第四十一章 清理组的信
After a night had passed, the glow of the morning sun shone on a silver-scaled fat fish lying on the deck.
一夜过去，朝霞的辉光洒在船板上的一尾银鳞肥鱼身上。
Its protruding eyes reflected four silhouettes—Hong Haocheng, Zhang Miao, and two men with dripping wet hair.
它突起的眼眸映射着四个倒影——洪灏承、张苗，以及两个头发湿漉漉的男人。
“Alright, this time it’s two centuries. Figure it out between yourselves.” Hong Haocheng said in a deep tone.
“来吧，这次是两百年，你们商量着来。”洪灏承语气深沉的道。
“……”
“……”
Half an hour later, three people with half-length hairstyles, along with a bald one, finished eating the grilled fish.
半小时后，三个半长不短发型的人，外加一个光头吃完烤鱼。
Hong Haocheng stood up, repeatedly urged them not to engage in financing, and then started swimming toward the shore.
洪灏承起身再三叮嘱不可融资后，开始往岸上游去。
Cui Rong shot a glance at Li Yongqin beside him.
崔荣对身旁的李永勤递了个眼色。
The man shook his head.
那人摇摇头。
Feeling disgruntled, Cui Rong initiated a Mental Link.
崔荣心中不忿地发起心灵链接。
[This guy finally left the two of us on the boat. Should we just take it?]
[这小子终于留我们俩在船上，动不动手抢船？]
{I’ve been here over half a year. Apart from the big teams, Hong Haocheng is the first person I’ve seen who can stay here for several days. If you want to swim back on your own, go ahead, but I’m not going back.}
{我来了半年多了，除了那些大队伍，洪灏承是我见过第一个能在这儿呆上好几天的人。你想回自己游回去，我可不回。}
They were the two who had fled into the water last night in an attempt to find help, but in the end, Hong Haocheng returned to pull them out and extorted 200N from each of them.
他们便是昨晚逃入水中想要求救的两人，最终洪灏承还是回来将他们捞起，并敲诈了每人200N。
Cui Rong rubbed the tip of his nose and thought to his teammate:
崔荣揉了揉自己的鼻尖，心中对着这位队友道：
[What’s the use of staying ten or twenty days? The end of the month will be here soon. And don’t forget, this is our boat!]
[就算待十天二十天又有屁用，要不了几天又月底了。而且别忘了这是我们的船！]
{He said the sequence will be enough to last us until next month. I’m telling you, this guy might be able to get his hands on a “Bound Core.”}
{他说了，时序够我们撑到下个月。我给你说，这家伙说不定能搞到个“缚灵核心。”}
At the mention of this term, Li Yongqin’s eyes lit up with intense fervor. A Bound Core—something countless people craved, yet it had only ever been owned by top-tier teams like the Four-Phase Team.
说到这个词，李永勤的眼神中透露出强烈的狂热。缚灵核心是多少人想要获得的东西，可是从来只被“四相天团”那种顶级的队伍所有。
Cui Rong let out a disdainful laugh.
崔荣不屑地笑了。
[What a naive idea.]
[还真是单纯啊。]
Suddenly, they all felt a soul-shaking psychic pressure radiating from the island.
忽地，他们感受到一股震颤人心的精神威压从岛上传出。
Zhang Miao, wrapped in a blanket that had dried overnight from guarding the engine at the stern, stood up and said, “Someone’s run into a Bound Spirit.”
船尾守着发动机的张苗裹着一夜烘干的毛毯起身道：“有谁跟地缚之灵遭遇了。”
“It might be that Snake-Travel Crew that passed by in the morning. Let’s move a bit closer.”
“可能是早上过去的蛇行组那帮人，我们往前靠一点。”
The group sailed the boat forward.
几人驾船往前。
“Brother Hong, why won’t he let us see his battle?” Li Yongqin sat down next to Zhang Miao and asked ingratiatingly.
“洪哥为什么不让我们看到他的战斗呢？”李永勤坐到张苗身边讨好的问。
Zhang Miao glanced at the two guys beside him, who had their Modal Auras lit but remained silent all along.
