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墨書 Inktalez
When Xu Nuan and Gu Ze returned to their team's base, she suddenly remembered that she hadn't had the chance to share her thoughts with Gu Ze regarding the clues left by Zhou Long before his death.
Once they entered the cave, Xu Nuan hesitated to discuss the matter in front of so many people. Faced with the ambiguous gazes from others, she remained calmer than she had anticipated. Her clothes were neatly arranged, and her demeanor showed no signs of distress. Gu Ze, being a composed and polite person, had also trained his physical abilities well in the game, so there was nothing unusual about him either.
As various thoughts floated through her mind, it took Xu Nuan a while to realize that the others were looking at Gu Ze with complex expressions. Just yesterday, he had exuded an aura of dominance, cold and unyielding, but today he wore a gentle smile and appeared courteous—something felt off.
Neither of them intended to explain anything. The narrow cave felt particularly cramped at that moment, yet Gu Ze was unwilling to share the location of the cave he had discovered with the others.
Zhang Hui's body was packed in a sleeping bag and placed in a corner. Fan Beibei's injuries had been treated; a piece of white tape was now on her face as she leaned against Yu Yu. Chi Xiaoming was engaged in conversation with Shen Shen and Xu Hang, while the gloomy Dong Keyong stood silently beside Shen Shen. Deng Yinyin seemed still shaken from yesterday's fright, curled up and staring anxiously at the cave entrance. He Min and Xie Huai stayed close to her without speaking.
As the few people inside the cave paused to observe the return of Xu Nuan and Gu Ze, she discreetly noted their behaviors. When her gaze fell upon Zhang Hui's body, her body involuntarily trembled for a moment but quickly regained its composure.
The two made no effort to greet anyone and walked straight toward Xu Hang's group, who appeared to be discussing something serious.
Upon noticing Gu Ze sitting down next to him, Chi Xiaoming coldly spoke up.
"How did you fare last night? The Secret Missioner is about to be uncovered."
Gu Ze first glanced at Xu Nuan sitting beside him before responding with a smile.
"After spending some time together, everyone was busy looking for faults in those around them. In the end, most people's suspicions were dismissed without any results. Has anyone considered that we might have fallen into a trap set by the System?"
This topic was directly related to whether they could pass this level or not. The others who had not joined them also cast eager glances their way. The conflicts from last night were now buried beneath their surfaces, simmering quietly until after they completed this challenge.
Chi Xiaoming was not only skilled but also very sharp-minded. Considering Gu Ze's authoritative declaration from last night, he subtly glanced at Xu Nuan, who seemed completely composed now.
"Are you suggesting that the System's mission itself is a trap? It exists but is designed to play psychological games with us, leading our thoughts astray?"
Gu Ze nodded appreciatively, appearing much more approachable as his lips curved into a smile. It was hard not to speculate about what had transpired during the latter half of last night.
Xu Nuan could only inwardly criticize this person who lacked restraint while avoiding He Min's direct gaze.
"That's about the gist of it; however, you need to be less vague. If we can analyze it closely in conjunction with the System's mission, we might arrive at another conclusion."
"Ze, if you have something to say, just say it. This is already the third time. We can't obtain much food in Heavy Rain, and you need to understand what that means."
Xu Hang couldn't help but interrupt Gu Ze's teasing. Seeing his brother wear such a dazzling smile was both frustrating and heartwarming. However, with the matter at hand, he felt it was his duty to remind his brother of the seriousness of the situation.
"I understand."
Gu Ze pouted slightly before turning to Shen Shen, who was polite and overall quite pleasant to be around.
"Those are just my guesses. Before that, I need to ask your group to verify my assumptions."
"Please."
Shen Shen smiled lightly, her gaze quickly passing over Xu Nuan before returning to Gu Ze.
"In times of storm and stress, what we need most is cooperation."
"Zhou Long was punished by the System for inputting the wrong name and was subsequently hunted by the Crimson Fox. So, whose name did he input? How could he think of one person's name in such a short time?"
Gu Ze asked directly without hesitation. Meanwhile, Xu Nuan, hearing Gu Ze's question, suddenly grasped the thread of inspiration she had previously missed. She turned to Gu Ze in surprise and delight—could it be that what Gu Ze was thinking aligned with her own thoughts?
Her expression, openly revealing her emotions, caught the attention of the others, leading them to ponder various interpretations.
Xu Nuan wasn't in a hurry for verification; she knew the truth behind their secret mission would soon be revealed. She had that patience.
Shen Shen was somewhat puzzled as to why Gu Ze asked that question, but he still answered politely and corrected Gu Ze's misunderstanding.
"Well, actually Zhou Long inputted two names. He was punished by the System for entering multiple names; he is one of the few in our group who has done so."
"Two names?"
