Ground Stars / 地上星 · Ch.123 第123章 好意
第123章 好意
Chapter 123: A Kind Gesture
门口几人靠近洪灏承，一位身材笔直的年轻人忍不住对洪灏承道：
Several people near the entrance approached Hong Haocheng. A tall, straight-backed young man couldn’t help but ask him:
「你刚刚说你朋友，当时那客厅中还有别的人吗？」
“You mentioned your friends earlier—was there anyone else in that living room at the time?”
「当然啊，很多了，像…」
“Of course, plenty. Like…”
洪灏承的嘴张得很大，却最终没有一个字能够说出来。
Hong Haocheng’s mouth opened wide, but in the end, not a single word could escape.
所有人的目光都看向他胸口。
Everyone’s eyes fixed on his chest.
洪灏承也垂下目光望向胸前，就在他想要吐出那些人名字的瞬间，一道若有若无的圆形光芒浮现，犹如简约的银白色戒指。
Hong Haocheng also lowered his gaze to look at his own chest. The moment he was about to spit out those names, a faint, circular light emerged, like a plain silver-white ring.
｛不要透露他们的资讯，你每说出一个人的名字，就会有一个人死去。｝
{Do not reveal any information about them. For every name you speak, someone will die.}
陌生女人的声音，居然在自己心中直接响起了…
The strange woman’s voice rang out directly in his mind…
洪灏承感觉自己额头渗出了细密汗珠。
Hong Haocheng felt a thin sheen of sweat forming on his forehead.
「我忘了。」 他艰难的道。
“I forgot,” he said with difficulty.
很蹩脚的借口。 但周围几人没有逼迫他，轻易就将这事揭了过去。
It was a flimsy excuse. But the people around him didn’t press him and let the matter slide easily.
……
失频之地。
Shibin Wastes.
经过一天多的消息传递，第二天大甲方筑货队驻地来的人更多，有两只队伍甚至凌晨就已经到了。
After more than a day of messages being passed along, by the second day, even more people had arrived at the Great Jia Manpower Cargo Crew’s base. Two teams had already shown up before dawn.
听闻已有人进入林区，原本还想讲价的新来者二话不说就买了两枚进山而去，没多久又回来买了三枚，并扛了头皮毛光亮的野兽幼崽送给了大甲方之人。
Having heard that someone had already entered the forest, the newcomers, who had been haggling just moments before, bought two passes without further ado and headed in. Before long, they came back for three more, carrying a glossy-furred young beast as a gift for the Great Jia team.
瞧见这瞪大眼睛浑身颤抖，却还「恶恶~」凶著大伙儿的毛茸茸小家伙，宁洋和宋棚主带来的几人都满心欢喜的逗著它。
Seeing this small, furry creature trembling with wide eyes as it growled fiercely “grrr-grrr” at everyone, the people brought by Ning Yang and Song Peng Lord were overjoyed and began teasing it.
「乖，以后跟我们吃香的喝辣的。」
“Be good, from now on you’ll feast with us.”
「呜汪！」
“Woof!”
「A级交错地出来的，以后就叫它小A吧。」
“It came from an A-tier Cross region, let’s call it Little A.”
跟狼狗崽似的小A哇唔一口咬在这人手上。
Xiao A, just like a wolf cub, went “gnaw woof” and bit down on this person’s hand.
人群哈哈大笑。
Everyone burst into laughter.
至正午，临时驻地前人越来越多，百货也开始慢慢的销售起来。
By noon, more people gathered before the temporary camp, and goods slowly began to sell.
附近几十里地的人，听闻这还在卖其它生活物资，价格还便宜，周遭几个中小棚区好些没多少时序的人也三五成群出发往这边赶，并带上了各自的「手工特产」，初步有了小集市的样子。
People from around a fifty-mile radius, hearing that other daily necessities were also being sold here at low prices, set off in groups from nearby several medium and Small-sized Peng Zones, even those without much Chronos, all bringing their handcraft specialties, gradually forming an early market fair.
