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墨書 Inktalez
Xu Nuan did not wish for such an unexpected encounter.
Coming around the corner were Gu Ze and his four companions.
Regardless of how the other four reacted with surprise, confusion, or a hint of disdain, Xu Nuan's focus was solely on Gu Ze.
It had been nearly four days since she last saw him. Gu Ze had changed somewhat, yet remained the same.
What remained unchanged was his appearance and the sense of pressure he exuded; what had changed were his eyes and the emotions that surfaced.
When that man first saw her, he was filled with sorrow and guilt, followed by surprise, which quickly morphed into disbelief, anger, and despair.
She did not understand the emotions he displayed at first. She was familiar with the latter feelings; not long ago, Gu Ze often looked at her that way. At that time, she could only feel a sorrow she could not comprehend, leaving her in a daze. Now she understood clearly that they could never return to the past, especially when Gu Ze witnessed her so close to Chi Ming in this moment of clarity.
In fact, when Gu Ze looked over, Xu Nuan wanted to lift her head and push Chi Ming away. However, halfway through the motion, her hand fell weakly to her side. She thought to herself that since she would have to face challenges alone from now on, a little misunderstanding wouldn’t matter. Let Gu Ze believe she was that kind of person; this way, she wouldn’t regret giving up on this relationship. They had both chosen to let go, so it was a fair ending.
What Xu Nuan did not realize was how she appeared in the eyes of Gu Ze and his companions.
Indeed, when Gu Ze and his group turned the corner and saw the two of them so intimately close, they were utterly shocked. After all their efforts to find Xu Nuan, seeing her with another man made it impossible for them not to feel anger; all their worries transformed into dissatisfaction. But soon enough, they shifted their focus from the couple's closeness to observing Xu Nuan closely and quickly noticed something was off with her.
After nearly four days apart, Xu Nuan’s appearance had drastically changed. Her tattered clothing aptly described her current state; beneath the rags were numerous injuries. Although those wounds did not appear severe at first glance, they were exposed and clearly untreated—some already inflamed and festering—making for a distressing sight. When they noticed the bruises on Xu Nuan's wrist that had yet to fade, they immediately recalled the red rope from the cave. As their gaze shifted to her face, they found her pale complexion marred by an unusual flush; it was evident she was unwell. Her gaunt face bore scattered bruises, with a large swollen area on her left cheek and cracked lips. Xu Nuan had tied her hair up high, exposing her smooth forehead and making it impossible to ignore her large almond-shaped eyes. The emotions flickering in those eyes stirred complex feelings within them all.
The two sides exchanged glances for only a brief moment; however, to Xu Nuan, it felt like an eternity. The churning in her stomach was replaced by a sharp pain in her heart—such agony made it hard for her to endure; she nearly fainted.
At that moment, Chi Ming failed to read the situation as he leaned closer to Xu Nuan's ear. Only when he felt her shiver did he lower his voice.
"Do we need to continue with the transaction? That person hasn’t left yet."
Xu Nuan felt as if every gaze directed at her was like searing flames, making her wounds feel like burns—painful and scorching. Soon enough, this heat coursed through her blood to her heart; it felt as though her heart had been placed in a massive furnace heated to thousands of degrees Celsius—it evaporated instantly without leaving a trace.
"Continue."
Xu Nuan struggled to regain her voice, refusing to shake off the hand that Chi Ming had placed on her shoulder. She had already guessed that Chi Ming had a twisted sense of humor; the more she suffered, the happier he would be. She had no intention of becoming the punchline for his amusement. Besides, she could already imagine how disheveled she looked at that moment—definitely not a woman of beauty and grace. If Chi Ming could endure it, then she would play along.
She avoided the most intense gaze among the crowd and continued to maintain her close posture with Chi Ming as they walked forward. Since Dong Keyong hadn’t left, it meant he wasn’t willing to give up this perfect opportunity. As long as she and Chi Ming were alone together again, Dong Keyong would remain lurking nearby. At that point, she would let this person beside her deal with Dong Keyong; it would be a shameful waste not to utilize someone like him.
However, after they had walked a few meters in that position, He Min called out her name with a complex mix of emotions.
“Nuan.”
There was no follow-up.
She knew that at this moment, the five of them were all at a loss, but she felt just as lost. If that was the case, then let everything be; let everyone follow their own paths naturally.
She didn’t stop, and neither did Chi Ming, who continued to smile brightly.
But after they had walked a few more meters, Deng Yinyin voiced her dissatisfaction loudly.
“Xu Nuan, how can you do this to us? How can you…”
Before she could finish, Xie Huai covered her mouth.
How could you do this to Gu Ze?
That was what Deng Yinyin wanted to express. Xu Nuan wanted to smile at Gu Ze and the others to show her determination, but she couldn’t muster a smile and didn’t dare turn around to look at Gu Ze’s expression again.
Xu Nuan knew that Chi Ming beside her was quietly observing Gu Ze and the others while also relishing her pain beneath the surface. She hoped to quickly bridge the distance between them.
