Chapter 3: My Ordinary Youth Won't Encounter Rule-Based Horror
She couldn't recall how she had ended up in such a place.
The last thing she remembered was an utterly ordinary school day, yet the next moment she opened her eyes, she found herself lying in a dilapidated room, on a filthy, dust-covered bed reeking of strange odors—one that clearly hadn't been cleaned in ages.
Kidnapping? Extortion? Imprisonment?
Various possibilities flashed through her mind.
Regardless, this was an unprecedented emergency, demanding her utmost vigilance.
Kaguya instantly shifted into combat readiness.
Whoever had managed to abduct her directly from school—to take the eldest daughter of the Shinomiya family from Shuchi'in Academy to such a place—was no ordinary kidnapper.
For now, extreme caution was necessary. She had to assess her surroundings carefully. Acting recklessly could invite unpredictable consequences.
Having processed all this in mere seconds without panic, Kaguya swiftly formulated her next move.
She slightly opened her eyes, keeping her body still as she quickly surveyed the room—and noticed the man lying beside her. He appeared to be asleep, but his head was subtly shifting, clearly also observing their surroundings.
It was difficult to determine his exact age from the side, but he appeared to be a young male, likely between 18 and 22 years old. His clothes seemed of average quality at a glance, with suspicious red and white stains splattered on them. He was quite tall, estimated to be around 183 cm—about 25 cm taller than her—and his build was far from frail. Considering he might be trained, engaging him head-on would make it hard to subdue him immediately. Rash actions were out of the question.
For Kaguya, the eldest daughter of the Shinomiya Group—one of Japan's four major financial conglomerates—who had been raised like a "girl in a box," isolated from the mundane world, being in such close proximity to an unfamiliar man was utterly unbearable.
Yet her strict upbringing and cultivated rationality made her acutely aware that she was currently stranded in an unfamiliar environment, completely isolated. With everything unknown, caution was absolutely necessary.
He could be another trapped individual like herself, or perhaps someone planted by the mastermind behind this. Regardless, his feigned sleep and furtive observations of his surroundings suggested he was equally cautious. It was possible he had already noticed she was pretending to sleep. If so, he would be on guard against her actions, making a surprise attack unlikely to succeed. The best course of action now was to create distance between them.
If Hayasaka were here, with her skills... No. As the eldest daughter of the Shinomiya family, she shouldn't dwell on thoughts that wouldn't improve the current situation. In any case, she couldn't afford to hesitate any longer—she had to act now!
Kaguya Shinomiya's mind raced as she strategized, her body unconsciously tensing up.
However, before she could act, a sharp noise pierced the air, and she lost control of her body. Then, the same eerie voice Kaito had heard earlier echoed clearly in her ears.
[...Player Kaguya Shinomiya, this is your first game. Game level: Twilight.]
[Your clearance condition is: Escape from White River Apartments.]
[The time limit for this game is: Seven days.]
[You are now being issued...]
The specifics of the message were no different from what Kaito had heard, aside from the name.
But unlike Kaito, Kaguya—who had no idea what this was—was utterly horrified. If not for the inexplicable force immobilizing her, her expression would have twisted dramatically.
What in the world was happening?
Her body wouldn't move.
It felt as if her breathing had stopped—no, when this voice spoke, she truly couldn't breathe.
From her hair down to her toes, every part of her body was frozen, like the preserved remains of an explorer who had fallen into an icy crevasse, discovered later encased in ice. Unless retrieved, they would never move again.
But that wasn't the most shocking part for the young woman.
When the voice sounded, it wasn't just that she couldn't move—she couldn't feel her body at all. If not for her strong consciousness immediately focusing on her breathing and heartbeat, she wouldn't have realized that she had already stopped breathing and her heart had ceased beating while listening to that voice. It was as if all bodily sensations had abandoned her, as if her soul had left her body.
This was no longer something mere kidnappers could accomplish.
This was something utterly unreasonable, irrational, and fundamentally unreal—something that shouldn't exist.
What kind of situation had she fallen into?
