Rule Horror Author: AmaoZhao Chapter 1: The Rule Horror Descends: Global Broadcast 【Welcome, Savior, to the Rule Horror World】 【Your success or failure will determine whether the Rules descend upon your country】 In a room with an antique atmosphere, the ethereal notification sound lingered in the air for a long time before finally fading away. Zhao Yu, sitting on the edge of the bed, wore a blue shirt. After touching the hair bun that had suddenly appeared on his head, his expression involuntarily turned grim. "I am actually the person chosen for this Rule Horror World... and in an ancient setting with the most casualties..." Ten years ago, Rule Horror descended upon the world. From that day on, every country would randomly select a Savior to enter the Rule Horror World. The entire process would be presented to the public via live broadcast. After all, once a Savior died, the corresponding Rule Horror would randomly descend upon a city in the host country, and what awaited would be endless death! Zhao Yu had originally been thinking about how to copy answers and avoid pitfalls in the live stream. But to his surprise, in the next second, he found himself here... He no longer had any answers to copy, because the entire nation was waiting to copy his answers. Although his mood was extremely poor, Zhao Yu did not hesitate. Instinctively, he began to scan his surroundings. According to the patterns of these past ten years, upon entering a Rule Horror, one would receive a set of Rules, which would definitely be found in a place accessible at that moment. Following the Rules did not guarantee clearing the horror, but it definitely ensured living as long as possible. At the same time, all citizens of China were also looking at Zhao Yu through the Rule Horror APP. He appeared pale and his heart was pounding, yet he was still constantly observing the room. Instantly, countless Danmaku appeared. "Long live China! The new Savior didn't cry and wail like that guy last month!" "I don't ask for him to clear it; I just hope he can live as long as possible so the country can learn more and help him in three days...." "Damn, an ancient setting. This is bad. If his behavior doesn't fit the era, he'll die too..." "Why panic? This is China's ancient background. People from other countries are even more panicked than us! As long as we stay calm for three days, the country can help..." On the internet, everyone discussed this fervently. In China's Command Center, the high-level officials gathered were also in heated discussion. "This Zhao Yu is just an ordinary electronic factory worker. His physical fitness is mediocre, and he has never received special training. This time, our China is in danger again!" "I say the top priority is to evacuate the cities where the Rule Horror might descend! Do you really think someone like that can clear it?" "That's enough! Zhao Yu now represents our China. He is risking his life to fight for a slim chance of survival for us! How can we abandon our own Savior first!" As soon as these words were spoken, the entire room fell silent. Dozens of screens flickered... not only broadcasting Zhao Yu's location, but also showing footage from other countries. No one spoke again; instead, with heavy and solemn faces, they continuously recorded everything that might be useful... Saying more now would be useless. The only function of their Command Center was that, after the Savior survived for three days, they could edit a message of no more than 20 characters to provide Zhao Yu with as much information about breaking the puzzle as possible. Suddenly, the command room shook, and a large man shouted loudly. "Zhao Yu found the Rules...." "Quick, write down the Rules immediately..." ..... Rule Horror World. "I hope the Rules are simple..." Zhao Yu had already found the Rules card inside his own sleeve. Ghost Bride [6 Stars] Seeing the difficulty, Zhao Yu felt his scalp tingle. The highest difficulty recorded so far was only 5 stars. That Rule Horror not only lasted for nearly half a year, but required a countless number of Savors to be replenished, using human lives to stack up the clues to clear it! If it were not for the fact that the killing speed of that Rule Horror wasn't fast enough, half of the cities would have no living people left by now. Just as Zhao Yu was preparing to steel himself to look at the Rules.... "Detected host contact with Rule Horror.... Winner System activation successful..." Zhao Yu's face lit up with joy immediately, and instinctively he opened the panel. Host: Zhao Yu Sanity Recovery Count: 3 (Max 3 times, refreshes upon entering a new Rule Horror, does not stack) Clearing Solution Count: 1 (Max 1 time, refreshes upon entering a new Rule Horror Instance, does not stack) Owned Rules: None P.S.: There is no solution to Rules; only Rules can counter Rules. Please master the Rule that belongs to you. Zhao Yu's mind was seized by immense joy. The most scalp-tingling aspect of Rule Horror was the erosion from the Rules! Regardless of whether you made mistakes, you would gradually