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墨書 Inktalez
After nearly twelve hours without rest, the first thing everyone did upon arriving at the Supply Station was to take a break, sleep for a while, and then reorganize their belongings.
Xu Nuan curled up in the lounge, burdened with her thoughts, and didn’t wake up until noon.
As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw a hand holding a thermometer. Following it up, she found Gu Ze's face, busy eating.
“The snake venom has lingering effects; your heart is racing.”
“Oh.” Xu Nuan, still a bit dazed from sleep, took the thermometer and was about to put it in her mouth when she realized she had placed it incorrectly. Rubbing her head, she moved to a secluded corner, tucked the thermometer under her armpit, and sat there counting numbers while trying to recall where she had left off before falling asleep.
She vaguely remembered that when she and Qin Yaojie were still very close, he had brought a model back to their rented apartment and forbade Xu Nuan from looking at it.
Even lovers need some space; at that time, no conflict had erupted. Xu Nuan didn’t dwell on it too much. She considered her boyfriend’s desire to keep some secrets as a bit of fun and didn’t think much of it.
However, on several occasions afterward, when Xu Nuan returned home from work, she overheard Qin Yaojie on the phone discussing that model. He used many technical terms related to buildings, but Xu Nuan recalled that he described something not like an ordinary building but rather a vast area with diverse structures.
Moreover, whenever Qin Yaojie noticed her coming home, he would immediately hang up. After this happened multiple times, Xu Nuan began to remember those repeatedly mentioned terms.
“Reinforcement bars?”
Xu Nuan murmured to herself, lost in thought and unaware of Zhang Xiao approaching her.
“What reinforcement bars?” Zhang Xiao's voice carried an inexplicable tone.
Xu Nuan looked up at Zhang Xiao. Under the light, Zhang Xiao had his eyes half-closed, and there was a faint cold glimmer in his narrow eyes, reminiscent of icicles in the snow.
“Nothing. I’m just hungry and want something to eat.”
Xu Nuan stood up and waved her hand at Zhang Xiao, "Turn around."
Zhang Xiao obediently turned away. Xu Nuan took out a thermometer and checked it, letting out a sigh of relief when she saw that her temperature was normal.
As she stood up, Xu Nuan realized that the lounge was now empty except for her and Zhang Xiao.
"Are you done?"
Zhang Xiao seemed rather gentlemanly at this moment.
"Yeah."
Xu Nuan didn't think much of it and planned to bypass Zhang Xiao to find some food in the storage room and pack her things.
However, Zhang Xiao suddenly reached out and stopped her, a slight smile playing on his lips as he spoke slowly.
"Gu Ze went to take a shower, Xu Hang and the others are packing, and it's just you and me in the lounge."
"So what?"
At that moment, Xu Nuan's mind was still in a fog. Initially, when she was going through challenges alone, she couldn't sleep well at night, worried about being attacked by unknown creatures. Over time, she developed a habit of light sleeping and heightened vigilance.
Later, as she gradually accepted the Third Batch of Players, she completely trusted Xu Hang and Gu Ze's judgment. She began to sleep deeply at night, feeling much more energized the next day, which eventually became a habit.
The dazed Xu Nuan was suddenly jolted awake when Zhang Xiao reached out as if to touch her face. She stepped back a few paces, leaning against the wall and adopting a slightly defensive posture.
"What do you want?"
Zhang Xiao chuckled softly. As his delicate brows relaxed, he exuded an unusual charm. He took a few steps closer, extending his hand to press against the wall, effectively trapping Xu Nuan in his embrace. His movements were ambiguous, and his tone matched that ambiguity.
"I have something very important to ask you."
"Do I need to maintain this position to ask?"
Xu Nuan was no longer at the age of youthful infatuation, and she wouldn't entertain any inappropriate thoughts due to such an overly intimate gesture. She merely squinted slightly, a hint of a mocking smile playing on her lips as she looked at Zhang Xiao.
Zhang Xiao leaned back a little but still held Xu Nuan captive. He exhaled gently, slowly and seductively, yet his slightly widened eyes held a coldness.
"Before we discuss that matter, I have another question for you."
"If you don't back off a bit, I won't care whether you're a team member or not; I'll take action directly."
As Xu Nuan spoke, she drew a short knife from her waist, her thumb pressing against the junction of the blade and sheath. It seemed that if Zhang Xiao dared to come any closer, the knife would be drawn and aimed at his abdomen.
"Indeed, a thorny rose; it perfectly matches Yaojie's taste," Zhang Xiao retracted his hands and took two steps back, crossing his arms over his chest while smiling lightly at Xu Nuan.
"Too bad I prefer gentle flowers; they are easier to control."
"I'm hungry and don't have time to discuss aesthetic preferences with you." Xu Nuan had no time to analyze Zhang Xiao's unusual behavior. Originally, she had been half-skeptical about him being Qin Yaojie's friend. However, she was certain that regardless of his intentions in approaching them, the authenticity of the information he provided about Qin Yaojie was over ninety percent.
Perhaps it was her subconscious desire for information in this regard that led her to make such a judgment.
