
將主角等一行人困在山壁上小平臺上的號角獸人,逼得主角等一群人只好鑽進平臺上的一個小地洞去。
塔庫魯才剛鑽進左側那邊滿是高約兩公尺的雜草平臺時,就看見草叢中兩對彎曲如號角般的巨角晃動。他不假思索地猛然揮斧,鐵斧挾帶著呼嘯勁風,兩名尚未察覺異狀的號角獸人便已應聲倒斃於草間。49Please respect copyright.PENANA3I0qhpr1It
49Please respect copyright.PENANAJgAHAp7IKI
穿過草叢,塔庫魯抵達另一側的平台邊緣,正遇見一名手持鐵叉的號角獸人從山壁躍來,鐵叉直刺他的胸膛。49Please respect copyright.PENANAl6Ue76XVeo
49Please respect copyright.PENANAm4Cj4vJMCC
幸而塔庫魯反應神速,長柄鐵斧斜劈,架開攻勢,隨即猛力一腳將對方踹下山崖。49Please respect copyright.PENANAw030NPJuew
49Please respect copyright.PENANAVGA1OOikHg
一聲淒厲的「啊——」在山谷間回蕩,塔庫魯已瞥見山壁上還有五、六個號角獸人,正攀爬而來。但此刻,所有獸人都暫時停頓,轉而目送那名摔落同伴的身影,神情驚駭。49Please respect copyright.PENANA7cphqaNwKI
49Please respect copyright.PENANAnkSXUIyACm
49Please respect copyright.PENANAHPnd4MjDcP
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這時,女兵露西與派緹迅速從草叢中竄出,搭弓連發,箭如驟雨,數名攀爬中的獸人紛紛中箭墜落,重重摔下山谷。49Please respect copyright.PENANATgRL2eyvH9
49Please respect copyright.PENANAQN0lb7MVyz
夸斯特快步趕來,看了看情勢,低聲道:「我們得躲進草叢中固守。在這裸露的山壁上,無法與他們周旋!」49Please respect copyright.PENANAanL6NsaGBm
49Please respect copyright.PENANAknYJ2KVpYD
眼下無計可施,眾人只得縮守在這片狹小的平台上。49Please respect copyright.PENANASqyJkcqYvq
49Please respect copyright.PENANAQbI95fahLK
剛才連番箭雨讓敵方士氣受挫,其餘號角獸人退到約五十公尺外的山壁凹陷處,隱身岩石之後,與他們隔空對峙。49Please respect copyright.PENANA2YRT5pC67u
49Please respect copyright.PENANAx52VpxsBlt
暫時,雙方都陷入了僵持。49Please respect copyright.PENANACWNiId8dpB
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49Please respect copyright.PENANA4lWfqgAjg1
平台的正上方是近乎光滑的垂直山壁,即便號角獸人擅長攀爬,也無法從此處來發起垂降攻擊;若當真要想強行攀越,只怕是通通要墜落到下方成為一灘肉泥。49Please respect copyright.PENANAYZgkQ8HPNn
49Please respect copyright.PENANA4WhyTpQZdp
塔庫魯等人分守四方,將公主護於內側山壁邊。其間,敵人曾兩度試圖自高處擲石砸殺塔庫魯——49Please respect copyright.PENANAuJNRb6GIn9
49Please respect copyright.PENANAWdfKeR3Mlc
第一次,一塊巨石被他長柄鐵斧巧妙卸力,偏轉滑落山崖。49Please respect copyright.PENANAvFTW4klv4P
49Please respect copyright.PENANATCsbkhy6vo
第二次,體積較小的石塊則被他當場一斧劈碎,碎石如雨,轟然滑落谷底,聲勢浩大。49Please respect copyright.PENANAgJV4095MNj
49Please respect copyright.PENANAsu9s0GHiue
見狀,敵方獸人驚惶失措,再無心思繼續丟擲。49Please respect copyright.PENANATO0IsCfHNF
49Please respect copyright.PENANAIlyS7qdRs0
僵持過了近一個時辰。幸好,這群號角獸人腦筋死板,未曾想到以火攻逼迫。否則,躲藏在草叢中的眾人,恐怕早已葬身火海。49Please respect copyright.PENANAR2omgxlCkT
49Please respect copyright.PENANAubrxFv4F6U
蓋達忍不住低聲嘀咕了一句,公主聽後笑著解釋道:「獸人對火懷有極深的敬畏之心。他們信奉火焰是毀滅與重生的化身,不敢輕啟山林之火,以免焚毀世代棲身之地。」49Please respect copyright.PENANA9K7EsGZxyL
49Please respect copyright.PENANAqNf3U4Osxy
艾利歐特守在小徑旁,聽了會心一笑:「這習慣,真是救了我們一命。」49Please respect copyright.PENANAVlSjniIr25
49Please respect copyright.PENANApwPN6xpnq2
