Chapter 1: Crimson

第一章绯红

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Painful!

痛！

How painful!

好痛！

My head hurts so badly!

头好痛！

A gaudy and dazzling dreamworld filled with murmurs instantly shattered. The sound asleep Zhou Mingrui felt an abnormal throbbing pain in his head as though someone had ruthlessly lashed at him with a pole again and again. No, it was more like a sharp object pierced right through his temples followed by a twist!

光怪陆离满是低语的梦境迅速支离破碎，熟睡中的周明瑞只觉脑袋抽痛异常，仿佛被人用棒子狠狠抡了一下，不，更像是遭尖锐的物品刺入太阳穴并伴随有搅动！

Ouch… In his stupor, Zhou Mingrui attempted to turn around, look up, and sit up; however, he was completely unable to move his limbs as though he had lost control over his body.

嘶……迷迷糊糊间，周明瑞想要翻身，想要捂头，想要坐起，可完全无法挪动手脚，身体似乎失去了控制。

From the looks of it, I’m still not awake. I’m still in a dream… Who knows, perhaps the next scene will be of me thinking I’m already awake, but in fact, am actually still sleeping…

看来我还没有真醒，还在梦里……等下说不定还会出现自以为已经醒了，实际依然在睡的情况……

Zhou Mingrui, who was not unfamiliar with similar encounters, tried his best to focus in order to escape the shackles placed upon him by the darkness and confusion.

对类似遭遇不算陌生的周明瑞竭力集中意志，以彻底摆脱黑暗和迷幻的桎梏。

However, while still in his reverie, whatever will he could summon was ethereal like a fleeting fog. He found his thoughts difficult to control and introspect. No matter how much he tried, he still lost his focus as random thoughts surfaced in his mind.

然而，半睡半醒之时，意志总是飘忽如同烟雾，难以控制，难以收束，他再怎么努力，依旧忍不住思维发散，杂念浮现。

Why would I suddenly have such an excruciating headache in the middle of the night?

好端端的，大半夜的，怎么会突然头痛？

And it’s really painful!

还痛得这么厉害！

Could it be something like a cerebral hemorrhage?

不会是脑溢血什么的吧？

F**k, don’t tell me I’m going to die young?

我擦，我不会就这样英年早逝了吧？

I need to wake up! Now!

赶紧醒！赶紧醒！

Eh? Why doesn’t it seem to hurt as much as before? But why does it still feel like a blunt knife is slicing through my brains…

咦，好像没刚才那么痛了？但脑子里还是跟有把钝刀子在慢慢割一样……

From the looks of it, sleep is impossible. How am I to show up for work tomorrow?

看来没法继续睡了，明天还怎么上班？

Why am I still thinking about work? This is some authentic headache. Of course I have to take time off! I don’t have to worry about my manager’s grumblings!

还想什么上班？有货真价实的头痛，当然是请假啊！不用怕经理罗里吧嗦！

Hey, putting it that way, it doesn’t seem too bad. Hehe, I can end up getting some spare time for myself!

这么一想，好像也不坏啊，嘿嘿，偷得浮生半日闲！

Throbbing pain inundated Zhou Mingrui, allowing him to slowly accumulate immaterial strength until he was finally able to move his back and open his eyes. He finally broke free from his reverie.

一阵又一阵的抽痛让周明瑞点滴积累起虚幻的力量，终于，他一鼓作气地挺动腰背睁开眼睛，彻底摆脱了半睡半醒的状态。

His vision first blurred before it was screened by a faint crimson red. All he could see was a study desk made of burly wood in front of him. Right in the middle was an opened notebook with coarse, yellow pages. The title was eye-catchingly written with strange, deep black lettering.

视线先是模糊，继而蒙上了淡淡的绯红，目光所及，周明瑞看见面前是一张原木色泽的书桌，正中央放着一本摊开的笔记，纸张粗糙而泛黄，抬头用奇怪的字母文字书写着一句话语，墨迹深黑，醒目欲滴。

To the left of the notebook was a stack of neatly arranged books, numbering about eight. The wall on their right was inset with grayish-white pipes with wall lamps connected to them.

