As Gu Jingyong returned to the convenience store, he saw the headless zombie still banging on the door.
Through the glass door, Tan Xinger was dragging a stainless steel table, attempting to brace it against the door.
Approaching, Gu Jingyong grabbed the zombie's clothes with one hand and placed the other on its shoulder. The zombie was instantly slammed to the ground, struggling to get back up.
The commotion between the zombie and Gu Jingyong caught Tan Xinger's attention. She stared blankly as Gu Jingyong kicked the zombie towards the door.
The zombie collided with the glass, breaking several bones, and didn't get up for quite some time.
Gu Jingyong walked straight towards Tan Xinger, reaching out to push the door open. Tan Xinger stared at him, her hand quickly reaching to hold the door from the inside.
The two stood facing each other through the glass, neither saying a word.
Tan Xinger watched as cracks spread across the glass, knowing it would shatter with just a light push of her finger.
Just like the fragile relationship between them, there was nothing firm to hold onto.
Tan Xinger lowered her head, not yet ready to confront her emotions, when she suddenly felt a shadow cast over her. She looked up to see Gu Jingyong leaving.
"???"
Tan Xinger stared in disbelief as Gu Jingyong walked away like that.
"Hmph, if you explained things to me, I might have forgiven you."
Clutching her fists, Tan Xinger pounded on the glass door a few times, still feeling unsatisfied. Suddenly, she sensed a presence and looked up to see Gu Jingyong returning.
He was holding food and drinks, appearing as if nothing had happened, with a fast-food burger and a bottle of milk tea.
"Eat up, we have a journey ahead," Gu Jingyong's voice sounded distant through the glass, but Tan Xinger still understood what he said.
"???"
Question marks filled Tan Xinger's mind. Was this guy trying to silence her?
After all, she knew some things about him, and now he was being so direct about it?
Gu Jingyong frowned, puzzled by Tan Xinger's shocked expression.
"Aren't you hungry? We'll be walking to the city later, and you'll need your strength."
After Gu Jingyong spoke, Tan Xinger instinctively touched her rumbling stomach. After the recent battle, she was exhausted.
"Heh, you say some pretty scary things," Tan Xinger glanced at Gu Jingyong's eyes again, making sure there was no murderous intent before pushing the door open and walking out.
Gu Jingyong didn't know what he said that was so scary, but he didn't ask. He simply handed her the food, and under Tan Xinger's astonished gaze, he tossed the headless zombie out of the convenience store.
"Why is he so... obedient in front of you?" Tan Xinger took a bite of her burger, watching the zombie, who barely resisted, now stumbling around like a headless fly, no, a headless zombie, bumping into things.
"He was under control just now, which made him very aggressive," Gu Jingyong explained, hearing Tan Xinger gasp.
"Controlled zombies? Who's behind this?"
Tan Xinger was so shocked she almost forgot to eat her burger, staring at Gu Jingyong, wanting answers.
"Now I'm going to tell you some things, so listen carefully," Gu Jingyong sat down next to Tan Xinger, his face serious.
Tan Xinger closed her mouth, seeing Gu Jingyong's serious expression, she became tense as well, sitting upright with her hands on her knees, looking at him earnestly.
"When I suddenly disappeared, it was because the system blocked the space, so you couldn't see me."
"I didn't leave you on purpose," Gu Jingyong added after a moment of thought.
Tan Xinger nodded in understanding. Although she had cursed him many times just now, she was kind-hearted and generous enough to forgive him once.
"The system is what players call the rulers of this game world. They are responsible for the operation and control of all instances and essentially determine the life and death of all players."
After Gu Jingyong finished speaking, Tan Xinger suddenly felt a chill down her spine. Could it be that the feeling of being watched before was the so-called system?
"So, the system controlled the zombie just now? Why would it want to put me in danger?"
Tan Xinger faintly felt herself being gradually sucked into a whirlpool, about to be completely engulfed.
