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墨書 Inktalez
The warmth that seeped through her thin clothing to her wrists was impossible to ignore, and that warmth gradually spread to other parts of Xu Nuan's body, making her feel utterly uncomfortable.
Although it seemed pathetic to react this way just because of a man, Xu Nuan felt weak for yielding to Gu Ze's oppressive presence.
Everyone has been young and reckless. When Xu Nuan first entered the company, she was lively yet still proud and reserved. Faced with the inaction of some superiors, she couldn't help but speak up. She had been suppressed, acknowledged, and mocked; none of it mattered to her. Because Qin Yaojie didn't care, under that person's protection, she could be genuine and not fully integrate into society. Although her parents believed this indulgence was harmful, no one could deny that she had been very happy during those years.
Her ability to navigate various social situations also stemmed from that person. The complaints from her parents and the increasing pressure from him slowly changed her in ways that others couldn't see.
Change felt like shedding skin, accompanied by pain. Enduring the pain brought a sense of satisfaction.
So now Xu Nuan wondered if she had a tendency toward masochism. Otherwise, why did she always compromise step by step under Gu Ze's silent pressure?
With her left hand pressed against her forehead, Xu Nuan sighed in the twilight, trying hard to ignore the sensations in her heart caused by her right hand.
"Thank you for your help."
After much contemplation, Xu Nuan finally spoke up. To be honest, she truly couldn't see anything right now; the cold moonlight felt like mere fluorescence to her—completely useless. What she needed was Gu Ze's assistance.
In this faint moonlight, Gu Ze was able to discern directions and navigate from one end of the Dwarf Fir Forest to the other; it was undeniably a remarkable skill.
"Tang Jing Shu! Xie Huai!"
The two of them were currently conducting a thorough search, trying to find the two who had gone missing in this small Dwarf Fir Forest.
Considering the area of this Cypress Forest, Xu Nuan thought that with their volume, if Tang Jing Shu and Xie Huai were conscious, they would definitely hear them and respond.
As they swept through nearly half of the Cypress Forest, the two individuals still did not respond. Xu Nuan speculated wildly in her mind, wondering if there were some plants here that could cause fainting, and perhaps those two had unfortunately encountered them and passed out.
For Xu Nuan, this was already a rather optimistic way of thinking.
"They might have encountered something that made them faint. We need to search more carefully," Gu Ze echoed Xu Nuan's thoughts.
"That makes sense, but..." Xu Nuan paused. "It's really dark; can you see clearly?"
In truth, Xu Nuan was more inclined to suggest, 'Why don't we go back to get a flashlight and invite Xu Hang and Deng Yinyin to help us look?' However, the moment she thought of Gu Ze silently gazing at her with his dark eyes, she chose to swallow those words.
"Left eye 5.0, right eye 5.1."
Gu Ze's gentle voice carried over with the breeze. Xu Nuan turned her head but couldn't see Gu Ze's face and quickly turned back.
"Vision and light conditions shouldn't be related, right?"
"Tang Jing Shu, Xie Huai, if you hear this, respond!"
"Hmm?"
A rising intonation followed.
“…It’s nothing.”
A sense of despair surged within Xu Nuan.
“Tang Jingshu, Xie Huai, where are you?”
No matter how many faces this person had, it was enough to deal with whichever one appeared.
As night deepened, the sky became even more profound as the moon was suddenly obscured by drifting clouds, and the earth fell completely into darkness without the moonlight's embrace.
Xu Nuan could see no light at all now; the heavy darkness pressed in on her. Unconsciously, she grasped Gu Ze's hand tightly.
The direct skin contact allowed her to feel more warmth, and when that warmth reached her heart, it slightly soothed her anxious mind. The hand she held seemed to sense her unease and gripped back just as tightly.
Like someone yearning for warmth in a snowy winter, Xu Nuan greedily drew warmth from that hand, no longer thinking of anything else.
Until at last, the drifting clouds floated away, and the cool moonlight once again spilled onto the ground. Xu Nuan still did not let go of that hand, clinging to it like a lifeline. However, she didn’t dare to look at the face of the person beside her; even in this environment, she couldn’t make out the contours of their face.
In the darkness, both of them were focused on serious matters, no longer engaging in the verbal sparring of daylight. Time passed quickly. When Xu Nuan realized that she and Gu Ze had nearly traversed the entire Cypress Forest in darkness and her throat was hoarse from calling out without any sign of Tang Jingshu or Xie Huai, her heart sank deeper.
What had happened to those two?
Xu Nuan dared not hold onto any optimistic thoughts anymore. With no response and no figures in sight, it meant that those two were not in this area. So, had they left voluntarily? Or were they taken away against their will?
Thinking about the backpack left at the Campsite and the personalities of these two, Xu Nuan had already confirmed that Tang Jingshu and Xie Huai had been taken away by someone.
So, who took them?
There were many people in the Game Base, and the area was vast. How should she search for clues?
Xu Nuan thought of the person beside her, Gu Ze, whose strength was never flaunted. Just as she was about to ask, Gu Ze spoke first.
"Hang is coming."
As Gu Ze's words fell, Xu Nuan also noticed the approaching beam of light and Xu Hang's calm call.
"Gu Ze!"
It was clear who Xu Hang was calling out to.
"I'm here!"
As Gu Ze responded, he simultaneously shook the Dwarf Cypress beside him.
