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Chapter 452: The Final Boss
A night passed without incident.
Xu Nuan, like several others, got up while propping her head with her hands. As for An Liran, who was still barely hanging on, everyone pretended not to see his miserable state.
Since the current plan was simply to wait, Xu Nuan and the others no longer needed to consider looking for the Special Tree Supply Station.
The atmosphere between Deng Yinyin and Xu Hang was delicate. Of course, in Xu Nuan's eyes, this was merely Deng Yinyin's one-sided distress; Xu Hang's reaction upon learning the truth was enough to prove his attitude.
Even though they had won once, the meal felt tasteless as everyone harbored their own thoughts. After hastily stuffing some food into her mouth, Xu Nuan temporarily left with Chi Xiaoming to set traps.
The information known by Gu Ze was partially shared between Xu Nuan and Chi Xiaoming. Together, they could barely achieve the effect that Gu Ze would have had on his own, but if Gu Ze were present, their power would be limitless.
Xu Nuan couldn't help but think this way in her mind, feeling both confident and puzzled, unable to settle down. Her unease did not go unnoticed by Chi Xiaoming, who had always been taciturn; he became even more so. However, when facing Xu Nuan, he spoke slightly more than usual.
Their interaction was silent. At this moment, Xu Nuan simply regarded Chi Xiaoming as a companion—one she could trust temporarily.
As they triggered mechanisms and tentatively set traps, it resembled their previous battle against An Liran. However, Xu Nuan considered that there were still three Second Batch Players whose fates were unknown and needed to be accounted for in their combat strategy.
There were certainly flaws in their setup, but it was manageable for now. She thought she could showcase her talents while waiting for Gu Ze's return, but little did she expect that the harsh reality would arrive so soon.
The beasts of the forest suddenly began to stir; birds perched in the trees took flight in droves. The atmosphere of the Killing Forest became tense all at once.
Xu Nuan and Chi Xiaoming exchanged glances, their expressions turning serious as they hurried back. After running about a hundred meters, Chi Xiaoming stopped Xu Nuan.
"I'll go back and take a look. You wait here."
Chi Xiaoming left those words hurriedly, revealing just how anxious he was.
However, at this point, Xu Nuan knew exactly what was on his mind. Their worries and unease erupted alongside the commotion.
"I'm going too!"
Xu Nuan paused for just a moment before immediately following him.
Chi Xiaoming shot her a disapproving glance, but the concern hidden in his eyes went unnoticed. Instead, it prompted a swift response from Xu Nuan.
"I have everything I need! Even if something happens, we can handle it together!"
Whether it was because of Xu Nuan's use of "we" or the fact that they were both thinking along the same lines at that moment, Chi Xiaoming felt a bit of relief wash over him. The fear that had long been suppressed in his heart began to dissipate.
It was time for him to face the conclusion. If someone stood by his side at the end, even if that person merely watched, he would be satisfied.
He had never revealed his feelings on his face, and this moment was no exception. He had to pause and remain silent, which Xu Nuan took as tacit approval of her decision, so she ran forward alongside him.
At this point, there was no longer any possibility for reversal or surprises.
When Xu Nuan and Chi Xiaoming arrived in haste, they saw Cen Jin throwing An Liran against a nearby tree.
An Liran crashed heavily into the tree before rolling down and landing at Xu Nuan's feet, covered in dust.
With just a quick glance, she could tell that the person was already lifeless.
She had little thought about An Liran's death; her concern lay with Deng Yinyin and Xu Hang, who were being restrained by Xue Dingping and Lei Lei.
Both Deng Yinyin and Xu Hang were injured, their faces marked with grief and anger. Liu Minghong lay on the ground, difficult to discern whether he was alive or dead. Xu Nuan scanned the surroundings and noticed several traps, while in the distance, a large section of land had collapsed, taking down the surrounding trees.
So, was this how the final boss made an entrance?
Xu Nuan couldn't muster a smile as she watched Cen Jin return to Deng Yinyin's side, placing a dagger against her neck. She saw the blood begin to seep from the wound, and she struggled to catch her breath. Chi Xiaoming beside her was in no better condition.
"Bring out those who can make decisions."
Xu Nuan reluctantly spoke the words they most wanted to hear, striving to buy time for her side.
"I believe what I hold in my hand is of great importance. Without concrete actions, I seriously doubt your sincerity."
Her palm began to sweat around the Tail Ring she had tightly grasped, the sticky sensation uncomfortable but nothing compared to the turmoil within her heart.
Cen Jin chuckled, his facial fat jiggling along with his laughter.
"Do you think you have the right to negotiate with us now?"
"Whether I do or not isn't for you to decide, is it?"