lose your sanity and might even forget the Rules... and then you're done. His System could allow him to recover his sanity points. Frankly speaking, it was equivalent to him having three extra lives compared to other Savors! The Clearing Solution was even more straightforward... one could only say, the System was dominant! However, what was the difference in the refresh counts for the two? Zhao Yu didn't quite understand for now. One was a new Rule Horror, and the other was a new Rule Horror Instance.. Did it mean that outside of the Rule Horror Instance he was in, there were actually more horrors? As for mastering his own Rule... he would only have the qualification to investigate that after clearing this Rule Horror. Zhao Yu did not rush to use the System, but quickly looked at the Rules... If he delayed too long, the note containing the Rules would disappear! If he failed to memorize the Rules... even with the System, he would die! 【1, You are a refined and elegant scholar. Do not lose your Refined Elegance and disappoint the Bride!】 【2, Please personally help the Bride comb her hair daily at the third quarter of 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM!】 【3, Before the wedding ceremony begins, there are only four people in the Home: you, the Bride, your younger brother, and your Mother. If you see anyone extra, please drive them away!】 【4, There are only five rooms in your Home: three bedrooms, one main hall, and one Kitchen. If you see any extra rooms, please ignore them!】 【5, The Groom and the Bride will not meet before the wedding ceremony. If you see the Bride before the ceremony, please ignore her!】 【6, Your wedding has only invited three Old Suona Craftsmen. If there are other instruments or more than three Suona Craftsmen, please drive them away!】 【7, As an unwedding blessed by no one, your wedding will have no guests or elders. If you see elders, please welcome them warmly, and refuse all their requests!】 【8, The Bride likes you very much, and you also like the Bride very much. Please give the Bride a perfect wedding!】 After memorizing the Rules, Zhao Yu involuntarily shook his head slightly. Without the System, facing these Rules, his death would be certain. There were too many conflicting Rules! Let's leave the others aside. Rule 2 required him to help the Bride comb her hair? Rule 5 required him to ignore the Bride before the wedding ceremony? The initial Rules would not be wrong. In other words, both Rules were correct... And there were Rules 3 and 7. Rule 7 said there would be no guests or elders. Was the "Mother" in the Home an elder? Was he expected to drive her out on the day of the marriage? Forget about the ancient setting. Even in a modern setting, driving out your own mother on the day of the marriage? That would be seeking death! Chapter 2: 6-Star Difficulty: Ghost Bride "I hope the System doesn't let me down..." Zhao Yu didn't hesitate; he immediately used his chance to request a clearing plan from the System... Waiting for the opening ambush from the Rule Horror World was a luxury he couldn't afford. Before long, a flash of enlightenment rose within Zhao Yu's mind. What surprised and unsettled him was that the clearing plan didn't tell him what to do. Instead, a single rule—one he had just memorized—appeared. (The Bride loves you, and you also love the Bride. Please give the Bride a perfect wedding!) Was this the so-called method for clearing? What did it mean? Grind favorability with the Ghost Story? Impossible. In the past ten years, many had tried, but it never worked... The Ghost Story followed the Rules! No matter how high you raised your favorability, the moment you violated a rule, the Ghost Story immediately turned hostile! In other words, while the 'Bride' might genuinely love 'Zhao Yu', the consequences of violating rules 2 and 5 were certain death. "Boom boom boom...." The pounding on the door suddenly erupted with frenzy. It was as if a beast outside were trying to break through the door and enter. Accompanying it was an extremely piercing roar from outside: "Brother, what are you doing in my room!" "Come out!" "Get the hell out there!" The roar grew louder, the vibrations shaking the room itself. Zhao Yu stood up, cold sweat streaming down his face: "This isn't my room?" ...... The real world. Although the time had been brief, Zhao Yu's identity information had long been dug up by netizens... A very ordinary identity: an orphan, with no relatives or friends, a plain schooling, a plain graduation, and a plain job. Many Danmaku comments floated across the screen. "Isn't this the Savior Zhao Yu's room?" "Rule 4, five rooms, the Bride definitely has her own room, the Mother has one... If it's not his, where does Zhao Yu live?" "It's over... I knew it was over... 6-star difficulty... waaah..." "Why the panic? Can't he just live with his little brother?" "Where did this idiot come from? This is a Rule Horror, not 'The Wiggly Family'! If his little brother just says a word to him, it's guaranteed erosion. If they actually lived together, do you