"Sorry, I don't have morals…"
Chi Mu grabbed the coffee from the vending machine and turned to leave.
It wasn't just the man he'd shoved who was shouting at him—everyone in line erupted in outrage. Accusations flew left and right: "Shameless!" "Uncivilized!" "Where are your manners?!"
But Chi Mu didn't flinch.
"Apologies," he said coolly, "I don't have morals. So technically, you can't judge me."
He didn't care whether he'd cut the line or not. In the world of Rulebound Horror, these people were essentially NPCs.
And even if they were real people, he still wouldn't waste energy worrying about their feelings. Compared to morality, his life mattered more.
"Damn! 'No morals, no judgment'—I'd hate this guy in real life, but why does this feel so satisfying right now?"
"+1. So satisfying..."
"+2."
"...+10086."
In Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe III was watching Chi Mu's actions with disbelief.
He had assumed that Chi Mu would be delayed by the long line and miss his chance to buy coffee. But clearly, Chi Mu didn't play by the rules.
"Baka yarou! Doesn't China claim to be a nation of etiquette? This is etiquette?!"
His assistant quietly reminded him, "Prime Minister, this is the Rulebound world. No one cares about etiquette here. Besides... Mouri Kawatsuro didn't just cut in line—he punched someone."
"Yoshi! Well done, Mouri Kawatsuro!"
"Hey, come on now. That's a total double standard."
"Abe, have you no shame?"
Coffee in hand, Chi Mu headed quickly back toward the train. He couldn't afford another delay.
"Excuse me, passenger," said a woman in a white uniform, stepping in front of him. "Please don't board yet. A large red dog has appeared on the train. Security is trying to capture it."
Chi Mu immediately went on alert.
Platform Rule #1:Do not trust any train attendants on the platform.
Was she trying to delay him on purpose? Make him miss the train?
Chi Mu ignored her completely and strode forward.
But just ten meters from the train, a deep, low growl came from within.
He stopped in his tracks.
There was a dog on board? Was it the same red-faced hound he'd seen in the window?
Should he trust the attendant?
He glanced back at the woman—suddenly recognizing her.
She was the same attendant who had checked tickets earlier.
Chi Mu looked around the platform. Other attendants were wearing blue uniforms. But this one wore white.
Could Rule #1 mean only platform-based attendants? Maybe the original train crew—those who worked inside—weren't included in the warning?
Chi Mu hesitated, then glanced at the digital clock on the platform:
13:32.
Eight minutes until departure.
He decided to wait.
Meanwhile, the Chosen One from India had also been stopped by a female attendant.
"A red dog on the train? Don't take me for a fool. The platform rules clearly say not to trust any of you!"
With a cold snort, he boarded the train.
The moment he stepped in, a massive red dog lunged and tore through his throat. Blood sprayed across the carriage.
Screams echoed from his livestream. Viewers couldn't bear to watch—they closed the stream in horror.
"Mu God's caution saves him again. Even the rules are full of traps."
"We've already lost so many Chosen Ones… and it's only Day Two."
"It's only going to get more dangerous. May the Buddha protect Chi Mu… Amitabha…"
13:37.
Three minutes left.
Chi Mu finally boarded the train.
Right away, he saw several security officers dragging a giant red dog away in a massive net.
"Holy hell… there really was a dog!"
He let out a sigh of relief and gave himself a silent thumbs-up.
In a world like this, even the tiniest decision could be the difference between life and death.
Chuckling bitterly, Chi Mu returned to his private compartment.
"Dear passengers, the train is about to depart. Please return onboard immediately."
"One minute until departure. The train will not wait."
The conductor's voice echoed through the speakers. A sharp whistle followed, and the train lurched forward.
Chi Mu had just taken off his shoes, ready to lie down, when he noticed a folded note on his bed.
He thought it might be new rules. But when he unfolded it, he saw:
This station stop update:
The Water Demon "Basha" has disembarked. You may now freely drink water in your compartment. You are no longer required to consume six 3-liter bottles per day.
The Red Dog Demon has been captured. You will no longer see a red dog's head in your window.
Three angels and three demons still remain on the train.
Chi Mu breathed easier.
No more forced water consumption. No more terrifying red dog at the window. And—most importantly—he now had confirmation: three demons still remained onboard.
One of them was definitely the Sleep Demon, lurking somewhere beyond Carriage 10.
So far, every demon had been named in line with their powers—Water Demon, Red Dog Demon. That meant the others were likely the Sleep Demon and the Time Demon.
As for the third, Chi Mu had no clue.
Wasting no time, he downed the coffee he'd bought and made his way once again toward Carriage 10.
Last time, that was where the drowsiness had started.
Gripping the compass he'd taken from Zhang Dada, he passed several cars and reached Carriage 11.
The moment he entered, his head became heavy and foggy. Even with the caffeine in his system, an overwhelming wave of sleepiness crashed down on him.
Everyone in this carriage was already asleep.
Except for one.
A woman sat silently, a baby cradled in her arms—quietly sobbing...