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墨書 Inktalez
Xu Nuan was unclear about what others thought, but personally, she felt that time was too tight and the statues too few. Overall, she was quite anxious inside. However, it would be unwise to let her anxiety affect her teammates, so she had to find a way to relieve these emotions on her own.
Yet, with another person by her side, she not only failed to ease her feelings but became even more restless.
As a scout, it was best to avoid using flashlights. Fortunately, the moonlight tonight was generous and bright enough for Xu Nuan to see the path ahead and the scenery about fifteen meters away.
She did not communicate with Gu Ze; their footsteps were nearly silent. At this moment, the relative quietness was essential. Based on her judgment, the other two teams should be progressing up the mountain at a similar pace. Moreover, since the other two teams were keeping an eye on them, it divided their group's strength. She speculated that their group had likely obtained a greater number of statues, making them an object of envy for the other teams.
To search for other teams on the moonlit island, they could rely on two things: the voices of others and the flicker of firelight. The island at night was somewhat chilly, and the sea breeze carried moisture. Even someone like Gu Ze, who was naturally warm-hearted, needed to wear a jacket; not every beach was filled with sunshine, palm trees, and beautiful women.
Xu Nuan wore very dark clothing that blended well into the night. Gu Ze beside her also donned dark attire. As they walked through the forest, they occasionally glanced around warily, truly resembling scouts.
While they were probing around, they also needed to remember their way back. Marking trees would be done by Gu Ze, who despite being a man, was sometimes more meticulous than women.
After walking for a long time, Xu Nuan had yet to spot any signs of other teams or hear any sounds from animals in the forest. The overwhelming silence only heightened her fears and led her thoughts astray. For instance, the shadows cast by tall trees resembled clawing demons, and the rustling leaves seemed like gaping mouths ready to devour them. The Game Base was too omnipotent; they had encountered biologist Wang Yiyun before and believed that these trees might pounce at any moment with wide-open jaws to swallow them whole.
Startled by her own thoughts, Xu Nuan felt a wave of helplessness wash over her; bitterness filled her heart as she hesitated to speak at that moment.
They aimed to monitor others while being watched themselves; those watching them might also be under surveillance. The originally simple mission transformed instantly upon realizing that one team would be abandoned. While other teams had resorted to unconventional methods, their group remained restrained. Xu Nuan believed she might be the first to abandon restraint and take decisive action.
If she had already steeled herself for such measures, these matters would not pose a challenge for her; she did not mind becoming this team's temporary weapon.
As various thoughts swirled in Xu Nuan's mind, she intended to continue moving forward when suddenly Gu Ze pressed down on her head forcefully. Habitually reacting, Xu Nuan crouched down while Gu Ze squatted beside her.
In the past, she would have retaliated against Gu Ze immediately. However, at this moment, she understood he had noticed something. As she squinted into the distance under the moonlight, all she could see were the shadows of trees and a low stone wall beside a white house—no figures in sight.
Xu Nuan couldn't help but recall Gu Ze's previous misdeeds and turned her head slightly to discern whether he was indulging in some twisted humor again. Just then, Gu Ze suddenly pressed her head down very low; caught off guard, she almost fell to the ground.
Once she steadied herself, she felt a warm breath near her ear and then heard Gu Ze's voice lowered significantly.
"There are people behind the house. Let's move a bit further away and go around to the front to take a look."
Xu Nuan felt uneasy about this but could only nod. With so many houses in front, she had no idea which one belonged to Gu Ze. However, at night, with her own comparison, she was more willing to trust Gu Ze's eyesight.
Perhaps someone was watching them; Xu Nuan noticed that Gu Ze seemed a bit tense, practically tugging at the back of her collar as he crouched and moved backward. The awkward position made her uncomfortable, but for the greater good, Xu Nuan held back her complaints. It wasn't until they reached a low wall where they could hide that Gu Ze finally let go of her and stood up.
Xu Nuan hurriedly stood up and leaned out to look at the distant houses and trees, realizing her limited vision prevented her from seeing anything clearly. When she turned to look at Gu Ze again, he was pursing his lips, showing no intention of explaining anything. Xu Nuan decided to hold back her questions, resolving that this would be a silent moment between them.
Eventually, they followed Gu Ze's lead and took a longer route to a spot farther in front of the house. Xu Nuan truly didn't say a word to Gu Ze until she could vaguely see the flickering light of a fire; then she looked at him in surprise.
This person was indeed serious.
Before Gu Ze could notice her gaze, Xu Nuan turned her head to pretend to be watching the firelight, feeling a bit guilty. She realized she was too suspicious, which wasn't a good thing; she needed to learn self-control.
Seeing the firelight made Xu Nuan unable to resist wanting to move closer to see which team it was and investigate their statue situation. However, Gu Ze suddenly pulled her back.
"If we get any closer, they'll notice us. That Chi Xiaoming isn't someone to underestimate."
"That team with Chi Xiaoming?"
Xu Nuan frowned and looked at Gu Ze in surprise.
"How did you see that from so far away?"
