同章对照

Lightning Butt’s burns ached on Ryan’s chest, as he parked the Plymouth Fury west of New Rome.

Triton’s Resort was a large complex on a small hill, built between the infamous Colosseum Maximus and Little Lilith, the city’s red-light district. Glass domes and tall white spires coexisted with elevated pleasure gardens, tennis courts, and thermal pools, while the wealthiest clients could enjoy an unbeatable view of New Rome’s coast. Like almost all properties owned by the Augusti, it embraced a Roman architectural style. Statues of Venus and Mars— the gods, not the Genomes—made love on a fountain, right next to the parking lot. Clients walked in through different entrances, based on their status; most of the clientele walked through a large yet elegant stone archway, while VIPs used a glass elevator to skip straight to the higher floors.

Ryan had traded his bathrobe for his usual clothes, though he wore no mask or hat for once. Livia sat at his side, wearing a blue skirt dress that left her legs and back exposed. A silver necklace glittered around her neck, and a white rose ribbon kept her hair bound. She looked great, but Ryan thought she could wear anything and still dazzle him.

“I should come over to your place from now on,” she said out of the blue.

No kidding. “I could get used to the shock treatment,” Ryan mused, but it didn’t make her smile. “Or how about we rent something and move in?”

“We should wait a few months to go down that step, yes?” She giggled. “Ryan, if you think you have seen my father angry, then imagine him with empty nest syndrome. It’s better I go home after our dates from now on.”

“What was your dad even doing standing motionless in the kitchen? Asserting his dominance over the pastries?”

Her gaze turned distant. “Dad is… not well. Sometimes he doesn’t move for hours.”

“Because of his tumor?” She nodded sadly. “That’s why he rarely leaves his house anymore, am I right?”

“I… I would rather not talk about this right now. I would rather talk about us.” Livia sheepishly joined her fingers, hesitating a few seconds before asking a question. “What will we be, Ryan?”

“Someone asked me that before,” he replied, thinking of Jasmine with nostalgia. “Back then, I answered a summer fling.”

Livia frowned at him. “I don’t want us to be a summer fling.”

“Me neither.”

Once, Ryan had been afraid of intimate romantic relationships, and the commitment that came with them. The pain that followed their destruction each time he reset cut deep. But for the first time since he had gained his power, he had a partner that would remember him. Someone with whom he could build a relationship lasting through several loops. It was… exhilarating in its newness. Frightening, even.

He carefully took her hand into his own, and lost himself in her beautiful blue eyes. “Livia, do you want to be my girlfriend, until time tears us apart?”

A pinkish blush spread below her eyes. “You should have asked me that before we slept together, no? You skipped a lot of steps.”

“And now I’m doing things by the book.”

It pleased the princess, he could tell, but her response wasn’t what he had expected. “My answer is no, Ryan.”

The courier opened his mouth in shock. “Come again?”

“I want to be your girlfriend until we decide to break up, if we ever choose to,” Livia declared, her face turning stubborn even though her words were music to Ryan’s ears. “Not until your power resets everything. I want a serious relationship.”

“Livia, you know I will have to reset again? What if I die early, or we can’t transfer your mind back easily?” Ryan cleared his throat. “I want something that lasts too, but… well, there’s always the possibility an unforeseen death ruins it all.”

“People risk dying all the time, and yet they still make plans for the future, Ryan. Our relationship might need more work, logistics-wise, but we will find a way to strengthen it. I am sure of it.”

Ryan could tell that she wouldn’t budge on the matter, so he did it right this time. “Livia Augusti, do you want to be my girlfriend?”

“There, you have it,” she said with a beautiful, heartwarming smile. “Yes I do, Ryan.”

And so, Quicksave was no longer single.

“This changes everything,” Ryan said, breaking the hand contact to search for a notebook and a pen he hid in his coat.

“What is this?” Livia asked, as he opened the notebook.

