These Seven Are the Only Masterpieces in the Rules-Horror Genre. Disagree? Prove Me Wrong. 规则怪谈除这七本已无神作，不服来辩

1. 1 开 An S-Rank Horror from the Start, but They Give Me a C-Rank Talent? 开局S级怪谈，但给我C级天赋？ Pale Era苍白纪元Mystery3.1M WordsOngoing [No Female Lead + Endless Twists + Wild Ideas and Clever Logic + Mild Horror + Protagonist and Villains Are Both Smart] [This is absolutely not a mindless power fantasy. If you don't like the first instance, go ahead and curse me out.] [This isn't a traditional rule-based horror story. The horrors can think and are intelligent, so readers who prefer traditional rule-based horror should steer clear.] Horrors run rampant, and strange tales are everywhere. Beneath every shadow may lurk an unknown t 138.3kReads8.9Score13.8kShelves

   Reader note

   Don't be fooled by the name. Although it's a bit corny, you'll come back and thank me after you finish reading the first ghost story.

2. 2 规 Rule Horror: Starting at the School of Death! 规则怪谈，从死亡高校开始！ It's Hot, Turn On the AC天热吹空调Mystery241k WordsCompleted [Thriller] [Horror] [Original Urban Legends] [No Female Lead] The supernatural is resurging, and rule-based horror stories are invading the Blue Star. Each country will randomly select a challenger to enter a world of rule-based horror! If the challenger clears the challenge, their country will become immune to one type of horror’s invasion! The first horror level Lin Mo enters is Death High School! [Welcome to the world of horror! You are a student at Death High School.] [Death High School Rule 826Reads8.0Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   Besides these 7 books, can you recommend some others from my current stock? 😃

3. 3 规 Rule Horror: A Maoshan Descendant Requests Deployment 规则怪谈：茅山后裔申请出战 Su Dan Chun苏单纯Mystery621k WordsCompleted [National destiny + deduction + livestream + Maoshan] An unspeakable force descended upon Blue Star. Li Xian, from Earth, was selected to represent the Great Xia Kingdom in a supernatural horror game. His first challenge was a morgue. [You are responsible for the night shift at a morgue. Your coworker, Xiao Wang, loves sharing good things with his friends. Please don’t turn down his generosity.] [Make your rounds through the morgue once every hour and keep it clean, or the guests will get angry. 824Reads8.2Score100Shelves
4. 4 骇EN Dread Night: Getting Rich in a Horror Game 骇夜：我在恐怖游戏里暴富 A-One Is Not A-Two阿一不是阿二Mystery706k WordsOngoing (The rating just came out and will rise later. Infinite flow + mild horror + original instances + no female lead) A tower stands in the eternal night, with a group of players trapped inside. They have to keep taking part in bizarre games to earn the food and supplies they need to survive. A killer in red embroidered shoes, a child with no eyes, a haunted mountain where an entire expedition team died... One deadly trap after another, with death around every corner. Players: “We're going to die, w 2.7MReads9.5Score578.2kShelves

   Reader note

   The first three are all quite good. The writing style is mature, there are no female protagonists, no national destiny, and many side stories. There's also a book called "Strange: I'm Trapped in a Horror Game" by Zhiwai Shenghua, but I can't add it to my bookshelf for some reason. Does anyone know where I can find it? The plot has a side story with keywords like "madhouse," "pill banquet," and "two people need an invitation to leave." The protagonist also seems to have some kind of number and communicates with others in a factory via radio, something like that. I really can't remember. There's also a book where the protagonist visits a candy factory with workers wearing different colored clothes who also have to take different pills every day. I don't know if it's the same book as the previous ones. I really can't remember. Does anyone know it?

5. 5 诸EN The Gods' Foolish Game 诸神愚戏 Ninety Autumns in January一月九十秋Urban3.7M WordsCompleted I have two principles in life: 1. I never lie. 2. I never believe anything anyone says, including myself. “Sir, I would like to point out that your second statement conflicts with the first.” “How so?” “If you never lie, why don’t you believe what you say?” “Oh, sorry. I forgot to mention that I don’t consider myself human.” “?” Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Cheng Shi, Cheng Shi who never lies. What, you’ve never heard of me? That’s all right. You simply haven’t been deceived by m 519.8kReads9.7Score69kShelves

   Reader note

   Dungeon-style, incredibly good!

6. 6 镇 The Dragon-Suppressing Coffin and the King of Hell's Fate 镇龙棺，阎王命 Feiyi匪夷Mystery4.9M WordsOngoing They severed my tendons and buried me alive in a sealed coffin, but they didn’t know I was born with the fate of the King of Hell! [Folk horror, feng shui and talismans, incense offerings] Feng shui and fortune-telling, painted-skin demons and spirit summoning, walking in the shadows and corpse driving, corpse-raising spells and curses, yin tattoos and talismanic needles, puppets controlled by strings, red doors sealed with wax, Dogs digging graves on Burial Mound Ridge, ghosts feasting in the R 314.3kReads9.4Score28.5kShelves

   Reader note

   These two books are truly masterpieces, okay? [Facepalm][Facepalm][Facepalm] I don't know what others are recommending. Ning Qiushui's IQ is ridiculously high, and the second book is a highly immersive horror masterpiece. [Laughing]

7. 7 十EN Ten Days to the End 十日终焉 Pest Control Team Member杀虫队队员Mystery3.2M WordsCompleted 2024 Tomato Novel Annual Peak Rankings TOP 1 | 2024 China Online Literature Influence List | 2024 China Good Novel Award | Over 2 million copies sold (No harem, no formulaic tropes, no invincibility, no System, no mindless antics, no wish fulfillment. Read with caution if these bother you.) Just when I thought it was an ordinary day, I discovered I had been captured and taken to the End. Just when I thought I could escape by continually taking part in death games, people began awakening supernat 1.7MReads9.9Score212.7kShelves

   Reader note

   The first book is "My White Moonlight," and the second book is very mind-bending; I highly recommend both of them.