Gu Ze was surprised but patiently waited for Shen Shen to continue explaining.
"However, as you said, when Zhou Long learned there was a Secret Missioner, he immediately entered Ning Han's name. But the Secret Missioner is not Ning Han."
"Ning Han?!"
This was a double exclamation, coming from Xu Nuan and Deng Yinyin in unison.
Xu Nuan widened her eyes and looked at Gu Ze. Suddenly, she understood why Gu Ze hadn't brought her along. However, Ning Han's appearance meant Zhang Xiao would also show up. She was so eager to meet these people, yet the opportunity had slipped away because of Gu Ze.
"I'll explain later; don't show that expression."
While she was still in shock, Gu Ze leaned in and whispered softly, casually tucking a few strands of her hair behind her ear.
The shock and a hint of embarrassment in Xu Nuan's heart dissipated slightly due to his unreservedly affectionate gesture. She merely glared at Gu Ze and said nothing more.
The two seemed to be radiating pink bubbles regardless of the occasion, leaving the puzzled Shen Shen no choice but to ask Deng Yinyin instead.
"Do you have a history with Ning Han? You seem so surprised to hear his name!"
Xu Nuan instantly realized that the pleasant Shen Shen was not someone to be underestimated; there was depth in his question. She didn't think their past with Ning Han was a secret, but she also didn't want Well-Meaning Person to make a big deal out of it. Moreover, Ning Han possessed terrifying weapons, and spreading such matters widely could be problematic.
Now it depended on whether Deng Yinyin would let something slip out of excitement.
Upon hearing the name of this man who left a deep impression on them, Deng Yinyin felt an urge to shout it out, but unfortunately, Xie Huai quickly covered her mouth.
"Deng Yinyin, weren't you feeling unwell? Why don't you rest a bit longer?"
Shen Shen observed this scene with a smile and did not press further, appearing calm and considerate.
However, Xu Nuan began to doubt the suddenly energized Deng Yinyin. Was Deng Yinyin really frightened? When Guo Dafu and Rao Tingxue's bodies appeared before her, Deng Yinyin had only gasped in surprise; it seemed unrelated to her. Last night's behavior was indeed strange—she hoped she wasn't misjudging her character.
"Don't mind us; we were just fortunate enough to encounter him during a previous Survival Game and found him to be quite a unique person."
Gu Ze spoke with depth, not forgetting to ask, "Why did Zhou Long input Ning Han's name without hesitation? Wasn't Ning Han present at that time to stop him?"
Though he said this, Gu Ze had his own calculations regarding Zhou Long's actions. Did Zhou Long's behavior indicate that he was already aware of the relationship between Ning Han and Zhang Xiao? Or did he know about the connection between Zhang Xiao's group and the game? The interplay between these two aspects intrigued him.
"I can't say for sure about the first reason. Zhou Long is the captain, and our being on the same team is merely a coincidence. We have no idea what he's thinking," Shen Shen replied in his usual calm manner, his tone giving Xu Nuan a familiar feeling.
"Ning Han had no reason to stop him; the right to input names lies with Zhou Long. However, after Zhou Long entered his name, he quickly left the team."
"I see," Gu Ze nodded, but in his heart, he wondered if Ning Han had been secretly tracking the actions of these two. Did they know or were they deliberately concealing something?
"Then who did Zhou Long input the second time?" Xu Nuan couldn't help but ask, feeling she was getting closer to the core of the topic. The vague thoughts in her mind were becoming clearer; she needed a stimulus.
Shen Shen didn't mind switching to another questioner and continued to respond in his unhurried tone. "His own name."
"But this name was entered after he spent a day contemplating it, and then he was attacked by Crimson Fox."
Shen Shen added one more detail.
Mission.
Hint.
Xu Nuan widened her eyes, seemingly understanding why Zhou Long had left her such a clue.
However, the others were quite puzzled. Fan Beibei and Yu Yu, who had been watching from a distance, spoke up.
"Is he out of his mind? Isn't he the one who knows best whether he is the mission's secret keeper? He even put his life on the line and was chased by Crimson Fox, only to go missing."
Most people present could not comprehend Zhou Long's actions and deemed him foolish for wasting an opportunity and getting hunted down. This sentiment peaked when Chi Xiaoming informed everyone that Zhou Long had been killed by Crimson Fox.
"Xu Nuan."
After delivering the news of Zhou Long's death, Chi Xiaoming turned his serious gaze toward Xu Nuan.
"What exactly happened between you and Zhou Long before he died?"
All eyes were now on Xu Nuan.
Just as she hesitated, pondering whether to think it over more carefully after having found a glimmer of inspiration, Gu Ze placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and spoke with unwavering conviction.
"It seems you and I are on the same page. Just go ahead and speak up; there’s no problem."
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