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"Hang, move three meters to the left! Hurry!"
"Nuan, step back one meter!"
"Fang Zheng, walk three meters in my direction!"
It was the third day in the Arrogant Swamp, and the group, plagued by misfortunes, found themselves once again trapped by an endless array of mechanisms. The frequency with which these traps appeared made it difficult for them to cope.
As they repeatedly fell into crisis, and with Chi Xiaoming's injuries not healing quickly, Gu Ze decided to take charge of their actions. Previously, he had been the one to respond the fastest when the System issued tasks, and no one had any objections. After half a day of fast-paced challenges, they had even developed a conditioned reflex. Whenever Gu Ze issued a command, their bodies reacted before their minds could even process it; there was no time for judgment.
For many, this was a troubling phenomenon. There was mutual suspicion among them, and as their individual motives became clearer, cooperation turned into a psychological game that required constant vigilance. Fortunately, after several rounds of performance, Gu Ze had not plotted against them. They admired his arrangements while remaining wary of him.
Xu Nuan followed Gu Ze's commands while keeping an eye on the movements of others. If anyone attempted to create an accident, she would be ready to respond. A cold smile played on her lips, but her eyes were serious; she knew that everyone was aware of Gu Ze's cunning nature. Otherwise, he wouldn't have prioritized her, Xu Hang, and Fang Zheng's actions.
However, Xu Hang was also among those wary of Gu Ze. Although he would respond promptly, it still left Xu Nuan feeling somewhat displeased. Yet Gu Ze showed no reaction to this; from Xu Nuan's perspective, he appeared relaxed as usual, and the seriousness from the previous night had long since vanished.
Gu Ze prioritized the overall situation and did not spend more time resolving what he deemed conflicts. This was what Xu Nuan had anticipated; yet when this scenario actually unfolded, she felt a pang of bitterness in her heart—more uncomfortable than eating tough compressed biscuits.
Xu Nuan was not easily swayed by her emotions; however, this feeling made her loathe herself a bit. For a moment, she lost focus while still needing to pay attention to her surroundings.
The mechanisms in front of them shifted once again. Xu Nuan barely managed to dodge while Chi Xiaoming—who had not yet been injured—reacted quickly. No one noticed her brief pause upon landing; everyone else was focused on the approaching wolf pack. This was their third encounter with wolves. For those who had honed their skills in the game for so long, wolves were no longer considered dangerous creatures. However, once they formed a pack, they became something that mere humans with short knives could not withstand.
The wolf pack was still some distance away from them as panic began to set in. They hurriedly searched for places to take cover. Yet in the swamp, spotting even a few trees was rare; finding shelter? That was just a dream.
This time, the wolves systematically surrounded them from different directions, making it impossible to use the same strategy they had employed on the first day: Lure Them Into the Trap.
Thoughts raced through her mind as Xu Nuan quickly slapped her face, trying to stop He Min's actions not far from her side. Gu Ze's reaction speed was a given; the fact that he hadn't spoken meant the situation was serious. While Gu Ze might not understand, she could sense it. The companions who had been with Gu Ze for a long time should also know his way of doing things.
Unfortunately, at this moment of great danger, everyone was focused solely on their own safety, lacking any broader perspective.
“Amin, don’t forget to go that way.”
Xu Nuan realized how hoarse and strained her voice sounded after not speaking for a while, almost as if she had a cold. When the thought of 'cold' popped into her head, she noticed that her face felt quite hot, but this wasn't the time to worry about that.
Although she reminded He Min, she saw no danger in the direction He Min was heading; what she could see, He Min could see too. The He Min she once knew had changed and did not pause because of her warning.
Xu Nuan reached out her hand weakly, wanting to grab He Min's arm. Just as she was about to touch He Min's hand, it was brushed away lightly but firmly.
He Min didn’t say a word or even look back. Xu Nuan couldn’t discern her expression and didn’t know if the action was intentional or accidental. But her heart felt empty, a wave of undeniable disappointment surged within her, intertwining with the helplessness she felt in front of Gu Ze. Her vision began to blur as emotions crashed against her mind like countless voices whispering incessantly in her ear. She felt miserable but had no one to confide in.
At the front, Gu Ze quickly assessed the situation and issued commands. Fang Zheng, who could only be considered a follower of this team, reacted the fastest and obediently took his position according to Gu Ze’s instructions. This behavior contradicted his usual aloof demeanor but reflected his survival instinct.