No, now wasn't the time to panic. Fear wouldn't help her escape her current predicament. What she needed to know was what to do next.
As the eldest daughter of the Shinomiya family, raised in the cold and ruthless world of a financial conglomerate, Kaguya's mind had long been tempered. Even in the face of this completely irrational situation that defied all common sense, she forced herself to remain calm and carefully listened to the contents of that eerie voice.
Sacrifice Game? Escape from Shirakawa Apartments? Seven-day time limit?
These four hints sounded like meaningless wordplay, but since the other party had provided such information, there must be meaning behind it.
At this moment, Kaguya considered many things, but with so little information at hand, she couldn't draw any effective conclusions.
Soon, as the voice ended and her control over her body returned, Kaguya swiftly sat up, subtly moving her limbs in barely noticeable motions while her gaze quickly locked onto her surroundings.
"Holy... shit..."
On the other hand, Kaito's reaction was much more dramatic.
The sudden loss and abrupt return of control over his body caused intense discomfort, making him roll right off the bed. Even so, he instinctively grabbed a note from the bedside table before scrambling to his feet and taking two steps back, lifting his head.
Their eyes met.
"Ahem, uh, konnichiwa? Lovely weather today, isn't it?"
Not knowing what else to say, Kaito decided to start with a greeting.
With that thought, he waved at Kaguya, who was sitting on the bed, doing his best to put on a harmless smile.
"...Did you hear that voice just now too?"
Glancing at the note in Kaito's hand, Kaguya got off the bed and stood by its edge, maintaining a distance of about three meters as she spoke.
Based on the earlier situation, it was highly likely that this man had been kidnapped and thrown into this place just like her. Though other possibilities couldn't be ruled out yet, communication was necessary. After brief consideration, Kaguya decided to tentatively engage in conversation with him.
"If you're referring to that voice that said I've become a player in the [Sacrifice Game] and made my body freeze, then yes, I heard it. So you're someone who was inexplicably brought here too, just like me?"
Kaito took another step back as he spoke, widening the distance between them to ensure both parties felt more secure.
"Is that so? My name is Kaguya Shinomiya. May I ask yours?"
From her indifferent expression, Kaito couldn't discern any emotion from Kaguya, nor could he glean anything from her nearly monotone voice.
This black-haired girl in Shuchi'in Academy's uniform, though her posture still carried traces of youthful awkwardness—as if not fully matured—had an icy aura that was worlds apart from her animated counterpart. Kaito suspected that even a twenty or thirty-year-old with little life experience might struggle to remain composed under Kaguya's piercing gaze.
However, as someone who lost his parents early and had weathered society's hardships, Kaito remained unaffected by her intimidating presence. He quickly regained his composure and responded promptly:
"My name is Kaito."
"Miss Shinomiya, if I'm not mistaken, you suddenly lost consciousness and woke up here, correct?"
"The same happened to me—I was organizing things at home when I suddenly found myself here. In short, we might have been dragged into something extraordinary. Do you have any experience with this sort of thing?"
"Also, this printout is something I noticed earlier—it stands out in this rundown place. I think it might contain valuable information, whether written by whoever's behind this or something else. Would you like to take a look?"
Kaito maintained a steady pace as he spoke, carefully organizing his words while holding up the printed sheet.
Though he hadn't examined the contents closely—since he was focused on observing Kaguya's reactions—he had briefly glimpsed the words [Shirakawa Apartment Living Rules].
The text appeared to be in Chinese, meaning she might not understand it. But given that they were already caught in this supernatural incident, it was possible Kaguya had some language-related advantage. No—wait—considering her background as the eldest daughter of a financial conglomerate and her near-genius intellect, she might very well understand Chinese outright.
Kaito remained cautious, keeping his distance from Kaguya Shinomiya.
There were still too many things he didn't understand about the current situation. Moreover, he remembered clearly that in the original work where Kaguya came from, this seemingly petite girl under 160cm actually possessed considerable combat abilities. She could overpower ordinary men in physical strength despite being female, capable of knocking out a 175cm tall high school boy barehanded, and had systematically trained in archery, swordsmanship, and martial arts. Adding to that, she was clearly in a highly alert state of confusion right now. If he approached recklessly, he might end up like a wooden dummy for Master Yip, getting knocked down by her combo—or even rendered unconscious on the spot.
