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There was nothing good about Zhou Long, and Xu Nuan did not highlight the conflict that had occurred between her and Chi Xiaoming during that time. Instead, she focused on sharing the clues left by Zhou Long with Gu Ze, as she herself lacked the ability to analyze them, but that did not mean Gu Ze was incapable.
Gu Ze felt pleased by Xu Nuan's proactive sharing rather than seeing it as a hassle. After listening to her, he began to analyze seriously.
"Although we have only met Zhou Long once, it is enough to see that this person is meticulous in thought. Moreover, his rapid rise to become the new captain among those talented individuals proves his capability."
As Gu Ze spoke, he observed Xu Nuan's expression and noticed she did not show any signs of panic at the mention of "new captain." This reassured him, and he continued.
"Therefore, the fact that he wanted to convey this clue to you before his death is worth pondering."
Xu Nuan nodded, still feeling shy and not lifting her head.
"First, there is the mission, which could refer to a System mission or a secret mission. Next is the hint; this hint is what he wanted to convey to you. At that time, he knew he didn't have time to give you a clear hint, so this hint might simply be something that appeared when the System issued the mission."
With Gu Ze's analysis, Xu Nuan caught a glimmer of inspiration and suddenly looked up at Gu Ze.
"Could it be that he wanted to tell me the answer lies within what the System said on the day the mission was issued?"
Gu Ze reached out to help her adjust her raincoat and nodded gently.
"There is that possibility. However, there were quite a few words from the System that day. Analyzing each one will take time. You don't need to rush to figure it out; there is still time, and..."
Before he could finish, Gu Ze suddenly paused, merely smiling at Xu Nuan without continuing.
Xu Nuan felt her face grow warm again. Why did she think his unfinished sentence implied "and there's still me"?
"Yes, I understand."
Xu Nuan nodded hurriedly, trying to cover up her sudden discomfort. Remembering that there were two others in their group with Gu Ze today, she asked him if those two had shown any abnormalities.
In her mind, she directly ruled out the possibility of Gu Ze being a Secret Missioner. She couldn't even believe it herself; she trusted that Gu Ze would not conceal such matters from her. This trust stemmed from years of accumulated faith. She realized she could never fully trust anyone entirely, yet in reality, she often found herself unconsciously believing in Gu Ze.
Thinking back to the previous round, they had a brief argument over Guo Xu, revealing her distrust, and now, the genuine trust she felt surprised even herself. Was this a result of her momentary weakness and dependence on this man? Once this phase of vulnerability passed, would she revert to her former self?
Xu Nuan did not know the answer. She believed that in time, both the passage of time and Gu Ze would provide her with clarity; all she needed to do was wait for that moment to arrive.
"I didn't notice anything unusual about them."
Xu Nuan asked proactively, and Gu Ze naturally responded truthfully and in detail.
"As for Deng Yinyin, she was just a bit more excited than usual; there’s nothing particularly special about it. You and I both know she’s not good at hiding her thoughts."
However, when Gu Ze said this, his voice was low, and he received a meaningful glance from Xu Nuan.
"Zhang Hui hasn’t said much along the way, which fits his honest persona. However, he seems a bit restless; the few words he did say were all about wanting to find the Secret Missioner quickly and leave this cursed place."
"He’s eager to leave this round?"
Xu Nuan frowned, puzzled. In this game, there were no truly honest players. Could Zhang Hui be deliberately acting impatient to find the Secret Missioner? Such tactics of misdirection were quite common.
"Does he often act like this? Has he taken any corresponding actions? Like testing you and Deng Yinyin from time to time?"
Xu Nuan furrowed her brow in thought for a few seconds before asking.
But Gu Ze did not answer her. Instead, he reached out to touch her brow, wanting to smooth away the crease.
Xu Nuan froze, not reacting as quickly as usual to dodge away. Instead, she casually made a sarcastic remark towards Gu Ze.
First came an embrace, then an open heart-to-heart; now there was no avoidance of intimate contact. Gu Ze felt a surge of joy inside and blurted out,
"Nuan, are you..."
Just as he was halfway through his sentence, Xu Nuan finally reacted slowly, reaching out to take Gu Ze's hand away. He immediately stopped speaking, a smile on his face but darkness in his eyes; yet he said nothing further.
Seeing Gu Ze like this, Xu Nuan felt a sharp pain in her heart, unsure of what to say. Some things were better left unsaid.
Xu Nuan released Gu Ze's hand, and he slowly withdrew his own. Just as his hand was halfway back, Xu Nuan grasped it again.
Their hands, unprotected by raincoats, were now bathed in the rain. The cold droplets fell on them, yet they felt no chill; where their skin touched was warm. The warmth began in their palms, traveling through their veins and blood, gradually reaching their hearts, transforming into a heat that could melt away any barriers.