“My to-do list of objectives before I achieve my Perfect Run. After my last presidential mandate, I thought I should write down all my campaign promises to keep track of them.” Ryan scratched the ‘Fuck the Sun’ line, right between the ‘Kill Psypsy’ and ‘Marry Yuki’ ones. “I’m updating the list to account for my newfound monogamy.”

Curious like a cat, Livia tried to look at the content, but her boyfriend kept the notebook out of reach. “Give it to me, I want to know!”

“No, that’s private!”

“Give it to me, Ryan,” she insisted.

“No!” He felt a chill going down his spine. “No, no don’t you dar—”

---

Livia skipped time forward, and when Ryan regained consciousness, she had stolen the list and his pen. “So that’s how it feels when I mess with people in frozen time, uh,” he complained. “Are you happy now?”

“A good boyfriend doesn’t keep anything from his partner,” she replied, before frowning at what she read. “‘Marry Jamie and Ki-jung’?”

“I only planned to marry Jamie at first, but since he’s going to propose to Ki-jung soon, I thought bigamy was the only sensible solution.”

It seemed to make sense to her, but then the next item on the list made Livia glare at him. “‘Fuck the Vamp and live through it’? Seriously?”

“I have a revenge to take.”

“She isn’t that good.” Livia was at her cutest when she was jealous.

“How do you know that?” Ryan asked while squinting.

“Because I do,” his girlfriend replied before removing that plan from the list, the way a dictator signed an execution order. In fact, she barred all the ‘Fuck’ and ‘Marry’ goals of the list, except those involving her. A couple’s life was made of sacrifices.

“You truly made a plan for your final loop,” Livia said, as she kept reading. “Though I’m a bit worried by the ‘Kill’ list.”

“Well, at first I only wanted to find Len, but I kept adding new objectives,” Ryan admitted. “It’s not my fault if this city crawls with assholes who need to be put down.”

“Mmm… ‘Bully Luigi,’ ‘Save New Rome,’ ‘Take over the Meta-gang,’ ‘Cure the Psycho condition,’ ‘Blow up the Bliss Factory’…” She frowned. “‘Prevent the Leporimachia?’ Is that even a real word?”

“I’m working on that one.”

Livia waited for him to elaborate, but skipped to the next objective when he didn’t. She grinned ear to ear. “‘Reconcile Wyvern and Vulcan?’ Now, you’re asking for the impossible.”

“It happened once, though it took the city’s destruction for it.” Ryan thought that though he couldn’t date Vulcan due to his promise to Jasmine, he could at least help the Genius turn her life around.

“We can’t let things progress that far,” Livia replied. “I’m kidding, they can reconcile.”

“You’ve seen it happen?”

“All it takes is Wyvern approaching Vulcan and ‘apologizing’ to her former partner. She does so after rethinking her choices, usually after Dynamis collapses.”

“So, we can steal two cashmere suits with one gun?”

She frowned at him, suddenly interested. “Does Dynamis have a red suit in storage?”

“You will look great in it.”

“I think so too.” Livia skimmed through the list, from the ‘Free Len from her father’s shadow’ to ‘Bury my daddy issues,’ before frowning. “‘Find the Alchemist’s base in Antarctica’?”

“I saw it in the Purple World, but I don’t know where exactly,” Ryan said. Truth be told, he had wondered if this vision had been a coincidence. The Violet Ultimate One had left hints to help the courier, so perhaps it wanted the time-traveler to visit this base for some unknown purpose. “Some kind of fortress buried in snow and ice.”

Livia considered the matter thoughtfully. “Now that I think of it…” she whispered to herself. “Could it be Station Orpheon?”

“Station Orpheon?”

“A story Bacchus told me about the Alchemist,” Livia replied, before dropping a bomb. “He was investigating her before Last Easter, and she twisted him.”

“Her?” The Alchemist was a girl? And here Ryan thought she might have been a lizardman, or a grey martian! “You know a guy who met the Alchemist, and you never told me?”

“I didn’t think it was important?” she replied, a little embarrassed. “Thing is, Ryan, my power cannot look into the Alchemist. I’ve tried before, but I can’t find a world where I have interacted with her… if she’s even a human woman at all.”

