Lin Yuan heard the shrill scream, but his eyes rolled back and he didn't move at all.
The tentacles swam slowly, wrapping Lin Yuan more tightly, leaving only the eyes exposed.
"Help, help me!" The sentry cried to her, "I know you are a human, please save me, let your spirit save me."
"This place is so perverted, these beasts, don't you know that these beasts are right? What did I do!"
He burst into tears, spoke incoherently, and begged in a shrill voice.
Lin Yuan's eyes rolled, but didn't move, just staring into his eyes.
Those were a pair of eyes filled with intense negative emotions; fear, pain, and hatred seemed to be tangibly flowing out of that person's eye sockets.
Already on the brink of collapse.
But I don't have the power to save you. At least not yet.
The strong pig man stopped and his fat nose twitched, but he still didn't see Lin Yuan who was standing not far from him.
He tugged at the chain, dragging the man forward.
The man was being dragged further and further away. Seeing that Lin Yuan refused to come to rescue him, his face became distorted. He suddenly pulled the iron chain, pointed in Lin Yuan's direction and shouted,
"There, there is a man."
He pointed in Lin Yuan's direction and screamed with all his might, as if he could be freed if he could catch Lin Yuan as well.
"There's someone there, you can't see her, she's right there!
The pig turned its head slowly and listened with its ear tilted. After listening several times, it finally understood what the prisoner in its hand was saying.
Lin Yuan had already started retreating when the sentry started shouting.
But that pig was too fast. His speed was totally incompatible with his fat body.
Almost at the next moment when he understood what was said, the smelly nose and fangs suddenly appeared in front of Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan moved to an open window when the pigman pounced over.
She fell backwards, and the tentacles carried her through the dark window.
The moment he fell into the house, the sharp light of a knife flashed before his eyes with a heavy whistling sound.
Lin Yuan felt a strong pain in her mind. A tentacle blocked the knife for her, and the soft arm was cut into two by the blade.
The pain was transmitted to her brain, as if a hand reached into her brain and pulled out a nerve, causing her whole body to twitch slightly in pain.
But Lin Yuan's face was expressionless.
His body was shaking with pain, and his bloodless face looked like it was wearing a ceramic mask, with no reaction at all.
With her expressionless face, she rolled onto the ground and landed in a corner behind a sideboard in the living room.
He huddled in the shadow beside the cabinet, his eyes blank.
Dense tentacles swarmed up and quickly covered her.
The wooden door of the house was smashed with a bang, wood fragments flew everywhere, and a fat pig-headed man appeared at the door with his back to the light, holding a bloody knife.
On the street, the sentry with his neck tied was still lying on the ground, shouting and yelling.
Lin Yuan in the shadows drooped her eyelashes.
A tentacle emerged from the street ground and burrowed into the sentry's brain.
In an instant, the man's eyes bulged out, his expression became stupid, and he could no longer utter complete sentences.
Lin Yuan's move drove him completely crazy.
A pig-shaped monster was panting heavily in the dim living room, stepping step by step on the messy floor, and the house was shaking with the sound of its footsteps.
A monster with bristling mane, a big mouth with saliva dripping from it, and a bloody knife.
He couldn't feel Lin Yuan at all, and couldn't find the human girl who had just flashed in through the window.
So he angrily swung the sharp pig-killing knife and hacked around in the house.
The back of the knife was extremely thick, and the blade was sharpened. I don't know what it had been used to cut before, and it was stained with thick black blood.
Countless pieces of furniture in the house were smashed to pieces under the sharp and thick knife.
There were many times when the blade's wind and the debris flying all over the room scratched Lin Yuan's tentacles at close range, and even one or two scratches cut her face.
But? She just sat in the corner with her knees hugged, not moving.
The body felt pain, and the spirit body was wounded one after another.
The pain stimulated Lin Yuan's nerves, but it didn't matter. The pain only made her calmer.
The pig-headed monster wreaked havoc in the dark house for a long time before finally leaving.
Soon, sharp screams were heard outside the house. The sound, one after another, tore apart this silent and eerie space.
Mixed in with the sound were the pigs' snorting and the chewing of their food.
Lin Yuan hugged her legs and sat in the dark. She listened to the tormenting sound for as long as it lasted.
The darkness grew thicker amidst this terrifying sound.
A twisted world, eerie silence and being alone in the darkness.
When she was young, during the great fire, her father, who was her guide, sealed her pain, five senses and all her emotions.
After my father's death, the blockade of that mental power had long been lifted.
But Lin Yuan seemed to be locked in that cold winter forever.
I don't know how to be reverent, I'm not afraid of pain, and I'm not afraid of such darkness.
But if she stayed in such a place for too long, her human emotions would be worn out again and again. Sometimes she even felt that such a dark and absurd world would be her final destination.