张苗看了看身旁两个亮着模型光环却一直沉默的家伙。
“You want to see? You can follow him.”
“你想看啊，你可以跟去。”
“…” Li Yongqin shifted his butt.
“……”李永勤挪了挪屁股。
It wasn’t his fault that he had taken a complete U-turn toward Hong Haocheng in just one night—simply because, that morning when Hong Haocheng went down to the lake to fish, or perhaps fearing they might steal the boat and run, Li Yongqin himself was forced to follow him into the water to pick up the fish.
不怪他仅一晚就对洪灏承的态度来了个大转弯，只因为…早上洪灏承下湖捕鱼时，或是怕夺船跑路，自己也被强迫跟着下水捡鱼。
In that instant when he saw that thread emerge from Hong Haocheng’s palm, Li Yongqin felt his scalp tingle at that moment.
当看到那一抹丝线从洪灏承掌中浮现的瞬间，那一刻的李永勤只觉得头皮发麻。
The body of the man, scorched by flames with a broken shoulder, immediately overlapped with the image of the bald head beneath the water’s surface.
火焰中被烧焦，还断了肩膀的男人的体型立即与水面下的光头身影重合。
From that moment on, ideas like “the boat, escaping, or assassinating” were all extinguished along with the big fish’s belly flipping over.
从那刻开始，什么“船啊、逃啊、暗杀啊”之类的想法，统统都随着大鱼肚皮的翻转而泯灭了。
As Li Yongqin’s questioning hit a dead end, Cui Rong also looked up and said:
随着李永勤的发问吃瘪，崔荣也抬头道：
“Yeah, that bald guy didn’t look like a good person. He might be dead inside by now. Let us three go back.”
“对啊，那光头看上去就不像好人，说不定这会已经死在里面了。咱们仨回去吧。”
Zhang Miao came over and kicked this guy directly on the thigh.
张苗过来就一脚就踹在这人大腿上。
“I knew you were scheming something lousy,” wrapped in his blanket, he said fiercely, “Now I’ll say it once! Take off your pants.”
“就知道你们在商量什么破事，”裹着毛毯的他恶狠狠地道：“现在我只说一次！把你的裤子给我脱下来。”
“Ah?”
“啊？”
“Offer them to the boss!”
“献给会长！”
……
……
Hong Haocheng was hiding behind a house watching off in the distance.
洪灏承藏在座房子后面观望。
Next to a collapsed building about two hundred meters ahead, seven or eight people who call themselves the Serpentine Group are fighting a monster of relatively short stature.
就在前方两百米处的一栋倒塌大楼旁，自称为蛇行组的七八人，正在与一只身材不算很高的怪物战斗。
Zhang Miao informed them that the city residents call these monsters Bound Spirits. Because someone once killed one and obtained an energy core from within its body, with the model feedback name of 【Fetter Core】.
张苗告知，城中人称这些怪物为地缚之灵。因为曾经有人击杀它们后，获得了来自其体内的一种能量体核心，模型反馈的名称是【缚灵核心】。
“Yang Qi, watch out!”
“杨奇，小心！”
“Activate the secret technique quickly, don’t let it chase me!”
“快发动秘技，别让他追我！”
“You guys keep it down, if you attract other Bound Spirits here, we’re screwed.”
“你们几个小声点，要是把别的地缚之灵也吸引来，我们就要完蛋了。”
Hong Haocheng counted them at this moment; there were eight people in total on the other side.
洪灏承此时才数清，对方一共八个人。
Yet even with eight of them, it’s extremely difficult to deal with a single Bound Spirit with little intelligence. Their energy bodies render weapons useless; only skin contact, like punches, can inflict damage.
可八人对付一个没什么智商的地缚之灵也分外艰难。它们的能量身躯武器根本无效，只有靠拳头等皮肤接触，才能造成伤害。
Suddenly, Hong Haocheng turned his head and saw a burly man carrying a silver longsword approaching from afar.
