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Gu Ze was determined to take Xu Nuan to a quieter place to calm their minds, but there always seemed to be some clueless individuals looking for trouble.
Xu Hang and Xie Huai were preoccupied with keeping an eye on Deng Yinyin, while also trying to manage the group that had gone to great lengths to 'bring them back.' Chi Xiaoming showed no intention of stopping them, his gaze towards Zhang Hui was icy, beneath that coldness lay a strange emotion flickering through.
Fan Beibei, emboldened by Yu Yu's return, glared at the faceless Xu Nuan with a scarred face, filled with resentment.
"Is there any justification for murder? She killed Brother Hui and should face the appropriate punishment."
"What punishment?"
Gu Ze tightened his hold on Xu Nuan, casting a cold, emotionless glance at Fan Beibei.
"The System hasn't spoken; what right do you have to say that?"
"You!"
Fan Beibei was momentarily speechless. It was rare for a man not to give her face, and the thought of her once-proud appearance being marred only fueled her desire to take revenge on Xu Nuan. She shot a glare at He Min, who stood frozen a short distance away.
"We must avenge Brother Hui. This woman caused his death; she can't just get away with it!"
Gu Ze let out a cold laugh.
"And how do you plan to take revenge?"
His tone left no room for negotiation. The hatred in Fan Beibei's eyes threatened to spill over as she tugged at Yu Yu's sleeve, hoping Yu Yu would understand her intent and assist her in this moment.
"There are no laws in this game; once we step outside, there will be laws."
Yu Yu reached out and patted Fan Beibei's icy hand, her gaze fixed fiercely on Gu Ze as she spoke with an aggressive tone.
"Rather than letting her face legal consequences outside, it would be better for her to face judgment here in the game."
"What kind of punishment?"
Gu Ze raised the corner of his lips, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Yu Yu.
"Blood for blood?"
The question carried a hint of disdain, which soured Yu Yu's expression. He no longer maintained his previous gentlemanly demeanor; his handsome face twisted slightly in surprise, while He Min, who had once openly admired Yu Yu, chose to ignore it.
"Whoever harbors thoughts of killing Nuan," Gu Ze's gaze swept from Yu Yu and Fan Beibei to He Min and Chi Xiaoming, then to Deng Yinyin and the two unfamiliar men nearby, implying his meaning, "I will kill him first. Do not doubt this."
This domineering declaration could only be fully appreciated by those who understood Gu Ze's true strength; others would merely see it as empty bravado.
"What right do you have to say that?"
Seeing that Yu Yu had already lost the momentum against Gu Ze, Fan Beibei felt her own face flush with embarrassment.
"Murder is a crime. Are you also like her, a vicious murderer with blood on your hands?"
Gu Ze clearly sensed Xu Nuan trembling at Fan Beibei's words but quickly regained his composure. He was becoming impatient.
"Don't act as if your hands are clean. Let's not forget that everyone here has walked over the corpses of others to reach this point. Moreover, the truth of what happened has not been clarified at all. If you continue to entangle yourself in this matter, I won't hesitate to make it impossible for you to do so."
Having said this, Gu Ze had completely lost his patience and continued to lead Xu Nuan out. Just as they reached the cave entrance, Chi Xiaoming blocked their way.
"What? Do you think I'm wrong?"
Gu Ze's voice was low and dangerous, his eyes gleaming with a coldness sharper than metal, mixed with intense emotions.
"The dead hold no value; I have no interest in them."
This was the first time Chi Xiaoming had revealed his values in front of so many people.
"However, her actions made me start to suspect that she is the Secret Missioner. You must understand, I am the only one left in this Survival Game who has the qualification to input a name, and I must take this seriously."
Gu Ze chuckled lightly, his confidence unwavering.
"Nuan is definitely not the Secret Missioner. The System wouldn't dare assign her a mission alone; that's the truth of this game."
"Why?"
Chi Xiaoming's eyes widened slightly, becoming deeper in thought. Despite his expressionless face, he was probing into Xu Nuan, whose expression was currently unreadable.
"If the reason is valid, I won't pursue this matter further."
"Hmph."
Gu Ze sneered again, his demeanor dark and cold, starkly contrasting with the gentle gentleman described by Deng Yinyin.
"What does your inquiry have to do with me?"
Gu Ze's attitude was sharper than ever, seemingly indifferent to turning everyone present into his enemies.
"However, I believe I will soon find out who the Secret Missioner is. But that matter is less important than what I need to do right now."
Chi Xiaoming's facial paralysis showed signs of cracking; never had anyone made him feel his dignity was so challenged. The Gu Ze before him felt like a different person from the one who had just strategized with him so meticulously. The reason for this change stemmed from Xu Nuan, a woman with a particularly sensitive identity.
