焰浪之潮 Burning Tides

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鼠镇，屠宰码头。臭气熏天，真是名副其实。

The Rat Town slaughter docks; they smell as bad as their name suggests.

此刻，我就躲在码头上一个阴暗的角落里，呼吸着腐烂的海蛇尸体散发的血腥恶臭。

And yet here I am, hidden in the shadows, breathing the blood-and-bile stink of butchered sea serpents.

几个铁钩帮的喽啰拖着脚步从不远处经过，我拉低帽檐，退后一步，缩到了阴影深处。

I melt deeper into the darkness, pulling the brim of my hat down low over my face as heavily armed members of the Jagged Hooks stalk by.

这些家伙出了名地残暴，杀人为乐，冷酷刻薄。公平较量的话，我只有投降的份儿；可我的原则里根本没有公平较量这回事儿。而且我也不是来打架的。起码这次不是。

They’ve got a reputation for savagery, these boys. In a fair fight, they might take me down, but I’m not big on playing fair, and I’m not here to fight. Not this time.

那么，在这块比尔吉沃特臭名昭著的禁地，有什么值得我冒这么大风险呢？钱咯。

So what brings me here, to one of the foulest districts in Bilgewater?

不然呢？

Money. What else?

这是一场豪赌，风险奇高，可是赏金的数目也实在是——反正我没法拒绝。此外，我已经踩过点了，要是没有充分的把握，疯子才敢接下这单活儿。

It was a gamble, taking on this job, but the payout is big enough that I couldn’t pass it up. And besides, I cased this place to stack the deck in my favor.

我无意久留，只想干脆利落地解决此事。一旦得手，天亮之前我就能带着酬劳远走高飞。顺利的话，当他们发现“东西”不见时，我已经在去瓦罗兰大陆的半道儿上了。

I don’t intend to linger. I want to be in and out as quickly and as quietly as possible. Once the job’s done, I aim to collect my payment and be gone before dawn. All goes well, I’ll be halfway to Valoran before anyone knows the damn thing’s missing.

几个巡逻的帮众拐了个弯，逛到了大屠宰棚背后。在他们转回来之前，我有两分钟时间，绰绰有余。

The thugs turn the corner of the massive slaughter shed. Means I’ve got two minutes until they swing back around - plenty of time.

月亮沉入浓云，阴影捂住整个码头。巨大的板条箱随意地堆砌在港口各处，成为潜行的绝佳掩护。

The silver moon slides behind a bank of clouds, covering the wharf in shadow. Crates from the day’s work are scattered across the dock. It makes for easy cover.

主仓库的屋顶上有几个拎着手弩的人影，应该是夜哨。但他们正敞着嗓门聊天，动静大得跟骂街一样。我就算是浑身挂满铃铛一路跑过去，这些蠢材也听不见。

I see lookouts on top of the main warehouse, silhouettes standing watch, crossbows in hand. They’re gossiping loudly like fishwives. I could be wearing bells and these idiots still wouldn’t hear me.

因为他们觉得没有任何一个脑子正常的人敢到这儿来找茬。

They think no one would be fool enough to come here.

一具浮肿的尸体被人用巨型鱼钩挂在桅杆上，在海面上吹来的午夜和风中微微晃动，明目张胆地警告着外来者。这群粗人。

A bloated corpse hangs overhead, a warning for all to see. It spins slowly in the midnight breeze coming off the harbor. It’s an ugly sight. A huge hook, the type used to catch devilfish, holds the body aloft.

我小心地越过地上蜿蜒着的生锈铁链，从一对塔吊的夹缝间穿过去。平日里工人们用它们把硕大的海怪吊进屠宰车间里。那种无处不在的恶臭就是从这片地方飘出去的。事了之后，我得从头到脚置办一身新衣裳。

Stepping over rusted chains lying limp upon wet stone, I pass between a pair of towering cranes. They’re used to haul giant sea creatures into the slaughter sheds for butchering. It’s those looming factories that are the source of the gods-awful stench that permeates everything here. I’m gonna need to buy myself a new set of clothes once this is over.

远在水流浑浊的码头之外，成排的帆船静卧在海湾里，船上的灯笼随着波浪轻缓地摇动。其中一只挂着黑帆的战舰，硕大无朋，仿佛海兽隆起的脊背。我知道那是谁的座驾——在比尔吉沃特，没有人不知道。

Across the bay, past the chum-churned waters of the slaughter docks, scores of ships lie at anchor, their lanterns swaying gently. One of the vessels draws my eye; a massive, black-sailed war galleon. I know whose ship that is. Everyone in Bilgewater knows.

我停下脚步，花了点时间平复心情——我就要向这个岛上最强横的人发起挑战了。就像往死神脸上甩耳光一样，我激动得全身颤栗起来。

I take a moment to gloat. I’m about to steal from the most powerful man in town. There’s always a certain thrill that comes from spitting in death’s eye.

如我所料，铁沟帮跟那些贵妇人一样，把大门当成牌坊一样紧守着。每个入口外都有守卫，门窗紧闭，重重上锁。对于其他人来说，想进去根本是痴人说梦——但我可不是其他人。

As expected, the main warehouse is locked up tighter than a noblewoman’s virtue. Guards posted at every entrance. Doors locked and barred. For anyone other than me, it would be impossible to break into.

我一头钻进了仓库对面的小巷，发现是条死胡同，而且有点太亮了。如果巡逻的人这时候经过，他们一眼就能看见我。要是不巧落到他们手里，我唯一的奢望就是能给个痛快。但是，他们更可能会把我带到那个人面前……那是比死亡可怕百倍的漫长折磨。

I duck into a blind alley opposite the warehouse. It’s a dead end, and it’s not as dark as I’d have liked. If I’m still here when the patrol comes back, they will see me. And if they get ahold of me, the best I can hope for is a quick death. More likely, I’ll be taken to him... and that would be a far more painful, drawn out way to go.

所以，变戏法的诀窍从来都是——别穿帮。

The trick, as always, is not to get caught.

拐角传来了脚步声，巡逻的打手回来得早了点。留给我的时间不多，也许就几秒。一张纸牌从袖子里弹进手中，在我的指间轻快地来回翻转。这门手艺已经练得跟呼吸一样自然。这一步很轻松，但接下来就得悠着点儿了。

Then I hear them. The bruisers are returning early. I have seconds, at best. I snap a card from my sleeve and weave it through my fingers; it’s as natural as breathing. This is the easy part, the rest can’t be rushed.

随着纸牌渐渐亮起，我也放开思绪，任由自己的精神飘离。无数影像开始浮现在我的眼前，巨大的压迫感随之而来，几乎要把我摁倒在地。我半闭着眼，集中起精神，在层层叠叠的画面里找到了我的目的地。

I let my mind drift as the card starts to glow. Pressure builds around me, and I’m nearly overcome with the promise of everywhere. Half-closing my eyes, I focus, and picture where I need to be.

一股熟悉的躁动一下子顶到心口。身形晃动，一片狂乱的光影扑面即逝。我站在了仓库里。

Then, there’s the familiar lurch in the guts as I shift. A displacement of air, and I’m inside the warehouse. Gone with barely a trace.

啧，玩得不错。

Damn, I’m good.

也许，某个打手此时会往那条巷子里望上一眼，然后注意到一张缓缓飘落的卡片。当然，更可能完全视而不见。

One of the Jagged Hooks outside might glance up the alley and notice a single playing card falling to the ground, but probably not.

我有点头晕，站了一小会儿才恢复过来。几缕微弱的光线透过墙上的裂缝漏进来，我的眼睛逐渐适应了昏暗。

It takes a moment for me to get my bearings. Dim light from the lanterns outside creeps in through the cracks in the walls. My eyes adjust.

眼前堆满了从十二海域搜刮而来的珍奇，高不见顶：荧荧发光的盔甲、异国的艺术品、华贵耀眼的绸缎……样样值钱，但都不是我来这儿的目的。

The warehouse is crowded, stacked high with treasures from all over the Twelve Seas: gleaming suits of armor, exotic works of art, shining silks. All things of considerable value, but not what I’m here for.

我看向大门附近的卸货区，因为刚运来的东西通常都放在那儿附近。我漫不经心地走过去，手指随意地划过各种纸盒与板条箱……直到指间摸到了一个小小的木头匣子，某种力量正在不断地透射出来。就是这个。

My attention is drawn to the loading doors at the front of the warehouse, where I know I’ll find the most recent arrivals. I run my fingertips across the various cartons and crates... until I come to a small, wooden box. I can feel the power emanating from within. This is what I’m here for.

我卸开盒盖，战利品跳进了眼帘：黑色的天鹅绒底座上，躺着一把铸造精美的匕首。

I unlatch the lid.

我伸出手。

My prize is revealed; a knife of exquisite design, lying upon a bed of black velvet. I reach for it—

咔噔——

Chh-chunk.

我僵在原地。这个声音，我绝对不会听错。

I freeze. There’s no mistaking that sound.

还没等他开口，我就已经知道身后站着的是谁。

Before he even speaks, I know who’s standing behind me in the darkness.

“崔斯特。好久不见。”

“T.F.,” says Graves. “It’s been a long time.”

没错，格雷福斯。

我已经在这里站了好几个小时。

I’ve been here for hours. Some folks might get bored standing still this long, but I’ve got my anger to keep me company. I ain’t leaving this spot until I settle the score.

换了别人早就受不了了，但我不同，因为有怒火作伴。这笔旧账，今天必须得算清楚。

Long after midnight, the snake finally shows. He suddenly appears in the warehouse, using that same old magic trick. I prime my shotgun, ready to turn him inside out. After years spent looking for that treacherous son of a bitch here he is, dead to rights at the end of Destiny’s barrels.

深夜即将过去，那个滑头鬼终于来了。他毫无征兆地出现在仓库里，又是那套老把戏。我端起枪，随时准备打爆他的脑袋。这么多年了，这个狗杂种终于落在了我手里。人赃并获，在“命运”的枪口下无处可逃。

“T.F.,” I say. “It’s been a long time.”

“崔斯特。好久不见。”

I had better words ready for this moment. Funny how they all went out the window as soon as I saw him.

我原本准备了更好的开场白，但当他真的出现时，那些话全都飞到了九霄云外。

But T.F.? His face shows nothing. No fear, no regret, no hint of surprise. Not even while facing down a loaded gun. Gods damn him.

而崔斯特转过身来，面色如常。毫无恐惧，也毫无歉意，连一丝惊讶都没有。即使面前抵着一把枪，他仍然不为所动。天杀的家伙。

“Malcolm, how long have you been standing there?” he asks, the smile in his voice enrages me.

“马尔科姆，你在这站了多久？”他的讥笑令人气得牙根发痒。

I take aim. I can pull the trigger and leave him deader than sea scum.

我抬起枪口瞄准，恨不得立刻扣下扳机，把他那张扑克脸打成烂肉。

I should.

早该如此。

Not yet, though. I need to hear him say it. “Why’d you do it?” I ask, knowing full well he’ll just come back with something clever.

但还不行，我必须得听到他的忏悔。

“Is the gun really necessary? I thought we were friends.”

“为什么？”我问出口的瞬间就知道，他肯定已经编好了一个完美的借口。

Friends. The bastard’s mocking me. Now I want to tear his smug head off – but I’ve got to keep my cool.

“何必举着枪呢？老朋友见面，不至于吧。”

“You’re looking as dapper as ever,” he says.

老朋友？这个自命不凡的王八蛋又在嘲笑我。我现在只想把他的脑袋拧下来——但我控制住了自己。

I look down at the devilfish bites on my clothes. I had to swim to get past the guards. Ever since he got a little money, T.F.’s been a stickler for appearance. I can’t wait to mess him up. But first, I want answers.

“你看起来跟以前一样潇洒。”他打量了我一下，说道。

“Tell me why you left me to take the fall, or they’ll be pickin’ bits of your pretty face out of the rafters.” This is how you’ve got to be with T.F. Give him room, and he’ll pull your strings ‘til you don’t know which end’s your ass.

我低头看看身上的衣服被魔鬼鱼咬穿的洞眼——为了避开守卫，我是游水过来的。而崔斯特，哪怕他只有几个铜板，也要打扮得人模狗样的。我等不及要把他轰成一堆烂肉了，但首先，他欠我一个解释。

His slipperiness came in handy when we were partners.

“告诉我，为什么当时你自己跑了，否则你那张帅脸就要碎得满地都是了。”跟崔斯特打交道，你就得来硬的。否则他就会得寸进尺，耍得你团团乱转。

“Ten damn years in the Locker! Know what that does to a man?”

以前我们还是搭档的时候，他这种油滑倒是挺实用的。

He doesn’t. For once, he’s got nothing cute to say. He knows he did me wrong.

“整整十年！在牢里！你知道那种感觉吗？！”我问。

“They did things to me that would’ve driven most men mad. All that kept me from breaking was my anger. And thinking about this moment, right here.”

