I’m a Max-Level Taoist Master, and You’re Throwing Me Into a Rules-Based Horror Game?! - Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Clues Found in the Rules!

It was said that Japan’s chosen one this time was a famous detective, and many countries’ expert teams had switched their big screens to focus on him.

The words of Mitarai Saburō indeed made many experts feel that this chosen one was truly intellectually exceptional.

Most of the other chosen ones were still in a state of confusion, their minds a tangled mess.

Some were even still memorizing the rules, as if cramming formulas right before an exam.

These individuals were basically just plugging rules into situations, hoping the “graders” would give them points.

The expert teams from these countries were itching to send messages or hints to their chosen ones with the “correct answers.”

But since they only had one chance to communicate, and it wasn’t yet a critical moment, the experts had no choice but to suppress the urge.

Japan’s expert team, however, wasn’t nearly as worried. After all, their chosen one was a genuine professional—in some ways, even more expert than the experts themselves.

Both the experts and the audience could only watch the big screen. Many details, atmospheres, and subtle cues could only be observed by the chosen ones themselves.

Seeing Mitarai Saburō so calm and composed, Japan’s expert team even felt that this communication opportunity might not be necessary at all. They trusted his judgment completely.

But if there was any team more relaxed than Japan’s, it was Dragon Country’s.

The moment the Strange Tales world descended, and they learned about the one-time communication rule, many experts who had been resting immediately got up, ready to observe carefully and provide assistance at the right moment.

This was the greatest role of the expert team.

Dragon Country had finally won once, and they wanted to keep the momentum going.

But when they saw that familiar face on the screen, they couldn’t help but feel surprised—some even wondered if they should just go back to sleep.

Even someone as steady as Hu Liuqi felt there was no need to disrupt Zhang Yangqing’s thoughts with a message.

Did this guy even need any hints? As long as he didn’t recklessly push his luck, he basically couldn’t die.

Many people thought Zhang Yangqing was just strong in terms of power, but Hu Liuqi disagreed.

Hu Liuqi felt that ordinary people’s thinking was at the first layer, most experts were at the second, he himself was at the third, and Zhang Tianshi was at the fourth?

No—Hu Liuqi suspected the Heavenly Master might be operating at the stratosphere.

Many actions that seemed reckless were, in fact, infinitely close to the perfect answer.

It made Hu Liuqi think, Maybe this is the real way to clear the stage.

But could an ordinary person really pull this off? Even he himself couldn’t guarantee it.

To put it bluntly, most of the secrets of the Midnight Wax Museum had already been deciphered by Zhang Tianshi.

But even if Hu Liuqi were sent in now, he couldn’t guarantee he’d achieve the same rating.

Because the dungeon was full of variables. A single misstep could trigger a special event—an “accident.”

It would be a mistake to assume that Zhang Tianshi’s smooth run meant there were no special events.

His sheer strength might have been enough to make those events avoid him—something Hu Liuqi knew he couldn’t replicate.

That was Hu Liuqi’s take. Now, he just wanted to see how Zhang Tianshi would perform this time.

Meanwhile, inside the Strange Tales world, the sudden approach of a figure made many chosen ones tense up.

Walking toward them was a pair of twin sisters, exuding an eerie aura.

Both had long hair, their bangs covering their eyes, but their lips were curled into faint smiles.

The strangest part wasn’t that, though—it was how they held hands, seemingly close, yet their heads were turned in opposite directions, neither looking at the other.

Just this sight alone was enough to make many chosen ones nervous.

The sisters handed over their tickets and boarded the bus without a word.

Next was an elderly woman with wrinkled skin, a basket hanging from her wrist.

The basket was covered with a cloth, obscuring its contents.

When she boarded, aside from her ticket, she also handed over a 100-dollar bill.

This was where the chosen ones had to make a choice.

If they accepted the money, they would have to fulfill her request later.

Failure to do so would undoubtedly invite something sinister.

But just as the old woman stepped onto the bus, the basket suddenly twitched, followed by a faint squeaking sound—like that of a small animal.

Zhang Yangqing seemed to notice this and stopped her, citing the bus rules.

Rule 1 explicitly stated: Please confirm whether passengers are carrying small animals, as the driver is terrified of them.

From this rule, both Zhang Yangqing and Mitarai Saburō deduced something about the driver’s identity.

They couldn’t yet determine whether the driver was a friend or an enemy.

So, for now, they had to assume he was a “neutral party.”

As a neutral entity, there were conditions under which he could become an ally—or turn hostile.

And that condition might very well be “small animals.”

Combined with Rule 4: Do not exit the bus before nightfall. The bus is your shelter; you are relatively safe inside.

The word relatively here seemed to hint at something.

From the very beginning, the chosen ones could see that many passersby at the stops seemed afraid to approach the bus.

Were they scared of the bus itself?

No—maybe they were scared of the driver.

Putting it all together, these rules seemed to suggest that the bus driver might be the biggest threat during this leg of the journey.

Only a handful of the sharpest minds might have pieced this together.

Of course, until confirmed, this was just a hypothesis—albeit a highly plausible one.

But there was another layer that most chosen ones and experts hadn’t even considered.

It seemed only Zhang Yangqing and Mitarai Saburō had noticed.

Small animals could serve three possible “purposes” here:

1. Anger the driver, prompting him to kill you.
2. Distract the driver, causing an accident—like a crash or driving off a cliff.
3. Deter the driver—if he tries to harm you, you can use the animal to scare him, since the rules clearly state his fear.

Most chosen ones hadn’t even thought this far, relying on instinct (or blind luck) when making choices.

A few might vaguely sense the consequences but wouldn’t analyze them this thoroughly.

So far, only Zhang Yangqing and Mitarai Saburō had considered things to this degree.

With this in mind, another decision arose: Should the old woman be allowed to bring the small animal on board?

Mitarai Saburō reasoned that the rules didn’t explicitly forbid animals. Whether the driver was afraid or not could be dealt with later—it was better to keep an extra safeguard.

So he instructed the old woman not to reveal the contents of her basket. After she nodded, he let her board.

Zhang Yangqing, however, took a different approach. He asked her to open the basket for inspection.

When she did, a mouse was inside.

Zhang Yangqing, sounding every bit the professional tour guide, said, “Ma’am, rodents aren’t allowed on the trip. Please release it.”

The old woman, seemingly hard of sight, replied hesitantly, “Are you sure? Maybe you should take another look…”

Zhang Yangqing: “…”

Dragon Country’s audience: “…”