The twilight was dusky, and the long street lay in ruins.
暮色昏黄，长街破碎。
Yang Qian, leading the group back with Wang Yu’an, focused on the newly appeared perception, his expression brightening:
带领众人跟着王育安往回走的杨千，关注着刚刚出现的感应画面，脸色一喜：
“This seems like a good investment opportunity now. Should I give Yang Zicang some time sequence?”
“现在好像是投资的好机会，要不要给杨子藏时序？”
The crowd behind Yang Qian was noisy; many, upon seeing Yang Zicang robbed, immediately cursed, “Serves him right.”
杨千背后的人闹哄哄的，好些人见到杨子藏被抢，顿时破口大骂，“活该。”
“Instant karma.”
“现世报。”
“Want us to invest our lifespan? Screw that; I hope this kid’s war artifact gets snatched!”
“想让我们投资寿命？投个der，这小子的战器最好被抢！”
Yang Qian quickly shut his mouth and glanced back, relieved his voice hadn’t carried far.
杨千赶紧闭嘴瞟了眼后面，还好刚才声音不大。
Wang Yu’an frowned: “How did we run into something like this? Forget it; with that drunkard around, it should be fine.”
王育安皱眉：“怎么会遇到这种事情。算了吧，有那个酒鬼在，应该没问题。”
“Really not investing? Weren’t you counting on him to earn you time sequence? Isn’t he perfect for it, with a masked opponent? If he dies, no one can blame us for taking their extra lives.”
“真不投？你不是想靠他赚时序吗？正好对面蒙面，死了也怪不了别人拿走他们的额外寿命。”
“Even if it’s really robbed, it’ll be easier to retrieve from someone in that triangle model. Hmm… let’s watch for now.”
“就算真被抢走，在三角形模型之人的手里，也比较好拿回来。嗯…咱们先看着吧，。”
Many others had the same idea, and they could also see how much time sequence Yang Zicang, the newcomer, really had left.
有这想法的人还有很多，而且还能看看杨子藏这个新人到底还有多少时序。
……
……
[An anonymous user invested 10N for me.]
[匿名者为我投资了10N。]
After waiting for over ten seconds, Yang Zicang looked up at the sky, pondered for a moment…
等了十几秒的杨子藏仰头对着虚空琢磨了番后…
“That’s it?”
“这就完了？”
Such is the coldness of the world. Yang Zicang deliberately put on an urgent expression: “A robbery here! Can’t anyone else invest for me? Doesn’t the Monster Hunter camp want another expert?”
真是世态炎凉，杨子藏故意表情急切道：“抢劫了啊！你们真没有谁能再给我投资点吗？猎怪者阵营真不想多出一个高手？”
Across from him, Tong Wenqi scrutinized Yang Zicang closely.
对面的童文奇仔细瞧着杨子藏。
From his stance and movements, the young man showed no signs of any combat training whatsoever.
从他的站姿与动作来看，这年轻人没有任何受过战斗训练过的痕迹。
The six figures beside him had golden, ethereal flames erupting from their weapons.
身边六人手中的武器都冒出金色的虚幻火焰。
Nearby, the Scene-Interlacing began to shift, and a creature with tough, wiry hide, resembling a hippopotamus, appeared in the new tableau.
附近的交错幕景开始变幻，一头皮肤坚实，类似河马般的生物出现在旁边新场景中。
The man nearest the “hippo” swung his weapon in a casual arc—pop—and sliced the massive beast clean in two.
距离“河马”最近那人挥动手上武器，随手一划，啪地声就将这体型硕大的生物一刀劈成了两片。
“Ha! Financing? Show me who’s willing to. You think we don’t know exactly what trash these people are around here?”
“呵，融资？我看谁愿意给你融，这里的人什么鸟样，我们能不知道吗！”
“Ten more seconds to reconsider. Otherwise, don’t blame us for being rude.”
“再给你十秒钟考虑，否则就别怪我们不客气了。”
Clatter. The silver long spear dropped at the men’s feet.
啪嗒，银色长枪丢在了几人脚下。
“Ten… uh?”
“十…啊？”
The masked men exchanged glances.
几名黑衣人面面相觑。
Tong Wenqi, arms crossed, was momentarily stunned.
抱着膀子的童文奇一愣。
The moment the spear landed at their feet—in a financing model where no one had invested but everyone hooted and cursed—there was a sudden hush, then an outburst from the audience.