8. 8 怪 Strange Tales Livestream! 怪谈直播间！ Stone Giant Monster石头巨怪Mystery1.3M WordsCompleted Welcome to the Rules of the Strange. This is a battle of blood and fire, a test of wit and courage. The power of words cannot be resisted, and the eerie rules must not be broken. In a seemingly hopeless situation, find the one correct answer, break free of your constraints, and search for a way to survive. 173kReads9.7Score17.7kShelves

   Reader note

   The first book was good, requiring some brainpower. The second one goes without saying. The third one, I don't know why it got such a low score, was incredibly brain-teasing, with a rigorous closed-loop system; the difficulty increased dramatically from the second level onwards. The fourth one, I felt the romance was well-written. The fifth one was good, also requiring brainpower, and this one was very immersive. These books all seem to be written by authors with good talent, but not invincible or cheat-like. You'll need to use your brain; there are no romantic pairings.

9. 9 规 Rule Horror: I Am the Horror Story 规则怪谈：我即怪谈 Wish You Happiness祝你快乐呀Mystery1.8M WordsOngoing In 2017, supernatural tales descended upon Earth. Conventional weapons couldn't harm them, and humanity struggled to survive. Rule-based supernatural tales became humanity's last lifeline. Tens of thousands of chosen ones around the world were selected. If they won, the supernatural tales would vanish from reality. If they lost, the rule-based tales would descend upon the world. This was a war between humanity and the supernatural. Chen Shao, a patient suffering from bone cancer, became one of t 140kReads9.6Score18.2kShelves

   Reader note

   Five absolutely fantastic books. The first one has a very novel concept, a different perspective, and avoids the deliberate attempts to demonize or demoralize other countries. The second one is quite scary; it features items, but their effects are limited, and having items makes one more vulnerable to being targeted. The third one is more well-known, and I think it's even scarier than the second one; some of the dungeons are truly terrifying. After reading it, my house felt both quiet and bustling. The fourth one updates incredibly slowly, but it's really well-written. The fifth one has no romantic pairing, features four girl group members, and is truly excellent. Each dungeon reveals some ugly truths/shows the beauty of humanity, and it has a very grand worldview.

10. 10 模EN After a Thousand Simulations, I Have a Speedrun Strategy for Escape Games 模拟一千次，我有逃生游戏速通法 Eat a Billion Less少吃亿点Urban1.1M WordsCompleted [Print edition on sale February 21 at 7 p.m. Please show it lots of support!] [Infinite-flow + fast-paced + funny + invincible protagonist + no female lead + no angst for the protagonist] [Across the four streets, east, south, west, and north, ask around and find out who’s the boss] [Don’t compare yourself to others. Just look at you: who do you think you are?] The White Tower descends, and the entire world enters death-instance mode. Zheng Xun, bound to an infinite simulation System and forced 218.2kReads9.6Score37.1kShelves

    Reader note

    The first book needs no introduction; the protagonist, Gu Yi, is very compelling, the world-building is excellent, and the ending is delightful. The second book, featuring Zheng Xun, boasts a particularly well-developed ensemble cast that brings tears to the eyes, deeply moving the reader with its portrayal of friendship. The third book, with Chen Ji as the protagonist, is calm and intelligent; the characters don't feel forced or artificially inept, the plot is tight and engaging, and each story is fresh and original. The fourth book, featuring Zhao Yi as the protagonist, was the first book that got me hooked. It's incredibly captivating; the protagonist is handsome and intelligent, and while there are some angst-filled moments, it's truly a wonderful read.

11. 11 恶 Demon Game: I Can Command Unmatched Luck! 恶魔游戏，我能驾御无双运势！ Can Sleep Even Standing Up站着也能睡着Mystery2.2M WordsOngoing [Mind Games and Deception + No Dumbed-Down Characters + No Saintly Hero + Infinite Worlds + Horror Game + Mastermind of Fate] Su Yi, a mystery novelist, was chosen for a demonic game that stakes players' lives. From the start, he drew the unpopular class of Deceiver and was cursed with only sixty days left to live. Demonic Game: “Do you want supernatural power? Do you want astonishing wealth?” “Then win the Demonic Game and stay alive...” Su Yi: “I'll gamble sixty years of my lifespan for t 31.5kReads9.1Score4.8kShelves

    Reader note

    Aside from these five books, this is the most comfortable one to read. Any title involving national destiny makes me very uncomfortable; they always seem to deliberately portray other countries as mindless in order to showcase how great our country is. I really can't appreciate this self-brainwashing behavior of South Korea.

12. 12 无EN Infinite Rewinds: Everyone Thinks I'm a Big Shot 无限回档：所有人都以为我是大佬 What's Wrong with Money?钱有什么不好Mystery414k WordsCompleted [Adapted into a comic drama] [Audiobook narrated by a real person available] [Infinite Flow + Livestream Survival + Death Rewind + Half-Dihua] [No CP] [The story contains a lot of on-screen comment barrages] After Xu Xi died from overwork, he transmigrated to another world invaded by a survival game. He even discovered that he could rewind time after dying. By using this ability to escape danger time and again and successfully clear each instance, he unexpectedly became a top expert in the eyes 191.6kReads9.4Score20.8kShelves

    Reader note

    A hidden gem whose potential is overshadowed by its name—come and see for yourself! (Friendly reminder: the author updates a bit slowly.)

