第二十四章 地平线上的终点
Xu Aiyuan approached with steps as graceful as a willow in the wind. She smoothed the torn gap in the sheet with her hand and let out a soft laugh:
徐爱媛步履如风拂柳般走了过来，她拿手捋了下被单松开的豁口，轻笑了下：
“It’s okay. Maybe a thread just came loose. This was something I made not long after I learned needlework; it was time to mend it anyway. Don’t make fun of my craftsmanship, Mr. Zicang.”
“没关系，可能是哪里线头松了吧。这也是我刚学会针线活不久时候做的，早该补补了。子藏先生别笑话我的手艺就行。”
The girl outside shook her head and pouted. “You two chat. I’ll go get the hangover soup for the one who tore the quilt.”
屋外女孩摇摇头，嘟了嘟嘴地道：“你们俩聊吧，我去给扯被子的拿醒酒汤。”
Yang Zicang sighed softly, having no choice but to quietly take the blame.
杨子藏唉了声，只能吃下这个哑巴亏。
Once she left, Xu Aiyuan covered her mouth with her hand and smiled. “Last night, Mr. Zicang said you wanted to talk business, so I had them let you stay. Everyone was drinking quite a bit, and I was also worried you might run into danger on the road.”
等她离开，徐爱媛拿手挡着嘴笑了笑：“昨晚子藏先生说要谈生意，所以我就让他们把你留下了。大家喝得都很多，我也怕你路上出危险。”
“Thank you for your kindness.”
“谢谢你的好意。”
Morrie and Boboli actually trust this woman quite a bit, Yang Zicang couldn’t help but grumble inwardly. Yet, recalling last night, when the woman beside him resolutely sacrificed herself to prevent the impromptu bandaged doctor—played by the young journalist—from threatening everyone, Yang Zicang felt a swirl of mixed emotions. Such a decisive move was something even he couldn’t have pulled off.
莫里和波波利对这女人还挺信任的，杨子藏不由在心中吐槽到。不过一想到昨晚，身旁这位女士为了不让小记者扮演的绷带医生拿她自己威胁众人，毅然决然的牺牲自己，杨子藏心中又五味杂陈。这样的果断举动，自己都做不到。
Xu Aiyuan sat by the bedside, gazing at Yang Zicang’s face.
徐爱媛坐到床边，看着杨子藏的脸庞。
“Nowadays, countless people are keeping an eye on you in the shadows. One misstep, and you could be utterly doomed. From now on, except when… you should drink less.”
“现如今，无数人在暗中盯着你，只要稍有差池就可能万劫不复。以后，除了在…你还是少喝酒了。”
Yang Zicang’s hands unconsciously tightened around the blanket.
杨子藏的手不由自主紧了紧这床被子。
“Thank you,” he said, lowering his head. “By the way,” he looked up again, “you must have passed the test for the ‘Lost Illusion Company,’ right? Did you get an invitation?”
“谢谢。”他低头道，“对了。”杨子藏又抬起头，“你应该通过‘遗失幻境公司’的测试了吧，有收到邀请吗？”
Xu Aiyuan nodded.
徐爱媛点了点头：
“Both Starlight Illusion and Candleveil Illusion have sent me special invitations.”
“星光幻境和烛帘幻境都有给我特别邀请函。”
A flicker of light shone in Yang Zicang’s eyes.
杨子藏的目光微亮。
“That’s great. Once you join the Lost Illusion Company, you won’t have to live in such dangerous places anymore.”
“太好了。只要加入了遗失幻境公司，以后都不用再在这样危险的地方生活了。”
“You seem to know quite a lot. Are you planning to head to the Lost Illusion Company, Mr. Zicang? Oh, I’m just asking out of curiosity.”
“你好像了解得挺多的嘛。子藏先生是已经打算去往遗失幻境公司吗？嗯，我只是随口问问。”
“Starlight Illusion gave me an invitation. Which branch of the Lost Illusion Company are you thinking of joining, Miss Aiyuan?”
“星光幻境给了我邀请函。爱媛小姐打算加入哪个遗失幻境公司呢？”
Xu Aiyuan’s gaze drifted toward the door. The hallway outside was silent, though faint voices of the crowd could be heard further beyond, mingled with the laughter of young girls.
徐爱媛目光挪向门口，外面的走道上静悄悄的，但能隐约听到更外面人群的说话声，依稀还有少女们的笑语传来。
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“我哪儿也不去。”
Yang Zicang paused for a moment, then released the hand that was tightly clenching the blanket.