公主接著說:「這片大地有八座火炎山,年年輪流噴發。獸人們與火山為鄰,自小便懂得對火心存敬畏。」49Please respect copyright.PENANAL9flqZxteW
49Please respect copyright.PENANA0HKKzTNuCZ
蓋達皺眉問道:「為什麼八座火山都叫火炎山?不個別為其取名?這樣難道不會搞混嗎?」49Please respect copyright.PENANAhL18aG4x0t
49Please respect copyright.PENANAq2QxhmtA54
公主淺笑回答:「那是獸人們自己命名的。為了區別,我們通常會在前面加上方位,例如這座便是『西南火炎山』。」49Please respect copyright.PENANAmpj9Wr1dXc
49Please respect copyright.PENANAMZoNVCMz4J
蓋達聽了,露出恍然大悟的表情。49Please respect copyright.PENANA6e2txBhihz
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就在此時,派緹突然警覺地盯著一旁的枯草堆,低聲道:「這堆草,有異樣!」49Please respect copyright.PENANA0OcIrmgrUB
49Please respect copyright.PENANAZ0dL5fiE03
夸斯特立刻指示露西護送公主後退。派緹見狀,舉劍挑開枯草,只見下方赫然露出幾根木棍搭起的坑道入口。49Please respect copyright.PENANAYUyLpSotfC
49Please respect copyright.PENANAQNxl1PHPIF
公主遠遠瞧見,立刻驚呼:「是岩鼠獸人挖掘的逃生通道!」49Please respect copyright.PENANABYxbHnHAnt
49Please respect copyright.PENANARAJuJ2tqgt
夸斯特走近觀察,沉思片刻後道:「應該很久沒有人走動了。公主,我有個大膽的主意……」49Please respect copyright.PENANAUm0elEOF6Q
49Please respect copyright.PENANAULAnjlicTO
公主莞爾一笑:「隊長做主即可,我隨行。」49Please respect copyright.PENANAMiABHPrNpS
49Please respect copyright.PENANAT9oMtmoIbo
夸斯特便下令道:「蓋達打頭陣,艾利歐特緊隨。塔庫魯,你最後進入,記得設法把通道入口掩埋!」49Please respect copyright.PENANAM7yW76xzo1
49Please respect copyright.PENANAcJFcT4a2qb
49Please respect copyright.PENANAcb51fNCpIi
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眾人小心準備下洞時,塔庫魯已開始動手——他飛快地從草叢中抓取乾草,搓揉成一條條細繩。49Please respect copyright.PENANAAGk1KLpDES
49Please respect copyright.PENANAhzpUTGXCLB
當大半人員已潛入地道後,他退到洞口邊,熟練地將木棍縱橫編織成一個簡易骨架,用草繩緊緊綁緊,隨後再將乾草小心覆蓋於其上。49Please respect copyright.PENANACmW2fIxByF
49Please respect copyright.PENANAGlVUqoCRkB
在壓好最後一把乾草後,他穩穩地將偽裝物架回洞口上方,草繩一拉,整捆乾草順勢立起,然後短刀一割,草捆散開覆蓋住整個洞口。49Please respect copyright.PENANAjsOjhVkubb
49Please respect copyright.PENANAkX95RjT6WL
從外頭望去,應當是要不露絲毫破綻。即使敵人靠近,也難以察覺地底藏著生路。49Please respect copyright.PENANATSZ2NXYr18
49Please respect copyright.PENANAt2QogfJ7Go
確認無光線滲漏後,塔庫魯這才轉身鑽入坑道,輕巧關閉了地面世界的大門。49Please respect copyright.PENANAUUUH04EnJq
49Please respect copyright.PENANAbpqeAK8vSt
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地道內一片昏暗,僅有公主法杖頂端的淡藍光芒,幽微閃爍,引導著眾人前行。49Please respect copyright.PENANAtOvblseusy
49Please respect copyright.PENANAhG6u4WHZ1H
這條地道不算狹窄,普通人通過綽綽有餘,但對塔庫魯那寬厚如岩熊般的身軀而言,每一步都得小心翼翼,時不時磕碰岩壁。49Please respect copyright.PENANAjSHH6bFdyx
49Please respect copyright.PENANA5xE07MJ3gw
坑道時而下沉,時而上升,蜿蜒曲折,如同某種蠕動的地底巨獸。49Please respect copyright.PENANAsqxKj7Osay
49Please respect copyright.PENANARyn8C8xi8m