13. 13 恐 Terrifying Nightmare: Extreme Survival in a Bizarre World 恐怖噩梦：我在诡异世界极限逃生 Young Bear年轻熊Mystery1.2M WordsOngoing [Infinite-flow, mildly scary, no romance] Wang Yan wearily opened his front door. Inside, he saw the woman next door holding and soothing a baby, staring at him in terror. “Sorry, I’ve got the wrong apartment.” He quickly apologized and backed out, then slammed the door shut. Standing in the pitch-black hallway, he found himself unable to decide what was more terrifying: seeing his female neighbor in his home, or seeing the baby who had died long ago… 401.9kReads9.4Score73.5kShelves
14. 14 诡EN The House of Dread 诡舍 The Sound of Wind and Rain at Night,夜来风雨声丶Mystery2.1M WordsCompleted [Infinite-flow + Mild Horror + Survival + One Female Lead] A driverless bus carried a group of cursed people to a strange black lodge… Inside the lodge stood a door stained red with blood. At regular intervals, the cursed were forcibly dragged through the blood-red door and into terrifying worlds, where they had to complete horrifying events… After Ning Qiushui survived one bizarre and terrifying story after another inside the lodge, narrowly escaping death each time, he discovered that none of 714.1kReads9.6Score103.9kShelves
15. 15 惊 The Horror Realm: Entering the Strange World from a Psychiatric Hospital 惊悚领域：从精神病院进入诡世界 Tender Little Puppy香嫩的小狗Mystery1.5M WordsOngoing (The hardcover edition has been published!) [Infinite Flow] [Original Horror Instances] [Mild Horror] “Chen Ji murdered his mother a week ago and spent three days with her corpse before he was arrested.” “You have been diagnosed with schizophrenia and are about to be transferred to a psychiatric hospital for supervision.” “Do you have anything to say?” The black-haired boy before them slowly raised his head, his expression calm. “I’ll say it again.” “The thing I killed wasn’t my mother...” “It w 281.1kReads9.5Score47.6kShelves
16. 16 我 Could I Really Get Canceled in a Rules-Based Horror Game? 我还能在规则怪谈里塌房不成？ Xi Yao喜杳Mystery2.2M WordsOngoing [Infinite-Flow + Rules-Based Horror + Horror Game + Strong Female Team + A Group of People With Questionable Sanity] Just before their debut, the group Shili belonged to was betrayed by a bandmate, who framed them for bullying. Their debut fell through, while the bandmate won netizens’ sympathy and relaunched her career to great success. To this day, Shili’s social media accounts are still flooded with abuse from the other girl’s rabid fans. As luck would have it, in the third year after the com 64.7kReads9.6Score7.6kShelves

    Reader note

    Two female-oriented fantasy novels about strange rules: the first one was simply let down by its title, and the second one, while not as outrageous, was still quite good, but neither of them became popular.

17. 17 给 Give the Rule Horror a Taste of Longguo’s Might 给规则怪谈来点龙国震慑 A Fan一个风扇Mystery1.1M WordsCompleted [Original Scenarios] [Choose Your Own Cheat Skill] [Teammates Are the Nation] [No Romance] [Logic-Driven] (I can't write a proper blurb, so please check out the story itself.) Long afterward, when the Dragon Nation has united the world of supernatural horror, everyone on Blue Star will remember the day Qin Yuan voluntarily entered a Rule Horror scenario. Scenario Skills First Scenario: Kuroko's Basketball (Skills: Enhanced Training, Block) Second Scenario: Susan's Lawyer's Letter (Skills: S 25kReads9.4Score2.4kShelves
18. 18 早 I Cleared the Game Ages Ago, and You’re Only Now Pulling Me into the Horror Game 早通关了，你才拉我进怪谈 City God城神Mystery2.4M WordsCompleted [Invincible] [No Female Lead] After practicing for two and a half years, Jiang Zhe cleared a game called Rule-Based Horror. After clearing it, he transmigrated into the world of Rule-Based Horror. Every country in the world selects one chosen player. Winners bring their nation prosperity. Losers have a monster randomly descend upon one of their cities, where it wreaks havoc for 48 hours. Jiang Zhe is selected and awakens an SSS-rank talent: “Unscientific Summoning,” which lets him summon p 10.9kReads8.8Score1.3kShelves
19. 19 终 Endless Haunting: Reading Minds from the Start, My Whole Family Wants Me Dead 终诡游戏：开局读心，全家想杀我 My Name Is Wang Tugou我叫王土狗Mystery2.7M WordsOngoing [Warning!!! Not traditional horror! Unconventional! Emotion-driven, plot-focused, not a power fantasy!] [Horror game + lighthearted comedy? + ultra-healing + not a mindless power fantasy + male lead starts out normal, then turns unhinged and inhuman + no romance + intelligent System + author is in a good state of mind = ???] [Welcome to the Ultimate Horror Game!!!] Zhao Ping'an became a player in the [Ultimate Horror Game] and entered its world. From the start, he had to choose his family. Who s 2.8kReads9.1Score307Shelves
20. 20 规 Rule Horror: It Begins with a Note from Mom and Dad 规则怪谈：从爸爸妈妈的纸条开始 Sweet Home甜蜜之家Mystery694k WordsCompleted [National destiny + no female lead + rule-based horror] (Written so far: Clever Soup, Chapters 1–11; Sam's Zoo, Chapters 12–28; Beware of Sam, Chapters 31–58; Mileage Town, Chapters 63–105; Reject Winter, Chapters 106–136; Peaceful Inn, Chapters 137–163; Diary of August 29, Chapter 165 onward.) Rule-based horror descends upon the world. Anyone who successfully solves a supernatural scenario can earn a corresponding reward in fortune. The first scenario begins with a note left by Mom and Dad. (Gr 3.9kReads8.6Score381Shelves
21. 21 规 Rule Horror: My Family Isn't Normal 规则怪谈：我的家人不正常 White Beard白胡子Mystery1.2M WordsCompleted [Horror + mystery + livestream + national fate + System] The supernatural returns, and rule-based horror games invade countries around the world. As one chosen by fate, Zhou Bai represents the Great Xia Kingdom in a horror game. The first scenario is a family of four. [You live with your wife and your parents. But remember, there are only three people in your home.] [You can trust your wife, unless she takes off her red hair clip.] [You and your wife have never had a child. If you hear a baby cr 46.4kReads9.4Score5.7kShelves

    Reader note

    Highly recommended! The story is fast-paced and the characters are well-developed.

