I’m a Max-Level Taoist Master, and You’re Throwing Me Into a Rules-Based Horror Game?! - Chapter 144

Chapter 144: “I Feel Like Standing Here Is Disrespectful to Him!”

The train car was completely enclosed, with no view of the passing scenery, making the atmosphere inside stifling.

There were no vendors pushing carts down the aisles—only prisoners and a few prison guards.

No stops along the way, just the final destination: the trial grounds known as “Paradise.”

None of the chosen contestants knew anything about Paradise, so they began fishing for useful information from the nearby prisoners—asking what kind of place it was, what dangers they might face, and so on.

During this time, Zhang Yangqing noticed a “poster” pasted on the train wall.

It looked like an advertisement for a tourist attraction, though the text was faded and blurry with age.

The image, however, was still clear: a towering tree that pierced the clouds.

Compared to it, the other trees looked like mere blades of grass.

Back then, the sky was still a clear blue, and sunlight had not yet vanished.

Logically, trains like this shouldn’t have advertisements. Its presence likely meant it was a clue.

So, Zhang Yangqing turned to his snake-eyed lackey and asked, “What’s that place?”

The lackey’s slit pupils followed Zhang Yangqing’s finger.

What he saw was something he had only heard of in legends.

After collecting his thoughts, the lackey said, “Boss, that’s the Origin Tree. They say it’s the source of all power.”

He then began explaining the story behind the poster.

According to him, the Origin Tree stood at the edge of a primeval forest, reaching a staggering height of a thousand meters.

At that time, the world still had something called the “sun”—though the lackey himself had never seen it.

A group of human explorers had supposedly discovered the tree and were awestruck by its sheer size.

Eventually, the area beneath it became a gathering place for humans.

They built villages, which slowly expanded into towns.

At first, the people living there worshipped the Origin Tree, praying for its blessings.

Perhaps because of their devotion—or maybe due to gravity—strange fruits began falling from the tree: the so-called “Color Fruits.”

When the humans ate them, their bodies underwent bizarre transformations.

Some awakened supernatural abilities, others gained beast-like strength, and a few even changed species entirely.

At first, panic spread. People believed these were “demon fruits” that turned them into monstrous abominations.

But over time, the mutated humans realized something: though they no longer looked human, they had gained power far beyond ordinary people.

Some even began to see themselves as superior.

And once that thought took root, greed followed.

Everyone wanted power. Everyone wanted to dominate.

Old rules were shattered, and chaos took over.

Greed became the spark that ignited the world’s destruction.

What followed was endless war and bloodshed.

The superhumans beneath the Origin Tree formed factions, and the battle for resources began.

The fighting lasted for ages.

Until a sage appeared—one who uncovered the tree’s secret.

He called it all a conspiracy.

“That’s no Origin Tree,” he declared. “It’s a carnivorous plant.”

The Color Fruits were bait, luring humans into war so the tree could feast on their flesh and grow stronger.

Only then did people realize: the once-thousand-meter tree was now so tall its peak was lost in the clouds.

No one knew the tree’s true goal, but the sage warned that if left unchecked, humanity would perish.

So he resolved to burn it down—to save their future.

Many faction leaders, drunk on bloodshed after years of war, scoffed.

“You think you can just destroy it?”

But in the end, the sage succeeded.

Witnesses recalled the inferno’s black smoke blotting out the sky like the apocalypse.

The colossal tree collapsed, splitting the earth beneath it and turning the land to scorched waste.

As for how the sage managed it?

Simple: he was the strongest.

His decision was final.

No one could stop him.

He didn’t care what others thought—only what he knew was right.

With the root of evil gone, the wars ceased.

The sage became a hero who saved the world.

For decades, peace reigned.

But then, one day, the sun set… and never rose again.

Dark, twisted plants began spreading uncontrollably, devouring all life in their path.

They were endless. Unstoppable.

As if avenging the Origin Tree’s burning.

And so, as the chosen contestants now knew, the world was reduced to two safe havens: Paradise and the prison.

Everywhere else belonged to the plants.

Most of the chosen contestants, hearing this, now had an idea of the dangers awaiting them in Paradise.

