Death World(科幻战争)-第24部分

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particular　and　asked　if　he　was　clear　on　it。　He　confirmed　that　he　was；　and　Greiss　drew　him　to　one
side；　and　clapped　him　on　the　back。　“I　know　I　don’t　have　to　tell　you　to　go　slow　and　careful。　Hell；　if
you’re　as　quiet　out　there　as　you　are　around　us　half　the　time；　those　orks　will　never　hear　you　coming。”
Then　Greiss　gave　the　order　to　move　out；　and　Lorenzo　drew　his　Catachan　fang　and　slipped　into
the　jungle；　quickly　but　quietly；　staying　low；　in　cover。　He　used　his　lasgun　to　part　the　vines　and
creepers　in　his　way；　surveying　the　ground　for　predators　and　other　hazards。　He　advanced　cautiously；
doing　his　best　to　leave　no　trail。　The　foliage　yielded　to　his　soft　but　firm　touch；　but　closed　in　again
behind　him　until　he　felt　like　he　was　travelling　in　his　own　green　cocoon。　He　knew　his　comrades　were
behind　him；　but　all　he　could　hear　of　them　was　an　occasional　rustle　that　might　have　been　a　lizard　or　a
whisper　of　the　night　breeze。　They　were　keeping　their　distance；　in　case　Lorenzo　made　a　misstep；　set
off　an　ork　trap　and　blew　himself　to　pieces。　He　was　alone　now；　to　all　intents　and　purposes。　In　the
most　dangerous　position；　but　that　was　alright。　He　wanted　that　responsibility。
The　danger　focused　Lorenzo’s　mind。　It　sharpened　his　senses。　It　blew　away　the　doubts　of　a　few
hours　earlier；　like　a　strong；　fresh　wind。
He　maintained　a　good　pace　for　the　first　hour　or　so；　but　slowed　when　he　knew　the　encampment　was
near。　He　saw　no　evidence　of　its　presence　yet；　but　he　fancied　he　detected　a　hint　of　greenskin　stink　on
the　air。　Something　stirred　in　a　bush　beside　him；　and　Lorenzo　froze；　hoping　his　camouflage　would
hide　him—but　it　was　only　a　snake。　One　of　those　with　the　silver　triangles　on　their　skins。
He　crept　on—but；　a　few　minutes　later；　he　spotted　another　triangle…backed　snake　in　the
undergrowth；　and　this　one　had　seen　him。　Its　head　reared　up。　It　bared　its　tiny　fangs　and　hissed；　but　it
made　no　move　to　strike　Lorenzo。　It　appeared　to　be　watching　him。
He　remembered　how　the　birds　had　stalked　the　Catachans；　how　he’d　kept　spying　them　out　of　the
corner　of　his　eye　before　they　launched　their　attack。　He　remembered　Braxton　saying　that　the　lizards
had　done　something　similar；　poking　around　the　edges　of　the　Validian　camp　for　a　few　days　before
they’d　dared　enter　it。　The　silver…backed　snake　didn’t　appear　to　be　a　threat　right　now；　but　as
Armstrong　had　said；　that　could　change　in　a　heartbeat。　Particularly　if　it　wasn’t　alone；　and　especially　if
a　concerted　attack　on　the　Jungle　Fighters　drew　the　orks’　attention。
Lorenzo　took　a　step　forward；　fingers　twitching　on　his　knife。　The　snake　tensed；　watching　him。　A
lasgun　would　have　done　the　job　more　efficiently；　but　with　too　much　noise。　Lorenzo　stooped　down；
holding　out　his　free　hand　as　bait。　The　snake　backed　away　a　centimetre；　suspiciously。　Lorenzo　took
another　step。
The　snake　struck。　From　further　away　than　he’d　expected。　As　if　its　coiled　tail　had　acted　as　a
spring　to　propel　it　out　of　the　grass。　It　jabbed　at　the　proffered　hand；　and　Lorenzo　snatched　it　away　and