杨子藏愣了愣，随后松开了紧拽住被子的手。
Before long, Yang Zicang left behind a few training contracts and prepared to leave.
没多久，杨子藏留下了几份为数不多的代练契约，准备离开。
The gentle gaze of the beauty by the bedside fell upon the “training contract” gifted to her by Yang Zicang. It was a contract containing three secret techniques: “Crystal Perception,” “Thousand-Arm Fist,” and “Silent Night.”
床边美人的温和目光，落在这份杨子藏赠送给自己的“代练契约书”上。它是份拥有三种秘技的契约书。《琉璃感知》与《千臂拳法》，以及《沉吟之夜》。
Once mastered, one could become a formidable martial artist in little time.
只要学会，朝夕间便能成为一位实力强劲的武者。
“This fist technique can unleash countless punches instantly, offering strong close-range attack and defense capabilities without needing a weapon. Its main function is to grant you the keen awareness of a martial arts expert, enabling you to subdue anyone who approaches within a breath’s moment.”
“这拳法可以瞬间打出无数拳影，不必借助武器也有很强的近身攻击与防御力，主要作用是可以让你拥有武道高手般的敏锐度，有人靠近都能瞬间出手制服。”
Yang Zicang said, “Consider this as compensation for my previous rudeness and last night’s drinks… Well, just use it yourself, but never sell it, okay?”
杨子藏道：“这份就当做是上次的冒犯以及昨晚的酒水费…嗯，反正你自己用掉就好了，千万别卖掉喔。”
“Then I’ll gladly accept it without being polite.” Xu Aiyuan replied with a cheerful smile, “Thank you for the gift from the leader of the armed convoy team.”
“那我便却之不恭咯。”徐爱媛笑盈盈望去，“感谢甲货队长的馈赠。”
Yang Zicang hurriedly wanted to leave quickly, as if trying to escape from here.
杨子藏慌忙的想要快点离开，像是想逃离这里。
The woman sitting by the bed watched the tall, thin silhouette that had already taken two steps toward the door.
坐在床边的女人看向已经两步走到门口的高瘦背影。
“Please wait a moment.”
“请再等下。”
The young man turned around.
青年转过头来。
She raised her arm toward Yang Zicang, extending her snow-white, clenched fist flatly.
她对着杨子藏抬起手臂，平展开雪白的拳头。
As if reaching out in invitation…
就像是在伸手邀请…
Yang Zicang’s heart thumped twice, and only then did he see the gradually unfolding palm: a coin of his own forging, a Born Treasure.
杨子藏的心脏怦然跳动了两下，随后才看清那逐渐摊开的手掌上，是枚自己铸的物华天宝。
“Return it to me?”
“要还我？”
“In your dreams. But… could you store more time sequence for me? I’ll just treat it… as my talisman.”
“想得美。不过，能不能帮我储存更多时序呢，我就当…它是我的护身符。”
“I—I’ll swap you for another one.”
“我，我给你换一枚好了。”
Yang Zicang took out a coin emitting a faint glow and walked up to the woman.
杨子藏摸出了枚散发蒙蒙光亮的钱币走到女人身前。
The woman raised her chin to look at him, a warm smile in her eyes.
女人下巴上扬地看着他，目光中有着温和的笑意。
Yang Zicang’s gaze trailed down from the whiteness of her neck. The hand holding the coin gently covered hers, and a touch of moist sensation spread from his palm like a numbing electric current to his heart.
杨子藏的目光从她颈脖的白皙一直往下。捏着钱币的手轻轻将手盖在她掌中，一抹润泽的触感由掌心如酥麻的电流窜至心间。
Their eyes met. Yang Zicang’s heart quivered slightly, yet a somber mood lingered.
两人目光对视，杨子藏心中轻轻一荡，但又一缕阴沉心情萦绕。
“I’m destined to leave,” Yang Zicang said.
“我注定会离开。”杨子藏道。
“Don’t overthink it. Being liked by others is just a part of my ability—this isn’t true affection. Sorry, I didn’t mean to either.”
“不要乱想。被人们所喜欢，只是我能力的一部分，这不是真的爱意。对不起，我也不是故意的。”
A gust of wind whizzed past, and in an instant, the train appeared behind Yang Zicang. The silk scarf automatically drifted to his side before vanishing into the wind.
一丝风声呼鸣传来，列车瞬间出现在杨子藏背后，丝巾自动飘到他身边后又化风消失。
Li Sumei, carrying the hangover soup, arrived at the doorstep just in time to see Yang Zicang’s back as he hurried away from the other end of the corridor.
