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墨書 Inktalez
Humans are inherently selfish, and this trait does not diminish with status, age, or experience. This tendency leads individuals to lean towards their own interests when faced with situations, often impairing their ability to think clearly.
This is precisely why Xu Nuan's words stirred up such a storm.
"Xu Nuan, what do you mean?"
Xu Hang's words came out one by one, his dark expression and simmering anger left Xu Nuan feeling disappointed. She had initially thought he was a composed, broad-minded person with foresight, but now it seemed otherwise.
"The literal meaning."
Xu Nuan chuckled lightly, her attitude only deepening the frowns on Xu Hang's and Xie Huai's faces. Gu Ze maintained a look of surprise, not intervening in the unfolding situation.
"Xu Hang, if you truly considered me a companion, you wouldn't have said those things earlier. Deng Yinyin cried because of my words, but that doesn't mean I bullied her. Perhaps it was she who bullied me?"
At that moment, Xu Nuan's smile was too bright, causing Xu Hang to furrow his brows in displeasure.
Meanwhile, Deng Yinyin continued to cry under Tang Jingshu's comfort, her display only making Xu Nuan smile wider. Well, she wasn't performing in a melodramatic romance; the current developments were simply too amusing—adults over twenty-four engaging in meaningless arguments and a grown woman resorting to petty tricks.
If the words were meaningless, then they should come to an end quickly.
"You've always been the odd one out, always doing things that leave others confused. Remember back at Beautiful River? You actually hesitated to choose Hidden Level for the sake of an outsider. You're the one who doesn't qualify to be a companion."
Xie Huai had shed his previous timid demeanor and spoke with conviction.
"You still remember that incident after all this time? How impressive," Xu Nuan said as she bypassed Xie Huai and fixed her gaze on the tearful Deng Yinyin, a malicious smile successfully making Deng Yinyin tremble and hide deeper into Tang Jingshu's embrace.
"Weren't you the one who suggested leaving first? It's not very appropriate to drag this topic out so far."
Her words were directed at Xie Huai, successfully drawing more animosity.
Gu Ze took a deep breath, interrupting Xu Nuan, who had suddenly become sharp-tongued.
"Xu Nuan, they are just anxious; they mean no harm. Don't take it to heart."
Gu Ze's words only made Deng Yinyin's cries grow louder.
Xu Nuan felt a surge of irritation and turned to meet Gu Ze's gaze, her previously calm smile fading somewhat.
"I understand, but some things are better said. Making things difficult for each other will only add unnecessary challenges to this journey, won't it?"
The determination in Xu Nuan's eyes prompted Gu Ze to choose silence and observe. Self-interest was a common flaw among humans; Xu Hang and Xie Huai had their own agendas, just as he did, and Xu Nuan had hers as well.
"But, Xu Nuan," it was Tang Jingshu who spoke this time. She tilted her head to look at the few people engaged in a calm argument, her gaze not lingering on Xu Nuan.
"The fact that you’ve made Deng Yinyin so upset is undeniable, isn't it?"
Gu Ze understood now; Tang Jingshu also had her own motives.
Taken aback by Tang Jingshu's words and tone, Xu Nuan quickly reined in her outward emotions. After a few seconds of silence, she replied coldly.
"I will take responsibility for what I say, and Deng Yinyin is merely taking responsibility for her own words. If there are doubts, she can explain what happened in those ten minutes. Whatever she says, I will acknowledge."
After saying this, Xu Nuan picked up her backpack with some difficulty and started walking down the mountain first.
"There is only one way down the mountain. As fellow travelers, I suggest we leave this place quickly."
Everyone wanted to escape the icy cold of the snowy mountain. Despite Deng Yinyin repeatedly refusing to disclose what had happened between her and Xu Nuan, the group still caught up with Xu Nuan and descended together.
Companions and fellow travelers, a world apart.
Draped in silver, with ice peaks standing tall and jade trees adorned with exquisite flowers, this should have been a breathtaking sight unique to the snow-capped mountains. Yet, to the weary eyes of the crowd, it merely presented an obstacle to their passage—annoying and vexing.
The scenery was innocent, but everyone felt exhausted.
After a day of near silence, all had reflected on their actions.
Xu Nuan admitted her own careless words and intentions, choosing to let things be. As for the others, she was unsure of their thoughts, but she understood that even if they didn’t view that ‘incident’ in a one-sided manner, they would still cling to their preconceived notions and choose isolation.
Such behavior was something only immature children would engage in, yet a group of adults seemed to revel in it.
However, it was none of her concern; Xu Nuan chose to remain optimistic about the situation.
They descended the mountain faster than they had climbed it. Standing in the snow and looking down, they could barely see the foot of the mountain. The endless expanse of white snow, occasionally interrupted by patches of green snow moss, remained unchanged.
Another snowy night arrived, with heavy snowflakes falling like goose feathers, thickening the white blanket and adorning the forest sea. Those who couldn’t find a cave had no choice but to stay in a flimsy tent that offered little resistance against the cold.