笔记本左侧靠桌子边缘，有一叠整整齐齐的书册，大概七八本的样子，它们右手边的墙上镶嵌着灰白色的管道和与管道连通的壁灯。

The lamp had a classical Western style to it. It was about half the size of an adult’s head with an inner layer of transparent glass and an exterior gridded with black metal.

这盏灯很有西方古典风味，约成年人半个脑袋大小，内层是透明的玻璃，外面用黑色金属围出了栅格。

Diagonally beneath the lamp was a black ink bottle shrouded in a pale red glow. Its embossed surface formed a blurry angel pattern.

熄灭的壁灯的斜下方，一个黑色墨水瓶笼罩着淡红色的光华，表面的浮凸构成了模糊的天使图案。

In front of the ink bottle and to the right of the notebook sat a dark-colored pen with a fully circular body. Its tip shimmered with a faint glint while its cap rested right beside a brass revolver.

墨水瓶之前，笔记本右侧，一根肚腹圆润的深色钢笔静静安放，笔尖闪烁着微光，笔帽搁于一把泛着黄铜色泽的左轮手枪旁边。

A gun? A revolver? Zhou Mingrui was completely taken aback. The things laid before him were alien to him. It looked nothing like his room!

手枪？左轮？周明瑞整个人都愣住了，眼前所见的事物是如此陌生，与自己房间没半点相像之处！

While feeling shocked and confused, he discovered that the desk, notebook, ink bottle, and revolver were covered in a layer of crimson ‘veil,’ a result of the light shining from the window.

惊愕茫然的同时，他发现书桌、笔记本、墨水瓶、左轮手枪都蒙着一层绯红的“轻纱”，那是窗外照进来的光辉。

Subconsciously, he looked up and shifted his gaze up bit by bit.

下意识间，他抬起脑袋，视线一点点上移：

In midair, a crimson moon hung high above the backdrop of a ‘black velvet curtain,’ glowing in silence.

半空之中，黑色“天鹅绒幕布”之上，一轮赤红色的满月高高悬挂，宁静照耀。

This… Zhou Mingrui felt inexplicably horrified as he stood up abruptly. However, before his feet fully straightened, his brain protested with throbbing pain. It made him temporarily lose his strength as he fell uncontrollably. His buttocks slammed heavily onto the burly wood chair.

这……周明瑞惶恐莫名，猛地站起，可双腿还未完全打直，脑袋又是一阵抽痛，这让他短暂失去力量，重心不由自主下坠，屁股狠狠地撞击在了硬木所制的椅面上。

Pa!

啪！

The pain did little. Zhou Mingrui stood up again by propping himself up. He turned around in a fluster as he began to size up the environment he was in.

疼痛未能造成影响，周明瑞以手按桌，重又站起，慌乱地转过身体，打量自身所处的环境。

The room was not very large, with a brown door on each side of the room. Close to an opposite wall was a low wooden bed.

这是个不大的房间，左右两侧各有一扇棕门，紧挨对面墙壁的是张木制高低床。

Between the bed and the left door was a cabinet. Its two doors were swung open and beneath it were five drawers.

它与左门之间放着个橱柜，上面对开，下方是五个抽屉。

To the side of the cabinet, there was the same grayish-white pipe on the wall at the height of a person. However, it was connected to a strange mechanical device with exposed gears and bearings in several spots.

橱柜边缘，一人高的位置，同样有灰白色管道镶嵌于墙上，但它连通的是个奇怪的机械装置，少许地方裸露着齿轮和轴承。

Items resembling coal stoves sat in the right corner of the room near the table, along with soup pots, iron pots, and other kitchen utensils.

近书桌的右墙角堆放着类似煤炭炉的事物，以及汤锅、铁锅等厨房用具。

Across the right door was a dressing mirror with two cracks. Its bottom was made of wood and the patterns were simple and plain.

越过右门是一扇有两道裂纹的穿衣镜，木制底座的花纹简单而朴素。

With a sweep of his gaze, Zhou Mingrui noticed himself in the mirror—the present him.