22. 22 规 Rule-Based Horror? I Choose to Rebel 规则怪谈？我选择叛逆 Alas, Deep Love奈何情深Mystery1.5M WordsCompleted [A short drama adaptation of the same name is now available. You can watch it on the platform. Thank you for your support.] [Subverting expectations + no heroine + hilarious + sly schemer + rebellious + eerie + national fate] Rule-based horror descends upon Earth. The uncanny invades reality. Those chosen are sent into horror worlds, where they represent their respective nations and face the horrors within. Su Xiao is chosen by the horror world and entrusted with the task of representing the Dra 48.4kReads9.6Score6kShelves

    Reader note

    The first book features Gu Yi, an SSS-level talent with infinite deduction. The second book features Zhou Bai. The third book features Su Xiao, an SSS-level talent with an innate rebellious streak. The fourth book features a girl group monster recycling station, with each instance interconnected. The fifth book features Chen Shao, who becomes a ghost story while saving humanity. The sixth book features Shen Luo, whose skill and identity are that of a peace envoy, capable of turning unfriendly people into their personal pigeons. The seventh book features Lin Yuan, an SSS-level talent, a mischievous child, immune to rule corruption.

23. 23 规 Rule Horror: All of You, Turn into Birds 规则怪谈：你们都给我变鸟 I Eat Crayfish我吃小龙虾Mystery1.8M WordsCompleted [No heroine + mystery-solving + brains over brawn + interstellar + livestreaming + national destiny + power fantasy] Rules-based horror descends upon Earth. Those selected are sent into a bizarre world to face challenges on behalf of their respective countries. While every other contestant fights for their country, one gentle young man says his wish is for everyone to get along peacefully. Everyone: "Peaceful my ass! Do you think this is kindergarten?" Then they watch as this mild-mannered young 13.4kReads9.3Score1.5kShelves
24. 24 七 At Seven Years Old, I Was Chosen to Take Part in the Rules Horror Game 七岁的我，被选中参加规则怪谈 One-Sixth六分之一Mystery522k WordsCompleted No female lead + national fate + eerie mysteries + comedy + unconventional ideas Lin Yuan transmigrates to Blue Star, a parallel world, and is chosen to take part in a rules-based horror game. From the start, he activates an SSS-rank talent. [SSS-Rank Talent: Ghostbane] [Talent Effect 1: Rules are completely useless against you. When you break the rules of a horror scenario, the corruption of its world has no effect on you.] [Talent Effect 2: When a creature in a horror scenario feels negative e 61.7kReads9.6Score6.9kShelves
25. 25 规 Rule Horror: The Prince Is Always Lusting After Me 规则怪谈：王子总是对我垂涎欲滴 There Will Always Be Youth总有青葱Mystery2.1M WordsOngoing [Volume One of the print edition goes on sale August 7] [Short drama and comic adaptation now available] [No romance + Infinite-flow + Horror game + No national destiny + Dark fairy tales] A young woman weeps softly at midnight. A handsome prince turns into a bloodthirsty “beast” at night. Cinderella dies a gruesome death on the night of the ball. The horror game is wrapped in shiny glassine, disguised as a sweet candy. What lies hidden behind the enchanting fairy-tale world... Weird tales desc 84kReads9.3Score9.9kShelves
26. 26 规 Rule Horror: You Call Me Brutal, Yet You Love Me with All Your Heart 规则怪谈：说我残暴又爱我如命 Eating Pomegranates Without Spitting Out the Seeds吃石榴不吐籽Mystery661k WordsCompleted [No Female Lead + No Romance + Comedy + Supernatural Horror + Invincible + Live Streaming] + [Not a Lone Wolf, with Supporting Characters Who Grow] On an ordinary afternoon, a roar shook the sky, and a strange scene appeared before everyone. [The once-in-a-million-years resurgence of paranormal tales is about to begin!] [The only way to stop them from descending is to defeat them!] [Humans who survive and clear the trials, along with their countries, will receive rewards. Those who die or fail t 9.1kReads9.3Score923Shelves

    Reader note

    The first book features Su Xiao, an SSS-level talent, born with a rebellious spirit, defying the rules, quite humorous, but with some angst later on. The second book features Sun Kai, with hints and angst. The third book features Su Ming, an SSS-level talent, unrestricted. The fourth book features Su Bai, the Heavenly Emperor, no angst, safe to read, a vacation in a world of strange rules. The fifth book features Lin Chen, an SSS-level talent, born a sixth-place winner, with some angst later on. The sixth book features Lin Yuan, an SSS-level talent, a mischievous child, immune to the corruption of the rules, no angst, safe to read. The seventh book features Ren Huan, the protagonist is the creator god of a world, who transmigrates into the body of a suddenly deceased person, participates in strange rules, and later guides children through their growth. The eighth book, needless to say, features Gu Yi, an SSS-level talent, infinite deduction. The ninth book features Zhou Bai, with a system.

27. 27 开EN From the Start, Immortal for Eternity, Laying Low Until the End of Time 开局长生万古，苟到天荒地老 Purple Spirit Wind and Snow紫灵风雪Eastern Fantasy6.1M WordsCompleted [Published in print] [Not a wish-fulfillment story + tranquil daily life + lighthearted humor + no female lead + no tragedy + survival expert] Enter with caution. A longevity story told from the perspective of an immortal, spanning several great eras of cultivation. It begins in an ordinary mountain village, moves into a small domain, and then enters the vast world of cultivation, passing through the eras of flourishing development, golden prosperity, the collapse of the rules, the great dark up 584.5kReads9.7Score73.4kShelves

    Reader note

    Synopsis: "Rules of the Strange: Three Skys" by Gu Yi, Su Xiao, and Zhou Bai. The first masterpiece, it's easy to get distracted; there's not much to say, but it's unwavering! For those looking for something to read, check this out.

