The sound of heavy hooves faded down the muddy street. 沉重的马蹄声在泥泞的街道上渐渐消失.
Renn lifted his boot. The conscription parchment lay pressed deep into the wet dirt, the wax seal cracked into pieces. 雷恩抬起靴子.征兵羊皮纸深深地压在潮湿的泥土里,蜡封裂成了碎片.
Illia stepped out from the shadows of the warehouse. She looked down at the ruined paper, then up at Renn's iron mask. The smell of horse sweat and polished steel still hung in the damp air. 伊莉亚从仓库的阴影中走了出来.她低头看着那张被毁掉的纸,然后又抬头看着雷恩的铁面具.潮湿的空气中仍然弥漫着马汗和抛光钢铁的味道.
"They use mercenaries as meat shields," Illia said. Her voice was flat. "The Vanguard never puts their own paladins on the front line in the woods. They push the hired swords ahead to trigger the traps. It's a death sentence.""他们用雇佣兵作为肉盾,"伊利亚说.她的声音平淡. "先锋队从来不会把自己的圣骑士放在树林里的前线.他们把雇佣的剑推到前面来触发陷阱.这就是死刑."
"I know." "我知道."
Renn turned around and walked back to the wooden table. He picked up the heavy leather sheath and slid the Storm-Rot Cleaver into it. He strapped it tight across his back. 雷恩转身走回木桌旁.他拿起沉重的皮鞘,将风暴腐肉切刀滑入其中.他把它紧紧地绑在背上.
"If you know, why did you agree?" Illia adjusted her brown cloak. She gripped her wooden staff. "We have the bounty gold. We can leave through the south gate tonight. Disappear into the Free Cities.""既然知道,为什么还要同意?"伊莉亚整理了一下她的棕色斗篷.她握紧了木杖. "我们有赏金,今晚就可以从南门离开,消失在自由城邦里."
Renn stopped. He looked at the cracked wall where his new weapon had cut cleanly through solid stone. 雷恩停了下来.他看着那面开裂的墙壁,他的新武器干净利落地切开了坚固的石头.
"They want to hunt wolves," Renn said. The metallic distortion of his mask made the words vibrate. "They need a guide to find the dens. I'm going to give them a tour.""他们想猎狼,"雷恩说.他面具上的金属变形让他的话语颤抖起来. "他们需要一个向导来找到巢穴.我要带他们参观一下."
He didn't explain further. He didn't need to. He walked over to the pile of hay and picked up a heavy canvas supply bag. 他没有进一步解释.他不需要.他走到干草堆前,拿起一个沉重的帆布补给袋.
Illia watched him for a few seconds. She didn't ask any more questions. She reached into her robes, checked the small glass vial of crushed orange powder, and began packing her own gear. 伊莉亚看了他几秒钟.她没有再问任何问题.她把手伸进长袍,检查了装着碎橙色粉末的小玻璃瓶,然后开始收拾自己的装备.
Dawn broke cold and gray. 黎明破晓,寒冷而灰暗.
A thick layer of morning fog rolled off the jagged mountain peaks, settling heavily over the border town. The air smelled of wet wood smoke and impending rain. 一层厚厚的晨雾从锯齿状的山峰上滚下来,重重地落在边境小镇的上空.空气中弥漫着潮湿的木烟和即将下雨的味道.
The town square was chaotic. Twenty heavily armored paladins sat atop their massive gray warhorses. Squires ran back and forth, loading wooden crates of rations and holy water onto two reinforced supply carts. The local townsfolk stayed locked inside their homes, peeking through wooden shutters. 城镇广场一片混乱.二十名全副武装的圣骑士骑在巨大的灰色战马上.乡绅们来回奔跑,将装有口粮和圣水的木箱装到两辆加固补给车上.当地城镇居民把自己锁在家里,透过木制百叶窗往外看.
Renn walked into the square. Illia followed two steps behind him. 雷恩走进了广场.伊莉亚跟在他身后两步.
The heavy Obsidian-Weave Mantle dragged slightly against the damp cobblestones. The iron mask completely hid his face. He didn't carry a shield. Just the massive black hilt sticking out over his right shoulder. 沉重的黑曜石纹斗篷在潮湿的鹅卵石上轻轻拖曳.铁面具完全遮住了他的脸.他没有携带盾牌.只有巨大的黑色剑柄从他的右肩上伸出来.
