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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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjn3XAdUtbY
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXw8VDSpWh
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5HXcBIe3b
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8UFKKlpmK
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWDOimOLWF
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7ITHZm4Hu
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafPLDW1X5I
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsaoDMjx2ZZ
而塔庫魯，便是其中最離譜的一位之一。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8uAEdlYzG
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdqeaH0MuN
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZH1eFzlkWX
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrR5tuz6rFk
另一回，他迷迷糊糊地闖進了女生浴室。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39QCjMG4p6
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgkkUbpMT3
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNqj5d543L
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWLPD9Eh1o
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」。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKalyeWkyYb
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vDh0Mxbdy
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！」81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9CMRaUnzc
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ldLkGnXkt
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8gi309iU8
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkR1bppqZRe
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUnQUkG96G
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3CESxjkw8
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd06N53BMWn
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiClTtkZxbb
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LKknMmo4G
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdAEeuJfvjC
事實上，山蠻族人的迷路本領並非個例。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT44ZqYkasc
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLuAJlw2fG
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNwf4j1Xxj
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2d2oeX2Iwr
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」。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPX5k5h6vNt
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUbYupOlrj
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVzseDXFu8
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHIHQHb71w
塔庫魯低頭看了看自己胸甲上刻的番號：7-3-1-1。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4ZVwC2j92
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVIIVTD98i
翻譯過來，正是「第七大隊、第三中隊、第一小隊、一號位置」。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJUBSwMJMt
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBqblC00cI
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJtTQg3CRK
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Q7Vdn4bSN
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ076UCnY9lF
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIexaUmFhzs
到了第四天，他總算走到了熟悉的地形。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUSiO1uoZB
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7aM4HLdUS
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE388h2wNSP
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ra9d2R6QW
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8N1ae6wVd3
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugArVJPdoR
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOrkP7A3fp
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgxw2aNUP9
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmcgv1hDm3
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydqjftYWVI
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zcL4NpWsG
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdgNzBUVyF
無奈之下，他決定再次下到谷地，親自尋路。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORkXekLH1r
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UanVxyWoz
───81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tZTb58etI
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3vbYXRzpP
抵達谷底後，他先藏身於一塊巨岩後，屏氣凝神地觀察周圍。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYU37IKmJqK
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dZctYc2ot
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sIvvvNrAE
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpuvlIP2os
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9hfZwlNLR
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjWa6X2Z9V
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——81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9VUngSryZ
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGBUac0VUG
遠處傳來了低沉有力的馬蹄聲！81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrPRD646Lk
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BNaSWfzzi
塔庫魯迅速縮回岩後，貼地潛伏。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrGWqcIjlJ
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaI1qrhT0ka
不久，一隊騎兵自萬縱谷奔騰而出。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDotYpNRhp
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHQwBoDgb2
他瞇起眼，仔細辨認。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hwLXKat8N
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdasti4Cgu
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！81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sS0ZygLwd
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtqb1sf0Pr
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpcSNZ7QPQ
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2cn9433c4
騎兵們動作一致，顯得訓練有素。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2M1p2KCSC
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mNYLqZXKa
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc42txZz1Eh
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAGFmEAJx9
一切動作，乾淨俐落，毫無拖泥帶水。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTaMSPInzQL
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5cqvWxTHgZ
塔庫魯心中一凜。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3ZzEOZxze
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6DDfD0G3S
這種紀律森嚴的探路小隊，顯然是奇襲部隊的前鋒！81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBy7hEo8UCi
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjUSn3TeVQ
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWB9RkjHEra
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssCRCZk9Du
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！81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBaYgH6ErA
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSG2SurdH0K
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtqNxBidAy
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk14TBzeyUV
此地已不宜久留！81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgJwYH00pd
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ64hofDMHCS
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4uLZJZkmG
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvUMph0MVG
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIuvbLmHD6
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKPaL8DVdXQ
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwgpYPa1nS
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSH7Ziu2Hiy
在緊跟中，他也注意到金獅國騎兵所騎的坐騎——刺棘馬。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBuGNSYPFf
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aebz12rUu
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmZMiCqt2U
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO93tasDNyy
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKhCvCzrlK
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYcckdosac
這些硬甲上，長滿了鋒利的棘刺，如同倒鉤般危險。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkzAWDuTlw
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kQ5rw6APi
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLa03fDit8d
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOBRVYIUJ9
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblcwn3zM6U
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vHAYIc0Jp
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVeLJFaaYI
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ955oRVmDP8
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sBWCfvQCi
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51UJhG0BF1
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqpfClXoqnF
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5juhuImsZd
這支騎兵在森林邊緣再次停下來。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWiNyev0dLU
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡim3qG2sSVO
幾名士兵翻身下馬，從鞍袋中取出像是接力棒般的煙棍。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknyo7pg3wc
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0Px8ASZlS
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NPpSa3f23
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYUwm8Lzto
那是信號——通知後方大軍，這片林地已無伏兵，可以推進了。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsnXH6Ovgp
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcj6dLD9ic6
塔庫魯抓住這個空檔，身形一縱，躲入山壁邊的森林。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3F7WnMFruY
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHPdLLgnJc
進入林間，他如龍入大海般自在。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YKm4dqVEn
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT53cTDCEyi
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQWBIlexls
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iFZVMt24B
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpHOxKy2bY
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijahbwe7sk
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbSyWBZ9yi
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVLRb13r9t
但他並不打算輕啟殺戒。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxoxu2AvwA
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNwomrfxSj
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。81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIuLQpEJxRO
81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvN4U6tVtP
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。