They could prepare, maybe even find a way to stop the coming catastrophe.

Zhang Yangqing, however, simply nodded.

If this was mentioned in the intel, it was likely the hidden objective of this trial.

But he needed one more clue to confirm.

Just as the contestants were growing uneasy, the train slowed to a stop.

“Are we at Paradise already?” muttered Gregory, blending in among the guards as he studied their surroundings.

“Not yet,” replied the Mad Scientist, a native of this world. “This is just a transfer station.”

The contestants followed the guards off the train.

Here, the path split: ordinary prisoners and death row inmates would board separate trains to their destinations.

The fork between the “Path of Survival” and the “Path of Destruction.”

But as they stepped out, the contestants were struck by the sight before them.

Ruins.

A crumbling city frozen in decay.

Towering structures of advanced technology stood half-destroyed, casualties of war—whether against other humans or the plants, no one knew.

Even in ruins, the remnants spoke of a once-great civilization.

State-of-the-art devices, machinery, and architecture lay in broken heaps, their intricate designs still visible.

According to the snake-eyed lackey, this place had once been inhabited—until a resource war broke out.

And this side had lost.

Zhang Yangqing nodded.

Even in a dying world, humans would fight over scraps.

Survival of the fittest.

On the transfer train, they finally saw the outside world through the windows.

The tunnel was transparent, revealing endless darkness beyond.

Only the train’s faint lights illuminated the grotesque trees outside.

Just like what Gregory had seen before.

Each tree was pitch-black, towering and grotesque, with corpses or bones hanging from their branches.

As the wind blew, the skeletons swayed like macabre puppets, creaking eerily.

Many contestants shuddered.

Was this the danger awaiting them?

Back in the botanical garden, even a single plant could kill them.

Now, faced with an entire forest of these things, how could they possibly survive?

The Brazilian contestant paled, but his boss—the crocodile-man prison gang leader—noticed and reassured him:

“Relax, kid. They look scary, but they’re nothing special. Once these cuffs are off, they won’t be a problem.”

The plants were terrifying, but the natives of this world weren’t pushovers.

If they were weak, they wouldn’t have survived this long.

Hearing this, the Brazilian contestant calmed down.

Like the others, he started planning—figuring out the plants’ weaknesses and how to prepare.

The Russian contestant, Goncharov, had it worst.

Alone, with no allies, he couldn’t rely on the other prisoners.

If anything, they’d drag him down.

His plan? Find a safe spot in Paradise—or ally with the natives.

Meanwhile, Abdul (the Middle Eastern contestant) and Zhang Yangqing already had a rough idea of what to do.

If they let the plants invade Paradise and wipe out 70% of its population, they could complete the trial.

Based on past experiences, they just needed to follow the script and avoid mistakes.

If the trial required outright destroying Paradise, Zhang Yangqing could manage—but Abdul, with his six-star strength, stood no chance.

Abdul wasn’t worried, though. He’d stick with the group.

From the intel, he guessed the death row inmates were here to destroy Paradise.

His role was probably to sabotage a key point, working in tandem with others to collapse Paradise’s defenses.

In short: Abdul had to play along.

Zhang Yangqing, however, could do as he pleased.

Destroying this place outright? Easy.

After passing through the blackened forests, they reached a desert.

Barren and lifeless, the sands kept the plants at bay—a natural barrier protecting Paradise.

Beyond the desert lay the city’s edge.

Prisoners grew restless with excitement. They were finally back.

The contestants braced themselves—but what they saw still left them stunned.

This was another civilization entirely. One that dwarfed their own.

Paradise.

Even from a distance, the city’s grandeur was overwhelming.

A metropolis of futuristic marvels.

With no sun, the sky was a dull gray—yet the city itself blazed with neon hues: purples, blues, yellows.

As the train entered, the towering skyline came into view.

Abstract structures defied logic:

• An oval tower, glowing like a massive eyeball.

• Bridge-like tracks.

• Pendulum-shaped buildings.

• A castle resembling a spiked hedgehog.

Skyscrapers stretched endlessly, bathed in neon.

Holographic ads and screens flickered everywhere, dazzling the eyes.