Because of the two hands that were holding each other, Xu Nuan could feel Gu Ze's body shaking. Suddenly, she remembered what kind of scene Xu Hang would see when he approached and immediately began to pull away from Gu Ze's hand.
Gu Ze did not insist; as soon as Xu Nuan struggled, he let go.
Suddenly losing the source of warmth, Xu Nuan's hands turned icy as the cold night wind blew over them.
A vague thought lingered in her mind. She chuckled lightly, tucked her hands into her pockets, and quietly awaited Xu Hang's approach.
When Xu Hang arrived, he brought news.
Tang Jingshu and Xie Huai had not returned during Gu Ze and Xu Nuan's search.
Seeing the evident expressions on Gu Ze and Xu Nuan's faces, Xu Hang's demeanor grew serious.
"No response, no sign of them. Have they been taken?"
"We can't jump to conclusions yet," Gu Ze replied calmly as he took the two flashlights Xu Hang offered, turning one on and handing it to Xu Nuan.
"It's certain that there's been no response, but just in case, we should search again. If we still can't find them, we'll head back to the camp to discuss our next steps. The volcano is not safe at night."
Xu Nuan wholeheartedly agreed with Gu Ze's words, and Xu Hang had no objections either.
The three of them, each with a flashlight, chose different directions to search in a surrounding manner within the relatively small Dwarf Fir Forest for their missing companions.
Searching in different directions significantly increased their speed. Within twenty minutes, they met at the edge of the Dwarf Fir Forest, shaking their heads at each other.
Xu Hang's complexion, already somewhat dark-skinned, grew even darker, nearly blending into the night.
"Let's go back. It's not safe for Deng Yinyin to be alone at the camp."
After pondering for a few minutes, Xu Hang decided to return to the camp together.
The group walked across the hot sandy ground, and in the distance, a faint glow of fire guided the three back.
Xu Nuan held the flashlight somewhat stiffly, her head slightly bowed as she tried hard to think about everything she had seen today, as well as the circumstances surrounding Xie Huai and Tang Jingshu leaving one after the other.
Was there something amiss that could explain their disappearance?
Encountering such a situation at the beginning of this phase had struck her hard.
The daytime trek, the worries of nightfall, a dizzy head, cold limbs, and the cramping pain in her abdomen due to the local environment all weighed heavily on her.
Xu Nuan shook her head vigorously, trying to see things more clearly and think more deeply.
"Stop thinking about it. That Dwarf Fir Forest has issues; it's dangerous at night. We'll check it out tomorrow. Let's get some good rest tonight."
The crisp sound of jade clinking and the gentle trickle of clear water were soothing and relaxing.
"Mm."
Xu Nuan uttered a single word as she walked alongside Gu Ze, following Xu Hang.
Several people returned quickly, while Deng Yinyin stood at the front, illuminated by the flickering firelight, eagerly waiting.
Upon seeing them, she first relaxed, then frowned with concern.
"Did you not find Tang Jingshu and Xie Huai?"
Xu Hang reassured her.
"I'll explain it to you."
He turned to Xu Nuan and Gu Ze, who both looked exhausted.
"You two should eat something and rest for a bit."
The four of them sat around the campfire. Xu Nuan found the long-awaited dinner tasteless, while Gu Ze remained silent. Only Xu Hang's calm explanations and Deng Yinyin's occasional questions broke the silence.
In the end, their discussion led to a conclusion similar to Gu Ze's initial suggestion: they would rest in pairs to regain their strength and venture into the Dwarf Fir Forest together in the morning, hoping to find Tang Jingshu and Xie Huai.
Xu Nuan and Deng Yinyin shared a tent. They didn’t need to freshen up and simply crawled into their sleeping bags, leaving only their heads exposed.
The heat radiating from the sand through the sleeping bag made it difficult for Xu Nuan to bear. After tossing and turning several times, she still couldn’t fall asleep.
When sleep eluded her, Xu Nuan began to reflect on the events of the past few days. There was no need to dwell on distant memories; too much had happened today alone, leaving her mind feeling overwhelmed. She replayed all the scenes in her head, unable to shake off her worries about He Min, her curiosity about Gu Ze, her concerns for Tang Jingshu and Xie Huai, and her fear that Qin Yaojie might meet a fate similar to Yu Hao's.
All those who were together or apart were in her thoughts.
“Will Tang Jing Shu and Xie Huai be in danger?”
When Deng Yinyin's voice rang out, Xu Nuan realized she hadn’t fallen asleep either.
Based on the current reasoning, the chances of those two encountering danger were quite high. Even if she couldn’t understand why they hadn’t called for help, she couldn’t deny this fact.
Xu Nuan couldn’t answer truthfully; necessary reassurance was also important for a team.
“They should be fine. Perhaps there’s some mechanism in the Cypress Forest that has temporarily trapped them inside.”
Xu Nuan’s mind sparked with this statement. It seemed convincing, but it was full of holes. She and Gu Ze had also been inside for a long time without being trapped, hadn’t they?
However, this reasoning was enough to comfort Deng Yinyin, who didn’t like to think too deeply about things.
“That’s great! Let’s get some sleep so we can go rescue them early tomorrow.”
What Xu Nuan didn’t anticipate was that Deng Yinyin’s notion of ‘rescue’ would become a reality. But this ‘rescue’ would come with great danger.
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