Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Fan Beibei's sudden outburst was merely an interlude, an unexpected turn of events that Yu Yu had not anticipated, yet it prompted Chi Xiaoming to make a decision.
Despite Yu Yu reiterating her opinions as Chi Xiaoming reached his conclusion, and He Min sharing her insights in front of Xu Hang, none of this could deter Chi Xiaoming's resolve. Especially after noticing Yu Yu's unease and Fan Beibei's strange behavior, he felt an unsettling intuition that someone wanted them to remain stuck at this juncture for reasons unknown, and he was determined not to let them have their way.
Of course, before entering his name, Chi Xiaoming symbolically offered everyone a choice, deciding to go with the principle of "The Minority Obeys the Majority." The outcome was evident; everyone had been wavering until the moment of decision arrived, at which point they quickly resolved to move forward.
This might have been related to the reasons he provided. Aside from Xu Nuan's deductions, he analyzed everyone's behavior over the past few days and explained that Zhang Hui's body could not be left for long, while Shen Shen, as a doctor, believed Fan Beibei's mental instability required examination in a proper environment.
Based on these foundations, everyone gradually made their decisions.
Chi Xiaoming noted Yu Yu and He Min's dissenting votes in his mind and then calmly entered his name at the verification station. After completing the entry, his hand trembled slightly out of sight from others.
Apart from the sound of rain, there was a profound silence.
Time felt like it was tiptoeing on everyone's hearts, each heel grinding against their chests, causing immense agony. The sensation of every passing second weighed heavily on several individuals, prompting beads of sweat to form.
Xu Nuan also noticed her hand clasped with Gu Ze's growing damp; the sticky feeling made her heart race with anxiety. She was among those most responsible for this name entry. Although she had considered what to do if they failed, she still held an overwhelming hope for success. This success was a gift from the deceased Zhou Long; she wanted to prove Zhou Long's way of thinking through this endeavor, even though it would mean nothing to Zhou Long, who had sunk into the swamp.
She tightened her grip on Gu Ze's hand, which he reciprocated firmly. Their touch alleviated some of her nervousness and unease.
As someone began to voice complaints and Xu Nuan feared she had misjudged the situation, without any warning, the skies cleared. Simultaneously, familiar tremors shook the ground beneath them as the red Special Tree and Supply Station slowly emerged before them. Most were overjoyed while a few suppressed their irritation and followed the main group.
The Supply Station welcomed eleven people and one corpse. Once inside, they dispersed—some headed to the lounge while others went to the Storage Room—each intuitively avoiding conflict during this rare moment of respite.
Xu Nuan stood firmly at the entrance of the Supply Station after entering, and Gu Ze approached her with Xu Hang following closely behind.
"That person is not a fool; he will definitely choose to enter the Supply Station after everyone has left. Your sleepless watch here will yield no results."
Xu Nuan understood the reasoning behind Gu Ze's words, but she did not want to give up the chance to confront Ning Han. Now that Ning Han had appeared, how far could Zhang Xiao be? Her stubborn nature was fully evident at this moment.
Gu Ze patiently explained again.
"How about this: after resting, leave the Supply Station and wait for him at the exit. Wouldn't it be better to catch him off guard?"
Xu Nuan was somewhat swayed, but she considered herself a very greedy person.
"If we don't catch him this time, we can wait at the exit."
Rather than putting all her eggs in one basket, she preferred to create two opportunities. Xu Nuan felt excited about uncovering part of the game's truth, which was evident as she pressed her hands firmly against the door, seeking psychological stability through her grip on the door panel.
Despite repeated persuasion having no effect, Gu Ze furrowed his brow. When Xu Nuan became obstinate, neither kind words nor angry shouts would work; such actions would only push her further away. The irritation brought by Shen Shen intensified, especially after Shen Shen revealed he was a doctor and roughly diagnosed Fan Beibei. The familiar spark in Xu Nuan's eyes made him extremely uncomfortable. His heart raced incessantly, a sour and swollen feeling spreading through every part of his body, making him want to shout in anger, yet Rationality held him back.
Standing beside Gu Ze, Xu Hang noticed Gu Ze's heavy breathing and patted his shoulder, joining in on persuading Xu Nuan.
"You should know what that person has in his hands; trying to confront him is very dangerous."
Xu Nuan raised her eyelids but still did not look up at the two men before her.
"We can't set a trap here, but we can ambush him at the exit of the Supply Station. At that point, we won't have to fear the weapons he holds. While subduing him, we must also protect ourselves and those around us; you should understand this principle well."
Xu Hang spoke in his usual tone. He hadn't expected to convince Xu Nuan, who was stubbornly stuck in her own ways. However, it seemed that something in his words struck a chord with her. She nodded, released her grip on the door panel, and slowly walked past him and Gu Ze toward the lounge.
