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No one had anticipated this turn of events. Gu Ze couldn't help but smile wryly. Even in moments of eruption, Xu Nuan calculated everything so clearly. This showed just how rationally she viewed their relationship.
This was not a satisfactory outcome, and neither he nor Xu Nuan would act immaturely because of this conflict. They were both adults, having gone through so much; some tactics could be set aside long ago.
"Our understanding of each other is contradictory."
Gu Ze had to admit this. After all, he was someone who excelled at observing the bigger picture. When Xu Nuan approached problems with rationality, he couldn't simply vent his anger. The greatest fear of conflict was rationality itself, and the best ally was also rationality. It depended on how the person handling it could reasonably utilize this contradiction.
"I think so too."
Xu Nuan suppressed the emotions that were about to burst forth. Her feelings had already reached a peak; once they fully erupted, she would inevitably make a choice—one she did not want to see.
She chose to go with the flow.
"So, let's both take some time to cool down. The pace of this situation is fast; we shouldn't get distracted."
This was their helplessness under the constraints of the game. Even if they wanted to take some time to calm down and sort out their relationship, they could only find brief moments amidst their busyness, without a chance to truly catch their breath.
Gu Ze's pupils suddenly constricted, and the emotions in his eyes fluctuated deeply. Those eyes that once made Xu Nuan feel as if she were surrounded by a sea of flowers now resembled a stormy ocean, brewing with tumultuous waves.
"Alright."
In the end, Gu Ze spoke in a hushed voice.
Xu Nuan felt a pang of disappointment in her heart but quickly composed herself, preparing to resolve more matters during this sleepless night.
"Then let's set aside personal matters and discuss business."
Xu Nuan's ruthlessness was vividly manifested at this moment, and Gu Ze nearly erupted. This was one of the reasons why he and Xu Nuan had been unable to resolve their conflicts. His Rationality held back his outburst; he could foresee that once he lost control, the outcome with Xu Nuan would be dire. This was the fruit of his careful calculations, and he was unwilling to throw it all away.
"Feng Feng knows some things, and Chi Xiaoming knows part of it too. Just wait for Chi Xiaoming to wake up and ask him."
Gu Ze was aware of Feng Feng and Chi Xiaoming's actions. To him, they were inconsequential; he was confident that he could still maintain control even in the face of unexpected events. This innate confidence had been suppressed for a long time, but now that it had fully erupted, it significantly altered his perception. However, given the current situation, this confidence had become a liability.
"I understand."
Xu Nuan remembered how Chi Xiaoming had previously stopped her from asking about Gold Breakthrough and Wang Huacheng. Just now, seeing that Gold Breakthrough and Wang Huacheng were missing had momentarily thrown her into a panic, causing her to overlook this matter. Therefore, she need not have sent Xu Hang and the others to chase after them, nor did Gu Ze need to vent his frustration by revealing the secret passage.
Even someone as composed as Gu Ze could make mistakes in such situations. Xu Nuan felt a pang of bitterness; after her futile thoughts, she began to feel that she had shackled Gu Ze.
This was a self-deprecating thought—one she had experienced before when she could never catch up with Qin Yaojie.
Would history repeat itself?
In that moment, Xu Nuan felt a bit dazed, only to be jolted back to reality by the cold wind from the swamp.
Shaking her head, Xu Nuan turned to head back first. Still somewhat lost in thought, she brushed past Gu Ze without even noticing his outstretched hand.
A hand lingered in mid-air, grasping at the cold wind.
"Regardless, Wu Wu will once again be a key consideration," Xu Nuan said, trying to avoid falling into strange emotions. She began looking for something to occupy herself with. "The chances of Su Zihang being dead are still quite high; we should be more cautious."
When Xu Nuan said this, she did not expect Gu Ze to respond. Her purpose was merely to distract herself—thoughts like 'focus on the bigger picture,' 'deal with the immediate issues first,' and 'the conflict won't disappear if left alone' kept swirling in her mind. Xu Nuan was far from as carefree and calm as she believed herself to be; however, matters of the heart should not intrude upon their roles as Players at this time.
She walked back without a hint of mercy, but Gu Ze remained in place. As he watched that familiar figure gradually fade away, Gu Ze suddenly murmured softly.
"Nuannuan, how can we still be boyfriend and girlfriend like this?"
Two individuals who were utterly rational and calm always considered every aspect thoroughly, which only accumulated more contradictions between them. If only he were an easily satisfied optimist, or if Xu Nuan were a delicate and dependent woman.
