Recaps

Chen Han and the others endured another power outage, then faced a child who offered to lead them out of the pool while the circle of light kept shrinking. The girl with the high ponytail agreed to go, but Chen Han gave the child candy and left the choice unresolved.

• After the third power outage ended, Chen Han and the others discovered the middle-aged woman's body had vanished, leaving tissue in the pool.
• During the fourth outage, the circle of light appeared late and shrank to about a meter wide as the children approached the players.
• The child in red told Chen Han, Fang Lei, and the girl with the high ponytail that the lifeguard was asleep and offered to lead them out.
• The girl with the high ponytail accepted the child's offer, and the child asked her for candy.
• Chen Han tossed the child in red a piece of candy, then said he had only had one as the other children stared at him.

Chen Han let the girl with the high ponytail leave the pool with the children during the power outage, and she was killed shortly afterward. Her death left Chen Han and Fang Lei to question whether the rule about trusting the children was misleading as they waited for the next outage.

• The child in red accepted one piece of candy from Chen Han, and the girl with the high ponytail swam across the pool and left with the children.
• After the fourth power outage ended at 4:10 a.m., Fang Lei asked Chen Han whether the girl would be safe and why he had given the child candy; Chen Han replied that it was for what came next.
• The child in red led the girl with the high ponytail along a hidden, weed-covered path while the other children surrounded her.
• The child in blue and the child in orange struck the girl with wooden sticks, killing her and shutting down her livestream POV.
• The livestream viewers debated why the children had killed her and whether the rule allowing players to ask them for help during outages was partly false.

During the fifth power outage, Chen Han saved an exhausted Fang Lei, who discovered that candy restored his stamina. After a bloodied child offered to lead them out, the two left the pool and Chen Han received a new set of rules that both urged him to trust the child and warned him against believing him.

• Chen Han pulled Fang Lei into the circle of light just as an anomaly brushed Fang Lei's back.
• Fang Lei ate a candy he had taken from the front desk and quickly regained his strength.
• The bloodied child asked Chen Han for candy, and Chen Han left one for him by the poolside.
• Fang Lei asked the child to lead them out, and the child agreed while warning that they must not be caught by them.
• Chen Han and Fang Lei climbed out of the pool, and Chen Han's watch displayed ten new rules about the child, his corpse, and the dangers ahead.

Fang Lei followed Chen Han’s hint and asked a beaten child for help, triggering new rules and convincing the livestream viewers that they had found a way to clear the instance. The viewers debated the clues behind their success while Chen Han mistakenly concluded that Fang Lei had solved the puzzle on his own.

• The livestream viewers were stunned when new rules appeared after Fang Lei followed the beaten child with Chen Han.
• Li Chen reasoned that Chen Han had used candy to attract the child’s attention and that Fang Lei had acted on Chen Han’s earlier hint.
• The viewers questioned how Chen Han had known to choose the beaten child rather than the child in red.
• A viewer explained that Rule 7’s wording referred to one child, not children, identifying the beaten child as the intended choice.
• Chen Han thought Fang Lei had independently found a way to clear the instance and decided to leave future puzzles to him.

Chen Han and Fang Lei followed the child through the freezing darkness, using the rules to find bath towels. When the child asked Chen Han for his towel, Chen Han found a way to share it without giving it up, leaving Fang Lei amazed by his resourcefulness.

• Chen Han and Fang Lei accepted flashlights from the child and followed him along a weed-choked path as the temperature dropped.
• Chen Han asked the child where to find bath towels, and the child produced two from behind his back.
• Chen Han and Fang Lei wrapped themselves in the towels, which stopped them from feeling cold.
• The child claimed he was cold and asked Chen Han to give him his towel, trapping Chen Han between conflicting rules.
• Chen Han draped part of his towel over the child's shoulder and shared it, satisfying the child's request without surrendering the towel.

Chen Han avoided freezing by sharing Kid Bro’s bath towel, then led him along a treacherous path and apparently left a trail of candy. As they walked, Kid Bro recounted how classmates bullied him for living with his grandmother, before revealing that the class monitor was still at school after everyone else had left.