Lin Yuan sat in the small corner with her legs crossed for a long time, and heard the noise outside the house gradually fade away.
She touched her broken tentacle in the dark.
The soft tentacle lost part of it. Without the flexible tip, half of the tentacle appeared pitifully, entangled in Lin Yuan's arms, and showed Lin Yuan the bowl-sized cross-section.
Lin Yuan stroked it for a long time, but found it was useless. It was very difficult for him to comfort his own "spiritual body".
Many of the tentacles were injured and had scratches on them, making them less shiny and moist, and they wiggled around the feet with a hum.
Lin Yuan suddenly wanted to eat something sweet. A candy, or any sweet food.
But? There is nothing at hand.
Lin Yuan thought of the sentry who would find candy for him, the killer whale, and the sweet candy figurine he had eaten.
Thinking of this, she felt a little better, brushed off the dust on her body, and stood up.
A little blood flowed down his face and stained the corner of his mouth. Lin Yuan licked it and only tasted a little blood.
There is no candy here, and no one is willing to find candy for her.
Touching the mottled wallpaper, Lin Yuan slowly walked through the dark and deserted living room, opened the door, and walked out along the street.
The road was difficult to walk on, and the monsters that appeared from time to time forced her to stop and go, and constantly change direction.
She even saw a giant mushroom, standing in a garden with its snow-white mycelium floating. Under the mushroom's feet, crouching in the soil was a pale human body.
When countless spores of all sizes floated over hand in hand, Lin Yuan ran away.
When it was safe, Lin Yuan found himself hiding in a place that looked like a farm.
Maybe it should be called a farm.
The keeper was not there, and the empty shed was filled with two rows of metal cages, similar to a chicken coop, with a feeding trough at one end and a track for laying eggs at the other.
But the things locked in those narrow metal cages were not chickens or ducks, but humans, adult male humans.
Lin Yuan hid under a shelf. Opposite her, within her sight, a young man lay in a cage.
His head was exposed from the cage, and his neck was restricted by the narrow gap, so he could only lie on his back. There was a drainage tube in his mouth, and he was constantly fed food, so his abdomen was bulging.
Lin Yuan couldn't see the area below.
The tracks at the other end were turning rumblingly, and after a while, a large, snow-white, hard-shelled egg was sent out, but no one knew where it was sent.
No one knew what had happened to that person. One of his arms was completely broken, and the other was locked tightly in a cage. His abdomen was covered with horrible and weird symbols. The blood-red runes glowed on the human flesh.
The inhuman torture and abuse broke the man's will. He lay there with his eyes open, allowing the food flowing through the tube to be forced into his stomach.
Lin Yuan squatted under the shelf, stared at the sentry opposite for a long time, and began to chew his fingers.
Almost all the men in this big shed were in this state. They kept eating food while huge hard-shelled eggs were being carried away on the tracks on the other side.
Almost everyone's spirits had completely collapsed. Some of them giggled strangely and stretched their necks to lick the food in the trough.
Some of them lay there, muttering, "Golden tree, hehe, golden tree..."
Only the sentinel in front of Lin Yuan still barely retained some human consciousness and emotions.
Lin Yuan thought of the sentry who had just pointed at her and yelled at her on the roadside. That person had caused her to break one of her arms and legs.
She recalled that in the yard of her own home, Nicole sat opposite her, holding her chin, and said to her with sparkling eyes,
"There are some annoying guys among the sentries."
"But there are some very good people too."
Only after we have met many people and encountered many bad things, do we truly realize that there are many lovely people in this world.