She couldn't help but ask this question.
Gu Ze didn't explain but squinted his eyes and turned his head to look in another direction. The curve of his lips disappeared, making him appear somewhat indifferent. Reflexively, Xu Nuan followed his gaze but saw nothing unusual.
A sense of helplessness spread within her heart, and the further she walked, the more she felt her own weakness and incompetence, which only made her increasingly anxious and at a loss.
"If you want to investigate this group, that's fine, but keep your voice down."
Just when Xu Nuan was confused, Gu Ze changed his mind again and pulled her closer to Chi Xiaoming's group. Instinctively, Xu Nuan held her breath, fully aware that unless one had special training, ordinary humans would not be very sensitive to breathing. She thought about how Gu Ze was extraordinary himself; the fact that he was wary of Chi Xiaoming meant that Chi Xiaoming must also be an exceptional person. Suddenly, she thought of another man with the surname Chi and felt an impulsive urge to talk to Chi Xiaoming at that moment.
As they drew nearer to the white building, the two of them bent over in tension, and the fragmented voices of others reached their ears.
"Yu Yu, you're amazing! You actually managed to snatch a statue back from so many people."
It was a woman's voice, which must belong to the only woman in the team, Fan Beibei.
Xu Nuan thought that the statue must have been taken from Xu Hang and his group. She immediately wanted to rush over and reclaim it, but Rationality told her it was not allowed; they were currently outnumbered two to four and had no chance of winning.
"A little trickery will do; it's nothing serious."
A gentle and soft voice belonged to Yu Yu, who was known for being cunning.
Then came a slightly rougher voice—definitely not Chi Xiaoming's—belonging to Zhang Hui, the taxi driver who had never had money in his life.
"With this, we’ll have three statues. We might just be able to leave this round soon; we’ll be safe then."
Three statues?
Xu Nuan's eyes widened in shock. This meant there were still three statues yet to be found or perhaps already found and in Guo Xu's team.
Her anxiety intensified, but she had to endure it and continue listening intently. Meanwhile, Gu Ze stood beside her, casually playing with a stone in his hand, seemingly unconcerned.
" Chi Xiaoming is impressive; he actually found two statues."
It was still Yu Yu's voice, praising the usually silent Chi Xiaoming. It seemed that this team had regained their confidence after retrieving their surveillance.
"How amazing! Chi Xiaoming, do you have a radar installed? You find everything so accurately, as if you already knew where that statue was."
Fan Beibei immediately chimed in with a playful tone.
"How could that be possible? Yu Yu, you're laughing again."
Perhaps it was unintentional, but the listener was attentive. Xu Nuan, who had been suspicious of Chi Xiaoming's identity, immediately thought of other possibilities and wanted to learn more. She leaned forward, eager to take another step, but Gu Ze quickly pulled her back. Just then, a voice came from in front of the white building—it was the handsome Chi Xiaoming, known as Facial Paralysis.
"Who's there?"
Xu Nuan looked up in panic. Gu Ze, standing beside her, quickly flicked a stone away in another direction, startling the few birds in the forest. Seizing this moment, Xu Nuan and Gu Ze hurriedly retraced their steps. Discovering the progress of a team was already a significant gain. However, as Xu Nuan glanced at Gu Ze, who was swiftly navigating through the forest alongside her, she noticed that his lips were pressed together—a sign of serious contemplation. Xu Nuan found it hard to read him but couldn't pinpoint why at that moment.
With their markers in place, they naturally returned to their original spot. Yet just a few hundred meters away from it, Gu Ze suddenly stopped. Xu Nuan had no choice but to halt as well and asked in confusion.
"What’s wrong?"
"I have some matters to attend to; you should head back first."
Though Gu Ze was looking at Xu Nuan when he said this, his gaze kept drifting toward a specific spot. Xu Nuan realized that Gu Ze might have detected another group's presence; otherwise, nothing else would have drawn his attention.
"I'll go with you; it's easier with two people."
Xu Nuan instinctively replied.
"Listen, you go back, and I'll be back soon."
Gu Ze's words were gentle, but his expression was firm, which made Xu Nuan uncomfortable. However, as a strong-willed person, Xu Nuan was not one to easily submit.
"Then you should go back too. Listen to Xu Hang; he is the captain."
Though her words carried a hint of defiance, Xu Nuan, who had been worrying about something, would not allow certain things to happen without intervention.
"I am the vice-captain."
Gu Ze calmly stated the fact.
When the captain was absent, the vice-captain's word was law; this was a rule established by their team. Without rules, nothing could be accomplished, and everyone understood this saying. All adhered to it, and Xu Nuan had once been the most compliant. Deng Yinyin, on the other hand, would face reprimands from Xu Hang and others if she failed to comply.
"If you don't come back in an hour, I'll tell Xu Hang that you were swept away by the waves and mobilize everyone to search for you at the beach."
Xu Nuan finished her sentence with a blank expression and turned to leave. However, Gu Ze reached out and patted her on the head from behind, leaving her with a parting remark.
"Do as you wish."
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