I’m a Max-Level Taoist Master, and You’re Throwing Me Into a Rules-Based Horror Game?! - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Others Fear Mistakes, But Not Me!

Inside the eerie world of the supernatural, Lee Jung-pil remained unaware of the disaster he had just caused.

Back in the security room, he gazed at the red dagger in his hand, his confidence swelling. An unprecedented sense of pride surged within him, as if he had accomplished something monumental—though he wasn’t sure if the folks back home had witnessed it.

In a way, this was Lee Jung-pil’s effort for them.

Yet, far away in his homeland, people were already preparing for his funeral feast.

Lee Jung-pil had become the first man to be mourned while still alive.

Experts in South Korea had predicted his chances of survival were slim. After all, he was the only contestant so far who had managed to slaughter the frozen wax statues—creatures of pure horror.

The South Korean panel of experts didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

This guy never showed bravery when he should, but when he shouldn’t, he went all out.

They’d finally gotten a fighter into the game, and now? There was barely any hope left.

Lee Jung-pil’s support rating had plummeted from second place to second-to-last.

Why not dead last? Because the actual last-place contestant was already on the verge of collapse.

Every participant had entered in normal condition, and Rossi, the Italian contestant, was no exception. But after enduring terror until 5:50 AM without food or water, his nerves and willpower had frayed. He remained curled in a corner, motionless.

If not for his screen still being lit, everyone would’ve assumed he was dead.

Lee Jung-pil at least had a sliver of hope—being a professional athlete with a special weapon gave him a slight edge.

Then there was Rahman from Egypt, the clever type. He refused to break any rules, instead relying on strategy and intel to survive.

The rules never stated that eliminating a supernatural entity was necessary to win, so he saw no reason to destroy the cryo-pods or kill the frozen wax statues. Doing so might backfire.

After all, he didn’t fully trust the female ghost’s words.

Between the fragile female ghost and the monstrous frozen wax statues, he couldn’t determine who was good or bad based on the rules alone. So, he played it safe—offending neither and harming neither.

The key likely lay in the encrypted letter he held.

Several other contestants shared Rahman’s approach.

Out of the 14 participants, only five had destroyed the cryo-pods—Lee Jung-pil being one of them. The rest either waited or searched for new hiding spots.

If the hidden compartment in the archives was provided by the female ghost, then she could easily find it too. Hiding there and waiting for death wasn’t an option.

Timing his move carefully, Rahman waited for the frozen wax statues to leave before searching the archives for a book to decode the encrypted letter.

Within five minutes, he found a cipher guide matching symbols to meanings.

But the archives, filled with bookshelves and open space, made him uneasy. He preferred the security room—his starting point, the “spawn area” for all contestants, which felt relatively safer.

Each participant had their own strategy, but Zhang Yangqing’s approach was far simpler and more direct.

He had known from the start that the female ghost was lying.

This wasn’t intuition—just basic logic. By understanding his role, he could deduce the truth.

Others saw themselves as ordinary security guards. Zhang Yangqing knew he was playing a ruthless one.

In this supernatural world, there was a clear conflict:

The wax statues wanted to escape—or kill the guards.

Zhang Yangqing reasoned that ordinary wax statues were no match for guards; they simply begged to be released.

The special ones, however, seemed intent on murder, likely to obtain something—perhaps the wax museum’s hidden secret, known only to the guards, or something only they could access.

From this, he deduced the key factor: the access card.

One detail most contestants overlooked:

Only a guard’s access card could open certain restricted doors.

Yet, the frozen wax statues could open them too, as seen on the surveillance footage.

If they truly wanted to leave, they could’ve walked out anytime.

Their presence suggested a different purpose. Reversing the female ghost’s claim, they might not be enhancing supernatural forces—but suppressing them.

Combined with their routine patrols, Zhang Yangqing concluded: They were also guards.

Most contestants assumed the frozen wax statues were the final boss, the mastermind behind the traps. Zhang Yangqing, however, saw the truth.

The female ghost had mentioned the frozen wax statues descended at fixed times daily.

Anyone familiar with proper security protocols knew:

Guards, especially those protecting valuables, patrol at scheduled intervals and must appear on camera at specific times. Otherwise, central control triggers an alarm.

The female ghost’s goal was to make the guards turn on each other.

As for why she wanted the access card? Zhang Yangqing wasn’t sure yet.

So, he decided to test his theory.

He confronted the frozen wax statue directly. If it attacked, it wasn’t a guard.

Of course, Zhang Yangqing didn’t assume his guess was flawless.

But so what if he was wrong?

If he was, he’d just kill them all.

Others hesitated, fearing both sides. Zhang Yangqing? He could take both down.

Sure enough, the frozen wax statue left without aggression—confirming his theory.

Next, he wondered: What did the access card unlock?

While others struggled to survive, Zhang Yangqing was already solving the puzzle.

After scouring the third floor, he found no hidden room.

Perhaps it wasn’t time yet.

Midnight patrols had only opened the lobby.

At 2 AM, a map was needed to unlock other areas.

The pattern was clear: He needed to find something to activate the hidden room.

So, he returned to the security room, waiting for the next phase.

That was when he crossed paths with the frozen wax statue—leading to the eerie scene that baffled everyone.

Inside the security room, while others frantically decoded letters, Zhang Yangqing only complained about the hard chair.

Soon, 6:00 AM arrived—the final patrol.

Survival hinged on this last move.

And at that moment, every contestant’s phone rang.