第一百四十五章 跟踪
{Right, Captain Xuelin, this assignment is such a sweet deal for us. Each person gets fifty years of Time Sequence every day, plus free incense pills. I sold two for three hundred years—feels pretty great.}
{对啊学林队长，咱们这次外派真是好赚啊，每人每天都有五十年时序，还有免费香丸领，我两个卖了三百年，美滋滋耶。}
As Yuan Xuelin and the others chatted, Li Zhinan suddenly felt a chill wind brush past him.
袁学林几人聊天的同时，李智南忽然感觉一阵凉风刮过。
The insects in the air were flung away by this abrupt gust, crashing onto the vines hanging from the branches. The group watching through the bugs in the distance felt their heads spin.
空气中的小虫都被这道突然出现的气浪掀飞，撞到垂下树枝的藤蔓上。远处通过虫子看着这一幕的几人顿时觉得一阵天旋地转。
{Quiet, something’s up.}
{安静，有情况。}
Li Zhinan by the bushes gave a sudden jerk. He looked back suspiciously at the leaves rustling without any wind, then quickly tightened his belt.
灌木丛边的李智南猛地一抖，他疑惑回头看了眼无风自动的叶子，赶紧系紧了皮带。
Wiping the cold sweat on his forehead, Li Zhinan glanced at the faintly glowing crimson tree stem in his hand. Seeing no other anomalies around, he finally relaxed.
李智南摸了摸头上出现的虚汗，又看了眼手中的一节冒着莹莹红光的树茎后，见周围并无其它异相，才放心下来。
“Ah, just scaring myself.”
“唉，自己吓自己。”
Yet he inexplicably felt the surrounding atmosphere was growing eerier.
不过他莫名感觉，周围气氛似乎有点更为阴凉。
As the figure approached, a phantom silhouette of a person emerged in the darkness above him, suspended in the air near the mountain peak.
随着这人影的靠近，黑暗中，山巅附近的空中浮现出道人形幻影。
He looked down like a deity, his gaze radiating an oblivious indifference that conquered all.
他如神灵般注视着下方，眼神中散发着披靡一切的漠然。
At that moment, in his eyes, Li Zhinan was encased in a resilient layer of energy, like flowers blooming and continuously expanding outward in ripples.
此刻在其眼中，李智南周身被一道坚韧的能量层所覆盖，犹如一朵朵不断盛开后呈波纹扩散的鲜花。
This was not only due to the organs of Wang Chaoyang implanted in Li Zhinan, but also because of the energy contained in the moist, lustrous wood he carried, which enhanced Li Zhinan’s abilities.
这不光是因为李智南体内所更换的王朝光的器官，还因他手上所抱着的这色泽濡润的木头所蕴含的能量，让李智南的能力得到增强。
Wherever he passed, even the maddened beasts softened their gaze upon encountering him and ceased their attacks.
所过之处，就连疯狂的野兽遇见，目光也变得柔和，不再攻击自己。
{This piece of wood is truly a treasure.}
{这节木头真是宝物。}
The voice of the bandages echoed in his mind, making Li Zhinan’s body and mind tremble slightly.
心灵中，绷带的声音传来，让李智南身心微颤。
The same words resonated within the invisible train beside Li Zhinan, where Luo Bin, eyeing what he held, was practically drooling, “This is a treasure! So this is what an A-level cross-space is like—there are plenty of good things here!”
同样的话，也在李智南身旁隐形的列车中响起，看着他所握东西的洛宾嘴角都快流出口水了，“这是宝物啊！原来这就是A级交错空间，好东西可真不少！”
……
……
Inside the tunnel at the base of the mountain, vines quivered and spread apart, revealing a concealed passage.
山底隧洞内，藤蔓抖动扩散，露出隐匿其中的通道。
{You’re here.}
{你来了。}
Li Zhinan, bearing Wang Chaoyang’s appearance, raised the stem in his hand, which continuously emitted energy waves, resonant with the plant blocking the entire passage ahead.
顶着王朝光面容的李智南举起手中的茎块，不断散发出能量波纹，与前方那堵住整个通道的植物不断相呼应。
“It has amassed fifty thousand time sequences inside.”
“它里面已集齐五万时序。”
The trunk of the massive vine-like tree trembled, revealing a human face that said:
大树般的藤蔓主干颤动，露出人脸道：
{Good, with this, I can leave here and head beyond the mountain.}
{很好，有了它已经能让我离开这里，去到山外了。}
Quickly, the vines skittered across the surrounding walls, and two smaller tendrils curled down to wrap around it.
