同章对照

• Region of Campania, Italy, December 2008

Julie Costa tended to her garden, hastening the growth of its wheat.

As a green aura flowed through the plant, it bore purple yields, full of nutrients. She had spent weeks tuning the exact ratio of protein, improving its resistance to cold, and increasing the plant’s ability to remove pollutants from soil.

Julie’s Green power activated whenever she touched a living being, allowing her to intuitively understand how their body functioned, down to the genetic level. She could make minor edits to the DNA, breed new species from a single parent.

This special plant was only one of many experimental crops growing inside the farm. Wheat capable of thriving in a polluted area, maize absorbing ambient radioactivity… Her personal plot of land was a strange, colorful assembly of unique floral constructs.

Although the sun had already set, light shone upon her, making the thirty-year-old biologist stop in her tracks.

“Julie,” a man’s voice echoed above her, sounding like embers consuming wood. “Still working at this hour?”

“Hello, Leonard,” Julie raised her head at the man flying four meters above her, a human-shaped figure of flames and blinding light. “I could say the same for you.”

Even when he toned down the light his body produced, it was difficult to look at Leo Hargraves. His Red Elixir had given him the ability to turn into a living sun, transforming his human flesh into solar flames and giving him control over his own gravity. Leonard had once told her that he always suppressed most of his power, lest he incinerate entire cities with his mere presence.

Unlike many Genomes, the Carnival’s leader always used his real name, believing it made him accountable and more trustworthy. It hadn’t stopped people from giving him a nickname though, one worthy of his overwhelming power.

Leo the Living Sun.

Unfortunately, the poor man burnt his clothes whenever he transformed. Unlimited power came with downsides.

“Is your husband here?” Leonard asked her. “I have news.”

“He’s putting Giulia to bed,” she replied. “You’re finally moving on?”

The fiery man nodded with a hint of regret, his presence attracting a few gazes. At this hour, most of the community was still awake; farmers patrolled the walls, tended to the fields, or just played dice outside.

The Costa family’s farm included a large house, shacks, a barn, farmlands, and several pens for animals. Two dozen people lived on the property, mostly refugees which Julie and her husband had taken in after the Genome Wars started. Over time, the community had built wooden walls and fortifications around the property, to deter attacks from bandits and marauders.

In fact, one such attack was how Julie met Leonard in the first place. His Carnival had slain a Genome bandit leader terrorizing the region, then stuck around to make sure the local communities could sustain themselves.

Her husband Bruno, a muscled, handsome man with black hair and blue eyes, emerged from the barn, smiling upon seeing Leonard. He had many knives around his belt, for his power allowed him to turn any blade so sharp that it could cut through anything. Wood, steel, diamond… nothing could resist him.

When they heard about his power, most people believed Bruno was some kind of badass killer, but they couldn’t be farther from the truth. Julie’s husband was the sweetest, most wholesome person on earth, and the only living beings he had used his gift on were cattle.

It was that kindness that made her fall in love with him in the first place. Julie had moved to Campania in 2002 to investigate the high number of cancers in the region for her Ph.D. thesis. She had interviewed Bruno as part of her research, and what had started as an academic project had transformed into a happy marriage.

And then Last Easter happened.

That Wonderbox… Julie still didn’t understand why her family had been selected to receive one. Why did a couple in the middle of nowhere receive Elixirs? Why did that Alchemist maniac even distribute something so dangerous?

Before she knew it, Julie’s world had been turned upside down. A madman had devastated Salerno in a power-fueled rampage, a totalitarian Genome dictator called Mechron had taken over central Europe, and all of Italy had been carpet-bombed back to the stone age.

Since the family farm was located away from population centers, it had been spared from the destruction. Bruno had decided to hole up there, waiting until the dust settled.

It never did.

“Bruno, Julie, it’s been a pleasure,” Leonard said, “but unfortunately, the day has come for the Carnival to relocate.”

“So it’s finally time, uh?” Bruno said, clearly saddened. “It has only been two months, but to me, you’re part of the landscape now.”

“Ah! Maybe one day, once peace returns, I will build myself a house nearby.” Although she couldn’t see his face through the flames, Julie was convinced Leonard was grinning ear to ear. “Campania is such a beautiful region.”

It was. Even the rampant chaos couldn’t change that. “So this is goodbye, not farewell,” Julie said with optimism.

“You’re always welcome among us,” Bruno said. “Giulia will be the saddest. She calls you Uncle Leo now, you know?”

“‘When will Uncle Leo come?’” Julie mimicked her daughter with a chuckle. “‘Uncle Leo is best Uncle!’”

Leonard laughed in response. “Ah, stop, you’re making me want to stay so much,” he said, before sighing. “I promise I will return for her birthday.”

“I will hold you on to that,” Julie replied.

“Your daughter… your daughter is the future, in more ways than one,” Leo said. “We must fight, so that our children may grow up happy. No matter the burdens they will bear.”

Yes. The burden of powers.

Bruno and Julie had conceived their daughter soon after they each took their Elixir. Their little girl hadn’t manifested powers yet, but she already showed signs of secondary Genome mutations. Resistance to sickness and toxins, hardened organs, accelerated healing...

A second-generation Genome.

Julie suspected it had been the Alchemist’s goal all along. To foster a new race of superhumans capable of breeding; a species that would soon replace the homo sapiens, until the old humanity vanished like the neanderthals.

“There is a new organization making waves in Calabria,” Leo said. “I thought you should know.”

“Doesn’t the ‘Ndrangheta control the area?” Bruno asked. The Calabrian mafia had taken over the region after some of their members received Elixirs, overpowering the local authorities.

“They did,” Leo replied. “They have been wiped out.”

“Wiped out?” Bruno frowned. “As in—”

“Wiped out. Men, women, and children.” Leo crossed his blazing arms. “The responsible party is apparently an offshoot of the Camorra, but ten times deadlier. It wants to unite the mafia families under one banner, and if met with resistance, its Genomes leave no survivors. It has made it very difficult to track their members, and the communities they subvert won’t even speak to outsiders.”

“Will you fight these people?” Julie asked him, worried. Calabria wasn’t very far from Campania.

