
第十四章:毒蛇之課
槍聲逐漸稀落。41Please respect copyright.PENANAIi6o1nkNnt
但這並不意味著安穩將至──反而代表,真正的清掃行動,正式開始。41Please respect copyright.PENANAQXAUbSssEg
比起早先那種激烈交火,如今在死寂中偶爾響起的槍聲,反倒更令人不寒而慄。41Please respect copyright.PENANAQyJJzr9jmg
每一聲槍響,都是一條生命的終結,一段抵抗的消聲。41Please respect copyright.PENANA9FNF4np309
恐怖分子逐層搜索,對校舍內殘存的師生展開系統性清除。41Please respect copyright.PENANA8yYa7z7Xra
他們以是否穿著制服來區分──該俘虜,還是當場處決。41Please respect copyright.PENANAathKbrwDLb
其中一間教室遭掃射後,一名恐怖分子走入確認現場,冷冷通報:「二班教室威脅解除,無俘虜對象。」41Please respect copyright.PENANAVqd4bvvVJS
任務完成,他正準備轉往下一處,卻發現掩護的同伴遲遲沒有回應。41Please respect copyright.PENANAMR1pFTPiXO
他剛想開口呼叫,冷冽白刃已無聲無息從背後割開他的咽喉。41Please respect copyright.PENANAtTREcKAwrz
他也被「清除」了。41Please respect copyright.PENANAiYGQFopl6o
來者既非恐怖分子,也非護衛或學生。41Please respect copyright.PENANAuEGkKLAqWB
是來無影去無蹤的第三勢力。41Please respect copyright.PENANABqC2TTetoZ
他們用飛針與吹箭將學生與護衛無聲制伏,甚至連一聲驚呼都未留下。41Please respect copyright.PENANArp5t0w6PxT
每一具被拖走的屍體,每一具昏迷倒地的身軀,都是他們存在過的痕跡。41Please respect copyright.PENANAVkePnTijCk
他們為某人鋪出一條無聲的道路──通往校舍大講堂的走道已被徹底清空。41Please respect copyright.PENANALtCwWwCIMw
而他,終於現身。41Please respect copyright.PENANADDHxeiCI4z
帝國暗部《灰蛇連環》的身影從陰影中浮現,齊齊單膝跪地。41Please respect copyright.PENANA7RVCyUdY4v
恭迎他們的主君──蛇王,雷門親王。雷門親王腳步輕緩地踏上染血的走廊,銀杖每一次觸地,都發出清脆聲響。41Please respect copyright.PENANAxzVOMuTUJL
取代先前的槍火與慘叫,如今唯有他的腳步聲主宰整片靜謐。41Please respect copyright.PENANArxJ88AuQMX
血腥早已褪去,地上的屍體被拖走,彷彿這裡從未發生過戰鬥。41Please respect copyright.PENANAD57Hpz2JfM
大講堂的大門,已進入蛇王的視線範圍。
─
「瑪利安貝爾姐姐……我好怕……」41Please respect copyright.PENANAZSq0VfIhE4
賽莉兒的聲音幾乎聽不見,像一縷即將斷裂的氣息。她蜷縮在瑪利安貝爾懷中,小小一團,彷彿任何聲響都會驚動外頭的殺意。41Please respect copyright.PENANApeHPUz5X3P
「我會保護妳──用我的一切。」41Please respect copyright.PENANAdBIv72O5Af
瑪利安貝爾緊緊摟住她,如母鳥護雛,不敢動彈。41Please respect copyright.PENANAPMTOV3OBKb
混亂爆發那刻,她們衝入校舍,在槍火中逃竄,數度死裡逃生,最終藏身於這座空盪的大講堂。41Please respect copyright.PENANAj5XNKlbXbl
此刻外頭死寂如墳場,只能靠零星槍聲判斷局勢。41Please respect copyright.PENANA2NBu28OoYN
先是交火密集如雷,如今卻只剩冷酷間斷的槍聲──而且愈來愈近。41Please respect copyright.PENANAUV27nrw31X
瑪利安貝爾咬唇低語:「這裡會被發現……只是時間問題。」41Please respect copyright.PENANARXxcbMImz7
她注意到,敵人是依制服辨認俘虜與否:穿制服者可利用,沒穿的──就地清除。41Please respect copyright.PENANAlxPM9bPMvI
