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墨書 Inktalez
When a person who is always polite and gentle speaks harsh words, the effect is striking.
As Gu Ze wiped away all traces of amusement from his face, Xu Hang finally understood that he had gone too far this time. His friend was not without grievances; rather, he chose to remain silent to avoid damaging their friendship.
At the same time, Xu Hang realized that Gu Ze had no feelings for Deng Yinyin at all. Their relationship was merely that of colleagues, and Gu Ze would not treat Deng Yinyin with the same courtesy he showed Xu Hang.
Given Deng Yinyin's proud nature, it was hard to predict how she would react to Gu Ze's treatment.
The future is always uncertain; one can only focus on the present. At that moment, Deng Yinyin was furious, her face flushed with embarrassment from being exposed. Her eyes were filled with grievance and anger, and a few tears threatened to spill over. Her choked voice rose in pitch, reminiscent of heavy rain beating against trees.
"Gu Ze, are you implying that I bullied Xu Nuan?"
"Hmph, you haven't seen Xu Nuan in years. How could you possibly understand her? Do you think she's a good person? She's clearly trying to use us while putting on a cold facade. What’s so great about someone like that?"
People often reveal their true selves when they are angry. At this moment, Deng Yinyin, usually a charming and cute girl with a bright smile, looked terrifying. Her bare face, devoid of any makeup, appeared quite fearsome.
Even Xie Huai, who had always liked her, instinctively took a few steps back. Was this terrifying visage of rage really the Deng Yinyin he knew?
Even Deng Yinyin's friend, Tang Jingshu, found this version of her unrecognizable. Can someone truly change so much when they fall in love? It was no secret that Deng Yinyin liked Gu Ze; Tang Jingshu had always admired her devotion but couldn't understand why Deng Yinyin wouldn't confess her feelings first. Now, losing control in front of the person she liked would only diminish her appeal.
Not wanting her friend to suffer further harm, Tang Jingshu stepped forward and hugged the raging Deng Yinyin, soothing her like one would calm a cat. As she saw Deng Yinyin gradually calm down, Tang Jingshu sighed in relief. She had once acted similarly for love—screaming and throwing herself into it only to end up heartbroken. That experience made her cautious and melancholic after meeting Chi Xu Sheng.
From an unseen angle, Xie Huai cast an angry and resentful glance at Gu Ze. This was the first time such emotions appeared on the usually timid Xie Huai's face; despite his low presence, he felt even less significant now.
Throughout the ordeal, Gu Ze remained a qualified observer. He was indifferent to Deng Yinyin's display, ignored Tang Jingshu's hints, and paid no attention to Xu Hang's guilt and anger.
This was not typical behavior for him; he had always been rational and wise, navigating life smoothly for over twenty years. The only time he faltered was because of a girl. As that girl matured into a woman, her influence over him grew stronger.
What kind of feelings could transform someone so completely?
“Gu Ze, that’s a bit too much.”
As everyone calmed down, Xu Hang spoke slowly, his gaze intense, transforming his seemingly wooden face into one of authority.
“Heh heh.”
Gu Ze chuckled lightly, the knife he used to mark twirled on his fingertips, the cold light reflecting off the blade cast an ominous glow on his face. The sounds of the wind in the dense forest and the flowing water of Mountain Stream faded into the background.
“Sorry, I lost control for a moment. You can understand this feeling, right, Hang?”
He understood Xu Nuan, yet he didn’t. At that moment, Xu Nuan's words were so resolute that they made him believe they might never meet again.
Never meeting again—this outcome stirred a tempest in what should have been a calm heart. It was not what he wanted, and he refused to accept it.
He thought it would be best to just watch silently. But when even the slightest wish seemed unattainable, his once-proud self-control was completely cast aside, and his desires multiplied.
Gu Ze also believed that Xu Hang understood his meaning. Men often possess a strong sense of ownership over women. When he looked directly at Xu Hang, the shock in Xu Hang's eyes revealed the outcome he desired.
“Ah, I see now. Sorry, I didn’t realize you were serious.”
When Xu Hang said this, he seemed to age significantly.
The performance of a one-man show should come to an end. Xu Hang continued to fulfill his role as a leader; with a command, they moved forward again. Deng Yinyin, unwilling to play the fool in this act, attempted to make another move but was stopped by Xu Hang.
After a warning glance filled with danger swept over her, Deng Yinyin had no choice but to obediently follow the group’s pace and dared not voice any opinions about Gu Ze's habit of stopping to leave marks.