“She could have a power similar to mine.”

“Maybe. I’m sorry, I’m blind here. Dad wanted to track her down too, but eventually abandoned that plan after years of fruitless investigation. Bacchus himself wasn’t much help either. All he cares about is Bliss and contacting his ‘God’... whose nature I now understand better, thanks to you.”

“An Ultimate One?” Ryan had reached the same conclusion after his talk with Darkling. Bacchus had called God ‘it’ and thought psychotropics capable of affecting even Genomes could help make contact with it. It didn’t take a Genius to figure it out. “What do you mean by ‘she twisted him’?”

“He wasn’t always…” Livia struggled to find the word.

“Obsessive?” Ryan suggested.

“Deranged, though he hides it well. According to Dad, he used to be well-adjusted before the Alchemist got to him. Afterward, hallucinogens and later Bliss became his life.” His girlfriend shook her head. “Even the tales he says are quite confusing.”

“Will he tell them to me too, if I confess my sins? For my heart is full of wicked deeds.”

“No, I don’t think so, but you could compare notes and find out.” Livia smiled. “I have never been to Antarctica. It must be a beautiful place.”

“Wanna make it our next stop for our winter vacations?”

“Now you think like a true boyfriend.” She flipped the notebook’s page, before blushing upon finding the last objective on the to-do list.

‘Make Livia happy.’

Livia looked at Ryan with a pleased face, adjusting her hair. “What, are you surprised?” the courier asked his girlfriend, his fingers brushing against her red cheek. “You’re part of my Perfect Run too.”

“It’s a good list, Ryan,” she said, before hastily scribbling a new line. “But you forgot one task.”

Ryan frowned, as she gave him back the notebook and the pen with a new objective.

Be happy too.

“I thought it would come naturally,” he said while putting his items back inside his trench coat.

“Ryan, almost all the objectives in the list are about helping other people, but never yourself,” Livia said. “That’s very noble of you, but you have to take your happiness into account too. No more suicides will be a start.”

“What? But a glorious death is half the fun of a loop!” Ryan protested. “Do you realize how many people fail their lives, but make a success of their death?”

“If you reload by dying, then it makes you value your life less. We’ll find a better, painless way for you to turn back time. Also, no more drugs. I’ve seen the stuff you keep in your car, and it has to go.”

“But—”

“No more drugs,” his girlfriend insisted. “I’m going to clean up your life, whether you want it or not. You will embrace a healthier lifestyle.”

“If you try to make me a vegetarian, I’m dumping you.”

She raised an eyebrow in a way that Ryan found positively obscene. “You are welcome to taste my flesh anytime.”

“I don’t taste,” he answered, breathing on her neck. “I bite.”

She turned scarlet at his insolence. “You have gone too far, Ryan,” Livia said, unable to hide her embarrassment. “I have to punish you.”

“Mistress is welcome to whip me anytime.”

“I had something else in mind.”

Her lips shyly brushed against his own, the contact so brief it might have been a dream. It tasted of strawberry, of her perfume and summer. She quickly pulled back, red as if she had never kissed a boy before.

“You stole my first kiss!” Ryan responded with false shock. “I was saving myself for Felix!”

She exploded into laughter, and Ryan had never heard a more wonderful sound. He put his hand in her hair, and the other on her waist as he pulled her closer.

He let Livia steal his second kiss, and then his third and fourth. Afterward, the burn on his chest ached, and she put a finger on his lips. “We will take a bath together after patching you up,” she said, her forehead against his own. “I have a private spot in the resort. You will love it.”

“Braindead should arrive today,” Ryan pointed out. The plan was to torch the Junkyard and bury the bunker’s open entrance after the Genius arrived, to make it look as if the Meta-Gang had fled the city.

“He will, but in the evening,” Livia said, her voice soft and soothing. “Until then, you are mine.”

He couldn’t tell his lady no.

Ryan offered Livia his arm as they exited the car, his girlfriend squeezed it tight. The mafia princess liked it very much when he played the gentleman. They bypassed the bouncers and took the elevator, Livia resting her head on her boyfriend’s shoulder as they moved up the floors.

