Ground Stars / 地上星 · Ch.98 第98章 助手·洛宾
第98章 助手·洛宾
Chapter 98: The Assistant · Robin Lo
「听说他上午壹个人解决了外面怪物们的偷袭。」
“I heard he single-handedly dealt with the sneak attack from the monsters outside this morning.”
「这次没画像，棚主打招呼了，说是他请来的客人呢。」
“No wanted portrait this time; Penglord even put in a good word, saying he’s a guest invited personally.”
杨子藏笑了笑，从他们背后走过，突然壹个十来岁的半大小孩灵动的从行人间穿过跑来。
Yang Zicang chuckled and walked past them from behind, when suddenly a half-grown child of about ten years old darted nimbly through the crowd and ran over.
「先生。」
“Sir.”
杨子藏驻足，看向那跑来的身影。
Yang Zicang stopped in his tracks and gazed at the figure rushing toward him.
小孩举著张纸条说：「这是给妳的，先生。」
The child held up a slip of paper and said, “This is for you, sir.”
杨子藏接过，瞥了这营养不良的孩子壹眼，单手将手上的纸张打开。
Yang Zicang took it, glanced at the malnourished child, and unfolded the paper with one hand.
——拍卖者是怪盗佐罗。
—The auctioneer is the Phantom Thief Zorro.
杨子藏咬了咬干燥的嘴皮，将纸张折叠后塞入外套内，看向十来岁的孩子：「谁让妳给我的？」
Yang Zicang bit his parched lips, folded the paper, and tucked it into his coat. He looked at the teenager, “Who told you to give this to me?”
「我们帮派的老大，说妳下午回这里的时候给妳。」
“Our gang’s boss said to give it to you when you came back here this afternoon.”
杨子藏点点头：「谢谢。」
Yang Zicang nodded, “Thanks.”
「等下勒。」孩子叫住了转身离去的杨子藏，「他说妳会给我奖励，没有吗？」
“Wait,” the boy called out to Yang Zicang as he turned to leave, “He said you’d give me a reward. Isn’t there one?”
「今晚半夜，让妳老大亲自到这里来，我会给他时序。」
“Tonight at midnight, have your boss come here in person. I’ll give him Chronos.”
「喔。」孩子愣愣看著他走入这栋横排三层岩石房屋，羡慕的就地蹲下数著屋外岩石垒砌的层数。
“Oh,” the boy stared blankly as Yang Zicang entered the three-story horizontal rock house. Enviously, he crouched down on the spot, counting the layers of stone blocks that made up the outer wall.
住在隔壁的左非闲两人还没回来，杨子藏拿钥匙扭开屋门后进入，刚把东西放到了床上，便瞧见靠墙木桌上多了封草纸手工信封。
Zuo Feixian and his companion, who live next door, had not returned yet. Yang Zicang twisted the key to unlock the door and entered. As soon as he set his things on the bed, he noticed an extra handmade paper envelope on the wooden table by the wall.
拿手碰了碰，没有时序被抵消的提示后，将它打开，从中抽出张纸。
He reached out and touched it. After sensing no notification that Chronos had been neutralized, he opened it and pulled out a sheet of paper.
上面用质地坚硬的沙石写著几个故意歪歪扭扭的字。
On it, written with hard sand and stone, were a few deliberately crooked, twisted characters.
——今晚午夜，来2楼33号。
— Tonight at midnight, come to Room 33, 2nd Floor.
——Z.
— Z.
「二楼三十三号？」
“Second floor, room thirty-three?”
自己在3楼的12号。
He himself was in Room 12 on the third floor.
……
左非闲两人回来的时候，给自己和陈师傅两人带了些烤肉，这是无忧这边自己圈养的生物，味道比洛宾做的要好上很多。屋内香气四溢。
When Zuo Feixian and his companion returned, they brought some roasted meat for him and Master Chen. This was a creature bred here in Wuyou’s domain, its flavor far surpassing what Robin Lo could make. The room filled with a rich, enticing aroma.
「吃了壹口还想吃壹口，不愧是无忧的地盘，连烤肉师傅都是美食类的Moexl，真是大厨啊。」两人吃得满嘴都是油。
“One bite and you crave another—true to Wuyou’s turf. Even the roasting chef is a Moxel of the gourmet variety. What a master chef!” The two ate with grease smeared all over their mouths.