The mighty Red Genome shook his head. “Pythia wants us to move north and fight Mechron. She has seen him develop orbital weapons in a few years, with catastrophic consequences down the line. And a new Psycho in France, Manic Plague, is a living pandemic whose danger grows exponentially the longer she remains active.”

As Julie feared, there were simply so many dangerous Genomes around. Some of them were existential threats to mankind as a whole, and Leo’s Carnival couldn’t be everywhere.

Even now, Mechron, Genome warlords, and the remnants of the pre-bombing military fought for control over the wasteland they had created. The Genome Wars, people called it. The fighting was way worse north of Italy, but it didn’t mean the south was safe.

With the collapse of civilization, mankind had embraced both its worst and better instincts. Marauders, Psychos, and bandits roamed the countryside; but Bruno had welcomed many refugees inside the farm, and they had formed a stable community.

One that, hopefully, would help the world heal.

“We’ll be careful,” Bruno promised, putting a hand around Julie’s waist.

“Please do,” Leo said, giving them a final nod. “Kiss Giulia for me.”

And so, Leonard Hargraves flew away, moving across the night sky at a fighter jet’s speed.

“He never was one for long speeches.” Bruno held his wife in his arms. “I’ll miss him.”

“Me too,” Julie said. The region felt safe with the Carnival nearby. Even while their community and neighborhoods could defend themselves, nobody dared pick a fight with a freaking sun. “But so many people need his help, far more than we do.”

Her husband nodded, glancing at the crops. “They’re ready?”

“Yes,” she said. “Once I would have said introducing new species into the ecosystem is a terrible idea, but…”

“I would rather have purple maize than glowing corn,” Bruno chuckled, Julie shaking her head at his lame joke. He kissed her on the lips. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Times may be hard… but they would beat them.

They spent a few minutes making out until someone dared interrupt them. It was Benny, one of the guards. The only farmer taller than Bruno, who never went anywhere without his trusty shotgun. “Sorry, chief,” he apologized. “But I gotta stop you before you move past second base.”

Bruno laughed, breaking the embrace with his wife. “What is it?”

“We have a visitor. A lone traveler, who asks for hospitality.”

“At this hour?” Julie frowned. It often happened, but few people dared travel at night nowadays.

“What kind of traveler?” Bruno asked.

“Clearly a Genome, all shiny and chrome,” Benny replied. It had to be, to travel alone at night through unsafe roads. “He says he comes bearing gifts, and he brings a horse full of supplies. Fuel, weapons, food.”

It wasn’t the first time another community sent a trader to the Costa farm. More often than not, they exchanged food for scavenged tools.

Unfortunately, some traders were marauders in disguise, scouting a community for a future attack. Once, the farm let everyone in, but after an incident cost them three people, the group had grown far more careful.

“We can’t let him in,” Julie told Bruno. “I’m sorry, but…”

“We can offer him food and water, but no roof,” Bruno told Benny.

“That’s the thing, he says he will just give gifts and then leave,” Benny replied. “But he wants to talk with you personally, Bruno.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, he has heard of your power and is curious to see it in action. Apparently, he researches superpowers, and he’s curious to see if you can really cut anything.”

That was odd. Julie exchanged a worried glance with her husband, who was clearly suspicious. “How many people are awake?” Bruno asked Benny.

“Piero, Donna, Alice, and Luca keep their weapons aimed at his pretty head,” the man replied, putting his shotgun’s barrel on his shoulder. “I told the others to ready their guns, just in case.”

“Okay, I will meet him. Hopefully, it’s just paranoia talking.” Bruno put a hand on Benny’s shoulder. “I entrust my wife to you, my friend.”

“Y-yes, sure!” Benny instantly tensed, taking this seriously.

“Don’t joke about this,” Julie lightly scolded her husband, but he waved her hand before moving towards the camp’s main gates.

She looked at Benny, who fidgeted awkwardly. “Sorry, ‘mam. I’m not good at casual conversation.”

“Benny, stop calling me that,” Julie said, exasperated. “You’ve been there for three years. I believe we could talk on a first-name basis.”

“And I will still call you ‘mam until Giulia is old enough to take over.”

The biochemist shook her head, before returning to her garden.

With nukes and plagues having devastated the western coast, Julie hoped to introduce these new species to fight against environmental pollution. According to her projections, it would take only five years to purify Italy’s air and soil back to their pre-apocalypse level… and ten to undo the degradations caused by humanity’s industrial activities.

In time, all of Earth would become a garden.

“I’ll never get used to it,” Benny said, as he watched her use her power on the wheat. “I’m not religious, but… it makes me wonder if a God does exist.”

“That wasn’t an Act of God,” Julie replied. She heard booming thunder, briefly wondering if a storm approached. But the skies were clear, cloudless. Odd. “Just an experiment from a brilliant, but twisted mind.”

She couldn’t explain it any other way. God wouldn’t be so cruel as to create monsters like Mechron and unleash them on the world.

And suddenly, lightning hit the farm.

A crimson flash of light filled Julie’s vision, as if thunder had struck the earth right in front of her. She heard a powerful boom, coming straight from the entrance, while the farm trembled.

She turned around, and when her vision returned to normal, there was a burning hole where the farm’s mains gates once stood.

“Bruno!” Julie immediately panicked, rushing towards the entrance before Benny could stop her. The farm’s alarm system activated, signaling an attack while smoke spread in all directions.

When Julie moved close enough, she was welcomed with a scene of horror.

A powerful force had blasted people through the farm’s fortifications, with enough force to shatter them. Corpses were dispersed on the ground, utterly savaged. Julie could barely recognize Donna among them, most of her body having been incinerated. Piero had lost his head, Julie only identifying him thanks to his trademark blue shirt, now painted red.

And Bruno… Bruno was among them.

Both parts of him.

A bolt had thrown her husband through the gates, tearing him in half below the waist.

Julie let out a wail of horror, as the farm descended into utter chaos. Guards rushed towards the breach with weapons, while non-combatants fled into the house. Crimson lightning surged from the smoke, dividing and bending around corners. The bolts slaughtered everyone in their path, incinerating hearts or detonating skulls, before spreading from one person to the next.

Julie watched eight people she had known for years die in an instant.

Another, mightier bolt hit the farm’s main house, shattering walls and setting the whole place on fire. “We have to evacuate, ‘mam!” Benny shouted, grabbing her by the arm.