他不知道。有生以来头一次，崔斯特说不出什么漂亮话来——他知道自己错了。

Then comes the clever reply: “Sounds like I kept you alive. Maybe you should thank me.”

“那些狗东西折磨我的手段，能把所有人都逼疯。但我没有，因为愤怒让人保持清醒。还有就是，我一直想着这一刻，此时，此地。”

That one gets me. I’m so mad, I can barely see. He’s trying to goad me. Then, when I’m blind with rage, he’ll do his little disappearing act. I take a breath and leave the bait alone. He’s surprised I ain’t biting. This time, I’m getting answers.

漂亮话来了：“这么一说，全靠我你才挺了过来。你该感谢我才对。”

“How much did they pay you to sell me out?” I growl.

这句话把我彻底惹毛了。我气得眼前发黑——这就是他的手段，等我真的被愤怒冲昏头脑时，他就会再次施展那套逃脱的伎俩。我深吸一口气，又一次压住了开枪的冲动。他有些惊讶，我居然没上钩。而现在，我离答案已经很近了。

T.F. stands there, smiling, just trying to buy some time.

“他们给了你多少，让你出卖我？”我沉着嗓子吼起来。

“Malcolm, I’ll be happy to have this conversation with you, but this really isn’t a good time or place.”

崔斯特安静了一小会儿，脸上带着微笑。他在争取时间。

Almost too late, I notice the card dancing through his fingers. I snap out of it and squeeze the trigger.

“马尔科姆，能和你聊天非常愉快，但这次的时间和地方都不太合适。”

BLAM.

就在一瞬间，我发现，在他指间多了一张纸牌，正在上下翻飞。我想都没想，猛地扣下扳机。

His card’s gone. Almost took his damn hand off, too.

咚！

“Idiot!” he barks. I finally made him lose his cool. “You just woke up the whole damned island! Y’know whose place this is?”

纸牌变成了碎屑，差一点儿还有他那只不老实的手。

I don’t care.

“蠢材！”他狂叫起来——我很高兴能看到他歇斯底里的样子。“你把所有人都招来了！你知道这狗屎地方是谁的地盘吗？！”

I ready a second shot. I barely see his hands move, then cards explode all around me. I fire back, not sure if I want him dead or just almost dead.

我在乎这个？

Before I can find him again in the smoke, fury, and splintering wood, a door gets kicked open.

我刚要补上一枪，眼角却注意到他的手好像又动了一下。突然，无数纸牌在我的视野里炸开。我开枪一顿乱射，懒得再管他的死活。

A dozen thugs come roaring in, just to add to the damn mess.

一时间，满屋子都是吼叫、脚步声、硝烟和飞溅的木屑。一片混乱中，我好不容易才找着崔斯特，仓库的门就被人踹开了。

“So, do you really want to do this?” T.F. asks, ready to throw another fistful of cards at me.

十几个铁钩帮众咋咋呼呼地涌进来，加入了混乱的战斗。

I nod, and hold my gun steady on him.

“你是不是来真的？”崔斯特问，同时手里捏着一把纸牌，随时准备甩过来。我点了一下头，擎着枪，稳稳地瞄着他。

It’s time to settle up.

来算总账吧。

转眼之间，一塌糊涂。

Things get ugly. Fast.

铁钩帮源源不断地挤进这个破仓库，但马尔科姆完全不予理会。他只是盯着我。

The whole damned warehouse is crawling with Jagged Hooks, but Malcolm couldn’t care less. I’m all he’s interested in.

我感到他又要开枪，于是急忙侧身躲开。接着就是一声震耳欲聋的枪击，把一个木头箱子轰上了天——再慢半秒，上天的就是我的脑袋。

I sense Graves’s next shot coming and turn away. The boom of his gun is deafening. A box explodes where I’d been a fraction of a second earlier.

我现在才敢确定，这位老搭档是铁了心的要我死。

I do believe my old partner is trying to kill me.

我翻着跟斗滚过一堆猛犸象牙，同时反手向他甩出三张纸牌。还没等牌飞到，我就藏在了掩体后面，开始计划脱身。只需要几秒钟就好。

Somersaulting over a stack of mammoth ivory, I whip a trio of cards in his direction. Before they hit home, I’m already ducking into cover, looking for an out. I only need a few seconds.

他破口大骂，但我的纸牌根本奈何不了他，最多拖延一小会儿而已。他是个很扛揍的大块头，而且脑子一根筋，根本不懂得什么叫适可而止。

He curses loudly, but the cards won’t do more than slow him down. He’s always been a tough bastard. Stubborn, too. Never knows when to let things go.

“你跑不了的，崔斯特，”他咆哮着，“绝对不可能。”

“You ain’t gettin’ away, T.F,” he growls. “Not this time.”

看来他一点儿都没变呐。

Yep, that trait’s still riding him hard.

可惜他又错了。我崔斯特哪一次失手过？但他现在被复仇冲昏了头脑，哪里听得进去。

He’s wrong, though — as usual. I’ll be taking my leave as soon as possible. There’s no use talking to him when he’s out for blood.

又是一枪，弹片擦过一套昂贵无比的德玛西亚盔甲上，嵌进了墙壁和地面。我左冲右突，在掩体之间迂回前进，曲折往复。他紧盯着我不放，嘴里骂骂咧咧，手里的火枪响个不停。对于他这么大的块头儿来说，我差点儿都忘了他的身手有多么灵便。

Another blast, and shrapnel ricochets off a priceless suit of Demacian armor, embedding into the walls and floor. I dart left and right, weaving and feinting, sprinting from cover to cover. He sticks with me, roaring his threats and accusations, his shotgun barking in his hands. Graves moves fast for a big man. I’d almost forgotten that.

但他不是我唯一的麻烦。这个傻老粗又打又叫，都不知道自己捅了多大个马蜂窝。现在屋子里全是铁钩帮的人，而这回他们学乖了，留了几个人一直守在大门那边。

He’s not my only problem. The damned fool’s stirred up a hornet’s nest with all his shooting and hollering. The Jagged Hooks are all over us, but they’re smart enough to leave some men barring the main doors.

我得赶紧跑路。但是，得先把我的东西拿到手。

I have to get gone — but I’m not leaving without what I came for.

我领着格雷福斯在仓库里绕了一大圈，比他快一步回到刚开始的位置。几个喽啰挡在我和那把匕首之间，还有人在围过来。不能再拖了。手里的纸牌发出红光，我瞄着大门中心奋力甩出去。正中目标。纸牌崩开了门上的铰链，把附近的守卫也炸得七零八落。我大步跑起来。

I’ve led Graves on a merry dance around the warehouse, and I arrive back where we started a moment before he does. There are Hooks between me and my prize, and more coming, but there’s no time to wait. The card in my hand glows red, and I hurl it dead center of the warehouse doors. The detonation blows them off their hinges and scatters the Hooks. I move in.

一个家伙恢复得比想象中快，他爬起来，举着短柄斧就往我脸上挥过来。我一矮身让过去，踢了他的膝盖窝一脚，同时往他同伙们的脸上又扔出去一把牌。

One of them recovers faster than I expect, and he swings at me with a hatchet. I sway around the blow and kick out his knee, hurling another spread of cards at his friends to keep them honest.

路障清除。我抄起那把匕首，勾在皮带上。好事多磨，看来我的报酬是能落袋了。

My path clear, I swipe the ornate dagger I’ve been hired to steal, hooking it onto my belt. After all this trouble, might as well get paid.

敞开的仓库门在召唤我，但铁钩帮的人还在不停地冲进来，把这里围得水泄不通。这里已经乱得跟疯人院一样。我瞅个空子，往一个没人的角落低头跑过去。

The gaping loading doors beckon, but there are too many damned Hooks piling in. There’s no way out there, so I make for the only quiet corner left in this madhouse.

纸牌在我手心开始翩然舞动，消失的戏法就要来了。格雷福斯却突然出现在我身后，像一头有狂犬病的熊。“命运”在他的手里跳动，把一个铁钩喽啰打成了碎块。

A card is dancing in my hand as I prepare to shift, but as I start to drift away, Graves appears, stalking me like a rabid bear. Destiny bucks in his grip, and a Jagged Hook is shot to tatters.

他的眼光被我手里发光的纸牌吸引了。他知道这是什么东西，于是举起还在冒烟的枪口指着我。我垂下双手——戏法变不成了。

Graves’s glare is drawn to the card glowing in my hand. He knows what it means, and swings the smoking barrels of his gun at me. I’m forced to move, interrupting my concentration.

“跑不了一世的。”他粗着嗓子说道。

“Can’t run forever,” he bellows after me.

有生以来头一次，他终于没那么蠢了。他不会再给我任何机会。

For once, he’s not stupid. He’s not giving me the time I need.

被铁钩帮抓住的恐惧开始爬上我的心头。他们的老大可不是因为仁慈而出名的。

He’s keeping me off my game, and the thought of being taken down by these Hooks is starting to weigh on me. Their boss is not known for his mercy.

我满脑子都是各种可怕的念头在嗡嗡乱叫，但一个想法开始变得越来越响亮：我被人算计了。一单无端出现的“容易”差事；一笔巨额的报酬，刚好在我急需用钱的时候；噢还有，多巧啊，我的老朋友恰好就站在那儿等了我一夜。

Among the dozen other thoughts rattling around my head is the nagging feeling that I’ve been set up. I’m thrown an easy job out of nowhere, a big score just when I need it most - and surprise, there’s my old partner standing there waiting for me. Someone a lot smarter than Graves is playing me for a fool.

某个比格雷福斯聪明一百倍的人，把我整得死死的。

I’m better than this. I’d kick myself for being sloppy, but there’s a dock full of goons waiting to save me the trouble.

我本该想到这一层，可现在我只想狠狠地扇自己几耳光。不过，外面的码头上，不介意帮我这个忙的王八蛋估计有好几百个。

Right now, all that matters is getting the hell away from here. Two blasts from that damned gun of Malcolm’s send me scurrying. My back slams against a dusty wooden crate. A crossbow bolt lodges in the rotted wood behind me, just inches from my head.

当务之急是赶紧逃出这个鬼地方，越快越好。该死的“命运”猛地开了两枪，吓得我后退两步，脊梁骨抵在一个脏兮兮的板条箱上。一根弩箭嗖地钉进了木头，离我的头只有几寸远。

“No way out, sunshine,” Graves yells.

“出不去啦，你个小白脸儿。”格雷福斯吼叫着。

I look around and see fire from the explosion starting to spread to the roof. He may have a point.

我四下望了一圈，仓库里的火已经烧到了天花板。也许，这次他没说错。

“We’ve been sold out, Graves,” I shout.

“我们都被人卖了，格雷福斯。”我对他叫道。

“You’d know all about that,” he replies.

“怎么会，你擅长卖别人才对啊。”

I try reasoning with him.

我得试试说服他。

“We work together, we can get out of this.”

“咱们联手的话，就都能逃出去。”

I must be desperate.

实在走投无路了。

“I’d see us both dead before I trust you again,” he snarls.

“要我再信你一次，除非我们俩都死了。”回应我的只有怒吼。

I didn’t expect anything else. Talking sense to him just makes him angrier, which is exactly what I need. The distraction buys me just enough time to shift outside the warehouse.

其实我没指望他能听我的。这种时候跟他讲道理，只会让他更加生气，而那才是我需要的。他稍微一分神，我的表演就又开场了。

I can hear Graves roaring inside. No doubt he just rounded on my spot only to find me gone, a single card on the ground, taunting him.

眨眼之间，我已经出现在仓库外面。

I launch a barrage of cards through the loading doors behind me. It’s long past time for subtlety.

我听到格雷福斯在屋里狂叫。此刻他应该是在原地徒劳地转圈，却发现我已经不见踪影，唯独地上留有一张纸牌，无情地嘲笑着他的愚蠢。

I feel bad for a moment about leaving Graves in a burning building - but I know it won’t kill him. He’s too stubborn for that. Besides, a fire on the docks is a serious deal in a port town. It might buy me some time.

我往身后开着的仓库门里又甩出去一把牌——早就没必要再藏着掖着了。

As I search for the quickest way off the slaughter docks, the sound of an explosion makes me look over my shoulder.

我把格雷福斯留在了起火的仓库里，我有那么一丁点内疚。不过他肯定死不了的，他强壮得很。而且，码头的火警对于这个港口小镇来说可是件大事，说不定能给我逃跑创造一些方便。

Graves appears, stepping through the hole he’s just blown out the side of the warehouse. He’s got murder in his eyes.

当我正在找路线逃离屠宰码头时，一声惊天动地的爆炸传来。我回头望了一眼。

I tip my hat to him and run. He comes after me, shotgun booming.

