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事實這證明，造謠出來的事，一傳十，十傳百。
人言可畏，三人成虎，曾子殺人、、、、
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終於見識到了。
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一對隊隊的兵甲，排着長方形的隊伍，執着長矛，眼觀六路，耳聽八方的走着。
面對外逃的人，毫不加阻攔，相反，對入城的人卻嚴加審查。
情況對他們來說，很樂觀。大部分的人，都在向外涌，城南的邊界，拉起了柵欄。在柵欄的另一側，是高高的城牆。十丈有餘，鳥兒飛過來都覺得困難。
我逆流而上。這推推搡搡的人羣，爭先恐後的，大包小包的，推着車子，或是趕着馬兒，把我一次又一次的擠了回來。
就像是向上遊奮力遊動的小魚，拼盡了全力，卻始終沒有前進一步。甚至還後退了。
我的生活原來就是這樣的。
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胳膊在酒精的作用下，已經由疼變得麻木了。遊蕩着，這可有可無的累贅。背上還拖着傳說中的九斤半。
這劍用布裹了一層又一層，還是能看出有劍的摸樣。
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守衛的兵似乎是在往外驅趕人羣。
“快走！！！！快走！！！再不走就都感染上瘟疫！！！”
怎麼聽，這話都好像是在威脅。
柵欄外圍的地面都塗滿了石灰，在陽光的分解下，更有些灼熱。
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臨近中午，這出城門的人稍減，偶爾還會漏出空隙。
這陽光快把我曬成乾柴了，酒葫蘆裡的酒也早就一乾二淨。
我兜着一個空隙，趕緊快步上前，要在這極短的時間裡通過這城門。
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“站住！”
一個剛剛還在打瞌睡的士兵，突然豎起眉毛，眼睛睜的老大。
對面迎着走來一個五大三粗，滿臉橫肉的長官摸樣的人。
“你的背上那個，是什麼東西？”
我聳了聳肩，解開前面繫上的扣子，肩膀一挺，左手攬住了這包裹的嚴嚴實實的劍，遞給他。
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既然沒有反抗能力，倒不如索性學會順從，或者，學會聽話。
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師父給我的一身武功都不在了，劍，要來還有何用？
這劍在我手裡，從未沾過一個人的血，甚至它很少走出過這鞘子，作爲一把劍，確實委屈它了、、、
作爲人，老天爺委屈我了、、、
這個凶神惡煞的漢子，並沒伸手接劍。
卻補了一句。
“是什麼東西？”
“劍。”
漢子一驚，
“來人！快！給我拿下！、、、”
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這四面瞬時而來的兵將，像密佈的疾馳的箭，直奔我這個靶心。
本能是跑，或是殺，而此刻，卻呆住了。
腦子裡一無所有，耳朵裡是一陣很長很長細的如拉絲的聲音。
眼前好像是飛過了幾根青色的羽毛。
幾個飛跑的士兵，頭栽向了後面，那樣揚起頭後翻的樣子，突然覺得很親切。那不就是兒時翻的不亦樂乎的跟頭麼？
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只是，他們翻過去了，再也沒爬起來。
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一鬨而來的箭好像都偏離了靶心，一個個擦着我的肩膀向後飛去、、、
劍佇立在空中，像是等待被人拋棄的姑娘。
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我等待着這樣的場景，一羣人毫不客氣的將我壓在身下。然後拿出五花繩子，把我結結實實的綁起。連推帶搡的關進大牢、、、
又讓我失望了、、、
直到有人把我拖走、、、
不是兵甲，是他、、、
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“你白天一定是喝多了，或者，被太陽曬壞腦子了。”
眼前的這片樹林，除了草最多，其次是樹，然後便是這碩大的蚊子、、、
所有的東西都怕一樣東西。
------------火。
有的，見了遠遠的躲着，有的，卻要鑽進去、、、
“夜裡不知名的野獸多的去了，籠個火就可以睡個安穩覺了、、”
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火苗從架空的幹木棍下一竄一竄的，然後把木頭整根吞沒。
額頭上又滲出了汗。
他爲什麼要跟着我？
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腦袋已經是一團漿糊，所有的事都黏在一起，越想，越糊塗。
老乞丐選了個乾燥一點的草淺的地方，側身便躺下了。
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“是你救了我？”
我盯着這燒的正旺的火，感慨：這要是一盆冷水該多好啊，一頭紮下去，就什麼都明白了。
“不是。”
他好像在說夢話，漫不經心，卻讓人感到獨特的真實。
“你爲什麼要救我？”
等待着回答，卻沒了聲音。
繼而，是滾雷般的呼嚕。
遠處隱隱約約有幾雙綠油油的眼睛，黑色的夜晚，更多了恐懼。
近處的樹，也像個怪物、、、
無所謂了、、、