28. 28 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 63.4kReads9.4Score7.3kShelves

    Reader note

    1. As far as I know, I know nothing! As long as I don't know, you can't do anything to me. 2. The ceiling of intelligence, huh? ~ A sudden fall from the sky. 3. Brother Zhao is so elegant, with a scalpel in hand, he doesn't care who he is. 4. God Jiang, everyone will work hard for their country!

29. 29 全EN Global Death Exam: Straight from the Execution Grounds to the Test Room 全球死考：刚下刑场你让我去考试 I Love Eating Cat Chips我爱吃猫片哇Mystery1.0M WordsOngoing [Tactical battles + mild horror + infinite-world adventure] The Deadly College Entrance Exam has arrived, dragging thirty million candidates into hell. The exam questions have been replaced with scenes from horror movies and disasters. Even staying alive is a pipe dream. Pass and earn rewards. Fail and be erased! Ten points earn ten million. One hundred points earn Tyrant genes. One thousand points earn the Apocalypse. Only ??? can make it out of this exam. To investigate, the military “ 1.5MReads9.3Score278.9kShelves

    Reader note

    This... How would you explain this, sir? Niche but entertaining, no romance, infinite flow. God, sorry, there's a god-slayer in this round.

30. 30 规 Rule Horror: I'm Even More Twisted Than the Supernatural! 规则怪谈：我比诡异还变态！ Hurry Up and Eat Hot Pot抓紧吃火锅Mystery1.7M WordsCompleted [Unhinged + rebellious + no female lead + hilarious + bizarre + national destiny] My name is Xu Ye. I was born without the ability to feel pain, and my favorite thing is looking for a thrill. I heard that the Rule-Bound Horror arrived, and every country would randomly select a “Chosen One” to enter a game instance. After waiting a whole month, and watching five Chosen Ones die one after another, I finally got my wish and became the sixth Chosen One, the real wild card representing the Dragon Kin 35.8kReads9.4Score4kShelves

    Reader note

    1. Gu Yi: I won't say much about its quality, it's my personal favorite. 2. Xu Ye: Also quite good. His talent is flesh and blood regeneration, and his recovery speed is inversely proportional to his fear. However, the protagonist is naturally thrill-seeking. He gets hit by a car and ends up in the hospital at the beginning, making him practically immune to injury. 3. Su Ming: His talent is unrestricted, immune to strange contamination, but he can damage strange entities. It's slightly shorter than the previous two. He has a "second personality" (is it really?) [Beast] [Good, good, good, everyone should read it!] 4. Chen Ji's storyline is very interesting. The pen (the strange creature) and the little monkey (same as above) are so cute, and his abilities are overpowered. 5. Zhou Bai's talent speaks for itself; he's one of the three giants of ghost stories. 6. He Gu's talent, the Eye of Truth-Seeking, is a protagonist who grows through his own growth. He might be a little silly in the early stages, so if you're looking for an invincible protagonist from the start, you should avoid this book. 7. Zhao Yi, my Yi-ge is absolutely elegant. Sorry, my Chinese isn't good enough to describe him in detail, but anyway, it's extremely good. I strongly recommend you read it. Don't force me to beg you. 8. Ning Qiushui, I personally feel this book leans more towards horror. The storylines are terrifying and immersive. Anyway, there's no point in saying more; it's good and I love reading it!!! (The rating is here, the quality speaks for itself. Trust me, I'll eat my hat if there's even one bad book.)

31. 31 当 When I'm in the Rules Horror Game, Nothing Is Forbidden 当我在规则怪谈百无禁忌 Xu Moqing徐墨卿Mystery542k WordsCompleted [No female lead + supernatural horror + mental illness + comedy + national destiny] My name is Su Ming, and I'm a transmigrator. I currently work at Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital, where I'm in charge of the important project of “being studied.” They keep saying I'm sick, but I know I'm fine. It's the world that's sick. After I escaped from the psychiatric hospital, I was chosen by Rule Horror to become Longguo's chosen participant, representing Longguo in the upcoming horror games. [Ding! The Ho 64kReads9.6Score7.4kShelves
32. 32 规 Rule Horror: Beware Your Roommate's Girlfriend 规则怪谈：请小心你室友的女友 Half a Liang of Salt盐巴半两Mystery1.2M WordsCompleted [No heroine + not wish fulfillment + not invincible + unsettling + horror + suspense + plot-driven] [The livestreaming element is only a tiny part of the story. The focus is on horror and suspense, so feel free to dive in] There are only two people left in your school dorm: you and your roommate. Your roommate suddenly brings home an incredibly attractive person they met online, leaves you some money, then hurries off. Now you're alone in the room with your roommate's gorgeous online date... Wou 34.6kReads9.0Score3.2kShelves

    Reader note

    1. Gu Yi: I won't say much about its quality, it's my personal favorite. 2. Xu Ye: Also quite good. His talent is flesh and blood regeneration, and his recovery speed is inversely proportional to his fear. However, the protagonist is naturally thrill-seeking. He gets hit by a car and ends up in the hospital at the beginning, making him practically immune to injury. 3. Su Ming: His talent is unrestricted, immune to strange contamination, but he can damage strange entities. It's slightly shorter than the previous two. He has a "second personality" (is it really?) [Beast] [Good, good, good, everyone should read it!] 4. Chen Ji's storyline is very interesting. The pen (the strange creature) and the little monkey (same as above) are so cute, and his abilities are overpowered. 5. Zhou Bai's talent speaks for itself; he's one of the three giants of ghost stories. 6. He Gu's talent, the Eye of Truth-Seeking, is a protagonist who grows in character. He might be a little silly in the early stages, so if you're looking for an invincible protagonist from the start, you should avoid this book. 7. Zhao Yi, my Yi-ge is absolutely elegant. Sorry, my Chinese isn't good enough to describe him in detail, but anyway, it's exceptionally good. I strongly recommend you read it. Don't force me to beg you. 8. Ning Qiushui, I personally feel this book leans more towards horror. The storylines are terrifying and immersive. Anyway, there's no point in saying more; it's good and I love reading it!!! (The rating is here, the quality speaks for itself. Trust me, I'll eat my hat if there's even one bad book.)