格雷福斯再一次出现。他从墙上的大洞里跨了出来，眼里带着杀人的渴望。我朝他弹了一下帽檐，拔腿狂奔。他紧追在后，霰弹枪隆隆如雷。

I have to admire the man’s determination.

必须承认，他的决心令我佩服。

Hopefully it won’t kill me tonight.

希望这决心今晚不会要了我的命。

小男孩惊恐地瞪着一双眼睛，浑身发抖地被人带往船长的住处。

The young urchin’s eyes were wide and panicked as he was led toward the captain’s quarters.

走廊尽头的一扇门后传来极其痛苦的惨叫声。他开始后悔自己不该来这儿的。哭号声在这艘乌黑的庞然战舰幽闭的船腹各处回荡，每个船员都能清楚地听到。据说这是冥渊号的设计者有意而为的。

It was the agonized screams emanating from the door at the end of the passageway that gave him second thoughts. The cries echoing through the claustrophobic decks of the enormous, black warship were heard by every crewman aboard the Dead Pool — as intended.

脸上布满蛛网疤痕的大副按住男孩的肩膀，示意他不要慌张。他们在那扇门前停下脚步。里面又一声痛叫，男孩打了个冷战。

The first mate, his face a web of scars, rested a reassuring hand on the boy’s shoulder. They came to a halt before the door. The child winced as another tortured wail issued from within.

“镇定，你要说的事情，船长会很感兴趣的。”

“Steady,” said the first mate. “The captain’ll want to hear what you’ve got to say.”

说完，他对着门喊了几句。不一会儿，一个满面刺青、背着宽刃弯刀的强壮打手拉开了门。男孩完全没听见他们两人在说些什么，因为他的目光被面前坐着的一个魁梧背影完全吸引了。

With that, he rapped sharply on the door. It was opened a moment later by a hulking brute with facial tattoos and a broad, curved blade strapped across his back. The boy didn’t hear the words spoken between the two men; his gaze was locked on the heavyset figure seated with his back to him.

船长是个身材雄伟的中年人，脖颈和肩膀上如同公牛一般虬结着厚实的肌肉。他的袖子卷到肘部，露出浸满鲜血的小臂，身边挂着他的红色大氅和三角帽。

He was a big man, the captain, and of middling years. His neck and shoulders were thick and bullish. His sleeves were rolled up, and his forearms slick with blood. A red greatcoat hung from a peg nearby, alongside his black tricorne.

“普朗克……”小男孩艰难地呜咽道，音调里全是恐惧和敬畏。

“Gangplank,” breathed the urchin, his voice thick with fear and awe.

“船长，这小子有消息要跟您通报。”大副说。

“Captain, I figured you’d want to hear this,” said the mate.

普朗克没说话，也没转过头来。他仍然专注地干着手头的事情。船员在小男孩背后搡了一把，他不由得往前踉跄了两步。他战战兢兢地朝着“冥渊号”的唯一霸主挪过去，仿佛前面是一处悬崖。而当他终于看清船长在干什么时，他的呼吸一下子抽紧了。

Gangplank said nothing, nor did he turn, still intent as he was on his work. The scarred sailor nudged the boy forward. He stumbled before he caught his footing and shuffled closer. The child approached the captain of the Dead Pool as he would a cliff’s edge. His breath quickened as he caught full sight of the captain’s work.

桌上有几个盛满血水的脸盆，还有一个托盘，装着刀片、肉钩以及其他说不上名字的手术器械，反射出刺眼的灯光。

Basins of bloody water sat upon Gangplank’s desk, along with an array of knives, hooks, and gleaming surgical implements.

一个男人躺在普朗克的工作台上，全身被皮带紧紧地固定着，只有头部能够勉强转动。他脖颈紧绷，脸上覆满汗水，无比绝望地看着四周。

A man lay upon the captain’s workbench, bound tightly with leather straps. Only his head was free. He looked around in wild desperation, neck straining, his face covered with sweat.

男孩只看了一眼，就没法从那人皮开肉绽的左腿上移开自己的目光。他突然忘记自己为什么要来这里了。

The boy’s gaze was inexorably drawn to the man’s flayed left leg. The urchin suddenly realized he couldn’t remember what he came here to do.

这时，普朗克转过身来，盯着眼前矮小的来客。那是一对鲨鱼般冰冷麻木的眼睛。他拈着一把细长的小刀，轻巧地悬放在指间，仿佛是一支精美的画笔。

Gangplank turned from his work to stare at the visitor. His eyes were as cold and dead as a shark’s. He held a slender blade in one hand, delicately poised between his fingers, like a fine paintbrush.

“骨雕，一门正在死去的艺术。”普朗克一边说，一边又把注意力放回到工作台上。“现如今，很少人有耐心在一块骨头上花费这么多的时间。看到了吗？每一刀都是有意义的。”

“It’s a dying art, scrimshaw,” said Gangplank, his attention returning to his work. “Few have the patience for carving bone these days. It takes time. See? Every cut has a purpose.”

虽然大腿上的肌肉已经被完全剥去，只留下无比狰狞的伤口，但那个男人居然还活着。男孩被这副惨况吓得说不出话来，愣愣地盯着男人腿骨上错综复杂的纹路：蜷曲的触手和波浪纠缠环绕在一起，非常精细，称得上是一件美丽的杰作。而也正因为这样，看起来更加可怖。

Somehow, the man was still alive, despite the ragged wound in his leg, the skin and flesh peeled back from his thighbone. Transfixed with horror, the lad saw the intricate designs the captain had carved upon that bone; coiling tentacles and waves. It was delicate work, beautiful even. That just made it even more terrible.

普朗克的“作品”抽泣起来。

Gangplank’s living canvas sobbed.

“求求你……”他发出几不可闻的呻吟。

“Please...” he moaned.

而普朗克没有理会他的哀求。他放下手中的刻刀，抓过一杯廉价的威士忌泼在男人的伤口上，冲开了残留的血迹。男人放声哭号，几乎要扯裂自己的喉咙。突然，惨叫戛然而止，他两眼一翻，如同得到解脱一般，昏死过去。普朗克厌恶地骂了一句。

Gangplank ignored the pathetic plea and set down his knife. He splashed a cup of cheap whiskey over his work, clearing it of blood. The man’s scream threatened to rip his own throat out, until he slumped into merciful unconsciousness, his eyes rolling back in his head. Gangplank grunted in disgust.

“小子，你听好了，”普朗克说，“有时候，即使是你最忠诚的手下也会忘记自己有几斤几两。所以，我需要时不时地提醒他们一下。真正的力量完全在于别人怎么看你。哪怕片刻的软弱，你就完了。”

“Remember this, boy,” Gangplank said. “Sometimes, even those who are loyal forget their place. Sometimes, it’s necessary to remind them. Real power is all about how people see you. Look weak, even for a moment, and you’re done.”

男孩脸上已经没有了一丝血色，他努力地点点头。

The child nodded, his face now drained of color.

普朗克指着台子上半死不活的男人，说：“弄醒他。他的歌声大家还没听够呢。”

“Wake him,” said Gangplank, gesturing toward the unconscious crewman. “The whole crew needs to hear his song.”

船医匆匆走上前，而普朗克转过头来，眼光像鞭子一样甩在男孩脸上。“那么，你刚才想说什么？”

As the ship’s surgeon stepped forward, Gangplank swung his gaze back to the child.

男孩支支吾吾地说：“一……一个人……鼠镇的码头上……有个男人……”

“Now,” he said. “What did you want to tell me?”

“继续。”

“A... a man,” said the boy, his words faltering. “A man on the Rat Town docks.”

“他很会躲，铁钩们都没发现，但我看见他了。”

“Go on,” Gangplank said.

“唔唔。”普朗克咕哝着，开始感到兴味索然。他背过身，抓起刻刀准备继续。

“He was tryin’ not to be seen by the Hooks. But I seen him.”

“别停下，继续说。”疤面的船员催促道。

“Mm-hmm,” Gangplank muttered as he began to lose interest. He turned back to his work.

“他手里有一叠纸牌，很漂亮，还会发光。”

“Keep goin’, lad,” the first mate urged.

普朗克从椅子上站起来，就像是一尊从深渊中庞然升起的巨像。

“He was playing around with some fancy deck of cards. They glowed funny.”

“什么地方？”手枪皮套上的带子被他捏得咯吱作响。

Gangplank stood up from his chair, like a colossus rising from the depths.

“仓库外面，工棚附近那个大仓库。”

“Tell me where,” he said.

普朗克抓起大氅和帽子，整张脸因为狂怒而变成可怕的猩红色。灯光反射在他的眼底，闪烁着赤红。男孩，还有其他人，都不由得后退了一步。

The leather belt of his holster creaked in his tightening grip.

“给这小子一个银币，一餐热饭。”普朗克船长跟大副吩咐道，然后迈开大步，果决地走向舱门。

“By the warehouse, the big one near the sheds.”

“所有人甲板集合。我们有活儿干了。”

Gangplank’s face flushed an angry shade of crimson as he pulled on his greatcoat and claimed his hat from its peg. His eyes glinted red in the lamplight. The child was not alone in taking a wary step back.

“Give the boy a silver serpent and a hot meal,” the captain ordered to his first mate as he strode purposefully toward the cabin door.

“And get everyone to the docks. We’ve got work to do.”

#2

我咳出一口黏黑的浓痰，仓库里的浓烟把我的肺熏得都起泡了。

I’m coughin’ up black. The smoke from the warehouse fire is tearin’ my lungs to shreds, but I don’t have time to catch my breath. T.F.’s getting away, and I’ll be damned if I’m gonna spend another dog’s age chasin’ him all over Runeterra. It ends tonight.

但我没时间喘息。崔斯特要是逃了，我不可能再用十几年踏遍符文之地，寻找他的踪迹。绝对不可能。

The bastard sees me coming. He shoves a couple of dock hands out of the way and runs off across the wharf. He’s trying to work his escape card, but I’m keeping the heat on him, so he can’t focus.

今晚就得了结。

More Hooks swarm around, like flies on an outhouse. Before they can block his path, T.F. tosses a couple of his exploding cards and takes the thugs out. A few Hooks are an easy fight for him. But I ain’t. I’m comin’ to get my due, and T.F. knows it. He scurries down the wharf as fast as he can.

我连开几枪，告诉他老子还没死。这个滑头鬼只顾着想办法离开码头。他干翻几个挡住去路的打手，开始玩起牌来——又是那套大变活人的鬼把戏。我不断地开枪，子弹擦着他的衣服掠过，只是为了让他没法专心而已。

His scuffle with the dock boys gives me just enough time to catch up. He sees me and darts behind a huge hunk of whale spine. A blast from my gun shatters his cover, filling the air with shards of bone.

铁钩帮的人越来越多，就像粪坑周围的苍蝇一样。他们想拦住他，可却被他甩出的几道红光瞬间放倒，然后全力飞奔起来。。这些杂兵对于崔斯特而言不过是练手的靶子，我才是他真正的对手，显然他也很清楚这一点。

He answers by trying to take my head off, but I shoot his card in midair. It explodes like a bomb, knocking us both on our asses. He scrambles to his feet first and takes off. I fire Destiny as fast as she’ll shoot.

但是他和小喽啰们的缠斗让我追上了他。他一个箭步，窜到一副鲸鱼的骨架后，妄想着能拖点时间。我一枪过去，他面前就只剩下了漫天飞扬的骨头渣子。

Some Hooks close in on us with chains and cutlasses. I turn quick and blow their insides out their backs. Before I can hear the wet slap of their guts on the dock, I’m spinning on my heels. I take aim at T.F., but I’m clipped by a shot from a pistol. More Hooks, and these are better armed.

他回敬了一张纸牌，正对着我的脖子破空飞来——丝毫不留情面。我抬枪便射。纸牌在半空中爆炸，把我们两人一起掀翻在地。他连滚带爬，先我一步站起来，又开始逃跑。我疯了一般不停地扣动“命运”的扳机，撞针铛铛猛响，仿佛下一秒就要断成两截。

I duck behind a piece of an old trawler’s hull to return fire. My gun just clicks. Gotta reload. I slam some fresh shells into the cylinder, spit my anger onto the floor, and wade back into the chaos.

几个手里握着锁链和弯刀的家伙追近了。这些不长眼的东西。我迅速反手开枪，大号的铅弹撞进他们的胸口。我头也不回地加快脚步，只听到身后传来内脏落地时湿不拉几的声响。我举枪瞄住崔斯特的背心，刚要开枪，身子却猛地一震——有人用手枪打中了我。铁钩帮又来了一批人，而且带了更厉害的家伙。

All around me, shots and bolts burst through wooden crates. One of ’em tears a chunk of my ear off. I just grit my teeth and plow forward, squeezing the trigger. Destiny is chewin’ up everything. One Jagged Hook loses a jaw. Another is blasted into the bay. A third gets torn into a red sheet of muscle and sinew.