这把枪落在几人脚下，无人投资但喧嚣咒骂不断的融资模型中，齐齐一静，随后红人爆发。
{Ahhh—}
{啊——}
{Have you lost your mind?}
{你疯了吗！}
Instantly, the investment crowd erupted into madness.
融资模型瞬间一片疯狂之声。
{Crazy or what?}
{有病啊？}
……
……
The whole masked unit turned their gaze to that high place across from them, where the young man rested both hands on the railing, looking down from above.
蒙面队伍几人齐齐看向对面高处双手搭在楼梯上，俯视下方的年轻人。
Yang Zicang offered considerately, “Take it and go. Before someone corners you.”
杨子藏贴心的道：“拿上快走吧，一会别让人堵住你们了。”
All attention had fallen on him. Everyone was dumbstruck.
所有关注这里的人都蒙了。
{That’s a Century Weapon—are you a complete fool?}
{那是百年器啊，你是傻子吗！}
{Just handed it over like this?}
{这就给了？}
{If you were willing to give it so easily, why the hell did you beat the shit out of us earlier?}
{给得如此痛快，那前面干嘛把我们揍一顿？}
Luo Bin, likewise on the stairway, finally came to his senses. He turned, eyes wide as plates, overflowing with disbelief and shock.
同在楼梯上的洛宾终于反应了过来，他双眼圆睁，满是不可置信与惊愕的转头。
“You, are you crazy?!”
“你，你疯了？！”
Yang Zicang nonchalantly folded his arms.
杨子藏无所谓的抱膀。
“Just a Century Weapon. I could get one by tomorrow anyway, and I saw several Chrono Weapons over at Chu Qiang’s. Probably easy to get replacements later.”
“一把百年器而已。既然我第二天就能弄到，而且我看楚强那里有好几把时序战器，后面应该能很容易得到新的吧。”
Luo Bin nearly spit blood.
洛宾差点一口老血喷出来。
“Do you think those are lying around on the street?”
“你以为那是烂大街的货吗？”
Yang Zicang ignored him. He stepped back and swept a steady gaze over the people cloaked tightly from head to toe. “Didn’t I hand over the gun? Why are you all frozen in place? Hurry up, folks! Once this is done, we can each go back to our own business. I still need to keep earning Chrono points.”
杨子藏不理，他后退一步目光坚定地扫向几个把自己蒙得严丝合缝的人：“枪我不是给了？怎么都愣着呢，快点吧诸位！完事大家各忙各的，我还要继续赚时序的啊。”
Across from him, the group found something off. Cao Maodian looked suspicious and said, “Yu… cough, captain, is this thing coming too easily?”
对面的人总觉得不对劲，曹茂典目光狐疑：“余，呸…队长，这么轻松？”
Such a precious weapon had fallen into their hands after just a few words of dialogue! The whole thing felt far too smooth.
如此珍贵的武器，竟然只是几句口舌交锋，就轻易落入自己等人手中！这也太过顺利了吧。
“Don’t get careless. See if that kid is planning something.”
“别大意，看那小子是不是要搞什么鬼。”
None of them were fools. They all sensed something was off. Yang Zicang’s behavior was completely different from his fight with the earlier crowd.
几人又不是傻子，他们都感到了些许诡异。杨子藏的表现与他之前跟那群人战斗完全不符。
“This gun didn’t get a ‘Chrono Weapon’ model feedback. What if it’s fake?”
“这枪没有模型反馈‘时序战器’，该不会是假的。”
{Right, what if it’s a fake?}
{对啊，难道是假的？}
Voices stirred up a commotion in the financing channel.
融资模型中闹成一片的道。
{Trying to swap the real deal for something fake, huh?}
{打算狸猫换太子吗。}
Yu Chen stared at the black-striped silver spear lying before him. Doubt lingered in his heart, but even stronger was his craving for this mysterious weapon.
余晨看着落在身前的黑纹银枪，心中虽有疑虑，但更多的是对这把神秘枪支的渴望。
When someone beside him reached out to touch the spear, Yu Chen almost instinctively slammed his foot down, pinning it firmly in place.
旁边有人想伸手摸枪，余晨几乎是出于本能地一脚踏下，稳稳将其踩住。
He swiftly bent down and picked up the gun with both hands.
他迅速弯腰，双手将枪拿起。
“I’ll give it a try.”
“我去试试。”
Yu Chen glanced at a nearby overlapping scene, which featured a two-meter-long creature resembling a black mountain boar. He took a deep breath, gripped the gun tightly, and stepped into the scene with determination.