林苑從架子下鑽出來，探出半個腦袋，看那個躺在籠子裏的?哨兵，把塞在他口中的?食管小心拔出來。
她做好準備，如果?這個人尖叫或者亂喊，她就?随時把這個東西塞回去。
但?不管怎麽樣，她還是想?問這個人一句，
“你……”
你是否需要我的?幫助。
林苑其實不知道自己該不該這麽問
她不确定自己能帶走這樣重傷的?傷員，她甚至覺得她都不一定能帶走她自己。
“殺了我。”那個哨兵看見了出現在籠邊的?林苑。
他閉上了眼睛，聲音很輕，帶着哀求，“殺了我。”
林苑想?了一下，認真地問那個人，“我應該能把這個籠子打開，你确定不想?活了嗎？”
哨兵緊閉的?眼睛顫了顫，過了好一會?，有眼淚順着眼角滑了下來。
他把頭瞥向一邊，張了張嘴，聲音非常小，帶着點哽咽。
林苑根本聽不見他說了什麽。
但?她明白了，他想?活。
林苑手腕上，黑白兩色的?手镯融化開，流動進了籠子的?鎖眼，林苑蹲在那充滿污穢和?臭味的?籠子邊，折騰了許久。
期間，履帶在嘩啦啦地轉動，滿屋子咯咯咯的?笑聲和?胡言亂語的?說話聲。有新的?蛋掉下來，被履帶送走。
有一只數米高的?巨型母雞，穿着圍裙，從窗戶邊走過，巨大?紅色眼鏡靠近了玻璃窗戶。
林苑飛快地縮回架子底下，一動不動。
那只雞貼着窗外的?玻璃，看了一會?，沒有發現任何異常，掏出一塊手絹擦了擦玻璃，滿意?地離開了。
林苑又鑽了出來，繼續和?那鎖頭較勁。
啪嗒一聲，籠鎖終于打開了。
躺在籠中的?哨兵咬住嘴唇，忍不住抽動着肩膀哭了起來。
他沒有哭很久，林苑解開鎖住他手腕的?鎖鏈，伸手扶他的?時候，他已經收斂了情緒，掙紮着從籠子裏往外爬。
他大?概被關了很久，腿是軟的?，很艱難地在林苑的?幫助下勉強站起來，雙腿上染着血污。
但?他咬住牙，眼裏冒着火，一瘸一拐地往外走。
他好像認識這裏的?路，領着林苑從一個小洞裏鑽出去，躲進一間堆放幹草和?雜物的?屋子裏。
屋子裏，有幾條農夫的?長?褲。
渾身是傷的?哨兵，走進這間屋子，第一件事是從牆上扯下一條褲子，給自己穿上了。
他唯一的?那只手臂不停地顫抖，直到把褲頭扯上，穿好了，才?在草垛邊蹲下身，虛脫似地靠在牆壁上。
仿佛穿上了衣物，就?能讓他找回安全感，重新确定自己還是個人類。
而不是個被鎖住籠子裏，不斷灌食的?家畜。
“勞駕，”那人靠着牆壁，僅剩的?胳膊抱着自己發抖的?身體，“有向導素嗎？”
“向導素？”林苑愣了愣，“沒有。需要給你精神疏導嗎？”
哨兵詫異地睜大?了眼睛，擡起頭。
他這才?發現，眼前站着的?這個人，居然是一位向導。
如果?在平時，哨兵和?向導之?間天然的?精神吸引，是很容易區分對?分的?身份的?。
但?他過于虛弱和?狼狽，竟沒意?識到把自己從那樣悲慘境地救出來的?，是一位向導。
在這樣恐怖的?污染區，出現了一個向導？
他想?起自己數月前聽到過的?那個傳說。有一個向導，長?時間駐留在了哨崗中，甚至還和?哨兵一樣進入了污染區。
聽到這事的?時候，當做奇聞怪談，一笑而過。想?不到竟然是真的?。
那位向導，此刻就?活生生地站在自己眼前。
“向導？你……您為什麽來這裏？”哨兵看着站在自己面前，年輕而秀麗的?少?女。
女孩的?臉上帶着傷，流了血，身上沾滿塵土，一手的?污漬。
但?她的?眼神很堅定，在這樣怪誕的?世界裏，沒有絲毫畏懼。
“我想?找到那棵黃金樹。”那位女性向導這樣說，“然後拿到鑰匙，打開這裏的?門。”
林苑擦幹淨了自己的?手，伸手按向這個哨兵的?額頭。
哨兵卻?偏開了自己的?額頭，
“不用了。”
他的?聲音又幹又啞，靠着牆壁才?能勉強支撐着自己坐着，卻?謝絕了林苑的?幫助，
“您保留好的?精力，去做您自己的?事。”
“那你呢？”
“我就?在這裏，等您把那道門打開。”
雜物間的?高處，有一排窄窄的?天窗。坐在草垛前，可以看見遠處的?天空。
如果?逃生之?門被打開，他在這裏會?看見。
林苑看着這個哨兵。
他很虛弱，一身的?傷，廢了一只手，飽受了非人的?折磨。
但?他的?眼中有亮光，他想?活着。
我做了一件正?确的?事，林苑想?。
“您一定會?成功的?。”哨兵很誠懇地對?她說，“我等着天空中出現那道門。等那道門出現了，我們在出口見。”
“好。出口見。”
林苑轉身準備離開的?時候，哨兵叫住了她。
“您知道去哪裏找黃金樹嗎？”他告訴林苑自己所知道的?一切信息，“去玫瑰園。夜晚的?玫瑰園。”
***
倪霁站在一條長?長?的?街道中。
他和?皇家警衛隊的?好幾個精英一起進來。剛踏入邊界線，就?發現人員全部被分散了。
他一個人，在詭異而寂靜的?街區行走很遠。他想?要找一個身影，但?跑了很多的?地方，都沒有看到那個人。
最後，他碰到了一個熟人。
不久之?前，在酒館裏嘲笑過自己的?那個絡腮胡子，綽號“瞎子”的?高大?哨兵。
倪霁遇到瞎子的?時候，一只扛着尖刀的?牛頭怪，突然從地底出現。
幾乎就?貼着他的?臉，冰冷銳利的?尖刃紮到眼前。
瞎子從後面拉了他一把，兩個人滾到路邊，險險錯開快如疾風的?奔牛。
倪霁一個翻身，躍上高處的?屋頂。伏在屋頂的?陰影裏，瞬間收斂了自己周身的?所有情緒。
從進入之?前得到的?信息中知道，這裏的?怪物依靠情緒波動找到人類。
需要隐藏所有的?細微情緒。
倪霁很擅長?這個。三百多次進出污染區，千錘百煉鍛煉出來的?技能。