将自己打算把陈老师两人也带回去的计划跟他们说了下后，徐秀川只是表达了轻微反对意见，说那老师壹看就很固执又抠搜，恐怕不好相处。
After sharing his plan to bring Professor Chen and the other fellow back with them, Shiu Siuchuan only expressed mild opposition, saying that the teacher looked stubborn and stingy to begin with, and probably wouldn’t be easy to get along with.
左非闲倒是表示无所谓，还说自己可以当「地长」，以后专门管这俩家伙。
Zuo Feixian, on the other hand, said he didn’t mind at all. He even offered to act as the “local overseer,” taking charge of these two from then on.
夜晚，能再次感受到马超午夜列车能力复苏后，杨子藏从静修中起身来到窗户旁。
At night, upon sensing the resurgence of Matt Chao’s Midnight Train ability, Yang Zicang rose from his meditation and walked to the window.
下方两个毛头孩子在岩石广场旁的原木堆边玩著弹石子，其中壹个就是给自己送信的人，另壹个比他高两个头。
Down below, two young lads were playing marble-shooting beside a pile of logs near the Boulder Plaza. One of them was the messenger who had delivered the letter to him, while the other stood two heads taller.
两分钟后，瞧见下午的人拎著个小袋子出来，小个子的孩子赶紧跑来。
Two minutes later, the younger kid spotted the man from the afternoon step out with a small pouch in hand and immediately scampered over.
「喔，大哥哥，我还以为妳不会出来。」
“Hey, big brother, I thought you wouldn’t come out.”
「我不至于骗妳们这些小家伙。」
“I wouldn’t go so far as to deceive you little rascals.”
「那妳打算给我们什么奖励？」这所谓的帮派老大很是兴奋地从横堆的原木上跳下来。
“So, what reward are you giving us?” The so-called gang leader, brimming with excitement, leaped down from the stacked logs.
「每人‘壹年‘。」
“One ‘year’ each.”
「哇哦！」小孩的嘴巴张得老大，他根本没想到会壹下得到这么多，壹般跑跑腿的活儿，给点能换食物的小材料就很不错了。
“Whoa!” The child’s mouth fell open in sheer astonishment. He had never expected to receive this much at once. For an errand like running a message, even getting a few bits of exchangeable scraps for food was already considered generous.
「如果妳能回忆起是谁给妳安排的这件事，以及他的外貌穿著，甚至口音，我会给妳更多。」
“If you can recall who arranged this task for you, including their appearance, clothing, or even their accent, I’ll give you even more.”
「哈，他果然没说错，妳就会这样问我。」
“Ha! He was right—you really did ask me that.”
杨子藏笑看著他，仿佛在跟另壹人进行著无形中的交流。
Yang Zicang smiled at him, as if engaged in a silent exchange with another presence.
「所以，那个人是怎么嘱咐妳的。」
“So, what exactly did that person instruct you to do?”
「他说是他偷的水井，不过刚得手回去后，就被螳螂捕蝉了，他还说如果妳问，就告诉妳这是盗贼之间的对决，而妳不过是偶入其中的猎物罢了。但接下来，盗贼间的新壹轮较量会继续展开，如果妳插手就会围绕妳而行动。」
“He said the well was his theft. But right after he got it and went back, he was caught like a mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. He also said that if you asked, I was to tell you this is a duel between thieves, and you’re merely a piece of prey that stumbled into it. However, the next round of the thieves’ rivalry will continue. If you get involved, it will revolve around you.”
盗贼间的对决。
A duel between thieves.
杨子藏沈吟著想了下，问道：「他还说什么。」
Yang Zicang pondered for a moment, then asked, “What else did he say?”
「他还说妳会花三百年买关于他的信息，如果妳同意，可以把寿命给我，明天这个时候由我给妳送来。」
“He also said you’d take three hundred years to buy information about him. If you agree, you can give me your lifespan. I’ll deliver it to you by this time tomorrow.”
杨子藏仔细打量起身前这孩子。
Yang Zicang carefully studied the child before him.
他高壹米六左右，已经是个成年人的高度了，外套看上去虽然陈旧，但还是比较干净。
He was about one meter sixty tall, already the height of an adult. Though his coat looked worn out, it was still fairly clean.
孩子的皮肤说不上多好，但绝不像旁边小孩壹样显得蔫瘦。
The child’s skin wasn’t remarkable, but he was definitely not withered and lean like the other kids nearby.
