Chapter 40 Ambiguous Relationship
Gu Yunqing smiled inwardly, knowing that the time was almost right.
His face showed a mixture of shyness and composure, as if he was unaccustomed to being praised and questioned so directly, but he maintained basic courtesy.
"Mr. Su, you flatter me." He first responded modestly to Su Meichuan's praise, then turned his gaze to Jun Xiangbei, who had been staring at him, and calmly responded to the other's inquisitive question.
"Mr. Jun, you flatter me. I merely have some connection with Mr. Zhuge and Mr. Qiu, and I am grateful for their kindness in allowing me to travel with them temporarily. As for the guild..."
He paused slightly, as if considering his words, while keeping an eye on Zhuge Jin and Qiu Zangxue's reactions out of the corner of his eye.
Of course, both were managed by the system, their postures were perfect, one as silent as a deep pool, the other as cold as a rock, without any abnormalities.
“We… are a rather loosely organized little group, and we don’t really participate in the ranking battles outside.” Gu Yunqing gave a vague but reasonable explanation, answering the question while maintaining an air of mystery.
This answer clearly cannot satisfy Jun Xiangbei.
He frowned almost imperceptibly, but his all-seeing eyes remained fixed on Gu Yunqing, as if trying to uncover hidden power or secrets beneath his calm exterior.
However, Jun Xiangbei chose to stop asking, because given their relationship, asking any further questions would be going too far.
“A loose little group…” Su Meichuan repeated in a low voice, her tone clearly questioning.
A loose group that could make people like Zhuge Jin and Qiu Zangxue willing to "temporarily travel together"?
This is inherently full of contradictions.
Su Meichuan asked a more direct question, her gaze sweeping between Gu Yunqing and the two guardians: "Excuse my boldness, Mr. Gu, Mr. Zhuge, and Mr. Qiu, specifically...?"
He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear: he was asking about the nature of their relationship.
Are they superiors and subordinates? Partners? Or something else?
This question was somewhat presumptuous, but because it was asked by Su Meichuan, it was strangely less offensive.
This time, before Gu Yunqing could speak, Zhuge Jin, who was managed by the system, spoke up at the right moment, breaking the brief silence and taking over the question:
"Mr. Gu is an important member of our organization."
His voice was steady and resolute, carrying an unquestionable quality.
Without much explanation or description of his specific position, the words "important member," combined with the protective stance he and Qiu Zangxue were displaying at this moment, carried enough weight.
Key members...
A hint of understanding flashed in Jun Xiangbei's eyes, but this was followed by a deeper confusion.
Why can't we sense the powerful energy fluctuations from such an important member? Is it because they're being hidden so well? Or is their "importance" manifested in other ways?
For example... strategy? Background? Or some kind of special ability?
Su Meichuan's beautiful eyes lingered on Gu Yunqing's delicate and gentle face for a moment, then glanced at the mysterious Zhuge Jin and the menacing Qiu Zangxue, a meaningful smile playing on her lips:
"I see. Your association is truly full of hidden talents, it's amazing."
His words, though seemingly a compliment, were actually a further test.
Gu Yunqing was very satisfied with Zhuge Jin's answer.
This response both elevates the subject's status and maintains sufficient ambiguity, leaving room for the other party's imagination.
He gave Jun Xiangbei and Su Meichuan a helpless smile, as if to say, "See, that's how it is," avoiding the awkwardness of answering directly and pushing Zhuge Jin to the forefront to deal with this kind of question.
Jun Xiangbei's gaze returned to Gu Yunqing, and this time, he observed her even more carefully.
The atmosphere... is really peaceful.
He wasn't exactly like an ordinary person who hadn't been enhanced; he had a sense of clarity after being immersed in energy. However, compared to the powerful figures he had seen, and even the barely concealed but still palpable aura emanating from Zhuge Jin and Qiu Zangxue, he was far too "clean" and "ordinary."
In particular, among pure-hearted gamers, Gu Yunqing is far too pure; even Xin Yuan'er, who was brought over, is better than him.
This stark contrast is like a cute cat mixed in with a pack of tigers—so incongruous that it's impossible to ignore.
Jun Xiangbei had never seen such a clean-looking person before, and his desire to find out the reason grew stronger.
This intense curiosity was a rather novel and rare experience for Jun Xiangbei.
He doesn't reject this feeling; on the contrary, he thinks it might be a new entry point for understanding those "complex variables."
"Mr. Gu seems quite familiar with the market?" Jun Xiangbei suddenly changed the subject, his tone still calm, but his eyes never left Gu Yunqing. "Meichuan and I are just strolling around casually. If Mr. Gu doesn't mind, would you mind joining us for a while?"