周六下午，枢纽镇。
Saturday afternoon, Hubville.
逐银来到会议室门口，取下份新送来的邮报，在最后页果然看到了熟悉的名字。
Ju Yin Chase arrived at the door of the conference room, took down a newly delivered postal newspaper, and sure enough, saw a familiar name on the last page.
——大甲方筑货队，15分。
——Major Client Builds Cargo Crew: 15 Points.
堪堪够上榜的分数，这也是大多数上榜货队的分数。
It’s roughly the minimum score to make the Chart List and was also no higher than most other crews—
「下个礼拜，就是杨子藏进去的第五个礼拜了。」
“Next week makes five weeks since Yang ZiCang disappeared inside.”
逐银喃喃自语，他抬头看向装修精致复古的木质过道，两名枢纽镇的管理者从大厅通道走过来。
Ju Yin Chase murmured to himself, looking up at the intricately restored wooden corridor. Two administrators of Hubville walked over from the main hall passage.
「副镇，今天都十号了，你要回你们城市去准备新人进入吗？」
“Futown, it’s already the tenth today. Are you heading back to your city to prepare for the newcomers’ entry?”
「如果这个月中你不回去，那我们就回去了。」另一人道。
“If you don’t go back by the middle of this month, we’ll have to return instead,” another remarked.
逐银点点头，「城市那边我上月末已安排妥当，这个月你们就回去吧，镇子这边我看着。」
Ju Yin Chase nodded. “I’ve already arranged everything over at the city side last month. You two go back this month; I’ll keep an eye on the town.”
「那就辛苦副镇了。」
“Then we’ll leave it to you, Futown.”
「其实枢纽镇有没有我们都会正常运转，不用过多担心。」他补充道，「有事我联系你们，穿越A级交错地也就小半天而已。」
“Actually, Hubville would run fine with or without us—no need to worry too much,” he added. “If anything comes up, I’ll contact you. Crossing a Class A fault zone barely takes half a day.”
「那辛苦副镇了，我们的空间已经存在半年，这个月要去开始稳定新空间了。」
“Thanks for holding things down, Futown. Our alternate space has lasted six months now—this month we need to start stabilizing a new one.”
虽然成功稳定的异度空间可以长久存在，但与枢纽镇相连的通道会越来越不稳定，大多一年左右便会坍塌。
Although a successfully stabilized alternate dimension can last indefinitely, the passage connecting to Hubville gradually becomes more unstable, often collapsing within about a year.
因此各个城市，通过稳定A级交错地进入枢纽镇的人，基本上每半年就要考虑开始新的A级地貌的稳定工作。稳定地貌并非每次都会成功，一次失败等于一个月的时间被浪费，所以要留出多余的时间。
As a result, city dwellers who enter Hubville via stabilized Class A fault zones usually need to consider starting the stabilization of a new Class A terrain every six months. Success isn’t guaranteed every time; a single failure means a whole month’s efforts are wasted. Hence, it’s essential to leave some buffer time.
一天时间很快过去，礼拜天早上，杨子藏刚睡醒，便听到了心中这句来自失频之地某种存在的心念之声。
The day swiftly passed. On Sunday morning, as Yang Zicang just woke up, he heard a voice within his heart, a will from some entity within the Shibin Wastes.
[你已诞生名气，于失频之地。]
[Reputation has been born for you in the Shibin Wastes.]
「这就是有自己事业的好处了。」
“This is the benefit of having your own enterprise.”
年轻人不禁感叹，铺好路的那些棚区与货队主们，恐怕每个礼拜都是如此，轻易就借助自己的势力，获得崭新的名气。
The young man couldn’t help but sigh—those Peng Zone and Cargo Crew masters who had laid down their paths probably enjoyed such luxuries every week, easily leveraging their domains to harvest fresh renown.
自己通过上礼拜的几日运作，在这山外建立起来的临时集市，恐怕能在接下来几个月都源源不断为自己诞生名气值。
Through his few days of operations last week, the temporary market he’d established beyond the mountains would likely generate a steady stream of reputation for months to come.
