LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 26: Chapter 26: The Second Hidden Rule
Chapter 26: The Second Hidden Rule
[Announcement of the relocation of residents from the old apartment complexes affected by the special flood in the city's suburbs]
[Recently, ■■■■■ (unclear text) announced regarding flood prevention and ■■■ extremely ■■■■■■■■]
[The old apartment complexes in the suburbs ■■■■, Qingquan Apartment, Dongshan Apartment, Shirakawa Apartment, and other 7 apartment areas ■■■■ evacuated ■■■■■■ personnel were safely secured ■■■■■■]
[The full relocation of all residents in the area will be organized on ■ day ■ month ■ year ■■■. It is prohibited for anyone to return on their own ■■■■■]
[Day x Month x Year]
The humid environment made the text on the newspaper blurry and difficult to read.
However, despite this, Takakai and Maki carefully examined it for a while and essentially confirmed that this was an evacuation announcement during a flood.
Shirakawa Apartment.
The old apartment complex had become a bizarre place, at this moment revealing a part of its much older history.
"An announcement like this... means that this apartment complex must have gone through at least three different stages. The first stage was when no abnormalities had occurred. At that time, this apartment complex could communicate normally with the outside world, and when disasters like floods occurred, the local authorities even organized evacuations. Next is the second stage, a period of abnormalities, but still relatively stable. During this stage, the survivor group led by Xu Sheng stabilized and developed, until the man named Sanchez and some other survivors collaborated to bring about the destruction…"
Maki stared at the pile of damp, old newspapers and whispered, her expression very serious.
"And the final stage is the stage we are in now, an extremely dangerous stage, full of terrifying things."
Takakai, standing beside her, finally spoke, adding to what Maki hadn't had the chance to say.
"Does the newspaper have any other clues?"
Kaguya, who was sitting next to a hole in the ceiling, finally spoke up and asked.
"The text on it is almost completely blurred. Takakai and I were only able to find some useful information from it, and we've read quite a bit of it. If there's any noise in the information, we might be affected if we read more. Oba-sama, you try to see if there's anything new."
After Maki finished speaking, she tossed the pile of old newspapers up. Kaguya reached out to catch it and then placed it beside her.
More clues?
Carefully opening the old newspaper, which was almost stuck together, it was impossible to flip through the pages individually.
Takakai and Maki, due to the dim light and standing in a pool of water, didn't rush to flip the paper, fearing it might get damaged. Only one person read the front of the paper, while the other read the back.
In the living room, Sun Dajun, after a period of silence, stood up, and it was unclear what he was doing. However, he glanced at Kaguya, who was watching from the kitchen doorway, and informed her that there was no problem, so Kaguya momentarily ignored what Sun Dajun was doing.
This newspaper... well, yes, it's really too damp. The outer layer is still somewhat readable, but the inner layers are stuck together and unreadable.
Despite being very careful, Kaguya inadvertently tore the newspaper, and she couldn't open it without damaging the pages stuck together.
However, during this process, she quickly noticed a small plastic casing in the middle of the newspaper. Opening this plastic casing, there was a white printed sheet inside.
It was similar to the rule board Xu Sheng had left behind earlier.
Opening the wrapped paper, it seemed to have been treated with waterproofing.
Kaguya saw the text at the top of the page:
[Temporary Survival Rules on the 1st Floor of Shirakawa Apartment]
A new rule board.
"Green-san, call Sun Dajun here."
Takakai and Maki downstairs had already reviewed the information in the newspaper. For safety reasons, they couldn't let them read more for now. Although Kaguya could look at part of it, this paper had a lot of content, and there could be issues if they continued. After thinking carefully, Kaguya decided to have Sun Dajun, who seemed more trustworthy, participate in reading the rule board.
When Sun Dajun carefully entered, Kaguya noticed that this middle-aged man, nearly fifty years old, had somehow acquired a small toolbox, with a few screwdrivers and pliers hanging from his body.
"My health isn't great, so I can't move around like you young people, but I used to do some technical work and know a bit about repairs. I can fix broken circuits and some simple mechanical structures. Later, when the young ones go upstairs, I can help check door 204. You don't have to tell me that the door lock is broken or that the core can't be pushed out. I can try and see if I can fix it."
