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墨書 Inktalez
Only by thoroughly shattering the opponent's confidence can one gain an absolute advantage in subsequent questioning.
In order to extract information about other Players from this unexpected visitor, Xu Nuan acted without hesitation upon discovering the individual. Her decisive action surprised the Outsider, but the more surprised they were, the more flaws they would reveal.
Xu Nuan seized upon every weakness of the Outsider and skillfully brought them down. She firmly believed that only by doing so could she maintain the initiative during their confrontation. This was her thought process, and she acted accordingly.
However, things rarely go as planned. Before Xu Nuan could even take a moment to revel in her swift action, she was stunned by the Outsider's words.
Disappointment.
This feeling stemmed from Xu Nuan's inner turmoil. Due to Chi Xiaoming's style and the collaboration between Chi Xiaoming and Gu Ze, even if Xu Nuan didn't want to admit it, her instincts had begun to categorize Chi Xiaoming as an ally. Therefore, a single statement from the Outsider caused her to waver; she hadn't even had time to assess the truth of those words before being ambushed by the person on the ground.
The sound slicing through the air signified the ferocity of the attack. Xu Nuan instinctively rolled backward just in time for a knife to graze her left cheek.
Xu Nuan hadn't anticipated that the Outsider had another knife. When she had kicked away the Outsider's first weapon, they hadn't rushed to retrieve a second but allowed her to capitalize on her momentum and bring them down. Now, with her momentum gone and caught off guard, the Outsider seized the perfect opportunity.
A tiger's head and a snake's tail.
This was Xu Nuan's assessment of her own actions. She didn't even have a chance to inquire about what was happening behind her with Chi Xiaoming before she found herself forced to retreat under the Outsider's relentless assault.
By the time she steadied herself and positioned her short knife defensively across her chest, the Outsider had already chosen an excellent position.
The man, who was noticeably shorter than Gu Ze and his companions, glanced at Chi Xiaoming. Upon realizing that Chi Xiaoming had no intention of helping, he suddenly smiled—a very formal smile that was quite jarring.
Long before Feng Feng had given her the antidote, Xu Nuan had known that Chi Xiaoming would not assist her. Chi Xiaoming wouldn't help her but was a capable assistant to Gu Ze. This understanding tilted Xu Nuan’s perception against Chi Xiaoming, leading her to let down her guard for a long time. This was in stark contrast to how she treated Feng Feng, yet it was an undeniable fact.
Xu Nuan had been aware of this situation for some time; thus, she never harbored any expectations that Chi Xiaoming would come to her aid at this moment. The individual claiming to be allied with Chi Xiaoming also recognized this fact and became even more reckless in their attacks on Xu Nuan.
Suddenly, Xu Nuan found herself in a difficult predicament—not because her strength had suddenly fallen behind that of the Outsider but because she now had to be wary of Chi Xiaoming while dodging attacks.
Yes, before this, she had trusted Chi Xiaoming for various reasons, but that trust was very fragile. When Outsider shouted like that, she couldn't help but doubt Chi Xiaoming, leading her to be on guard against him at this moment.
Cattail Marsh was not a suitable place for a fight. The marshy ground made it easy for someone to lose their balance and fall if they exerted too much force. Once down, it could lead to fatal vulnerabilities.
Now it was night, the time when Xu Nuan felt most vulnerable. She had been in the upper hand before, but being interrupted by Outsider had instantly put her at a disadvantage.
The sounds of cattails being sliced echoed around her, mixed with the noise of feet stomping on the ground and splashing in the murky water. Xu Nuan dodged Outsider's attacks with her short knife while keeping a wary eye on the silent Chi Xiaoming, having no energy to analyze the relationship between him and Outsider or his intentions.
After fighting for a while, Xu Nuan regained the upper hand again. After sweeping Outsider's legs and knocking him down, she planned to use the same tactic to subdue him without giving him a chance to escape.
However, Chi Xiaoming was quicker. Just as she lunged toward Outsider, he had already firmly stepped on Outsider's right hand, which Xu Nuan had previously injured, forcing it behind his back.
Xu Nuan suddenly halted her movements, her gaze involuntarily drawn to the hand pinned by Chi Xiaoming. That hand was holding a syringe.
She immediately realized that it contained either anesthetic or a relaxant. From her previous angle of attack, she would not have noticed that hand submerged in the dirty water.
Xu Nuan felt a cold sweat break out as she quickly stepped back a few paces, her gaze flickering between Chi Xiaoming and Outsider. Her expression towards the former was complex, while towards the latter, it was filled with caution.
Chi Xiaoming had no intention of fighting Outsider. After exposing Outsider's purpose, he casually released his foot, allowing the man to scramble back up.
"I—Chi Xiaoming—aren't you being too harsh? You can turn on your own partner?"