“Giulia,” Julie panicked. “Giulia is in the barn!”

An ivory statue emerged from the darkness and the smoke, confidently striding into the property. Its eyes radiated a crimson glow, its gaze blasting anyone it saw with lightning bolts.

For a second, Julie thought it was Zeus himself, having descended from the heavens. For this man, this Genome held a striking resemblance to the ancient deity. It was a tall, muscled figure pushing near two meters in height, with a long beard and a golden laurel crown atop his combed hair. He seemed in his middle-age, combining the confidence of old age with the strength of a mature man.

The intruder’s entire body was an ivory statue. His hair, his flesh, even his eyes were an unnatural shade of white. Only his ancient toga, sandals, and laurel crown were made of normal materials.

Perhaps his body had been transformed into an alien alloy; perhaps it was a stasis effect, freezing his body in space and time. Whatever the case, he kept his hands folded behind his back, like a conqueror overseeing his new territory.

And then, he noticed Julie.

Benny immediately moved in front of her, shielding her with his body while he raised his gun. “Behind me, ‘mam!”

The ivory man appraised the two with an amused look. It reminded Julie of a vulture glancing upon a dying camel; of a killer toying with his victim, before delivering the coup de grace.

“Ms. Costa?” he asked, upon noticing Julie. His voice was deep and radiated authority.

“Who the hell are you?” Benny snarled angrily.

“Jupiter Augustus,” the man answered.

“You dare call yourself after a god?” Benny shouted, charging at the Genome with his shotgun, and opening fire at point-blank range. A volley from his firearm would have torn a normal man apart.

Instead, the bullets hit the chest and flattened out on impact.

“No. Of course not.”

The ivory man backhanded Benny with his left hand. The fingers went through Benny’s body like an iron sword through paper, his flesh and bones turning as brittle as dirt upon impact. The backhand tore off the skull from the body and sent both flying to the side, killing the farmer in one blow.

“I am one.”

Julie froze in horror at the bloody scene.

The biochemist had grown somewhat used to the sight of blood and violence, but she had never seen such casual brutality. That man had murdered her friend with the same care as one swatting a fly.

And now, that psychopath stared at her.

Lightning manipulation, and some form of super-strength. Two powers at once.

A Psycho.

No. Not a Psycho. In spite of his egotistic boasting, Julie saw no hint of madness in that vicious man’s eyes. No craving for the blood of other Genomes. She only saw sneering arrogance and a cold-blooded disregard for human life.

“Kneel,” he ordered.

Instead, possessed by vengeful anger, Julie rushed at this vile man and slammed her left hand against his cheek. He made no move to stop her, allowing her to activate her power.

Although she had never used her power offensively, she would make an exception for this monster. She would cause his DNA to break down, destroy his organs. Make him pay.

Nothing.

No feedback.

That… that thing ignored her power. It didn’t even register him as alive.

“That was no request,” the man said, raising his hand in a karate chop, aiming for her left shoulder.

Before Julie knew what hit her, his hand cut through her body like butter, the blow severing her arm and tossing her to her knees. A pain more terrible than anything she had ever experienced raced through her nerves, as a shower of blood flowed out of her veins. She let out a wail of agony, her body growing numb and cold.

“Saddening,” the monster said, although there was no regret in his voice. “If you had known proper etiquette, I might have let you live. I take no pleasure in killing one of the chosen ones. Especially a young widow.”

“Why…” Julie asked, struggling against the pain and shock. “Did you want to… take the crops for yourself?”

“The crops?” Augustus glanced at her garden, an eyebrow raised. “What about them?”

He… he didn’t know? Then why?

Why?

“Answer me,” the murderer ordered Julie, without bothering to look at her. In his eyes, she was already dead.

“They…” Julie’s thoughts suddenly turned to Giulia, sleeping. If she distracted that monster, perhaps… perhaps she could get away. “They can survive in… toxic and radioactive environments… they can… feed everyone… help us save… save everyone… you have...”

“Crops that can feed everyone?” He gazed at the garden with sudden interest. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

If… if the crops could endure, then...

“You have been lied to,” Augustus taunted her with a soft voice, his eyes shining with electricity, “the meek will not inherit anything.”

He blasted the garden with a crimson lightning bolt, setting it ablaze.

The wheat, the maize, all the genetically enhanced crops Julie had spent years cultivating… all that work turned to ashes in an instant.

After the horror of watching her husband burnt alive, Julie thought she wouldn’t scream again. But she did. She shrieked in despair, as the very seed of hope went down in flames.

“The future came to me in these Elixirs,” the ivory man said, lost in his thoughts. “Where the unchosen could not stand the power, I alone wielded it to its fullest potential. Such was the proof of the high esteem that Fate had for my family; that we were destined to rule the Earth and the new humanity, once this trial had weeded out the unworthy.”

He finally deigned to look down on Julie, his towering body casting her in his dreadful shadow.

“If you ask me,” Augustus said with a soft, serene tone, “this planet hasn’t been nuked enough.”

“Why?” Julie asked, pleaded for an answer, struggling against the blood loss and utter despair. “What… what have we... done to you?”

The ivory man smiled to himself, finding something funny in the question. Yet he answered her request. “There was once a fox that could never be caught, so a king sent after him a dog destined to always catch its prey. Jupiter, seeing the paradox, removed both animals from the world and turned them into constellations.”

“What are you—”

“That is the why,” Augustus replied, glancing at her dead husband with satisfaction. “That was me, removing a paradox from the world. An unstoppable force cannot coexist with an immovable object.”

An invulnerable man couldn’t stand a blade capable of cutting anything.

This brutal, cruel monster had murdered her husband, a kind man who had never harmed another human because he might one day become a threat?

“You fear…” Julie glared at him. “You fear death so much?”

Augustus’ eyes flared with prideful anger, and he raised both his hands above Julie’s head, clenching them into fists. His face was no longer one of false divine serenity, but hellish, demonic fury.

He brought his fists down like a hammer on Julie’s skull, and all went dark.

---

Augustus spent the next minutes scouring the farm in search of survivors. The Costa woman’s blood dripped from his hands, tainting his ivory skin red.

Anyone he found, he slew with lightning bolts. Men and women alike. He had learned this lesson from his days among the Camorra. Leave nobody alive to pursue a vendetta against your own blood.

