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墨書 Inktalez
The sunrise in the jungle was not spectacular; the sun lazily climbed up from the horizon and hung drowsily among the treetops, beginning to emit light and warmth as it always did. Yet, the earth that received this light and warmth was indifferent to the scene around it.
The sun, with its high temperature, was also the most indifferent.
Badly injured, Gu Ze leaned on Xu Nuan as they made their way into the dense forest. Although they could not return to the Temporary Campsite immediately, entering deeper into the jungle would allow them to take advantage of the terrain.
The trees around them grew taller and taller, sunlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves, still lazily sprinkling down onto the thick layer of fallen leaves on the ground.
Their pace was hurried yet slow; they stepped quickly over the accumulated leaves, which were mostly rotten at the bottom, making it easy to slip if they weren't careful.
With hurried steps and anxious expressions, both Xu Nuan and Gu Ze had their own understanding of the current situation. They each made their worst-case plans in their hearts and acted accordingly.
They were in sync, neither revealing their thoughts to the other.
The morning breeze carried a chill that, upon entering the depths of the jungle, was infected by the stifling heat within, stirring emotions within them.
Worry, unease, and fear danced in Xu Nuan's heart, disregarding her feelings entirely. The warmth of Gu Ze's hand seeped through her clothing to her arm and spread along her delicate veins to her heart, causing it to tremble.
The emotions surging within Xu Nuan enveloped her, making her breath unstable.
Consumed by these feelings, Xu Nuan did not realize where she and Gu Ze had walked until she felt compelled to observe her surroundings and was taken aback.
"Where is this?"
The scenery before her was strikingly familiar, like something out of a dream or something someone had once revealed to her through special means. It was this familiarity that had allowed her to survive until now but also attracted many ulterior motives around her.
Xu Nuan was very familiar with this place, so Gu Ze was familiar with it too. After making a certain decision, Xu Nuan had not hidden any information about this matter from Gu Ze.
"Ze, isn't now the best time to use the secret passage?"
Xu Nuan looked up, surprised as she gazed at Gu Ze.
They were currently near the secret passage, a place that was in stark contrast to the Special Tree Supply Station associated with this level. She knew that as long as they followed the corresponding rules to identify different tree species, they would eventually reach the entrance of the secret passage. By performing the required actions at the designated spots, the entrance would open. However, only five people could enter at a time, and once they did, the entrance would immediately seal shut, while the door at the end of the secret passage would open.
This flaw had been deliberately left in the game by Qin Yaojie during a disagreement with Another Founder regarding their philosophies. This flaw became the only lifeline for those designed by the designers and was something Zhang Xiao was determined to obtain.
In fact, Xu Nuan had known from the beginning that those who exited through the secret passage would not receive any rewards. At that time, Zhang Xiao was lying; her intention was merely to pique the interest of other players and repeatedly mention this matter in front of Xu Nuan to trigger her memories.
Unfortunately, not only would those who left through the secret passage receive no rewards, but the final exit of the secret passage was also not the outside world everyone longed for.
The exit was also the entrance. Xu Nuan still remembered when all of them, the Second Batch Players, gathered together and were taken by Game Company representatives to what was called an isolated island. That was where their fates began, and it marked the end of the secret passage.
Qin Yaojie was dead, while Another Founder lived on. This indicated to some extent that Qin Yaojie had lost decisively. Since he had lost decisively, it meant that the secret passage was not an extraordinary existence. Even if five people did manage to leave through it, they would merely return to where they started. Standing at that starting point, if they were captured by surveillance, they could not escape their fated end. If they were lucky enough to escape, they would have preserved their lives and could then turn around to sue Game Company.
Xu Nuan had once thought that this might be why Qin Yaojie left behind the secret passage.
Qin Yaojie knew he was destined to lose, but he hoped someone could bring an end to this game.
In that moment, all sorts of emotions surged within Xu Nuan's heart. After a whirlwind of feelings, she looked at Gu Ze with certainty.
"You deliberately came this way; you have a new plan."
Everyone who held high hopes for the secret passage, including Zhang Xiao, did not understand it as thoroughly as Xu Nuan and Gu Ze did. If those people knew where the end of the secret passage led, would they still be so obsessed with it?
This was their opportunity to destroy Zhang Xiao in one fell swoop.
