Clever Rule-Based Horror Stories 规则怪谈类小说（有脑子的）

1. 251 十 Fourteen Years of Hunting Ghosts (Complete in Five Volumes) 十四年猎诡人（全五册） Li Yifan李诣凡Mystery1.2M WordsCompleted Li Yifan’s spine-chilling ghost-hunting chronicles! A contemporary Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio! A spine-chilling record of ghost hunts! First posted on Tieba, it topped 100 million views within three months! The acclaimed mystery writer Li Yifan’s breakthrough work, now with the unpublished continuation added! Every ghost was once a living person. I’m a professional ghost hunter. I turn the compass, circle the place with red 11.8kReads9.6Score2.2kShelves

   Reader note

   These two novels are author Xiao Feie's masterpieces. I stumbled upon them during middle school and was initially drawn in by their humorous and witty plots, such as nearly getting electrocuted while urinating on a telephone pole and parents naming their children after movie stars. However, what captivated me most was the author's masterful use of supernatural and suspenseful elements in the storylines, creating incredibly dramatic and suspenseful moments. The novels are already complete, with clear and compelling storylines that leave you wanting more. Many details subtly foreshadow later events. I highly recommend them; I read them from middle school until graduating from university, and they were truly excellent. There's even a fan-made game of the same name, and I eagerly await the day it's adapted into a movie.

2. 252 屌 The Lowlife Taoist 屌丝道士 Little Flying Goose小飞鹅Urban2.1M WordsCompleted A man who nearly gets electrocuted while taking a leak, and a Taoist priest with the worst luck imaginable! What hilarious trouble will he get into when he runs into ghosts? 22.7kReads8.0Score2.2kShelves
3. 253 规 Rule Horror: I’m the Final Villain in This Horror Story 规则怪谈：我，恐怖里的最终反派 Autumn Wind Enters Dreams秋风入梦Mystery306k WordsCompleted The supernatural returned, and rulebound horror descended upon the world. Lin Mu was chosen by chance and brought to this perilous world of urban legends. He thought he was just like most of the other players. If he failed to solve the mystery within the allotted time, his mind would descend into chaos, and he would become one of them. Until today: [Rulebound horror has finally begun!] [Wait! This handsome guy looks kind of familiar. Holy crap, isn't he the final villain who created the urban le 1.5kReads8.5Score139Shelves
4. 254 规 Rule Horror: I Slaughter My Way Through with Hidden Rules 规则怪谈：我靠隐藏规则杀疯了 Aba Aba阿巴阿巴Mystery40k WordsCompleted How do you escape by the skin of your teeth from a campus horror game where the rules are enforced with lethal force? My name is Chen Yi, and I’m a sophomore in the computer science department at C University. During a lab class on Tuesday morning, the computer suddenly went black. Then a strange voice rang out: Welcome to the eerie game world. All students must follow these rules: Rule One: During class, you may not speak unless answering a question. Rule Two: Do not try to leave the school. Al 454Reads8.0Score—Shelves
5. 255 规 Rule Horror: I Just Want to Survive! 规则怪谈：我只想活下去！ I Can't Write Novels...不会写小说。。。Mystery895k WordsOngoing [The first five chapters cover the invasion of the Strange Tales world; Chapter Six begins the journey into that world.] [No System, no cheats. The protagonist is an ordinary person, and there is no female lead.] Xia Hua was an ordinary person from the Dragon Kingdom, but one day, his fate changed completely. A mysterious giant clock appeared in the sky and announced the start of the Strange Tales game, changing the fate of countless people. The Rules of Strange Tales game had begun. But it had —Reads—Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   I've personally tested all of them. I'm not good with words, but I'll mention that the highlight of the fourth book is its humor, the first and fifth are lighthearted reads (not mindless), and the rest require thought and strong logic.

6. 256 恐 Horror Movie NPC Goes on a Killing Spree in a Terror Game 恐怖片NPC在惊悚游戏杀疯了 Snow-Skin Lantern冰皮灯笼Mystery1.0M WordsCompleted [Horror + comedy + power fantasy + no female lead (male protagonist has no romantic pairing)] A horror game swept across the world. Fu Yan, an NPC from a horror movie in a higher plane of existence, was accidentally dragged into the game. Fu Yan: Since you've all gone to the trouble of inviting me, I won't hold back. From then on, the “horror game” was plunged into the shadow of someone named “Fu Yan”... Horror NPCs: Please, don't come any closer! Livestream viewers: Can someone do something abo 64.1kReads9.6Score8.4kShelves

