Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
It was the fourth day since they entered this stage, and noon had passed. The sunlight was no longer as intense, and the air felt somewhat humid. The oppressive heat was more unbearable than the scorching sun; while the sun merely made one sweat, which could be managed with a quick wipe and some water, the humidity clung to their skin, making them feel sticky and restless, with no breeze to alleviate the discomfort.
Yu Yu had only been quiet for a few moments before he began to provoke He Min again. It seemed that this was the only way he could find a bit of relaxation amidst the high-pressure environment.
"Who do you think will reach the Supply Station in the end?"
A cold smile crept onto Yu Yu's lips, tinged with a hint of malice.
He Min glanced at him indifferently, her gaze lingering on his smile for a second before quickly shifting away.
"Naturally, everyone can make it."
He Min's emotions had calmed down; it was as if the person who had drawn a knife in a fit of rage at noon was not her. As she spoke, her eyes narrowed slightly, a glimmer passing through them, unnoticed by Yu Yu.
"Heh."
Yu Yu chuckled softly, his voice grating like a knife scraping across glass, making one want to frown. Once the facade of civility was torn away, the gentle hotel lobby manager they had first met was nowhere to be found.
"You really have faith in them. This stage may look like the Love Forest, but the challenges are just as tough as before. Choosing team members has become crucial."
At that moment, a stronger wind swept through the jungle, damp and hot—a sign that Heavy Rain was approaching.
Both of them felt uncomfortable; their moods were not pleasant either. Their occasional exchanges did little to dispel the tension hanging in the air.
"What exactly do you want?"
The restlessness in He Min's heart cracked the indifference on her face. Perhaps it was the long time spent with someone she found repulsive that made it impossible for her to suppress the fire within.
She wouldn't have to endure all of this if Yu Hao were still alive. She would be like Xu Nuan, cherished and free from worries, with all the storms borne by Yu Hao. If Yu Hao were still alive, she wouldn't have had to stumble into the First Batch of Players' group alone, nor would she have been used, leading her to a point where she could no longer make her own choices.
But there are no "ifs."
He Min's eyes, resembling grapes, were filled with unwillingness, and the Flame within her burned brighter, beginning to seep out and spread to her cheeks, causing a painful heat.
She looked at Yu Yu with such intensity that Yu Yu instinctively took a few steps back. To mask her fear, Yu Yu cleared her throat and began to shake her head like a fortune teller, analyzing each group's situation.
"Chi Xiaoming and Xu Hang's group is out of the question; both of them are incredibly capable, both in skill and strategy. Together, they will undoubtedly achieve more than the sum of their parts."
He Min scoffed coldly, her gaze towards Yu Yu filled with disdain. Although Yu Yu was the intermediary between her and that person, compared to others, Yu Yu was the most foolish one. In this game, one of the necessary skills is to see through appearances to grasp the essence; Chi Xiaoming and Xu Hang were too similar and too opinionated—both were typical male chauvinists. Having these two in one group would only complicate matters further.
Yu Yu did not notice He Min's contemptuous gaze and continued speaking as the wind carried more moisture.
"Our group is even less of a concern. With that person's hints, we can't possibly fail this round. After all, as we get closer to the crucial Survival Game, that person will need more support."
He Min no longer looked at Yu Yu with disdain; instead, her eyes clearly regarded her as simple-minded. In her view, all the external aids had already gathered in this team; she could confidently say that this team was the strongest. However, He Min's eyes darkened; there were too many unstable factors within this powerful team. One misstep could lead to everyone's defeat, and she couldn't afford that.
"As for Gu Ze and his partner," Yu Yu recalled the lesson from noon and refrained from mentioning Xu Nuan's name. "As long as they cooperate, they are seamless. It's just a pity that one of them often seems out of it and has constant health issues; this could potentially become Gu Ze's Achilles' heel."
To this pair, He Min coldly replied, "It's none of your business; Gu Ze knows what he's doing."
Yu Yu shrugged, a fleeting glint of malice flashing in his eyes before it quickly transformed into the mocking smile he often wore.
"As for the other two, one is a headstrong sister who sees herself as the center of the universe, and the other is just a foolishly devoted person without any real ability. Their chances of successfully reaching the Supply Station are less than thirty percent."
He Min shot Yu Yu another cold glance.
"Wait until you can walk to the Supply Station before saying that."
Yu Yu had grown accustomed to He Min's expressions and shrugged it off with a dismissive smirk. Then, as if struck by a thought, he let his gaze drop and looked at He Min with an odd expression.
"What’s wrong? Is there something here that touches your nerves?"