• Chen Han persuaded Kid Bro to share his bath towel and continued walking with him while Fang Lei followed.
• Chen Han retrieved a sturdy branch to probe the overgrown path, tearing his swimming trunks and spilling candy from his pocket.
• Fang Lei and some livestream viewers suspected Chen Han was deliberately leaving a candy trail.
• Kid Bro asked Chen Han why he was always bullied, then explained that he lived with his grandmother while his parents worked away from home.
• Kid Bro described how classmates mocked and bullied him, stole his lunch money, and beat him when he had none.
• Kid Bro said he had stayed at school rather than go home after being beaten, then revealed that the class monitor had not left because they were cleaning.

Chen Han recognized that kid bro’s heartwarming story concealed a threat and used candy to lure the children in red into stopping his transformation. With kid bro distracted, Chen Han and Fang Lei ran toward the exit while the children in red beat kid bro.

• Kid bro asked Chen Han and Fang Lei to stay with him forever, then began transforming into an eerie being when they did not answer.
• The children in red arrived, and kid bro trembled and stopped transforming when he heard them.
• Li Chen explained that Chen Han had deliberately let candy fall from his torn swimming trunks to lure the children in red, following the rules’ hints about seeking their help in danger.
• Chen Han ran toward the exit with Fang Lei close behind, while the children in red attacked kid bro.

Chen Han escaped Kid Bro and asked Fang Lei to choose their way out, while Fang Lei followed white petals that led them to an old tree. Beneath it, they found the corpses of the child and the three people who had died earlier.

• Chen Han fled from Kid Bro when the children in red appeared, then stopped after realizing he did not know where the exit was.
• Chen Han asked Fang Lei to decide which way they should go, and Fang Lei searched for flowers mentioned in the rules.
• Fang Lei followed paths scattered with white petals while Chen Han walked behind him.
• Chen Han and Fang Lei reached an old tree shedding white petals and found a child's corpse beneath it.
• Chen Han and Fang Lei discovered the corpses of the blond guy, the middle-aged woman, and the high-ponytailed girl beside the child.

Chen Han and Fang Lei found a child who appeared dead, but he revived and offered to lead them to the true path. Li Chen realized the rules distinguished this child from Kid Bro, leaving Chen Han with a possible guide to the exit.

• Chen Han leaned over the drowned-looking child's body, and the child suddenly opened his bloodshot eyes.
• Fang Lei screamed in fright, startling Chen Han and the livestream viewers.
• The child recovered his normal appearance, stood up, and said he would lead Chen Han and Fang Lei to the true path.
• Li Chen explained that the rules referred to Kid Bro in some places and to the revived child in others, identifying the latter as their guide to the exit.
• Chen Han accepted that the child might help them clear the instance, while Fang Lei excitedly slapped himself again.

Chen Han and Fang Lei reached the exit with Xiaobai, and the ticket seller let them leave because Chen Han had kept their swimming stubs safe. Afterward, Xiaobai captured Kid Bro in a gourd, and a revealed memory showed how Kid Bro had helped the red-clad boy lure the monitor to the pool, where the monitor was killed.

• Xiaobai led Chen Han and Fang Lei through the maze to the exit, where the ticket seller was surprised to see Fang Lei.
• Kid Bro chased after them and claimed they could not leave without their swimming stubs, but Chen Han had left the stubs with the ticket seller.
• Chen Han and Fang Lei walked out through the gates, leaving Kid Bro stunned to see the ticket seller holding both stubs.
• Xiaobai appeared and sucked Kid Bro into a small gourd despite his desperate struggles.
• A short animation revealed that the red-clad boy had bullied Kid Bro into luring the monitor to the swimming pool, where the red-clad boy captured and killed the monitor as Kid Bro laughed.

Chen Han perfectly cleared the Happy Kids Swimming Pool instance and triggered the hidden ending, then returned to System Space with a new item and increased strength. After skipping his rest period, he was sent to the entrance of a new instance as the map began navigating for him.