   Reader note

   Three books that I personally really like

7. 257 被 After a Mad NPC Set Its Sights on Me, I Took Control 被疯批NPC盯上后，我直接拿捏 Cactus Heart仙人掌心Mystery813k WordsCompleted [Female lead grows over time] [Male lead is thoroughly rotten] [One-and-only relationships] [Games include survival, horror, and rule-based mysteries…] A strange bus travels through time and space, crossing into another dimension… Jiang Song never imagined that her life as an overworked office drone would end on the day she finally clocked out. To survive the terrifying games, she must complete every mission without making a single mistake. The games are already perilous, but then an NPC s 35kReads9.3Score4.5kShelves

   Reader note

   The first book is about the female protagonist who gets into a game while on a bus on her way home from get off work. The other books are also very good.

8. 258 我 I Contain Hauntings in the Dark World 我在暗世界里收容诡物 I Am Different我则异於是Mystery1.5M WordsCompleted [Infinite Flow + Hypnotically Charming Male Lead With a Harem of Admirers + No Female Lead + Ensemble Cast + Overwhelming Combat Power + Recklessly Courting Death] After Xie Wudao dies, he finds himself in a dark world full of filth and strange creatures. Here, the only hope of staying alive is himself. Every instance contains a strange creature. Contain one, and he gains its supernatural ability, allowing him to command it in battle. The more strange creatures a player has, the more limitless t 23kReads9.3Score3.6kShelves

   Reader note

   I found the first book's tone and style very much to my liking. The second book, needless to say, is incredibly thought-provoking, and the third book was also fantastic.

9. 259 轮 Reincarnation's Eerie Station 轮回诡站 The Heartless One忘心人Mystery1.8M WordsOngoing A cursed ticket leading to one horrifying incident site after another... A city shrouded in dense fog, obsessed with eradicating the very existence of "horror"... Passengers who vanish one after another, or are cursed for all eternity... Inside a dilapidated train, an amnesiac burdened by three curses awakens in the dim light, as a voice calling out "curse" sounds in his ears... "Welcome to Reincarnation Station! Passengers aboard the train, please pay attention... The next stop is... Corpse Pai 167kReads8.8Score17.7kShelves

   Reader note

   It's alright, similar style.

10. 260 诡 The Haunted City of Dreams 诡梦迷城 July Wife七月妻Mystery1.5M WordsCompleted [Manhua adaptation and high-quality live-action audio drama now available] [Infinite progression + mystery + mind-bending puzzles + supernatural powers + paranormal horror. No System, no harem, no brainless plot. Read with caution if these are deal-breakers.] When I woke up, everything around me had become eerie and terrifying. My dead roommate called me, repeating over and over the struggle of his final moments... A pair of slender, snow-white legs appeared mysteriously on a bed in the boys' do 41.3kReads8.7Score4.5kShelves
11. 261 禁 The Forbidden Covenant Stele: Each Rule I Trace Costs Me Something 禁约碑：每拓一条规则，便失一物 Drifting Far Away飘了飘远Mystery238k WordsOngoing [Folk Horror] [Rule Horror] [No System] [Infinite Flow] For generations, the Yan family has made rubbings of ancient steles. Our ancestral copper seal and purple bamboo brush can reveal the obsessions of the dead beneath the stone, but every forbidden stele we make a rubbing of costs us something forever. My grandfather vanished thirty years ago at the Cizhou Kiln in Hebei, leaving behind only one last warning: Don't touch the stele of commandments carved with lotus patterns. —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Looking for recommendations for supernatural tales and folklore stories.

12. 262 规 Rule Horror: I Awakened the Talent of a Hopeless Romantic 规则怪谈：我觉醒了恋爱脑天赋 Computer Angel Heart电脑天使心Mystery579k WordsCompleted [Rules-Based Horror + National-Fortune Livestream + Comedy + The Protagonist Isn’t Human] Rules-based horror descended upon the world, and chosen players were randomly selected to enter horror dungeons. The Dragon Nation had suffered six consecutive defeats and was in dire straits. Just as other nations mocked and oppressed the Dragon Nation, Mu Dai was chosen as a player. She awakened an SSS-rank talent that no one had ever awakened before! Wait a minute, what does an SSS-rank “hopeless romanti 253Reads7.2Score104Shelves
13. 263 七 Seven-Day Horror: My University Is a Horror Game 七日怪谈：我的大学是恐怖游戏 A Thousand Ties千牵结Mystery556k WordsCompleted [First Person], [Rule Horror], [Ensemble Cast], [Coming-of-Age Protagonist], [No Romance], [Not a Power Fantasy], [Hardest Beginner Instance in History] This school has become a ghost-story game arena. Lin Xia, Ye Yan’s roommate, dies for no apparent reason in their dorm. The announcement sounds, declaring that the [Ghost-Story Game] has officially begun. Ye Yan, Chen Mo, and Zhou Yuan discover that Lin Xia died because she unknowingly broke a rule. For the next seven days, every place may hide 322Reads8.1Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    💐💐I was drawn in by the title and ended up completely engrossed in following the updates! The sense of suspense and tension is off the charts, a must-read for anyone looking for something to read!

