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墨書 Inktalez
I and Fatty did not respond to Xiao Ting. Noticing the change in my expression, Fatty stared at the computer screen for a moment, as if recalling something, and nudged me, saying, "Is it that text game?"
I had no words; my silence was an implicit agreement. I heard Fatty inhale sharply through his teeth, and it seemed he too was struck by the gravity of the situation. It was easy to understand; anyone would fear Xiao Guolin's decision. His arrangements made it clear that he knew there was a possibility he might not return.
If my thoughts were correct, Xiao Guolin had left me a hint to decode a message in one letter, while the other contained the main content. This meant that the information in that letter must be crucial and likely related to his current mission, possibly even classified. Naturally, I wanted to know what it contained; it aligned perfectly with my ongoing investigation and would be immensely helpful.
With Xiao Guolin's previous letter as a clue, decoding this message should pose no challenge. I recalled the instructions from his last letter: every third and second character. I took out a piece of paper and began writing down the first layer of decoded characters by taking every second character from thirteen letters, then based on that, taking every other character. In the end, I had thirteen nonsensical characters on the paper: "The right path is light as I come lightly."
As I filled in these characters sequentially into the password box, I elbowed Fatty lightly. He understood immediately and leaned closer. Our heads completely blocked the screen, preventing Xiao Ting from seeing anything.
I clicked the confirmation button, and a long letter appeared before me. Instead of reading its contents, I quickly transferred this document to another folder on my computer. Halfway through the operation, a prompt appeared: transfer failed. After clicking twice more, I realized the USB drive had been pulled out. Turning around, I saw Xiao Ting holding one hand up, glaring at me.
It turned out she had figured out we were plotting against her and decided to cut off our access by removing the USB drive. While my actions might have been underhanded, they were ultimately for her own good; Xiao Guolin had entrusted me with her care and aimed to keep her from knowing too much information. I certainly couldn't let her walk down that dangerous path. I felt a surge of anger and glared at her sternly.
Fatty wasn't as patient; he glanced back before suddenly standing up and stepping in front of Xiao Ting. He towered over her by more than twenty centimeters, forcing her to look up to meet his gaze. Frankly speaking, when Fatty got angry, his expression was intimidating enough to make even me uneasy.
Xiao Ting looked up at Fatty with a face as pale as paper, biting her lip tightly while her eyes flashed with defiance. At that moment, I imagined there was a fierce leopard lurking within her.
Fatty slowly extended a hand towards Xiao Ting's face and coldly uttered two words: "Hand it over."
His voice was as frigid as ice; I felt like even his breath could freeze upon contact with Xiao Ting's face. The psychological pressure she was under was palpable; her complexion began to turn greenish as if she might break down at any moment and surrender the USB drive for relief. It was cruel; I had to restrain myself to avoid disrupting Fatty's plan. I understood him well—this tactic would work on most people and would easily intimidate Xiao Ting into compliance. However, Xiao Ting's voice soon dispelled that thought.
"No." Her voice was soft but steady and powerful.
Upon hearing this, Fatty's eyes widened even more, and a heavy, beast-like breathing emanated from his nostrils. His expression grew increasingly ferocious, giving the impression that he might pounce at any moment to tear his opponent apart.
I frowned; this expression was too much. It would be troublesome if the girl got scared. I patted Fatty on the shoulder and said, "Don't scare people, behave yourself."
At my words, Fatty's face transformed into a mischievous grin as he shrugged. "Then you come here."
He turned around and plopped down into the chair, pushing off the ground with his feet. The wheeled chair slid across the room with a whoosh.
Xiao Ting's face remained pale, her chest rising and falling violently. She didn't look at Fatty again but fixed her gaze on me, her eyes filled with anger and grievance. My heart ached at the sight; Xiao Guolin had asked me to take care of her. Was I doing the right thing?
A fleeting thought of guilt crossed my mind, but I knew I had to stick to my principles and be resolute. Figuring out how to get her to hand over the USB drive while filtering out the secret information in the letter was quite a puzzle. I maintained a neutral expression as I looked at her, contemplating how to persuade her.
Knowing that this girl was stubborn, using forceful methods would only backfire. It seemed better to employ a coaxing approach. Time could heal wounds and help forget sorrow; if I could just get through this period, things might improve. I quickly thought through my persuasive strategies and wording, deciding that my first priority was to get hold of the USB drive. I had already written down the decryption code for it; if she took it away, she could open the letter herself. I believed she would tell me its contents since Xiao Guolin had left it for me. The problem was that I didn't want her to know what was inside. If there were plans regarding Xiao Guolin's actions in that letter, it could lead her to take reckless risks.
"I know where Xiao Guolin is," I said calmly, pausing deliberately afterward to see Xiao Ting's face flush with excitement as I had anticipated. "Yes, you were right to ask Cao Mingzhe for information; I think only the two of us know where Xiao Guolin is."
In response to Xiao Ting's hopeful gaze, I continued, "That place is very dangerous. Last time, both Xiao Guolin and I went there along with Cao Mingzhe. I can't tell you more specifics. Also, I don't know how many people died that time because I was unconscious and left the system afterward for other reasons. But I can clearly tell you that those who died last time encountered the same thing as those who are missing now."
To dispel her thoughts and increase her sense of fear, I had no choice but to fabricate some details. However, since there were no witnesses to verify my claims, she would have no choice but to believe me.
"What kind of thing?" As soon as my words fell, Xiao Ting eagerly asked.
I pointed at her tightly clenched hand holding the USB drive and stared at her without saying anything further. Her grip was so tight that her knuckles turned white. My gesture immediately made her alert; she tucked both hands behind her back and looked at me suspiciously.
I shook my head. "If I'm not mistaken, Xiao Guolin should have mentioned this in the letter. Since he is willing to go there again, he must be prepared. But I can assure you, this letter does not contain the geographical location he intends to visit; that was our agreement."
I noticed a clear expression of disappointment in Xiao Ting's eyes. I still had a way to deal with a junior student.
"In other words, if you want to find Xiao Guolin, there is no hope without me or Cao Mingzhe to guide you." I delivered the most crucial statement.
As for this weekend? It has been quite confusing. Wishing everyone a pleasant weekend.
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