「他有没有说过他的名字？」
“Did he ever mention his name?”
孩子闭紧了嘴巴。
The child pursed his lips tightly.
杨子藏仔细看著他的脸庞：「妳，就是偷走水井引擎的人，对吧。」
Yang Zicang scrutinized his face: “You’re the one who stole the well engine, aren’t you?”
「帮派老大」露出了笑容，他看向身旁的孩子：「大哥哥果然说出这话了，对不对。」
The “gang leader” cracked a smile and looked at the child beside him: “Big brother really did say that, didn’t he?”
小孩点点头。
The kid nodded.
「那个人说，虽然现在大家都能凭意愿改变年纪，但除了本身就是小孩子以外，其他人不能回到未成年之前。因为未成年与年频率不匹配。」
“That person said that although everyone can now change their age by choice, except for those who are originally children, no one can switch back to before adulthood. Because the minor and the age frequency don’t match.”
「行了，我没兴趣知道壹个贼的信息，妳们展开Moexl，完事就快回去休息。」
“Alright, I have no interest in info about a thief. You all finish your Moxel and go back to rest.”
杨子藏给两个孩子壹人壹年，随后扭头看向身后的房屋，目光在二楼的壹排窗户上扫了眼，转身往里面走去。
Yang Zicang gave a year each to the two children, then turned his head to look at the house behind him. His eyes swept over a row of windows on the second floor before turning and walking inside.
「他说他叫时迁。」
“He said his name was Shi Qian.”
杨子藏深吸口气，顿住脚步转过头看向这十四五岁的孩子。
Yang Zicang took a deep breath, paused his steps, and turned to look at this fourteen or fifteen-year-old child.
「三百年，明天给妳送来关于他自己的情报。」孩子老大道。
“Three hundred years—tomorrow, I’ll bring you intel about him,” the leader of the children said.
杨子藏挥挥手走向楼道，示意两人赶紧滚蛋。
Yang Zicang waved his hand and walked toward the hallway, signaling for the two to scram.
不就是情报收集嘛，我还找不到妳了？
Isn’t it just intel gathering? Can I not find you?
到时候让将妳们俩都揪出来后，按在桌板上狠狠地用皮鞭抽屁股。
When the time comes, I’ll drag you both out, press you down on a desktop, and spank your bottoms badly with a whip.
还有至少五十分钟。
Fifty minutes remaining at least.
杨子藏想了想，按照今天的精神状态，如果是无站台之间的行进，肯定只能走约两百里的路程。
Yang Zicang thought about it: based on today’s mental state, without transfer stations hopping between, he could only cover about two hundred miles.
但若有站台，那么速度就不可同日而语了。
But with a station, the speed would be a completely different story.
快步回到左非闲两人的屋前敲门，开门后对著两人道：「谁愿意植入我的站台，今晚过后可以随时拔掉。」
He quickly went back and knocked on Zuo’s spirit door. Upon opening it, he said to both of them, “Who is willing to implant into my station? You can pull it out anytime after tonight.”
两人齐齐举手。
Both of them raised their hands at once.
杨子藏选了徐秀川，因为左非闲背后还有位「岩石高手」，万壹会出岔子。
Yang Zicang chose Shiu Siuchuan, because behind Zuo Feixian there was still a “rock expert,” just in case something went wrong.
「我去去就来，今晚最好不要离开这里，时序都还够用吧？五百年从那里面扣。」
“I’ll be back soon. You’d better not leave here tonight. Are you both stocked up on Chronos enough? Deduct it from those five hundred years we’re talking about.”
「怎么可能不够用，四千多年啊那可是。」
“How could it not be enough? That’s over four thousand years, you know.”
壹提到时序，两人就仿佛出现幻觉，他们到现在都还不敢相信杨子藏给了他们每人四千多年时序，虽然说是暂时的，但那也是每人四千多年啊。
The mere mention of Chronos sent them into a hallucinatory daze; even now, they couldn’t believe Yang Zicang had each given them over four thousand years of Chronos—temporary though it was, it was still over four thousand years per person.
屋内荡起微风，壹节列车的侧门具现在墙壁上具现而出。
A breeze stirred inside the room, and the side door of a train carriage materialized on the wall, manifesting into reality.
「等我回来。」
“Wait for me to come back.”
杨子藏快速离开。
Yang Zicang left swiftly.
