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墨書 Inktalez
"I am not sure about that."
Gu Ze's expression showed no change. He paused slightly, scanning the faces of the several people around him, and then added leisurely, "However, I have a feeling we will meet him at the Supply Station."
Just as the others had given up searching for Fang Zheng when they were unclear about the main secrets of this Survival Game, at this moment, only He Min, who felt something was very strange, cared about this issue. The others were very practical and did not pursue Gu Ze's words any further.
After all, Gu Ze had only disappeared for a short while and had conveniently cracked the most mysterious aspect of this Survival Game. If he knew where Fang Zheng was as well, wouldn’t he be considered a god?
Gu Ze was not a god; no one would press him on this point without having seen it for themselves.
At the same time, since Gu Ze had directly found and closed the core controlling this mechanism, their path ahead became much smoother. Although the underground passage was dim, there were no other terrifying creatures in sight. The road was rugged but free of obstructive mechanisms. In short, Xu Nuan and her group reached the Supply Station without any hindrance, taking no more than a day.
It was now nighttime, with a bright moon and sparse stars. The group emerged from the underground passage and had barely taken a few steps before they saw the Special Tree, soon arriving at the Supply Station. Many were still in shock and disbelief.
This time, their record-breaking challenge was widely acknowledged to be thanks to Gu Ze; otherwise, as those around them disappeared one by one and their psychological pressure mounted, they could not guarantee they would survive this Survival Game when creatures lurking in the dark surged forward.
Knowing is one thing; taking action is another. Because of Gu Ze's selflessness, many took it for granted. They sighed inwardly but never thought to do anything to repay Gu Ze.
Fortunately, Gu Ze did not mind; Xu Nuan's thoughts had never been focused on this matter either; otherwise, it would have sparked another storm.
Only Xu Nuan and Chi Xiaoming noticed that as they approached the Supply Station, Gu Ze discreetly destroyed the ball in his hand.
Since it was the core of this level, the technology involved was profound and extensive. The quality of the core itself was unquestionable, and both Xu Nuan and Chi Xiaoming understood that Gu Ze possessed the skills to destroy such a core.
Gu Ze was the true nemesis of this game. Compared to Xu Nuan, who was designed for this purpose, and Chi Xiaoming, who had made ample preparations but remained guarded throughout, Gu Ze was truly unexpected and ultimately became Another Founder's final opponent.
Another Founder set up such a grand scheme to indirectly kill so many people simply to monopolize this game. While seeking exclusivity, he also aimed to eliminate all unstable factors and incorporate secret passages left behind by Qin Yaojie—such as game loophole data discovered by Su Zihang—and those Designers who had contributed significantly to this game even more than he had.
That person was selfish and narrow-minded while also being insidious and cunning. Most importantly, he held the initiative, lurking in the shadows while being able to tempt many with money and other incentives.
There was no doubt that the person was difficult to deal with, and Gu Ze was gradually closing the distance on this 'difficulty.'
At this critical moment, they could not afford any mistakes and needed to be extremely cautious.
Thinking of this, Xu Nuan quickly averted her gaze, worried that others might notice her and then pay attention to Gu Ze's actions. As she turned away, her eyes met Chi Xiaoming's, and they both coughed in unison before turning their heads away.
It was in this tense atmosphere that Fang Zheng appeared. He still wore a gloomy expression, looking unfriendly, and the coldness in his eyes made one involuntarily frown. His clothes were not dusty or disheveled; after all, the place where Xu Nuan had fallen was quite similar to where he had landed.
Fang Zheng's demeanor seemed normal to Xu Nuan; she couldn't detect anything amiss. Yet it was precisely because of this normalcy that she felt something was off, though she couldn't pinpoint what it was.
Fang Zheng's return confirmed Gu Ze's earlier words. The others, including Xu Nuan, looked toward Gu Ze. He remained unfazed and simply nodded at Fang Zheng, who did not react much, behaving as usual.
The group was only curious about why Gu Ze's words were so peculiar but did not delve deeper into the matter. No one welcomed or expressed relief at Fang Zheng's return.
This incident passed without further discussion as they filed into the small Supply Station.
They dispersed again—some rested, some replenished food and medicine, some took showers, while others changed bandages and checked wounds.
Upon seeing the mottled and gruesome wounds on the pale skin, Xu Nuan couldn't help but feel a lump in her throat.
The wounds had not fully healed, and due to Gu Ze's earlier actions, more blood had flowed out.
