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墨書 Inktalez
He Min was startled when Xu Nuan suddenly stood up, holding a knife. Realizing Xu Nuan's seriousness, she quickly got to her feet and cautiously looked in the direction Xu Nuan was focused on. In fact, she felt that this approach would only give the person hiding in the shadows a chance to escape. However, this time, the person hiding in the dark calmly stepped out.
The thin moonlight, the bright beam of a flashlight, and the dim firelight lacking fuel were enough to outline the tall figure of the man who emerged, along with his jade-like face.
"Chi Xiaoming?"
Xu Nuan hesitated slightly before calling out.
The man, strikingly handsome yet expressionless, walked toward them. It was indeed the low-profile Chi Xiaoming.
"Xu Nuan, He Min."
Chi Xiaoming stopped three meters away from them, calling out their names while his gaze fell on Xu Nuan, which felt almost burning.
Xu Nuan wouldn’t feel shy just because a handsome guy was staring at her. She remembered that during her time in the Second Batch Players team, she had no interaction with him at all. They had never spoken before, and their first exchange happened in such a manner; she didn’t think it was a good sign.
"Is there something you need?"
Xu Nuan's voice was cold, different from her usual calm demeanor. He Min glanced at her and felt a sense of caution toward this unfamiliar Chi Xiaoming.
"I mean no harm."
Chi Xiaoming waved his hand seriously, his expression still neutral.
"I just came to see what the mermaid statue looks like for our team's future search."
If this were in the city and a handsome guy said such things with a serious expression, they would undoubtedly believe him without hesitation. Unfortunately, they were in a game now; compared to beauty, they craved survival much more. Of course, He Min also yearned for money.
"The statue is not on us; you've got the wrong people."
Xu Nuan and He Min exchanged glances before mimicking Chi Xiaoming's serious demeanor, their short knives still firmly in hand, exuding an air of intimidation.
"I saw it; the statue is on you. I'm just taking a look, not trying to steal it."
Chi Xiaoming continued to express his grievances in a straightforward manner. A strange sense of discomfort rose within Xu Nuan. For some reason, she suddenly felt that Chi Xiaoming's eyes looked familiar, as if she had seen them somewhere before.
"Uh, do you really think we would believe you?"
He Min found Chi Xiaoming's personality somewhat amusing, provided he wasn't just putting on an act.
"The statue is truly not on us, so don't get any ideas. Even though we're women, you can't take us both on."
Standing opposite them, Chi Xiaoming suddenly frowned, clearly displeased with their attitude. Xu Nuan felt even more convinced that this person was familiar.
Familiar eyes, serious yet nonsensical words—this person?
Xu Nuan squinted at Chi Xiaoming and took a step forward.
"Have we met before?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them; wasn't that just stating the obvious?
"I mean before entering the game."
Chi Xiaoming shook his head and, with a somewhat relaxed expression, kindly added a clarification.
"My appearance isn't very common. Besides my dad, the only ones who look somewhat like me are my two cousins."
Xu Nuan's eyes widened suddenly as she realized why this person looked familiar. However, before she could ask anything, she noticed Gu Ze silently approaching Chi Xiaoming from behind. In that instant, the usually serious Chi Xiaoming turned to face Gu Ze, creating a standoff.
Xu Nuan swallowed her words and exchanged a glance with He Min. She picked up her backpack and walked over to Gu Ze's side.
Three against one; it was clear that Chi Xiaoming was at a disadvantage.
Chi Xiaoming maintained a blank expression, but his tone was oddly aggrieved and helpless.
"I didn't mean any harm. I just wanted to confirm what the statue looks like. Why are you all so wary of me?"
Xu Nuan couldn't help but start doubting whether something was off with Chi Xiaoming's head. However, aside from his eyes and the stern look on his face, he bore no resemblance to the person she had only met once before.
Having spent so long in this game, none of them had encountered a player like Chi Xiaoming, and they couldn't figure out if he was pretending or not. So they decided on a compromise.
"Do you really think that statue is connected to us?"
Xu Nuan watched closely, scrutinizing Chi Xiaoming's expression, but he remained impassive.
"Of course, I've seen it."
Chi Xiaoming spoke earnestly.
Gu Ze scratched his head and noticed Xu Nuan's intense gaze. Frowning, he stepped in front of her to block her view.
"I have the statue with me. I can show it to you, but you'll need to offer something in exchange."
Chi Xiaoming blinked, no longer making eye contact with Xu Nuan, instead narrowing his eyes at Gu Ze.
"What do you want?"
Feeling the intense gaze on his back, Gu Ze decided to get straight to the point.
"Information, like how much you know about this game and how the other players are progressing."
