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墨書 Inktalez
Xu Nuan and Chi Xiaoming were the fastest group to return, yet they only arrived at the Temporary Campsite around three or four in the afternoon.
In Xu Nuan's view, they could have followed Zhou Long's hasty escape route to search for other Players to collaborate and analyze the situation. However, Chi Xiaoming believed this was not a foolproof plan. He had considered everything thoroughly and thought that direction might be fraught with danger due to their insufficient numbers. He also suspected that Zhou Long's group had been attacked and scattered, making any pursuit futile.
Xu Nuan felt too exhausted to argue and didn't think she had ever successfully debated with Chi Xiaoming. She had simply lost confidence in maintaining a friendly relationship with his group of four. To her, finding the Secret Missioner was no simple task; in this game, everyone had their secrets and could act strangely, leading to suspicion. This constant paranoia would ultimately trap them in this level day after day, causing their relationships to stagnate. Among them were those easily provoked into explosive reactions, making the future look grim.
At that moment, Xu Nuan and Chi Xiaoming sat in a corner of the cave, momentarily speechless. They both recognized each other as not being the Secret Missioner, but that did not mean others would share the same belief; it was a vicious cycle.
Suddenly, Xu Nuan recalled Zhou Long's repeated words to her before he died. The situation had been urgent, and the sound of rain had drowned out much of what he said, leaving her memory hazy.
Mission? Hint?
Those were the two terms Zhou Long had used, referring to the System mission and its friendly reminder. Wasn't a friendly reminder just a warning? Those without qualifications would face punishment for random inputs—was there anything particularly special about that?
Xu Nuan racked her brain but couldn't figure out what Zhou Long meant or if he was merely trying to convey that this mission would be difficult. Given his near-death state at the time, it seemed reasonable for him to say such things.
She sighed lightly; Zhou Long was dead, and there was no way for her to delve deeper into this question now.
"Has anyone from your group of Six People spent time alone?"
As Xu Nuan pondered those two words, Chi Xiaoming's slightly cold and serious voice broke through her thoughts. She turned to look at him, seeing his unsmiling profile as his gaze focused on the rain outside the cave.
Did he really think his serious demeanor suited collaboration?
Xu Nuan found it somewhat amusing. She recalled how Chi Xiaoming had initially approached them with a rigid attitude during their first interactions and how he had acted while exchanging information at the Supply Station. It was surprising how someone could show such a starkly different side in just a few days.
Of course, she thought that compared to someone like Yu Yu, who always wore a smile regardless of any conflicts, Chi Xiaoming's clear-cut attitude was easier to deal with; it represented his sincerity to some extent.
"We have all spent time alone."
Xu Nuan replied calmly, having already considered this point, and then asked in return.
"What about the four of you?"
"Yu Yu and Fan Beibei have been together the whole time, while I have spent time alone with Zhang Hui."
"However, we can't guarantee that no one briefly left while they were together."
Suddenly, Xu Nuan had a mischievous thought. She wanted to deliberately tease Chi Xiaoming, expanding the range of suspicion. Although it might not yield any results, she figured it was better to make Chi Xiaoming worry as a way to repay his earlier indifference.
It was quite difficult to make Chi Xiaoming angry; his expression remained unchanged, like that of someone with Facial Paralysis.
"Indeed, it depends on whether the others have gained any insights."
Xu Nuan paused for a moment and suddenly recalled something from last night before falling asleep. She tentatively asked, "It seems like Yu Yu and Fan Beibei have always been together. What is their relationship?"
She initially intended to directly ask if they were a couple but thought that would stray too far from the original topic, so she dropped it.
"Probably a couple," Chi Xiaoming said disinterestedly about such matters. "If they have a relationship, they should be considered a couple."
Xu Nuan blinked and suddenly felt her face flush as she turned away, no longer speaking or asking questions.
Sometimes this person took things too seriously; having a relationship didn't necessarily mean they were a couple. However, this was none of her business. She was just worried about whether Yu Yu was plotting against He Min. If that were the case, she wouldn't mind breaking the agreement early.
Neither of them had much to say, and Xu Nuan found it inconvenient to change clothes, so she simply sat there with her arms wrapped around her knees, letting time slip away.
The light gradually dimmed, and just as Xu Nuan felt her body stiffening, she heard voices coming from outside the cave. Deng Yinyin's loud voice stood out even amidst the rain.
Deng Yinyin's return meant that Gu Ze was back as well.
Suddenly energized, Xu Nuan hurriedly stood up just as Deng Yinyin and the others approached. The rain was pouring heavily outside, and she and Zhang Hui had come in wearing raincoats. Xu Nuan had to step aside and then looked out of the cave.
Gu Ze, dressed in a raincoat, was walking leisurely toward them. The buttons of his raincoat were undone, giving him an air of relaxed ease, as if no troubles could linger around him. She knew that no matter what he had experienced in the game, he remained unchanged, which was why she had transformed.
