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Xu Nuan's chaotic thoughts were completely disrupted by Gu Ze, causing them to retreat into a corner and remain silent. She obediently followed behind the others, staying alert to the dense trees surrounding them.
At this moment, the sunlight filtering into the Forest was already quite sparse. Through the gaps in the sparser leaves, she could see the horizon slowly being painted red. It dawned on her that they had spent an entire afternoon at the Vine Maze with the man-eating flowers. Their harvest was a more tense team dynamic, significant injuries on each person, a Game Designer who fluctuated between lucidity and madness, and those vague, fragmented clues.
It truly felt like the rewards did not match the effort expended, Xu Nuan sighed as she dragged her heavy body to keep pace with the group. Surprisingly, Deng Yinyin's carefree nature turned out to be the best remedy for easing the tension between them and Xie Huai. Knowing that Xie Huai had read numerous papers on psychology, Deng Yinyin's curiosity erupted, and she clung to Xie Huai, asking questions incessantly.
Upon realizing that Wang Yiyun had intentionally used the Mechanical Parrot to extract Xie Huai's voice to attract them, and had deliberately ensured that the Man-Eating Flowers did not attack Xie Huai—thus raising Xu Nuan and her companions' suspicions about him—Xu Nuan and the others promptly apologized to Xie Huai. Although there were reasons behind their actions, principles could not be compromised.
However, Xu Nuan believed that Gu Ze had no need to apologize; he was the only one among them who knew that Wang Yiyun was lurking in the shadows while deliberately allowing Xu Nuan and her group to suspect Xie Huai. This led to Wang Yiyun exposing her position under the impression that her scheme had succeeded. Logically speaking, Gu Ze should have been credited with helping clear Xie Huai's name. Yet, Gu Ze seemed indifferent to this fact and continued with his own business.
When she sensed Gu Ze's low mood, she felt somewhat at a loss. She could understand why he was upset but found herself unable to explain; she did not believe she had done anything wrong since she did not feel compelled to placate Gu Ze or make him feel better.
Nonetheless, seeing this man beside her striding silently through the increasingly Dim Forest with an expressionless face made Xu Nuan feel a twinge of sympathy.
The Ironwood and Lophospermum rustled nearby as evening approached; a breeze swept through the Forest. The sound of leaves rubbing against each other was unpleasant, resembling beasts tearing at flesh, sending chills down one's spine. The light in the Forest was too dim now that the wind had picked up; many shadows of trees appeared indistinctly, casting claw-like shapes in brighter areas that sparked unsettling imaginations.
Xu Nuan pondered for a moment before stealing a glance at Gu Ze's hand hanging limply by his side. She took a couple of steps closer to him and feigned nonchalance as she asked, "Is the poison still affecting you? Or do you lack strength?"
Everyone entering this stage was exhausted from dealing with the flora and fauna of the forest as well as various traps; they had no idea how difficult the road ahead would be. A hand that couldn't move would pose problems for Gu Ze in times of danger. With this thought in mind, Xu Nuan's words carried a hint of concern, albeit subtly expressed.
"No, it will probably take some time," Gu Ze replied curtly.
Taking advantage of Xu Nuan’s inquiry was too good an opportunity to pass up; despite feeling uncomfortable inside, Gu Ze was still willing to engage with her.
"How can this be? Usually, after taking an Antidote, it only takes less than an hour to recover."
Xu Nuan couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off about Gu Ze's poisoning this time. She stroked her chin thoughtfully while her large eyes darted around before landing on Wang Yiyun being carried by Xu Hang.
"This is too strange; maybe we should ask the Designer for answers."
It would be foolish not to utilize available resources. As Xu Nuan contemplated how to strike up a conversation with the deranged Wang Yiyun later on, Gu Ze decisively rejected her idea.
"Don't ask him; it will get better in a little while."
"Huh?"
Xu Nuan was taken aback by such a straightforward refusal and looked up at Gu Ze, trying to come up with her own reasoning.
"The Designer might..."
However, before she could finish her sentence, Gu Ze interrupted her with a smile at the corner of his lips.
"I don't think we should trust the words of someone who isn't clear-headed, especially if they might have been influenced by suggestions. What if the Well-Meaning Person is deliberately trying to mislead us?"
Xu Nuan felt a chill run down her spine from Gu Ze's smile. She took a couple of steps to the side and when she noticed that there was no trace of amusement in Gu Ze's eyes, she felt a shiver all over. Yet, Gu Ze continued.
"Warmth, holding preconceived notions can easily lead to losses. Not every First Batch of Players is trustworthy; the so-called love..." Gu Ze suddenly paused, turning his head away from Xu Nuan. "Ahem, in any case, don't casually trust a stranger. If you start doubting your companions over some matters, then you should be even more vigilant about strangers; that would be wise."
