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墨書 Inktalez
In a daze, Gu Ze felt an overwhelming heat enveloping him, as if he were leaning against a hot stove, his entire body burning with discomfort. The pain pulsing in his head made it impossible to think clearly. When he managed to open his eyes, he saw the one person he had longed to see the most.
"Nuan?"
He vaguely remembered that after a thick fog had lifted, Xu Nuan had vanished. Was that merely an illusion?
Just as he began to ponder, a sharp pain shot through his head, causing him to emit a muffled groan. Then he saw Xu Nuan, the one he cared for deeply, smiling at him. It was the sweetest smile he had always yearned for, one he had anticipated since their university days but had never received. In the game, he had desperately wished for Xu Nuan to let go of her so-called obsession, her so-called Mastermind, and simply stay by his side. So, was this a dream?
The heat radiating from his skin made him realize this was not a dream; the person he cherished was genuinely smiling at him and calling his name.
"Ze."
Her desired red lips drew closer, and beyond that captivating face, he caught sight of her smooth shoulder, with a few strands of hair cascading over it.
Smooth?
Suddenly, Gu Ze recalled something and shot up in alarm.
"Who are you? You’re not Nuan!"
Gu Ze remembered clearly that there was a butterfly mark on Xu Nuan's left shoulder, a scar left from being burned by Widow Butterfly during the Lonely Gorge level. No amount of Burn Ointment could erase it. He had seen it when he almost made a mistake during the Deadly Cliff level.
As his consciousness gradually returned and his fingers accidentally brushed against the nearby fire pit, the pain jolted him fully awake. He then noticed that kneeling before him was Deng Yinyin, her clothes partially covering her body. Deng Yinyin looked at him with tear-filled eyes, her face a mix of grievance and shyness.
A chill ran down Gu Ze's spine as the wind blew in from outside the cave. It dawned on him that his shirt had been removed and was now drying over the fire. As he reached up to touch his head, his fingertips grazed some rough bandages; finally, all the events came flooding back to him.
When the fog had cleared, he realized Xu Nuan was gone. He had fallen into a pool of water unprepared and struck his head against a rock, losing consciousness. If it hadn't been for Deng Yinyin rescuing him, he might have already sunk to the bottom of the water and never found Xu Nuan.
"I'm sorry."
Although he was already twenty-six years old, this was the first time he had encountered such a situation. Seeing Deng Yinyin crying in this state, as a man, he felt he should apologize first.
After apologizing, it was only natural to express gratitude.
"Thank you for saving me."
While putting on the clothes that were not completely dried yet, Gu Ze attempted to stand up but sat back down due to the pain in his head and the fever coursing through his body.
When he noticed Deng Yinyin looking at him with tear-filled eyes and disheveled clothing, Gu Ze had to clear his throat a few times, suppressing his discomfort.
"You should get dressed properly first."
However, this statement only made things worse. Deng Yinyin, who had initially looked so pitiful, suddenly erupted, covering herself and shouting at Gu Ze.
"What’s so great about that woman? Why are you always thinking about her?"
"It was me who saved you, it was me who likes you. Can't you like me back?"
Deng Yinyin finally confessed her feelings, but it was at the most embarrassing moment for her. Being rejected as a woman in such a situation, especially when the man she liked was calling out another woman's name, felt like a humiliation. Her resentment towards the woman named Xu Nuan deepened.
Gu Ze was known as a Gentleman; generally, women found him polite. The term "Gentleman" could also imply being courteous yet distant.
Before Xu Nuan appeared, he treated all women with courtesy and distance. After Xu Nuan came into the picture, all his mischief and bad behavior were directed solely at her. He remained polite towards other women. His attitude towards Deng Yinyin might have been slightly different; they were companions after all. Deng Yinyin was also the future sister-in-law of his buddy Xu Hang. Out of both emotion and reason, he would look after Deng Yinyin when necessary. However, this care stemmed from camaraderie and respect for Xu Hang. He believed that even Xu Nuan, who usually acted indifferent towards Deng Yinyin, would take care of her because they were companions.
Companions who had been through life and death together—this phrase carried significant weight.
"I’m truly sorry," Gu Ze said sincerely after reflecting on all his thoughts. "I like Xu Nuan. No, I love her."
He loved her soul to the point of no return. It seemed like unrequited love on his part; it appeared that love had become unstable. But that didn’t matter; love was inherently unfair. Even if the one who fell in love first ended up losing, what difference did it make? They were no longer in a peaceful society governed by law; they were in a game where they raced against death. Since death could come at any moment, there was no need to quibble over something as rare as love.
His honest words only made Deng Yinyin angrier.
"Why does it have to be her? Is it wrong not to like her?"
