Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Things will always become clearer

As soon as I left the Londinium Club, the snob hub, my phone rang—could anything be more fitting than the Twilight Zone TV theme? ——I took the phone out of my coat pocket and looked at the screen suspiciously.I'm rarely called, partly because not many people know my phone number, and partly because anyone who has a number knows not to call unless it's an emergency. There was no safe phone signal in Nightside.In addition to inexplicable people listening at any time, and even joining the conversation from time to time, there are also many uninvited advertisements, invasions from other worlds, and even some perverted demons who have a little research on technology will try to Attached to the phone.Seriously, I don't even know how a cell phone works in Night City, because Night City is definitely not covered by normal base stations and comm satellites; but it also means that my enemies can't use GPS to find me .I have always assumed that the mobile phone system is operated by powerful magic, but who is providing this service, why, whether it will suddenly pop up and start charging, etc. Details, I have no idea.If I'm the kind of person who likes to worry and worry, I'm afraid I'll be bored to death just thinking about these things.

I was filtering calls all the time—because a dead ex-girlfriend called once—but I was relieved to see Alex Muresi's number on the screen.Alex is the owner and bartender at Stranger Tavern, the oldest bar in the world, and one of the few people who is always welcome to call me anytime.We're kind of friends, which is why I gave him my number.And since he never called the number, I thought it best to take the call.At first, there was no sound on the other end of the phone, and then there was a whisper like a distant wind.I called Alex's name twice before he finally spoke in a tense, stressed voice.

"John, you must come to the Stranger's Tavern. Come now, it's urgent." "Alex! What happened? You sound sad, are you okay?" "I can't stop him! Time and space in the tavern are reversed! Scenes from the past can be seen everywhere! I feel like I'm dying..." The phone was disconnected, leaving only useless noise on the receiver, so I put it away. I hate halfway through a case being interrupted by other things, but Alex seems to be in real trouble, and the whole Stranger's Tavern has been threatened.I can't sit idly by because I like that tavern very much.Of course, the whole thing was probably a trap, and Alex was the bait that lured me into the urn.All my instincts were telling me not to go, and I had to learn to trust my instincts if I wanted to survive in Nightside.Perhaps Walker has sent Bad Penny to wait for me at the Stranger Tavern, which suits his style.Since I don't know the current situation, I have to use the element of surprise to my advantage.No matter what mode of transportation I choose, it takes a long time to cross the Night City to reach the Stranger's Tavern, and this time is long enough for my enemies to set up any traps and surprises; Arrived at the Stranger's Tavern.As long as you can catch him off guard, maybe you have a chance of winning.

I suddenly remembered how bad Penny killed people, and immediately shook my head to shake the picture away. I reached into another coat pocket and pulled out a special club membership card.This card is very rare. As far as I know, Alex only made five of them.I patted my cheek with my membership card, thinking about the situation in front of me: Maybe they figured out that I would use this card...or maybe they figured it out, I would figure it out, and they figured it out, I would use it... Don't use it... Think about it endlessly, concentrate on the problem at hand.The membership card is really just a piece of brightly colored cardboard with the name of the tavern watermarked in Gothic script on one side, and "You are here" written in blood red under the name.I just need to press my thumb on the big blood-red characters, and I can immediately release the magical power contained in the card, teleporting me to the inside of the tavern.In this way, not only can it be reached in an instant, but it can also pass over the guards guarding the entrance of the tavern (the other party should have never heard of this card, and almost no one knows the existence of this card).In the end, no matter what traps the other party has, since Alex needs help, I can't sit idly by.So I stopped hesitating and pressed my thumb on the card to activate the magic of the membership card.

Once activated, the card immediately flew out of my palm, so fast that it made my palm feel hot.The card floated before my eyes, glowing with supernatural light, slowly pulsating with a burst of unleashed magic.Alex is not a person who likes to be low-key. The magic he blesses must have a full set of special effects to be dazzling.Then the card rapidly expanded to the size of a door.I pushed open the magic door, strode in, and came to the Stranger's Tavern in an instant.The magic door was closed immediately after I entered, and it turned into the original membership card on the spot and returned to my hand.

I quickly surveyed my surroundings, ready to deal with any situation, but an unexpected scene appeared in front of me.The tavern was empty, and it was completely different from my impression.A faint layer of morning mist floated on the ground, like a shroud, drifting slowly in the air.It was freezing cold, and the exhaled air was fogging up in front of me.My feet can hardly touch the ground, as if the floor exists in a very distant alien space.There was a gust of wind blowing outside the tavern, blowing against the wall and making a piercing screeching sound, which faintly contained a voice that was definitely not made by humans.I've heard wind of this before, and it's a harbinger of time rifts, capable of transporting covered spaces briefly into the past or future.Under the blowing of the wind of time, even the most powerful strongman cannot take it lightly.The appearance of this kind of wind usually means that something is wrong, because when time becomes impermanent, God knows what kind of crisis will be waiting after time.

The entire tavern was empty, and the drinkers who were usually full were completely gone now.It stands to reason that the tavern will only close when Alex is resting, but if Alex is resting, the membership card should not send me over.Now I'm standing alone in a room I barely recognize. The mahogany bar that used to be on the inside of the tavern has completely disappeared, along with the various bottles and all the miscellaneous things behind the bar.The place of the bar is now replaced by a huge wicker face.This face exudes a look of extreme horror, and its mouth can swallow people whole.I shiver suddenly, but it has nothing to do with the cold temperature.On the phone, Alex mentioned that time and space are reversed... Could it be that what I see in front of my eyes is the original style of the oldest tavern in the world?