No man, no problems.

Besides, he spent enough resources developing a good reputation. No need to let anyone complicate the narrative with troubling tales.

The Genome didn’t particularly take pleasure in this. He was simply protecting his family from future retaliations. Augustus might be invulnerable as far as he knew, but his kin weren’t; even if they had each taken an Elixir, they could die. As the Augusti clan’s patriarch, the future emperor of Italy saw no point in taking risks.

But he didn’t regret that massacre either. The very idea of this community filled him with revulsion.

Genomes existed to rule over old humanity, not serve it. The apocalypse was a trial for all of mankind, a great cleansing meant to remove the corruption, the laxity, and self-entitlement that had poisoned Europe for so long. To feed everyone would be to coddle humans, to prevent them from rising to the challenge.

Genomes had been chosen to rule the new world, like the gods once guided humanity from Mount Olympus. Among the mundanes, only those who proved themselves worthy through skill and service would be elevated. Only the best would receive an Elixir and be Made. The rest would live to serve and offer tribute.

Life should be earned, not given.

A pity that woman couldn’t see that simple truth.

Once he had cleaned the surface of life, Augustus moved to the barns, ignoring the cows and the sheep. The place must have stunk, but the Genome hadn’t smelled anything since he consumed his two Elixirs. Neither did he need to breathe, eat, or drink. He felt no taste or tactile sensations, to the point his beloved wife’s embrace gave him no pleasure anymore.

Even his hair and beard hadn’t moved since that day.

Such was the burden of invulnerability. It protected the Genome even from other Elixirs, preventing him from consuming a third. But Augustus could live with it. The heavens had smiled on him enough, and they abhorred greed.

Once, the people of Italy had built the greatest, most prosperous empire the Earth had ever known; and it was Augustus’ destiny, to raise them back to glory.

Guided by his power, the Genome found a hidden trapdoor at the back, tearing it off with his bare hands. As he did so, he noticed a tiny speck of the Costa woman’s brain matter stuck to his impermeable skin. Augustus wiped it away dismissively, though it would take a dedicated cleaning to remove the blood.

He stepped down a wooden stair, entering an underground basement below the barn. Most of the floor seemed to be bedrooms, to host the vulnerable members of the community away from sight. A smart choice in these troubled times. Augustus ignored the empty rooms, stopping in front of the only occupied one.

The place where the last survivor hid.

Slowly, the warlord opened the door and entered a small children’s bedroom. Since there was no light, Augustus activated a light bulb with a jolt of lightning, casting light upon the room; its walls were painted blue, and a tiny shape cowered beneath the bed sheet.

“I see you, child. I know you aren’t sleeping.”

Augustus could sense electricity in all its forms. Though he could not manipulate weak currents, he could easily detect the presence of living beings. The energy flowing through their nerves gave their presence away.

The child, a little girl no older than three, peeked over her sheet, terrified by this strange man moving inside her bedroom. Her eyes were oceanic blue, her hair brown.

Augustus appraised the child, recognizing the facial features from his previous victims. Mercury had warned him that the Costa couple had a daughter, though the warlord hadn’t expected her to be so young.

“Shush…” Augustus said, sitting on the bed. “Did your parents have powers, when they conceived you?”

The girl said nothing, too intimidated to make a sound. But as Augustus examined the odd currents flowing through her body, so different from a normal human, he identified her as a Genome. A second-generation chosen.

“If there is even a small chance that you inherited your father’s power,” Augustus said, kindly stroking her hair, “then I cannot let you live.”

The girl began to cry, as the Genome put his hand around her mouth to silence her. It would be quick. He would simply fry her alive with lightning, or snap her neck. An instant, merciful death. If she survived, she would surely try to do her duty and avenge her parents.

Better to kill her now, before she became a problem.

And yet, as he looked into these blue eyes, the mobster couldn’t help but feel a hint of shame. Such an alien feeling had no place within him, yet he couldn’t expunge it.

“You remind me of my daughter,” Augustus admitted, as tears rained down the child’s cheeks. “She has the same eyes as yours.”

Augustus had no scruples murdering a child, just not his own. And when that girl looked at him, it felt as if he was about to strangle his own blood. Even covering her eyes with his hand didn’t ease his mind.

Come to think of it… his lieutenant and good friend Mars had told him about a certain problem recently. An issue this child could solve easily enough. Perhaps this was a sign from the heavens.

Gods were cruel, but they could also show mercy.

“I won’t kill you.”

Augustus gently carried the crying welp up the stairs, his hands still red with her mother’s blood.

“Something better comes to mind.”

• 意大利，坎帕尼亚大区，2008年12月

朱莉·科斯塔正在照料自己的园圃，催促园中的小麦生长。

绿色光晕流过植株，小麦便结出了营养丰富的紫色籽粒。她花了好几周微调蛋白质的精确配比，提升植株的抗寒能力，并增强它清除土壤污染物的本领。

朱莉只要触碰到生物，绿系能力便会发动，让她凭直觉理解对方身体的运作方式，一直深入到基因层面。她能对DNA做些小幅改动，仅凭单个亲本就培育出新物种。

这株特殊的小麦，只是农场里众多试验作物中的一种。能在污染地区茁壮生长的小麦，能吸收周围辐射的玉米……她这块自留地里，奇异而多彩的独特植物造物济济一堂。

太阳早已落山，却有一道光照在她身上，让这位三十岁的生物学家停下了动作。

“朱莉。”一个男人的声音从头顶传来，听起来像余烬在啃噬木头，“这么晚了还在忙？”

“你好，伦纳德。”朱莉抬头望向悬飞在她上方四米处的男人。那是一个由火焰和炫目光芒构成的人形。“我也想这么问你呢。”

即便利奥·哈格雷夫斯收敛了身体散发的光芒，想直视他依然很困难。他的红色灵药赋予了他化身活体太阳的能力，能将人类的血肉转化为太阳烈焰，并掌控自身的引力。伦纳德曾告诉过她，他始终压制着自己的大部分力量，免得仅仅是身在一处，就将整座城市焚为灰烬。

与许多基因者不同，嘉年华的领袖始终使用真名。他认为这样才能对自己的所作所为负责，也更值得信任。不过，这并没有阻止人们给他起一个绰号，一个配得上他那压倒性力量的绰号。

