第二十二章 火花噼啪
Inside the pitch-black bus, apart from the front and rear windshields, only the three windows on each side let in the eerie, dim light from the outside world.
黑洞洞的大巴车内，除开前后挡风窗，唯有左右两边的三个车窗透入来自外界的阴森混沌光线。
{Open it, and it will consume your lifespan.}
{打开它，会吃掉你的寿命。}
Huang Xu stared at the door in front of him.
黄旭看着身前的车门。
Although it looked normal, Huang Xu always felt that as long as he pushed that door open, he could enter a vast new world…
虽然看上去没什么异样，但黄旭始终觉得，只要推开这扇门，自己就能前往一个广阔的新世界…
At the cost of… his lifespan…
代价是…寿命…
{Hesitating, are you? No wonder, with so many people on the bus, why should you be the one to step up and take the lead?}
{犹豫了？也是啊，车上还有这么多人，为什么要自己来做这个出头羊呢。}
Huang Xu glanced back at the sinister figures in their seats, staring coldly at him. Their eyes were vicious, as if they had decided: either he would open the door for them, or they would all die together.
黄旭瞟了眼身后阴森座位上，冷漠看着自己的几人。他们眼神恶毒，似乎打定主意，要么让自己替他们开门，要么一起死。
“This bunch belongs in hell,”
“真是群该送去地狱的家伙，”
Huang Xu cursed under his breath, then reached out and touched the door handle, immediately feeling a slippery sensation, as if touching a membrane of flesh.
黄旭咒骂了句后，将手触摸到门把手上，立即便感到一阵腻滑，仿佛触摸在肉膜之上。
“Director Huang, do you really believe in such nonsense?”
“黄主任，你真的相信这些鬼话吗？”
“We’ll find out soon enough.” Huang Xu said with resentment. Grinning with hatred, he grabbed the handle and yelled, “Take whatever lifespan you want from me, just open up!”
“试试不就知道了。”黄旭怨气丛生地道。他满脸恨意地拽住把手：“不管你要吃掉老子多少寿命，给我开啊！”
Slosh!
哗啦！
The door whooshed open to the side, revealing a dark road outside the eerie cabin, but in the distance lay a hazy, warm otherworldly cityscape.
车门嗖地缩向另一边，阴森的车厢外是黑森的道路，但远方是一片朦胧温馨的异界都市。
“Did it actually work?”
“居然真的成功了？”
The crowd inside the cabin sprang to their feet, and the door, which had seemed impossible to open just a moment ago, was now actually pulled wide. Everyone scrambled frantically to rush out.
车厢内众人哗地站起，刚刚还无论如何都打不开的车门，此刻居然真的被打开了，他们立即慌忙想要冲来。
Huang Xu, already decades older, stepped out of the carriage. He turned his head to look at the seven or eight people rushing toward him, a conflict evident on his face.
已然苍老数十年的黄旭一步跨出车外，他扭头看向争相冲来的七八人，脸上露出挣扎的神情。
{If they die here, you can claim their lifespans.}
{他们死在这里，你就能获得他们的寿命哦。}
The flickering monitor blurted out a seductive voice at this inopportune moment.
那晃动显示器内不识时务传出蛊惑般的声音。
Huang Xu’s face hardened, and closing his eyes, he gripped the door handle tightly. “Then all of you can die! You ungrateful bastards!”
黄旭脸色一紧，闭眼拽住门把手，“那就全都去死吧，不懂得感恩的混账们！”
……
……
“Did I just dream of that bus?” Huang Xu, slumped beside the makeshift camp table, frowned. The camp was eerily quiet. He glanced around, realizing everyone else was asleep for some reason.
“我，刚刚梦见那辆车了吗？”趴在工棚桌旁的黄旭皱了皱。营地里静悄悄的，他看了眼周围，大家不知怎么的都在睡觉。
In the dim light, a small orb of brilliance drifted down, materializing into a cool-looking little elfin boy.
昏暗光线中一个小光团飞下来，里面化现出酷酷的小精灵男孩子。
“You failed, you big idiot.”
“你不及格哦，大笨蛋。”
“Oh? Failed?” Huang Xu was slightly taken aback.
“哦？及格？”黄旭有点愕然。
Without saying much, the little elf darted over to the few people sleeping soundly, face-down on the ground in the distance.
小精灵未多言语，一下就蹿到了远处趴在地上呼呼大睡的几人身旁。
A drowsy voice came from behind, “Huh? How did I fall asleep?”
