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墨書 Inktalez
A few people felt a shiver run through them when they first heard the phrases "Friendship Trials" and "The Minority Obeys the Majority." However, after trekking for a while without encountering any traps, they pushed their worries aside, refusing to let them dominate their current mood.
The pleasantly warm sunlight and the cooler breeze made the rainforest seem less terrifying. The rustling of leaves in the forest no longer felt ominous. Regardless of what they thought internally, their expressions remained relaxed.
But this relaxation was an illusion. Xu Nuan noticed the subtle changes in the expressions of those around her and realized that the System's words had indeed affected everyone significantly. Once humans learn about something, they tend to imagine all the possible outcomes that could arise from it. This leads to various emotions based on those imagined possibilities, which in turn influence their thoughts again. In short, it was a vicious cycle, testing everyone's mindset.
When it came to mindset, those who could make it halfway through the Survival Game were unlikely to have poor mental states, but at the same time, they had strayed from the right path.
Xu Nuan couldn't help but smile sarcastically. Every time she made a piercing analysis, it was directed at herself. Yet even when she recognized this, she felt powerless to change due to the current environment.
"That hurts."
As Xu Nuan was lost in thought while casually following the group, someone suddenly pinched her neck from behind. The force wasn't strong, but it was so unexpected that the slight pain made her jump.
"Hiss."
Rubbing her neck, Xu Nuan turned around to glare at the only person who would do such a thing.
"Are you a child?"
To Xu Nuan, Gu Ze's actions seemed childish, yet he appeared to be enjoying himself.
Gu Ze looked innocent and pointed at several people who were finding places to sit down.
"I was just reminding you that it's time to rest."
Then Gu Ze gestured ahead of Xu Nuan with his chin.
"If you take a few more steps, you'll trip over that thick tree trunk."
"...I saw it; I won't trip."
In reality, Xu Nuan was so absorbed in her thoughts that she hadn't clearly seen the path ahead.
"And you're right behind me. Even if I might trip, you'll definitely catch me."
Perhaps it was the overwhelming doubt in Gu Ze's eyes that prompted Xu Nuan to add a few more words. Only after she spoke did she realize that to mask her embarrassment, she had to hurriedly turn her head away and prepare to find He Min.
As Xu Nuan searched for He Min, she noticed him talking to Yu Yu. With no other option, she chose a tree to sit under, making sure to carefully scan it for any snakes, insects, or rodents that might be lurking above.
Once seated, Xu Nuan contemplated how she would coldly mock and refuse Gu Ze if he came over, insisting he apologize first, even though he hadn’t done anything wrong.
She tried to maintain a calm expression, but when she looked up at Gu Ze, waiting for him to approach, disappointment washed over her as he walked over to Xu Hang instead. They exchanged a few words before Gu Ze set down his backpack and ventured deeper into the forest, leaving Xu Hang staring thoughtfully at his retreating figure.
Seeing Xu Hang's expression made Xu Nuan realize that Gu Ze was not in a hurry.
Biting her lip, Xu Nuan struggled to hide the complexity of her feelings. She stared intently at Xu Hang just as he turned his head and their eyes met briefly.
Xu Hang quickly averted his gaze in slight panic.
There was something off.
Xu Nuan suddenly lowered her head, focusing on the backpack in front of her. It seemed that Xu Hang had come to some sort of agreement with Chi Xiaoming; there was something being kept from her between Gu Ze and Xu Hang. Both were part of her Alliance, and Gu Ze was still her boyfriend—this feeling was unsettling.
She rarely asked Gu Ze about what he had been doing, subconsciously believing he wouldn’t hide anything from her and would tell her willingly. But when she did ask, it usually meant he didn’t want to share something with her, just like last time. Being kept in the dark while he did things behind her back felt sour, like the taste of lemonade.
She wanted to ask but knew the answer would be silence. If she didn’t inquire, she would remain tangled in confusion. After all they had been through together, they were still hiding things from each other. Wasn’t she also keeping many things from Gu Ze?
Shaking her head, Xu Nuan resolved to pull herself together and began rummaging through her backpack. She shouldn’t jump to conclusions just because of one turn from Gu Ze; such habits could lead to serious misunderstandings.
Her pale fingers brushed lightly over the items in the bag until they rested on a notebook.
One of the belongings left behind by Qin Yaojie.
Although she wasn’t sure what Su Zihang had left behind or what Dong Keyong truly wanted, Xu Nuan remembered how meticulously Dong Keyong had searched through his backpack several times back then. Now looking at it, the chances of finding this notebook seemed higher.