我滚到一条旧渔船后，倚着船身还击。枪身突然一顿，空膛了。我愤愤地往地上啐了一口，卸开枪膛，拍进一轮锃光瓦亮的新子弹，又加入了战局。码头上的狗东西们全围上来了。子弹和弓箭打得木屑四溅，弹飞的木片还把我的耳朵削掉了一小块。我咬着牙还手，“命运”像疯狗一样吞噬着眼前的一切。一个家伙的下巴没了，另一个倒在海滩上，还有一个变成了一滩血红色的肉饼。

I snap around to find T.F. escaping deeper into the slaughter docks. I run past a fishmonger hanging up scavenger eels. One of the beasts is just skinned, its innards still spillin’ onto the dock. The monger turns on me, swinging a meat hook.

我站起身，回头一望，只见崔斯特已经跑进了码头的深处。我毫不迟疑地追上去。一个鱼贩子正在把一堆剥过皮的巨型海鳗挂起来，腥臭的内脏还在不停地往下淌。他见我经过，挥起肉钩就往我脸上招呼。

BOOM.

砰！

I take off his leg.

我打掉了他的一条腿。

BOOM.

砰！——然后是脑袋。

I follow up with a shot to his head.

我挪开一条腐臭的剃刀鱼尸体，继续前进。地上粘稠的血水已经积到了脚踝，一部分来自各种海产，另一部分是那些死在我们俩手下的倒霉鬼贡献的。眼下到处都是人畜不分的残骸，秽烂不堪，阵阵恶臭——对于崔斯特这样的公子哥儿来说真够他受的。即使是我在后面穷追不舍，这小子居然还有闲心放慢脚步揩掉衬衫上的污迹。

I shove away a stinking razorfish carcass and keep moving. The blood is ankle deep, some of it from the fish and some from the Hooks we’ve gunned down. It’s enough to give a dandy like T.F. fits. Even with me on his tail, he slows his stride to keep from messin’ up his skirts.

就在我快要追上他时，崔斯特脚下一蹬又疾跑起来。我感觉自己马上要断气了。

Before I can close in, T.F. kicks on into a gallop. I can feel myself losing wind.

“给老子滚回来！”我嘶声喊道。

“Turn and face me!” I holler.

怎么会有人孬种到这个程度？穷其一生，他从来没有直面过自己的错误。

What kind of man don’t own up to his problems?

右手边传来喊杀声，一个阳台上又冒出两个铁钩的人。只一枪，整个阳台就连墙带人塌了个干净。

A noise to my right draws my attention to a balcony holding two more Hooks. I fire, and the whole thing crashes to the docks.

滚滚烟尘腾空而起，我眼前一暗，什么都看不清楚，但耳朵里听到一个咯噔噔跑过木板的声音——是崔斯特那双娘里娘气的花皮靴，错不了的。那个方向去往屠夫之桥，也是离开码头唯一的陆路。我死也不能让他跑了。

The gun smoke and debris are so thick, I can’t see a damn thing. I run toward the sound of his lady boots thudding across the wooden slats. He’s makin’ for Butcher’s Bridge at the end of the slaughter docks - the only way off the island. Damned if I’m letting him get away again.

我刚追到桥头，就看见崔斯特猛地急刹，滑出去两步才停下来。一开始我还以为他突然良心发现不打算跑了，然后我才发现拦住他的是什么东西。桥的另一侧，满满挤着一大群手持剑盾的王八蛋。但我才不鸟他们。

As I reach the bridge, T.F. skids to a halt, halfway across. At first, I think he’s given up. Then I see why he stopped: On the far side, blocking his way, there’s a mass of sword-wielding bastards. But I ain’t backing down.

崔斯特转过头来看着我。终于跑不了了。他探出栏杆，望着桥下的流水。这小子想跳下去，但我知道他不敢。

T.F. turns back only to find me. He’s trapped. He looks over the side of the bridge, down at the water. He’s thinking about jumping - but I know he won’t.

所有把戏都玩儿完了。他开始慢慢地朝我走过来。

He’s all out of options. He starts walking toward me.

“马尔科姆，我们没必要都把命交待在这里。只要我们一离开这里——”

“Look, Malcolm. Neither of us needs to die here. As soon as we get out of this-”

“然后你就又能溜走了。你最擅长这个。”

“You’ll run again. That’s all you’ve ever done.”

他没说话。突然，他看向我的身后，仿佛我不存在一样。我回身看去。

He don’t answer. Suddenly, he ain’t so worried about me. I turn back to see what he’s fixed on.

只见密密麻麻的人群，手里拿着刀或者火枪，朝屠夫之桥涌来。看来普朗克把整个城里所有的混混都叫来了。我已经闻到了死亡的气息。

Behind me, I see every lowlife that can carry a blade or pistol storming onto the docks. Gangplank must’ve called in all his boys from across the city. To keep going’s a death sentence.

但是今天，能不能活下去根本不重要。

But livin’ ain’t the most important thing to me today.

现在铁钩帮的人不着急了，瓮中捉鳖而已。在他们身后，似乎这个岛上所有杀人为乐的杂种都到场了，一个个磨刀霍霍，两眼放光。我无路可退。

They’re in no rush, the Hooks. Not anymore. They know they have us trapped. Behind them, it looks like every rat-stabbing cutthroat in Bilgewater has shown up to the party. No way back.

桥的另一头，堵住我奔向自由之地的家伙，是红帽子们，管辖的地盘包括港口的东边。他们是普朗克手下的另一个帮会，跟铁钩帮，还有差不多整个比尔吉沃特，都效忠于普朗克本人。

On the far end of the bridge, blocking my escape into the maze of Bilgewater’s slums, is what appears to be the whole Red Caps dock gang. They rule the east side of the waterfront. Gangplank owns them, just like he owns the Hooks and nearly the whole damned town.

格雷福斯一步步走向我。这个蠢大个儿似乎完全没意识到我们的处境。我有些恍惚，仿佛回到了多年之前，我们俩曾经无数次面临过类似的场景，如同身陷齐腰的粪坑一般糟糕。但这一回，他不会再听我的了。

Behind me, there’s Graves, stomping ever closer. The stubborn son of a bitch doesn’t care about the mess we’re in. It’s amazing, really. Here we are, yet again, like all those years ago. Deep in the muck, and he just won’t listen.

我很想跟他解释清楚当年到底是怎么一回事，可是又觉得毫无意义。他不会再相信我了。一旦他那个实心脑袋犯起倔来，就得花好长时间醒悟。可惜，眼下时间并不太长。

I wish I could tell him what really happened back then, but there’s no point. He wouldn’t believe me, not for a second. Once something’s lodged in that thick skull of his, it takes a while to shake it loose. And we don’t have a while.

我退到桥边，栏杆下方有数不清的绞车和滑轮绳索，再往下就是无际的深海。我一阵头晕，一颗心倏地沉到了脚后跟，不由得踉跄地回到桥心。到了此时，我才彻底看清自己面前的悲惨境况。

I back up to the side of the bridge. Over the rail, I see the winches and pulleys suspended beneath me - then the ocean far below. My head spins, and my stomach drops into my boots. As I stagger back to the middle of the bridge, I get a full view of how bad a spot I’m in.

远处，普朗克的黑船在晨雾之中若隐若现，从它的腹部放出密密麻麻的小船，朝着屠夫之桥奋力驶来。看样子，普朗克的人已经倾巢而出了。

Looming in the distance is Gangplank’s black-sailed ship. From it, a damned armada of boats is closing in below, rowing hard. Looks like all of his men are heading our way.

我没法冲破铁钩帮的封锁，也没法说服红帽帮行行好让个路，更没办法干倒格雷福斯那只猪头。

I can’t get through the Hooks, I can’t get through the Caps, and I can’t get through Graves’s pig-headedness.

那就只剩一条路了。

Only one way to go.

我爬上桥栏——天呐，这比我想象得还要高。狂风卷动着我的外套，像一面船帆在劈啪作响。我再也不想回到这个鬼地方了。

I step up onto the railing of the bridge. We’re even higher than I realized. The wind whips at my coat, making it snap like the sails of a ship. I should never have come back to Bilgewater.

“赶紧滚下来。”格雷福斯说。是我听错了吗？他的语气似乎有一点绝望？想来也是，如果我就这么死了，他苦苦追寻的忏悔也就从此化作泡影。

“Get the hell down from there,” says Graves. Is there a hint of desperation in his voice? It’d break him if I died before he got the confession he wants so much.

我深深地吸进一口气——光是掉到水面就要好几秒。

I take a deep breath. It really is a long way down.

“托比厄斯，下来。”他叹气道。

“Tobias,” Malcolm says. “Step back.”

我不禁一愣。这个名字，我已经好久好久没听过了。

I pause. I haven’t heard that name in a long time.

然后，我跳下了大桥。

Then I jump from the bridge.

“九头响蛇”是一所比尔吉沃特为数不多的高级酒馆。这里装潢富丽，带着几分雍容，不像其他贫民出没的酒吧，到处是锯末和尘土。人们举止高雅，亮光可鉴的地面上少有酒污泼洒的痕迹，更不要提斗殴时跌落的门牙了。可是今晚，老主顾们的叫嚷声可以一直传到几里之外的跳水崖上。

The Brazen Hydra was one of the few taverns in Bilgewater that didn’t have sawdust on the floor. Drinks were rarely spilled, let alone teeth, but on this night, its patrons could be heard all the way to Diver’s Bluff.

名绅贵客们吼着粗俗的小曲儿，拍桌顿地，兴奋地大声笑骂。

Men of some repute, and even greater means, were turning the air blue with wondrous songs of the very worst acts.

在人群中心，就是这场狂欢唯一的焦点。

And there, in the middle of them all, was the conductor of the night’s revelry.

她扭动着腰肢，举杯为港口主人和他的部下祝酒。猩红色的秀发不停舞动，如同细柳一般拂过屋里所有男人的心坎。他们的眼中只剩下这个曼妙的身影，在酒精的熏蒸下荡漾出无尽的遐想。

She twirled, toasting the health of the harbor master and all his watchmen. Her lustrous red hair whipped around, captivating the eyes of every man in the room, not that they had been looking at anything other than her.

空气里回旋着酣热的气息，没有一个酒杯有过片刻干涸。红发的女子仿佛深海中的女妖，她酡红的醉颜和柔媚的身姿撩得男人们如痴如狂，莫不期盼着她向自己投来哪怕半秒钟的如水笑意。

No glass had been allowed to run empty all night - the crimson-haired siren made sure of that. But it wasn’t the dulled senses of every man in the room that drew them closer. It was the promise of her next glorious smile.

酒馆里的欢腾震彻夜空，所以没人注意到大门被悄然推开，踱进了一个衣着普通的男子。他身上没有任何能让人回忆起的特征，如同万千大众一样，毫不起眼——而这恰恰他常年刻意练习的成果。他走到吧台前点了杯酒，自己喝起来。

With merriment still shaking the tavern, the front door opened, and in stepped a plainly dressed man. Inconspicuous to a degree that only comes from years of practice, he walked to the bar and ordered a drink.

女孩抓起一杯琥珀淡啤，向围在身边醉态百出的观众们大方地致意。

Among the clumsily assembled gallery, the young woman grabbed a fresh glass of amber ale.

“我的好朋友们，恐怕我只能陪到这里了。”就连她的声音都仿佛闪耀着光芒。

“My fine fellows, I’m afraid I must take my leave,” she said with a flourish.

男人们爆发出一阵吼叫以示抗议。

The men of the harbor guard responded with loud bellows of protest.

“好啦好啦，我们不是玩得很开心吗？”她轻笑着娇嗔道。“但我今晚还有些事情没做呢。而且，你们呀，早就该去换岗了哟。”

“Now, now. We’ve had our fun,” she said, chiding them amiably. “But I have a busy night ahead, and you are all so very late to your posts.”

她轻巧地跳上吧台，身子一踅，兴致高昂地望着脚下的信众们，仿佛凯旋归来的女王。

She hopped onto a table without missing a beat, before looking down upon them all with triumphant glee.

“愿蛇母饶恕我们所有的罪恶！”她的脸庞绽放出今夜最为摄人心魄的笑容，指头勾着杯子送到唇边。仰脖一大口，只见金黄的淡啤退潮似的消失得干干净净。

“May the Mother Serpent grant us mercy for our sins!”

“——尤其是那些滔天大恶。”她一边说，一边把酒杯重重地拍在桌上。

She smiled her most captivating smile, raised the large tankard to her lips, and then downed her ale in one tremendous gulp.

她抬手抹去嘴边的酒沫，打了个心满意足的嗝儿，然后向众人甩出一个飞吻。

“Especially the big ones,” she said, as she slammed her glass on the table.

房间里的人们此刻都成了她最忠诚的奴仆，自动分开站成了两排，目送着她走向门口。

She wiped the beer from her mouth to a rapturous roar of approval and blew a kiss to all.

