I’m a Max-Level Taoist Master, and You’re Throwing Me Into a Rules-Based Horror Game?! - Chapter 43

Chapter 43: “If You Don’t Want a Beating, Hand It Over!”

Seeing the hooded passenger’s eyes burning with rage, Zhang Yangqing remained expressionless.

What other chosen ones didn’t dare to do was their problem—not his.

Faced with Zhang Yangqing’s demand, which felt more like a robbery, the hooded passenger gritted his teeth so hard they nearly shattered, as if he had suffered an unbearable insult.

How could he tolerate this? If he endured it, he’d be a damn coward.

The hooded passenger snapped. He tried to lunge forward, aiming for Zhang Yangqing’s neck—close enough to strike.

THUD!

A heavy impact echoed through the carriage.

Before the hooded passenger could even stand, Zhang Yangqing moved faster, driving his knee into the man’s stomach. The brutal force sent a wave of agony through his abdomen, muscles spasming as he doubled over, retching violently. He couldn’t even muster the strength to straighten up.

Zhang Yangqing’s strike was so swift that the hooded passenger barely registered the blur of motion before pain overwhelmed him.

Viewers watching the live feed didn’t even see the attack—just a flicker of movement—before the hooded passenger was left clutching his stomach in torment.

Even with his mask on, his widened pupils screamed pure, bone-deep suffering.

Pain. Unbearable pain.

“I’ll ask one last time—are you paying up or not?”

Zhang Yangqing showed no sympathy for the man’s agony.

Mercy won’t keep you alive in this world.

If he were weak, this passenger would’ve killed him without hesitation.

You tried to kill me first. So don’t complain when I make you regret it.

And let’s be clear—I haven’t even killed you yet.

“No!”

To his credit, the hooded passenger stood his ground, defiance burning in his eyes. He refused to bow to injustice!

Zhang Yangqing nodded in respect for his courage.

Then—WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! WHAP!—he unleashed five brutal slaps across the man’s face.

Respect is one thing. Discipline is another.

“Stop! I’ll pay! I’ll pay, damn it!”

The hooded passenger scrambled to pull out 200 bucks, shoving it at Zhang Yangqing with trembling hands.

His speed was almost impressive—as if delaying another second would mean death.

The defiance in his eyes had vanished, replaced by raw fear.

At first, he’d thought he could fight back. After five slaps, he realized—there was no fighting this monster.

The gap in strength was undeniable.

This is a damn robbery! Fine, I surrender!

Zhang Yangqing pocketed the cash without a second thought.

That’s more like it. I even gave you a reason to pay—consider that mercy. Why make it harder on yourself?

Hand it over early, and you wouldn’t have gotten beaten.

Next, Zhang Yangqing moved down the line, demanding payment from the other seven passengers.

The message was clear:

“If you don’t want a beating, hand it over.”

He didn’t know how many gas stations lay ahead, but he’d make sure he had enough cash for all of them.

Man, woman, young, old—once you’re on my bus, you play by my rules.

The muscular passenger in the tank top paid 300 elegantly—clearly, money wasn’t an issue for him.

The others coughed up 100 or 200 each.

No one refused.

Not after seeing what happened to the hooded passenger.

When your tour guide hits that hard, you don’t question whether he’ll do it—you just assume he will.

And since resistance was futile, paying up was the smarter move.

Watching them all comply so easily, the hooded passenger seethed.

“Why the hell did you pay him?! You should’ve fought back! Now I just look like an idiot!”

His anger wasn’t just from the beating—it was from being the only one who got beaten.

Someone had to take a stand. But when no one else joined in, the group’s instinct for self-preservation kicked in.

Why challenge the guide when you’ll just end up beaten—and everyone else will just watch?

This was the “bandwagon effect” in action.

The only scenario where Zhang Yangqing might’ve backed down was if all the passengers rebelled at once.

Rule 14 was clear: Losing all passengers meant death.

But from the moment they boarded, Zhang Yangqing had been observing them.

He understood human nature too well.

If these passengers had been chatting, bonding, forming connections—he wouldn’t have resorted to such extremes. That kind of unity could’ve been dangerous.

But these people? They kept to themselves, distant, indifferent to each other.

No bonds. No loyalty. Just strangers sharing a bus.

And that made them easy targets.

I’m a tour guide, after all. Observing my passengers is part of the job.

Some passengers you can squeeze. Others, you can’t. I know the difference.

This is the Rule World. Since when do tour guides play by normal rules?

In Zhang Yangqing’s mind, surviving here required three things:

1. Understand the role you’re playing.

2. Use your strengths to dictate your actions.

3. Throw out “normal human” thinking.

With that mindset, the path was clear.

As the tour guide, he controlled one critical resource: the passengers.

Were they guests to be cared for? A source of income? Tools to be used?

That depended on how you saw them.

Zhang Yangqing had made his choice—and he acted without hesitation.

Next checkpoint requires money? Fine. I’ll get it from the resources I control.

Weaker players might beg or work for tips.

But why would I—with all my power—waste time negotiating?

What’s the point of strength if I don’t use it?

This was a tour group. Once they boarded, they should’ve expected to be exploited.

If he were weak, they’d be the ones feasting on him.

You don’t treat me like a human? Then don’t expect me to treat you like one.

While other chosen ones agonized over gas station fees, Zhang Yangqing had already secured enough cash.

If Mitarai Saburō represented the player making all the right choices, Zhang Yangqing was the one writing the answers on the board.

The experts analyzing his screen weren’t just watching—they were waiting for the solution.

So they could feed it to their own chosen ones.

But Zhang Yangqing’s approach had one catch:

This is an open-book test… but even if I let you copy, you still couldn’t pull it off.