第一百零四章 Z
“Such grand ambitions,” Yang Zicang shot back with a disdainful glance.
“多大个志向。”杨子藏鄙视的看了眼。
“Who’s like you, a quadrilateral? Dammit, I used to draw 36-sided polygons on a blackboard back in the day, and now some hick like you dares to look down on me.”
“谁像你吶，四边形，玛德，我以前在黑板上三十六边形都画过，现在被你这个小老帽给鄙视。”
Teacher Chen scoffed and gave an exaggerated eye roll.
陈老师呸的翻翻白眼。
Then he saw something swaying back and forth in front of his eyes.
随后他就看到个东西在眼前晃啊晃。
“An Order Slip!”
“订货函！”
He reached out to grab it, but Yang Zicang yanked it away.
他一把捧去，被杨子藏一抽，没有握住。
“I’ll ask you one more time: Are you going to join my district? You heard me—I can build Good Wells.”
“再问你一次，进不进我的棚区？你也听到了，我能造‘好水井’。”
“Water…” Teacher Chen’s throat unconsciously tightened and he shifted, slightly parched.
“水…”陈老师下意识咽了咽干瘪的喉咙。
The terrifying experience of almost dying of thirst multiple times, forcing him to even drink from the Wangchuan Stream, made his soul tremble.
曾经数度差点渴死，逼得他甚至去喝忘川溪的恐怖经历让他灵魂都在颤抖。
“You have a supply order letter. What’s the name of your supply team?”
“你竟然有订货函，你的筑货队叫什么名字？”
Yang Zicang replied weakly, “The supply team doesn’t have a name for now.”
杨子藏不是很有中气的道：“筑货队暂时没名字。”
He held his wrist with one hand while the index finger of the other curled slightly and picked at his lip.
他一只手抱着腕，另一只手的食指曲折拨了下嘴皮。
To make his name and sub-team more unified and easily recognizable at a glance, he was considering whether to just use his own name.
为了让自己的名气跟上礼拜能够统一，让人看一眼就联系起来，他在想要不要直接用自己的名字。
Teacher Chen nodded with a semblance of politeness: “A new team? Then you’ll need to think of a good name.”
陈老师假客气似的点点头：“是新队伍？那得好好起个名。”
“I’ll consider it. Anyway, I have my own supply team, my own territory, my own well and plot. And most importantly, I’m a pretty good guy. Miss this village, and there won’t be another shop in the next one.”
“我考虑考虑吧，反正我有自己的筑货队，有自己的地盘，有自己的井和地，而且最重要的是，我人还挺不错，错过这村就真没这店了。”
“……”
Teacher Chen grinned, baring his teeth, and squinted as he looked the young man before him up and down.
陈老师咧着嘴皮露出牙齿，斜眼上下打量了眼身前的小伙。
“You’re not bad, huh. Well… when are you heading back? I still need to stay two days to trade for some materials. Anyway, I’m going to the Autumn Supply Meeting. If you’re not attending, I won’t go with you.”
“人还不错，嗯…你啥时候回去？我还要待两天，换点材料。反正，我是要参加秋订会的，你要是不参加的话，就不跟你走咧。”
Saying this already amounted to agreement. A model materialized in front of Yang Zicang’s chest, shooting toward the man across from him.
能说这话就已经是同意了，杨子藏胸前浮现出模型，射向对面的人。
[Yang Zicang wishes to invest 500N full empowerment time sequence for me.]
[杨子藏想为我投资500N全权时序。]
“This is your local goodwill fee for this year.”
“这是你今年的驻场费。”
“Whoa, damn it!”
“哎呦我去。”
Who could tell if the person in front of him was a ghost or a human?
谁能知道，眼前之人到底是人是鬼。
But what else could Teacher Chen say? In this ghost-world, it was time to take a gamble.
但陈老师还能说什么，在这鬼世界，就赌一把吧。
In the afternoon alone, Shixu had spent over a thousand kilocoins again, and the number of delusion models had reached seventy-five; half the purpose of this trip had been achieved.
下午半天下来，时序又花出去一千多千，失念模型已经来到了七十五个，这一趟的目的已经完成了一半。
Looking at the dusty crystals in the bag, YangZicang let out a sigh.
看着袋子中的这些灰扑扑的晶石，杨子藏叹息了声。
“Excuse me.” A thin man in a black coat walked past in a hurry, then said to someone squatting by the roadside ahead with a sign, “Have you found Armor-Stone Twelve yet?”
“借过。”形色充充的黑外套瘦子从身前走过，随后跟前方路边拿着牌子蹲着的人道：“找到甲子间了吗？”
The man shook his head.
那人摇摇头。
“I heard he took care of the monsters’ sneak attack on his own this morning.”
“听说他上午一个人解决了外面怪物们的偷袭。”
“No portrait this time; the awning master gave notice he’s an invited guest.”
