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墨書 Inktalez
Companion? Alliance? Pursuer?
Xu Nuan felt a great wave rising in her heart, swirling around and causing her previously calm emotions to stir once again. She was unaccustomed to this feeling and found herself powerless to stop it.
How could she explain such behavior?
As Xu Nuan pondered, she realized for the first time how considerate Gu Ze was, engaging in a self-dialogue.
"I’m glad you’re being honest at this moment."
The man indeed seemed genuinely happy, his eyes sparkling with joy, enhancing the already striking charm of his handsome face. His gaze was fixed on her, making her unable to meet his eyes; she could only hurriedly look away.
"I don’t like lies."
She spoke a blunt truth; she rarely lied, but she understood the art of language—how to avoid the main point, create verbal traps, and lead others astray. However, this time, she didn’t employ any tricks and knew that the man before her could easily see through her embarrassment.
As she lowered her head, she heard a soft sigh followed by his considerate words.
"I know your thoughts are valid. From this point on, no, even before this stage, things have become quite challenging. I should avoid being arrogant and always remain vigilant."
Xu Nuan finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked up to see Gu Ze's smiling face. She managed to say casually, "Then let’s remind each other to stay alert."
Upon hearing this, Gu Ze's smile widened. He had thought that after Qin Yaojie’s death, he would have no chance at all. Now it seemed he had underestimated the strength of the woman he admired; for Xu Nuan, both love and duty were equally important.
"Alright, it's a deal."
Gu Ze smiled at this statement, then narrowed his eyes to observe the scenery around them, his tone becoming serious once more.
"Nuan, I've discovered something."
"Hmm?"
Xu Nuan couldn't bear to look at Gu Ze's expression and turned her head to gaze at the shimmering sea, feeling surprisingly calm. She still harbored resentment towards Zhang Xiao, but she wouldn't let it disrupt her composure at this moment.
"Have you ever heard a saying?"
Gu Ze thought Xu Nuan might be shy; such a reaction was rare, and he found himself enjoying the moment even while discussing serious matters.
"A place where blue and romance overflow."
Finding the phrase familiar, Xu Nuan reluctantly turned to look at Gu Ze. Behind him stretched an endless expanse of blue ocean, adorned with Azure White Clouds, resembling a beautiful painting.
"I have some impression of it. Isn't that a famous sea abroad known for love?"
Gu Ze nodded, trying to appear more serious as he shared his thoughts.
"My buddy went there for his honeymoon before marriage and sent me photos. That place looks about eighty percent like this Survival Game."
Hearing something serious, Xu Nuan also reined in her emotions, narrowing her eyes slightly.
"Are you saying that we are currently abroad?"
"In fact, it's not just this level," Gu Ze continued to express his thoughts. "I suspect that the previous Survival Game was also held overseas; such an environment wouldn't exist domestically."
After hastily saying this, Gu Ze suddenly realized he had forgotten the most important point.
"I believe there is more than one base for this game."
Seeing Xu Nuan's pupils suddenly constrict, Gu Ze felt a sense of accomplishment; it was the first time he had felt such a feeling from her.
"We've gone through over thirty levels, with different environments and terrains, and the climate varies greatly. It's impossible for all of that to be realized on a single isolated island. Moreover, there can't be such a large island that accommodates so many Survival Games simultaneously, nor can there be both deserts and oceans existing at the same time."
Aside from her initial surprise, Xu Nuan quickly regained her composure, making Gu Ze feel as if he had misread her reaction. However, he didn't think this was a trivial piece of information.
"Is it just because of this that you have such doubts?"
Xu Nuan's calmness gave Gu Ze a sense of dissonance, but he continued along the line of conversation.
"That's not all. Don't you find the Supply Station strange? We often feel uncomfortable in the Supply Station; we fall asleep even when we don't want to. You heard that noise this morning too, right? I've heard it twice before. The Supply Station must hold some secrets that allow us to navigate through different bases."
Initially, Gu Ze had only been seventy percent sure of his suspicions, but Xu Nuan's calmness suddenly gave him complete confidence. After all, Xu Nuan's memory and the notes left by Qin Yaojie were the greatest advantages in this game. However, he also had to admit that this advantage came with significant risks and would attract the attention of Well-Meaning Persons.
Xu Nuan squinted at Gu Ze for a while, feeling a bit uncomfortable as she noticed his thick-skinned demeanor before finally speaking, a mix of melancholy and admiration in her tone.
"You have analyzed it very well, and this is indeed the truth."
Xu Nuan's gaze was piercing as she looked at Gu Ze, enunciating each word clearly.
