威瑪戰爭 173－白龍戰車

Warma Wars 173 – White Dragon Tank

------ 四號基地會議室 ------
------ Base Four Conference Room ------

索尼亞看著手中的名單，確認最後一項資料後，抬起頭。
Sonia looked over the list in his hands and raised his head after confirming the final entry.

索尼亞：「那麼，名單就是以上這幾位。」
Sonia: “All right, that’s everyone on the list.”

雅各：「沒想到連羅沙參謀也要一同前往。」
Jacob: “I didn’t expect Staff Officer Rosa to be joining us as well.”

羅傑：「真的，這次的陣容還真是不得了。」
Roger: “Seriously, we’ve got quite a lineup this time.”

索尼亞轉頭看向羅傑。
Sonia turned to look at Roger.

索尼亞：「羅傑，你那邊會派一台蓋布里歐過去，對吧？」
Sonia: “Roger, you’ll be sending a Gabriel unit over, right?”

羅傑：「沒錯。」
Roger: “That’s right.”

雅各：「這樣看來，整體配置跟上一批人員有些相似。」
Jacob: “It looks like our overall lineup is somewhat similar to the previous group.”

雅各：「那麼，厚頭龍應該還有發揮的空間。」
Jacob: “In that case, the Pachycephalosaurus should still have a chance to prove its worth.”

索尼亞點了點頭，隨即想起另一件事。
Sonia nodded, then suddenly remembered something else.

索尼亞：「對了，雅各，有關猛禽系統，也就是厚頭龍的部分，我想再確認一下。」
Sonia: “By the way, Jacob, I’d like to double-check something about the Raptor System, specifically the Pachycephalosaurus.”

她稍微停頓，接著說道。
He paused briefly before continuing.

索尼亞：「當初火鳥在戰鬥中，就曾經遇到過能夠進行遠距離攻擊的敵人。」
Sonia: “Back then, the Firebird encountered enemies capable of attacking from long range during combat.”

索尼亞：「這方面的問題，你們後來有做過調整嗎？」
Sonia: “Have you made any adjustments to address that issue since then?”

雅各：「目前只有在肩部增加釘槍，強化中距離的攻擊能力。」
Jacob: “So far, we’ve only added nail guns to the shoulders to improve its mid-range combat capabilities.”

索尼亞：「這樣就好，至少能多一種應對手段。」
Sonia: “That should do for now. At least it gives us another way to deal with that kind of threat.”

庫柏：「那麼，整支小隊的人員配置，應該差不多確定了吧？」
Cooper: “Then I guess we’ve pretty much finalized the team roster, haven’t we?”

賢吾一邊確認名單，一邊念出目前的人選。
Kengo checked the list as he read out the names of the current team members.

賢吾：「布里克、莫里森、馬歇爾、羅沙、孝志……雪山基地那邊也會派人過來嗎？」
Kengo: “Brick, Morrison, Marshall, Rosa, Takashi… Will Snow Mountain Base be sending anyone as well?”

索尼亞這才想起還有幾個名字尚未提及。
Only then did Sonia remember that there were still a few names he had yet to mention.

索尼亞：「差點忘了。」
Sonia: “I almost forgot.”

索尼亞：「法蘭西斯、法蘭克，以及洛克，也都會一同前往。」
Sonia: “Francis, Frank, and Locke will be joining us too.”

庫柏：「法蘭西斯是誰？」
Cooper: “Who’s Francis?”

索尼亞：「法蘭克的弟弟。」
Sonia: “He’s Frank’s younger brother.”

索尼亞：「他同樣受過駕駛訓練，這次也會駕駛一台機甲參與行動。」
Sonia: “He’s also received pilot training, and he’ll be operating a mech during this mission.”

羅傑：「至於我這邊，除了原本的安排之外，我的副手比格斯也會駕駛另一台蓋布里歐。」
Roger: “As for my side, in addition to the original arrangements, my second-in-command, Biggs, will be piloting another Gabriel unit.”

雅各聞言，露出了有些好奇的表情。
Jacob looked somewhat intrigued when he heard that.

雅各：「說到這個，你那台機甲不但體型巨大，外觀也跟一般的蓋布里歐完全不同。」
Jacob: “Speaking of which, your mech isn’t just enormous. Its design is completely different from an ordinary Gabriel, too.”

羅傑挑了挑眉。
Roger raised an eyebrow.

羅傑：「喔？你們已經看過了？」
Roger: “Oh? You’ve already seen it?”

索尼亞：「蓋布里歐都會登錄到系統裡，何況你們那台還是特規機體，想不注意到都難。」
Sonia: “Every Gabriel unit is registered in the system. Besides, yours is a custom-built model. It’s pretty hard to miss.”