14. 264 惊 Thriller: There's a Ghost in My Phone 惊悚：我的手机里有鬼 No More Wind and Rain风雨不再Mystery327k WordsOngoing A month ago, my younger sister mysteriously disappeared in a subway station. A day ago, the police pulled a headless female corpse from the river. A DNA test confirmed it was my sister, Xu Yuan. A minute ago, my dead sister walked in carrying a cake decorated with a human head. A white ghost candle was stuck into the crown of the skull, and the longevity noodles were made from human organs. She had come to celebrate my birthday. A minute later, I was chosen by a supernatural app's blood contract 3.3kReads—Score457Shelves

    Reader note

    The protagonist encounters ghosts in both the real world and another world, and amidst various anomalies, he must uncover the truth behind his sister's disappearance. (Two other very good novels are also recommended.)

15. 265 规 Rule Horror: I Can Possess the Supernatural 规则怪谈：我能附身诡异 The Little Cat in the Snow雪中的小猫Mystery1.0M WordsCompleted [Rule-Based Horror + No Romance + Ensemble Cast + Passionate Adventure + National Destiny + Deduction + Original Scenarios] (No characters suddenly becoming stupid. True teammates appear starting with the second scenario, and this really isn't padded! The first four scenarios each have a completely different style.) A year ago, rule-based horror descended on Blue Star in massive numbers, causing countless tragedies and drastically reducing the global population. While everyone else avoided the u 20.5kReads9.3Score2.6kShelves

    Reader note

    Recommended good novels, all of them are of the dungeon/slash genre, except for the first one, all of them have a score of 9 or higher.

16. 266 身 As the Luckiest Player, What’s Wrong with Having a Few Billion Extra Items? 身为欧皇，道具多亿点点怎么了？ Qingqing and the Fish卿卿与鱼Mystery1.2M WordsCompleted [Infinite Flow × No CP, Strong Female Lead's Growth × Ensemble Cast × Livestream] [Content warning: Slow burn! This is my own style of fiction, written in my own way. Tastes differ, so it may not be your thing.] After dying unexpectedly, Song Qiao enters a mysterious, eerie game world. To be reborn, she has to clear the games and win. Earn 1,000,000 points and she can return to the human world For Song Qiao, whose intelligence and perception are maxed out and whose luck is off the charts, isn't 4.1kReads9.2Score557Shelves
17. 267 规 Rule Horror: I Can See Every Rule 规则怪谈：我能看见所有规则 Dongfang Sanshao东方三少Mystery134k WordsOngoing This book has mild horror, an original plot, no mindless characters, no power fantasy, hard-core deduction, survival against impossible odds, no System, and no female lead. Those who want a feel-good power fantasy should think twice before reading. In 2019, Rule-Bound Horror descended upon Earth in full force. Each country on Earth would randomly select a Chosen One to enter a Rule-Bound Horror instance and complete its challenge. Failure meant death, along with punishment for the Chosen One's c 1Reads—Score—Shelves
18. 268 当 When the Gods' Child Enters the Horror World 当诸神之子进入惊悚世界后 Tai Sang, Who Likes Tian Nong Jiu喜欢天农九的泰桑Mystery964k WordsCompleted Feng Ze always thought he was a ghost, that his mom and dad were ghosts, and that all his neighbors were ghosts too. So when he, a ghost himself, is suddenly pulled into a horror ghost game, he's as happy as a fish in the sea. People who enter the ghost game are doomed sooner or later. When Feng Ze enters, it's the ghosts who are doomed! And each game is worth 10,000 yuan in cash! He quits being a courier, food delivery rider, and security guard all at once. The ghost game is his job now. He lov 70.2kReads9.0Score12.4kShelves

    Reader note

    Wow!! Around 500,000 people are reading this novel. I absolutely love this Chinese horror genre! The protagonist's imagination is amazing, and the main plot revolves around killing people without them noticing! It's very well written, much better than other similar novels I've read, with lots of plot twists and mind-blowing ideas!