Commander Vane sat on his horse at the front of the column. He wasn't wearing his helmet. His blond hair was perfectly combed despite the damp wind. His silver armor, etched with golden runes, caught the weak morning light. He looked down at Renn. 维恩指挥官骑在马上,坐在纵队的最前面.他没有戴头盔.尽管有潮湿的风,他的金发却梳理得很整齐.他的银色铠甲上刻着金色的符文,映照着微弱的晨光.他低头看着雷恩.
"Just the two of you?" Vane asked. He sounded annoyed. He pulled hard on his leather reins, making his warhorse step forward. "The conscription order demanded the Ash Claws mercenary company. Where are the rest of your men?""只有你们两个?"维恩问道.他听起来很生气.他用力拉动皮缰绳,让战马向前迈出一步. "征兵令要求灰爪佣兵连.你们剩下的人在哪里?"
"We are the Ash Claws," Renn said. He looked straight up at the Commander. "Numbers just make noise in the woods. Noise brings teeth.""我们是灰烬之爪,"雷恩说道.他抬头直视指挥官. "数字只会在树林里制造噪音.噪音会带来牙齿."
Vane narrowed his eyes. He looked at Illia. He saw the wooden staff and the cheap brown robes. He let out a short, dismissive breath. 维恩眯起眼睛.他看着伊莉亚.他看到了木杖和廉价的棕色长袍.他轻蔑地短促地吸了一口气.
"A brute and a hedge witch," Vane muttered. He raised his gauntleted hand. "Fine. You take point. Five paces ahead of the vanguard. If you lead us into a ravine, my archers will put an iron-tipped arrow through your knees before the fall kills you.""一个野蛮人,一个树篱女巫,"维恩嘀咕道.他举起了戴着手套的手. "好吧.你负责指挥.比先锋队领先五步.如果你把我们带进峡谷,我的弓箭手会在你摔死之前用铁头箭射穿你的膝盖."
Renn didn't argue. He turned his back to the Commander and walked toward the northern gates. 雷恩没有争辩.他背对指挥官,朝北门走去.
The Howling Woods started two miles past the town walls. 嚎叫森林始于距城墙两英里处.
The transition was violent. One moment they were walking on a flat dirt road. The next, massive, ancient pine trees shot up into the sky, their thick canopies completely blocking out the sun. The temperature dropped ten degrees instantly. The ground turned into a thick, spongy layer of dead brown pine needles and dark green moss. 转变是暴力的.一会儿他们正走在一条平坦的土路上.接下来,巨大的古松树冲天而起,厚厚的树冠完全遮住了阳光.温度瞬间下降了十度.地面变成了一层厚厚的海绵状枯死的棕色松针和深绿色的苔藓.
Renn breathed in. 雷恩吸了一口气.
The air here was different. It smelled of raw, untamed mana. It smelled of wet earth, crushed ferns, and old blood. 这里的空气不一样了.它散发着原始的,未驯服的法力的味道.闻起来有潮湿的泥土,压碎的蕨类植物和旧血的味道.
His bloodline reacted immediately. The Nightfall Demon Wolf core inside his chest pulsed. A low, rhythmic thumping against his ribs. The dense iron in his bones felt lighter. This was his territory. He knew these trees. He knew the hidden ravines. He grew up hunting in this exact stretch of the forest. 他的血脉立刻就做出了反应.胸口内的夜魔狼核心在跳动.一阵低沉,有节奏的重击声敲击着他的肋骨.他骨头里的浓铁感觉更轻了.这是他的领地.他认识这些树.他知道那些隐藏的峡谷.他是在这片森林里打猎长大的.
Behind him, the Vanguard was struggling. 在他身后,先锋队正在挣扎.
The warhorses hated the spongy ground. Their heavy iron shoes sank deep into the moss with every step. The overlapping steel plates of the paladins clanked loudly. They sounded like a marching forge. Every bird within a mile had already gone silent. 战马讨厌松软的地面.他们沉重的铁鞋每一步都深深地陷进苔藓里.圣骑士身上重叠的钢板发出叮当作响的声音.他们听起来就像是行进的铁匠铺.方圆一英里内的所有鸟儿都已经安静下来.
"Stop," Renn said. He held up a black-gloved hand. "停下来,"雷恩说.他举起一只戴着黑手套的手.
He crouched down near the massive, exposed root of an oak tree. 他在一棵暴露在外的巨大橡树根附近蹲下.