賢吾：「而且，那外型看起來簡直就像一台剪刀型機甲。」
Kengo: “Besides, it practically looks like a giant pair of scissors.”

賢吾：「這種設計，我還真是第一次見到。」
Kengo: “I’ve never seen a design like that before.”

羅傑：「哈哈！那可是花了不少心思才完成的作品！」
Roger: “Ha ha! That thing took a lot of work to get right!”

看著羅傑一臉得意的模樣，雅各忍不住搖了搖頭。
Seeing Roger’s smug expression, Jacob couldn’t help shaking his head.

雅各：「你還真是一點都不打算藏啊。」
Jacob: “You really have no intention of keeping it a secret, do you?”

會議室裡響起幾聲笑聲。
A few chuckles echoed through the conference room.

片刻後，索尼亞將話題拉回正事。
A moment later, Sonia brought the discussion back to business.

索尼亞：「好了，接下來還有一件事。」
Sonia: “All right, there’s one more thing we need to discuss.”

索尼亞：「賢吾，你們那邊的人選確定了嗎？負責處理雷暴彈的研究人員。」
Sonia: “Kengo, have you settled on someone from your side yet? I mean the researcher responsible for the Thunderstorm Bomb.”

賢吾的表情頓時有些微妙。
Kengo’s expression immediately became a little awkward.

賢吾：「還在跟他溝通。」
Kengo: “I’m still trying to talk him into it.”

索尼亞：「還在溝通？」
Sonia: “You’re still trying to convince him?”

賢吾：「你也知道，搞炸彈研究的人嘛……個性多少有點彆扭。」
Kengo: “You know how bomb researchers are… They tend to be a little eccentric.”

他無奈地嘆了口氣。
He let out a helpless sigh.

賢吾：「不過，我會想辦法讓他答應。」
Kengo: “Still, I’ll find a way to get him to agree.”

索尼亞看了他一眼，似乎已經猜到那個人會帶來多少麻煩，但也沒有繼續追問。
Sonia glanced at him, seemingly already anticipating how much trouble that man might cause, but chose not to press the issue.

索尼亞：「好吧。那就請各單位做好準備，一週後在笙竹集合。」
Sonia: “All right. Then everyone should make the necessary preparations. We’ll assemble at Shengzhu in one week.”

庫柏：「明白。」
Cooper: “Understood.”

隨著會議結束，各基地的人員也開始著手準備接下來的行動。
As the meeting came to an end, personnel at each base began preparing for the upcoming operation.

而賢吾心裡很清楚，自己接下來要面對的，恐怕才是真正的難題。
Kengo knew all too well that the real challenge was still waiting for him.

畢竟，要說服那個被稱為「爆竹傑斯」的傢伙，可不是一件容易的事。
After all, convincing the man known as “Firecracker Jesse” was no easy task.

------ 七號基地 ------
------ Base Seven ------

七號基地的停機坪上，數名工作人員正忙著確認機體狀態。
At the landing pad of Base Seven, several crew members were busy checking the condition of the machines.

克里斯站在指揮區前，望著遠方的天空，像是在等待什麼。
Chris stood in front of the command area, gazing at the distant sky as if waiting for something.

突然，通訊器傳來了訊息。
Suddenly, a message came through his communicator.

他低頭確認了一眼，嘴角隨即揚起。
He glanced down at the message, and the corners of his mouth immediately curled into a smile.

克里斯：「他們要回來了！大家準備一下！」
Chris: “They’re on their way back! Everyone, get ready!”

話音剛落，停機坪上的人員便開始行動。
As soon as he finished speaking, the personnel on the landing pad sprang into action.

不久後，兩台載具接連啟動。
Shortly afterward, two vehicles powered up one after the other.

雷丸駕駛著烈陽方舟，率先從基地駛出；諾伊則駕駛水鬼，緊跟在後。
Raemaru piloted the Solar Ark out of the base first, with Noi following close behind in the Water Specter.

兩台機體一前一後，朝著瑞德等人即將抵達的方向出發。
The two machines headed out in single file toward the direction from which Red and the others were expected to arrive.

就在這時，霧人從後方走了過來。
Just then, Kirito approached from behind.

霧人：「克里斯，我也要一起去嗎？」
Kirito: “Chris, am I supposed to go with you, too?”

克里斯轉過頭，彷彿聽見了什麼理所當然的問題。
Chris turned around as if he had just heard the most ridiculous question imaginable.

克里斯：「廢話！當然要去啊！」
Chris: “Obviously! Of course you’re coming!”

霧人微微一愣。
Kirito was momentarily taken aback.