港口主人替她推开门，殷勤备至地弯腰行礼，只期望这位女士能最后看他一眼。但还没等他直起腰来，她就已经消失在了街巷尽头。

Like servants before their queen, the room parted.

月亮渐渐斜到了富人们的城堡背后，阴影向她伸出森然的爪牙。每走出一步，她就变得愈加沉稳坚定。她无忧无虑的伪装已经烟消云散，露出了她真正的模样。

The door was held open for her by the gracious harbor master. He hoped to garner one last glance of approval, but she was lost to the streets before he could look up from his unsteadily courteous bow.

她收起笑容，还有沉迷欢醉的外表，一双刚才还顾盼生姿的眼睛，此刻却冷冷地看着远处。周遭的街巷仿佛都不存在了，她只凝视着前方的暗夜里涌动着的无穷多种可能。

Outside, the moon had dipped behind Freeman’s Aerie, and the night’s shadow seemed to reach out to meet the woman. Each step that she took from the tavern became more purposeful and surefooted. Her carefree veil dissolved, and her true self was revealed.

那个酒馆里其貌不扬的男人追了出来。他的脚步弱不可闻，却迅捷得令人紧张。

Her smile, her look of wonder and joy, were gone. She stared grimly, not seeing the streets and alleys around her, but looking far beyond to the many possibilities of the dark night ahead.

他放缓速度，控制着自己的心跳，亦步亦趋地跟在离她身后几尺远的距离。

Behind her, the plainly dressed man from the tavern was gaining. His footsteps were silent, yet unnervingly swift.

“事情都顺利吗，雷文？”她问。

In a measured heartbeat, he put his stride in perfect unison with hers, just off her shoulder, out of her periphery.

他感到很挫败。这么些年来，他从没有成功地吓到她。

“Is everything in place, Rafen?” she asked.

“是，船长。”

After all these years, he was still taken aback at how he could never surprise her.

“你没被发现吧？”

“Yes, Captain,” he said.

“没。”他瞬间有些生气，但马上就又压了下去。“港口没有人在值守。那艘船也基本空了。”

“You weren’t spotted?”

“那个男孩呢？”

“No,” he bristled, reining in his displeasure at the question. “The bay was free from the harbor master’s eyes, and the ship was as good as empty.”

“他演得还不错。”

“And the boy?”

“好。回塞壬号吧。”

“He played his part.”

雷文微微点头，转身融进了夜色。

“Good. We meet at the Syren.”

夜幕四合，她继续向前走去。

At her word, Rafen broke away and disappeared into the gloom.

所有的齿轮都已经开始转动，只等演员全部就位，好戏马上开场。

She continued onward as the night wrapped itself around her. Everything was in motion. All that remained was for her players to begin the show.

格雷福斯的吼声连同桥栏一起飞快地远去。

I hear Graves roar as I dive off the bridge. All I can see is the rope beneath me. No need to think about the fall or the bottomless black depths.

扑面而来的是一根桥栏下吊着的麻绳——坠桥身亡？无底深渊？我其实从来就没考虑过。

Everything is a blur of rushing wind.

狂风灌进我的眼睛，所有的景物都变得一片模糊。

I nearly scream with joy when I catch the rope, but then it burns into my palm like a branding iron. My fall stops with a snap as I slide to the bottom of the looping tether.

下落。

I hang there a moment, cursing.

继续下落。

I’ve heard that dropping into water from this height normally won’t kill a man, but I’d rather take my chances on the stone loading dock that’s at least fifty feet straight down. I’ll die, but it’s a damned sight better than drowning.

手心突然一热！我下意识地扣紧拳头。

Between me and the stone platform, a pair of heavy-duty cables run from here to the mainland, one forward, one back. Crude, noisy mechanisms power them. They’re used to transport rendered down parts of sea beasts to the markets in Bilgewater proper.

我差点儿高兴得大叫起来。同时手掌一阵剧痛，就像直接握住了一块烙铁。我跟一块破布似的，在风中打着转儿一直下滑。最后，我竭尽全力抠住了绳子末端的系环，身体才稳定下来。

The cables strum as a heavy rusted bucket, as big as a house, grinds its way toward me.

我挂在晃悠悠的绳子上，心有余悸，破口大骂。

I let a smile creep on my face for a second. That is, until I see what’s in the cart. I’m about to drop feet first into a seething vat of rotting fish spleen.

听人说，这个高度跳到水面上死不了，但我宁愿往离我五十英尺的装货平台上跳一把碰碰运气——就算摔成一滩鱼子酱，也比淹死了被人捞上来好看。 在我和平台之间，横亘着两条粗重的钢缆，一去一回，连接着屠宰码头和比尔吉沃特城里。无比嘈杂的重型绞车驱动着钢缆，将处理好的海产用吊篮运到市场里去。

It took me months to earn the coin for my boots. Supple as gossamer and sturdy as tempered steel, they were crafted from the hide of an abyssal sea drake. There are fewer than four pairs in the whole world.

一个吊篮正朝着我的方向晃荡过来，锈迹斑斑，大小跟一间木屋差不多。顶端的滑轮咬在钢缆上，像是一个粗笨的琴槌敲着巨兽的琴弦，发出低沉的号哭。

Damn it.

就是这个。一丝微笑爬上我的嘴角，但只停留了不到一秒钟。因为我看到吊篮里的东西了——整整一大桶，咕嘟冒泡的鱼下水。

I time my jump just right and land in the middle of the chum bucket. The cold slop seeps through every hand-stitch of my prized boots. At least my hat’s clean.

我这对靴子可算是价值连城，花了我好几个月的收入。柔如薄纱，韧如精钢，用的是来自深渊之下的海龙皮。全世界只有三对。

Suddenly, I hear that damned gun bark again.

去死吧。

The mooring line explodes.

我算好时机，跳进了臭烘烘的大鱼篓。冰冷的黏液一下子透过缝隙渗进来，我的靴子……算了，至少帽子还是干净的。

The cart groans as it slides free from the cables. The wind’s knocked out of me as the bucket slams into the stone platform. I feel the foundations of the dock shake before everything flips on its side.

突然，那把破枪响了。

The world falls over my head, along with a ton of fish guts.

头顶的钢缆应声而断。

Struggling to stand, I look for another way out. Gangplank’s launches are closing in. They’re nearly here.

吊篮爆出一阵极为刺耳的嘎吱声，顺着缆绳急速滑落。在吊篮着地前的一瞬间，我被劲风扔了出去，然后重重地砸在地上。

Dazed, I drag myself toward a small boat moored on the loading dock. I’m not halfway there when a shotgun blast rips its hull wide open, scuttling it.

地面震了一下，吊篮里的东西不由分说地全倒下来。鱼胆、鱼脾脏、鱼肠……铺天盖地。

As the boat sinks, I drop to my knees, exhausted. I try to catch some breath over my own stench. Malcolm stands over me. Somehow, he made his way down, too. Of course he did.

我挣扎着想站起来继续逃跑。水面上的小艇们正在赶过来，越来越近了。

“Not so charmin’ now, are ya?” Graves grins, looking me up and down.

眼前阵阵发黑，我拖着半边身体，朝岸边系着的一条小船拼命挪过去。还没爬到一半，船篷就被铅弹开了个天窗，整艘船沉得无影无踪。

“Are you ever gonna learn?” I say, rising to my feet. “Every time I try to help you, I-”

我筋疲力尽地跪倒在地。浑身的恶臭憋得我自己喘不上气来。

He fires into the ground in front of me. I’m pretty sure I get a chunk of something in my shin. “If you’d just list-”

格雷福斯就站在我面前，看着我狼狈的样子。不知道他是怎么下来的——也是，他要是还站在桥上，那才见了鬼呢。

“Oh, I’m all done listenin’,” he interrupts, grinding out the words. “The biggest score of our lives, and before I knew it, you were gone.”

“好像不太帅啊。”他上下打量着我，讥笑道。

“Before you knew it? I told you-”

我撑着一条腿试图站起来：“你到底，长不长记性？每次，我想着，怎么帮你，你总——”

Another blast, another shower of stone, but I’m past caring.

他往我面前的地上开了一枪。溅起的碎石打在我的小腿骨上，似乎还嵌进去几粒。

“I tried to get us out. The rest of us saw the job was going south,” I say. “But you wouldn’t back down. You never do.” The card’s in my hand before I realize it.

“你能不能听我——”

“I told you then, all you had to do was back me up. We would’ve gotten out clean – and rich. But you ran,” he says, stepping forward. The man I used to know seems lost under years of hatred.

“喔哦，我早就听够了，”他咬牙切齿地打断我，“咱们俩这辈子最大的一单活儿，你话都没留一句，一转身就没影儿了。”

I don’t try to say anything else. I can see it in his eyes, now. Something’s broken inside of him.

“话都没留？我不是跟你说——”

Over his shoulder, a glint catches my eye - it’s a flintlock. The first of Gangplank’s crewmen are on us.

又是一枪。砂砾劈头盖脸地扑过来，但我已经无所谓了。

Without thinking, I flick the card. It slices toward Graves.

“我尽力想把我们两个人都弄出去。只有我看出来那件差事要黄。但你根本不听我劝。从来就没听过。”我下意识地攥了一张牌在手里。

His gun thunders.

“我当时说，你只要掩护一下，我们就能全身而退，还能大赚一笔。但你跑了！”他一边说着，一边向我走来。我的老搭档在常年仇恨的折磨下，成了一个疯子。

My card takes out Gangplank’s man. His pistol was leveled at Malcolm’s back.

我没再说什么。他的眼睛里有些东西彻底消散了。

Behind me, another member of his crew slumps to the ground, a knife in his hand. If Graves hadn’t shot him, he could’ve had me, cold.

他的身后有道光，一闪而过——是一杆燧发枪。普朗克最积极的手下已经赶到了。

We both look at each other. Old habits.

我想也没想，手腕一翻，就把牌甩了过去。

Gangplank’s men are all around now, crowding in close, howling and jeering. There’s too many to fight.

纸牌径直飞向格雷福斯。

That doesn’t stop Graves. He brings his gun up, but he’s out of shells.

他扣下了扳机。

I don’t draw any cards. There’s no point.

那个家伙被我震得昏死过去，原本瞄准格雷福斯的手枪也飞出去老远。

Malcolm roars and goes at them. That’s his way. He shatters one bastard’s nose with the butt of his gun, before the mob beats him to the ground.

在我背后，另一个倒霉的喽啰颓然倒下，手里还捏着一把刀。

Hands grab me, pinning my arms. Malcolm’s hauled to his feet, blood dripping from his face.

要是格雷福斯晚上一秒，倒下的就是我了。

Ominously, the hoots and hollers from the mob around us fall silent.

我们对视着。

The wall of thugs parts to reveal a red-coated figure striding toward us.

老习惯真可怕。

Gangplank.

普朗克的人现在已经到处都是。他们站成一个圈，大呼小叫地向我们围拢过来。我们不可能打赢这么多人的。

Up close, he’s much bigger than you’d imagine. And older. The lines of his face are deep and chiseled.

但格雷福斯不这么想。他冷笑一声，提起枪准备扫射。

He’s holding an orange in one hand, slicing off its skin with a short-bladed carving knife. He’s doing it slow, making each cut count.

可他的子弹已经打光了。

“So tell me, boys,” he says. His voice is a deep, rumbling growl. “Do you like scrimshaw?”

我也懒得再扔什么纸牌。毫无意义。

格雷福斯怒吼一声，朝他们冲过去——真是不服输的老狗。他举起枪托砸断面前一个家伙的鼻梁，然后迅速地被其他人摁在地上痛殴。有人抓住我的肩膀，把我的双手反剪在背后。格雷福斯则被拖着站起来，满脸是血。

突然，所有人变得安静了。一种极为不祥的安静。

人墙分开，一个披着红色大氅的身影大步走来。

普朗克。

他走近时我才发觉，原来他比想象中还要健壮得多，年纪也不小，脸上的几道皱纹就像是凿子凿出来的。

他手里拿着一个橘子，另一手捏着一把很短的雕刻刀，正在不紧不慢地削皮。

每一下都削得很干净。

“说吧，小子们，”他的声音低沉地在喉咙里滚动。

“你们喜欢骨雕吗？”

#3

我脸上又被砸了一拳，然后重重地栽倒在普朗克的甲板上。生铁做的手铐勒进我的手腕里。

The fist slams into my face again. I go down hard, hitting the deck of Gangplank’s ship. Pig-iron cuffs dig into my wrists.

我被人钳着胳膊抬起来，跪在崔斯特旁边。有个满脸麻子的海盗架住我，不让我趴下去。

I’m hauled back upright and forced to kneel alongside T.F. Not that my legs would hold me if this pox-ridden mob made me stand.