After passing by marble corridors, the couple made their way into a mix between a parlor and a doctor’s waiting room. Overstuffed, comfy leather chairs allowed one to rest while watching colorful tapestries and portraits of celebrities new and old. In fact, the staff included copies of Scarlett Johansson, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio, but though they had the actors’ faces, they had none of the natural, easy charm.

A tall man greeted them, an Italian George Clooney with familiar blue eyes and a white beard. “Livia,” he said, wearing a black suit more expensive than most houses. Ryan immediately identified his voice as Mars’, Atom Kitty and Fortuna’s father. “Who is this young, gallant man with you?”

“Luca, this is my boyfriend, Ryan,” Livia paraded the courier. “Ryan, this is Luca Veran, Fortuna’s father.”

“My condolences,” the courier said. “I admire your bravery, to have raised her without going mad.”

“My wife bears the lion’s share of the blame, as far as her education goes.” If Mars was bothered to see his son’s ex-girlfriend with another man, he didn’t show it. In fact, he warmly shook Ryan’s hand as if he were an old friend. “Does Janus know?”

Instead of answering, Ryan lifted his shirt to show the burns beneath, causing Mars to explode into laughter. “That’s what I expected,” he said. “I assume you came to see my wife to remove the scars?”

“Her, and Fortuna, if she’s here,” Livia said.

“No, she said she’s spending time with that mystery boyfriend of hers.” Mars frowned at the couple. “Do you know if he has powers?”

He didn’t sound so friendly anymore. “He can disappear at will,” Ryan said. “Though pigeons are his kryptonite.”

“Oh, good,” Mars said, sounding greatly relieved. “Fortuna seems to be taking this relationship seriously, and I was worried that she might frequent the wrong kind of person.”

Livia answered with a forced smile. “I am not sure if he is the right person for her, but you know Fortuna, she does as she wills.”

“Like her brother,” Mars said with a chuckle. “I wonder how Narcinia managed to turn out so dutiful with such unruly siblings.”

Because you murdered her parents and abducted her as a babe, Ryan thought, Livia’s arm tightening around his own. She had sensed his unease. “When is Narcinia returning from Ischia island?” the princess asked Mars with courtesy. She probably already knew the answer with her power, but pretended not to for the sake of conversation. “It has been a long time since I met her.”

“She will return on the fourteenth, to attend the meeting scheduled on the fifteenth.” Mars glanced at Ryan, frowning upon realizing he knew what they were talking about. “Are you… you know, one of us?”

“I cut horse heads for a living,” the courier said, and to his joy Mars seemed to understand the reference. “They never run fast enough.”

“Will you make me an offer I cannot refuse?” Mars replied with a warm smile. “Perhaps we could invite you two for dinner, when Narcinia returns? She needs new friends closer to her age, and I think she will become fond of you, Ryan.”

“With pleasure,” Livia replied with a smile, though her grip on Ryan’s arm tightened.

Mars took his leave afterward, pretending that he needed to attend to other business. Ryan on the comfy chair, and Livia on his lap. “Is this place bugged?” he whispered into his girlfriend’s ear.

“Yes, but not my suite,” she replied with the same low tone. “Wait a little.”

Andrea Julani-Veran, alias Venus, received them afterward in an immaculate surgery room. She was a beautiful woman in her early forties, and a grown-up version of her daughter Fortuna. Clad in a regal white dress and keeping her golden hair braided, she wouldn’t have looked out of place on a Playboy Magazine’s cover.

Ryan noticed that she didn’t have an operation table, simply a warm bed where the courier laid while the fashion model raised his shirt. Venus touched his chest with her thumb, and the burns vanished as if they had never existed in a green flash of light.

“Done,” Venus said with a professional smile.

“I have a scar on my left butt cheek, can you remove it too?” Ryan asked.

“No, I like it,” Livia said coyly, “I like the noise you make when I pinch it.”