“这次没画像，棚主打招呼了，说是他请来的客人呢。”
YangZicang smiled and walked past them from behind. Suddenly, a nimble child of about ten or so wove through the crowd and ran up.
杨子藏笑了笑，从他们背后走过，突然一个十来岁的半大小孩灵动的从行人间穿过跑来。
“Sir.”
“先生。”
YangZicang stopped and looked at the figure running toward him.
杨子藏驻足，看向那跑来的身影。
The child raised a slip of paper and said, “This is for you, sir.”
小孩举着张纸条说：“这是给你的，先生。”
YangZicang took it, glanced at the malnourished child, and opened the paper with one hand.
杨子藏接过，瞥了这营养不良的孩子一眼，单手将手上的纸张打开。
—The auctioneer is Zorro, the phantom thief.
——拍卖者是怪盗佐罗。
YangZicang bit his dry lips, folded the paper, and stuffed it into his coat, then looked at the child before him: “Who told you to give me this?”
杨子藏咬了咬干燥的嘴皮，将纸张折叠后塞入外套内，看向十来岁的孩子：“谁让你给我的？”
“The boss of our gang said to give it to you when you return here this afternoon.”
“我们帮派的老大，说你下午回这里的时候给你。”
YangZicang nodded: “Thanks.”
杨子藏点点头：“谢谢。”
“Hey, wait a sec,” the child called out to YangZicang, who had turned to leave. “He said you’d give me a reward. Isn’t there one?”
“等下嘞。”孩子叫住了转身离去的杨子藏，“他说你会给我奖励，没有吗？”
“Tonight at midnight, have your boss come here in person, and I’ll give him the Shixu.”
“今晚半夜，让你老大亲自到这里来，我会给他时序。”
“Oh.” The child stared blankly as he walked into the three-story rock house with horizontal rows, squatting down enviously to count the layers of piled rocks outside.
“喔。”孩子愣愣看着他走入这栋横排三层岩石房屋，羡慕的就地蹲下数着屋外岩石垒砌的层数。
Zuofei Xian and the other person next door hadn’t returned yet. Yang Zicang twisted the key to unlock the door and entered. He had just placed his things on the bed when he spotted an extra handmade grass-paper envelope on the wooden table against the wall.
住在隔壁的左非闲两人还没回来，杨子藏拿钥匙扭开屋门后进入，刚把东西放到了床上，便瞧见靠墙木桌上多了封草纸手工信封。
He touched it with his hand, but found no notification of a canceled timeline. After opening it, he pulled out a piece of paper.
拿手碰了碰，没有时序被抵消的提示后，将它打开，从中抽出张纸。
On it, written in hard stone-grained sand, were a few deliberately crooked words.
上面用质地坚硬的沙石写着几个故意歪歪扭扭的字。
—Tonight at midnight, come to Room 33 on the 2nd floor.
——今晚午夜，来2楼33号。
——Z.
“Room thirty-three on the second floor?”
“二楼三十三号？”
He was in Room 12 on the third floor.
自己在3楼的12号。
……
When Zuofei Xian and the other two returned, they brought some grilled meat for himself and Chen-shi. This was from the self-bred animals on the Wuyou side, and it tasted much better than what Luo Bin made. The room was filled with aroma.
左非闲两人回来的时候，给自己和陈师傅两人带了些烤肉，这是无忧这边自己圈养的生物，味道比洛宾做的要好上很多。屋内香气四溢。
“One bite and you want another. No wonder Wuyou’s turf even has grill chefs as food-related models—truly a master chef.” The two ate with grease smeared all over their mouths.
“吃了一口还想吃一口，不愧是无忧的地盘，连烤肉师傅都是美食类的模型，真是大厨啊。”两人吃得满嘴都是油。
After sharing with them that he planned to take Chen-shi and the other teacher back, Xu Xiuchuan only expressed mild objection, saying that teacher seemed stubborn and stingy, likely hard to get along with.
将自己打算把陈老师两人也带回去的计划跟他们说了下后，徐秀川只是表达了轻微反对意见，说那老师一看就很固执又抠搜，恐怕不好相处。
Zuofei Xian, on the other hand, said he was fine with it, even adding that he could become the “land master,” specifically in charge of these two guys from now on.
左非闲倒是表示无所谓，还说自己可以当“地长”，以后专门管这俩家伙。
At night, after sensing the revival of Ma Chao’s Midnight Train ability once again, Yang Zicang rose from his meditation and walked over to the window.
夜晚，能再次感受到马超午夜列车能力复苏后，杨子藏从静修中起身来到窗户旁。
Below, two young kids were playing marbles by a pile of logs next to the rock square. One of them was the person who had delivered the letter to him; the other stood a full two heads taller.
