She couldn't remember how she'd ended up here.
Her last memory was of an utterly ordinary school day—then, the next moment, she woke up in this filthy, decaying room, lying on a grimy, foul-smelling bed that hadn't been washed in who-knows-how-long.
Kidnapping? Extortion? Imprisonment?
Possibilities raced through her mind.
No matter what, this was an unprecedented emergency. She had to be on full alert.
Shinomiya Kaguya instantly shifted into combat mode.
For someone to abduct her—the eldest daughter of the Shinomiya Group—from Shuchi'in Academy and dump her in a place like this… this was no ordinary criminal.
She had to proceed with extreme caution. Acting recklessly could lead to disaster.
Processing all this in seconds, Kaguya remained composed.
She cracked her eyes open slightly, body still motionless, scanning the room—and immediately noticed the man lying beside her.
He seemed asleep, but his head was subtly shifting. He was observing the room too.
From the side, she couldn't gauge his exact age, but he was likely between 18 and 22. His clothes looked cheap, stained with suspicious red-and-white splotches. Tall—around 183 cm, a full 25 cm taller than her—and not scrawny. If he was trained, overpowering him immediately would be difficult. She couldn't act rashly.
Being this close to a strange man was unbearable for Kaguya. Raised as the sheltered heiress of one of Japan's Big Four conglomerates, she'd been isolated from the outside world her entire life.
But her strict upbringing and razor-sharp intellect told her one thing: she was alone in an unknown environment. Until she understood the situation, caution was paramount.
This man could be another victim—or one of the perpetrators. Either way, his cautious behavior meant he'd likely already realized she was awake. If so, he'd be on guard. Surprise attacks wouldn't work.
If Hayasaka were here… No. As the Shinomiya heiress, she couldn't afford useless thoughts. She had to act.
Kaguya's mind raced, her body tensing—
Then, before she could move, a screech ripped through her skull.
Her body locked up.
The same distorted voice Takakai had heard now spoke to her.
[Player: Shinomiya Kaguya. This is your first game. Game Difficulty: Twilight]
[Your clear condition: Escape from Shirakawa Apartments]
[Time limit for this game: Seven days]
[The following are your game hints…]
The message was identical to Takakai's, only the name changed.
But unlike him, Kaguya—utterly unfamiliar with this phenomenon—was horrified. If not for the paralysis, her expression would've shattered.
What was this?
She couldn't move.
Breathing had stopped—no, everything had stopped. From her hair to her toes, every cell was frozen, like an explorer trapped in ice, preserved forever unless freed.
But that wasn't the worst part.
While the voice spoke, she couldn't feel her body at all. If not for her hyper-awareness, she wouldn't have even realized her heart had stopped. It was like her soul had left her flesh.
This wasn't something kidnappers could do.
This was impossible.
What kind of nightmare had she fallen into?
No—panic wouldn't help. She needed to think.
As the Shinomiya heiress, raised in a cutthroat world of wealth and power, Kaguya's mind was steel. Even faced with this insanity, she forced herself to listen.
Sacrifice Game? Escape Shirakawa Apartments? Seven days?
The hints sounded like riddles, but they had to mean something.
But with so little information, she couldn't piece anything together yet.
The moment the voice ended, Kaguya sat up, subtly flexing her limbs as her eyes locked onto the man across from her.
"What… the hell…?"
Takakai, meanwhile, reacted much more dramatically. The sudden paralysis and release sent him rolling off the bed, though he still managed to snatch a piece of paper from the nightstand before scrambling up.
Their eyes met.
"Uh… Konnichiwa? Nice weather, huh?"
Not sure what else to say, Takakai opted for a harmless greeting, forcing a smile.
"…You heard that voice too?"
Kaguya's gaze flicked to the paper in his hand before she stood, keeping a solid three meters between them.
From his earlier behavior, this man was likely another victim. She couldn't rule out other possibilities yet, but communication was necessary.
"If you mean the one about the Sacrifice Game, yeah, I heard it," Takakai said, taking another step back to maintain distance. "So, you got dragged into this mess too?"