克里斯雙手抱胸，臉上逐漸浮現出一抹藏不住的笑意。
Chris folded his arms, an unmistakable grin gradually spreading across his face.

克里斯：「而且，正好讓他們順便看看我們的新作品。」
Chris: “Besides, this is the perfect chance to show them our latest creation.”

他故意停頓了一下，接著壓低聲音，露出一副準備看好戲的表情。
He paused deliberately, then lowered his voice, wearing the expression of someone who was about to enjoy a good show.

克里斯：「嘿嘿……」
Chris: “Heh heh…”

霧人看著他那副模樣，心裡頓時升起一股不祥的預感。
Looking at Chris’s expression, Kirito suddenly had a bad feeling about this.

霧人：「……你又在打什麼主意？」
Kirito: “…What are you plotting this time?”

克里斯沒有回答，只是轉頭望向停機坪另一側。
Chris didn’t answer and simply turned to look toward the other side of the landing pad.

那裡，一台尚未正式公開的重型載具，正靜靜地停放在專用機庫之中。
There, inside a dedicated hangar, rested a heavy vehicle that had yet to be officially unveiled.

潔白的裝甲在燈光下泛著冷冽的光澤，流暢的車體線條帶著一股不容忽視的壓迫感。
Its pristine white armor gleamed coldly under the lights, while its sleek contours radiated an unmistakable sense of power.

機庫大門仍然緊閉。
The hangar doors remained firmly shut.

但光是隱約露出的輪廓，就足以讓人對裡頭的機體產生無限遐想。
Yet even the faint outline visible beyond the doors was enough to spark the imagination.

克里斯咧嘴一笑。
Chris grinned.

克里斯：「等他們到了，你就知道了。」
Chris: “You’ll find out when they get here.”

他抬起手，指向那座機庫。
He raised his hand and pointed toward the hangar.

克里斯：「畢竟……這次可是要讓大家好好見識一下，什麼叫做——白龍戰車！」
Chris: “After all… this time, we’re going to show everyone what a true—White Dragon Tank looks like!”

霧人順著他的手勢看去。
Kirito followed his gesture and looked toward the hangar.

------ 笙竹／五號基地／地下機庫／炸彈研究室 ------
------ Shengzhu / Base Five / Underground Hangar / Bomb Research Lab ------

賢吾離開會議室，搭乘電梯來到了地下機庫。
Kengo left the conference room and took the elevator down to the underground hangar.

沿著機庫的走道一路往深處走去，遠遠地，便傳來一陣陣轟隆聲。
As he walked deeper into the hangar along its corridors, he began to hear a series of distant rumbles.

碰！
Bang!

轟隆——！
KABOOM—!

伴隨著爆炸聲的，還有金屬碰撞、機械運轉，以及某種不明電流竄動的聲響。
Along with the explosions came the clanging of metal, the rumble of machinery, and the strange crackling of some unknown electrical current.

賢吾停在一扇厚重的金屬門前。
Kengo stopped in front of a massive metal door.

門上原本掛著一塊名牌，上頭寫著「傑斯．布姆」。
A nameplate had originally been mounted on the door, bearing the name “Jesse Boom.”

然而，名字早已被人用力劃掉，旁邊還用紅色噴漆，歪歪斜斜地寫著另一個稱號。
However, the name had long since been violently crossed out, and another nickname had been scrawled beside it in crooked red spray paint.

——「爆竹傑斯」。
—“Firecracker Jesse.”

賢吾看著那塊牌子，忍不住嘆了口氣。
Kengo looked at the nameplate and couldn’t help sighing.

「……這傢伙到底又炸了什麼？」
“…What has that guy blown up this time?”

他伸手推開大門。
He reached out and pushed the door open.

然而，眼前的景象，卻與門外那充滿爆炸聲的走道形成了強烈反差。
However, the scene before him stood in stark contrast to the explosion-filled corridor outside.

機庫裡堆滿了各式各樣的儀器、金屬零件與尚未完成的炸彈。
The room was packed with all kinds of equipment, metal components, and unfinished bombs.

地面上到處都是燒焦的痕跡，牆角甚至還冒著一縷白煙。
Burn marks covered the floor, and a thin wisp of white smoke was still rising from one corner of the room.

而在這片混亂之中，一名頭頂燃燒著火焰的科學家，正專心致志地埋首於工作台前，仔細調整著一枚結構複雜的裝置。
Amid the chaos, a scientist with flames burning atop his head was completely absorbed in his work, carefully adjusting a complex device on his workbench.

他完全沒有注意到有人進來。
He hadn’t noticed someone entering the room at all.

賢吾走上前。
Kengo walked over to him.

「如何？傑斯。」
“How’s it going, Jesse?”

