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墨書 Inktalez
The evening glow had begun to fade, with the sun peeking out from the western horizon, revealing only half of its face.
Birds resting on the Special Tree seemed to sense something, flapping their wings and taking flight. The soft afterglow served as a backdrop for their departure.
“How did you know?”
Xu Nuan realized that even when she tilted her head to look at Gu Ze, she couldn’t discern his expression. Despite this, Gu Ze's imposing presence had suddenly turned sharp and fierce, exuding an aura of authority without anger.
There was no retreat.
A voice inside Xu Nuan kept reminding her that this was a test of wits and understanding between her and Gu Ze. To step back now would mean defeat.
Defeat would mean losing the answer she had been striving to uncover.
The secret of the game.
Ha, there truly is no such thing as a free lunch. Even with her companions, she couldn't know what they were plotting in their hearts.
She had to accept the reality that this person belonged to Gu Ze, which seemed to cause her a slight discomfort—just a little.
Xu Nuan made an effort to keep her expression calm.
Unaware of the unease beneath Xu Nuan's skin, Gu Ze’s demeanor remained unnaturally composed.
“Heng Technology and Fengtong Technology have been partners in product development for the past five years.”
“Product development? But the product directions of these two companies are completely different.”
Heng Technology focused on electronic products, while Fengtong Technology specialized in various innovations, particularly in technological designs within buildings.
Xu Nuan furrowed her brow as many thoughts unfolded before her.
"Co-developed is a top-secret S-level product, or perhaps a plan. Fengtong Technology is responsible for the buildings and venues, while Heng Technology handles communications and surveillance."
Gu Ze approached this S-level secret product with a calmness that matched the pleasant weather.
Qin Yaojie, an engineer and a key member of Fengtong Technology, had joined the company four years ago.
Xu Nuan seemed to grasp something, but upon closer inspection, she found nothing at all.
"Is this related to the game?"
Xu Nuan's voice trembled, and her hands, curled tightly at her side, had long since clenched unnaturally.
"It shouldn't be what I'm thinking, right?"
She forced a smile but noticed Gu Ze wearing an inscrutable expression, his words equally enigmatic.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Gu Ze."
Xu Nuan felt an overwhelming pressure that made it hard to breathe, as if her insides were being squeezed; the pain was unmistakable.
"You promised me you'd reveal the secret of this game."
"Are you sure I didn't promise to share what I know?"
Gu Ze's lips curled into a smirk, yet there was no trace of amusement in his eyes—perhaps it was due to Xu Nuan's expression or her warm words.
"You assumed I knew the secret of this game."
Xu Nuan felt a chill wash over her, as if she had been drenched in icy water from head to toe. Trembling, she finally mustered the courage to ask.
“Did Heng Technology and Fengtong Technology participate in the design of this game?”
After speaking, Xu Nuan seemed to have exhausted all her strength, nearly collapsing to the ground, but was caught by the quick-witted Gu Ze.
Once she managed to stand, Xu Nuan pushed Gu Ze's hand away, gathering the courage to look him in the eye, determined to get an answer.
Under Xu Nuan's anxious gaze, Gu Ze suddenly broke into a light smile.
“Who knows? Just because these two companies have collaborated doesn’t mean they are related to this game. Although we, the Third Batch of Players, are always taken care of, I think this should be compensation for being forced into the game.”
It was that gentle Gentleman Gu Ze again, who surprisingly didn’t question why she had come to such a conclusion. She had concealed that matter.
Xu Nuan blinked, completely at a loss for words.
Gu Ze’s words made sense; her speculation wasn’t entirely wrong.
Not only did she fail to understand this game, but it also became increasingly perplexing.
“If you really want to uncover the secrets of this game, we can collaborate.”
As Xu Nuan fell silent, Gu Ze spoke again.
“After all, I’m not fond of those Designers either. Successfully clearing the game while exposing them would be true success.”
It was both justified and incredibly bold.
Xu Nuan could only smile wryly; she found herself unable to discern the truth behind his words.
“The word ‘collaborate’ sounds quite ironic,” Xu Nuan slowly turned away from Gu Ze and took a step toward the Supply Station.
“It turns out that before this, we hadn’t collaborated at all.”
When she saw them as companions, she thought they were cooperating with life and death at stake.
Noticing Gu Ze's bewilderment, Xu Nuan, in a bad mood, had become reckless and indifferent to everything. She walked forward without any hesitation, but the short distance felt quite long.
"Nuan, you really are too genuine."
Gu Ze's ambiguous words made her stop in her tracks again.
"Can you not use that title?"
Xu Nuan's voice was somewhat cold; in fact, her mood had dropped to freezing point, and being able to mock Gu Ze felt like a rare moment of joy.
"We're partners, you know."
Gu Ze's tone was as cheerful as ever, so cheerful that Xu Nuan turned around to look at him once more, waiting for him to continue.