走了約五十公尺,前方赫然出現一扇快要朽爛的木門。49Please respect copyright.PENANAZeyzrRrcCz
49Please respect copyright.PENANAXJ0TjnttUm
蓋達打頭陣,小心翼翼地探頭從門縫中張望,確定無人後,夸斯特下令推門而入。49Please respect copyright.PENANAMBO9F9kDvd
49Please respect copyright.PENANApjBjIMT9XV
門後,是一間早已被歲月侵蝕的岩室。木桌、木椅、木床,全都朽壞傾斜,空氣中瀰漫著陳舊與沉寂的味道。49Please respect copyright.PENANAwj659gCTvt
49Please respect copyright.PENANAA7MZ3Zkh1O
此外,尚有兩道通往更深處的木門,同樣破敗不堪。49Please respect copyright.PENANA3V7pGfkUp3
49Please respect copyright.PENANAXdy1d60Kau
眾人索性在這間岩室短暫休息。塔庫魯巨大的身軀堵在進來的門口,將通道緊緊封死,猶如一面堅不可摧的鐵牆。49Please respect copyright.PENANAdDaQCiv3Vy
49Please respect copyright.PENANAAzv4NobqQC
即便有敵人追蹤至此,遠遠望來,也只會以為這裡已無路可走。49Please respect copyright.PENANAMYqLdACThT
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49Please respect copyright.PENANAR3xzFJQMso
公主低聲為眾人解說:「岩鼠獸人世代鑽營於地底,開鑿岩洞尋找『岩果』——這種稀有的果實能大幅強化獸人的體能。岩鼠獸人本身是純肉食者,需以岩果換取其他食物資源。」49Please respect copyright.PENANAbJbCCSFVyR
49Please respect copyright.PENANAUCK78dPR8i
她頓了頓,接著說道:「在這種狹窄的坑道中,他們近乎無敵。牙齒鋒利如鋼刃,啃咬堅石,築建整個地下世界。他們可以收縮身體穿過狹隘通道,也能鼓脹身體,封堵整個地道!」49Please respect copyright.PENANAn1R1kIvgr4
49Please respect copyright.PENANAqNNz3VfBfb
塔庫魯聽得暗自想像——一群像海豹般柔軟而致命的岩鼠獸人,盤踞在這片地底暗流之中。49Please respect copyright.PENANAYOcdp82onF
49Please respect copyright.PENANAV1phYApvYL
此時,極度寂靜的岩室內,隱隱傳來地底深處的刮削聲——49Please respect copyright.PENANABUNpL3wuc5
49Please respect copyright.PENANANaqpgtlzJT
那聲音低微而遙遠,彷彿有人正用尖銳的圓鍬,不斷撥弄脆弱的岩石。49Please respect copyright.PENANAtoATnicMav
49Please respect copyright.PENANAYm3zqoaYKk
夸斯特神情凝重地貼耳傾聽,招呼泰倫斯與艾利歐特一同判斷,但無論怎麼辨別,都無法確定聲音從哪條通道傳來。49Please respect copyright.PENANAkQXALThCXh
49Please respect copyright.PENANAqA6ZJEe7k7
露西皺眉輕語:「感覺聲音從兩邊同時傳來……像是,在正中間。」49Please respect copyright.PENANAmvPPlOoREK
49Please respect copyright.PENANAyo97tjoQfH
夸斯特點了點頭,斷然下令:「既如此,從左邊地道前進。那方向應該更靠近山壁外側!」49Please respect copyright.PENANA6ZZozePMmf
49Please respect copyright.PENANAt9WhSPJrpi
他看向艾利歐特:「這次,你打頭陣!」49Please respect copyright.PENANAoopZ1g6khW
49Please respect copyright.PENANAhuWks88Koh
艾利歐特微笑點頭,臨出發前還與派緹對望一眼,後者回以甜甜的微笑——49Please respect copyright.PENANAmmcSJ6Ov9B
49Please respect copyright.PENANAAJvWWZNa59
第二對戀人,似乎也在此地悄悄萌芽。49Please respect copyright.PENANAyHwHwJNXhL
49Please respect copyright.PENANA2bqaCFwmU3
副隊長泰倫斯不經意地看了看剩下的露西——這個外表甜美、個性卻剛烈的女兵。他苦笑搖頭,自知已有家室,自然不敢妄動。49Please respect copyright.PENANAvfwMtuHc91
49Please respect copyright.PENANAwzWHsCXZ6L
至於蓋達與塔庫魯?49Please respect copyright.PENANAOcHBG9Hoqu
49Please respect copyright.PENANA3Pce6rZAAw
無論怎麼想,都很難想像這兩個肌肉怪物能與露西這樣的金髮女戰士牽起紅線。