竹溪的流水声突然变得模糊,像是被一层毛毡蒙住了耳朵。林昭月的青锋剑嗡鸣着弹出三寸,剑尖精准指向西北方竹丛,那里传来极轻的刀鞘擦过竹枝的声响。
叶凡瞳孔微缩,内天地里星图骤然运转——前世被围杀时养成的警觉如潮水漫过全身。他反手扣住腰间软剑的鲨皮剑柄,掌心沁出薄汗,却不是因为紧张。“昭月,小莲,退我身侧。”他声音沉得像压了块铁,余光瞥见林昭月指尖在剑脊上轻轻一弹,青锋剑发出清越龙吟,小莲则攥紧短刀的手背上青筋凸起。
竹丛里的动静停了。三息。五息。“啪嗒。”一片竹叶坠在三人脚边,叶尖还凝着夜露。林昭月的剑尖微微下垂,青锋剑嗡鸣声渐弱。
叶凡闭了闭眼,内天地里方才捕捉到的那缕若有若无的腥气,此刻已彻底消散——是调虎离山,还是试探?“他们走了。”林昭月收剑入鞘,剑穗上那朵散了的藤花在月光下泛着苍白,“但不会就此罢休。”她指尖摩挲着藤茎断裂处,指节因用力而泛白,“十年前寒梅阁被灭门时,三个执刑者逃了,我娘临终前用血在我手心画了这道藤纹,说这是他们身上的伤。”
小莲突然吸了吸鼻子:“小姐,您手在抖。”林昭月这才惊觉自己的指尖在颤,像被寒风吹透了骨头。她慌忙将藤花塞进袖中,抬头时又恢复了清冷模样:“叶公子,方才那些死士的刀法路数,你可看出什么?”
叶凡垂眸整理被划破的衣襟,内天地里自动推演着方才的刀招。“每七刀一顿,是暗号。”他指节抵着下巴,“第七刀时右侧有冷箭,说明至少有三人配合。但方才那声刀鞘响...”他突然抬眼看向西北方,“是铁面人自己折返了?还是另有后手?”
小莲攥着短刀的手松了松:“要不咱们回营地吧?陈长老他们该等急了。”“不。”叶凡摇头,前世被暗算时,敌人最擅长的就是“退一步,等你松懈”。他望着林昭月袖中鼓起的藤花轮廓,声音放软了些:“如果他们的目标是昭月,现在撤退只会让他们更肆无忌惮。”
林昭月眼底闪过一丝赞许——这个总把“木秀于林”挂在嘴边的男人,此刻眼里燃着灼灼的光,像前世她在剑冢见过的,斩过九重天雷的玄铁剑。“我随你。”她伸手按住剑柄,“但得先弄清楚他们的目的。”
三人顺着竹溪往西北方走,露水打湿了裤脚。小莲踩着碎石子,突然被什么硌了脚,弯腰捡起块碎陶片——青釉上刻着半朵缠枝莲,和苍梧剑宗的标记有七分像。“昭月。”叶凡接过陶片,指腹摩挲着粗糙的断面,“这是你们宗门外门弟子常用的茶盏。”
林昭月的脸色“刷”地白了。王家村的狗吠在三更天格外刺耳。村长王二狗披着粗布褂子开了门,油灯映得他脸上的麻子发亮。“几位客官?”他搓着沾了草屑的手,“这深更半夜的...”
“我们是路过的行商。”叶凡笑着递上一锭碎银,“听人说村里最近不太平?”王二狗的手在银锭上顿了顿,抬头时眼神却飘向院角的老槐树:“也...也没什么,就是前儿个张猎户家的牛丢了,昨儿李婶子说看见墙根有黑影子...许是山猫子。”
“山猫子会留刀鞘印?”林昭月突然开口,声音像浸了冰碴。她抬手用剑尖挑起王二狗脚边的泥,露出道三寸长的弧形压痕——和方才竹丛里那声异响的轨迹一模一样。王二狗的喉结动了动,麻子都跟着抖:“几位爷...你们是官差?”
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