"They think you're related to me," Gu Jingyong said, to which Tan Xinger bluntly responded, "So it's all because of you?"
"Sort of," Gu Jingyong nodded. The system noticed her because of his three times entering the instance and getting entangled with her.
This fact couldn't escape the system's attention, and Gu Jingyong had no intention of hiding it from them.
"..."
Tan Xinger fell silent for a moment, then, after glancing at Gu Jingyong, took a bite of her burger. However, she bit into a pineapple slice, the sour taste spreading in her mouth, even forcing tears from her eyes.
"Have some water," Gu Jingyong twisted open the bottle of milk tea beside her and handed it to her, waiting patiently for her to speak.
"Um, you know," Tan Xinger set her burger aside, rubbed her hands together, and said, "I'm a bit crafty, but not too much, and I don't have much ambition. So, if I separate from you now, will the system let me off the hook?"
Tan Xinger asked sincerely, waiting for Gu Jingyong's response.
"The system won't let you off," Gu Jingyong looked at her and said the answer she didn't want to hear.
"Why?" Tan Xinger looked at him in confusion, trying to find a trace of jest on his face.
"Because you can't separate from me for the time being, and as for why, you'll know in the future."
Gu Jingyong pondered but only gave an ambiguous answer, leaving Tan Xinger dissatisfied.
"Why did you come for me? What secret do I have?" Tan Xinger became increasingly puzzled. She was just an NPC with a slightly special setting. What secret could she have?
"Sorry, I can't tell you for now," Gu Jingyong stood up, looking down at her and said, "From the moment you were able to connect with the game, you were destined not to stand aside. I'll take you out of this instance. I'll always be responsible for your safety, I swear on the fact that I found you for the third time."
Gu Jingyong's words shocked Tan Xinger, and then he turned and left, giving her some time to digest the information.
"The third time..."
Tan Xinger lowered her head, her gaze falling on her palm. During the fight just now, her palm was grazed, and beneath the tiny red marks were intertwined palm prints.
Different directions, lengths intersected, then connected again, just like her relationship with Gu Jingyong.
The meeting points repeated time and time again. This time she touched the edge of the game. Perhaps from the moment she could understand the player's words, she was destined not to stand aside.
Tan Xinger picked up the nearby burger and slowly nibbled on it, while Gu Jingyong searched the convenience store for usable items.
After some time passed, Tan Xinger finished her last sip of the drink and looked at Gu Jingyong sitting behind the counter.
"Can you stuff more chocolates for me?"
Gu Jingyong was surprised that Tan Xinger spoke to him so quickly but nodded after a moment, getting up to find chocolates.
Tan Xinger intended to get up too, but she suddenly felt a sour pain radiating from her spine, her whole body tingling, and collapsed to the ground.
"Ah, it hurts so much," Tan Xinger took a deep breath, feeling the pain all over her body, her face wrinkled in pain as she called out to Gu Jingyong.
"I didn't break any bones, did I?" she asked anxiously.
Gu Jingyong quickly walked over to help Tan Xinger up. She curled up in his arms, looking small and pitiful.
"It shouldn't be a fracture, probably just a muscle strain," Gu Jingyong brushed past her joints, feeling no signs of fracture. She didn't have much martial arts skills, and she had fallen several times trying to dodge the zombie, resulting in varying degrees of muscle injury.
"How long will it take to heal?" Tan Xinger pounded on her back, trying to straighten up but was thwarted by the soreness.
"It should be fine after a few days of rest," Gu Jingyong placed one hand in front of her to support her and the other on her back, trying to make her feel more comfortable.
"I still have to run for my life, so frustrating," Tan Xinger grumbled, not knowing how she would walk for the next few days. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps approached from afar.
The footsteps were light but unmistakably from a group of people. Tan Xinger and Gu Jingyong exchanged a glance, and then, with him supporting her, they slowly walked towards the secluded space they were in earlier.