活体太阳利奥。

可惜，这个可怜人每次变身都会烧光衣服。无穷的力量也有它的坏处。

“你丈夫在吗？”伦纳德问她，“我有些消息。”

“他在哄朱莉娅睡觉。”她答道，“你们终于要走了？”

火焰中的男人略带遗憾地点了点头。他的到来吸引了几道目光。这个钟点，聚居地里大多数人还没睡；农夫们有的在围墙上巡逻，有的在田间劳作，还有些干脆在外面玩骰子。

科斯塔家的农场里有一幢大房子、几间棚屋、一座谷仓、大片农田，以及几处牲畜围栏。这里住着二十四个人，大多是基因者战争爆发后，朱莉和丈夫收留的难民。久而久之，众人在农场周围修起了木墙和防御工事，用来阻挡土匪和劫掠者的袭击。

事实上，朱莉最初结识伦纳德，就是因为这样一场袭击。他的嘉年华杀死了一名横行当地的基因者匪首，之后便留了下来，确保周边聚居地能够自给自足。

她的丈夫布鲁诺从谷仓里走了出来，一看见伦纳德便露出了笑容。他身材健壮，相貌英俊，黑发蓝眼，腰带上挂着许多把刀。他的能力可以让任何刀刃变得锋利无匹，切开世间万物。木头、钢铁、钻石……没有什么挡得住他。

大多数人听说布鲁诺的能力后，都会以为他是个狠辣的杀手，可事实恰恰相反。朱莉的丈夫是世上最温柔、最善良的人，他唯一用这份天赋杀过的活物就是牛。

当初让她爱上他的，正是这份善良。2002年，为了撰写博士论文，朱莉搬到坎帕尼亚，调查当地癌症高发的原因。作为研究的一部分，她采访了布鲁诺。一项学术课题就这样变成了一段幸福的婚姻。

随后，最后的复活节降临了。

那个奇迹盒……朱莉至今都不明白，为什么自己一家会被选中，收到那样一个盒子。为什么住在偏僻乡下的一对夫妻会收到灵药？炼金术师那个疯子，又为什么要把这么危险的东西发给别人？

还没等她回过神，整个世界就已天翻地覆。一个疯子凭着异能大肆破坏，摧毁了萨莱诺；一个名叫梅克隆的极权基因者独裁者占领了中欧；整个意大利都在地毯式轰炸下退回了石器时代。

家里的农场远离人口聚集区，因此逃过了毁灭。布鲁诺决定守在这里，等待尘埃落定。

尘埃却从未落定。

“布鲁诺，朱莉，和你们相处的日子很愉快。”伦纳德说，“不过很遗憾，嘉年华必须迁往别处了。”

“所以，终于还是到时候了，是吧？”布鲁诺显然很难过，“才两个月，可对我来说，你已经是这里风景的一部分了。”

“哈！也许等和平回来了，我哪天会在附近给自己盖栋房子。”虽然看不清火焰后的脸，朱莉却确信伦纳德正咧着嘴笑。“坎帕尼亚真是个美丽的地方。”

确实如此。再猖獗的乱世也改变不了这一点。“那就只是暂别，不是永别。”朱莉乐观地说。

“这里永远欢迎你。”布鲁诺说，“最难过的肯定是朱莉娅。你知道吗？她现在都叫你利奥叔叔了。”

“‘利奥叔叔什么时候来呀？’”朱莉笑着学起女儿的口吻，“‘利奥叔叔是最好的叔叔！’”

伦纳德也笑了。“哎，别说了，你们说得我都舍不得走了。”说完，他叹了口气，“我保证，她过生日的时候，我一定回来。”

“这话我可记下了。”朱莉答道。

“你们的女儿……你们的女儿就是未来，不止一层意义上的未来。”利奥说，“我们必须战斗，让孩子们能幸福地长大。不管他们将来要背负怎样的重担。”

是啊。异能的重担。

布鲁诺和朱莉各自服下灵药后不久，朱莉便怀上了女儿。他们的小姑娘还没显现出异能，却已经出现了基因者次级变异的迹象：抗病、抗毒，器官更加坚韧，伤口愈合更快……

第二代基因者。

朱莉怀疑，这才是炼金术师从一开始就抱有的目的。培育一个能够繁衍后代的超人新种族；一个很快便会取代智人的物种，直到旧人类像尼安德特人一样消失。

“卡拉布里亚最近有个新组织，闹出了不小的动静。”利奥说，“我觉得该让你们知道。”

“那地方不是恩德朗盖塔的地盘吗？”布鲁诺问道。卡拉布里亚黑手党的一些成员拿到灵药后，便压倒当地政府，控制了整个大区。

“曾经是。”利奥答道，“他们已经被灭了。”

“被灭了？”布鲁诺皱起眉头，“你是说——”

“一个不剩。男人、女人、孩子，全都死了。”利奥抱起燃烧的双臂，“下手的似乎是卡莫拉的一个分支，但要凶狠十倍。这个组织想把所有黑手党家族统合到同一面旗帜下。一旦遭到反抗，他们的基因者就会杀得一个活口也不剩。这让追查他们的成员变得极其困难，那些被他们控制的聚居地，甚至不肯跟外人说话。”

“你们会去对付这些人吗？”朱莉担忧地问。卡拉布里亚离坎帕尼亚并不远。

强大的红系基因者摇了摇头。“皮提亚希望我们北上，对付梅克隆。她预见他会在几年后研发出轨道武器，最终酿成灾难性的后果。而法国又出现了一个新的疯魔，叫狂疫。她本身就是一场活的大瘟疫，活动得越久，危险就越是呈指数增长。”

正如朱莉所担心的那样，危险的基因者实在太多了。有些甚至威胁到了全人类的存亡，而利奥的嘉年华不可能处处兼顾。

时至今日，梅克隆、基因者军阀，以及轰炸前军队的残部，依然在为争夺自己造就的废土而厮杀。人们将其称为基因者战争。意大利以北的战况要惨烈得多，但这并不意味着南方就是安全的。

