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墨書 Inktalez
"The most dangerous thing in the swamp is indeed the swamp itself."
This was the sentiment expressed by Xu Nuan after experiencing a significant trap in the marsh.
"I sincerely pray that there won't be any swamps in the Survival Game," Gu Ze echoed, feeling equally reflective as he shook his hands, which had grown sore from constantly searching for climbing holds.
In reality, the two of them had followed the markers left by the main group and left the forest, arriving at a new marshy environment. The scenery here was much less barren than before, filled with low bushes and trees. The landscape, composed of Sheep's Beard Grass, Huckleberry, and Larch, presented a grim green amidst the desolate yellow. The cold light blue river added to the damp chill in the air. Most of the grim green was stagnant water, with very little nutrients available for the plants growing in this land.
In such an environment, even Xu Nuan, who wore a jacket, felt cold. Gu Ze, dressed in short sleeves with a hem that was significantly shorter than usual, was doing well to keep his arms crossed against the chill without shivering too much.
Thinking about how she was wearing long sleeves under her jacket, Xu Nuan kindly suggested, "How about I lend you my jacket?"
Gu Ze fell silent for a moment before responding calmly, "I'm 1.8 meters tall."
Xu Nuan, who stood only 1.6 meters tall, froze up and suddenly wished she could chop off a piece of Gu Ze's long legs.
With a slight curve at the corner of her lips, Xu Nuan squinted her eyes playfully and said, "Well then, if anyone gets thrown into the swamp because of height issues later on, I won't be providing external assistance with my jacket."
Now it was Gu Ze's turn to freeze.
Indeed, at the beginning of their journey together after Gu Ze had rolled down a slope uncontrollably into the swamp, it had often been Gu Ze's height that caused him trouble—either moving too quickly due to inertia and falling into the swamp or bumping into low branches and stepping into nothingness. At those moments, Xu Nuan would use her jacket as a lifeline to connect them both, ensuring that Gu Ze wouldn't encounter any accidents while trying to leave the swamp.
Thinking of those unbearable memories, Gu Ze felt an overwhelming urge to cover his face and walk away. Not only had he failed to showcase his heroic side in front of Xu Nuan, but he had also made a fool of himself repeatedly. At that moment, Gu Ze had conveniently chosen to forget how bravely he had once helped Xu Nuan.
It didn't matter if he remembered; what mattered was that Xu Nuan did.
Gu Ze's recent subtle actions had stirred up significant waves in Xu Nuan, who usually remained calm and collected in the game. Such emotions were typically reserved for thoughts of Qin Yaojie, whose fate was still uncertain.
Something felt off. Xu Nuan pressed her hand against her chest, sensing that something was amiss from start to finish. A voice within her insisted that no one should trample on another's feelings. She should respect those she acknowledged, maintaining an appropriate distance and not overstepping boundaries.
Xu Nuan continuously reminded herself of how she should behave. Even when she stumbled upon the traces of the Special Tree in the desolate swamp, the joy of discovering the relatively fresh marks left by Xu Hang and others was cast aside into an unknown corner of her mind.
"It must be the aftereffects of being sick," she muttered, attributing her discomfort to her recent illness. Yet, she forgot how infrequently she had thought about a certain someone these days. The motivation that once drove her to push through challenges had been unintentionally replaced by the enjoyment of the game.
Xu Nuan was a very rational person. Understanding that everything has its limits, she quickly established her own boundaries, retracting her previously relaxed demeanor.
Gu Ze, who hadn't heard Xu Nuan's mumbling but noticed her expression, couldn't help but smile wryly.
Building rapport was nowhere near as easy as it seemed in online games.
The once playful banter between the two had faded into a somber atmosphere due to their mutual restraint, yet their unspoken understanding remained intact.
The Special Tree's Crimson stood out in this wilderness like an anomaly; its vibrant and striking color could lift one's spirits. Yet at the same time, it was a dark and indifferent hue that evoked thoughts of death lurking nearby.
An irresponsible color, a color that tugged at the heartstrings.
"Let's take a break."
As Xu Nuan stared blankly at the expanse of Crimson, Gu Ze couldn't help but make a suggestion.
"Huh?" Xu Nuan looked at Gu Ze in surprise, softly rebutting, "I'm not tired. I can keep going. Are you tired?"
If you're not tired, how could I be?
Though Gu Ze wanted to say that, he simply went along with Xu Nuan's words.
"Yes, I'm tired."
Yet what he thought was that she indeed seemed fine, but the look of desolation on her face was hard to ignore.
The two chose a random spot to rest, and after a moment of silence, Gu Ze couldn't help but speak up.
"How's your injury? Is it okay?"
In fact, throughout their journey these past few days, Xu Nuan hadn't properly tended to her wound. The reason was the same as before, yet she had never complained or cried out in pain.
It must be quite serious; it wouldn't hurt otherwise.
Suddenly, Gu Ze thought of his cousin—a soft and delicate girl who would cry for a long time if she fell. He also remembered his older cousin, a mature and graceful woman who would pout and call for her husband when she cut her hand while chopping vegetables.
Was it because there was no one to rely on that she wouldn't show any signs of weakness?
