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墨書 Inktalez
Walking down a dark road for too long, one is bound to encounter something extraordinary.
Gu Ze was eagerly waiting for the opportunity to be with Xu Nuan while letting the other companions enter the maze. However, he and Xu Nuan ended up getting lost in the maze themselves.
According to Gu Ze's explanation, once they entered this level, they had stepped into the maze. However, as long as they did not trigger any mechanisms, they would not lose their way. Unfortunately, Xu Nuan and Gu Ze unknowingly activated a mechanism.
Hearing Gu Ze's voice, Xu Nuan looked up and was stunned. At some point, the iconic Ice Lake that surrounded them had vanished, and in the distance, black snow-capped mountains loomed ominously. They were now standing beneath an Ice Tower, with many identical Ice Towers scattered around them, making it impossible to discern their direction.
"When did these things appear?"
Previously, sudden appearances of Special Trees or Supply Stations would at least make some noise to alert them. This time, they had walked and inexplicably found themselves in another place.
"They didn't make any sound," Gu Ze lamented after managing to look impressive in front of Xu Nuan for just a few seconds. "Perhaps these things have always been here."
"Then," Xu Nuan seemed to grasp something important, "what we saw before was an illusion."
"Or," she considered another possibility, "what we see now is an illusion. Although I don't know how it works, as long as we don't move around carelessly, we should be fine."
The Ice Towers surrounding them had appeared silently, and Xu Nuan could only explain this strange phenomenon as an illusion. Illusions utilize human memory to present terrifying images through sight; as long as one does not believe it to be real, they won't act recklessly within the illusion.
Gu Ze did not immediately agree with Xu Nuan's words. Instead, he squinted and surveyed their surroundings with a serious expression that quickly softened again. He took Xu Nuan's hand and sat down on the spot.
Whether the scenery they had seen before was an illusion or if what they saw now was an illusion, it was best not to attempt moving forward if standing still posed no danger. No one knew if just a meter ahead lay an ice hole or an Ice Lake in reality.
"We've experienced this twice before, haven't we?"
Xu Nuan recalled carefully.
"Once at Thousand-Faced Lake, where what we saw was actually an illusion; drowning was merely suggested by the surrounding scenery."
Thinking back to that time, Xu Nuan couldn't help but feel grateful for the medication Qin Yaojie had once made her take. It was because of those drugs that she realized she was trapped in an illusion. There was no way a drug could allow her to breathe underwater; conversely, it proved that she wasn't actually in the water at all.
Not only did Xu Nuan recall the abnormalities that had begun to manifest within her, but Gu Ze also remembered, of course, along with the determination he had made at the bottom of Illusion Lake. When he saw Xu Nuan safe after fearing something had happened to her, it was in that moment that he felt truly alive again. It turned out there really was someone in this world who could pull you from hell to heaven, and vice versa.
His hand gripped hers tightly, causing a bit of pain. Xu Nuan looked up to see Gu Ze's lips pressed tightly together and the emotions swirling in his eyes.
After leaving a mark on the corner of Gu Ze's lips, Xu Nuan finally spoke.
"At this point, shouldn't we discuss serious matters?"
She had imagined a scenario where they lived in a city as ordinary office workers, worrying about family and friends, experiencing the joys and sorrows of being in love. In a life where their safety wasn't threatened, perhaps they would have lived in an entirely different manner.
Pulling himself from his memories, Gu Ze tightened his grip on Xu Nuan's hand and nodded heavily.
"There was another time at Gentle Prairie. Everyone saw different visions then; I think what they witnessed were their own inner fears or worries, influenced by the drugs. Remember how many butterflies followed us back then?"
"This time is different from before," Xu Nuan recalled that moment when she began to feel Zhang Xiao's terror. "This challenge had problems from the start; although it’s an illusion, it leans more towards a maze. You can find the Central Mechanism, right? Let's go look for that mechanism."
Not far from Xu Nuan lay the shimmering white snowfield. The more she perceived the unknown dangers ahead in the snow, the more she wanted to experiment with it. This stemmed from her underlying curiosity and rebellious nature. Neither she nor Gu Ze liked being passive; being stuck in such a situation left them both feeling uneasy. However, they were also thoughtful individuals who wouldn't act impulsively due to momentary frustration.
"I only know that the Central Mechanism is above Ice Duel; only Chi Xiaoming knows its exact location."
Gu Ze frowned and scanned their surroundings again. As he noticed they were surrounded by Ice Towers, he felt increasingly uneasy.
"Nuan, take a closer look; are those Ice Towers getting closer?"
Gu Ze's keen observation skills were not developed overnight. Although the Ice Towers, snowfields, and stones covered in snow were all white—easily creating visual confusion—he still noticed this detail almost immediately.