Xu Hang let out a sigh of relief, but as he turned his head, he was surprised to see Gu Ze's gloomy expression, reminiscent of that day. He lowered his voice and asked, "Ze, what are you thinking about?"
Gu Ze remained in a low mood and did not respond. Xu Hang worried that Gu Ze's state was due to Xu Nuan's stubborn behavior earlier. He had long been accustomed to Xu Nuan's occasional obstinacy; after all, when they first met, wasn't she just like this? However, it would be too unfortunate for his brother, who had finally achieved his desires, to have conflicts arise from such matters at this time.
"You know her obsession; it's only natural for her to be particularly concerned about these things. You should just take it easy and act as if you know nothing. Just get along well."
Xu Hang, often criticized by his girlfriend Lan Ling for being too straightforward, was surprised at how eloquently he spoke now, offering a plethora of reasoning.
However, he misjudged the situation. After he finished speaking, Gu Ze suddenly turned to look at him, his deep brown eyes reflecting a hint of coldness and panic.
"Hang, will you leave this game with us?"
"Uh?"
Xu Hang blinked his already small eyes, somewhat confused about what Gu Ze meant.
"Why wouldn’t I leave with you? If she resolves what she needs to do in the game, she will naturally leave with us."
As soon as he said this, Xu Hang realized he had missed the core issue.
"You’re worried," Xu Hang was startled by his own thoughts. "That after she finishes everything, she might feel disillusioned and choose to stay in the game?"
Seeing the desolation in Gu Ze's eyes made Xu Hang quickly deny that notion.
"How could that be? She is with you now, so she must want to leave this place and start anew with you. As for you, if you want to complete the mission, you have to go through each level one by one; you can't rely on the information in her hands to leave early."
Xu Hang found himself overwhelmed, and Gu Ze's expression did not improve at all. Worry began to creep into his mind. Xu Nuan being with Gu Ze was completely unexpected and puzzling, leaving him feeling uneasy. However, upon reflection, he realized that he was only judging their relationship based on their actions. Perhaps Xu Nuan had not truly committed to Gu Ze yet, which made his earlier thoughts more plausible. Xu Nuan was different from all the other players in this game; in many ways, she was the most pitiful existence, which explained why her behavior was so peculiar and controversial.
"Don't think too much; just cherish what you have right now."
After a sigh, Xu Hang patted Gu Ze on the shoulder before stepping into the Storage Room. He discovered several people inside, making it feel a bit cramped. He initially considered leaving but then thought that it didn't matter since every room seemed to have so many people.
As Xu Nuan walked into the lounge, feeling somewhat unsettled, she noticed Shen Shen was treating Fan Beibei there, looking quite professional. Chi Xiaoming and Yu Yu were sitting on a nearby sofa, watching Shen Shen's movements.
Realizing she had entered at an inopportune moment, she saw that the others were ignoring her presence and chose a random spot to sit down. Closing her eyes, she rubbed her temples. Reflecting on her earlier silence made her feel somewhat guilty, but she didn't want to explain anything. She believed Gu Ze understood her well enough without needing further clarification. She also needed to think carefully about how to strategize instead of rushing in blindly whenever she heard news about those people.
However, the hatred and pain had become a part of her very being, flowing with her blood and growing alongside her bones—something she couldn't shake off or escape from. It constantly provoked her. Yet it was also this pain that made her acutely aware of her own existence; she wasn't just a walking corpse. This feeling was different from when she was with Gu Ze; being around him felt like being trapped in a dream that could shatter at any moment—enticing yet perpetually unsettling. Sometimes, when she became too immersed in it, she feared losing herself and making wrong decisions. Looking back now, He Min had been somewhat right: she calculated everything clearly—even her own feelings—daring not to give even a fraction more while pretending to be open about it.
Two conflicting emotions tugged at her within; she suspected that one day she might explode from these feelings, but what would happen afterward was uncertain.
Lost in such chaotic thoughts, Xu Nuan unexpectedly fell asleep. The scenes in her dreams were from years ago—the moment when her parents were struck down, a pool of crimson on the ground. She felt as if she had unknowingly taken medication during those moments; each image pierced through her heart and left her breathless. Struggling to wake from such a nightmare, she felt crushed under the weight of those emotions and unable to move.
When Xu Nuan finally woke up gasping for air, she realized that only a few minutes had passed since she'd fallen asleep. In the lounge were Shen Shen, who had just finished treating Fan Beibei, the unconscious Fan Beibei herself, and Chi Xiaoming looking over in surprise.
Comment 0 Comment Count