欲抵抗河水萬把斤的張力,一秒閃神鬆懈都會導致前功盡棄,十幾秒的過程中,人人均覺雙腿疼得快殘⋯⋯終於,河水逐漸靜止──濁河猶若一條泥帶,黏膩遲滯的蜿蜒於森林內。
70Please respect copyright.PENANAXHppALXlGj
渡河數小時後,在孟勝指導下,我和姬朦煙練習伐木、搓樹繩和編織,已與眾人造就三葦木筏。親手結繩木筏的經驗,令我格外有成就感。70Please respect copyright.PENANAPvqKMSee70
70Please respect copyright.PENANASatmTBD7MF
分坐於木筏上整裝待發,孟勝踩筏躍身,刀弩凌射刀矢,八片銀光閃爍,同時擊碎八根石柱,石迸塵揚,其餘萬根石柱俄頃間沒入河裡。70Please respect copyright.PENANAZ5cbgocNII
70Please respect copyright.PENANAcMeBO9fSgT
濁河再度奔流。70Please respect copyright.PENANAH3Ytp9ayya
70Please respect copyright.PENANALqO1OlBXtA
我覺得稀奇,問腹䵍道:「腹大哥,濁河機關太神奇,什麼原理?」腹䵍答道:「這濁河本應是乾涸河道,設置機關者於河底鑲嵌打磨過的巨型石片,再鋪倒泥漿,利用齒輪轉動原理,及泥水黏膩特性,使石柱升降。且此處雨林氣候,時常落雨補水,泥漿不畏缺水乾硬。大膽奇思須合巧工絕技,當真天才。」我「嘿」地一聲,神情驕傲對姬朦煙說:「瞧,諸葛亮設計的吧,還不信!你唸劍橋唸成一隻蠢牛呆馬。」姬朦煙懶得理我,倒頭休憩。70Please respect copyright.PENANAUCPUcLNBO1
70Please respect copyright.PENANAeh9ZkYsXYq
木筏連行三晝三夜,每至夜,我曲肱而枕,遙望滿空星斗,無聊地想著哪幾顆星裡面住著外星人。改天地球各地的妖怪被我打過一遍後,就該領禽滑他們幾護神上宇宙太空,闖蕩各星球,由「格林威治迷宮社區的墨薔家」,晉升為「太陽系地球星的墨薔家」,哈,聽來更威更屌。想完無聊事,又開始想正事。我預感,此案即將邁入尾聲,符鳳銜定快露臉了,對符元亨也算交待⋯⋯楊婉妗的身份我早瞭然於心,只需要奪回濕婆心,以茲驗證。
70Please respect copyright.PENANAo3u5fQ78AJ
70Please respect copyright.PENANAZEZrnsuD9A
70Please respect copyright.PENANArCzAkNxu0m
這日,木筏流速明顯變慢,應是來至濁河盡頭。70Please respect copyright.PENANAp9NXcMLYtT
70Please respect copyright.PENANAFb4EuWvIRe
霧氣縈繚蒸騰、隰幽皋深,極目所視,株株叢叢的未名植物,其縫隙間躲藏無數生物,蟲跳蜥攀,物種皆生得斑斕招眼,環繞整片偌大的泥沼澤區域。停好木筏,眾人徒步進入植物叢中最大的一道縫隙。70Please respect copyright.PENANApizlwybLPb
70Please respect copyright.PENANAtkccptrjpK
沿途漸趨寂靜,行走約略兩小時後,眾人已感到四周氛圍異常,實在太安靜了。70Please respect copyright.PENANAIr2zNxZdZk
70Please respect copyright.PENANA39IA8fhhSV
空間裡彷彿連隻蟲都不存在。70Please respect copyright.PENANATy54bvXUXE
70Please respect copyright.PENANAJ0zdr9hNUS
我們放慢腳步,對週遭仔細觀察,植物仍然聳立、沼澤依舊泥濘,並無特殊徵兆,正當安心之際,魁鐮螳蜂和黑貓白貓卻不約而同弓起身,呈現戒備狀態,我心中警訊再度敲響。地球萬物,唯獨人類失去野性,給個尊嚴的說法叫「文明」,戳穿紙糊的真相叫「懶惰」,若非人類繁衍能力強、族群大,憑這種懶惰的特質,人類早滅亡啦。我相信動物及昆蟲的直覺,於是壓低聲音:「極可能已抵達目的地了,大家小心。」姬朦煙橫舉匡夷劍護在胸前,輕聲說:「沒看見蟾授屍花。」70Please respect copyright.PENANAZJb1beQmqm
70Please respect copyright.PENANA2d3D7hOCG4
此時禽滑和腹䵍卻不約而同說:「不覺得此地植物太過鮮豔?」是,沼澤區因終年陰溼,植物多半褐暗陳腐,這裡倒長得比花卉展示中心還鮮麗多姿,媯盤冷冷答道:「符合巨虹蟾隱匿的保護色。」70Please respect copyright.PENANAs3T710PDE3
70Please respect copyright.PENANAbMxfZmkxVJ
眾人決定分散偵察,我提醒:「務必當心。」70Please respect copyright.PENANAHKUSaeusmL
70Please respect copyright.PENANAN1mGjCwi4m