I walked forward slowly, and the morning fog on the ground flowed between my steps.As far as the eye can see, there are overturned tables and chairs everywhere, like dark islands inserted in the dark gray mist.No matter how many drinkers were present at the time of the incident, they must have fled the scene extremely quickly.I know why, because the most obvious clue is erected in the center of the tavern at this time, dominating the changes in the entire tavern.I stopped at a distance and observed each other carefully. It was a huge oak tree, with a thick trunk and tangled roots, which seemed to have existed here since the beginning of the world, but I had never seen it.The intertwined roots of the trees were tightly entwined into the floor and penetrated deep into the cellar; the thick branches of the trees spread upward, and many of them protruded beyond the ceiling.There were no leaves on the whole tree, but the two bodyguards of the tavern, Lucy and Betty Coltrane, were tightly wrapped around the trunk by countless ivy and mistletoe, unconscious, their faces It was covered in bruises and blood.They were both very strong women with the will of warriors who would never lose without a fight.I reached out and touched the vines on the tree, trying to let them down, but immediately more vines flung out at me.I retracted my hand, and the vine immediately fell silent.I cursed secretly in my heart, I already understood what happened here, and I knew who was behind it.

"Okay, Merlin," I said. "Show yourself." As soon as he finished speaking, a pentagram appeared on the floor in front of the giant wicker face, bursting out with the eerie lightning light unique to the cemetery.In the increasingly dignified atmosphere, the ancient mage Merlin, the founder of Can Molot, the only son of Satan, Merlin Satanspang, slowly emerged from the pentagram, standing proudly in front of me, with a face on his face. A grim and haughty smile appeared on his face.Merlin has been dead for centuries, and his body has been buried in the cellar of the tavern since the fall of Logreth.However, in Night City, the truly strong will not disappear with death.Merlin is indeed dead, but his soul still exists and never leaves.

I finally understood what Alex was saying on the phone.All the changes in the tavern are from the scene of Merlin's era, and Merlin can only appear in the real world through the body of Alex Molesi.Because Alex was fettered in the tavern by a family curse as old as the stranger's tavern, he was doomed to be the medium through which Merlin would appear all his life.These days, Merlin seldom shows up.But whenever he shows up, he will definitely bring bad news to the world. Merlin gently stroked the giant wicker face with one hand, as if reminiscing about some ancient memory, then turned to look at me.He was tall and thin, completely naked, his skin was as pale as a corpse, and his whole body was tattooed with Celtic and Druid rune tattoos from the throat down.Under this powerful appearance that symbolized power, his flesh and blood had rotted, and his internal organs were completely deformed; even Merlin's strong willpower could not resist the ravages of time.His long gray hair was full of dirt, and it fell in a mess on his shoulders. On his forehead, he wore a crown of mistletoe covered with poisonous berries, which gave off an eerie red and green color.His face is bony, ugly, full of personality, with two flaming flames in the eyeholes, and no eyeballs (it is said that he inherited them from his father).There is an ancient wound on his chest that will never heal, and the broken bones and broken flesh can be seen clearly in the wound—his heart was forcibly ripped out of his body a long time ago.

Merlin Satanspoon, the most powerful wizard from ancient times to the present, still exists in the world by virtue of his incomparable willpower. He is one of the oldest, most evil and most dangerous powerhouses in the Nightside. "We've been seeing each other a lot lately," I said. "Someone will gossip." "Still as arrogant as ever, John Taylor." Merlin said in an accent that no one had used in over a hundred and fifty years. "You forced Alex to call me, and then possessed him." "Of course, because I have to ask you to come here. There are things you must know, and there are things I must say. You have taken on a troublesome case, and even I cannot predict the consequences." I immediately felt an urge to run away.When Merlin starts to "predict the consequences", even other beings as powerful as him will suddenly remember that there are things to do elsewhere.It's