嗖嗖，藤蔓在四周墙壁上窜动，两道小藤蔓衍生下来，将它裹住。
{Human, you’ve done me a great favor. Rest assured, I will grant you secret techniques for human cultivation as agreed.}
{人类，你帮了我大忙。放心，我会按照约定赐予你可以供人类修行的秘技。}
On the train, Luo Bin whispered excitedly to Yang Zicang, “So this is where secret techniques come from! I wonder what kind of secret technique this place will yield!”
列车中，洛宾大喜的小声对杨子藏激动道：“原来这就是秘技的由来，真不知道这里出现的秘技会是什么！”
“Keep it down. We can’t let it get this piece of wood. With fifty thousand years of elapsed time, its power will definitely skyrocket.”
“安静点，我们不能让它获得这截木头，它得到五万年时序实力肯定会暴涨。”
“Shouldn’t we at least wait until it hands over the secret technique?”
“至少得等秘技交出来再说吧？”
At that moment, the bandage’s voice rang out in Li Zhinan’s mind:
此刻李智南的心中也响起了绷带的声音：
{Ask it what the secret technique is—does it involve spiritual or mental abilities?}
{问它秘技是什么，是不是精神或念能力相关？}
Li Zhinan didn’t dare hesitate for a moment and immediately looked up at the large face on the tree trunk, saying:
李智南不敢迟疑半分，立即抬头看着树干上的大脸道：
“Excuse me, is the secret technique related to spiritual or mental abilities?”
“请问，秘技是精神或念能力相关的吗？”
A slow, deep voice responded:
沉缓的声音响起：
{Of course not. My secret technique allows you to consume the Five Elements or Primordial Star Energy… Oh, most people in the world now probably don’t have that yet. Perhaps consuming life force would also work—it can quickly speed up the growth of plants.}
{当然不是。我的秘技，可以让你消耗五行元素或星元…哦，现在世界的大多数人都还没有星元对吧。或许消耗生命力也可以，能快速催熟植物。}
A small sphere of light appeared in the air.
一道小光团出现在空中。
{Primordial Star Energy…}
{星元…}
The spirit inside the sphere muttered as it recorded with a pen on crumpled paper.
光团内的精灵嘀咕着将笔在皱巴巴的纸张上记录着。
“It’s plant-ripening.” Yang Zicang felt a stir of interest in his heart.
“居然是催熟植物。”杨子藏心中一动。
Both Yuan Xuelin’s group, who were watching closely from the sidelines, and the intelligence room officials in Hub Town, who suddenly saw this scene through the little reporter’s perspective, secretly sighed. Plant-ripening was a highly prized skill in the Lost Frequency Zone.
不论是盯着这里的袁学林一行，还是靠小记者视角突然看到这画面的枢纽镇情报室之人，都心中暗叹，催熟植物这在失频之地是很珍贵的技能。
If learned, trees could sprout rapidly on stable land plots, providing timber and firewood.
要是学会，那些稳定好的地块上就能快速长出树木提供木料与柴火。
With ample firewood during winter in the future, many fewer people would freeze to death in the Lost Frequency Zone, let alone the advantage of easier food acquisition.
以后的冬天，有充足柴火的失频之地会少冻死很多人，更别说食物的获取了。
But for a lone wanderer like the bandaged doctor or Wuying, its value is not enough to make one abandon items related to mental and psychic abilities.
但对绷带医生以及无影这种独行客来说，它的价值还不足以让人放弃精神与念能力相关的物品。
After hearing the inner voice continue to direct him, Li Zhinan suppressed his longing for the secret skill and said,
听到内心的声音继续指挥后，李智南压下对秘技的渴望，道：
“Excuse me, what else is above this mountain? Is the spiritual object that covers such a vast area behind this passage?”
“请问，这座山的上面还有什么，覆盖这么大范围的精神相关物件，是在这条通道之后吗？”
{You can only choose one. If you obtain my secret skill, my mission will be complete. The items above will be claimed by me.}
{只能选择一个。你获得我的秘技，我的使命便完成。上面的物品将由我获得。}
An item!
物品！
Everyone watching here was stirred at once—so it really is an item!
关注这里的人心中齐齐一动，真的是个物品！
Li Zhinan suddenly looked down beside him, sensing a tremor in the air just now. Wuying, who was nearly pressed against him, hurriedly kept still. His earlier excitement had made him swing his arms in a big fist pump, almost giving him away.
