Ground Stars / 地上星 · Ch.28 第28章 交出武器的威胁
第28章 交出武器的威胁
Chapter 28: The Threat to Surrender Weapons
杨子藏揉了揉被巨力勒过的膀子道：
Massaging his arm, which had been strangled by immense force, Yang Zicang remarked,
「原来如此，所以我这种刚诞生四边形Moexl的新人，的确是最好的情报收集物件。」
“I see. So a newcomer like me, freshly awakened as a QuadMoxel, is indeed the perfect target for intelligence gathering.”
「哈哈，没错没错。」
“Haha, exactly, exactly.”
杨子藏接过洛宾递来的一本情报册，上面记录的各种 c 级与 b 级交错地与异度空间的各项资料。
Yang Zicang took an information booklet handed over by Robin Lo, which recorded various data on intertwined C-grade and B-grade phenomena involving parallel dimensions.
「那你现在成为四边形，能力提升到了什么程度？」
“Now that you’ve become a Quad, how much has your ability improved?”
青年边看手上的册子边问道。
The young man asked while skimming through the booklet in his hand.
「我试试。」
“Let me give it a try.”
洛宾深呼吸几口后闭目，胸前四边形Moexl展开。
Robin Lo took a few deep breaths, closed his eyes, and the QuadMoxel on his chest unfolded.
数秒后，他张开眼。
A few seconds later, he opened his eyes.
「我收集到了关于这次时间加速的部分情报。」
“I’ve gathered some intel about that temporal acceleration incident.”
四变形与三角形的区别霎时就体现出来了。
The difference between the Quad-Transformation and the Triangle became apparent in an instant.
只是展开了下Moexl而已，跟之前靠观察、问询来总结可谓天差之别。
Merely deploying the Moxel was a world apart from summarizing through observation and questioning.
「居然能如此方便迅速。」
“It’s that convenient and fast?”
「如你一般，我给它提升了点格位，扩展了点情报的利用率。」
“Like you, I upgraded its status a bit and expanded its intelligence utilization.”
洛宾笑了笑，继续道：
Robin Lo chuckled and continued,
「刚刚Moexl反馈，时间加速的核心人员就隐藏在这座城市中。 这是目前我以各种已知资讯所推导出的情报，Moexl则帮我做出了部分资讯缺口的补完，让我凭空多获得了某些消息。」
“Just now, the Moxel feedback indicated that the core personnel behind the temporal acceleration are hidden within this city. This is the intelligence I’ve deduced based on all known information so far. The Moxel helped fill in some data gaps, granting me additional insights out of nowhere.”
「所以，结束这次加速的关键点没有想像中的难。 你要把这个资讯告知给总部的那些人吗？」
“So, the key to ending this acceleration isn’t as tough as I thought. Are you going to share this info with those people at headquarters?”
「告诉他们？ 你不觉得在这样的条件下，是件很好的事吗。」
“Tell them? Don’t you think that, given these conditions, it’s actually a good thing?”
「好事？ 这两个小时我都少了十来天寿命了。」
“A good thing? In these two hours alone, I’ve lost over ten days of my lifespan.”
「对外界的人来说我们在加速，但对这片区域内的人来说，可没有那回事，那是他们变慢了。 特别是你，我的小老弟，你何不趁此机会好好锻炼下自己的枪技。 寿命？ 浮云而已。」
“To the outside world, we’re in acceleration mode, but for those inside this area, it’s quite the opposite—they’ve merely slowed down. Especially you, my dear young friend. Why not seize this opportunity to hone your marksmanship? Lifespan? Mere fleeting clouds.”
这家伙也说得有理。 只是自己还没有完全转变地球人的观念。
This guy had a point. I just haven’t fully shed my Earthling mindset yet.
接下来杨子藏终于敢在此休息，梁喜也跟著沾光。
Finally, Yang Ziceng dared to take a breather here, and Liang Xi got to bask in the reflected glory.
这孩子进来后喝掉了整整半件矿泉水，差点喝吐也不觉得解渴，冲澡更是让他差点趴在地上起不来。
After entering, this kid guzzled down a whole half-case of mineral water, almost puking from the volume, yet never felt quenched. When he took a shower, he nearly collapsed on the floor and couldn’t get up.
太舒服了，梁喜这一个月总共都没见过这么多水。
It was pure bliss. Liang Xi hadn’t seen this much water in the past month combined.
继杨子藏之后，洛宾也成为了这半大少年的偶像，这小子就没有见过第二个收集到这么多食物和饮料的人。
Following in Yang Ziceng’s footsteps, Robin Lo also became a hero to this half-grown lad—you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone else who had hoarded so much food and drink.
只是在他进来异度空间时，手上银色长枪吸引了不少人的目光，不过被人所掌控的它，不再会被人发现是时序战器。
But when he stepped into the extra-dimensional space, the silver Lance in his hand drew quite a few stares. Yet, being wielded, it no longer revealed itself to be a Chronos battle tool.
