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墨書 Inktalez
Regardless of whether the Xiong Qilin team could survive, Xu Nuan was beginning to doubt if her own team could make it through.
It was a fact that Chi Xiaoming's group had already obtained six statues, and they only needed four. The key now was how to take two statues from them. Of course, Xu Nuan was eager for Gu Ze to join her in reclaiming the four statues, but Gu Ze had been quietly observing those people, while they were also silently watching the two of them, an invisible tension crackling in the air.
Xu Nuan, who rarely interacted with others in the game, began to carefully consider her words, trying to use persuasion and incentives to obtain those two statues. As she pondered, she discreetly observed the four individuals who were temporarily out of reach behind a thicket of trees.
At this moment, dawn was breaking, the moonlight was faint, and the sunlight weak. The forest was shrouded in a light mist, making the surroundings somewhat hazy, while the figures across from her became increasingly clear.
The first person Xu Nuan noticed was a tall man with a charming smile at the corner of his lips—Yu Yu, who had left his girlfriend for money. When she first entered the game, she hadn’t paid much attention to him, but now that she looked closely, he clearly resembled a smiling tiger. He had previously taken statues from Xu Hang and his group; she hadn’t forgotten that.
Then there was Zhang Hui, who appeared very honest and simple, much like the hardworking individuals she saw in the city. However, unlike those ordinary workers living in peaceful times, this man—once an ordinary taxi driver—had a glint of desire and calculation in his eyes.
Among these four individuals was also a stunning beauty named Fan Beibei. She had an excellent figure and beautiful face that could rival the deceased Rao Tingxue. However, they were different in some ways. Rao Tingxue was an arrogant woman with ample resources; her gaze was confident and assured. In contrast, Fan Beibei had some resources but often displayed a longing in her eyes that would dart away, accompanied by an unnatural smile that made her seem somewhat timid.
Among these people, the one with the least presence was Chi Xiaoming. He seemed like an outstanding individual at first glance but was easily overlooked by everyone. Yet it was this seemingly insignificant person that Xu Nuan paid special attention to.
This surname was quite rare, and given what this man had said before—whether intentionally or not—her suspicions were nearly confirmed. Perhaps she could leverage this point to demand those two statues.
In Xu Nuan's view, Chi Xiaoming's team was the most intelligent and cunning group she had encountered so far; their wisdom was a part of their strength and far surpassed those who only relied on brute force.
“Tsk, boring. Let’s just leave,” Fan Beibei broke the silence between the two teams. However, only Yu Yu reacted to her words; their eye contact revealed an unspoken understanding.
Following Fan Beibei’s statement was Gu Ze’s voice directed at Xu Nuan.
“Do you want six statues or four?”
Was it really appropriate for such a gentle face to utter such domineering words?
Xu Nuan was taken aback. Having thought she had a clear understanding of the power dynamics between them, she initially believed Gu Ze was joking. However, upon seeing the seriousness in Gu Ze's eyes, she quickly realized he was speaking the truth—he genuinely believed he could snatch the statue from those few people.
"Then..."
Thinking that Gu Ze was indeed serious, Xu Nuan was ready to respond accordingly. But before she could finish her sentence, Fan Beibei, who had been insisting on leaving, interjected.
"You really know how to talk. Six or four? Do you think you and a woman who looks weak can defeat the four of us?"
Although Fan Beibei had an elegant demeanor and an attractive figure, as soon as she spoke, Xu Nuan felt a flash of recognition that reminded her of Deng Yinyin. Yet, there were many differences between Fan Beibei and Deng Yinyin. The most obvious was the tone; even with such confrontational words, Fan Beibei's voice remained soft and slightly playful, almost like she was teasing Gu Ze. In contrast, Deng Yinyin—well, her voice was just too loud.
However, realizing that Fan Beibei's words sounded somewhat flirtatious directed at Gu Ze made Xu Nuan feel a pang of discomfort. Her gaze towards Fan Beibei turned unfriendly.
"A woman without strength?"
Xu Nuan scoffed.
"I wouldn't mind having a one-on-one match. How about we wager a statue?"
"Huh?"
Fan Beibei instantly shifted her attention away from Gu Ze and looked at Xu Nuan through a thicket of trees, scanning her up and down with disdain and shaking her head in disappointment.
"Flat."
Xu Nuan swore she understood what that meant, but she felt it would be more effective for Gu Ze to prove himself through action rather than words.
"Six is fine by me; the remaining two can be tossed into the sea like stones. We can even see who can throw them farther."
Gu Ze smiled. It was the first time he had seen Xu Nuan so spirited. However, Xu Nuan was right; six was not too many considering what those two teams had done to them.
