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墨書 Inktalez
When your boyfriend could die in the blink of an eye, how would you feel?
Xu Nuan stood frozen, as if she were trapped in a world of ice and snow, a chill radiating from her core. She even thought that the one who might die in the next second was herself.
Zhang Xiao's posture indicated that he could easily use the weapon meant to kill Wu Yue against Gu Ze. This was what Xu Nuan had feared before, and now it was the only thing Zhang Xiao could rely on.
Gu Ze's face was pale, a stark contrast to his already serious injuries. Even if he managed to injure Zhang Xiao in their confrontation, he would pay an equal price. In comparison, Gu Ze was at an absolute disadvantage.
Because of this disadvantage, Xu Nuan, who had completed part of her mission, also found herself in a precarious position.
Gu Ze looked at Xu Nuan, Xu Nuan looked at Gu Ze, and Zhang Xiao looked at Xu Nuan. The standoff among the three mirrored the quiet of the morning, but beneath it flowed an unbearable tension.
“If you don’t want this to be your last meeting, you’d better cooperate.”
Zhang Xiao's voice slithered like a snake, sticky and chilling as it crawled up Xu Nuan's back.
It had been over half a year since she last saw Zhang Xiao, and she didn’t miss him at all.
She reminded herself of what she needed to do and reluctantly tore her gaze away. Gu Ze couldn’t speak; she knew that. Seeing the man she loved most with his chin dislocated and witnessing the proud man being threatened like this made Xu Nuan feel genuinely distressed.
This distress turned her gaze toward Zhang Xiao with obvious hatred, so clear that it momentarily stunned him.
After recovering from his surprise, Zhang Xiao revealed a familiar cold smile, like a beast eyeing its prey as he looked at Xu Nuan.
“You truly are the most interesting woman. I regret letting you go so easily last time.”
Xu Nuan had no desire to recall her previous confrontation with Zhang Xiao. She feared hearing words that would hurt Gu Ze.
"What are the conditions?"
Zhang Xiao's hand trembled as he held his weapon, sending a chill through Xu Nuan. She worried that he might accidentally lose control. The trembling also revealed that Zhang Xiao was not as composed as he appeared; he was agitated and nervous.
"Tell me how to open the secret passage."
Zhang Xiao spoke with unsettling calmness, a cold smile on his face. His narrow eyes flashed with madness, a hint of red glimmering within them, making him seem unpredictable.
Xu Nuan was at a loss for words. The smile on Zhang Xiao's lips was too piercing, and she dared not look at Gu Ze. She knew Zhang Xiao's words were far from over; he had been planning for the secret passage for a long time and would not show signs of anxiety at this moment.
Sure enough, Zhang Xiao paused briefly before continuing.
"Give me the notebook that Qin Yaojie left for you."
The light remark concealed determination and excitement.
Xu Nuan's heart trembled at Zhang Xiao's emotions. This matter was not part of the plan she had discussed with Gu Ze earlier, and she still avoided looking at him. So, when she unhesitatingly tossed the notebook from her arms to Zhang Xiao, she did not see the surprise and contemplation flickering in Gu Ze's expression.
Not all feelings need to be calculated precisely; not all past relationships leave indelible marks. Everyone has a different attitude toward emotions, which can create conflict while also providing opportunities for mutual understanding.
Zhang Xiao accurately caught the hardbound notebook, opening it with one hand and letting the wind flip its pages.
"He cherished this notebook so much, yet you discarded it like it was nothing. How pitiful his unrequited feelings are!"
Zhang Xiao sighed, seemingly lamenting for Qin Yaojie, but his gaze quickly scanned the symbols on the pages, a flicker of irritation crossing his eyes once more.
The crumpled paper indicated that this notebook had been frequently handled, its contents well-known to someone. How he wished that the person familiar with it was himself.
However, it didn't matter. In that moment of coldness, Zhang Xiao's expression shifted to one of determination, knowing that the person who recorded everything in this notebook was already here. His long wait had not been in vain.
Everything was about to come to an end; there could only be one winner, and that would be him.
Zhang Xiao couldn't help but let out a laugh. But when he noticed the person at whom his weapon was aimed making a slight movement, he immediately shouted nervously at Gu Ze.
"Don't move if you don't want your head blown off!"
Gu Ze remained expressionless, ignoring him entirely, displaying none of the demeanor expected from someone under threat. In that instant, Zhang Xiao thought he had fallen into a trap. He glanced at Gu Ze and then at Xu Nuan, feeling reassured again. Gu Ze's serious injury was not feigned; his stoic demeanor was merely hiding the embarrassment of being saved by a woman. Xu Nuan's genuine worry and anger were evident; it was the reaction he wanted to see. The spark in her eyes, tinted with rage, made him contemplate destroying her.