「哇啊啊啊啊！」
“WHAAAAAA!”

傑斯嚇得整個人從椅子上彈了起來，頭頂的火焰瞬間竄高，差點撞上天花板的管線。
Jesse sprang out of his chair in fright, the flames atop his head shooting upward and nearly hitting the pipes on the ceiling.

「你、你、你什麼時候進來的？！」
“W-When did you get in here?!”

賢吾一臉無奈地看著他。
Kengo looked at him with an utterly helpless expression.

「剛剛。你繼續忙你的就好，我只是來關心一下進度。」
“Just now. Go ahead and keep working. I’m just here to check on your progress.”

傑斯拍了拍胸口，確認自己的心臟還在正常運作，隨即又把注意力轉回工作台。
Jesse patted his chest to make sure his heart was still beating, then immediately turned his attention back to the workbench.

「進度？喔！快了！應該就差最後一步了！」
“Progress? Oh! Almost there! I think I’m just one step away from finishing!”

他忽然像是想起什麼似的，轉頭看向賢吾。
Suddenly, as if remembering something, he turned to look at Kengo.

「你來得正好！過來幫我抓一下這邊，把這個抬到那個水坑裡！」
“Perfect timing! Come give me a hand over here. Help me lift this thing into that puddle!”

「……水坑？」
“…A puddle?”

「對！快點快點！時間不等人！」
“Yeah! Hurry, hurry! Time waits for no one!”

還沒等賢吾反應過來，傑斯已經抓住機器的一端，開始往外拖。
Before Kengo could even react, Jesse had already grabbed one end of the machine and started dragging it away.

賢吾看了看那台不斷發出細微電流聲的機器，又看了看傑斯。
Kengo looked at the machine, which was emitting a faint electrical crackle, then back at Jesse.

「我有一種不太好的預感。」
“I have a very bad feeling about this.”

「放心！這次絕對不會出問題！」
“Relax! Nothing will go wrong this time!”

「你每次都這樣說。」
“You say that every time.”

儘管嘴上抱怨，賢吾還是上前搭了一把手。
Despite his complaints, Kengo stepped forward to help.

兩人合力將那台機器搬到不遠處的水坑裡。
Together, they carried the machine over to a nearby puddle.

傑斯滿意地點點頭，接著一把拉住賢吾，將他拖進旁邊的防爆倉體。
Jesse nodded with satisfaction, then grabbed Kengo and dragged him into a nearby blast-resistant shelter.

「好了！接下來就是見證奇蹟的時刻！」
“All right! Time to witness a miracle!”

傑斯戴上防護眼鏡，順手丟了一副給賢吾。
Jesse put on his safety goggles and casually tossed a pair to Kengo.

賢吾接住眼鏡，默默戴上。
Kengo caught the goggles and silently put them on.

「我現在退出還來得及嗎？」
“Is it too late for me to back out now?”

「來不及了！」
“Way too late!”

傑斯露出興奮的笑容，按下了控制台上的按鈕。
Jesse flashed an excited grin and pressed a button on the control panel.

下一秒——
The next second—

轟————————！
KABOOOOOOOM!

震耳欲聾的爆炸聲瞬間吞沒了整座機庫。
A deafening explosion instantly engulfed the entire hangar.

水坑中央爆出一道刺眼的白光，無數電流如同狂暴的銀蛇，沿著地面與金屬管線四處竄動。
A blinding white light erupted from the center of the puddle, while countless electrical currents surged along the floor and metal pipes like raging silver serpents.

藍白色的電弧在空氣中瘋狂跳躍，甚至形成了肉眼可見的電流脈絡，將整個機庫照得亮如白晝。
Blue-white arcs of electricity leaped wildly through the air, forming visible streams of current that illuminated the entire hangar like daylight.

防爆倉體劇烈震動。
The blast-resistant shelter shook violently.

賢吾抓緊扶手，盯著外頭那片彷彿世界末日般的景象。
Kengo gripped the handrail tightly, staring at the apocalyptic scene outside.

「這就是你說的……最後一步？！」
“This is what you meant by… the final step?!”

傑斯興奮地趴在觀察窗前。
Jesse excitedly leaned against the observation window.

「成功了！真的成功了！電流擴散效率提升了百分之三十七！這簡直是天才的傑作！」
“It worked! It actually worked! The current propagation efficiency has increased by thirty-seven percent! This is an absolute masterpiece of genius!”

「我比較想知道我們的保險有沒有涵蓋這種程度的損害！」
“I’d rather know whether our insurance covers this level of damage!”

過了好一會兒，電流終於逐漸消散。
After quite some time, the electrical currents finally began to dissipate.

