Ground Stars / 地上星 · Ch.95 第95章 泥鳄之愕 -1
第95章 泥鳄之愕 –1
Chapter 95: The Crocodile’s Shock – 1
林间，苏晴边跑边与几里外的棚区联系。
In the forest, Sue Ching ran while contacting Peng Zone several miles away.
｛什么，妳说真的？啊晴不在了，这个是假的？｝
{What? Are you serious? Ah Qing is gone, and this one is a fake?}
感应画面中，棚区内安保队长听完苏黎的话后，吃惊的道。
In the sensory transmission, the head of security within Peng Zone listened to Su Li’s words and exclaimed in astonishment.
「是，当我感觉不对劲，在门外用心灵链接联系他时，他明明就站在我身后，却石沈大海。而且，阿晴从来不吃早餐，过来这个世界之后，更是如此。」
“Yes, when I sensed something was off and tried to contact him via Syn-Link outside the door—he was standing right behind me—but my message sank like a stone dropped into the sea. Besides, Ah Qing never eats breakfast, especially since we arrived in this world.”
｛仅仅只是这样吗，会不会他只离开…｝
{Could it be that he simply stepped away for a moment…}
安保队长自己都说不出话来了。
The head of security found himself lost for words.
Moexl联系不到，人却活生生站在眼前，他突然觉得不寒而栗。
Moxel couldn’t be reached, yet the person stood right there alive and well—he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
「虽然不想承认，但我觉得这里的人已经不是他了，他们的气质差别很大。」
“Though I hate to admit it, I think the person here is no longer him. Their temperaments differ too greatly.”
｛我们这就过来。｝
{We’ll be there.}
棚区对这两兄弟的店铺入了保护股，两兄弟的材料辨别天赋为这棚区增加了不少收入，无论是材料还是时序上。
Peng Zone had taken protective shares in the two brothers’ shop. Their talent for material identification had significantly boosted Peng Zone’s revenue, both in materials and Chronos points.
因此他们很重视这件事。
That was why they took this matter so seriously.
……
小刘和陈老师原本是因为与三人言语上的冲突而不待见他们，此刻发现这人还真的有两把刷子后，他稍微放心了点。
Xiao Liu and Professor Chen had originally felt dismissive of them after a verbal conflict earlier. But now, seeing that the guy actually had real skill, they relaxed a little.
杨子藏借用此地工具，将暖红的魔晶石通过只有大棚区才掌握著的能量转换魔阵，稳步注入壹些铁器内。
Yang Zicang used the tools here to steadily inject the warm red magic crystals into some ironware through an energy conversion magic array known only to the Big Peng Zone.
忙完这些，再将陈老师两人处理过的材料拿出来再进行二次加工，分离出了好些杂质。
After finishing that, he took out the materials processed by Professor Chen and his companion for secondary refinement, separating out quite a bit of impurities.
几人都看出了这东西的妙用，苏晴和陈老师都点点头，壹个打算直接拿走，壹个打算自己也搞壹个。
Everyone present saw the utility of these items. Sue Ching and Professor Chen both nodded—one intended to take a set directly, while the other planned to make one himself.
半小时后，忙活的几人将这制作软甲的部件壹字排开，检查完毕后，杨子藏对著两人伸出只手。
Half an hour later, the busy group laid out the components of this soft armor in a row. After inspection, Yang Zicang extended a hand to the two of them.
「什么？」
“What for?”
「别装蒜了，没有化石也有拓本，也就是仿冒蓝本，拿来吧。」
“Don’t play dumb. If you don’t have the fossil itself, you must have a rubbing, or a replica blueprint—hand it over.”
陈老师不情愿的从箱子地下的暗格里取出张软布。
Professor Chen reluctantly retrieved a soft cloth from a hidden compartment beneath the crate.
「有这东西，咱们就要平半分了啊，很贵的，要人老命的贵。」
“Since you’ve got this, we’ll have to split things equally, alright? It was unbearably expensive—cost a bloody fortune.”