"I am Shinomiya Kaguya. And you are?"
Her voice was flat, her face unreadable.
Dressed in her Shuchi'in uniform, this black-haired girl—though still somewhat youthful—radiated an aura so icy it could fluster grown men.
But Takakai, having weathered life's hardships early, wasn't fazed.
"Takakai."
He kept his tone even.
"Shinomiya-san, correct me if I'm wrong—you blacked out and woke up here, right?"
"Same for me. I was just tidying up at home, then bam, here I am. So, uh… any experience with this kind of thing?"
"Also, this printout—" He held up the paper. "—was on the nightstand. Doesn't fit this dump at all. Might have clues. Wanna check it out?"
He'd skimmed it already—[Shirakawa Apartments Living Rules], written in Chinese.
Would she even understand? Then again, if this was supernatural, maybe she had a language cheat. Or, given her genius background, maybe she just knew Chinese.
Takakai stayed cautious, not approaching.
One, the situation was still too unclear.
Two, he remembered very clearly that in her series, this petite girl was freakishly strong—able to overpower grown men, knock out a 175 cm high schooler with a single throw, and trained in archery, swordsmanship, and hand-to-hand combat.
And right now, she was definitely on edge.
If he got too close, he might end up like a Wing Chun dummy.
"Place it on the table. We can look together."
Kaguya ignored his first question, focusing on the second.
She pointed to a low round table, positioning herself on the opposite side.
"Together?"
Takakai blinked. Was she suggesting they stand side by side? But she was clearly wary of him.
"Reading upside-down isn't difficult for me. Just set it down."
Understanding now, Takakai slowly placed the paper in the center, text facing him.
If she insisted, fine. Pretty girls were nice, but this was life-or-death. No time for chivalry.
Once the paper was down, he stepped back, watching as they both read.
[Shirakawa Apartments Living Rules]
The text stared back, ominous and out of place in this decaying room.
The game had begun.
At the same time, Shinomiya Kaguya remained vigilant while also reading the contents of the paper. Just as she had initially stated, reading upside-down text posed no difficulty for her—she could even finish reading the entire printed document faster than Takakai and memorize all its contents at first glance.
[Shirakawa Apartments Living Rules]
This was the title on the printed sheet, deliberately enlarged and highlighted in red, making it impossible to miss.
[If you're reading these rules, you've likely just woken up in this apartment. You probably don't understand what's happening yet. Maybe you're thinking of rushing out the door to escape, or calling the police, or some other random idea. But I suggest you don't do that. Read these rules as quickly as you can, memorize them—they're your only lifeline for surviving here.
[You need to understand this: from the moment Shirakawa Apartments chose you, there's no escaping it. Adapt to these rules, fight to survive—that's the one and only thing you, we, all of us trapped here, must do.]
The text was in a standard bolded black font, seemingly emphasized throughout.
Reading these words, Takakai instinctively felt a deep sense of foreboding, but he forced himself to remain calm and continued examining the so-called "living rules" in detail.
Rules:
Entry and exit from Shirakawa Apartments is only permitted via the main door between 8:00 and 17:50. Outside these hours, do not enter or exit the apartment, and never use any means other than the main door.
(Occasionally, times like 7:59 or 17:51 might still be safe—but don't count on it. Plenty of people who thought they'd figured out the "safe window" have paid the price. As for trying to leave through other means, like windows—unless it's a last resort, don't even think about it.)
After 21:00, do not linger anywhere outside your assigned room.
(Stay in your room—the one you woke up in. After 9 PM, nowhere else in this apartment is safe—not the hallways, not the stairwells. Too many have learned this the hard way. Don't worry about checking the time—the clock in your room is absolutely accurate. Every clock in every room here is perfectly precise. They won't lie to you.)
If you hear a child crying accompanied by knocking, 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 get... restless. But all you need to do is pretend you don't notice. In this building, children are the greatest taboo. I can't explain too much—you'll understand if you get the chance. For now, just know: curiosity is the last thing you need here. If you want to live, don't ask questions.)