李智南忽地低头看向身旁，他感觉空气中刚才似乎有什么晃动了下。几乎与这人紧贴的无影赶紧保持安静站立姿态。刚刚自己只是因为激动而做出了大幅度的手臂握拳摆动动作，就差点让人发现。
In the train, Luo Bin, having melted into the air, whispered excitedly to Yang Zicang, “Remember our deal—this treasure is mine.”
列车中，隐入空气的洛宾轻声对杨子藏兴奋道，“说好的，这宝物归我。”
Yang Zicang turned his face away and said, “We’ll see.”
杨子藏将脸撇过去，“再看吧。”
“Damn it, you better not back out.”
“靠，你可不准反悔。”
Outside, Li Zhinan had already made his choice.
外面的李智楠已经做好选择了。
{Are you sure you want to give up such a secret skill? In our world, it’s rare too. With it in your grasp, without effort, you could grow trees with decades of maturity in just one month. Without a hundred years, you could become the master of the forest.}
{你真的要放弃这样的秘技？在我们世界，这也不可多得，有它在手。不需就能掌控一月间培育出数十年树龄的树木。不需百年你就能成为森林之主。}
Of course, he wanted it.
自己当然想。
Li Zhinan let out a self-deprecating chuckle. “No need, I want what’s above.”
李智南自嘲的一笑，“不用了，我想要上面的东西。”
{Alright. Since I’m about to gain freedom, go ahead and take whatever you wish. Just give me the tree core.}
{好，反正我即将获得自由，你想去取，就去吧，将树核给我。}
The wooden block wrapped in vines gradually sprouted countless tiny golden jade-tree-like branches, brimming with spiritual aura, transforming into a golden sword of light composed of branches, coiled around by a hanging vine!
被藤蔓包裹的木块逐渐长出无数稀碎的金色玉树般的枝丫，充满灵性气息，它幻化为一道树枝构成的金色光剑，被一道垂下的藤蔓所卷住！
Yang Zicang, who was about to act, immediately stilled again.
刚要有所行动的杨子藏顿时再次安静下来。
“What do we do?” Luo Bin glanced at him.
“怎么办？”洛宾看了他一眼。
“Wait a little longer.”
“再等等。”
After saying this, Yang Zicang suddenly felt his hands were drenched in sweat.
杨子藏说完，忽然感觉手心全是汗。
……
……
The strange vine outside the car spoke in human tongue, raising its sword and said:
车外怪藤口吐人言的举剑道：
{I will now cleave open the illusionary barrier for you. With the incense master escorting you, you can ascend easily. The second layer holds remnants of a puppet weapon corps from ancient humans—you’ll need to watch out. Moreover, the treasure at the very top is already under the control of a soul, so it counts as claimed.}
{我这就为你劈开幻境屏障，有香主为你护航，你能轻松上去。第二层里面有曾经人类留下的械傀兵团的残留，你需要注意下。而且，最顶层那宝物已有一道灵魂在控制它，所以那宝物已算是有主之物。}
It laughed and continued:
它笑了声继续道：
{Anyway, if you die, the treasure still falls to me. Step aside.}
{反正你若死了，那宝物依旧归我所有，让开点。}
The golden strange sword flickered with a dim crimson phantom, an unsettling sight that hinted at countless epochs of passage.
金色怪剑闪烁起暗沉的红色虚影，看得人头皮发麻，不知携带多少万年时序。
The long sword came down!
长剑斩下！
{Break!}
{破！}
Suddenly, the surrounding tunnel twisted like a watercolor painting soaked and deformed.
忽然周围隧道一片扭曲，如同水墨画被沁湿变形。
At that moment, within dozens of kilometers, all those still “treasure hunting” in the mountains at night felt a collective easing of their mental pressure.
这一刻，整个几十公里范围内，所有在夜间还在山中“寻宝”的人都感觉精神上的压力齐齐减轻。
This spreading power seemed to be quickly gathering to resist something.
这份弥漫开的力量似乎在快速聚拢抵挡着什么。
So much so that even people in the marketplace sensed the sharp aura suddenly erupting from the mountain.
乃至于集市中的人都感受到了自山中所突然冒出荡开的锐利气息。
“What’s happening?”
“发生了什么？”
They instinctively looked up toward the third mountain from north to south on the left. It suddenly twisted, as if intangible energy were distorting the light around it.
他们不由自主抬头，看向自北向南左边第三座高山。它整个突然扭曲起来，仿佛被无形能量搅动光线。
“Such formidable power.”
