Ground Stars / 地上星 · Ch.128 第128章 山洞里的手术
第128章 山洞里的手术
Chapter 128: Surgery in the Cave
绯月级的A级交错地，都需要用四边形Moexl拥有者们，跟雕像所共鸣后，每月所获得的频晶来开启入口。
All Vermilion Moon-grade, A-tier Intersections require the frequency crystals obtained monthly by QuadMoxel owners resonating with the statues to unlock their entrances.
一同进入者不光要实力高，还得经验丰富，如果选错稳定的场景，最后冒出来自己队伍无法解决的危机，就会像稳定眼前这几座山的队伍一样，自身生死不明，交错地也自城市消失，出现于失频之地等待缓慢毁灭。
Those entering together must not only be highly skilled but also experienced. If they fail to choose a stable scenario and a crisis they can’t handle arises, they will end up like the team that stabilized the mountains before them—their fate unknown, while the Intersection vanishes from the city, reappearing in the Shibin Wastes to await slow destruction.
「唉，我知道，能进的都是高手。」
“Sigh, I know—only experts get in.”
吕志也不觉得这种怪物是随便什么人都能够击杀的，像自己这种妄想捡便宜的人，根本轮不到被选中进入。
Lyu Zhi didn’t think such monsters could be killed just by anyone. Someone delusional enough to seek easy pickings like herself wouldn’t even be selected to enter.
吕志蹲下来，抚摸著魁梧的怪物身躯：「这家伙的尸体怎么办，看著挺魁梧的，整个剥皮多霸气呀。」
Lyu Zhi crouched down, stroking the hulking monster’s body. “What should we do with this carcass? It’s pretty massive—how cool would it be to skin the whole thing?”
话音未落，旁边就浮现出了一截若影若现的车厢，变得真实的车厢门打开后，里面走出几个表情呆滞的人。
Her words had barely faded when a faintly appearing carriage materialized beside her, and after its realer-that-sdoor swung open, several expressionless figures stepped out.
「要、怎、么、处理。」
“How… to… deal… with… it.”
杨子藏看著这些被变成傀儡的荒车大货队的成员，他有心想试试这些傀儡的智商，抱著膀子说道：
Yang Zicang eyed the members of the Wasteland Wagon Cargo Crew, now turned into puppets. Curious to test their intelligence, he crossed his arms and said:
「你们给个建议。」
“Give me a suggestion.”
傀儡们僵硬转头看向其中一人，他像是个当时的货队长。
The puppets stiffly turned their heads toward one of them, who appeared to be the cargo crew leader of that time.
这瘦高之人面色枯槁，眼珠没有神色的看向地上的怪物尸首良久。
The gaunt, tall man’s face was withered, his lifeless eyes staring blankly at the monster’s corpse on the ground for a long time.
「得得得。」
“Ge-ge-ge.”
杨子藏叹了口气。
Yang Zicang let out a sigh.
跟这些已经失去人类思感的傀儡能有什么好说的，再过段时间，他们恐怕自己是什么物种都会不清楚。
What was there to say to these puppets that had already lost their human senses? In a little while, they probably wouldn’t even be clear about what species they were themselves.
吕志后脊发凉的看著它们如行尸走肉般将这怪物快速砍成两大块，经他们胡乱一砍，幕景主长得霸不霸气什么的都没用了。
A chill ran down Lyu Zhi’s spine as he watched them, like walking corpses, rapidly chop the monster into two large chunks. With their clumsy slashing, any hint of the siegefield lord’s majesty was utterly ruined.
「门太小。」 几个傀儡呆滞转头看向杨子藏。
“The door is too small.” A few puppets dully turned their heads toward Yang Zicang.
「自己想办法。」
“Figure it out yourselves.”
砰砰，又是一阵惨不忍睹的分割。
Thump, thump—another bout of gruesome dismemberment ensued.
林中冲来的野兽们终于靠近。
The wild beasts charging from the woods finally drew near.