「我是學生,又是皇女……他們不敢輕舉妄動。」41Please respect copyright.PENANAmIf6TZZCFo
但這價值只屬於她。41Please respect copyright.PENANAlaEU3Xxqkj
她低頭望向賽莉兒,那身平民衣裝毫無標誌。41Please respect copyright.PENANA2idq0525qi
「……妳不是學生。」41Please respect copyright.PENANAeF38yZtaDz
這句話她說不出口。因為她知道──在那些人眼中,賽莉兒只是「雜音」,沒有資格被留下。41Please respect copyright.PENANAwfeRlQcszz
只要門一開,她就必須做出選擇。41Please respect copyright.PENANAoa9q92TjXy
就在這時,槍聲停了。41Please respect copyright.PENANAC86Ue0rZbo
接著,是一串低沉規律的腳步聲,像倒數的鐘擺,每一步都伴隨銀杖敲地的脆響,節奏穩定,卻讓人發毛。41Please respect copyright.PENANAgKvLidyvlz
那聲音──熟悉而壓迫,不是安心的熟悉,而是一場預謀好的舞台演出。41Please respect copyright.PENANAYhYwhLbgge
瑪利安貝爾心頭一凜,不需確認──那是她的皇叔,雷門親王。41Please respect copyright.PENANAvV52ZlXBaj
門緩緩推開,古老門軸發出嘎吱聲,像連空間都抗拒來者的降臨。41Please respect copyright.PENANALluVBXYLXN
瑪利安貝爾屏住呼吸,深吸一口氣,強迫自己冷靜迎敵。41Please respect copyright.PENANAeTiszAlXWb
雷門親王如預期出現。41Please respect copyright.PENANAKt3uhqwdjm
他步步走上講台,銀杖敲擊木地板,聲音從容,每一下都像釘子敲入人心。41Please respect copyright.PENANAYbJpDT9CMU
臉上,是她最厭惡的笑──戲謔而支配,宛如毒蛇。41Please respect copyright.PENANAAUdSQSsIdb
他居高臨下掃視講堂,最後視線落在座席間的兩人身上。毒蛇,俯視獵物。41Please respect copyright.PENANAIdP1IWNQ5B
雷門親王緩步登上講台,目光俯視,蛇信般陰冷。41Please respect copyright.PENANAQBIcDa7dkO
「聰明如妳,不會還以為──我們是來救援的吧?」41Please respect copyright.PENANAEapEuWhSlc
瑪利安貝爾望向他,語氣冷冽。41Please respect copyright.PENANABiNr011m41
「你從不會在錯的時間,出現在錯的地方。」41Please respect copyright.PENANAk1qvy6J5UA
她語氣像判決,毫無疑問。41Please respect copyright.PENANAYGeJTTekMn
《灰蛇連環》與「人道救援」根本毫無交集,毒蛇只懂吞噬,從不守護。41Please respect copyright.PENANAqtQrkhmI1i
雷門親王微微一笑,似對她的洞察頗為欣賞。41Please respect copyright.PENANAAYFqAAiQhh
「這場皆殺之局……妳看穿多少?」41Please respect copyright.PENANAtZu7K3X2T4
瑪利安貝爾仰起頭,直視他。41Please respect copyright.PENANAvyk6mLcko5
「這場恐攻,是你促成的。」41Please respect copyright.PENANAYn85Cvhubm
「你沒親自下場,只是準備舞台,挑好演員,然後任他們盡情演出所謂的『革命』……而你真正的目的是──」41Please respect copyright.PENANAF9qjTB8isd
她話未說完,雷門親王已搶先揭牌。41Please respect copyright.PENANALZ58GgFZ6P
「那群人想叛亂,我不過是給他們資源與劇本,幫他們實現夢想。」41Please respect copyright.PENANAZZwGGD5DyR
他語調平靜,卻帶著毒意。41Please respect copyright.PENANAFNDSLhlvF6
「只是──我讓他們的所作所為,徹底污了他們自己喊的『大義』。」41Please respect copyright.PENANAe0LDPPkKe8
