[成歷|西玉]棋手 英文版 010
????With the double guarantee of the Tiger Talisman and Uncle’s magic, Captain Black no longer counted Seymour as Hsi Wu. He set aside a room next to Jackie’s for him and even permitted him to move freely within a due district. But surveillance cameras in his room were even more than that of Lombard Street.
????So Hsi Wu settled down temporarily as Seymour in Section 13. Captain Black did not make his demon identity public so as not to incur discrimination against him. Only a few officials of Section 13 knew this.
????Jade did not slip onto the plane this time to follow Jackie and Tohru to Iraq but stayed in San Francisco.
????“Seymour, I am back.” After school, Jade excitedly ran into Seymour’s room, not even putting her schoolbag down.
????Jackie and Tohru had gone to Iraq; Uncle and Lo Pei were still studying the spell; Captain Black went to D.C. to report his work. Unable to disturb them, Jade came to Seymour.
????Seymour was sitting on the ground looking at Jade’s Super Moose comics.
????In Book Three of Super Moose, Evil Moose caught a little girl and deceived Super Moose into his castle by threatening her life to him. He treacherously locked the valorous Super Moose up in the dungeon. Without him, Evil Moose continued his evil plan unhinderedly, making the city a mess.
????Seymour raised his head and said smilingly: “Jade, how’s it going at school today?”
????“Oh, Seymour. You can’t imagine what I came across today. Drew once more troubled me at lunch; Miss Hartman once more assigned so much homework. Envy you who needn’t take classes.”
????“Envy me?” Seymour smiled awkwardly, clutched his hands involuntarily, wrinkled the book, and joints became slightly pale, “I also envy Jade…”
????Although Seymour lived in Section 13, not in a cell anymore, he could not leave the living area, not to mention leaving Section 13 itself. His every behavior was monitored by the surveillance cameras. It was more like house arrest than moving freely, not much better than the Demon Netherworld.
????“Seymour…”
????Jade knew that he was not happy living here. But she could do nothing. Before Uncle and others fully trusted him, his living environment would not change.
????“Don’t worry, Seymour. Captain Black will realize you are a kind little boy soon.” Jade sat beside Seymour and patted his shoulder slightly to comfort him. She was always an optimistic girl, on whom the light of hope always shone.
????Looking at Jade’s smile, Seymour was a little hesitant. Then he smiled involuntarily and nodded heavily: “Well!”
????Jade’s optimism was contagious. Seymour's hope was woken again. Maybe soon after he could no longer be under house arrest, and walk out into the true world, and be truly free.
????At this time Uncle and Lo Pei came to see Seymour. Their spell was done.
????In Iraq, the other side of the Earth, the sky was overcast and the wind was howling. Jackie Chan and Tohru were trampling among the mountains against the wind.
????Standing before Jackie, Tohru blocked the wind to make the maps possible to read. Observing the surrounding landforms, one of them held an ancient map while the other held a modern one to make comparations.
????Jackie pointed at a vacant patch between the mountains and said: “If there’s nothing wrong with the maps, Hsi Wu’s palace should be here.”
????They made eye contact and walked towards the patch, hiding themselves behind a huge stone.
????Jackie’s phone rang at this time.
????“Hello.”
????“Jackie!” Uncle’s voice echoed from the phone, “Hsi Wu is in Iraq!”
????“Uncle, we have been near his palace but we haven’t seen him.”
????“Never doubt Uncle! Give the phone to my apprentice.”
????Uncle confirmed with Tohru about the stuff he took. He had studied a sealing spell with Lopei and hoped that the Evil could be sealed in one fell swoop.
????Suddenly, a shadow shot across the overcast sky and landed on the ground.
????Jackie recognized at once it was the Evil of Hsi Wu, “Hsi Wu, Tohru, is the spell done?”
????Tohru delivered many bottles and cans and prepared the spell quickly. Bowing his head, he said: “I need some time.”
????“I go to buy time for you.” Jackie jumped over the stone propped by his hands.
????Reciting the spell attentively, Hsi Wu did not perceive Jackie’s approach.
????“Yah!”
????A kick from above struck Hsi Wu away.
????Steadily Jackie landed on the ground, looking at Hsi Wu warily.
????“Jackie Chan!” Hsi Wu roared and soared into the sky.
????Jackie was about to cope with Hsi Wu when the earth shook, the mountain swung, and the top of an immense building appeared in the magic circle drawn by Hsi Wu on the ground, rising slowly. He could not stand steadily and nearly fell over. Luckily he hugged a pillar. But the building rose quicker and quicker and Jackie was blown into tears.
????“Bad day, bad day, bad day!”
????Soon after, a tall tower stood in front of Tohru.
????Stretching into the clouds, the Tower High in the Sky!
參見：《棋手》鑒賞與分析