[你本周的名气值已超过10，当前为25。]
[Your reputation this week has exceeded 10; it is currently 25.]
杨子藏皱了皱眉。
Yang Zicang frowned.
这次的事情，自己可是以筑货队的名义来进行的。但却又跟上次一样，明明货队刚诞生名气，自己只是睡了一觉，醒来名气却已经二十多了。
This time, he had acted under the guise of establishing the *Cargo Crew*. Yet, just like last time, despite the Crew only just birthing its reputation, he had slept and woken up to find it had surged past twenty.
「算了，反正有没有无所谓。」
“Forget it. It doesn’t matter whether it helps or not.”
自言自语了句后，杨子藏打了个哈欠掀开被单坐到床边，揉了揉眼睛，感受了下。
Muttering to himself, Yang Zicang yawned, threw off the blanket, sat on the edge of the bed, rubbed his eyes, and assessed his surroundings.
或许是因为连续好几个礼拜，对方已经非常熟悉自己，并没有刚开始几个礼拜那种被注视的感觉。
Perhaps due to multiple consecutive weeks, the other party had grown too familiar with him—there was no longer that sense of being watched as in the first few weeks.
「呜汪。」
“Woof woof.”
厚实帐篷外隐约的喧闹声传来。
Muffled noises of commotion came from beyond the sturdy tent.
「小家伙别跑，喂，谁帮我逮住它，那东西居然把绳子给弄焦了。」
“Don’t run, little one. Hey, someone help me catch it—that thing actually scorched the rope!”
「哇，它咬我，赔我三天时序。」
“Ow, it bit me! Pay me back for three days of Chronos.”
「找阿雅要去吧你。」
“Go ask Aya for that.”
掀帘走出帐篷，前方那排大木屋外已经非常热闹，就像是开展销会似的。
Pushing aside the tent flap and stepping outside, the area in front of the row of large wooden huts was already bustling with activity, like an exhibition fair.
左右两边的不远处，还有更多的帐篷在驻扎，它们有些是进山队伍的临时基地，还有些则是附近小棚区的人来搭建的收货摊位。
Not far to the left and right, more tents were being pitched—some serving as temporary bases for mountain expeditions, and others as makeshift stalls set up by people from the nearby Little Peng Zone to take in goods.
这些人也趁机卖一些各自的小特产，比如藤蔓编制的箩筐，或者自己铸造的铁器与普通武器等等。
These folks also took the opportunity to sell their own local specialties, such as wicker baskets woven from vines, or iron tools and ordinary weapons they had forged themselves.
逐银和总部那边给自己送来的材料所制作的水井、普通地基、冰库等失念引擎，从之前做游商时就开始在不断出货，现在这里也有部分摆出来售卖，吸引许多中小棚主的关注。
Shin Engines like wells, standard foundations, and icehouses built from materials delivered by Ju Yin Chase and headquarters had been continuously shipped out since their days as traveling merchants; now, some were also displayed here for sale, drawing the attention of many medium and small Penglords.
为此，左非闲在此埋下了一口水井，甘泉让众人欢然，更是高看大甲方货队许多。仅仅只是个临时基地，居然愿意在这里埋下口水井，出的水质还非常的好，让许多人萌生了异样想法——或许这里以后可以长久的被保留下来。
For this reason, Zuo Feixian had sunk a well here, its sweet spring water delighting the crowd and earning the great client, Cargo Crew, even higher regard. For only a temporary base, they had been willing to invest in a well here, producing water of excellent quality that sparked a unique thought in many—perhaps this place could be permanently preserved in the future.
因此，大甲方筑货队的名声更为显露。
Thus, the reputation of the big shot Jiafang Cargo Crew became even more prominent.
荒原上。
On the wasteland.