身后传来睡意朦胧的声音，“咦？我怎么睡着了啊。”
One person rubbed their eyes and got up, followed by another.
一人揉着眼睛起来，紧接着是另一人。
The appearance of the little reporter put Huang Xu on high alert immediately. Was someone attacking this place? He grabbed nearby belongings—some cold-weather work clothes and food distributed by Rose Creek to the workers—and then walked out of the work shed to glance at the towering, elegant hall in the distance.
有小记者出现，黄旭立即警觉起来。是有人攻击这里？他顺手抓起身旁的行礼——一些玫瑰溪分发给工人们的御寒工装衣物与食物。随后走出工棚看了眼远处高耸的典雅大殿。
He heard that the large client’s cargo convoy was inside that hall. His feelings were conflicted, but after a moment of thought, Huang Xu decided without hesitation to leave early. He didn’t want any familiar person to see him in his current down-and-out state.
他听说大甲方货队就在大殿中，他的心情很矛盾，想了想，黄旭毫不迟疑地决定提前离开。他不想自己的落魄模样再被任何一个熟悉的人再见到。
……
……
The hall, where the campfire crackled and burned quietly, gradually filled with a few murmurs.
篝火噼啪安静燃烧的大厅逐渐响起几声低语。
{Congratulations, Yuan Yuan darling, for successfully passing the [Lost Illusion Company]’s [Joint Recruitment Spiritual Power and Tendency Assessment Test].}
{恭喜媛媛宝贝，成功通过【遗失幻境公司】的【联合入职精神力与善恶趋向度测试考核】。}
{Yuan Yuan darling’s spiritual power peak is rated at Tier 2, Stage 2, and her goodness-evil tendency score is Positive 3.}
{媛媛宝贝的精神力峰值评估为二环二阶，善恶趋向度为正三喔。}
Wooosh! Having finished speaking, the small, sharp voice along with the little elf hovering by Xu Aiyuan’s head took off into the air.
咻！这道尖尖的细小声音说完，悬浮在徐爱媛脑袋旁的小精灵一下就飞了起来。
Xu Aiyuan, still groggy with sleep, looked puzzledly at her intact wine-red garments, then touched the flower at her collar.
睡眼迷蒙的徐爱媛疑惑看了看自己完好的酒红衣衫，又摸了摸领口的花朵。
This embroidered rose opened delicate, petal-like eyes, glanced at her, and said:
这朵刺绣玫瑰张开道细微如花瓣的美丽眼眸，瞥了眼她后道：
{Finally awake, was it fun?}
{终于醒了，好不好玩啊。}
“Just a dream?” Xu Aiyuan’s clear, jade-like voice whispered softly, then she quickly realized that she must have been hit by a mental attack.
“只是个梦？”徐爱媛清冷如玉的嗓音低语，随后立即反应过来，自己应该是中了念力攻击了。
She looked around warily, then looked up at a small ball of light above her, from which a tiny fairy zipped high into the sky, as if too embarrassed to face her.
她如临大敌地左右四顾，随后抬头看向头顶的一个小光团，里面一个小精灵呲溜下就飞上了高空，像是很不好意思见到自己似的。
“Did I get drunk?”
“我喝醉了？”
One person after another awoke.
一个接一个人醒了过来。
“Hey, how did we all get drunk? Guys, I just dreamed about you all.”
“咦，怎么都喝醉了，喂喂喂，哥儿几个，我刚刚梦到你们欸。”
“I dreamed of you too. Wait, I failed? What does that mean?”
“我也梦见你了。等下，我不及格？这是什么意思？”
The tiny fairy above flew over as if finding salvation and pointed boldly at the few people who had just awakened on the table.
上方的小精灵像是找到救星般飞过去，颇为豪气地拿小手指着桌子上醒来的几人。
“You bunch of guys. You, you, you, and you, all negative scores!”
“你们这几个家伙。你你你，还有你，全是负分！”
“Huh?”
“啊？”
……
……
Xu Aiyuan looked at the young man beside her who was still sleeping, his body reeking of alcohol, with a faint layer of misty energy surrounding him.
徐爱媛看向身旁浑身还在沉睡的青年，浑身酒气的他身上，隐约有一层朦胧的能量层。
Xu Aiyuan extended her snow-white hand to touch the man’s cheek, but it was completely blocked by that energy layer.
徐爱媛伸出雪白的手掌抚摸向男人的脸颊，却被这层能量层给完全隔绝开来。
The ball of light flew down and landed on Xu Aiyuan’s shoulder.
