Chapter 133: Sands.

穴居人并不喜欢天空，无垠辽阔的海、大地与苍穹总会让他们自觉渺小、虚无，灵魂也为之恐惧，唯有触手可及的泥土，深邃却能让人知道路在何方的坑道，能带给他们片刻的安详与宁静。
After obtaining the desired data, the artisan of exploration geology left the place where the cavemen worked. The new task and instructions had been conveyed days ago, but it had no effect on the cavemen.
No one in the tribe will care about where the tunnels they dig lead to. Commands are just commands. As long as there is food and water, and no whip or death, cave dwellers will willingly offer their submission and docility.
梅卡托克蹲在坑道的一角，小心翼翼的对手中的零件进行组装, 动作轻柔而精密。
地道中很难清晰的视物，即使每隔一段距离的墙上便插有临时制作的火把, 当这距离拉得太远过后, 层层叠叠的阴影便会使人看到的一切都因为重影而模糊起来。
The little cave dweller was not hindered by this. After the ancestors escaped underground, they spent countless time familiarizing themselves with this narrow world. The power hidden in their blood caused their pupils to dilate, making every detail clear in their sight.
Compared to humans, the fingers of Mechatock are more delicate and sensitive as they glide over gears and springs. The subtle differences are transmitted from fingertips to the depths of the heart, allowing Mechatock to feel the distinction between rust, iron, and engraving.
After a long period of repeated rubbing, Mercatoke has become familiar with the small trinkets in his hand, to the point where he can vividly depict the specific images of these parts in his mind. He can even replicate them with clay, creating pieces with the same shape. Please let me know if there is anything else I can assist you with!
但那没有任何意义，梅卡托克不懂工程学，即使能做出同样的零件，他也不能将之组装起来发挥作用。
又一次失败的组装之后，穴居人揉了揉发酸的鼻子, 几乎快要落下眼泪。
Dexterous hands and feet, capable of seeing objects in the darkness, and the ability to shape clay into desired forms, these are all advantages inherited in the bloodline. However, the drawbacks are also evident in the cave dwellers' behavior.
胆小怕事, 天性脆弱，动辄就容易哭出声来。
都怪那个坏人！
梅卡托克的心中如惊鸿一现的浮现出了这样的想法, 懦弱的天性很快便让他察觉到了自己的大逆不道。
自己怎么敢有抱怨的心思？那可是和主人一样的人类！
穴居人被自己的想法吓得惊慌失措，甚至试图用手扼住自己的脖颈来惩罚自己，但他发现无论再怎么承受痛苦，这种想法一经出现，便如种子扎根于泥土之中般挥之不去。
This is unimaginably significant for the cavemen.
他们是最熟悉岩石与泥土的一群人，深知野草的种子是最富生命力的东西，这种东西可以生长在任何地方，却绝不可能生长在冰冷的岩石之上，穴居人的心灵就是这样的石头。
Their souls, forged through centuries of suffering and enslavement, have become stones that cannot accommodate life. However, they are often powerless, only able to listen to the hollow cries of these stones in the howling wind.
梅卡托克知道如何让石头变成泥土。
先要将那些顽固的家伙击碎，磨成细沙，然后注入水与营养，等到在沙子中也能生长的植物降临，双方小心翼翼的互相扶持，直到植物消亡，用自己的身躯添补上最后的不足……
等等, 我为什么会想到这些呢？
明明思考这件事情从不该出现在穴居人身上，要不是接受了鞭笞与死亡, 穴居人的记忆里能差到刚刚看过的单词, 下一秒就忘了它的读音。
梅卡托克怔了怔，有些意外的看向自己的手掌，那上面刚刚从眼角处抹下了几滴泪珠。
这又是一件奇怪的事情，穴居人的哭泣竟然能不带上无助与悲伤。
自从被主人惩罚过以后，自己变得越来越不像自己了，而且并非只有自己一个人出现这样的变化。
梅卡托克想起那次大胆的行动，即使放到现在也为当时的自己和同族而感到吃惊，
——听到那个曾照顾过自己的大个子死亡的消息，他们未经主人同意就偷偷的去了墓地。
梅卡托克难以解释发生在自己与同族身上的变化，自那一日起他们就好像被主人轰开了混沌的大脑，将智慧与思想的雨水撒在了干涸的心灵之中。
偶尔入梦时，似乎还能听到遥远却又触手可及的宏伟之声。
他似懂非懂的意识到了自己为什么会想起岩石变为泥土的过程，那正是主人对他们所做的事情。
So, is this a miracle?
