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Between lovers, a subtle gesture can convey each other's thoughts.
When Gu Ze relaxed his furrowed brow and glanced at Xu Nuan, she immediately understood what he intended to do and braced herself accordingly.
While the others were still dazed by the scene before them, expressing their anger at the System's twisted arrangements, Xu Nuan and Gu Ze were already prepared to face another wave of fast-paced challenges.
As it turned out, neither Gu Ze nor Xu Nuan was mistaken. The System quickly presented another choice, and this time, the two of them, having been prepared, reacted swiftly. Before the others could catch up, they made a decision that favored all eight of them.
The System offered no respite; the scenery before everyone changed once again in an instant. No one had the time to critique this unfathomable mechanism.
Gu Ze and Xu Nuan's choice brought them to a high vantage point, a rare location amidst the marshlands. If utilized properly, it would provide a vast field of vision leading directly to the Supply Station. However, if misused, it would expose them, especially considering that their team included Xu Nuan, who knew of a secret passage, along with four others rumored among Players to be special individuals from the Third Batch of Players.
Gu Ze was the first to seize the opportunity. His ability to assess the situation had already surpassed Chi Xiaoming and Xu Hang in this round.
Before anyone could grasp the quick pace set by Gu Ze and Xu Nuan, Gu Ze had already pulled out a pair of binoculars and began scanning the surroundings. What met his eyes was a vast expanse of sickly green that sent chills down his spine, yet it did nothing to shake his resolve.
For Xu Nuan to keep up with Gu Ze's rhythm, she had to constantly observe him. When she noticed Gu Ze standing still for an extended period while looking through the binoculars in one direction, she understood something and immediately approached He Min, who was wandering around in confusion.
"Get ready."
"Huh?"
He Min remained dazed; only the clarity in her eyes indicated that she was actually taking everything in. As for her intentions, no one had discovered them yet, but even the best-hidden motives would eventually be revealed.
Xu Nuan did not explain anything to He Min but instead communicated through action what they were about to do next to her and the other few who had just come back to their senses.
As Xu Nuan walked briskly, Gu Ze subtly lowered his binoculars and made a discreet gesture to Chi Xiaoming and Feng Feng before waving to Xu Hang. After exchanging a few brief words, he followed Xu Nuan's lead.
Soon, Xu Hang, Chi Xiaoming, and Feng Feng hesitated for only a moment before following suit. It seemed they were willing to abandon their advantageous position. He Min, Deng Yinyin, and Xie Huai exchanged glances, each reflecting the confusion in the other's eyes.
Despite their bewilderment, they weren't foolish enough to make a scene at that moment and decided to follow along.
Not long after they left, a pack of wolves surged up to the highest point, surveying their surroundings from above. They howled into the empty air before scattering in different directions.
At that moment, Xu Nuan and her group had taken refuge in the low area of Broadleaf Forest, crouching behind the sparse trees as they peered toward the distant hillside.
That was close!
Almost everyone thought this to themselves.
The last time they entered a fast-paced challenge, as soon as they arrived at a new location, they were immediately surrounded by spiders. If it hadn't been for Feng Feng's specially made powder, they would have likely been overwhelmed by those disgusting creatures. Shortly after that, they found themselves chased by hundreds of deer during a moment of hesitation.
Thus, Xu Nuan and Gu Ze reached the same conclusion: if the System dictated a fast pace, they needed to respond even faster; otherwise, they would be at the mercy of their foes.
Just moments ago, if they hadn't managed to hide in time, they would have faced dozens of fierce wolves. In truth, facing just spiders, deer, or even a wolf pack individually might not pose an insurmountable threat. However, once the pace quickened and reactions lagged behind, no amount of skill would save them.
This was particularly evident with formidable individuals like Chi Xiaoming and Xu Hang. Earlier, when Gu Ze had reacted quickly and Xu Nuan had promptly understood his cue for support, these two had been left astonished and momentarily stunned.
In comparison, Gu Ze's abilities shone through once again. Although Xu Nuan didn't possess quite the same level of talent as him, seeing that their leader Xu Hang was not particularly adept either made her reluctant to dwell on it further.
After her body recovered, she was determined to maintain the stability of the team structure, striving for everyone to reach the Forest of Hatred together and work in unison against Zhang Xiao. To this end, she even tolerated Deng Yinyin's repeated unreasonable antics.
However, as Gu Ze's charisma overshadowed the abilities of others, this balance began to break.
Although the Game Base was not a company and did not foster competition among colleagues, players still compared themselves to one another. Especially with Gu Ze, who had originally been content to remain in the shadows, suddenly stepping into the spotlight as the game neared its conclusion, it was impossible for others to ignore him, which inevitably sparked new jealousy.