这是他从保存著那份化石的人手上买来的，虽然算不上蓝本，但可以锚定这些部件所制造的失念引擎结果，让其最终形态往化石所保存的那套远古装备上靠拢。
He had bought it from the person who preserved the original fossil. Though it wasn’t the exact blueprint, it could anchor the results of the Shin Engines produced by these components, shaping their final form to resemble that ancient set of equipment in the fossil.
「准备差不多了吧，可以开始了吗？」小刘显得没啥心眼子的问道。
“Pretty much ready now, right? Can we start?” Little Liu asked candidly, seeming a bit tactless.
这半小时杨子藏的所作所为已经彻底折服他了。
By now, Yang Zicang’s actions over the past half hour had completely won him over.
杨子藏点点头。
Yang Zicang nodded.
苏晴在屋子内点燃了盏壁灯，整个屋子内神秘混吨的气息弥漫开来，魔晶石的元素光线开始被抽离，如雾在法阵上悬浮成个光团。
Sue Ching lit a wall lamp inside the room, and the mysterious, chaotic atmosphere of the whole space began to spread. The elemental light of the magic crystals started to be drawn away, coalescing like mist above the magic array into a floating orb of light.
虚幻的光团内是两个年轻人的形象，它们正是苏氏两兄弟的投影。
Inside the ethereal orb were the figures of two young men—the projections of the Su brothers themselves.
「这是我们准备的忘川。」
“This is the Wangchuan we’ve prepared.”
陈老师递过装在大试管内的忘川泉，不论从哪个方向看这透明树胶管，它都显现著正在制作衣服的幻象。
Professor Chen handed over a tube filled with the Wangchuan Spring. No matter from which angle one looked at this transparent resin tube, it always displayed an illusion of someone sewing clothes.
随著杨子藏往光团内投入材料的动作，几个人的眸光越来越亮。
As Yang Zicang tossed materials into the orb of light, the eyes of the group grew brighter and brighter.
似乎真有成功的迹象。
It seemed there was indeed a glimmer of success.
……
壹队身著武器的队伍快速在林间行进，苏黎跟在他们身旁。
A squad fully equipped with weapons advanced swiftly through the forest, with Su Li walking alongside them.
「快，那里还有三个人，但敌友暂不明朗。」
“Hurry, there are three more people over there, but it’s unclear whether they are friend or foe.”
「会有危险？」
“Is there danger?”
这些人的确都联系不到苏晴的Moexl了，仿佛他根本不存在于世间。
Indeed, none of these people could reach Sue Ching’s Moxel anymore, as if he simply didn’t exist in this world.
「应该还好，其中有个人是四边形Moexl，他没怎么为难我，而且他的确不认识里面的假苏晴。」
“Probably okay. One of them is a QuadMoxel—he didn’t give me too much trouble, and it’s true he doesn’t recognize the fake Sue Ching inside.
「对了，他的能力很奇怪，是个半透明的怪物。」苏黎补充道。
“By the way, his ability is strange. He’s a translucent monster.” Su Li added.
不说不要紧，壹说这壹堆人差点撞在突然停下来的领队背后。
He might have kept quiet—but as soon as he spoke, this whole group nearly crashed into the back of the squad leader, who had suddenly stopped.
「半透明？」
“Translucent?”
领队的埋头想了想，瞪大眼道：「难道是拥有念力型能力的人！」
The squad leader lowered his head in thought, then his eyes widened. “Could he be someone with a psionic ability!”
坊间流传的消息，这世上除了物理、声音或精神力能力，似乎还存在念力型的攻击方式。
Rumors circulating in this world suggest that aside from physical, acoustic, or psychic abilities, there also appears to be a type of attack based on telekinetic force.
「念力型？」
“Telekinetic force?”
周围几人诧异的看向苏黎和领队。
The people nearby looked at Su Li and the team leader in surprise.
而念力型的血脉雕塑并不在城市中，因此无人获得能够防御念力攻击的力场，这就让这种能力近乎于无敌。
The bloodline relics of telekinetic abilities are not found within the city, so no one has acquired a force field capable of defending against telekinetic attacks, making this power nearly invincible.
但相应的，拥有那种能力的人非常稀少，似乎要通过特殊途径才能获得能力。
Correspondingly, those who possess such abilities are exceedingly rare, and it seems one must obtain it through special means.
