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墨書 Inktalez
Xu Nuan pondered for a while and came up with a method to determine whether Wu Wu and Another Founder were the same person based on Wu Wu's age.
In truth, she knew little about whether they were the same or different; she had heard Wu Wu's name from Feng Feng, while her knowledge of Another Founder came from fragmented clues pieced together from various sources.
She believed that the current clues still pointed to Feng Feng.
When Xu Nuan asked her question, she felt uncertain, yet she maintained her gaze on Feng Feng, waiting for his response. Chi Xiaoming also looked at Feng Feng, his calm demeanor aligning perfectly with his usual style.
Despite having many questions in his mind at that moment, Feng Feng followed Xu Nuan's lead.
"He's in his fifties. He’s the oldest among us, but in terms of talent, he can't compare to Wang Yiyun. However, he has plenty of experience and has always stayed within the designer team."
Feng Feng was not foolish; he could guess Xu Nuan's intentions from her words.
"I’ve spoken with him a few times. Even before entering the game, I was aware of his identity."
This was essentially a rebuttal to Xu Nuan's 'Li Dai Tao Jiang' hypothesis, clearly indicating that not everyone believed the clues Xu Nuan derived from her so-called secrets were accurate. In the past, no matter what she said, Gu Ze would absolutely trust her, while Xu Hang would be somewhat inclined to believe her. After Chi Xiaoming collaborated with Gu Ze, he too had come to trust her more.
Such a disparity could no longer shake Xu Nuan’s emotions. After everything that had happened and having endured through the ordeal with the antidote, she had become increasingly resilient and much calmer in her thought processes. This calmness was different from before; previously, her rationality was forced upon her during times of isolation or when seeking revenge. Now, her focus was on leaving the game with Gu Ze, comprehensively considering all matters. This kind of calmness would not lead her astray.
"They are not the same person."
A fleeting shadow crossed Xu Nuan's eyes before she spoke with a newfound composure.
"The person I know is about the same age as Zhang Xiao."
At this moment, Xu Nuan looked at Chi Xiaoming. Previously, she and Gu Ze had already discovered that Another Founder was within this game, a fact known to Chi Xiaoming as well. The three of them had analyzed the identities of people within the game, excluding those who were already dead. They had exhausted various methods to gather information about others from different sources.
She felt a twinge of regret at this moment; it was her closest encounter with the truth yet she still hadn’t found it.
Then, she was left with only two thoughts.
One was that she needed to take a step back and could no longer firmly believe that Another Founder was among the First Batch of Players. Although she quickly identified several loopholes, there was nothing she could do about it.
The second thought was that Feng Feng was lying. There were many reasons why Feng Feng might lie, but ultimately it pointed to the fact that either Feng Feng or Wu Wu had to be the founder. Her reasoning was tight and logical, and just moments ago, Chi Xiaoming's sudden excitement also indicated his perspective. This served as a double assurance, leading her to unconsciously lean towards the second thought.
She skillfully concealed this line of thinking while intentionally trying to provoke Chi Xiaoming's suspicion.
From Chi Xiaoming's rarely changing expression, she couldn't tell whether he had wavered, but she still had time to continue observing.
Just then, Feng Feng suddenly spoke in a slightly mocking tone.
"These are just guesses without substantial evidence. If we make random assumptions and end up making the wrong decision later, wouldn't that be counterproductive?"
Xu Nuan felt there was more to this statement, prompting her to take another serious look at Feng Feng. After all, everyone in the game was unpredictable. Initially, she had sensed Feng Feng's presence in Friendship Forest; at that time, she had no idea what role he played and simply thought he meant her no harm. Later, in the Glacier, she also noticed him but didn't dare to confront him then, believing he had no malicious intent. However, when this person stepped out from the shadows into the Openly light, many things were revealed. Perhaps what Feng Feng said before was true; he really was collaborating with Gu Ze and had been taking care of her from the dark while studying her condition. But now that they were in close proximity, that harmlessness had been entirely replaced by calculation. Yet this calculation was so cautious that it made it difficult for her to probe further.
"You have a point; let's put this matter aside for now."
Xu Nuan directly followed Feng Feng's lead and did not stubbornly insist on her viewpoint as she usually would. This caught Chi Xiaoming's attention and revealed a hint of doubt in his gaze—something only a Well-Meaning Person could catch.
The joy of discovering the truth came quickly and faded just as fast. After a moment of excitement, Xu Nuan began to reflect on her own unease. These two individuals were not entirely trustworthy; she should have waited until reuniting with Gu Ze before making such judgments—she had been careless.
