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墨書 Inktalez
One night was enough for Gu Ze to turn this body of water upside down. He was certain that the Motor had not been there the night before.
Finding something was better than finding nothing.
In the despair of possibly losing Xu Nuan's trace, Gu Ze pulled out some Rationality and carefully considered the function of this Motor.
As he approached the Motor, the tentacles outside began to attack him. While dodging, Gu Ze observed the core part of the Motor and noticed that it was different from the normal Motors he usually saw.
Stepping slightly away from the tentacles, he began to recall his recent experiences.
From the reflections of different faces on the lake's surface to the boiling water, then to the attacks of the Green Tentacle, and finally, the illusions he saw after entering the water while Xu Nuan vanished without a trace.
For a game to achieve this was undoubtedly impressive in terms of technology.
Suddenly, he thought of Xu Nuan's unique constitution concerning this lake. After some contemplation, only two possibilities emerged.
The first possibility was that Xu Nuan was in this lake. Due to her special constitution, she might not have encountered any danger, but he could neither see her nor she herself could see him. As for why Xu Nuan hadn’t come ashore to look for them, it was very likely that she had been injured, attacked, or perhaps even dead.
The thought of death filled Gu Ze's eyes with immense sorrow. If Xu Nuan had died before he could do anything for her, he would never forgive himself. The overwhelming pain radiating from his heart made him feel as if he were better off dead.
The second possibility was that Xu Nuan was no longer in this lake. But where could she be?
He didn’t know.
Was she safe? He didn’t know.
How could he find her? He didn’t know.
After arriving at a series of unknowns, Gu Ze looked once more at the still-operating Motor. The technology that could cause Xu Nuan to suddenly disappear must exist within this body of water. Was this sudden appearance of the Motor the instigator or the source of the Green Tentacle’s activity during the night?
He found himself entangled in this dilemma.
If he destroyed the Motor, would he have a chance to be transported elsewhere, only to encounter disappointment or joy?
The oxygen in his lungs was nearly depleted; it was time to breathe again.
Gu Ze took another careful look at the Motor, recalling the pain that had consumed him all night. He decided to take a gamble.
The lightweight folding axe he had brought down was now useful. Gu Ze held the axe tightly and swam toward the Motor, instinctively striking at its core.
Compared to other parts of the Motor, its core was much more fragile than he had imagined. Gu Ze struck harder and faster, but the only downside was that the tentacles suddenly went berserk, attacking him furiously.
Fueled by his inner sorrow and anger, Gu Ze paid no mind to the tentacles. He ignored the stings that cut into his face, arms, and other parts of his body; his mind was focused on a single thought.
He had to find warmth, no matter what the cost!
Whether he appeared weak or strong, nothing mattered in front of the woman he loved.
With the last remnants of oxygen in his lungs, Gu Ze destroyed the Motor.
As his brain began to suffer from lack of oxygen and he felt himself losing consciousness, the water at Lake Bottom began to drain rapidly. To his surprise, he found he could breathe again. He saw a black hole where the Motor had been, spinning like a scene created with special effects in a movie.
Unsure whether to feel joy or fear, Gu Ze slowly swam toward the hole. In an instant, he found himself in another lake.
The light in this lake was bright, likely due to its shallow waters. There were no Motors or dark-colored stones and plants; the entire area felt incredibly comfortable.
However, Gu Ze felt anything but comfortable at that moment.
He was on the verge of drowning; his wounds throbbed painfully, and not finding Xu Nuan filled him with heartache.
Holding his last breath, Gu Ze surged to the surface, gasping for air. As he floated there, he noticed a figure on the shore. Hearing the commotion on the water's surface, it slowly turned around.
Her long hair fell down in a bit of disarray, and her almond-shaped eyes were filled with confusion before suddenly bursting into immense joy. Her lips were dry and chapped, moving up and down without producing any sound. Her skin remained pale, though there was a hint of paleness now.
She wore a black quick-dry shirt and an orange short-sleeve top.
Everything looked familiar.
The heart that had once felt dead began to beat again, the overwhelming joy surging from her chest nearly drowning out all his rationality.
Before Xu Nuan could fully process what was happening, Gu Ze had swiftly made his way to the shore and climbed up onto the land.
"Gu Ze, how could you...?"
As Xu Nuan, who had been alone for too long, struggled to comprehend the situation, she suddenly found herself tightly embraced by Gu Ze, his grip so strong it felt as if he wanted to meld her into his very being.