我的眼睛肿得对不上焦，眼前肌肉暴突的壮汉像隔了一层毛玻璃，忽近忽远。

The massive, slab-muscled bastard that hit me swims in and out of focus.

“再来啊，你小子会揍人吗？”我大着舌头说。

“Come on now, son,” I slur. “You’re doing it all wrong.”

我根本没看清他的动作就仰面躺在了地上。剧痛在全身上下各个关节炸开。他们又一次把我拎起来，摁在甲板上跪着。

I don’t see the next one coming. There’s just an explosion of pain, and I’m back on the deck. Once again, I’m lifted up and forced to kneel. I spit out blood and teeth. Then I grin.

我吐出牙齿和一嘴的血，笑着说：“小崽子，我老妈都比你有力气。而且她五年前就死了。”

“My old ma hits harder than you do, boy. And she’s been dead and buried five years now.”

他拉开架势准备再给我一下。刚要发力，普朗克就叫住了他。

He steps forward to knock me down again, but a word from Gangplank stops him in his tracks.

“行了。”

“Enough,” the captain says.

我的身体控制不住地打晃，眼前一片昏花，但我仍然试着把焦点放在普朗克身上。过了好一阵子我才勉强看清，他的腰带上挂着那把崔斯特想要的匕首。

Swaying slightly, I try to concentrate on Gangplank’s blurred outline. Slowly, my eyes clear. At his waist, I see he’s wearing that damn knife that T.F. stole.

“崔斯特，对吧？听说你手很快，而我一直都很看得起手快的贼。”普朗克走近崔斯特，看着他说：“但是，你不该蠢到敢来偷我的东西。”他蹲下来，转头直视着我的眼睛。

“Twisted Fate, huh? I heard you were good, and I’ve never been one to look down on a good thief,” Gangplank says. He steps in close and glares at T.F. “But a good thief knows better than to steal from me.” He hunkers down and looks me square in the eye.

“而你，如果你脑子再大那么一小寸，本来是有机会给我干活儿的。可现在不可能了。”

“And you... If you’d been two shades smarter, you could have put that gun to work for me. But we’re past that now.”

他站起来背过身去。

Gangplank stands up and turns his back to us.

“我不是个不讲理的人，也并不会强迫别人在我面前卑躬屈膝。我想要的，不过就是那么一点微不足道的尊重而已。可你们俩，却敢骑在我的脖子上拉屎。不可原谅。”

“I’m not an unreasonable man,” he continues. “I don’t expect folk to bend the knee. All I ask is a modicum of respect - something you boys pissed all over. And that can’t go unpunished.”

他的手下听到这话，开始围上前来，就像是一群饥肠辘辘的鬣狗终于等到了饱餐的机会。但我才不会求饶。他们想都别想。

His crew pushes in, like dogs waiting for the order to rip us apart. I ain’t rattled, though. I won’t give them the satisfaction.

“帮个忙，”我朝着崔斯特的方向努了努嘴，“先宰了他。”

“Do me a favor,” I say, nodding toward T.F. “Kill him first.”

普朗克嗤笑一声。

Gangplank chuckles at that.

他对一个船员点点头，那小子跑到一边，敲响了船上的钟。不一会儿，城里的十几口钟依次应声响起。醉汉、水手、商贩……许多人被骚动吸引，涌到大街上。这是要杀鸡给猴看呢。

He nods to a crewman, who starts banging away on the ship’s bell. In answer, dozens more across the port city ring out. Drunks, sailors, and shopkeeps start pouring onto the streets, drawn by the ruckus. The bastard wants an audience.

“全城人都在看着你们俩，是时候了。”他大声地命令手下：“把死神之女带上来！”

“Bilgewater’s watching, boys” Gangplank says. “Time to give ’em a show. Bring out Death’s Daughter!”

船上一阵欢呼，喽啰们跺得甲板隆隆作响。一门年代久远的火炮被推出来。虽然炮身上长满了铜绿，可它依旧是个美人。

There’s a cheer, and the deck drums with the clamor of stamping feet. An old cannon is wheeled out. It may be rusted and green with age, but it’s still a beauty.

我瞥了一眼崔斯特，他垂着脑袋，闷不吭声。他们把他的牌全搜去了，一张不落。还有他那顶花里胡哨的蠢帽子——海盗群里的一个无赖恬不知耻地戴在了自己头上。

I glance over at T.F. His head’s down, and he ain’t sayin’ nothin’. They took his cards off him... once they found ’em all. They didn’t even leave him his stupid, dandy hat - some little inbred bastard in the crowd’s wearing it.

我认识崔斯特这么多年，他总会给自己留条后路。可此时此地，束手无策，他被打败了。

In all my years of knowing T.F., he’s always had an out. Without one, here and now, he looks defeated.

好得很。

Good.

“你完全是活该，狗杂种。”我咆哮着说。

“You’re gettin’ what you deserve, you son of a bitch,” I snarl at him.

他抬头看着我，眼里带着怒火。

He stares back at me. There’s fire in him still.

“我也不希望事情变成那样——”

“I ain’t proud of how things went-”

“你丢下了我，随我烂在监狱里！”我打断他。

“You left me to rot!” I interrupt.

“我和我的人想把你弄出来，结果他们全死了！”他迅速地回击，“柯特、瓦拉赫，还有布里克，一个不剩，全是为了救你！你这个猪头！”

“Me and the whole crew tried to break you out. And they died for it!” he snaps back at me. “We lost Kolt, Wallach, the Brick - all of ’em - just trying to save your stubborn ass.”

“但你还活着。你想过为什么吗？因为你就是个懦夫，没错，你就算有再漂亮的借口也没用。”

“You made out alright, though,” I reply. “You know why? It’s because you’re a coward. And nothing you’ll ever say can change that.”

我的话深深地击中了他。他不再辩解，最后的一丝斗志也消散殆尽。他的肩膀无力地垮下去——他彻底完蛋了。

My words hit him like a punch in the guts. He doesn’t argue. The last glimmer of fight in him goes, and his shoulders slump. He’s done.

虽然崔斯特平日演技一流，但我不觉得他现在是扮出来的。我心头的怒火开始退去。

I don’t think even T.F. is this good an actor. My anger fades.

我突然感到无比疲惫。精疲力尽，而且衰老无能。

I feel tired suddenly. Tired and old.

“我们都会下地狱，并不只是我的错。”他无奈地说，“我没骗你，我们确实尽力去救你了。但是没关系，我说的这些你爱信不信。”

“Everything went to hell, and maybe we’re both to blame,” he says. “I wasn’t lying, though. We tried to get you out. Doesn’t matter. You’ll believe what you want anyway.”

我渐渐有些动摇。过了一会儿，我发现自己其实相信他的说法。

It takes a moment for that to sink in. It takes a moment longer to realize that I believe him.

真要命，他是对的。

Damn me, he’s right.

我从来都是按照自己的方式来做事，而每当我搞得过火了，崔斯特就会来收拾烂摊子。他总有后路，让我们两个人能够一次又一次全身而退。

I do things my way. Always have. Whenever I pushed it too far, he had my back. He was always the one with the out.

但是那天我没听他的，从此也再没听过。所以，现在我把我们都害死了。

But I didn’t listen to him that day, and I haven’t since.

突然，他们抓住我和崔斯特的脚，头朝下往死神之女拖过去。普朗克抚摸着炮口，就像是在逗弄心爱的猎犬一样。

And now, I’ve killed us both.

“曾经，死神之女在我的手中胜绩累累。”他不无炫耀地说，“我一直都希望能给她办个风光的葬礼。”

Suddenly, T.F. and I are yanked to our feet and dragged toward the cannon. Gangplank pats its muzzle, like it’s a prized hound.

水手们牵出一根粗铁链绕在炮身上。我明白普朗克想干什么了。

“The Death’s Daughter’s done well by me,” he says. “I’ve been wanting to give her a proper send off.”

崔斯特和我背靠背地被捆在一起，铁链的另一头缠住我们的腿，然后穿过背后的手铐搭在肩膀。挂锁一扣，我们就成了一条绳上的蚂蚱。

A heavy chain is dragged forward, and sailors begin looping it around the cannon. I see now how this is gonna pan out.

船舷的一侧滑开一个缺口，一群人把死神之女推到船边。码头上人山人海，一个个伸长脖子呆望着。

T.F. and I are shoved back to back, and the same chain is run around our legs and through our manacles. A padlock snaps shut, binding us to the chain.

普朗克的靴子跟抵在了炮筒上。

A boarding gate in the ship’s bulwark slides open, and the cannon’s rolled into place in the gap. The wharfs and docks of Bilgewater are now packed with gawkers, here to see the show.

“我跟你说，这次我是真的没法把我们弄出去了。”崔斯特拧着肩膀说，“我早就知道总有一天你会把我整死的。”

Gangplank rests the heel of his boot on the cannon.

我大笑起来，好久没有这么笑过了。

“Well, I can’t get us out of this one,” T.F. says, over his shoulder. “I always knew you’d get me killed one day.”

我们被几个人拖到船边，就像两头待宰的猪一样。

A laugh escapes my lips at that. It’s been a long time since I laughed.

也许我的传奇就要在这里结束了。我确实有过一段风光的日子，但是人的运气总是会到头的。

We’re dragged toward the edge of the ship, like cattle to the slaughter.

就在这个时候，我知道该怎么办了。

I guess this is where my story ends. I had a good run for a while there. But nobody’s luck lasts forever.

我用手腕顶住手铐的内圈，竭力把手悄悄地伸到裤子的后袋里摸索。

It’s only then that I know what I should do.

果然还在。

Carefully, straining against my manacles, I reach into my back pocket. It’s still there; the playing card T.F. dropped back in the warehouse. I’d aimed to shove it down his bastard throat.

崔斯特在仓库里留下的纸牌。我原本是打算塞进他喉咙里的。

They checked T.F. good for cards – but not me.

他们把崔斯特全身上下搜了个遍，却没管我。

I nudge him. Chained back to back, it’s easy to hand the card off to T.F. without being seen. I can feel him hesitate as I pass it to him.

我们这样背靠背地捆着，传东西倒是挺方便。我不动声色地把纸牌放进他的手里。他有点意外，犹豫一下，然后攥进了手心。

“You two will make a meager tithe, but you’ll serve,” says Gangplank. “Give the Bearded Lady my regards.”

“作为祭品，你们俩有点寒酸。不过也不算太差。”普朗克漫不经心地说，“替我向胡母问好。”

With a wave to the crowd, Gangplank kicks the cannon over the side. It hits the dark water with a splash, and sinks fast. The chain on the deck spools out after it.

他向人群一边挥手致意，一边把死神之女踢出了船舷。黑暗的海面上溅起落水的声响，火炮带着铁链飞快地下沉。

Now, at the end, I believe T.F. I know he tried everything to get me out, like he did all those times when we ran together. This time, for once, I’ve got the out. I can at least give him that.

临别之际，我完全相信十年前，就像之前很多次一样，崔斯特为了救我已经想尽了办法。而这一次，有后路的人是我。

“Get outta here.”

至少能还他一次了。

He starts going through the motions, spinning the card around his fingers. As the power starts to build, I feel an uncomfortable pressure in the back of my skull. I always hated being close to him when he did his trick.

“你滚吧。”

And then, he’s gone.

他开始活动手指，纸牌在他的手里舞动起来。随着神秘的力量越来越强，我的后脑勺传来一阵极不舒服的压力感。这就是为什么他每次玩这套把戏的时候，我都和他保持一段距离的原因。

The chains binding T.F. drop to the deck with a crash, and there’re shouts from the crowd. My chains are still locked tight. I ain’t getting out of this, but it’s worth it just to see the look on Gangplank’s face.

然后他就不见了。

The cannon’s chain yanks me off my feet. I hit the deck hard, and grunt in pain. In an instant, I’m dragged over the edge of the boat.

捆着他的铁链哐啷一声砸在甲板上，人群里一阵哗然。我身上的铁链还是紧紧地绷着。虽然难逃一死，但能看到普朗克此刻脸上的表情我也满足了。

The cold water hits me, stealing my breath.

我的脚被猛地一拽，我闷哼一声摔倒在地，紧接着一眨眼就飞出了船舷。

Then I’m under, sinking fast, dragged down into the dark.

我重重地砸进冰冷的海水，半空中憋的气一下子就漏光了。

我向着黑暗飞快地沉下去。

有了格雷福斯给我的纸牌，我就可以轻易传送到码头上。那里不仅离海岸很近，而且人群密集，很容易混进去。不用一个小时我就能彻底离开这个破岛，再没人能找到我。

The card Malcolm puts in my hand could easily get me to the wharf. I’m so close to shore, and from there, the huge crowd’s just perfect for me to vanish into. I could be off this rat’s ass of an island inside an hour. This time, no one would ever find me.

但我脑中只剩下他掉进海水前那张气冲冲的脸。

Then all I can see in my mind is his pissed-off face disappearing into the depths.

