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墨書 Inktalez
Human beings possess a remarkable trait: their ability to adapt. It is this very trait that has allowed humanity to thrive and continue to multiply.
The current situation was no different. Xu Nuan could hardly believe that in such a dire moment, she was still able to analyze the people around her.
Just a week ago, these five individuals had lived in comfort, disdainful and contemptuous of this game, filled with unease and dissatisfaction. Now, they had quickly adapted and were ready to fight against these strange creatures alongside her.
As a Killer Eagle swooped down with its sharp claws aimed at her, Xu Nuan swiftly turned her head. With a few strands of hair flying up, she struck at the Killer Eagle with the blade in her hand. As the blade brushed past the Killer Eagle's lush feathers, she reversed her grip and stabbed at it with the tip of her knife.
Successfully leaving a gash on the Killer Eagle, Xu Nuan pulled back with Tang Jingshu, who was trembling while holding a folding knife, avoiding another attack from a different Killer Eagle.
Gu Ze wielded his combat knife with skill and agility. The blade was slightly longer, allowing him to strike quickly and move with great speed. When the Killer Eagle lunged at his face with its claws, he bent low and leaped, grabbing one of its talons with one hand while thrusting his knife into the creature's body with lightning speed.
A splash of warm blood hit Gu Ze's face, and combined with his slightly serious yet handsome features, it gave him an unexpected allure.
However, that stab only drew some blood from the Killer Eagle without hitting any vital spots. Instead, it drove the creature into a frenzy as its long beak viciously pecked at Gu Ze's face. Gu Ze instinctively loosened his grip to block the attack, allowing the Killer Eagle's claw to escape his hold and begin to thrash about, while the combat knife embedded in it also started to loosen.
Xu Hang struggled to protect two people while facing a massive Killer Eagle. After a brief respite, Xu Nuan noticed Tang Jingshu's eyes filled with fear yet burning with determination. She gently pushed Tang Jingshu toward Xu Hang.
"Be brave; go help."
Turning her head, Xu Nuan saw the glint of red light in the eyes of the Killer Eagle facing Gu Ze. Suddenly reminded of the Red-Eyed Sheep, she felt a chill run down her spine but decisively raised her bayonet and plunged it into the restless Killer Eagle.
With blood staining the bayonet, she prepared for a decisive blow.
Gu Ze hadn't expected Xu Nuan to come to his aid so suddenly, nor did he miss the cold ruthlessness in her eyes. However, when dealing with such abnormal creatures, there was no need for courtesy.
The bayonet was far from gentle like an ordinary blade. The Killer Eagle began to thrash violently, letting out mournful cries that were both chilling and satisfying.
Xu Nuan mercilessly pushed the bayonet deeper into the creature as she aimed to finish off the Killer Eagle in one go when suddenly Tang Jingshu's terrified scream pierced through the chaos.
"Nuan! Watch out!"
Xu Nuan reflexively looked up, only to see the Killer Eagle that had been the first to injure itself soaring into the sky. The Killer Eagle she and Gu Ze were fighting against was still struggling. Without much thought, Xu Nuan nodded at Gu Ze, pushed the Bayonet in a little further, then let go and rolled aside to evade the attack from the most vigorous Killer Eagle.
Her hands sank into the sand, and considering she was now unarmed, Xu Nuan planned to quietly observe the Killer Eagle. Unfortunately, the Killer Eagle did not give her a moment's respite, launching wave after wave of fierce attacks. Xu Nuan fled in a panic, only able to use the sand to briefly block the Killer Eagle's onslaught.
Gu Ze hurriedly dealt with the Killer Eagle in front of him and thought about rushing over to help Xu Nuan. However, before he could leap over, he saw Xu Nuan frowning at her bloodied hands. Taking advantage of the moment when the Killer Eagle was distracted by the swirling sand, she kicked it away. Gu Ze swiftly plunged his knife into the dazed Killer Eagle that was trying to rise again while glancing towards Xu Nuan.
Her hands were covered in blood, wounds so severe they exposed bone, and her uninjured fair skin only highlighted the brutality of her injuries. The heavy scent of blood filled the air.
A flash of anger and concern crossed Gu Ze's eyes as he quickly ran to Xu Nuan's side. Just then, he heard a series of wingbeats slicing through the air. Looking up, he saw a dark swarm approaching from afar, their gleaming claws resembling executioners' blades—menacing and chilling.
The Killer Eagle that Xu Hang and Tang Jingshu had just killed began to thrash violently, showing signs of recovery.
Xu Nuan looked doubtfully at her bleeding hands and then at the two dead Killer Eagles beneath her; their yellow sand was already stained red. She couldn't help but murmur, "Could it be that they were attracted by the blood?"
With this thought in mind, Xu Nuan ignored the pain from her wounds and rolled her hands in the yellow sand to temporarily cover them before turning to Gu Ze, who clearly disapproved.