Now fully aware of the environment around him and having regained his composure, this man had completely changed.
Kaguya said nothing more, simply handing the rule board to Sun Dajun for him to read the top portion, while she herself read the bottom part. They would then exchange what they had read, and Kaguya would summarize the content of the rule board for Takakai and Shijo Maki downstairs.
This process was slow for Sun Dajun, as his memory and reading speed were not as fast as the younger generation's. Coupled with the tension, he had to go over half the page of rules multiple times before finishing reading. Kaguya was slightly worried, fearing that reading it again might trigger "contamination." But fortunately, nothing happened. It could be that the materials left by Xu Sheng didn't cause contamination, or maybe it was only if the entire document was read that the issue would arise.
"Thank you for your help, Sun-san. Please return to the living room and rest. We'll handle the exploration here. Green, it's not the time to focus on us right now. The important thing is to check on Maeda Miwa's condition."
Because the other party was indeed an elder and had shown reliable cooperation skills, Kaguya demonstrated the polite attitude a younger person should have toward an elder. However, Green did not properly pay attention to Maeda Miwa, who was shrinking in a corner of the room, so he didn't receive the same treatment. She didn't spare him any reproach, making the man hurriedly bow his head in apology and continue watching Maeda Miwa.
(Note: I've removed a racially discriminatory paragraph here.)
And now, in the second round of the game, he had to do the same thing. It was undeniable that Green felt helpless about this. However, he was the type of person who would do whatever it took to survive, even if it meant licking a toilet bowl, so he had no intention of hiding his feelings or thoughts over these matters.
But unlike Takakai's actions in the first round, this time, thanks to Sun Dajun's cooperation, Green was no longer playing the role of a lackey to suppress others. Instead, he acted as a supervisor for Maeda Miwa, who seemed mentally unstable.
As a result, Takakai and Maki paid less attention to him. Moreover, with his tattoos, Green didn't look like a good person. He had the demeanor of a thug, a face that seemed uneducated and unable to express or comprehend things, even more so than Sun Dajun. That's why Kaguya decided to let Sun Dajun read the rules instead of calling Green. This was something Green could sense.
Of course, even so, as a lackey who knew how to read the situation and had a few skills (like lock-picking), as long as Green didn't do anything stupid, neither Takakai, Maki, nor Kaguya would treat him as an enemy or a sacrificial pawn. However, the feeling of being disregarded made Green feel uneasy. He thought in his own way and worried whether Takakai and Kaguya would see him the way he had once looked down on black people and Asians, which made his inner anxiety grow even more.
All these thoughts were kept hidden deep inside Green, not letting anyone notice.
"So, that means this rule board is from after Sanchez's actions, right..."
Still only 17 years old, Kaguya couldn't yet see through the thoughts of a thug like Green. At this moment, she was still focused on the rule board she had just received, beginning to pass on the information she gathered to Takakai and Maki, who were waiting downstairs in the kitchen.
[Temporary Survival Rules on the 1st Floor of Shirakawa Apartment]
[All residents on the 1st floor who receive this rule board, please do not panic. The situation has not reached its worst yet.]
[I am Xu Sheng. Although I am still trapped in room 309 and cannot leave, the 3rd and 2nd floors have stabilized. You are currently on the 1st floor. You need to follow the instructions on this rule board, avoid danger, and find a way to escape. The exit on the 1st floor has not yet been completely blocked, you still have hope, don't give up.]
[Here is the situation on the 1st floor that I have confirmed. Due to time constraints, I could not check everything again, but I can at least confirm that most of the rules are effective. Please read quickly and act. Currently, the rules in the Shirakawa Apartment are changing rapidly. No one can be sure when the content on this rule board will no longer be valid.]
[1. Do not use any lighting devices. Move around in the dark.]
(Based on the changes happening on the 1st floor, it can be speculated that there is a time disorder. The entire 1st floor of Shirakawa Apartment has reverted to a period during a flood that happened decades ago. Why this change has occurred, we do not know yet, but along with the water, some things have floated in. They are very sensitive to light, so when you decide to leave your room to explore, do not use any lighting devices. Move in the dark. I know this is difficult, but under no circumstances should you use any lighting tools. Absolutely not!)