光团飞了下来，落在徐爱媛的肩膀上。
The tiny fairy whispered softly:
小精灵悄悄地道：
{Do you want to take a peek at what that rascal is doing inside?}
{想不想看看这个坏家伙在里面干嘛？}
Xu Aiyuan cast a sidelong glance at it before a subtle quirk of her lips turned into a gentle nod.
徐爱媛瞟了它一眼后，嘴角微翘的轻轻点头。
{Hee-hee.}
{嘿嘿。}
At once, this sly, odd little fellow lifted a tiny hand to Xu Aiyuan’s temple, pressing lightly with a feather’s touch.
这位长得略显精怪的小家伙立即拿小手在徐爱媛的太阳穴上轻轻一按。
In an instant, Xu Aiyuan felt as if she had entered a lucid dream, seeing the figures of many people floating around her, huddled together in terror as they resisted the wildly flailing powerful bandages.
瞬间，徐爱媛便如进入清醒的朦胧梦境般，看到了周围漂浮起许多人的身影，大家团团围在一起，惊恐的抵御着周围纷乱挥舞的强大绷带。
—{My ability is to burn life force… Within this range, Nen abilities are ineffective…}
——{我的能力是燃烧生命…在这个范围内，念能力无效…}
“Ah.” Xu Aiyuan lightly covered her mouth. After glancing at the sorrowful Lin Site, she quickly scanned the edge of the hall, where the thin man’s body lay by the wall next to a soup pot, still holding a piece of firewood that had not been placed into the iron stove.
“呀。”徐爱媛轻轻捂着嘴，她看了眼哀伤的林思特后，目光快速扫过大殿边缘，那瘦小男人的身躯正躺在墙边汤锅旁，手中还拿着块没放进铁炉的柴火。
She saw a brocade-like light spreading and burning, rapidly dispelling the surrounding bandages.
她看到华锦般的光芒在扩散燃烧，迅速将周围的绷带给消泯。
“Is this something Xiao Lin can do?”
“这是小林能做到的吗？”
“That’s right. His ability is actually no longer an ordinary Nen ability. Well, it’s okay to reveal this to those who have passed the assessment. Nen abilities are also divided into many types. Some are ordinary mental enhancements, while others, due to the purity of their energy, have already resonated with bloodline… That’s all I know.”
{是的喔。他的能力其实已经不算是普通的念能力了，嗯，对考核通过者透露这些其实没关系。念能力也分为许多种，有些是普通的精神力强化，还有些则因为能量太纯，已经与血脉获得的呼应…我只晓得这么多了。}
The little spirit felt a bit embarrassed.
小精灵有点不好意思。
Xu Aiyuan nodded. There was actually someone so extraordinary hiding by her side.
徐爱媛点点头。自己的身边，居然还隐藏着如此厉害的人物。
“Sweetie Yuanyuan, watch quietly now. I’m going to get busy. Also, a company named the Lost Illusion Company is already preparing to offer you a job invitation.”
{媛媛宝贝悄悄看喔，我要忙了。另外已经有遗失幻境公司准备给你工作邀请了呢。}
The little spirit flew up, dissolving into a faint light as if merging into the overlapping illusions filling the great hall.
小精灵飞了起来，化为微光消散，像是融入这片弥漫大殿的重叠幻影中。
As the spirit quickly vanished, Xu Aiyuan saw that Lin Site, who had just ignited the Nen flame, instantly lost his ability to sustain it.
随着精灵的快速消失，徐爱媛便看到刚刚点燃念能火焰的林思特，一下子就失去了能力的维持。
Xu Aiyuan immediately tensed up.
徐爱媛一下紧张起来。
Someone had actually murdered this sacrificial person!
居然有人谋杀了这个献生之人！
Fortunately, it was just the work of that little reporter.
还好只是小记者干的。
Within two seconds, Lin Site propped himself up with a dazed expression, then saw several figures at the table looking at him, among them the tender gaze of the person who had appeared many times in his dreams.
没两秒，林思特一脸茫然的撑起身子，随后就看到桌边几道身影看来，而其中便有那道多次出现在梦中之人的温柔目光。
{Congrats, little Site—you passed the test spot in one go!}
{恭喜小特特，一下子就通过测验名额了哦。}
A little spirit flew down.
一个小精灵飞下来。
{Originally, this wasn’t meant to be a test chance for everyone; it’s great that you managed to pass!}
{原本这并不是给大家的测验机会，你能通过实在是太好啦！}
Realizing what had happened, Lin Site’s face flushed bright red.