随着文明崩塌，人类最恶劣与较为良善的本性都显露出来。劫掠者、疯魔和土匪四处游荡，肆虐乡野；但布鲁诺收留了许多难民，让他们住进农场，大家组成了一个稳定的聚居地。

但愿它能帮助这个世界慢慢痊愈。

“我们会小心的。”布鲁诺保证道，伸手揽住朱莉的腰。

“千万小心。”利奥最后向他们点了点头，“替我亲亲朱莉娅。”

说完，伦纳德·哈格雷夫斯便飞走了，以战斗机般的速度划过夜空。

“他从来都不爱长篇大论。”布鲁诺将妻子搂在怀里，“我会想他的。”

“我也是。”朱莉说。有嘉年华在附近，整个地区都让人觉得安心。他们和周边聚居地固然有自保之力，可谁敢跟一颗货真价实的太阳动手？“不过，还有那么多人需要他帮忙，比我们需要得多。”

丈夫点了点头，看向那些作物。“都准备好了？”

“嗯。”她说，“换作从前，我会说，把新物种引入生态系统是个糟透了的主意，可是……”

“紫玉米总比发光玉米好吧。”布鲁诺笑道。朱莉听了这个蹩脚笑话，摇了摇头。他吻了吻她的唇。“我爱你。”

“我也爱你。”

日子也许艰难……但他们一定能熬过去。

他们亲热了几分钟，才有人敢来打断。来人是守卫之一，本尼。农场里只有他比布鲁诺还高，而且无论走到哪里，他那杆靠得住的霰弹枪都不离身。“抱歉，老大。”他赔了个不是，“不过我得在你们越过二垒之前拦一下。”

布鲁诺笑着松开了妻子。“什么事？”

“来了个客人。一个独行的旅人，想请我们招待一下。”

“这么晚了？”朱莉皱眉。旅人来访并不少见，但如今很少有人敢在夜间赶路。

“什么样的旅人？”布鲁诺问。

“显然是个基因者，浑身锃亮，跟镀了铬似的。”本尼答道。敢一个人在夜里走那些不安全的路，肯定是基因者。“他说是来送礼的，牵了匹马，驮着满满的物资。燃料、武器、食物。”

别的聚居地派商人来科斯塔农场，已经不是第一次了。多数时候，他们用食物交换那些搜罗来的工具。

可惜，有些商人其实是劫掠者假扮的，专门来摸清聚居地的情况，为日后的袭击做准备。以前农场来者不拒，但自从一次变故让他们折损了三个人，大家便谨慎得多了。

“不能让他进来。”朱莉对布鲁诺说，“对不起，可是……”

“我们可以给他食物和水，但不能留宿。”布鲁诺对本尼说。

“问题就在这儿，他说送完礼就走。”本尼答道，“但他想跟你本人谈谈，布鲁诺。”

“我？”

“对，他听说过你的能力，很想亲眼看看。好像他在研究超能力，想知道你是不是真的什么都能切开。”

这就奇怪了。朱莉忧心忡忡地和丈夫交换了一个眼神。布鲁诺显然也起了疑心。“现在还有多少人醒着？”他问本尼。

“皮耶罗、唐娜、爱丽丝和卢卡都拿枪瞄着他那颗漂亮脑袋呢。”本尼把霰弹枪的枪管搭到肩头，“我也叫其他人把枪备好了，以防万一。”

“好，我去见见他。但愿只是我们疑神疑鬼。”布鲁诺把手放在本尼肩上，“朋友，我妻子就交给你了。”

“好、好的，没问题！”本尼立刻绷紧了身体，当了真。

“别拿这个开玩笑。”朱莉轻声嗔怪丈夫。他却晃了晃她的手，随后朝营地正门走去。

她看向本尼，对方正尴尬地扭来扭去。“抱歉，夫人。我不太会闲聊。”

“本尼，别再这么叫我了。”朱莉无奈地说，“你都在这儿待了三年。我想，我们可以直接叫名字吧。”

“在朱莉娅长大接您的班之前，我还是会叫您夫人的。”

生物化学家摇了摇头，重新打理起园圃。

核弹和瘟疫已经摧毁了西海岸，朱莉希望引入这些新物种，治理环境污染。根据她的推算，只需五年，便能把意大利的空气和土壤净化到末日之前的水平……十年，就能消除人类工业活动造成的环境破坏。

假以时日，整个地球都会变成一座花园。

“看多少次都觉得不可思议。”本尼看着她对小麦施展能力，说道，“我不信教，可是……这让我忍不住想，世上是不是真有上帝。”

“这不是上帝的作为。”朱莉答道。她听见一声轰鸣的雷响，一时还以为暴风雨将至。可天空晴朗，万里无云。真奇怪。“只不过是一个才华横溢、却心智扭曲的人做的试验罢了。”

除此之外，她想不到别的解释。上帝不会残忍到造出梅克隆这样的怪物，再放他们出来祸害世间。

突然，一道闪电击中了农场。

赤红的闪光占满了朱莉的视野，仿佛惊雷就在她眼前劈上大地。入口方向传来一声巨响，整座农场都在震颤。

她转过身，等视力恢复正常，农场正门原本所在的地方，只剩一个燃烧的豁口。

“布鲁诺！”朱莉顿时慌了神，不等本尼阻拦便朝入口冲去。农场的警报系统启动，示警遭袭，浓烟向四面八方蔓延。

朱莉跑近后，映入眼帘的是一幕骇人的惨景。

一股巨力将人轰得撞穿了农场的防御工事，连工事都撞得粉碎。地上横七竖八躺着残破不堪的尸体。朱莉几乎认不出其中的唐娜，她的大半个身体都已烧毁。皮耶罗没了脑袋，朱莉只凭他那件招牌蓝衬衫才认出了他，可那件衬衫如今也被染成了红色。

而布鲁诺……布鲁诺也在其中。

他的两截身体都在。

一道闪电将她丈夫轰得撞穿了大门，在腰部以下把他撕成了两截。

朱莉发出一声惊恐的哀号，农场彻底陷入混乱。守卫们端着武器冲向缺口，没有战斗能力的人则逃进大屋。赤红的闪电从浓烟里涌出，分叉，绕过墙角，沿途大开杀戒。它们烧毁心脏，炸裂头颅，又从一个人身上跳到下一个人身上。