Venus looked between the two of them, and unlike her husband, didn’t hide her displeasure. “Do you have news of Felix?” she asked Livia, emphasizing the name.

“No,” Livia replied dryly, as Ryan put his shirt back on and returned to her side. “He will not come back.”

“Maybe he will,” Venus said, eyeing Ryan warily. He could tell she would have preferred to have her own blood date Augustus’ heir, but she had no second son to offer. “Or if not, we will take him back. When will your father give the order to destroy the Manada clan once and for all?”

“I do not know,” Livia replied evasively, though Ryan knew she meant: never, if I have my way. “But we can discuss that on the fifteenth.”

“Certainly,” Venus replied with a smile Ryan found rather disturbing. “Will you take the lovers’ suite, as usual?”

“Yes, of course,” Livia said, to the older woman’s displeasure. Venus gave them a keycard, and watched them leave the parlor in silence. Ryan could feel her glare on his back, and no doubt she already plotted to have him removed for ‘usurping’ her son’s position. Clearly, she was deadlier than her husband, but the courier had survived far worse.

Livia led him to a VIP suite on the fifth floor of the resort, a tastefully decorated apartment with its own private Jacuzzi bath. The floor and walls were made of wood, but sleek, modern appliances were cleverly hidden in sliding compartments. Stained glass picture windows provided a marvelous view of New Rome’s beaches and the sea beyond, while some of Livia’s paintings adorned the walls.

Though Livia insisted the place was safe, Ryan still took a moment to check the room for traps and bugs, but didn’t find any. The Jacuzzi's waters were warm when he slid naked inside them, his partner joining afterward.

“I have the feeling we will end up glued together,” Ryan said, when she sat between his legs, her back against his chest. She had kept the silver necklace on, which glittered with the sunlight outside. “Is it safe though? Venus might have infected me with a plague or something.”

“That’s not how her power works,” Livia replied while bubbles rose to the water surface. Ryan had to admit it worked wonders to ease his sore muscles, after the beating he took from Augustus. “She is limited to superficial, aesthetic surgery modifications. She can reshape the skin, the eye colors, the hair, but not scramble your organs.”

“But she could transform my lips and nose into a patch of skin, and asphyxiate me.”

“She could,” she admitted, grinning at him. “But only if she maintains physical contact.”

“Good to know.”

“I don’t want to go to that dinner,” Livia admitted, her head resting on Ryan’s shoulder. “I adore Fortuna and Narcinia, don’t get me wrong, but Venus will try to break us up and Mars will make racist remarks towards normies. You’ll see.”

“Why accept the offer then? You don’t need the parents.” Fortuna couldn’t stand her mother in particular, and Narcinia would probably follow suit upon learning the truth of her parentage. “I mean, we could organize a party at Jamie’s place and invite the Veran sisters there.”

“I have to keep up appearances, if I am to inherit the organization and reform it,” Livia replied. “Mars and Venus are my father’s followers, but I fear I pushed him hard enough as it is. A few smiles will buy us peace of mind.”

Ryan looked at her closely, and put his arms around her waist. He could tell she was thankful for the comfort.

“Is this place a brothel, besides a luxury resort?” he asked her.

Ryan had noticed copycats of actors chatting with clients in a way that seemed… dubious.

“This is the epicenter of New Rome’s prostitution business, yes,” Livia said with a saddened frown. “Venus uses her powers to reshape faces and bodies, to cater to all tastes. Some people are willing to pay fortunes to sleep with their favorite actors… or heroes. I heard the Wyvern double is very popular.”

“Does Vulcan visit her often?” Livia chuckled in response, but didn’t answer. “Do you want me to destroy this place, like the Bliss Factory?”

Her fingers brushed against her silver necklace, her face thoughtful. “Would you do it, if I asked?”

“Yes.” He nuzzled her cheek gently. “Livia, I don’t want you to wear a mask, not even at dinner. If this place and the people that run it make you unhappy, I can tear it down and free you from them.”

“Could you do that bloodlessly?” she asked, her gaze distant.

“I can do anything, given time.”

