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墨書 Inktalez
The name of the Survival Game is always easy to misunderstand. The so-called Love Forest—could it be a test of how deep the feelings are between each group?
At first, Xu Nuan thought the System was joking. She could team up with Gu Ze, and He Min could pair with Yu Yu, but what about the remaining four?
Her gaze fell on the two who were sitting very close together, Xie Huai and Deng Yinyin. After briefly locking eyes with Xie Huai, she quickly looked away. These two could barely form a team, leaving only the last two individuals.
Xu Nuan and Gu Ze exchanged glances at Chi Xiaoming and Xu Hang, who both wore serious expressions. Unsurprisingly, they saw the astonishment in their eyes; clearly, these two had quickly analyzed the upcoming team arrangements as well.
“Are we going to be separated again?” He Min asked, looking somewhat uneasy, her gaze flickering in a way that made it hard to discern her true emotions.
“There’s no other way. The System has decided this; if we don’t comply, we won’t be able to move past this stage,” Yu Yu said, seemingly trying to reassure He Min, though her eyes hurriedly darted over Xu Nuan.
At that moment, while Xu Nuan was scanning the area within a hundred meters for anything unusual, she didn’t notice Yu Yu’s odd behavior. However, Gu Ze, who had become the most unapproachable member of the group, returned Yu Yu’s glance with an enigmatic smile.
Yu Yu visibly froze for a moment before quickly putting on a gentle and refined smile, lightly nodding at Gu Ze before turning her serious attention back to He Min. A closer observation of Yu Yu would reveal that her hand was slightly clenched into a fist, awkwardly hanging by her side, with prominent veins standing out.
The System did not provide much explanation regarding the task, which indicated that this mission was simply about forming teams to complete tasks. What each group would encounter remained their own business.
The group had a brief discussion about team arrangements, but the final outcome matched Xu Nuan's predictions. Xu Hang and Chi Xiaoming's expressions remained grim throughout. Before they parted ways, Deng Yinyin casually remarked,
“Even though it’s called Love Forest, there’s no requirement for couples. There shouldn’t be any couple-specific tasks either, so it doesn’t really matter.”
Deng Yinyin continued to act spoiled, her demeanor still carrying a hint of childishness. However, Xu Nuan no longer viewed Deng Yinyin with naive eyes.
Just as one cannot tell the most fearsome dog by its bark, one can never be sure if those around them wear a mask. The saying "You can know a person’s face but not their heart" holds some truth; she couldn't let her guard down just because she found a sense of security.
Xu Nuan tried to understand the persona Deng Yinyin wanted to project through her words, while the others interpreted Deng Yinyin's statements at face value.
Chi Xiaoming and Xu Hang, already in a sour mood, looked even worse. The two men had yet to exchange any glances, and the lack of communication only made the atmosphere between them more peculiar.
At the same time, Xie Huai's expression darkened as he cast a complex look at Deng Yinyin, who was too engrossed in her surroundings to notice.
Regardless, the groups were formed, and they dispersed in different directions.
As Xu Nuan walked alongside Gu Ze, she deliberately glanced back at He Min and Yu Yu, sighing inwardly at the lost opportunity to observe the two. Perhaps from behind, one could strip away other emotions and facial expressions, revealing the true harmony between them. From her vantage point, it seemed that Yu Yu and He Min were quite distant from each other. Their silhouettes conveyed an awkwardness reminiscent of their unnatural return together from Friendship Forest.
"Don't worry; she's very smart and knows how to handle gains and losses well."
Xu Nuan turned her head with a complex expression, caught off guard by Gu Ze's comment. She looked up in surprise. Gu Ze had made similar remarks before; she had previously thought it was merely He Min behaving appropriately. Now it seemed there was another layer of meaning behind his words.
"What happened between you two?"
Xu Nuan couldn't help but ask. Still, she took a moment to reflect on Gu Ze and He Min's interactions, which had been few and seemingly normal.
"Some things can be seen before they happen."
Gu Ze smirked, unabashedly pulling Xu Nuan closer, a hint of pride in his demeanor as they walked forward. Before long, they arrived at the so-called Five Hundred Meters mark. He glanced around but found nothing unusual.
"So, what did you see that didn't happen?"
Xu Nuan stood to the side with her arms crossed, observing Gu Ze's actions. Meanwhile, Gu Ze diligently searched for the trigger of their so-called Love Path.
"Not yet."
Gu Ze took a moment to look back at Xu Nuan, his eyes filled with the same affection as always. Xu Nuan felt her ears heat up and quickly turned her head away, only to turn back and look at him seriously.
"Stop trying to scare me with that."
