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墨書 Inktalez
"Are you really not going to join us?"
In the spacious Supply Station, Xu Nuan and He Min huddled in a corner, speaking softly. The others were either washing off nearly ten days of fatigue in the bathroom, resting, or sorting through the food and medicine needed for the next challenge.
The next challenge was called Passionate Volcano. If it was an active volcano, then the Game Designer had presented them with a significant dilemma; in the face of natural disasters, human strength was incredibly weak.
Thus, Xu Nuan was particularly worried about He Min, who had suggested tackling the challenge alone.
"But your leg injury isn't healed yet. I..."
Seeing the determination and warmth in He Min's eyes, Xu Nuan swallowed her words.
She could be gentle as water, yet resilient as stone; this was the He Min she knew and deeply admired, wasn't it?
"If I can't even handle these Survival Games, then I have no right to be called your teacher."
He Min was right. She wasn't just teaching Xu Nuan how to care for wounds and perform first aid in the wild; she had also arranged physical training courses for her before entering the game and even personally instructed her.
Xu Nuan often found it hard to believe that He Min, just a nurse at a larger hospital, could be so capable in other areas as well. Yet this impressive person always appeared gentle and kind, gracious with friends and charming with her boyfriend. But now, her demeanor had suddenly changed. Although she still bore that smiling face, many aspects of her had transformed. This change came so abruptly that Xu Nuan felt momentarily stunned.
While Xu Nuan was lost in thought, He Min spoke in a voice only they could hear.
"They will make good companions for you. I trust you to work with them. If I can clear my challenge quickly, I'll contact Qin first. You don't need to worry; just take care of yourself."
After a while, Xu Nuan finally reacted with a light laugh.
"You really have immersed yourself in the role of an older sister."
He Min smiled as she patted Xu Nuan's shoulder, her warmth revealing a sense of grace.
"After all, you used to call me sister. As your sister, I can't always be taken care of by my younger sibling."
A wave of sorrow suddenly surged within Xu Nuan, and she lowered her head slightly, though her gaze drifted toward the large three-dimensional freezer not far away. Inside it lay someone who would sleep forever, and to bring him back, they had to succeed in overcoming the challenges ahead.
In that instant, Xu Nuan understood He Min's determination and resolve; she was striving to bring Yu Hao back. Indeed, with He Min's pride, how could she allow herself to wallow in sadness and achieve nothing? This was the He Min she knew, wasn't it?
At that moment, Xu Nuan completely forgot the reasons He Min and Yu Hao had shared with her about entering the game.
The future was uncertain, and no one knew what consequences a moment of negligence might bring.
"By the way, Nuan, there's something else you need to pay attention to."
As a myriad of emotions swirled within her, He Min's voice dropped even lower. The seriousness on He Min's face compelled Xu Nuan to focus, momentarily setting aside her melancholic thoughts.
"Although I've only spent two days with them, I've noticed the uniqueness of the Third Batch of Players," He Min said, furrowing her brow as she chose her words carefully.
"Being with them makes the Survival Game feel a bit easier. Of course, everyone will face the same crises, but when we're together, we seem to tackle those challenges more effectively."
Xu Nuan frowned as well; in fact, she did not share that sentiment. Everyone faced the same Survival Game; whether one could clear it depended on their abilities, and having opportunities for success reflected one's strength. If she voiced this opinion, wouldn't it mean admitting that the Third Batch of Players had surpassed others?
Though Gu Ze and Xu Hang were indeed formidable.
Before Xu Nuan could express her thoughts, He Min quickly shared additional information she had gathered.
"I actually heard from others in the second batch that the Third Batch of Players is quite special and could be the key to success."
"Um?"
Xu Nuan reflexively turned to look at Gu Ze and Xu Hang, who were calmly packing their bags, her voice lowered.
"But everyone is facing the same situation. Isn't success determined by ability and opportunity?"
He Min shrugged. "I don't understand either, but maybe if you stay and observe for a while, you'll find the answer."
Xu Nuan wanted to retort, "I've been observing for a long time; these people are all quite ordinary." However, realizing that He Min was kindly sharing information with her, she decided it would be rude to respond that way and fell silent.
The two chatted quietly for a while. Once Deng Yinyin and Tang Jingshu emerged from the lounge, He Min naturally suggested they leave first.
Even those lacking insight could see He Min's determination. Some pains could only be understood by those who experienced them; no amount of words could convey the depth of such feelings, so it was better left unsaid.
In the end, after saying goodbye to Yu Hao and exchanging light smiles with everyone else, when she reached for the green door to pull it open, Xu Nuan felt an urge to step forward and stop her.
In this game, one never knew when they would meet again. She had once wanted to face challenges alone, so she understood He Min's reasons for going solo and felt unqualified to intervene.
After parting for two months only to reunite, would there be another chance to say goodbye again?
