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墨書 Inktalez
When the heart is preoccupied, it becomes easily distracted.
Xu Nuan, who was fixated on the mark left by Qin Yaojie, was oblivious to the imminent danger lurking nearby. It wasn't until a black-bodied monkey with a white face lunged at her, baring its claws, that she realized the threat posed by this sharp-clawed creature.
In that critical moment, she instinctively dodged to the side, but the wind from the monkey's claws had already brushed against her face.
Just as she was about to be caught off guard, someone grabbed her around the waist and rolled them both to safety. The sound of a short knife clashing against sharp claws echoed in her ears.
The familiar scent instantly revealed to her who had saved her. No longer dazed, she drew out her short knife with one hand bracing herself against the ground to steady her body, then swung it at the approaching monkey.
Gu Ze didn’t question Xu Nuan about her momentary lapse in vigilance, and Xu Nuan no longer felt the need to repeatedly apologize or feel guilty for being rescued. The two stood back to back, perfectly in sync as they defended their territory.
After fending off the first wave of attacks, Xu Nuan finally had a moment to catch her breath and assess their surroundings.
A large group of monkeys silently approached them; their bodies were black while their faces were white. They sported sharp, protruding canine teeth and had long, agile limbs that were both flexible and deadly. They drew closer while making unsettling sounds.
At this moment, Xu Nuan was pressed against Gu Ze, while Xu Hang struggled to protect Deng Yinyin and Xie Huai. Just then, the System's voice rang out.
"White-Faced Monkey: Physical attributes far exceed those of a Level Two athlete. They prefer team tactics and will drive prey into their territory for a slow capture."
After delivering this information, the System fell silent. The group had grown accustomed to its style of providing only beneficial information during critical moments.
Understanding that the Third Batch of Players was unique, Xu Nuan chose not to dwell on it and quietly discussed with Gu Ze.
"There are too many of them; we need to break through quickly."
"Indeed, we need a swift resolution," Gu Ze replied, having already sensed the second wave of attacks approaching. He took a deep breath.
"How to break out is the key."
Gu Ze skillfully dodged the claws of the White-Faced Monkey while stabbing at the modified creatures with his short knife without hesitation.
"First, we need to help Xu Hang."
Xu Nuan, having undergone training and often handling dangers alone in the game, had developed quite a bit of skill. In contrast, Deng Yinyin, who was always protected, and Xie Huai, who had a weak constitution, were not performing as well.
Seeing Xu Hang being besieged and forced in another direction, Xu Nuan and Gu Ze coordinated their attacks against the White-Faced Monkey while moving toward Xu Hang to lighten his burden.
Noticing the axe peeking out from Xie Huai's backpack, Xu Nuan couldn't help but shout.
"Xie Huai, just take the axe and swing it! Even if you swing wildly, it can push them back!"
If they remained static and did not change their approach, all that awaited them was the conclusion of this game. It appeared to be an online game with missions issued by the System, but in reality, it was a Death Game controlled by humans manipulating a real environment. They had to face not only these bizarre creatures but also the humans in the monitoring room who could adjust their missions at any time.
This was a game that seemed to have many rules but actually had only one.
Xu Nuan tried her best to ignore the marks left by Qin Yaojie. After shouting at Xie Huai, she broke through the encirclement of several White-Faced Monkeys. She employed everything she had learned from her coach—stabbing, slashing, sweeping, cutting, crashing—drawing on her experiences from the game.
However, it was Deng Yinyin who reacted most strongly to Xu Nuan's words. Initially terrified of wielding a short knife that failed to fend off a single White-Faced Monkey, Deng Yinyin quickly pulled out the axe and swung it with brute force. The effect was significantly better than before.
Stimulated by Deng Yinyin's actions, Xie Huai also found his courage and stopped hesitating. Their combined efforts greatly reduced Xu Hang's burden.
Xu Nuan felt puzzled by Xu Hang's grateful gaze. Why did these two suddenly explode with energy? But it was a good thing they did; at least the five of them were united and could fight against those so-called team-oriented White-Faced Monkeys.
As they retreated into a more open area of the forest, Gu Ze returned to Xu Nuan's side, raising an eyebrow with a pleased expression.
"You really have a way with things. With their fighting power, we won't have to be trapped here anymore."
Just recently, Xu Nuan had come to some realization and shot a glance at Gu Ze.
"It’s your charm that caused this chain reaction."
Gu Ze pretended not to hear the implication, chuckling lightly.
"The fighting power of these White-Faced Monkeys is nowhere near that of the Skeleton Monkeys. They can only rely on teamwork. Is the Survival Game getting easier as we go along?"
Xu Nuan needed to multitask; she had to keep an eye on the movements of the White-Faced Monkeys to counterattack while trying hard to ignore Deng Yinyin's burning gaze directed at her as she drove away the monkeys. She also needed to expend some effort to disdain Gu Ze.