decapitated　the　snake　with　his　fang　before　it　could　land　and　reorient　itself。　He　stamped　on　its
severed　head；　exploding　it　in　a　mass　of　black　blood。　He　grabbed　the　twitching　body；　wrung　it　until　it
was　still；　and　tossed　it　aside　into　the　dark。　A　quiet；　discordant　hiss　of　alarm　told　him　that　his
message　had　been　received　by　multiple　unseen　onlookers。　The　jungle　grass　swayed　and　rustled　in　a
dozen　thin　paths　away　from　him。
It　was　shortly　after　that　that　he　came　across　the　first　trap。
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Lorenzo　had　known　it　was　imminent；　because　the　undergrowth　in　this　area　was　flattened；　plants
and　branches　broken。　The　orks　had　been　here；　and　recently。
The　trap　was　crude　and　obvious；　like　most　of　their　constructs：　a　cord　stretched　between　trees　at
knee　height；　connected　to　something　hidden　in　the　lower　branches　of　one。　A　grenade；　most　likely。
Still；　a　Guardsman　in　a　hurry　might　not　have　spotted　it。　It　was　more　evidence　of　the　warboss’
cunning；　spreading　to　his　followers。
Lorenzo　stepped　over　the　tripwire　carefully；　and　waited。　Thirty　seconds　passed　before
Muldoon’s　head　peeked　out　of　a　bush　a　few　metres　behind　him。　He　saw　Lorenzo；　and　an　inquisitive
expression　crossed　his　face。　Lorenzo　indicated　the　wire；　Muldoon　would　probably　have　seen　it
anyway；　but　better　safe　than　sorry。　Muldoon　nodded；　then　waited　for　Lorenzo　to　regain　his　lead。
Alone　again。
The　second　tripwire　was　higher；　and　better　placed。　To　its　right；　the　jungle　was　dense　with　poison
creepers—and　Lorenzo　knew　that　that　way　lay　the　acid　swamp　of　which　Sly　Marbo　had　spoken。　To
the　left：　a　cluster　of　red　snapper　flowers；　through　which　he　could　see　no　safe　route。　Again；　his
inability　to　use　his　lasgun　narrowed　his　options。　Bad　enough　to　be　grabbed　by　those　intractable
petals—but　the　greater　peril　would　be　the　flowers’　alarm　wail；　certain　to　attract　attention。
He　approached　the　wire；　and　stooped　beside　it　gingerly。　It　was　too　high　to　step　over。　He　could
disarm　the　trap：　cut　the　wire　or　retrieve　the　grenade　from　the　tree。　The　risk　in　so　doing　would　be
minimal；　but　actual。　If　an　ork　or　a　gretchin　came　this　way　after　the　Jungle　Fighters　had　passed；　it
would　know　they　had　been　here。
No。　Far　better；　far　safer；　to　take　no　chances。　To　go　under。
Lorenzo　lowered　himself　onto　his　stomach；　noting　that　the　ground　was　a　little　soft；　a　little　wet。
He　removed　his　pack　and　his　lasgun　from　his　back；　to　reduce　his　prone　height；　and　pushed　them
under　the　wire　before　him。　Then　he　dragged　himself　through　the　mud　on　his　elbows；　keeping　his
head　down。
He　had　plenty　of　clearance。　So　long　as　nothing　unexpected　happened；　so　long　as　he　didn’t　get
careless；　he　had　nothing　to　worry　about。
So　long　as　nothing　unexpected　happened…
The　blue　light　snapped　on　like　a　shipboard　lighting　panel；　just　ignited　into　a　glowing　ball　ahead
of　him；　a　few　centimetres　off　the　ground。　Lorenzo　felt　his　stomach　tighten　as　he　craned　his　neck　to
look　at　it　without　raising　his　chin。　He　sensed　that　it　was　calling　to　him；　urging　him　to　stand　and
approach　it；　and　he　felt　the　muscles　in　his　arms　and　legs　tensing　to　obey。
He　stopped　himself；　before　his　back　could　brush　the　tripwire。