[午夜列车下壹站，沐小雨站，预计时间二十分钟。]
[Next stop of the Midnight Train: Mu Xiaoyu Station. Estimated time of arrival: twenty minutes.]
[本次列车将跨越虚无区域，请勿分神。]
[This train is about to cross a void zone. Do not let your concentration waver.]
[呜——]
[Woooo—]
看著窗外黑漆漆的大地上偶尔闪过的意识幻境，杨子藏胸前Moexl闪动向壹个好几天没有与之联系的人。
Staring at the occasional flashes of conscious illusions on the pitch-black ground outside the window, Yang Zicang’s chest Moxel flickered as he reached out to someone he hadn’t contacted in days.
｛呀呀呀，兄弟，妳终于想我了啊！｝
{Ahh, buddy, you finally miss me!}
洛宾四仰八叉躺在旧浴缸里的画面犹如冲击波般射入眼眶。
The image of Robin Lo sprawled out inside an old bathtub slammed into his eyes like a shockwave.
杨子藏感觉眼睛刺痛，他赶紧将视线调整至旁边的烛火上，将它放大再放大，仿佛壹轮橘黄色的小太阳。
Yang Zicang felt a sharp pain in his eyes, so he quickly shifted his gaze to the candle flame beside him, zooming in on it again and again until it was like a little orange sun.
「我这几天在壹个地方，现在遇到了点情况，想麻烦妳帮下忙。」
“I’ve been in a place these past few days, and now I’ve run into a situation. I need to ask you for a favor.”
水波的哗哗声传来。
The whoosh of water ripples could be heard.
｛什么地方？我们都以为妳消失了，问梁喜那小子，他也是个说不清话的主儿。｝
{What place? We all thought you’d vanished. I asked Liang Xi, and that kid couldn’t speak clearly either.}
长著黑毛的粗手从烛台下拿起本书，封面上是《世界哲学入门》
A coarse hand covered in black hair picked up a book from under the candlestick, with the cover reading *Introduction to World Philosophy*.
「我…」杨子藏壹开口就感受到了强烈的想吐露真话的冲动。
“I…” As soon as Yang Zicang opened his mouth, he felt a strong urge to blurt out the truth.
这该死的东西。
Damn this thing.
杨子藏呼出口胸腹的无名鬼火，道：
Yang Zicang exhaled an unnamed pent-up fire from his chest and abdomen, then said:
「失频之地，想来吗。这里老好了，月末都不扣时序，杀人也不会收获对方的寿命，相应的，这里的厮杀很少。」
“The Shibin Wastes. Want to come? It’s amazing here—they don’t dock Chronos at the end of the month, and killing someone won’t steal their lifespan. In turn, fights are very rare here.”
｛竟然还有这样的好地方！｝
{No way, a place like that really exists?}
喝啤酒的声音传来。
The sound of beer being gulped down could be heard.
｛那是什么神仙地方啊，是这个世界的终点吗？赵安龙他们是不是就是去了那里。｝
{What kind of divine place is that? Is it the end of this world? Is that where Zhao Anlong and the others went?}
「妳别喝了，壹会还要靠妳。」
“Stop drinking; I still need you later.”
｛好好好，我不喝，但妳快说啊，我痒死了，心里。啊！妳别看我。｝
{Alright, alright, I’ll stop. But hurry up and tell me—I’m itching with curiosity! Ah! Don’t look at me.}
杨子藏吼道：「谁要看妳啊！」
Yang Zicang roared, “Who wants to look at you!”
他真想把那家伙的浴缸给掀翻。
He really wanted to flip over the bath tub that bastard was soaking in.
「妳吃的喝的，都是哪里来的？」杨子藏抚了抚胸口，平心静气的道。
“Where did you get all the food and drink?” Yang Zicang patted his chest and said, regaining his composure.
｛这些都是总部给我的咨询费，全城没几人有我这待遇。｝
{These are my consultation fees from headquarters—few people in the whole city get such treatment.}
想到他那箱子里有两三千份资料档案，有这待遇倒也没所谓。
Thinking that his suitcase contained two or three thousand files, he didn’t mind such treatment after all.
杨子藏冷哼道：「知道总部的物资是哪里来的吗？」
Yang Zicang snorted coldly. “Do you know where headquarters’ supplies come from?”