李素美端着醒酒汤来到门口，刚好看到杨子藏埋头从过道另一端离开的背影。
“Hey! Blanket-tugger!” She ran after him swiftly with the soup in hand.
“诶！扯被子的！”她端着醒酒汤快步追了出去。
When she rounded the great hallway and reached the front of the hall, she saw the young figure outside toss the scarf into the air, where it transformed into a large blanket. He leaped into it with one bound. The giant blanket rode the wind upward, quickly turning into a black speck before disappearing into the horizon.
当她绕过大通道来到殿前，只见大殿外那道年轻身影将手上丝巾一扬便化作大毯，纵身一跃跳入其中。巨毯乘风须臾直上，化为黑点消失天际。
Xu Aiyuan, wearing pajamas and a thin coat, walked to the front of the hall, gazing toward the gray overcast sky in the distance, where nothing remained.
徐爱媛穿着睡衣，紧着单薄的外套走到殿前，看向远方的阴灰天空，那里已经什么都没有了。
The wind blowing from the wasteland pressed her clothes against her curves, and for a long time, she did not lower her upturned chin.
从荒原刮来的风将衣衫紧贴在她的曲线上，良久她上仰的下颚都一直未曾放下。
Li Sumei turned back, dissatisfied, and said:
李素美转头不满地道：
“Big sister, I think you should make a decision this time. You don’t like so many people—you won’t even accept someone as powerful and not bad-looking as Evil Thought Blade—and now Heaven has sent you Yang Zicang. There won’t be another one in the future.”
“大姐头。我看，这次你就做出决定吧。那么多人你都不喜欢，就连邪念刀那样厉害又不丑的家伙你也不愿意接受，现在老天又为你送来了杨子藏。以后可再难有下一位了。”
Xu Aiyuan’s clear gaze carried a hint of confusion.
徐爱媛清澈的目光带起丝迷茫。
……
……
Two days later, Yang Zicang, having arranged everything, stepped aboard the ghostly Damingxing train, which shuttled through the gray mist. The invitation emitted a guiding light, leading Xiao Machao through the dense, endless haze.
两天后，安排好一切的杨子藏，踏上幽灵般的大明星列车穿梭在灰雾内。邀请函散发出指引的光线，指引着小马超穿过蒙蒙不见尽头的迷雾。
[{This fog makes me feel timid.}]
{这些雾气令我胆怯。}
For once, Damingxing (Xiao Machao) voluntarily brought up his feelings.
大明星小马超难得的主动提及自己的心情。
Yang Zicang glanced at the ghostly train. “You’re afraid? Even like this?”
杨子藏看了眼鬼气森森的列车，“你居然在害怕?你都这样了。”
[{You… aren’t you afraid? Why?}]
{你，你不怕吗，为什么？}
“Because I have you,” Yang Zicang said teasingly.
“因为有你啊。”杨子藏调笑般的道。
Then, he picked up a worn, tattered old magazine from the shelf beside him.
随后他从旁边架子上拿起本翻得很破损的老杂志。
Even for the star’s special train under the protection of Hub Town, which wasn’t entirely under the command of the officials from the two hub towns and required a mountain of promises to board each time, they still managed to place items for entertainment inside.
哪怕这辆受枢纽镇保护的大明星专列，并不百分百受两座枢纽镇的官员的指挥，每次上车都跟求爹爹告奶奶似的许诺一堆好处才能踏入车内，他们依旧在车内摆放上了可以提供消遣的东西。
Like these magazines and the expensive drinks beneath the magazine basket.
比如这些杂质，以及杂志篓下方的名贵酒水。
{Oh, right, and Little White Shadow. Little White Shadow isn’t afraid either.}
{啊对，还有小白影。小白影也不怕。}
The train murmured as it chugged along.
列车边嘀咕着边前进道。
Despite this, Yang Zicang kept looking up at the terrifying energies outside that seemed capable of extinguishing even death itself.
话虽如此，杨子藏还是不时抬头看向外界那些似乎能让死亡也消泯的可怕能量。
Suddenly, a solid shadow appeared outside the car.
忽地一道坚实的暗影出现车厢外面。
“Slow down.”
“慢点。”
Yang Zicang walked over to the window, where the train had slowed. Amid the mist, where direction and orientation were indistinguishable, a fuzzy silhouette lurked behind the haze, resembling a damaged rock less than two meters wide.
杨子藏走到慢了很多的车窗旁。分不出左右上下的雾气深处。一块朦胧的轮廓隐匿在雾气后方，像是个不到两米宽的残缺岩石。
As Yang Zicang stared at it, it suddenly twisted.
