Ground Stars / 地上星 · Ch.131 第131章 恶藤
第131章 恶藤
Chapter 131: Evil Vine
簌簌，藤蔓将李智南团团捆住，拉进了通道深处。
Rustling, the vines coiled tightly around Lee Zhinan, dragging him into the depths of the passageway.
墙上一道树木躯干上长出了人类的脸庞。 它用虚假的眼眸看向被藤蔓紧紧捆住的李智南。
On the wall, a human face grew out of a tree trunk. It gazed with fake eyes at Lee Zhinan, firmly bound by the vines.
｛好弱小的生物，不过也只有你了… 带著我的幼体分身出去。｝
{Such a weak creature, but you’re the only one… Take my offspring out with you.}
啪！ 男人摔落在藤蔓上，一截翠绿的植物茎块落在他身上。
Smack! The man landed on the vines, a piece of emerald-green plant stem falling onto him.
「这，这是什么？！」
“What… what is this?!”
｛在你们世界，它吸收的生物寿命越多，成长得越快。 那些地块的能量也可以为它补充时序，尽快到五万年。｝
{In your world, the more lives it absorbs, the faster it grows. The energy from those lands can also replenish its Chronos, so hasten to reach fifty thousand years.}
「五万年！」 李智南差点被自己口水呛死。
“Fifty thousand years!” Lee Zhinan nearly choked on his own saliva.
｛快去，这里死气太过浓郁，再过几个月我就会被同化。 等救我出去，我便赐予你人类可以修炼的秘技。｝
{Go quickly. The death energy here is too dense—in a few more months, I’ll be assimilated. Once you save me, I’ll grant you a secret technique for humans to cultivate.}
说罢，李智南被不断延展的藤蔓掀向门口，那茎块长出的翠绿茎块紧紧趴在他身上。
With that, Lee Zhinan was hurled toward the entrance by the ever-extending vines, the green stem piece clinging tightly to him.
山顶高处，一道幻影般的身影浮现看向洞口。
High atop the mountain peak, a phantom-like figure emerged, gazing down at the cave entrance.
周边山林无数野兽像是听到无形指令，快速往李智南所在之地冲去。
Countless wild beasts in the surrounding forest, as if obeying an invisible command, dashed swiftly toward Lee Zhinan’s location.
……
乔明对找到那把剑已经不抱什么希望了。
Qiao Ming had given up all hope of finding that sword.
他逐渐平复了失去时序战器的低落焦急心情，接受它大概找不回来这件事实。 现在他震惊的是，副镇那位朋友居然能靠一个A级交错地，搞到那么多时序。
He gradually calmed the restless, anxious mood from losing the Chronos Weapon, accepting the fact that he might never retrieve it. Now, what left him stunned was how the friend from Futown could obtain so many Chronos from just an A-rank crossover point.
听说已经纯赚二十多万时序。 早就超过了一把80N武器的价值。
It was said they had already made a pure profit of over twenty thousand Chronos, easily surpassing the value of an 80N weapon.
「唉，山林里那么多人，我们的战器该没了。」
“Alas, with so many people in the mountains, our battle gear is probably gone for good.”
现在找副镇的人都找不到了，他失望的起身从城镇大厅离开，边走边想到…
Now that even the people from Futown were nowhere to be found, he rose in disappointment and left the town hall, muttering as he walked…
要是自己也能参与就好了。
If only I could’ve been a part of it.
……
山区外，临时驻地附近车水马龙，各种恶魇轿车、摩托聚集。
Outside the mountain district, near the temporary camp, traffic was bustling—various nightmare sedans and motorcycles gathered in throngs.
买卖货物的人群见怪不怪的行走其间，仿佛置身一处旷野上的魔物派对。
The crowd of buyers and sellers moved through with nonchalance, as if they were in a monster party sprawling across the wilderness.
一辆恶魇三轮车上，正在哼哼地沙哑唱着：｛一束花~是西贝尔送给我的~可怜的人。｝
On a nightmare tricycle, a raspy voice hummed and sang hoarsely: “A bouquet~ was given to me by Cybel~ the poor soul~”
它边轻哼，边随着其主人在坑坑洼洼的集市边缘前进，将货物抖动得叮当作响。
It hummed softly, while following its owner along the rugged edge of the market, jingling the goods with every clatter.
