悍勇本色 Daredevil Impulse

作者：Michael Luo

这家武器铺看上去污浊脏脏——莎弥拉就喜欢这样的。店门之上歪斜地挂着一块牌匾：拉尼&米尔军用品店。莎弥拉从因达莉队长那里听说了这个不起眼的诺克萨斯店铺，而因达莉队长则是从敌后特工旧识的情报中探听到的这个地方。因为这家店的学工还兼职纹身师傅，所以莎弥拉对这里颇有兴趣。她走进了这家店，因达莉跟在她身后。

The weapons shop looked grimy—just the way Samira liked it. A sign hung askew on the door: Lani & Miel Munitions. Samira heard about this Noxian hole-in-the-wall from Captain Indari, who’d received a tip from one of her old saboteur connections. That and the fact the apprentices here moonlighted as tattoo artists was enough to intrigue Samira. She stepped in, and Indari followed.

队长没必要跟她到处跑，但莎弥拉也没法强硬阻止。

The captain didn’t need to tag along, but it wasn’t like Samira could tell her otherwise.

进店以后，莎弥拉闻到铁水的味道，看到了诺克萨斯军中很少出现的工具。一个说话声尖锐活泼的姑娘正在焊接祖安产的黄铜，她的嘴唇上穿了两枚唇钉。而她的合作伙伴则是一个壮硕如牛的悍妇，正在清理一把海克斯卡宾枪。店里的其他学工身上都盖着纹身，忙碌着打下手。

Inside, Samira smelled molten iron and saw tools rarely found in Noxian armories. A chirpy woman with two labret piercings welded Zaunite brass while her partner, a woman built like an ox, cleaned a hexcarbine. Tattooed apprentices helped wherever they could.

“你今天打算挥霍多少钱？”因达莉一边问道，一边微微调整木质轮椅的手轮圈。她的声音中透着戎马生涯数十载的力量。换做是许多年前，队长的否定如同钢针扎进肉里。

“How much coin you wasting today?” Indari asked, adjusting the hand rims of her wooden wheelchair. Her voice carried the strength of many decades in service to the empire. Years ago, her disapproval would’ve stung.

现在，触她的霉头就是为了好玩。

Now, annoying the captain was just a bonus.

“挥霍多少都不过瘾。”莎弥拉在陈列柜里看到两把手枪。一把的颜色黑如木炭。另一把是流线型的银色左轮枪。两把枪上都采用了未经试验的祖安创新技术。

“Not nearly as much as I’d like to.” Samira saw two pistols displayed in glass. One had the color of charcoal. The other was a revolver, sleek and silver. Both contained untested Zaunite innovations.

“它俩的手感跟卖相一样好吗？”莎弥拉问。

“These as easy on the hands as they are on the eyes?” Samira asked.

“那是我们店里最高级的货！”那名焊接师父喊道，“我跟米尔用的进口材料——从我老家进口的。价格贵得很。”

“They’re the best we got!” the welder shouted. “Miel and I made ’em with materials imported from back home—my home, that is. Will cost ya a fortune.”

莎弥拉往柜台上扔出一袋子钱币。在她身后，因达莉双臂交叉在胸前。“那可是上一次任务的全部报酬！”

Samira threw a sack of coins on a counter. Behind her, Indari crossed her arms. “That's the whole payout from your last mission!”

莎弥拉露出微笑。“女人就应该选最合手的装备。再说，上次用的火器……没什么劲。”

Samira smiled. “A woman’s gotta have the right equipment for the job. Besides, the last firearms I had… weren’t that exciting.”

因达莉摇了摇头。“小莎。即使是你，未免也太鲁莽了点。”

Indari shook her head. “Sam. Even for you, this is reckless.”

莎弥拉双眼放光。“正如你教过我的。”

Samira beamed. “Just like you taught me.”

前往南方密林的旅程耗费了数周时间，令莎弥拉失望的是，路上一个想杀她的人都没有。她来到一座巨大的石砌建筑附近，重复检查了队长在日志中给她标注的位置——库尔萨拉附近的一座工事，有消息称里面存放着一件武器，足以对帝国产生威胁。她的任务是取回这件武器，不留活口。

The journey into the southern jungles took weeks, and to Samira’s disappointment, not even one person had tried to kill her. Standing near a large stone building, she double-checked the location the captain had marked on her journal—a compound near Qualthala rumored to house a weapon that threatened the empire. Orders were to retrieve the weapon and leave no survivors.