这条老狗。

Son of a bitch.

我不能抛下他。十年前那是最后一次。我必须救他。

I can’t leave him. Not after last time. There’s no running away from this. I know where to go.

身上的压力猛然暴涨，我动了。

The pressure builds, and then I shift.

下一秒，我出现在普朗克的身后。

In an instant, I’m right behind Gangplank, ready to make my move.

有个船员傻傻地看着我，不明白为什么我会站在这里。我一拳打断了他的思考。他仰面跌进甲板上同样困惑的人堆里，蠢货们这才醒悟过来，纷纷拔出弯刀。普朗克最先发难，一刀挥向我的喉咙。

One of his crew spots me – he looks baffled, like he’s trying to figure out how I got there. While he thinks about it, I punch him square in the face. He collapses into a crowd of bewildered deckhands. They all turn on me with cutlasses drawn. Gangplank leads the attack, slashing straight at my throat.

但我比他们都快得多。我向后一别身子，蹬地前滑，闪过堪堪擦过的钢刃，从普朗克胯下钻过去，顺手把他腰带上的匕首摘了下来。普朗克疯狂地叫骂，骂声扶摇直上。

But I’m faster. In one deft move, I slide underneath the arcing steel and lift Gangplank’s prized silver dagger from his belt. Behind me, I hear cursing that could split the mast in two.

我把匕首掖进腰带，几步跨到船舷边上。铁链像一条正在逃命的黑蛇，最后一截尾巴划过甲板，眼见就要消失。我飞扑过去，手指死命抠住了其中一环。

I leap to the deck, stowing the dagger in my britches as the end of the chain tears toward the edge of the ship. I stretch and grab the last steel link just before it disappears overboard.

链条丝毫没有减速，把我拽了出去。我意识到自己冲动了。

The snap of the chain hauls me over the side, and now I realize what I’ve done.

阴沉的水面急速扑来。在那一刻，我全身的每一个细胞都想要放开手里的铁链。身为大河游民，不会游泳的事实折磨了我一辈子。讽刺的是，我到头来还是淹死的。

The water is coming at me fast. In that frozen moment, every single part of me wants to let go of the chain. Being a river man who can’t swim has plagued me my whole life. Now it’ll be the death of me.

我绝望地吸进一大口气，然后我的肩膀就被火枪打中了。我痛呼一声，气息散尽，随即被扯进了海里。

I take one final gulp of air. Then a musket shot rips into my shoulder. I yell out in pain, and lose my last breath just before I’m dragged under.

冰冷刺骨的海水灌进口鼻，窒息的恐怖感包围了我。

Frigid water punches me in the face as I sink into the suffocating blue.

噩梦成真。

This is my nightmare.

我努力压住心里膨胀的恐慌，但没有用。船上的人不停地往水里开枪，而我还在下沉。

Panic wells inside. I try to quell it. It’s almost too much. More shots pierce the water above me. I’m still sinking.

鲨群和魔鬼鱼被血腥吸引过来，一边绕圈，一边跟着我往深渊潜下去。

Sharks and devilfish circle. They taste the blood. They follow me deeper into the abyss.

我心中惊惧万分，反而不觉得疼了。耳朵里只能听到心脏擂鼓般地狂跳，胸腔里仿佛有火在灼烧。海水挤进我的毛孔，黑暗像蛛丝一样将我裹住。太深了，已经回不去了。

Everything is terror. No pain now. Heart pounds in my ears. Chest burning. Gotta keep the water out. Darkness coils around me. Too far down. No way back. I know that now.

但也许我能救格雷福斯。

But maybe I can save Malcolm.

下方传来咚的一声——死神之女落在了海床上。铁链终于软瘫下去。

Below me, there’s a thud, and the chain goes slack. The cannon’s hit the seabed.

我抓住链条往海底潜去，黑暗中有一个模糊的影子。格雷福斯。我急忙拉紧链条游向他。

I pull myself down the chain into the shadows. There’s a shape below. I think it’s Graves. Frantic, I drag myself toward him.

到了跟前，虽然我看不清他的脸，但他好像在很生气地摇头，意思是我不该回来。

Then he’s right in front of me, though I can barely see the outline of his face. I think he’s shaking his head at me, angry that I came back.

我臂膀发麻，大脑因为缺氧开始变得昏昏欲睡，太阳穴剧痛。

I’m growing faint. My arm is numb and my skull is being crushed.

我放开铁链，双手颤抖着从腰间掏出了匕首。

Letting go of the chain, I pull the dagger from my waist. My hand trembles.

我在黑暗中奇迹般地摸到了他的手铐。我把刀尖捅进锁孔——我撬过的锁没有一万也有八千，但现在我的手抖个不停，根本没办法做到。

I fumble in the darkness. By some miracle, I find the lock on Graves’s cuffs. I work the blade to coax it open, like I have a thousand locks before. But my hands won’t stop shaking.

就算是格雷福斯也开始害怕了。他嘴里冒出的气泡越来越小，但铐锁还是没有变化。

Even Graves must be terrified. His lungs have to be giving out by now. The lock isn’t budging.

如果换作格雷福斯，他会怎么办？

What would Malcolm do?

我心里一横，不再去想撬锁的要领，只是凭着蛮力疯狂地扭动起匕首来。

I twist the dagger. No finesse - nothing but force.

刀尖一跳，我似乎割到了自己的手。我无力地放开匕首，任由它沉入深渊。就这样吧……好像有光？

Something gives. I think I cut my hand. The dagger is falling. Into the abyss. There it goes... Is it glowing?

在我上方，目之所及全是明亮的橘红色。美不胜收。

Above me, bright red. Red and orange... Everywhere. It’s beautiful... So this is what it’s like to die.

这就是将死之人会看到的景象吗？

I laugh.

我咧开嘴笑了。

Water rushes in.

海水涌进来。

It’s peaceful.

一切归于平静。

厄运小姐站在塞壬号的甲板上，眺望着港口。远处的火焰在她的眼里跳动，她一手造成的可怕景象尽收眼底。

Miss Fortune stared across the harbor from the deck of her ship, the Syren. Flames reflected in her eyes as she absorbed the full level of destruction she had wrought.

冥渊号的残骸正在熊熊燃烧，他的手下要么被当场炸死，要么掉进海中溺毙，还有一些正在被群聚的剃刀鱼分食。

All that remained of Gangplank’s ship was burning wreckage. The crew had been killed in the detonation, drowned in the chaos, or claimed by the swarming razorfish.

刚才那一刻堪称壮丽：巨大的火球在夜空中遽然升起，宛如一轮朝阳跃出海面。

It had been glorious. An immense ball of rolling fire had lit up the night like a new sun.

大半个比尔吉沃特都见证了那一刻，而普朗克本人也知道这一点。没错，她的本意正是如此。他把崔斯特和格雷福斯像牲口一样在所有人面前展示，想要提醒大家自己的威严不可侵犯。对于普朗克来说，别人只不过是他巩固权力的工具而已。而她正是利用这点才杀死了他。

Half the city had witnessed it; Gangplank himself had seen to that, as she knew he would. He had to parade Twisted Fate and Graves in front of Bilgewater. He had to remind everyone why no one should cross him. To Gangplank, people were just tools used to maintain control - so she’d used that to kill him.

尖叫和警钟响彻全城，流言像野火一样蔓延开来。

Shouts and tolling bells echoed across the port city. Word would be spreading like wildfire.

普朗克死了。

Gangplank is dead.

她的唇边挑起一抹微笑。

The corners of her lips curled into a smile.

今晚不过是整个游戏的终盘而已。雇崔斯特去偷匕首，再把消息放给格雷福斯——都是迷惑他的障眼法而已。她的复仇终于在多年之后得偿夙愿。厄运小姐的微笑消失了。

Tonight was merely the endgame: Hiring T.F., tipping off Graves – all just to distract Gangplank. It had taken years to exact her revenge.

从普朗克戴着红面巾闯进她家的工坊那一刻起，她等待这一天已经很久很久了。

Miss Fortune’s smile faded.

莎拉，那时候她还叫这个名字，在那一天，普朗克杀死了她的双亲，也开枪打中了她，而她当时只是一个毫无还手之力的孩子，只能呆呆地看着父母倒在血泊之中。

From the moment he had stormed into her family’s workshop, his face hidden behind a red bandana, she had been preparing herself for this moment.

普朗克无意中教会她一个残酷的事实：不管你觉得有多么安稳太平，你的世界，包括你建立的一切，你在乎的一切，都可以在转眼之间化为乌有。但他千不该万不该，留了个活口。愤怒和仇恨陪伴着她度过了那个冰冷的夜晚，还有无数紧随其后的黑夜。

Sarah lost both her parents that day. She was just a child, but he shot her down as she stood watching her parents bleed out on the floor.

十五年来，她孜孜不倦地攫取着所有可能用得上的资源，极其耐心地等待着，直到普朗克完全忘记了她，放松警惕，高枕无忧地躺在自己的宝座上。只有到这个时候，他才会失去一切。也只有到这个时候，他才会懂得“失去“二字真正的含义。

Gangplank taught her a harsh lesson: that no matter how safe you feel, your world – everything you’ve built, everything you care for - can be taken away in an instant.

她应该感到狂喜。但此刻，萦绕她的只是空虚而已。

Gangplank’s one mistake was not making sure she was dead. Her anger and her hate had sustained her through that first cold, painful night, and every night since.

雷文跳上舷边，打乱了她的思绪。

For fifteen years, she had scraped together everything she needed; waiting until she wasn’t even a memory to him, for him to drop his guard and get comfortable in the life he’d built. Only then would he truly be able to lose everything. Only then would he know what it felt like to lose his home, to lose his world.

“他死了，结束了。”雷文静静地说。

She should have been feeling exultant, but she just felt empty.

“还没有。”

Joining her at the gunwale, Rafen jolted Sarah from her reverie.

她转眼望向比尔吉沃特深处。本来她以为，杀掉普朗克，也就平息了自己的恨意。但她只感觉仇恨有增无减。从那一天以来，她头一次感受到了真正的强大。

“He’s gone,” he said. “It’s over.”

“这才刚刚开始。听好了，每个忠于过他的人，我要他们付出血的代价；他手下的所有副官，我要把他们人头钉在我的墙上；每一间装饰着他的徽记的妓院、酒馆和仓库，我要看着它们被烧成一片白地。最后，我要亲眼看到他的尸体，摆在我的脚下。”

“No,” replied Miss Fortune. “Not yet.”

雷文不禁颤栗起来。他听到过好多次类似的宣言，但这是头一回出自她的口中。

She turned from the harbor, casting her gaze across Bilgewater. Sarah had hoped that killing him would kill her hate. But all she had done was unleash it. For the first time since that day, she felt truly powerful.

“This is just the beginning,” she said. “I want everyone loyal to him to be brought to answer. I want the heads of his lieutenants mounted on my wall. Burn every bawdy house, tavern, and warehouse that bears his mark. And I want his corpse.”

Rafen was shaken. He’d heard words like that before, but never from her.

我设想过无数次自己的死亡。但我从来没想过，有一天我会被像狗一样捆起来，在海底咽下最后一口气。幸运的是，崔斯特在失手弄掉那把匕首前，误打误撞地捅开了我的手铐。

I’ve thought a lot about the ways I’d wanna go out. Chained up like a dog at the bottom of the ocean? That one never crossed my mind. Lucky for me, T.F. manages to pop the lock on my shackles just before he drops the dagger.

我挣脱身上的铁索，发现崔斯特跟死人一样动也不动。我抓住他的领子，拼命蹬腿向水面游去。

I scramble out of the chains, thirsty for breath. I turn toward T.F. Poor bastard’s not moving. I twist my hand around his collar and start kickin’ toward the surface.

刚游了几米，眼前突然亮起一片红光。

As we go up, suddenly everything lights up bright red.

紧接着一声巨响，然后大块大块的铁皮纷纷掉下来。一门铁炮一头栽进深海；烧焦的船舵，乱七八糟的尸体等等等等，一股脑儿全沉到水中。一颗血肉模糊的人头，依稀可以辨认出脸上全是刺青，无神地盯着我，然后翻滚着掉进了黑暗的深处。

A shockwave knocks me ass over ears. Chunks of iron sink past us. A cannon plunges by. Then a charred hunk of rudder. Bodies, too. A face covered in tattoos stares in shock at me. The severed head then slowly disappears into the darkness beneath us.

我疯狂地划水，肺都快憋出血了。

I swim faster, my lungs set to bust.

度秒如年，我终于在水面上探出了头。我一边大口地咳出苦咸的海水，一边竭尽全力喘气。但我发现仍然呼吸困难——海面上弥漫着呛人的浓烟，刺得人眼睛都睁不开。我不是没见过大火，却从来没见过烧成这样的。看起来就好像有人把全世界都扔进了火坑里。

An age later, I’m at the surface, coughing up salt water and gasping for air. But it’s damn near unbreathable. Smoke chokes me and claws at my eyes. I’ve seen things burn in my time, but never like this. Looks like someone set the whole world on fire.

