掃墓事件一周後,一個不同往常的下午二時。一輛印有阿馬茲公司標誌的電動車於公路行駛。車内坐著義彌和慶壽,他們現正被指派外勤。一人咬著三文治,另一人吮著紙包檸檬茶,空氣瀰漫著食物的氣味和慵懶的氣氛。344Please respect copyright.PENANAXFrpBcA6XT
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車頭玻璃上的顯示屏投映了相關資料,義彌嘴角含著塑膠飲管一邊朗讀:「下一個目的地是GK-4區,CE街5號住宅。事主名叫樺佰,43歲男性,獨居於上述住址。於午夜的系統更新後被偵測到同步狀態出現錯誤,跟我們朝早處理過的三單案件一樣。」344Please respect copyright.PENANAYxQpmQfTGp
344Please respect copyright.PENANAUHo31jKjkM
「這類差——事——倒是輕鬆。」慶壽滿嘴食物口齒不清,「有需——注意——地方嗎?」344Please respect copyright.PENANAthihUQBxNj
344Please respect copyright.PENANAKCU5O6DEKr
「有兩項,其一:他曾是我們公司的程式員,深度參與沙赫里瓦爾的開發工作。兩年前辭去工作,與其妻居於上址。」義彌點擊屏幕,一名女子的資料跳出,名字是仁萊,32歲,同步狀態:死亡。「其二:喪偶,妻子被選為指定犧牲者,於一年前的火災逝世。」344Please respect copyright.PENANAK9OEsv15ox
344Please respect copyright.PENANA59oxqLK9kc
慶壽透過車窗反射觀察義彌的表情,雖然沒有表現出來,但他肯定想起了葵薇。慶壽立即轉移話題,「每次系統更新後都會有大批人的同步出現錯誤,讓我們除錯員忙得不可開交。」他把三文治最後一角塞入嘴中,毫無自覺的吸吮指尖的麵包碎。344Please respect copyright.PENANAATTdA2262f
344Please respect copyright.PENANAOGBdOvY9gE
面對粗枝大葉的拍檔,義彌眼睛都要反到後腦勺,任何想法都拋到九霄雲外。他默默搖頭,心裡叮囑自己別碰任何他觸碰過的東西。他用力把最後一口檸檬茶吮掉,拉開二人中間的垃圾箱,將包裝丟進去。344Please respect copyright.PENANACWCfTeQg9j
344Please respect copyright.PENANAoB74EIozHy
「目的地GK-4區是在外圍嗎?」義彌說。344Please respect copyright.PENANAobJZK3qLol
344Please respect copyright.PENANAHYi7MFHIdG
「是邊界區域,能看到牆呢!」慶壽的眼中閃過光芒,像聖誕節收禮物的小童般神情興奮。344Please respect copyright.PENANAMUvGKcQjEX
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「啊。」344Please respect copyright.PENANA10ZcZIr7ts
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窗外的景色發生變化,高樓大廈呼嘯而過,取而代之是平房和綠色植物。高牆從視界的邊緣升起,石色的圍牆高百米,左右延伸到視線外。344Please respect copyright.PENANAvi63Z2q6Zx
344Please respect copyright.PENANALAmn9IKQPd
興致勃勃的慶壽拿出手機拍照,「這道圍牆在百年前興建,歷史比我們的城市還長。圍牆除了阻止外地人非法入侵外,牆上的發射台更能阻隔外界干擾,讓沙赫里瓦爾的訊號運作更暢順。」
義彌單手托著腮幫子,隨便吐出一些感嘆詞,愛理不理地敷衍慶壽的熱情解說。344Please respect copyright.PENANA0Tv6If0SaY
344Please respect copyright.PENANAY4eWQhUXjA
電動車於一幢單層平房前停下。白色磚牆,紅色瓦頂,前門的牆上標著大個的『5』字。344Please respect copyright.PENANAsHClzDaqCh
344Please respect copyright.PENANAhcAIYdrtbC
義彌用力咳嗽清喉嚨,說:「由於事主的同步狀態發生錯誤,之後的事都超出沙赫里瓦爾的計算。為防做成誤判,我們的晶片會暫停與系統連結。不然錯誤的既視感會反過來妨礙我們。」344Please respect copyright.PENANA8b1j1GaMz8
