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Xu Nuan and Gu Ze exchanged a glance, their faces pale, and did not respond to Deng Yinyin's question.
Xu Hang, however, noticed that He Min seemed a bit nervous. Her lips trembled uncontrollably for a moment, her brows furrowing together before quickly relaxing, though there was still a forced calmness in her expression.
Xu Hang's gaze darkened as he looked around, realizing that no one seemed to be paying attention to He Min. It was as if since entering this stage, no one had noticed her at all. He Min was a beautiful woman with a strong presence, yet now everyone was focused on Chi Xiaoming instead of her, which struck him as odd.
When someone remains silent for too long in a game, their presence diminishes in the eyes of others. Xu Hang raised an eyebrow, as if he had come to a realization.
For the moment, no one noticed these details. After asking her question, Deng Yinyin wore an inappropriate expression of seeking praise, while Xie Huai was always eager to chime in.
"If there's a story targeting those two, then I can guess who it is."
It was entirely normal for traps to appear in a game. Initially, aside from Xu Nuan and a few others who were genuinely concerned about the matter, everyone else thought they had simply encountered a trap. However, once the hypothesis was suggested, people quickly began finding reasons to validate it and agreed unanimously.
This pleased Deng Yinyin, who rarely received such agreement, but it was not what He Min wanted to see. If the situation continued down this path, it would be detrimental to her.
At this moment, He Min had completely forgotten her past relationship with Xu Nuan. She had forgotten their friendship, their shared struggles, and the man who once vowed to find her even in death; she herself was unwilling to die without finding him.
He Min was no longer much different from the old Guo Dafu. Yet Xu Nuan did not notice this; her focus lay solely on two things: Gu Ze and the injury on her left leg.
The fact that she would not be able to walk comfortably for a long time didn't bother her much; she had come this far without relying on her legs. What worried her was Gu Ze. It was clear that whoever designed the trap was targeting him, putting him in grave danger. She was eighty percent sure that the person behind it was Zhang Xiao. However, she recalled that during the Gentle Prairie stage, she had determined through illusions that Zhang Xiao could not kill Gu Ze. This had been confirmed by Zhang Xiao's behavior—so why?
Xu Nuan couldn't wrap her mind around this point; she could only feel deep concern for Gu Ze. She believed in his abilities but feared losing him.
Thinking of this made her eyes well up with tears. She felt guilty for having disrupted Gu Ze's plans; otherwise, how could that spirited Gu Ze have fallen into such a passive situation?
With red-rimmed eyes, Xu Nuan looked at Gu Ze, her worry almost spilling over. How could Gu Ze not notice such obvious emotions? He merely sighed and reached out to pinch Xu Nuan's cheek gently, the light pressure revealing a hint of affection.
"Don't think too much; this is something I have to face."
Although Gu Ze was stating a fact, his voice was as gentle as a spring breeze. He rarely showed such a demeanor, but now he had to soothe Xu Nuan. Once Xu Nuan erupted, her fighting power was formidable, and the injuries she sustained would be significant. While he was pleased that he was becoming increasingly important in Xu Nuan's eyes, he was also reluctant to see her put herself in danger.
It was a contradictory yet entirely normal emotion. Gu Ze couldn't help but sigh, which only made Xu Nuan's eyes redden further.
At this moment, the distance between the two was less than half a meter, and their movements appeared somewhat intimate.
Deng Yinyin, still waiting for compliments, twitched her lips and turned to Xie Huai.
"Aren't they being a bit excessive with their display of affection?"
"Heh heh."
Xie Huai chuckled dryly a couple of times, offering no comment on the matter.
Due to Xu Nuan and Gu Ze's sudden display of affection, Deng Yinyin's question faded into the background. He Min let out a sigh of relief, unaware that her actions had caught the eye of the increasingly suspicious Xu Hang.
It was dusk, with only the last remnants of evening glow remaining at the horizon. Night was about to fall, enveloping the entire jungle in darkness. The beasts that had been dormant for so long began to stir. The jungle was noisier than during the day, with various animal calls blending together to create a sinister atmosphere.
The shadows of trees in the dark were typically indistinct, fragmented by moonlight and gentle breezes into several pieces that seemed to claw at everyone. Yet after a while, none of them actually approached.
Exhausted, the group casually chose a spot to rest. Before settling down, Deng Yinyin deliberately went over to Xu Nuan to confirm their direction.
"Based on your estimate, how much longer until we reach the secret passage?"
Deng Yinyin considered herself quite polite in her inquiries, but Xu Nuan ignored her self-approval and responded in a standard manner.
"Two, for safety's sake."
