陽劃落在水平線的盡頭,河水被染成燦爛的橘紅色,在運河的中心可看見一隻正趕著回程的小木舟,河邊本寥寥可數的釣客也已經消失得無影無蹤,入夜後的邊境並沒有以前那般太平。281Please respect copyright.PENANAaKCacfo4tM
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在運河的盡頭,有一碼頭,約三百年前已包在運河工程中落成了,幾十年前又翻新過一次,本是西方不死族之出入口商品集散之地。只是要到西方去,途經死亡山脈,外圍的官道窄小,氣候多變,來往的商人集合成一支商隊,一起來回,相互照應,走一趟就是數月,今日離商隊歸來尚有一月,沒有買賣做,也就沒甚麼人來,只有一隻商船泊着,商鋪也沒有營業。281Please respect copyright.PENANAeYBuUFY41g
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出了碼頭,向西直走數里,已是關口。關口城牆連着一片山壁,關口以西即非人界。281Please respect copyright.PENANAwhWX7OAh1j
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兩個匆匆趕路的身影,走到了關口前。281Please respect copyright.PENANAZ9qzTIMKGj
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梓喬拿出了通關文牒,向渡口的守衛出示。281Please respect copyright.PENANAt2pjaQqoOv
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「是!請過。」281Please respect copyright.PENANApDE2DAKuLJ
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守衛看到了文牒後,馬上以一個恭敬的姿勢讓出一條路給他們通往,文牒上有軍方、騎士學院和魔法學院的印章,這二人可是大有來頭。281Please respect copyright.PENANAtPoioYN2MA
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「謝謝。」梓喬收回文牒,兩人正要從關口中過去,守衛卻叫住了他們。281Please respect copyright.PENANAimWAg3gY1s
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「只是…就算你們是魔導士和騎士,晚上出關都有些太危險了。」281Please respect copyright.PENANA2p9qWxVv6l
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「為甚麼?」逸天疑惑地問道。281Please respect copyright.PENANAjNqjdYTgn2
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「野獸兩位想必不用怕,但石像鬼就不一樣了。它們本來棲息於西方盡頭的死亡山脈,近來卻反常地在這邊獵食,它們會在晚上活動,乘人不備,從天上抓住獵物,刺穿他們的筋骨,讓它們失去行動能力,然後再把它們帶回自己的巢穴和同伴一起享用。由於他們的移動速度很快而且數量也很多,所以鮮有獵物能逃過他們的追殺。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAZxBqtEz99q
281Please respect copyright.PENANAf923VCWRE1
侍衛同時拉起衣袖,露出一條由手腕延伸至手肘的深黑色疤痕,他數月前被石像鬼抓傷過,還好那次的石像鬼落了單,被守衛群起而攻殺死了。281Please respect copyright.PENANADXXzbORJ9m
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「嗯…那的確是很有威脅的存在…」281Please respect copyright.PENANAS2XxNGP0IR
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逸天低聲咕噥道,右手也有點不安地抓了抓背上的劍柄。281Please respect copyright.PENANAtMyQy52zYC
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「如果不介意的話,兩位要不要先在我們這裏留宿一晚?早上石像鬼不敢出來。」281Please respect copyright.PENANA6uR07h3K5K
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出於擔心,守衛向逸天他們發出了邀請。281Please respect copyright.PENANAOHSQTalOuj
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「嗯,我倒是沒問題…」281Please respect copyright.PENANAnndxma3OEs
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逸天望向梓喬,眼神裏尋求著她的同意,想必是未成熟的劍技讓他退縮了吧。281Please respect copyright.PENANA5PCMshBQPz
然而,梓喬卻說了出乎逸天意料的決定。281Please respect copyright.PENANARjPRemUAbx
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「不,我們要繼續趕路。」梓喬也不約而同地撫着魔杖,但卻得出相反的結論。281Please respect copyright.PENANAgUF3oRAKnr
聽到梓喬的決定,逸天不禁嘆了口氣。281Please respect copyright.PENANAwZ46OBWuwI
281Please respect copyright.PENANAvVxjnqnHFG
「為什麽啊?我們根本沒必要晚上去那麽冒險啊?」281Please respect copyright.PENANARUtbFQdHGw
