The world rules themselves are deeply embedded within the world, permeating it entirely, omnipresent and ubiquitous.
However, only when someone is able to perceive the world rules do they collapse from these intangible, omnipresent, and insubstantial principles into a Network of Rules that can be observed.
This is somewhat akin to quantum collapse in physics. Before observation, a quantum exists in a superposition state: it might be at point A, or at point B, or even simultaneously at points A, B, and C. Only after direct observation does the state of the quantum collapse into a definite condition.
The world rules share similarities with this phenomenon; when unobserved, they are everywhere, deeply entrenched in every corner of the world.
But only when someone perceives the world rules do they manifest as the shape of the Network of Rules, adopting an observable form.