344Please respect copyright.PENANAfdD97tb79G
「有必要每次行動前都說明一遍嗎?」344Please respect copyright.PENANApq0cL4YxYq
344Please respect copyright.PENANAGOVhFCDcMY
「這是規定的程序,以防粗心大意的除錯員忘了細節。」義彌嚴肅的眼睛針對性的盯著慶壽。344Please respect copyright.PENANAh0HmBfPPRP
344Please respect copyright.PENANAnxJr05Fn1x
慶壽別開臉,假裝檢查隨身物品,手停在槍袋上。344Please respect copyright.PENANAtWpFyPcu9m
344Please respect copyright.PENANAyy04UzBr4K
「必要時無須猶豫。」義彌說。344Please respect copyright.PENANAetHvq2X9FQ
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「完全不想走到這地步。」慶壽說。344Please respect copyright.PENANANjJ5A15fcI
344Please respect copyright.PENANA8exp9IFWU3
兩人同時推門下車,同時關上車門。他們走到平房玄關前,義彌按下門鈴,不久便有人來應門。344Please respect copyright.PENANASaFiJndzDH
344Please respect copyright.PENANA6FXddv119D
門後是一名瘦削的男性,正是屋主樺佰。一頭油膩且缺乏打理的長髮披面,砧板厚的鏡片後是一雙徹夜無眠的眼睛。他打量二人,瞇眼注視義彌出示的委任證。344Please respect copyright.PENANAF3RzgeU4AZ
344Please respect copyright.PENANAFtzlPhxKEV
「我早知道到你們會來。」樺佰的聲音沙啞,有氣無力。他將大門打開,錯身讓路,「請進。」344Please respect copyright.PENANA2jgmIUs3SO
344Please respect copyright.PENANApBZmeAOB9p
慶壽挑眉,義彌點頭,兩人走進屋内。寬敞的客廳中央放著一組沙發,右邊是一排櫥櫃,沙發後方是睡房,室内設計相當簡約。344Please respect copyright.PENANAauM4zkfZfz
344Please respect copyright.PENANAMwra9mWwgX
樺佰坐到單座位沙發上,向對面的座位比了個手勢。慶壽上前坐上沙發,兩手放膝蓋;義彌站在沙發後方,手繞在背後。344Please respect copyright.PENANAWxt1mvBDMM
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「你很清楚我們所為何事。」慶壽率先開口。344Please respect copyright.PENANAIHqHfzrA9y
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「我的爺爺、我的爸爸和我三代人都參與過沙赫里瓦爾的開發,因此我對這座城市的運作機制十分熟悉。」樺佰點頭如搗蒜的說,「系統更新後我的晶片無法同步,一定是因為下載過程出現了錯誤。這時候便需要手動安裝更新檔,你們有把載了更新軟件的記憶塊帶來吧。」344Please respect copyright.PENANAXtPFVn0htX
344Please respect copyright.PENANAWrQRm5WkwV
義彌慶壽快速交換了眼神,慶壽從口袋掏出一個細小的白色盒子,打開後内裡的填充海綿中央放著姆指大的扁平黑色立方體。344Please respect copyright.PENANAKajJImkH98
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「這就是我要的記憶塊。要是我的後輩們可以再能幹一點,便不用你們特別登門造訪。」樺佰取出記憶塊,將其貼在太陽穴的晶片上。靜待半分鐘後,再將記憶塊取下放回盒子。344Please respect copyright.PENANALUlOVaMtWS
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另一邊廂,義彌監察著公司手機,裡面顯示樺佰的同步狀態由『未連接』轉變成『激活』。他向慶壽點頭示意。344Please respect copyright.PENANApMVW79V2tl