• Chen Han and Fang Lei witnessed the truth behind the class monitor’s death, and Chen Han perfectly cleared the instance by triggering the hidden ending “Ingratitude.”
• Chen Han returned to System Space with 19,358 fans and a new item, Kid Bro’s Eyeball, which could circle an incorrect rule once.
• Chen Han received a 30% increase to his strength as a reward for his perfect clear.
• Chen Han skipped his twenty-four-hour rest period and returned to the entrance of Happy Kids Swimming Pool.
• Chen Han’s watch announced that the Rules Horror Story Map would navigate for him, and a new instance began.

Chen Han entered a new dungeon at Overseas Chinese Middle School, where he found himself back in a high school classroom and received rules for surviving the lesson. As he silently read, a teacher began savagely beating another student behind him.

• Chen Han reached the empty Overseas Chinese Middle School and entered the dungeon, appearing in a classroom during morning reading.
• Chen Han saw the classroom rules, which warned players to obey the teacher, stay in their assigned class, and avoid exposing themselves as players.
• Twelve players entered the dungeon, and Chen Han’s livestream drew a large audience as viewers watched him calmly assess the situation.
• A middle-aged teacher approached Chen Han’s area and reprimanded a student for looking around instead of studying.
• The teacher punched and kicked the student behind Chen Han until the student screamed in pain.

After Teacher Li savagely beat Li Shixin for slacking during morning reading, Chen Han studied the stricter rules and realized players had to hide their identities. The livestream viewers discovered that each player had a different character setting, and Chen Han’s was to be a good student.

• Teacher Li beat Li Shixin for not taking morning reading seriously, frightening the other players into hiding their reactions.
• The players recognized one another by the red names above their heads, while Gu Xiao’s startled cry made the classroom atmosphere feel threatening.
• After the bell, Chen Han read the rules and noted restrictions on talking, entering the wrong classroom, revealing player identities, and leaving his seat before class ended.
• Chen Han considered the conditional rules about strange writing and a blue pen, and worried he could not meet the requirement to be a good student.
• The livestream viewers noticed that each player had a different Rule 4 character setting and concluded that players needed to act according to their assigned roles.

Chen Han received a perfect math score and avoided Wang Xihu’s suspicious attempts to talk to him, while another player was punished for chatting. After three relentless classes, Chen Han finally left his seat for the restroom, but someone tapped his shoulder.

• Chen Han discovered he had scored 150 on the math quiz, while Wang Xihu tried twice to start a conversation with him.
• Teacher Li whipped Liu Mingjie for talking with his deskmate and ordered him to stand at the back; Liu Mingjie suspected his deskmate had deliberately set him up.
• Chen Han noticed Wang Xihu’s sinister smile and decided there was something wrong with his deskmate.
• Chen Han endured three consecutive classes without a break and concluded that the teachers were powerful anomalies, while the students seemed more like people in the instance.
• After third period ended, Chen Han hurried out to find the restroom, but someone tapped him on the shoulder and put him on alert.

Li Hebing recognized that Chen Han was keeping up a top-student persona and proposed that they form an alliance. Chen Han abruptly left for the restroom, rejecting the offer, but Li Hebing followed him and continued asking to talk.

• Li Hebing approached Chen Han with a test paper and asked him to explain a problem in private.
• Li Hebing told Chen Han he had noticed how he stayed in character during the beatings of Li Shixin and Liu Mingjie and ignored Wang Xihu.
• Li Hebing explained that his ordinary-student persona suited Chen Han's top-student persona and suggested they form an alliance.
• Chen Han stopped Li Hebing, folded his test paper, and walked into the restroom without answering.
• Li Hebing followed Chen Han into the restroom, insisting that he still did not understand the problem.

Chen Han’s warning kept Li Hebing from entering the wrong classroom after its sign changed from Grade 12, Class 8 to Grade 12, Class 1. Realizing Chen Han had noticed the danger before him, Li Hebing became his underling.

• Chen Han finished using the toilet and considered Li Hebing’s proposal to form an alliance.
• Chen Han returned toward the classroom by the back door, avoiding the teacher and carrying his test paper.
• Chen Han asked Li Hebing, “Are you really a smart person?” and Li Hebing realized the classroom sign had changed.
• Li Hebing recognized that Chen Han had saved him from entering the wrong classroom and asked to become his underling.
• Chen Han accepted Li Hebing, whose sincere smile delighted the livestream viewers.