a pity I can't just leave Alex alone, and I'm curious as to what Merlin is trying to tell me.Besides, no matter how fast I escape, Merlin will still find a way to drag me back. "Okay." I said as calmly as possible. "Let's talk. Why did you come this time? Did you have a nightmare?" "The dead don't dream." Merlin said. "That's a grace for me." I looked at the scene in the tavern and asked, "Why redecorate?" "This tavern is old, older than I am. Some even say the Stranger's is as old as the Nightside itself. I used to go to I will come here for a walk. If I tell you how many famous people used to get drunk here, you must be very surprised. Whether it is a hero or a devil, an official or a small town, everyone will patronize here. Here... a few A few places that once gave me the feeling of home. That’s why I decided to bury my body here.” He looked around, the flames in his eyes fluttered, and he showed a terrifying smile, and murmured: “Ah , memories..." "Can I get into the point?" I said. "I want to get Alex's body back quickly." "He is not important at all. His only purpose of existence is to possess me. Long, long ago, I bound his family and blood in this tavern, the purpose is to keep a descendant by my side, so that when I When needed, he can incarnate in the world through his physical body." "Wait." I said. "Your offspring? I thought Alex was the offspring of Uther Pendragon and King Arthur?" Hui Lin smiled and said: "Pendra Gang's descendants? No, boy, Alex Melesi does not have any royal blood in his body. He is mine, and he has my blood in his body, which came from me and betrayed me. The bloodline inherited from the sorceress Nimu. He belongs to me." I really wanted to yell, but I managed to hold back.I don't want to make him angry, so I can only listen to him as soon as possible. "What do you want me for, Merlin? What can I do for you?" A huge Iron Throne formed behind Merlin, which was the result of his powerful will to materialize the memories in his brain.This throne is very primitive, perfectly showing power and desire, without any modification. Many lifelike runes and curses are engraved on the jet-black metal, as if they would secretly change the content while I was not paying attention.I only recognize some of the runes, and the meaning of those runes makes me glad I don't know the rest.Merlin sat back without looking back, like a fiery dragon lying on a pile of human bones, sitting gloomyly on the throne.His pale skin stood out against the dark metal.He smiled at me with ancient yellow teeth, as if I were his beloved son.I didn't respond to his smile. "Your new case, John Taylor. You have been asked to investigate the origins of Nightside, and the person who hired you must be a powerful person with a dominant force, or even a more powerful entity. I will report to you soon after you take this case." Got it, because I set up psychic alarms all over the Nightside, mostly for this sort of thing. You set off my alarms at the Londinium Club. I was a member there long ago." I'm not surprised at all.I wonder. "This is no ordinary case," Merlin said. "From the moment you took the case, you have triggered a series of unstoppable effects, causing ripples in time and space, warning all the powerful who have been waiting for this moment for a long time. In Nightside and the normal world, many ancient All the powers are beginning to wake up, some want to help you, some intend to stop you. This matter involves a wide range of things, far more serious than you imagined. I used to kill you without hesitation, lest this matter continue to expand. The forces of good and evil will have countless casualties, and the forces of terror will run rampant across the land, and nothing will be the same again. However, perhaps the time of truth has come; perhaps the ancient dogmas are out of date, and it is time for us to It’s time to welcome a new world.” He was silent for a while, and then said: "I called you here, John Taylor, to tell you everything I know, so that you can be mentally prepared for the situation you may face in the future. Perhaps, this is purely It’s because I don’t know the origin of Night City. I can’t accept that there are things in the world beyond my knowledge. I want to know the origin of Night City.” "You think knowing the origin of the Nightside will free you from the tavern?" I said slowly. "So that you can die completely and cease to exist forever?" Merlin laughed, but there was no joy in the laughter. "No, child, no one forced me to stay here except me. I quietly waited for my heart and all my strength to return to my