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墨書 Inktalez
As soon as they arrived at Herb Marsh, they barely managed to steady themselves before almost stepping into the swamp. Fortunately, Chi Xiaoming and the others reacted quickly, not only stabilizing their own bodies but also pulling those nearby back to safety.
In front of them lay a swamp emitting an unpleasant odor, bordered by large round-leaved butterworts swaying in the wind. Behind them stood a vast expanse of Cattail, concealing countless dangers beneath its seemingly endless surface.
The group stood still for a few moments, gathering their thoughts and preparing to face the fast-paced tasks set by the System.
In fact, this time the System had arranged a series of tasks that were not particularly numerous but were densely packed, creating an unprecedented sense of urgency. However, after experiencing it two or three times, several seasoned individuals adapted to this rhythm, losing the initial feelings of anxiety and unease.
Unfortunately, they underestimated the shamelessness of the System. Just as everyone was ready to trigger the next task, the System abruptly interrupted this rhythm and ceased issuing any new missions. The energy that had been built up among them deflated like a balloon pricked by a needle.
This had a devastating effect on the morale that had been lifted by their previous plan, Lure Them Into the Trap.
Those with fluctuating emotions were already feeling dejected, losing even the desire to observe their surroundings. The few with better psychological resilience also wore grim expressions but refrained from speaking up.
At this point, no matter how much they despised the System, they still had to navigate through the Survival Game; they had to keep moving forward.
With no other path available, they could only turn towards the area thick with Cattail.
This direction was merely a forced choice and not the correct route to reach the Supply Station.
Xu Nuan pondered for a moment and looked up at Gu Ze, intending to ask if he had any recollection that could help them choose the right direction. However, she noticed that Gu Ze's expression was unusually serious.
Previously, when Gu Ze had been directing everyone in executing their plans, he had been full of vigor and confidence that was unmatched. While such confidence could sometimes border on arrogance, no one present doubted Gu Ze's abilities; his self-assurance seemed entirely justified.
Xu Nuan understood Gu Ze well. At first glance, he appeared to be a gentle and helpful person but was actually someone who preferred to grasp the bigger picture from behind the scenes. In some respects, Gu Ze could be quite domineering and would not hesitate to act decisively when necessary. This combination of traits made him an ambitious individual. His ambition paired with his capabilities fostered his confidence.
Gu Ze was undoubtedly a contradictory person, and this contradiction intrigued Xu Nuan, making it impossible for her to overlook his presence while allowing her to quickly notice every subtle change in his expression.
This time, however, Gu Ze's demeanor was serious; he must have sensed something but chose not to share it with everyone. This implied that whatever it was could not be discussed openly.
Since it couldn't be discussed, Xu Nuan decided against foolishly questioning Gu Ze and instead contemplated the situation internally.
The System's abrupt interruption had effectively drained their Fighting Spirit. With Gu Ze walking ahead with a serious expression and not suggesting a change in direction, it indicated that their current path was incorrect and that he was struggling to find the right way forward.
With her understanding of Gu Ze, Xu Nuan guessed his thoughts, her expression turning serious as she stopped looking around at her surroundings.
She knew clearly that this was not the time to speak up about anything, so she kept a close watch on Gu Ze, Chi Xiaoming, and the others while observing their environment.
Among the vast Cattails lay many hidden traps; stepping into them would mean certain death. With no other options, the group had to tread carefully and proceed step by step.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the team felt somewhat heavy. However, as long as Deng Yinyin was part of the group, it could never remain dull for long.
"Look, is that Redberry Moss?"
The long journey had begun to bore Deng Yinyin, and with Xu Hang and Xie Huai already helping her keep an eye on the path ahead, her boredom only intensified. But Deng Yinyin was someone who could easily find joy in little things; just looking down casually could lead her to discover a 'surprise.'
Deng Yinyin's voice was always loud. With that shout, everyone instinctively turned to follow her gaze. Indeed, there were many red fruits near the roots of the Cattails. Whether they were truly the Redberry Moss she mentioned remained to be seen.
However, Xu Nuan couldn't help but feel helpless; even if it were Redberry Moss, what was the big deal? It only served to show how bored Deng Yinyin really was.
Xie Huai tended to indulge Deng Yinyin. Noticing the gleam of joy in her eyes, he mustered the courage to ask, "Deng Yinyin, how do you know this is Redberry Moss?"
Having spent time with these perceptive individuals, Xie Huai had learned the art of conversation. His question clearly acknowledged Deng Yinyin's statement while also allowing him to inquire further, giving her ample recognition.