Vane rode up behind him. The Commander rested his hand on the hilt of his glowing silver broadsword. "What is it? Tracks?"维恩骑到他身后.指挥官将手放在发光的银色大剑的剑柄上. "这是什么?轨道?"
Renn touched the dirt. The mud was freshly turned. Deep gouges in the earth. Four distinct toe pads. But the spacing was wrong. Too wide. Too heavy. 雷恩触碰了泥土.泥土是新翻过的.地球上有很深的凿痕.四个不同的脚趾垫.但间距错了.太宽了.太重了.
"Not wolves," Renn said. He stood up. He looked into the dark brush to their right. "Something heavier.""不是狼,"雷恩说.他站了起来.他朝他们右边的黑暗灌木丛望去. "更重的东西."
"We are here for the Silver Moon pack," Vane ordered. "Ignore the local trash. Keep moving.""我们来这里是为了银月包,"维恩命令道. "不要理会当地的垃圾.继续前进."
Renn didn't move. He reached over his shoulder and gripped the hilt of the Storm-Rot Cleaver. 雷恩没有动.他把手伸过肩膀,握住了风暴腐肉切割刀的刀柄.
"Too late." "为时已晚."
The brush exploded. 刷子爆炸了.
A massive, gray-skinned beast tore through the thick ferns. It was the size of a small draft horse. A thick, bony ridge ran down its spine. Two curved, yellow tusks jutted out from its lower jaw. Saliva dripped from its mouth, sizzling as it hit the wet moss. 一只巨大的,灰色皮肤的野兽撕开了茂密的蕨类植物.它有小挽马那么大.一条粗壮的骨脊沿着它的脊椎延伸.两根弯曲的黄色獠牙从它的下颌伸出.唾液从它嘴里滴下来,落在湿漉漉的苔藓上,发出嘶嘶声.
Rank 2 Iron-Spine Boar. But something was wrong with it. Its eyes were completely black, leaking a foul, dark fluid. Corrupted. 等级 2 铁脊野猪.但事情有些不对劲.它的眼睛完全是黑色的,渗出恶臭的黑色液体.已损坏.
It didn't go for Renn. The beast bypassed the quiet mercenary and charged straight at the loudest thing in the area. Vane's warhorse. 这对雷恩来说并不顺利.巨兽绕过了安静的佣兵,径直冲向了周围最吵闹的东西.维恩的战马.
The impact was brutal. 影响是残酷的.
The boar's thick skull slammed into the horse's chest plate. Steel buckled. Bone snapped loudly. The warhorse screamed, a terrible, high-pitched sound, and collapsed sideways. 野猪厚重的头骨撞在了马的胸甲上.钢扣了.骨头大声说道.战马惨叫一声,发出可怕的高亢声音,侧身倒下.
Commander Vane was fast. He kicked his boots out of the stirrups right before the horse fell. He hit the moss and rolled, instantly drawing his broadsword. 维恩指挥官速度很快.就在马倒下之前,他把靴子从马镫上踢了出来.他撞到苔藓上,翻滚着,立刻拔出了大刀.
"Formation!" Vane roared. "阵法!"维恩咆哮道.
The paladins reacted. They didn't panic. They spurred their horses forward, forming a tight semi-circle around the fallen Commander. Three of them raised their heavy kite shields. Golden holy light flared from the metal, creating a linked barrier of pure mana. 圣骑士们这才反应过来.他们并不惊慌.他们催动马匹向前,在倒下的指挥官周围形成一个紧密的半圆.三人举起了沉重的风筝盾.金色的圣光从金属上迸发出来,形成了一道纯粹法力相连的屏障.
More brush rustled. Five more corrupted boars charged out of the tree line. 更多的刷子沙沙作响.又有五头腐化野猪冲出了林木线.
They slammed into the holy barrier. Sparks flew. The golden light sizzled against their rotting gray skin. The boars didn't care about the pain. They just kept ramming the shields, trying to tear the knights off their mounts. 他们撞向了神圣结界.火花四溅.金色的光芒在他们腐烂的灰色皮肤上发出嘶嘶声.野猪并不关心疼痛.他们只是不停地撞击盾牌,试图把骑士们从坐骑上撕下来.
Renn stood ten feet away. He watched. 雷恩站在十英尺外.他看着.