杨子藏经过时，路边宁洋棚主的人正拿着赶昆虫的小刷子，晃着吆喝：
As Yang ZiCang passed, the people of Ning Yangpenglord by the roadside were waving little brushes to shoo away insects, calling out heartily:
「今日有专供采集队的特价香丸！前十名还送防蛇虫雄黄粉！」
“Today we have special discounted incense pills for the collection team! The first ten customers also get free realgar powder for repelling snakes and insects!”
「香味能保五天吗？保的话我来两份。」
“Can the scent last five days? If so, I’ll take two.”
「在忙啊甲队长。」
“Busy at it, Captain Jia.”
杨子藏笑着点点头，避开了这个正用胳膊夹着怪兽幼崽讨价还价的大妈。
Yang Zicang smiled and nodded, sidestepping the auntie who was haggling while holding a baby monster under her arm.
现如今，关于几匹山内险恶事件的传言越来越多。普通人终于能理解自己的实力距离探索A级交错地有多大差距。
Nowadays, rumors about the hazardous incidents in the mountains were spreading. Ordinary people were finally beginning to grasp the gap between their own strength and what it took to explore a Class A crossover zone.
因此香丸的价格在时间与信息逐步透明下，已下降至一百一二十年左右一枚。
As a result, as time passed and information became more transparent, the price of incense pills had dropped to around one hundred to one hundred twenty years per pill.
「杨哥，今天又有队伍失踪。」
“Brother Yang, another team went missing today.”
刚靠近小木屋，门口就有等待着的人低声汇报。杨子藏轻轻点头。
As they approached the cabin, someone was already waiting at the door, reporting in a low voice. Yang Zi Cang nodded gently.
「进去说。」
“Let’s talk inside.”
屋内吕志和一位女生，正在整理几份关于山林的地图文件，瞧见杨子藏和几人进来，他们立即起身让出桌旁的座位。
Inside the cabin, Lü Zhi and a young woman were organizing several mountainous maps. Upon seeing Yang Zi Cang and the others enter, they immediately stood up and vacated the seats by the table.
「这两天在山中出现的那片危险区域，已经死了十来个进入的人了。」
“That dangerous area that appeared in the mountains these past two days has already claimed over a dozen people who ventured in.”
跟在杨子藏身边的男人道：
The man beside Yang Zi Cang spoke.
「经过箜山大棚、黄昏大棚以及秦氏货队和韶光的几名高手探查确认，里面是片能吃人的藤蔓。无数野兽尸体遍布，几乎成为绝地。」
“After investigations by the Kongshan Canopy, the Dusk Canopy, and several experts from Qin’s Cargo Crew and Shaoguang, it has been confirmed that the area is filled with man-eating vines. Countless animal carcasses are scattered throughout, making it nearly a death zone.”
「吃人的藤蔓？」
“Man-eating vines?”
杨子藏接过文件，上面画着关于藤蔓的大致模样。
Yang Zicang took the documents, on which was drawn a rough outline of the vine.
「是啊，之前不是有处兽群被覆灭，估计就是这东西的杰作，太可怕了，上百只发疯的野兽几乎一波就死绝了。」
“Yeah, remember that pack of beasts that got wiped out nearby? I bet this thing was behind it. Terrifying—hundreds of maddened beasts were pretty much wiped out in one go.”
「兽群…是那座山附近对吧。这藤蔓居然挪位置了，会移动？」
“That pack… was around that mountain, right. So this vine moved positions? It can relocate?”
还没等杨子藏说完便又有人开门找来，一开门就吼道：
Before Yang Zicang could finish, someone else opened the door and barged in, bellowing at once:
「甲队长救命！」
“Captain Jia, save us!”
看着他气喘吁吁的神情，杨子藏主动开口道：
Seeing his breathless, frantic expression, Yang Zicang spoke up on his own:
「不会又是藤蔓吧。」
“Don’t tell me it’s the vines again.”
「是啊，子间队长。我队友说去看看那个山洞，结果突然就被地上的藤蔓拉进去了。」
“Yes, Captain Zijian. My teammate said he wanted to check out that cave, and then suddenly he was dragged in by vines on the ground.”