think the Savior is dying slowly enough for your liking?" "Let the national analysts figure it out... I just hope he dies a bit slower to give the nation time to analyze... With 6-star difficulty, I'm not daring to hope he survives long; if he can last three days, that's enough..." Meanwhile, inside the Rule Horror World, the groom's little brother was still furiously pounding on the door: "Open the door! If you don't open it, I'll break it down!" Zhao Yu looked at the constantly trembling door, and the seemingly on-the-verge-of-breaking door bolt, his expression shifting between grim and uncertain. Open the door? Don't open it? The Rules for an ancient setting were completely different from those of a modern setting... In modern settings, Rules frequently demanded specifics like when to go to bed, claims that there were no ghosts, and instructions to ignore them if seen, saying it was just a misperception... Regarding this groom's little brother, the Rules offered absolutely no guidance... Opening the door might lead to death, but not opening it might also lead to death. Zhao Yu clenched his teeth slightly and walked toward the door. Seeing Zhao Yu's movement, all the netizens involuntarily held their breaths... With no Rules to guide the decision, no one knew if he should open the door or not. Even some foreigners who had come to mock had stopped making moves, because this was trial and error... If he died, it would provide a result, and the next Savior would know what to do. Under the gaze of the Chinese people, Zhao Yu approached the door. He hesitated visibly for a moment, but then, with a flash of determination, opened the door. Standing outside was a sturdy, ferocious-looking giant, truly eight feet tall and significantly taller than Zhao Yu. Most importantly, the man was carrying a large hammer... He had truly been using it to pound on the door just now! It was a mystery how the seemingly weak wooden door had not been smashed to pieces. Seeing the door open, the man raised his hammer and growled fiercely: "Brother, what were you doing? Why did it take so long to open the door! Why didn't you go back to your room! This is my room, why won't you let me in!" Zhao Yu instinctively looked around... His little brother's room? There were only five rooms in total! Judging from this... he wasn't sharing a room with his little brother. As his gaze swept the area, he took in the layout. It was a standard small courtyard formation. There was a main hall, and he was standing at the entrance of the room extending to the left of the main hall, with another room outside that. On the opposite side, there were two rooms. That made five exactly? Otherwise... according to this architectural layout, there must be two more rooms on the left and right sides inside the main hall! That would make seven.... Which two were the extra ones was currently unknown. However, those extra rooms were neither to be seen nor entered; entering them would definitely mean death, and even looking at them would lead to erosion. The man began to roar: "I asked you a question!" The hammer kept swinging wildly. It was obvious that if Zhao Yu didn't give him a satisfactory answer... he was going to kill him. Zhao Yu exhaled slightly, glaring at the man and gritting his teeth: "How indecent to be so impetuous! Put the hammer down at once!" The man froze, then grinned viciously, looking down at him: "You dare speak to me like that?" As he laughed, the man began to transform... His face became hideous, canines appeared on both sides of his mouth, his eyes turned blood-red, and black mist surrounded him, making it impossible to tell whether he was an evil ghost or a fierce beast. Zhao Yu's thoughts were affected as well; this was the erosion coming from the Rules. Contact meant erosion, and the enraged little brother had accelerated the erosion at least a dozen times over! And that wasn't all. The enraged little brother swung the hammer straight at Zhao Yu... No need to wait for the erosion; the hammer alone could smash a person to death. Although Zhao Yu was panicked, he still rebuked him: "Doesn't an elder brother act like a father? Do I need to teach you that! This brother wants to ask you, how dare you treat this brother this way! Is there no regard for me as your elder brother in your heart?" Rule Three: There are only four people in the home: you, the Bride, your little brother, and your Mother.... It was an ancient setting, a Chinese ancient setting, and there was no 'Father' figure in the Home! The hammer stopped when it was a hair's breadth from Zhao Yu's forehead, then vanished into thin air. The man's canines and the black mist around him also disappeared. Was the crisis over? The man stared at Zhao Yu with deadly intensity: "Brother, this is my room! Why didn't you go back to your room!" Zhao Yu's eyes darkened. Was this really 6-star difficulty? The opening ambush still hadn't ended. He had just arrived; how was he supposed to know where his room was? And how was he to know he hadn't been told to go back to it! He even