The streets were lined with dense shops, giving the impression of a sci-fi utopia.

Overhead, strange aircraft weaved through the sky—countless yet never colliding.

Were they surveillance drones? Or rescue units?

On the ground, humanoid machines handled all labor:

• Transport.

• Cleaning.

• Even handing out flyers or selling goods.

They worked in silence, never speaking.

Humans here didn’t need to lift a finger.

Machines had liberated them entirely.

People had all the time in the world to indulge.

Celebrations and festivals never ended.

This was Paradise—a haven for humanity.

Compared to the prison’s grim steel fortress, this place was vibrant and mysterious.

People of all races walked the streets, their skins varying in color, their clothes sleek with metallic and leather accents.

Viewers watching the broadcast couldn’t help but feel drawn to this world.

Many wished they could visit, experience its wonders firsthand.

But the cost was too high.

Of the 200 original contestants, only 30 had made it this far.

These survivors were the best of the best—tested by life and death.

Most viewers wouldn’t last a day in the prison, let alone reach Paradise.

But while audiences fantasized, the contestants wanted out.

Stepping off the train, they immediately felt uneasy.

The city, like the prison, was built of steel—but where the prison was orderly, this place was chaotic.

The air reeked.

For all its glamour, Paradise had a filthy underbelly.

Alleys overflowed with industrial waste.

The stench was unbearable, even for the cleaning machines.

Vomit and feces littered the streets.

Some people lay motionless, their bodies rotting, reeking of alcohol and perfume.

Passersby gave them wide berth.

This was the price of endless indulgence.

Strangely, the contestants found themselves missing the prison.

At least there, order existed.

Here?

No rules. No structure.

In this world, murder wasn’t even a serious crime.

Most contestants and ordinary prisoners were subjected to a long “introductory lecture” from the prison officials—warnings about behaving themselves in Paradise.

Pure nonsense.

If there were a “skip” button, they’d have mashed it instantly.

But in their weakened state, they had to play along, nodding solemnly.

Once the speech ended, the officials used a special device to deactivate their restraints—though the cuffs remained on their wrists.

Prisoners couldn’t just walk free.

Gregory, still disguised as a guard, finally felt his holy energy return.

Relief flooded him.

No longer a powerless prisoner.

But this time, he’d learned his lesson.

No reckless outbursts.

He’d follow the script.

With the impending disaster, even his strength had limits.

Surviving three days required strategy.

Teaming up with the Mad Scientist was his best bet.

For now, he was just like the others—playing it safe in an unknown world.

Once dismissed, the prisoners scattered like schoolkids on break.

Meanwhile, the death row inmates arrived at their terminal.

The train’s arrival sent a gust of wind rippling through the station staff’s uniforms.

Many swallowed hard.

They knew who was stepping off.

Monsters.

The doors opened, and the inmates emerged—each radiating killing intent.

Caged beasts, finally unleashed.

The atmosphere turned suffocating.

And at the front of the pack: Zhang Yangqing.

If he didn’t step out first, who would?

Calm as ever, he exuded the aura of a true powerhouse.

Behind him, the snake-eyed lackey followed like a shadow.

Only then did the other inmates file out—silent, disciplined, lining up behind Zhang Yangqing in perfect formation.

The Paradise guards and officials were baffled.

Usually, death row inmates were unruly, sneering, slouching, talking back.

This?

A military parade.

Not a single inmate dared make noise.

“Who the hell is that guy?” whispered one guard. “Why are they all scared of him?”

“Shh. Rumor says he’s a seven-star powerhouse. Watch your mouth unless you want to die.”

The guard’s face went pale.

In this world, strength ruled.

Murder wasn’t even a serious crime.

Offending a seven-star? Suicide.

“Should I kneel? I feel like standing here is disrespectful to him.”

“…Do whatever you want.”

News of the seven-star’s arrival spread instantly.

The staff straightened their postures, swapping scowls for polite smiles.

Other contestants would’ve been met with threats and warnings—the usual prisoner intimidation.

But Zhang Yangqing?

He intimidated them.

The guards transformed from jailers into welcoming attendants.