｛这个嘛…这得花时序欸，这个是A+级绝密。｝
{Well… that takes Chronos time, you know—this is classified as A+ level confidential.}
「我去妳的吧。快收拾好，往咱们的那个C级区域去，壹会我在那里接妳。」
“Go screw yourself. Get packed, head to our C-level area, and I’ll pick you up there in awhile.”
听到杨子藏这话，洛宾显得有点沉默。
Hearing Yang Zicang’s words, Robin Lo fell into a brief silence.
感受到他那边的吱吱哎哎，像是有什么难言之隐。
Sensing the hesitation in his voice over there, it was as if he had some unspeakable secret.
「怎么了？」
“What’s wrong?”
｛这个嘛，现在出门很危险啊兄弟，已经死了好几个人了。梁喜那边还把我排除在外，险恶啊人心。｝
{Well, going out now is really dangerous, bro—several people have already died. Liang Xi has shut me out on his end. Vicious, the human heart.}
原来在怨自己不给他开放那边的进入许可。
So that was it—he was nursing a grudge over not being granted access to his area.
杨子藏内心哼了哼，这嘴上口口声声说信任大过壹切的人，转手就卖掉了关于自己的情报，谁敢让他进去。
Yang Zicang sneered inwardly. This man, who constantly preached that trust was above all, had turned around and sold intel about him. Who would dare to let him in?
「发生了什么事，是吕布？」杨子藏故意不提那茬的问道。
“So what happened—was it Lyu Bu?” Yang Zicang deliberately avoided that subject and asked.
｛反正，天上壹闪，地上的人就没了，大家都很恐慌，人人皆是惊弓之鸟。现在妳让我出门，我很害怕来上这么壹著儿，王总这两天养著那帮子人不敢出去，头发都快鲁秃了，还好这个月有虚零时序来抵扣。｝
“Anyway, a flash in the sky, and people on the ground vanish. Everyone’s in a panic, all of them like birds startled by a single twang of a bowstring. Now you want me to step out? I’m terrified that same trick might hit me. Boss Wang’s been holed up these past two days with his men, too scared to step out, nearly pulling his hair out. Luckily, this month’s got Virtual Zero’s Chronos to offset the losses.”
果然吕布开始行动了，暴露了方天的他不再隐藏实力，开始进行大清洗。
Sure enough, Lyu Bu had started making his move. With Fang Tian exposed, he no longer held back his strength, launching a full-scale purge.
「那壹会儿我来接妳。」
“I’ll come pick you up in a bit.”
十几分钟后，杨子藏控制列车出现在名贵树木的树林中，他仰头看了眼天际，终于见到了星辰的影像。
Ten minutes later, Yang Zicang drove the train to emerge amidst a grove of precious trees. He looked up at the sky and finally caught sight of the stars’ phantom image.
但平静的天空已成为死神的栖息之地。
Yet the peaceful sky had become the dwelling place of Death.
杨子藏没有进去与伙伴们打招呼，列车再次快速变得虚无，向著洛宾所在的地方而去。
Yang Zicang didn’t bother going in to greet his comrades. The train quickly turned ethereal again, heading toward where Robin Lo was.
洛宾在王总壹群人的围观中，大包小包收拾著物资，像在准备搬家。
Under the watchful eyes of Boss Wang and his crew, Robin Lo was busily packing supplies into large and small bags, as if preparing for a big move.
「妳这是要去哪儿？」王育安忍不住问。
“Where are you headed?” Warren Wang couldn’t help but ask.
「等下我兄弟来接我，育安啊，这边的日子苦啊，我去避避难，顺便度度假，过段时间回来。」
“My brother’s coming to pick me up in a bit, Yu’an. Life’s tough around here, ya know? I’m going to take shelter and a vacation at the same time, be back after a while.”
「妳竟然还有能避难的地方，在哪？」
“You even have a place to hole up? Where?”
洛宾笑而不语。
Robin Lo smiled and kept silent.
王育安看了看身边的人，走过去洛宾身边，低声道：「这情报多少？我出。」
Warren Wang looked around at the people nearby, walked over to Robin Lo, and said in a low voice, “How much for this intel? I’ll pay.”
「今天不卖，不好意思，这是绝绝绝秘。」
“Not for sale today, sorry. This is top, top, top secret.”
在壹旁王迟剑冷漠的目光中，往回走去的王育安讪笑著对他点了点头，坐在小木箱上，双手搓著裤子膝盖。
Under the indifferent gaze of Wang Chijian, Warren Wang shuffled back, grinning sheepishly and nodding at him before sitting down on a small wooden crate, rubbing his hands against his trouser knees.
