第九章 为天下谷
“Ha ha ha ha.”
“哈哈哈哈。”
By the roadside, elegantly dressed beauties and gentlemen, a beggar in tattered clothes, passing residents and adventurers, diners at the restaurant—everyone burst into laughter.
街道旁，衣着光鲜的美人与绅士，衣衫褴褛的乞丐，路过的居民与冒险者们，饭店的食客，都哄堂大笑。
“Is your captain leading just you? You poor soul.”
“你队长领导你一个人吗，可怜虫。”
“How ridiculous—two clowns.”
“笑死人了，两个小丑。”
“Pu…” Boboli whispered urgently.
“朴…”波波利悄声急道。
Morrie recalled a phrase he’d once read but didn’t quite understand or agree with.
莫里想起了那句自己看过但不是很明白，也不怎么认同的话。
—Know glory, but embrace disgrace.
——知其荣，守其辱。
—Be the valley of the world.
——为天下谷。
—Being the valley of the world, eternal virtue overflows.
——为天下谷，常德乃足。
“Being the valley of the world, eternal virtue overflows.”
“为天下谷，常德乃足。”
Morrie remembered how earnestly he had invited Yang Zicang away, thinking he could use these words to bridge the gap between them.
莫里想起自己迫切邀请杨子藏的画面，心想用这文字来拉近彼此之间的距离。
“It’s the Puming Group,” Boboli said irritably. “Did you sleep through it?”
“是朴明集团。”波波利没好气地说：“你睡糊涂了！”
Eternal virtue returns to truth.
——常德复归于朴。
“Right.” Morrie lifted his head. “I am the captain of Puming Group.”
“对。”莫里抬起头：“我是朴明集团的队长。”
“Hahaha, we thought you were a Westerner, but you’re actually a Simida.” The laughter grew louder.
“哈哈哈哈哈，我们以为你是欧美人，原来是思密达人。”笑声更响了。
“That character is pronounced ‘Piao’ in surnames, alright.”
“那个字在姓氏中读‘瓢’好吧。”
“So there are only two of you? And still calling yourselves a group? Hahaha.”
“那也只有两个人吧，还集团，哈哈哈。”
Morrie was slightly puzzled. Hadn’t he chosen some of the most meaningful characters from Chinese? Yet the surrounding crowd only mocked him even more fiercely.
莫里有点疑惑，自己不是取的中文中最富有深意的字吗，怎么周围人更强烈的笑话自己了。
Xiao Yushan stepped forward and grabbed him by the collar:
肖宇山上前揪住他衣领：
“You hacked into our timelines to get a nice place to live, good food to eat, and fine clothes to wear! It all was stolen from us!”
“你黑掉我们的时序，才能住好屋吃好饭穿好衣！全是从我们这阴走的！”
The nearby teammates’ eyes went wide, and some suddenly caught on.
周围的队员们顿时瞪大了眼睛，一些人恍然大悟。
“Holy shit! No wonder this bastard has been living it up in Hub Town.”
“卧槽，这他娘的，我就说这狗东西怎么能在枢纽镇这么快活。”
“Don’t make trouble outside our store.” A long-haired, square-faced muscular man stepped out of the shop. Xiao Yushan addressed the shop owner:
“不要在我们店门口闹事。”店内走出一个长发方脸的壮汉，肖宇山对着店老板说：
“Sorry, Boss Meng. We’re the guests who reserved the junior-level private room today.”
“对不起，孟老板，我们是今天包下地字号包厢的客人。”
“Oh?” The burly man looked over the large group. “I see you’re the ones who booked the Young Lord’s room. Still, no can do. Clear out now, or we’ll release this room for today.”
“哦？”这位壮汉看了看这一大群人，“原来是预定了地字号包厢的客人。但也不行，请立即散开，否则今天我们包厢就放出去了。”
“Give us two minutes.”
“给我们两分钟。”
Hearing the two-minute allowance, the nearby teammates closed in around the pair once more.
周围队员听到两分钟时间，再次团团围住两人。
“Give us back our timeline.” Several men with prominently defined muscles came to the front, sneering at Morrie and reaching out their hands.
“把时序还给我们。”队伍中肌肉线条特别明显的几人走到最前方，冷笑着看向莫里，就要伸手。
Enraged, Boppoli lashed out with both hands, but two people held him in a firm grip.
波波利大怒，两掌挥出，却被两人死死扣住。
“Don’t think a few flashy moves mean you can beat us.”
“别以为练了几个花架子就能打赢我们了。”
But the veins suddenly bulged on these two men’s faces as they realized they had to use all their strength simultaneously just to restrain this yellow-haired boy.
但这两人脸上突然青筋暴起，他们发现自己居然要同时用力才能限制住这个黄发的少年。
A group of people approached from the side, interrupting the boss’s thoughts: “Boss Meng, it’s quite lively here. Any private rooms available?”
