"What do you think?" Shang Yechu stared intently at Ji Juntao.
Ji Juntao held a few printed copies of "Rules General Store" in his hand, his expression unreadable.
Does Ji Juntao think it won't work?
"Not bad," Ji Juntao uttered slowly. The moment the words left his mouth, Shang Yechu breathed a sigh of relief.
Ji Juntao flipped through the manuscript: "This setting is very novel; I've never seen it before. Is it a setting that's recently become popular?"
Shang Yechuxin said, "No, it's the type that will be popular in the future."
"No." Shang Yechu tried her best to make her tone less eager. "This is the first time I've seen it too."
Ji Juntao turned back to the first page, "These rules... this scene has a very cinematic feel to it."
The novel, which was widely circulated, was titled "The Rules General Store," and its main plot naturally revolved around rules. However, it differed significantly from the rule-based supernatural novels that became popular a few years later.
In most rule-based supernatural fiction novels, the rules are announced when the protagonist begins the "game." The protagonist acts according to the rules, deduces various clues, and ultimately breaks the deadlock. The core selling point is the thrill and sense of accomplishment from breaking the deadlock.
For example, when the protagonist enters a ghost story supermarket, he will see a whole sheet of shopping instructions on the wall or counter. The contents of this sheet are the "rules" that the protagonist needs to follow. From this perspective, rule-based ghost story novels are more like giving the protagonist an instruction manual in advance, so that the character can follow the instructions and know what can and cannot be done.
Sheng Wenzhi's novel takes the opposite approach. The protagonist of *The Rules General Store* goes about his usual routine after entering the general store, buying stationery, household goods, tools, and snacks. However, upon leaving, he encounters a maze of illusions.
The protagonist, refusing to believe it, tried several times but couldn't get out. He then searched the general store for a way out.
In the process of finding a way out, the protagonist gradually discovers the "rules" hidden in every corner. For example, there is a sign on the ice cream freezer that says "Do not lift the blanket"; a sign on the pen shelf says "Test pen, do not touch"; a sign on the ice cream machine says "Strawberry ice cream cannot be made"; and a sign on the checkout counter says "Owner not present, please do not check out yourself"...
These rules seemed insignificant and perfectly logical. So much so that the protagonist initially didn't notice anything wrong. But during the review process, the protagonist gradually recalled that he seemed to have done all the prohibited actions listed on those notes!
The protagonist was terrified, trying to calm himself down as he nervously searched for clues in the general store. Meanwhile, new characters kept entering the store.
The protagonist, not content with his current actions, deliberately instigates a newcomer to the general store to break the rules on the note, in order to see what the consequences will be...
Sheng Wenzhi simply stopped writing the rest of the story. Only after Shang Yechu pressed him repeatedly and asked him four times did Sheng Wenzhi reluctantly give a rough outline:
The newcomers, instigated by the protagonist, broke the rules and died tragically. Through repeated trial and error at the cost of human lives, the protagonist finally found the correct way to escape the general store.
It turns out that only when the shop owner personally settles the bill can customers leave the general store smoothly. But at this moment, everyone has already been tricked to death by the protagonist, and it's almost dark.
The protagonist, unsure what might happen after dark, decides to take a risk and pretend to be the shop owner, settling his own bill.
The moment the checkout was successful, the protagonist felt a binding force disappear, and was overjoyed. However, upon looking up, his expression froze—
The protagonist sees the real world through his eyes.
Some were forced into ice cream machines, the churned ice cream scooped into delicate cones and placed in freezers; others were turned into shelves, a blood vessel pulled from their bodies connected to red pens on the shelves, providing them with a continuous supply of "ink"; faceless sales clerks expressionlessly peeled off their own skin to pack goods for customers…
Those so-called new customers who entered the store were actually people who had been dead for a long time.
These people have taken up various positions in the small grocery store, and now, all the store needs is an owner.
All the shop assistants stared at the main character and simultaneously broke into smiles.
The protagonist suddenly looked down and was shocked to find a last note stuck to the bottom of the checkout counter—
"Our store is hiring. Those interested can discuss with the owner in person."
Night fell as all the employees laughed and shouted in unison, "Boss—"
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