“好强横的力量。”
“Someone entered that mountain for treasure?!”
“有人进去那座山取宝了？！”
The crowd marveled. In the dim light, the mountain seemed on the verge of turning to dust and smoke, as if it could dissipate at any moment! Amid it all, a sharp golden aura shot straight into the sky, as if about to burst through the mountain and cut down everything.
众人惊叹，在暗沉光线中的山峦似乎快要化为烟尘，随时都有消散的可能！其中那道金锐气息直刺苍穹，似要破山而出，斩尽一切。
Deep within the tunnel, at the same instant that this sword strike landed, the phantom figure that had stood atop the mountain suddenly appeared there.
隧道深处，在这一剑砍下的同时，那道矗立山巅的幻象人影突然出现于此。
The figure radiated a wild, violent aura. The moment its eyes flickered, Li Zhinan erupted into frantic screams.
人影浑身散发狂暴气息，双目一闪，便李智南疯狂大吼起来。
Li Zhinan felt as if the bandaged doctor stood before him, aiming a blazing-hot scalpel at his Adam’s apple. The knife, burning like charcoal fire, kept thrusting in.
李智南仿佛瞧见绷带医生站在身前，用充满烈焰的手术刀对准自己的喉节，炭火灼烧般的刀不断刺入。
In reality, his own hand rose to rest on his throat.
现实中，他自己的手抬起放在自己的喉咙上。
“Ah!”
“啊！”
Li Zhinan suddenly felt that the searing scalpel before him ignited his entire body. The agony of real fire clung to his mind, stabbing into his nerves.
李智南突然觉得自己周身被眼前灼热的手术刀引燃，真实灼烧的痛苦萦绕着自己的精神，刺痛着神经。
He grabbed his own neck tightly with both hands.
他双手紧紧掐着自己脖子。
But in less than two seconds, the tendrils of flowers around him burst into bloom. The scorching pain quickly faded, as if it were merely a slap landing on him.
但不到两秒，周身花蔓疯狂绽放，灼热痛感迅速消减，仿佛这只是一个落在身上的巴掌。
The vines writhed wildly.
藤蔓疯狂卷动。
The golden broadsword hurtled toward the phantom.
金色长剑冲着幻影撞击而去。
{I have lifted the suppression. How dare you lowly, thieving soul show yourself.}
{我已解除镇压，你这窃宝的低劣灵魂还敢显身。}
Boom, boom!
轰轰！
Like a sword striking the heavens and earth, a massive hole directly exploded open within the mountain’s interior.
仿佛开天辟地的一剑，山体内部直接炸开个大洞。
Golden phantom flames sprouted along the walls of the hole, growing plant-like withered branches tinged with red, wildly extending like roaring, curling waves surging forward.
金色虚焰沿着洞壁长出金中带红的植物枯枝，疯狂延展如咆哮海浪卷曲向前。
The flickering phantom stumbled back several times before stabilizing. The fierce gale carried by this sword strike severed one of its arms; while it quickly regrew, it became much fainter.
幻影连续闪动后退了几下，才稳定下来。这一剑携带的劲风将幻影一只手臂斩断，虽然它快速长出，但淡薄了不少。
{Stop. There’s no need for us to fight; he can come up.}
{停。我们没必要争斗，他可以上来。}
“Admitting defeat just like that?” Watching all this, Yang Zicang and Luo Bin felt a chill—if that sword had landed on them, they’d undoubtedly be reduced to ashes in an instant.
“这就认输了？”看着这一切的杨子藏和洛宾有点发怵，这一剑如果落在自己身上，肯定是两人直接变成灰灰。
{You brainless, dense creature—you only realize the impossibility of your actions after a hard blow. Hmph, my sword is still superior.}
{你这种没头没脑的蠢物，非要硬给你来一着，才晓得事不可为。哼，还是我的剑厉害点。}
After the vine mocked him, it retreated in a sinuous motion, revealing the large hole.
藤蔓将它讥讽之后，不断游走缩回，露出大洞。
{Go in, but beware what’s above. Given your strength… hmph, I advise you not to dwindle your remaining lifespan needlessly. As long as you let me have that treasure, the secret arts still belong to you.}
{进去吧，小心上面的东西，以你的实力…哼，我劝你寿命不多就尽早返回，只要将那宝物让给我，秘技依旧属于你。}
Li Zhinan entered through the tunnel, panting heavily.
李智南喘息着隧道进入。
He had no choice; behind him, that madman sought only the treasure.
自己可没得选，背后那疯子只要宝物。