That plan was being implemented by Gu Ze; it had been disrupted but not completely ended. Feng Feng was a significant asset in this endeavor. Xu Nuan had previously been puzzled about why Gu Ze remained undeterred, but today she finally understood.
For a while, Gu Ze was repeating what Qin Yaojie had done, dismantling every mechanism in his path.
Passive progression and active destruction were two different matters, yet both manifested in the destruction of the mechanisms. Xu Nuan had never noticed the distinction until Gu Ze revealed it to her.
"Tell me."
Gu Ze's silence, the emotions reflected in his eyes, stirred something deep within Xu Nuan. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing them close together.
This was undoubtedly a plan fraught with danger; otherwise, Gu Ze wouldn't have worn such an expression. Yet, she had already made up her mind—whatever Gu Ze decided to do, even if it meant walking through fire or facing Inferno, she would willingly follow.
Willingness needed to be proven through action.
Time passed quickly; the sun barely shifted in the sky, yet Xu Nuan's back was already slick with sweat.
She stared at Gu Ze without blinking, his plan echoing in her ears. For a fleeting moment, she forgot to breathe. When she could finally take a breath again, the oxygen felt so thin that it made her heart ache.
"Alright, I don't know anymore."
Sweat trickled down her back and pooled at her chin before falling away. The more she understood how risky this was, the more willing she became.
This was what she had longed for—a relationship where there were no reservations and complete trust. She needed to express this willingness through more concrete actions, while Gu Ze had long ago infused all his willingness into every little thing he did daily.
"Be sincere."
Gu Ze looked deeply into Xu Nuan's eyes, and the only words he could muster were these.
Seeing Xu Nuan nod without hesitation and flash a smile he had long desired, he couldn't help but embrace her tightly.
Both of them bore wounds, making it impossible to embrace in such a state, yet those pains perfectly testified to the bond between them.
"Do you remember the rules? You go ahead, and don’t look back."
As Gu Ze released Xu Nuan, she immediately burst into laughter. The mischievous smile on her lips resembled the one Gu Ze had seen when they first met on campus.
Gu Ze was filled with mixed emotions, but he understood even more the weight on his shoulders.
Both he and Xu Nuan had entered a high-stakes gamble, wagering their lives. If they won, they would achieve ultimate victory; Zhang Xiao was merely a pawn. If they lost, they would lie in eternal slumber within this game, while the conspiracies would revel in their triumph.
Xu Nuan was fortunate; she no longer had parents. As for Gu Ze, he could only feel remorse for his own parents, yet he would not regret his choice at this moment. After all, when his parents made that initial decision, they had already anticipated today’s events—or perhaps, Gu Ze's two possible outcomes.
Everyone must take responsibility for their actions; no one can escape.
Gu Ze bravely accepted his responsibilities and felt grateful that Xu Nuan stood beside him at this moment.
This feeling was akin to achieving a lifelong accomplishment; it was a lifetime of glory and a tribute to the past.
The two exchanged smiles before parting ways, with Gu Ze leading the way while Xu Nuan walked behind, supporting herself with a cane.
"Success or death," this was their shared resolve.
However, what Gu Ze did not know was that as he boldly walked ahead, Xu Nuan suddenly reached up to touch her face.
How strange it was; it was clearly sunny, yet there seemed to be rain.
A voice echoed in Xu Nuan's heart as waves began to surge in her eyes. Beneath those waves lay a fighting spirit and an unwavering determination.
She and Gu Ze trusted each other and were willing to make this decision. This decision was built on their mutual trust, but at the same time, they were two completely different individuals, each with their own thoughts and genuine choices.
Xu Nuan raised her gaze towards Gu Ze in front of her and smiled lightly.
This man had saved her so many times; it seemed she had never repaid him even once. Would there be opportunities to do so in the future?
Well, there should be.
Xu Nuan asked and answered herself in her heart.
The arrangement patterns of different tree species were actually quite difficult to remember, such as how many trees of a certain type appeared every few trees as one moved forward. No matter how complex the pattern was, after repeatedly appearing in her dreams, Xu Nuan could not forget it.
As for Gu Ze, he only needed to hear something once to remember it clearly. He was very confident and would not even doubt that his memory could be wrong.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the low bushes below. The light spots danced with the wind like musical notes, tirelessly moving; when their gaze touched those spots, it seemed they could hear a song ringing in their ears.
And this was not just an illusion for the two of them.
Hearing a song in the dense forest was one of the features of the secret passageway.
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