目光一扫，周明瑞隐隐约约看见了镜中的自己，现在的自己：

Black hair, brown pupils, a linen shirt, thinly built, average-looking features and a rather deep outline…

黑发，褐瞳，亚麻衬衣，体型单薄，五官普通，轮廓较深……

This… Zhou Mingrui immediately drew a gasp as many helpless and confused guesses surfaced in his mind.

这……周明瑞顿时倒吸了口凉气，心头涌现出诸多无助又凌乱的猜测。

The revolver in ancient European style and the crimson moon that looked different from Earth’s moon could only mean one thing!

左轮手枪，欧美古典风味布置，以及那轮与地球迥异的绯红之月，无一不在说明着某件事件！

C-could I have transmigrated? Zhou Mingrui widened his mouth slightly.

我，我不会穿越了吧？周明瑞嘴巴一点点张开。

He had grown up reading web novels and had often fantasized over such scenes. However, he momentarily found it hard to accept the situation when he found himself in one.

他看网文长大，对此常有幻想，可当真正遇到，一时却难以接受。

This was probably what it meant to love a fantasy 1 ? In a minute, Zhou Mingrui had already cursed himself while trying to make the best out of his adverse situation.

这大概就是所谓的叶公好龙吧？过了几十秒，周明瑞苦中作乐地自我吐槽了一句。

If not for the still throbbing headache that made his thoughts high strung but clear, he would have definitely suspected that he was dreaming.

若非脑袋的疼痛依旧存在，让思维变得紧绷而清晰，他肯定会怀疑自己在做梦。

Calm down, calm down, calm down… After taking a few deep breaths, Zhou Mingrui worked hard to stop panicking.

平静，平静，平静……深呼吸了几下，周明瑞努力让自身不要那么慌乱。

At that moment, as his mind and body calmed down, memories began flooding him as they slowly appeared in his mind!

就在这时，随着他身心的调和，一个个记忆片段突兀跳出，缓慢呈现于他的脑海之中！

Klein Moretti, a citizen of the Northern Continent’s Loen Kingdom, Awwa County, City of Tingen. He is also a recent graduate from the Department of History at Khoy University…

克莱恩.莫雷蒂，北大陆鲁恩王国阿霍瓦郡廷根市人，霍伊大学历史系刚毕业的学生……

His father was a sergeant of the Royal Army who had sacrificed himself during a colonial conflict with the Southern Continent. The bereavement allowance gave Klein the opportunity to study at a private language school and laid the foundation for his admission into university…

父亲是皇家陆军上士，牺牲于南大陆的殖民冲突，换来的抚恤金让克莱恩有了进入私立文法学校读书的机会，奠定了他考入大学的基础……

His mother was a devotee of the Evernight Goddess. She passed away the year Klein passed the entrance examinations to Khoy University…

母亲是黑夜女神信徒，在克莱恩通过霍伊大学入学考试那年过世……

He also had an elder brother and a younger sister. They stayed in a two bedroom apartment together…

还有一个哥哥，一个妹妹，共同住在公寓的两居室内……

Their family was not wealthy and its situation could even be described as somewhat wanting. At present, the family was supported solely by the elder brother who worked at an import and export company as a clerk…

家庭并不富裕，甚至可以说不佳，目前全靠在进出口公司当文员的哥哥维持……

As a history graduate, Klein grasped knowledge of the ancient Feysac language—deemed the origin of all languages in the Northern Continent—as well as the Hermes language which often appeared in ancient mausoleums as well as text regarding sacrificial and praying rituals…

作为历史系毕业生，克莱恩掌握了号称北大陆诸国文字源头的古弗萨克语，以及古代陵寝里经常出现，与祭祀、祈祷相关的赫密斯文……

Hermes language? Zhou Mingrui’s mind stirred as he reached out to rub his throbbing temples. He cast his gaze toward the table at the opened notebook. He noticed that the text on the yellowed paper turned from strange to alien, before turning from alien to something familiar. It then turned into something readable.