就在梅卡托克发呆的时候，他感到有什么温热的毛绒绒的东西拍了拍自己的头。
小个子浑身一颤，下意识的将身前那堆零件沉入到泥土中，随后才像受惊的动物一样转过身来。
In the shadow of darkness and flickering lights, a pair of beast-like amber eyes emerged. However, those eyes were not filled with ferocity and a desire to kill, but rather radiated an inexplicable glow.
“啊！新来的大个子！”梅卡托克下意识的叫出声，还退后了一步。
高大的身影占据了穴居人的整个视野，他默默地注视着梅卡托克——
“你们的工作做得很好，接下来我们有事要离开一段时间，记得照顾好自己和族人。”兽民温和的道。
梅卡托克呆住了。
穴居人不解的看向身前的大个子，但对方只是轻快的越过梅卡托克的身影向着洞穴深处而去，跟在他身后的是梅卡托克双手双脚加起来也数不清的大个子。
Those tall individuals walked past Mekaturock one by one. Those who knew him would greet him or rub the small cap on his head. Those who didn't know him would smile at him and then disappear into the pitch-darkness.
小个子的穴居人很羡慕这些大个子，穴居人所渴望的一切都在他们的身上表现得淋漓尽致，无论是高大的身材，强健的体魄亦或是那自内心向外迸发的勇气与自信。
他们拥有先祖曾舍弃过的一切。
但很快的，梅卡托克已不再空虚的大脑灵光闪过，这使得他突然浑身颤抖，寒意自心底而生，一种莫大的恐惧袭击了他脆弱的心防。
He was wondering why his ancestors, who knew how beautiful those things were, ultimately gave up on them.
He vividly remembered that the last time someone bid him farewell in this manner was the tall one who had passed away.
…………
Even in broad daylight, the gathering place of the disaster victims is filled with wailing and sobbing. Accompanied by the surge of rustling sounds like insects when the tide of malevolence strikes, it makes this place appear even more like a terrifying den of demons.
But in this gathering place, the Abyss is more like a term of praise.
梅瑞菲尔从未体验过如此饥饿的感觉，那种感觉就好像是一种自胃部灼烧而起的火焰，这使得他稍微动一动手脚便觉得自己全身都在痛苦的抽搐。
身为工匠的自尊早已被梅瑞菲尔抛之脑后，他现在唯一盼望的是听到挂在木制箭塔上的铃铛被敲响。
梅瑞菲尔艰难的将手伸向自己的怀中，那里有他最后幸存下来的财产：一块怀表。
The mob did not understand the significance and value of the pocket watch, they only took away his last half piece of black bread and threw him aside.
At that time, the craftsman could only lie on the ground silently cursing those despicable and cruel people, but later he realized that his craftsmanship had saved his life once again.
聚居地周边都围上了高耸的栅栏，任何试图逃出去的人都只有死路一条，饱受饥饿与寒冷的灾民们只能就地寻找一些可以果腹的东西，比如昆虫、树皮和草根。
到后来，这种由饥饿而衍生出的行为便添上了恐怖的色彩，一些饿红了眼的灾民顶上了那些同为饿死者的尸体，甚至因为灾民们没有火，他们只能选择生食。
直到现在，那悲惨恐怖的画面依旧如最深的梦魇一般每晚都侵扰着梅瑞菲尔。
幸好这样的行为只漏了个苗头就被严令禁止，抢劫者和食尸鬼在非凡者的面前毫无抵抗的被筛选了出来，第一个被派上了战场，那些因体弱或者没有胆量的人反而活了下来。
梅瑞菲尔还是第一次见到军队的人在抢劫之外的事情上能做到如此高效，但这样做的理由其实相当滑稽和讽刺，原因是灾民们竟然还有那么一点用。
老爷们不能接受替死的炮灰没有发挥作用的就死在这里，每多死一个灾民，就意味着他们亲临危险的可能性大上一分。
After getting rid of disobedient individuals, the military personnel started to distribute food every two days.