"Put it on the table. We can look at it simultaneously."
Kaguya didn't answer Kaito's first question, only responding to the second one.
She pointed to the low round table on one side of the room and moved to stand on the opposite side, maintaining a table's width between them.
"Simultaneously?"
Kaito didn't quite understand. Was she planning to look at it together with him? But she was clearly wary and keeping her distance right now.
"Reading upside-down text isn't difficult for me. Just place it on the table."
Perhaps sensing his confusion, Kaguya offered a brief explanation while maintaining her guarded stance across the table.
"If you're sure, then fine."
Understanding her intention, Kaito slowly placed the printed sheet on the small round table, positioning it in the center. The text faced his side, allowing him to read effortlessly. As for whether Kaguya would struggle reading it upside-down—well, if she claimed it was no problem, he wasn't about to play the gentleman. Though the sight of a beautiful girl was pleasing, this might be a life-or-death situation. He had no time for idle courtesies.
After releasing the paper, Kaito stepped back to his original position opposite Kaguya and turned his attention to the contents.
On the other side, Kaguya remained vigilant but also focused on the text. True to her word, reading upside-down posed no difficulty—she could even process the entire page faster than Kaito, memorizing everything at a glance.
[Shirakawa Apartments Code of Conduct]
This was the bold, red-font title at the top of the page, impossible to miss.
[By the time you see these rules, you should have just woken up in this apartment. You probably don't yet understand what's happening. Maybe you're thinking of rushing to open the door and leave, or calling the police, or other random thoughts. But I suggest you don't do any of that just yet. Read these rules as quickly as you can—read them, memorize them. They are your only lifeline for survival here.
I hope you understand this: from the moment you were chosen by Shirakawa Apartments, there was never any escape for you. Adapt to these rules, strive to survive. This is the one and only thing you—we—all of us trapped here must do.]
The printed text was in a standard bolded sans-serif font.
As Kaito read these words, an instinctive sense of dread rose from deep within him. Yet, through sheer willpower, he forced himself to remain calm and continued reading the so-called "living rules" in detail.
Rules:
1.
Shirakawa Apartments can only be entered or exited through the main door between 8:00 and 17:50. Outside these hours, entry or exit is prohibited. Do not attempt to enter or leave through any means other than the main door.
(Sometimes, entering or exiting at 7:59 or 17:51 may still be safe—the timing isn't absolute. But trust me, that's only sometimes. Those who thought they had figured out the safe timings have already paid the price. I assume you don't want to join them. As for trying to leave through other means, like windows—unless it's a last resort, don't do it.)
2.
After 21:00, do not linger anywhere outside your room.
(Stay in your room—the one you woke up in. Once it's past 9 PM, every part of this apartment outside your room becomes unsafe. The hallway, the stairwell—enough people have paid the price already. Don't worry about the time; the clock in your room is absolutely accurate. Every clock in every room here is precise. They won't deceive you.)
3.
If you hear a child crying and knocking at the same time, do not open the door. Do not make a sound. Pretend no one is inside until the sounds stop.
(Sometimes, the nights in this apartment become… unsettled. But all you need to do is pretend you don't notice. In this building, children are the greatest taboo. I can't tell you too much—you'll understand if you get the chance. For now, just know that curiosity is the last thing you need here. If you want to live, don't ask questions.)
4.
After nightfall, do not turn on the lights. Do not make any noise inside your room.
(This rule is actually a derivative of Rule 3: Do not turn on lights, do not speak, keep your room dark and quiet as if no one has ever lived there. This is essential for your survival. Of course, don't forget to lock the door—though that's common sense, so I shouldn't need to write it as a rule for you, right?)
5.There are no children in Shirakawa Apartments. If you encounter any children in the building, do not interact with them and avoid them as much as possible.