33. 33 诡 In a Bizarre World, My Whole Family Is Bizarre 诡异世界，我们一家诡异 Lettuce to Those Who See Me见者生菜Mystery1.9M WordsOngoing When Su Mo was eighteen, his older brother died saving someone, and his father was killed in a workplace accident. When Su Mo received his college acceptance letter, his mother passed away from overwhelming grief. On his eighteenth birthday, Su Mo was the only one left in his family of four. He died of illness at twenty-four, only to be reborn as a ghost. That was when he discovered that this world had a realm of ghosts, where his parents and older brother were waiting. His family had become a n 30.5kReads8.6Score2kShelves

    Reader note

    These are some of the books I've found recently that I really enjoyed. Be careful with the second one; it's a bit like a dual male lead story (not gay), just a simple dual male lead story, but the other characters are also really well-developed. If you're bothered by that, you can skip it.

34. 34 惊 Thriller: I Became Excessively Twisted for Fear of Looking Ungraceful 惊悚：因为担心不优雅而过度变态 The Sound of Wind and Rain at Night,夜来风雨声丶Mystery2.0M WordsCompleted [Horror + No Female Lead] A bizarre game descended, pulling all of humanity into a strange world to complete terrifying missions. Fail, and you lose life points. When your points hit zero, you die! Zhao Yi, a renowned psychiatrist, was dragged into the game too, but some unknown glitch appeared in his data source code. And so, an abnormal human emerged, one who made every ghost and monster tremble in fear! The Crybaby Ghost: I just wanted to give him a side quest, but he chopped off my head! The 74.2kReads9.5Score8.4kShelves
35. 35 规 Rule Horror: From the Start, I Stubbornly Claimed I Wasn't Dead 规则怪谈：开局嘴硬说自己没死 North of No Southern Mountain北无南山Mystery1.0M WordsCompleted This is a world invaded by Rule-Bound Horrors. Those who are selected become players and enter bizarre game instances. Players who enter an instance receive a skill that can be extremely useful in the game. Bai Liang is selected too, but his skills are different from everyone else's. [Big Talker]: When you die, you can insist you're not dead and revive on the spot. [Outlaw]: You don't have to follow the rules, and no one can do anything about it. [Everyone for Me]: When a mission fails, a random 13.1kReads8.8Score1.2kShelves

    Reader note

    All of them are rule-based supernatural tales with scores of 9 or higher, but to be honest, in my heart, only Stone Old Thief's books can rank as the top rule-based supernatural tale. The Chongshan Hospital dungeon alone is enough to make him a legend.

36. 36 怪 Urban Legends Invade: She Goes on a Rampage by Exploiting Hidden Rules 怪谈入侵：她靠隐藏规则杀疯了 Gorgeous Girl绚丽儿Mystery1.1M WordsOngoing [Dad is Dad. He’s holding a knife. Mom is Mom. She takes the knife from Dad. Grandma has just reached the doorway, her eyes filled with confusion and worry. The younger sister has only her older sister by her side, the older sister she loves most… And then? What happened? You’ve forgotten…] [Chosen One of the Dragon Kingdom: Welcome to the first rules-based horror scenario.] [Stage cleared! The Chosen One receives a supernatural value reward, while their bound nation receives national fortune an 18kReads9.1Score1.9kShelves

    Reader note

    Those who like female-oriented novels, hurry up and read this! The first serialized book is incredibly high quality; everyone who reads it will exclaim, "Mai Shen is amazing!" @Xuanlier The second book is truly a masterpiece; I will always follow the God-Slaying Squad!! @Xuezhongdexiaomao (Welcome to the world of Rules of the Strange, please stay calm and clear-headed, and strive to survive!) The first few rules of the strange in the third book are exceptionally well-written and highly immersive, but the ending felt a bit rushed. @RosePlanet

37. 37 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
38. 38 规 Rule Horror: The Slacker Turns the Nation’s Fate Around 规则怪谈：摆烂人扭转国运 Rose Planet玫瑰星球Mystery737k WordsCompleted [Mystery, Supernatural, Suspense, National Fortune, Female-Oriented, No Romance] The world of the uncanny descends upon Blue Star. Over three years, national fortune scores rise and fall. After the previous genius chosen player died, Huaguo's score plummeted to 30. No one can bear the consequences of a national fortune score reaching zero. As the score continues to fall, many people start accepting that the world of the uncanny will soon destroy Blue Star, and give up trying. Seventeen-year-old 8.7kReads7.8Score787Shelves
39. 39 无 Infinite Rewinds: They All Think I'm a Prophet 无限回档：他们都以为我是预言家 Yin Baishui尹白水Mystery502k WordsOngoing The rating has only just been posted. It’ll go up later. [Strong Female Lead] [No Romance] [Horror] [Live Streaming] [Time Rewind] [Fake Prophet] [Destiny] A horror game descends upon Earth, turning the entire world into an inferno. Yi Yubai is unlucky enough to be chosen for the game. Unluckier still, thanks to a System allocation error, she dies right from the start. But fortunately, she gains an SSS-rank ability: Infinite Rewind. From then on, she becomes the mysterious [Prophet] in everyone’ 12.5kReads8.4Score2.2kShelves
40. 40 诡 The Haunted House 2 诡舍2 The Sound of Wind and Rain at Night,夜来风雨声丶Mystery391k WordsOngoing The eternal night has come, and absurdity runs rampant. A thick pollution blankets the sky, while pitch-black eyes look down upon the world. Carrying a flame, we press slowly onward. Humanity's sun will be kindled by human hands. 328.1kReads8.8Score37.2kShelves

    Reader note

    How about this one? Absolutely divine! It gets more and more exciting as you read on! Every beginning and character introduction is intricately connected by a powerful causal system. I highly recommend this isekai novel to everyone—it's one of my absolute favorites. The plot is thrilling, the logic is impeccable, and the aesthetics are superb. It's definitely the most worthwhile novel to read this year.