Despite their generous use of medicine over these days to prevent infections, they had no way to address the issue of blood loss.
Gu Ze's complexion grew increasingly pale, which only intensified the ache in Xu Nuan's heart.
As she sprinkled powder on the wounds, she felt pain just from looking at them. Yet the owner of those wounds showed no reaction; her vision suddenly blurred.
Perhaps it was because they were in the Supply Station, considered one of the safest places in the game. People’s hearts could suddenly become fragile here; the strength they prided themselves on crumbled before someone they deeply cared for.
"How could this happen..."
Gu Ze's words hung in the air, unspoken yet understood. He knew Xu Nuan well enough to be moved by her presence. When his cool fingertips brushed against the corner of her eye, he felt a warmth that stirred his heart.
It was a feeling of discontent.
This was an emotion that often tormented him within the game. They were two people deeply in love, having endured so much pain together, transforming the impossible into the possible. Yet, they still could not enjoy the simple pleasures of a normal couple—cherishing their time alone and reveling in their shared world without worry.
They should have been hand in hand, carving out their own space in a bustling city or wandering through streets steeped in ancient charm. They could have explored shopping malls or stood facing the sea.
That was the world that belonged to them as humans. Humanity had transitioned from primitive society to a civilized world, enjoying the fruits of advancing culture and technology while contributing to those achievements.
The original design concept of this game was to return to primitive society. More accurately, it aimed for players to abandon the conveniences brought by civilization and rely on their own abilities to survive in this harsh world. In dire situations, they could only save themselves by tapping into their instincts. This was about pushing one's limits in adversity, transcending oneself, and becoming someone different.
Of course, this was merely an extension of the game's meaning and what Xu Nuan understood about Qin Yaojie’s involvement in its creation. This philosophy starkly contrasted with that of Another Founder, who perhaps initially sought only to create a unique game where pampered humans would have to survive using their own skills.
Comparing these two philosophies reveals which is superior; however, the gap between their abilities widened over time as the game evolved, leading to all subsequent tragedies. Xu Nuan had not participated but had stood by Qin Yaojie during that time.
It was an exceedingly absurd situation.
Now, she loved Gu Ze deeply, and Gu Ze suffered because of it, constantly falling into danger and even being manipulated due to circumstances beyond his control. Such feelings could never be encapsulated in mere words; seeing Gu Ze now must have stirred jealousy and resentment within Qin Yaojie’s heart.
Initially entering the game as one of the First Batch of Players, Qin Yaojie had been systematically dismantling those core mechanisms. Once those mechanisms were broken, the game transformed into a straightforward Survival Game that focused on unlocking human potential rather than mere enjoyment. This behavior facilitated Outsiders and accelerated those lurking in the shadows who sought to harm Qin Yaojie.
When Qin Yaojie died, all Players immediately faced a dire situation.
The person lurking in the shadows must have been pleased at that moment; finding those core mechanisms was incredibly challenging and required extensive intelligence and luck. Even if they were located, no one else possessed the same expertise as Qin Yaojie in destroying them.
Soon enough, that person was proven wrong. Initially, they may not have noticed certain clues, but as time passed and coincidences continued to unfold, it became enough for them to grow wary and gradually trace back to Gu Ze.
Xu Nuan did not care how Gu Ze, an outsider, had acquired such skills; she only felt a deeper concern for his safety after learning about it.
Just like what she encountered in the Forest of Hatred—whether it was Zhang Xiao or Another Founder—they both intended to keep her alive to extract secrets while doing everything possible to harm Gu Ze.
She could not stand by and let this happen; she had to stop it all.
"Don't show that kind of expression."
Xu Nuan made up her mind internally, her movements becoming more determined, yet she heard Gu Ze let out a sigh.
She raised her gaze to look at Gu Ze, staring into a pool of deep affection.
"Trust me, nothing will happen."
How could Xu Nuan not see the determination hidden beneath that affection?
"Okay, I believe you."
She nodded firmly, but her resolve did not waver. Accompanying her determination was a decision. Gu Ze had strength, and she had secrets, while Another Founder’s weakness lay in those secrets.
After the Safe's underground lair, the next challenge was the Survival Game waiting at the Plateau.
Everyone had grown accustomed to this game issuing commands in various environments and placing Players in different terrains. However, six months ago, it was no longer the terrain that determined the difficulty of each Survival Game; it was the traps that could claim lives at any moment and the bizarre rules that came into play.
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