19. 269 欺EN Deceiving the Gods: A Performance! 欺神演出！ Violent Purple-Skinned Person暴力紫皮人Mystery5.4M WordsOngoing [Satisfying revenge + Mind-bending twists + Slow burn + Strategic battles + Loads of plot twists] “When I thought death was the end, I opened my eyes and discovered that death was only a new beginning.” Lin Yu was killed by a junior schoolmate he thought had come to confess her love, only to discover that he hadn’t truly died. Instead, he had entered a deadly game! Only the winner would earn the chance to “live again.” Fortunately, Lin Yu awakened the “Unique Class: Deceiver.” [Any lie you 531.2kReads9.3Score86.4kShelves

    Reader note

    The second book is also a rule-based game, but it's about filming death games.

20. 270 灵 The Most Connected Person in the Supernatural World 灵异界最强关系户 Young Master Feng公子枫Mystery660k WordsCompleted “What, you think a pen fairy, zombies, Chu Renmei, Sadako, werewolves, and vampires can just show up at the parent-teacher meeting? Your kids are such underachievers. How are they ever going to graduate?” This is a university for the supernatural. The toughest man in the supernatural world is the vice principal, Black and White Impermanence head the admissions office, a weasel demon runs the monster studies department, and exorcists and Taoist priests teach classes... Every student here is the d 8.2kReads9.1Score869Shelves

    Reader note

    "Where can you find a male lead with such a beautiful mental state? [Sending heart] Zheng Xun: A runaway comedian, director of the demolition office, and the god of sleep! His teammates screamed, 'I'm going to die!' He rolled over to catch up on sleep: 'Don't panic, I'll beat it up when I wake up.' Fans' hot comments: This guy turned a horror game into 'Zheng's Bizarre Adventure,' but... His savior look is incredibly cool!"

21. 271 规 Rule Horror: I'm Crazier Than the Supernatural 规则怪谈：我比诡异还诡异 Dark Dreamscape黑色梦境Mystery447k WordsCompleted Completed horror scenarios: “Lily of the Valley Noble Girls’ School,” “Born Biopharmaceutical Company,” “Infinite Train,” “Griffin Luo Orphanage,” and “Castle of the Dead.” [National fate + rule-based horror + deduction and puzzle-solving + livestream + a normal person on the run from a psychiatric hospital?] He was the only sane person in the psychiatric hospital, yet countless normal people thought he was crazy. Only he knew he wasn’t. He was perfectly normal! Outside Qingshan Psychiatric Hosp 2kReads8.5Score164Shelves
22. 272 神 Mysteries: Crushing the Supernatural from the Moment I Learned to Read 神秘：从认字开始横推诡异 Children's Paradise幼儿乐园Mystery103k WordsOngoing [Rules of the Strange Tales: You are reading the synopsis right now. It is written in Chinese characters. Read it silently and correctly, and you are a master of the occult arts. Read it wrong, and you die.] In this world, Chinese characters are the only weapons. Every word corresponds to a rule of the occult arts. The natives can only guess. Guess wrong, and you explode on the spot, turning into a monster of the wilderness. But the protagonist, Chen Fan, is just an ordinary modern man with litt 9Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A seasoned bookworm, recommending fresh and imaginative ideas, rejecting homogenization.

23. 273 惊 Thriller Game: From the Start, I Helped Monsters Make Choices 惊悚游戏：开局帮鬼怪做选择 Delicious Shimeji Mushroom美味的口蘑Mystery2.6M WordsOngoing [Horror game dungeons + career-based progression + NPCs caught in a rat race + livestreaming + everyday-life style] Jiang Ye’s daily routine consists of working, studying, working... Then one day, he’s pulled into a horror game during class and awakens an all-career talent. He discovers that all his career skills are a little strange. From the start, he unlocks the career “Small-Town Exam Machine,” with an added skill that lets him make choices for ghosts and monsters. [A difficult choice has ap 67kReads9.4Score7.8kShelves
24. 274 东 Tokyo: Forced to Save a Girl from the Supernatural! 东京：被迫拯救怪谈少女！ Riding the Wind, Longing to Return乘风欲归Anime Fanfiction1.1M WordsOngoing [Multiple female leads + mostly everyday life + Tomie and Kayako + Japanese horror harem] After transmigrating to Tokyo, Shen Guanguang found himself penniless from the start. He thought poverty would be his biggest enemy. That was until roll call in class. Kawakami Tomie, Kawamata Kayako, Shiragata Yuri... That was when he realized this wasn’t a harem story at all! The good news: These future world-ending terrors and invincible vengeful spirits were still just troubled girls with psychological 61.4kReads8.4Score8kShelves
25. 275 凶 Haunted House Registry: I Rewrote All the Bizarre Rules 凶宅名录：我篡改了所有诡异规则 Patterned Hibiscus花样木槿Mystery168k WordsCompleted "High-impact thrills with no angst + reverse rule changes + unbeatable at staying alive + resentful spirits throwing themselves at the protagonist + a massive conspiracy behind the scenes + nonstop action, no filler" Players everywhere are desperately trying to follow the rules of each instance, terrified of dying without a body left behind. Only Shen Yan knows the horrifying truth: Every single horror instance is a rigged slaughterhouse made by humans! The rules are a scam, the cycles are a —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    One hundred haunted houses filled with resentment, a variety of Chinese horror tales, thrilling yet stress-relieving, the more you watch, the more addictive it becomes!

