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"Warm, could you explain? Everyone is quite confused."
As the group avoided the Green-Haired Monsters and resumed their search for the Supply Station along the path by the Special Tree, curiosity about the Widow Butterfly in Gu Ze's glass bottle filled the air. However, what intrigued them even more was why those fire-resistant Green-Haired Monsters suddenly caught fire.
Xu Nuan, who had already changed into her own jacket, frowned slightly, using the motion of patting her arm to mask her pain.
"Let me organize my thoughts."
As she spoke, Xu Nuan's gaze quickly flicked over Gu Ze's expressionless face, suppressing her irritation before slowly explaining.
"I didn't know that Green-Haired Monsters were fireproof, but this type of butterfly is attracted to a certain component found in a specific type of soil and tends to linger there. However, these butterflies have a lot of phosphorus on their wings, along with other components I'm not too familiar with. Just touching the wings can cause a burning sensation, and in severe cases, it can lead to burns."
Xu Nuan paused for a moment and quickly glanced at the slender, fair hand holding the glass bottle before continuing.
"Previously, this type of butterfly left a mark on me, so I have a similar effect as that soil. When I went to collect some soil to attract the butterflies, I mixed in some alcohol. The Green-Haired Monsters are covered in fur, making them easy to ignite."
"I see," Xu Hang nodded thoughtfully. He turned to see Deng Yinyin grimacing due to a shoulder scrape and casually grabbed her backpack.
"Just because they’re fireproof doesn’t mean they can't be burned. We should have just splashed alcohol on them back then."
Rubbing her shoulder, Deng Yinyin retorted with annoyance.
"That would only make them more agitated, and they can dodge too."
Xu Hang shook his head helplessly, choosing not to argue with Deng Yinyin's impulsive remark.
"So, are you keeping this butterfly to deal with the Green-Haired Monster later? But can these few butterflies really handle that many Green-Haired Monsters?"
Tang Jingshu was closest to Gu Ze and observed the butterflies bumping against the glass jar most closely.
"It should work," Xu Nuan said, noticing He Min's slight struggle and reaching out to support her.
"This type of butterfly instinctively attracts its companions. Once released, it can draw in a whole swarm."
"That's good to hear."
Noticing that Xu Nuan had a bulging bag hanging from her waist, Tang Jingshu decided not to ask about the soil anymore. In her impression, Xu Nuan was always thorough in her work, although she occasionally acted recklessly, which could be alarming.
Meanwhile, Xie Huai, who had lost a game of rock-paper-scissors and was silently carrying a corpse, was now drenched in sweat.
It wasn't exhaustion; despite his frail appearance, he had built up his stamina through this game. It was fear—knowing his own cowardice yet being forced into close contact with a corpse. Xie Huai was currently the one most eager to find the Supply Station.
"Every cloud has a silver lining," He Min's voice was soft, almost like a sigh.
"The fact that you encountered this type of butterfly back then was also a kind of fate, but unfortunately, it comes at a price."
Xu Nuan could only lower her eyes at those words. She disliked the butterfly's mark left on her, but she had yet to figure out how to remove the Butterfly Mark. However, she was also grateful that this mark had attracted the Widow Butterfly. There were both benefits and drawbacks; it was hard to have it all.
Among this group, only Gu Ze remained silent without offering any comments.
Xu Nuan found it strange but could only steal a few glances before giving up. The other party seemed intent on hiding their thoughts; no matter how much she speculated, it would be futile. It was better to let her mind rest.
Though she thought this way, the heavy feeling in her heart did not dissipate even after finding a way to deal with the Green-Haired Monsters.
"Hu."
Xu Nuan let out a heavy sigh and glanced at the expressionless Gu Ze. His presence was so imposing that no one dared to approach him.
Why?
In an instant, as the question surfaced in her mind, Xu Nuan quickly cut off that thought.
Determining the appropriate distance for interaction was quite challenging.
With another sigh, she turned her head to observe the surroundings, unaware of He Min's hesitant expression and the lips that twitched before falling still beside her.
Even the closest relationships could harbor secrets.
Given that the Special Tree was planted along the Mountain Stream, and everyone wanted to avoid encountering those expressionless, grotesque Green-Haired Monsters, they wisely kept their distance from the Special Tree and navigated through the sparse Forest.
In a forest, no matter how sparse, there would still be fallen leaves carpeting the ground, dead branches obstructing paths, shallow pits, and puddles creating obstacles.
In truth, only He Min and Xie Huai regarded these as true hindrances. The former struggled with unstable footing due to her mobility issues, while the latter found it difficult to maintain his balance because of his weight.
Xu Hang gallantly lent a hand to Xie Huai, alleviating some of his discomfort.
Meanwhile, He Min, who only carried a backpack, relied on Xu Nuan for support. This meant that slender Xu Nuan had to stabilize He Min while also carrying a heavy load herself; that added weight was not insignificant.
Moreover, the mark on her body occasionally produced sensations of heat, tingling, and sharp pain that danced across Xu Nuan's skin. Before long, beads of sweat began to form on her forehead.
Even though Xu Nuan had positioned herself closer to provide better protection for He Min instead of lingering at the back of the group, for Gu Ze, walking at the end of the line had become a habit.