杨子藏淡然转头看向扑来的那只长毛灰狼。 如同师父指派弟子接受训练般，对著吕志道：
Calmly, Yang Zicang turned to look at the long-haired gray wolf lunging toward him, then as if assigning a disciple to undergo training, said to Lyu Zhi:
「去练练吧，增幅时序见底的时候告诉我。」
“Go practice some, tell me when the Chronos boost runs out.”
这次吕志迅速提剑冲了上去，然后下一秒已经在地上被狼群扯住四肢乱咬。
This time, Lyu Zhi swiftly drew his sword and charged forward, only to find himself the next second on the ground, with wolves tugging at his limbs and biting wildly.
「哥…我…不行了。」
“Big bro… I… can’t hold on anymore.”
杨子藏不忍直视的轻轻挥手，等待许久的白影念龙便冲了上去。
Yang Zicang couldn’t bear to look, waving his hand gently as the long-awaited Paleshade Wyrm sprang forward.
在更多野兽赶来之前，两人踏上列车消失在风中。
Before any more beasts could arrive, the two boarded the train and vanished into the wind.
……
次日一早，杨子藏刚起床，便见到一大队人过来。
Early the next morning, as soon as Yang Zicang got up, he saw a large squad approaching.
「子间队长。」
“Captain Zijian.”
为首的袁学林热情走来，跟杨子藏握手。
Leading them was Yuan Xuelin, walking over warmly to shake Yang Zicang’ s hand.
「棚主说怕你经验少，让我再带点人过来帮衬你。」
“Penglord said, afraid you might lack experience, so he sent me with more men to give you a hand.”
他一只手指着远处改造过的小车道：
He pointed a finger at the revamped small railway tracks in the distance:
「顺便那是第二车香丸，不过没上次多，甲队长可别嫌弃。」
“By the way, that’s the second shipment of incense pills—not as many as last time, though. Don’t begrudge me, Captain Jia.”
杨子藏看了眼那被篷布盖住的车，笑道：
Yang Zicang glanced at the cart covered with tarpaulin and said with a smile:
「哪里会嫌弃，感激还来不及。没想到这次是袁队长亲自来。」
“How could I complain? I’m more than grateful. I didn’t expect Captain Yuan to come in person this time.”
「呵呵，看来袁队长是被外放锻炼来了。」
“Heh, looks like Captain Yuan got sent out for some hands-on training.”
左非闲端着碗从旁边帐篷走来，变嗦肉汤边打趣。
Zuo Feixian walked over from a nearby tent, bowl in hand, slurping meat soup while teasing him.
袁学林尴尬的笑了笑。
Yuan Xuelin gave an awkward smile.
「是啊，来跟子间兄弟历练历练，保护这里可是件大功。」
“Yeah, here to gain some experience with Brother Zijian. Protecting this place is a big feat.”
这小子嘴太贱了，自己还不好发作。
This kid had a real sharp tongue, and he could hardly snap back.
「那这几个月就有劳了。」
“Well then, I’ll be counting on you for the next few months.”
杨子藏并未拒绝，随着这里逐渐吸引很多人前来，的确需要更专业的护卫队来维持秩序。
Yang Zicang did not refuse, as the steady influx of people here indeed required a more professional security team to maintain order.
几人谈笑中，徐秀川也端着饭碗过来，拍了拍袁学林的肩膀。
Amidst their laughter and conversation, Shiu Siuchuan approached with his rice bowl and patted Yuan Xuelin on the shoulder.
像这样身份的人，自己之前可是高攀不起的，此刻能占点便宜这俩衰货心中也是美滋滋的，咱也是有身份的人了。
Someone of this stature was previously far beyond their reach, so these two good-for-nothings felt smug to finally get a taste of it; now they, too, were people of importance.
有了无忧货队的人帮忙，整个售卖现场井然有序，一些之前经常骚乱处也排起了长龙。
With the help of the Wuyou Cargo Crew, the entire sales area was well-organized, and long lines formed even in places that were once frequently disorderly.
阿雅带着新来的几名女士进行着货物售卖，宋棚主等人则充当巡视护卫，跟袁学林的人不断巡视着周围，顺便学着对方的经验。
Aya led the newly arrived women in sales work, while Song Penglord and his men acted as patrolling guards, continuously walking the perimeter alongside Yuan Xuelin’s people, learning from their methods.
