
( 在前進鎮的會議室上,部長愛麗絲拿出船舶的模型出來 )
能夠居住在「馬鞍市」的,多是烏托邦體系中地位最高的群體——高階公務員與軍官。他們不僅掌握實權,也是收入最穩定、最豐厚的一群。66Please respect copyright.PENANANfczt486yD
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在烏托邦,除了極少數的頂級商人外,幾乎沒有人能在收入上超越這些公職或軍職人士。然而,這種特權地位也意味著主機對他們的監控格外嚴格。畢竟,權力意味著誘惑,而誘惑往往通向貪婪與違規。66Please respect copyright.PENANA9Mv1OzTdfI
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正因如此,生活中稍有鋪張就可能被主機標記為「奢侈」或「濫用資源」。在這樣的社會邏輯下,「吃」反倒成為唯一合理又不會被盯上的消費出口。只要是能入口的東西,價錢高一點都算是「生活所需」。66Please respect copyright.PENANADuLMhr7QUp
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因此,每當漁民捕獲珍稀魚類,價格就被炒得高不可攀。尤其是鮪魚,在地球時代就是高級食材,如今在諾雅這個海怪橫行的星球上,雖然進化出了更巨大、更多變種的鮪魚品系,但想要成功捕獲,仍是千難萬難。66Please respect copyright.PENANA0hOSSOZtyU
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當童天雷一行人返回陸地時,一艘外型華麗的飛艇早已停在天下第一哨的廣場上等候。這艘飛艇不僅是他在諾雅三年來見過最豪華的飛行器,甚至遠勝人類世界或雅各族的同類型載具,後者只能用「簡陋」二字來形容。66Please respect copyright.PENANAjNHQmKpuZw
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長達二十多公尺,這艘飛艇簡直是空中航母。66Please respect copyright.PENANA4jqeJlBYPt
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迎接他們的是雪菲爾收購公司總經理——帕斯登,一位壯碩的中年男子,膚色黝黑、五官深邃,看來是印度或阿拉伯裔血統。身旁還有幾位身形各異的中年男女,經介紹得知,皆為頂尖的海鮮鑑定師。66Please respect copyright.PENANA5B8JdQucmD
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帕斯登開門見山地說道:「這艘飛艇會沿著烏托邦北部大陸緩緩飛行,預計一小時後抵達『前進鎮』。經濟與貿易發展部的部長與大批官員已在那裡等候。途中,我們會請各位先讓要拍賣的漁獲逐一進行鑑定,方便拍照、抽樣與初步估價。這樣流程是否可以?」66Please respect copyright.PENANAY6u0J1wuNh
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鎮長莎拉轉頭徵詢童天雷意見。66Please respect copyright.PENANAuXOidZHXS9
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童天雷笑著答道:「鎮長經驗比我豐富,您決定就好,我全力配合。」66Please respect copyright.PENANA1UmBuN5TN9
66Please respect copyright.PENANA0s4mYmesSG
莎拉回以溫和的笑容:「童先生太客氣了。不如我們也聽聽安妮教授的意見?」66Please respect copyright.PENANApL9rTPly2E
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安妮微笑點頭:「其實帕斯登總經理的流程很合理,珍稀魚貨若能進拍賣場,通常都能拍出極高價格。」66Please respect copyright.PENANA8EPwr2KZ2V
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鎮長與童天雷對視一眼後點頭同意,莎拉遂向帕斯登說道:「那就照您說的來,我們現在該如何開始?」66Please respect copyright.PENANASZfAvHEjzd
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帕斯登展露自信的笑容:「請先拿出你們預計拍賣的漁獲,我們的專家會一一鑑定與拍照。只會從不影響外觀的部位取樣,不會損害價值,請放心!」66Please respect copyright.PENANAZJUg8tjdmk
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首先由莎拉鎮長拿出她的「戰斧鮪魚」——雖然是最小的一條,但仍足以讓整艘飛艇的空間顯得擁擠,幾乎撐爆。66Please respect copyright.PENANANTcqvUKrXq
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鑑定師們見過不少戰斧鮪,但這條的體型還是讓他們驚訝得說不出話來。然而,當童天雷拿出他那兩條尺寸更驚人的戰斧鮪魚後,專家們幾乎連站的位置都找不到了。66Please respect copyright.PENANAopYoGkxtMh
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緊接著,童天雷又取出一條巨大的紅色魚類,一經亮相,帕斯登的手便顫抖起來,指著那魚驚呼道:「『火精靈』?這居然是一條火精靈!」66Please respect copyright.PENANAekVGKP3Bg5
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安妮教授也震驚不已:「你竟然釣到火精靈?怎麼早不說!」66Please respect copyright.PENANA1MlpISl8pV
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童天雷一頭霧水:「我以為那只是一條大紅條,或者大型石斑,沒想到有什麼特別。」66Please respect copyright.PENANAYciHvHYHHV
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帕斯登激動解釋:「這魚可不簡單,它的肉搭配特定藥材能煮出具有療效的湯,只要還有一口氣,就有望挽回生命。效果好壞取決於藥材配比與品質。」66Please respect copyright.PENANAJ7dtQaJr79
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安妮教授點頭:「有這條魚在,今天拍賣會的『得標王』一定是牠。」66Please respect copyright.PENANApbeSJ6mGKo
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帕斯登更是信心十足:「其他魚是身份象徵,這魚是救命仙丹,價值自然不同!」66Please respect copyright.PENANAMK4TcETcMO
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童天雷笑說:「那拍賣的事,就交給你們專業團隊了。」66Please respect copyright.PENANA429o8QJa4I