This short distance felt like thousands of miles as she walked. Along the way, she kept avoiding Gu Ze’s gaze but didn’t hear his voice.
She wanted to hear that person’s voice; perhaps it would be the last time she ever heard it. But Gu Ze remained silent, leaving her speechless in return.
She had long known that Gu Ze had nothing to say, hadn’t she? Seeing such a scene, they treated each other like strangers—what else could they do?
As Xu Nuan brushed past Gu Ze, her hand was suddenly caught. The warmth of his grip was more intense than the furnace she had imagined, seeping deep into her heart and nearly bringing her to tears.
It was a temperature that evoked longing, a hand she wished to hold onto. Yet Rationality warned her that now was not the time. If Dong Keyong believed they were acting together with Gu Ze and the others, he would flee immediately.
She could not allow Dong Keyong to escape. It was better to deal with him now using Chi Ming than to face a significant threat from him later. She couldn't waver at this moment; letting the tiger return to the mountain was not an option.
As Xu Nuan struggled to suppress her impulses, Chi Ming's hand knocked Gu Ze's away and rested his head on her shoulder, casting an annoyed glance at Gu Ze.
"Please stay away from Nuan."
Xu Nuan trembled at Chi Ming's actions and words. She understood he was acting, indulging in his dark humor, and fulfilling their deal to uncover the secret he desired.
She didn't have to feel this way; she could explain things to Gu Ze later. But she didn't want to explain. What she truly wanted was for Gu Ze to confront them, to loudly question what was happening, to argue and try to keep her there, scaring Dong Keyong away.
This was her genuine thought, though it wasn't something she would express or act upon now. Rationality reminded her that she must seize this opportunity; otherwise, she would regret it later.
After Gu Ze's hand was pushed away, he did not make another move. Xu Nuan felt a mix of disappointment and self-awareness; she knew she was being overly dramatic. She avoided looking at Gu Ze's expression and couldn't tell what the others were thinking as they silently observed.
Silence worked in her favor, allowing her to act.
As Chi Ming drew closer without stopping, Xu Nuan grew increasingly anxious, realizing that this torment would soon end.
Just as they were about to pass a rocky area, Xu Nuan's legs suddenly weakened under the strain of tension and fatigue, nearly causing her to collapse. Chi Ming quickly supported her and leaned in close.
"Good acting, just the right amount."
Xu Nuan wanted to retort but lacked the strength. Noticing that Gu Ze and the others were looking over as if preparing to approach for clarification, she quickly grabbed Chi Ming's shirt and signaled him with her eyes to act swiftly. Her gaze fell on the knife at Chi Ming's waist.
She made up her mind: if Chi Ming suddenly turned against her, she would draw that knife and eliminate Dong Keyong lurking nearby or perhaps even kill Chi Ming himself.
Both men posed threats; even if Chi Ming helped her eliminate Dong Keyong, he still sought the secret. Once he learned it, her value to him would vanish.
However, at this point, she seemed to underestimate Chi Ming. As she glanced over, Chi Ming swiftly dashed past her and leaped onto the rocks, disappearing from her sight within seconds, vanishing into the cluster of stones.
She had no doubt that Chi Ming's skills were beyond Dong Keyong's ability to react. Thinking back, every First Batch of Players she encountered was more formidable than the last, each one more difficult to deal with.
When the sounds of fighting reached her ears, Xu Nuan hurriedly stumbled to her feet, intending to rush into the rocky area. Upon seeing Gu Ze and a few others approaching quickly, she feigned impatience and shouted, "Don't come over! This has nothing to do with you!"
She dared not look at their expressions and quickly entered the rocky area, following the sounds of the battle.
Dong Keyong's hiding spot was more concealed than she had imagined, which made it impressive that Chi Ming had spotted him from such a distance. For a moment, Xu Nuan suspected that Chi Ming was in cahoots with Dong Keyong, planning to deceive her with this soft approach. But before her doubts could dissipate, she witnessed the scene of Chi Ming and Dong Keyong clashing.
The rocks were near a cliff, which wasn't very high and wouldn't be fatal if someone fell. As Xu Nuan approached Chi Ming and Dong Keyong, she kept an eye on the cliff, planning to escape that way once Chi Ming dealt with Dong Keyong.
Whether or not she could be found afterward would depend on Chi Ming's own abilities; if captured, she would have to navigate through secrecy.
With her mind made up, Xu Nuan began to watch the fight between Chi Ming and Dong Keyong seriously. It was evident that both were skilled fighters; every punch and kick they threw was genuine martial arts. Although Dong Keyong appeared stronger and taller than Chi Ming, Chi Ming was incredibly agile. After exchanging blows for a while, Chi Ming gained the upper hand.
Xu Nuan couldn't help but smile at this turn of events. Just then, Gu Ze and his companions rushed in. When she saw Gu Ze striding toward her, she immediately moved closer to where Chi Ming and Dong Keyong were engaged in battle.
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