高耸的建筑立在她面前，上面没有任何记号，木门已经被打碎。

The building, devoid of markings, loomed before her, its wooden doors smashed to pieces.

“呵。”莎弥拉暗自揣测。

“Huh,” Samira mused.

她向前迈步，然后突然停下。把右脚抬起来以后，她从靴底的缝隙中抠出一块扭曲的钢铁。奇怪，她心想道，它的形状非常不自然。紧接着一串慌忙的脚步声传来。

She stepped forward, then stopped herself. Lifting up her right boot, she picked off a piece of warped iron stuck to the metal clasp. Strange, she thought, staring at its unnatural shape. Then came rushed footsteps.

两名拿着长枪的卫兵挡在她面前。

Two guards faced her, wielding spears.

“又来了一个入侵者！”其中一人喊道，“别让这家伙跑了！”

“Another intruder!” one shouted. “Don’t let this one get away!”

为我举办的欢迎会。

My kind of welcoming party.

莎弥拉抽出双枪，向侧面滑步，随后射出一连串子弹，还没等两个卫兵接近到长枪的攻击范围，就解决了他们。

Samira drew her pistols. Sliding to her right, she unloaded a flurry of bullets, executing the guards before they were within spear’s length.

莎弥拉皱起眉头。“没什么挑战嘛，怎么搞的？”她继续压进，在建筑群的廊道中快步奔跑，踩在金属碎渣上发出清脆的脚步声，设法引起所有人的注意。战争石匠纷纷注意到她的入侵，开始向她跑过来。

Samira’s brow furrowed. “Not much of a challenge, now, was it?” She pressed on, sprinting loudly past metal debris in the corridors of the compound, figuring this’d be the best way to attract everyone’s attention. Warmasons, alerted to the intrusion, ran toward her.

第二回合开始。这回来点好玩的。

Round two. Let’s make this fun.

在视野的余光里，她看到一张靠着墙的桌子。莎弥拉跑过去，跳到上面。她踩着桌子一跃而起，在空中旋转着画出一道圆弧，用爆裂的枪火将身后的追兵一扫而光，随后轻盈地落到地上。

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a table shoved against a wall. Samira rushed forward and jumped onto it. Leaping off the tabletop, she spun in a wild circle, mowing down her pursuers in a blaze of gunfire before her feet hit the ground.

她一刻也没有停歇，跳过毁掉的阳台，落在开阔的院落当中。旁边是另一座建筑，大门也已被撞碎。

Without rest, she hopped over a crushed balcony to land in an open courtyard. Nearby was another building, its doors smashed apart.

有人比我提前找到了这件武器，她心想道，脸上露出满意的笑容。已经好几年都没遇到过了。

Someone must’ve beat me to this weapon, she thought, smirking. Been years since that’s happened.

莎弥拉的脉搏加快。她听到了细微的石块滚落声，立刻向旁边转身躲闪，双枪瞄准前方。

Samira’s pulse quickened. Hearing the faintest rumble, she spun around, guns pointed forward.

两个巨大的身影冲入院落。莎弥拉露出微笑。

Two massive figures charged into the courtyard. Samira smiled.

龙蜥。运气不赖。

Basilisks. Lucky me.

每头龙蜥后背上都骑着一名重甲骑兵，各自手里握着一把战斧。莎弥拉双臂上的汗毛竖起，她愈发兴奋起来。

Atop each was an armored soldier wielding a bladed axe. The hair on Samira’s arms rose in excitement.

瞧瞧——打靶练习。

Looky here—target practice.

“她的目标也是那个被废了的孩子？”一名士兵问道。

“She here for the null kid, too?” one of the soldiers asked.

“无所谓了，那孩子没了。这家伙看起来跟早些时候的入侵者一点也不一样。”第二名士兵转向莎弥拉问，“你是什么东西？”

“Doesn’t matter, kid’s gone. And this one looks nothin’ like the earlier intruder,” said the second soldier, turning to Samira. “What are you?”