"You still haven't realized what you've exposed?"
"What do you mean?"
Xu Nuan frowned, a hint of impatience evident on her face. Describing Gu Ze as a cunning fox was already quite polite. However, seeing Gu Ze's expression didn't seem like he was joking; Xu Nuan recalled her previous words and found no flaws—nothing inappropriate had slipped out. Besides, it had been Gu Ze doing all the talking just now.
She was confident and certain that she hadn't exposed anything.
Xu Nuan's expression gave away her answer, but Gu Ze merely chuckled lightly and waved his hand.
"The time is up; let's go in."
It was all so baffling.
Xu Nuan shot Gu Ze an annoyed glare before turning away and striding forward to open the door to the Supply Station.
A faint sigh drifted over, accompanied by a few indistinct murmurs.
"Come on, you won't even let me finish my sentence. I finally mustered the courage to speak."
A fickle person.
Xu Nuan concluded to herself, fully opening the door and then calling out behind her.
"Do you want to wait another ten minutes?"
"No," Gu Ze instantly reined in his expression, a smile playing at the corners of his lips as he strode over, as gentle as ever.
"It's boring to be alone."
She pondered whether their earlier verbal sparring had been interesting.
Xu Nuan was increasingly at a loss regarding Gu Ze's temperament. After all the anticipation surrounding the secrets, everything seemed to end abruptly. Gu Ze's final implication was clear: if she wanted to know more, they would need to cooperate. To Xu Nuan, this cooperation likely meant more than just a simple partnership. What it specifically entailed left her mind in a chaotic tangle, unable to sort through it all.
She had been feeling guilty and worried about potential romantic entanglements, even considering how to avoid awkwardness as companions later on. In the end, it turned out she was merely overthinking things, and she realized she had no leverage over Gu Ze. This meant that in their future collaborations, she would likely be at a significant disadvantage.
This was not the situation she wanted to see; regardless of the circumstances, she had her own bottom line.
Finding that person was her bottom line; everything else was secondary.
The two of them walked into the Supply Station one after the other. Deng Yinyin and Tang Jingshu were still in the bathroom, while Xu Hang and Xie Huai were resting in the lounge. No one paid attention to what Gu Ze and Xu Nuan were discussing outside.
Seeing the reactions of the others made Xu Nuan feel relaxed. She began her habitual check of their luggage, which included glancing at the notice board.
Tranquil Deep Sea.
The brief five words caused Xu Nuan's expression to darken immediately.
She hated water, detesting the feeling of being alone in the middle of it, surrounded by nothing but water as far as the eye could see.
To her dismay, she had stumbled upon a Survival Game related to the deep sea. What bad luck! From the moment they arrived until now, things had been going poorly. Xu Nuan vented her frustration on Gu Ze, only to find him cheerfully rummaging through a corner and pulling out several sets of diving gear.
"You can dive?"
Xu Nuan would bet that her tone was more mocking than curious or envious.
"One of my hobbies."
Gu Ze didn’t mind at all; he expertly checked the equipment with great attention to detail.
"You really have a lot of hobbies."
Xu Nuan pouted and turned away to check the medical supplies, feeling increasingly frustrated. Camping, martial arts, and now diving—Gu Ze's hobbies had all become skills. Coupled with his outstanding leadership abilities, solid skills, and natural charm, this man was, in many ways, extraordinarily impressive. Though he appeared ordinary, inside he was forged from gold.
Xu Nuan took a few deep breaths, feeling overwhelmed with annoyance.
The group took turns showering, resting, and checking what they wanted to take with them. Time flew by, and soon they stood ready at the green door once again.
However, this time, before Gu Ze could even touch the doorknob, one by one they fainted.
When they woke up again, they found themselves on a boat.
Xu Nuan rubbed her sore neck and looked around the boat. It was a simple design; as long as the engine started, it would move. She just didn’t know how much fuel it had. There were also a few spare oars nearby. The group’s backpacks were piled on the boat as well; some were sitting while others lay down.
Xu Nuan's expression remained grim. It wasn’t until she saw their surroundings that she understood why they had fainted.
All around them was an endless expanse of ocean—the blue sea surface with rolling waves under the golden sunlight. Seagulls soared above them while the salty sea breeze occasionally swept by.
The boat they were on was just a solitary vessel adrift in this vast ocean, swaying precariously without any support.
The others gradually woke up, and upon seeing their surroundings, their expressions mirrored that of Xu Nuan.
"Is this game really trying to kill us?"
Xie Huai voiced everyone's thoughts.
"Is this really happening?"
Deng Yinyin exclaimed, a mix of surprise and fear in her voice.
It seemed this person didn't think the previous Survival Game was difficult at all.
Xu Nuan wore a face full of sarcasm, her hands gripping the white edges of the boat tightly.
Damn the ocean; she felt a bit nauseous.
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