body. Do your dues and do the math!" (Short remark: Nimu the Witch stole Merlin's heart and then lost it to someone else. Merlin lost most of his powers as a result. Everyone in Nightside has heard the story, but no one wants it at all Looking for that heart, let alone returning it to its owner—no one would be so stupid, and Merlin's current power is already very dangerous.) "The true origin of Nightside is closely related to your mother's identity." Merlin said nonchalantly. "It's an accepted fact. Strangely, no one knows where it came from. Don't ask me who your mother is, and don't make me guess. There are very few lives in the world that I can't You see clearly, and your mother was one of them. There was a moment, years before you were born, when the Nightside suddenly trembled, and everyone looked up at the sky, as they all became aware of an unexpected The entity came to the world. A very ancient and terrifying existence was reborn in the material world, and the balance of everything in the world was completely changed at that moment. However, this horrible feeling was fleeting, because the entity of unknown origin At the same time of rebirth, he hid himself, and since then no one has found out its whereabouts. Almost no power can do this kind of thing, and this is just the beginning of a series of ominous omens... Your mother is absolutely capable and mastered equal to, or even more powerful than, those who dominate power." "According to my speculation, your mother is most likely the greatest witch in history, Morgan Lafite, the only power that can rival me in King Arthur's time. She is a very interesting life, not only powerful, but also extremely beautiful, but I never Never really got to her heart. I've always suspected she wasn't as simple as she made out to be, and I never believed that shit she told Arthur about her being his half-sister. She said this just to get close to him, Arthur's greatest weakness is the friendship with his family. This is the price he must pay for being an orphan. She used Arthur to give birth to a son, Mordred, and then used this Destroy Camelot, son. I can't help but wonder if your mother gave birth to you to destroy the Nightside. Oh, yes, I know what happened to you in the time rift. I have seen the future you have experienced , everyone and everything will be destroyed in your hands. Over the years, many strong men have foreseen that future." "I thought Morgan Lafite was already dead by your hands?" I intended to change the subject. "I did my best." Merlin said coldly. "But I'm never sure... She always said she'd come back. But then again, Arthur said the same thing, and I never gave up waiting for her." "So you're not here just to wait for the heart to return?" I asked. Merlin nodded slowly. "Arthur... is very special. At that time, I was still obsessed with the game of creating kings, and I used Uther Pendragon to create the legend of King Arthur. But Arthur exceeded my imagination, surpassed everyone's expectations, and became A very special man. He is the most perfect man in the world and the only king I ever faithfully followed. I laid beautiful dreams for him, and he brought them into reality with his hands. A foundation built on reason and compassion The kingdom below, sweeping away all the ancient madness. The holy kingdom, Logreus, shines brightly in the dark age." He paused, his chin resting on the back of his hand, remembering the past. "I could have achieved greater things. As the only son of Satan and a mortal woman, my destiny was to become the king who destroyed Christianity, but I refused this honor. I was very wise and had My own thoughts. I don't want to follow the fate that others have prepared for me. I want to go my own way. In order to ensure my freedom, I killed all the witches who raised me, and then successively eliminated many witches who planned to use me. Anti-Christian scum. My mother was long dead. She died in childbirth, a witch whose name I didn't even keep. Apparently I couldn't wait until October to conceive, so I tore her body apart and crawled out." "What about your... father?" I asked. "We don't talk to each other. I've been having fun building up territories and raising kings and destroying kingdoms I've made until I met Arthur. He made me ashamed , made me see how small I am. I love him. He is my father, my son, a ray of sunshine in the darkness. I always knew hell was real, but he made me know Paradise is not just a myth. I gave my life to him, and I am willing to die for him... However, I also always knew that if I want to save him, I must go against his own