余晨看了眼旁边的一处交错场景，里面是头类似黑山猪的两米长的大型生物。他深吸一口气，握紧手中的枪，决然地踏入。
[I sense the emotional resonance of over a hundred candidates’ shared desires.]
[我感受到了超过百位应选者相同心愿的情绪共鸣。]
[Please confirm whether this gun is a true centennial Chrono Weapon.]
[请证实此枪是否为真正的百年级时序战器。]
Hearing the model’s feedback, Yu Chen was taken aback—he had never known this before.
听到模型的反馈，余晨愣了下，这是他从来不知道的事情。
So, under the strong emotional resonance of over a hundred people with the same goal, such a phenomenon could actually occur.
居然在超过一百位同样目的的人的强烈情绪共鸣下，会出现这样的状况。
The boar-like creature charged at him. Yu Chen swung the gun, and with a dull thud, the seemingly indestructible black mountain boar’s spine was easily pierced by his precise strike.
野猪般的生物撞来。余晨持枪挥动，随着一声沉闷声响，那看似坚不可摧的黑山猪巨兽，在余晨精准的一击之下，竟然被轻易地戳穿了脊梁骨。
Its massive body crashed to the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.
庞大的身躯轰然倒地，激起一片尘土。
“It’s real!”
“是真的！”
There was no phantom at all on the gun’s body—meaning no Chrono power had been infused into it!
那枪身上根本没有任何虚影，那代表没有任何时序的注入！
With just one strike, he had shattered the creature’s spine. Yu Chen exclaimed in awe, “So powerful! I didn’t use any Chrono power at all. This is truly a Century Weapon!”
只是一枪就戳碎了对方的脊梁骨，余晨震撼的道：“好强啊，我一点时序都没使用，这真是百年器！”
As he shouted, the model transmitted a new mental voice.
随着他的一声大喝，模型传来新的心念声。
[I have fulfilled the urgent wishes of a hundred people.]
[我满足了百人的迫切心愿。]
[I have received a “talisman” condensed from the power of the people’s shared desires.]
[我收获了一枚由心念之力凝聚的“护符”。]
Yu Chen’s face was filled with ecstasy.
余晨脸上全是狂喜。
[Wish Talisman, of the hundred-rank. In the Bloodline Resonance Statue’s presence, certain wishes can be made.]
[心愿护符，百人级。可在血脉雕像处许下某些愿望。]
He felt the new light point that had appeared within the ring on his chest. Although he didn’t yet know its function, it must be something extremely precious.
他感受着胸前圆环内出现的那个新光点。虽然还不知道这玩意儿的作用，但想必是非常珍贵的事物。
{YangZicang, you damn coward.}
{杨子藏，你他娘的太怂了吧。}
A voice rang out within the minds of everyone connected through the mental link.
一道声音出现在所有与这里进行着心灵链接的人心念内。
“Coward? Then at least give me some investment.” YangZicang yelled loudly.
“怂？你们倒是给我点投资啊。”杨子藏大声的喊着。
Pfft, both inside and outside, everyone nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.
噗，外界众人差不多都喷出口老血。
YangZicang said impatiently to those not present: “It’s really annoying. Because of that weapon, I get targeted no matter where I go. If you want it so badly, go snatch it yourselves.”
杨子藏不耐烦的对着那群不在此处的人道：“真是烦死了，为了把武器，老子走哪都被人惦记着，你们要就自己去抢吧。”
…..
…..
The group guarding the entrance of the rat lair couldn’t help but recall the fat pigeon they sent out not long ago. So we actually forced him to do that? If so, this was truly a counterproductive move.
正守着鼠穴入口的那群人，不禁联想到就在不久前送出去的那个胖鸽子。原来是被自己逼的？若是这样，这还真是弄巧成拙。
If the gun was gone for good, this would be a disaster!
要是枪彻底丢失就完了！
“Let’s go, all of you. I need to clear out this chaotic space here.”
“快走吧各位，我还要忙着清理这里的交错空间。”
……
……
Those outside the situation are insane by now.
外界众人此刻都疯了。
This was easier than I thought. Some people were even thinking, if I’d known YangZicang was such a coward, I should have come myself.
居然如此容易，一些人都在想，早晓得这杨子藏是个怂包，该让我们来的。
Where are you?
{你在哪儿？}
Several voices resonated at the same time, indicating they wanted to intercept these people’s way back.
好几个声音同时道，这是想来劫这些人的后路。
{YangZicang, go bring the gun back and sell it to me. I’ll give you time seconds.}
{杨子藏，快把枪拿回来，你卖给我，我给你时序。}
“Shit are you serious? How much are you offering?” YangZicang deliberately enquired.
