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The conversation between Deng Yinyin and Xu Nuan ended without resolution, and Deng Yinyin looked at Xu Nuan with a gaze that suggested she thought her foolish. She was unwilling to accept that she could lose to someone who didn’t even understand Gu Ze. This thought only fueled her fighting spirit.
Xu Nuan returned to her state of boredom, not knowing what Deng Yinyin had conjured up in her mind. After their conversation ceased, her heart felt unsettled again. Turning to glance at He Min, she found He Min still with her eyes closed, breathing steadily.
With a soft sigh, Xu Nuan withdrew her gaze, focusing intently on the dripping cave entrance.
Outside, it had grown dark; perhaps it was six or seven o'clock, maybe even later. Yet she didn’t feel hungry at all. Completely unaware of what Gu Ze and the others were planning to do outside, she fell into a blank state.
At that moment, footsteps echoed from outside the cave. Even amidst the sound of rain, they were clear and rhythmic.
Xu Nuan remained seated but watched the entrance with increasing intensity. The newcomers were Yu Yu and her companions. As Fan Beibei entered, she cast a disdainful glance around at Xu Nuan and the others before snorting derisively and walking over to sit in a corner.
Deng Yinyin's anger flared up again due to Fan Beibei's behavior, reigniting the frustration Xu Nuan had stirred within her. She rolled up her sleeves and stood up, glaring at Fan Beibei in dissatisfaction. However, before she could say anything, Yu Yu turned and walked toward them, stopping in front of He Min, who seemed to sense her presence and opened her eyes.
"Let's talk."
Yu Yu wore a gentle smile, appearing quite refined. However, after the previous commotion, both Xu Nuan and Deng Yinyin held no fondness for her. Using Deng Yinyin's earlier words to describe Yu Yu would be calling her a hypocrite.
Nevertheless, He Min stood up, intending to go out with Yu Yu.
Xu Nuan quickly reached out to stop her, feeling anxious.
"Amin, it's so dark outside and so late; maybe we shouldn't go out."
In truth, she couldn’t find a solid reason to prevent He Min from leaving, especially after He Min had spoken so openly earlier.
"There's no need to worry."
He Min patted Xu Nuan's hand reassuringly. The cold touch made Xu Nuan frown; she opened her mouth but couldn’t find the words to say anything.
"I know my limits."
He Min's words came out quickly, and she almost impatiently followed Yu Yu outside.
Unable to stop it, Xu Nuan could only sit down again with a complex expression. Beside her, Deng Yinyin muttered.
"Why worry so much? It's a mutual agreement—one wants to hit, the other wants to take it."
Xu Nuan's feelings became even more complicated. She couldn't help but wonder how her friend would feel so wronged in front of Yu Yu, which was why she wanted to keep He Min around.
However, she clearly understood that this was something she couldn't interfere with, just as He Min had not interfered in her own matters with Gu Ze.
The cave suddenly fell silent, and the sound of rain outside became clearer. Time passed second by second, and Deng Yinyin finally couldn't hold back her complaints.
"What are Xu Hang and the others doing? Why haven't they come back yet?"
Xu Nuan ignored her. At this moment, she was worried about Gu Ze and the others, as well as He Min. Her body felt heavy with these thoughts, and the dampness from the rain made her limbs feel stiff.
To pull herself out of such emotions, Xu Nuan decided to wait another half hour. After that, she would go out to look for Gu Ze and then detour to check on Yu Yu and He Min's situation.
After making this decision, Xu Nuan felt much lighter. Thinking of another person who was just as restless as herself, she decided to chat again to pass the time.
But when she turned her head, she saw Zhang Hui sneaking up on Deng Yinyin, raising her hand to deliver a knife-hand strike aimed at knocking Deng Yinyin out.
Xu Nuan hurriedly pulled Deng Yinyin toward her and shouted sharply.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Deng Yinyin was stunned by this sudden turn of events. Before she could regain her senses, she saw Zhang Hui charging at them with a short knife. Fortunately, Xu Nuan pulled her aside just in time, causing Zhang Hui's knife to miss its target. However, Deng Yinyin's head collided with the wall, scraping dirt all over herself. Thanks to that bump, she regained her clarity and ran back with Xu Nuan, pointing at the expressionless Zhang Hui while shouting.
"You are the Secret Missioner, and your mission is so ruthless!"
Xu Nuan observed Zhang Hui, who seemed hesitant a few steps away and did not advance further. She then glanced at Fan Beibei, who was slightly farther away, brandishing a short knife with a fierce expression. Doubts began to creep in. If Zhang Hui was indeed the Secret Missioner, it was unlikely that Fan Beibei would assist him; this leaned more towards both of them having ulterior motives.
Suddenly, she thought about He Min, who had gone out alone with Yu Yu. A wave of worry washed over her. What if those two clashed and He Min, being infatuated with Yu Yu, let her guard down? It could lead to an irreversible situation.
Xu Nuan wanted to rush out to check on He Min, but Fan Beibei intercepted her at the door. Meanwhile, Zhang Hui had made up his mind to close in on her and Deng Yinyin once again.