Yu Yu's smile widened, reminiscent of the eerie curve they had seen on the Zombie they encountered earlier.
"Let me guess, is it that Xie Huai?"
Noticing He Min shudder suddenly, Yu Yu's laughter grew more animated, his shoulders shaking, though there was no trace of amusement in his eyes.
"Come on, Xie Huai gives me a very familiar feeling."
Seeing He Min's reaction, Yu Yu's lips curled into a pleased grin once more.
"Xie Huai is just like someone I know—always looking at one person with foolish affection and willing to give everything. However, there’s a significant difference between them; at least compared to that honest person, Xie Huai is far more selfish."
"Is it enough? If it's enough, let's keep moving forward. The Heavy Rain is coming, and we need to reach a safe place before it hits."
He Min's cold remark was all that was said, lacking the reaction Yu Yu had anticipated.
Yu Yu pouted again, choosing not to speak, but inside, he felt disdain for He Min. When He Min mentioned Xu Nuan and Yu Hao, the difference in her reactions was glaringly obvious. It was a clear indication that the dead man, Yu Hao, had become a mere memory, and there was no longer any connection between him and her.
After walking for a while, the surroundings suddenly darkened as thick clouds rolled in their direction with an overwhelming force. Soon after, the Purple Dragon appeared, tearing open the gray sky with great power, followed by a deafening roar of thunder that sounded alarmingly close, as if the lightning had already reached them.
Yu Yu and He Min exchanged glances and quickened their pace. As they moved forward, they hastily put on their raincoats.
The oppressive black clouds were frightening, and the Purple Dragon made the atmosphere feel sinister. Before long, large raindrops began to pelt the ground, their loud splattering drowning out the hurried footsteps of the two. However, the ground quickly turned muddy; pulling their feet out of the muck produced sounds that were even more irritating than the rain.
The jungle was filled with trees of varying heights. The taller trees attracted lightning while the shorter ones posed significant obstacles to their movement. A moment of carelessness could lead to scratches on their arms or even slipping and falling into nearby thickets, resulting in injuries all over.
The two did not stay within the group nor did they pretend to be a couple; stripped of all pretense, they offered no help to one another. He Min, already strong in her own right, had no need for Yu Yu's assistance. On the contrary, it was Yu Yu who had been injured by He Min earlier; now, due to strenuous movement, his wound reopened, mixing blood with rainwater and emanating a deadly scent in the downpour.
The rain did not mask the smell of blood on Yu Yu; instead, it spread it further into the jungle. In this environment, beasts with an insatiable thirst for blood were abundant. Although most wild animals in Game Base had been modified, their primal instincts could not be easily altered by data or drugs. Thus, it was not uncommon for players in Game Base to encounter a few uncontrollable beasts.
After walking hurriedly through the rain for a while, He Min noticed Yu Yu's pale face. She showed no concern nor did she stop; however, misfortune struck again. They were already struggling to discern their direction due to the Heavy Rain and moving slowly when two wolves suddenly burst from the nearby thicket.
Their eerie green eyes gleamed like blades, radiating a chilling hunger that sent shivers down both of their spines as they let out low howls.
"What should we do?"
Yu Yu's voice was somewhat weak. Although he knew his wound had reopened, he wasn't foolish enough to bandage it in such a critical moment. He excelled in schemes, in quietly bringing others to their demise, but when faced with a beast, he was utterly helpless and could only rely on the seemingly capable He Min at that moment.
"Quick, climb the tree!"
As two wolves burst onto the scene, He Min had already been observing her surroundings. Upon spotting a tall tree that was easy to climb, she made her decision immediately.
She had made up her mind, but Yu Yu hesitated. On one hand, he believed he could only depend on He Min at this moment; on the other hand, he feared that she would betray him.
"But what about the thunder?"
While Yu Yu was still hesitating, He Min unceremoniously shoved him towards the tree. At that moment, the two wolves charged forward—one leaped over He Min and headed straight for Yu Yu, while the other lunged at He Min's arm.
"Get away!"
He Min dodged the wolf with a swift movement and drew her short knife, slashing at the beast with such speed that it barely had time to react.
One of the wolf's eyes was slashed open, and the blood gushed out, quickly mingling with the rainwater. The sight of blood sent both this wolf and the one attacking Yu Yu into a frenzy, increasing their attack speed.
He Min was holding her own; although the heavy rain slowed her down somewhat, her skills were more than enough to handle a single wolf. In contrast, Yu Yu was in a dire situation. His agility had always been poor, and now with his injury and the rain, he found himself utterly powerless.
Comment 0 Comment Count