Outsider's words gave Xu Nuan a familiar feeling. The tone of complaint sounded like something she had heard long ago; however, the noticeable scar at the corner of this man's eye made it clear that if she had remembered him before, she certainly wouldn't have forgotten now.
"We are not partners."
Chi Xiaoming's response was always so straightforward. In fact, his arrival had helped Xu Nuan. If he hadn't come, Outsider wouldn't have shouted that line to distract her; instead, his short knife would have been aimed directly at Xu Nuan. In her excited state, she might have been careless and unable to dodge in time.
Xu Nuan saw through the situation clearly, leaving her unsure of how to face Chi Xiaoming. The fragile trust had indeed been shattered, but it was not completely broken yet.
While Xu Nuan was still contemplating, the person wobbled to his feet and began to accuse her.
"Hey, we're all part of the same group of Players. We've been together for over ten days, and you just come in swinging? What’s that about?"
The tone was all too familiar. Xu Nuan spoke the truth while trying to recall where she had seen this person before.
"Should I just stand here and let you ambush me?"
She scrutinized him closely; aside from the scar at the corner of his right eye, there was a gruesome scar running from his lips to his ear. And his hair was far too long, with bangs nearly covering the left side of his face.
The Outsider continued to grumble, seemingly convinced that this whole situation was Xu Nuan's fault. However, upon seeing Chi Xiaoming standing quietly nearby, he ceased his complaints and instead focused on recalling where she had encountered this individual.
Just as the atmosphere began to turn strange, Chi Xiaoming quietly interjected.
"He is Wang Huacheng."
"Wang Huacheng? The bank employee?"
As soon as Chi Xiaoming mentioned Wang Huacheng's name, Xu Nuan remembered him. This recognition stemmed from their early days as Second Batch Players when this bank employee had used his silver tongue to bamboozle a whole group of them. It was this incident that made the previously aloof Xu Nuan remember him.
"I don't see why I should emphasize my identity as a bank employee. We are all Players now! Players!"
Wang Huacheng emphasized the word "Players," his visible eye filled with discontent.
Xu Nuan paid no mind to his feelings and continued to express her own thoughts.
"Wang Huacheng, how did you end up like this?"
In Xu Nuan's faint memories, Wang Huacheng was someone who always styled his hair in a slicked-back manner. According to him, it made him appear refined, sophisticated, and trustworthy. He was also a person with a strong sense of cleanliness and paid great attention to detail. However, after not seeing him for over half a year, she found him disheveled, with long hair and numerous scars on his face. It was no wonder that after their brief scuffle, she had failed to recognize him.
Xu Nuan couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia, but her vigilance remained intact.
"Isn't that obvious? After crawling around the base for half a year, everyone has changed!"
Wang Huacheng was still the same as she remembered—his words laced with meaningless sarcasm. This had become his habitual way of speaking, making him someone easily memorable, even if it was only now that Xu Nuan recognized him.
"Hey, hey, I'm magnanimous enough not to hold it against you."
Wang Huacheng added, then suddenly turned to walk away in the opposite direction.
"Now that we've exchanged pleasantries, I'll be on my way. I hope we have another chance to meet."
The premise of meeting again was still being alive. Could that be considered a blessing?
Xu Nuan chuckled lightly and suddenly took a step forward, grabbing Wang Huacheng's shoulder and executing a shoulder throw.
With that throw, Wang Huacheng found himself lying between Xu Nuan, Chi Xiaoming, and several others who remained in place.
Wang Huacheng could easily tell he was surrounded now. However, being at a disadvantage, he could only laugh awkwardly to divert Xu Nuan's attention.
"I’m Xu Nuan! What are you doing? We’ve already exchanged greetings; you still won’t let me leave? Are you planning to keep me as a guest? You have time; I don’t!"
As Wang Huacheng attempted to slip away in another direction, he found himself pinned in place by a knife thrown by Chi Xiaoming.
Wang Huacheng was completely frozen, not even daring to turn his head, while Xu Nuan slowly began to speak.
"Tsk, your greeting is quite unique. Of course, I want to keep you as a guest."
Wang Huacheng felt like crying. The Xu Nuan he knew was not someone who would use such sarcastic words. Indeed, after half a year apart, had everyone changed?
"Hehe, since you invited me so warmly, I guess I'll stay for a bit, just for a little while, okay?"
Wang Huacheng was the type who would take any opportunity given to him.
However, Xu Nuan was not going to let him off that easily; she wasn't foolish.
"Come on, explain what you meant by that earlier comment. And explain what you're doing here lying in ambush for a sneak attack."
Wang Huacheng suddenly felt like kneeling. After half a year apart, not only had Xu Nuan changed the way she spoke, but her demeanor had also shifted dramatically. It was truly astonishing.
"Did I say anything just now?"
Astonishment aside, Wang Huacheng had never intended to tell Xu Nuan the truth from the start. Seeing Chi Xiaoming remain silent only made him feel more at ease and determined to play along with Xu Nuan.
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