He didn't rush in to help. He analyzed their magic. The holy light was structured. Rigid. It relied purely on defense and attrition. Arthur's training methods. They hid behind shields until the enemy tired out, then struck with overwhelming numbers. 他并没有急着去帮忙.他分析了他们的魔法.圣光结构化.死板的.它纯粹依靠防御和消耗.亚瑟的训练方法.他们躲在盾牌后面,直到敌人疲惫不堪,然后以压倒性的数量发起进攻.
A sixth boar broke from the trees. It ignored the shining knights. It locked its dead black eyes on Illia, who was standing near the supply carts. 第六只野猪从树上冲了出来.它无视了那些闪耀的骑士.它用死一般的黑眼睛锁定了站在补给车附近的伊莉亚.
The beast dug its hooves into the dirt and charged her. 野兽把蹄子扎进泥土里,向她冲来.
Illia didn't run. She planted her boots. She raised her wooden staff. The tip began to glow with a blinding, concentrated white light. She was preparing a localized flare to blind it. 伊莉亚没有跑.她穿上了靴子.她举起木杖.尖端开始发出耀眼的集中白光.她正在准备一个局部照明弹来致盲它.
Renn stepped in between them. 雷恩走到他们中间.
He didn't use the *Abyssal Step*. He didn't want the knights to see his explosive speed yet. He just relied on the raw, mutated strength of his iron-dense leg bones. 他没有使用'深渊步'.他还不想让骑士们看到他爆发的速度.他只是依靠他铁质腿骨的原始变异力量.
He pushed off the ground, closing the distance in three quick strides. He drew the Storm-Rot Cleaver. The jagged black blade slid out of the leather sheath with a sharp hiss. 他从地上推起,快步拉近了三步.他拔出了风暴腐肉切割刀.锯齿状的黑色刀刃发出尖锐的嘶嘶声,从皮鞘中滑出.
The charging boar lowered its head, aiming its yellow tusks right at Renn's stomach. 冲锋的野猪低下头,用黄色獠牙对准了雷恩的腹部.
Renn didn't dodge. He planted his left foot heavily into the moss. He gripped the hilt with both hands. He swung the cleaver downward in a brutal, diagonal arc. 雷恩没有躲闪.他把左脚重重地踩进了苔藓里.他用双手握住剑柄.他以残酷的对角弧线向下挥动菜刀.
He didn't inject wind mana. He didn't fire a ranged crescent. He just used the physical blade. 他没有注入风系魔法.他没有发射远程新月弹.他只是使用了物理刀.
The black edge hit the boar's thick skull. 黑色的刀锋击中了野猪厚实的头骨.
The *Wind-Shear Weight* effect activated. The blade felt weightless in his hands, but the kinetic impact was terrifying. *风切变重量*效果激活.手中的剑感觉毫无重量,但动能冲击力却十分可怕.
The sword cleaved straight through the thick bone ridge. It didn't get stuck. The Abyssal rot embedded in the jagged steel instantly reacted to the living tissue. The dark purple smoke flared to life along the wound. 剑径直劈开厚厚的骨脊.它没有被卡住.嵌入锯齿状钢铁中的深渊腐烂物立即对活体组织做出反应.深紫色的烟雾沿着伤口燃烧起来.
The boar didn't even scream. 野猪连叫声都没有.
The rot instantly necrotized its brain. The massive beast's momentum carried it forward for another two feet before it completely collapsed into the mud. It slid to a halt, stopping inches from Renn's heavy boots. Thick, black, poisoned blood pooled out of its split skull. 腐烂物立即坏死了它的大脑.巨兽的冲力带着它又前进了两丈,才彻底的塌陷在泥水中.它停了下来,停在距离雷恩沉重的靴子几英寸远的地方.浓稠,黑色,有毒的血液从它裂开的头骨中流出.
Dead in one strike. 一击毙命.
The fight at the shield wall ended seconds later. Vane and his paladins thrust their glowing swords through the gaps in their shields, piercing the remaining boars' hearts and lungs. The holy magic burned the corruption from the inside out. 盾墙处的战斗几秒钟后就结束了.维恩和他的圣骑士们将发光的剑穿过盾牌的缝隙,刺穿了剩下的野猪的心和肺.神圣魔法从内到外燃烧着腐败.
Silence returned to the forest. Only the heavy breathing of the horses and the hiss of burning flesh remained. 森林里又恢复了寂静.只剩下马匹沉重的呼吸声和肉体燃烧的嘶嘶声.