沼澤乃地表上最魔幻的地理現象,幽冥、霧氣、冷凝、悄靜,無一不構成魔術之元素,一場早搭建完美的劇幕,守株待兔般迎接我們這群演員,粉墨登場,每位演員究竟站定哪個位置,已被劇本編排好。70Please respect copyright.PENANAbVPSv60XGL
70Please respect copyright.PENANA6FslHDlmRH
媯盤、孟勝兩人負責上樹頂搜尋;腹䵍、吳氏父子進行平面搜尋;我和禽滑、姬朦煙則三人一組,遊走各處,觀察有否異樣。70Please respect copyright.PENANAyobQJyj96H
70Please respect copyright.PENANACZmu61XHIX
我神經質地看向腳底,大概平時在家習慣赤足,地面細微且規律的凹凸起伏,令我產生不適,埋怨:「搞什麼,地上好像鋪滿鵝卵石。」禽滑走向一株怪樹,樹皮結了顆紫色瘤狀物,他邊研究邊心不在焉說道:「給你做腳底按摩還不好?」用扇柄輕敲瘤狀物尖端,竟瞬間綻放,直噴一股濃粉粉氣流!70Please respect copyright.PENANAwnxvKFeiNc
70Please respect copyright.PENANAxYDDQrRXzC
三人反應極快,掩鼻倒退,防範氣流內含生物毒素,痲痹神經。70Please respect copyright.PENANAOphN25uCiv
70Please respect copyright.PENANAEs8bH5X8Yi
香氣。70Please respect copyright.PENANAcSvWgwn0i4
70Please respect copyright.PENANA8eVxy7hv9K
濃粉粉氣流是香的。70Please respect copyright.PENANA5VPAFldVqL
70Please respect copyright.PENANAFuMqw5kfvP
禽滑悟道:「蟾授屍花找著了。」
70Please respect copyright.PENANAqHISHzqhDq
我有點鬧氣。小不隆咚的瘤狀花苞就是蟾授屍花?正常佛萊士花超級大一朵,按理蟾授屍花起碼要兩倍大,方不枉我跑這趟鈾山──再換言之,濕婆心不就丁點兒小?70Please respect copyright.PENANA1hyC2JA8lU
70Please respect copyright.PENANAk6qyvtDMSd
「小淳你鬧氣幹嘛呀,把全部蟾授屍花割下來,看濕婆心在哪朵內。」唉,禽滑不愧我哥們兒,連我鬧氣、內心小獨白他都清楚。姬朦煙砍下第一朵時,不禁低呼,原本的樹幹居然快速枯萎。70Please respect copyright.PENANA7TNQdfPBuC
70Please respect copyright.PENANANDxA7zyUtU
一株樹養一朵蟾授屍花。
70Please respect copyright.PENANAGjvgcv1EIu
摘取蟾授屍花同時,依舊挺介意腳底觸感,不行,要搞清楚怎麼一回事兒,我墨薔淳從來不是如此神經質的男人。果然,撥開雜濕爛泥的覆蓋,下頭整齊排列一顆顆半透明圓珠⋯⋯難道泥沼澤是珍珠產區?70Please respect copyright.PENANAfmHdbtd2yV
70Please respect copyright.PENANAaXifdYyfRW
順手挖起一顆,珠子略腥羶黏膩、牽絲連線,心頭忽浮現恐怖熟悉感:峇太郎蘇蘇紗麗店的十六蛛女,編織蜘蛛天雪罟時,即呈現這般「氛圍」。70Please respect copyright.PENANAQ0KHCfWnkH
70Please respect copyright.PENANAkxW2Ay049U
「地震!」姬朦煙叫道,禽滑卻對我急喊:「小淳快上樹!」70Please respect copyright.PENANALVUrF0qWDC
70Please respect copyright.PENANAOv0pc80P1q
70Please respect copyright.PENANAbiWdInDzc3
70Please respect copyright.PENANAE7gMskrfLv
地面倏忽波浪起伏,冒湧數丈腥臭黏液屏障!70Please respect copyright.PENANAtzhkSFLRRY
70Please respect copyright.PENANAEZA7JZqevd
我因低蹲,即便忙躍,仍閃躲不及,衣褲沾染不少黏液,正罵:「我去,百貨公司地面循環水舞秀也沒這麼噁心⋯⋯呃啊!」一陣吃痛,手腳已被黏液灼燒,皮焦肉蝕,狂流膿血,痛得我站不穩,再度往黏液屏障摔去。70Please respect copyright.PENANAc73qfEax9X
70Please respect copyright.PENANA7pJNjFiB4X
奔光馳電間,我身子頓止,見腹䵍不知何時來到我身邊,張開蜘蛛天雪罟成盾,抵擋黏液。
70Please respect copyright.PENANAlHSsw9yHgO