Xu Nuan, standing behind Gu Ze, immediately picked up on the dismissive tone in his words. She felt he was missing a good opportunity to gather important intel and was about to turn away to ask Chi Xiaoming herself. However, Gu Ze seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, following Xu Nuan's movement closely. He Min, standing nearby, couldn't help but twitch his lips in confusion at why these two were so relaxed during such a tense moment in the dangerous game.
Chi Xiaoming nodded seriously before locking eyes with Gu Ze.
"I can't discuss game matters until I find that person, but I can tell you about the other players in this round."
Xu Nuan vaguely guessed who Chi Xiaoming's "person" might be, but she hesitated about bringing it up while they were still in a competitive relationship. Meanwhile, Gu Ze readily agreed.
"That's fine."
It seemed Gu Ze's willingness matched Chi Xiaoming's expectations perfectly; he was straightforward.
"Another team has two people watching you."
"Two?"
Gu Ze was surprised and no longer blocking Xu Nuan from speaking. She looked equally astonished; they had only noticed one person watching them.
"Yes," Chi Xiaoming replied without any extra expression.
"One is Lin, who hides his skills well, and the other is Guo Xu; this person is indeed not to be underestimated."
Gu Ze and Xu Nuan's expressions instantly turned serious. He Min frowned, but with Chi Xiaoming present, she felt it was inappropriate to ask.
Gu Ze had always been trustworthy, and Chi Xiaoming's information was quite valuable. He readily took out the statue for Chi Xiaoming to see.
Chi Xiaoming merely glanced at the statue before turning away with a serious demeanor.
Xu Nuan watched Chi Xiaoming's departing figure, her expression complex. After hesitating for a moment, she decided to wait until it was safe to leave before asking him again.
"Ahem."
Lost in her thoughts, Xu Nuan heard a deliberate cough. Looking up, she saw Gu Ze's nonchalant face. Remembering how he had prevented her from seeing Chi Xiaoming earlier made her feel frustrated. Naturally, she didn't give Gu Ze a pleasant look and moved to one side, picking up the firewood he had brought back to stoke the flames.
Gu Ze awkwardly walked over and chose a spot close to Xu Nuan to sit down. He Min, standing nearby, sensed the strange atmosphere between them and disliked the silence. Glancing at the burning fire, she suddenly spoke up.
"Isn't lighting the fire just making it obvious to everyone that we're here?"
Xu Nuan, who was quietly adding wood to the fire, trembled slightly; her already frustrated mood deepened.
Gu Ze scratched his face and muttered, "Anyway, every team has someone watching us, so it doesn't matter."
He Min, eager to break the silence, settled into a comfortable position and prepared to rest her eyes. Within a few minutes, she heard the two of them exchanging numerous words; anyone unaware might think their relationship was quite poor.
He Min couldn't help but recall the old Xu Nuan, who used to be silent except for occasional comments. The Xu Nuan before her now felt so unfamiliar yet capable of smiling. It seemed that Qin Yaojie's death had not affected her; it appeared that long ago, Xu Nuan had already let go of that relationship.
He Min turned over, feeling a strange sensation in his heart. Suddenly, he noticed a familiar mark on a nearby tree, and his gaze sharpened instantly. Meanwhile, Gu Ze and Xu Nuan were still exchanging words, oblivious to the unusual occurrence.
When Xu Nuan realized that He Min had fallen asleep, she shot a glare at Gu Ze, deciding to stop their banter. Instead, she took out some food, preparing to heat it up before waking He Min.
Gu Ze watched Xu Nuan regain her energy, suppressing a laugh. But when his gaze shifted to the sleeping He Min and then back to the direction where Chi Xiaoming had left, his expression turned serious, and an intense aura emanated from him.
Xu Nuan immediately halted her actions, glancing at Gu Ze's back with a furrowed brow, deep in thought.
Once Xu Nuan finished heating the food and woke He Min, the three of them enjoyed a harmonious dinner together. They encountered no one trying to seize the statue and faced no terrifying modified creatures; it seemed as if the island had fallen into slumber, with all living beings quiet. The night sky hung heavy with a crescent moon, its cold light casting an ethereal glow over the island.
It felt as though all players had ceased their activities, and no creatures roamed about. This rare tranquility within the Game Base was soon disrupted as Xu Nuan fell into another dream.
The dream was bizarre and disorienting, causing her head to ache while she struggled to wake up. As the scenes within her dream gradually became clearer, she witnessed the death of Qin Yaojie and the demise of Gu Ze and his companions. This had become her nightmare, tormenting her day and night. Just when Gu Ze had managed to help her calm down, these dreams would soon turn her emotions upside down again.
Xu Nuan abruptly opened her eyes to find herself staring at the night sky and the moon, along with some sparse branches of an Olive Tree. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she forced herself to sit up and scanned her surroundings. She urgently needed to confirm Gu Ze's and He Min's safety to settle her restless heart.
However, peace was not meant for her. After surveying the area, she only spotted Gu Ze sleeping soundly about a meter away but saw no sign of He Min.
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