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「石像鬼不是問題,消滅斥候要緊。」梓喬的回應卻顯得十分嚴肅。281Please respect copyright.PENANAMdA3xLNoI3
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「可是…」281Please respect copyright.PENANAnweAjDvvoH
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「趁現在還有時間趕快走吧。」281Please respect copyright.PENANATCZbsV5gv1
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接著梓喬走向了一旁的馬殿。281Please respect copyright.PENANAQNNFQryeMx
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「侍衛,我們需要馬匹為我們趕路。」剛才兩人乘船順運河而下,關口離山脈尚有數十里,要是不借助馬匹,天黑前就到不了山脈,然而守衛聞言卻臉色一變。281Please respect copyright.PENANAAuv2JFxa6F
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「大...大人!首先,我們西方邊境的資金向來…不是很充足…」281Please respect copyright.PENANAqU55N1ufgp
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「所以連兩匹馬也沒有嗎?」281Please respect copyright.PENANAL1Yv3PbWq1
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「對…對對!不是我們不借…只是我們的馬匹已經有不少無故失蹤了…」281Please respect copyright.PENANA05PLd9R0nI
281Please respect copyright.PENANAx5YDpVYxuw
「我瞧你胡說八道也有個限度吧,馬兒好端端的怎麼會失蹤了呢?我看是你們偷偷煮來吃了。」梓喬也是隨口說說罷了,邊防重地的馬匹都是報信的快馬和戰馬,他們又豈敢私自煮來吃,只是聽說馬匹無故失蹤,心中甚疑。281Please respect copyright.PENANA5Xy8i2sYti
281Please respect copyright.PENANAqwKotelfDg
「我們怎麼敢!大人有所不知了,我們西邊邊境最近經常發生怪事,先是附近小鎮的居民會無故失蹤,接馬殿里的馬匹也是一樣,可能是石像鬼已經越過了關口,開始向東蔓延了。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAkiLMZ56IaY
281Please respect copyright.PENANApD1GAI1uKD
「難道是不死族的斥侯?」281Please respect copyright.PENANAt1sRUnnlvC
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逸天自剛才守衛解釋時已經緊皺眉頭沉思著什麼,聽到這裡又忽然若有所思地問道。281Please respect copyright.PENANA3vR0pwOZ2S
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「不…不死族?唉,石像鬼還不夠嗎?」281Please respect copyright.PENANAtmmF1mZ6ru
281Please respect copyright.PENANAScINMYok6D
「守衛,讓我們離開吧,我們奉皇室和學院的密令,去殲滅附近不死族的斥候。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAgOg68RKSxu
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「何逸天!這不能說!」281Please respect copyright.PENANADMaIkq5368
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只見守衛的臉色一陣鐵青,但隨即又回復了正常。281Please respect copyright.PENANATbQYVC9XR2
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「大人,老實說是不是又要打仗了,反正我們這種守邊境關卡的士兵都是微不足道的小棋子,你們就做個好心告訴了我,好讓我和家中老母見個最後一面。」281Please respect copyright.PENANALIwv88itSS
看來他在邊境見識過各種凶獸,自知總有一天要死於非命,不死族來犯是死,石像鬼來犯也是死,反正都是死,也就看開了。281Please respect copyright.PENANAtXgnDwRgPe
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只見梓喬好沒氣地說道:「所以你讓我們現在去殲滅它們還來得及,快點去備馬!」281Please respect copyright.PENANAGzpYrxSAsb
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「是的,我這就去為兩位備馬。」281Please respect copyright.PENANATn5AxNLK95
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守衛小跑着走開了,直到守衛消失於馬殿之中,梓喬才無奈地歎了口氣。281Please respect copyright.PENANAnqhCGKNYyG
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「你是白癡嗎!你怎麼能把密令的內容說出來!」281Please respect copyright.PENANARi4uut752p
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「抱歉。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAkIFOvB4eLY
