’s quick-talking charm, the safest approach was to save all four drinks for the end.

Those who drank the first glass immediately and moved too slowly never made it out.

Edson had been slow to secure drinks, but by saving them, he cleared the stage.

The much-anticipated Cardinal Greco—making his first appearance representing the Pasta Republic—opted for brute force.

(Note: The Holy See was too small, and most of its people had fled when the Strange World emerged. The remaining few, unwilling to face constant challenges, migrated to the neighboring Pasta Republic.)

Greco’s approach was simple: take what he wanted.

He demanded alcohol from female patrons—whether they wanted to give it or not!

If they triggered an attack condition, so be it. After two women were injured, the rest complied.

No finesse. Pure efficiency.

As for Zhang Yangqing? He just waltzed in with his two female companions, drank, exited, and collected his Bloody Mary.

Effortless.

If you called it low-difficulty, well, there was some skill involved.

Namely, resolving problems before they arose.

But that kind of skill wasn’t something just anyone could replicate.

All anyone could do was watch in envy.

Every participant who obtained a Bloody Mary wasted no time. They found waitstaff, secured lidded containers, transferred the drink, and concealed it on their person.

Next came deep breaths.

Because they all knew: the next stage was the real life-or-death challenge.

The 10th Floor: Open-Air Swimming Pool.

Also the destination of those three silver-masked tourists with the fishy stench.

Those three had traumatized many participants.

The sheer helplessness they inspired lingered like a nightmare.

Edson had genuinely believed he would die earlier. Given another chance, he’d never have volunteered for this suicide mission.

He wasn’t even sure how the experts had talked him into it.

In the heat of the moment, patriotism had clouded his judgment.

But now, calmer, he accepted that some things couldn’t be avoided. As long as he followed the rules, the silver-masked tourists couldn’t touch him.

One observation stood out: not all silver-masked tourists carried that smell—only some did.

When he overheard a waiter heading to the 10th floor to deliver fruit, he quickly tagged along.

At least the ship’s staff offered some psychological comfort.

Unfortunately, the yellow-uniformed waiter who’d helped him earlier couldn’t accompany him—not by choice, but by restriction.

Otherwise, he might have coasted through this stage too.

Upon reaching the 10th floor, Edson searched for rules.

But after scouting the entrance area, he found only a few posted:

Open-Air Swimming Pool Rules:

[Rule 1: You may try to fulfill requests from gold-masked tourists. They can help you.]

[Rule 2: Remember your identity—this is crucial!]

[Rule 3: If you wish to swim here, you must wear diving equipment.]

[Rule 4: They fear cats, but there are no cats aboard the ship.]

As Edson pondered, the elevator doors opened behind him.

Before he could react, a tall figure bumped into him, knocking him down.

A gold-masked male tourist.

In Edson’s eyes, this was someone to appease.

Not only could he not show anger, but he also had to remember his identity (Rule 2).

So he stood, bowed deeply, and greeted the tourist respectfully.

The gold-masked man glanced at him, nodded, and walked away without a word.

For Edson and others, this was a chance encounter—and an opportunity.

The rules hinted that gold-masked tourists were approachable, since this one had acknowledged him!

But for Zhang Yangqing?

Are you looking to die?

Earlier, I couldn’t act because I didn’t know the rules.

Now, you still dare provoke me?