「山洞？」
“A cave?”
杨子藏以及身边的吕志几人，都看向手上的文件，这藤蔓大有遍地开花的趋势。
Both Yang Zicang and Lyu Zhi beside him glanced at the documents in their hands—it seemed the vines were springing up everywhere.
「黄昏大棚那些人都搞不定，甲队长，只有您能救他们。」
“Even the people from the Huanghun Greenhouse couldn’t handle them. Captain Jia, only you can save them.”
好些大棚区的高手已经去过，几乎都铩羽而归。此刻来人将目光投向了这片集市的建设者身上。
Many experts from Big Peng Zone had already tried and were almost all beaten back. The messenger now fixed his gaze on the builder of this market.
一道折线射来。
A streak of light shot over.
｛老弟，庄哥求您个事儿。｝
{Brother, Brother Zhuang has a favor to ask.}
「您讲。」
“Go ahead.”
｛你们山里有个山洞，刚刚吞了我一个朋友的队伍，能不能帮我把人救出来？你放心，他们会给你补偿。｝
{There’s a cave in your mountains that just swallowed a friend of mine’s team. Can you help get them out? Don’t worry, they’ll give you compensation.}
看来是真急了，都到处求人来协助劝说自己出手，都找到独频客栈去了，恐怕老庄这次没少收好处费。
It seemed he was truly desperate, even pleading everywhere for assistance to persuade me to act, even tracking down the solo-in frequency inn. I’m afraid Lao Zhuang made quite a profit from the hush money this time.
「既然是老哥亲自说，那好吧。」
“Since it’s an old brother personally asking, fine, I’ll do it.”
杨子藏说完，拎起吕志递过来的剑，转身出门找了辆赚跑腿费的恶魇摩托，坐着嗡嗡进山而去。
Yang Zicang finished speaking, picked up the sword Lyu Zhi handed over, turned around, went out, found a nightmare motor that earned courier fees, and rode it buzzing into the mountain.
山洞下的凹坑内。
Inside the pit beneath the cave.
一株奇怪的墨绿植物已经吞噬了三个人的生命，他们之前一声没吭出来就成为了这些散发莹莹辉光藤蔓的猎物，藤蔓的速度很快。
A strange, ink-green plant had already devoured three lives. Without uttering a single sound, they became prey to those glowing tendrils, their movements quite swift.
「小心点。」
“Be careful.”
从塌陷斜坡下来的杨子藏与摩托骑手，凝重的举灯看着粗壮的藤蔓。
Yang Zicang and the motor rider, who had come down the collapsed slope, held up their lamps solemnly at the sturdy tendrils.
嗖~地上藤蔓突然如蛇般向两人卷去。
Whoosh—suddenly, the vines on the ground twisted toward the duo like snakes.
「啊！」那长发及肩的男人瞬间吓得大喊，却见身前的大甲方货队长，不退反进，一剑荡出。
“Ah!” The long-haired man panic-screamed on the spot, only to see the great client, in-charge, Cargo Crew Commander, instead of retreating, step forward and swing his sword.
轰！烈焰剑道发动！
Boom! Blaze Blade art activated!
火焰扩散，藤蔓们迅速缩回。
Flames spread, and the vines quickly recoiled.
「怕火就好。」杨子藏很是满意。
“Good, they fear fire.” Yang Zicang was quite satisfied.
这东西白影念龙根本找不到念力体，也就没办法靠念能力去攻击。
This damned *Paleshade Wyrm* couldn’t even lock onto a bead of psychic thought form, leaving it impossible to strike with psychic abilities.
还好它还遵循着些自然规律，否则在城市中挑战这种绯月级交错地的队伍，得非常非常强才能成功稳定。
Fortunately, it still abided by some natural laws; otherwise, a team challenging a Crimson Moon-level convergence site like this in the city would need to be exceptionally strong to successfully stabilize it.
杨子藏转头看向身旁面色煞白的骑手：「你出去吧，我进洞去看看这怪物到底是怎么回事。」
Yang ZiCang turned his head to look at the pale-faced rider beside him: “You get out. I’m going into the cave to see what’s really going on with this monster.”