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我也側身躺下，背對着這個老傢伙。
“不是我救的你、、、、”
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聲音從身後傳來，是夢話，卻是真的。
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感覺到有東西走近了卻不敢行動，圍着火堆徘徊着，然後失望的離去、、、
本想借着獨孤門聖的酒昏睡過去，可這該死的蚊子，總在你即將昏死過去的一剎那，落臨在你的耳旁，挑釁的大聲叫喊。彷彿它抓住了你睡眠的臨界點，不是爲了從你的身上得到什麼，只是折磨着你。
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旁邊的他鼾聲卻越來越大、、、
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陽光打落樹上的灰塵，懶洋洋的把尾巴撫在我的額頭。
睜開眼睛，腦袋如針扎一般。
夜晚，樹林的溼氣太重了，尤其是在這南方。
果然，夜裡，蚊子沒有善待我，能露到肉的地方，都漸漸的突起了。
火還在燃着，雖然小了，但噼裡啪啦的，給人旺盛的錯覺。
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一股焦了的味道，緩緩的流進了鼻子。
是什麼？
我掙扎了半天，咬着牙坐起，靠在旁邊的大樹上。
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火堆上方，橫穿着一隻野雞。垂下的腦袋已經成了黑色。
環顧四周，獨孤門聖不見了！
“他走了？”
我心裡一驚。
緩緩的爬到火堆旁，想把雞翻個身，免得美味變成一團黑炭。
不料，這雞隨着棍子轉了一個圈，又是頭朝下，一連幾次。
我實在是沒力氣了、、、
焦糊的味道越來越大，我一把抽出旁邊的劍，只是輕輕一掃，一股青煙劃了個弧，雞頭遠遠的飛離了火堆。
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“好劍！”
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模糊的日光掩映下，叢林近處，走出一個人。
依舊是那破草鞋，那半截褲腿，那個搖着酒葫蘆的乞丐。
“我打了斤半好酒，今天就着這雞，先吃個飽再說。”
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瞥了他一眼，想問些什麼，頭又劇烈的痛起來。
這從未開過葷的劍，沒想到第一個竟然用來切了雞頭、、、
世間最難以言明的事，便是明明期待的最神聖的，到最後都以極其難以接受的方式完結。
“我欠你兩條命了、、、”
我從不會虧欠別人，除了人命。
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“說過了，不是我救的你。”
他不耐煩了。
“你欠我一直胳膊，或者，一身功夫。”
我從不虧欠別人，也絕不會讓人虧欠我。
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“你兒子的命，先記着，待我找到圓圓，自然由你處置，你不必整日跟着我，我會去找你的。”
我心裡始終放不下的，還是圓圓。
他愣了，沉默半天。
“來，先喝酒。”
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自從失去了圓圓，每天和我相伴的就只有酒了。
今天不錯，還有隻烤雞。
尷尬的沉默絕不是喝酒的氣氛。叫花子把酒倒到我葫蘆裡一半的時候，眼神透露出極其的可憐和不忍心。
“你的劍是哪裡弄到的？真不錯。”
他打開了話題，在這個節骨眼，我沒必要去算計仇恨。
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“我師父，他仙逝好多年了。”
自從下山，還從未到師父的靈前祭拜過。上次生死未卜，在武當住了幾天，想去祭拜，又覺得對不起師父。沒想到，那以後，就再也沒有了機會。師父說過的話，到現在，才知道是對的。
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“這長沙城根本沒鬧瘟疫，全是謠傳！！！！”
叫花子憤憤的說了一句，眼神戀戀不捨的離開了我收起來的劍。
我詫異的看了他一眼，順手扯下個雞腿，叼在嘴裡，從叫花子手接過酒葫蘆。
“我今早出去買酒，整個長沙城多了一倍的兵，大街上，到處都是巡邏的，還在驅趕着那些進城的人。”
“如果真的鬧瘟疫，怎麼沒見到城南到處橫屍遍野？怎麼兵反而多了起來？難道他們不怕死？”
一口酒下去，肚子又暖和了。
張開嘴的時候明顯感覺到嘴角的開裂，像是樹皮漸漸掙開了紋子。
這雞肉的味道不錯，可是每咀嚼一下，兩側的太陽穴都向外凸起般的一股一股的作痛。
我也在懷疑這其中有什麼不可告人的事。來這城南，不是單單的爲了尋死。
“獨孤前輩，可否告訴我昨天是誰救了我？”
反正是頭痛，再香的肉吃起來都沒什麼慾望，我放下手中啃的差不多的雞腿，眼睛盯住了他不放。
“這個，我不知道、、、、”
他盡力說的不遮遮掩掩，可是語氣還是擦過了一絲難以琢磨的猶豫。
我盯着他仰起頭，酒順着油油的嘴邊，咕咚咚的流進。他尷尬的不敢拿下傾斜的葫蘆。一個勁的灌着、、、
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身後，突然，冒出一個熟悉的聲音，久遠的像是兒時賣包子大叔的吆喝。
“是我救的你！、、、、”
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