When facing Xu Nuan, he smiled, but when looking at Yu Yu and the others, his expression turned cold. Staying in one place for too long was quite boring; it was better to leave quickly.
Xiong Qi, pinned down by the trees, had stopped calling for help. He no longer had the strength to speak and seemed on the verge of passing out. Unfortunately, neither side showed any intention of acknowledging his plight.
Though Gu Ze's words rang true, Xu Nuan found it strange. First, there was Gu Ze's previously displayed strength, and second, why Chi Xiaoming and his group didn’t leave with the statue but instead chose to confront them and waste time.
It felt somewhat deliberate. In that team, whoever was the leader must be the most deliberate.
However, before she could analyze who among them was the leader, Gu Ze suddenly reached out and patted her on the head. Then he dashed to the side, leaping between several fallen trees with remarkable agility until he reached Chi Xiaoming's group.
This was a skill Gu Ze rarely showcased in front of Xu Nuan. Fearing that Gu Ze might be at a disadvantage alone, Xu Nuan hurriedly climbed over the trees, albeit clumsily, and barely made it to Chi Xiaoming's group. At that moment, Gu Ze had already subdued the nearest Zhang Hui, who hadn’t even realized what was happening. Chi Xiaoming, who managed to react just a moment too late, could only watch as Gu Ze restrained Zhang Hui's hands behind his back and pulled him aside.
Zhang Hui became a hostage.
And as long as Gu Ze wished, he could replicate what Xiong Qi had done earlier in front of their team.
But Xu Nuan did not want Gu Ze to do that. She still held onto her previous belief that Gu Ze would eventually return to the city and that his life should be bright without any blemishes. In her eyes, Xu Hang and his group were no different; she didn’t think their team’s lack of willingness to kill was naive or cowardly—she only needed to have that awareness herself.
“Wait.”
Seeing Gu Ze reach for Zhang Hui's neck, Xu Nuan rushed forward to stop him. While doing so, she caught a glimpse of Chi Xiaoming’s group's reactions.
Though Chi Xiaoming had a facial paralysis expression, concern flickered in his eyes just moments ago. Fan Beibei openly displayed her worry on her face, while Yu Yu, who had been smiling all along, remained unfazed.
See? They weren't the only team lacking resolve. No matter how much this game pushed people into desperate situations, some still managed to maintain a pure heart.
As Xu Nuan rushed to Gu Ze and grabbed his hand, she felt something was off; it was warm and sticky. She quietly raised her hand towards herself and saw blood. Instantly, she recalled Gu Ze returning with the statue just as night fell.
Had he been injured then?
Why hadn’t he said anything?
A surge of anger flared up inside her, but the current situation forced Xu Nuan to suppress it. She decided to settle accounts with Gu Ze later. Right now, the most important thing was to prevent him from fighting; what if his wound reopened? What if he got hurt again? His future was bright only if he remained safe—what a fool!
She shot a fierce glare at the bewildered Gu Ze before turning her attention to Chi Xiaoming and the others.
"What do you want? Let him go now!"
Fan Beibei appeared anxious, but with Gu Ze completely holding Zhang Hui hostage, Zhang Hui couldn’t move, and she didn’t dare rush in.
This was quite different from He Min’s past behavior; this woman usually relied on others and wouldn’t dare take charge.
"Calm down, let me say a few words."
Seeing that Gu Ze didn’t refute her, Xu Nuan felt relieved and raised her index finger, trying to signal Fan Beibei to calm down. Only by staying calm could they negotiate.
However, Fan Beibei, who had always been popular, wouldn’t listen to a woman. Just as she was about to argue against Xu Nuan’s words, Yu Yu stepped in to stop her, and Fan Beibei fell silent, obediently standing aside.
Could it be that Yu Yu was the leader?
Xu Nuan had this doubt; if that were the case, her chances of successful negotiation would significantly decrease.
"Who among you is the leader?"
To be on the safe side, she had to ask this question first.
It was Chi Xiaoming, who had always been inconspicuous yet incredibly handsome, who initiated the conversation.
"What are you thinking?" he asked.
Seeing Chi Xiaoming take a few steps forward and look at her with a blank expression, Xu Nuan finally let out a sigh of relief.
"I want to make a deal with you; the decision is in your hands."
Xu Nuan paused and looked directly into Chi Xiaoming's eyes. At that moment, she noticed how much they resembled the eyes of someone she had met before.
"Third Batch of Players."
Finally, Chi Xiaoming showed some emotion; his demeanor darkened significantly, making him far more intimidating than when he was expressionless. However, this confirmed Xu Nuan's suspicions, and she slowly uttered three more words.
"Tang Jingshu."
Now, Chi Xiaoming's expression became even more intriguing, causing his teammates to glance at each other in confusion.
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