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帕斯登拍胸脯保證:「諾雅最頂尖的團隊,不讓童先生失望!」66Please respect copyright.PENANAWCEopA3nq5
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與經貿發展部的會議則在「前進鎮」舉行,這裡是東北區域僅有的正式會議場地,據說茲卡據點也在規劃更大規模的新會議中心,以應對山城間日漸活絡的對外貿易。66Please respect copyright.PENANAN8zNcYxrSm
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部長名為愛麗絲——這名字在烏托邦相當常見。66Please respect copyright.PENANAQqbUD4YVQU
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她親自迎接童天雷,笑容親切:「童先生願意與我們討論防海怪快艇技術,對烏托邦未來意義重大。我代表全體人民向您致謝!」66Please respect copyright.PENANAZ4TUp7y5Bx
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童天雷抱拳:「我發明這艘船,就是希望人類能重回海洋懷抱。地球時代人類靠海而生,在諾雅,也該如此。」66Please respect copyright.PENANAYcdV7gve0x
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愛麗絲微笑致意,請他入座。66Please respect copyright.PENANALMIKrvGeVk
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會議中,她翻開報價單說:「這價格我們能接受。不過這船外型較偏遊艇,若改為近海漁船或遠洋用途,是否可調整設計?」66Please respect copyright.PENANAvL097M1Kd7
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童天雷答道:「可以改,但價格與交船期都會有所變動。」66Please respect copyright.PENANAyjI9UAQi6Y
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愛麗絲遞上兩份設計圖,一為近海漁船,一為遠洋探險用船。66Please respect copyright.PENANACou0OjO5aY
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童天雷接過後沒立刻回應,而是讓主機進行全面掃描與分析。66Please respect copyright.PENANAkZRLNGQ9fa
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十分鐘後,大會議室忽然騷動起來,連沉浸在資料中的童天雷都抬起了頭。66Please respect copyright.PENANAeJ89qbYDsu
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——總統波嘉妮親臨現場。66Please respect copyright.PENANAH1eJ9UGFdp
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她的隨行護衛多達兩個排,還有大量隨行官員,把本就不小的會議室擠得水泄不通。66Please respect copyright.PENANAB42qdzh0FM
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童天雷在人群中看見了熟人——「駿馬騎士」達利,以及如今已升為中校的阿曼達。記得她過去是監控部隊的中尉,如今顯然因緣際會,一起晉升了。66Please respect copyright.PENANATIov4nabX1
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在一連串寒暄與握手後,波嘉妮總統向愛麗絲笑道:66Please respect copyright.PENANAc539pl8sN9
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「部長,我問過法律部,若您只向單一來源詢價採購,恐怕已觸及政府採購法規。」66Please respect copyright.PENANA24nexNNUPS
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愛麗絲答道:「我也注意到這一點。因為目前僅童先生一人擁有此技術,我會進行公開招標,並調查是否有其他廠商能做到相同標準。若無,再採限制性招標。」66Please respect copyright.PENANAWFUMtiCQ7K
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波嘉妮點頭,話鋒一轉:「您可以先召回調查人員了,我這邊剛聯繫上一家同樣具備這技術的造船廠——克魯曼造船廠,剛研發完成相關技術。」66Please respect copyright.PENANAJ0TM2YhiyG
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愛麗絲神情微變:「克魯曼不是您家族的企業嗎?這樣推薦似乎有失公允?」66Please respect copyright.PENANAqlSCAIliAX
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波嘉妮一笑:「我只是提出建議。身為總統,見到有潛力的企業,推薦是我的責任。後續評估仍由你們進行。」66Please respect copyright.PENANAsBcdECB7AF
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話音剛落,一名禿頭、鷹鉤鼻的中年男子走出:「我是克魯曼造船廠的業務總監史泰格,這是我們的技術證明文件。」66Please respect copyright.PENANAC9pnSPiV5I
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愛麗絲接過文件,掃了一眼封面後說:「資料我會帶回去查核。不過最終我還是信任實地調查結果,我會派員親赴確認情況。感謝貴廠提供資料,這能節省我們許多工夫。」66Please respect copyright.PENANAvDRUtu3SAG
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她從幕僚手中取過另一份設計圖遞出:「這是我們的標準需求,請貴廠依此報價。由於臨時新增一家投標單位,我們預定一個月後正式公告招標,期間若有其他廠商願意加入,也會一併納入。」66Please respect copyright.PENANA88CUzRIXDq
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至此,會議在一片暗潮洶湧的氣氛中落幕。
這一集封面是部長會議所以整體的封面便讓四個主要人物重新繪製上去了,由左至右分別是主角童天雷、安妮教授、莎拉鎮長、祕書泰瑞莎。
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