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墨書 Inktalez
Upon stepping onto the island, each day felt interminably long. Yet everyone knew that the passage of time would not change due to external factors; it was merely one's own perception that shifted.
Gu Ze strolled through the island under the night sky, moving as casually as if he were wandering in his own backyard. Neither the towering trees nor the low flower beds, nor the white houses with windmill roofs lining the stone paths could obstruct his gaze.
The sea surface at night was black, and in the distance, the dark curtain seemed to descend as if to engulf it. The black waves crashed against the shore, threatening to swallow the island whole. What was once a romantic and beautiful place during the day transformed into something sinister and terrifying at night, with an oppressive atmosphere pervading everywhere. Those who dared traverse this path might clutch their collars in trepidation.
There were few things in the world that could instill fear in Gu Ze. He walked slowly, adjusting the necklace around his neck until he spotted a flicker of red light nearby. Only then did he straighten his clothes and focus as he stepped into the adjacent woods. In the darkness, his eyes gleamed ominously.
Like a mantis stalking a cicada while a yellow bird waits in ambush, Gu Ze lightened his footsteps, inching closer to a man who was clearly trained, lying low behind a flower bed and intently watching ahead. Gu Ze was curious as to why moonlight did not reflect off the man's bald head.
Such playful thoughts were fleeting; upon catching a whiff of blood on the man, Gu Ze's lips curled into a smirk, a hint of menace flashing across his face.
Although this Guo Xu was trained, Gu Ze did not believe him to be particularly skilled. The fact that someone had been standing behind him for so long without noticing was evidence enough of his inadequacy.
He wanted to prove himself in front of Xu Nuan, to show her that he could be relied upon and could handle danger. However, what was about to unfold should not be witnessed by Xu Nuan. Reluctantly, he decided to forgo this opportunity to showcase his abilities.
Gu Ze was now only three meters away from Guo Xu, yet Guo Xu remained oblivious to his presence. Considering Xu Nuan's instructions regarding timing, Gu Ze abandoned any thoughts of startling Guo Xu and shifted his position, stirring up a gust of wind.
At that moment, Guo Xu finally sensed someone behind him and frantically brandished his knife in an attempt to attack outward. However, he was quickly subdued from behind by Gu Ze, who twisted his arm behind him. The pain forced Guo Xu to drop the short blade, and the weight pressing down on his back rendered him immobile. This left Guo Xu—who considered himself quite capable—feeling embarrassed and agitated.
"Don't move," Gu Ze warned. "Otherwise, I can't guarantee where this knife will go."
As Guo Xu attempted to escape using his combat skills, a cold blade pressed against his neck, causing him to freeze instantly, every muscle tensed. He couldn't believe someone could overpower him; his strength was formidable enough that he had been chosen for this task under threat against his family. Yet this man on his back skillfully restrained several crucial joints, suppressing all of his strength. After thinking for so long, he still couldn't come up with a way to break free from this man.
In his panic, Guo Xu also felt confusion. He had previously observed this man named Gu Ze; he appeared cultured and gentle—tall but not particularly intimidating—so how had he suddenly become so fierce?
With his face pressed against the ground, Guo Xu could see the expression of the man on his back—it was a smile—but those eyes were like those of a demon, filled with murderous intent. For someone who had always succeeded effortlessly like Guo Xu, fear gripped him. He had a wife and children; he needed to follow this man's orders to complete the mission if he wanted to survive and return home.
"What do you want?"
Unlike the confrontational tone he had with Xu Nuan, Guo Xu's words were now laced with terror and fear. The bravado that usually accompanied him had vanished without a trace in the face of imminent danger.
"What do you think I want?"
Gu Ze held Guo Xu's hands behind his back with one hand while using his legs to pin down several key joints. With a short knife, he rubbed it back and forth across Guo Xu's face and neck, seemingly in no rush to extract secrets from him. Instead, he appeared to relish the sight of Guo Xu trembling in fear, his eyes widening in panic.
"I know," the icy touch reminded Guo Xu of a cold corpse. He regretted not noticing the presence behind him sooner, which had cost him the upper hand. Now, he found himself forced to abandon his dignity as a man, a stark contrast to how he had faced Xu Nuan.
"You want revenge for that Xu Nuan, right?"
Guo Xu admitted his intentions first.
"I didn't really hurt that woman; instead, she dealt me a severe blow. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been so easily subdued by you."
His words dripped with resentment, but that feeling quickly morphed into pain as Gu Ze kneed him hard in the back. The pressure on his already injured abdomen forced him down against the ground, and he could feel his wounds reopening, blood seeping out once more. At this rate, his already precarious situation would only worsen.
"You didn't hurt her?"
Gu Ze scoffed, moving the knife from Guo Xu's neck to his shoulder blade and randomly choosing a spot to stab forcefully.
"Ah!"