機庫重新恢復平靜，只剩下儀器發出的警報聲，以及空氣中瀰漫的焦味。
The hangar finally fell quiet again, leaving only the alarms from the equipment and the smell of burning materials lingering in the air.

傑斯摘下防護眼鏡，心滿意足地看著自己的實驗成果。
Jesse took off his safety goggles and gazed at his experimental results with satisfaction.

賢吾則默默放下扶手，深吸了一口氣。
Kengo silently released the handrail and took a deep breath.

「……傑斯。」
“…Jesse.”

「嗯？」
“Yeah?”

「你有沒有想過，下次實驗前，先通知一下附近的人？」
“Have you ever considered notifying the people nearby before conducting your next experiment?”

「有啊！所以我才把實驗放在地下機庫嘛！」
“Of course! That’s exactly why I conducted the experiment in the underground hangar!”

賢吾沉默了幾秒。
Kengo fell silent for a few seconds.

「算了。跟你講這個，我大概還得再做一次心理準備。」
“Forget it. Talking to you about this probably requires another round of mental preparation.”

他看向傑斯，神情逐漸認真起來。
He looked at Jesse, his expression gradually becoming more serious.

「說正事吧。」
“Let’s get down to business.”

「什麼？」
“What is it?”

「你要不要跟他們一起去七號基地？」
“Would you be willing to go with them to Base Seven?”

傑斯臉上的笑容瞬間消失。
Jesse’s smile vanished instantly.

「不要！！」
“No!!”

回答之快，甚至讓賢吾愣了一下。
His answer came so quickly that even Kengo was caught off guard.

「……你至少考慮個三秒吧？」
“…Could you at least think about it for three seconds?”

「不用考慮！答案就是不要！」
“No need! The answer is no!”

傑斯轉過身，開始收拾工作台上的工具，刻意避開賢吾的視線。
Jesse turned around and began tidying up the tools on his workbench, deliberately avoiding Kengo’s gaze.

「我還有很多研究要做。這裡的設備也不能隨便搬動，而且我的新型炸彈還沒完成……」
“I still have plenty of research to do. The equipment here can’t just be moved around, and my new bomb isn’t finished yet…”

「這些都是理由。」
“Those are all excuses.”

賢吾平靜地打斷他。
Kengo interrupted him calmly.

「我想知道真正的理由。」
“I want to know the real reason.”

傑斯的動作停了下來。
Jesse stopped what he was doing.

機庫裡安靜了片刻。
The hangar fell silent for a moment.

原本還在閃爍的警示燈，映照著他頭頂那團搖曳的火焰。
The warning lights continued to flash, illuminating the flickering flames atop his head.

「……因為我害怕。」
“…Because I’m afraid.”

他的聲音比剛才低沉了許多。
His voice was much quieter than before.

「害怕什麼？」
“Afraid of what?”

傑斯緩緩握緊了手中的工具。
Jesse slowly tightened his grip on the tool in his hand.

「害怕我的炸彈傷害到不該傷害的人。」
“I’m afraid my bombs might hurt people they were never meant to hurt.”

他低下頭，看著自己的雙手。
He lowered his head and looked at his hands.

「炸彈這種東西，只要計算錯誤一點點，或者哪個環節出了差錯，就可能造成無法挽回的後果。」
“With something like a bomb, even the slightest miscalculation or a single mistake in the process could lead to irreversible consequences.”

「我可以計算爆炸半徑，可以控制引爆時間，也可以估算衝擊波的威力。」
“I can calculate the blast radius, control the detonation timing, and estimate the force of the shock wave.”

「但我沒辦法保證，每一次都不會出現意外。」
“But I can’t guarantee that an accident will never happen.”

「更何況……」
“And besides…”

他停頓了一下。
He paused.

「如果我跟你們一起上戰場，一旦發生什麼事，站在爆炸範圍裡的，可能就是我的同伴。」
“If I go to the battlefield with you, and something goes wrong, my own comrades could end up inside the blast radius.”

傑斯抬起頭，勉強擠出一個笑容。
Jesse raised his head and forced a faint smile.

「我不想讓那些人因為我的武器受傷。」
“I don’t want anyone getting hurt because of my weapons.”

「所以，你寧願留在這裡？」
“So you’d rather stay here?”

「至少在這裡，我可以控制實驗的範圍。」
“At least here, I can control the conditions of my experiments.”

「就算炸掉一整間機庫，也不會有人真的因此喪命。」
“Even if I blow up an entire hangar, no one will actually lose their life because of it.”

賢吾環顧四周。
Kengo looked around the room.