意識模糊中,我聽見媯盤沉聲道:「是蟾蜍的疣液!」再聽姬朦煙罵:「幼稚,誰叫你沒事亂挖!」孟勝、媯盤和禽滑三人,已合力將我及腹䵍拉上樹頂,進行救治。我無力地半睜眼,抬手軟軟地揮兩下,仍貧嘴:「我又沒密集恐懼症,相反的,看到排列整齊的東西,就想手賤撓一下,好,我幼稚,但這叫人性⋯⋯也說不定是蛇膽引出的,不要全怪到我頭上⋯⋯。」70Please respect copyright.PENANAz0T8Ya7VA3
70Please respect copyright.PENANA31LpdJ919t
其餘人動作奇快,紛紛砍下巨型落葉充當成盾,立即防禦。70Please respect copyright.PENANAVua0NhOX6z
70Please respect copyright.PENANAmhIQthEjWu
疣液屏障愈噴愈低,濕泥地一片狼籍,土鬆騷動,眾人均是一凜,各取武器防備,果不其然,巨虹蟾竄土而出!70Please respect copyright.PENANARTTNAcIFTa
70Please respect copyright.PENANAnzc6P7dUbw
要嘛說巨虹蟾長得多碩大可怖,倒出乎意料地不怎麼駭人,當然,是從玄異圈人士角度出發,對常人來說,仍尚算怪物等級。70Please respect copyright.PENANAk1Vh3bdfcr
70Please respect copyright.PENANAJAzJfM8wSb
每隻巨虹蟾約莫半輛轎車大小,黃眼綠斑、通體紅藍燦爛,疣粒呈紫色,不愧彩虹之名,且具負子蟾蜍特性,負卵於背,整隻藏於泥地內,我挖起的珠子,即巨虹蟾卵。我有點兒小愧疚,沒事去挖人家小孩幹嘛,但看遍地密密麻麻百來隻的巨虹蟾盤桓,我忽問:「你們誰和蟾蜍打過架?」真心問,雖釣過青蛙、玩過青蛙蛋,和蟾蜍打架卻頭一遭,一問,眾人皆愣。70Please respect copyright.PENANA8KKSfKy2MF
70Please respect copyright.PENANAxUGYSCDfZD
媯盤一振軟腰劍,陰險笑道:「咯咯,全殺了。」禽滑諷道:「烏龜佬,虧你西裝革履,人模紳士樣,卻殺性成癮,嘖嘖,千年來的修為依舊欠點火侯⋯⋯咱們順應自然,思考蟾蜍如何打架,方能克敵。」孟勝替我處理好傷口後,我精神稍微恢復,皺眉答道:「蟾蜍打架,採用鎖喉後仰方式,來來來,大家想像畫面啊,架幹起來不是盡不盡興的問題,是你們誰想趴蟾蜍身上,沾一身黏液?」70Please respect copyright.PENANAiQEgCawLpc
眾人不自覺吞嚥口水:嗯,挺噁心的。70Please respect copyright.PENANA7rbXaiEQcL
70Please respect copyright.PENANAXI4wRJfrHU
「何必要打?」腹䵍淡然一說,微笑看向我和姬朦煙懷抱裡的蟾授屍花,續說:「目的僅是濕婆心。」此話醍醐灌頂啊,我忽忍不住低笑難遏,姬朦煙問:「緊要關頭,你笑什麼。」我笑說:「你們不覺得不了風首充滿童趣嗎?先派一群莫名其妙、武功弱得奇低的刺客,又將濕婆心放在噁心蟾蜍的地方,依墨薔家實力,蟾蜍除不了我們,倒像再次使壞的惡趣味。」70Please respect copyright.PENANAZvdTCretIz
70Please respect copyright.PENANAbsL4GxIxr7
我率先閉氣,敲開一朵蟾授屍花。
70Please respect copyright.PENANAJB5ttwQciD
已摘取的蟾授屍花裡,並無濕婆心。我挺立樹頂,直打鉅子令,招招「怒翟指尾」,隔空取花。70Please respect copyright.PENANAVzCwu9rvHH
70Please respect copyright.PENANAVyD2IirWv8
機械式流程,我取花、護神們敲開花,完美程序下,於第五百五十九朵時,一顆金光萬丈、燦然耀眼的濕婆心出現──勻圓冰涼,過分完美而缺乏生人氣息的珍珠。70Please respect copyright.PENANAj4yJkt7fRF
70Please respect copyright.PENANA6c9CMQd3f4
強烈失落感侵襲著我,比起尋找到濕婆心,我更想尋找到身為墨薔鉅子的意義,世界多廣袤,任我翱翔的天地就多大。70Please respect copyright.PENANAkm8ViL6Kgp
70Please respect copyright.PENANAqa63DalYKY
濕婆心光輝忒刺眼,這些長年生存泥沼澤中的陰暗生物,抵受不住,群起避逃,巨虹蟾亦再度躲入濕泥裡,連魁鐮螳蜂都鑽進後背包內,與黑貓白貓三眼相對,貓叫蟲鳴,吵了起來。70Please respect copyright.PENANA6PlTDQV6WJ
70Please respect copyright.PENANAQioskAo283
「走,回去。」我嗓音低沉,權威命令。70Please respect copyright.PENANAdJ7Ok1VbhQ
70Please respect copyright.PENANA5GQNFrxErI
前面路途,再無阻礙。