That warning look was devoid of any kindness; it felt like a real threat. Every time Deng Yinyin recalled that gaze, she felt a chill run down her spine. She found herself feeling strange about Xu Hang, who silently harbored feelings for her cousin.
After this quarrel, the Third Batch of Players successfully found the Special Tree. The vibrant red trees lined up along Mountain Stream stretched out on both banks, bustling and extending into the distance. They leaped over cliffs and traversed waterfalls without fear.
The unexpected harvest left everyone pleasantly surprised. After choosing their direction, they continued on with great enthusiasm.
Gu Ze tirelessly left behind one signal after another, but as time passed, the figure they had been eagerly anticipating never appeared. Once they vaguely realized that Xu Nuan was the Achilles' heel of this otherwise gentle man, the others ceased to comment on his behavior.
They were merely companions; sometimes, personal feelings needed to be set aside.
As time flowed relentlessly, their group encountered an attack from a Golden Patterned Snake hiding among the rocks. In the end, the Golden Patterned Snake became their dinner for the night. Occasionally, a playful Macaque would dash out from the dense forest to the mountain stream, drawing everyone's attention before it screeched and displayed its sharp claws, causing minor injuries. At night, while resting, they had to guard their backpacks carefully; otherwise, a disproportionately large-eyed Big-Eyed Frog might leap out and spray corrosive venom, catching them off guard.
So far, they had not faced any significant crises. However, they still suffered some injuries from the rocky streams scattered throughout the Gorge and exchanged a few complaints before hastily moving on.
The early appearance of the Special Tree was not necessarily a good thing. After two days of trekking, they still had not seen a Supply Station. The bright red color stood out too starkly against the lush green of the Gorge, often attracting strange creatures that either observed or attacked them. They could only endure this bittersweet pain.
For Gu Ze, the passage of time had already numbed him.
Then one slightly tipsy evening, he finally spotted the figure he had long been waiting for.
It was Tang Jingshu who first noticed it and inadvertently called attention to it.
"Look over there! Isn’t that Xu Nuan?"
Everyone turned in the direction she pointed. In a sparsely wooded area of the Gorge, about a hundred meters away from them, a blue figure emerged with a large backpack. Xu Nuan was swiftly moving through the forest, occasionally stopping to examine a tree closely as if searching for a mark. After a brief pause, she would continue forward without hesitation.
Gu Ze's expression of joy instantly faded. Xu Nuan was not looking at the marks he had left; he had always marked along the riverbank, which meant Xu Nuan was not coming to find them.
As everyone stood still and silently gazed in Xu Nuan's direction, she finally sensed their attention while focusing on the markings on a tree and stopped to look back at them.
This distance allowed everyone to see Xu Nuan's expression—calm as ever. Even upon encountering the Third Batch of Players, there was no sign of surprise or anger on her face; it was as if they were meeting for the first time in the game.
History always tends to repeat itself.
Gu Ze calmly met Xu Nuan's gaze, neither of them showing any intention to move forward.
Xu Hang and the others exchanged glances, feeling the awkwardness of this unexpected encounter. They were unsure of what to do.
As they pondered, Gu Ze suddenly strode towards Xu Nuan, the wind he stirred carrying an unusual chill for this warm spring day in the Gorge.
Seeing the background gradually receding, Xu Hang and the others gritted their teeth and followed suit.
In less than two minutes, enough time for many thoughts to swirl in their minds, Gu Ze stood before Xu Nuan, who lightly said, "Long time no see."
It was as if nothing had ever happened.
Then Gu Ze's hoarse voice came through. "Long time no see."
A gentle breeze stirred the silence of the forest.
Finally, it was Tang Jingshu who broke the silence at Xu Hang's prompting. "The Special Tree is by the river, right? Why have you been in the woods all this time?"
Her serene smile masked any past heartache.
Xu Nuan replied calmly, "I found a mark left by the Second Batch Players and planned to find her."
"Hey? Is this the correct path to clear the level?" Xie Huai, whose presence was barely felt, exclaimed in surprise.
"No wonder we haven't found the Supply Station while following the Special Tree," Xu Nuan replied, glancing at Xie Huai with a hint of confusion.
"It's not that; it's the agreed-upon distress signal."
A gust of wind blew by as Gu Ze looked down at Xu Nuan, who was a head shorter than him, and suggested, "It's a signal left by your friend, right? I can come help too."
There was a brief silence.
Xu Nuan slightly tilted her head back but avoided Gu Ze's gaze.
"No need. These marks are quite fresh; I can find her quickly. You all should continue with the challenge."
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