朱莉眼睁睁看着八个相识多年的熟人，在一瞬间丧命。

又一道更猛烈的闪电击中农场主屋，击碎墙壁，将整幢房子点燃。“我们得撤了，夫人！”本尼大喊着，一把抓住她的胳膊。

“朱莉娅。”朱莉惊慌失措，“朱莉娅还在谷仓里！”

一尊象牙雕像从黑暗与浓烟中走出，步履从容地踏进农场。他的双眼泛着赤红的光，目光所及，闪电便将那里的人轰杀。

有那么一秒，朱莉以为是宙斯亲自从天而降。因为这个男人，这个基因者，与那位古代神祇实在太过相似。他身高将近两米，体格健壮，留着长须，梳理整齐的头发上戴着一顶金色桂冠。他看起来正值中年，却兼具年长者的自信和成熟男人的力量。

闯入者的整个身体都是一尊象牙雕像。头发、血肉，甚至双眼，全是一种不自然的白色。只有他身上古式的托加袍、凉鞋和桂冠，是寻常材质。

也许他的身体已被转化成某种异质合金；也许那是一种停滞效应，将他的身体固定在时空之中。无论如何，他始终双手交叠在背后，仿佛一位巡视新领土的征服者。

随后，他注意到了朱莉。

本尼立刻挡在她面前，一边用身体护住她，一边举起枪。“躲我后面，夫人！”

象牙般的男人饶有兴味地打量着两人。他的眼神让朱莉想起秃鹫俯视垂死的骆驼；想起杀手在最后一击前，玩弄自己的猎物。

“科斯塔女士？”他看着朱莉问道。嗓音低沉，充满威严。

“你他妈到底是谁？”本尼愤怒地吼道。

“朱庇特·奥古斯都。”男人答道。

“你也敢拿神的名字自称？”本尼怒吼着，端起霰弹枪冲向那个基因者，抵近开火。这一枪足以把普通人打得四分五裂。

可弹丸击中对方胸口的瞬间，只是被撞得扁平。

“不。当然不是。”

象牙般的男人左手一挥，反手抽向本尼。手指穿过本尼的身体，如同铁剑划破纸张；相撞的瞬间，血肉与骨骼都变得如泥土一般脆弱。这一巴掌将他的脑袋从身上扯了下来，头颅和躯体一同飞向侧面。只一击，农夫便丢了性命。

“我就是神。”

朱莉被这血淋淋的一幕吓得僵在原地。

身为生物化学家的她，对流血和暴力已经多少有些习惯，可她从未见过如此漫不经心的残暴。那个男人杀死她朋友时，毫不比拍死一只苍蝇更在意。

而现在，那个变态正盯着她。

操纵闪电，还有某种超级力量。同时拥有两种能力。

一个疯魔。

不。不是疯魔。尽管他自大地口出狂言，朱莉却没在这个恶毒男人眼里看见半点疯狂。他没有对其他基因者鲜血的渴望。她只看见了嘲弄的傲慢，以及对人命冷血的漠视。

“跪下。”他命令道。

可朱莉被复仇的怒火攫住，径直冲向这个卑劣的男人，左手狠狠拍在他的脸颊上。他丝毫没有阻拦，任由她发动能力。

她从未用自己的能力伤害过人，但对这个怪物，她愿意破例。她要让他的DNA崩解，摧毁他的器官。让他付出代价。

毫无反应。

没有任何反馈。

那个……那个东西无视了她的能力。她的能力甚至没把他识别为活物。

“我不是在请求你。”男人说着，抬手作掌刀状，对准了她的左肩。

朱莉还没反应过来发生了什么，他的手便像切黄油一般切进了她的身体，斩断胳膊，将她劈得跪倒在地。前所未有的剧痛窜过每一根神经，鲜血从血管中喷涌如雨。她发出痛苦的哀号，身体渐渐麻木、冰冷。

“真令人遗憾。”怪物说，声音里却没有半分惋惜，“要是你懂礼数，我或许还能留你一命。我并不以杀戮天选者为乐。尤其是一个年轻的寡妇。”

“为什么……”朱莉挣扎着抵抗剧痛与休克，“你想……把那些作物据为己有？”

“作物？”奥古斯都挑起眉毛，瞥了一眼她的园圃，“那些作物怎么了？”

他……他不知道？那又是为什么？

为什么？

“回答我。”凶手命令朱莉，连看都懒得看她一眼。在他眼里，她已经是个死人。

“它们……”朱莉忽然想起了还在睡觉的朱莉娅。要是能分散这个怪物的注意力，也许……也许女儿就能逃走。“它们能在……有毒、有辐射的环境里生存……它们能……让所有人吃饱……帮我们救……救所有人……你得……”

“能让所有人吃饱的作物？”他突然来了兴趣，望向园圃，“温柔的人有福了，因为他们必承受地土。”

如果……如果这些作物能保住，那么……

“你被骗了。”奥古斯都轻声嘲弄着她，双眼电光闪烁，“温柔的人，什么也得不到。”

他用一道赤红的闪电轰中园圃，将其点燃。

小麦、玉米，朱莉花费多年心血培育的所有基因改良作物……全部成果，顷刻间化为灰烬。

亲眼目睹丈夫被活活烧死后，朱莉本以为自己再也不会尖叫了。可她还是叫出了声。眼看希望的种子葬身火海，她发出了绝望的嘶喊。

“这些灵药将未来送到了我手中。”象牙般的男人沉浸在思绪里，“那些未被选中的人承受不住这份力量，只有我，将它的潜力发挥到了极致。这就证明了命运对我家族的厚爱；等这场试炼淘汰了不配的人，我们便注定要统治地球，统治新人类。”

他终于屈尊低头看向朱莉，高大的身躯将她笼罩在可怖的阴影里。

“要我说，”奥古斯都的语气轻柔而安详，“这颗星球挨的核弹还不够多。”

“为什么？”朱莉与失血和彻底的绝望抗争，哀求着一个答案，“我们……我们到底……对你做了什么？”

象牙般的男人兀自笑了，似乎觉得这个问题有些好笑。但他还是回应了她的请求。“从前有一只永远不会被捉住的狐狸，于是，一位国王派出一条命中注定能抓住任何猎物的狗去追它。朱庇特见到这个悖论，便将这两只动物从世上移除，化作了星座。”

