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奔襲而來的金獅國探路騎兵隊
塔庫魯沿著山壁上的平台，往南方獨自行走，已經是第三天了。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4O0DtwNimi
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtcIpwHpr1
在這段孤獨的旅程中，他也逐漸從模糊的記憶中發現——這副身體的原主人，方向感實在糟糕得驚人。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HCfUZafjE
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfH8VJPiTu
以往在營區裡，從餐廳返回宿舍這麼短的距離，他總能鬼打牆似地迷失方向，不是誤闖別的中隊，就是乾脆走到營區外。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zg4lfJ5LA
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbiXGCsGizT
還好，這種「路癡體質」在山蠻族中屬於普遍現象，各中隊長乾脆指派衛兵，專門負責把走丟的山蠻族士兵一個個送回正確的宿舍。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUc4suluIO
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnu83z5Ephx
而塔庫魯，便是其中最離譜的一位之一。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxy8iM91CxM
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSIdMYjKjT
最誇張的一次，集合解散後，他竟直接走進伙房，大剌剌地把晚餐準備好的肉食啃掉一半，害得整個中隊那晚只能啃著乾巴巴的麵包解飢。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzcQ5DbYb5
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWp46PH7dY
另一回，他迷迷糊糊地闖進了女生浴室。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4p6oOfY3L
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pspg7XoHq
若換作普通士兵，這種行為恐怕早已軍法伺候，但山蠻族人不僅方向感奇差，審美觀也與人類大相逕庭。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNWJuLXc3e
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYe7SSkKOr
在山蠻族的標準中，真正的美女得是體態豐腴、臀寬臂壯、腿若樹樁——因為懷孕後依然能翻山越嶺、勞作不輟，才是「好女人」。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJBwWyq9LJ
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡunMPHs5c0e
所以塔庫魯當場皺眉抱怨：「原來妳們身上的肉感是盔甲撐出來的？真令人失望！」79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Wv06e15JA
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7S46I33Bi
結果，浴室裡一群女軍官、中士以上階級的志願役女性，直接上演了一場「圍毆誤闖者」的盛宴。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYDDvQvtxY
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfaqUfs35Pa
這麼看來，她們並未真正把他當成男人看待，大約就像一隻闖進浴室的哈士奇一樣，只是稍微「教訓」了一頓。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAGsIf3YDz
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTAgeMpAXI
真正被懲罰的，反而是那些原本應該接回他的人類士兵，因闖入女生浴室而受到嚴厲處分。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5GfhBNHD5
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHMzGBEhZp
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6wikumne5
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsjFIeKRDN
事實上，山蠻族人的迷路本領並非個例。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EzeKpG0Lj
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmtnqlTP5A
有些同袍不僅方向感喪失，連基本的記憶力也一塌糊塗，甚至常常一屁股坐下來就打起呼嚕，流著口水睡著。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU0vy0GMC1k
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3StyeALh52
因此，天龍國軍方早早制定對策：只要部隊中編有山蠻族鐵甲兵，就必須安排人員專職「照看」。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqcHoysJCmp
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkv0lMEXfGR
每位山蠻族士兵的鐵盔上，還會刻上所屬部隊番號，方便一旦迷路，其他人能迅速將其送回正確位置。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fpK3wUcqB
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6tfyVmiUx
塔庫魯低頭看了看自己胸甲上刻的番號：7-3-1-1。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpTquBcCUr
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnh4U1Pl7m
翻譯過來，正是「第七大隊、第三中隊、第一小隊、一號位置」。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBn7WTFOTn
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2V6KRNxdk
而一號位，往往是留給特別人員的——此刻，他便是小隊中的那位鐵甲兵。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6H3Jz4bCY7
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlTAH3mEHf
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BF6TW3kgM
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80irGJ3n3w
到了第四天，他總算走到了熟悉的地形。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNci6FRTZiT
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSmOHWB4QQ
萬縱溪在遠處轉了個彎，對面山壁下方出現了一個不小的湖泊，萬縱溪正是從那裡發源。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZNVBXNLaz
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozcWMBAYg4
但讓人頭痛的是，除了萬縱溪，還有數條細小溪流從四面八方注入這座湖中。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwT5Tm9kIIi
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMlH3zA5JH
因為溪流纖細，行軍時部隊是直接涉水而過，腦子裡只想著「怎麼吃飯」的塔庫魯根本沒記清到底該沿著哪條小溪往上走。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHx10dTRNC
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSE5XGYGvT
更麻煩的是，這一帶地勢已經抬升，谷地爬坡，樹林稀稀疏疏地蔓延開來，遠方已經連成大片森林。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBJJ0Y9c7D
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2A0Zugr9m
塔庫魯心知，自己若想穿越森林，只能步行沿小溪逆行，但每條溪流皆沒入密林，無法從山壁上判別方向。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMGrdgOaVI
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXhWjjjm9K
無奈之下，他決定再次下到谷地，親自尋路。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlyBtEiMIY
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjXLeLYMGqQ
───79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSX2mPZIK7j
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQMdDQ7fRS
抵達谷底後，他先藏身於一塊巨岩後，屏氣凝神地觀察周圍。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXajTFT8QM0
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjRX7eI7jh
水邊向來是猛獸與獵物的必爭之地，而濃密的森林更像是吞噬一切生靈的黑洞，稍有大意便可能成為獵物。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCwEu2sMVS
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCLnUUBjoE
塔庫魯深知，自己身著厚重鐵甲，體型龐大，無論是人類還是野獸，只要一眼瞥見他，便能迅速作出反應。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVr4ZimIuAk
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YRQYtfC1w
他沉住氣，一動不動，等待了近十分鐘，確定四周平靜無異，正準備離開掩體時，忽然——79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjBvZSa9pU
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGUJY2JaQe
遠處傳來了低沉有力的馬蹄聲！79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsJTtBjMZ6
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnvil2PtJcK