具体是什么途径，好多高手都想搞明白，更别说自己等人了，能知道这个信息都算了不起。
What exactly those means are—many experts are eager to figure it out, let alone people like us. Just being aware of this information is already remarkable.
「苏黎，妳不会看错，真是念力型的话，咱们这些人全都过去，可能都会栽在他手里。」
“Su Li, you couldn’t be mistaken. If he really is a telekinetic type, then even if all of us went over together, we might still fall into his hands.”
「这么严重吗？」听到这话，苏黎有点不确定了。
“Is it really that serious?” Hearing this, Su Li began to feel uncertain.
他看向身旁的中年人，心中发苦的道：「王哥，那怎么办，要求助无忧的人吗。」
He looked at the middle-aged man beside him, his heart bitter as he said, “Brother Wang, what do we do then? Should we ask the Unworried for help?”
「告诉他们固然可以，但以后我们会被赶走的，按妳说的他不像坏人的话，我们先去看看再说。」
“Telling them would be one thing, but afterwards we’ll be kicked out. If, as you say, he doesn’t seem like a bad guy, let’s first go take a look and talk it over.”
此刻，黎晴材料坊内已经到了最为关键的步骤。
At that moment, inside Li Qing’s Material Workshop, they had reached the most critical step.
「会成功吗？」
“Will it succeed?”
几人注视著青年的动作。
Several people stared intently at the young man’s movements.
[我，伟大的四边形开始第壹次尝试，制作化石遗物。]
[I, the great Quad, begin my first attempt at creating a fossil relic.]
随著杨子藏自己也有点紧张的将最后的皮甲放入光团华为能量，又将结实的怪物筋加工成的线放入后，光团暴起浓烈光芒！
As even Yang Zicang felt a twinge of nervousness while placing the final piece of leather armor into the orb of energy, turning it into pure power, and then adding the thread processed from sturdy monster tendons, the orb erupted with blazing light!
噗！浑浊气息猛然扩散，其中的精华同时快速收缩，壹枚水晶引擎从空中掉落。
*Wham!* A murky aura burst outward as its essence swiftly contracted, dropping a crystalline engine to the ground.
杨子藏迅捷的壹伸手，接在掌中送了口气。他转过头，笑眯眯的伸出手。
With lightning speed, Yang Zicang reached out, caught it in his hand, and let out a sigh of relief. Turning around, he extended his hand with a grin.
「还不错，妳瞧瞧，是妳想要的吗？」
“Not bad. Take a look—is this what you wanted?”
几人围了上来。
The group gathered around.
「真成了！」
“It actually worked!”
「天呐！比我想的还好。」
“Heavens! It’s even better than I imagined.”
陈老师摸著手上的失念引擎已经进入了石化状态。
Professor Chen, touching the Shin Engine in his hand, had already turned to stone from shock.
虽然只是三缸引擎，但却散发著淡淡的火光。
Though it was just a three-cylinder engine, it radiated a faint glow of flames.
晶莹的材质里是壹套深邃古老的甲胄虚影正不断变幻，壹会儿是壹道炸开的火焰，壹会儿又是装备。
Within its crystalline material, the phantom of a deep, ancient set of armor shifted ceaselessly—one moment a burst of erupting fire, the next an armored suit.
「真的成功了，我研究了这么久的东西，耗费了那么多心血的失念引擎，真的成功了！」
“We truly succeeded! After all this research, all the effort poured into this Shin Engine—it’s finally real!”
「嗯哼。」杨子藏点点头，笑看著这两人激动的将引擎握在手中。
“Hmm.” Yang Zicang nodded, smirking as he watched the two clutch the engine in excitement.
他也通过这验证了马超留下的信息是正确的，而他收集的类似的配方还有三种，这可是壹笔大财富。
Through this, he had also confirmed that the information left by Matt Chao was correct. He still had three similar recipes in his collection—a huge fortune by any measure.
「快，快记下来，步骤。」
“Quick, write it down—every step.”