"Translate this notebook!"
Zhang Xiao threw the notebook back at Xu Nuan, commanding her with an air of authority.
"And write down all the uses of the symbols. No tricks, or you can wait for him to collect the body!"
Zhang Xiao believed he had made a very wise decision. Qin Yaojie had recorded some events using symbols created during his relationship with Xu Nuan, and there was no way she could fabricate a complete set of symbol usages in such a short time.
Given Xu Nuan's current behavior as a stubborn woman, it was clear that Gu Ze held significant importance in her heart. This gave him confidence in his victory. He had kept two last cards: one to intimidate Xu Nuan and another to threaten her. This decision felt undeniably correct.
The few cards he brought into play—whether it was killing Wang Yiyun or luring Ning Han to attract Xu Nuan to where Qin Yaojie was trapped—were executed perfectly. He had indeed not lost to that person; no matter how clever that so-called brother was, he had found the secret passage first and would obtain that crucial item before anyone else—the item held by Xu Nuan, that foolish woman.
Zhang Xiao coldly watched Xu Nuan take out a pen and start writing and drawing on the blank page of her notebook. At that moment, he didn't consider why Xu Nuan, who had come without a bag, had a pen, or how she could translate all the symbols without even glancing back at them.
Of course, Zhang Xiao wouldn't think about such things. He was overwhelmed by a great joy, and his appearance was as cool and thin as his smile. When he smiled now, it carried a hint of malice and coldness, creating a somewhat twisted expression.
His peripheral vision remained on Gu Ze. Noticing that Gu Ze was staring intently at Xu Nuan without blinking, he couldn't help but comment with feigned kindness.
"Women are indeed like needles in the sea. Remember how she threw herself into the game for Qin Yaojie? Now she has unhesitatingly discarded Qin Yaojie's belongings for you. Tsk tsk, such feelings are truly cheap."
Whether in or out of the game, the women standing beside Zhang Xiao did not last long. He was not a man of lasting affection; he would not pause for any woman.
Abandoning the most basic emotions was a means to achieve the same accomplishments as that nominal brother of his. This path was destined to be littered with bones, but he didn't mind; he was determined to succeed.
However, Gu Ze's indifference felt like a reminder to Zhang Xiao that he was a pitiful and sad clown performing a solo act that no one cared to watch.
Zhang Xiao's anger flared as he recalled the injuries Gu Ze had inflicted on him when he had tried to ambush him not long ago. Gu Ze had quickly reacted, dragging his severely injured body into combat with him. Despite having the upper hand, Zhang Xiao had still been wounded in the abdomen and back by Gu Ze. Now, thinking back on those wounds made him feel an intense pain, as if insects were crawling over them and biting.
It was merely an illusion; Zhang Xiao had to admit that he was overly agitated. While provoking Gu Ze, he kept an eye on Xu Nuan's progress.
The silence between the two made Zhang Xiao's expression darken. He considered himself a winner and felt excited about it, yet both of them ignored him—one silently accepting his demands while the other remained indifferent.
Zhang Xiao's left hand still held the weapon, threatening Gu Ze with death, while his right hand was raised high, ready to deliver a punch in retaliation for the wounds Gu Ze had left him.
Gu Ze did not dodge—not because he didn't want to, but because standing was already a struggle for him. As Zhang Xiao's fist came crashing down, a new mark appeared on Gu Ze's face; one of his teeth loosened, and the metallic taste of blood spread in his mouth, causing blood to seep from the corner of his lips.
The commotion was not loud, but it still caught Xu Nuan's attention. She immediately stood up in indignation, no longer the calm and composed person who had made Zhang Xiao doubt her own success.
No one could tolerate seeing their loved one being harmed right in front of them. In Xu Nuan's eyes, no woman should wait for a man to save her; a man should create a space for a woman to thrive.
Perhaps she had once held such thoughts, but they never materialized in a relationship. In this brutal game filled with slaughter, the only way to move forward was to rely on each other.
"Try touching him again!"
Xu Nuan almost instantly raised the notebook in her hand. Her expression was as dark as it could get, yet Rationality did not completely slip away from her grasp.
"I'll tear it up right now."
The latter part of her statement was laced with suppressed emotion. There was a madness in her eyes that rivaled Zhang Xiao's, which left Zhang Xiao momentarily stunned. In the end, she silently lowered her hand, saying nothing.
Those standing on the edge of a cliff are capable of anything. Both Xu Nuan and Zhang Xiao had seen too much.
Zhang Xiao's cooperation prompted Xu Nuan to hasten her translation efforts. Gu Ze stood quietly nearby, seemingly unaffected by his role as a hostage. He ignored the wounds on his body, remaining silent while a storm brewed deep within his eyes.
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