没多久，独频客栈派来的几人也赶了过来。
Before long, the several people sent by the Shadow Solo Inn also arrived.
大甲方货队属于独频客栈董事的消息也传了出去，好些来踩点的人对杨子藏的身份有数了起来，这小子背后居然有无忧和独频两大靠山，难怪之前能如此不显山漏水。
The news that the Dajia Fang Cargo Crew belonged to the board of the Shadow Solo Inn also spread. Many of those who had come to scout the situation now had a clearer understanding of Yang Zicang’s background; this kid apparently had the backing of both the Wuyou Company and the Shadow Solo Inn, no wonder he could keep so low-key before.
……
山洞中，隐约可以听到外面的兽吼。
In the cave, the faint roars of beasts could be heard from outside.
周立仁蜷缩在阴湿的岩缝里，后腰处的碎石棱角早已硌出血痕。但这份疼痛，此刻却成了让他不至于晕厥的原因：因为跟他一起进山的人，正在被眼前之人解剖。
Zhou Liren curled up in the cold, damp crevice of the rock, the jagged stones at his lower back already ground into his flesh, drawing blood. Yet this pain now served as his sole anchor against unconsciousness—because the men who had entered the mountains with him were being dissected before his very eyes.
前方站在石台旁的绷带男抬起手，「哪里组装得不对…」
The bandaged man standing by the stone platform raised his hand, muttering, “Which part did I assemble wrong…”
他指尖拈着片薄如蝉翼的皮肤组织，正对着眼眸细看。
He pinched a paper-thin layer of skin tissue between his fingertips, scrutinizing it up close to his eyes.
「啊！」
“Ah—!”
手术台上的人蓦地抽搐，打翻盛着蓝绿色液体的器皿后，再也不动了。小方盒里面的液体顺着岩台蜿蜒流下，在其表面腐蚀出淡淡灰白雾气。
The person on the operating table suddenly convulsed, knocking over a container filled with blue-green liquid, and then lay still. The liquid spilled from the small box, winding its way along the stone platform, corroding the surface and emitting a faint pale-gray mist.
周立仁神色惨然的缩在角落，看着前方那道如魔鬼的身影。
Zhou Liren, his face ashen, shrank into the corner, gazing at the devilish figure before him.
他的队友，一起进山来的所有人，已经尽数身死，洞穴周围，全是他们支离破碎的尸首。
His teammates, everyone who had ventured into the mountains with him, were already dead—their shattered remains scattered all around the cave.
下一个，就是自己了吗！
Was he next?
他不禁绝望的想到，自己真不该在这个时候进山来啊。
In despair, he couldn’t help but think: he truly should never have come into the mountains at this time.
这段时间明明已经靠香丸进山来赚到了两三千年时序，为什么还要跟那些新人争，跑来这深山里啊…
Hadn’t he already earned two to three thousand Chronos by using incense pills to go into the mountains? Why did he have to struggle with them and rush deep into this wilderness, of all places…
难道自己就不知道，在这个世界，最危险的其实就是人类本身吗！
Didn’t he know that in this world, the most dangerous threat, the one lurking in human form, was humanity itself?
这么热闹的集会，肯定会吸引恐怖的东西过来的啊！而自己，就遭遇到了！
A bustling gathering like this would inevitably attract terrifying things! And I am the one who encountered it!
血腥味弥漫在这片地下洞穴。
The stench of blood permeated this underground cavern.
可那道直立的身影却像是丝毫感受不到这些令人作呕的气味似的。
Yet that upright figure seemed completely oblivious to these nauseating odors.
站立在如同手术台的石台前的男人转头，冷漠看向颤抖的周立仁。他的手中握着把暗红光芒闪动的修长利器，是柄手术刀。
The man standing before the stone altar, which resembled an operating table, turned his head and stared coldly at the trembling Zhou Liren. In his hand, he gripped a slender blade gleaming with a dark red light—a scalpel.
「过来。」
“Come here.”
