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"I used to be a friend of Qin Yaojie. He invited me to the hospital to provide you with psychological counseling, and it was from that moment I realized your position in Qin Yaojie's heart."
Shen Shen displayed a nostalgic expression, but it only made Xu Nuan feel more disgusted. After learning about Qin Yaojie's true purpose for entering the game, she understood how many of his former followers, the Designers, had ultimately betrayed him.
Qin Yaojie was a tragic talent, someone who sacrificed family and loved ones for his own achievements.
Xu Nuan finally found a way to define Qin Yaojie.
"I thought someone as crazed as Qin Yaojie would have long given up on family and lovers. I never expected he would send me in because of a lapse in judgment. Although it helped you recover from your shock, he also made you take medication related to your nerves so that you would temporarily forget these things."
From Shen Shen's words, Xu Nuan could tell that this person had indeed been very close to Qin Yaojie. However, the closer their relationship had been, the more it proved the extent of Shen Shen's betrayal of Qin Yaojie was severe.
"But whether it's medication or suggestion, both have a time limit. It seems you've completely broken free from Qin Yaojie's arrangements, which means you've started to form your own plans, am I right?"
Shen Shen's knowing smile sent a chill down Xu Nuan's spine. She struggled not to tremble from fear but instead glared at Shen Shen to show her awareness. She couldn't rush; taking things step by step would allow her to extract more details from Shen Shen at this moment. Once a person becomes immersed in confidence, they expose their flaws. She firmly believed this and knew she couldn't panic now and let Shen Shen notice anything.
"You don't need to be so afraid of me," Shen Shen said, attempting to lift Xu Nuan's chin with his hand, but she dodged him. He didn't press the issue and continued to wear a reassuring smile typical of a psychologist. "Until I get the answers I want, I'll give you a break out of respect for Qin Yaojie."
"What do you want to know?"
Xu Nuan asked in a hoarse voice, randomly guessing what she might have unconsciously revealed to Shen Shen. From his current demeanor, it seemed he hadn't succeeded yet.
This was her confrontation with this talented individual while she was at an absolute disadvantage; her heart raced with fear and anxiety.
"Do you know where Qin Yaojie lost?"
Shen Shen avoided answering and thoroughly enjoyed watching Xu Nuan's torment. Xu Nuan realized that he was trying to break down her psychological defenses so he could slip in and learn what he wanted to know. She became even more vigilant against him while being unwittingly led by his words.
"He is clearly talented yet wants to make this game so dull; no wonder he was abandoned. However, thanks to his tedious ideas, we innocent Designers have gained a glimmer of hope."
A glimmer of hope?
Despite being angry at Shen Shen's evaluation of Qin Yaojie, Xu Nuan knew she had no right to be upset. All she could do was engage in conversation, trying to gather as much advantageous information as possible.
Shen Shen had made her intentions clear; she wanted to know about the secret passage. Xu Nuan could understand the allure of the secret passage for an ordinary Player, but she couldn't comprehend Zhang Xiao's obsession with it, nor could she grasp what Shen Shen meant by "a glimmer of hope." In Xu Nuan's view, there were two ways to leave this game, and compared to the elusive secret passage, tackling the challenges head-on seemed far more effective.
"You Designers must find it easier to get through the challenges, right?"
Xu Nuan scoffed, putting on an act of ignorance.
"This game is already halfway through. Leaving the game and making it known to more people means you become the sought-after talent, something Qin Yaojie will never experience because he lost."
Xu Nuan caught a flicker of doubt in Shen Shen's eyes, which was quickly replaced by shrewdness.
"What a cunning child."
Xu Nuan shivered at Shen Shen's tone. She suddenly felt that these Designers appeared talented but were actually twisted individuals. It was no wonder that Wang Yiyun ended up like that.
"My knowledge about the secret passage is something you are the last to know; we all know about it."
As Xu Nuan confirmed her suspicions from Shen Shen's straightforwardness, she realized that this person hadn’t fully grasped the clues about the secret passage from her. Then she was drawn in by what Shen Shen said next.
"Everyone...?"
Her momentary distraction pleased Shen Shen, who smirked.
"Yes, everyone in this game knows you are the only one aware of the secret passage. Compared to those ordinary Players who doubt this information, I believe all the Designers will flock to you. This is our glimmer of hope."
Designers, forced into the game and subtly influenced not to know about another game founder—a glimmer of hope. Xu Nuan suddenly realized something and gasped.
"You Designers have no right to succeed in clearing the challenges!"
As her words fell, she saw Shen Shen's expression twist for a moment; those eyes that had once sparkled with amusement turned sharp and venomous in an instant.