However, you cannot expect them to distribute it fairly and justly to each person. Each feeding is similar to feeding the animals in a pen, where the person responsible only pours the food into the trough and then laughs heartily at the livestock fighting over the food.
老爷们不允许有人霸占吃食的位置，那会妨碍他们找乐，所有人都只能远远的缩在一旁，等待着开恩的那一刻。
但这毕竟是冬季，寒冷无时不刻都在剥夺你清醒的时间，很多人只是稍微眯一下眼睛就可能一睡不起，指望他们能随时保持清醒是不现实的事情。
怀表就是在这样的环境下发挥了自己的作用。
梅瑞菲尔把它藏在自己的胸口，每一次从饥饿与寒冷营造出的美好的死亡幻觉中挣扎而出的时候，他就会看看怀表，提醒自己距离下一次延续生命的时刻还有多久。
"One more hour."
The ticking pointer gave this answer.
Damn it, I can't close my eyes anymore! I need to find a way to stay awake, or else I'll miss the first meal of the day in two days!
梅瑞菲尔艰难的想道。
这实在是一个艰难的决定，在沉睡中他能够忘却那些不愉快的事情，忘却饥饿与寒冷，回到自己在布拉索的工匠小院，沉醉于烧瓶和各种各样的新奇材料之中，保持清醒只会让痛苦的火焰越烧越旺。
梅瑞菲尔决定思考一些令人愉快的事情来忘记肚腹的悲鸣，比如烟熏肉、黄油面包和蔬菜浓汤。
对了，马上就要到春季了！七剑之河的游鱼要变得肥美起来了！
梅瑞菲尔吞噎着口水，想象着自己一边吃下大块的炖煮鱼肉，一边就着自己的烟斗来上一口……
不行，不能再想了，肚子越来越饿了。
他勉强扶着身旁的石块，从地面上坐了起来，目光穿过那些与自己相似的饿倒在地的每一个人，看向天穹之上的阴云。
怀表指示的时间很清晰的告诉他，现在不过是午间时分，但在这本该日光盛放的时刻，周围的一切都蒙在晦暗的世界中，只是比夜晚少了几抹黝黑。
还是思考工程学问题吧，工程学最棒了！
他虽然是这么想着，意识却已经逐渐模糊了起来，痛苦和寒冷开始远离他的意识，梅瑞菲尔甚至感觉到了一丝温暖。
A realization surged up in his heart, realizing that his own death was imminent.
他开始挣扎，身体发出不堪重负的悲鸣，就像是一台已经快散架了的老旧机械却被人强行运作起来的站起身子。
The craftsman threw the pocket watch in his hand in front of the person who had fallen.
如果他没记错的话，那里有个藏在尸体下的小孩儿，可能是男孩儿也可能是女孩儿，对方的母亲死前咬破了手腕，靠着这一点让那个小孩儿活了下来。
Forget about it, Merifel no longer cares about these things. The burning of his life finally gives him the strength to speak up:
"When both pointers point upwards, it's time for a meal. Remember it, kid! Engineering will save you!"
“伟大的工程学！！！”
工匠听到自己猖狂且悲凉的笑声在上空回荡，随后整个人仰倒在地，摔出重重的噗通声。
梅瑞菲尔怒睁着双眼，听到了自己想要说出口，却只能弥留于嘴边的自己的遗言：
"Now, you are my apprentice."
躲在尸体下的孩子呆呆的注视着那个男人倒下的地方，如珍宝般捧在手心的母亲的手腕被他放了下去。
他看见地面无声的融化，张开了一张小小的嘴，一个同自己差不多大的人从里面探出头来，并很快将注意力放到了自己身前的那块怀表上。
“这是你的东西吗？你也是工匠？”那个人小心翼翼的问道。