Commander Vane stood up. He wiped boar blood off his silver breastplate. He looked past his knights. 维恩指挥官站了起来.他擦掉银色胸甲上的野猪血.他目光越过他的骑士们.
He stared at the dead boar at Renn's feet. He looked at the perfectly clean, blackened cut through its skull. Then he looked at the jagged black sword in Renn's hand. 他盯着雷恩脚下的死野猪.他看着它头骨上完全干净,发黑的伤口.然后他看向雷恩手中的锯齿黑剑.
Vane walked over. His boots squelched in the mud. He stopped three feet from Renn. 维恩走了过来.他的靴子踩在泥里发出嘎吱声.他在距离雷恩三英尺的地方停了下来.
"That is not normal steel, mercenary," Vane said. His eyes flicked to the faint, toxic green veins pulsing weakly along the flat of the black blade. He could feel the oppressive, dark mana radiating from it. The Holy light in his own sword dimmed slightly in its presence. "Where did you get a weapon laced with dark magic?""这不是普通的钢铁,雇佣兵,"维恩说.他的目光扫过黑色刀刃上那条微弱的,有毒的绿色静脉,微弱地脉动着.他能感觉到,那股压迫性的黑暗魔力,从它身上散发出来.自己剑上的圣光在其面前微微暗淡了一些. "你从哪里得到带有黑魔法的武器?"
Renn didn't back down. He casually rested the flat of the heavy blade against his shoulder. The obsidian scales on his coat scraped against the metal. 雷恩没有退缩.他随意地将重刀的平面靠在肩上.他外套上的黑曜石鳞片刮擦着金属.
"I pulled it out of a dead man in the Free Cities," Renn lied smoothly. The metallic voice of his mask betrayed no emotion. "It cuts deep. That's all you paid for.""我在自由城邦从一个死人身上拔出了它."雷恩流畅地撒了谎.他的面具中金属般的声音听不出任何情绪. "这很伤人.这就是你付出的一切."
Vane gripped his hilt tighter. The Church of Pure Blood despised anything related to the Abyss or dark mana. By their doctrine, they should execute Renn right here. 维恩握紧了剑柄.纯血教会鄙视一切与深渊,黑暗魔力有关的东西.根据他们的教条,他们应该在这里处决雷恩.
But they were deep in the Howling Woods. They had already lost one horse. They didn't know the terrain. 但他们身处嚎叫森林深处.他们已经失去了一匹马.他们不了解地形.
Vane let go of his sword. 维恩放开了剑.
"Keep that cursed thing away from my men," Vane warned. He turned back to his paladins. "Dismount the wounded horse. Put it out of its misery. Move the supplies to the other cart." "让那该死的东西远离我的手下,"维恩警告道.他转向他的圣骑士. "把受伤的马卸下来,让它摆脱痛苦.把补给品搬到另一辆马车上."
Renn watched Vane walk away. He slowly lowered the cleaver and wiped the small amount of blackened blood on the dead boar's hide. He slid the weapon back into its sheath. 雷恩看着维恩走开.他缓缓放下菜刀,擦去死野猪皮上的少量黑色血迹.他将武器滑回鞘中.
Illia stepped up beside him. She kept her voice barely above a whisper. 伊莉亚走到他身边.她的声音几乎不超过耳语.
"He's going to kill us the moment we find the wolf dens," she said. "一旦我们找到狼窝,他就会杀了我们,"她说.
"I know," Renn replied. He looked down at the dark, rotting blood soaking into the pine needles. "我知道,"雷恩回答道.他低头看着浸入松针的黑色腐烂的血液.
The forest was waking up. The smell of fresh slaughter would travel for miles. The corrupted boars were just the beginning. The real predators were already circling. 森林正在苏醒.新鲜屠宰的气味可以传出数英里.腐败的野猪只是一个开始.真正的掠食者已经在盘旋了.
Renn looked up into the dark canopy. 雷恩抬头看向黑暗的天篷.
"Let's go," Renn said loudly, making sure Vane heard him. He pointed his metal-clad finger deeper into the tree line. "The blood smell is going to bring the pack. We move now, or we bleed here." "我们走吧,"雷恩大声说道,确保维恩听到了他的声音.他将金属包覆的手指伸向林线深处. "血腥味会把狼群带过来.我们现在就走,不然我们就会流血在这里."
He didn't wait for the Commander's order. He stepped over the dead boar and walked into the shadows of the ancient pines.他没有等到指挥官的命令.他跨过死野猪,走进古松树荫中.