will. In the end he sacrificed his life to defend his dream, because Only in this way can the dream be truly worthwhile. He and Modre met on the battlefield and died in each other's arms. They didn't know why the father and son came to this point until they died. I went to kill Morgan Rafi, not by his side. After that, after the demise of Arthur and Camelot, I didn't care about anything anymore. Later, when the unfaithful Nimu stole my heart, I even There's a sense of relief. She's an amazing character, really." I think it's time to change the subject again. After all, listening to an old ghost who died for hundreds of years reminisce about the past will definitely not lead to good results. "How much do you know about the origin of the Nightside?" Merlin changed his sitting position, and a cold and focused expression appeared on his face again: "When I was young, I asked many powerful people for advice. They told me that Night City was created by a powerful entity with unknown origins. There is a free land above the earth that is not governed by heaven and hell, a truly uninhibited place. This is why I can still exist in the world so many years after death... Of course my blood is also one of the reasons. Part of me I can be sure of That's all. If you want to find out more, you have to ask someone who is older than me. I have a teacher who still stays in the Night City, but he is no longer what he used to be. Hunter Hearn, in the wilderness free spirit of the wild hunt, savage spirit of the wild, satyr of the great green dream in England's primitive days." "Where can I find him?" I asked. "Good question. I haven't seen it in millennia. Apparently the power of the satyr has waned considerably in that millennium. Cities are built, civilizations invade, woodlands fall, all corrode His ability. I think he should be a shell now, no longer the strong man I remembered. But no matter how weak he has become, he still retains a lot of ancient knowledge, a lot that he never shared with me. Perhaps you can persuade him to tell you the secret. Use your precious gifts, boy, and seek out Herne the Hunter if you dare." "Anything else to say?" I asked. "Before you leave." He showed an evil smile: "You know... I can force you to use your talent to help me find the heart." "You can try it. But you should know that even if you force me to find the heart, I will still destroy it before handing it over." Merlin nodded slowly. "Yes, I knew you would do that." He stood up, and the throne behind him immediately disappeared.He looked melancholy at the original appearance of the tavern in front of him, then slowly sank into the pentagram and returned to the tomb in the cellar.The blue light of the pentagram faded one by one, and when the last magical light disappeared, the body of Alex Molesi emerged, lying curled up on the floor.I looked around and saw that the tavern had been restored to its original state, and the morning mist, the oak trees, and the big wicker face had all disappeared.The wind of time stopped blowing, and the original style in memory disappeared.I took a deep breath and it felt like dropping a big rock on my chest.Every time I talk to someone strong enough to knock me out at will, I get a breathless feeling, and unfortunately, that's often what my job entails.I helped Alex sit up from the floor, leaning his back against the side of the mahogany bar that had been restored to its original shape.He was trembling all over, tears streaming down his face, and he didn't know whether it was out of anger or fright. "You never told me, Merlin," he said bitterly. "For hundreds of years, you have never told anyone in our family that the blood flowing from my body is not from the Pendragon family; it turns out that I am not a descendant of the great and holy royal family, but a descendant of Merlin. All my life There is no chance to leave this tavern..." I sympathized deeply, but didn't say it.Alex never knew how to accept the friendship and support of others, because such things did not match his image of self-pity.Finally, he stood up with his own strength, but his whole body was shrouded in a gloomy darkness, and he had become the out-and-out embodiment of suffering.He put aside his shock and anger for a cynical look.He always likes to assert himself by being cynical.Seeing that he opened his mouth and was about to curse, I immediately pointed to the two bodyguards on the ground.Lucy and Betty were free from the bondage of the oak tree, and were slowly waking up at this moment.I distracted Alex by asking Alex to take care of them.He did so, though rather