Designers were essentially designed to be exiled into the game, so even if they reached the final level, they could not successfully complete it. However, they could exit the game through a secret passage, while ordinary Players had an additional option, which was what made them feel so resentful.
Although she did not understand why such a situation had arisen, Xu Nuan felt uneasy about this fact. It meant that she needed to be wary of every Designer she encountered from now on. Ordinary Players were already aware of this; in fact, she needed to be cautious of everyone.
She once thought that her distrust of others stemmed from her own inner turmoil and a series of blows from reality. Now, however, her lack of trust was a necessity. She suddenly thought of Gu Ze, who had come so far away; he was the only person she wanted to believe in but ultimately failed to do so.
What was the meaning of her existence?
Whose arrangement dictated her life?
Xu Nuan began to drift off again when, in the next moment, Shen Shen forcefully grabbed her shoulder. The pain briefly brought Xu Nuan back to her senses. Shen Shen leaned in close, and she caught a glimpse of the madness flashing in Shen Shen's eyes. Upon closer inspection, this person was still that elegant psychologist.
"I already know that the secret passage can only be opened once and can accommodate at most five people. Now that you are in my hands, I must know where the passage is!"
Surprise replaced the pain for a moment. Xu Nuan had told others that it could only be opened once with no limit on numbers; she had deceived them to prevent early infighting. Yet she never expected Shen Shen to uncover the truth so quickly.
"How did you know?"
Was the psychologist's psychological suggestion really that powerful?
Xu Nuan even began to doubt the reality of her current environment. Having gone an entire day without food and being bound hand and foot, she found it difficult to think clearly. If Shen Shen had manipulated her during this time, what would happen next?
"I know everything you know."
Though Shen Shen spoke with great confidence, Xu Nuan, whose mind was starting to falter, couldn't help but cast a doubtful glance at him. If this person truly knew what she knew, there would be no need for such urgency.
It was impossible to pry into someone's heart; even if she began to collapse and succumbed to hypnosis, there were certainly things this person could not uncover—things buried within her memories that she herself was unaware of.
"Is that so?"
In her daze, Xu Nuan unconsciously revealed a smile, which Shen Shen interpreted as a provocation. In the next moment, Xu Nuan felt a tingling sensation on her scalp as pain radiated from her brain outward. Her hair was yanked by Shen Shen, forcing her to lift her chin and look up at him. She didn't know what to do; her limbs felt unresponsive while chaotic thoughts swirled in her mind, causing her to oscillate between clarity and confusion.
"But you seem very anxious. Perhaps I am not the last person to know. The last person who knew has died, betrayed by you, so you must accompany him."
Due to the pain coursing through her body, Xu Nuan's words came out fragmented, yet the logic remained intact, inadvertently stepping on Shen Shen's sore spot. Immediately, Shen Shen released her hair and instead tightened her grip around Xu Nuan's neck. In a haze, Xu Nuan struggled to breathe, unable to perceive the pain in her throat. This moment felt eerily familiar; she had faced death multiple times before, but each time she either narrowly escaped or was saved by a certain man.
But this time, no one would come to her rescue, and in her immobile state, she could not save herself. For the first time, she did not feel resentment at the brink of death; instead, she yearned for more strength.
Dying like this seemed almost appealing. She would no longer have to live in fear of those around her or worry about forgetting other important matters. She wouldn't feel guilty towards those who had shown her kindness. If only she could leave everything behind, free from any responsibilities—death appeared to be the best option for her.
As her mind began to cloud and she struggled to think clearly, a low, hoarse voice echoed like a tape rewinding, bringing a fleeting clarity to her thoughts.
"If she dies, you will never escape."
It was the voice of the returning Dong Keyong.
As Dong Keyong's words hung in the air, Shen Shen snapped back to reality and released her grip. Xu Nuan collapsed onto the ground, supporting herself with her hands as she coughed loudly. With her hands bound, she couldn't ease the pressure on her neck; it burned painfully, making even breathing a torturous endeavor as oxygen struggled to travel from her trachea to her lungs, causing further agony.
She lay on the ground coughing as if trying to expel her very organs. The injury on her neck would likely take a long time to heal; eating would become an issue—but all of this depended on whether she could survive these two.
There was a saying that crossed Xu Nuan's mind in her foggy state: one misstep leads to another. She thought of Qin Yaojie—the decades-long relationship, entering the game, joining that team, falling for someone else, acting out of spite when she shouldn't have, carelessly falling asleep in an unfamiliar place—and now here she was facing this outcome.
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