She didn't know and couldn't afford to gamble on it. Xu Nuan wanted to hold onto someone—her companion she had painstakingly sought out—but she clearly understood that she couldn't keep He Min.
Don't be willful.
That phrase echoed in her ears, and Xu Nuan dared not recall who had repeated it to her.
She could only watch helplessly as that beautiful figure walked out the door, gradually disappearing from her sight.
It was just like nearly half a year ago when that man left the apartment they had rented together.
She and he had not seen each other since; the only phone call they shared was to end their relationship.
Xu Nuan often thought that if she had realized what Qin Yaojie’s departure meant at that moment, many things might not have ended this way.
“No, Amin, you should stay.”
The two figures gradually overlapped, their smiling faces merging together. What would be the outcome for the two of them?
Xu Nuan stumbled forward a few steps, reaching out to grasp the doorknob, wanting to open the door and hold onto that person. In the end, her hand fell weakly to her side, and a wave of dizziness washed over her. The only thing she remembered was the worried and panicked face of a man.
In her dreams, many people walked back and forth, all dressed in gray, their faces blurred. Xu Nuan could not distinguish one from another.
Too many people made her space feel cramped; the air became thick and murky. The fragmented sounds piled up into a cacophony that was maddening. As if sensing her agitation, those people began to leave one by one, and her surroundings became incredibly empty.
No matter how much she shouted, no one stopped; no matter how much she yearned, she could not reach them. In the end, she was left all alone.
She had to admit that she was afraid of being alone. She wanted friends who would come running at a wave of her hand; she wanted to feel warmth as soon as she got home.
She cast all of this aside; it was her fault, but also someone else’s.
She needed to go back, but first, she had to wake up.
A strong will made Xu Nuan suddenly open her eyes, startling Gu Ze, who was sitting beside her and watching her intently. He quickly masked his complex expression with a gentle smile and softly asked Xu Nuan how she felt.
"You have a bit of a fever. If you wake up, take some medicine."
"Mm, thank you."
Xu Nuan took the mineral water and cold medicine, eating while looking around.
The endless black sand and the heat rising from the ground made her realize instantly that she was at the bottom of a volcano.
The land, composed of gravel, stones, volcanic ash, and scoria, felt unpleasant underfoot. The vast expanse of black soil made it clear how dangerous this challenge was, with sparse blackened plants appearing lifeless.
These were not what Xu Nuan was focused on.
As she gazed into the distance at the volcano, Xu Nuan noticed that although there were faint traces of snow at the summit, there were many vents of varying diameters along the path from the base to the top, spewing gas continuously, with a faint smell of sulfur wafting through the air.
"A live volcano?"
Xu Nuan was surprised but then caught sight of the scenery at the peak and corrected herself.
"A dormant volcano."
"It should be a dormant volcano."
Gu Ze's calm voice reached Xu Nuan's ears, carrying an inexplicable additional meaning.
It was only then that Xu Nuan realized it was just her and Gu Ze in this place, surrounded by scattered backpacks and a few footprints spreading out in all directions.
"Have they all gone to survey the terrain?"
Unconsciously, as soon as the words left her mouth, Xu Nuan heard Gu Ze's sigh.
"You really are a dedicated Player, waking up and not caring about your own body, but rather about the game."
Xu Nuan tightened her grip on the water bottle. The irritation from waking up from that dream hadn’t yet faded and mixed into her words.
"Don't think I can't tell that's sarcasm."
Though it was well-intentioned.
When Xu Nuan looked up, she saw Gu Ze's helpless expression, which made her reflect for a moment before feeling even more annoyed.
"Sorry."
"I can tell you had another nightmare."
Gu Ze didn’t seem to mind; instead, he stated the fact. Xu Nuan raised an eyebrow, feeling a bit displeased. But then she remembered that this was his way of caring for her, so she couldn’t be rude. Thus, she found herself in a dilemma.
"Heh."
That expression brought a smile to the person sitting next to Xu Nuan.
Xu Nuan gritted her teeth, realizing how easily she accepted Gu Ze and how easily he could provoke her anger.
However, companions were meant to be trusted and to joke around with, right?
Once Xu Nuan fell into her own thoughts, she easily forgot her surroundings and lost sight of what she had initially focused on.
Her temperament had long been understood by others, so no one would think she had any ill intentions.
"If it's a dormant volcano, the key point is whether we need to climb over it like we would a snow-capped mountain."
Xu Nuan stood up gracefully, looking down at Gu Ze with a slight smirk on her lips.
"Shall we discuss this issue when they return?"
Gu Ze smiled up at her, remaining silent for quite a while.
Xu Nuan raised an eyebrow.
"Is there a problem?"
"No," Gu Ze replied, maintaining his position as he leisurely shifted the topic.
"If we pass this hurdle smoothly, I want to discuss something with you."
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