[成歷|西玉]棋手 英文版 017

*Another name for this chapter: The Good and the Evil: Civil War
????The campus at recess was not quiet but peaceful. Sunlight flowed through the dense leaves and sprinkled tangled lights and shadows, falling on Jade's and Seymour's heads. Lights and shadows moved slightly with the wavering leaves propelled by the breeze. The light, the shade, and the two little people reading the book formed a warm picture.
????Miss Hartman appeared before them, breaking the peace, and said sternly: "Seymour, I think I need to talk with you."
????Both Jade and Seymour felt confused, not understanding why Miss Hartman want to talk with him, nevertheless Seymour obeyed her and followed her to her office.
????A soccer ball rolled to Jade's side shortly after Seymour's departure. Drew, who had not troubled her for several days, with one of his feet on the ball looked down upon her who sat on the ground.
????"Jade, what's on your neck? A magic snake?"
????All along their way to the office, Miss Hartman did not explain to Seymour about what she wanted to talk with him. No one was in the office, one of whose windows were broken and the glass shards were strewn over the ground. A soccer ball was on Miss Hartman's desk.
????She pointed at the broken window and asked him: "Seymour, could you tell me why you broke the office's window glass?"
????"Broke the window? Miss Hartman, I did not do it. I have been reading books with Jade after class."
????After hearing Seymour's explanation, Miss Hartman became angrier instead, "Lies do not deserve advocating. I saw you kick the ball into the office."
????"You saw?" Seymour's eyes gaped. How could Miss Hartman see him break the window?
????"…Jade!"
????Having no time to explain to Miss Hartman, Seymour rushed out of the office. Students were still playing on the lawn. Soccer, books, jokes about each other. But Jade disappeared in the shade with the amulet and the comics book still there on the ground, whose pages whistled in the wind.
????In a secluded building, Jade was tied by a black magical rope on a pole. Jade struggled fiercely but it did not work. Hsi Wu squatted beside her, grinning with his demon's fangs out. Did the old man think it was secure to have Jade and his Good wear amulets? How absurd. Only a scheme with several easy steps could make Jade within his grip. Just a naughty brat could settle for him the sort of thing as amulets.
????"Release me!"
????"Release you? How could I bind you all without you attracting Jackie Chan and others."
????"Your scheme won't work, Jackie will knock you off your pride!"
????"Yes, yes. Your good Jackie, good Uncle, good Tohru, and my Good will come to rescue you."
????"He is Seymour!"
????"Seymour?" Hsi Wu sneered, walked slowly to Jade, and pull up Jade's hair on one side, "It turns out you still remember this name. How ridiculous. You know exactly that's my disguise but you remember the name so clearly."
????"Seymour is different from you!"
????"Different? He is but my good half. The Good of a demon is still a demon. He is not Seymour. He has only one name – Hsi Wu! Do you know his thoughts when you call him Seymour?" Hsi Wu changed his face into that of Seymour and the smile seemed more hideous, "After all, Jade, whom you could not forget is not Seymour but the one in your illusion."
????A bolt of lightning fleeted across the sky, rousing a rumble. Jade was struck by Hsi Wu's words into dumbness. She opened her mouth but could not retort. What is in his heart? Is Seymour really the friend she wants?
????No one knew when the sky became sullen, covered with thick clouds, echoed with thunder, and lightened with lightning.
????Hsi Wu looked outside and the smile on his mouth corner became more untamed. He put his finger on Jade's forehead to make her asleep and he went to greet his guest.
????Seymour stood on the windowsill. The lightning outlined his figure and reflected his shadow to Hsi Wu's feet. He came alone.
????"What did you do to Jade?"
????Hsi Wu set aside Jade who was in fast sleep. He said frivolously: "So fast you arrived that I have no time to do anything."
????"Release her. She has nothing to do with the affairs between us."
????"She does. This would be not so easy but for her." Hsi Wu sneered and raised his hands, the light in his red eyes became eviler, "Human emotions are the easiest to manipulate. Jealousy, anger, arrogance, worry, and so on. Any aim can be achieved with casually aroused ones. But what should have been our weapons became your drawback for your mercy."
????Hsi Wu walked slowly to Seymour and stretched his claw, "It's time for Seymour to vanish."
參見:《棋手》翻譯原則