“But not without sacrifices from your part, and as I told you before… I won’t have you martyr yourself for my sake.” Livia played with her hair. “Truth be told, I’m not sure what to do about this place. Evil things happen here, but most of the resort’s activities are legitimate. What am I to do with the employees that work in the resort for an honest living? I don’t want innocent people to lose their livelihood, Ryan.”

“And what blood sacrifices take place behind closed doors?”

“I know Venus and her husband use the place to get clients addicted to Bliss, for a start,” Livia said grimly. “Or produce dirt and blackmail material.”

“I have a cure for Bliss addiction.” Ryan had been considering introducing it to Ki-jung, since she seemed to still struggle with the temptation.

“You do?” Livia asked, her eyes widening.

“Endorphin blockers,” Ryan said with a shrug. It was the solution he had found back when he ended up addicted to the stuff, back in an old loop. “It’s pretty easy to manufacture with the right equipment. You could create a rehab clinic.”

“That’s an interesting idea, but one that my father won’t like one bit,” Livia said with a frown. “But I will keep it in mind. For now, we can focus on Narcinia’s future.”

In the end, much like with Len, it all came down to her father.

No matter the good Livia wanted to do, as long as Augustus lived, her family’s honest activities would only be a smokescreen for Lightning Butt’s insidious, insane goals. Much like how Bloodstream’s embers of humanity had only served to hide the monster he had transformed into.

There would come a time where Ryan would drag Mob Zeus and his so-called Olympians down from their mountain, to make sure they could no longer threaten anyone.

For her sake.

瑞恩在新罗马西边停好普利茅斯“狂怒”，胸口被闪电屁股灼伤的地方还在隐隐作痛。

特里同度假村是一片坐落在小山丘上的庞大建筑群，位于臭名昭著的马克西穆斯斗兽场与城里的红灯区“小莉莉丝”之间。玻璃穹顶与高耸的白色尖塔，和高台上的游园、网球场、温泉池错落相间；最富有的客人还能在这里欣赏到无与伦比的新罗马海岸景色。和奥古斯蒂名下几乎所有产业一样，这里也采用了罗马建筑风格。停车场旁的喷泉上，维纳斯与玛尔斯的雕像正在交欢——指的是两位神祇，不是那两个基因者。客人按照身份高低从不同的入口进入；大部分人走的是宽敞而优雅的石砌拱门，贵宾则搭乘玻璃电梯，直达高层。

瑞恩已经脱下浴袍，换回了平时的衣服，不过难得没戴面具和帽子。莉维娅坐在他身边，穿着一条露出双腿和后背的蓝色连衣裙。银项链在颈间闪着光，白玫瑰丝带束住了她的头发。她很漂亮，不过瑞恩觉得，无论她穿什么，都能让自己看得目眩神迷。

“以后还是我去你那里吧。”她忽然说。

这还用说。“电击疗法嘛，我也许能慢慢习惯。”瑞恩若有所思地说，可她并没有笑。“要不我们租个地方，搬进去一起住？”

“走到那一步，还是再等几个月，好吗？”她轻笑起来。“瑞恩，你要是觉得已经见识过我父亲发怒的样子，不妨想象一下他患上空巢综合征会怎么样。以后约完会，我还是回家比较好。”

“你爸一动不动地站在厨房里，到底是在干什么？向点心宣示统治权？”

她的目光飘远了。“爸爸的……状况不太好。有时他会几个小时一动不动。”

“因为肿瘤？”她难过地点点头。“所以他现在才很少出门，对吧？”

“我……我现在不太想谈这个。我更想谈谈我们。”莉维娅有些难为情地将手指拢在一起，犹豫了几秒才开口问道：“我们以后算什么，瑞恩？”

“以前也有人这么问过我。”他回答，带着几分怀念想起了贾丝敏。“那时候，我的答案是一段夏日艳遇。”

莉维娅皱眉看着他。“我不想我们只是一段夏日艳遇。”

“我也不想。”