"There are a hundred Game Bases, all located abroad. Although they differ from Game Company, when I think about it carefully now, these are merely their smokescreens, deliberately allowing us to feel secure while navigating through this game."
Gu Ze's smile froze on his face. He knew that Qin Yaojie must have told her about this; that person always seemed to get ahead of him, even in death.
"So you already knew."
Gu Ze suddenly felt ridiculous. Just moments ago, he had been feeling smug, but he had stumbled countless times with Xu Nuan, and this time was no exception.
However, it turned out that being sensitive and perceptive was not just a woman's trait; it could also be a man's.
Xu Nuan noticed Gu Ze's sudden sense of loss and felt puzzled. Nevertheless, she explained in her usual straightforward manner.
"I found out last night."
Gu Ze's heart sank completely.
"I merely deduced it from the words in the notebook. Qin Yaojie didn't write it out explicitly; perhaps he thought it was unimportant, or maybe he was subtly instructed not to include that part."
Seeing the drooping ears that resembled a certain animal, Xu Nuan suddenly felt a strange sensation rising within her. She suppressed this feeling and continued.
"Although I suspected this before, I didn't analyze it as thoroughly as you did, nor was I as certain."
Her heart, which had sunk into the depths of the sea, suddenly felt light and buoyant again. Gu Ze perked up, a smile playing on his lips as he looked at Xu Nuan.
"Now that we’re sure of this, we have another option. By finding their method of transferring us, we can leave this game without successfully clearing the challenges."
Xu Nuan shook her head.
"I can find a way for you all to leave, but I won't be leaving."
If Qin Yaojie hadn't died and she had discovered such a thing, she might have entertained that thought. But now, she had to stay in the game to uncover those guys.
"Right, I almost forgot," Gu Ze quickly responded this time. "I can't leave either; otherwise, my dad would break my legs."
Seeing Gu Ze's exaggerated expression made Xu Nuan ease her heavy heart a little.
"Your mom wouldn't agree; you're her child."
She found herself following Gu Ze's lead and diverting the conversation at such a critical moment.
Gu Ze let out a bitter laugh.
"Maybe my mom wants to break my legs too."
Xu Nuan, intending to steer the conversation back to the main topic, couldn't help but ask further.
"Why? Are you their biological son?"
She never understood why the chairman of the Gu Group would throw his own son into such a terrifying game.
"Heh," Gu Ze chuckled awkwardly, avoiding Xu Nuan's astonished gaze as he mumbled.
"Not dating, not getting married, not working at the headquarters... that must really upset them, right?"
Xu Nuan instantly understood, glancing at Gu Ze with a hint of sympathy in her eyes.
"You’re going through a delayed rebellious phase."
Gu Ze, who had always leaned towards being an elegant and mature gentleman, froze for a moment, unsure of how to respond until he heard Xu Nuan continue.
"However, I still haven't discovered the secret of the Supply Station. I don't know how to approach it just yet, and honestly, I might not have the energy to focus on that right now."
Gu Ze felt a surge of gratitude; the chance that Xu Nuan would actively help him out was something he had earned through his good fortune. He, who always liked to climb higher using others' support, readily agreed.
"I'll take responsibility for this matter. There will be plenty of Survival Games in the future, and I will definitely get to the Supply Station. I'm sure I can figure it out."
Confident men are always handsome.
Xu Nuan suddenly turned her head, coughed a few times, and then softly reminded him, "If there are a hundred Game Bases, then each level's Supply Station must have two—one for entry and one for exit. Otherwise, so many Players would have discovered the secret long ago."
"I know, don't worry. I'll pay attention to the details, like that Magical Voice, the strange Flower Board, and some inexplicable decorations inside. We often fall asleep and I will figure it all out."
Now that Gu Ze knew Xu Nuan was a woman of contradictions, he easily took the initiative in their conversation.
However, because of this, Xu Nuan felt something was off and was deeply puzzled.
After sharing a few discoveries, their hearts drew closer. Compared to their relationships with other companions, the bond between these two—who knew each other's secrets—was shrouded in a subtle ambiguity. At the same time, in the face of the cruel System missions ahead, this relationship would lead them to even more difficult choices.
The two stood silently at the highest point of the island, gazing at each other. Beside them, the windmill spun noisily while in the distance lay an endless sea.
This should have been a beautiful picture; however, it was ruined by the sudden cold voice of the System that echoed in their minds.
"Notification: A mission has been issued for Players currently in the 'Suffocating Sea' level. Only upon completing this mission will the Special Tree and Supply Station appear. Please do not harbor any thoughts of leaving this level without passing through the Supply Station."
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