He extended a seemingly casual invitation, but his true purpose was to observe the situation up close.
Upon hearing this, Su Meichuan's eyes flashed with surprise, which quickly turned into even greater interest.
He knew Jun Xiangbei well, and knew that he rarely showed such sustained interest in strangers, let alone offered to travel with them.
This Gu Yunqing is indeed extraordinary.
Gu Yunqing was slightly surprised by Jun Xiangbei's invitation, but quickly understood.
This has piqued my curiosity about the original protagonist.
This suited him perfectly.
It's much more natural to let the other person approach you than to approach them yourself, and it also gives you more control over the situation.
A perfectly measured smile appeared on his face as he replied sincerely, "It would be my pleasure to travel with Mr. Jun and Mr. Su. I'm not exactly familiar with the market, I'm just browsing around, and it'll be a good opportunity for us to exchange ideas."
Gu Yunqing readily agreed, after all, it was something he had deliberately guided her to do, so there was no reason for her not to agree.
At the same time, through the consciousness link, he issued the instruction to the two accounts managed by the system to "default to this state and continue to follow".
Zhuge Jin nodded slightly, which could be considered as tacit approval.
Qiu Zangxue glanced at Jun Xiangbei and Su Meichuan with her scarlet eyes, saying nothing, but her tacit agreement clearly indicated that she was taking Gu Yunqing's decision as the final word.
Thus, this peculiar trio instantly transformed into an even more eye-catching team of five.
Gu Yunqing, Jun Xiangbei, and Su Meichuan walked side by side, slightly ahead of each other.
Zhuge Jin and Qiu Zangxue remained about a step behind Gu Yunqing, like two silent and powerful background figures.
Such a combination would be hard to miss in a bustling market.
Especially since Jun Xiangbei and Su Meichuan are both highly renowned players, along with the recently popular Zhuge Jin and Qiu Zangxue, and Gu Yunqing, who is subtly surrounded by them and has an ordinary aura...
They were almost overwhelmed by all sorts of inquisitive, shocked, envious, and jealous gazes.
The whispers were more frequent than before.
"Holy crap! How did those two from Polaris end up with those three?"
"Who exactly is that young man? Jun Xiangbei and Su Meichuan seem to be treating him very politely!"
"What's going on? They...they're all revolving around one person?"
"I bet that kid is definitely not simple! He might be someone on some high-level ranking list."
"It doesn't look like it; it lacks any imposing presence..."
"What do you know? True masters are those who return to simplicity."
Gu Yunqing calmly accepted these gazes, her heart undisturbed, and she even somewhat enjoyed the feeling of being in the eye of the storm yet remaining composed.
Jun Xiangbei's attention was mostly focused on Gu Yunqing.
He walked casually, chatting with Gu Yunqing about his insights on certain items at the market, or mentioning some recent rumors about the dungeon, but his eyes were always carefully observing Gu Yunqing.
Observe his walking posture, the tone and rhythm of his speech, his reactions to different products, and... the extremely subtle, almost imperceptible interactions between him and the two "guardians" behind him.
Gu Yunqing responded flawlessly.
He plays a mysterious guild member who is knowledgeable but whose strength seems to be "ordinary." His words and actions are neither ignorant nor overly flamboyant.
He mostly responded to Jun Xiangbei's probing questions with a humble smile and a degree of ambiguity.
When Gu Yunqing showed interest in an item and stopped to ask about it, Zhuge Jin would always provide the most accurate assessment through the mental link, while Qiu Zangxue would use her eyes to "dissuade" any players who wanted to bother them.
All of this was observed by Jun Xiangbei.
He became increasingly convinced that Gu Yunqing held an extraordinary position within this small group.
This "loose little group" is probably far more cohesive and efficient than he imagined.
Gu Yunqing, this seemingly ordinary "important member," has a true value and role that is far more complex than it appears on the surface.
Su Meichuan also observed with great interest, occasionally interjecting with his soft voice and clever words, trying to extract information from different angles, but Gu Yunqing subtly deflected or diverted his attention.
The five people walked slowly through the market, forming a strange group that attracted countless speculations and attention.
Gu Yunqing knew that after this trip together, he had successfully established his mystique and importance in Jun Xiangbei's heart.
He had previously communicated with the system, and the system and readers were all products of higher dimensions. As for him and Jun Xiangbei's group, they were just characters created by higher-dimensional beings in the book.
In this book, Jun Xiangbei is the protagonist, while Gu Yunqing's fate is death. If she wants to improve her strength, she needs to gain the trust of the readers.
After listening, Gu Yunqing concluded that if she wanted to improve her strength, she had to make a good impression on Jun Xiangbei.
