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墨書 Inktalez
In a person's life, there are countless choices to face, from decisions that could shape their future to something as trivial as what to eat for dinner. Once a choice is made, most of the time there is no turning back.
At this moment, Deng Yinyin was confronted with a significant decision.
She herself was in a state of confusion. After hearing the sudden announcement from the First Batch of Players, Zhao Xi, about a Hidden Level in the forest that could lead them safely past a dangerous river, she excitedly yet bewilderedly dashed into the woods. As she wandered aimlessly, swinging a branch, she suddenly stepped on something hard. Looking down, she saw a metal plate with a handle. Driven by curiosity, she grasped the handle and lifted the plate.
In an instant, she found herself standing in a dark environment. An electronic screen appeared before her, informing her that this was the Hidden Level. There were no tasks to complete; she simply needed to partner with another player to unlock a shortcut to the Supply Station. It also hinted that she could only take one person with her and that the Supply Station contained an Antidote to cure the Water Ghost's poison.
Deng Yinyin couldn't believe her luck; she had stumbled upon the Hidden Level. Just as she was feeling lost, she left that dark space and stood once again on the metal plate. She pressed down her excitement and began to head back. She had to share this good news—she could take one person away from this ever-present danger of the Survival Game.
As dusk approached and thoughts of the Water Ghosts returning filled her mind, Deng Yinyin quickened her pace. However, she still had one lingering question: who should she take with her?
Injured Tang Jingshu? The one she admired, Gu Ze? Her cousin's boyfriend, Xu Hang?
As the sunlight faded and everyone gathered together, they all realized that with nightfall, the Water Ghosts would soon emerge in large numbers, leaving no choice but to abandon the Campsite.
While others busied themselves preparing dinner, Xu Nuan naturally walked over to Zhao Xi and quietly asked, "Where do you usually stay at night? There are just too many Water Ghosts."
"I stay in the trees; it's the safest place," Zhao Xi replied without a hint of gloom over his inability to walk. His voice remained gentle as he pointed to the rope attached to his backpack.
"With this, I can easily climb up," he continued. "I've been practicing for a long time before entering this game. However, those Water Ghosts generally don't bite humans; their goal is simply to drag people into the river as sacrifices. We shouldn't provoke them too much with fire; otherwise, they can easily go into a frenzy, which is even more dangerous."
There was an awkward feeling of being seen through. The six of them had dealt with the water ghost in this way last night. Thinking about it, Zhao Xi had truly spent a long time alone in this level, which only strengthened Xu Nuan's determination to take Zhao Xi out. After entering the game, she had always been a cold and indifferent person, but upon interacting with those related to Qin Yaojie, she transformed back into the vibrant and enthusiastic Xu Nuan she once was.
Was this change good or bad?
Xu Nuan stubbornly chose not to think about the consequences of such differential treatment.
Zhao Xi merely smiled at Xu Nuan, showing no other reaction.
"Let's go prepare dinner; I'll help out too."
However, when they finished dinner too early, with the sun still hanging in the west, Deng Yinyin forcefully pulled Gu Ze to a secluded corner.
Seeing this scene, Xu Nuan felt puzzled. Deng Yinyin had caught up to Gu Ze so quickly; it seemed that Gu Ze wasn't completely indifferent to her after all.
Including the others, everyone developed a delightful misunderstanding about the two, provided they ignored Xie Huai's pale and unsightly face.
However, this delightful misunderstanding dissipated quickly.
Before long, Gu Ze strode back with a mix of joy and seriousness on his face, while Deng Yinyin followed closely behind him, her eyes glistening with tears and her cheeks puffed up in anger.
The group couldn't help but let their imaginations run wild. But as soon as Gu Ze spoke, the pink bubbles that were about to fill the air quickly vanished.
"The trigger for Hidden Level is a metal plate with a handle," Gu Ze said, aware that the sun was setting soon. His speech was rapid yet still clear and organized.
"Deng Yinyin has found a Hidden Level. There's no need to complete the mission; only two people can leave directly to the Supply Station, where there is also an Antidote for the Water Ghost's toxin. Since it will soon be dark and the Water Ghosts will come out, we will search for the Hidden Level again tomorrow. For now, let's have two people leave."
Gu Ze paused after finishing his statement, giving everyone a moment to digest the surprise while completely ignoring Deng Yinyin's dissatisfied gaze and the tears threatening to fall from her eyes.
Seeing that everyone had mostly regained their composure, Gu Ze continued.
"So my suggestion is for Deng Yinyin to take one injured person and leave."
Gu Ze's gaze shifted between the suddenly radiant Tang Jingshu and the calm, smiling Zhao Xi. The former was a colleague and companion over these past few days, while the latter was a stranger who had informed them of the Hidden Level's existence.
After a brief moment of thought, Gu Ze stepped aside slightly, allowing Deng Yinyin to be in full view of everyone, then gathered his words before speaking again.
"It was she who found the Hidden Level; let her decide how to proceed."
Upon hearing this, Xu Nuan glanced at the others across from her, particularly at Tang Jingshu, who was overwhelmed with joy and had completely lost her composure. She then looked at Zhao Xi, who appeared indifferent. Her lips moved slightly, but she couldn't bring herself to speak.