He　closed　his　eyes；　and　immediately　felt　better。　His　head　was　clearer。　Lorenzo　listened　to　his
own　breathing；　and　he　felt　the　cold　of　the　mud　against　his　stomach。　He　thought　about　Steel　Toe
Dougan。　He　knew　the　blue　light　was　still　out　there；　but　he　was　certain　it　hadn’t　entered　his　mind。　He
was　certain　that　it　couldn’t；　so　long　as　he　didn’t　look　at　it。
But　what　if　the　blue　light　wanted　that？　What　if　its　purpose；　this　time；　was　to　blind　him　to
something　else？　To　something　creeping　up　on　him…
…something　rustling　in　the　undergrowth　beside　his　head…
Lorenzo　opened　his　eyes；　as　breathless　and　disconcerted　as　he　had　been　after　his　nightmare。　He
looked　around　quickly；　but　saw　nothing。　Nothing　but　the　blue　light；　drawing　his　eyes　in　like　it　was
the　only　thing　in　the　world。　The　only　thing　that　mattered；　anyway。　It　occurred　to　Lorenzo　that　it　was
closer　than　it　had　been　last　night；　that　this　time　he　really　could　catch　it；　catch　whatever　it　was　that
was　generating　it。　End　its　threat。　Save　his　comrades。
In　the　blue　light；　Lorenzo　saw　Sergeant　Greiss’　approval；　so　rarely　bestowed。　Yet；　in　his
memory；　he　heard　his　voice：　“I’m　trusting　you　up　front　alone…　If　it　comes　back；　you　can　resist　it；
right？”
Greiss　was　counting　on　him。
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“Right？”
Lorenzo　remembered　how　determined　he　had　been　to　prove　himself　worthy　of　Old　Hardhead’s
trust；　not　to　let　him　down　again。　He　knew　the　only　way　to　do　that　was　to　obey　his　orders；　to　do　what
he’d　promised　he　would　do…　“Right？”
“Right；　sergeant。”
To　resist。　That　was　Lorenzo’s　greatest　ambition；　what　he　wanted　most　at　this　moment；　and　so—
as　a　part　of　him　was　only　dimly　aware—that　was　what　the　blue　light　showed　to　him；　and　in　so　doing
it　defeated　itself。　Lorenzo　blinked；　and　the　light　was　still　there；　but　suddenly　it　was　just　a　light；　and　it
had　no　hold　over　him。
Still；　he　stayed　where　he　was　for　a　moment　longer；　exploring　the　crannies　of　his　mind；　ensuring
there　was　no　trace　of　the　blue　light　left　in　there。　Ensuring　that　he　wasn’t　being　tricked　again。　He
concentrated　on　what　he　remembered；　what　Greiss　had　told　him—and　he　reassured　himself　that；　as
long　as　he　heeded　those　words；　those　explicit　instructions；　he　would　be　doing　the　right　thing。
Lorenzo　dug　his　elbows　into　the　mud　and　pulled　himself　forward　again；　until　he　was　clear　of　the
ork　tripwire；　then　he　climbed　to　his　feet　and　collected　his　belongings。　The　blue　light　was　gone。
Blinked　out。　As　if　it　had　sensed　it　had　no　power　here　anymore。　Somehow；　Lorenzo　knew　it　wouldn’t
be　back。　Not　for　him。　He　realised　something　else　too：　that　his　hands　were　stinging。
He　looked　down；　saw　that　his　palms　were　red　and　beginning　to　blister。　He　had　been　so　wrapped
up　in　his　thoughts；　in　the　light；　that　he　hadn’t　noticed。　The　wet　ground。　Acid。　It　must　have　seeped
from　the　nearby　swamp。　The　knees　of　his　trousers　had　almost　burnt　through；　and　the　soles　of　his
boots　had　begun　to　melt。　Not　much　harm　done　yet；　but　in　time…
Lorenzo　cleaned　his　hands　on　a　leaf；　and　waited　for　Muldoon　to　appear　again。　This　time；　once
he’d　pointed　out　the　tripwire；　he