suspected that this courtyard likely didn't have a room for him at all. Even if it did... once he entered that room, it was unclear whether it was the 'Groom' or Zhao Yu who would still be alive. Damn it! The giant little brother, still not receiving an answer, had red seeping into his eyes again: "Why aren't you answering me! Speak up!" The most troubling part for Zhao Yu was... the erosion! If he didn't send his little brother away soon, and just wasted another moment, he would have to use his System opportunities to recover his sanity. He only had three opportunities to recover his sanity. If he used one right at the start, what would he do later on? Zhao Yu, not yet having found a solution, let out a cold sneer: "Being so unrefined and impetuous, even shouting at this elder brother, what are you trying to do!" A trace of red receded from the man's eyes, but only a trace. His voice shook the sky: "I'm asking you! Why are you in my room, why aren't you back in your own room!" Chapter 3: Opening the Door to Death: Does This Never End? Facing his berserk brother's interrogation, Zhao Yu subconsciously scanned the room frantically with his peripheral vision. This situation was inescapable; there must have been a reason, somewhere in the room. The folding screen, the bed, the desk, the calligraphy and painting, the bookshelf... all were exactly as he had seen them before, with no other differences. This normal arrangement of furniture had no clues at all... Wait, the calligraphy, painting, and bookshelf? Zhao Yu suddenly took a hard look at his 'eight-foot-tall' brother, especially the outline of the sledgehammer that was once again faintly appearing in his brother's hands. There was a bookshelf and calligraphy in his brother's room? Zhao Yu immediately turned around and rebuked him coldly: "I only came here to look at some books. How you are making such a commotion! How undignified! What time is it now? The whole family is still resting. Do you want to see which of us can have the bigger voice, you or me?" He could see that the sky was just beginning to lighten... Under such circumstances, saying these words didn't make him seem out of place. To Zhao Yu's surprise. His berserk brother casually threw the sledgehammer down. Then he complained: "Elder Brother, the wedding is in seven days. Why are you still spending every day reading books? Mother told you to take Miss Nangong for a walk today to clear your mind..." Watching the attitude of this 'brother' change suddenly, Zhao Yu's mind eased slightly... The opening kill had probably passed. ...... The real world. Countless danmaku comments floated across the ghost story APP. "WTF? Bro, this Savior... is so calm... If it were me, even if I really observed a clue, I wouldn't dare to think it was true enough to rebuke him...." "Isn't it just a matter of having a brain? Who doesn't know that in ancient times, the norms of ruler-minister, father-son were important, and there are so many books in the room...." "Damn it, I am the most annoyed with you keyboard warriors this whole life. Acting like post-mortem Zhuge Liang, barking like a dog on the internet every day. If you were in front of me, I would beat you so much you wouldn't even recognize your own mother." "Bro, ignore him, that's a walking 500,000. It's been ten years, and there's still that kind of person... Just hit report on him, that's all." ....... China's ghost story command center. Many high-ranking officials looked at all the live streams around the world, their faces extremely grave. In this opening kill wave, nearly half of the Saviors around the world had died! The most dead were those who, in panic, tried to explain things to the brother... they were all smashed into a pulp by the sledgehammer. As for the remaining portion... their breaking methods were completely different from Zhao Yu's. Some were afraid and didn't dare to act, and some chose not to open the door. Those who did not open the door did not die, and the brother left. The Grand Elder of China was here as well. A clerk spoke up: "It's a problem, Zhao Yu has already suffered erosion..." "Japan... that contestant who is doing pretty well opened the door. Look, his courtyard's layout and furnishings are completely different from Zhao Yu's. Zhao Yu's main hall is flanked by two rooms on the left and right, but in Japan's courtyard, the main hall only extends to one room on the opposite side." "By guess, there are two more rooms to the left and right in the main hall... Zhao Yu is probably in trouble." A man in wire-rimmed glasses pushed up his glasses: "Not necessarily. Even though Zhao Yu is being eroded right now, the degree isn't high. He chose to open the door and was calm enough; he must have noticed the discrepancy in the number of rooms. Unless he is confident, he shouldn't rashly go exploring." "The fact that he's being eroded a little isn't all bad either. Compared to the others... the angle of 'the eldest brother is like a father' is definitely executable. When the brother isn't in a berserk state, it might be usable