26. 276 抱 Sorry, I’m Crazy. Keep Your Weirdness Away 抱歉，我有疯病，诡异勿扰 Hot Pot Tripe火锅涮毛肚Mystery1.6M WordsCompleted [Dark Fairy Tales + Horror Game + Livestream + Hilarious + No Romance + Unconventional Ending] My name is Shi Yu, and I'm mentally ill. One moment I was asleep, and the next I had been transported into a horror game called “Little Red Riding Hood.” Black smoke was rising from Mom's head, and the cake meant for Grandma had been mixed with an unidentified kind of minced meat... The game was being livestreamed to the entire world in real time. People watched in astonishment as, while the other p 21.4kReads9.3Score2.8kShelves
27. 277 生 Survival Game: My Sanity Meter Is Off the Charts! 生存游戏：我的san值爆表了！ Northwest Agent西北经纪人Mystery1.1M WordsCompleted [Story-driven + infinite worlds + horror game + no female lead] This is a survival game. All selected players must take part in terrifying instances. They must fight to survive in the cracks! Ji Bai is a doctor at a psychiatric hospital, and his best friends are his patients. Suddenly, a ghostly face lunges out! “A jumpscare?” Ji Bai looks at his SAN value. It has already shot up to 130. “I’m a doctor. If I say you’re sick, then you’re sick!” He grips his cleaver and swings hard. The ghostly fac 2.9kReads9.2Score289Shelves
28. 278 我 I Created Rule-Based Horror Games and Scared Players Worldwide Out of Their Wits 我开发规则怪谈，吓尿全球玩家 Quit the Three Thoughts戒三念Mystery354k WordsOngoing After transmigrating to a parallel world, Li Yi unexpectedly activates the Supernatural Tales Sharing System. “Share rule-based supernatural tales with the whole world as games. I level up when players work, when they explore, and even when they get scared to tears?” In that moment, Li Yi instantly becomes a game maker for the entire world. Mom’s note, the zoo visitor rules, Mount Daluo. A world made entirely of rule-based supernatural tales gradually unfolds before all the players. Eerie horror 872Reads9.0Score117Shelves

    Reader note

    The first book, "The Fourth Calamity," combines live streaming and supernatural tales of rules. The second book, "National Fate Game," also combines supernatural tales of rules (the effect is enhanced when read with the background music). Both are very good, and neither has a female lead (at least not so far).

29. 279 靠 You Need Me to Survive? I'm an NPC, Not a Player! 靠我存活？我是NPC不是玩家哦 Sui Sui Er岁岁儿Mystery782k WordsCompleted Wu Le is a murderous NPC in a horror game, rotating through different scenarios to "work"! Wu Le is free-spirited and willful. Deceiving players, playing tricks on them, and terrifying them are all part of her daily routine. Sometimes she likes to disguise herself as a player, getting a close look at the evil in people's hearts. She gives players hope, then crushes it completely, enjoying the look of despair on their faces. Other times, she plays the part of a proper horror NPC, hunting down pla 24.9kReads9.3Score3.3kShelves
30. 280 嘘 Shh, Please Be Quiet 嘘，请噤声 On Drawing a Sword and Zanshin纳刀与残心之事Mystery1.1M WordsOngoing [Infinite Flow + Suspense + Horror, Not a Wish-Fulfillment Story] Chen Heng was going to die. Suffering from brain cancer, he had only three months left to live. But just as he gave up on treatment, he was unexpectedly swept into the so-called [Gods' Game], a game that promised to grant anyone's wish. It was an endless slaughter, and each round of the game could have only one winner. Why am I called a [Contender] when this is clearly a [Game]? Whose game is this? And who is watching us from behi 521Reads8.4Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The protagonist is intelligent, has no cheat codes, and focuses on escape. I highly recommend the first book; all three books have very original plots. The second book is a 1v1, and the others are all without romantic pairings.