随着杨子藏的注视，它忽然扭曲起来。
After staring for less than a second, Yang Zicang felt a sharp swelling in his mind, as if it were about to burst instantly.
只是注视了不到一秒，杨子藏便感觉自己的头脑猛地发胀，就像要立即爆裂。
The “Special Invitation Letter” in his hand immediately manifested a beam of light, enveloping him.
手中的“特别邀请函”立即化现出一团光芒将自己笼罩。
Strands of cool, refreshing vapor drifted like spring rain within the light shield, stabilizing Yang Zicang’s blurred consciousness.
丝丝缕缕的清凉气息如春雨在光罩中飘荡，让杨子藏恍惚的意识稳定下来。
[Through the invitation letter, I know. I, the Great Quadrilateral! My mental power level temporarily dropped by three small stages just now.]
[通过邀请函，我知道。我，伟大的四边形！精神力等级刚才暂时降低了三个小阶段。]
{So terrifying, run fast!}
{好可怕，快跑啊！}
Xiao Machao transformed into a wisp of smoke with a poof and darted deeper into the gray mist, leaving the rock far behind, fearing it might come chasing after.
小马超嘟地化为一溜烟儿窜入更深的灰雾，将岩石远远甩在身后，怕它追逐而来。
Yang Zicang lowered his head to look at the invitation in his hand.
杨子藏埋头看向手上的邀请函。
Besides providing directional guidance, it also had other functions, such as recording his own test data, as if using this as his “interview letter.”
除了指引线路，它还有一些别的功能，比如记录着自己的测试数据，像是以此作为自己的“面试函”似的。
With a mere thought, the data contained within was emitted by the Modal Aura.
心念一动，其内蕴含的数据便由模型光环吐露而出。
[I, the Great Quadrilateral, currently have a mental strength rank of Stage 7 Second Ring, and the recovery time is approximately two to three days.]
[我，伟大的四边形，当前精神力强度为二环三阶，恢复时间约为二至三日。]
[The duration of the curse is half a day.]
[诅咒持续时间为半日。]
“Curse?”
“诅咒？”
Yang Zicang frowned. He continued to look at the invitation, thinking to himself, “What about the other evaluation data?”
杨子藏皱了皱眉。他继续看向邀请函，心中默道：“其它评测数据呢？”
[My good-and-evil tendency value is negative one. The peak of the tendency wave is positive three. There is significant fluctuation in the trend of good and evil, making it difficult to make a fixed evaluation, but it hints at a dangerous mentality.]
[我的善恶趋向度为，负一。趋向度波峰为正三，善恶趋向波动较大，难以固定评价，但隐藏有危险心性。]
[Introductions from the reporter group’s evaluation: Most of the time a good-natured guy with bad intentions. Won’t hurt good friends around him.]
[引进记者团评价：大多数时候算是个有着坏心思的老好人。不会伤害身边的好朋友。]
“From negative one to positive three?”
“负一到正三？”
As Yang Zicang probed, this evaluation ranged from negative five to positive five, a total of ten gradients.
杨子藏感知了下，这个评价从负五到正五，共有十分。
He instinctively glanced at the gray mist outside then quickly averted his gaze. He must be careful not to use or indeed see anything else ever again.
他下意识瞟了眼外界的灰雾后赶紧收回目光。千万别再看到些什么其它东西了。
“Stage 3 Second Ring… just from looking at that thing, my mental strength dropped from Stage 7 Second Ring to this level then?”
“二环三阶，也就是刚才看了眼那东西，就让我的精神力强度从二环七阶下降到了这个程度吗。”
Yang Zicang sensed his own spiritual state, but he didn’t feel discomfort in the slightest in anyplace where this happens next not really not here ‘H.
杨子藏感受了下自己的精神，并没有觉得有哪里不对劲的地方。
“I wonder how large the gap is between each rank.”
“不知道每阶之间的差距幅度是如何的。”
If he couldn’t figure it out, he wouldn’t dwell on it. Dare not look around recklessly anymore, Yang Zicang sat back down, picked up a bottle of red wine, and popped off the cap with a corkscrew.
想不明白就不去想。再不敢乱看的杨子藏坐回座位，拿起瓶红酒，拿启瓶器崩开瓶盖。
“That hurts.”
“好痛啊。”
“What?”
“什么？”
Yang Zicang froze, looking left and right in confusion—he thought he’d heard something just now.