忽地洪灏承转头，远处一位背着银色长剑的魁梧男人正往这边走来。
He’s been spotted. His newly grown eyebrows frowned slightly.
被发现了。他的新长出的眉头微微皱了皱。
The newcomer had a broad face with a bushy beard and said with a faint smile, “Where are your teammates? Why are you here alone?”
来人宽脸上留着络腮胡须，带着淡淡笑意道：“你的队友呢，怎么一个人在这儿。”
“I like being alone. None of your business, old man.”
“我喜欢一个人，你管得着吗，大叔。”
The man was taken aback, then let out a couple of quiet “ha ha” laughs.
男人愣了下，随后小声的哈哈笑了两声。
“Looks like you’re new around here. Not afraid that line might get you a couple of slashes. Haha. How many days have you been here? Haven’t been scared by these monsters around?”
“看来你小子是刚来的，也不怕因为这句话就挨上两刀。哈哈，待几天了，有没有被这边的怪物吓到？”
“I’ve been staying near the island’s edge for a few days now,” Hong Haocheng replied instinctively, retreating two steps while mentally preparing to bolt at any moment.
“在岛边待了有几天了。”洪灏承下意识的回答，边后退两步做好随时跑路的准备。
“After observing for an entire morning, I realized those giants can only be defeated in close combat. But if you’re caught during that, you die instantly—no matter how many Time Sequences you have, it’s useless.”
“我观察了一上午，那些巨人只能靠近身战斗才能击败，但若近身被逮住就直接死了，再多时序好像也没用。”
“You… came to that conclusion entirely from your own observation?”
“你…真的是自己观察的？”
The man studied Hong Haocheng’s physique, his gaze eventually settling on the boy’s bald head and sparse, barely-grown eyebrows.
男人仔细看着洪灏承的身材，最后目光落在他的光头和还没长密的眉毛上。
Five figures—men and women—emerged from a nearby ruin as one of them said,
五条男女的身影从边缘的废墟中走出，一人道：
“Captain, that guy seems to be from the Red Model. Let’s just leave.”
“队长，那家伙好像是红模型的人，我们走吧。”
“Alright.” The man acknowledged, then turned to Hong Haocheng. “Better leave here soon. I hear your aircraft has already been destroyed. No one will come after you anymore. Go back to the city—this isn’t a place people like you should tread.”
“好。”男人应了声后，便对洪灏承道，“早点离开吧，听说你们的飞机已经没了。以后没人会再打你的主意。回去城市里，这不是你们能踏足的地方。”
He figured out where I’m from already? Hong Haocheng shouted softly toward the departing men, “Hey, may I ask who you all are?”
居然猜到自己的来历了？洪灏承冲着离开的人小声喊道：“喂，请问你们是谁啊？”
“Jiang Junyi, Captain of the Longteng group,” the man replied, waving a hand. “We’ve got some outdated model devices. You can come pick through them later.”
“龙腾组队长，江俊毅。”他挥了挥手，“我们有些淘汰的模器，以后可以来选选。”
“But they’re not free,” the others added.
“不是免费的哦。”另外几人道。
At that moment, one member of the Serpent Group finally killed the over-two-meter-tall “Bound Spirit” that had been restricted by someone’s slippery ability.
而此刻，蛇形组那边的一人，也终于将那被人以打滑能力限制的两米多高“地缚之灵”给杀死。
The tall, lean, and capable captain crouched down to pick up a small object glowing faintly red.
那高瘦的精干队长蹲下捡起个散发淡红光泽的小东西。
“What a shame—another low-level ‘Fetter Core,’” he said.
“可惜啊，又是个低级的‘缚灵核心’。”
With that, the man glanced in Hong Haocheng’s direction before carefully leading his group away along the island’s edge. Their route diverged from the Dragon Rise team’s, as if they had pre-agreed to go their separate ways.
说罢，那人起身看了眼洪灏承的方向，随后带着几人小心地顺着岛边离开。他们路线与龙腾组的人相左，仿佛是早就约定好各走一方般。
After both teams had vanished into the distance, Hong Haocheng approached the dead monster. On the ground lay a large smear of crushed, spread-out deep blue sludge.
