The Phantom's Gambit - Chapter 1: Before the fall

In the distant future on Earth, there was a girl with God-like powers. That girl is the last survivor of the former human race that flourished in ancient times.

The Ancients.

And on that very same Earth, a new breed of humans with the ability to wield Magic emerged.

That girl began to observe the new human race silently.

Sometimes called a God, other times called Satan, that girl continued to observe the new human race.

This is the story of the happenings between the lonely girl and the hardworking new human race.

There once was a boy who was an orphan and suffered abuse from his village residents. The only friend he had was the dummy scarecrow on the field, whom he talked to. One day, a wealthy man brutally beat the boy. The next morning, the wealthy man was found dead, and the scarecrow was covered in blood. Terrified, the villagers were convinced that the scarecrow had come to life to avenge its tormented friend. And it was the last scarecrow ever placed again in the fields, considering it a sign of death. — After scarecrow dolls begin appearing in the streets of Riddleford next to murder victims, the town is thrown into chaos.When the hunt for the mystery scarecrow murderer begins, it is only a matter of time before the famous Frontier Hall Opera House employees are subjected to suspicion, each protecting a secret of their own. But is that all that is going on? Or is there something unseen?

Freshly turned eighteen, John Newman, a helpless nerd, suddenly gets video game abilities granted to him. A mysterious higher power, a secret Abyss of magic beneath the surface of the normal world, mages, martial artists, eroticism, tragedy and a harem of hot girls awaits.

[True to its genre: a creepy, rule-based horror story, highly refined and quality assured, but prospective readers seeking a thrilling experience should think carefully before proceeding.]In order to secure a substantial university life experience grant, Lin Yi and his roommate registered to attend a suburban university.A seemingly ordinary but slightly unsettling set of student regulations;Strange signs in front of the buildings and seemingly normal building rules;Mysterious figures threading through the campus under abnormal weather conditions…As the experience unfolded, more and more bizarre people and events emerged. To survive and leave the campus, Lin Yi had to navigate on the edge of the rules…[Note: The logical chain of this book was deduced by the author before it was written, forming a closed loop. All rules serve as clues, and all the inconsistent, mysterious occurrences will receive scientific (or quasi-scientific) explanations. There are no supernatural events or related phenomena (just kidding), you are welcome to try reading it!]