……
此刻在鼠人怪物巢穴前，这片区域的数只队伍集结于此，商量著防守入口的对策。
Groups of teams gathered before the lair of the rat-monsters, discussing countermeasures to guard the entrance.
「一个新人而已，不能让他再乱搞了。」
“He’s just a rookie; we can’t let him keep messing things up.”
数十人咒骂著引动这场无妄之灾的杨子藏，但更多人则羡慕他手上那把百年时序战器。
Dozens of people cursed Yang Zicang for stirring up this unintended catastrophe, but even more envied the centennial Chronos weapon in his hand.
「不论他的能力如何，该让那小子好好接受点教育，懂些规矩。」
“Regardless of his ability, it’s time that kid learned some manners and how to follow the rules.”
几人商议应该让什么都还不懂的杨子藏早点去总部登记，这样就能让他上缴这把令无数人垂涎的武器。
A few discussed that Yang Zicang, who still knew nothing, should be registered at headquarters early, so he could hand over this weapon, coveted by countless people.
而作为守护这里的队伍，则有机会直接申请到它的使用权。
And as the team guarding this place, they’d have the chance to directly apply for its use.
不过作为当事人杨子藏并不知晓此事。
However, Yang Zicang, being the one involved, remained unaware of these discussions.
……
光线昏暗，气氛隐秘，微弱说话声在外回响。
Dim light, secretive atmosphere; faint murmurs echoed from outside.
饱饱的睡了觉后，杨子藏换上洛宾给自己的旧外套，打算出去这个 c 级异度空间。
After sleeping soundly, Yang Zicang slipped on the old coat Robin Lo had given him and planned to leave this C-rank alternate dimension.
大厅中的老弱残疾之人们都在角落里，有些人低声闲聊，有的则用油灯或魔石的光芒来阅读。
The elderly, frail, and disabled in the lobby huddled in corners—some chatting quietly, others reading by the glimmer of oil lamps or magic stones.
他们手上有收集来的杂志小说等书籍，实际上不光他们手上，连厕所里都有被用来当厕纸的书。
They had collected magazines and novels; indeed, their stacks spilled over into even the restroom, where books were used as toilet paper.
洛宾那种俗人不时崩两句充满文学风情的句子，估计大多都是在蹲坑的时候看来的。
Vulgar types like Robin Lo occasionally spout lines full of literary flair, likely picked up while squatting in the latrine.
「你好，我才听说你是四边形？ 怎么称呼你？」
“Hello, I just heard you’re a Quad? What should I call you?”
角落中走出来个看上去很是精神的十七八岁少年，正是之前能让王育安闭嘴的那位。
From the corner stepped a spirited youth of seventeen or eighteen, the same one who had silenced Warren Wang earlier.
在这一堆人中，这人的精神状态看上去显得有些鹤立鸡群。
Among this crowd, his demeanor stood out like a crane among chickens.
「我叫杨子藏，你呢？」
“I’m Yang Zicang, and you?”
「你可以叫我王迟剑，这并非是我真正的名字，算是花名。」
“You can call me Wang Chijian. It’s not my real name, just a pseudonym.”
这个男孩看上去就像是个体育生，他的身材比自己好太多了，看来他在这里随时都在运动，锻炼著自己。
This boy looked like a jock; his physique was far better than mine. It seemed he was constantly exercising and training himself here.
「你们都喜欢用代号。 内个『王总』呢，也是代号？」
“You all like using code names. That ‘President Wang,‘ is it also a code?”
「不，他真的是老总。」
“No, he’s really a company president.”
王迟剑笑了下，估计也是被自己说的这名头给逗笑了。
Wang Chijian chuckled, probably amused by the title he’d just mentioned.
「有兴趣跟我去 b 级交错地吗？」
“Interested in heading to a B-grade Intersecting Zone with me?”
「现在的话…」
“Right now…”
杨子藏不是很信任这个人。
Yang Zicang didn’t trust this person.
「我很想见识下四边形的能力，在办那件事以前，时间你选就好了，反正这会王总也没有在，我没办法去。」
“I’d really like to see what a Quad can do. As for before we handle that matter, pick the time yourself. Since President Wang isn’t here anyway, I have nowhere else to go.”
「什么意思？」
“What do you mean?”
「因为大家的寿元都在他手上。」
“Because everyone’s lifespan is in his hands.”
「这，好奇怪。」 杨子藏看了眼周围这些老头老太太们。
“That’s… strange.” Yang Zicang glanced around at these old men and women.
这就是原因吗？ 这些人的寿命都在那家伙的手里。
So that’s the reason? All these people have their lifespans in that guy’s hands.
「你们心甘情愿？」
“And you’re all fine with that?”