“你在说什——”

“这就是原因。”奥古斯都答道，满意地瞥了一眼她死去的丈夫，“我所做的，就是从世上消除一个悖论。不可阻挡的力量，不能与不可撼动的物体共存。”

一个不受伤害的人，容不下一把无物不破的利刃。

这个野蛮、残忍的怪物杀了她丈夫，杀了那个从未伤害过任何人的善良男人，仅仅因为他有朝一日可能成为威胁？

“你害怕……”朱莉怒视着他，“你就那么怕死？”

奥古斯都眼中燃起傲慢受辱的怒火。他举起双手，在朱莉头顶握成双拳。脸上那副伪装的神明般安详已荡然无存，只剩来自地狱的、恶魔般的暴怒。

他的双拳如重锤般砸向朱莉的头颅，一切归于黑暗。

---

接下来的几分钟，奥古斯都在农场里四处搜寻幸存者。科斯塔家那个女人的血从他手上滴落，将象牙般的肌肤染得通红。

找到一个，他便用闪电杀死一个。不分男女。这是他在卡莫拉时学到的道理：不能留下任何活口，让他们日后找自己的血亲寻仇。

人没了，问题也就没了。

何况，为了经营好名声，他已经投入了足够多的资源。没必要让谁讲些令人不安的故事，损害他对外营造的形象。

这个基因者并不特别享受这一切。他只是在保护家人，免遭未来的报复。据奥古斯都所知，他自己或许不受伤害，可血亲们不是；即使每个人都服过一支灵药，他们依然会死。身为奥古斯蒂家族的族长，这位未来的意大利皇帝不觉得有必要冒险。

但他也不为这场屠杀后悔。这个聚居地赖以建立的理念，本身就令他厌恶。

基因者生来是为了统治旧人类，而不是服侍他们。末日是给全人类的试炼，是一场大清洗，要清除毒害欧洲已久的腐朽、懈怠和自以为理应享有一切的心态。让所有人吃饱，只会把人惯坏，让他们不再奋起迎接挑战。

基因者被选中统治新世界，就像众神曾从奥林匹斯山上指引人类一样。凡人之中，只有凭本事与效劳证明自己配得上的，才能获得擢升。唯有最出色的人能得到灵药，正式入门。其他人活着，就是为了侍奉和进贡。

活命的资格应该靠自己挣来，而不是白白赐予。

可惜，那个女人看不懂这么简单的道理。

清完地面上的活口后，奥古斯都走向谷仓，对牛羊视而不见。这里想必臭气熏天，可自从服下那两支灵药，他就再也闻不到任何气味。他也不需要呼吸、进食或饮水。味觉和触觉全都消失了，甚至连爱妻的拥抱都不能再带给他任何欢愉。

就连他的头发和胡须，自那天起也没再动过。

这就是无敌之身的重负。它甚至能保护这个基因者不受其他灵药影响，让他无法服下第三支。不过，奥古斯都可以接受。上天已经足够眷顾他了，而上天厌恶贪婪。

意大利人民曾建立过地球上最伟大、最繁荣的帝国；带领他们重现荣耀，正是奥古斯都的天命。

在能力的引导下，这个基因者在后方找到一扇隐蔽的地板活门，徒手将它扯了下来。动手时，他发现自己那不可穿透的肌肤上粘着一点科斯塔家那个女人的脑浆。奥古斯都满不在乎地把它擦掉，不过血迹还得专门清洗才能除去。

他沿着木梯走下去，来到谷仓下方的地下室。这一层大部分地方似乎都是卧室，用来将聚居地中弱小的成员安置在隐蔽处。在这样的乱世，这是明智的选择。奥古斯都略过空房间，停在唯一有人住的那间门前。

最后一个幸存者就藏在那里。

军阀缓缓推开门，走进一间小小的儿童卧室。屋里没有灯光，奥古斯都便用一道电流点亮了灯泡，照亮房间。墙壁刷成蓝色，床单下蜷缩着一个小小的身影。

“我看见你了，孩子。我知道你没睡。”

奥古斯都能感知一切形式的电。虽然无法操控微弱的电流，但他很容易就能察觉活物的存在。流经神经的电能，会暴露它们的位置。

那孩子是个最多三岁的小女孩，她从床单后面偷偷探出头，被这个走进自己卧室的陌生男人吓坏了。她有着海蓝色的眼睛，棕色的头发。

奥古斯都审视着孩子，在她的五官里认出了先前那些受害者的影子。墨丘利提醒过他，科斯塔夫妇有个女儿，但军阀没想到她会这么小。

“嘘……”奥古斯都坐到床边，“你母亲怀上你时，她和你父亲已经有异能了吗？”

女孩什么也没说，吓得连声音都发不出来。不过，奥古斯都检查着流过她体内的奇异电流，那与普通人截然不同。他认出了她的身份：基因者。第二代天选者。

“哪怕你只有一点点可能继承父亲的能力，”奥古斯都和蔼地抚摸着她的头发，“我也不能让你活下去。”

女孩哭了起来，基因者伸手捂住她的嘴，不让她出声。很快就会结束。他只需用闪电将她活活电焦，或者拧断她的脖子。一瞬间的、仁慈的死亡。若是活下来，她肯定会想尽自己的本分，替父母报仇。

不如现在就杀了，免得将来成为麻烦。

然而，望着那双蓝眼睛，这个黑帮分子还是不由得生出了一丝羞愧。如此陌生的情绪不该存在于他心中，他却怎么也抹不掉。

“你让我想起我的女儿。”孩子泪流满面，奥古斯都坦言道，“她的眼睛和你一样。”

杀一个孩子，奥古斯都毫无顾忌，只要不是自己的孩子。可当这个女孩望向他时，他却觉得自己正要掐死亲生骨肉。即便伸手遮住她的眼睛，也不能让他心安。

仔细想想……他的副手兼好友玛尔斯最近提起过一个麻烦。而这个孩子，恰好能轻易解决那个问题。也许这是上天的启示。

众神固然残忍，却也可以施予仁慈。

“我不会杀你。”

奥古斯都轻轻抱起哭泣的小崽子，沿楼梯走了上去。他的双手，仍染着她母亲的鲜血。

“我想到个更好的办法。”