Unbeknownst to her, she had already started leaning towards Gu Ze in many matters and began relying on him for various actions in the game. She originally did not want to depend on Gu Ze but found herself unwittingly immersed in it. At this moment, no one knew whether this was good or bad.
As everyone pondered these thoughts, Chi Xiaoming ruthlessly destroyed several other parts of the Central Mechanism. Xu Nuan couldn't understand these actions and could only infer from Chi Xiaoming's slightly relaxed expression that this was beneficial for them.
However, whenever she saw Chi Xiaoming displaying such prowess, Xu Nuan would think of Gu Ze. Previously, Gu Ze had mentioned Chi Xiaoming's impressive skills in this regard; after all, it stemmed from information Chi Xiaoming obtained outside the game. She realized Gu Ze also had intelligence; if that information were utilized properly, Gu Ze should be even more formidable than Chi Xiaoming.
Xu Nuan was completely unaware that this was a childish comparison; her obvious expression left Chi Xiaoming feeling dejected.
"Gu Ze is also quite impressive in this regard; the traps he destroyed are no fewer than mine."
What was meant to be a comforting remark for Xu Nuan did not elicit the response Chi Xiaoming had anticipated.
Xu Nuan's expression darkened slightly, the earlier lightness fading away. Her light-colored eyes turned into a deep sea, and anyone could see her displeasure.
Chi Xiaoming was momentarily confused, unable to understand Xu Nuan's sudden change. However, his nature prevented him from asking further questions. He focused on Xu Nuan, who seemed lost in thought about something. Meanwhile, no one noticed the strange glint that flashed through Feng Feng's eyes.
Although Chi Xiaoming had destroyed the Central Mechanism, the surrounding scenery remained unchanged. Unlike when they had previously split into groups and chaos ensued, or like during the Survival Game when the Special Tree and Supply Station appeared immediately to their delight, nothing of the sort happened now.
As time passed, Xu Nuan began to suspect that Chi Xiaoming had destroyed the wrong Central Mechanism. Yet, in this matter, Chi Xiaoming was unexpectedly resolute, reflecting his inherent pride.
"Impossible. I am certain that was the core of this mechanism."
Seeing Chi Xiaoming's serious expression, Xu Nuan swallowed back the words she had almost spoken.
The three of them walked in silence for a while longer. Eventually, they left behind the Mountain Stream, circled around a large expanse of trees, and arrived at a Cliff.
According to Xu Nuan's knowledge of the geographical layout, this Cliff was where she had previously fallen, as well as where Gu Ze had fallen. However, now that she understood that 'falling' was merely a transition from their current mechanism to Chi Xiaoming's location, she no longer held any hope of finding Gu Ze here.
Sure enough, after searching for a while at the top of the Cliff, they found no traces of blood or signs of struggle. Despite this Cliff having only one wide path flanked by low bushes that offered no cover, and with uneven trees lining both sides of the cliff—if someone fell down, they would surely be scratched by these trees.
Xu Nuan's gaze darkened further as she contemplated Gu Ze's remarkable abilities and the plans he had yet to share with her. She no longer believed that Gu Ze was in grave danger as she once did.
In moments like these, it was even more crucial to remain calm.
Xu Nuan told herself this, and she followed through, which relieved the two who had prepared to persuade her. However, what they truly thought after that sigh of relief remained unknown.
Soon, noon passed, and the three began to feel fatigued. The absence of the Special Tree still placed a certain psychological pressure on them, making their steps heavier.
The atmosphere among the three was overly oppressive. Even though Xu Nuan had mentally prepared herself, she felt uncomfortable, her thoughts lingering on Gu Ze. She still needed to engage in conversation with the other two. Only through communication could she gather information, and a flicker of determination flashed in her eyes once more.
“Trust me this time; let’s go this way!”
“It has to be this way. We’ll find the Supply Station soon; don’t worry too much.”
As they left the Cliff and headed into the denser jungle, Xu Nuan heard a familiar voice. She was somewhat surprised—not because they had indeed escaped that trap, but because it was rare to hear such a mixed tone in a normal jungle setting.
Just then, two figures emerged from a nearby path.
When the two groups faced each other, they froze.
“It’s you?”
Deng Yinyin’s expression became quite complex; it was neither surprise nor displeasure. However, after scanning Xu Nuan and the others with her gaze, she voiced her dissatisfaction.
“Why is it just you? Where are Xu Hang and Gu Ze?”
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