Meanwhile, Deng Yinyin, who had been pouting in dissatisfaction, grabbed Tang Jingshu's arm.
"Of course I'm leaving with Tang Jingshu. We're going to that Hidden Level right now before the Water Ghosts come out again."
Xu Nuan scanned the group; no one opposed this decision. Unable to help herself, she turned to look at Zhao Xi, whose cheerful demeanor stirred a pang of bitterness within her.
"I will find the Hidden Level tomorrow," she said quietly.
The voice was faint, but close enough for Zhao Xi to hear, as well as Gu Ze, who had been paying attention to her all along.
Deng Yinyin and Tang Jingshu picked up their backpacks and marched forward with a bold and spirited demeanor. The others followed suit, eager to explore what the so-called Hidden Level was, hoping it would aid them in their search tomorrow.
The western twilight was fading, and recalling the events of the previous night, Xie Huai wished he could climb a tree and hide right then and there.
Soon, Deng Yinyin led everyone to a seemingly ordinary iron plate that she had discovered, which showed no signs of anything special.
"Is this really the Hidden Level?" Xu Nuan squinted her eyes, scrutinizing the iron plate. She couldn't fathom how this object could possibly lead them out of this predicament.
What she failed to notice was that Zhao Xi, just a few steps away, looked at the iron plate with calmness and a faint smile, completely unfazed by the surprise and curiosity displayed by the others.
For some reason related to Gu Ze, Deng Yinyin seemed to be on edge with everyone. Upon hearing Xu Nuan's question, she rolled her eyes dramatically, her tone sharp.
"Since I found it, how could it not be? You'll see once we leave."
Xu Nuan nodded calmly, her composed demeanor only served to irritate Deng Yinyin further.
"Deng Yinyin, it's getting dark."
Xu Hang intervened before Deng Yinyin could unleash another wave of frustration. He caught a glimpse of Tang Jingshu's pale face and awkward expression and sighed inwardly. The difference in temperament between Deng Yinyin and her cousin Lan Ling was striking.
Xu Hang's stern expression proved effective; Deng Yinyin immediately fell silent. She grabbed Tang Jingshu's hand, and the two stood on the iron plate together.
After a burst of golden light, everyone realized that Deng Yinyin and her companion had vanished, leaving behind only a shallow pit where the iron plate once lay.
Gu Ze cautiously approached and stepped on the ground a few times; it was solid, with no other peculiarities.
Zhao Xi suddenly spoke up.
“They must have been transported to a safe location before heading to the Supply Station. When my companions were still around, I often saw golden light; this is definitely part of the Hidden Level.”
This statement dispelled the doubts and fears that had arisen from Deng Yinyin's sudden disappearance. It also made them marvel at how much advanced technology had been integrated into this Game Base. If it were merely a Survival Game, they would have eagerly participated. Unfortunately, such perfection was never found in reality.
“Alright, let’s climb the trees. Before we do, let’s place some firewood and pour some alcohol around our designated trees to prepare for any sudden situations tonight.”
Gu Ze quickly gathered his thoughts and took advantage of the remaining ten minutes of daylight to make preparations.
Xu Nuan had just thought of this as well, but she prepared supplies for two.
When darkness truly fell and the surroundings were bathed in a red glow, strange sounds began to emerge from the red river below.
A large number of ghastly water ghosts arrived from all directions, drawn by the scent of humans, surrounding the trees where the group sat once again.
Having learned from past experiences, they remained steady atop their high branches while the water ghosts gnawed at the sturdy trunks they had specifically chosen. Occasionally, they glanced toward the firewood or searched for other suitable trees nearby with ropes in hand, ready to swing over if necessary.
This situation persisted until deep into the night. As they noticed that the red sky was partially obscured, they looked up to see a mass of entities resembling elongated insects with human-like faces swirling together in the air, emitting chilling and eerie cries that sounded like screams from hell.
Everyone felt a chill creeping into their hearts as they gazed at these grotesque creatures, as if they were watching a horror movie, and they were the protagonists of that film.
"What are those?"
Xu Nuan habitually asked Zhao Xi, who was perched on a tree not far away. Zhao Xi sat there like an elegant gentleman, making it hard to imagine that his legs were completely immobile.
"I've never seen anything like it," Zhao Xi replied, a look of confusion on his face as he pointed into the air. "But they don't seem to have any offensive capabilities."
Xu Nuan took a closer look; the blue creatures were merely howling in the air, showing no intention of descending. However, they appeared heavy, as if they could fall at any moment.
"Look over there, where did these things come from?"
Xu Hang observed carefully and pointed to a specific spot. Everyone turned to look and fell silent.
These soul-like creatures were emerging from the shallow pit that had appeared after the Hidden Level vanished, and they kept coming in a steady stream.
Xu Nuan was puzzled. If these creatures appeared after activating a Hidden Level, then Zhao Xi should have seen them after his companions left at night. But Zhao Xi hadn’t seen anything. The appearance of these creatures after Deng Yinyin and her companion left—was it because they were part of the Third Batch of Players?
This was yet another distinction of the Third Batch of Players.
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