“天啊……”我低声感叹。

“Damn me...” I hear myself mutter.

普朗克的船已经彻底完了，只剩下遍布海湾的残骸还在冒着青烟。码头上的木头房子在火海中噼噼啪啪地接连坍塌。一面着火的船帆当头飘下来，差点把我们俩又给拖回水底。四处可见身上带火的人，从残破的码头上尖叫着跳进水里。硫磺味、尘土、死亡、烧焦的头发和烤熟的皮肤……世界末日。

Gangplank’s ship is gone. Bits of smoking debris are scattered all across the bay. Fiery islands of wood collapse all around, hissin’ as they go under. A flaming sail falls right in front of us, nearly dragging T.F. and me back down for good. Burning men desperately jump from smoldering pieces of wreckage into the water, quietin’ their own screams. It smells like the end of everything – sulfur and ash and death; cooked hair and melting skin.

我试了一下崔斯特，他还没死。可是这狗杂种比表面上看起来重得多，再加上我还断了几根肋骨，我拼了老命才把他的脑袋稳在水面上。

I check on T.F. I’m strugglin’ to keep him above water. Son of a bitch is a lot heavier than he looks, and it ain’t helping that half my ribs are broke. I find a piece of scorched hull floating nearby. It looks solid enough. I pull us both on top. It ain’t exactly seaworthy, but it’ll do.

一块焦糊的船板漂到眼前，我赶紧捞过来，然后把他翻到板子上，自己再爬上去。虽然不太牢固，但总算是活下来了。

For the first time, I get a good look at T.F. He ain’t breathin’. I wail on his chest with my fists. Just when I’m worried I’m going to cave his ribs in, he coughs out a lungful of seawater. I slump and shake my head again as he slowly comes to his senses.

我这才有机会好好地检查一下。他已经没有呼吸了。我挥拳砸他的胸口，连续十几下，就在我开始担心会不会砸烂他的胸腔时，他猛地咳出一大口海水，慢悠悠地恢复了意识。我松了口气，随即变得怒不可遏。

“You stupid son of a bitch! What did you come back for?”

“你个狗日的蠢货！你回来干什么？”

It takes him a minute to answer.

他花了一分钟才开口。

“Thought I’d try it your way,” he mutters, slurring his words. “See what being a stubborn ass felt like.” He hacks up more water. “Feels awful.”

“我试了你的办法。”他喃喃地说，“想试试脑子一根筋的感觉——”他咳嗽起来，“感觉糟透了。”

Razorfish and even meaner sea critters are startin’ to gather around us. I ain’t about to be anything’s chow. I pull my feet away from the edge.

剃刀鱼群，还有些叫不上名字的凶恶海兽，开始聚拢过来，围在木板四周磨牙霍霍。好不容易才捡回条命，我不禁缩起身子。

A mangled crewman bobs to the surface, grabbin’ for our raft. I plant my boot in his face and shove him off. A fat tentacle wraps around his neck and drags him back under. Now the fish have something else to keep ’em busy.

一个重伤的船员挣扎着浮出水面，急慌慌地想抓住船板。我伸脚踩着他的脸把他踹开，海里突然升起一只粗壮的触手，往他脖子上一卷，一下就拖了下去。看来它们得忙上一阵子了。

Before they run out of fresh meat, I break off a plank from our raft and use it to paddle us away from the feedin’ frenzy.

鱼群的盛宴沸反盈天，我趁着它们还没吃完，拆下一截木板当成船桨划起来。

I pull at the water for what seems like hours. My arms are heavy and hurtin’, but I know better than to stop. Once I’ve put some distance between us and the massacre, I collapse onto my back.

划了可能有几个小时，我的两条手臂又痛又沉，但我不敢停下来。

I’m spent like an empty shotgun shell as I look out over the bay. It’s stained red with the blood of Gangplank and his crew. Not a survivor in sight.

直到海里的屠杀渐渐远去，我才一屁股坐下来，再也不想动弹。

How am I still breathing? Maybe I’m the luckiest man on Runeterra. Or maybe T.F.’s carrying enough good fortune for the both of us.

我精疲力尽，全身发烫，就像一颗从枪膛退下来的弹壳。远处的海湾被普朗克等人的鲜血染成了深红，一个幸存者的影子都没有。

I see a body floating by, holding something familiar lookin’. It’s Gangplank’s little inbred bastard, still clutching T.F.’s hat. I take it off him and toss it to T.F. He ain’t even a little surprised, like he always knew he’d get it back.

而我居然还活着，我简直就是整个符文之地最幸运的人。不过，也有可能是借了崔斯特的狗屎运。

“Now we just need to find your gun,” he says.

不远处漂来一具尸体，抓着的东西有点眼熟。衣着打扮看着是普朗克的亲信，手里是崔斯特的那顶帽子。我捞起来扔给崔斯特，他一脸无所谓的表情，似乎知道这帽子迟早会回到他手里。

“What, you itchin’ to go back down there?” I say, pointing to the deep.

“现在我们是不是该去找你的枪了？”

T.F. turns a funny shade of green.

“我没听错吧，你还想着回去？”我指指一片狼藉的海滩。

“We ain’t got the time. Whoever did this, they left Bilgewater without a boss,” I tell him. “It’s gonna get ugly here, fast.”

崔斯特露出一脸苦相。

“You’re telling me you can live without your gun?” he asks.

“时间不够的。比尔吉沃特的老大死了——是谁干的并不重要，重要的是城里的各个帮派群龙无首，免不了要火并。说不定已经开始了。”

“Maybe not,” I say. “But I know a really good gunsmith in Piltover.”

“你别逗，没了枪你怎么活啊？”

“Piltover...” he says, lost in thought.

“是有点儿难。不过，我知道在皮尔特沃夫有个造枪师傅，手艺相当过硬。”

“Lot of money flowing through there right now,” I say.

“皮尔特沃夫吗……”他陷入了沉思。

T.F. figures hard for a moment.

“遍地都是钱的地方。”

“Hmm. Not sure about having you as a partner again – you’re even dumber than you used to be,” he finally answers.

崔斯特沉默着。

“That’s alright. I’m not sure about havin’ a partner called Twisted Fate. Who the hell came up with that?”

过了好一阵，他终于开口说道：“是这样的，我还没想好要不要跟你合作——你比以前更蠢了。”

“Well, it’s a damn sight better than my real name,” T.F. laughs.

“嗯，崔斯特.费特这称呼也不太合适做搭档。哪个不开窍的蠢货会起这种狗屎名字？”

“Fair enough,” I admit.

“你不觉得比我的真名好得多么。”他大笑着说。

I grin. It feels just like the old days. Then I go stone faced and look him dead in the eye.

“那倒是。”

“Just one thing: You ever have mind to leave me holding the bag again, I’ll blow your goddamn head off. No questions.”

我也跟着笑了，旧日时光如在眼前。突然，我的脸色一凛，死死盯住他的眼睛。

Fate’s laugh dies down, and for a moment, he glares back at me. Then, after a while, he just smiles.

“丑话说在前头，要是你再让我替你顶包，哪怕只是个念头，我就把你的脑袋崩下来。没得商量。”

“You got a deal.”

崔斯特的笑意蓦地消失了。他冷冷地看着我好一会儿，然后脸上又浮起微笑。

“成交。”

#4

比尔吉沃特正在崩溃。

Bilgewater was devouring itself. The streets rang with the shrieks of the desperate and the dying. Fires burning in the lowly slums rained ash across the entire city. Control had been lost, and now every gang rushed to fill the power vacuum left by the fall of one man. A war had been started by the spread of three simple words: Gangplank is dead.

街头回荡着绝望的尖叫和将死之人的哀嚎。成片的贫民窟在大火中化成灰烬，高高扬起，飘洒到城中各个角落。秩序已经不复存在，那个人留在身后的权力真空刺激着城里所有的帮派，所有人都在摩拳擦掌。一场战争已经开场，只因为一句话：普朗克死了。

Savage ambitions and petty grudges that had festered for years were now being acted upon.

残酷的野心与狭隘的恨意已经在暗中委曲多年，终于找到了登场的机会。

On the docks, a crew of whalers ran down a rival fisherman. They skewered him with harpoons and left his body hanging from a trotline.

在码头，一群捕鲸人把一个对头帮派的渔夫用鱼叉串起来，挂在了钓绳上。

At the highest peak of the island, tall opulent gates that had stood since Bilgewater’s founding were battered apart. A cowering gang lord was ripped from his bed by a rival. His mewling cries were silenced when his skull was dashed upon the hand-crafted marble of his own front steps.

岛上的最高峰处，从比尔吉沃特开埠之初就巍然伫立的华贵大门如今已经成为一片瓦砾。一个盘踞在此的帮派头领被对手从被窝里拖了出来。他刚发出一声哭叫，就被人砸破了脑袋，死在自己床前的大理石台阶上。

Along the wharf, a fleeing Red Cap attempted to staunch a bloody head wound. He looked over his shoulder but could see no sign of his pursuers. The Jagged Hooks had turned on the Caps. He had to get back to the safe house to warn his crew.

港口的一角，一个红帽子正一边包扎着头上的伤口，一边疯狂地逃命。他一路紧张地回头，却始终没有看到追他的人。

He rounded the corner, screaming for his brothers to gather their arms and join him. But his thirst for blood dried in his throat. Standing in front of the Red Caps’ own den was a band of Hooks. Their blades dripped with gore. At their head, a wiry figure, barely a man, creased his pock-marked face with a vicious grin.

铁钩已经跟红帽帮彻底撕破了脸，他必须要赶回驻地通知其他人。

The Red Cap had time to utter one last curse.

他冲过拐角，大喊着叫所有弟兄准备应战，但他心中的杀意一下子哽在了喉咙里——红帽子的老巢门前站着一群铁钩，手里的弯刀沾满了黑红的血迹。领头的是个瘦得不成人形的麻子。他的脸上浮现出残忍的微笑。

Across the bay, off a quiet back alley, a physician attempted to ply his trade. The gold he had been handed was plenty to buy his services – and assure his silence.

红帽子只留下了一句咒骂作为遗言。

It had taken half an hour to peel the sodden coat from the sloughing flesh of his patient’s arm. The doctor had seen many horrific injuries before, but even he recoiled at the sight of the mangled limb. He paused for a moment, terrified of the response his next words would provoke.

海湾另一侧的暗巷里，一间小屋中有个外科医生，他正试着完成手头的工作。酬劳之不菲，除了能让他尽心尽责之外，还能让他在事后识趣地闭嘴。医生花了半个小时才把那人的外套从烂掉的皮肉上剥下来。饶是见惯了各种可怕的伤口，他看到稀泥一样的手臂时还是忍不住缩起了脖子。他犹豫了一下，小心地斟酌着语句，生怕激怒他的病人。

“I... I’m sorry. I can’t save your arm.”

“对……对不起，您的手……我治不了。”

Within the shadows of the candlelit room, the bloodied ruin of a man composed himself before staggering to his feet. His good hand shot out like a lash and wrapped around the throat of the quivering doctor. He lifted the surgeon slowly, measuredly off the floor and pinned him to the wall.

烛光昏暗的房间里，浑身是血的男人摇晃地站起来，镇定了一下才稳住身体。突然，他闪电般地伸出另一只还能用的手，一把扼住了医生的脖颈。他把医生慢慢地举离地面，抵在了墙上。

For a terrible moment, the brute stood impassively, considering the man in his grasp. Then he abruptly dropped him.

虽然手里抓着一个人，但那个野蛮人的脸上毫无表情，只是一动不动地站着。然后他猛地放开手让医生摔在地上。

Lost in panic and confusion, the healer coughed violently as the shadowed mass strode to the back of the room. Passing through the light of the surgeon’s lantern, the patient reached for the top drawer of a well-worn cabinet. Methodically, the man opened each drawer searching for what he needed. Finally, he stopped.

医生已经完全吓傻了，只跪在地上一个劲儿地咳嗽。病人借着手术灯的光线走到房间最里面，拉开了一个旧柜子的抽屉。他有条不紊地逐个拉开每一层，寻找着什么东西。终于，他停住了。

“Everything must have a purpose,” he said, looking at his mutilated arm.

“任何事物都有存在的意义。”他看着自己支离破碎的手臂说。

He pulled something from the case, and threw it to the doctor’s feet. There, glinting under the lantern was the clean steel of a bonesaw.

他把找到的东西抽了出来，扔在医生的脚下。那是一把精钢制的骨锯，在灯笼的微光中冰冷地闪烁着。

“Cut it off,” he said. “I’ve got work to do.”

“锯掉。我还有活儿要干。”