Though Xu Nuan observed this behavior as unnecessary and a waste of time from her perspective as an observer focused on moving forward. After spending some days together, she understood some aspects of Deng Yinyin's personality; she blossomed in sunlight and would become chatty once someone engaged with her. This would only lead to more wasted time.
Aside from Deng Yinyin and Xie Huai, who were the main characters in this exchange, the others remained silent and took a momentary break.
Xu Nuan understood that just because everyone appeared calm did not mean they weren't anxious inside. For instance, Feng Feng was constantly scanning their surroundings, his brow furrowed in concern.
As she hesitated whether to intervene with the two of them, Deng Yinyin suddenly mentioned an old acquaintance in a remarkably relaxed tone.
"This is what Tang Jing Shu told me! When we first arrived at the marshes, she introduced me to quite a few plants; I remember them all."
Deng Yinyin's voice still carried a hint of joy, rather than the sadness associated with the mention of the deceased.
However, the sudden mention of Tang Jingshu's name once again reminded everyone of the passage of time and the changes it brought.
Xu Nuan still had Tang Jingshu's diary in her backpack, intended for Chi Xu Sheng, while Xie Huai remained unable to come to terms with Tang Jingshu's death. He was the only one present whose face turned pale at the mention. A closer look into his eyes revealed guilt and fear.
Those who understood the situation recognized Xie Huai's guilt and fear, yet no one chose to comfort him at that moment.
Nevertheless, there were a few present who could not grasp the melancholy felt by Xu Nuan and the others. Feng Feng, after slightly masking his impatience, finally spoke up.
"It's just an ordinary fruit; we can take a look for fun and then move on."
Feng Feng's words were relatively polite, not sharp enough to put Deng Yinyin in an awkward position. However, this remark helped Xie Huai step out of his uncomfortable emotions.
"Deng Yinyin, it's impressive that you remember so well. Perhaps there are even more plants ahead waiting for you to identify them for us."
This statement made Xu Nuan want to applaud Xie Huai, and those around her, including Gu Ze, couldn't help but show satisfied expressions.
Why was their team spending time on such matters?
The reason lay in Deng Yinyin, Xie Huai, and Xu Hang—three members of the Third Batch of Players.
These three shared a close bond, occupying nearly half of their eight-member team, making it impossible to overlook them easily. However, in Xu Nuan's view, the others were accommodating Deng Yinyin mainly because of the rumored uniqueness of the Third Batch of Players within the game. Since they were special, it wasn't too difficult to make allowances for them as long as it didn't jeopardize their own safety.
Xu Nuan saw through this and sighed inwardly at how increasingly utilitarian the Players had become while also admiring Deng Yinyin's authenticity at that moment.
As the Survival Game dwindled and Players became fewer, the tension within Game Base intensified. Based on the clues Xu Nuan held, she only knew part of the reasons behind this tension and couldn't fully analyze others' thoughts.
Xie Huai's words brought a smile to Deng Yinyin's face, prompting her to let go of her chance to showcase herself and allow everyone to move on without further ado.
Such occurrences happened several times in succession; everyone continued to humor Deng Yinyin while moving forward, feeling doubly exhausted both physically and mentally.
Xu Nuan admired the endurance of a few people while continuing to pay attention to Gu Ze, occasionally glancing at He Min, who had become unusually silent.
When she noticed Gu Ze's frown deepening, Xu Nuan realized they were in a very unfavorable situation.
So, why was it unfavorable?
Xu Nuan did not wait for Gu Ze's explanation. Instead, after walking with the group for nearly half a day, they encountered a mechanism.
This time, the triggering of the mechanism was quite inexplicable. Just as they had managed to escape the perilous Cattail area, they were faced with a choice, and they only had three seconds to decide.
The one closest at that moment was He Min, who appeared slightly dazed. Unsurprisingly, they lost this opportunity to choose.
Xu Nuan glanced at the screen from a distance and felt her heart race when she noticed the words "Return to Starting Point." A wave of unease washed over her, making her uncomfortable.
As it turned out, that glance was not mistaken; they had indeed returned to the starting point—the very place where they had to choose which swamp to enter. Half a day ago, they had failed to make a timely choice and ended up surrounded by a swarm of spiders.
Seeing the familiar environment again left several of them looking somewhat dazed. They no longer had the luxury to analyze what technology or principles these mechanisms were based on. Faced with such formidable high-tech challenges, all they could do was rely on their own wisdom and perseverance to keep moving forward.
"So, do we have to start over?"
As the unsettling dust settled, Xu Nuan asked in a hushed voice but noticed Gu Ze's frown easing slightly.
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