牆壁上的焦黑痕跡、被炸歪的工作台，以及那台仍在冒煙的機器。
The blackened marks on the walls, the workbench warped by an explosion, and the machine that was still smoking.

他沉默了一會兒，才緩緩開口。
He remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking.

「傑斯，你知道嗎？」
“Jesse, you know what?”

「什麼？」
“What?”

「我一直覺得，你這個人真的很奇怪。」
“I’ve always thought you were a really strange guy.”

傑斯一愣。
Jesse froze.

「喂！你這算什麼安慰？！」
“Hey! What kind of consolation is that?!”

「先聽我說完。」
“Just hear me out.”

賢吾走到工作台旁，拿起一枚尚未完成的炸彈。
Kengo walked over to the workbench and picked up an unfinished bomb.

「你明明這麼喜歡研究炸彈，每次實驗成功，都高興得像個孩子。」
“You love studying bombs so much, and every time an experiment succeeds, you get as excited as a little kid.”

「但每次談到真正使用它們的時候，你卻又害怕得要命。」
“But whenever it comes to actually using them, you become absolutely terrified.”

他看向傑斯。
He looked at Jesse.

「你到底是喜歡炸彈，還是討厭炸彈？」
“So which is it? Do you love bombs, or do you hate them?”

傑斯沒有回答。
Jesse didn’t answer.

「……我喜歡的是研究它們。」
“…What I love is studying them.”

過了一會兒，他才低聲說道。
After a moment, he finally spoke in a low voice.

「我喜歡找出它們的極限，喜歡把不可能的事情變成可能。」
“I love discovering their limits and turning the impossible into something possible.”

「也喜歡看到自己製造的東西，能夠發揮出超乎預期的力量。」
“And I love seeing the things I create unleash power beyond what anyone expected.”

他看著工作台上的炸彈，眼神逐漸堅定，卻又很快黯淡下來。
He looked at the bomb on the workbench, his gaze growing more determined before quickly fading again.

「但我不喜歡看到有人因為它們而受傷。」
“But I hate seeing people get hurt because of them.”

賢吾點了點頭。
Kengo nodded.

「我明白了。」
“I understand.”

他將炸彈放回工作台。
He placed the bomb back on the workbench.

「那麼，為什麼不讓自己成為那個能夠避免這一切的人？」
“Then why not become the person who can prevent all of that from happening?”

傑斯抬起頭。
Jesse looked up.

「……什麼意思？」
“…What do you mean?”

「你剛剛說，你可以計算爆炸半徑，可以控制引爆時間，也可以估算衝擊波的威力。」
“You just said that you can calculate blast radii, control detonation timing, and estimate the force of shock waves.”

賢吾伸手指向四周的研究設備。
Kengo gestured toward the research equipment surrounding them.

「這些不就是你一直在研究的事情嗎？」
“Isn’t that exactly what you’ve been researching all this time?”

「可是，再怎麼計算，也不可能完全排除意外……」
“But no matter how carefully you calculate everything, you can never completely eliminate the possibility of an accident…”

「沒錯。」
“That’s right.”

賢吾沒有否認。
Kengo didn’t deny it.

「這個世界上，沒有任何人能保證自己永遠不會犯錯。」
“No one in this world can guarantee that they’ll never make a mistake.”

「即使是最優秀的駕駛員，也可能在戰場上判斷失誤；即使是最精密的武器，也可能在關鍵時刻發生故障。」
“Even the finest pilot can make a poor decision on the battlefield, and even the most sophisticated weapon can malfunction at a critical moment.”

他停頓了一下。
He paused for a moment.

「但正因為如此，我們才需要不斷研究、不斷修正，想辦法把那些可能發生的意外，一次又一次地降到最低。」
“That’s precisely why we must keep researching, keep making improvements, and do everything we can to reduce the chances of those accidents happening.”

賢吾望著傑斯。
Kengo looked directly at Jesse.

「如果你因為害怕炸彈傷害到自己人，所以選擇不去使用它，那麼當敵人真的來襲時，你又要怎麼保護他們？」
“If you refuse to use your bombs because you’re afraid they might hurt your own people, then how will you protect them when the enemy actually attacks?”

傑斯怔住了。
Jesse was stunned.

「如果敵人擁有強大的火力，而我們卻因為缺少有效的武器，只能眼睜睜地看著自己的同伴受傷……」
“If the enemy has overwhelming firepower, and we lack effective weapons, all we might be able to do is stand by and watch our comrades get hurt…”

賢吾的聲音沉了下來。
Kengo’s voice grew heavier.

「那時候，你真的能安心地待在這間機庫裡，告訴自己至少沒有親手傷害任何人嗎？」
“When that happens, can you really stay here in this hangar with a clear conscience, telling yourself that at least you didn’t personally hurt anyone?”