31. 281 童 Fairy-Tale Rules of Horror: She Can Reload Forever 童话规则怪谈：她能无限读档 Ah Zhen Loves Chocolate阿珍爱吃巧克力Mystery265k WordsOngoing [No romance + mind-bending + endless twists + ensemble cast + dark] She transmigrated into a beautiful fairy-tale world, only to discover it was a dark version. From the start, she was ordered to hunt Snow White. Here, Xu Chunyuan witnessed the deepest despair and the most twisted human hearts. Only by uncovering the truth behind the eerie rules could she seize a slim chance of survival. 44Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Both are dark fairy tales, and both are intellectually stimulating. ✔️

32. 282 规 Rule Horror: I Understand the Rules Better Than the Ghosts Do 规则怪谈：我比诡异更懂规则 O Brother Xiong'er OO熊二哥哥OMystery564k WordsCompleted Working overtime late at night, Lin Chuan spots a strange set of rules by the company elevator: [Do not take elevators with odd numbers.] [If the elevator stops on a floor that does not exist, do not get out.] [If someone calls your name from behind, do not look back.] He assumes it is just a prank, until a coworker steps into the elevator and vanishes the very next second. From that night on, something is wrong with the entire Sheng'an Building. In the basement parking lot, empty cars drive the 112Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    These are rare recommendations. These few are pretty good; the first and third have male protagonists, the second has a female protagonist. The first leans towards a realistic social background, the second is closer to a multi-world survival game, and the third is a national destiny type of story.

33. 283 宿 Dorm Survival: From the Start, I Join the Eerie Management Group 宿舍求生：开局加入诡异管理群 27suiMystery1.2M WordsOngoing [No CP] [Feel-Good Power Fantasy] [Tower Defense] [Infinite Flow] [Haunted Dormitory] [Survival Game] [Number One on Every Leaderboard] [Cute Pets] [Powerhouse] The very next second after Jiang Jinyue was about to sign her family member's informed consent form for surgery, everything went black and she was pulled into a dormitory survival game. At seven o'clock every night, terrifying creatures began appearing outside the door. They prowled the corridors, ready to break in at any moment. The 108.5kReads9.0Score15.8kShelves
34. 284 怎 How Could You Mistake Me for the Villain? Then I’ll Truly Take on the Role 怎么误会我是反派？那我真上岗了 Yuan Li原李Mystery1.3M WordsOngoing [Coming-of-age] [Warning: triple-identity spy ⚠️] [The three identities come after four instances] [Lone Wolf, no male-gaze content] [The protagonist is pursued early on, extreme protagonist stans, back off!] [Fictional setting with a realistic feel] The “Carnival Paradise” arrives and gradually devours the real world in the form of a game. Zhu Yan unexpectedly awakens the talent “Impersonation” and becomes one of the first closed-beta players. He thought he could safely build up his strength, 100kReads9.4Score13.2kShelves

    Reader note

    I've watched them all, and I've carefully selected them for you to enjoy.

35. 285 我 I Have 99 Kinds of Twisted Personalities 我有99种变态人格 Little Half-Immortal of Shu Mountain蜀山小半仙Mystery1.0M WordsCompleted What would you do if one day 99 different psychopaths appeared in your mind, and you could return to normal only by perfectly acting out each and every one of their personalities? Su Mo smiled wickedly. “This sounds fun.” The cases in this book are based on real events, taking you into the strange world of psychopathic personalities. 437Reads9.2Score107Shelves
36. 286 规 Rule Horror: Help! My AI Miracle Doctor Says I Have to Die 规则怪谈：救命！我的AI神医说我必须死 Dongdong Daci洞洞打次10k WordsCompleted Rule Horror: Help! My AI Miracle Doctor Says I Have to Die —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    You can take a look; it's rule-based and quite attractive.