"I'm quite curious," Zhang Xiao seemed oblivious to the impatience on Xu Nuan's face, continuing to challenge her limits with a nonchalant attitude.
"Why did you suddenly start disliking me? From my analysis, it seems that when Gu Ze showed he wasn't on my side, you stopped actively asking me about Yaojie and instead waited for me to bring it up myself. Hmm, what does this imply?"
Xu Nuan was taken aback for a moment. Before she could sort through her thoughts on the matter, she caught sight of the calculation in Zhang Xiao's eyes. She immediately suppressed all thoughts in her mind and coldly retorted.
"It's clear your character is questionable; it's only been a few moments and you've already made me feel annoyed."
Zhang Xiao narrowed her already elongated eyes, and under the orange glow of the room's light, Xu Nuan suddenly caught a glimpse of something golden.
"Sharp-tongued and quick-witted, that's one of Yaojie's tastes."
"Please don't bring up Qin Yaojie every time," a surge of anger welled up in Xu Nuan's heart. Memories of the past, events that had unfolded in the game, all flooded back to her mind.
"No matter what, I was the one who got dumped," Xu Nuan emphasized each word, "Regardless of the reasons, whether he still likes me or not is his business. And whether I need to know about him is my right."
"Given what you just said, I have to ask you this question: I might encounter someone giving him a gift."
Zhang Xiao seemed completely unaware that he had irritated Xu Nuan; a cool smirk played on his lips.
Xu Nuan stood there quietly, her expression returning to calm as she awaited Zhang Xiao's inquiry. She had a feeling that if she didn't let him ask what he wanted to know, she would continue to be entangled in this for days to come.
"I," Zhang Xiao raised an eyebrow and the corners of his mouth lifted, seemingly pleased, "Have you changed your heart and started liking that guy named Gu Ze?"
Xu Nuan froze, unable to respond.
"See? Your pupils have contracted. Are you feeling guilty or just too shocked to admit it?" Zhang Xiao seemed to revel in seeing others in distress, his smile widening.
"Even if you've changed your heart, it makes sense. Just like how your Yaojie dumped you—more accurately, he abandoned you. You two have been apart for over six months now, and that Gu Ze seems quite exceptional and genuinely cares about you. Changing your heart is only natural, right?"
The rising tone at the end sounded undeniably cheerful.
"Nonsense!"
It took Xu Nuan a moment to regain her voice, her calm expression cracking.
"I don't like anyone," Xu Nuan widened her eyes, the pain at the corners reminding her to regain some rationality. "Who I like is my own business; it has nothing to do with you, and I don't need you to speculate."
"Since we're discussing rights, I suppose anything is my right as well."
The joyful expression on Zhang Xiao's face became increasingly evident, even tinged with a hint of madness.
Xu Nuan suddenly felt that this person seemed to be losing touch with reality. She wanted to turn and leave this space, to escape from where this man was.
As if sensing Xu Nuan's thoughts, Zhang Xiao took a small step toward the door, then stopped and smiled at Xu Nuan before speaking again.
"Now, let me ask you a question. Once I finish asking, you can go eat."
"What do you want to ask?"
Xu Nuan lowered her gaze slightly, abandoning the idea of calling others in loudly.
"This question requires you to think carefully," Zhang Xiao raised a finger and waved it back and forth, but the words that followed sent a chill down Xu Nuan's spine.
"Last night, when I left a mysterious passage at Designers and the person in charge came from City A, what were you thinking?"
"Think seriously and answer honestly," Zhang Xiao's smile widened, resembling a grotesque figure adorned with various colors in the night, both eerie and joyful.
Xu Nuan thought she might have figured out another purpose for Zhang Xiao's assistance.
However, if this purpose existed, it proved one thing: she had always been someone who thought for just a few seconds before giving up and dared not think further.
Of course, she wouldn't reveal what she had thought. She didn't care whether Zhang Xiao had helped them; that matter could only remain buried in her heart. The person who could bring it up had yet to appear.
How should she deflect this?
This was the question Xu Nuan needed to ponder now.
The silence stretched on for a while, and for Zhang Xiao, it was an unspoken confession.
"It seems you've really thought of something," Zhang Xiao said, slightly retracting the manic expression on her face. "If it has kept you silent for so long, it must be something I need."
Xu Nuan jolted slightly, feeling regret for her mistake and surprise at Zhang Xiao's keen insight into people's thoughts.
"Come on, tell me what you're thinking, and I'll reward you."
Zhang Xiao slowly approached Xu Nuan, her expression causing Xu Nuan to instinctively step back.
It felt as if she had provoked someone formidable.
Swallowing hard, Xu Nuan drew the short knife in her hand, pointing the blade at Zhang Xiao, her voice trembling as she spoke.
"I don't like being threatened, and I certainly don't appreciate being tempted. I'm sorry, but if you take another step forward, I won't hold back. I won't care who your friends are."
"Heh." Zhang Xiao chuckled lightly and continued to close the distance between them. "I've suddenly realized that women like you might not be so bad after all."
Xu Nuan endured the pressure emanating from Zhang Xiao, retreating further until she found herself pressed against the wall.
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