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墨書 Inktalez
The first batch of players consisted of zero individuals, leaving only An Liran and the yet unidentified Another Founder.
In the second batch, there were five players remaining: Xu Nuan, Liu Minghong, Chi Xiaoming, He Min, Fang Zheng, Yu Le Yu, Melolo, Cen Jin, Xue Dingping, and Lei Lei, totaling ten individuals.
The third batch had five players still alive: Gu Ze, Xu Hang, and Deng Yinyin.
A total of fifty people had been recorded as entering the game, but now only fifteen remained.
Among these fifteen, Cen Jin, Xue Dingping, and Lei Lei had yet to make an appearance, their fates uncertain and barely counted among the survivors.
Life in this game was the most inexpensive commodity.
The deaths of Xie Huai and Zhang Xiao had a subtle impact.
Deng Yinyin, who had once looked down on Xie Huai and considered him cowardly and greedy for life, unexpectedly fell silent and ceased her ruckus.
She had once despised Xie Huai the most but was often oblivious to his efforts to please her due to the presence of the outstanding Gu Ze.
Scenes flashed before her eyes of that weak man trying desperately to protect her at all costs.
The greatest pain in life is not losing what one has gained or never having it at all; rather, it is when one has the chance to gain something but lets it slip away due to their own stubbornness, allowing that opportunity to drift away with the cold wind, never to return.
This complex and indescribable feeling left Deng Yinyin in silence. Although her unusual behavior caught the attention of a few, it did not cause any significant stir.
Ultimately, it was the third batch of players who held deep feelings for Xie Huai. The two survivors from that group, Gu Ze and Xu Hang, despite being shocked, would not show their emotions outwardly.
Another individual who had died was Zhang Xiao. His impact was greater than that of Xie Huai. Whether it was Chi Xiaoming and Liu Minghong, whose expressions had relaxed somewhat; Fang Zheng, whose face had taken on a strange hue; or He Min, whose expression remained blank while storms brewed in his eyes—they each expressed their concern over Zhang Xiao's death in their own ways.
The impact of the deaths of two individuals lingered on the surface and within their hearts, yet the Survival Game had to continue.
Deng Yinyin was unusually unconcerned about the secret passage, and He Min had also lost interest in it. Fang Zheng, even if he thought Gu Ze had misspoken, knew that following the main group was a safer bet at this moment. The team, still united in appearance but distant in spirit, pressed on through the Forest of Hatred. With no disturbances from others and the System conveniently refraining from launching any attacks, they quickly found the Special Tree. After walking for a while along those vividly colored trees, they arrived at the Supply Station.
The atmosphere at the Supply Station remained oppressive. Those who were closer exchanged glances silently, while others avoided eye contact altogether, turning their backs to one another and engrossed in their own tasks.
Xu Nuan was also at a loss for words. She felt a stir within her but could not articulate it. Among those who entered the game alongside her and Xie Huai was Gu Ze and his group. At that moment, she felt unable to insert herself into their midst and could only quietly stay by Gu Ze's side, offering support through her presence.
The Supply Station was still adorned with many paintings. From the living room to the lounge and into the Storage Room, those pristine white walls displayed artworks that could reflect one's innermost feelings. Just a few lingering glances at them, combined with the drugs wafting through the air, would lead one into a deep slumber.
Players who fell into this sleep would eventually be transported by those controlling the game to that level's Supply Station in a special manner. When they awoke, everything seemed unchanged.
This was the 'magic' of the Supply Station, which Qin Yaojie had briefly mentioned in his notes, and Xu Nuan along with Gu Ze had experienced firsthand.
This secret was discovered during the timid wilderness level; however, discovery did not equate to action.
Xu Nuan had previously looked forward to uncovering the secrets of the Supply Station so she could send Gu Ze out. But after learning its secrets, she realized she had been too naive. Following a conflict with Gu Ze, during their reconciliation, she learned about his mission in the game and thus stopped fixating on the Supply Station.
Yet when her mood soured and she encountered those gloomy or hazy rain paintings or images of a red umbrella against a gray backdrop again, she couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia.
She lamented whether things might have turned out differently if she had managed to decipher the tricks of the Supply Station sooner and sent Xie Huai and Deng Yinyin out earlier—perhaps today’s events would not have unfolded as they did, and perhaps she wouldn't have faced so many conflicts with Deng Yinyin.
Unfortunately, she found herself powerless against the Supply Station.
Even though she understood how it operated, Xu Nuan could not remove those paintings; behind each artwork lay mechanisms. If she attempted to take one down, it would trigger those mechanisms, endangering even more people in the process.
She had thought about reminding others not to look at those paintings, but in the end, she realized that even the Flower Board, the floor, and the patterns on the walls had the same effect as the paintings. She had no choice but to give up.