曾经，瑞恩害怕亲密的恋爱关系，也害怕随之而来的承诺。每次重置，这些感情都会毁于一旦，留下深深的伤痛。可自从得到能力以来，这是第一次，他有了一个会记得他的伴侣。他可以和这个人建立一段延续数轮循环的感情。这种新鲜感……令人振奋。甚至有些吓人。

他小心地握住她的手，沉醉在她美丽的蓝眼睛里。“莉维娅，你愿意做我的女朋友，直到时间将我们分开吗？”

她眼下泛起一层浅浅的红晕。“你应该在我们上床之前就问我吧？你跳过了好多步骤。”

“所以我现在来按规矩办事了。”

他看得出，公主很受用，可她的回答却出乎意料。“我的答案是不愿意，瑞恩。”

快递员惊得张大了嘴。“你说什么？”

“我想做你的女朋友，直到我们决定分手——如果我们真有一天会那么决定的话。”莉维娅神情倔强地宣布，而她的话在瑞恩听来却无比悦耳。“不是直到你的能力重置一切。我想认真地谈一场恋爱。”

“莉维娅，你知道我还得再重置吧？要是我提前死了，或者没法顺利把你的意识送回去呢？”瑞恩清了清嗓子。“我也想要一段长久的感情，可是……总有可能来一场意外死亡，把一切都毁掉。”

“人们随时都有丧命的风险，可他们照样会规划未来，瑞恩。我们的感情在具体安排上也许需要多费些功夫，但我们总会找到办法，让它更牢固。我确信这一点。”

瑞恩看得出，她在这件事上不会让步，于是这一次，他把话说对了。“莉维娅·奥古斯蒂，你愿意做我的女朋友吗？”

“这就对了。”她绽开一个美丽而温暖的笑容。“我愿意，瑞恩。”

就这样，快存告别了单身。

“这下什么都不一样了。”瑞恩说着松开她的手，翻找藏在外套里的笔记本和笔。

他翻开本子时，莉维娅问：“这是什么？”

“在实现完美通关之前，我要完成的目标清单。上次总统任期结束以后，我觉得应该把竞选承诺全记下来，免得忘了。”瑞恩划掉了“上太阳”那一条，它正好夹在“干掉心心”和“娶由纪”之间。“鉴于我刚刚开始奉行一夫一妻制，得更新一下清单。”

莉维娅好奇得像只猫，想看看上面的内容，可男朋友把本子举到了她够不着的地方。“给我，我想知道！”

“不行，这是隐私！”

“给我，瑞恩。”她坚持道。

“不！”他感到一阵寒意顺着脊背滑下。“不，不，你敢——”

---

莉维娅让时间向前跳了一段。瑞恩恢复意识时，她已经偷走了清单和笔。“原来我在暂停的时间里捉弄别人，他们就是这种感觉啊。”他抱怨道。“这下满意了？”

“好男朋友不会瞒着伴侣任何事。”她回答，随后看着本子皱起了眉。“‘娶杰米和基贞’？”

“一开始我只打算娶杰米，可他很快就要向基贞求婚了，所以我觉得，重婚才是唯一合理的解决办法。”

她似乎觉得这说得通，可清单上的下一项却让莉维娅瞪起了他。“‘上妖姬，而且活下来’？认真的？”

“我有个仇得报。”

“她床上没那么厉害。”莉维娅吃醋的时候最可爱。

“你怎么知道？”瑞恩眯起眼睛问。

“我就是知道。”女朋友答完，便把这项计划划掉了，架势宛如独裁者签署处决令。事实上，清单里所有关于“上床”和“结婚”的目标都被她划掉了，只有与她有关的除外。两个人过日子，总得有所牺牲。

“你还真给最后一轮循环做了计划。”莉维娅继续往下读。“不过这份‘必杀名单’让我有点担心。”

“嗯，最开始我只是想找到蕾恩，后来就不断有新目标加进来。”瑞恩承认。“这座城里到处都是该弄死的混蛋，又不是我的错。”

“嗯……‘欺负路易吉’、‘拯救新罗马’、‘接管超能帮’、‘治好疯魔症状’、‘炸掉极乐工厂’……”她皱起眉。“‘阻止兔神之战’？真有这个词吗？”