When Qin Yaojie died, there were still several designers around him as Players, while Dong Keyong and his group hadn’t shown up at that time. However, that didn’t mean they hadn’t plotted against Qin Yaojie or searched through his backpack.
Could it be this notebook?
Xu Nuan casually flipped open the notebook, and the familiar symbols inside stirred a wave of discomfort in her heart. These were symbols that only she could understand.
Wait, Xu Nuan suddenly opened her eyes wide, looking at the notebook in her hands with surprise. It was precisely because only she could comprehend this notebook that it had come into her possession. And now that it was in her hands, it had become useful.
What kind of usefulness could it have?
Xu Nuan flipped through the pages, which mainly recorded where Qin Yaojie had destroyed various mechanisms during each Survival Game, along with simple descriptions of the unique environments of each stage, analyzing their locations within the world. Beyond that, she didn't find anything particularly special about this notebook; its contents seemed to hold little value for others.
In the distance, the sound of the Mountain Stream flowed together like music, intertwining with the rustling leaves stirred by the wind, reaching Xu Nuan's ears.
No, she seemed to have entered a misunderstanding. Xu Nuan stared intently at the notebook; she thought it was useless because she knew its contents, while others did not and would thus consider it important.
There were two possibilities: this notebook might contain other hints that could guide her to find what Su Zihang had left behind, or it could simply be useless notes jotted down by Qin Yaojie under the torment of poison and suggestion.
Looking past the notebook, Xu Nuan noticed the Tail Rings on her hands. The two Tail Rings were identical except for their size; aside from providing excellent protection for a liquid crystal screen, they had no other special features.
The so-called important objects that only she knew about and could protect were indeed more likely to exist within the Forest of Hatred.
Rubbing her forehead, Xu Nuan closed the notebook and suddenly felt a keen gaze upon her. As she relaxed and pretended to casually look in that direction, she didn’t lock eyes with anyone but saw Yu Yu and He Min engaged in conversation, the unconscious Fan Beibei, and Chi Xiaoming resting against a tree with his eyes closed.
Who among these four was paying such close attention after she took out the notebook? Or was there someone lurking in the jungle behind them?
Convinced that this gaze was not a figment of her imagination, Xu Nuan silently noted this matter and prepared to keep a close watch on these individuals later.
The break time passed quickly, and Gu Ze returned just as everyone was finishing their rest.
He had a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, his breathing slightly hurried. There was some dust on his sleeves and pant hems, leaves clinging to the edges of his trousers, and his shoes were darker around the edges from being wet.
With just a glance, Xu Nuan could see something was off; however, these issues seemed trivial enough for everyone else to overlook.
Xu Nuan would not let it slide. Gu Ze had clearly gone off to do something without telling anyone. Had he acted alone or met someone? Or had he completed a task given to him by his father?
Questions flooded her mind as Xu Nuan remained attentive. She also noticed Xu Hang visibly relaxing upon seeing Gu Ze return; his expression softened as he exchanged a glance with Gu Ze before standing up.
Gu Ze was about to undertake something dangerous; otherwise, the usually composed Xu Hang wouldn't have shown such an expression.
Xu Nuan clenched her fists and then relaxed them, allowing herself to calm down before walking over to Gu Ze's side, silently handing him a bottle of water.
Gu Ze took the water naturally, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and pretending as if nothing had happened as he moved forward.
Such an attitude made it difficult for her to ask anything. If she did, he would likely brush her off casually.
A bitter taste suddenly filled her mouth. Xu Nuan caught a glimpse of Gu Ze's calm demeanor at the back and then looked up at Xu Hang, who was walking ahead, thinking of a way to approach the topic.
Preoccupied with Gu Ze's situation, Xu Nuan didn't notice a few glances from the team directed at her. Although they weren't as eager as before, they were certainly not entirely casual.
In the afternoon, they encountered their first obstacle. It wasn't quite accurate to call it an obstacle; rather, three paths that looked almost identical appeared before them, and they needed to choose one to proceed. In the past, the leader would make such decisions, but Xu Nuan, aware of Gu Ze's subtle identity, knew that he was actually the one deciding their path each time. As someone who had an advantage, Gu Ze wouldn't waste resources when making choices.
This time, they had to follow the rules set by the System: The Minority Obeys the Majority. This meant that neither the captain nor Gu Ze could exert their influence at this moment. To break it down simply, every member of the team was equal and had a say in decisions, while minority opinions were merely discarded in team decision-making. If everyone in a team had similar abilities and no one could sway everyone else, this rule could help foster harmony among members. Conversely, if abilities varied greatly within a team, this rule would only lead to conflict.
Clearly, their current team had members with vastly different skills and resources and differing objectives; thus, using this rule was not feasible.
Yet, they had to adhere to it.
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