一群人从旁边走来，打断了老板的思绪：“孟老板，你这儿挺热闹的。还有包间吗？”
“Sorry, Captain Qin, only two Yellow-class rooms are left.”
“抱歉，秦队长，只剩两间黄字号包厢。”
Captain Qin glanced at a young, dandy-like man beside him and said to Boss Meng, “I finally managed to invite Young Master Wang as a guest—how could we settle for Yellow-class rooms? What about Earth-class?”
秦队长看了看身边跟着的一名公子哥般的年轻人，对孟老板说：“我好不容易请王公子来做客，怎么可能就黄字号包间。地字号呢？”
“The Earth-class rooms have already been booked by these people. There’s still Heaven-class, of course, but…”
“地字号已经被这些人预定了，不过还有天字号，呵呵，但是…”
The young man surnamed Wang nodded gently: “Heaven-class Room One, I know. Although Fine Bites Bazaar is newly opened, it’s the face of District 12. That room isn’t opened casually.”
那位王姓青年轻轻点头：“天字第一号，我知道，虽然珍馐坊新开业，但却是12号城的台面，那间包厢不是随便开放的。”
The boss pointed at the group that was jostling: “Wait a moment, everyone. If this team doesn’t enter the shop within a minute and a half, I’ll give the room rights to Captain Qin, how about that?”
老板指向正在推搡的几人：“几位等等。如果一分半内这支队伍不进店，包厢资格就给秦队长如何。”
Xiao Yushan heard the voices from behind.
肖宇山听到了后方的声音。
This boss was actually planning to give away the room right in front of his face—how could he maintain the authority he had worked so hard to establish? Rage immediately welled up inside him: “Call more men and carry him back to the city!”
这个老板竟然当着自己的面要把包厢放出去，自己好不容易建立的威信如何为继？他内心顿时大怒：“多来几人，把他架回城去！”
Morrie’s face changed color, and murmurs also arose from the surroundings. This was clearly a move to kill the other party.
莫里脸色一变，周围也哗然，这是要弄死对方的节奏。
Several people rushed over and grabbed his shoulders. Morrie swayed his body left and right. Despite training in the mental field for thousands of years, he didn’t have Yang Zicang’s synchronization effect. After coming out, he only had cultivation experience but needed to train himself to make it work, and so his body couldn’t react in time.
几人冲来扣住他肩膀。莫里左右摇晃身躯，虽然在念力场中修炼数千年，但他没有杨子藏的同频效果，出来后只有修行经验，还要自己锻炼才能起效果，顿时身体反应不过来。
Morrie was furious as a model shimmered out from his chest, light flowing onto his hands.
莫里大怒，胸前模型闪动而出，光线浮动到他手上。
“What’s that?”
“那是什么？”
“Haha, does this foreigner think he can use time-order attacks in Hub Town?”
“哈哈，这个外国佬还以为在枢纽镇可以靠时序攻击人吗。”
Behind him, Captain Qin and Boss Meng watched the farce with a smirk, only Young Master Wang narrowing his eyes slightly. “The secret skill scroll my brother once obtained! Could it be him?” He stared in surprise at Morrie, then abruptly his expression shifted!
后方秦队长和孟老板也笑吟吟地看着这场闹剧，只有王公子略一愣眼，“哥哥获得过的秘技卷！难道是他？”他惊讶地看着莫里，随后赫然面色一变！
“Stop it! Stop right now!”
“住手！你们快住手！”
But those inside couldn’t hear the shouts from outside.
但里面的人哪里听得到外界的大喊。
Captain Qin, perplexed, lowered his arms that had been idly propping him, and asked the young man beside him: “Is the one inside Young Master Wang’s friend?”
秦队长迷糊地放下看戏的手臂，问向身旁的青年：“里面是王公子的朋友？”
In the crowd, Xiao Yushan grabbed Morrie by the shirt, saying, “Let’s see how much time-order you’ve dirtied off me.”
人群中肖宇山拽住莫里的衣衫道：“我倒要看看，你污了我多少时序走。”
His hand reached into Morrie’s pocket, knowing this man stored time-order using banknotes.
他的手探向莫里的衣兜里，他晓得这个人是用钞票来存放时序。
[I’m syncing the 《Agent Training Contract: Splitting Rock Palm》.]
[我开始同步《代练契约：裂石掌》]
The contract manifesting in Morrie’s hand shimmered with fine lines. He tried to grip it tightly, but due to the men beside him locking his joints, his palm couldn’t fully close and form a hold.
莫里手上具现而出的契约闪烁着细密线条，想用力将其紧紧握住，但因为身旁之人锁死了关节，手掌迟迟未完全合拢捏住。
“Ah—!” Morrie raged inwardly.
“啊——！”莫里心中愤怒。
Why did he always get looked down upon wherever he went? If Yang Zicang were here, this would never happen.