傑斯握緊了拳頭。
Jesse clenched his fists.

他想要反駁，卻發現自己一句話也說不出來。
He wanted to argue back, but found himself unable to utter a single word.

賢吾沒有繼續逼問，而是走到那台剛剛完成實驗的裝置旁。
Kengo didn’t press him any further and instead walked over to the device they had just tested.

「傑斯，你一直把炸彈當成一種可能傷害別人的東西。」
“Jesse, you’ve always viewed bombs as things that can potentially hurt people.”

他轉過身。
He turned around.

「但我認為，真正重要的不是炸彈有多大的威力，而是拿著它的人，究竟想用這股力量做什麼。」
“But I believe what truly matters isn’t how powerful a bomb is, but what the person wielding it intends to do with that power.”

「……」
“…”

「你可以讓炸彈變得更強，也可以讓它變得更精準。」
“You can make bombs more powerful, or you can make them more precise.”

「你可以控制爆炸的範圍，設計更安全的引爆機制，甚至讓它只對特定的目標產生效果。」
“You can control the blast radius, design safer detonation mechanisms, and even make them effective against specific targets only.”

賢吾看著他。
Kengo looked at him.

「如果連你都不願意去做這些事情，那麼又有誰能替我們做到？」
“If even you aren’t willing to do these things, then who else can do them for us?”

傑斯怔怔地望著賢吾。
Jesse stared at Kengo in a daze.

頭頂的火焰微微晃動著。
The flames atop his head flickered gently.

「可是……如果我真的失手了呢？」
“But… what if I really do make a mistake?”

這一次，他的聲音裡沒有了平時的誇張與自信。
This time, his voice held none of its usual exaggeration or confidence.

只剩下最真實的不安。
Only genuine anxiety remained.

賢吾沉默了片刻，隨後伸出手，拍了拍他的肩膀。
Kengo remained silent for a moment, then reached out and patted him on the shoulder.

「那就讓我們一起想辦法，讓這種事情不會發生。」
“Then we’ll work together to find a way to keep that from happening.”

傑斯抬起頭。
Jesse looked up.

「一起？」
“Together?”

「對，一起。」
“That’s right. Together.”

賢吾露出淡淡的笑容。
Kengo gave him a faint smile.

「你負責研究武器，我們負責提供戰場上的實際情報。」
“You focus on weapons research, and we’ll provide you with firsthand information from the battlefield.”

「每一次戰鬥結束，我們都可以把遇到的問題帶回來，讓你知道哪些地方需要改進。」
“After every battle, we can bring back the problems we encountered so you’ll know what needs to be improved.”

「如果爆炸範圍太大，就想辦法縮小；如果引爆時間不夠精準，就重新設計；如果有可能波及隊友，就增加安全機制。」
“If the blast radius is too large, we’ll find a way to reduce it. If the detonation timing isn’t precise enough, we’ll redesign it. If there’s a risk of hitting our own people, we’ll add safety mechanisms.”

「你不必一個人承擔所有風險。」
“You don’t have to bear all the risks alone.”

他頓了一下，語氣變得更加堅定。
He paused, his tone growing more resolute.

「而且，當你真正站在戰場上，親眼看見自己的同伴正在面臨危險時，你就能知道，自己究竟該把這股力量用在什麼地方。」
“Besides, once you’re actually on the battlefield and see your comrades facing danger with your own eyes, you’ll understand exactly where this power needs to be used.”

賢吾望向機庫深處。
Kengo gazed toward the depths of the hangar.

「我們去七號基地，不是為了證明自己有多強，也不是為了製造更多、更可怕的武器。」
“We’re going to Base Seven not to prove how strong we are, nor to create more powerful and terrifying weapons.”

「我們是為了讓那些重要的人，能夠平安地活下去。」
“We’re going so that the people who matter to us can live on in safety.”

他重新看向傑斯。
He turned back to Jesse.

「所以，我不是要你放下對炸彈的恐懼。」
“That’s why I’m not asking you to let go of your fear of bombs.”

「我是希望你能把這份恐懼，變成讓自己更加謹慎的理由。」
“I want you to turn that fear into a reason to be even more careful.”

「不要因為害怕傷害同伴，就放棄保護他們的機會。」
“Don’t give up the chance to protect your comrades just because you’re afraid of hurting them.”

「而是因為不想讓他們受到傷害，所以努力讓自己的武器變得更安全、更精準，也更可靠。」
“Instead, let your desire to keep them safe drive you to make your weapons safer, more precise, and more reliable.”

機庫裡再次陷入沉默。
The hangar fell silent once again.