Chen Han took Li Hebing as his underling after Li warned him that the classroom had changed, though Chen Han had only intended to bluff him. After surviving more classes, Chen Han followed Chen Yinuo to the cafeteria and discovered its seating was divided by gender.

• Li Hebing warned Chen Han that their classroom had changed and offered to become his underling, so Chen Han accepted while concealing his confusion.
• Chen Han saw that Grade 12, Class 8 had moved to the opposite end of the corridor and returned to class with Li Hebing.
• Chen Han endured two more classes, and Teacher Li warned the students that poor results on the citywide assessment would send them to the academic affairs office.
• After class, Chen Yinuo approached Chen Han, praised his math score, and led him to the cafeteria.
• Chen Han entered the crowded cafeteria and saw that boys and girls had separate seating areas.

Chen Han followed the new cafeteria rules and joined a line in front of a woman wearing a red hat, where terrifying ghosts appeared around him. As other players panicked, Li Hebing noticed that the students reading their notebooks seemed amused and possibly dangerous.

• Chen Han read the new cafeteria rules and joined a line in front of a woman wearing a red hat, with Chen Yinuo following him.
• While Chen Han waited, he spotted a horribly wounded student at the serving window and concealed his fear by looking away.
• A female ghost with a mutilated face and deep wrist cuts appeared almost against Chen Han, who avoided reacting and looked down.
• Li Hebing watched Chen Han remain composed as other players screamed or fled when more than ten ghosts appeared around the cafeteria.
• Li Hebing noticed the students reading notebooks had amused expressions and suspected they were plotting something.

Chen Han endured a female ghost’s harassment while eating lunch and used a small movement of his spoon to uncover vegetables hidden beneath the rice, which the rules forbade. Li Hebing noticed Chen Han’s discovery, found vegetables in his own lunch, and realized Chen Han had saved him from eating them.

• Chen Han collected his lunch and sat with Chen Yinuo while a female ghost followed him and cursed about being reported.
• Chen Yinuo chattered about exams and universities as Chen Han silently prepared himself to eat.
• When the female ghost reached for Chen Han, his spoon scraped toward Chen Yinuo, startling her into pulling back.
• Chen Han’s spoon exposed vegetables buried beneath his rice, revealing a violation of the food rule.
• Li Hebing searched his lunch after observing Chen Han and found vegetables hidden beneath his own rice.

Chen Han avoided eating a boxed lunch with hidden green vegetables, then returned to class with Chen Yinuo while other students collapsed after eating theirs. During the short break, he overheard Li Zhan tell Sun Taozha that student disappearances were linked to the anonymous suggestion box and the Dean’s Office.

• Chen Han found green vegetables hidden in his rice, claimed there were bugs, and exchanged his meal while Chen Yinuo waited for him.
• Three players collapsed after eating rice containing green vegetables, prompting other players to inspect and exchange their meals.
• Chen Han ate a replacement lunch and returned to the classroom with Chen Yinuo, who talked rapidly about schoolwork on the way.
• Chen Han found most classmates sleeping during the brief break and overheard Li Zhan gossiping with Sun Taozha.
• Li Zhan claimed that students reported through the anonymous suggestion box were seized by Dean’s Office spies and tortured to death.

Chen Han avoided speaking to Wang Xihu after a blue pen appeared in his pencil case, despite turning his back on him. After returning to the livestream, Li Chen deduced that Chen Han had used a broken half-mirror to watch the pencil case, and the chapter left him marveling at Chen Han’s preparation.

• Chen Han asked Li Zhan and Sun Taozha about the anonymous box and learned it was in the academic affairs office on the fifth floor, which Li Zhan said was haunted.
• Wang Xihu revealed that the academic affairs office required a key carried by the homeroom teacher, while a blue pen appeared in his pencil case.
• Chen Han stopped himself from speaking to Wang Xihu and turned back to studying, following the rule about the blue pen.
• Li Chen woke after sleeping for just over six hours, returned to Chen Han’s livestream, and wondered how Chen Han had noticed the pen.
• Li Chen spotted a broken half-mirror on the desk behind Chen Han and realized its reflection let Chen Han see Wang Xihu’s pencil case.

