經過半刻的飛行,奧斯廷感覺快繞了星球一圈,途中經過了兩個聚落,然而沒有一個人聽過貓頭鷹這號人物。348Please respect copyright.PENANAzK3cNMCgBr
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既然"他喜歡自己住在另一個山坡",那總不可能在地下,應該是能在空中找到的,即使如此,奧斯廷也開始產生懷疑,那個老人知道他住在某個山坡,但是奧斯廷都轉附近好幾圈了,卻沒有看到蹤影。348Please respect copyright.PENANAx35TrKh39U
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「自己住在另一個山坡?」奧斯廷猜想也許這是個文字遊戲348Please respect copyright.PENANAvlgfaIjAvu
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奧斯廷嘗試尋找所有有關這顆星球的資料,有山坡特徵的地方不只有草原,也可能是一個零下三十四度的冰山。冰山? 聽起來完全不可能有住人,也就是最適合藏身的地方,於是奧斯廷出發向北邊。348Please respect copyright.PENANAWoiy41Zjt8
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找不到。348Please respect copyright.PENANAzaz35kv1H4
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他嘆了口氣,星球上唯一有草原地形與山坡的地方就是之前所在的地方,但怎麼就是找不到呢?348Please respect copyright.PENANAJ2MvcSXPC8
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以前的經驗是,遇到困難與問題時絕對不能放棄,奧斯廷當然明白這點,不過找貓頭鷹的過程麻煩又枯燥,幾乎快花光了他的耐心。348Please respect copyright.PENANAUExsyHw4lo
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究竟貓頭鷹是誰呢? 348Please respect copyright.PENANAy2ci00IsFQ
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代號,貓頭鷹,前聯邦科學團古文明學主任,專業領域包含軍事科技、古文明科技、生物科技、及其他幾乎所有的前端科技。同時他的血緣身分也是舊人類,不但參與傳送門與記憶儲存技術的發明,也是舊人類研究的負責人之一。他負責的計畫數量不下百件,其中也包括零號計畫。348Please respect copyright.PENANArqjWK0KT1V
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然而他怎麼會在某個不起眼的荒郊野外呢? 這並不全然是他的決定,而是他不想繼續參與新聯邦科學團,像他這樣重要的角色要退出科學團? Astral是不可能讓這種事發生的,所以他剩兩個選項,一,像零、夜文一樣被迫繼續待在科學團;二,自殺。348Please respect copyright.PENANAAn1Rvx29yC
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自殺的意思,是真正的死亡,聯邦會"停止"復活他的意識。348Please respect copyright.PENANALPZ3eTnqEU
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所以呢? 他選擇了自殺。348Please respect copyright.PENANARBWcgmErBb
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但,聯邦怎麼會想到,他早就在軸星系的某顆星球上以一己之力做出了簡易記憶儲存系統與復活裝置。聯邦甚至連他有復活都不知道,只收到一艘沒獲得許可的軸星系飛船飛出了星系的通知,當時正處於所謂的"復原時代",聯邦全力發展所有星球與經濟,這件事也就不了了之。348Please respect copyright.PENANAWNAbcr7kXi
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問題來了,奧斯廷怎麼會知道他位置呢?348Please respect copyright.PENANAgJnkY1GJZ3
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那位給奧斯廷提示的老人也有相同疑問,而那位老人也並不是普通民眾,只能說奧斯廷的運氣非常好。348Please respect copyright.PENANAKPoODoMr6i
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奧斯廷列出目前找到的所有聚落,他並沒有每家都造訪,畢竟那樣效率太低。接著,奧斯廷將所有聚落的位置分布在地圖上,將其與找到的一年前、五年前、六年前的聚落地圖比較。348Please respect copyright.PENANAe0Kxae0xKq
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「根本沒變...」奧斯廷幾乎失去鬥志348Please respect copyright.PENANAeQq2iW1oSP
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然而,他又在GN網上找到一篇非常舊的地圖,南邊不遠也有一片草原,與目前找到的GN網上的地圖不同,雖然有可能是因為地形變化,但奧斯廷依然選擇去一探究竟。348Please respect copyright.PENANA2BdZ9YTWkd
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果然,那邊是一片草原,且有許多山坡地形,奧斯廷高興了起來,快速飛越草原搜尋。348Please respect copyright.PENANAZ50SUI6y7r
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終於,繞完了草原,卻還是找不到...348Please respect copyright.PENANAFGPWDcEj7L
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此時,恆星已經在地平線上準備落下。幾分鐘後,恆星與奧斯廷的鬥志一同消失。348Please respect copyright.PENANAJc54oYifUm
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回到最一開始的聚落,此時天已經完全黑了,天空中有點點繁星與極其黯淡的銀河。348Please respect copyright.PENANAXT9kAuFO3R
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那艘運輸艦下來了幾個人搬著箱子,奧斯廷此時也在草原中落地,他走過去,發現,那居然是裝滿熱騰騰食物的箱子。走近一看,其實這些肉、穀物、不同加熱後的植物是被分裝在透明小盒中,看的他不自覺分泌唾液。348Please respect copyright.PENANAlyA9NiB4b2
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他才想起已經好幾刻沒吃東西的事實,跟著箱子走,最後來到了聚落中一家比較大的房子。裡面已經有許多居民在等待,搬箱子的人用GN網辨識每個人的臉並分發食物,空間內都是談笑聲與熱鬧的氣氛,只有奧斯廷帶著沒什麼情緒的臉。348Please respect copyright.PENANA16LuXr2EXF
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「你是客人? 要來買晚餐的嗎?」一個面帶微笑的少年說348Please respect copyright.PENANABMcb49rHZ5
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「喔,我...哦...可以買晚餐嗎?」奧斯廷被嚇到說不清楚話348Please respect copyright.PENANAEoQ4zjJ79e
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「當然嘍! 一整份餐只要10GC喔」少年熱情的答到348Please respect copyright.PENANA0Zpz1NfXB7
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「那...一份」奧斯廷用GN網傳給眼前的少年10GC348Please respect copyright.PENANAofCxhxYxnW
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「一般來說是要把錢付給組織,不過沒關係,我幫你付給他們」少年說348Please respect copyright.PENANAPuRm32VFhr
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奧斯廷感覺醜態百出,只能拿了食物到山頂沒人的地方吃起來。348Please respect copyright.PENANAnNv6pAxCsm
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這樣的一餐沒有特別美味,但對奧斯廷來說已經非常滿足了。他為剛才的熱鬧氣氛感到驚訝,感覺格格不入,同時也對這些居民的日常生活感到好奇。348Please respect copyright.PENANAjQag6XhFpS
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剛才那位熱情的年輕人讓奧斯廷想起很久以前的自己,在加入聯邦奧斯廷曾就當過外送員,當時也是對世界充滿好奇且開心,也不知道聯邦在做什麼。然而逐漸了解世界的政府與深入了解許多科學理論後,不知為何就失去了這種感覺。348Please respect copyright.PENANA2csNXfOhxc
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這是他長久以來,第一次感受到,溫度。348Please respect copyright.PENANAa2HFKax9Mu