It hinted that this realm was not something an ordinary person like her could involve herself in.
Moreover, there were drugs flowing in the air of the Supply Station. These drugs were used in conjunction with those paintings and played a crucial role in the operation of the Supply Station. They were also something Xu Nuan found impossible to contend with.
After all, she couldn't just let everyone hold their breath in the Supply Station.
Xu Nuan sighed, realizing her hands were icy cold. She moved her fingertips, and in the next moment, someone grasped her hand. Warmth spread from her fingertips all the way to her heart. Without needing to turn her head, Xu Nuan smiled quietly.
Initially, it was under Gu Ze's explanation that she had given up on the secrets of the Supply Station.
Who were those people who came up from underground? How were they transported? In the game, who was actually controlling the basic operations?
There were many issues arising from the Supply Station, but answers could only be obtained outside of the game.
Wherever one is, one must deal with what is at hand.
She and a few others, including Gu Ze, were still trapped in the game, each bearing their own responsibilities and unable to aim too high.
After the Forest of Hatred came the caves of Safe. As soon as Xu Nuan and her companions left the Supply Station, they found themselves in a dark area. Surrounding them were towering stone peaks that intersected with one another, blocking out all sunlight and bringing darkness and dampness.
Dampness was what Xu Nuan feared most at that moment. To avoid leaving any aftereffects, she needed to minimize contact with moisture while her leg was still injured.
Gu Ze had wrapped a lot of cotton around her leg to provide warmth, but staying here for too long didn’t help much. Xu Nuan felt coldness rushing toward her left leg, creeping up along it and making her heart feel chilly as well, occasionally causing sharp pains.
They had walked along the dark stone peaks for a long time when an insurmountable high peak appeared before them, its steep slope daunting. At the base of the peak was an entrance to a cave.
With no other choice, they collected their thoughts and entered in single file, then descended step by step.
Inside the cave, there was little light. Fortunately, they had brought many flashlights and batteries based on the name of the next challenge, and now they relied on the flashlights to illuminate their path.
The beam of the flashlight was straight, leaving many corners unlit. In those dim corners lurked jagged rocks and some venomous creatures that preferred to hide in the shadows.
Danger was everywhere; this was the essence of the game.
The group's emotions were increasingly varied in expression.
Xu Nuan and Gu Ze naturally supported each other. Although Xu Hang did not care for Deng Yinyin as he usually did, he found himself needing to look after her at this moment, especially since Deng Yinyin seemed lost in her thoughts, clearly still trapped in the grief of Xie Huai's death.
Deng Yinyin had been engulfed in her emotions the longest, something no one had anticipated. It was only after losing him that she realized his worth; it was too late now, and she would have to pay for her truth with continuous losses in this game.
Liu Minghong had nearly perished due to a triggered hint but was saved at a critical moment by medicine left behind by Feng Feng. His body was generally strong, and after half a day, he could walk freely again. However, to be safe, Chi Xiaoming stayed close behind Liu Minghong at Gu Ze's suggestion.
Fang Zheng's complexion returned to a gloomy state; his eyes resembled the deep green of a swamp—dense and murky—making it difficult to discern his emotions. This contrasted sharply with He Min's dull eyes that absorbed all light.
After traveling a distance within the cave, the sound of dripping water became distinctly clear, followed closely by the chirping of insects, rising and falling in succession.
The group's mood fluctuated with these sounds, overall remaining low.
Before long, a glimmer of light appeared in the deep passage ahead. The light resembled the last hope before death, invigorating them and compelling them to rush toward it without hesitation.
They were heading towards the light, which was a necessary path they had predetermined. Xu Nuan and the others did not doubt their direction as they moved forward.
However, despite the light being right there, their progress seemed stagnant. The glimmer of hope beckoned them from an unchanging distance, its wide grin revealing mockery.
Such a scene easily stirred anxiety within people. As they walked, they became less cautious than before, and it was only natural that someone would fall into danger.
"Ah!"
The first to cry out was Fang Zheng, who had been walking at the edge, separated from the group by a distance. Because of this distance, Xu Hang and the others were unable to reach him in time as he fell.
Fang Zheng only managed to shout that one word. When Xu Nuan hurriedly shone her flashlight in his direction, it was already silent.
Panic surged within her, and she lifted her foot to rush over, but was stopped by the quick-witted Gu Ze.
"Wait!"
Gu Ze's expression turned serious, his gaze sharp. He quickly pulled Xu Nuan back and signaled to Chi Xiaoming and Xu Hang. The two immediately moved closer to where Fang Zheng had fallen, isolating the others from the area.
Only Well-Meaning Person could discern that they were discreetly protecting what was left of the scene. As for why Gu Ze acted this way, that was something only he understood. Xu Hang and Chi Xiaoming instinctively followed his lead due to their unspoken understanding.
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