Although she had also answered with "two" that early morning, the fact that they had made little progress throughout the day left Deng Yinyin satisfied with this answer. Before they set off, she muttered, "I hope these two won't encounter any more danger; I really don't want to see anyone die again."
Contrary to her hopes, the journey to the secret passage was fraught with obstacles. Xu Nuan was certain that Zhang Xiao was nearby, watching them and following them to the secret passage. Originally, her plan had been to use traps within the secret passage to eliminate Zhang Xiao.
However, the traps had been compromised, and Gu Ze had revealed another purpose for entering the game. Meanwhile, Xu Nuan had lost her basic combat abilities; she lacked confidence in winning and dared not take risks.
At that moment, she was willing to be a coward if it meant protecting the lives of those she cherished. Reality forced her into a reluctant choice, and she resented it.
"Qi Huan... she..."
The death of Qi Huan was one of the reasons for Xu Nuan's low spirits. Although Qi Huan wasn't as important as Gu Ze, her loss weighed heavily on Xu Nuan's conscience.
It was worth noting that Qi Huan had only stayed in their team because Xu Nuan had invited her. If Qi Huan had faced the challenges alone, perhaps she wouldn't have been dragged down by Xu Nuan and met such a tragic fate.
"If it weren't for me..."
Xu Nuan's voice trembled slightly, her eyes reddening but no tears fell. Her hand was tightly grasped by Gu Ze, while his other hand kneaded her left thigh.
She felt deep guilt towards Qi Huan and was terrified; Qi Huan's fate could very well be the fate of each one of them, and even more so for Gu Ze.
Xu Nuan did not directly express her worries; she merely vented her emotions through the guilt she felt for Qi Huan.
"I know it's too late for anything now, but if possible, I want to take her body to the Supply Station."
Xu Nuan stared intently at Gu Ze, a hint of greed flashing in her eyes. At that moment, she felt as though she could never get enough of him.
People are inherently selfish, and Xu Nuan was no exception. She intended to preserve the bodies of Yu Hao and Qin Yaojie, and now she wanted to do the same for Qi Huan. It was merely a matter of how deep their friendship was and whether guilt played a role. However, for people like Wang Yiyun and Rao Tingxue, she had simply dug a pit to bury them without a second thought about whether she would be able to find their bodies when they left the game.
"But I can't..."
Gu Ze had remained silent all along, and Xu Nuan was only using this method to release some of the pain she felt inside.
Yet they had neither the time nor the energy to take Qi Huan's body to the Supply Station. Deng Yinyin and Fang Zheng believed they could find a secret passage to escape this game. But Xu Nuan, Gu Ze, and even Chi Xiaoming and Xu Hang knew it was merely a ruse. Most of them still clung to the hope of continuing to push forward, which was foolishly reckless.
"It's okay."
Just as Xu Nuan was on the verge of tears, Gu Ze gently loosened his grip on one of her hands, brushing her hair aside with a tender gesture to comfort her. They both understood many things without needing to say them; they sought to ease each other's pain in the gentlest way possible.
"We'll mark the spot and come back for her later."
Xu Nuan lifted her gaze and looked deeply into Gu Ze's eyes, filled with trust yet revealing a vulnerability unique to her that tugged at one's heartstrings, making one want to hold her close.
"Will we really come back?"
The word "come back" implied that they could leave safely.
Xu Nuan was a pragmatic person, lacking the optimism of Deng Yinyin. Her rationality informed her of the success rate of various endeavors, and she approached tasks based on those probabilities, which was her strength. However, her inherent fragility would often lead her to feel sadness in similar situations, causing her to lose the motivation to move forward.
This was Xu Nuan, a survivor who had weathered countless storms since being thrust into the game.
With hope in her heart, there could be a Miracle, and that Miracle was Gu Ze.
At this moment, she clearly realized that Gu Ze was the driving force for her to continue in this game; she had already fallen deeply into this relationship.
"It will happen, it definitely will."
Gu Ze's tone was resolute, his gaze unwavering. Xu Nuan chose to believe him, and in doing so, found the courage to face the future.
This was a relationship envied by outsiders, one she had once possessed but then lost.
He Min, with her head bowed, wore a grim expression. She pretended to be dozing off while listening intently to the movements of Xu Nuan and Gu Ze. After experiencing such intense battles, people would unconsciously relax; it was the perfect opportunity to gather information.
Having learned this lesson, He Min shamelessly feigned sleep. She had become someone who could be calculated by anyone. Just as she had firmly decided not long ago, she would only be her own master. Whether it was that person, Xu Nuan, or anyone else, none could stop her from achieving her goals.
Those who obstructed her would simply need to be removed.
The cold smile at the corners of He Min's lips was more chilling than the winter river.
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