Xu Nuan found herself not disliking him; despite Fang Zheng having been an accomplice of Guo Dafu long ago, after all the twists and turns, Guo Dafu was dead now. Fang Zheng only wanted to escape the game without caring about money anymore, and she too had changed repeatedly. The passage of time had transformed them Second Batch Players profoundly, and no one could stop its magic.
She quickly took her position according to Gu Ze’s arrangement and managed a weak smile when their eyes met. The contradictions remained, as did the barriers, but so did the love. Whether they would walk together in the end or part ways forever didn’t matter; for now, she still loved him, and that was enough. Love is something difficult to explain with logic; it possesses too much magic that can alter appearances and elevate people to greatness. Xu Nuan couldn’t deny feeling exhausted at this moment, but more than that, she felt guilt. If only she could be more capable and handle more challenges, then Gu Ze wouldn’t have to take on those burdens. If she had enough ability, she could balance both love and goals effectively.
She was a rational person who wouldn’t make excuses for her inadequacies. The clearer she recognized this fact, the more exhausted she felt; progress seemed endless while emotional conflicts arose. Gu Ze remained as exceptional as ever, which added pressure on her without any outlet for release until it all accumulated into sheer fatigue. This game never let up on her; just when she felt tired, it threw fast-paced traps at her that left her no time to react properly. Even when she knew she shouldn’t be distracted, she found herself unable to control it.
In the end, she was just an ordinary person troubled by mundane matters.
With a gentle sigh, Xu Nuan shifted her gaze away and soon heard Gu Ze making arrangements for others.
In fact, Gu Ze held a significant authority among the Third Batch of Players. No matter how vigilant Deng Yinyin and the others were, they could never completely refute Gu Ze. In this regard, it was fortunate that Gold Breakthrough and Wang Huacheng were not present; those two were like reeds in the wind, capable of serving Zhang Xiao or providing information to Gu Ze. It was hard to guarantee that they wouldn’t turn against each other at a critical moment.
As Gu Ze's arrangements increased, Xu Nuan realized that he had already grasped the fast-paced rhythm of this mechanism. He aimed to trigger the next mechanism in a timely manner when the current one activated, thus avoiding a direct confrontation with the wolf pack. This was a clever tactic, difficult yet feasible, and among the surviving Players, only Gu Ze could accomplish this.
Xu Nuan couldn’t help but sigh again, forcing herself to smile as she set aside her concerns about He Min and focused on her own tasks.
Chi Xiaoming had been rather quiet these past few days. Previously, he had only briefly discussed Wu Wu with Xu Nuan before ignoring her entirely. His expressionless demeanor made it even harder to decipher his thoughts now that he was silent. However, Chi Xiaoming did not oppose the others; on the contrary, he was quite obedient to Gu Ze’s arrangements. Unfortunately, this did not erase his previous scheming with Feng Feng against Xu Nuan and Gu Ze. Gu Ze showed no signs of caring about it, and Chi Xiaoming offered no explanations. Their interactions remained largely unchanged, but to Xu Nuan, it felt chillingly cold.
Gu Ze had never fully trusted Chi Xiaoming; he preferred to believe Xu Hang, with whom he had clashed. Chi Xiaoming had always held back as well; otherwise, he wouldn’t have entertained other thoughts when issues arose for Xu Nuan. This unfolding drama left Xu Nuan’s previously touched feelings about their cooperation shattered into pieces.
She truly had been too naive, Xu Nuan sighed again as everyone gradually took their positions. Time was limited after all; the scattered wolf pack approached faster than anyone had anticipated. During this time, everyone followed Gu Ze’s arrangements instead of seeking hiding spots, and unnatural expressions appeared on their faces.
Believing in Gu Ze while fearing being betrayed by him created a contradictory yet very real mindset shaped by the game—one that was both amusing and nauseating.
While the others displayed anxious expressions, Xu Nuan steadfastly gazed at the figure standing at the forefront. The sunlight cast a golden halo around that person, making them appear somewhat unreal. Yet she knew that just a few meters forward would bring her close enough to touch him—he was truly there beside her at that moment—so his decision was undoubtedly correct.
Accompanying this thought was a sudden sound; they had indeed triggered the mechanism once more. This was Gu Ze's first experiment, and it succeeded immediately. This meant that regardless of how many mechanisms the System arranged afterward or how dangerous they might be, they could escape using this method. It was a battle of wits, and clearly, the victor was Gu Ze, who had never participated in designing the game.
Xu Nuan felt proud of this achievement; however, when they entered the next Survival Game, what greeted them was Wang Huacheng stumbling towards them, covered in blood.
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