长发男人眼眸扫了扫这些藤蔓下墙壁上新长出来的，细小的翠绿魔晶晶体，点点头。
The long-haired man’s eyes swept over the tiny, verdant magic crystal formations newly sprouting on the wall beneath these vines, and he nodded.
「那甲队长你小心啊。」
“Then be careful, Captain Jia.”
「谢谢，我会注意的，你在外面等着我就行。」
“Thanks, I’ll watch myself. Just wait for me outside.”
「这些应该是木系的魔晶石，一般能诞生魔晶的地方元素气息都很浓郁，你，你千万不要大意。」
“These should be wood-element magic crystals. Usually, places where magic crystals form have very dense elemental energy… Don’t, don’t you ever let your guard down.”
「嗯，我知道了，你快走吧。」
“Yeah, I get it. Go now, hurry.”
「甲子间货队长，你如果出了问题，驻地可就没有主心骨儿了，我们这种人能够赚点时序不容易…」
“Captain of the Jiazi TermCargo Crew, if anything happens to you, the station will lose its pillar. People like us don’t have an easy time earning those Chronos…”
杨子藏深吸了口气，转头看着浑身散发着胆怯气息的男人，挂着淡淡笑容一字一顿道：
Yang ZiCang took a deep breath, turned his head to look at the man emanating a palpable air of timidity, and spoke word by word with a faint smile:
「出，去！」
“Get… out!”
「呃…好，反正你一定，」骑手看向杨子藏背后浮现而出的白影念龙虚影，艰难咽了口唾沫，「我这就走。」
“Uh… okay. Just make sure you—” The rider glanced at the Paleshade Wyrm phantom emerging behind Yang ZiCang, swallowed hard, and said, “I’m off now.”
等男人爬上土坡，杨子藏拽在手中的长剑上，瞬间冒出浓烈火焰。
As the man climbed up the dirt slope, the longsword gripped in Yang ZiCang’s hand instantly burst into roaring flames.
他往散发着零星绿光的黑黢黢洞穴而去。
He made his way toward the pitch-black cave, where faint traces of green light flickered.
飕飕！藤蔓尖端冲来！
Whizz! The tips of vines shot forth!
啪啪！长剑迅捷地砍断了这些藤蔓。
Slash! The long sword swiftly hacked through them.
[我抵消了1050N.]
[I nullified 1050 N.]
但这一次，藤蔓们并没有迅速退缩，仿佛知道杨子藏能够威胁到它的核心一般，刚刚砍出烧焦痕迹的植物部位再次长出翠绿的枝丫，并跟着更多自黑暗洞穴深处窜出的藤蔓一起，铺天盖地般冲来。
But this time, the vines didn’t recoil swiftly; as if realizing that Yang Zicang could threaten its core, the burnt plant stalks instantly sprouted fresh green branches, which, joined by more tendrils bursting from the depths of the dark cave, charged at him in a overwhelming, sky-covering wave.
杨子藏快速挥剑，无数时序被抵消的心念声传出。
Yang Zicang swung his blade rapidly, unleashing a steady chorus of consciousnesses narrating nullifications of Chronos.
[我抵消了550N.]
[I nullified 550 N.]
[我又抵消了1050N.]
[I nullified another 1050 N.]
「不行的…」
“It’s hopeless…”
忽一道迟缓生音传来，前行好几米的杨子藏听到这声音，顿时往后一跃，躲过几根植物藤蔓的攻击后看向上方。
Suddenly, a sluggish voice drifted in. After advancing several meters, Yang Zicang heard it, leaped backward to dodge a few lashing plant vines, then looked upward.
借着火光，一道看不出面目的人影被吊在高处。
By the firelight, he saw an indistinguishable human figure suspended in the heights.
「是…货队长…谢谢你身上的香气，让我…死前还能清醒…」
“It’s Kargo… Crew Long… Thank you for the scent on you, which let me… stay lucid before my death…”
「节省体力，不要说话。」
“Save your strength. Don’t speak.”
杨子藏再度挥剑冲了上去。
With a resolute breath, Yang Zicang swung his sword and charged again.
「没用的…它有三四万的时序，增幅后有接近十多万…而且被抵消的时序还会以虚零时序恢复。」
“It’s useless… It has thirty to forty thousand Chronos, boosted to nearly a hundred thousand after its enhancement… And the nullified Chronos regenerate as virtual zero Chronos.”