下方两个毛头孩子在岩石广场旁的原木堆边玩着弹石子，其中一个就是给自己送信的人，另一个比他高两个头。
Two minutes later, catching sight of the afternoon person emerging with a small bag, the smaller kid hurried over.
两分钟后，瞧见下午的人拎着个小袋子出来，小个子的孩子赶紧跑来。
“Oh, big brother, I thought you wouldn’t come out.”
“喔，大哥哥，我还以为你不会出来。”
“I wouldn’t go so far as to deceive little tykes like you.”
“我不至于骗你们这些小家伙。”
“So, what kind of reward are you going to give us?” the so-called gang leader asked excitedly, jumping down from the crosswise-stacked logs.
“那你打算给我们什么奖励？”这所谓的帮派老大很是兴奋地从横堆的原木上跳下来。
“A ‘year’ for each of you.”
“每人‘一年’。”
“Whoa!” The kid’s mouth hung wide open; he had never expected to receive so much at once. Usually, for a mere errand, getting some small materials exchangeable for food was already considered quite good.
“哇哦！”小孩的嘴巴张得老大，他根本没想到会一下得到这么多，一般跑跑腿的活儿，给点能换食物的小材料就很不错了。
“If you can recall who assigned this task to you, along with their appearance, clothing, and even their accent, I will give you even more.”
“如果你能回忆起是谁给你安排的这件事，以及他的外貌穿着，甚至口音，我会给你更多。”
“Ha, they were right—you’d ask me exactly that.”
“哈，他果然没说错，你就会这样问我。”
Yang Zicang looked at him and smiled, as if carrying on an intangible conversation with someone else.
杨子藏笑看着他，仿佛在跟另一人进行着无形中的交流。
“So, how did that person instruct you?”
“所以，那个人是怎么嘱咐你的。”
“They said they stole the water well, but by the time they got back after pulling it off, the mantis stalking the cicada had caught up with them. They also said that if you asked, I should tell you this is a contest between thieves, and you’re merely prey that stumbled into it. But then the thieves will continue a new round of rivalry; if you get involved, it will revolve around you.”
“他说是他偷的水井，不过刚得手回去后，就被螳螂捕蝉了，他还说如果你问，就告诉你这是盗贼之间的对决，而你不过是偶入其中的猎物罢了。但接下来，盗贼间的新一轮较量会继续展开，如果你插手就会围绕你而行动。”
A contest between thieves.
盗贼间的对决。
Yang Zicang pondered for a moment and asked, “What else did he say?”
杨子藏沉吟着想了下，问道：“他还说什么。”
“He also said you would spend three hundred years buying information about him. If you agree, you can give me your lifespan, and I will bring it to you tomorrow at this time.”
“他还说你会花三百年买关于他的信息，如果你同意，可以把寿命给我，明天这个时候由我给你送来。”
Yang Zicang carefully examined the child before him.
杨子藏仔细打量起身前这孩子。
He was about 1.6 meters tall, already at an adult’s height. Although his coat looked worn, it was relatively clean.
他高一米六左右，已经是个成年人的高度了，外套看上去虽然陈旧，但还是比较干净。
The child’s skin wasn’t in great condition, but he definitely wasn’t as thin and gaunt as the other children nearby.
孩子的皮肤说不上多好，但绝不像旁边小孩一样显得蔫瘦。
“Did he say his name?”
“他有没有说过他的名字？”
The child pressed his lips tightly.
孩子闭紧了嘴巴。
Yang Zicang stared intently at his face: “You’re the one who stole the well engine, aren’t you?”
杨子藏仔细看着他的脸庞：“你，就是偷走水井引擎的人，对吧。”
“The gang leader” smiled and looked at the child beside him: “Big brother said it, didn’t he?”
“帮派老大”露出了笑容，他看向身旁的孩子：“大哥哥果然说出这话了，对不对。”
The child nodded.
小孩点点头。
“That person said that although everyone can now change their age by will, except for those who are naturally children, no one can return to a state before adulthood, because the frequency of pre-adulthood doesn’t match the year frequency.”
“那个人说，虽然现在大家都能凭意愿改变年纪，但除了本身就是小孩子以外，其他人不能回到未成年之前。因为未成年与年频率不匹配。”
“Alright, I’m not interested in a thief’s information. You two set up the model, finish quickly, and go back to rest.”
“行了，我没兴趣知道一个贼的信息，你们展开模型，完事就快回去休息。”
Yang Zicang gave one year to each of the two children. Then, glancing at the row of windows on the second floor of the house behind him, he turned around and walked inside.
杨子藏给两个孩子一人一年，随后扭头看向身后的房屋，目光在二楼的一排窗户上扫了眼，转身往里面走去。
“He said his name is Shi Qian.”
“他说他叫时迁。”
Yang Zicang took a deep breath, stopped in his tracks, and turned to look at the fourteen- or fifteen-year-old child.