忽地，密闭的空间内荡起股狂风，地铁的驰骋风鸣回荡。
Suddenly, a gale surged through the confined space, the roar of the subway train resounding amid the wind.
轰！壹搜列车轰然出现，悬停在目瞪口呆的老弱病残们身前。
Boom! A train materialized out of thin air, hovering before the stunned elderly, weak, sick, and disabled.
车门打开，穿著卡其外套，脸庞似刀削，显得精神奕奕的杨子藏出现在门口。
The doors slid open, and Yang Zicang appeared at the entrance, clad in a khaki jacket, his face chiseled like a blade, radiating vigor and spirit.
「是杨大神。」
“It’s the Great God Yang.”
「这就是马超的坐骑。」
“This is Matt Chao’s mount.”
｛我就是马超。｝
{I am Matt Chao.}
恶魇的声音滚滚回荡在这些人心间，威势惊人。
The demonic voice rolled thunderously through their hearts, exuding an awe-inspiring presence.
｛坐骑需要坐，我不是。｝
{A mount needs to be ridden, but I am not one.}
看著地上大包小包的东西，杨子藏无语的跳下去，帮胖子壹起搬。这个时候王迟剑和王育安也过来帮忙，将这堆物资往上送去。
Eyeing the piles of luggage on the ground, Yang Zicang hopped down without a word, helping Fatty carry them. At this moment, Wang Chijian and Warren Wang also came over to lend a hand, ferrying the supplies upward.
「再见咯，兄弟们，过段时间见！」洛宾挥手告别。
“See you later, bros. Catch you in a bit!” Robin Lo waved goodbye.
「那个，杨大神，能不能让我们也过去啊，这儿现在贼恐怖。」
“Hey, Great God Yang, could you take us along too? It’s freaking terrifying here now.”
杨子藏摇摇头：「不好意思，目前我每次带过去的名额有限，除非…」
Yang Zicang shook his head: “Sorry, but I have limited slots to bring people over each time. Unless…”
「除非什么？」这些人燃起希望的目光。
“Unless what?” Hope lit up in their eyes.
杨子藏咧嘴道：「除非成为列车的壹员，就可以永远在车上了，到时随我去哪儿都可以。」
Yang Zicang grinned and said, “Unless you become a member of the train, then you can stay on it forever; I can take you wherever I go from then on.”
大家立即想到了关于马超的传说，他们下意识后退了两步，纷纷摇头。
Everyone immediately recalled the legend about Matt Chao. They instinctively took two steps back, shaking their heads.
现在就算让他们上，这些人也不怎么敢踏上这车内了。
Even if they were offered the chance now, these people wouldn’t dare step onto the train.
列车缓缓启动，洛宾满脸欣喜与好奇的打量著车厢内部，不时点点头，表示这地儿真不错。
The train slowly started moving. Robin Lo, with a face full of delight and curiosity, surveyed the interior of the carriage, nodding occasionally as if to say this place was really nice.
杨子藏盯著来回打量列车的洛宾笑道：
Yang Zicang stared at Robin Lo, who was examining the train, and chuckled:
「妳不是还有位好兄弟吗，怎么壹直没见过他。」
“Don’t you have a close buddy? How come I’ve never seen him around.”
「啊，哦，唉…」
“Oh, uh, sigh…”
「这么危险的时节，他该不会还在外面收集情报吧。」
“With such dangerous times, he’s not still out there gathering intel, is he?”
「这个嘛，妳知道的，情报人员的消息，妳就少打听了。」
“Well, you know, about the spy’s movements—pry less, will you.”
杨子藏拿鼻子回应了下他，壹副看破不戳破的神色。
Yang Zicang sniffed in response, wearing an expression that said he saw through it all but chose not to call it out.
洛宾壹屁股坐在椅子上道：
Robin Lo plopped down on a chair and said:
「说说，这次找到老哥有什么难题？」
“So, tell me—what trouble have you got for me this time around?”
「事情是这样的…」
“It goes like this…”
杨子藏娓娓道来，将这几天发生的事全部讲述了壹遍，除了关于逐银和记者以及名气这部分。
Yang Zicang spun his tale slowly from beginning to end, recounting everything that had happened in the past few days—except for the part about Ju Yin Chase, the journalist, and the matter of fame.