「他大爷的，这甲子间可真不是个好东西，我左拆右借才好不容易搞到两百多年时序，他来个提前出货。」
“Damn it, this Jiazi Term is really no good. I scrounged and borrowed left and right to barely get two hundred years of Chronos, and he goes and ships ahead of schedule.”
很多还在傻傻等待礼拜二开卖的人听闻已经有人花高价进去后，早就边咒骂大甲方货队不守信，边一窝蜂的启程而来，就像一只只行进的难民队。
Many, who were still foolishly waiting for Tuesday’s sale, upon hearing that some had already paid a high price to enter, were cursing the big shot Jiafang Cargo Crew for being untrustworthy while swarming off like a procession of refugees.
到处都是对他的讨伐声。
Cries of condemnation were everywhere against him.
「这有啥，也就你把那些奸商的话当真。听到他说下礼拜才开卖，我当时就知道肯定有猫腻，果不其然。」
“What’s the big deal? You’re the only one who took those profiteers’ words seriously. The moment I heard him say sales wouldn’t start until next week, I knew something was fishy—and sure enough.”
「不是啊，我是怕到时候那狗东西来个当天限量供应之类的，你说我们这些只够正价买的人，抢不抢得到？肯定会擡价啊。」
“No, it’s not that. I’m just worried that bastard might pull a ‘limited supply for the day’ or something. You think us regular folks who can only afford the standard price have a shot? They’ll definitely jack up the prices.”
赶路的众人陷入了沉思。
The traveling crowd fell into deep thought.
「你是说，担心他搞饥饿营销？」
“So you think he was planning a hunger-marketing scheme?”
一人揹着包，边走边气愤道：「靠，就应该一起抵制它！」
One man, backpack slung over his shoulder, fumed as he walked: “Damn, they should all be boycotted together!”
「得了吧，那些高手们会傻到把进山的机会让给后来的人？」
“Oh, give it a rest! Would those ace players be foolish enough to let latecomers have a shot at entering the mountains?”
骑在兽背上的一人清了清嗓子：
A rider on a beast’s back cleared his throat:
「喂，告诉你们，其实那个大甲方的货队内就有精神攻击方面的能力，这可是秘密消息，你们别乱说哦。」
“Hey, let me tell you—turns out that big shot Jiafang’s Cargo Crew has people with mental attack abilities. That’s hush-hush info, so don’t go blabbing it around.”
「天啊，真的？你咋晓得的？」
“My god, really? How do you know that?”
听到这话，这只赶路的队伍内大多数的人都看向这骑在兽背上的人，听他开始有鼻子有眼的讲述前两天黄昏大棚的人吃瘪的事情。
At these words, most of the group traveling on this road turned to look at the man riding the beast, listening as he vividly recounted how the people from Dusk Canopy had gotten the short end of the stick two days earlier at dusk.
而黄昏大棚的正主，到现在还被蒙在鼓里。
Meanwhile, the main instigator of Dusk Canopy was still kept in the dark.
无忧货贸区，无忧棚主放下手中的筷子，拿起餐巾擦了擦嘴。
At the Carefree Trade Zone, Carefree Penglord set down his chopsticks, picked up a napkin, and wiped his mouth.
看了眼窗外天色，估摸着杨子藏已经起床，他胸前一道折线射出去，果然很顺利的与之连通。
Glancing at the sky outside the window, he estimated that Yang Zicang had already woken up. A fold of light shot out from his chest, successfully connecting with him as expected.
「早啊，子藏先生。」
“Good morning, Mr. Zicang.”
｛早，无忧棚主，是材料给我备好了吗？｝
{Morning, Carefree Penglord. Have you prepared the materials for me?}
「对的对的，哎呀还得是子藏先生你，这种靠山吃山的事换我就不好做的。我已经差人给你送过来了，只有一车，嘿嘿，别嫌少，兄弟我替你做成香丸了。」
“Yes, yes. Ah, it has to be you, Mr. Zicang. This kind of thing—living off the land—would be hard for me to pull off. I’ve already sent someone to deliver them over. Just one cartload, haha, don’t think it’s too little. I’ve taken the liberty of making it into incense pills for you, brother.”