"Go help them; we need to run immediately."
There was a rare tremor in her calm tone. Despite his lingering worry for Xu Nuan's injuries, Gu Ze had no choice but to head towards Xu Hang. While helping to kill another Killer Eagle, his deep brown eyes scanned for those needing protection—Deng Yinyin and Xie Huai—displeasure flashing across his face.
As a horde of Killer Eagles approached, the six people once again chose to flee. With only three backpacks left, there was nothing else for them to gather. Even though they craved food, they lacked the courage to take away the three potentially troublesome corpses of Killer Eagles.
In Xu Nuan's memory, ever since entering this game, such desperate running had become routine. Before this, she had only run during annual physical tests in college; otherwise, she was definitely a homebody.
If I can survive this, my physical condition should improve significantly. Xu Nuan thought humorously for a moment but then felt her pace slow as those relentless Killer Eagles continued their pursuit behind her.
"What do we do? We can't outrun them or fight them off."
Xu Hang voiced this with a heavy sense of resentment and frustration that seemed quite out of character for him.
The few people running were momentarily speechless, their physical strength rapidly depleting and the fear within them crashing over like waves. Their minds were in a constant state of tension, with the cries and flapping wings behind them sounding like a death knell. They could only run, and nothing else.
Among those running, a few looked as if they might faint at any moment.
Gu Ze slowed his pace, waiting for Xu Nuan to catch up, his gaze lingering on her hands, which were now covered in yellow sand and trembling with urgency.
"Can you still hold on?"
The myriad words he wanted to say coalesced into this one simple question. It was a predicament Gu Ze had faced many times before.
"Don't worry, I won't hold you back."
Even though her breathing was heavy and her body ached for rest, Xu Nuan kept her pain hidden from her face. Despite occasionally mocking herself for how she had become in just over a month, her body, now accustomed to this struggle, would not betray her at this moment.
Suddenly, anger surged within Gu Ze. His deep brown eyes flickered with flames of rage under the starry night sky. The hesitant words he had been holding back clamored at his lips, demanding to be spoken.
Without rationality or thought, he just wanted to stop, grab this person, and tell her that she didn’t have to push herself so hard. She still had him; they had each other and this group to rely on. Even if they needed to find someone or pass through obstacles, there was no need to force herself so tightly.
This was all he could do as a former classmate and friend of four years.
"Look! What is that?"
Deng Yinyin's shout snapped him back to reality. Her excited voice sounded particularly jarring at that moment, but everyone running turned their attention toward her.
Following the direction Deng Yinyin pointed, they spotted what appeared to be a low thicket not far away. In the desert night, such a place was undoubtedly the best refuge from their pursuers and an ideal spot to rest.
The group quickly adjusted their course and sprinted toward that location, with the relentless Killing Eagles still hot on their heels.
Gu Ze let out a slight sigh as he ran alongside Xu Nuan. The words he wanted to say were once again swallowed back down.
As they approached the so-called "thicket," they realized it was actually a vast Cactus Grove. Each cactus towered three to four meters high, with sprawling "arms" that could rival a house in size.
The group entered the Cactus Forest, finding it a good shelter from the wind, especially for resting at night.
For them, the most reassuring sign was that the Killer Eagles had suddenly turned away when they approached the forest, solidifying their decision to rest here for the night.
Xu Nuan's indifferent gaze swept over everyone. Xie Huai still had toxins lingering in his body; after running for so long, his face was frighteningly pale. Deng Yinyin, being a girl, had suffered from severe dehydration and was now gasping for breath while rubbing her sore legs. Xu Hang had scratches on his shoulder from protecting two people, but thankfully nothing serious. Gu Ze bore a few minor scratches on his face, which were not severe. Tang Jingshu was the luckiest of all, having no injuries at all, though she had lost her backpack.
Looking at her own hands, which were covered in dirt mixed with blood, Xu Nuan smiled lightly. These hands had once crafted countless plans in front of a computer and had played the drums for three years in college. Now they looked like this; she felt quite useless.
Just then, water began to drip down onto her hands, washing away the dirt.
Xu Nuan looked up to see Gu Ze, his expression serious, silently pouring water over her hands while holding gauze and antiseptic in his other hand.
"I can do it myself."
Xu Nuan raised her hand slightly to take the bottle of water, but Gu Ze deftly avoided her grasp and sat cross-legged beside her.
Not far away, Tang Jingshu observed this harmonious scene with a light laugh as she weighed the water bottle in her hand. Suddenly recalling something, she glanced anxiously at Deng Yinyin and found her looking eagerly at Xu Hang as he pulled out some jerky from his bag. She let out a small sigh of relief.
As she relaxed, she remembered that Xu Nuan had a boyfriend, causing her expression to become somewhat conflicted.
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