reluctantly.After all, good employees are not easy to find. Lucy and Betty Coltrane were largely unhurt, but almost mad with anger.It seems that Merlin took control of Alex without warning, forced him to call me, and then fully possessed him, transforming the tavern into a primitive style without saying a word, scaring away all the customers.When Lucy and Betty protested, Merlin threw them to the ground one by one.I think the reason why they are so angry is probably because they can't accept that they were defeated by Merlin so easily.They were muscular, fit girls, and they were always dealing with all kinds of troublemakers; in a place like the Stranger's Tavern, the so-called "troublemakers" included a very wide range.Alex and I comforted them for a while, told them to clean up the messy tables and chairs on the floor, and then walked back to the bar. "I think I'm allergic to mistletoe," said Lucy, scratching her arm vigorously. "You're allergic to everything," Betty said. "Psychological effect." "I think we should have a glass of brandy to refresh ourselves." Alex said and walked to his old seat behind the bar. I raised my eyebrows and asked, "Your treat?" Alex said unhappily: "This is not an example." While Alex was busy getting out the good brandy, I told him everything Merlin said just now.He listened and thought about it, but he didn't show any surprise.It's not easy to surprise Alex.After I finished speaking, I turned my head and looked at him. "How do you know that you are Merlin's descendant? Normally, when he possesses you, you shouldn't know what happened." "He let me know on purpose," Alex said. "He wants me to know." Once again, it's time to change the subject.I use my membership card to connect with my buddies at the library.The card turned into a magic door, opening a passage between the tavern and the research area.The sinner's head poked out from the door, his face full of curiosity. "What an interesting trick," he said softly. "I thought no magic could break through the library's defenses." "This spell is based on Merlin's power," I said. "There's not much you can do against him." The sinner raised his eyebrows and said, "Your social circle is very high-level, John." Beautiful Poison squeezed in from beside him. "Oh, look, Sydney dear, it's a bar! Let's go in. I want a drink." "Alright." The sinner said. "The lunatic has been wandering around the religious studies area for a while now, hearing him say 'no, it's all wrong'. Quite a few books have disappeared, and many have been rewritten. I think the library The people in this place should already be very popular." "Come here." I said. The Sinner and the Beautiful Poison came through the portal into the tavern, and then we half-coaxed the Madman into it.The lunatic's expression was not very happy, and it seemed a little dangerous.I close the portal and put away the membership card.Then I heard Alex take a strong breath from behind the bar. "My card is not for giving so many people a free ride. Looks like I'm going to have to add a new filter system, put some scalpels and hacksaws in it, and put no narcotics in it." He looked at me partner, showing the same disdainful expression as usual.Seeing his reaction, I felt relieved.This unabashed tantrum meant that Alex was back to normal, and it wasn't long before he started swearing and finding the wrong change.He stared blatantly at the madman. "You... I know you. Stay away from the bar, don't turn the wine into something else, or sweeten the beer, or evolve my bar snacks. Think again, stay away from everything. Standing still, not even breathing. Seriously, John, every time you bring friends over you make the whole pub look better." "Crazy people don't mess around," I promised. "Isn't it, madman?" "Who knows?" said the madman. "Who will know if I messed up?" "This is a sinner." I immediately changed the subject with Alex. "This is his girlfriend, Beautiful Poison." Alex frowned like a bun. "Oh my God, it turned out to be the most poignant love story in Nightside, a young couple from hell, the world's most depraved idiot and a real she-devil. Why does this woman look so much like my ex-wife?" "You better not know," I said. "Listen, folks. I just finished a short but annoying conversation with Merlin. According to him, we must go to an ancient god, Herne the Hunter. Does anyone know where to find him? He has It's been a while, but I don't want to use my talents to find someone in the first place unless I have to." "Of course," said the sinner. "You don't want to attract the attention of your unidentified enemies. See, I'm well-informed