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「你這人真是,就正正因為內容和不死族有關才要秘密授命。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAcTBHuBKSCx
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「為什麼?」281Please respect copyright.PENANAr7qmGrEI1L
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梓喬不安地咬了咬嘴唇。281Please respect copyright.PENANAsx3sm2HPVz
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「不死族身體異於常人,力氣巨大,普通守衛根本不是它們的對手。而且聽說他們嗜血成性,見人就殺,消息傳開了人民會陷入恐慌,這是第一。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAufriKh43DN
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「對不起,是我一時心急了,還有呢?」281Please respect copyright.PENANAiuzGzkDx8U
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「始終人類和不死族之間,暫時還沒到正式開戰的時侯,名義上他們是友邦,我們的行動不宜張揚。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAofnbIpDMPj
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這時守衛從馬殿里牽著一匹棕毛黑鬃馬,走了出來。281Please respect copyright.PENANAOr2BTp9atD
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「我們馬匹實在不多了,用來報信的快馬太少了,實在不能借出,兩位使者大人就將就一下,兩人乘一馬吧。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAyuhui8wbEr
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兩人茫然相視半响,梓喬才無奈地搖了搖頭。281Please respect copyright.PENANAZllN1K40wc
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守衛見她搖頭,忙道:「這馬雖然不快,但平常馱慣了重物,耐力長久,就是兩人共一騎也沒問題。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAHdYxJHU26E
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「好吧,你抱著我坐後面。」281Please respect copyright.PENANAZa5ZOpzD0s
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逸天在現實世界,居於城市之內,鮮少有機會騎馬,而梓喬早一年到這裡生活,騎馬出行可說是家常便飯了。281Please respect copyright.PENANA41ZYu7Du8W
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這樣也好,免得那傢伙不會騎馬丟醜。281Please respect copyright.PENANAuidzoUfIGT
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梓喬輕輕一踏馬蹬,跨上馬背,逸天見狀也依樣葫蘆地以有些生疏笨拙的動作跨了上去。281Please respect copyright.PENANA4o9vv0JLaq
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「守衛,我們後會有期!」281Please respect copyright.PENANAxwz9XnZFvN
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不待他回應,梓喬輕拍馬身,兩人一馬已迅速順著小路奔向起伏不平的小路,消失在夜色之中。281Please respect copyright.PENANAuPUQdXRy4b
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眼見遠去的兩人,侍衛又望向了身邊的一個小土坑,他的夥伴在那裡站了十多年站出來的,領着微薄的薪水,守着國家的門戶,雨打風吹也不離不棄,他絕對是一個好守衛。281Please respect copyright.PENANA4FX7iZoocZ
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但在石像鬼面前,他也不過是有待玩弄的一塊鮮肉,最多上面多了點鐵渣子罷了。上次他們能殺死石像鬼就是因爲牠顧着玩弄他同伴的屍體,侍衛只能在心中暗暗為這兩人一馬祝福。281Please respect copyright.PENANABLejFVLG2v
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兩人向死亡山脈的方向跑去,一路上的景色也開始變得詭異,原本茂密又高大的草叢漸漸變得稀疏,最後只剩下幾條枯萎的乾草,再向前就是一片赤地了;偶爾經過的動物體積也越來越大,而且身上散發着惶恐的氣息,如果不是他們在石像鬼面前稍有抗衡之力,現在已經化為白骨了。281Please respect copyright.PENANAAjVbkIm5eV
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兩人沒有往回走,也沒有說話,反而越走越快,直往山脈而去。281Please respect copyright.PENANAQjy4lHubf8
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霧氣開始環繞兩人,說明二人己到了山脈外圍,兩人隨即下馬,但由於大霧視線受阻,無法視清五米以外的情況,叫兩人寸步難行。281Please respect copyright.PENANAD6DHkothiC