整整一车香丸，杨子藏心中闪过暖意，这可是无忧免费帮忙的，自己根本没花多少时序。
A full cartload of incense pills—warmth surged through Yang Zicang’s heart. This was Carefree Penglord’s free help; he himself hadn’t spent much Chronos on it at all.
｛谢谢棚主了，我这生意跟无忧棚主比，只是小儿科罢了，改天我登门感谢你。｝
{Thank you, Penglord. Compared to you, Carefree Penglord, my little business is nothing. I’ll come by to thank you in person another day.}
「哈哈，你能将那配方无偿送给我，就是真信得过我无忧，这点忙我都不帮，还算作长生不老的神仙？」
“Haha, you gave that formula to me for free without expecting anything in return, which proves you truly trust me, Carefree. If I don’t lend a hand on this, could I still be considered an ageless immortal?”
一番互相吹捧之后，无忧棚主才命人亲自将附近收购到的药草做成的丸子送过去。以无忧的实力，跨越几百公里的时间，肯定是花不了多久的。
After a bout of mutual flattery, Wuyou Penglord finally ordered someone to deliver pills made from medicinal herbs gathered nearby. Given Wuyou’s power, crossing hundreds of kilometers in no time was hardly a challenge.
断掉连线后，桌旁几位美女中，一位体态丰腴的妇人道:
After the connection was cut off, one of the voluptuous beauties seated at the table remarked,
「棚主，这杨先生还真是慷慨，这样厉害的香丸配方，说送便送了，他还真是信得过咱们。」
“Penglord, this Mr. Yang is truly generous—giving away such a powerful incense pill formula for free. He really does trust us.”
「对呀，还是在这种时候，都不担心我们抢他们的生意，这可是好多好多万的时序呢。」 桌上另一人道。
“Indeed, and especially at a time like this, he doesn’t even worry about us stealing his business. That’s tens of thousands of Chronos.” Another person at the table chimed in.
棚主显得很是畅快，杨子藏这也算让他在自家人前长了很大的面子：
Penglord was clearly delighted. Yang Zicang had made him shine in front of his own people:
「所以啊，这样的朋友才值得结交。 唉，我无忧赚了这么多漫长的时光，可越是如此，想到未来的岁月便越觉孤独。 以后的日子里若有更多这样的一群朋友陪伴，倒也是件庆幸的事情。」
“That’s exactly why friends like him are worth keeping. Ah, I, Wuyou, have amassed so many endless eons, yet the more I have, the lonelier the coming years feel. If I can have more such companions in the days ahead, it will truly be a blessing.”
他站起身来，「这份香丸的配方，我跟郝主管几人知道就好，后面若是遇到类似的地方，咱们就自己去探索，你们记住不要宣扬出去，徒惹麻烦。」
He stood up, “As for this incense pill formula, only Elder Hao and I need to know. If we encounter similar opportunities in the future, we shall explore them ourselves. Just remember: do not spread this around unnecessarily, lest we invite trouble.”
桌上莺莺燕燕的几人笑道：「我们晓得的。」
The playful and charming women at the table laughed softly, saying, “We understand, of course.”
另一边，也吃过早饭的杨子藏刚放下碗筷，就接到了来自独频客栈庄老板的连接。
On the other side, Yang Zicang, who had just finished breakfast, had barely set down his chopsticks when he received a connection from Boss Zhuang of the Dupin Inn.
｛我靠，甲子间，你瞒得我好苦啊，我请你去做任务，你却跑去圈地卖票了。 怎么地，都不带带哥哥我吗？｝
{Damn, Jiazi Term, you kept me in the dark so well. I invited you to take on a mission, but you went off to fence off land and sell tickets. What’s the deal, not even giving your big bro a piece of the action?}
杨子藏抠了抠脑袋，他早把这人给忘到一边了。
Yang Zicang scratched his head, having long forgotten about this guy.