to some extent. It's dangerous, of course, but if you want to clear this, you always have to try." "What I worry about more is combing the bride's hair. Look, the sky outside Zhao Yu's courtyard is just lightening. No matter what season the ghost story is in, it should not yet be the third quarter of the Chen hour..." The Grand Elder made the final decision: "Everyone record the key points. Especially if the others have different breaking methods, be sure to write them down. Given Zhao Yu's composure, surviving three days shouldn't be difficult. As long as he reaches three days, with our reminders, he will definitely live longer..." "Control the internet. Arrest who needs to be arrested. Don't let up. Even though Zhao Yu can't see it right now, a hero cannot be insulted..." Everyone nodded slightly, and then immediately started working again. As for Zhao Yu clearing this... impossible. It had been ten years since the Rule Horror descended, and no one could clear it in one go. All those who cleared it did so by relying on the continuous trial and error of the people who came before them, constantly eliminating wrong choices. Besides, this was the first time there had been a difficulty level of 6 stars! So, anyone in the Rule Horror who did not choose to wait for death was a hero, because by acting, they let others know if that action was right or wrong. ....... Zhao Yu did not know about the commotion outside. He looked at his suddenly obedient brother: "What time is it now?" Rule 2: Every day at the third quarter of the Chen hour, you must personally comb the bride's hair! The Chen hour is 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM. Three quarters, 45 minutes. 7:45 AM, comb hair! In a modern setting, one could at least have a phone or watch to check the time, but in an ancient setting... he simply could not discern the time, and he didn't want to count on this brother either. But... whether the time was true or false, it was at least an answer. His brother looked quite honest: "It's the second quarter of the Chen hour." Was this time true or false? If it was true... damn, a 6-star difficulty ghost story. Did it not give people any rest time at all? If it was false... how would he verify the time? The only rule that clearly indicated the time. If he didn't comply, he would definitely die horribly. Just at this moment. A rather old voice sounded from the depths: "Er Niu, what are you wasting time for? It's already this late, why aren't you hurrying? It would be bad to be late." Zhao Yu looked over subconsciously, just in time to see a very kind-looking elderly woman, white-haired all over, stooped and bent... probably his Mother? "Mother, I'll go right away." His brother trotted over, picked up the sledgehammer, pushed open the door, and walked out. What was out there could not be seen; it was a void of pure darkness. What he was going to do was also unknown. The old woman who appeared to be his Mother looked at Zhao Yu very kindly: "Da Lang, don't take it to heart. Er Lang is always so clumsy. Read a few more pages of your book. Mother will go comb Miss Nangong's hair. When you finish reading, take her out for a walk to clear her mind..." After speaking, she leaned on her cane and walked slowly toward the depths of the left side of the main hall... Obviously, just as Zhao Yu guessed, there indeed were rooms inside. It looked like a family picture of happiness and harmony, yet Zhao Yu's expression turned grim... If he couldn't find a tool to determine the time, it meant that characters like his brother or Mother wouldn't tell the false time. Once the third quarter of the Chen hour passed, and he still hadn't combed the bride's hair, he would definitely die! After a moment of silence, Zhao Yu stood at the doorway, observing constantly. He needed more clues. Chapter 4: The Room with Changed Order Zhao Yu's mind spun rapidly, a voice murmuring in his heart: 'Just now, she was standing at the doorway of the main hall. To comb the bride's hair, she walked to the left. That means the bride must be staying in one of the rooms to the left of the main hall that can't be seen, while she must be living in the rooms on the right side, inside the main hall...' He was relieved that the System could restore his sanity. This gave him some confidence, and because of this, he could remain calm... Even if his thinking was slightly slower than before, he could still reason. The reason he was sure his mother was on the right side was simple. The room where Zhao Yu was currently located was the first room extending from the left side of the main hall. If his mother wasn't staying in a room that couldn't be seen... if she went out, he couldn't have possibly not seen it! Given this, there were people in both rooms deep within the main hall... In other words, the room on his right that faced outward, and the two rooms opposite him... Two out of these three rooms should, logically speaking, not exist. After pondering for a moment, Zhao Yu turned back and entered the presumed room of his younger brother, who