Xu Nuan carefully observed the surroundings of the Ice Tower. Rather than the Ice Tower drawing closer, it seemed to be multiplying, encroaching upon the snow-covered ground around them.
"I suddenly have a bad feeling about this."
Xu Nuan's expression turned serious. They were now interpreting the game's intentions with the utmost suspicion; only by doing so could they minimize potential dangers.
"Waiting around to die is too passive. We should carve out our own path."
Gu Ze stood up and casually pulled Xu Nuan to her feet, eagerly heading in one direction. Xu Nuan quickly grabbed his arm, hesitating.
"But we don't know if what we saw before was an illusion or if what we're seeing now is an illusion. What if there's an ice cave right in front of us?"
She had initially imagined three dangerous aspects of the glacier: hungry beasts, ice caves in Ice Lake, and avalanches.
Gu Ze chuckled and lightly flicked Xu Nuan's forehead.
"So, don't overthink it; that will only lead you into a trap."
Even though it didn't hurt, Xu Nuan covered her forehead and glared at Gu Ze to express her displeasure. After being together with Gu Ze, the previous barriers between them had vanished in an instant. Their affectionate gestures and mutual understanding came naturally. This smoothness felt like a dream. If it truly was a dream, she hoped she would never wake up.
Xu Nuan silently reaffirmed her resolve while maintaining a facade of calmness, her wide eyes fixed on Gu Ze.
Gu Ze found himself unable to resist such an expression and had no choice but to explain patiently.
"If the previous scene was real and this one is fake, as long as we remember the environment around the path we took before, we won't run into trouble. If this scene is real and the previous one was fake, then that makes things even easier."
After a brief pause, Gu Ze added more.
"If both times were just illusions, then this Maze Mechanism would be meaningless. Those who designed it, despite their twisted minds, wouldn't create a Survival Game that no one could get through. The game is meant to be completed."
Seeing Xu Nuan's slightly dazed expression, Gu Ze couldn't help but think how cute she looked as he gently pushed her hair down.
"No matter what, I will get you out."
A sudden jolt ran through her heart, and Xu Nuan quickly lowered her face and pushed Gu Ze in a certain direction.
"You really are talking more and more. Coming up with three hypotheses? Isn't that more than I thought?"
Xu Nuan pushed Gu Ze a couple of steps forward, but when she noticed he had stopped moving, she assumed he wanted to see her embarrassment. Not wanting him to catch a glimpse of her current expression, she spoke in a rough tone.
"Do you really think I'm wrong?"
Though it sounded like a reproach, there was an underlying hint of playfulness. It had been a long time since Xu Nuan had acted coy, and she felt her cheeks flush, desperately trying to avoid letting Gu Ze turn around.
"Warm."
Gu Ze's voice was filled with helplessness, but Xu Nuan didn't miss the faint hint of amusement in it.
"If you push me any further, you'll send me into Ice Lake. It was an Ice Lake when we passed by this morning; don't you remember?"
"How could I remember something like that?"
Xu Nuan hurriedly pulled Gu Ze back toward her. He obediently turned around, a glint of mischief flashing in his eyes.
She had been tricked!
Xu Nuan angrily released her grip and walked to the side in a huff. Although her feet were stepping on the snow, her body suddenly felt weightless, indicating that she had stepped into thin air.
It turned out that what she was seeing was an illusion!
Realizing this, Xu Nuan could no longer control her body and could only shout urgently, "Ze, Xin, what we're seeing right now..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Gu Ze had already caught her in his arms. She didn't even have time to see Gu Ze's face before he pressed down on the back of her neck, holding her tightly against him.
They were both in a state of free fall, their bodies able to touch the snow below, which meant they were not falling into Ice Lake or an ice cave. The steep slope forced them to keep rolling downwards. During this time, Xu Nuan couldn't lift her head to look at Gu Ze; all she knew was that she was being well-protected, with Gu Ze's breath lingering at the tip of her nose.
The scene felt familiar yet completely different in emotion.
The unseen snow slope seemed endless, and worried that they might fall into an even more terrifying place, Xu Nuan desperately stretched her legs outward, trying to grab onto something like a rock that could stop their descent.
Xu Nuan failed. The point was that even though Gu Ze was protecting her, he couldn't prevent her from being hit by the small stones tumbling down with them. The dizziness in her brain gradually sapped her strength. In a haze, she seemed to hear Gu Ze's muffled groan but also felt as if she heard nothing at all.
"Bang!"
The sound of a gunshot brought Xu Nuan back to her senses, and at that moment, she realized they had reached flat ground.
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