"How could that be? These White-Faced Monkeys are just the minions of this level; the real challenge lies ahead."
Gu Ze was also multitasking, casually countering the White-Faced Monkeys while joking around with Xu Nuan, making Xu Hang nearby wish he could rush over and give him a good beating.
"I know that. I was just surprised to see you suddenly become so serious while I was trying to lighten the mood."
Xu Nuan, who knew that Gu Ze had a grasp on the challenge information, continued to express her disdain for his bad humor. However, before she could finish her thoughts, their group was engulfed by a thick white fog.
The mountain mist arrived suddenly and heavily. The group, buried within it, dared not move recklessly. As they felt the coldness of the mist touching their skin, they reminded each other.
"Watch out for the White-Faced Monkeys attacking in the chaos!"
When the fog descended, relying on her honed instincts from the game, Xu Nuan experienced only a moment of panic before becoming alert. However, what greeted her was not a White-Faced Monkey but a hand gripping hers.
Instinctively, she wanted to throw that person over her shoulder, but the familiar warmth and gradually approaching breath brought her back to Rationality, making her realize who it was.
"I am not afraid," Xu Nuan spoke first to prevent Gu Ze from doing something reckless in front of everyone.
"In that case, we might not be able to avoid the White-Faced Monkey's attack."
"Don't worry."
Xu Nuan felt Gu Ze's body getting closer, even bumping against her shoulder, causing her heart to tremble inexplicably.
"I can no longer sense the White-Faced Monkey's presence, and don't you feel the wind? We might not be in the same place anymore."
Gu Ze's reminder made Xu Nuan realize that the mountain wind was indeed stronger, carrying a bit of moisture that made her feel cold, except for her palms which felt warm.
Just as she was feeling cold, she noticed Gu Ze had released her hand. In that instant, she suddenly felt an emptiness in her heart. Before she could think too much about it, a hand wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her into a warm embrace.
The alternating sensations of cold and warmth made Xu Nuan shift uncomfortably, only to be pulled tighter. Then she heard Gu Ze's voice.
"It's a bit chilly; let me borrow some warmth from you!"
His voice was low, likely to avoid being overheard by Xu Hang and the others who were obscured by the thick fog nearby.
Sure enough, Xu Hang had already started to take charge as the team leader, calling out.
"This is no longer our original spot; everyone stay put until the fog clears."
Xu Nuan felt an inexplicable sense of guilt and began to push Gu Ze away while lowering her voice.
"I'm not a furnace; how could I possibly provide warmth?"
In her eyes, Gu Ze was a furnace, both physically and mentally. Then she heard something that made her grit her teeth.
"Hey, but your name has 'warm' in it!"
"That has nothing to do with this," Xu Nuan said, twisting his arm without any politeness, her voice lowered further. "Always looking for opportunities to take advantage is too cheap for the heir of Gu Group!"
Her words were full of sarcasm yet harmless, and surprisingly, Gu Ze relaxed his grip. Xu Nuan let out a light breath, the emptiness in her heart growing stronger, making her feel somewhat uneasy. However, she could sense Gu Ze standing right beside her; his familiar presence was not something that the illogical fog could obscure.
"You just won't cooperate with me even once, won't let me have my way," she heard Gu Ze's voice, which sounded like a complaint yet also had a hint of a pout. "After all, I am your pursuer."
The last part sounded rather aggrieved.
Xu Nuan felt a flutter in her heart and instinctively placed a hand over her chest.
Perhaps it was more appropriate to describe this feeling as heart palpitations.
She felt uncertain and didn't dare to speak up or step aside. This silence made Gu Ze anxious.
"Nuan, are you still there? I was wrong; I shouldn't have said that."
Xu Nuan bit her lip, standing still without knowing how to respond to Gu Ze as his hand waved around aimlessly before resting on her shoulder again.
"Ah, so you are still here," she heard Gu Ze's voice filled with relief. "Even if you're angry, don't move around carelessly. It's dangerous to act without knowing the surroundings."
She could imagine Gu Ze's expression at that moment. Although she often found it difficult to see through this man in many ways, there was one thing she could see clearly without any doubt.
That was Gu Ze's feelings for her.
As time went on, her guilt would only intensify, but guilt was a useless emotion that should be cast aside.
"I'm not angry."
Xu Nuan eventually responded to Gu Ze's words, "I'm just standing here, not moving."
Her answer seemed to catch Gu Ze off guard for a moment. After a few seconds, she heard his voice, gentle yet tinged with joy.
"That's good."
That was good.
Xu Nuan felt a complex mix of emotions as the mountain wind grew stronger. While she felt cold, she also felt a sense of relief; the mountain wind carried away not only her warmth but also the thick fog.
They stood frozen in place, hesitant to move. When the fog finally lifted, they were all taken aback.
They were no longer where they had been; in fact, they were no longer in the forest at all.
They stood at the summit of Ice Duel Peak.
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