两只队伍走远后，洪灏承来到死去的怪物前。地上的东西，像是一大摊碾碎铺摊开的深蓝渣滓。
A faint ethereal energy shifted in the air.
隐隐约约的能量晃动于空气中。
“Is this body still human?”
“这身体，还算是人类吗。”
Hong Haocheng felt his mind grow dazed, as if sinking into a nightmare state.
洪灏承感觉自己精神有点恍惚，如同陷入了梦魇状态。
Within his pupils, faint rings of an earthen yellow hue naturally emerged.
双瞳中，淡淡土黄色光圈自然浮现。
[I… smell… delicacy…]
[我…闻到了…美味…]
The bloodline activated on its own.
血脉自动发动了。
Within the spreading energy field, the boy glimpsed not-yet-faded Sail-Ink Drawing lines, flickering gray-white in the air like dying embers.
扩散开的能量场内，少年看见了还未消散的航迹绘线线条，灰白色的它们在空气中明灭闪烁。
After a trance, Hong Haocheng felt he could regain control of his body.
一阵恍惚后，洪灏承感觉自己又能重新控制身体。
Before acquiring the model, he had been devouring the other’s soul unconsciously. But now… he followed the guidance of his “instinct,” raising a hand. The bloodline energy, which he couldn’t yet fully master, stirred at his will, pinching them just like the Sail-Ink Drawing that had consumed those fish.
未获得模型前，自己是在无意识状态下吞噬对方灵魂来着，而现在…他开始接受来自“本能”的指引，将手一抬，体内还不能完全驾驭的血脉能量随着他的意志而启动，如同吃掉那些鱼的“航迹绘线”般，将它们捏起。
[Soul traveler, beginning the grafting of new Sail-Ink Drawing lines.]
[灵魂旅人，开始嫁接新的航迹绘线。]
Hong Haocheng felt his consciousness racing along certain pathways across the land, or perhaps it was like the land’s images being continuously funneled into his mind along certain routes, akin to the perspective of an invisible race car. However, this path had an end but no exit.
洪灏承感觉自己的意念在飞快按照某些线路飞奔于大地，又像是大地的影像按某种线路不断塞入脑海，如同无形的赛车视角。只是这条路有尽头，但没出路。
[I sensed that its entire life was confined to an area of 8.4 square kilometers.]
[我感受到，它的一生困于8.4平方公里之地。］
[I have acquired 3.3 km of Sail-Ink Drawing.]
[我获得了航迹绘线3.3km。]
Hong Haocheng opened his eyes.
洪灏承睁开眼。
In the air, lines of varying lengths still lingered. He walked toward a trace of gray-white energy that had fragmented and was floating, then reached out and stuffed it into his mouth.
空中还残留着长短不一的线条。他走向一根崩解后漂浮的灰白轨迹能量，拿手将它塞入嘴里。
[I have acquired 23 m of Sail-Ink Drawing.]
[我获得23m航迹绘线。]
Naturally, parts of the surrounding terrain surfaced in Hong Haocheng’s somewhat congested and blocked consciousness, as if he had traversed them hundreds or thousands of times.
一部分周围的地形自然在洪灏承略显拥塞阻梗的意识中浮现，仿佛已经走过数百上千次。
Suddenly, a new mental pressure surged from the distance.
突然，远方激荡开新的精神威压。
Mixed with the fading commotion, Hong Haocheng guessed that this time the “Shexin Group” had provoked a giant they couldn’t contend with.
混合着走远的喧闹声，洪灏承猜测这次“蛇形组”惹到了不能敌的大巨人。
……

“Damn it.”
“可恶啊。”
On the shore, Yang Qi of the Shexin Group had barely managed to shake off the pursuing giant Bound Spirit.
海岸上，蛇形组的杨奇好不容易才摆脱了追来的巨大地缚之灵。
Several people gradually gathered by the lake. A girl with slightly blue hair walked out panting and said to the equally sweat-drenched team leader:
几人陆续在湖边聚拢，一个头发微蓝的女孩喘息着走出，对着同样汗流浃背的队长道：
“Brother Bin, how about we head back for now. Once I’ve synchronized the Training Contract more deeply, we can come again. Probably by next month, I’ll have reached sixty percent.”