was the starting point. He constantly searched the room, hoping to find some useful clues. The books on the bookshelf... he couldn't get them down. No matter how he fiddled, he couldn't move the bookshelves, desks, or other objects. It was as if those things were completely nailed to the ground; the books and bookshelves were a single sculpture. After searching the entire room, he discovered that the only things he could move were items like the quilt on the bed. He immediately searched through them... Then, under the bedsheet, he found a piece of paper. Zhao Yu couldn't help breaking into a sweat. Were there more rules? The seven contradictory, death-certain rules were already hard enough. If new rules appeared on top of that... He looked at it instinctively. It was not a rule. 【I want to marry her... No... I can't marry her... No... She likes me, and I like her... No good, I'll die... Why...】 Looking at the scribbled handwriting, Zhao Yu felt unsure whether his heart should relax or suddenly tighten. The rules mentioned a wedding that is not blessed... So, was the bride eloping with him? After noting down the clues, Zhao Yu truly couldn't find any other information. He could only get up and leave, walking towards the room opposite. Although he didn't want to probe recklessly, he had no clues, and at the third quarter of the Chen hour (8:45 AM), he had to personally comb the bride's hair... There was not much time. ....... The real world. "Did the Savior go crazy? Going to explore without knowing any information, with a full two extra rooms!" "What else can be done? The only note clue found can't be used for the time being. Don't forget Rule 2!" "That's right. The initial rules won't be wrong; at most, they'll just be incomplete. But whatever is written down is definitely correct... Rule 2: If you don't comb the hair at the third quarter of the Chen hour (8:45 AM), you will surely die." "With so many mutually contradictory rules that must be followed, all you can do is keep trying. Do you think a 6-star difficulty is a game of house!" "Stop arguing. I just climbed over the wall to take a look. There's nothing wrong with the room opposite my Brother Yu. Without an accident, we should be able to find clues in the room opposite..." The Danmaku floated by continuously, then abruptly stopped... .... As he got closer, Zhao Yu did not push the door open; instead, he just glanced through the gap in the wooden planks... That glance alone made his heart turn cold, and he instantly pulled his gaze back. According to his guess, the room opposite him should be the so-called kitchen, but in reality... through the gap, he saw a large bed. He also saw a blood-red eye filled with venomous resentment. Where was the kitchen? After the number of rooms increased, do rooms shift position? Or is it simply that the layout of this courtyard has a problem? The door slowly opened. "Creak..." Blood-red eyes appeared one after another on the door, the pupils revealing endless venomous resentment. Countless erosion waves came rushing at him. Zhao Yu only felt his mind becoming muddled and confused... "I should be the groom! I am! Nangong is mine! Mine!" Countless shrieks echoed crazily in Zhao Yu's mind. Zhao Yu only felt his mind starting to be rapidly frozen. The erosion was at least a hundred times more terrifying than from his violent younger brother. There was something wrong with this room. His thinking would soon be completely frozen, and with it, he would sink to his death... Zhao Yu even felt himself starting to forget many things. Though muddled and confused, Zhao Yu, who had long been prepared for changes, instinctively roared in his heart: 'System, restore my sanity... Quickly...' A wave of coolness washed over him. The door closed. The blood-red eyes disappeared. It was as if the door had never opened from the beginning. A frail, reproachful voice rang out: 'Why are you, child, getting close to the kitchen?' He turned to look. His mother had, at some point, appeared at the doorway of the main hall again, leaning on her cane, swaying as she was about to approach. Was this a rescue? No, if he hadn't recovered... he would already be dead. Because he had recovered, the character of the mother appeared. Moreover, wasn't she supposed to go comb hair? Did she finish? Seeing his mother's trembling form, did he act as a filial son and offer support? In a flash. Zhao Yu stood in place and clasped his hands: 'Mother, why have you come out? Let your son support you.' He was a man of Refined Elegance. After performing the bow, Zhao Yu quickly moved closer to prepare to support her. However, his mother avoided Zhao Yu, looking quite kind: 'Your father said that scholars should stay away from cooking. Don't get close to it again. If your father knows you were near the kitchen when he comes back, he will surely reprimand you.' "You must know, Nangong has suffered many grievances for your sake. The whole Home is waiting for you to pass the imperial examinations, so our Home can rightfully go to the Nangong Home... That's