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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7cTQHIB2CA
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEGNV7h0ru
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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJIEJl4c6al
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCtkkZlydJ
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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwS6yMu1dQH
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELN5HHFBqv
兩個匆匆趕路的身影，走到了關口前。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoE6nSPiGa6
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIngIMRdXYH
梓喬拿出了通關文牒，向渡口的守衛出示。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xsvQytvBb
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLcxCMY3Mk
「是！請過。」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOe6UDlU58o
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiCbyCypPz
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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PrDg4l6fj
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyG7LHRCCv
「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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ111qMcSSdT
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwpXkbki3f
「只是…就算你們是魔導士和騎士，晚上出關都有些太危險了。」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvbFMeNkh6F
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuqx07Z3hx
「為甚麼？」逸天疑惑地問道。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvntjWCnTEc
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeed2UMDlcG
「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。」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8xp57Dyy9h
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zJ8Xa5Fa1
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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNexqsYt3Gt
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Fo7lRjfR2
「嗯…那的確是很有威脅的存在…」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGl9f6xMAi
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zW6VVxQhR
逸天低聲咕噥道，右手也有點不安地抓了抓背上的劍柄。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwID9MOu0bX
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPNr9SUMie
「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。」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmluqHhzT0
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vymvuApVx
出於擔心，守衛向逸天他們發出了邀請。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07dTUJgMdD
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvImxg6yCm
「嗯，我倒是沒問題…」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrCCmY6iQij
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqC7FERSFY
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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2OpQDfETN
然而，梓喬卻說了出乎逸天意料的決定。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYheDLesgct
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6iPHF5hys
「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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvPeiat2mr
聽到梓喬的決定，逸天不禁嘆了口氣。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEkOYnju8M
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXrYJi0ImuE
「為什麽啊？我們根本沒必要晚上去那麽冒險啊？」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE0hN0PvUEp
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemIY6L7RfI
「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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77Kbe8aalq
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRQt7cpi9j
「可是…」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfEd0qdnn8
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mNIOMiSLN
「趁現在還有時間趕快走吧。」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYDR6q0VN4
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUiJeGZWSS
接著梓喬走向了一旁的馬殿。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpw88to5Fz
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYIb6T2RMN
「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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiW6f8eVJQJ
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1p0q7RiRx8
「大...大人！首先，我們西方邊境的資金向來…不是很充足…」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgOWhDozCU
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMiPSCQXKz
「所以連兩匹馬也沒有嗎?」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1LtX1uUum
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4HW3QPkwv
「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…」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZTL9CG0qw
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡha4Stq0Kf9
「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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNQOzZts4P
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEOqHvqzUL
「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。」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcaAp87eRHx
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQg8VKhXBx
「難道是不死族的斥侯？」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjbQkuQVOi
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWewO1bnLzB
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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjTZWid6OWf
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHi7ALL6BGA
「不…不死族？唉，石像鬼還不夠嗎?」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwrH6pNnBc
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXn9aW5XYI
「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。」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKVw5tpnl5
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNYyLPqt1B
「何逸天！這不能說！」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYoNunpfE1a
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfSr2OQvPr
只見守衛的臉色一陣鐵青，但隨即又回復了正常。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWz8QRMpZkX
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNR2rV2soBQ
「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。」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6L0s0LnfnJ
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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFg0U5GfcK
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Cj0LVk0ZZ
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！」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEx2QNeL25
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxfSNlySmAJ
「是的，我這就去為兩位備馬。」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFV7nOwTYGF
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUL7Me84MhN
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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgilVmPdri
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡed05cmMGnr
「你是白癡嗎！你怎麼能把密令的內容說出來！」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcgcY382aT
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNtXpzpDXq
「抱歉。」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9q3FdOyHXf
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0GpU6xs5E
「你這人真是，就正正因為內容和不死族有關才要秘密授命。」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSPz3FMuRq
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fXM5y6Voz
「為什麼？」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAG75Lmvjjy
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhy5IGsC06i
梓喬不安地咬了咬嘴唇。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuuQ0rskKdN
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4zwFfBEvE
「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。」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZd8PXUv67l
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXkOnnvppJe
「對不起，是我一時心急了，還有呢？」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAY9qf3Hltz
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ090KBI1fPu
「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。」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKGOD6a16V
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6PoaHQA1NT
這時守衛從馬殿里牽著一匹棕毛黑鬃馬，走了出來。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTMYwrlj81
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8HXJPpOqM
「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。」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW3KV54FTfL
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMeEKepVAY
兩人茫然相視半响，梓喬才無奈地搖了搖頭。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuzSCPO3aS
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAylywNr25l
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。」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6XBROr6JR
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirOy0Bi8bj
「好吧，你抱著我坐後面。」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTJM3qme0b
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQGeUH3lLd
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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FfFu0Rbt0
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OGlbsY7au
這樣也好，免得那傢伙不會騎馬丟醜。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2sMnLJIzsW
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWYIEI87J9
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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KdG9seXer
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC91rppFQNm
「守衛，我們後會有期！」449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoI3semMCIQ
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcURiKIgye
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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAora7iNmZn
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHd3TVdzQOu
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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2Hk8yrWNm
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVmJ57IqDW
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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJhyTYHZ0H
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBBwhDLMWe
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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbJeCERV6R
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNC3y0ZM6J4
兩人沒有往回走，也沒有說話，反而越走越快，直往山脈而去。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWbttMBDye
449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEtZfgmN1k
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。449Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIb2ic0Abzc
