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墨書 Inktalez
Escaping from the jaws of death.
Qi Huan felt an immense sense of relief. As a once-popular dancer who had enjoyed the adoration of thousands, she was not accustomed to the solitude that followed her fall from grace. Coming into this game was meant to be a thrill-seeking adventure.
In her youth, she had starred in performances that cost hundreds of thousands to produce. With her exit from the industry, money was no longer a concern, which created a gap between her and the other Second Batch Players. She paid little mind to it, even displaying a hint of superiority at times.
In her younger days, she had indeed been proud and self-satisfied, speaking her mind and offending many along the way. After years of conflict with those she had clashed with, it was surprising that they were the ones to see her off when she finally left the scene. It took her a long time to realize that her injuries were part of a conspiracy; those who smiled at her in public were plotting against her behind her back. She could not dwell on it too much, but in the end, she felt fortunate for having encountered so many people who made life interesting through their arguments.
People who smile in front of you while plotting against you are everywhere. Qi Huan never expected to meet such individuals in the game, nor did she anticipate that He Min would be one of them.
Their previous encounter had been coincidental, and she was not one to gossip unnecessarily; there was no need to make a fuss about it in front of others. She had clearly conveyed this sentiment to He Min but chose to retreat when faced with the person she had encountered.
Retreating did not mean inaction; rather, all her actions needed to align with He Min's. She became more taciturn, fearing that speaking would reveal weaknesses. Yet, despite seeking thrills in the game, she still valued her life greatly. Life seemed vibrant only through constant stimulation. Holding onto this belief, she moved forward step by step while enduring conflicts with He Min.
However, at this moment, she realized that these beliefs were digging a pit for herself. Not only was she failing to find the excitement she sought, but she was also gradually losing sight of who she originally was.
At this very moment, she would pay a painful price for her foolishness. For her, pain meant losing the life that allowed her to pursue excitement.
Never make deals with demons; that elegant He Min, like a violet flower, had already become one.
Qi Huan's death happened in an instant.
Having narrowly escaped from beneath the fallen tree, she jumped toward what appeared to be a safe area. However, the dust kicked up by the tree obscured her vision, leading her straight to He Min's side.
In the chaos, few noticed He Min; Qi Huan included. It wasn't until she collided with He Min that she understood where her unease stemmed from.
After their last confrontation, she chose silence but had mentally replayed everything. As significant changes unfolded around her, one person came to mind—yet in the face of danger, she overlooked them.
This oversight led her directly into harm's way. She thought that by choosing retreat and unconditional cooperation, He Min would spare her; however, as dust swirled around them and revealed He Min's eyes glinting with malice, Qi Huan sensed impending doom but could not evade it.
A sudden gust of wind swept past her head, causing her to stumble forward uncontrollably. The force made it clear that this attack came from a spiked bamboo raft. The raft was large and covered a wide area with its swift approach; at that moment, Qi Huan found herself ensnared by iron chains like a rice dumpling—her danger was immense.
Danger loomed large, yet there remained a slim chance of survival, only for that glimmer of hope to be ruthlessly snuffed out by He Min before her eyes.
"Ahhh!"
He Min's agonized scream sent a wave of dizziness through her, slowing her already faltering movements. However, it was that brief moment of hesitation that allowed He Min to collide with her, propelling her directly toward the oncoming bamboo raft.
Her body was punctured with numerous holes, blood gushing forth, yet her heart remained uninjured for the time being, allowing her to endure the pain just a little longer before facing death.
In those fleeting seconds, she saw He Min's grotesque smile and the self-harming gestures that were merely a facade. How she longed to scream at He Min.
You are a demon.
Do you even realize how ugly you are right now?
What she truly wanted to convey was to Xu Nuan on the other side, everything about He Min and Zhang Xiao. Perhaps this information could help Xu Nuan and Gu Ze avoid the impending crisis. But foolishly, when she encountered Xu Nuan in the swamp, she failed to speak up in time and later made a deal with He Min.
Ha, this is retribution.
Ha, she felt an overwhelming sense of unwillingness.
Qi Huan was dead, never to know what transpired in the outside world. Like a dried fish, he was pinned to the bamboo raft, ultimately crushed as the raft came crashing down.
Almost everyone present heard He Min's piercing cries and the heavy thud of the bamboo raft hitting the ground.
A cloud of dust settled; when it cleared, Xie Huai had already helped Fang Zheng escape a disaster, guiding him toward a nearby bush to evade further attacks.