enough. Go read some more books. Mother will prepare porridge. When your father returns, we can just have some porridge together..." Listening to all that rambling talk, Zhao Yu immediately bowed his body: 'Your son follows your order.' His mother smiled, then looked at the three doors: 'Why are there four rooms today again... Which one is that again...' With a seemingly forgetful air, she puzzled for a moment, then gave up thinking and swayed as she pushed open the door Zhao Yu had just opened. This time, there was no bed inside, only a stove and plenty of pots and pans. But the ground was covered in a layer of blood red, countless traces of blood flowing! As if she hadn't seen it, her mother entered, fiddling around inside for a moment, and took out a thigh bone. Then her mother looked at Zhao Yu with great kindness: 'Da Lang, do you want braised lamb porridge or plain lamb porridge? You've been working so hard lately. Mother will just fatten you up.' Zhao Yu looked at the still-bleeding thigh... he only felt a wave of nausea. He very much wanted to say, that was not lamb. But when the words reached his mouth, he respectfully said: 'As the old saying goes, hard study by the cold window. Your son currently has no official title, how can I dare to indulge in comfort? Besides, since Mother made it, no matter what it is, your son loves eating it.' Ancient Horror / Ghost Stories often feature smart people who originally wouldn't die, but ended up violating the background and died extremely horribly. Her mother became even more kind: 'Good child, go read your books.' Zhao Yu gave another bow, then turned around. Listening to the rustling sounds behind him... his eyes also became grim. Where did a father come from? Were there not only four people in the Home? Chapter 5: The Hyper-Benevolent Mother Zhao Yu turned around, and his expression did not look good. Not only because of the sudden appearance of what might be "Father". But because he had clearly recovered his rationality! Yet he could still see the extra room! According to the previous laws of the Rule Horror World... For such an area that existed outside the rules, he, with his mental stability, should not be able to see it. Six-star difficulty... If that father returned, and he followed the rules to drive the person out? It seemed correct... but placed upon the shoulders of a man who read and was likely the eldest son. He would likely die from the unspoken rules of conduct before that father even acted. But if he didn't drive him out? Rule 3 meant death as well! So many conflicting contradictory rules.... Zhao Yu couldn't help but gasp. He immediately walked toward the main hall. Even if the third quarter of the Chen hour (7:45 AM) had not yet arrived, it was not far off; he had to go comb his hair. As for violating Rule 4.... There had to be a first come, first served order. As long as he was not killed by a rule through violence, he still had two chances to recover his rationality. ....... Because Zhao Yu had opened his door, and was the only one to survive so far, the progress on Zhao Yu's side was completely different from that of the others. The player from Japan, whose days had gone relatively well, was now sweating cold. The Mother spoke with great Benevolence: "Dàláng, Er Niu called you just now. Why didn't you open the door? Did you study late until the night?" The Japanese player felt very uneasy inside. He felt there was a trap. Yet he still opened his mouth subconsciously: "Yoshi, I was studying hard until late yesterday, it seems." That was his only option. Otherwise, did he admit that he deliberately did not open the door? As a proud nation that had stolen countless good things from China, he knew that one must never admit to such things. Admitting it meant court of death. The Mother's Benevolence vanished: "Nangong suffered so much humiliation for your sake, and not only do you lie, you indulge in pleasure after waking up early... I do not have a wayward son like you..." The Mother suddenly opened her blood-engulfing mouth. 【Player from Sakura Nation dead...】 【Rules descend upon the island nation....】 ...... USA. The Mother looked at the man who seemed to have albinism with great Benevolence, smiling broadly: "Dàláng, Er Niu called you just now. Why didn't you open the door? Did you study late until the night?" David looked at that hateful old woman's wrinkles and yellowish skin, and very much wanted to roar, yet he was of a rational mind. His brain spun rapidly. He was an enthusiast of Chinese culture. He remembered that there was a proverb in China that had been passed down since childhood: A day's plan lies in the morning? Although the old woman looked very kind.... this was a Rule Horror story! Redness began to spread in the Mother's eyes: "Why are you not answering me?" Fangs appeared on the Mother's benevolent face, and a faint foul stench rose. David shuddered and quickly spoke up: "I... I... I was studying!" The redness in the old woman's eyes receded slightly, but it still revealed a ferocity: "Which book did you read? Take it out and let mother see." David's expression changed instantly... because he had not gone out, he had searched, and the things inside could not be moved at all! The only thing he could see and pick up was a piece of paper with crazy, erratic handwriting. "So you have learned to lie... I do not have a wayward son like you..." 