37. 287 别 Don't Be Fooled by My Golden Finger-Like Look, I'm Really Just an NPC 别看我像金手指，我真只是NPC Nuo Yizhen诺以浈Mystery1.4M WordsOngoing [Powerhouse + role-playing + secret identities + horror and the supernatural + people reading too much into things + chosen ones + no romance] A three-in-one blend of three horror genres: psychological horror games, Cthulhu livestreams, and real-world supernatural arts. Xiao Gui'an, a bit-part actor, died, but not entirely. He was chosen to play an NPC in a world of horror and the supernatural. After becoming a ghost, Xiao Gui'an thought he would no longer have anything to fear. Who could have 49.3kReads9.5Score3.8kShelves
38. 288 规 Rule Horror: Starting with My Own Martial Arts Legend! 规则怪谈：从武林外传开始！ Cat Lantern Guest猫灯客Mystery247k WordsOngoing [Rule-based horror + wuxia instances + national destiny + deduction + livestream] When the American supercomputer issued a red alert: “Stay away from the man without a mouth on Bright Summit. He's a top-tier supernatural entity!” Transmigrator Su Chen walked up with a bag of chicken blood. “Bat King Wei, have you had dinner?” Rule-based horror descended, binding itself to national destiny. After ten straight losses, ten cities in China became forbidden zones for the supernatural, and countless l 94Reads5.7Score143Shelves
39. 289 诡 Eerie Descent: I’m the Only One Who Thinks I’m Weak 诡异降临：只有我认为自己很菜 Getting Up Early Isn't Goji Berries早起不是枸杞Two Male Leads478k WordsCompleted [Supernatural horror + delusional misinterpretations + role-playing + two male leads + rule-based horror] Chen Youshi is a timid, minor actor. To make ends meet, he takes on three scripts at once, each with a different role. In a romantic drama, he plays one of the male supporting characters who falls for the heroine’s charms, a flirtatious playboy who dates around. In a suspense drama, he plays the villain who appears at the end, a calm, highly intelligent criminal. In a horror movie, he plays. 25kReads9.3Score4.2kShelves
40. 290 惊 Horror Park: I Teach in the Ghost Realm, and the Boss Cries While Doing Homework 惊悚乐园：我在鬼域搞教育，BOSS哭着写作业 Dongdong Daci洞洞打次7k WordsCompleted Horror Paradise: I Teach in the Ghost Realm, and the Boss Cries While Doing His Homework —Reads—Score—Shelves
41. 291 规 Rule Horror: My Taoist Name Is Zhang Tianshi! 规则怪谈，我的道号张天师！ A Quarter Past Three in the Morning寅时三刻Mystery500k WordsCompleted Wild imagination + Invincible + Rule Horror + No female lead + Mystery + Horror This isn't mindless wish fulfillment. There's a plot, so don't read if that's not your thing. The Horrors descended across the globe. After being battered by one eerie disaster after another, the Dragon Kingdom steadily declined, and its standing on the world stage plummeted! Another eerie trial was looming, and the Dragon Kingdom was on the verge of total ruin! But then, a famous figure from the Dragon Kingdom was d 10.4kReads9.2Score1.2kShelves

    Reader note

    They're all super super super beautiful!

42. 292 规 Rule Horror: Either the Entities or the Audience Must Be Cured 规则怪谈：诡异和观众必须治一个 Pen in Hand, Keyboard Swapped提笔换键盘Mystery1.3M WordsCompleted [Completed + Original Script + Not a Power Fantasy + Documentary Fiction + Mystery + No Female Lead + Not a Saint] An uprising breaks out at the Dragon Kingdom’s largest psychiatric hospital. The mysterious young man Chen Yi is nominated by everyone in the hospital to become its new director... Not long after, the bizarre invades and the world of urban legends descends... [Dragon Kingdom Chosen One Chen Yi gives up on drawing a talent from the System] [Dragon Kingdom Chosen One Chen Yi treats th 1.8kReads8.8Score183Shelves

    Reader note

    I consider these two books classics. The first is by Chen Yi, who owns a portable mental hospital, though I think it leans more towards action. The second is by Jiang Zhe, who possesses the talent to summon two-dimensional beings (I think). I think he's purely an intelligence-driven character, with his hypercubes, Schrödinger's cat, paradoxes, and so on. Although the protagonist has played with these rule-based mysteries, they don't seem to have much to do with his past life; he relies solely on his intelligence. It's quite good, though I felt like a complete idiot reading it.

43. 293 禁 Forbidden Horror: Don't Look in the Mirror at Night 禁忌怪谈：晚上不要照镜子 Dongdong Daci洞洞打次8k WordsCompleted Taboo Horror: Don’t Look in the Mirror at Night —Reads—Score—Shelves
44. 294 惊 Thriller Game: Slaughtering the Entire Village from the Start 惊悚游戏：开局屠杀全村村民 Old Friends Never Return故人不再来Mystery57k WordsOngoing [Romance + not overpowered + one female lead] A mysterious cloud suddenly appears at Jinghai City's Central Primary School in Gaojing. Ye Tianming's father, the head of the universe's number one meteorology team, hurries to the scene with the entire team. A man dies mysteriously in the mist. His son, Ye Tianming, arrives at the scene wearing a suit and tie. The boy's consciousness grows hazy. When he wakes again, he finds himself transmigrated to the day of the college entrance exams. A strange —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    These are also highly recommended, okay? —Duv