The moment Xu Nuan had hoped for did not occur, increasing her impatience. Her anxiety and worry surged through her veins like wildfire, prompting her to pull out the chip and draw the dagger, ready to strike.
The three standing opposite her never expected that Xu Nuan would refuse even a few words of negotiation. As they watched the dagger in her hand poised to fall, they quickly called out in protest.
"Wait!"
The burly man, Cen Jin, displayed a look of terror on his face, but Xu Nuan knew it was not fear directed at her.
Deng Yinyin and Xu Hang both let out a sigh of relief. Although Xu Nuan's actions were frightening, her decisive move clearly indicated that she would not abandon them.
No one was willing to fall at this moment. They were at Ninety Level, just a few steps away from success, and only a short time away from living safely. They were unwilling to give up; they wanted to survive.
As usual, Xue Dingping and Lei Lei had taken Deng Yinyin and Xu Nuan hostage, while Cen Jin stepped aside to pull out a strange object and blew into it.
Xu Nuan found it odd, but almost immediately, someone emerged from behind the trees several dozen meters away.
One step, two steps; the figure slowly walked out of the shadows and into the light, coming into Xu Nuan's line of sight.
Chi Xiaoming had never seen this person before and did not understand why Xu Nuan looked so shocked and even indignant. Even Deng Yinyin and Xu Hang, who had seen the person but were facing away, were taken aback by Xu Nuan's expression at that moment.
It seemed as if Xu Nuan was about to leap forward and tear into the person.
“It’s you!”
Xu Nuan's face turned pale, her voice trembling as she took a few steps back, her body strongly expressing her emotions.
“Zhao Xi!”
She nearly shouted those two words, causing Deng Yinyin and Xu Hang to turn in shock to look behind them.
In the misty sky above the dark forest of trees filled with slaughter, amidst the cold tones of the scene, there appeared a figure radiating warmth.
It was still that soft brown hair falling beside the ears, those captivating sword-browed eyes and phoenix-like gaze, along with a smile that seemed to embrace the spring breeze as the corners of the lips slowly curled upward.
"You're not dead?"
Deng Yinyin screamed uncontrollably, at that moment, she was even more agitated than Xu Nuan.
"I'm still here to create miracles for the world; how could I die here?"
A faint smile appeared on Zhao Xi's lips, just as it had when they all first met him. However, those who knew how he designed the game and manipulated the players began to realize that he was a deeply twisted individual, skilled at concealing his sinister nature.
Whether it was deceiving various groups to form a game company or plotting against Qin Yaojie to undermine Xu Nuan, or even manipulating events within the game, this person rarely appeared before everyone but lurked in the shadows like a haunting specter, causing immense suffering.
He was the source of it all, yet at this moment, everyone felt powerless against him.
Xu Nuan's hand trembled as she clutched the chip, while Chi Xiaoming wanted to step forward but hesitated.
In the Beautiful River level, he approached under the guise of being a friend of Qin Yaojie and used Tang Jingshu's injury to make everyone believe he was about to die. He left behind a telescope equipped with a tracker and continued to manipulate various factions after it proved ineffective.
Xu Nuan's lips quivered; any secrets had long shown signs, but people often only realized how much they had missed when the truth finally emerged.
Zhang Xiao had told her that Fengtong Technology was the core company of Rao Group and that Qin Yaojie was qualified to enter the game because he was regarded as the chairman's son-in-law. So why could Zhao Xi, Qin Yaojie's friend, hold an important position there?
He was also a son of the Rao family, being Rao Tingxue's older brother from a different mother.
The notebook left by Qin Yaojie never mentioned Zhao Xi, and none of the designers who were close to Qin Yaojie brought him up when they encountered Xu Nuan. All the designers seemed to have forgotten about him. Of course, she almost forgot about this person she thought was dead.
Ah, so everything had been calculated from the very beginning.
And she had foolishly jumped into this trap.
"I don't have time to reminisce about the past details with you."
Zhao Xi was still smiling, but that gentle smile felt like a knife piercing Xu Nuan's heart.
"Give me the chip, and I will spare their lives."
"Do you think we would believe you?"
Chi Xiaoming interjected before Xu Nuan could respond to Zhao Xi. His mission required him to destroy this game, and one of the side objectives was to ensure that this mastermind could never return to the outside world. He needed to create an opportunity, but reality wasn't offering him one.
"Once you get the chip, you'll have no hesitation in killing all of us."
Chi Xiaoming stated what Zhao Xi would undoubtedly do, causing Deng Yinyin, who had thought there might be a turning point, to tremble. This person who had been scheming against them all was truly formidable and frightening.
"You know my purpose."
Zhao Xi ignored Chi Xiaoming and turned to Xu Nuan.
"The chip in exchange for the lives of all five of you. At the same time, I won't make any moves against you in this round. How does that sound?"
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