After nightfall, do not turn on lights. Do not make any noise inside your room.
(This rule is essentially an extension of Rule 3. No lights. No talking. Keep your room dark and silent, as if no one lives there. That's the only way to survive. Oh, and lock the door—though that's common sense, so I shouldn't need to spell it out, right?)
There are no children in Shirakawa Apartments. If you encounter any child here, do not interact with them. Avoid them at all costs.
(No one chosen by this apartment has ever been a child. The youngest resident we've had was already 20 years old. And aside from those "selected," no outsiders can enter this place—no exceptions so far. So don't engage with any children you see here. Of course, if you don't believe me, feel free to test it—but don't come crying to me about the consequences.)
If a child blocks your path and you cannot avoid them, climb onto a tall cabinet and wait for them to leave.
(If you've spent time in the apartment hallways, you'll notice many tall cabinets—each about two meters high, nearly touching the ceiling, but just barely enough space for an adult to crouch on top. These cabinets were set up by previous residents, and they usually have some useful supplies stashed there. If you're trapped with no way out, and if you can manage it, climb onto a cabinet. Some who violated Rule 1 survived this way. If that's your situation, stay on the cabinet until 8:00 AM.)
If you encounter a child in the apartment and survive, do not speak of it anywhere—not in conversation with others, not even to yourself. Do not leave any written records either.
(You may have noticed these rules deliberately avoid describing certain things. Like I said earlier, children are this apartment's greatest taboo. I can't tell you why. If you experience it yourself, you'll understand why silence is mandatory. Until then, just follow the rules and pray you never have that kind of "luck." And if you do survive? Don't assume you're safe just because you're alone. Don't speak of it. Don't record it. Too many have paid the price—some even dragging others down with them.)
Room 304 does not exist in Shirakawa Apartments. Do not interact with anyone claiming to be from 304.
(If you meet any non-child residents in the apartment and decide to engage, the first thing you must do is confirm which room they're from. As long as it's not 304, they're trustworthy—or at least safe to talk to. But if they say they're from 304? Cut all contact. Even if they were once your friend, they aren't anymore. Avoid them. Don't engage. If necessary, use force—but never inflict fatal or knockout-level injuries. Absolutely never.)
Residents must spend at least 1 out of every 3 nights in Shirakawa Apartments. The maximum consecutive time you can stay away is 2 days.
(If you think you can just run away and never come back, think again. Many have tried. Without fail, by the third day, they return—whether they want to or not. And usually, they return at night. I don't think I need to explain why that's a bad idea. Those chosen by this apartment can never truly leave. But don't lose hope. Those of us who wrote these rules, and many others, haven't given up. Survive. Only by surviving can we find a real way out.)
If you spend 6 consecutive nights in Shirakawa Apartments, you must not stay for the 7th night. Never stay 7 nights in a row.
(The number 7 seems to hold some significance here. Some believe it represents a cycle—I don't know if that's true. But I do know this: those who stayed for a full week... disappeared. Even if they remained in their rooms. So don't overstay. Go out sometimes. It's good for your health, isn't it?)
By now, you should have some understanding of this place. Maybe you think I'm exaggerating, but trust me—these rules are no joke. They're a curse binding all of us here. Every word in these rules was paid for in lives. Cherish them—because they're the only thing keeping you alive.
—Xu Sheng, Room 309. If you want to know more, come find me during the day. I'm usually around, except on Sundays.
...
The rules spanned over two thousand characters, but Takakai didn't take long to read them.
Reading them was one thing.
The psychological impact was another.
This... this is... this is a fucking rules-based horror game, isn't it?! This is textbook rules horror!
Where's my slice-of-life isekai?! Where's my harem?! Where's my Cat Guest-approved wish-fulfillment?! Why am I stuck in a goddamn horror scenario?!
WHY?! TELL ME WHY?!
On the surface, Takakai's expression remained calm. Internally, he was screaming.