“真的？你打算出多少。”杨子藏故意问了句。
[I received a 100N investment from Zhang Shan.]
[我获得了张山的100N投资。]
[I received a 200N investment from Liisi.]
[我获得了利斯的200N投资。]
I bid 3,780 years.
[我出三千七百八十年。]
Even decimal points were cropping up, Yang Zicang remained silent, putting on an unmoved air.
连小数都快出来了，杨子藏默然，一幅不为所动的样子。
“Yang Zicang, you…” Luo Bin stamped his foot in frustration.
“杨子藏，你…”洛宾急得踏脚。
The young man stepped back, using his peripheral vision to observe Luo Bin’s most genuine reaction at that moment.
青年往后退了步，用余光看着洛宾此刻最真实的反应。
“You really don’t want it anymore?” Luo Bin said, his eyes turning red.
“你真不要了？”洛宾眼睛发红的道。
“Let them take it. Anyway, I’ve already used the full thousand years of temporal authority you gave me to control this weapon. At most, they can only unleash a hundred years of chronology with it. That’s what I call mutually assured damage.”
“让他们拿去好了，反正我拿你的一千年全权时序掌控这武器了。他们拿着最高也只能打出一百年时序而已。这就叫互相伤害。”
Yang Zicang said it with utter justification.
杨子藏说得理直气壮。
“You call that mutually assured damage?”
“你管这叫互相伤害？”
“Anyway, it’s the same whether I give it to HQ or to them.”
“反正给总部也是给，给他们嘛也是给咯。”
Hearing the young man’s words, many people were convinced that this kid truly had no intention of keeping the Chrono Weapon. Quite a few thought, Well, well, controlling this Chrono Weapon actually requires a thousand years of chronology—damn, that’s really something.
听到年轻人的话，许多人相信了这小子是真不打算要这时序战器了。好些人想到，原来掌控这时序战器要一千年时序，乖乖，这还真是夸张。
Yet some felt puzzled upon hearing this, such as Yan Yi, as well as the few factions monitoring this scene, familiar with Century Weapons. In their memory, controlling such a Chrono Weapon should not require a millennium of chronology at all.
然而有人听到这话后却心里泛起了迷糊，比如燕逸，比如关注着这里的少数知晓百年器的团体。他们印象中，掌控这样的时序战器根本不需要花千年时序才对。
Spreading smoke?
放烟幕弹？
But he really did give the weapon away—what was he playing at? Hinting that he didn’t have much chronology left?
但武器又真送出去了，他搞什么玩意儿？暗示自己没多少时序了？
“You!”
“你！”
Luo Bin raised a trembling finger before his quivering lips:
洛宾颤抖着拿手指举在哆嗦的嘴皮子前：
“Oh, my little ancestor, if I’d known you were like this, it’d have been better just to give it to me!”
“哎呀我的小爷爷，早知道你这样，还不如给我算逑！”
Yang Zicang looked as if he had just been relieved of a burden.
杨子藏一副解脱的摸样。
“Don’t you go for it either—your life is more important.”
“你也别去拿，人命最重要。”
“More important my ass.”
“重你个奈子。”
The others across from them were already preparing to withdraw.
对面几人已经打算撤离了。
Liang Xi gazed at his big brother with a conflicted heart. In his mind, Yang Zicang should not have been someone who would compromise so easily. Yet, the boy also realized that this man was truly decisive. In some respects, this, too, was a kind of boldness.
梁喜内心充满矛盾的看着自己的大哥，他心中的杨子藏应该不是这么容易就妥协的人。但少年又同时想到，这个人还真是果断。从某方面来讲，这也是一种气魄。
The boldness to know when to let go.
懂得放手的气魄。
Liang Xi nodded to himself, thinking that he too should be as decisive.
梁喜暗自点头，心想自己也要如此果断。
“Stop right there, you bastard!” The drunkard spread a force field before him. A thick, phantom shadow erupted from the weapon in his hand, carrying a strange, faint reddish hue.
“给老子停下！”酒鬼身前展开道力场。他手上的武器冒出浓烈的虚影，尽然带着丝奇异的微红色泽。
This…
这是…
Yang Zicang stared over with a somber look.
杨子藏目光凝重的看过去。
It wasn’t gold.
不是金色。
Yang Zicang instantly thought—could it be that this seemingly crude handmade steel sword contained over four digits of temporal sequence?
杨子藏瞬间想到，难道，这把看上去极其劣质的手工钢剑上蕴含着超过四位数的时序？