Xu Nuan winced in pain and attempted to push Gu Ze away, but she quickly noticed the wounds on his body. She recognized those injuries well; she bore similar ones herself, inflicted by either tentacles or barbed whips.
What had happened to this man?
Xu Nuan was puzzled and still tried to push Gu Ze away, only to realize he was trembling—not from the cold. She heard him calling her name over and over again.
"Nuan."
His voice carried so much emotion—some of which Xu Nuan understood, while other parts eluded her. Yet through the trembling embrace, she could sense the feelings he was conveying.
She was just occasionally slow to catch on; she should have noticed many things.
However, there were many things that could not be spoken aloud. Once they were voiced, there would be no turning back.
Thinking about what this man had done in the past, Xu Nuan realized she could guess what he had been through since her disappearance. She didn't know his expressions or feelings at that time; what she did know was the turmoil within him.
She was alone here, without food or water, without a change of clothes, without weapons, and without direction. She dared not leave by herself, clinging to the hope that perhaps a companion would find her through that lake and rescue her, waiting in the sunlight.
During this time of waiting, her mind was almost blank. She did not analyze the game nor think of anyone; she simply stared into the emptiness, allowing herself to be consumed by endless loneliness.
She had long realized that if she wanted to continue in this game, she needed a determination to move forward, regardless of who it was or whether it was right or wrong. Otherwise, fragile as she was, she would surely die quietly in some corner of a level.
In this state of mental blankness, she had no determination; she could not feel the passage of time. The only thing she sensed was her life gradually slipping away.
It was a terrifying and helpless process known only to her—a self-imposed exile and psychological oppression.
But she was saved; it was this man before her who pulled her from the abyss, even before he realized it himself.
Xu Nuan felt a slight sting at the corners of her eyes as she suddenly recalled a question Zhang Xiao had asked her long ago, to which she had responded with certainty and anger.
Slowly raising her hand, for a brief moment, she wanted to embrace the man before her.
Yet when her hand reached halfway up, it stopped.
The arrival of calmness was always just right.
"Gu Ze."
Xu Nuan lowered her hand and gently called out to Gu Ze.
"Let me go."
The pain she felt might not compare to the pain within this man before her; however, fate has its own order—some come first while others follow, and some connections are deep while others are shallow.
Moreover, these were merely speculations made when she was not rational; they could hardly be counted.
As Xu Nuan sighed inwardly, Gu Ze released her.
Looking into those eyes, the words that had been on the tip of her tongue were swallowed back down.
It was Gu Ze who spoke first.
"Nuan, I have already made up my mind," she seemed to hear the sounds of wind and flowers drifting through the clouds.
"I will protect you with my life in this game."
She had long since outgrown the naive romanticism of her youth, and her heart, battered and bruised, no longer believed in any promises. Yet, for a fleeting moment, she thought this was the most beautiful thing anyone could say, a promise that would surely be fulfilled.
Should she believe it? No, rather, could she accept it?
She saw those eyes reflecting her own bewildered face, and within them was an overflow of emotions—like the starry sky, like the ocean, like warmth.
She realized that this man had tears in his eyes.
What kind of feeling was this?
Why did her heart ache so much?
Was it a feeling that left her unable to respond?
Xu Nuan felt even more at a loss. After a moment of daze, she finally thought to say something.
"Gu Ze, you..."
The rest of her words were caught in her throat.
Her lips, pressed tightly against his, were burning hot, quickly dispelling the chill that lingered on her skin. She was enveloped by a warm and familiar scent, drowning out all other sounds in the world.
One hand wrapped around her waist while the other held her neck steady, deepening the kiss.
It was devout, cautious, and warm enough to evoke nostalgia, stirring emotions that made her want to cry.
Xu Nuan felt the air growing thinner, her rationality slipping away. Her eyes began to glisten with tears as she looked through the shimmering veil at Gu Ze's tightly shut eyes, his trembling eyelashes, and the moisture gathering at the corners of his eyes.
She could hardly breathe.
From the pain in her heart and the lack of air.
Over Gu Ze's face, she saw Azure White Clouds. She envisioned the sea of flowers she once adored, petals dancing in the wind. She heard the laughter of children and thought she had arrived at the place she longed for.
Why does love have to torment people like this?
Countless prayers and calls had failed to reach their destination.
But now, she felt another person's call.
What she desired seemed just out of reach.
Was it this man's thoughts or her own?
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