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墨書 Inktalez
The Supply Station stood like a wall separating two worlds. When they emerged from the Supply Station, they discovered that the other side was embedded in the mountainside, distinctly different from the Supply Station they had entered in the previous level.
Deng Yinyin and Xie Huai muttered about how the game designers were becoming increasingly impressive, then turned to observe their surroundings.
Xu Nuan, lost in thought, exchanged a glance with Gu Ze and Xu Hang, silently noting this detail for discussion at a more opportune moment.
They were currently on a high hillside with a broad view.
Beneath them lay a lush green lawn dotted with unknown flowers in shades of red and purple. As far as the eye could see, there was an endless sea of green forest, under which lay the Hidden Valley's ancient river and pond. It should have been a beautiful sight, but it felt overwhelmingly dense and unsettling. Nearby, there was a large expanse of red Rhododendron, so thick that it gave everyone the illusion that the Rhododendron was closing in on them.
"The Special Tree is red; the red one is the Special Tree," Deng Yinyin said, confused by the dense mass of Rhododendron below.
"No, it's just red Rhododendron."
Xie Huai couldn't help but remind her, "Deng Yinyin, there's no rush to find the Special Tree. Don't panic."
In fact, he felt dizzy himself, as if he would topple into the Rhododendron at any moment and fall asleep within it.
Xu Nuan shook her head, echoing Xie Huai's current thoughts.
"Why do I feel so lightheaded?"
As she took a few steps forward, her body swayed slightly. However, before Gu Ze could reach out to steady her, she managed to regain her balance and looked around.
"Why does it feel so strange here? My body feels out of control."
"Please, that's just because you're weak."
Deng Yinyin, who had made a decision not long ago, began to relentlessly tease Xu Nuan. Xie Huai, who had been paying close attention to this change, felt it most acutely.
However, Deng Yinyin quickly slapped herself in the face. As she tried to make a scene and moved to the front of the group, her body swayed even more, and due to the weight of her backpack, she nearly toppled forward.
Xie Huai, with his shorter reach, couldn't catch Deng Yinyin in time. It was Xu Hang, who calmly observed their surroundings while pulling Deng Yinyin back, preventing her from rolling down the slope.
"Ah, I just lost my balance for a moment, it's not..."
Once she steadied herself, Deng Yinyin blushed and hurriedly explained to Gu Ze and Xu Nuan, only to find that they were completely oblivious to her situation and were instead analyzing their current environment.
"It might be due to the magnetic field; it can affect the human body to some extent."
Gu Ze, with his background in science, began to show off his knowledge in front of Xu Nuan, who was from a liberal arts background.
As usual, Xu Nuan refused to give Gu Ze the opportunity to flaunt his superiority and looked at him with disdain.
"The human body isn't made of electronic machinery or metals like iron and steel; how could it possibly be affected by a magnetic field?"
"You just don't get it," Gu Ze seized the opportunity this time.
"In human anatomy..." Gu Ze proceeded to explain a whole bunch of concepts that Xu Nuan had never encountered before. Seeing her more confused than ever, he felt a sense of accomplishment and patted her shoulder.
"Trust me; I'm never wrong!"
Xu Nuan's mind was overwhelmed by a barrage of unfamiliar terms. She then turned to the usually reliable Xu Hang for confirmation, silently asking if Gu Ze was serious.
Xu Hang expressionlessly avoided Xu Nuan's gaze. From an angle where she couldn't see but he could, he shot Gu Ze a disdainful look but had no intention of exposing Gu Ze's words.
Watching Gu Ze and Xu Nuan interact so casually filled Deng Yinyin with a sense of crisis. Until now, she had maintained her composure, believing that Xu Nuan already had someone she liked and would never end up with Gu Ze. However, it seemed that their relationship was developing in an alarming direction, and she had to put a stop to it.
As a few people were still in the mood for playful banter and scheming, a sudden burst of laughter echoed from the hillside. It was somewhat sharp, and in the emptiness of the slope, it sounded rather sinister.
Xie Huai felt a bit uncertain.
"Is that the sound of a fox laughing?"
As soon as he spoke, the laughter came from all directions—sharp and lingering, constantly stimulating everyone's ears and minds.
Xu Nuan covered her ears, frowning as she scanned the grassy area for the source of the sound. She was nudged forward by Gu Ze, who pointed out that Xu Hang had already spotted a direction and was the first to head down the slope, preparing to enter the forest.
Shaking off Gu Ze's hand, Xu Nuan also moved toward the forest amidst the eerie laughter. In such a strange place, she decided to emulate Xu Hang's calm demeanor and facial expression, adopting a state of stasis, waiting for the game to present them with challenges to overcome.
Once they entered the forest, they quickly realized they were lost.
The variety of trees around them was overwhelming; they could barely identify camphor trees, David's trees, and maple poplars. Each type of tree seemed to have surpassed its limits, striving upward with all its might. Meanwhile, those bushes that couldn't reach sunlight were densely packed together on the ground, littered with fallen leaves and some ferns and mosses piled up—these plants had no chance of competing for sunlight.
