I’m a Max-Level Taoist Master, and You’re Throwing Me Into a Rules-Based Horror Game?! - Chapter 39
Chapter 39: The First Victim Makes a Grand Entrance!
The gloomy weather carried a chilling breeze.
Honestly, it was the perfect time to skip work and take a nap.
But this was the world of supernatural tales, and the chosen contestants were panicking. Driver, if you don’t start the bus soon, we might never leave!
Outside the station, the thick fog grew denser, like a demon devouring everything in its path.
Staring into the dark, swirling mist, the contestants felt as if a heavy stone had settled in their chests.
On the platform, some of the braver individuals had already begun moving toward the bus.
Those who observed closely could see their Adam’s apples bobbing nervously, and some even had strands of glistening drool at the corners of their mouths.
Inside the bus, the eight passengers didn’t seem anxious at all. None of them urged the tour guide to hurry—each was occupied with their own business, as if oblivious to the fog outside.
The bus door remained open. If this continued, the people outside might force their way in.
At this moment, Japan’s contestant, Mitarai Saburō, was the first to act.
He stood up, approached the driver, and politely woke him.
The moment the driver stirred, something strange happened.
The people on the platform stepped back. Some even turned and vanished into the mist.
After closing the door, the driver slammed his foot on the gas, and the bus sped away from the station.
“It seems these people are afraid of the driver. Maybe he’s the bus’s guardian spirit—though a conditional one. As long as I don’t provoke him, he won’t harm me.”
Watching this, Mitarai Saburō grew more confident in his judgment.
The driver is key to surviving this journey.
Once his bus took off, the other contestants quickly realized they couldn’t just sit and wait.
With uneasy hearts, they woke their own drivers. As long as the driver was awake, they could depart safely.
Most contestants handled this normally—except for the one from Ramen Country.
This contestant was a gang enforcer in real life, used to a life of violence.
Tough and hot-tempered, he barked from his seat: “Hey, driver! Start the damn bus!”
But the driver, deep in sleep, didn’t react.
Whether it was stupidity or habit, the contestant marched up and slapped the driver’s head, demanding he drive.
And with that, he became the first (and only) person to trigger a Death END.
The slap enraged the driver, who promptly threw him off the bus, shut the door, and drove away.
Against the driver’s steel-like strength, the Ramen Country contestant was as helpless as a chick.
The moment the bus left, the people on the platform pounced on him like starving tigers.
Then—the screen went black.
The Ramen Country’s analysts and audience were stunned.
- “My God, what an idiot! If he wants to die, fine—but why drag us down?”
- “Brainless thugs like him are doomed anyway. Why does our country keep getting these losers?”
- “Probably watched too many of Dragon Country’s recordings and thought he could pull off the same stunts.”
- “He’s got the attitude of a superhuman but none of the skills!”
- “Seriously, even Dragon Country’s contestant isn’t acting reckless this time. Who does this guy think he is?”
- “Honestly impressive—in a stage with almost zero death triggers, he managed to find the one way to die.”
Ramen Country had suffered back-to-back disasters in these supernatural trials. Their last contestant just waited to die; this one went out of his way to get himself killed.
Their analysts didn’t even get a chance to send a warning.
With four consecutive failures, Ramen Country’s situation was dire.
Meanwhile, in Dragon Country, Zhang Yangqing was having a much easier time—thanks to his laziness.
He simply had his pretty assistant wake the driver, saving himself the effort.
When it came to delegating tasks, Zhang Yangqing was a pro.
Dragon Country’s viewers recognized this immediately. In the last trial, he’d treated the goblin security guard like a personal lackey.
The bus had plenty of seats, but the eight passengers—aside from those traveling together—kept some distance between themselves.
Normally, the tour guide would sit near the front, by the driver.
Nobody wanted to be sandwiched between these eerie passengers. Compared to them, the driver seemed far more reliable.
The front had two seats. Most contestants took the inner seat, forcing the assistant to sit on the outside—effectively using her as a human shield.
After all, hadn’t they learned from Zhang Yangqing’s playbook? Exploit whoever you can.
Sure, it felt a little guilty to sacrifice such a cheerful, innocent assistant… but better her than them, right?
“Blame Dragon Country’s contestant—he’s the one who taught us this!” they told themselves, as if that absolved them of their choices.
It was the classic “I’m not a bad person, I’m just following orders” mentality.
But then—plot twist.
On Dragon Country’s screen, Zhang Yangqing let the assistant take the inner seat while he sat on the outside.
The assistant, a chatterbox, kept trying to make conversation. Her bright voice lightened the tense atmosphere.
But this was still the supernatural world. Most contestants only gave half-hearted replies, too busy scouring the bus for clues.
Only Zhang Yangqing engaged in relaxed, lively banter with her.
During their chat, he noticed something: the bus route map.
Rule 5 had stated: “Confirm your destination and ensure the driver stops there. If you miss it, you bear the consequences.”
This was an open-ended challenge. Choosing the right stop meant survival.
Before even boarding, Zhang Yangqing and Mitarai Saburō had already considered this. In terms of foresight, they were leagues ahead.
Soon, everyone noticed the listed stops:
- Starting Point
- Happy Graveyard
- Smiling Hospital
- Sunny Volcano Crater
- Misty Forest
- Good ‘N’ More Slaughterhouse
The last stop’s name said it all. Missing the earlier stops meant ending up at the slaughterhouse—a death sentence.
Rule 5’s “consequences” were a not-so-subtle hint.
Since the tour guide decided where passengers disembarked, the first two stops were obviously traps.
Who goes sightseeing at a graveyard or a hospital?
That left Sunny Volcano Crater and Misty Forest as the likely safe options.
But which one? That depended on further clues.
Soon, contestants found a note tucked between the seats—a new set of rules.
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