陈老师将引擎丢还给杨子藏，从箱子内掏出笔来，回忆杨子藏的步骤和改进材料的过程不断书写。
Professor Chen tossed the engine back to Yang Zicang, pulled a pen out of the crate, and, recalling Yang Zicang’s steps and the process of refining the materials, began writing continuously.
苏晴对著身前青年伸手道：「我能看看吗。」
Sue Ching reached out to the young man before him and said, “May I take a look?”
杨子藏将引擎递给他，眼前的苏晴就像是这里的真正老板壹样，仔细看著这引擎。
Yang Zicang handed him the engine. The Sue Ching before him studied it closely, like the true boss of this place.
左非闲和徐秀川两人也没想到真能成功。
Even Zuo Feixian and Shiu Siuchuan couldn’t believe it had actually succeeded.
他们已经开始畅想未来。
They had already started envisioning the future.
「妳打算怎么将它变成装备？」杨子藏看向陈老师两人。
“How do you plan to turn this into equipment?” Yang Zicang looked toward Professor Chen and the others.
「还能怎么办，只能去找枢纽镇了，甲子兄，这枚引擎，我们要怎么分啊。」
“What else can we do? We’ll have to go to Hubville. Brother Jiazi, how are we going to split this engine?”
之前随口同意的陈老师，此刻反而是最犯难的人。
Professor Chen, who had casually agreed earlier, was now the one in the biggest dilemma.
「妳觉得呢？」
“What do you think?”
「我…」陈老师痛苦不已。
“I…” Professor Chen writhed in agony.
小刘哀叹，他很想说送给人家得了，壹个破毯子有什么好纠结的，配方才是最重要的东西。
Xiao Liu sighed. He wanted to say, just give it to them; what’s the point of agonizing over a crappy mess? The formula is what truly matters.
「卖给我吧，甲子间大师。」苏晴握著失念引擎道。
“Sell it to me, Master Jiazi Term,” Sue Ching said, holding the Shin Engine.
「大师？」陈老师看向苏晴，又看向杨子藏，「妳认识他？」
“Master?” Professor Chen glanced at Sue Ching, then at Yang Zicang. “Do you know him?”
「刚刚认识，确切的说，早晨才听到其名号。」
“Just met him. To be precise, I only heard his name this morning.”
「妳从哪里听到我的名字的。」杨子藏莫名其妙的直视著他的眼睛。
“Where did you hear my name?” Yang Zicang looked him straight in the eyes, utterly puzzled.
「还能是哪里，当然是隔壁拍卖行了。」
“Where else would it be? From the auction house next door, of course.”
「拍卖行？」
“Auction house?”
苏晴看了眼房门外的天色：「嗯，如果没搞错的话，妳的拍品应该马上就开始了。怎么，妳还不知道拍卖时间？」
Sue Ching glanced at the sky outside the door: “Hmm, if I haven’t got it wrong, your lot should be starting soon. What, you don’t know the auction time?”
杨子藏诧异扭头后，皱著眉头。
Yang Zicang turned back in surprise, frowning.
正在这时，壹道折线射来。
Just then, a daisy-chain shot in.
是个陌生的心灵链接。
It was an unfamiliar Syn-Link.
[大鑫发棚主汪建想要为我投资1N.]
[Daxinfa Penglord Wang Jian wants to Invest 1N in me.]
陌生人能精确投资，这代表此人在附近啊。
A stranger being able to Invest so precisely meant they were close by.
「哪位？」
“Who is it?”
｛甲子间，哇妳好，我是大鑫发的副棚，我诚心邀请妳到我们聚集地来，成为我们的壹份子。｝
{Jiazi Term, oh hey there, I’m the vice-hoard from Daxinfa. I’m sincerely inviting you to come to our settlement and become one of us.}
｛我可以给妳每年支付五百年的额外寿命。｝
{I can offer you an extra five hundred years of lifespan per year.}
心灵链接对面，坐在会场内那人快速的道。
On the other end of the Syn-Link, the person sitting inside the venue spoke quickly.
「欸，妳怎么知道我的？」
“Hey, how did you get to know about me?”