45. 295 宿 Dorm Survival: I Was Pulled into the Management Chat 宿舍求生，我被拉进了管理群 Rolling Eggs翻滚的蛋蛋Mystery4.7M WordsOngoing [Infinite-flow + no saintly heroine + System + survival + satisfying read] When Chen Bei woke up, he found himself in a dormitory survival game, bound to a dorm room. During the day, players had to venture out to gather supplies, grow stronger, and fortify their dorms. When night fell, all kinds of eerie and dangerous creatures appeared. The only way to survive was to hide inside the dorm. People and their dorms lived or died together! Unlike the others, Chen Bei had gained access to the game's 106.9kReads8.9Score8.6kShelves

    Reader note

    They're all so good; I've finished reading many of them and I can't bear to remove them from my bookshelf.

46. 296 论 How I Transmigrated into a World of Rule-Based Horror from the Start 论我开局穿越到规则类怪谈世界 What a Naughty Little One好一只涩涩Mystery391k WordsCompleted I crawled out of a mountain of corpses and stood alone at the heart of the storm. Confused, anxious, terrified. This is a parallel world plagued by rule-based urban legends, where the slightest mistake can cost you dearly. [Botanical Garden Visitor Guidelines] [① The garden is absolutely safe. There is no chance of any plants escaping, especially the large ornamental ones. If you encounter a large plant on the loose during your visit, flee at once.] [② There is no rose garden here. If a staff me 20Reads6.9Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    No system, no national destiny, no live broadcast, it's still alright to watch.

47. 297 规 Rule Horror: Hope Children’s Welfare Home 规则怪谈：希望儿童福利院 Fang Jiujiu方啾啾Mystery717k WordsOngoing [No national fortune] + [No livestreaming] + [No female lead] + [No romance] + [Purely original survival instances] + [Just a tiny bit of horror] There is no more miserable way to die than while taking a dump. Worse still, after dying, you discover that you're sitting in a strange station. A creepy ticket seller on the train The unspeakable secret of the Hope Children's Welfare Institute A mysterious fourth person in a happy family Strange happenings hidden at summer camp A quiet mountain villag 813Reads8.6Score103Shelves

    Reader note

    New book recommendation: Original story with no female lead, unconventional plot, no system or superpowers, intelligent storyline, engaging plot, and smooth logic.

48. 298 生 Survival Game: I Defy Fate with My Imagination 生存游戏：我靠脑洞在游戏场逆天 Dongdong Daci洞洞打次Mystery595k WordsOngoing [Absurd Comedy + Infinite Worlds + Rule-Based Battles + Internet Memes + Meticulous Plotting + Reverse Tropes + No Romance] When reaction images become primordial deities and terrible memes form the laws of the world, welcome to the “Meme Corridor,” a survival game that runs on imagination, not science. Here, every cringe-worthy meme you once laughed at will become a blade aimed at your life. While other players despair in the repulsion field of “Don’t you come any closer!” or sink into the “ 12Reads—Score—Shelves
49. 299 规 Rule Horror: The Strange Happy Family 规则怪谈：诡异的幸福之家 Song Qinglin宋青临Mystery1.0M WordsCompleted [Horror + Brain-Bending Mystery + Livestreamed National Fate] Rule-based horror descends upon the world. As one of the chosen, Ling Xiao enters the horror realm to survive. At the critical moment between life and death, he unexpectedly awakens a Rule System. If he survives, the whole nation celebrates. If he fails, the horror realm descends upon the real world. 1. You live with your wife, child, and parents. Remember, there are only five people in the household. 2. Your child goes to school at e 1.1kReads6.1Score104Shelves
50. 300 规 Rule-Based Urban Legends: It Begins at the Death Hotel 规则类怪谈之从死亡旅馆开始 Scattering Dawn's Glow撒满朝霞Mystery501k WordsCompleted [No female lead] [No saintly protagonist] [Slow burn] What would you do if you became a Rule-Bound Horror? Kill people? Do whatever you wanted? “I want to drive out every Rule-Bound Horror…” That was Wen Changqing's answer. In the dimly lit hotel, two identical owners beckon me… In a wilderness village, every house is draped in ghastly white mourning banners… A farm grows man-eating mushrooms and scarecrows that want to take the place of the dead… 56Reads6.8Score—Shelves

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