【Player from USA dead...】 【Rules descend....】 ........ Korea. The Mother's face was full of Benevolence: "Dàláng, Er Niu called you just now. Why didn't you open the door? Did you study late until the night?" Park Gook-chang's face was covered in cold sweat... As the center of the universe, he knew very well this damn ancient history of China... ah, I mean, the customs of his own Korean history. Even if he did not understand the specific details, he knew that no kind mother would not know whether her own child had been studying at night! He had been reading Rule Horror stories for ten years, and he knew clearly that one wrong move and he would be killed. Especially this type of question that seemed to involve the time rule... he absolutely could not admit to it! "Why are you not speaking?" Redness began to appear in the Mother's eyes. Park Gook-chang shuddered and quickly spoke: "Mother, I... I... this son just remembered your father, and in a moment of melancholy, I neglected my younger brother's knocking..." The redness in the Mother's eyes completely receded, and she looked quite suspicious: "Is it true?" Recalling the style of Chinese TV dramas, Park Gook-chang nodded continuously and even bowed: "It is true. This son dares not deceive Mother." The Mother nodded slightly: "Good child." Park Gook-chang secretly let out a breath of relief. Good thing he was clever. The Mother smiled with even more Benevolence: "Speaking of which, mother misses your father too. Go call him back, just in time for our family to have a meal together..." Park Gook-chang's face stiffened... Were there not only four people in the house? Damn, didn't that father die? Where was he supposed to call him back from? 【3. Before the wedding begins, there are only you, the bride, your younger brother, and your mother in the house—four people in total. If you see an extra person, drive them out!】 With Rule 3, even if he safely called that father back, the moment he stepped in, he would be swallowed alive! The Mother's body began to bloat: "You won't go? You are lying to mother? How could you bear to use your father to deceive your mother..." Endless black mist spread out. The Mother's mouth generated countless fangs, and countless foul odors spread. ........ Real World. Countless Danmaku floated by. "Six-star difficulty... It's much scarier than the previous five-star. The bride hasn't even appeared yet, and so many people have already died." "Brothers, let me tell you something even scarier. I checked the foreign network, and aside from Zhao Yu from China, everyone from the other countries has died once..." "The funniest one is Park Gook-chang. I thought he had found a way to solve the puzzle, but then he was just swallowed..." "It seems that one must open the door when the younger brother knocks. If one does not, they will all die at the Mother's hands. At the very least, those who chose not to open the door did not survive the Mother..." "Earlier, when Zhao Yu was eroded, I thought his situation would become extremely difficult. But his choice was actually the only path to survival..." "Zhao Yu is the 'Simida' of Korea..." "To hell with it, why aren't they controlling the foreign network quickly? The shameless ones are peeking in again..." "Ume Koki from the Sakura Nation is the only one who can make it to the end! That Zhao Yu from China is just an iron waste. If the old hag hadn't saved him, he would have died in the hands of those eyes long ago. Instead of being obedient after being saved, he dared to go looking for the bride, acting foolish. Wait and see, he will die soon too!" "The only bad thing about the Horror App is that you can see these Japanese being disgusting every day..." ...... Rule Horror World. Zhao Yu had already entered the main hall. In the depths, on the left and right sides, there were two small doors. He remained silent for a while. Zhao Yu approached the small door on the left, took a deep breath, and then knocked. "Knock, knock, knock..." The knocking sound echoed endlessly. For some reason, the place was extremely quiet. He could not even hear the sound of the Mother cooking anymore. A very shrill sound, as if metal was grinding against metal, came out: "What do you want." Was the bride really inside? Or was it some robot or evil ghost? Zhao Yu still forced himself to speak: "I am here to comb your hair." The rules required him to comb her hair. There was no way the bride would refuse to let him do so, right? "You... why do you want to comb my hair?" The shrill voice softened slightly, revealing obvious confusion. Before Zhao Yu could make a sound, that voice suddenly shrieked: "You actually want to comb my hair!" Black mist rapidly spread out from within the door frame.