too. In the past few years, you have become a legend of my level in Night City. I know a lot about the hunter Hearne There are many records about him in the library, but most of the legends are contradictory. In any case, all records seem to believe that he has fallen into the world and no longer retains the power of the ancient gods. He is now Possibly in Shadow Falls." "What's that place?" asked the lunatic, who seemed to be in a rare state of lucidity at the moment. "There is a cemetery of supernatural life." Alex said.He relished the opportunity to show off his knowledge. "When legends are forgotten, they go to Shadow Falls to die. The environment is backward in every way, but it's also peaceful, and it's fine for some people to die, but I Personally don't agree. Why did Mad Men's background music become a Dolly Parton song? I know, don't ask. Then again, I don't think Hearn has left Night City. I remember reading something about him recently information……" He took out a stack of back issues from under the bar, flipped through them quickly, and found a copy of Nightside's exclusive Digest of Dirty Obscene Gossip: The Unnatural Explorer (all Nightside Times disdain to publish. can be found in this magazine).I glanced at the headline on the cover while he was rummaging through the text: "Madonna Fucking Razor Eddie! Photos! We Have Photos!" Underneath it was "Madonna And The Nightingale! Tickets! We Have Tickets!" At the bottom there is a sentence printed in very small fonts: "The end of the world is coming soon again". Alex turned the page and muttered: "Travel column, you have to pay to see it... DNA proves that the royal family evolved from lizards... Yes, we have known this for a long time... Ah, I found it. It turns out It's in the 'Passed Gods' column. Apparently Hearne the Hunter has turned into a bum and now begs for a living." "Where to beg?" I was not very surprised.There are many homeless people in Night City who have had a good time.在这里，因果的力量是很残酷的，命运之轮也不会为了任何生命而停止转动。 “上面说他常换地方。”艾力克斯说完把杂志往吧台上一丢，对我若有深意地看了一眼。我无奈地叹了一口气。 我沉入内心，以一种无以言喻的方式收敛我的心神，开启我的天赋。只要我用心去看，就能够找出任何东西以及任何人。内心深处的第三只眼一经唤醒，整个夜城之中的景象立刻尽入眼底。 我眼前充满了生命与死亡的气息，有如一座布满毒藤的游乐场，好比一个插满断指的生日礼物。在我洞察一切的目光之下，霓虹照耀的街道急速闪过，所有正常人看不见的生命通通无所遁形。夜城里的空间具有许多不同的层次，而并非所有层次都在人类的理解范围之内。我迅速浏览，筛检我的目标，最后终于找到一个衣衫破烂的人影，躲在一个早已被雨浸湿的纸箱里，从破洞中伸出一只枯手，无声地寻求怜悯，可惜路过的人连看都懒得看他一眼。这时纸箱之中探出一颗披着毛毯的大头，毛毯之下露出两根形状不规则的大角，往我的方向缓缓转来。即使已经坠入凡尘，赫恩似乎还是有办法察觉自己遭到别人监视。 就在此时，眼前的景象突然消失，天赋再度将我推回酒馆之中。我已经找到了赫恩的位置，但是还没机会看仔细就被我的敌人发现了。每当我使用天赋的时候，整个人就会发出耀眼的光芒，而我的敌人就会追踪这道光线找出我的行踪。如今十二名痛苦使者凭空出现，当场将我团团包围。它们是我敌人的走狗，是多年来一直不停追杀我的怪物，我一辈子都无法甩开的恶梦。 它们拥有人类的外型，却没有人类的心灵。身穿黑色西装，头戴垂边软帽，借着低垂的帽沿遮盖面孔，好让它们可以肆无忌惮地行走于人类的世界里。由于此时已经非常接近猎物，所以它们也不再费心掩饰身分。它们没有脸，脑袋的正面只是一片空白的皮肤，从下巴到额头之间完全没有任何五官特征。它们没有双眼，但是却看得见；没有双耳，但是却听得见。它们没有嘴巴跟鼻子，不过它们不需要呼吸，也没必要说话。它们既强壮又敏捷，并且永远不会感到疲累。它们曾经跟在我身后追赶好几英哩，奔跑数个小时，一路上所有不小心挡路的倒霉鬼通通被它们撕成碎片。 痛苦使者静静地围在我身旁，阻挡我所有的退路。它们完全无视酒馆中其他人的存在，只是针对我一人而来。一个接着一个，它们举起修长的双手，对我展现手指上所插的恐怖针头，以及针头顶端缓缓渗出的暗绿色液体。单纯将我杀死已经不能满足它们了。如今它们决定将我带回巢穴慢慢折磨，不然无法消除它们心头之恨。 我一辈子都在逃避它们的追杀，不过至今我仍不明白它们为什么要杀我。 我心跳加速，手心颤抖，呼吸急促，冷汗直流。我打不过它们。它们不但强壮异常，而且身体非常柔软，弹性十足。我无法伤害它们，无法撕裂它们，无法阻止它们，甚至连拖延时间都办不到。我心里非常明白，因为我已经试过无数次了。不论我出手多重，它们始终越战越勇。多年以来，我应付它们唯一的方法就是逃跑。我转头看向艾力克斯。 “召唤梅林！我们需要梅林现身！” “办不到。”艾力克斯说。“对不起，约翰。他要来就来，不是我能决定的。既然他现在还没现身，多半是不会来了。” “别理梅林。”罪人开心地道。“我们不需要他。你还有我们呢，约翰。所以，这些就是传说中的痛苦使者？看起来很唬人，不过我见过更可怕的怪物。美丽毒药，如果你不介意……” “当然不介意，席尼。我愿为你做任何事。” 女恶魔嫣然一笑，美丽的外表在一刹那间荡然无存。她嘴里长出尖牙，双眼化作血红，手中冒出利爪，以无与伦比的速度向前冲去，登时来到两名痛苦使者身边。在它们有时间转身之前，美丽毒药已经扯下了它们的脑袋，拔掉了它们的手臂，摔倒它们的身躯，在地上踩成一片烂泥。地上没有任何血迹，不过散落满地的尸块还是像具有生命一般地不停抽搐。美丽毒药身形一晃，已经向其他痛苦使者扑上。在女恶魔的愤怒之前，它们充满弹性的肉体根本一点机会也没有。 所有痛苦使者同时转过身来面对这意料之外的威胁。其中有一只往罪人冲去，不过却突然停下脚步，仿佛撞上了一道看不见的墙壁一样。罪人面带忧伤地看着它，缓缓伸出一手放上它的额头。在他的触摸之下，痛苦使者全身皮肤登时皱起，有如一片腐叶般地凋零落地。疯子双眼大张，对着一只痛苦使者狠狠一瞪，当场瞪到对方身体溶化，变成在地上冒泡的一滩原生质。 它们在这里比较虚弱。I wonder.这间酒馆的防御措施非常强大。梅林的魔法削弱了它们的力量。第一次，我感到自己有能力击败它们…… 我脸上燃起一股全新的自信。除了剃刀艾迪出手的那次之外，我从来没见过痛苦使者这么快就倒下的。在这里，它们不是无敌的。它们是可以被消灭的，连我都办得到。这时还有六只痛苦使者没死，不过个个手足无措。我向前跨出一步，它们立刻全部向我转来。 “来吧。”我说。 “上啊。”艾力克斯说道。“我不容许任何人骚扰我的顾客，不然有损商誉。贝蒂，露西，上工啦！” 他抄起加持过魔法的棒球棒就从吧台后方冲了出来。露西跟贝蒂甩甩拳头，也向痛苦使者迎了上去。我笑了，有朋友的感觉真好。我将目光移到一名痛苦使者身上，发现它似乎有点迟疑。 “你已经死了。”我说。 "Go to hell." 我们四个跟剩下的痛苦使者干了起来，齐心合力地将它们海扁了一顿。这场架打得一点也不轻松。尽管被梅林的法术制约，痛苦使者的身体依然具有不自然的延展性，可以一边吸收大部分的攻击，一边毫不留情地对我们挥出诡异的针头。我一举打在一只痛苦使者脸上，拳头整个沉入它的脑袋里，费了好大的劲儿才拔出来。艾力克斯看准一只的脑袋当头就是一棒，想不到球棒不但击穿了对方脑袋，而且还一路沉到胸口，这才止住了一击的势道。 幸亏，我们过不了多久就发现了它们的弱点，将它们扫倒在地，然后在它们爬起之前扁成肉酱。露西跟贝蒂一人捉住一只痛苦使者的手臂，使劲向外一扯，有如扳断许愿骨般地将对方扯成两半。至于她们有没有真的许愿，我就不得而知了。艾力克斯一棒将一只击倒在地，我立刻举起一张桌子用力砸下，然后我们好像踢球一样地将它的尸体踢来踢去，一边踢着一边狂笑。所有人都很享受这种感觉，因为今晚我们已经闷太久了。我践踏着脚下的尸块，心中感受到一股莫名的喜悦。因为我从来不曾击败过它们。never. 在尽情发泄的同时，我心里也慢慢明白了一件事情。我的敌人一定知道陌生人酒馆是在梅林的守护之下，所以即使我是这里的常客，他们还是不曾把痛苦使者派到这里来找我。如今既然走到了这一步，显然表示他们已经狗急跳墙了。至于是什么原因，似乎也并不难猜。发泄完了之后，我们全都背靠吧台而立，大口地喘着气，心满意足地看着满地抽动的残破尸块，对着彼此散发出会心的一笑。我感到欣喜若狂，因为我终于击败了自己内心最古老的梦魇。突然之间，所有的尸块停止抖动，然后无声无息地消失，回归到创造出它们的地方。我们全都大声欢呼，就连罪人也不例外。“这些家伙是从哪来的？”他问。 “我不知道。”我答。“我从来都不知道。” “是谁派他们来的？你的敌人究竟是谁？” "I don't know. Nobody knows." “夜城的强者？来自外世界的力量？或许是其他空间的……” "I have no idea!" “那么为什么……”罪人冷静而带有理性地说。“为什么你不用天赋找出他们的身分？” 我呆呆地看着他，一时说不话来。这个想法从来不曾出现在我脑海里。也可能我想过，但是直觉地压抑在心里，因为我太害怕了。但是如今我亲眼看到痛苦使者败在我的手下，安安稳稳地站在陌生人酒馆的保护之中，身旁都是力量强大的朋友……我缓缓点了点头，再度开启我的心眼。