赫密斯文？周明瑞心头一动，伸手按住抽痛的太阳穴，将视线投向了书桌上摊开的那本笔记，只觉泛黄纸张上的那行文字从奇怪变得陌生，从陌生变得熟悉，从熟悉变得可以解读。

It was text written in Hermes language!

这是用赫密斯文书写的话语！

The dark ink wrote the following:

那深黑欲滴的墨迹如是说：

“Everyone will die, including me.”

“所有人都会死，包括我。”

Hiss! Zhou Mingrui felt inexplicably horrified. He instinctively leaned back in an attempt to widen the distance between him and the notebook, as well as the text on it.

嘶！周明瑞莫名惊恐，身体本能后仰，试图与笔记本，与这行文字拉开距离。

Being very weak, he nearly fell down but managed to extend his hands in a fluster to hold onto the edge of the table. He felt that the surrounding air was turbulent as though there were faint murmurings resounding in it. The feeling was akin to hearing horror stories being recounted by elders when he was young.

他很是虚弱，险些跌倒，慌忙伸手按住桌缘，只觉四周的空气都变得躁动，耳畔隐约有细密的呢喃在回荡，有种小时候听长辈讲恐怖故事的感受。

He shook his head, believing that everything was an illusion. Zhou Mingrui found his balance and shifted his gaze from the notebook as he heaved for breath.

摇了下头，一切只是幻觉，周明瑞重新站稳，将目光从笔记本上移开，大口喘起了气。

This time, his gaze landed on the shimmering brass revolver. He suddenly had a question arise in him.

With Klein’s family situation, how can they have the money or means to buy a revolver?

这时，他的视线落在了那把闪烁黄铜光泽的左轮手枪处，心头霍然冒出了一个疑问。

Zhou Mingrui could not help but frown.

“以克莱恩的家境，哪有钱和渠道买手枪？”周明瑞不由皱起了眉头。

While in deep thought, he suddenly discovered a red handprint to the side of the table. Its color was deeper than the moonlight and much thicker than the ‘veil.’

沉思之中，他忽然发现书桌边缘多了半个红色手印，色泽比月华更深，比“轻纱”更厚。

It was a bloody handprint!

那是血手印！

“A bloody handprint?” Zhou Mingrui subconsciously flipped his right hand that had been holding the edge of the table. Looking down, he saw that his palm and fingers were covered in blood.

“血手印？”周明瑞下意识翻开了刚才按住桌缘的右手，低头一瞧，只见掌心和手指满是血污。

At the same time, the throbbing pain in his head continued. Although it had weakened a little, it continued incessantly.

与此同时，他脑袋的抽痛依旧传来，略微减弱，连绵不绝。

Did I smash my head open?

“不会磕破头了吧？”

Zhou Mingrui guessed as he turned around and walked towards a cracked dressing mirror.

周明瑞边猜想边转过身体，走向那面有裂纹的穿衣镜。

A few steps later, a black-haired figure of medium build and brown eyes appeared clearly in front of him. The person had a distinct scholarly air to him.

几步之后，中等身材，黑发褐瞳，有着明显书卷气的身影清晰映入了他的眼帘。

Is this the present me? Klein Moretti?

这就是现在的我，克莱恩.莫雷蒂？

Zhou Mingrui was stunned momentarily. Since there was insufficient lighting at night, he failed to see something clearly. He continued forward until he was just a step short from colliding with the mirror.

周明瑞怔了一下，因为大半夜光亮不够，看不太清楚，于是又继续往前，直到只差一步就能撞到镜子。

Using the crimson veil-like moonlight as illumination, he turned his head and examined the corner of his forehead.

就着轻纱般的绯红月光，他侧过脑袋，查看额角的情况。

A clear reflection appeared in the mirror. His temple had a grotesque wound with burn marks along its periphery. Blood stained the wound’s surroundings and there were grayish-white brain juices squirming slowly within.

清晰倒映的镜子如实呈现，一个狰狞的伤口盘踞在他的太阳穴位置，边缘是烧灼的痕迹，周围沾满了血污，而内里有灰白色的脑浆在缓缓蠕动。

《诡秘之主》中英文对照版 第一章 绯红

《诡秘之主》中英文对照版第一章绯红