Gu Ze's eyes sparkled again, shining brightly as if basking in brilliant sunlight.
However, Xu Nuan did not say what he expected. Instead, she shifted the conversation to something else.
"Gu Ze, I need to sort out the secret passage details more quickly."
Xu Nuan looked directly at Gu Ze, speaking each word deliberately.
"Lead with time and help me reorganize those memories. This time, I will reveal everything."
Long ago, when she and Gu Ze were still partners, after reaching a consensus, she had shared fragmented memories from the first three months of last year with him. With Gu Ze's help, she gradually learned that the secret passage could only be opened once and had already informed He Min and others about it. However, there was a taboo within those memories that she had avoided entirely, steering clear of anything related to it and thus never touching upon the core information of the secret passage.
For Xu Nuan now, that was no longer a taboo. After reviewing everything from start to finish, she finally understood her own heart; being entangled in the past was never her style. Having come to this realization, it was time for action. First, she needed to dissect the information in her mind; she would peel back the layers and delve deeper into the core of this game to execute her plan.
Gu Ze had never refused any request from Xu Nuan.
Underneath the low trees outside the artificial cave known as Hundred Meters and amidst the heavy rain, they organized all details related to the secret passage. Gu Ze stimulated her thoughts with words while Xu Nuan focused on identifying the most intense reactions from her brain and relaying them back to him so he could summarize them with his broad thinking.
This was Xu Nuan's first time laying everything bare, and Gu Ze spared no effort. Their efficiency this time was surprisingly high; before night fell, they managed to analyze some core information. However, they whispered these details to each other—too well hidden for any listening devices to catch.
When Gu Ze deciphered a particular term, Xu Nuan's expression suddenly darkened.
"What’s wrong?"
Gu Ze immediately panicked.
"Are you overthinking it to the point of losing your mind?"
Since Xu Nuan was being completely open, she naturally also revealed to Gu Ze about her parents' car accident, how she had avoided the vehicle and suffered a brain injury, as well as the medications she had been tricked into taking. At the same time, every time Cranium was injured in the game, Gu Ze was present, making him extremely anxious about Xu Nuan's Cranium. The Cranium is as vital to the human body as the heart, and Gu Ze did not want Xu Nuan to suffer any serious aftereffects from it. If they were outside the game, he could easily drag Xu Nuan to the most authoritative hospital for examination and treatment, but since they were in the game, Gu Ze felt utterly helpless. The only thing he could use to protect Xu Nuan was his own physical abilities; his life was the most valuable thing he could offer her, and beyond that, he had nothing else to give.
"No."
Xu Nuan shook her head, gripping Gu Ze's sleeve tightly as she looked up at him, her face still pale.
"I made a mistake."
When Xu Nuan said this, her teeth were chattering. Gu Ze immediately sensed the seriousness of the situation; he grasped Xu Nuan's hand with one hand while placing his other hand on her shoulder through her raincoat, trying to stabilize her emotions in this way.
Xu Nuan realized she had lost control. Taking a deep breath, she continued.
"Do you remember when Zhang Xiao first encountered us? In that level, I had a conflict with him in the lounge."
"Of course I remember."
Gu Ze's gaze darkened, anger and killing intent swirling within him; Zhang Xiao was his top priority to deal with.
In her state of panic, Xu Nuan did not notice Gu Ze's current emotions and continued speaking.
"At that time, I was at a disadvantage and threatened. I foolishly told him an unimportant piece of information."
Xu Nuan felt immense regret at that moment.
"But based on what we just analyzed together, that information is actually very important."
"You mean?"
Gu Ze intuitively guessed which piece of information Xu Nuan was referring to.
Forest of Hatred.
This was a term that, if the two individuals did not emerge, they believed was likely the name of a Survival Game. The secret passage was in this level. If Zhang Xiao had received this hint and learned some information through other channels, he might have already rushed to this level, no longer needing to wait in the shadows to threaten Xu Nuan again.
The fact that she had personally let go of her chance for revenge was difficult for Xu Nuan to accept. She trembled like leaves falling in autumn, unable to speak due to her frustration.
Gu Ze let out a faint sigh. This was indeed a significant mistake, but it was not irreparable.
"Nuan, things are not that dire yet. Each base in every level is quite large. He only knows that it's a Survival Game, which is useless. The specific location is known only to you and me; we still have a chance."
Xu Nuan hesitated.
"What if we turned that base upside down many days in advance?"
In truth, even the smartest individuals can become dull when their thoughts hit a dead end.
"If the passage were that easy to find, there would be no need to hide it in such a dangerous way within your mind."
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