自己为什么走到哪儿都被人看不起，要是杨子藏在这里，一定不会出现这种情况。
Suddenly, more loud shouts erupted from outside.
突然外面出现更多大喊声。
“Stop!” came several anxious yells. “Don’t harm this gentleman!”
“住手！”外面几声焦急的大喊，“不得伤害这位先生！”
Captain Qin was shoved forward through the crowd by Young Master Wang, like a human shield clearing the way.
秦队长被王公子推着往人群里走，像是推着个开路的人形盾牌。
Two groups of people were pushing and shoving each other.
两群人推搡在一起。
“Stop! It’s a misunderstanding!”
“住手！误会！”
Xiao Yushan was pulled away, while Young Master Wang rushed up to Morrie, staring excitedly at the contract: “That’s it! Sell it to me for fifty thousand time-credits!”
肖宇山被拉开，王公子冲到莫里面前，激动地盯着契约：“就是这个！五万时序卖给我！”
“What the hell?” The two men restraining Morrie hadn’t yet reacted as a crowd of people around them looked at this young man in confusion.
“什么玩意儿？”扣着莫里的两人还未反应过来，周围一群人都奇怪地看向这青年。
Before Morrie could speak, Boboli shouted out, “No way, sixty thousand at least. Our stock is running low, and it’ll only get more expensive from now on!”
莫里还未开口，波波利一口喊道：“不行，最低六万，我们的存货很少了，以后会越来越贵！”
“What are you two talking about?” Xiao Yushan’s face flushed red with embarrassment as he stared at the sudden intrusion of Young Master Wang and his entourage. “Everyone, we’re currently dealing with internal embezzlers here.”
“你们在说什么啊，”肖宇山脸上一阵青红地看向这突然杀出的王公子等人：“诸位，我们现在在处理内部贪污人员。”
“Embezzlers? Hah.” Young Master Wang shoved Xiao Yushan, then turned to look at Boboli, who was being held by others at the side. His face went from a somewhat flattering smile to a cold glare:
“贪污？呵。”带领着一群人的王公子将肖宇山一推，看向他侧方被扣住的波波利，脸上略带讨好的笑容顿时一冷：
“If you told me Captain Qin owed you time-credits, I might buy it. But saying these two owe you? I can only say it just proves you’re not as big a deal as you think.”
“你要说秦队长欠你时序，我可能还相信，你要说这两位欠你时序。我只能说，你混得还不怎么样。”
“You!”
“你！”
Captain Qin quickly stepped in as a mediator. The people around buzzed with quiet whispers.
秦队长赶紧出来打圆场。周围的人低声地议论纷纷。
Young Master Wang ignored him and addressed Boboli and Morrie, “You two, sixty thousand, but could you sell me two copies? I’ll give you one hundred and thirty thousand time-credits!”
王公子无视了他冲波波利和莫里道，“两位，六万的话，但能不能卖给我两本啊。我给你十三万时序！”
Captain Qin’s men pushed aside those who had been restraining Morrie and Boboli.
秦队长的人将扣住莫里和波波利的几人推开。
Morrie straightened out the wrinkles in his clothes and looked at this young man with eager eyes:
莫里理了理身上的衣服皱褶，他看向这个眼神热切的年轻人：
“Thank you for getting me out of that jam. So for you, sir, this one is fifty thousand time-credits. As for the other copy, I’m sorry, but we’re not selling that many for now.”
“感谢你替我解围，所以这份就五万时序出售给先生好了。至于另一份，对不起，我们暂时不出售那么多。”
Young Master Wang was overjoyed, then desperately pleaded: “Let me choose… I want both the Crystal Contract and the Blazing Sword Path!”
王公子顿时大喜，又大悲的恳求道：“让我选选…琉璃契约和烈焰剑道都想要！”
Xiao Yushan and the others watched with bewildered looks. Did Morrie have something special there?
肖宇山等人看得一脸懵，莫里那里难道有什么特别的东西吗？
Morrie nodded, a flash of contract light swapping between his hands: “Then take this one, thirteen thousand hours.”
莫里点头，手上契约光芒一闪更换：“那就这份吧，十三万。”
He handed over the Dual Secret Techniques contract.
他将双秘技契约递出。
«Training Contract: Blazing Sword Path, Crystal Perception, 104 years of practice experience, completeness 100%»
《代练契约：烈焰剑道，琉璃感知，一百零四年修行经验，完整度100%》
Young Master Wang, taking the contract, nearly dropped it before gripping his right wrist with his left hand.
接过代练契约的王公子差点一下没捏住的立即左手抓住右手手腕。
“T-This…!”
“居，居然…!”
When he said two copies, did he mean this?! My god, this training contract of mine is several times more precious than my brother’s!
对方说的两份，是这个意思？！天啊，自己这份代练契约，可比哥哥那份要来得珍贵数倍啊！