As no one paid attention to Widow Butterfly and continued to search for the Supply Station, Gu Ze, who had fallen behind, could take in everyone's expressions. Noticing the awkwardness of the two ahead, he instinctively quickened his pace.
"Give me your backpack."
The calm tone and simple statement momentarily stunned Xu Nuan. While supporting He Min, she turned her head to look at Gu Ze, her face reflecting confusion.
In reality, Xu Nuan was a quick thinker with keen observation skills. Before entering the game, she was a lively and cheerful person. These traits helped her make many friends in college and get along well with her colleagues at work.
Gu Ze was aware of this, which is why he felt both amused and slightly irritated whenever Xu Nuan looked at him in confusion.
Was it because she didn’t care that she couldn’t react?
This thought caused Gu Ze to momentarily lose control of his expression.
A top student, former head of the Human Resources Department at school, and now a key member of the technical team at his company, Gu Ze could also make judgment errors when flustered.
Xu Nuan, lost in her thoughts, only noticed Gu Ze's changing expression without understanding his feelings.
Would someone with a stern face offer help?
This was the question lingering in Xu Nuan's tired mind.
"If you don’t want both of you to fall," Gu Ze added stiffly, his mind still in disarray.
Would someone use threatening words to offer assistance?
Xu Nuan's almond-shaped eyes were almost filled with circles, but she obediently took off her backpack and handed it to Gu Ze. For someone who was usually very independent in the game, this was a compromise.
Gu Ze thought so too, and his heart soared as he slung Xu Nuan's backpack across his chest. The added weight seemed to make him even happier.
Xu Nuan was caught off guard; she was already feeling a bit dazed.
Only He Min, who had been watching their interaction the whole time, guessed what was going on.
When warm and tired, Xu Nuan was slow to react, exuding an aura of "I'm cute and clumsy, come bully me."
So it was likely that Gu Ze was overthinking things, and once Xu Nuan regained her energy, she would insist on being independent again.
She wouldn’t easily accept help or open her heart. In this game, no one knew what would happen in the next moment. Xu Nuan feared carrying the weight of death, which made her steps feel heavy.
It was selfish, yet pitiful, and it made one feel heartbroken.
After much contemplation, a sense of determination appeared in He Min's eyes. This was the first time she had made up her mind since Yu Hao's incident—she who was as fragile as Dodder and gentle as a spring breeze.
Many changes happen in an instant.
The gorge was abundant with water, making the winds blowing from all directions feel cool and refreshing. The sun hung proudly above, casting light that lacked warmth.
Throughout the day, they kept walking. Aside from their encounter with the Green-Haired Monster in the morning, everything had gone smoothly—almost too smoothly to believe.
When a few man-made wooden bridges appeared before them, they realized they were just one step away from overcoming this challenge.
The wooden bridge, soaked from years of being in water, looked somewhat unreliable. The nearby damp cliffs covered in moss also posed a danger. But at that moment, what seemed most dangerous to everyone were the green eggs floating continuously on the surface of the water beneath the bridge.
Several eggs had already developed cracks, and the strange creatures were crawling out one by one, stretching their long hands toward the shore like zombies.
Everyone could hear the sound of saliva from the Green-Haired Monster dripping into the water.
If it weren't for their previous experience, they would not have easily stepped onto the wooden bridge to reach the Supply Station.
But things were different now.
"Wait until they all gather before we splash the soil alcohol and release the butterflies," Xu Hang decisively made the call.
Gu Ze, holding a glass bottle in both hands, walked up to the group. Xu Nuan also unbuckled her waist pouch, took the alcohol from Tang Jingshu, and moved to Gu Ze's side. The others temporarily distanced themselves from the shore at Xu Hang's signal, waiting for the outcome.
To be fair, the appearance of the Green-Haired Monster was not something to admire; staring into its enormous inorganic eyes for too long was genuinely terrifying. Especially since the owner of those eyes wore a chilling smile.
However, after gazing for a while, Xu Nuan inexplicably felt that these Green-Haired Monsters looked somewhat familiar. Now that she thought about it, she had encountered similar water ghosts before.
For Xu Nuan at this moment, familiarity could mean two things: she had seen similar creatures before entering the game or she had encountered similar beings earlier in this level.
Which was it?
Xu Nuan realized her memory was a bit muddled as a thought quickly flashed through her mind, but she couldn't grasp it.
Inspiration often comes and goes in an instant; whether one can catch it depends on luck. In the past, Xu Nuan would have laughed it off, but at this moment, she was very concerned about that fleeting thought.
There was always a lingering feeling that something important had been overlooked.
What could it be?
"Warmth, it's time to scatter the soil."
In a moment of confusion, a voice pulled Xu Nuan back to reality.
The encroaching Green-Haired Monsters were too captivating, and reflexively, Xu Nuan scattered the special soil mixed with alcohol towards them, completely missing Gu Ze's call.
Several Widow Butterflies flew above the Green-Haired Monsters, and within seconds, a swarm of Widow Butterflies arrived at the scene.
Another inferno erupted.
The screams became the background noise as everyone stepped onto the wooden bridge to leave.
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