Now, seeing the curiosity in Jun Xiangbei's eyes, Gu Yunqing was satisfied, but on the surface she still maintained that gentle and composed demeanor.
Gu Yunqing walked side by side with Jun Xiangbei and Su Meichuan, seemingly just an ordinary young man who happened to be traveling with several big shots and was lucky enough to be there.
However, as they ventured deeper into the bustling market, some more undeniable interactions began to emerge clearly in the eyes of Jun Xiangbei and Su Meichuan, as well as all the players secretly watching them.
Market roads are not always wide, and sometimes there are bottleneck areas where the flow of people is particularly congested.
Whenever this happens, Zhuge Jin, who is hosted by the system, will always take a half step forward very naturally and imperceptibly.
He did not use any obvious energy or skills, but his own aura and reputation seemed to form an invisible barrier.
When the crowds approached him within a certain range, they would subconsciously slow down or naturally disperse, as they did not want to offend a prophet.
This invisible barrier perfectly enveloped Gu Yunqing, who was walking at the very front, protecting him from most of the pushing and shoving.
Zhuge Jin's movements were fluid and concealed, as if it were just a coincidence, or perhaps it was due to his own aura.
However, combined with the subtle movement of his white veil slightly tilting towards Gu Yunqing, it was clearly a silent and meticulous act of protection in the eyes of a discerning person.
Even more noteworthy is Qiu Zangxue.
He always maintained a position half a step behind Gu Yunqing, a distance that ensured Gu Yunqing was always within his best field of vision and allowed him to react immediately in any unexpected situation.
His scarlet eyes scanned every corner around him. Any gaze that might harbor malice would be met with his icy, tangible warning, making the other person feel as if they had fallen into an ice cave and hastily look away.
When his gaze occasionally swept over Gu Yunqing's back, the bloodlust that was originally filled with violence would fade imperceptibly, and he would act like a vicious dog guarding its master.
Players with keen observation skills, such as Jun Xiangbei and Su Meichuan, naturally noticed Qiu Zangxue's change.
But it is precisely this subtle change, combined with his notorious image, that creates a strong, almost paradoxical contrast.
How could a madman who finds pleasure in killing and is rumored to be able to put his head back on and continue fighting even if it's cut off, actually show such a near "concern" towards a seemingly ordinary young man?
This goes far beyond what can be explained by ordinary guild members, even those in a superior-subordinate relationship.
Jun Xiangbei narrowed his eyes slightly, taking in every single detail.
The doubts in his mind not only failed to be resolved, but instead grew bigger and bigger like a snowball.
Logic told him that it was reasonable for the strong to depend on the stronger, or to serve a powerful force.
But the scene before them, Zhuge Jin's almost instinctive protection, and Qiu Zangxue's "concern" that went beyond her duty and carried an indescribable meaning, all point to a deeper and more complex connection.
This connection seems to involve something beyond interests and hierarchy.
What is it?
Loyalty? Some kind of contract? Or...emotion?
Thinking about the variable of "emotion," Jun Xiangbei felt a familiar sense of confusion.
This is an area that he has always struggled to understand and quantify precisely.
As a master at manipulating people's hearts, Su Meichuan's feelings are more direct and intriguing.
He gently rested his chin on his fingertips, his eyes darting between Gu Yunqing's delicate profile, Zhuge Jin's quiet, protective back, and Qiu Zangxue's contradictory, wary demeanor, a knowing and intrigued smile curving his lips.
“Interesting…” he whispered almost in a breath, only Jun Xiangbei beside him could hear him.
This is by no means a simple companion or guardian relationship.
The attitude of those two bigwigs towards Mr. Gu in the middle, revealed in subtle ways, was more like a complex emotion mixed with a sense of protection and obedience, as well as... a certain indescribable possessiveness.
Is it love? Perhaps not entirely.
Is it purely about protection? It seems there's something more to it.
This vague and ambiguous sense of boundary is something that even Su Meichuan, who is used to all kinds of emotional entanglements, finds hard to understand, but it is also more fascinating because of this.
Their observations and reactions are not isolated cases.
More and more players recognized Zhuge Jin and Qiu Zangxue, and naturally noticed this strange yet harmonious scene.
Many people had heard them say that Gu Yunqing was just a guild member, and seeing this scene now, they were even more excited and discussed it.
"Look! It seems like Master Zhuge is helping that young man block people?"
"My God, Qiu Zangxue... is he protecting that Gu Yunqing? I'm not seeing things, am I?"
"This...this doesn't seem like something that's just a simple guild member, does it?"