這不是失控,而是設計精密的陷阱。41Please respect copyright.PENANAk0SPS8v2R7
沒有正當性的暴行贏不了民心;41Please respect copyright.PENANATiCc3fhret
挾持學生、屠殺無辜,這些手段,只會讓帝國理直氣壯地「鎮壓叛亂」。41Please respect copyright.PENANAkNwywjR1rl
聽到這裡,瑪利安貝爾背脊發寒。41Please respect copyright.PENANA8rlcw3gUez
她知道,這場布局的獵物,不止那些叛軍。41Please respect copyright.PENANAMrffBRh2ak
她沒再回話,只是更緊地摟住懷中的賽莉兒。41Please respect copyright.PENANADUc7FOPEqK
雷門親王的視線微微一動,冷冽而緩慢地落向賽莉兒。41Please respect copyright.PENANAIGbl1Bbn9J
「上次與妳見面……還是妳出生那天的事了吧,阿爾迪海特。」41Please respect copyright.PENANAXQtvXeqtce
第一口毒牙,無聲地咬下。41Please respect copyright.PENANAk8IGwi4uXO
賽莉兒猛地一顫,眼中浮現錯愕與驚懼。41Please respect copyright.PENANAF7l42QFmsZ
「你、你怎麼會……知道這個名字?」41Please respect copyright.PENANADqTVS0rbbQ
那是她與漢斯約定,無論如何都不能洩漏的秘密──連她自己都不清楚其真正意義,只知道,那是絕對不能說出的名字。41Please respect copyright.PENANAvrL1NH0ZVV
可在這名為雷門的蛇王面前,這個祕密竟如此輕易地被揭穿。41Please respect copyright.PENANAPPcbOmYNDk
雷門親王繼續向前逼近,語氣輕柔,卻毒意更甚。41Please respect copyright.PENANAXN4sRrFWDu
「阿爾迪海特……不,應稱妳為──阿爾迪海特皇女。」41Please respect copyright.PENANAzZiEVLWmMx
第二口毒牙,直刺心臟。41Please respect copyright.PENANAO5S9luY86Z
「妳可知道,妳真正的哥哥──賽因皇子,正打算對帝國舉旗反叛?」41Please respect copyright.PENANAY3omcBtjeJ
他吐出的每一字,都像刻意擠出的毒液。41Please respect copyright.PENANAbhq7xYz4iy
賽莉兒臉色蒼白,身體幾乎支撐不住地顫抖起來,腦中亂作一團,完全無法理解這一切背後的真相與重量……但本能告訴她,這每一個字──都在摧毀她的世界。賽莉兒渾身顫抖,兩手緊抓住自己的臉頰,聲音破碎且混亂:41Please respect copyright.PENANAmsYrWulMiW
「叛亂……?賽因哥哥?不對,我的哥哥是亞利哥哥……我叫賽莉兒,不是什麼阿爾迪海特……」41Please respect copyright.PENANAsdomwBla8V
她的世界正在崩塌,記憶與現實撕扯交錯。41Please respect copyright.PENANAdwLUaDizUU
瀕臨錯亂的她像溺水者般掙扎,瑪利安貝爾只能緊緊將她摟進懷裡,彷彿那樣就能擋住一切惡意。41Please respect copyright.PENANArAWUGCGusw
但瑪利安貝爾此刻內心滿是懊悔──41Please respect copyright.PENANAwHznlDo8Ez
當初,她為了保住賽莉兒的性命,與雷門親王達成了那場屈辱的交易。41Please respect copyright.PENANAUpyVvgPSpj
她以為只要隱藏賽莉兒的真正身分,那孩子就毫無政治利用價值。41Please respect copyright.PENANAWj6dywsCc6
──錯了。錯得離譜。41Please respect copyright.PENANAzIe51BYPgy
這場交易的基礎從一開始就站在泥沼上。41Please respect copyright.PENANAafEClHizjc
因為,出現了一個名字:「賽因皇子」──叛亂的旗手,帝國的背叛者。41Please respect copyright.PENANAqdLsYUiHBc
而賽莉兒──不,阿爾迪海特──正是那位皇子的親妹妹。41Please respect copyright.PENANAe0EMftlCys
不需要正統性,不需要證據,只要這個身分被揭露,就足以成為權謀的籌碼與工具。41Please respect copyright.PENANAnNAfUdxslJ