A damp and oppressive atmosphere hung in the air, prompting Gu Ze to speak up.
"This place has a lot of miasma; everyone should take precautions."
The others responded weakly. Xu Nuan occasionally tapped her head or covered her mouth and nose; the polluted air was rapidly draining her energy and spirit.
The dense trees in this forest made everyone anxious, while the fox laughter from the hillside continued to disturb them. After some thought, Xu Hang decided to lead from the front. Xu Nuan, Deng Yinyin, and Xie Huai walked in between him while Gu Ze took up the rear to ensure everyone's safety.
After walking through the forest for a while, Deng Yinyin suddenly recalled the patch of red rhododendrons they had seen earlier and felt puzzled.
"Could it be that the special tree is hidden among those rhododendrons? Those red flowers would be perfect for concealing a red special tree."
Xu Hang had wandered a bit too far ahead and didn't hear Deng Yinyin's words. Gu Ze, who was behind, seemed preoccupied with something else and paid no attention to the situation.
Xu Nuan initially wanted to pretend she hadn't heard anything, but Xie Huai, who was on Deng Yinyin's left, kept giving her meaningful glances. Reluctantly, Xu Nuan brushed her hair aside and offered a somewhat uncertain explanation.
"The Special Tree is very tall; it's quite noticeable even among the Rhododendrons," Xu Nuan said while scanning the trees nearby, searching for a familiar mark from her memory.
"Moreover, these two types of red are quite distinct. The Rhododendron itself is toxic, so it's better to avoid getting too close."
It was only while searching for the mark that Xu Nuan's impatience became evident; she hardly paid attention to her surroundings. It wasn't until she noticed that Deng Yinyin had fallen silent and Xie Huai had also stopped talking that she sensed something was off and turned to look at Deng Yinyin.
Deng Yinyin was glaring at her, her already large eyes now wide open in anger, her skin slightly wrinkled as her brows furrowed together.
Xu Nuan blinked, confused about the reason for this reaction. When she glanced at Xie Huai, who wore an awkward expression, she felt as if she had missed something important.
"Forget I said anything."
Xu Nuan continued to avoid wasting time on unnecessary matters. Besides, she was genuinely anxious at that moment but didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble for Xu Hang and the others.
However, Deng Yinyin's expression remained unpleasant. Xu Nuan looked up at Xu Hang, who was still exploring ahead, hesitating whether to explain herself when Deng Yinyin turned her head away, clearly unwilling to acknowledge her.
Meeting Xie Huai's apologetic smile, Xu Nuan suddenly turned to glance at Gu Ze, who was confidently striding through the forest. She frowned and when Gu Ze looked over at her, she quickly turned back to focus on the towering trees beside them.
She realized she had indeed become more dull-witted over time.
Ignoring the discomfort in her heart, Xu Nuan chose not to speak further and continued onward.
The forest could truly be described as dark and sunless; they lost track of time in the overly quiet environment, which created a certain psychological pressure that could lead them to make erroneous judgments or speak anxiously without thinking.
As Xu Nuan moved forward and took breaks along the way, she constantly controlled her mindset, striving to remain calm and composed. Yet, when she saw the familiar mark once again, she couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion and excitement.
She had known from the moment she spotted that figure at the Supply Station that it was no coincidence. Since Qin Yaojie had left a mark for his companions in this round, it proved he was safe.
While recalling the tragic accident that claimed her parents' lives, she also remembered how Qin Yaojie's health had deteriorated during that time. She had vaguely heard about him being poisoned by a chronic toxin, requiring long-term hospitalization and treatment.
However, Qin Yaojie hadn't been hospitalized; he had been out and about. Looking back now, she realized he had hinted at entering the game during that period. What surprised her was the immense allure the game held for Qin Yaojie, compelling him to neglect his already fragile health.
Xu Nuan recalled Rao Tingxue's words—only people from the Game Company had access to the medication needed to treat Qin Yaojie. She even entertained the thought that Qin Yaojie had entered the game solely for the medication. But whenever she calmed down, she noticed many inconsistencies.
If her parents' deaths and Qin Yaojie's poisoning stemmed from her, what could possibly be so significant about her that Mastermind would take an interest? The only connection between her and Mastermind was this game, which was related to Qin Yaojie. At that time, she was still his girlfriend. After going in circles like this, all paths of loss led back to Qin Yaojie.
What kind of person had her ex-boyfriend, someone she considered family, gotten involved with?
Xu Nuan gazed at the fresh yet partially erased mark, complex emotions swirling in her light brown eyes.
The phrase "love turned to hate" seemed inadequate to describe her feelings for Qin Yaojie.
If everything truly began with Qin Yaojie, would it also end because of him?
She was certain that she was only one or two rounds away from Qin Yaojie. Once they met, everything would be revealed.
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