Chen Han learned the instance’s clear condition was to become a good student, while the school’s students were disappearing and the players still had no clear path forward. At dinner, Li Hebing joined Chen Han and Chen Yinuo’s table, pretending to seek study advice.

• Li Chen explained how Chen Han used a mirror shard to spot a blue pen in Wang Xihu’s pencil case, and Huixiazhi argued that Chen Han had anticipated Wang Xihu’s attempt to make him break the rules.
• Chen Han realized he had mistaken Wang Xihu’s voice for Li Zhan’s and focused on learning that only the homeroom teacher held the key to the fifth-floor academic affairs office.
• An electronic screen revealed that the instance was called “I Am a Good Student,” its clear condition was to become a good student, and students at Overseas Chinese Middle School had been disappearing.
• Chen Han spent the afternoon in class and discovered that quiz results were changed to match each player’s character profile.
• At dinner, Chen Han cautiously checked his meal and remembered the five students who had collapsed at noon before Li Hebing sat beside him, claiming he wanted to learn how top students studied.

Li Hebing and Li Zhan joined Chen Han and Chen Yinuo for lunch, leaving Chen Han trapped in Chen Yinuo’s nonstop study talk. When Wang Xihu moved to sit beside Li Zhan, Li Hebing realized the group would exceed the cafeteria’s four-person limit, but Chen Han still did not react.

• Li Hebing sat with Chen Han and Chen Yinuo, hoping to gather information, but Chen Yinuo talked nonstop about studying and ignored his attempts to speak.
• Li Zhan joined the table, thinking Chen Yinuo was chatting, then found himself stuck listening to his study advice.
• Li Hebing noticed Wang Xihu standing behind Chen Yinuo and saw Chen Han pause while eating.
• Wang Xihu moved to sit beside Li Zhan, which would make the group larger than four and trigger the rule requiring people to change seats within ten seconds.
• Li Hebing grew anxious that Chen Han showed no sign of reacting to Wang Xihu’s move.

Li Hebing realized that Wang Xihu was an anomaly after the cafeteria’s group-size rule failed to activate, and Li Zhan confirmed that Chen Han had no deskmate. Li Hebing kept pretending not to see Wang Xihu, while the mention of the homeroom teacher made the air grow heavy.

• Chen Han stayed seated and calmly nodded to Li Hebing as Wang Xihu joined Li Zhan, so Li Hebing trusted him and waited out the ten-second deadline.
• When nothing happened, Li Hebing inferred that Wang Xihu was an anomaly because the students had not noticed him and the rule referred to groups of people.
• Li Hebing asked Li Zhan about Chen Han’s deskmate, and Li Zhan said Chen Han did not have one.
• Li Hebing pretended he had meant to ask about becoming Chen Han’s deskmate, while Wang Xihu mouthed that Li Hebing could not have his seat.
• Li Zhan said he did not care whether Li Hebing became Chen Han’s deskmate, but the air grew heavy when he mentioned the homeroom teacher.

Chen Han’s livestream viewers realized that Wang Xihu was an anomaly, and Huixiazhi explained how Chen Han had noticed the clues. The stream’s audience surged past 30,000 as Li Chen marveled at Chen Han’s insight and acting.

• The viewers were stunned to learn that Chen Han had no deskmate, and his livestream grew to over 30,000 concurrent viewers.
• Li Chen realized Wang Xihu was an anomaly but could not work out how Chen Han had figured it out.
• Huixiazhi explained that the students’ behavior showed they were targeting players and that only anomalies spoke to players during class.
• Huixiazhi pointed out that Wang Xihu had repeatedly approached Chen Han and Li Zhan, whose failure to respond exposed him as an anomaly.
• The viewers praised Chen Han’s observation and acting, while Li Chen reflected on how the livestream app lacked streamers like him.