Xu Nuan had no intention of blaming him; she understood that since Gu Ze was setting things up, it was best not to complicate matters. There must be a reason he wasn't sharing certain things with her. With this thought in mind, she couldn't directly question him and instead found herself occasionally pondering things before running up to him like a child wanting to show off. This dynamic made her feel a bit shy at times, but it eventually became second nature.
"Who would dare!"
With no one else around, Gu Ze felt increasingly relaxed, presenting the most natural version of himself to Xu Nuan—the most genuine Gu Ze.
Seeing his silly expression, Xu Nuan decided not to press further. She shot him a glare before pretending to be fierce.
"Hurry up; if we keep dawdling, it'll be dark soon."
Gu Ze shrugged innocently and then raised a finger to point at the sky.
"Warm, cough, it should be morning. If you're not thinking about anything, just sleep a bit more. We're not in a hurry."
Xu Nuan's eyes widened, her face flushed.
"Don't think I can't understand what you're saying."
What sounded like a reproach, combined with her red face, turned into a playful pout. Of course, Xu Nuan would never admit it. Just seeing Gu Ze's increasingly mischievous smile made her want to walk over and punch him. However, as soon as she took a step forward, she heard a sound that grew louder, and the ground began to shake.
Gu Ze immediately moved to Xu Nuan's side to protect her. The tremors kicked up a massive cloud of dust, which was particularly noticeable in the jungle. The two instinctively turned their faces away, and when the shaking stopped, the scene before them had not changed much.
Gu Ze and Xu Nuan exchanged glances and then looked straight ahead at the familiar Palm Grove. The area was still covered in grass, with no signs of cracks.
"Did we get it wrong?"
Xu Nuan's voice wavered slightly as she looked around again, confirming they were still in the same place. The scenery remained unchanged, like the three camphor trees clustered to their right front and the lush cluster of flowers behind them.
As Xu Nuan pondered in confusion, Gu Ze had already noticed something amiss.
"Warm, look behind you."
Xu Nuan reflexively turned to look behind her, only to see the familiar scenery again. She felt puzzled.
"Aren't those just the same things as before?"
"Everyone has disappeared."
Gu Ze raised an eyebrow, sensing something was off behind him.
The area was filled with tall trees, their canopies high above, providing a broad view. Given their speed, they should have arrived at a place with mechanisms just like the others. Yet, looking around, the other three groups were nowhere to be seen.
"We've indeed arrived at a completely new place," Gu Ze said as he took Xu Nuan's hand, still in a daze, and casually chose a direction. "Instead of getting caught up in what happened, we might as well just tackle the challenges ahead."
"As for solving the mechanisms, let's leave that to Chi Xiaoming. He prepared so much before entering the game; it would be a waste not to use his skills."
Gu Ze added this lightly, but the so-called preparation was far more complex than a simple statement could convey. As Chi Xiaoming's chosen partner, Gu Ze understood the sacrifices Chi Xiaoming had made. However, if he had been in Chi Xiaoming's position at that time, he wouldn't have made the same choices.
Pushing those thoughts aside, Gu Ze remained calm and exchanged a few words with Xu Nuan, recalling her previous confidence. After following Gu Ze, Xu Nuan felt relieved from having to think about many things. She even believed that even if she simply stood still, Gu Ze would find a way to move her forward. This confidence made her feel both shy and satisfied.
She understood that Gu Ze had not spoken out loud.
If solving the mechanisms was left to Chi Xiaoming and tackling challenges was entrusted to him, then she wouldn’t have to think or exert herself.
As warmth flowed through her heart, it was accompanied by a fragment of truth.
Gu Ze had been avoiding letting her think too much lately; she had become so accustomed to it that she hadn’t noticed the connection.
Not thinking, medication, headaches—was all of this related to her cranium?
Xu Nuan shook her head, knowing that things couldn't be this simple. If it were just a matter of Cranium, Gu Ze wouldn't have hidden it. Perhaps there were things about herself that she hadn't even discovered yet.
After regaining her composure, Xu Nuan looked up at Gu Ze and said, "This direction seems a bit off."
Every time Gu Ze arrived at a Survival Game, he would pause to think about which direction to take. Now that they had entered the mechanism, the scenery may not have changed, but it had indeed transformed. Gu Ze's lack of action indicated that his decision was arbitrary.
"There is no precise direction," Gu Ze replied confidently. "No matter which way we go, we will encounter the same mechanisms and repeat the same tasks."
Xu Nuan gazed deeply at Gu Ze for a moment before suddenly smiling. She stopped questioning and thinking, instead following closely behind Gu Ze.
Now it was Gu Ze who felt unaccustomed to this. He glanced at the smiling Xu Nuan, and as he curled his lips into a smile, gentle words flowed from him.
"What are you laughing at?"
Such simple communication was a rare warmth; there was no need to ponder anything else. This was the unspoken understanding between them at that moment.
"Suddenly, for just a moment, I thought you looked really handsome."
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