那場所謂的交易,不過是雷門親王精心設下的語言陷阱。41Please respect copyright.PENANAQrg9VE6Mwo
她不是被強迫,而是被「誘導」著自願踏進死局。41Please respect copyright.PENANAfdVtsq7ONv
瑪利安貝爾眼眶發紅,卻死命咬住嘴唇,把所有情緒壓進咽喉。41Please respect copyright.PENANAzj3jzKPl57
終於,她低聲咒罵出從未想過會出口的字句:41Please respect copyright.PENANAaVjM0PjT5n
「你這條潛伏在帝國陰影中的毒蛇……你還有人性嗎?」41Please respect copyright.PENANAP6OS44scHg
雷門親王沒有動怒,反而微微一笑。41Please respect copyright.PENANAwwIf5PQYFo
他像是一位滿意學生反應的講師,輕扶講台邊緣,語調平穩、帶著說教口吻道:41Please respect copyright.PENANAyg6jIzeXPX
「權謀這堂課,從學會背叛開始。」隨著他的聲音落下,蛇王立於講台中央,蛇群無聲包圍四方──41Please respect copyright.PENANA8A8OOGLZhp
每一條出路,皆已封死。41Please respect copyright.PENANAOemmnwtyiB
──然而,預料之外的變數發生了。41Please respect copyright.PENANAw4W95klnBs
地鳴,突如其來。41Please respect copyright.PENANAFUghY09IiH
起初只是輕微的震動,屋樑晃動,人們還以為是遠處餘震所致;41Please respect copyright.PENANA58nyZJ4idb
但下一瞬,劇烈搖晃隨之而來,撼動整座講堂,讓所有僥倖心理瞬間崩解。41Please respect copyright.PENANAHglGmc5xAn
接著,爆光襲來。41Please respect copyright.PENANAwBlstdEkIl
彷彿天雷墜地,白芒刺破視野,令人下意識望向光源方向。41Please respect copyright.PENANA2mt8AkqiY5
緊接而來的,是狂風驟起──強風吹碎大講堂所有窗戶,鋒利玻璃宛如萬刃亂舞,席捲全場。41Please respect copyright.PENANAWs9osRzKHD
連訓練有素的《灰蛇連環》也被打亂陣型,一時間陣列崩潰。41Please respect copyright.PENANAP12eE2incY
「砰!」41Please respect copyright.PENANAw6v3dD7Hzd
雷門親王冷冷將銀杖重擊講台,回聲震盪室內,這才讓蛇群恢復紀律。41Please respect copyright.PENANAfZjsWNECUc
他的臉頰與肩頭被碎玻璃劃破,鮮血滑落,卻彷彿毫無所覺。41Please respect copyright.PENANAOyB4nV5VnH
他只凝視著那道光與風起之處──剛才異象爆發的方向。雷門親王眯起眼,低聲自語:41Please respect copyright.PENANANGs1wAehZU
「……那是什麼?」41Please respect copyright.PENANADgtbHWoOvX
沒有人回答。41Please respect copyright.PENANAziyEoUxQoa
因為那景象,已超出所有人的理解範疇。41Please respect copyright.PENANA4fGfgoP9A9
天地之間,竟被兩種極端色彩劃開──41Please respect copyright.PENANAnqyPHUzbdK
一側是白曜,耀眼如旭日破曉;41Please respect copyright.PENANALvJdmc0aUr
一側是漆黑,沉深如無光星夜。41Please respect copyright.PENANAqdodiZixdF
兩種色彩互不相讓,宛如雙龍糾纏,在天際翻騰,甚至撼動雲層本身。41Please respect copyright.PENANA0DxG9psU3F
雷門親王沉默許久,眼神深邃如潭,只是緩緩將這一幕銘刻心底。41Please respect copyright.PENANAqCderrM8ed
──就像世界本身,忽然低語般提醒他:41Please respect copyright.PENANAvy28z3Mbqc
你以為已掌握一切、看透眾生。41Please respect copyright.PENANAX53H8ScJlH
但真正的未知,才正要現身。
41Please respect copyright.PENANAErfdmkLPXe