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墨書 Inktalez
Xu Nuan was stunned, and Gu Ze, seeing the scene before him, was equally taken aback. His heart raced inexplicably, and he felt warmth rising to his face.
When he noticed the scar, a storm brewed in Gu Ze's eyes. The tension was broken by a wolf that lunged at Xu Nuan, seizing the opportunity to attack.
"Heart!"
At that moment, Gu Ze had already dashed to Xu Nuan's side, disregarding any sense of propriety as he pulled her into an embrace. They rolled away just in time to evade the wolf's strike.
The woman lay in his arms, only a piece of clothing covering her chest. Her long black hair cascaded over her fair skin, which was tinged with a faint blush. Panic flickered for the first time in her light brown eyes.
Gu Ze's mind froze for a second. In that brief moment of stillness, Xu Nuan regained her senses. She glanced over Gu Ze's shoulder and saw the fierce wolf charging at them again. Ignoring her embarrassment, she grabbed Gu Ze's arm with one hand while clutching the clothing tightly with the other. They rolled aside once more, crashing into a tree before finally coming to a stop.
"Hiss!"
The reopening wound on her back made Xu Nuan gasp involuntarily. Gu Ze, momentarily distracted by her beauty, snapped back to reality and said, "Sorry! Hold on tight," before lifting Xu Nuan into his arms and climbing up the tree. The lower branches of the swampy area proved advantageous as Gu Ze skillfully ascended with Xu Nuan in tow, settling them both on a sturdy branch.
The wolf began howling at them, its green eyes glowing like lanterns in the encroaching darkness.
Once he realized the wolf posed no immediate threat, Gu Ze turned his head slightly to speak in a more normal tone.
"I’m really sorry about earlier; I didn’t mean it."
"Mm, I know."
Now composed, Xu Nuan calmly slipped on the only long-sleeved shirt she had brought along. She silently thanked herself for having worn pants; otherwise, it would have been truly embarrassing.
This line of thought was based on her overlooking the ears peeking out from beneath her dark hair, which were flushed with color.
Gu Ze felt a twinge of disappointment at her response—an emotion he couldn’t quite understand—but he quickly shook it off. Once he confirmed that Xu Nuan was dressed properly, he turned to face her directly, his expression serious.
"When did you get hurt?"
Even with just a fleeting glance, the scar stretching from her shoulder to her waist was unforgettable.
Xu Nuan pursed her lips, silent as she locked eyes with Gu Ze.
It was less of a gaze and more of Xu Nuan simply staring at Gu Ze, her eyes drifting around aimlessly.
She thought to herself that her feelings were so obvious now that he wouldn’t press further. However, this time, Gu Ze was particularly persistent.
“Did you get hurt before we met?”
Seeing Xu Nuan’s reluctance to speak, Gu Ze began to speculate. He remembered when they first encountered each other in the game; her left shoulder had been injured. Later, she had been slashed by Killer Eagle and choked by Guo Dafu.
Thinking of all this, Gu Ze's expression darkened. This person shouldn’t have to go through such things. If he ever found Xu Nuan's ex-boyfriend, he would definitely give him a good beating—in the name of a comrade.
“Yeah, I once encountered a cheetah and couldn’t outrun it.”
Gu Ze’s grim face made Xu Nuan feel a bit cold. She quickly replied, wanting to change the subject.
“What about that wolf? We need to hurry back and regroup.”
Xu Nuan dared not look at Gu Ze anymore; her evasive gaze fell on the wolf that was still howling.
Are wolves pack animals?
That thought flashed through Xu Nuan's mind.
Gu Ze relented when he saw Xu Nuan’s split lower lip. His gaze shifted past the fragile figure in front of him to the scattered jackets, bandages, and medicines by the lake.
The glaring scar began to dance before his eyes.
After waiting for a moment without receiving an answer, Xu Nuan finally turned her head to look at Gu Ze. Her eyes held confusion and anxiety, which suddenly widened as she realized what was happening. Before she could say anything, Gu Ze leaped toward the direction behind her with incredible speed.
“Gu Ze!”
Xu Nuan reached out in a panic, her hand brushing against nothing but air. As she turned around while holding onto the tree trunk, she noticed the wolf lurking on the ground had darted away, its target being Gu Ze, who was picking up clothes by the lake.
The wolf, frustrated after two failed attempts, became agitated. Its gray fur blended almost seamlessly into the dusk, and it moved with a speed that surpassed that of an ordinary person. The sound of its claws slicing through the air sent a chill down her spine.
Gu Ze was unaware of the wolf's presence, his back turned as he gathered his clothes. This carelessness stirred an inexplicable anxiety within Xu Nuan, and worried words slipped from her lips.
"Gu Ze, get away!"
The name rolled off her tongue effortlessly, marking the second time she had called out to him— the first just moments ago.
As her heart began to race, she watched in horror as the wolf lunged at Gu Ze from behind. But Gu Ze reacted quickly, sidestepping just in time. After evading the wolf's attack, he dashed toward a tree and swiftly climbed up.