Her restless heart miraculously settled down as Xu Nuan stood at the entrance of the cave, watching the figure draw closer. Suddenly, she felt an impulse to leap into his arms. When he lifted his gaze and broke into a bright smile, Xu Nuan acted on that impulse.
She forgot that she wasn't wearing a raincoat and joyfully dashed through the curtain of rain into Gu Ze's surprised embrace. Even through the damp fabric of his raincoat, she could feel his warmth—a warmth that was deeply comforting.
"Warm?"
"Just for a moment, let me hold you."
Xu Nuan buried her head in Gu Ze's chest and realized that something was threatening to spill over. With her fragile strength, she had made it this far only to suddenly understand that someone had been protecting her all along. Finally, she recognized her longing for this warmth.
She didn't want to let go.
It was an emotion she couldn't quite articulate.
"You still need to wear a raincoat like this; you're all soaked."
From above her head came his helpless yet indulgent voice. She had never thought his voice could sound so pleasant, nor did she realize how much emotion lay behind every word he spoke.
Gu Ze reached out and gently pulled Xu Nuan closer, noticing that she refused to lift her head. He opened his raincoat, allowing Xu Nuan to embrace him directly, while he wrapped the raincoat around her. To keep her head from getting wet, he had to lean forward, fully enveloping her in his arms and shielding her from the rain.
This was a moment to remember; the woman he loved most had finally sought comfort in him. As for what had happened, he would savor this tender moment before thinking about it.
Xu Nuan nestled against Gu Ze, feeling warmth radiate from him, slowly thawing her body and spirit. He was always like this—never complaining, just silently supporting her—while she had done some truly foolish things. Suddenly, a melodramatic thought crossed her mind: as long as this person was alive, no matter what happened, she wanted to strive to return to his side.
As that thought echoed in her mind, Xu Nuan was reminded of reality and their starkly different futures. She realized she couldn't let everything unfold openly; not all matters would become options for the future. She wouldn't allow herself to feel sadness over what couldn't be changed. People lived in the present, burying those words deep within while smiling beside him, ultimately watching him leave safely—that was her desire.
She noticed that Gu Ze allowed her to hold him without asking what had happened or blaming her for her impolite actions. At that moment, she felt both like laughing and crying; however, if she truly did either, others would surely think she had gone mad.
“Zhou Long is dead.”
After a long silence, she finally spoke of it, carrying guilt for not helping Zhou Long in time and anxiety over the continuous deaths among the First Batch of Players. Just as she had once told Chi Xiaoming, Chi Ming would be an important figure. And as she suspected in her heart, they were always under surveillance. If Chi Ming was the target they urgently needed to find, it meant he was in danger.
The secrets buried within the First Batch of Players had not been fully uncovered, nor had the secrets hidden within her. The future was filled with too many possibilities that made her uneasy; she didn't want these secrets to harm those around her, especially Gu Ze.
“What happened? Tell me everything.”
Gu Ze placed his hand on Xu Nuan's neck and felt how cold it was. He gently pulled her back but kept her protected under the raincoat.
“How did you get hurt on your shoulder?”
Gu Ze noticed Xu Nuan's left shoulder, which hadn’t been treated properly, and the pale skin where a butterfly seemed poised to take flight.
The mark left by the Widow Butterfly on Xu Nuan's shoulder had always remained, and it was because he had seen this butterfly that a major disaster had been averted.
“I got scratched by the Crimson Fox; it's nothing serious.”
Xu Nuan casually tugged at her clothes and then reached out to push Gu Ze aside.
"Let's talk more over there."
At that moment, Xu Nuan couldn't bring herself to look at Gu Ze's expression. She felt hot all over, her face undoubtedly flushed. In her excitement, she had acted somewhat impolitely, yet she managed to say something so calm.
Before she could take a step away, Gu Ze grabbed her hand.
This wasn't the first time they had held hands, but it was the first time Xu Nuan felt her heart race so intensely. There had been a few occasions before when she felt a flutter in her chest, but she quickly dismissed those feelings due to the chaotic events in the game. This time, she couldn't ignore it.
"First, put on the raincoat."
Gu Ze effortlessly pulled Xu Nuan into his embrace, his hand resting on her shoulder as he sheltered her under his raincoat. They walked to the entrance of the cave, and Gu Ze glanced at the raincoats hanging outside. He frowned upon noticing there was only one women's raincoat.
Noticing the mixed expressions of surprise, anger, or indifference from the others in the cave, Xu Nuan quickly grabbed a men's raincoat and slipped it on, softly explaining, "This is Zhou Long's."
Gu Ze didn't say much and followed Xu Nuan toward a few Dawn Redwood trees outside the cave. Before turning around, he cast a cold glance at Chi Xiaoming, who was fiddling with something in his hands.
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