莎弥拉提起一撇眉毛。“我是你临死前的最后一眼”

Samira raised an eyebrow. “What I am is the last thing you’ll see.”

“哈！这家伙嘴还挺——”

“Ha! This one’s got a mou—”

一颗子弹打进了他的脑袋。

A bullet tore into his head.

“真可惜，”莎弥拉说着，查看她的左轮手枪。“最后一发子弹浪费给了他。”

“What a shame,” Samira said, checking her revolver. “Wasted my last round on him.”

那名士兵倒在地上死气沉沉。他的龙蜥发出咆哮，径直冲向莎弥拉，巨颚用力咬合。

The soldier fell dead to the ground. His basilisk roared, charging headfirst toward Samira, its jaw snapping.

“来呀，大怪兽。”

“Come and get it, beast.”

莎弥拉向下蹲伏。她感到自己心跳加速，但浑身纹丝不动。

Samira crouched. She felt her heart race, but didn’t move a muscle.

想玩刺激的，就要等到……

Won’t be as thrilling until…

龙蜥已经非常接近。莎弥拉感到手指一阵刺痒。

The basilisk drew close. Samira’s fingers itched.

最恰当的时机。

Just the right moment.

她双手向后蓄力，把双枪扔向它的双眼，短暂干扰巨兽的视线。她转过身，向空中高高跃起，用后空翻画出一个完美的圆，最后落到了巨兽后背的鞍座上。她拉紧缰绳，控制胯下的坐骑转身面对另一个士兵。

She reared back her arms and chucked her guns at its eyes, dazing the beast for a moment. Turning her back, she leapt into the air, flipping her body in a perfect backward circle before landing on the creature’s saddle. Pulling the reins taut, she jerked her mount to face the remaining soldier.

那名士兵低吼着。“芮尔派你来收拾烂摊子的？”

The soldier growled. “Rell send you to clean up the mess?”

“谁，没听说过。诺克萨斯派我来的。”莎弥拉答道，对手困惑的样子让她十分舒爽。“有的时候，他们派我解救强者。还有些时候，”她与那名士兵对视，“派我剔除弱者。”

“Nope, never heard of ’em. Noxus sent me,” Samira answered, enjoying her foe’s confusion. “Sometimes, I’m sent to save the strong. Other times,” her eyes locked with the soldier’s, “to cull the weak.”

那名士兵被激怒了，他策动自己的坐骑前进。

Enraged, the soldier forced his mount forward.

莎弥拉放开缰绳，悄悄说了一声，“上。”她的龙蜥向前俯身冲向对面的骑手。他手中高举着战斧，对准了她的脖子。

Samira loosened her grip and whispered, “Go.” Her basilisk lurched forward to meet the other rider. He came at her with his axe held high, aiming for her neck.

啧啧，低级失误。

Tsk, tsk. Common mistake.

两头坐骑交错掠过，莎弥拉大幅后仰，躲开劈砍的同时顺势抽出自己的刀。随着一道新月的刀光，她的刀刃砍到他的腹部中间。

Samira arched her back as her mount met his, dodging his slash and unsheathing her sword in one swift motion. With a crescent swing, she struck her blade at his stomach.

那名士兵发出吼叫。“这身盔甲你可砍不穿！”

The soldier roared. “That won’t work on this armor!”

“亲爱的，我不砍盔甲。我只杀人。”

“Darling, I don’t work. I slay.”

莎弥拉推了一把刀背上的滑杆，扣动扳机。刀背的黑火药引爆，强推刀刃向前，破开了士兵的盔甲。她发出一声爽快的尖叫，把他的躯干一分为二，随后跳下坐骑落到地上，刀身冒着浓烟。

Samira pumped the slide barrel attached to the dull edge of her blade, and pulled the trigger. Black powder burst out behind her sword, forcing the blade forward to break open the soldier’s armor. With an excited yell, she split his torso apart before leaping off her mount to land on her feet, smoke billowing off her sword.