The wolf let out a low howl once more.
Xu Nuan felt her heart settle back into place.
"You’re insane!" she exclaimed, her large light brown eyes filled with anger.
"I've trained in combat sports," Gu Ze replied, a hint of amusement dancing in his deep brown eyes.
"That's completely different!"
Though Xu Nuan seemed to regain her composure quickly, her expression had softened. The furrow in her brow, tightly pressed lips, and slightly heaving chest betrayed her true emotions.
Gu Ze sighed suddenly and handed her his jacket.
"Put this on for now. We'll go back and let them help you reapply the medicine and bandage it up."
Xu Nuan grabbed the piece of clothing, her gaze complex as she looked at the bandages and medicine in Gu Ze's other hand. Her tone suddenly turned harsh.
"Unimportant things, there are plenty more in the backpack. Besides, my wounds are almost healed."
The translation was straightforward; it implied that he had taken unnecessary risks.
"Does it not hurt?"
As Xu Nuan tightened her grip on the clothing, Gu Ze suddenly asked.
"Hmm?"
Xu Nuan looked up at him, the embarrassment and anger in her eyes still lingering. She heard Gu Ze's voice, gentle as the wind, reminiscent of the warm sunlight she had encountered many years ago on a carefree snowy day.
"The wound has opened, hasn't it? I can smell the blood."
Xu Nuan noticed that as he spoke these words, his eyes transformed into a shallow sea. The dim light within this shallow sea fragmented into mottled pieces, each fragment filled with different emotions.
Then she heard a phrase that made her suddenly understand something.
"If it hurts, just shout out. If you're uncomfortable, just come out. I won't say anything presumptuous while you're clearly in pain and foolishly laugh."
What she heard was not just this phrase; there were also sounds of wind rustling through leaves, a wolf's low howl, leaves falling into the lake, and even the distant sound of unknown birds taking flight.
Her auditory nerves were more sensitive than ever, absorbing sounds from both near and far.
Slowly lowering her head, Xu Nuan also heard her own voice.
"It hurts, it really hurts. But this way, I know I'm still alive."
With her head down, Xu Nuan was unaware that the man just a few steps away leaned slightly forward, as if wanting to embrace her. However, he quickly sat back down, lowering his head as well. His unkempt bangs obscured his eyes, hiding all the emotions within.
"Your wounds will heal, and you will find him. Everything will be alright."
The night ultimately engulfed the forest, with the crescent moon casting a cold light that was enough to illuminate the surroundings.
It was the night that posed the greatest danger.
After allowing herself to speak a few honest words and show vulnerability, Xu Nuan's restless heart finally settled down. Once calm, she returned to her usual bland suggestion.
"Let's go back; they are waiting..."
Xu Nuan's words were abruptly interrupted by three wolves that suddenly burst out from the bushes.
One wolf alone could pose a lethal threat to them; its speed and sharp claws and teeth were its best weapons. Now, however, there were four wolves beneath the tree trunk where they stood.
"What should we do?"
Xu Nuan suppressed the dizziness that surged again, keeping a vigilant eye on the four wolves that surrounded them from different directions.
Cunning creatures!
While remaining alert, Xu Nuan caught a glimpse of Gu Ze's movements. He quickly scanned their surroundings, swiftly removed his jacket, and pulled out a lighter.
Wolves are generally afraid of fire!
As Xu Nuan realized this with some excitement, Gu Ze had already thrown the ignited clothing in front of one of the wolves. The wolf indeed recoiled in fear and darted off in another direction.
"Run!"
Gu Ze whispered as he jumped down from the low tree. Xu Nuan followed suit, and as the wolves moved away from the burning clothing, they chose a path with fewer swamps to run toward.
The night wind was chilly, stinging against their faces and making them uncomfortable. The pain radiating from her back kept her alert, while the branches protruding from the bushes hindered their escape and caused them pain.
Xu Nuan had been staring at the tall figure ahead, the broad back somehow making her feel safe at that moment. Her gaze shifted down to their intertwined hands; the warm, dry palm made Xu Nuan think that they could outrun the wolves chasing them.
She was painfully aware that her injured self was now a burden. As she stumbled over a moss-covered, fallen tree lying in the road, this person actually turned back, gripping her hand without hesitation and continuing to run.
"It will be fine."
She heard the man named Gu Ze say this.
Four wolves, realizing what was happening, were pursuing them with all their might, the distance between them closing at a visible speed.
They were not skilled martial artists nor hunters armed with rifles; their only weapons were the knives strapped to their legs. Even if they worked together, they could barely handle one wolf.
Desperation—this was the second time Xu Nuan felt truly desperate.
Before this, every time she faced such a dire situation, she would think she would be killed, that her short gaming career would come to an end, and that she would regret not seeing someone again. But this time, despite considering herself calm and rational, she absurdly thought that they would be fine.
Gu Ze.
This person was named Gu Ze.
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