Caught off guard by Gu Ze's sudden attack, Guo Xu couldn't help but scream. As pain coursed through him, he heard Gu Ze's voice drop low yet filled with a sinister undertone.
"You've hurt her arm, with two cuts."
As Gu Ze's words fell, he pulled out the short knife and stabbed it into another spot.
"Ah!"
Completely unable to break free from Gu Ze's grip, Guo Xu could only scream. He wanted to plead for mercy, but before he could utter a word, Gu Ze plunged the knife into him again.
"Devil!"
Guo Xu could only hurriedly spit out those two words. Unlike Xu Nuan, who had been pushed to the brink and wanted to kill him, Gu Ze was torturing him, breaking down his psychological defenses. This man was truly terrifying; he was nothing like the gentle facade he presented. Guo Xu looked at him.
"You've also hurt Nuan's back, but your back is full of bloody holes. Let's change locations."
Gu Ze's voice suddenly turned soft, but as those gentle words fell, his knife had already severed one of Guo Xu's ears.
Lying on the ground, Guo Xu stared blankly at the ear just a few centimeters away from him. It wasn't until the pain registered in his brain that he finally screamed out loud, begging for mercy.
"Please let me go! I was wrong; I didn't mean to!"
The blood flowing from the wound quickly stained the ground near his face red, the metallic smell making him want to vomit. Despite his muscular build, Guo Xu trembled as he pleaded.
"I don't want to kill her! Someone threatened me with my wife and child. I just wanted to protect my family! Please let me go; I didn't succeed anyway!"
Realizing that their fighting abilities were not on the same level and that Gu Ze seemed ready to kill, Guo Xu felt a chill in his heart. The fear of death surrounded him, making it hard to breathe. He had no choice but to bring up his family, hoping to touch Gu Ze's heart. Surely this man must have some basic compassion?
"To protect your family?"
Gu Ze smiled lightly, his hair falling over his eyes. The cold moonlight spilled over him, making him look like both a messenger and a demon.
"Are you going to hurt my woman just to protect your family?"
As Gu Ze spoke, Guo Xu realized he had offended the one person he should never have crossed.
"I also want to protect my woman, which means I have to hurt you."
Despair nearly consumed Guo Xu. The knives piercing into him felt relentless, blood flowing continuously from his wounds. If he didn't tend to them soon, he would surely bleed to death. He didn't want to die; he hadn't yet secured that money, that position, or proven to his family that he was more than just a muscle-bound man. He refused to die.
"What do I have to do for you to spare me? You can't kill me; you'll have to face the consequences."
With no way out, Guo Xu babbled incoherently. Gu Ze, having vented his anger, seized this opportunity and pressed the knife against Guo Xu's neck again. The icy touch jolted Guo Xu back to reality.
"Since we've come this far, will you tell me who sent you after Nuan?"
Guo Xu's heart sank. He finally understood why Gu Ze was torturing him; Gu Ze wanted this answer. But it was a secret he couldn't reveal—his family was in that person's hands. If he spoke, he could live, but his family would die. If he remained silent, they could survive, but he had no strength left to collaborate and escape this situation. He had to die.
Gu Ze was the key that held Xu Nuan's heart captive.
At that moment, several people had eaten something, and those who were tired had even fallen asleep. Xu Nuan sat under a tree, hugging her knees and staring blankly at the fire, her entire being reflecting a state of daze.
He Min called out to Xu Nuan several times without receiving a response. Just as she began to worry about Xu Nuan's discomfort, Xu Nuan suddenly stood up. At the same time, she heard approaching footsteps. Turning around, she saw Gu Ze returning with a statue in hand.
"How did you find the statue in the dark?"
He Min felt amazed, but soon deemed it unrealistic. She immediately thought of a possibility, but Xu Nuan voiced that possibility before she could.
"Which team's statue did you steal?"
At that moment, Xu Nuan's gaze was not on the statue but rather on Gu Ze's somewhat damp clothing and pant legs. Had this man been to the beach? Why was his outfit soaked?
Xu Nuan considered the distance from the sea to where they were and concluded that one trip wouldn't be enough to go back and forth to steal a statue. Given the number of people present, she swallowed her doubts.
Gu Ze casually handed the statue to Xu Hang and spoke lightly.
"It should be called Xiong Qi; I took it from him."
Gu Ze settled down near the campfire, stretching out his hands to warm them.
Xu Hang received the statue, looking at Gu Ze with a complex expression. Earlier that morning, Xiong Qi had tried to snatch their statue but ended up having it taken by Yu Yu. Later, Xiong Qi was injured; could an injured person find a new statue so quickly?
Skeptical, Xu Hang met Gu Ze's indifferent gaze and chose silence. Meanwhile, Xu Nuan remained contemplative, also silent, while He Min seemed oblivious to their thoughts as she summarized.
"If that's the case, our team and Chi Xiaoming's team each have three statues, leaving two statues still undiscovered."
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