Xu Nuan felt as if she had been lectured, and the one lecturing her was nearly her age. She vaguely sensed that the point where Gu Ze had paused was actually about 'love for all.' Did this person still have feelings for Qin Yaojie and think that she trusted Wang Yiyun because of Qin Yaojie?
That was a big misunderstanding. Xu Nuan smiled lightly, said nothing, and turned her gaze forward as she continued walking. She did not trust Qin Yaojie or Wang Yiyun; naturally, she could not take everything Wang Yiyun said at face value, but she could infer something from it. She did not consider herself a particularly special person, but she could not deny that she was quite unique in this Game Base. She had learned too many secrets about this game, all of which were forced upon her. She even suspected that so many things happening to her were due to secrets she never wanted to know. Therefore, as a person, she had to learn to use these secrets against certain individuals; she was no longer innocent.
As Xu Nuan thought of other places, although she rarely smiled, there was danger lurking deep within her eyes, and an aura of hostility surrounded her. She resembled a blade ready to unsheathe at any moment—beautiful yet dangerous.
Seeing such a Xu Nuan, Gu Ze frowned and shifted his gaze to Wang Yiyun, who was soundly asleep on Xu Hang's back, an unusual glint flashing in his eyes that went unnoticed by anyone.
In the dimness of the forest, Xu Hang finally stopped moving and gently set down the peacefully sleeping Wang Yiyun near a lake, choosing a Campsite close by. However, the weary group had no heart for setting up tents; they simply took out their sleeping bags and prepared to eat something before going to sleep.
Before eating, everyone took turns tending to their wounds or helping each other with bandaging.
Xu Nuan and Deng Yinyin were women after all; being among a group of men while battling through challenges did not mean they could remain completely at ease when changing clothes or treating injuries. The two women held different attitudes towards life and the game and occasionally clashed over Gu Ze but found an unexpected understanding at this moment.
When Gu Ze noticed signs of recovery in his immobile hand after dipping it into the cool lake water, he decided to sprinkle some disinfectant tablets into the water and took a quick bath while avoiding his heavily scarred upper body. Xu Hang and Xie Huai watched enviously from the side and wanted to join in.
Exchanging glances with each other, they decided that action spoke louder than words. Xie Huai went into the water first while Xu Hang deliberately checked for Wang Yiyun before entering. After considering it carefully, he pulled out some rope and tied Wang Yiyun to a tree. He then examined the distance between Wang Yiyun and the lake, believing that even if a beast suddenly emerged from the bushes, they would be able to rush over in time to save Wang Yiyun within that range.
Two women were changing their bandages and clothes a little distance away from the Campsite, while three men were bathing in the lake. Wang Yiyun, still in a deep sleep, was unaware of the happenings around her.
Once again alone with Deng Yinyin, Xu Nuan had resolved to say nothing. However, her silence did not prevent Deng Yinyin from speaking.
As Xu Nuan unfastened her clothing to change her bandages, Deng Yinyin occasionally glanced at her before looking down at herself. After a while, she spoke in a sarcastic tone.
"Your skin is really thick; you can act so calm even after going back on your word."
Xu Nuan ignored her, continuing to wrap the bandage around her abdomen. Once she finished, it was time to apply medicine to her back. The last time, Gu Ze had more or less forced her to do it, but this time she planned to apply it herself without looking. Even if she asked Deng Yinyin for help, she was sure that Deng Yinyin would likely refuse. If by chance she didn’t refuse, based on what Xu Nuan knew about her, Deng Yinyin would probably make things difficult.
It was known that men often made mistakes out of loyalty, while women could easily become angry over matters of the heart. In the past, Xu Nuan had dismissed this notion and didn’t believe that Deng Yinyin could harm her. However, the events from last time had proven otherwise. In Deng Yinyin's eyes, Xu Nuan was her rival in love. Faced with a rival, a woman could do unimaginable things and say words that chilled one’s heart. Last time she lost control and fell into Deng Yinyin's verbal traps; she did not want to experience that torment of both mind and body again.
Xu Nuan was unaware of how maddening her silence could be for others. Deng Yinyin had never been one to hide her emotions. After noticing Xu Nuan's continued silence, she felt very dissatisfied and realized that her verbal tactic had failed. Therefore, she needed to find another way to keep Gu Ze away from Xu Nuan.
Suddenly, she thought of Wang Yiyun and the potential arrival of the First Batch of Players. A smile crept onto Deng Yinyin's face as if she had come up with a brilliant idea.
Unfortunately, good ideas often depended on the person involved.
Xu Nuan quickly finished changing her bandages and put on a fresh set of clothes. Standing up gracefully, she noticed the ambiguous smile on Deng Yinyin's face and felt a sudden unease in her heart. Before she could say anything, a gunshot rang out from the direction of the Campsite. Instinctively, she started running back, and lost in her thoughts, Deng Yinyin hurriedly dressed and followed suit.
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