"Yeah, what kind of subordinate looks at their boss like that? Qiu Zangxue's eyes are a bit like my dog's when he's guarding his food..."
"Pfft—don't make up those kinds of analogies, or someone might hear you!"
"I'm serious! And Zhuge Jin, his movements were so natural, it wasn't a spur-of-the-moment thing at all, it was like he was used to it."
"Could it be... that the rumors are true? Are these two big shots and that Mr. Gu really in that kind of relationship?"
"A triangle? No way...this is too much..."
"Who knows? We don't understand the world of big shots. But this Gu Yunqing is definitely someone who keeps a low profile!"
Whispers and speculations, hushed in hushed tones, spread like a plague among the crowd.
Gu Yunqing's image was quickly shrouded in mystery and complexity amidst these increasingly bizarre and ambiguous rumors.
How could someone who could be treated this way by Zhuge Jin and Qiu Zangxue be an ordinary person?
The more calm and ordinary he appears, the more unfathomable he seems to others.
Gu Yunqing's hearing was sharp enough to catch some of the conversation, and he couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
These misunderstandings were even more...interesting than he had expected.
He was pleased with the outcome.
This superficial, risqué, and ambiguous misunderstanding perfectly concealed the fact that he was the real mastermind behind the scenes.
Who would have thought that this seemingly important member, carefully protected by the two "big shots," was actually the one in charge of everything?
This truth hidden beneath the misunderstanding brought him a unique sense of pleasure and security, much like that of a theater director.
He even deliberately slowed his pace, stopping at a stall selling rare spices, picking up a small pinch of the calming purple powder and sniffing it gently, his posture relaxed, as if completely unaffected by the eerie atmosphere around him.
As he stopped, Zhuge Jin behind him naturally stopped as well, his white veil fluttering slightly, as if he were assessing the value and efficacy of the spices.
Qiu Zangxue, like the most loyal shadow, immediately stopped and slightly adjusted her position to include Gu Yunqing's potentially exposed side in the protection range. Her scarlet eyes swept warningly over several players who had gotten a little closer out of curiosity, forcing them to retreat one after another.
Jun Xiangbei and Su Meichuan naturally stopped as well.
Jun Xiangbei looked at Gu Yunqing's calm profile, seemingly oblivious to or unconcerned about the gossip around him, and then at the two dutiful, even somewhat "overly" guardians behind him, his confusion deepening.
He couldn't understand it.
Why?
What kind of magic or secret does Gu Yunqing possess that could cause two such extremely powerful beings to exhibit such...abnormal attitudes?
Su Meichuan leaned closer to Jun Xiangbei and teased in an almost inaudible voice, "Xiangbei, it seems this Mr. Gu is even more 'special' than we imagined. Do you think he might have some... special charm?"
He deliberately emphasized "special" and "charming," carrying an obvious implication.
Jun Xiangbei frowned slightly but did not answer.
He didn't quite understand the ambiguous implication in Su Meichuan's words, but his core logic told him that everything he saw before him could not be explained by common sense.
Gu Yunqing put down the spices, shook her head at the stall owner to indicate her disinterest, then turned to Jun Xiangbei and Su Meichuan, her face still bearing that gentle smile:
"Please excuse my rudeness, I was just curious about these strange and unusual things."
His tone was natural, as if nothing had happened and the surrounding chatter had nothing to do with him.
This composure only reinforced the impression he left on Jun Xiangbei and Su Meichuan that he was "definitely not simple."
Su Meichuan looked at him and finally couldn't help but ask a more direct question. Although her tone remained calm, the probing intent was almost palpable:
“Mr. Gu, if I may be so bold, the way you get along with Mr. Zhuge, Mr. Qiu… is quite unique.”
He stopped using the word "relationship" and instead used "way of getting along," but the meaning was just as clear.
Jun Xiangbei, who was standing to the side, also looked puzzled.
Gu Yunqing's smile deepened.
The fish are biting the hook really hard.
His face showed a mixture of helplessness and composure, as if he were already used to such questions.
“There is indeed some tacit understanding and connection between us that is different from ordinary people.” He vaguely admitted, but then pushed the specifics to the two vague words “tacit understanding” and “connection”.
"Perhaps it seems a bit strange to others." He sighed softly, his tone carrying an indescribable mix of emotions, as if bearing the weight of some unknown past.
"But for us, it's just... natural."
His words, combined with his expression and the silent acquiescence of the two "guardians" behind him, practically screamed, "We have a story between us, but I can't tell you."
The space for imagination has been stretched to its limit.
Author's Note:
The Heart Refining Tower was originally planned to be moved up last, but seeing that some people were asking about the romance storyline, it was moved up ahead of schedule. [heart emoji]
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