“斌哥，要不我们先回去吧。等我把‘代练契约书’同步得更深点再来，估计下个月就能有百分之六十了。”
“No,” Captain Chen Bin shook his head. “Although your talent is outstanding, using the ‘Frost Snow Sword Technique’ to restrict their movements is only a secondary measure. The main thing is to rely on Yang Qi’s close-quarters combat. If you overdo the snow, Yang Qi will slip too.”
“不行，”陈斌队长摇摇头，“虽然你的天赋极佳，但靠‘霜雪剑法’来限制它们的行动只是次要，主要还是得靠杨奇的近身缠斗。雪搞多了杨奇也会滑倒的。”
Yang Qi sighed, “It would be awesome if we could get that secret technique called ‘Silent Night.’ With it, we could handle deeper terrains, and our explorations would be a bit safer.”
杨奇叹息道，“若能得到那份叫做‘沉吟之夜’的秘技就牛逼了，更深点的地形都能给搞到，我们的探索也会稍微安全点。”
“Stop dreaming. That secret technique, with tens of thousands bidding for it, isn’t something an ordinary person can snag. We were already damn lucky to land this ‘Frost Snow Sword Technique.’”
“别妄想了。几万人都在竞价的秘技，不是普通人能搞到的，买到这份‘霜雪剑法’已经是咱们烧了高香。”
The group looked at the shattered city and let out a sigh.
几人看向这个破碎的城市，哀叹了声。
“If only we could push deeper. Who knows when we’ll be able to safely enter the island’s center and head to ‘City 11.’”
“要是能更深入点就好了，也不知什么时候才能安全进入岛中心，前往‘11号城’啊。”
……
……
A young man’s slender figure moved briskly through the deep corridor. After navigating several turns and flights of stairs, Yang Zicang returned to the entrance of his apartment-like room.
青年修长的身影在深邃的走廊上干练地前行，行过数个弯道与楼梯后，杨子藏回到了自己公寓式的房间门口。
As the employee card unlocked the door, the grumpy face icon on the nameplate, representing an empty room, switched to a “yellow smiley face” with the corners of its mouth tilted up.
随着员工卡解开门锁，门牌上代表无人的臭脸小人头像转成了嘴角上翘的“黄色微笑脸”。
Quietly feeling the calm mindset that hadn’t waned a bit over this day, as if surrounded only by the mountain forest listening to the wind through pines and bamboo, Yang Zicang also let out a smile, just like the emblem on the doorplate.
静静感受了下这一天时间来依旧不减的，如只剩山林听松竹般的心境，杨子藏的嘴也如这门牌徽标般露出了抹笑容。
It was only then that he pushed open the door, and immediately saw a paper—airmail-like letter on the floor.
这个时候他才推开门，随即见到地上有封草纸信。
His gaze swept across the slanting mail slot on the door, then the young man bent down and picked up the envelope. The sender’s name was printed on the bottom right corner of the cover.
目光在门上那道倾斜向下的投信缝上扫了眼，随后青年弯腰将信封拾起。封面右下角印有投件人的名字。
—First Operation.
——第一行动。
“A letter from the Operations Department?”
“行动部的信？”
After thinking for a moment, Yang Zicang tore open the envelope and pulled out the folded letter paper inside, which still carried a faint scent of ink. Normally, this subtle smell would go unnoticed by ordinary people, but now, with his keen sense of smell, he could naturally detect it.
想了想，杨子藏撕开了信封，抽出了里面折叠的信纸，还带有微弱的墨香。原本这是普通人不会在意的微弱味道，但现在鼻息灵敏的自己已经能够自然嗅到了。
—If you’re like us and want to escape this damn mental torment, join us in the Ops Department’s Cleanup Team.
——如果你跟我们一样，不想继续那该死的精神折磨，就加入我们行动部清理组吧。