除了在某個人的?面前，他幾乎從來沒有失過手。
但?不是每一位哨兵都能做到。瞎子就?沒有他這樣對?情緒控制到收放自如的?程度
剛剛滾動時候燃起的?殺意?，沒能完全控制住，被怪物捕捉到了。
那只瘋狂的?牛頭怪，持着長?刀，向他的?方向沖來。
刀尖冰寒，快如閃電。
瞎子臂力強大?，身高體壯，佩刀是一柄兩米長?的?巨刃。
他舉刀相扛，一人一牛猛然撞擊之?下。以臂力自豪的?魁梧哨兵，竟被生生撞得一路倒退，直到後背抵在了牆壁上。
“媽的?。什麽怪物，力氣這麽大?。”瞎子心裏破口罵道。
話音沒落，一整隊的?一模一樣的?牛頭怪物從牆角轉出。
它們個個手持着長?刀，發出渾厚的?喉聲，排着整齊的?隊伍向他沖來。
不會?吧。這就?是77號區的?恐怖？瞎子驚恐地瞪大?眼睛。
我難不成會?死在剛剛進來的?時候？這個念頭在腦海中轉過。
無數尖銳的?刀鋒已經刺到眼前。
那些長?刀的?刀風幾乎已經刺痛了他的?皮膚，卻?在最後一刻卸了力道，噼裏啪啦地掉落在地上。
血紅的?刀芒還殘留在空氣裏。倪霁的?刀已經收回了刀鞘。
那些古怪的?牛頭怪，被一閃而過的?紅芒齊齊斬斷了雙腿，紛紛摔倒在地上。
倪霁扯上瞎子的?手臂，“走！”
死裏逃生的?瞎子反應過來，和?他一起滾進路邊一棟黑暗的?屋子中。
兩人沖進屋內，立刻閉氣凝神，潛伏在漆黑的?民居裏一動不動。
屋外，那些斷了腿的?牛怪們陸陸續續爬起來，片刻之?前才?被完全切斷的?腿，已經恢複如初。
但?這一點間隙，已經夠熟練的?哨兵掩飾好自己的?精神波動。徹底隐藏自己。
牛怪們發出哞哞的?叫喊聲，再也找不到目标。
沒多久，它們就?忘記了剛剛發生的?一切，排着隊，抗着刀，慢慢走遠。
“媽的?，我居然被你救了。”屋子裏的?瞎子喘了一大?口氣，“謝了啊兄弟。”
他拿了一支向導素，遞給倪霁。
倪霁搖搖頭，謝絕了。
“去了京都就?是不一樣，見過真正?的?向導了吧。向導素都看不上了。”瞎子忍不住嘲諷，随後，他又輕輕扇了一下自己的?嘴，“老子就?是嘴不好。算了，你救了我，我以後再不拿你開涮了。”
“你有沒有見過一個人？”站在窗邊的?倪霁突然問了一個沒頭沒尾的?問題。
“什麽人？你要找誰？名字，性別？”瞎子低頭點向導素。
"Have you seen a person?" Ni Ji asked again, "Not a sentinel."
"Not a sentinel?" The blind man lit up the guide, took a puff, and said in confusion, "Ordinary people wouldn't dare to come to a place like this. Who else could it be but a sentinel?"
Ni Ji stopped talking and raised his foot to jump out of the window.
"Wait a minute, where are you going?" the blind man called out to him.
"Look for the golden tree."
"Take a breath, silly boy. It's going to be dark soon." The blind man pulled him. "Why are you in such a hurry? In such a dangerous area, you should wait and observe the situation of others. You have been a sentinel for so many years, and you don't even know this?"
"I want to open the door." Ni Ji said, "The sooner the better."
It's too dangerous here. I'm going to open the door so that she can get out first.
He didn't say that out loud.
The figure disappeared from the window, and after a few leaps, it was no longer visible.
What's wrong with this guy? The blind man stood at the window, looking in the direction where Ni Ji disappeared.
So impatient, not like him at all.
Forget it, think about it, it’s not that easy to blame him. The blind man touched his beard and decided not to say anything rude to him anymore.