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墨書 Inktalez
Excluding Xu Nuan, Xu Hang, and Chi Xiaoming—those who were in the know—the others were left bewildered, their expressions blank from the sudden explosion, even failing to react appropriately to the fall to the ground.
As Xu Nuan lifted her gaze after hitting the ground, she spotted a road not far away and realized that this hidden passage had been arranged by Gu Ze and the others beforehand. She stumbled to her feet and made her way toward the light.
Chi Xiaoming, with a grim expression, wanted to stop her but was held back by Xu Hang.
"Let her go. She must be worried," Xu Hang said calmly.
The impassive gaze of Xu Hang made Chi Xiaoming feel as if he were being seen through. Yet, he himself was unaware of his true feelings; how could he expect anyone else to see through him?
To mask this confusion he didn't even understand, Chi Xiaoming added, "It's just that following her might not be safe out there."
Gu Ze and Liu Minghong reacted quickly. Their coordination was excellent, and the plan they had meticulously crafted was proceeding smoothly. However, that didn't guarantee they would achieve the expected outcome. Outside lurked many dangers and schemes; one moment they were hunters, and the next they could easily become prey.
Chi Xiaoming was unaware that his comment would lead to greater misunderstandings. He merely tossed it out hastily before following the light himself.
This time, Xu Hang did not stop him. He watched as Chi Xiaoming's figure gradually disappeared, then turned back to the few people still in a daze. Among them was one person he needed to keep an eye on; thus, he couldn't leave just yet.
He scanned the group but suddenly realized one person was missing.
A sense of foreboding washed over Xu Hang—an all-too-familiar feeling that unsettled even someone as composed as him. Anxiety crept onto his face.
It couldn't be what he feared. Xu Hang reassured himself internally, but his trembling hands betrayed his emotions. Deng Yinyin noticed his unease and looked over in surprise, only to realize that someone had indeed vanished—someone who seemed to have left even before Xu Nuan or Chi Xiaoming.
This was Xu Nuan's second time emerging from underground to the surface; the different air brought with it a distinct sensation.
The cool air filled her lungs, causing a sharp pain that made her place a hand over her heart. It felt as if her heart was racing along with her anxiety, leaving her feeling lost and helpless.
Looking around, she saw an endless expanse of dense forest. The exit was obscured by weeds, situated in a remote area, which made Xu Nuan realize she was far from the scene of the incident.
Shouting loudly would be unwise, yet the silence around her heightened Xu Nuan's unease, giving her a sense that something bad was about to happen. It wasn't that she had any precognitive abilities; rather, it was an instinct formed through countless encounters with danger—a deep-seated habit that had become second nature, warning her at the right moments.
There was only one person she cared about, and naturally, this wave of anxiety directed her thoughts toward Gu Ze.
Which direction should she take?
Xu Nuan scanned her surroundings once more, trying to determine a way out. This exit was too secluded; as she looked closely, she realized it felt completely unfamiliar.
Suddenly, a rustling sound came from behind her, the noise of weeds being disturbed. She couldn't discern the identity of the intruder by their breath alone, so she cautiously turned around, instinctively placing her hand on the short knife at her waist.
"It's me."
Chi Xiaoming's voice was low and seemingly expressionless, but there was an underlying darkness to it—clearly displeased with Xu Nuan's defensive stance.
In her frantic state, Xu Nuan couldn't afford to observe everyone as meticulously as before. Upon seeing Chi Xiaoming, she suddenly recalled how these men had acted with remarkable coordination earlier.
"You were involved in this, right? How can I get through?"
Xu Nuan asked urgently but still maintained a certain distance from Chi Xiaoming. This secret passage must have appeared while she was still clashing with Zhang Xiao. At that time, Chi Xiaoming had been with Gu Ze. Xu Nuan was confident in her assessment but hadn't seriously considered that Chi Xiaoming might choose not to inform her—after all, he had no obligation to do so.
The events of the day had unfolded too suddenly; even those who were prepared had been taken aback. It was during this chaos that Gu Ze's high caliber truly shone through. He swiftly made all necessary arrangements to ensure the safety of most people while also revealing the identity of the perpetrator.
Chi Xiaoming couldn't help but admire Gu Ze in the past, but now, for some reason, he felt a mix of other emotions stirring within him.
"Go this way."
In the end, his Rationality prevailed, and he obediently led Xu Nuan toward their destination. Gu Ze had never asked them to hide Xu Nuan, and given their current situation, it seemed that Gu Ze simply hadn't had the chance to inform Xu Nuan.
Chi Xiaoming felt inexplicably frustrated. This emotion was hard to express, making his expression increasingly dark. Where was the previously expressionless ice-cold handsome guy?
Unfortunately, Chi Xiaoming was walking ahead, so Xu Nuan couldn't notice his emotional turmoil, let alone ask him with concern as he wished.