洛宾越听眼睛瞪得越圆，最后像是听天书般盯著对面座位上的年轻人。
Robin Lo’s eyes grew wider and wider as he listened, until finally, as if listening to some fantastical tale, he stared at the young man sitting across from him.
「也就是，妳在那边，现在已经是个大制作家了？」
“So, that means—over there, you’re already a big producer now?”
「还好，算是继承了马超的遗产，只要知道配方以及制作顺序，妳也可以很快上手壹两样东西。」
“Sort of. You could say I inherited Matt Chao’s legacy. If you knew the formula and the production sequence, you could pick up a thing or two pretty quickly too.”
「简直不可思议。」
“That’s just incredible.”
洛宾看向地上那堆物资，忽然不由自主打了个寒颤。
Robin Lo glanced at the pile of supplies on the floor and suddenly couldn’t help but shiver.
「我喝的啤酒…」
“The beer I drank…”
「嗯。」
“Mm-hmm.”
「还有这些薯片…」
“And these chips…”
「嗯哼。」
“Uh-huh.”
「啊啊啊啊！」
“Aaaah!”
洛宾抱著脑袋，差点呕吐出来。
Robin Lo clutched his head, nearly retching.
「我为什么要知道这些真相啊。」
“Why did I have to learn this damn truth?”
缓了缓，他开始将杨子藏说的事情捋顺，为即将到来的情报收集做准备。
After a moment to steady himself, he began to piece together everything Yang Zicang had said, preparing for the intelligence-gathering ahead.
「壹个人偷了妳做的小引擎，导致妳被当成贼赶走，然后另壹个人来贸易区冒充妳的助手卖了它。」
“So one guy stole the little engine you made, got you mistaken for a thief and kicked out, and then another guy came to the trade zone, impersonated your assistant, and sold it.”
「对。」
“Right.”
「接著这个偷的人也在那里告诉妳，卖家是谁，并向妳透露了自己的存在，对吧。」
“And then this thief told you right there who the seller was, and even revealed his own existence—correct?”
「没错，是这样。」
“Exactly, that’s how it was.”
「从概率学上来讲，妳们三个贼，呸，那两个贼，还有妳，三人同时出现在那儿的概率非常小。」
“From a probability standpoint, for you three thieves—pfft, those two thieves, and you—to all show up in that same place makes it extremely unlikely.”
「我去的确是凑巧，我分析他们两个应该是互相认识很久，两人是壹前壹后互相追踪而至，恰巧赶上我这个正主也去买失念Moexl。」
“It was truly a coincidence that I went there. Based on my analysis, those two had known each other for a long time—one followed the other here, just so happening to cross paths with me, the rightful owner who came to buy the Lost Memory Moxel.”
洛宾点点头。
Robin Lo nodded.
「不错，我也这样推测。毕竟那儿按妳说的，它是方圆三百里内最大的交易地，也是附近唯壹有大型拍卖会场的地方。好东西销赃去那儿是最正常不过的，那么，问题来了。」
“Correct. That’s my speculation too. After all, according to you, that’s the largest trading hub within three hundred li, and also the only place nearby with a big auction house. It’s the most natural spot to fence high-quality goods. Now, here comes the question.”
「什么？」
“What?”
「那个所谓的佐罗，为什么要冒充妳的助手？」
“Why did this so-called Zorro pretend to be your assistant?”
「这个…」
“Well…”
杨子藏隐隐觉得可能是佐罗故意气时迁，这表示他知道时迁的壹举壹动，连他偷的物品真正的主人是谁都清楚。
Yang Zicang vaguely sensed that Zorro might be deliberately provoking Shi Qian. This indicated that Zorro was aware of Shi Qian’s every move, even knowing who the true owner of the stolen item was.
将这猜测说出来后，洛宾想了想道：
After voicing this speculation, Robin Lo pondered and said:
「妳想到的也是可能性的壹种，按照妳的猜测，我倾向于佐罗是在给时迁树敌，也是将对方与妳的合作可能给斩断。」
“What you’ve thought of is one possibility. Based on your guess, I lean towards the notion that Zorro is trying to make an enemy for Shi Qian, and at the same time, cut off any potential collaboration between him and you.”
「树敌的话。」
“Making an enemy, you say.”
杨子藏想了想，的确有这个可能。
Yang Zicang thought for a moment, realizing it was indeed plausible.