「啊，不，求求你，放过我，我对你没有任何作用，而且，而且我已经把香丸的配方告诉过你了。」
“Ah, no, please, spare me. I’m utterly useless to you, and—and I’ve already given you the formula for the incense pill!”
这人却聪耳不闻，他往前迈步。
But the man turned a deaf ear to him, stepping forward.
忽地，石台上传来道痛苦呻吟。
Suddenly, a pained groan echoed from the stone altar.
周立仁瞪大了眼，「老李没死！」
Zhou Liren’s eyes widened. “Old Li is alive!”
握着手术刀，喉咙以下缠着绷带的这人也顿了下，男人转身往石台看去，随后转身回去，继续自己的手术。
The man holding the scalpel, wrapped in bandages below his throat, paused as well. He turned to glance at the stone altar, then pivoted back and resumed his operation.
「又能多活一会儿了。」周立仁惊慌的瞳孔变得呆滞。
“He can last a little longer now.” The panic in Zhou Liren’s pupils turned dull.
他此刻只有无尽的后悔。
At that moment, there was only endless regret in his heart.
他是真的后悔，自从那天听到大甲方货队的广播宣告后，他就急不可耐，也更为愤怒。
He truly regretted everything—ever since that day he heard the announcement from the major client, Cargo Crew, he had been both impatient and furious.
广播里女人所宣称的能够安然进入山林内的清神香丸，显然就是从自己手上300年买走香丸配方之人所提供！
The Qing Shen incense pellets that the woman in the broadcast claimed could safely enter the mountain were obviously provided by the person who bought the pellet formula from me three hundred years ago!
干啊，自己三百年卖掉配方，他转手两百年一个往外卖！
Damn it! I sold the formula three hundred years ago, and they turned around without even waiting, selling it at discount two hundred years later!
周立仁想到那个晚上遇到的两人…人家买香丸根本就没打算要靠其进山寻宝。
Zhou Liren thought of the two people he met that night… Those buyers of the incense pellets never intended to rely on them to enter the mountain and hunt for treasure.
他们是要售卖进山的香丸！
They planned to sell incense pellets to enter the mountain!
大规模的制造和售卖！
Large-scale manufacturing and selling!
棚区里去看过的人都说，人家每天赚到的时序都是以「W」为单位的。
In Peng Zone, everyone who went to check it raved that people were raking Chronos daily with a unit count reaching “W.”
周立仁悔得心肝都在疼，但他又想到，本来香丸也是棚主勒令严格保密的，大家悄悄的发财，泄露的不要。结果自己只是因为没忍住那「三百年」的诱惑…
Zhou Liren’s heart was aching with regret. But he also remembered that the incense pellets were something Penglord had strictly ordered kept secret, banning leaks, allowing everyone to quietly strike it rich instead. Damn it all—he couldn’t resist the temptation of just a “three-hundred-year” big con, so he called out…
「不用著急，手术已经成功了，你应该不会死。」
“No need to worry, the surgery was successful. You shouldn’t die.”
周立仁抬起头，只见石台上那道身体不断轻微挣扎，却像是被无形力量稳稳固定在石台上，只能气若游丝的痛苦呻吟。
Zhou Liren looked up and saw body on the stone platform constantly struggling faintly, as if tightly held down by an invisible force, unable to do more than whimper in excruciating agony.
「你，嗬呃… 在我的… 嗬嗬呃… 肚子里，放了… 什… 嗬…」
“You, guh… In my… eh–ahah… gich–… belly, what… ge… ugh…”
「获得配方的那人运气真好啊，来了就自然看懂了那东西。 唔，血止住了。 你的朋友在跟你的心脏共生，骨头也没问题。 我差不多知道了，只能替换两种器官，否者会失败。」
“The one who obtained the formula was really lucky—they just came and naturally understood that thing. Hmm, the bleeding has stopped. Your friend is symbiotically merging with your heart, and the bones are fine. I’ve roughly figured it out: only two organs can be replaced; otherwise, it will fail.”
周立仁感觉自己周身都在颤抖。
Zhou Liren felt his entire body trembling.