Tears streamed down Deng Yinyin's face as her broken words conveyed her despair.
"She doesn't like you! She doesn't like you at all!"
She often couldn't understand why a man as exceptional as Gu Ze would be so indifferent to Xu Nuan, who seemed to have everything. Why did Gu Ze still try to win Xu Nuan over? Xu Nuan's attitude felt like a mockery to her, as if the outstanding man she admired was beneath the disdain of Xu Nuan.
This was a humiliation for her as a woman. Deng Yinyin couldn't believe she lacked charm; she had done everything she had planned and hoped for.
She rushed forward and embraced Gu Ze, putting on the most pitiful expression and saying the most heartfelt words. She wanted to believe that no man would reject a woman like this at such a moment.
"Gu Ze, I like you. No one likes you more than I do. Will you be with me? I am willing to do anything for you. I will absolutely listen to you and love you wholeheartedly."
Love knows no greatness or humility.
Everyone has a different attitude toward love, and she truly believed that she loved this polite and exceptional man, so he would not reject her.
But Gu Ze rejected her.
He draped his coat over Deng Yinyin's shoulders, then took a step back, speaking slowly and deliberately.
"It can't be anyone but her. I only love her. There's nothing I can do; feelings cannot be forced."
Gu Ze's words, his eyes, his body—all rejected her, expressing his love for the woman named Xu Nuan, a love that left her unwilling to accept.
"Oh? Feelings cannot be forced?"
Deng Yinyin smiled faintly, with a hint of madness in her expression.
"Gu Ze," she said slowly, "aren't you forcing Xu Nuan? She already has someone she likes, that person named Qin Yaojie. Do you still not acknowledge the truth?"
Gu Ze took a step back, looking at Deng Yinyin, and spoke deliberately.
"In my opinion, Nuan no longer has feelings for that person."
In fact, he had already made up his mind. No matter whether Xu Nuan felt love or hatred for Qin Yaojie, or if she still loved him, he had decided to safely send Xu Nuan out of the game. Since this relationship had never been fair from the start, it might as well remain unfair until the end.
He didn't mind; he told himself so.
Long before the Thousand-Faced Lake stage, he had come to this realization.
Of course, as a man, he would still try every means to ensure that Xu Nuan's eyes held only him, to make himself her motivation to continue in the game, to become her world and the reason for her survival. That was his true goal, but he wouldn't share that with Deng Yinyin.
"She no longer has feelings?" Deng Yinyin laughed mockingly, her pale face appearing somewhat eerie in the firelight.
"Gu Ze, it turns out you are also someone who deceives yourself. To reach such a level as a man is truly remarkable!"
Deng Yinyin's words were perhaps the harshest criticism a man could receive. Even though she only wanted to provoke Gu Ze, hoping to make him understand that being loved is better than loving wholeheartedly without receiving anything in return—because those who are loved are happy—she wanted Gu Ze to be happy and believed she could give him that happiness.
Gu Ze remained unmoved by Deng Yinyin's words. He walked aside, grabbed his backpack, glanced at the dark night and bright moon outside, then leisurely made his way to the cave entrance and sat down with his back to Deng Yinyin, speaking in his usual gentle tone.
"You should get some rest; tomorrow we need to set off to find them."
He didn't turn back to see Deng Yinyin's disbelief nor did he block out the sound of her sorrowful cries.
In any relationship, there would always be tears.
Although making a lady cry is not the act of a gentleman, tears often remind one of who has caused them deeper pain.
Disappointing Deng Yinyin was what he should do; everyone still needed supportive companions, and some troubles were best avoided.
The feelings he wanted to give out would absolutely not allow that woman to cry.
What he wanted to know was whether Xu Nuan was alone or if she was accompanied by Xu Hang or Xie Huai. It would be enough if there were someone who could temporarily take care of Xu Nuan. If she got hurt in a place he couldn't see or reach, he would feel guilty.
Look, he was the failure in this relationship, but it didn't matter; he accepted it willingly.
Playing with the Tail Ring in his hand, Gu Ze discovered, as expected, that the Tail Ring had no signal. It seemed his instincts were correct; there was something wrong with the magnetic field in this place. Although magnetic fields generally affect directional instruments like compasses, any electronic device would be influenced to some extent.
While thinking this, Gu Ze heard a strange sound—not from a human or an animal—very close to him, almost like it was whispering in his ear.
Pulling out his backpack, Gu Ze rummaged through it and finally focused on the telescope. He took it out and held it to his ear; sure enough, a 'tick-tock' sound came from within, somewhat resembling the sound of clock hands moving.
Feeling puzzled, Gu Ze carefully examined the telescope in his hand. Through a narrow gap that might have been less than one-tenth of a millimeter, he spotted a red light dot.
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