「没错，因为他是职业投资人。 这些没办法用能力获得时序的人，把自己的寿命交给他代为打理，赚到的时序用来开支，就这样。」
“Of course. He’s a professional Investor. For those who can’t earn Chronos with their abilities, they entrust their lifespans to him for management. The Chronos they earn cover the expenses—that’s all there is to it.”
「呵呵，哈哈。 我早该想到会有这种人的存在的。」
“Heh. Haha. I should have known there’d be people like this.”
杨子藏摇摇头，他看向身前的年轻人：
Yang Zicang shook his head, then turned to the youth before him:
「所以你能获得他不菲的投资，对吧，你是这只队伍的战斗人员。」
“So you’re able to get a generous Investment from him, right? You’re the combatant of this team.”
少年点点头。
The young man nodded.
「反正，如果真是你来接这单生意的话，我们是要看下你的能力的，希望你能理解。」
“Anyway, if you’re really the one taking this job, we’ll need to assess your skills. Hope you understand.”
「到时候看吧。」
“We’ll see when it happens.”
杨子藏懒得继续跟他说这些话，自己只不过是因为欠债而被迫营业罢了。
Yang Zicang couldn’t be bothered to keep talking. He was just forced into this business because of a debt.
一路外出上了科技博物馆的顶层。
They headed outside and ascended to the top floor of the science museum.
换了中老年款暗绿衬衫，以及灰棕色休闲长裤的青年挽著袖子叉腰，挺立于弧线形的宽敞阳台。
The young man, now changed into a vintage dark-green shirt and gray-brown casual pants, rolled up his sleeves and stood with his arms akimbo on the spacious curved balcony.
衣著朴素的他看上去反而干净清爽许多。
In his simple attire, he actually looked much cleaner and more refreshing.
远处城市边缘，夕阳才落下去了一半。
In the distance, at the city’s edge, the setting sun had only halfway sunk below the horizon.
「几个小时了？」
“How many hours has it been?”
杨子藏问向旁边同样整洁一新的少年。
Yang Zicang asked the youth beside him, who was also dressed in a fresh new outfit.
被霞光映得橘红的梁喜打著哈欠道：「睡了差不多六个小时。」
Liang Xi, his face bathed in the orange glow of the sunset, yawned and said, “I slept for almost six hours.”
「那也就是说，按我们的作息时间，此刻应是半夜了。」
“So that means, according to our time, it should be the middle of the night right now.”
这里的时间，被拉得太长，对外面来说，才过了半个多小时而已。
Time here has been stretched too long; for the outside world, only half an hour has passed.
杨子藏又想到了洛宾所说的那个关键人物的事。
Yang Zicang was reminded of the key figure Robin Lo had mentioned.
想必那位恰巧在附近的那怪物阵营之人，也是如自己一般，被其阵营中类似「议员」的存在所选中，投资了某种加速区域时间的能力或道具。
That someone from the monster faction who happened to be nearby must be like himself—chosen by an existence akin to a “Councilor” within their faction, Invested with some kind of ability or artifact that accelerates time in a local area.
而且时间变化的影响范围还能扩张，只是不知道这里面的速度会不会变得更快。
And the scope of this temporal distortion can still expand; who knows if it might get even faster in here.
杨子藏没来得想到了不知蹓跷到哪里去的黄主任。
Yang Zicang unexpectedly thought of Director Huang, who had wandered off somewhere.
那双穿著人字拖叉著弓字步的毛腿又浮现在眼前。
Those furry legs in flip-flops, planted in a bow-legged stance, surfaced again before his eyes.
杨子藏赶紧摇摇头，甩掉这些画面。
Yang Zicang quickly shook his head to banish the images.
「其实这里变快也很好，至少对我们来说，扣除三百年时间的天数被拉长了。」
“But it’s not all bad that time is faster here; at least for us, the countdown to the three-hundred-year deadline feels longer.”
梁喜略带轻松的道。
Liang Xi said with a hint of ease.
对他来说，这场异变跟自己没什么关系。
To him, this anomaly didn’t seem to concern him much.
少年只是欣喜有更多时间来休息，来准备月底的那三百年时序。
The’s simply welcoming the extra time to rest and prepare for the Chronos of Three Hundred Years coming at the end of the month.
听闻此言的杨子藏笑了下，随即继续沉默的想到，目前怪物阵营的主战人员应该还在进入这里的路上。
Hearing this, Yang Zicang smiled slightly, then fell back into a brooding silence. The main combatants of the monster faction, he figured, were still on their way in here.
他看向远方，希望城中这些老油条们能守好那四面漏风的怪物巢穴入口。
He gazed into the distance, hoping that the seasoned veterans in the city could hold the leaky monster nest entrance.
要是随便进去个人杀掉只老鼠，说不定大家就有大乐子了。
If just anyone casually slipped in and killed a single rat, it might well spell big trouble for everyone.