He indeed adjusted his pace to accommodate Xu Nuan's current physical condition, deliberately slowing down to allow her to keep up without worsening her injuries. However, it turned out that Xu Nuan found him too slow and kept urging him on.
Chi Xiaoming felt a surge of frustration rising within him, a pent-up anger that made him uncomfortable.
As they drew closer, a faint smell of blood wafted through the air. Xu Nuan's face changed dramatically as she immediately followed the scent. Chi Xiaoming, who was trailing behind, couldn't stop her.
Though the smell of blood didn't necessarily mean Gu Ze was injured, Chi Xiaoming couldn't understand Xu Nuan's feelings; he could only continue to follow her in silence.
As they approached the source of the smell, sounds of fighting reached their ears. However, it lasted only a few seconds. Just as Xu Nuan and Chi Xiaoming were determining which direction to take, the sounds abruptly stopped. In that instant, Xu Nuan forgot to breathe; her heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a hand, causing an overwhelming pain.
Her complexion turned pale, and she swayed unsteadily, seemingly struck by a tremendous blow. The Xu Nuan Chi Xiaoming knew was not someone so fragile; yet when it came to loved ones, even the strongest could falter. This power called love was something he had never experienced.
"Don't rush; go this way!"
In this critical moment, Chi Xiaoming stepped up. He guided Xu Nuan in one direction, weaving through the bushes and pushing aside the branches that obstructed their path.
Not much sunlight fell upon the jungle, casting everything into shadow, and the flickering shapes around only added to the eerie atmosphere. The sudden silence of the jungle was what truly frightened them, for it hinted at something far more sinister.
Xu Nuan followed closely behind Chi Xiaoming, her expression pained, not thinking much about anything else.
Suddenly, their view opened up, and more sunlight poured in. As their surroundings brightened, they spotted two figures ahead.
From heaven to hell, and from hell back to heaven—such was life.
Though Xu Nuan felt a twinge of guilt at her thoughts, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief when she saw that the person lying on the ground was Liu Minghong and not Gu Ze.
As they approached, Xu Nuan and Chi Xiaoming realized that Gu Ze was performing first aid on Liu Minghong. The ground bore clear signs of a struggle, with traces left by triggered mechanisms scattered about. Most striking were two pools of blood—one solitary puddle lay nearby with a fallen leaf drifting atop it, while the other was directly beneath Liu Minghong.
At that moment, Liu Minghong had removed his mask. The burns combined with blood and his contorted expression rendered his face nearly unrecognizable.
Gu Ze was focused intently on administering first aid. When he heard their approach, he merely glanced up at them quickly without uttering a word.
Xu Nuan and Chi Xiaoming dared not interrupt Gu Ze. They speculated that these two had been in conflict with Zhang Xiao, which led them to consider pursuing the fleeing figure.
However, since Gu Ze did not speak up, they remained still. Whether it was Xu Nuan, who loved Gu Ze, or Chi Xiaoming, who admired him and regarded him as a rival, both had long grown accustomed to following Gu Ze's lead without question.
Gu Ze did not urgently direct them to chase after someone; thus, they refrained from moving forward, regardless of whether this decision might leave them with regrets.
High alertness drained both physical and mental energy. Sweat began to bead on Gu Ze's forehead. Although he wasn’t injured this time, the intense concentration took its toll on him, leaving his complexion pale.
Seeing this made Xu Nuan's heart ache. She crouched beside him and gently wiped away the sweat.
Time slipped away second by second. When Gu Ze finally let out a sigh of relief, Xu Nuan did the same. She looked at Liu Minghong, whose breathing had noticeably improved, and the deep, bone-exposed wound on his arm was no longer as gruesome.
After observing him for a moment, Xu Nuan realized something was off. It was clear that Liu Minghong had only been injured in his arm; how could he have appeared to be on the brink of death? Moreover, the first aid methods Gu Ze had used were unfamiliar yet effective, which made the situation even more peculiar.
"What’s going on? Why did he suddenly change like this?"
Now that Liu Minghong had escaped danger, Xu Nuan dared to ask.
Gu Ze showed little emotion of regret or loss; instead, there was a hint of anger and excitement in his demeanor.
"Zhang Xiao has encountered that person. He knows how to trigger Liu Minghong's suggestion."
Fire flickered in Gu Ze's eyes, representing the fighting spirit that came with the impending confrontation with Another Founder and a firm resolve to end it all.
"Fortunately, Feng Feng left behind an antidote to alleviate some of the poison within Liu Minghong, which eased that suggestion."
Now Xu Nuan understood. These Designers had been given a suggestion to forget Another Founder's true identity. For several key individuals, Another Founder had also poisoned them and implanted suggestions; when those suggestions were triggered, the poison would take effect. Of course, each Designer's suggestion was different. For instance, Feng Feng had explosives within him; once his suggestion was triggered, no one could save him. Liu Minghong, being an expert in explosives himself, had a different kind of suggestion.
This change had just saved Liu Minghong's life at this moment.
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