Xu Nuan was quite skeptical about whether such easily assembled tents could withstand strong winds. For this reason, she discreetly chose a sheltered spot. After setting up, she hesitated about whether to warn the others.
As this thought crossed her mind, Xu Nuan chuckled softly at herself. Did she really think of the others as fools? Such a simple matter hardly required a reminder!
She slowly lowered her hands and sat cross-legged in front of the tent, gazing up at the gray sky that felt oppressive. Snowflakes landed on her face and gradually melted from her warmth.
While lost in thought, Xu Nuan sensed movement nearby. Turning her head with some effort, she saw Gu Ze, tall and lean, sitting about a meter away from his tent, which was not far from hers.
Avoiding Gu Ze's shoulder with her gaze, Xu Nuan noticed that other tents were also nearby, all positioned in sheltered spots. Retracting her gaze, she continued to look up at the sky; from this angle, it seemed surprisingly close to the ground.
"In this place, there is a feeling of having experienced a lifetime of heavy snow."
On that snowy night, Gu Ze's voice remained warm, like the gentle clinking of jade stones, bringing comfort.
"I feel the same. During my four years at Huada, I never experienced such a heavy snowfall."
Xu Nuan lightly echoed, easily recalling those youthful days in front of her classmates.
"Indeed, Huada—no, B City—is a city that only knows summer and winter. Yet every winter, I hope for a heavy snowfall, and every year I am disappointed. After starting work in the city, I found that the climate here is similar to B City, and every year brings the same disappointment."
Xu Nuan didn’t need to turn around to know that Gu Ze wore a nostalgic expression when he spoke those words.
She too felt nostalgic for the campus filled with laughter and joy, for the years that held countless memories. Yet she had ultimately moved past those days and faced a harsher reality, culminating in this game.
"By the way, Xu Nuan, if we both succeed in clearing the levels, will you return to the headquarters?"
Gu Ze suddenly changed the topic. Xu Nuan hurriedly pulled her gaze from the sky to look at Gu Ze, noticing he was staring down at the snow-covered ground, his unkempt hair obscuring his expression.
Will I go back? Xu Nuan gazed at Gu Ze's profile, lost in her thoughts.
The premise of this choice was that she had successfully cleared the levels and earned one billion yuan. No, what would enable her to make that choice was finding Qin Yaojie and succeeding together.
What were the odds of achieving both? Xu Nuan couldn’t calculate it and could only respond awkwardly in the end.
"I don’t know; let’s wait until we clear the levels first."
"That’s just like your usual response style," Gu Ze suddenly turned his face towards her, their eyes meeting directly. He flashed a smile but quickly withdrew it.
Xu Nuan was momentarily stunned, wondering why she felt that the smile from just a moment ago seemed a bit sad.
It must be an illusion, she reassured herself.
After a brief silence between them, Xu Nuan spoke again.
"Gu Ze, as a technical staff member involved in product development at the only technology company under the headquarters, have you noticed anything special about Heng Technology?"
"Hmm?"
Xu Nuan hesitated before explaining.
"I can't shake the feeling that even though Heng Technology focuses on electronic products, there might be other research directions as well. However, I don't have any concrete evidence for this; it's just a vague notion in my mind. Ugh, that explanation seems off too. Every time I think about it, I can't grasp that fleeting idea."
She tugged at her long hair, which she had just let down. The familiar softness calmed her previously troubled expression somewhat.
"?" After hearing Xu Nuan's words, Gu Ze looked puzzled, clearly not understanding. Nevertheless, he tried to interpret what Xu Nuan meant and tentatively offered an answer.
"I consider myself a core member of the technical team and haven't noticed the company researching any other products. And since you're an employee of the headquarters, is it possible that you think our company is related to this game?"
"Uh," Xu Nuan quickened her hair tugging and stammered, "I don't really know how to explain it; it's more of an intuition. Just pretend I didn't say anything."
Gu Ze never pressured Xu Nuan. Seeing her flustered expression, he immediately dropped the topic and glanced at the time before suggesting they part ways.
"It's getting late. You should rest early. Remember to change your medicine before going to sleep; it will help you fall asleep faster."
Without waiting for Xu Nuan's response, he stood up and left.
Only Xu Nuan remained outside the tent, no longer hiding her complex expression.
"It's really troubling," she murmured.
Her soft voice was quickly swallowed by the cold wind.
The group, who had thought they would soon descend the mountain to find the Special Tree, felt disappointment settle in one afternoon.
"Do you remember this place?"
The first to voice her doubts was Tang Jingshu, pointing at several large boulders, speaking slowly and deliberately.
"On the first day we entered the snow-capped mountains, we encountered a black bear here. Deng Yinyin and I even roasted jerky with Alcohol Wipes. I made a mark on one of the stones back then."
"I have a bit of a memory of that," Deng Yinyin chimed in. "Could it be that we are heading in the wrong direction? Are we descending along the same path instead of crossing over?"
"No," Xu Hang's expression grew more serious. "The direction we chose to descend is correct. Ze and I confirmed it multiple times back then."
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