这一次跟之前不同，我的天赋让我看到了一个遥远的景象。我似乎超脱了现实，成为一道单纯的存在，没有面孔、没有身体，独自飘浮在一个陌生的世界里。我飘过一望无际的黑暗荒凉，见到震撼人心的残败废墟。不久之后，我认出了这个地方。这是一个可能发生的未来，一个我曾藉由时间裂缝而不小心踏入的空虚境界。我的天赋将我带到了末日之后的世界。在这个未来里，夜城以及所有文明都已经不复存在。 这个未来是我造成的，至少，一个垂死的老朋友是这么告诉我的。 触目所及，到处都是毁灭的痕迹。伟大的建筑全部坍塌，除了一些断垣残壁之外，就只剩下满地的残砖烂瓦。街上停满了毁坏的交通工具，完全没有任何动静。夜城死了。天空弥漫着一种诡异的暗紫色彩，仿佛被它所见到景象给打得满是瘀青一般。远方的地平在线竖立着建筑物的荒凉轮廓，而天空的尽头也不见月亮的踪迹，就连星星都只剩下稀稀落落的十来颗，孤独黯淡地挂在夜色中。 一眼望去，世界似乎已经毁灭好几个世纪了，不过我却知道没有那么久。当我上次透过时间裂缝来到这个未来的时候，未来的剃刀艾迪曾经告诉过我这里离我毁灭夜城不过八十二年的光景。所有文明以及人类一族完全灭绝，只因为我坚持踏上寻找母亲的旅程。在帮助未来的艾迪解脱之前，我曾对他发誓绝对不会让这个未来发生。 景象突然迅速移动，似乎天赋终于找到了要找的东西一样。我往废墟俯冲而下，沿着两旁建筑残骸高速游走，对准某个特定的地点前进。最后，我来到了一间独栋房屋之前。这栋屋子和其他建筑一样残破，没有丝毫特别之处，但我心知这里就是我要找的地方，敌人的藏身之处。所有窗户里都没有透出任何光线，不过我可以感到屋子里面蕴含着生命以及光辉，紧密地隐藏在黑暗的世界之外。当我往屋子飘去的时候，心里浮现了一个事实。眼前的景象是我上次造访这个未来的之前几年，而这个年代里人类还没有死绝，不过也死得差不多了。我穿越了屋子的外墙，飘入一间防护严密的内厅，厅中点着几根散发微光的蜡烛。借着这微弱的光芒，我终于见到了我的敌人。 他们全都是我认识的人。 原来我的敌人就是这个未来里仅存的几名强者，夜城最后的防线。他们聚集在一起，疯狂地想要毁灭过去的我，阻止我干下……足以毁灭世界的恶行。我的天赋只能让我了解这么多。我的敌人是一群想要拯救夜城跟整个世界的人，而唯一拯救世界的方法就是回到过去将我击毙。 他们围在一盆炭火之前取暖，以抖动的双手跟不安的言语凝聚所有残存的力量，默默地对抗着自屋外传来的恐怖声响。接着他们停止动作，静静聆听。我可以听到他们耳中的声音。某个非常巨大的东西在暗紫色的夜空中移动，缓缓地向着他们走来。从对方移动时所发出的声音听来，我很庆幸自己看不到它的长相。屋内的生还者一动也不敢动，每张营养不良的脸上都浮现恐惧的神色。他们怕得不敢发出丝毫声响，唯恐惹来对方的注意。最后，那只恐怖的怪物终于远离——看来他们设下的防护罩还可以再撑一阵子。 不管毁灭夜城的力量究竟为何，此时一切都还没结束，只不过人类这一方显然已经快要完全灭绝了。我飘到敌人身旁，静静地听着他们谈论充斥夜城的那些异界怪物。根据他们的谈话，夜城的废墟之中本来隐藏了不少反抗势力，不过这些日子以来一个接着一个都遭到怪物铲除，已经好几个月没有听说任何其他人的消息。如今聚在这个小房间里的人，很可能就是人类最后的希望，若是他们也失败了，那么夜城中唯一的活物将会只剩下昆虫；而这些昆虫已经被“大战”中所释放出来的能量影响，开始产生突变。 看着这些曾经不可一世的强者，变成这种可怜兮兮的样子，我心里其实很不好过。洁西卡·莎罗，如今已经恢复人形，不再是当年那个恐怖的“不信之徒”，不过还是一样瘦弱。她身穿一件破烂的皮夹克以及一条皮裤，手中抱着一只古老残破的泰迪熊。这只熊是我为了唤回她心中的人性而帮她找回来的，但是此刻她却利用泰迪熊跟我之间的遥远连结来侦测过去的我的正确位置。 坐在她身旁身穿烂西装的男人叫做赖瑞·亚布黎安，乃是大名鼎鼎的死亡神探。赖瑞小声地说他希望自己能够跟他哥哥汤米一样完全死透，这样就不用眼睁睁地看着夜城走到如今这个地步。洁西卡伸手绕过他的肩膀，无奈地拥抱着他。 “影像伯爵”伸出满布皱纹的双手在炭火盆旁取暖。天使战争过后，他又把自己被天使剥掉的皮肤给缝回身上，不过这些缝线跟原先皮肤上的神经科技、硅化节点以及魔法电路很不搭调，形成一种十分诡异的图样。“影像伯爵”的头上顶着一道光环，看不出是什么奇怪的能量所造成的。他不着衣物，瘦弱的身体只用几条皮带紧紧缠绕，或许是靠着这些皮带才能保持人形。 “皮囊之王”如今已经变成一个普通人，所有骇人的魅力通通消失，身上挂着许多强大的法器，有些隐藏在毛皮外套之中。他手里拿着一颗水晶球，不过这件可怜的法器已经残破不堪、布满裂痕。每当有轻微的声响，他就会吓得东张西望、浑身发抖。 安妮·阿贝托尔身穿一袭酒红色的晚礼服，露出肩胛骨之间所纹的神秘符咒。看到她的身影并不让我感到惊讶，因为安妮一直都是个杀不死的角色，虽然想杀她的人多如牛毛。她身高六尺二寸，浑身上下都是肌肉，即使在如今这个死寂的世界里依然保有壮硕的体魄，只不过……她的气势已经大不如前。她被“大战”消磨了意志，早已不再是从前的她。她的身旁摆了一碗鲜血，用以补充火盆旁五芒星上的魔力。只见她拿刀在自己手腕上划了一下，在已经半干的碗中滴满自己的鲜血。 我静静地听着他们说话。他们的声音很轻，似乎从很遥远的地方传入我的耳中。 “传送仪式失败了。”洁西卡说。“我们的使者全数遭到歼灭。” “全部？”影像伯爵道。“从来没发生过这种事。一定有实力强大的朋友在帮助他。” “或许是他变强了。”赖瑞·亚布黎安说道。“离他蜕变的时候已经非常接近了。我们要再试一次吗？” “不。”安妮·阿贝托尔说。“太快了。我们现在还太虚弱，等恢复元气再说。还有时间。” “我们都知道想突破梅林的防御魔法是很危险的。”洁西卡说。 “我怀念他。”皮囊之王颤抖地道。“他带给我们希望，自始至终都勇猛顽强地抵抗着。在他们终于击倒梅林，当着他的面吃掉他的心脏时，我心中的一部分都跟着他一同死去。想不到在最后那一刻，他才是我们之中最高尚的一员。” “他一直都深信亚瑟王会回来拯救我们。”洁西卡说。 “如果他真打算回来，动作最好快点。”影像伯爵道。所有人脸上都露出自嘲式的微笑。 他们究竟在对抗谁？I wonder.这场大战的另一方究竟是什么人物？居然连梅林·撒旦斯邦都不是对手？夜城之中，究竟隐藏了什么样的危机？ “我们必须制造更多痛苦使者，”安妮说。“我们必须准备随时开启另一道传送仪式，绝不能错失任何机会。” “我们已经有一具尸体了。”皮囊之王道。 “我们不能把他变成痛苦使者！”洁西卡立刻叫道。“他是我们的人。” “他现在只是一具尸体了。”安妮道。“这是他的意愿，相信你也了解他。你该知道这种时候到外面去挖尸体有多危险。没有尸体，我们无法制作人形躯壳。” “不能用朱利安·阿德文特来做。”洁西卡道。 “他随时都打算贡献自己。”赖瑞说。“他喜欢当英雄，而这就是他最后的机会。如果你不愿意动他的尸体，我们来就可以了。” 我没有听到他们接下来的对话，因为我太震惊了。朱利安·阿德文特，传说中的维多利亚冒险家，居然也是我的敌人？也许他有时不能认同我的作为，但我们始终都保持着良好的朋友关系，时常站在同一阵线对抗邪恶……他怎么可能也想置我于死地？他绝对不可能赞成背叛与谋杀这类手段的……除非……他的良心已经被现实压倒，除非真的没有其他的办法了。如果朱利安死后会被处理成痛苦使者，那我曾经面对过的痛苦使者里，说不定也有不少是我的朋友。 还记得为了了解这种从小就不停追杀我的怪物，我特地跑去找购物中心的许愿井，用至今都还在后悔的代价换得了“痛苦使者”这个答案。许多年后，为我解释“痛苦使者”这字字义的人，就是朱利安。原来这个名字是从维多利亚年代的一个古字演化而来，原义是“骚扰”、“夺取”，以及“追逐”——莫非在这个未来里，当初帮这个怪物命名的人就是朱利安？ “我还是认为我们应该直接杀了约翰。”安妮·阿贝托尔一边滴血一边说道。“想要活捉他实在太危险了。” “不。”洁西卡立刻说道。“他已经快要蜕变了。我们必须把他带回这里拷问。我们得要了解他干出……那种事情的理由。用药物与绝望感逼迫他，他最后一定会招的。到时候，我们或许就能想出办法阻止这一切。” “到时候，我们再让他死无葬身之地。”皮囊之王说。 “没错。”影像伯爵道。“为了他的原罪，为了这么多条人命，也为了他所继承的血脉。”
影像突然幻灭，我在一瞬之间回到了陌生人酒馆。我站在酒馆的正中央，全身剧烈地抖动，冷汗一滴一滴地滑过脸颊。罪人伸手扶住我的身体，艾力克斯则递给我另一杯白兰地。我满怀感激地接过酒杯，将杯中的烈酒一饮而尽，边喝还边听到颤抖的牙齿敲击在玻璃杯上的声音。我太震惊了。太多的真相一下子涌入脑中，一时之间根本无法消受。 我告诉大家刚刚看到的景象与听到的言语，不过没有全盘托出。有些事他们不需要知道；有些事……我不放心让他们知道。他们听完后的反应跟我一样震惊，而且全都以一种全新的眼光向我看来，就连疯子也一样。他们眼中的这个男人将会毁灭夜城？我不怪他们用这种眼光看我。按照刚刚的景象所示，我的敌人反而才是好人。为了防止这一场毁灭世界的大灾难，他们逼不得已只好出此下策。 我曾向未来的剃刀艾迪保证就算死也不会让这种事情发生，但会不会打从我接下这个案子的那一刻起，一切就已经开始运转了呢？如果夜城的起源真的与我母亲的身分息息相关，那么继续追查下去是否就会推倒毁灭世界的第一张骨牌？ “时间裂缝里的景象只是可能的未来。”艾力克斯说道。“这是大家都知道的。” “这只是一种可能。”罪人说。“时间的分歧比大树上的树枝还要多。” I shake my head. “既然追杀我一辈子的敌人都是来自这个未来，那这个未来多半比其他未来还要可能发生。” “我们该怎么办？”艾力克斯问。 “你决定吧。”罪人说。“就看你想不想继续追查这件案子。你不是一定要查下去。你随时可以放手。不过如果你决定继续，我跟美丽毒药都会陪你走下去的。因为我对将会发生的事情感到十分好奇。” “我也是，我也是！”疯子说。 “我们继续。”我说。“我已经接受委托了。而我从来不让顾客失望。真相才是重点。至于真相会伤害到什么人，那都是以后的事了。”