Believing he had grasped the truth, Gu Ze felt a pang of sadness in his chest.
Should he stay put and silently observe, or take a step further?
Multiple-choice questions are truly challenging.
These thoughts swirled in Xu Nuan's mind for just a few seconds, and after that brief moment, she responded in a casual tone.
"Not bad, it would be better if we could get the medicine."
In fact, just a few seconds ago, Xu Nuan recalled the scene of admitting her pain in front of Gu Ze for the first time, along with the series of awkward events that followed.
The more turmoil she felt inside, the more indifferent she appeared on the outside.
Gu Ze hesitated, his eyes fixed on the water pool before them, but his peripheral vision was focused on Xu Nuan. When he noticed her suddenly stand up, he immediately followed suit.
"What's wrong?"
Xu Nuan looked around, her face showing confusion.
"Did someone just call for help? Or is it just my imagination?"
Upon hearing Xu Nuan's words, Gu Ze also concentrated on their surroundings.
Once he calmed down, he realized that the range of sound was indeed much broader. After listening intently for a while, Gu Ze confirmed.
"Someone is shouting 'help,' and it's coming from that direction."
Gu Ze pointed towards a spot on the other side of a lush Special Tree.
"Let's go check it out."
Upon confirming that someone was in distress, Xu Nuan and Gu Ze ran without hesitation toward the source of the cries for help.
The occasional puddles and sinking sand posed obstacles for the two, yet they managed to reach the source of the cries relatively quickly.
As they approached the struggling figure in the swamp, both Xu Nuan and Gu Ze instinctively slowed their pace, walking cautiously closer.
The one calling for help was Guo Dafu from the Second Batch Players.
"Help! Is anyone there? Help me!"
Guo Dafu seemed to understand that struggling too hard would only worsen his situation in the swamp. Instead, he flailed weakly, his cries growing louder with each attempt. When he noticed footsteps approaching, he turned his head and immediately recognized Xu Nuan and Gu Ze, exclaiming in delight.
"Xu Nuan! Gu Ze! Save me!"
"I know I was wrong; I made a mistake before. Please help me!"
"I don't want to die! I really don't want to die!"
Hearing his desperate shouts, Xu Nuan and Gu Ze exchanged a knowing glance, both frowning in unison.
To be fair, Xu Nuan had never liked Guo Dafu. Whether it was during the third round when he pushed her toward Python or during the Illusory Desert stage when he tried to strangle her, all these incidents added up to give her no reason to save him.
However, when she turned to look at Gu Ze, she found the worry evident in his eyes.
In all seriousness, she did have a reason to save Guo Dafu; they were both Second Batch Players, both struggling to survive under the Designer's schemes.
The fate of any Player could easily become their own fate.
Xu Nuan thought of Zhao Xi, who had been left behind at Beautiful River. The need to survive and continue the game meant that sacrifices would have to be made.
At that moment, Guo Dafu's presence posed no conflict with their game.
This was the reason they could save him.
As Xu Nuan reached two conclusions in her mind, she had already made her decision.
Meanwhile, Gu Ze had also come to a decision.
While Xu Nuan and Gu Ze exchanged silent glances, Guo Dafu continued to shout.
"Xu Nuan, I really know I was wrong! Please save me! Didn't I tell you about the existence of the Hidden Level?"
"If you save me, I can reveal more secrets about this game. It's not as simple as it seems!"
"Please save me!"
"Shut up!"
Xu Nuan's low growl successfully silenced Guo Dafu, whose face was contorted into a pleading smile.
"Xu Nuan, I knew you would save me! This is wonderful."
As Xu Nuan rummaged through Guo Dafu's backpack for a rope, she pressed her fingers against her throbbing forehead and shot a glare at Guo Dafu, silencing him once more. Then she turned to Gu Ze, who was ready to act.
"Is your arm okay?"
Gu Ze smiled lightly as he flexed the muscles on his arm.
Xu Nuan felt her lips twitch in response.
Not wanting to say anything more, Xu Nuan tied one end of the rope around a large rock and tossed the other end to Guo Dafu. Meanwhile, Gu Ze moved near the rock, pulling on the middle of the rope. When he saw Guo Dafu quickly wrapping his own rope around it, he shook his arm and pulled hard on the rope.
Standing on solid ground near the swamp, Xu Nuan symbolically helped pull the rope. Her main task was to lift Guo Dafu when he was close to the edge, preventing Gu Ze's efforts from going to waste.
Guo Dafu was quite heavy, and pulling someone out of the swamp required significant force. Since he was stuck deep and had struggled, it was better to use a more forceful method to rescue him rather than waiting for him to slowly free himself.
As it turned out, this rough method was very effective.
Seeing Guo Dafu within reach, Xu Nuan instinctively reached out to grab him.
Meanwhile, Gu Ze, far away by the rock, let out a sigh of relief and released the rope.
It was at that moment that an unexpected situation occurred. As Xu Nuan pulled Guo Dafu onto the shore, he suddenly pushed her into the swamp with a fierce expression.
Caught off guard, Xu Nuan sank deeply into the murky water.
"Xu Nuan!"
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