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墨書 Inktalez
Xu Nuan, who had her thoughts stirred, did not reveal the turmoil within her heart but instead followed Chi Xiaoming's lead.
"There is a high possibility of that. After all, as you mentioned, Chi Ming is merely a financial backer and not a technical expert. If he were to learn some technical details, it could indeed upset other factions."
"Hah."
Hearing Xu Nuan's words, Chi Xiaoming chuckled lightly. Xu Nuan could not discern the meaning behind his laughter and pretended not to hear it. She knew that the one who spoke first would be at a disadvantage.
"If we can find Chi Ming, the secrets of this game will be unveiled. He is an important figure, provided he doesn't come to harm."
Xu Nuan casually reminded Chi Xiaoming that they were always under surveillance. Even though they were aware that the Game Designer and the game operators were two separate groups, it did not mean that the Mastermind was not simultaneously manipulating both factions. If that were the case, everything they did would fall under the watchful eyes of those in the monitoring room. The Mastermind could always act before them.
Although those in the monitoring room could not directly participate in the game, Xu Nuan understood that there were individuals like Guo Xu, who had been accused of wrongdoing within the game. It was also possible that some Players had originally come for money and had been bought off. These individuals could be easily manipulated; once someone was targeted, their fate could be dire. Wang Yiyun and others served as cautionary tales— the more they sought to find Chi Ming, the more likely he was to meet a tragic end.
Xu Nuan's concerns were not unfounded, and Chi Xiaoming clearly understood this truth as well, falling into silence.
At this moment, Xu Nuan awaited Chi Xiaoming's response with bated breath. He appeared astute yet aloof; she did not want to reveal any flaws in her demeanor. So far, no one had earned her complete trust. The fleeting image of Gu Ze in her mind was merely a coincidence for her.
The two had already walked quite a distance, and every twenty meters there appeared a verification station that served as their markers. Looking at the markings on those stations, Xu Nuan thought that if they had enough time, they might be able to traverse the entire base of this level of the game.
Of course, Xu Nuan had also carefully observed that verification station; it was cleverly designed waterproof equipment resembling what they had seen in various reality game shows. It utilized infrared sensors and was naturally waterproof. However, after scrutinizing it thoroughly without discovering any other mechanisms, she began to wonder what penalties the System imposed on unauthorized personnel or those who entered their names multiple times. Though she was puzzled by this, Xu Nuan was not foolish enough to test it herself; she only hoped others would refrain from making mistakes out of curiosity. The System's punishment could make life unbearable.
As she found nothing unusual and Chi Xiaoming remained silent for too long, Xu Nuan began to drift off in thought—wondering if anything might happen with He Min caught between Yu Yu and Fan Beibei; how Gu Ze and his companions were getting along; how Xie Huai's condition was; whether Xu Hang was struggling; similar thoughts about where the First Batch of Players had gone or what identities and secrets the unencountered First Batch Players held; eventually circling back to consider whether Xie Huai and the Mastermind might be one and the same.
While Xu Nuan's mind wandered through these tangled thoughts, Chi Xiaoming finally spoke up.
"You seem to be the person among our Second Batch Players who has spent the most time with the Third Batch of Players?"
Xu Nuan immediately halted her daydreaming, momentarily stunned as she tried to find flaws in his convoluted statement. Of course, before identifying any inconsistencies, she needed to respond; otherwise, it would raise suspicion.
"Yes, just various coincidences."
Xu Nuan did not believe in fate; however, repeatedly crossing paths with the Third Batch of Players and Gu Ze truly felt like a twist of fate—she only hoped this connection would not turn into a curse in the end.
"This coincidence is quite nice."
Chi Xiaoming commented expressionlessly before asking the question that had been on his mind.
"By the way, do you know what saying is circulating among the Second Batch Players?"
"Uh?"
This question caught Xu Nuan off guard. She hadn't expected Chi Xiaoming to change the topic so suddenly, and for a moment, she couldn't think of a response. She had left the Second Batch Players' group rather early, so there were many things she didn't know and many people she wasn't familiar with.
"What saying? You know I've spent more time with the Third Batch of Players."
"Hah," Chi Xiaoming chuckled lightly, then suddenly turned to look at Xu Nuan seriously, speaking slowly and deliberately.
"It's about how special the Third Batch of Players is in determining whether a Player can successfully clear the game."
In that instant, Xu Nuan recalled what He Min had reminded her back at the Supply Station when Yu Hao had died. The Third Batch of Players indeed had many unique aspects, such as occasionally receiving System prompts. She had once thought that this effect only occurred when all Third Batch Players gathered together, but later realized that this uniqueness was not definitive. Afterward, when they navigated through Survival Games without any large creatures, the System prompts became scarce, and she had overlooked this matter.