Xu Hang and Deng Yinyin reacted swiftly, rushing toward the direction of He Min and Qi Huan. What met their eyes was a corpse trapped beneath the bamboo raft and another person who had been slammed against a tree by the raft, slowly descending to the ground after the impact.
Both stood frozen in shock. Just moments ago, they had felt joy at having saved a life; now that joy was overshadowed by the terror of death. How could they still find room for happiness amidst such horror?
Not all efforts yield results; in the face of this grim reality, their struggles felt pale and powerless—ridiculous even.
Despair flickered in the eyes of both individuals, faint yet powerful enough to shatter the confidence they had painstakingly built. Thus, neither of them noticed He Min, who was propped up on one hand with the other covering her mouth, wearing a smug and cool smile.
Xu Nuan opened her eyes to a dense canopy of trees above her. The scant sunlight that filtered through was fragmented by thick dust, casting only a few pitiful rays onto her body.
She blinked in confusion, her mind struggling to catch up. Vague memories surfaced; she recalled being trapped by a mechanism and finally escaping to find Gu Ze, only to be ambushed by Sheng Chao. After being saved by Chi Xiaoming, she found herself in danger once more.
Danger?
A large tree loomed in her mind's eye. She remembered running desperately to avoid a falling tree, yet somehow still getting hit.
Hit?
Xu Nuan remained bewildered. How could she feel fine now? If she were truly injured, she wouldn't have the opportunity to ponder these thoughts. Lying on the ground, she couldn't see anything else around her.
She wiggled her fingers; they felt nimble. Raising her hand, she touched her head and felt a twinge of pain that hindered her thinking. When she checked, her fingers came away damp.
Panicking, she brought her hand closer and saw it was red.
All her confusion vanished in an instant as Xu Nuan bolted upright, finally taking in her surroundings.
All around her were fallen trees, scattered haphazardly. The trees in this jungle were tall and sturdy; their collapse had blocked her view, leaving her unable to discern her situation or hear anything clearly—likely due to the impact with the ground.
Her gaze drifted forward and froze.
Her left leg was pinned beneath a thick fallen tree. She couldn't tell if it was pressing on a nerve or if her leg had gone numb; either way, she felt no sensation or pain at all. This led her to question whether she had truly been struck by the tree.
"What’s going on?"
Xu Nuan struggled to accept this reality. The medical facilities within the game were notoriously inadequate; even a minor injury could lead to significant complications. What about being crushed by a tree that left her leg without feeling?
She tried moving her left leg but received no response. Growing anxious, she used both hands to pull at her leg. However, it was firmly trapped under the heavy tree; there was no way for her to free it.
When a person is engulfed in fear, all sorts of thoughts can arise. Whether it’s someone like Deng Yinyin, who easily frightens herself, or someone like Xu Nuan, who has forged a strong will through experience, the instinctive response to a crisis can lead to dark thoughts.
The fear of never being able to walk again quickly overwhelmed Xu Nuan's mind, and cracks began to appear in her expression, her eyes reflecting a sense of impending collapse.
"Ze? Gu Ze!"
She instinctively called out Gu Ze's name but received no response. This only intensified her fear—she couldn’t walk, and what if something had happened to Gu Ze? These thoughts spiraled through her mind as she crawled to the tree nearby, desperately pushing against its trunk, but the tree remained unmoved.
In that moment of panic, she even entertained the thought of cutting off her own leg to find Gu Ze. She was so frantic that she failed to notice certain details and allowed her imagination to drift toward even worse scenarios.
Did Gu Ze hear Xu Nuan's cries?
No. Although Gu Ze was not far from Xu Nuan, he had already rushed out when he saw the tree fall on her. Not all heroes can save their loved ones at just the right moment; not everything happens as one might expect—everything relies on the harsh reality of the situation.
Earlier, Xu Nuan had been trapped by a mechanism, but there was a flaw in that trap. By sheer luck and determination, she managed to exploit that flaw and escape with only minor injuries.
However, the trap that ensnared Gu Ze was different; it was far more powerful and nearly devoid of weaknesses. Brute force and skill alone would not suffice for anyone to escape from it. In other words, Zhang Xiao wanted Gu Ze dead while ensuring Xu Nuan survived.
Gu Ze was covered in wounds—a situation unprecedented yet undeniably real. He displayed an extraordinary bravery that unleashed untapped potential within him, but he could only barely maintain his current position and could not muster the strength to break free from the trap.
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