"What could possibly be more important than finding out who the Secret Missioner is and leaving here? You're completely out of touch!"
Being able to leave this level meant access to more healing ointments for the scars on their faces. Fan Beibei was once again infuriated by Gu Ze's arrogant and self-centered attitude, failing to consider Chi Xiaoming's broader perspective.
However, Gu Ze had already lost patience in conversing with these individuals. Instead, it was two unfamiliar men who answered for him.
One of them stood at about five foot ten, tall and slender, exuding an air of refinement in his white Tactical Jacket that gave off a lab coat vibe. He wore gold-rimmed glasses, projecting a sense of reliability and trustworthiness. Yet everyone present realized that this man was one of the First Batch of Players.
"Indeed, System will definitely not assign Xu Nuan a one-to-many task; we can guarantee that."
Standing next to this man was a middle-aged man, around six feet tall, with a robust build and a temperament that leaned towards the gloomy and cold. The middle-aged man nodded in agreement with his companion's words.
"Who... are you?"
Seeing that the former was a young man with a distinguished presence while the latter was someone who seemed very formidable, Fan Beibei instinctively felt her confidence wane.
"Ah, I've been here for so long and forgot to introduce myself."
The man in the white Tactical Jacket smiled slightly, exuding a refreshing aura that made one feel at ease and trust him unconsciously.
"I am Shen Shen, and this is Dong Keyong beside me. We are both from the First Batch of Players. Including our companion who entered this stage with us, there are four of us in total. However, our captain Zhou Long is currently missing after being hunted by Crimson Fox due to a fatal mistake, and another member has also gotten separated from us."
Shen Shen spoke politely, his smile appropriate, and his voice perfectly modulated—perhaps it was a professional habit to treat people this way.
He had a gentle demeanor quite different from Yu Yu, causing Fan Beibei to blush suddenly and turn her head away with an "oh," not wanting to inquire further.
After Shen Shen finished introducing himself, Gu Ze accurately took two raincoats, draping one over Xu Nuan and casually putting on the other himself. He turned on his flashlight and began to walk through the darkness and Heavy Rain, leaving behind the people and matters in the cave.
Earlier in the day, when he had gone out with Deng Yinyin and Zhang Hui, Gu Ze had discovered a spacious cave. However, before he could wait for everyone to return to suggest relocating, he had gone out based on information provided by Xu Hang. When he returned, this unfortunate incident had occurred.
Compared to the fact that Zhang Hui had been killed by Xu Nuan, what worried Gu Ze more at this moment was the silent compliance of Xu Nuan. She was not him; she hadn’t been raised in darkness like he had. If this incident became a wall in Xu Nuan's heart, Gu Ze felt that the road ahead would become even more difficult.
The two of them walked through the rain towards the higher ground of the cave. Having already considered the environmental issues inside, Gu Ze was relieved that he had brought out Xu Nuan's backpack. After laying down a moisture-proof mat on the ground, he finally let Xu Nuan sit down while placing the flashlight in a corner of the cave where it was higher up. The cave was soon enveloped in a soft glow.
After completing these tasks, Gu Ze sat down beside Xu Nuan, wanting to lift off the coat covering her. At that moment, however, Xu Nuan began to resist, gripping the garment tightly and refusing to take it off.
"It's not your fault; you were acting in self-defense."
Having never believed that Xu Nuan would casually kill someone, Gu Ze felt very confident about this aspect. After spending time deeply engaged in the game, he considered himself to understand her well; she was someone who often said one thing but meant another—a person who always forced herself to be ruthless but ultimately softened her heart. Such a person would never actively harm others even when threatened unless that person had harmed her first. Revenge was one of her defining traits; all these characteristics made up who Xu Nuan was, and he found himself deeply fascinated by her.
In the cave where only two people were present, Gu Ze patiently waited for Xu Nuan to speak. He knew that Xu Nuan was never someone who would simply evade her responsibilities. If given time and trust, she would not disappoint him.
After a long while, Xu Nuan finally spoke, her voice muffled by the layer of clothing between them.
"I killed him; that's a fact."
"I know," he replied. "But this outcome was caused by many factors. There were his wrongdoings, the urgency of the situation at the time, and some unforeseen circumstances, weren't there?"
Gu Ze was well aware that even if Xu Nuan had killed Zhang Hui, she might not face severe criminal consequences in the outside world. He had enough capability to protect her. Moreover, they were within a game; the very existence of this game was illegal and unreasonable. Ultimately, all actions taken within it would be the responsibility of the game itself.
What he truly wanted was for Xu Nuan to overcome the mental barrier she faced; that was crucial.
Xu Nuan fell silent again at Gu Ze's words. Her hands continued to tremble, though the frequency had lessened considerably.
"I never intended to kill him, yet I did."
The long night always brought many dreams, and now she was haunted by yet another nightmare.
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