反应过来发生了什么的林思特脸腾地红了起来。
The noise in the hall grew louder. The energy layers on Moli and Boppoli faded away.
殿内的吵杂声越来越响。莫里和波波利身上的能量层褪去。
{The test was good, but your performance wasn’t great~}
{测试很不错，但表现不佳喔~}
Awakening, Boppoli heard this voice first.
醒来的波波利首先就听到了这个声音。
“What?”
“What？”
On the other side, the red-haired young man opened his eyes in confusion. He first looked at Xiao Yushan beside him, who was also waking up while rubbing the back of his neck, then scrambled backward a few steps.
另一边，红发青年茫然的张开眼，他先是看了眼身旁同样捂着后脖颈醒来的肖宇山，随后连滚带爬般的退远了几步。
“You, you you—are you real or fake?”
“你，你你，是真的还是假的？”
Xiao Yushan stared blankly at the young man questioning him, “?”
肖宇山愣愣盯着质问自己的青年，“？”
Captain Qin said hoarsely, “Are we really awake?”
秦队长沙哑道：“我们真的醒了吗？”
“Someone slap me.”
“谁给我一巴掌。”
Slap! Slap slap.
啪！啪啪。
“Ow, goddamn it, go easy.”
“哎哟我勒个操，你轻点。”
Everyone had already realized they had been unknowingly pulled into a real dream at some point… The same people were here, but the atmosphere had become extremely strange and awkward.
大伙儿们都已经反应过来自己被不知何时拉入真实梦境了…人还是这些人，但这里的气氛已经非常怪异且尴尬。
Some people were almost digging out a luxury villa with their big toes from the sheer embarrassment.
有些人已经快要用大脚趾扣出豪华别墅。
Suddenly, everyone’s gaze fell on the center of the long table.
忽地所有人目光落向长桌正中。
The faint energy layer around Yang Zicang began to dissipate!
杨子藏身上微弱的能量层开始消散！
“Hey! Yang Zicang.”
“喂！杨子藏。”
The group surged forward in a swarm, and even Lin Site, who was far away, ran over worriedly.
众人一窝蜂的涌来，就连远处的林思特也担忧的跑了过来。
This young man, with sleepy eyes, looked up at everyone and then flopped back onto the table with a thud.
这个睡眼朦胧的青年抬头看了大家一眼后啪地再次伏在桌上。
Soon after, a loud snore could be heard.
随后就听到一道响亮的鼾声扯起。
“Ah… you scared me.” A few people wiped the sweat from their foreheads and exchanged glances. Then they looked at Lin Site, then at the Rose Queen.
“唉…吓我一跳。”几个人擦了擦额头的汉，互相对视了一眼。然后看向林思特，又看向玫瑰女王。
Lin Site’s face flushed red, and he hurriedly shifted the topic:
林思特面色一红，慌忙转移注意道：
“Who carried out the assassination just now?”
“刚才的暗杀是谁干的？”
Everyone looked up at once. The small light orb zipped away quickly.
众人一下抬头。小光团嗖地飞远。
……
……
The night grew deeper. After discussing with Boboli, Morrie had Boboli take the Invisibility Orb back to Hub Town first, as it was safest there. He would continue distributing the remaining “Training Contracts” and then have the Big Star Train come to pick him up.
夜更深，莫里跟波波利商议后，让波波利带着隐身能力球先回枢纽镇，那边最为安全，他则继续分发剩下的“代练契约书”后再让大明星列车来接。
As for Yang Zicang, he was carried into the only bedroom behind the stone hall.
杨子藏则被人抬入石殿后方唯一一个卧室。
“Big sister.” A spirited girl walked over. “That guy just… went to your room? That wicked blade kept it for so long and never got in.”
“大姐头。”一个挺精神的女孩走过来，“那家伙就这么，去你房间了？邪念刀那么久，都还没进去过呢。”
The girl felt a bit heartbroken about the now-vanished Flowing Cloud Path.
女孩有点心疼已经消失的流云道。
Xu Aiyuan gazed at the empty hall, “I’ll stay here tonight.”
徐爱媛看着空旷的大殿，“今晚，我就在这儿。”
She sat quietly at the long, vacant table, with only two or three girls beside her reading or resting with their heads on the table.
她静静坐在空旷长桌前，仅有两三名少女陪在她身旁看着书或伏案休息。
The hall grew increasingly still until only the crackling of the fire remained.
越来越静的大殿最后只剩火花噼啪。