「此刻实际上是最好的解决对方的时机。 可洛宾是明摆著不愿意淌这趟浑水。」
“Right now is actually the best chance to take the enemy down. But Robin Lo clearly isn’t willing to step into this muddy water.”
杨子藏自言自语，摇摇头，他提起斜放在一旁的银色长枪，试著随意舞了几下。
Yang Zicang muttered to himself, shaking his head. He hoisted the silver Lance propped beside him and swung it a few times without much thought.
不运用加速能力，这动作根本就是毫无章法。
Without employing his acceleration ability, these movements were utterly lacking in any form or style.
「杨哥，你要练枪吗？ 要不要用我找到的那个东西刺激体魄？」
“Brother Yang, are you practicing with the lance? Want to use that thing I found to stimulate your physique?”
「我始终有点临时抱佛脚的感觉。」
“I still feel like I’m just cramming at the last moment.”
「嘿嘿。 咱们谁不是呢。」
“Hehe. Aren’t we all?”
正说著，天空响起煽动翅膀的噗噗声。
Just as he spoke, a fluttering sound of wings filled the sky.
抬头看去，夕阳下一只肥胖的信鸽正摇摇欲坠的从远方吃力煽动翅膀爬向这高空。
Looking up, a plump carrier pigeon appeared under the setting sun, staggering and laboring its way toward the high altitude.
看到它的第一眼，杨子藏就感觉这生物有点奇怪，当它靠近头顶后，他终于分辨出来，这鸽子不是真的。
The moment he saw it, Yang Zicang sensed something odd about this creature. As it approached overhead, he finally discerned it—the pigeon wasn’t real.
继寒冰卡通形象后，他见到了第二种由Moexl能力所构建的模拟生物。
After the icy cartoon avatar, this was the second simulacrum created by Moxel’s ability.
啪~胖鸽子的身形消散，体内落下卷曲的纸张。
With a poof, the fat pigeon’s shape dissipated, and a rolled-up piece of paper fell from its body.
[调度能力发动。]
[Dispatch ability activated.]
卷纸坠落的轨迹变幻向几米之外，杨子藏提枪严正以待的看著它落在地面，它曲卷的表面歪歪扭扭竖写著「杨子藏收」几个汉字。
The trajectory of the falling scroll shifted to a few meters away. Yang Zicang held his gun at the ready, watching as it landed on the ground. Its curled surface bore a few crookedly written vertical characters: “To Yang Zicang.”
「哥，这胖鸟居然能找到你。」
“Bro, this chubby bird actually managed to find you.”
梁喜没啥心眼的跑去捡起，扬了扬道：「我拆咯？」
Without a second thought, Liang Xi ran over to pick it up and waved it in the air, saying, “I’ll open it, huh?”
「给我吧，我自己拆。」
“Give it to me. I’ll open it myself.”
拿著左右看了下，没什么其它特别之处。
He took it and examined it from all angles, finding nothing else out of the ordinary.
撕开细线后，纸张的内容露了出来。
Upon tearing the thin thread, the contents of the paper were revealed.
杨子藏一眼扫去，这才明白了这是对自己的最后通牒。
Yang Zicang swept his gaze over it and instantly understood that this was an ultimatum directed at him.
「好嘛，我承认这里的总部还是有点作用的。」
“Alright, I admit their headquarters does serve some purpose after all.”
跟洛宾进异度空间内逛了圈后，杨子藏深切体会到「不准杀人」这个底线规矩带给自己的些许安心感。
After strolling around the dimensional space with Robin Lo, Yang Zicang deeply felt a sense of reassurance brought by the bottom-line rule of “no killing.”
——我们不会强行索取阵营成员的武器，但若你自收信起的二十四小时内不于总部登记，我们将视你为非猎怪者阵营之人。
—We will not forcibly demand the weapons of alliance members. However, if you fail to register at the headquarters within twenty-four hours of receiving this letter, you will be regarded as a Non-Hunter Alliance member.
这是纸条上的部分内容。
This was part of what was written on the slip of paper.
登记，然后按规矩上交百年级时序战器。 或者拒绝，再被人追杀。
Register, then hand over the century-grade Chronos Weapon in accordance with the rules. Or refuse, and be hunted down.
这就是这些人的目的。
That was their ultimate goal.
「阿梁，你能展开力场吗。」
“Ah Liang, can you activate your force field?”
「当然啊。」
“Of course I can.”
少年兴奋的点点头，这个能力是他最喜欢的，这让他有种自己是超人的感觉。
The boy nodded excitedly—this ability was his favorite; it made him feel like a superhero.
只需要把手一伸，光芒力场就能挡下进攻的所有东西，多酷啊。
All he had to do was stretch out his hand, and the light force field could block everything that came at him—how cool was that.