杨子藏深吸口气，顿住脚步转过头看向这十四五岁的孩子。
“Three hundred years, tomorrow I’ll bring you information about himself,” the child gang leader said.
“三百年，明天给你送来关于他自己的情报。”孩子老大道。
Yang Zicang waved his hand and walked toward the corridor, signaling the two to leave quickly.
杨子藏挥挥手走向楼道，示意两人赶紧滚蛋。
Isn’t it just information gathering? I’ll find you eventually.
不就是情报收集嘛，我还找不到你了？
When I drag the two of you out, I’ll smack your backsides with a leather strap on the desk.
到时候让将你们俩都揪出来后，按在桌板上狠狠地用皮鞭抽屁股。
At least fifty minutes left.
还有至少五十分钟。
Yang Zicang thought carefully—given his mental state today, traveling between platforms would only let him cover about two hundred li.
杨子藏想了想，按照今天的精神状态，如果是无站台之间的行进，肯定只能走约两百里的路程。
But with a station platform, his speed would be incomparable, a whole different story.
但若有站台，那么速度就不可同日而语了。
He hurried back to knock on Zuo Feixian’s door, and when it opened, he said to the two, “Who’s willing to plant my station platform? You can remove it anytime after tonight.”
快步回到左非闲两人的屋前敲门，开门后对着两人道：“谁愿意植入我的站台，今晚过后可以随时拔掉。”
Both of them raised their hands at once.
两人齐齐举手。
Yang Zicang chose Xu Xiuchuan, because Zuo Feixian had a “rock expert”—the old man Yanshan—behind him, which could lead to trouble.
杨子藏选了徐秀川，因为左非闲背后还有位“岩石高手”，万一会出岔子。
“I’ll be back shortly. It’s best you don’t leave tonight. Do you have enough temporal order? Deduct it from those five hundred years.”
“我去去就来，今晚最好不要离开这里，时序都还够用吧？五百年从那里面扣。”
“How could it not be enough? That’s over four thousand years, man.”
“怎么可能不够用，四千多年啊那可是。”
The mention of temporal order felt like a hallucination to them. They still couldn’t believe Yang Zicang had given them over four thousand years each, if only temporarily—yet it was still over four thousand years.
一提到时序，两人就仿佛出现幻觉，他们到现在都还不敢相信杨子藏给了他们每人四千多年时序，虽然说是暂时的，但那也是每人四千多年啊。
A breeze swept through the room, and the side door of a train carriage materialized on the wall.
屋内荡起微风，一节列车的侧门具现在墙壁上具现而出。
“Wait for my return.”
“等我回来。”
Yang Zicang departed swiftly.
杨子藏快速离开。
[Next stop on the Midnight Train: Mu Xiaoyu Station. Estimated time: twenty minutes.]
[午夜列车下一站，沐小雨站，预计时间二十分钟。]
[This train will traverse a void region. Do not let your focus drift.]
[本次列车将跨越虚无区域，请勿分神。]
[Woo—]
[呜——]
Watching the occasional consciousness illusions flash across the pitch-black landscape outside the window, Yang Zicang’s chest model stirred as it connected to a person he had not contacted for several days.
看着窗外黑漆漆的大地上偶尔闪过的意识幻境，杨子藏胸前模型闪动向一个好几天没有与之联系的人。
{Aiya, aiya, brother, you finally missed me!}
{呀呀呀，兄弟，你终于想我了啊！}
The image of Luo Bin lying sprawled out in an old bathtub blasted into his eyes like a shockwave.
洛宾四仰八叉躺在旧浴缸里的画面犹如冲击波般射入眼眶。
Yang Zicang felt a sting in his eyes and quickly shifted his gaze to the candle flame nearby, magnifying it again and again until it resembled a small orange sun.
杨子藏感觉眼睛刺痛，他赶紧将视线调整至旁边的烛火上，将它放大再放大，仿佛一轮橘黄色的小太阳。
“I’ve been in some place lately, and now I’m in a bit of a situation. I was hoping you could help me out.”
“我这几天在一个地方，现在遇到了点情况，想麻烦你帮下忙。”
The sound of rippling water came through.
水波的哗哗声传来。
{What place? We all thought you disappeared. Asked Liang Xi that kid, but he can’t speak clearly either.}
{什么地方？我们都以为你消失了，问梁喜那小子，他也是个说不清话的主儿。}
A coarse, black-haired hand picked up a book from under the candlestick; its cover read Introduction to World Philosophy.
长着黑毛的粗手从烛台下拿起本书，封面上是《世界哲学入门》
“I…” As Yang Zicang opened his mouth, he felt a strong urge to blurt out the truth.
“我…”杨子藏一开口就感受到了强烈的想吐露真言的冲动。
Damn thing.
这该死的东西。