[2. Ignore everything unusual you see. Do not engage, do not talk, do not express any intention of communication.]
(The changes happening on the 1st floor are not just simple flooding. Some things... I'm not sure if they're hallucinations, but there are things appearing on the 1st floor. I think you've seen them already, right? The people in the rooms, the things floating in the water, the voices beside you. Most of these are harmless, they are just images and sounds. But this change is not normal, I cannot predict what will happen next, but I feel that these appearances are dangerous. Do not interact with these things, do not listen, do not look, do not care.)
[3. Do not trust any survivors other than yourself. Act independently. If you encounter overly eager people wanting to join you, return to your room.]
(There is a strange change spreading among the survivors. Some people are becoming more enthusiastic, more hospitable, as if they are playing the role of a good neighbor. They are starting to feel that they are really part of Shirakawa Apartment and do not want to leave, do not want anyone to leave. Whether this change is related to the corpses in room 304 is still unknown, but right now, as long as you return to your room, these changed survivors will not follow you in.)
[4. When you hear loud screams, women yelling, breaking glass, and the chaotic sounds of many people pushing and shoving in the hallway, find any room you can enter and hide. Do not stay in the hallway at this time.]
(The flooded hallway is replaying a moment from the past. Do not engage. It is the biggest secret being revealed. The living cannot survive after encountering these things. You must avoid them at all costs. Fortunately, when this scene occurs, the danger is only in the hallway. As long as you stay out of the hallway, you will be safe. But do not listen, do not look, do not care. Never try to interact with or collect information from these things.)
[5. When the crying of children grows louder, cover your ears immediately. If you have the courage, rupture your eardrums as fast as possible, stop the sound from reaching your ears. If you cannot, kill yourself. Dying now will be much better.]
(Death is better, you don't want to know. Death is better, death is better.)
[6. Anyone who asks you about the whereabouts of a man named Li, tell them he is in room 304.]
(If they cannot find it, lead them there. They will only knock on the door, they won't do anything extreme. Remember to stay a little further away. The door to room 304 might open, and there could be danger then.)
[6. Any children knocking on your door, do not respond, do not open the door.]
(No one will open the door for them. Everyone living here knows this, everyone knows. Don't make trouble, doing good deeds will not be rewarded. Don't make trouble.)
[7. Do not blame Sanchez. Do not go to room 109. Actually, we all know this day would come.]
(I may die. I don't recognize part of what I've written, but I still remember how we united to survive. We figured out how to live here, we adapted to this place. We were once very passionate, believing that one day we would win, but gradually, more and more people began to become extreme. We truly understand that in this high-pressure environment, where death can happen at any time, or even not die at all, no one can endure forever. No one can maintain their sanity for long. Sanchez and his supporters, even if they don't act this time, will do the same thing next time. If not him, then someone else will step forward.)
(Do not blame him anymore, it no longer matters. Do not go to room 109. There is a lot of information there, a lot of writing, but the writing is starting to become abnormal. The writing will, along with the sound and images, become a medium for spreading. Run, you have to run quickly. Right now, the building might have lost the power that once confined us. As long as you can leave the building, you won't be pulled back. Run, you must run, or else just die. Die in the room. At least you can protect the future victims. Who are they?)
[10. Do not go out when the main door opens. I cannot go out. I cannot see clearly.]
(I cannot leave room 309. People keep knocking on the door, knocking constantly. Is there something important? My thoughts and body are reaching their limits, but I must fulfill my final responsibility. Have you received this? I hope this rule board will help you. Have you received it? Make sure you survive, you must escape. Have you received it? Have you received it? Have you received it? Have you received it? Have you received it? Have you received it? Have you received it? Have you received it? Have you received it?)
This rule board, signed "Xu Sheng" like the "Shirakawa Apartment Living Rules," ends with meaningless coded text.
Whether it has reached the survivors on the 1st floor, we do not know. However, it has now been found and fallen into the hands of the group trying to survive in this building, including Takakai.
(Note: As you can see, the numbering of the rules is incorrect. I'm not sure if the author made a mistake unintentionally or intentionally, as Xu Sheng is in a state of madness. I have decided not to correct it.)