At that moment, Deng Yinyin was still shouting that Zhang Hui was the Secret Missioner. Xu Nuan had no time to explain; she hurriedly pulled Deng Yinyin back until they were cornered against the wall.
The cave was too narrow, and Zhang Hui was a robust man. If he decided to attack, even if they managed to evade him, they could still get hurt in the chaos. Moreover, Fan Beibei was lurking at the entrance like a hawk. Although she had always acted like a decorative vase, in this game, even a vase could be a weapon not to be underestimated.
Xu Nuan wanted to call for help to bring He Min over but feared that doing so would put He Min in danger and attract Yu Yu, who was formidable.
As she rapidly processed her thoughts, Zhang Hui lunged forward, his short knife slicing down without mercy. Xu Nuan and Deng Yinyin were too close together; as they tried to dodge, they bumped into the wall. By the time Xu Nuan attempted to turn around, Zhang Hui was already upon them.
Zhang Hui aimed his knife primarily at their faces; in Xu Nuan's eyes, it seemed he was venting his personal grievances for Fan Beibei.
"Wow, you are going too far!"
Deng Yinyin was almost pressed against the wall. The urgency of the situation prevented her from returning to her backpack for her knife. As Zhang Hui's blade tore through her clothing, she panicked and fled without a chance to retaliate properly.
In contrast, Xu Nuan had a habit of carrying a knife with her.
Seeing Zhang Hui swing his knife towards Deng Yinyin, Xu Nuan rushed over to help. She grabbed Zhang Hui's sleeve with one hand while using the other to slash at the hand holding the knife. She did not intend to seriously injure Zhang Hui to avoid causing irreparable harm.
Thanks to Xu Nuan's intervention, Zhang Hui simply freed his other hand and violently threw Deng Yinyin aside. Unable to maneuver around him to grab Deng Yinyin again, Xu Nuan could only watch helplessly as Deng Yinyin crashed into the earthen wall and then slumped down unconscious.
"What do you want from us?"
Xu Nuan's anger flared up instantly; if Zhang Hui was serious, she couldn't blame her for retaliating.
Zhang Hui remained silent, her expression blank as she lunged at Xu Nuan again. This unusual behavior made Xu Nuan uneasy, but before she could pinpoint the source of her discomfort, a voice came from behind her.
"Blame that He Min."
By the time Xu Nuan reacted and tried to block Fan Beibei's attack with her knife, it was already too late. A blade plunged deeply into her right upper arm, the sudden pain sharpening her senses and making Fan Beibei's words clearer.
"If I ruin your reputations, that woman's expression will be quite something."
"Crazy!"
Xu Nuan shouted in disbelief. This Fan Beibei was no mere vase; she was clearly a person driven mad by love and pride, willing to sabotage the cooperation of two teams over such personal matters. And that honest man, Zhang Hui, was going along with this woman.
They were both insane.
Xu Nuan placed her hand on the knife embedded in Fan Beibei's grip and pulled it out with determination. She swung her now free right hand at Fan Beibei, but the latter dodged effortlessly.
Seeing the malicious smile on Fan Beibei's face made Xu Nuan realize she had forgotten something else. She quickly turned to look at Deng Yinyin and found that Zhang Hui had already reached her side, tearing at Deng Yinyin's clothes.
Rage consumed Xu Nuan's rationality as she charged at Zhang Hui without hesitation. The short knife found its mark in Zhang Hui's back due to her fierce movement, though it only penetrated shallowly upon hitting bone.
She watched as Zhang Hui winced in pain and paused her actions, thinking that Zhang Hui would immediately turn to confront her. As she cautiously withdrew the knife to prepare for Zhang Hui's retaliation, Fan Beibei's voice rang out behind her.
"Don't stop, keep going!"
Those words were clearly directed at Zhang Hui. Xu Nuan saw Zhang Hui bend down again, continuing her malicious act. With no choice but to disregard Fan Beibei behind her, she attacked Zhang Hui once more.
She knew very well that Deng Yinyin was a proud person; a spoiled child could not accept such things. Moreover, Deng Yinyin had feelings for Gu Ze. If something truly happened, Xu Nuan couldn't bear to imagine what would become of Deng Yinyin in the end.
Because she couldn't bear to imagine it, she had to save Deng Yinyin. Originally, she could have taken advantage of Zhang Hui's attention on Deng Yinyin and made a run for it with Fan Beibei. However, what would happen to Deng Yinyin after they escaped the cave?
The fear of such consequences drove Xu Nuan to leap onto Zhang Hui, wrapping her hands around his neck, controlling his fragile yet vital throat. She thought that this would make Zhang Hui stop.
"Stop your movements, or you'll lose your life."
That was her threat.
However, behind her, Fan Beibei continued to slice a long gash across her back and ordered Zhang Hui without hesitation.
"Don't stop; she won't dare to kill you."
Indeed, she didn't dare to kill Zhang Hui. Even though she had resolved to survive at all costs for revenge and to clear the challenges, she couldn't bring herself to kill someone who had no relation to her interests just because of Deng Yinyin.
She felt utterly powerless.
The pain in her back and the torment of various thoughts in her mind left her in excruciating agony, and she painfully realized that Zhang Hui was more inclined to obey Fan Beibei's orders.
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