杨子藏愣了下，左右看了眼，刚才好像听到些什么。
“Auditory hallucination?” He frowned. There was no other sound.
“幻听？”皱了皱眉，没有其它动静。
The young man shook his head, took a glass, and poured out the wine with a gurgling stream.
青年摇摇头，拿起一只酒杯，咕咚咕咚倒出酒来。
“I feel so awful. I’m throwing up.”
“好难受啊，我在吐。”
Yang Zicang’s hand trembled, and he nearly dropped the whole bottle of red wine.
杨子藏的手一抖，差点将这瓶红酒给丢出去。
“Transforming into a Demonic Nightmare? No, that’s not a nightmare. This is just a regular wine bottle.”
“恶魇化了？不，不是恶魇，这就是普通的酒瓶。”
He had just finished inspecting the bottle in his right hand when another voice came from his left.
他刚看完右手的酒瓶，又一道声音自左边响起。
“This flavor is not bad. Ooh~ my pivot point is so warm; your hand holding it makes my temperature rise. It’s nice and cozy.”
“这个味道还不错，喔~我的支点好暖，你的手握着它让我的温度在升高，舒服。”
Slam!
啪！
Yang Zicang tossed the wineglass into the basket and waited for over a dozen seconds, but those two items didn’t say another word.
杨子藏将酒杯丢到了篮子里，等待了十来秒，这两个东西却又什么话也没说出来。
“Did you hear anything?” Yang Zicang looked up and shouted into the carriage.
“你听到什么了吗？”杨子藏抬头对着车厢大声道。
{Yeah, I hear you talking. You said you threw up, and something about feeling nice and cozy.}
{听到了，你在说话啊。你说你吐了，还说好暖好舒服。}
“Ssshh…” Yang Zicang clutched his head with both hands.
“嘶…”杨子藏双手捂着头。
After about a day of stopping and starting, the train finally spotted a small patch of chaotic land ahead.
差不多一天后，走走停停的列车，终于在前方见到一小片混沌的陆地。
The barren landscape, rising and falling, wavered like converging electric waves left and right, giving it an unreal feel.
地面起伏的荒芜景象如电波汇聚般左右拉扯着，显得有点不真实。
{Finally made it! As long as you’re here, maybe I can come directly from now on without having to go through that thing.}
{终于到了啊！只要你在这里，或许以后我可以直接过来，不用经过那种东西了。}
“I’m afraid not.”
“恐怕不行。”
The young man tentatively stepped onto the ground, which was both unreal and yet solidly bearing rocks and gravel.
青年试探着踏上这虚幻不实，但又坚实承载着岩石砂砾的地面。
In the distance, a sphere seemingly constructed from various peculiar architectural styles and objects floated at the end of the continent.
遥远处，一个似由各种奇异风格的建筑与物品构建的球体，悬浮在大陆尽头。
This place felt like the end of the world.
这里就像是世界的终点。
Yang Zicang glanced at the train:
杨子藏看了眼列车：
“Go back. Thank you for your companionship these past days. In the future, I hope you can help my friends more over there. Also, even though it’s protected, still be careful of bad people.”
“回去吧，谢谢你这些日子以来的陪伴，以后，希望你能在那边更多的帮助我的朋友们。另外，虽然有保护，还是要小心坏人。”
{Don’t worry, I’m smarter than you. Come back soon. It’s a bit uncomfortable here.}
{放心好了，我比你聪明。早点回来，这里有点不舒服。}
With that, Xiao Machao let out a “woo” sound and dove into the void, vanishing like thoughts and disappearing.
说罢，小马超“呜”地潜进虚无化为念力消失不见。
Yang Zicang smiled. He turned his head to see several people with faces more delicate than ordinary people appearing ahead of the land.
杨子藏笑了笑，他转头看向几名面容比普通人精致些的人出现在大地前方。
“Lost Illusion Company welcomes your arrival.”
“遗失幻境公司欢迎你的到来。”
Those people smiled at him. One person wearing a tight suit and possessing a fairy-like countenance walked forward and extended a hand to Yang Zicang for a handshake.
那几人对他露出笑容，一身穿紧身西装，面如仙子般的人走出，对着杨子藏伸手握了握。
“Nice to meet you all.”
“很高兴认识诸位。”
Yang Zicang put down his hand and looked up. A phantom shadow resembling a bird streaked across the horizon, stirring a swirl of wind through the now-thinned gray fog.
杨子藏放下手抬头看去，似有一只鸟儿的残影从天际划过，在淡薄许多的灰色雾气中带起抹风的搅动。