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「成功重新同步,打擾了。」慶壽從沙發站起來。344Please respect copyright.PENANA3Lz8rnccSU
344Please respect copyright.PENANAMgLHqXfknY
樺佰也站起來正要為二人送行之際,睡房的門後傳出嬰兒的哭聲。344Please respect copyright.PENANAZJ2QU8ybwJ
344Please respect copyright.PENANAYmdqqyM2lx
二人皆望向睡房。樺佰的視線從二人和睡房間交替。「我剛才在看電影,急於應門忘了按暫停。」自覺藉口爛到有剩,樺佰的表情漸漸顯露出慌張。344Please respect copyright.PENANAJP1IvX7H3B
344Please respect copyright.PENANAzhBeupWqPc
手機傳來警號,就在義彌的視線從樺佰身上離開的瞬間,樺佰突然衝向櫥櫃,手伸向刀架。慶壽立即反應過來,撲向樺佰從後抓住他的雙手。344Please respect copyright.PENANA3F09ZgjwxD
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「停止!別動!」義彌拔槍指向樺佰。344Please respect copyright.PENANAwv7el9xwnJ
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樺佰的四肢因恐懼而僵硬,慶壽把他的雙手反到背後並鎖上手銬。忽然一種莫名的違和感湧上心頭,慶壽撥開樺佰的長髮,驚覺那是一張女人的臉孔。344Please respect copyright.PENANAXqbskHme4w
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二人不敢相信,眼前的人不是樺佰,而是他本應逝世的妻子仁萊。由於長髮遮住了大半邊臉,再配合化妝才騙過了兩人。連衣服裡也加了墊肩,聲音亦刻意壓低裝成男性。仁萊的身體軟癱下來,看似是情緒激動昏過去了。344Please respect copyright.PENANASyYrqm3NUK
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義彌感到頭昏腦脹,猛跳的心臟未能平復。他看著手機裡樺佰的同步狀態顯示為『錯誤』。344Please respect copyright.PENANAcoZrPS1MsV
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「阿彌,快到睡房裡搜一搜。」慶壽扶著仁萊的身體說。344Please respect copyright.PENANAw8Uh1DWJXp
344Please respect copyright.PENANAtle0LYW3Ee
義彌向他點頭,把手機和手槍收起。越接近睡房嬰兒的哭聲亦越明顯。他扭開門把,忽然覺得自己走進了醫院病房。對面的床上躺著一個男人,旁邊是一堆維生儀器。義彌跟著哭聲看向牆邊的嬰兒床,裡面躺著一個包在襁褓中的嬰兒。圓圓的眼睛看見陌生人後反而不哭了,義彌摸向嬰兒,觸感像溫溫的麵粉團。嬰兒的額邊沒有晶片,代表他不在系統登記之中。344Please respect copyright.PENANA99CeNZb7oS
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義彌轉身走近床上的男人,看清了臉,他才是真正的樺佰。乾癟的臉上掛著失焦的雙眼,乾燥破皮的嘴巴微開,他沒有頭髮……344Please respect copyright.PENANAecMkIFncvV
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義彌的腦袋拒絕理解眼前所見,他感覺到内臟在尖叫,胃液如海浪翻騰。他掩住口鼻,開始對房間裡的空氣感到噁心。他轉身奪門而出,衝到星盤前噁吐大作。344Please respect copyright.PENANAgZvJRy44v5
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慶壽安置好失去意識的仁萊後馬上跑入睡房察看。視線掃到樺佰頭上,半開的頭顱蓋著透明玻璃,無數的鐵針穿過玻璃扎在血紅色的大腦上,鐵針的另一端連著電線,駁上一台電腦。慶壽在螢幕中看到自己,自己在裡面看著螢幕。他看向病床,與樺佰四目交投。344Please respect copyright.PENANAW0ESl9QSGX