41. 41 我 I’m the Trickster in the Rule-Breaking Horror Tales 我在规则怪谈做老六 Remembering Youth纪念青春Mystery652k WordsCompleted [Complete, with a universally praised ending] [Rebellious Oddball + School Oddball + Lin Chen the Oddball + Comedy + Crazy Antics + The Uncanny + National Fortune + Mental Illness] [Readers say it becomes legendary from the third instance onward] He swaps a hen’s eggs for pebbles and lets her sit on them for half a month, hands sandpaper to his roommate while he’s on the toilet, and buys ten steamed buns for a beggar who asks for money to eat, then watches him finish them… Lin Chen is an oddba 8.9kReads9.4Score987Shelves

    Reader note

    There's a kind of madman called Meng Fei, a kind of anatomist called Lu Bei, a kind of "old sixth brother" called Lin Chen, a kind of brat called Lin Yuan, and a kind of elegance called Zhao Yi. (I really regret the book "Lin Yuan." The original protagonist, Lin Yuan, was a seven-year-old child, but because he was a minor, the book was banned. Now, Lin Yuan is an 18-year-old adult, and his talent has changed from a brat to a fearsome figure. But the book is still very good; aside from his age and talent, everything else is basically the same. This book is truly excellent and well worth reading.)

42. 42 规 Rule Horror: You Want Me, Zhang San, to Follow the Rules? 规则怪谈：要求我张三遵守规则？ The Luo in Luo Xiu罗修的罗Mystery3.1M WordsCompleted [Horror + eerie + hilarious + satisfying + national fortune = a serious novel] The Supreme Rules descend, selecting multiple people at random from each country to become Ascenders and take part in the Ascension Exam! Those who perform well earn high scores and even extra rewards. They can improve their own abilities and bring unexpected ascension to their country. But fail the exam, and death may be waiting for you, along with endless torment. Even your country may be beset by supernatural event 6.9kReads9.0Score836Shelves

    Reader note

    Before recommending, could you please explain what a "rule-based supernatural tale" is? Five-Question Judgment Method: 1. Is the core narrative vehicle of the novel a "rule text"? For example, rules, notices, employee handbooks, announcements, precautions, FAQs, or log notes. → No: It's basically not a typical rule-based supernatural tale. 2. Are the rules the core mechanism of the story, rather than just props? Would the story still work if these rules were removed? → Yes: It's just a "supernatural/horror novel with rule elements." 3. Does the horror mainly come from contradictions, omissions, alterations, or conditional traps between rules? It's not about being chased by ghosts, but rather that "the rules themselves are unreliable." → No: It's not a typical rule-based supernatural tale. 4. Does the reader have to piece together the rules and find loopholes to reconstruct the truth? → No: It might just be a supernatural tale with a complex setting. 5. Does it have a supernatural atmosphere where "everyday scenes are distorted by rules"? Everyday places like zoos, schools, hospitals, residential areas, elevators, and convenience stores + eerie rules. → Yes: Bonus points. Judgment Criteria: Satisfying 1+2+3+4: A typical rule-based supernatural tale. • Satisfies 1+2+3, but weak on the 4th: Rule-based supernatural tale, but leans towards "rule-setting style". • Only 5, without 1-3: General supernatural tale. • Has rules, but the rules are merely props: Not a rule-based supernatural tale, just a horror/infinite flow novel containing rule elements. • Pure rule list, no narrative: Rule-based supernatural tale text, but not necessarily a "novel". A quick categorization: Does the story rely on the "ghostly nature of the rule text itself" to scare the reader? Yes → Rule-based supernatural tale, no → General supernatural tale. Rule-based supernatural tales are essentially horror literature using "rule text" as the core narrative tool, belonging to a branch of "new supernatural tales". They don't rely on traditional ghosts or gore to scare the reader, but rather use a seemingly rational, yet logically flawed, rule system, allowing the reader to mentally construct an out-of-control and eerie world as they interpret the contradictions, thus generating a chilling sense of dread. 📜 Core Mechanism: The horror of storytelling through "rules" is built on a cognitive dissonance: • Formal Disguise: It's often disguised as everyday rules, employee handbooks, or notices, presented in calm, objective, even bureaucratic language. • Logical Contradictions: These rules appear normal on the surface, but there are irreconcilable conflicts or inconsistencies between them. It is these "logical cracks" implanted within the "rational framework" that constitute the source of the horror. • Reader Participation: The fear doesn't come from direct description, but from the absurdity the reader discovers when trying to understand the rules. The more rationally you analyze them, the deeper you fall into the irrational abyss implied by the rules. 🎭 Two Common Forms: Rule-based ghost stories are relatively flexible in form, mainly falling into two categories: 1. Pure Rule Text: Lacking traditional characters and a coherent plot, the entire text is simply one or more lists of rules. A representative work is *The Zoo Rules Ghost Story*, where readers need to piece together the truth from the contradictions in the rules. 2. Rule-Driven Narrative: This type of narrative integrates rules into the traditional novel framework, where the protagonist must survive within the constraints of those rules. These works often combine with the "infinite flow" genre, forming a composite "rules + game" format, such as *Ten Days to End*. 🆚 Key Difference from Traditional Horror Novels: Its core difference from general horror stories lies in the source of terror: • Traditional Horror: Terror primarily comes from external threats, such as ghosts, monsters, and psychopathic killers, targeting personal safety. • Rule-Based Ghost Stories: Terror stems from the collapse of rationality and order itself. It questions: when the rules that should protect you become unreliable or even malicious traps, what can you still believe in? It creates doubt about the cognitive framework itself. The widespread popularity of rule-based ghost stories on the Chinese internet is generally considered to have begun with *Zoo Rule-Based Ghost Stories* on the anonymous A-Island forum at the end of 2021.