In that fleeting moment, Xu Nuan thought of many things and belatedly realized she shouldn't have been dazed for so long; otherwise, Chi Xiaoming would see through her.
Sure enough, after observing her for just a few seconds, Chi Xiaoming understood.
"It seems you do know this saying, and you've observed it carefully."
Xu Nuan was momentarily speechless, unsure of what to say. The Third Batch of Players was indeed special, but she didn't know whether this uniqueness was good or bad. Therefore, she hesitated to share those details with others; what if it revealed something harmful to Gu Ze and the others?
Xu Nuan's hesitation once again confirmed Chi Xiaoming's thoughts. However, he did not press further but appeared deep in thought.
Seeing the sharp glint that flashed in Chi Xiaoming's eyes made Xu Nuan wish he would ask for more details so she could gauge his thoughts and find a way to deflect. Now, with Chi Xiaoming revealing nothing and hiding all his thoughts behind that expressionless face, she felt extremely uneasy.
Harmful to Gu Ze... and the others?
Xu Nuan's heart raced with anxiety, regret flooding her emotions. There were only a few things she longed for, all unrelated to herself, except for one that involved Gu Ze. That day had yet to arrive, and she did not want to see him in trouble.
She prided herself on being rational, yet here she was, falling apart over this one matter, which Chi Xiaoming had noticed. Xu Nuan felt her irritation rising again as she glanced at Chi Xiaoming with mild impatience before taking a few steps forward; she needed to do something to remedy the situation.
However, she had barely moved when Chi Xiaoming stopped her. His expression was serious as he scanned the surroundings before his gaze fixed on a particular spot.
Xu Nuan suppressed her growing agitation and followed his line of sight but saw nothing unusual. She took a moment to focus and listen closely to the sounds around them. The rain drowned out many noises, but if she concentrated, she could still hear other sounds mingling with the rain.
"Is someone calling for help?" she asked uncertainly, looking at Chi Xiaoming.
Chi Xiaoming nodded gravely but did not move, blocking Xu Nuan from rushing toward the sound.
"What’s wrong? Someone is calling for help!" Xu Nuan exclaimed, urgency creeping into her voice.
Chi Xiaoming remained unmoved, his demeanor calm and serious. "I know someone is calling for help, but we shouldn't act rashly until we understand the situation."
Still caught up in her earlier emotions, Xu Nuan froze and murmured, "What do you mean?"
Chi Xiaoming shot her a cold glance, his tone devoid of warmth. "Have you suddenly become foolish?"
"We don’t know if it’s an animal or a human causing harm. We have no idea about their strength or whether we can escape unharmed; therefore, we shouldn’t take risks. And what if someone is lying in wait? I thought you were good at assessing situations; I didn’t expect you to be so naive."
A chill ran through Xu Nuan; it felt as if her blood had turned to ice. It wasn’t just Chi Xiaoming's sudden disapproval that unsettled her but his approach. Ha! She had indeed been deceiving herself all along; this was the most reasonable way to handle things—the very method she often preached about—but her hands and feet seemed to act against their master’s will.
As she stood still, Chi Xiaoming's cold voice echoed again.
"Only those of value can survive in this game. You'd better remember that. And one more thing, I only cooperate with wise individuals, and it seems your captain fits that criterion."
Xu Nuan was at a loss for how to react.
After they heard the cries for help but hesitated to move, the person in distress rushed into their line of sight—someone familiar to Xu Nuan.
"Zhou Long?"
Xu Nuan stared in shock at the man a hundred meters away. Zhou Long was covered in wounds, with signs of having been mauled by a beast. His abdomen had a large gash, and a significant chunk of flesh had been torn from one leg, exposing white bone. Blood flowed continuously, and Zhou Long's face had taken on a pallid hue—the color of impending death.
Regret washed over Xu Nuan as she sprinted toward Zhou Long, hoping to save him. She heard Chi Xiaoming growl behind her.
"Foolish!"
Just as she was about to reach Zhou Long, a massive Crimson Fox lunged out from the side. With its sharp claws and teeth, Xu Nuan rolled to evade the first attack. The Crimson Fox, now more interested in the bleeding Zhou Long, turned its attention back to him.
At that moment, Zhou Long had no strength left to resist; he lay on the ground like a rag doll, exposed to the rain and the imminent threat of the Crimson Fox.
Xu Nuan refused to let the Crimson Fox deliver a fatal blow to Zhou Long. Without even standing up, she dove onto the ground and quickly grabbed one of the Crimson Fox's legs, using all her strength to throw it aside. To her surprise, this seemingly frail woman managed to hurl the creature into the freshwater marsh.
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