傑斯低著頭，久久沒有說話。
Jesse lowered his head and remained silent for a long time.

他看向自己的雙手，又看了看工作台上那枚尚未完成的炸彈。
He looked at his hands, then at the unfinished bomb on the workbench.

那些曾經讓他感到興奮的零件，此刻彷彿有了另一層意義。
The components that had once filled him with excitement now seemed to carry a different meaning.

過了好一會兒，他才緩緩開口。
Only after a long while did he finally speak.

「……如果我真的跟你們去七號基地。」
“…If I really do go with you to Base Seven…”

賢吾看著他。
Kengo looked at him.

「嗯？」
“Yeah?”

「你們可不可以答應我一件事？」
“Can you promise me one thing?”

「你說。」
“Go ahead.”

傑斯抬起頭，眼神不再閃躲。
Jesse raised his head, no longer avoiding Kengo’s gaze.

「每次使用我的武器之前，一定要確認周圍的隊友都在安全的位置。」
“Before using any of my weapons, make sure all our nearby teammates are in safe positions.”

「如果我設計的東西有任何可能傷害到自己人，你們一定要告訴我。」
“If anything I design has the potential to hurt our own people, you have to tell me.”

他深吸了一口氣。
He took a deep breath.

「我不想成為一個只會製造爆炸的瘋子。」
“I don’t want to become some lunatic who does nothing but make things explode.”

「我想成為一個……能夠讓大家活著回來的研究員。」
“I want to become a researcher… who can help everyone make it back alive.”

賢吾笑了。
Kengo smiled.

「這有什麼問題？」
“What’s the problem with that?”

他朝傑斯伸出手。
He held out his hand to Jesse.

「不過，我也有一個條件。」
“However, I have one condition of my own.”

「什麼條件？」
“What condition?”

「下次實驗的時候，至少先通知我一聲。」
“At least give me a warning before your next experiment.”

傑斯愣了兩秒。
Jesse stared at him blankly for two seconds.

「……這跟剛剛說好的事情有什麼關係？！」
“…What does that have to do with anything we just agreed on?!”

「當然有！我也是你的實驗安全範圍之一吧！」
“Of course it does! I should be part of your experimental safety calculations, shouldn’t I?!”

「你少來！我又沒有把你列入計算公式裡！」
“Oh, give me a break! I never included you in my calculations!”

「那你現在就把我加進去！」
“Then add me now!”

兩人互相瞪著對方。
The two glared at each other.

幾秒後，傑斯終於忍不住笑了出來。
A few seconds later, Jesse finally burst out laughing.

他伸出手，緊緊握住賢吾的手。
He reached out and firmly shook Kengo’s hand.

「好吧。」
“All right.”

「我跟你們去七號基地。」
“I’ll go with you to Base Seven.”

他看向自己的工作台，眼中重新燃起熟悉的熱情。
He looked toward his workbench, the familiar spark of enthusiasm returning to his eyes.

「不過，我得先把這個實驗完成。」
“However, I need to finish this experiment first.”

「只要再調整幾個參數，我就能把電流的擴散範圍控制在指定區域內！」
“With just a few more parameter adjustments, I’ll be able to control the current’s propagation within a designated area!”

賢吾的笑容頓時僵住。
Kengo’s smile immediately froze.

「……等等，你剛剛不是才說實驗完成了嗎？」
“…Wait a second. Didn’t you just say the experiment was finished?”

「那是上一個階段！現在是下一個階段！」
“That was the previous stage! We’re on to the next stage now!”

傑斯興奮地衝回控制台。
Jesse excitedly rushed back to the control panel.

「放心吧！這次一定不會出問題！」
“Don’t worry! Nothing will go wrong this time!”

賢吾望著他的背影，緩緩閉上了眼睛。
Kengo watched him walk away and slowly closed his eyes.

「……我現在退出七號基地的招募工作，還來得及嗎？」
“…Is it too late for me to quit recruiting people for Base Seven?”

下一秒。
The next second—

轟————————！
KABOOOOOOOM!

地下機庫再次被爆炸的光芒照亮。
The underground hangar was once again illuminated by the flash of an explosion.

而在那震耳欲聾的聲響之中，傑斯的笑聲依舊充滿了整座機庫。
Amid the deafening roar, Jesse’s laughter continued to echo throughout the entire hangar.

只是這一次，他已經不再打算獨自留在這裡。
But this time, he no longer intended to stay behind alone.

因為他終於明白，自己真正想研究的，從來就不只是炸彈的威力。
Because he had finally realized that the true subject of his research had never been merely the destructive power of bombs.

而是如何讓這股力量，成為守護同伴的武器。
It was how to turn that power into a weapon capable of protecting his comrades.