杨子藏有点茫然，不过他隐隐猜到肯定是那什么拍卖会。
Yang Zicang was a bit dazed, but he vaguely guessed it must be because of that damned auction.
｛咦，不是妳让人在那里拍卖妳的水井引擎吗？｝
{Huh? Didn’t you have someone auction off your water well engine there?}
「我？」
“Me?”
水井引擎，还是我叫人拍卖的？
Water well engine, auctioned off by me?
杨子藏心中顿时想到许多不太可能的猜测。
Yang Zicang’s mind instantly raced with many unlikely guesses.
好几道折线射来，虽然没有链接，但能感知到它们蕴含的拜访信息。
Several daisy-chains shot in. While they weren’t linked, he could sense the visitation information contained within.
[远大理想棚主赵钱多想要为我投资5R.]
[Far-reaching Goal Penglord Zhao Duoqian wants to Invest 5R in me.]
[光之屏障棚主匿名者想要为我投资1N.]
[The Light Barrier’s Anonymous Giver of Penglord seeks to Invest 1N in me.]
[永不明想要为我投资10N.]
[The One Named Never Bright wishes to Invest 10N in me.]
[无忧商贸理赔之王想要为我投资1R.]
[The King of Claims from Worry-Free Commerce wants to Invest 1R in me.]
「这，怎么这么多！」杨子藏傻眼了。
“H-how come there are so many!” Yang Zicang stood dumbfounded.
见到不断从虚空闪动而出的Moexl线条，陈老师这才知道，眼前小伙恐怕是个大人物。
Watching the Moxel lines constantly flickering into existence from the void, Professor Chen finally realized that the young man before him was likely no ordinary figure.
……
宁洋和赵启等人坐在板车上行走了大半天，靠著屁股下这些变异生物拉动的货车，已经远离了聚集地二十多里地。
Riding on the flatbed cart for most of the day, Ning Yang and Zhao Qi had already traveled over twenty li from their settlement, relying on these mutant beasts pulling the wares.
拉车的这几头生物来自新月级的交错幕景，只要养得起，那么它们在这片大地上价值很高。
The few beasts drawing the cart came from the Noval-tier Crossover Viewscape; as long as one could afford to feed them, they commanded great value in this land.
「宁棚主，怎么看上去心情不好？」货队的人关心的问。
“Lord Ning of the Peng, why the long face?” a crew member of the Cargo Convoy asked with concern.
宁洋强撑起笑容：「咱们这儿出了个叛徒，带走了准备去秋订会参与评选的引擎，这两天让人心烦。」
Ning Yang forced a smile: “A traitor got out of here around these parts, taking the engine we were prepping for the Autumn Selections. It’s been nagging at me these past two days.”
宁洋私底下也猜测过是不是赵启派人偷走了引擎，但否定了这个推论。
In private, Ning Yang had suspected whether Zhao Qi had sent someone to steal the engine, but he dismissed that line of reasoning.
人家走的时候引擎可是在自己手里，而且晚上和早上都看过，失念引擎没有问题。
When that guy left, the engine was still in my hands; I checked it both that night and the next morning, and the Shin Engine was just fine.
「育，妳们棚区还打算参加秋订会？研究出什么引擎了？」
“Ah, so you lot in Peng Zone still planning to make a splash at the Autumn Selections? Found an engine worth showing off?”
「见笑，已经失败的事就不提了。」
“Humor set aside, let’s not dwell on something that’s already sunk.”
「对了，刚才听妳们的人说，前两天有个甲子间，壹人把妳们几十号人给镇住了，有这回事吗？」
“By the way, I just heard from your people that a couple of days ago, during the Jiazi Term, one person managed to intimidate dozens of your lot. Is there any truth to that?”
「这个…」宁洋脸色变了变。
“Well…” Ning Yang’s expression shifted.
他转头看向队伍中自己带上的几人，那几个家伙此刻正跟货队的人有说有笑，仿佛亲兄弟似的。
He turned to look at the few people he had brought along from his group; at that moment, they were chatting and laughing with the Cargo Crew, as if they were sworn brothers.
这些不长嘴巴的东西，什么都往外讲。
These loose-lipped bastards blabber everything.