「虚零时序？」
“Void Zero Chronos?”
杨子藏面色微变的看向前方洞穴墙壁上，粗壮的植物茎杆。
Yang Zicang’s expression flickered slightly as he looked ahead at the thick plant stalks lining the cavern wall.
「是啊，它每两三秒都会恢复五十年的虚零时序，你们快逃吧，不要让人靠近此地。这不是我们这种实力，能够解决的…怪物。」
“Yes, it restores fifty years worth of Void Zero Chronos every two to three seconds. You should run now, and don’t let anyone near here. This isn’t something a being of our strength can deal with… a monster.”
每秒恢复！杨子藏震撼的看着主体嵌入坑道下的怪树。
Recovery every second! Yang Zicang stared in shock at the grotesque tree, its main body embedded deep within the tunnel.
它如爬山虎般占据整个洞穴深处，主干散发着微弱的翠绿光芒，一看就不是凡物，仿佛神灵所养的仙藤。
Spreading like ivy, it occupied the entire depths of the cave, its main trunk emitting a faint jade-green glow, clearly no ordinary thing—almost like a celestial vine nurtured by gods.
火焰周围，藤蔓们微微蠕动，如同群虎视眈眈面对敌人来犯，守卫领土的蛇巢。
Around the flames, the vines writhed slightly, like a nest of serpents guarding their territory, glaring at intruders with predatory menace.
杨子藏凝重抬头对着被缠绕的那人道：「你怎么知道这些的？」
Raising his head solemnly, Yang Zicang said to the person entangled in the vines, “How do you know all this?”
「它们在吃我，」那人痛苦地道，**」我现在跟植物算是一体了，我能感受得到，除非你能一直持续攻击，频率大于它的恢复速度…
“They’re consuming me,” the man replied in agony. “I’m now somewhat one with the plant. I can sense it—unless you keep up a continuous assault with greater frequency than its recovery rate…
「或者叫更多人来同时毁灭它，否则根本耗不尽它蕴含的时序…来到失频之地，已经算是解放了它的很多限制…」
“Or call more people to destroy it all at once. Otherwise, you can never drain the Chronos it holds… As for being brought to Shibin Wastes, it’s already had many of its restrictions lifted…”
杨子藏不由自主扫视了眼那些木系的魔晶石，不愧是能催生出这东西的植物，恢复力真是惊人。
Yang Ziꜰang couldn’t help but sweep a glance at those wood-type mana crystals. No wonder this plant could spawn such things—its regenerative power was truly astonishing.
「如果继续下去，这东西会变成什么样你清楚吗？」
“If this continues, do you have any idea what it might become?”
「或许，会成为这片土地上，如同人类一样可以长存的旧世界之物…」
“Perhaps… it’ll turn into something of the old world that can coexist here as long as humans do.”
「原来如此！」
“I see!”
如果真到那一步，就太危险了，这东西的繁衍速度与攻击性，普通人难以面对它的入侵。
If it ever came to that, it would be far too dangerous. The reproduction rate and aggression of this thing would make it nearly impossible for common folk to fend off its invasion.
杨子藏扫了眼坑洞面积，它并不大，装不了太多人。
Yang Ziꜰang surveyed the pit. It was not large—failing to hold too many people.
必须趁现在解决掉它。
He had to finish it off—now.
一道折线射来，又是庄老板，这半个月可以说是庄老板最上心的时候，时不时就会来问候下自己，更别说此刻了。
A diagonal beam shot over—Boss Zhuang again. This past half-month was the most diligent Zhuang had ever been. He could not stop stopping by to check on him, and now was no exception.
｛子藏兄弟，需要我们帮忙吗，我可以给进行轮换投资，每次多少你说，三千你看可以吗。｝
{Brother Ziꜰang, need a hand? I can fund a rotation for you. Just name the price each time; say, how’s 3,000 sound?}
[庄老板想为我进行主动投资3000N。]
[Boss Zhuang wants to Pro€Invest3000€N for me.]
[我拒绝了庄老板的投资。]
[I declined Boss Zhuang’s Invest.]
「不用了，有时序战器足以。」
“No need. The Chronos armament is enough against this.”