塔庫魯迅速縮回岩後，貼地潛伏。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKsSJy4Wy0
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZelozn4jS2
不久，一隊騎兵自萬縱谷奔騰而出。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSohBs0EsgQ
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgJeIl9KLv
他瞇起眼，仔細辨認。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTE2FPUJHEH
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbSkVrL33t
這是一支八人小隊，身著皮甲，馬鞍旁掛著的徽章顯示出他們是——金獅國的騎兵！79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4kcqM3vKf
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Zc94tYwF8
更糟的是，這支小隊停下的地點，竟離他的藏身之處不到五十步遠。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFft4BnC4b
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGl1oW1gen
騎兵們動作一致，顯得訓練有素。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpc3gOQRD1J
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEhfnjuQTJ
左手舉盾，盾牌「鏘」地一聲扣上臂鉤；右手抽刀，單刀出鞘，刀光閃爍；接著單手控馬，隊列緩步向森林方向推進。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2ndpvuGzb
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGI7ZJWZKT5
一切動作，乾淨俐落，毫無拖泥帶水。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoiVby36V6
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ZNstcWENC
塔庫魯心中一凜。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoehkFkFwN
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKuJcIXyvn
這種紀律森嚴的探路小隊，顯然是奇襲部隊的前鋒！79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWu4o3PJwhO
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvw4Fytx7I
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0tIo9T7Su
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWsRDkclbm
他迅速在腦中推演情勢——金獅國與天龍國曾在萬縱谷交戰，雙方皆有損傷，但金獅國很可能已經調集援軍，準備發動第二波奇襲！79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRErmYhCEi
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEOhBSvgdA
這支八人隊伍只是開路先鋒，真正的大軍，或許已經在趕來的途中。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVDzBZPOiL
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQZ5wkZicR
此地已不宜久留！79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sHM4cogYJ
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomSjJmOdzz
塔庫魯屏息凝神，像一尾隱身於水中的大魚般，悄無聲息地跟上這隊騎兵。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAhaCHJVjND
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvIrTXwe1b
他利用山壁旁的亂石、低矮的灌木與倒木，靈巧地穿梭其間，時停時走，與前方騎兵保持著既不太近、也不太遠的絕妙距離。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRXveePIHY
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkxwgyVmCm
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYxv1nOwry
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTfAqJUMf3
在緊跟中，他也注意到金獅國騎兵所騎的坐騎——刺棘馬。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBnonFD8Ab
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzV7TLL8Y9R
這種馬形體高大，四肢強壯，特別是尾巴，並非普通鬃毛，而是如劍一般又粗又直的硬毛，每一根鬃毛幾乎可觸地。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNOzkayPMK
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIc1q4A7yJA
更驚人的是馬身兩側——各有三片自然生長的硬甲，第一片最大，護住肩胸；第二片略小，覆蓋肋部；第三片則貼於臀部。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVfMf6uQzd
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4d1wE7n0xn
這些硬甲上，長滿了鋒利的棘刺，如同倒鉤般危險。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGnD0zGMR7
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNifqN5njx
風拂過馬背時，防護布偶爾掀起，隱約可見那層藏著殺機的甲刺。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWBgOwDh5h
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzlAfHkaBC
更詭異的是，刺棘馬前蹄上方藏著的長刺，在奔跑間會不時伸縮，像是某種尚未解密的天然武器。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgMQW8rDNa
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmWxhx7BbZ
根據記憶，這種馬原產於金獅國某地，偏好寒冷環境，體型比地球馬匹更為高大雄壯。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYJdPJVqhv
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77YHXsECu5
只可惜牠們耗氧量驚人，在高山稀薄空氣中容易體力不支，無法適應過高海拔。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh86UDvwtTS
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvsRbTOJ6s
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7TOXnEnh0
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXn7u0Qk8Mi
這支騎兵在森林邊緣再次停下來。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYChaVBwUW
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCaNBIG4LfK
幾名士兵翻身下馬，從鞍袋中取出像是接力棒般的煙棍。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JlLwPlMCX
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTj65EIqSo
點火後，濃厚的綠色煙霧冉冉升起，且風中不散，緩緩飄向天空。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7hYvYElTA
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkUhM7WVIY
那是信號——通知後方大軍，這片林地已無伏兵，可以推進了。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡurl8wcAoEm
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwBXlFRR6TD
塔庫魯抓住這個空檔，身形一縱，躲入山壁邊的森林。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡve4aJjeKVp
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnNNUqp6lf
進入林間，他如龍入大海般自在。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVPdbnJjr6
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjD9yJtkLL
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9oeKMTLCEM
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXoQx4PV0e
不過，潛藏於心底的冷靜理智仍提醒著他：這副山蠻族身軀雖然強壯，卻缺乏靈巧，若想真正施展特遣隊的戰術素養，還需要借助工具。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJISRuKGJ75
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3dIXVegiLo
他取出長柄石斧，快速削製數根鋒利木矛，作為隨手可拋的武器。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHvsSsfqk2J
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzWU0l1P7E
但他並不打算輕啟殺戒。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMt433yPx76
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63fIY6HugG
他的目標，是悄悄跟隨金獅國軍隊，找到通往天龍國的歸途——而非陷入不必要的廝殺。79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0OuPciQcG
79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZfQXEfxBD
森林中的塔庫魯，彷彿一道隱藏的幽影，靜靜等待著下一次出擊的機會。