43. 43 杀 After Slaying My Way Through Instances, I Raise an Evil God by the Rules 杀穿副本后，我在规则里养大邪神 White Peach Wuwu Dragon白桃呜呜龙Two Male Leads1.1M WordsCompleted The print edition is now available under the title: The Fall of the Gods (Not for the faint of heart: nonhuman entities and terrifying monsters.) Yin Xiu has lived in a town governed by rules for six years. Normal players follow the rules and clear instances to stay alive. Yin Xiu, however, stays in town day after day. He doesn’t leave, clear instances, or go near the monsters. He does the bare minimum, takes it easy, and has practically settled into retirement. The town’s monsters have had thei 101.1kReads9.7Score14kShelves
44. 44 你 Why Mess With Him? Rule Horror Is Practically His Grandchild 你惹他干嘛，规则怪谈是他孙子辈 Flying Cat崩飞猫Mystery484k WordsCompleted [Rule-based horror + comedy + swagger + master schemer + national fate + invincibility + undercover visits] My name is Dong Qing, nicknamed the Azure Emperor. I was born in ancient times. I was fortunate enough to subdue a Nian beast and refine it, becoming an ancient entity in a small world. Ten thousand years passed. My baleful aura turned inward, and my power reached its peak. Because my strength was too outrageous, the laws of the plane categorized me as a horror entity. In modern terms, I’d 1.6kReads9.0Score149Shelves
45. 45 我 I Smell a Ghost! 我嗅到了鬼味！ My Conscience Is Clear我心有无愧Mystery2.0M WordsOngoing [Infinite Flow]+ [Mild Horror]+ [No Romance]+ [Despairing Tone] One night, Gu Quan walks out of the funeral home carrying two memorial portraits, having just attended a funeral. His father calls to tell him that his mother has been in a car accident and is at death's door. In a panic, Gu Quan heads to the underground garage, hoping to drive over and see his mother one last time. On the way, he unexpectedly catches the scent of his natural enemy! Terrified, he gets into a car without thinking, un 198.1kReads8.6Score14.5kShelves

    Reader note

    No romantic pairing. The first book is the most despairing. I heard that books 1 and 3 are by the same author, and the author of book 2 has books 3 on their bookshelf.

46. 46 诡 The Haunted Garden 诡园 Zuo Fei左绯Mystery5.4M WordsCompleted Xi Chen felt that he had already done everything he wanted to do. The world was so boring that he wanted to end it. But even he thought this boring world didn't deserve to be dragged down with him, so he let it be. He didn't just fail to die, though. He was forced to join a game. Impossible to solve? Impossible! Maybe life wasn't quite so dull after all. No CP 20.9kReads8.4Score2.1kShelves

    Reader note

    These books are all finished; I've read them several times already.

47. 47 深 Midnight Nightmare 深夜噩梦 Idiom for the Deaf成语接聋Mystery983k WordsOngoing [Infinite Flow] [Hell Difficulty] [Original Dungeons] [Multiple Twists] Note: The dungeons are extremely difficult, so proceed with caution. The first two are only warm-ups. They say that “Ghost Eyes” can see a person’s “good and evil.” Wang Cheng was born with a pair of Ghost Eyes. But he discovered that this claim didn’t tell the whole story. Because Ghost Eyes can see more than people. They can also see cats, dogs, houses, mountains, and rivers… Or perhaps a strangely lifelike doll, or an old 182.8kReads9.4Score31kShelves
48. 48 灵 Paranormal Forces Spread: I Was Born in a World of the Uncanny 灵异蔓延：我诞生于诡异世界 Heavenly Steed Mountain Hermit天马山人Mystery822k WordsOngoing (The rating just came out. It'll go up, right...?) [Infinite Flow] [Light Horror] [Instance Survival] A patient said there was an extra face in the mirror. A patient said someone else appeared after the lights went out. As a doctor, Li Hao dismissed it all as delirium. Until one night at eight thirty, his dead assistant stood outside his door and gently knocked. Only then did he understand that perhaps those patients hadn't been lying. [No romance] [Not invincible] [Plot-focused, not power f 987Reads6.5Score100Shelves
49. 49 超 Super Scary Livestream 超级惊悚直播 Yuwen Chang Gong宇文长弓Mystery2.2M WordsCompleted "Welcome, everyone, to the Supernatural Scary Live Stream. Before we start today's broadcast, I have to tell you that only three kinds of people can watch this stream: those with a heavy aura of yin energy, those who will die within seven days, and the third kind, which I can't discuss in detail. I can only give you one warning: watch your back!" 25.7kReads9.2Score3.4kShelves

    Reader note

    5600 Hours of rigorous selection

50. 50 规 Rule Horror: I Can Foresee Death 规则怪谈：我能预见死亡 Sanqi Without Sugar三七不加糖Mystery490k WordsCompleted [Original Scenarios + Foreknowledge of Death + Deduction + National Fortune + Live Broadcast + Suspense + Horror] Supernatural tales descend, and the bizarre invades. One person in each country will be chosen as the lucky contestant, entering countless Rule Horror worlds where all manner of horrors lurk. Clear the scenario, and your country will earn a brief respite! Fail, and the rules descend upon a city, bringing disaster and leaving countless people dead or grieving! This time, Su Li is chos 17.2kReads9.0Score1.7kShelves

    Reader note

    The first protagonist grows step by step; the first chapter might be a bit challenging, but the second protagonist gets better and better, and the third is definitely the peak. The second, third, and fourth chapters feature the three giants: Bai, Su, Xiao, and Gu. The fifth protagonist is directly a designer, and the sixth and seventh protagonists are definitely highly intelligent, making every move with utmost caution and logic, not mindless; everyone's intelligence is on point.

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