两头龙蜥现在都没了骑手，纷纷站在原地。莎弥拉把它们的鞍座割断。两头重获自由的巨兽离开了，而她则将尸体踢开，捡回了那两把打空子弹的手枪。

Both basilisks, now riderless, stood still. Samira cut their saddles off. As the beasts fled to their freedom, she kicked the dead bodies aside, retrieving her empty pistols.

在院落的另一边，被破坏的大门里边是一道螺旋向下的阶梯。莎弥拉沿着阶梯找到了一座石墙监狱的废墟，周围散布着许多扭曲的金属。正门被破坏，后墙也已坍塌，被豁开一个巨大的洞口，通向外面的丛林。

On the other side of the courtyard, a crumbling stairway spiraled downward beyond the building’s smashed doors. Samira followed it to the remains of a stone prison cell, warped pieces of metal scattered everywhere. The front door was destroyed while the back wall was torn asunder, leaving a gaping hole that tunneled out into the jungle.

“他们在这藏了什么东西？”

“What were they keeping in here?”

莎弥拉在附近转了转，查看毁坏情况。被金属碎片击碎的残骸，原本应该是一张小床，给儿童用的。她耸耸肩，找地方坐下，伸手从兜里掏出一个小酒壶。她伸直双腿搭到残骸上，向后躺倒，把酒壶高举到空中。

Samira walked around the space, examining the destruction. Split by jagged shards of metal was a small cot fit for a child. Shrugging, she took a seat, reached into her pocket, and pulled out a flask. With her boots resting on the wreckage, she leaned back and raised the flask high into the air.

“恭喜你，武器！无论你是什么东西——或是什么人，你已经赢得了我的关注！”

“Congratulations, weapon! Whatever—or whoever—you are, you’ve got my attention!”

几周以后，莎弥拉回到了武器铺。满脸怀疑的因达莉坐在角落，一个壮汉学工正在用铜针给莎弥拉纹身。

Weeks later, Samira was back in the weapons shop. A skeptical Indari sat nearby as a burly male apprentice touched up Samira’s tattoos with bronze needles.

“今天有什么新鲜事？”他问。

“Anything new today?” he asked.

“啊。没什么特别刺激的事……不过危险正在临近，所以给我多留点地方。”

“Nah. Not quite thrilling enough… But something dangerous is on the way, so leave some space.”

因达莉翻了个白眼。“说说。手感如何？”

Indari rolled her eyes. “So. How were they?”

“精巧机妙。我打算多把玩一段时间。”

“Exquisite. I’ll be playing with these for a while.”

“哇哦，”因达莉装出一副钦佩的样子。“大名鼎鼎的沙漠玫瑰……居然不着急换枪了。”

“Wow,” Indari said, feigning admiration. “The great Desert Rose… reusing guns.”

“人生处处是惊喜。”莎弥拉往柜台上拍了一把硬币，走出店铺。“任务别停，队长。”她敬了一个军礼。“你知道上哪找我。”

“Life’s full of surprises.” Samira placed a handful of coins on the counter before walking out. “Keep the missions coming, captain,” she said with a salute. “You know where to find me.”

因达莉坐在轮椅上跟在后面，“你什么意思‘我知道上哪找你’？上次你不知从哪个恕瑞玛的悬崖边跳下去！我的探子为了找你差点没命！”

Indari wheeled after her. “What do you mean, ‘I know where to find you’? Last time, you were jumping off some remote cliff in Shurima! My scouts nearly died trying to locate you!”

但莎弥拉已经不见了。

But Samira was already gone.

因达莉无奈地回到店铺里。“总有一天，”她悄悄对自己说，“她得学会照顾自己。”

Frustrated, Indari returned to the shop. “One of these days,” she mumbled under her breath, “she’ll have to fend for herself.”

纹身师傅此刻已经褪去了黑巫术的伪装，从黑影中走出，露出女人的身体，她的面容在光线下苍白无瑕。

The tattoo artist, now without the guise of dark sorcery, walked out from the shadows to reveal a woman’s shape, her face pale under the light.

“因达莉队长。你要满足她一切要求——帝国需要莎弥拉。”

“Captain Indari. You will give her whatever she wants—the empire needs Samira.”