Everyone was just an ordinary person with emotions and desires; feeling jealous was entirely normal. Some could hide their feelings and coexist harmoniously, while others would get stuck in their own thoughts.
Fortunately, this jealousy had not yet reached a peak that could disrupt the team; Xu Nuan felt relieved but remained quietly vigilant. What she did not anticipate was that their team would amplify this jealousy due to an unexpected piece of news.
The events unfolded dramatically. After they evaded a pack of wolves and faced several choices, Gu Ze had already seen through the fast-paced nature of their situation. He responded promptly each time, preventing anyone from falling into crisis. After several iterations of this, others began to keep up with his rhythm until dusk fell. As everyone grew weary, the System halted its rapid arrangements, allowing them as players to enter a moment of rest.
Night was Xu Nuan's nemesis. Typically, after nightfall, she would obediently stay by Gu Ze's side, engaging in light conversation before resting until the next morning when they would set off toward their goal again.
It was just after nightfall; the moonlight was somewhat stingy, casting only a few sparse beams that barely illuminated objects within ten meters. Soon enough, a fire was lit, but it did little to increase visibility.
As usual, a few of them huddled together for rest. Just as Xu Nuan settled beside Gu Ze, she noticed He Min not far away, looking quite dejected with her head hung low. Compassion welled up within her; she wanted to go over and offer some comforting words. However, before she could stand up, a question crossed her mind.
How could she possibly comfort He Min?
In the face of death, any attempt at consolation felt pale and inadequate. "Take care" was perhaps the lightest phrase in existence—words that could easily slip off one's lips but could never truly reach deep into someone's heart to warm that cold place.
Xu Nuan's movements froze at that thought when Gu Ze beside her suddenly spoke up.
"Four o'clock has passed; you need to take your medicine."
Xu Nuan felt stiff and unable to move, her mind still trapped in the helplessness of not being able to assist He Min. Now, she was facing the danger of revealing her vulnerabilities.
Having been so indulged by Gu Ze, she was no longer the independent and aloof Xu Nuan she once was. As she cherished the warmth of the person beside her, she often let her guard down.
Once her defenses were down, it became easy for Gu Ze, who was astutely perceptive, to notice any signs of her inner turmoil.
"Nuan, is something bothering you?"
Gu Ze's question trailed off, but when Xu Nuan met his deep brown eyes, she felt as if she were drowning. Her fingers instinctively tightened around the hem of her shirt; the calm demeanor she prided herself on was utterly useless in front of this person who always made her heart race.
"I want to take it before I sleep; that way, even if I lose consciousness, it won't matter."
Catching a glimpse of Chi Xiaoming and Feng Feng's gazes, Xu Nuan quickly thought of an excuse.
To convince Gu Ze of this, Xu Nuan surprisingly decided to act a bit coy.
"If I sleep too deeply tomorrow morning, remember to wake me up."
At that moment, Xu Nuan didn't hold back her smile. Gone was the bright and exuberant youth; instead, her smile radiated warmth born from weathering life's storms. In this regard, she resembled Gu Ze quite a bit.
Gu Ze no longer doubted her words and smiled as he gently patted Xu Nuan's head.
Seeing this, Xu Nuan's smile deepened as she mentally praised her own cleverness. However, Gu Ze's expression suddenly changed, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes like a beast poised to strike in the night.
Xu Nuan's heart skipped a beat. Before she could react, Gu Ze had already stood up and dashed toward the sparse Broadleaf Forest, leaving behind a hurried remark.
"Stay here and don't wander off."
Under normal circumstances, Xu Nuan would have playfully retorted, but given Gu Ze's tense demeanor at that moment, she felt no inclination to do so.
As Gu Ze quickly rushed into the nearby woods, Xu Hang also stood up to follow him.
Noticing this, Deng Yinyin and Xie Huai attempted to follow as well, but were held back by Chi Xiaoming's deep voice.
"Everyone stay calm. They can handle it. Let's not scatter for now."
Given that Chi Xiaoming resembled Xu Hang in many ways, Deng Yinyin and Xie Huai felt little animosity towards him, despite the fact that these two had previously expressed clear dislike for Yu Yu and Fan Beibei.
"What happened?"
Even though Gu Ze was the first to rush out, Xu Nuan couldn't deny her ignorance of the situation. She turned to Chi Xiaoming, who seemed to know what was going on. As for Feng Feng, he had been resting with his eyes closed since they arrived at the resting area. His short stature would have made him easily forgotten by everyone if not for the distinct scent of medicine surrounding him. During these days, he hadn't interacted much with anyone, including Gu Ze; it seemed joining their group was of little significance to him. Because it was insignificant, there was no need for genuine integration.
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