(Those chosen by this apartment have never included children. The youngest resident to date was already over 20 years old. Apart from those of us who have been selected, no one else can enter this building—there have been no exceptions to this rule so far. Therefore, do not engage with any children you see in the apartment. Of course, if you don't believe me, you can try, but you'll have to bear the consequences yourself.)
6.If your path is blocked by children and you cannot avoid them, climb onto a tall cabinet and wait for them to leave.
(If you've spent time in the apartment's corridors, you'll notice there are many tall cabinets placed throughout, each about two meters high—nearly reaching the ceiling, but just barely allowing a person to crouch on top. These cabinets were set up by us, and they usually contain some supplies that might be useful. When you have no other way out, if you can still manage it, climb onto the top of a cabinet. Some who violated Rule 1 have survived by doing this. If you find yourself in that situation, stay on the cabinet until 8:00 AM.)
7.If you encounter children in the apartment and survive, do not mention the incident anywhere—whether in conversation with others or even to yourself. Do not leave any written records either.
(You may have noticed that these rules deliberately avoid describing certain things. As I said before, children are the greatest taboo in this apartment. I can't tell you why. Once you've experienced it, you'll understand why silence is necessary—and I trust you'll keep quiet then. Until that moment, all you need to do is follow the rules and pray you never have such a "lucky" encounter. If you survive, don't assume you can relax just because you're alone. Don't speak of it, don't record it. Many have paid the price for carelessness, even dragging others down with them.)
8.Room 304 does not exist in Shirakawa Apartments. Do not interact with anyone who claims to be from Room 304.
(When you encounter any non-child individuals in Shirakawa Apartments and decide to engage with them, the first thing you must do is confirm which room they're from. As long as it's not Room 304, they can be trusted—or at least, they're safe to talk to. But if they claim to be from Room 304, cut off all contact. Even if they were once your friend, they no longer are. Avoid them, refuse to communicate, and if necessary, use force—but never inflict injuries that could be fatal or cause unconsciousness. Absolutely never.)
9.Within every 3-day period, tenants must spend at least 1 day staying overnight at Shirakawa Apartments. You may leave Shirakawa Apartments for a maximum of 2 days.
(If you think simply escaping the apartment is the solution, you're sorely mistaken. Many have thought the same, but they can only stay away for two days at most. When the third day arrives, whether they like it or not, they will return to Shirakawa Apartments. And in such cases, they usually return at night—and what entering the apartment at that time entails is something I doubt you'd want to know. Those chosen by the apartment can hardly ever truly leave. But don't give up hope yet. The friends and I who wrote these rules, along with many others, haven't given up. Survive. Only by surviving can we find the true way out.)
10.If you stay overnight at Shirakawa Apartments for 6 consecutive days, you must not remain in the apartment on the 7th night. Do not stay in the apartment for 7 consecutive nights.
(The number 7 seems to hold some significance in Shirakawa Apartments. Some believe it represents a cycle here—I don't know if that's true, but I do know that those who stay in the apartment for 7 straight days disappear on the 7th day, even if they're in their own rooms. So don't stay cooped up in this apartment all the time. Go out for a walk now and then—it's good for your health, isn't it?)
By now, you should have some understanding of this apartment's situation. You might think I'm exaggerating, but believe me, the curse-like thing binding us is no laughing matter. These are rules every one of us here must follow. Every word in these rules was paid for with lives. Cherish them—it means cherishing your own life.
I am Xu Sheng, a long-term resident of this apartment. My room is 309. If you want to know more, you can come find me during the day. I'm usually there every day except Sundays.
...
The over-two-thousand-word rulebook might seem lengthy, but Kaito didn't take long to read through it.
But reading it was one thing.
The mental shock it delivered was another.
This… this damn… isn't this Rule Horror?! This is absolutely Rule Horror, isn't it?!
Where's my youthful slice-of-life? My anime harem? My wish-fulfillment protagonist treatment from those trashy web novels?! Why am I suddenly a lab rat in a Rule Horror scenario?!
Why?! Tell me why?!
Kaito's face remained perfectly calm, but inside, he was screaming at the top of his lungs.