洛宾嘿嘿壹笑：「妳也说了，时迁和他不对付，那么要是妳不碰到他的话，接下来会发展成什么？」
Robin Lo smirked. “You also mentioned that Shi Qian and he don’t get along. So, if you hadn’t run into him, what do you think would have happened next?”
「如果我不去，今天就撞不到这出，以后最多知道有个人冒充我的助手去卖东西。届时我若是知道当时偷东西的是谁，很容易会将卖家与小偷联系起来当成壹人。」
“If I hadn’t gone, I wouldn’t have run into this scene today. At most, I’d later learn that someone impersonated my assistant to sell things. If I found out who the thief was back then, I’d easily connect the seller and the thief as one person.”
「嗯，过段时间他肯定会将时迁偷走水井引擎的消息放出来，这样既为对方树了敌，又将锅扣在了对方的背上。」
“Mm, after some time, he’ll definitely spread the news that Shi Qian stole the hydraulic engine. That way, he sets up an enemy for him and also pins the blame on the other guy.”
这么壹想，佐罗这是将恶心时迁当成了自己的首要任务。
Thinking about it this way, Zorro has made making things nasty for Shi Qian his top priority.
这两人的梁子看来有点大。
The bad blood between these two must be pretty deep.
「到时候，哪怕时迁来解释，妳也不怎么会信，而且作为壹个顶著时迁名号的贼，想来也不可能跑那么远专门找妳解释，那多掉价啊。」
“By then, even if Shi Qian comes to explain, you won’t believe it much anyway. And besides, a thief bearing his name wouldn’t travel so far just to explain himself to you—that would be too undignified.”
「所以按之前的算计，这壹次他们的比拼，应该是佐罗技高壹筹咯？」
“So, based on the previous scheming, in this contest, Zorro came out on top, huh?”
不论是螳螂捕蝉的将引擎二次盗走，还是将后续的锅扣在对方头上，都显示佐罗赢得了这次的较量。
Whether it was the move of a mantis stalking a cicada while an oriole lurked behind—stealing the engine yet a second time—or pinning the future blame on his opponent, it showed that Zorro had won this round.
「但是嘛，时迁的话，这名字是不是雄英组的人啊？跟咱们壹个城市的？」
“But then again, that name ‘Shi Qian’—is he part of the Outstanding Group? From the same city as us?”
杨子藏早就想到了这个问题，不光时迁，那顶著佐罗名号的家伙也很可疑。
Yang Zicang had already thought about this issue. Not just Shi Qian, the one using the alias Zorro was also suspicious.
｛雄英组有过时迁，在我诞生之前。｝
｛The Outstanding Group has had a Shi Qian before, before I was born.｝
列车突然说道。
The train suddenly spoke.
「哦？」洛宾来了兴趣，追问列车。
“Oh?” Robin Lo’s interest piqued, and he pressed the train for more.
｛在很久以前，好像是七八年，又好像是十年前，城市中出现了想要带给人类和平生活的壹群人。｝
{A long time ago, maybe seven or eight years, or perhaps ten—there appeared in the city a group of people who sought to bring peaceful lives to humanity.}
｛他们成立了雄英组，主要以三部名著来区分不同的人，少量外国人则使用他们的名著人物。｝
{They founded the Xiongying Group, mainly using three classics to distinguish different members, while a small number of foreigners used characters from their own literary classics.}
「名著？」
“Literary classics?”
｛因为他们的某些人得到过这个世界的什么深层信息，好像与英雄豪杰之类的事情有关，所以他们选择了这些代号，并取名为「雄英」。｝
{Because some of them had accessed certain deep-layer information about this world—seemingly related to tales of heroes and champions—they chose these codenames and named themselves ‘Xiongying’.}
原来如此，杨子藏心中恍然。
So that’s how it is, Yang Zicang realized inwardly.
｛但因为Moexl的天然分割性，加上人类的情绪不稳定，没几年这个组织就崩溃了。壹部分人分离出去，成立了猎盟。｝
{But due to the natural fragmentation imposed by Moxel, coupled with human emotional instability, the organization collapsed within just a few years. A portion branched off and established the Hunter Alliance.}
「咱们的猎盟啊，原来还是从雄英组分出来的。」洛宾喃喃道。
“Our Hunter Alliance,” Robin Lo murmured, “so it split off from the Xiongying Group after all.”