In that moment, Gu Ze had such thoughts. It was a fantasy that arose when their conflicts erupted but were awkwardly concealed by both parties. They prioritized the bigger picture and chose not to resolve their issues, fearing that doing so would lead to an unfavorable outcome.
Yet he also knew clearly that if he were not the Gu Ze he was, and if Xu Nuan were not the Xu Nuan she was, they would never have come together. After all, they were both attracted to each other's souls; however, now they felt exhausted because of them.
Exhaustion is the most terrifying word in a relationship. He believed that this feeling would silently erode their passion. He wanted to stop it but felt powerless due to Xu Nuan's demeanor. Only when facing Xu Nuan did this rather proud man feel his own inadequacy.
Having recognized their contradictions yet failing to resolve them, the two returned to the Temporary Resting Place.
At this moment, the moonlight had dimmed significantly, with signs of dawn beginning to appear at the horizon. This inevitable night was bound to pass; for everyone, it was a night hard to forget.
As they approached the group one after another, they noticed that the atmosphere was far from pleasant, completely different from the joyfulness of when they had left.
"What happened?"
Xu Nuan urgently needed something else to distract her attention and thus took the initiative to ask.
As her words fell, she heard approaching footsteps. In the past, Gu Ze rarely made noise when he walked; however, this time, perhaps due to his mood, his steps sounded particularly heavy.
A hint of panic flashed in her eyes as she quickly turned to He Min in an attempt to alleviate her emotions.
The more this happened, the clearer the sound of Gu Ze's footsteps became in her ears. She could even feel the warmth radiating from him and hear his breathing.
Xu Nuan felt as if she were losing her mind; she desperately needed He Min to respond to her.
However, He Min avoided her gaze. Upon closer inspection, Xu Nuan could see the embarrassment and anger flashing across He Min's face.
It was a hurtful expression, and Xu Nuan naturally understood that this emotion was directed at her, making her feel even more uncomfortable.
She glanced around; Deng Yinyin, Xie Huai, and even Xu Hang all averted their eyes from her, their faces filled with awkwardness. She couldn't comprehend it. Only Fang Zheng, the thick-skinned one who stayed in the group solely to make a deal with Gu Ze, spoke up calmly.
"Everyone was just discussing whether only the first person to exit through the secret passage would be eligible for the Billion Dollar Prize."
For ordinary Players, there were two significant pieces of news that night. First, only the first person to clear the level could claim the prize; second, the specific location of the secret passage and how to open it were now clear. The former was infuriating while the latter was exhilarating, creating a strange mix of emotions on everyone's faces.
"I don't know."
Xu Nuan's expression turned cold, and her gaze became somewhat unfriendly, directed more at her friend He Min.
"The Gold Breakthrough has not been confirmed; can we stop speculating so recklessly?"
Xu Nuan could even imagine that later on, people would think that exiting through the secret passage would not yield any rewards. The System's stance had always been ambiguous, and there were too many Well-Meaning Persons in the game eager to mislead others' thoughts. After all, temptation was present, and no one could resist it.
Her words caused several faces to darken. Deng Yinyin, who never concealed her emotions, nearly exploded but managed to suppress it after glancing at Xu Nuan's expression.
It was so obvious that she was accommodating Xu Nuan; how could Xu Nuan not notice? She felt disappointed in this team she had once found warmth in and had tried hard to defend. As for the team members, hadn't they already begun to harbor doubts?
"If that's the case, what do you all plan to do?"
Gu Ze stepped forward, his words immediately plunging everyone into a dilemma.
Xu Nuan took a couple of steps to the side, a seemingly casual movement that changed Gu Ze's expression. On this night, all that mattered was that Fang Zheng, who was solely focused on surviving without caring about anything else, felt a bit better.
"Haha, what can we do?" Deng Yinyin laughed exaggeratedly. "Of course, we should split it evenly since we're all part of the same team."
No one echoed her sentiment; money was never too much, and in the face of such temptation, danger was equally present.
If they could leave the game through a secret passage and still get the money, it would lead to fierce competition. Those who were determined to win the prize through every Survival Game would surely come after them. However, there were not many players left alive now, and their team was close to occupying half of the remaining players. If they collaborated and shared information, their chances of success would indeed be quite high.
Deng Yinyin chuckled a couple of times before falling silent, and the others also remained quiet.
No one was willing to openly reveal their ambitions; they had already begun to guard against each other.
Gu Ze observed everyone's reactions, sneering inwardly while maintaining a calm demeanor, even suppressing the anger he had felt towards Xu Nuan earlier.
"Let's discuss this matter when we get there. Right now, our top priority is to get through this stage with all our strength."
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