“这一项我还在研究。”

莉维娅等着他解释，见他不说，便跳到了下一个目标。她笑得合不拢嘴。“‘让双足飞龙和伏尔甘和解’？这下你可真是在强求不可能的事了。”

“有一次成了，不过代价是整座城市被毁。”瑞恩觉得，虽然碍于对贾丝敏的承诺，他不能和伏尔甘交往，但至少可以帮这位天才改变人生。

“我们不能让事情发展到那一步。”莉维娅回答。“我开玩笑的，她们可以和解。”

“你看见过？”

“只要双足飞龙主动去找伏尔甘，向这位前搭档‘道歉’就够了。她重新审视自己的选择之后就会这么做，通常是在迪纳米斯垮台以后。”

“所以，我们能用一把枪抢两套羊绒西装？”

她皱眉看着他，忽然来了兴趣。“迪纳米斯的仓库里有红色西装吗？”

“你穿上一定很好看。”

“我也这么想。”莉维娅浏览着清单，从‘让蕾恩走出父亲的阴影’看到‘埋葬我的老爸情结’，随后皱起了眉。“‘找到炼金术师在南极的基地’？”

“我在紫色世界里见过，但不知道具体在哪儿。”瑞恩说。说实话，他曾经怀疑，那段幻象究竟是不是巧合。紫色终极者留下过帮助快递员的线索，所以也许它出于某种未知的目的，想让这个时间旅行者去一趟那座基地。“一座埋在冰雪里的堡垒之类的东西。”

莉维娅认真思索起来。“这么一想……”她喃喃自语。“难道是奥菲昂站？”

“奥菲昂站？”

“巴克斯跟我讲过一个关于炼金术师的故事。”莉维娅回答，接着抛下了一颗重磅炸弹。“最后的复活节之前，他就在调查她，结果她把他变成了如今这副样子。”

“她？”炼金术师是个女的？瑞恩还以为她可能是蜥蜴人，或者灰色火星人呢！“你认识一个见过炼金术师的人，却从来没告诉我？”

“我没觉得这件事很重要？”她回答，有点不好意思。“问题是，瑞恩，我的能力看不到炼金术师。我以前试过，可找不到任何一个我和她有过接触的世界……前提是她真的是个人类女性的话。”

“她可能有和我类似的能力。”

“也许吧。抱歉，在这件事上我什么也看不见。爸爸也想找到她，可调查了好几年都一无所获，最后还是放弃了。巴克斯本人也没帮上多少忙。他在乎的只有极乐，以及和他的‘神’取得联系……多亏了你，我现在对那个‘神’的本质有了更深的认识。”

“一位终极者？”和暗灵谈过之后，瑞恩也得出了同样的结论。巴克斯用“它”来称呼神，还认为那些甚至能对基因者起效的精神活性药物，可以帮他与它建立联系。不是天才也能想明白。“你说‘她把他变成了如今这副样子’，是什么意思？”

“他不是一直都这么……”莉维娅努力寻找合适的词。

“偏执？”瑞恩提议。

“精神失常，只是他掩饰得很好。听爸爸说，炼金术师对他下手之前，他一直是个挺正常的人。那之后，他的人生就只剩下了致幻剂，后来又变成了极乐。”女朋友摇摇头。“连他讲的那些故事都很混乱。”

“要是我向他忏悔罪过，他也会讲给我听吗？毕竟我这颗心里满是恶行。”

“不会吧，我觉得不会。不过你可以跟他交流一下，看看能不能问出来。”莉维娅笑了。“我从没去过南极。那里一定很美。”

“要不要把那里定成我们冬季度假的下一站？”

“这才像个真正的男朋友会想的事。”她翻过一页，看见待办清单的最后一个目标，脸红了。

‘让莉维娅幸福。’

莉维娅理了理头发，满脸欢喜地看着瑞恩。“怎么，很意外？”快递员问女朋友，手指轻轻拂过她泛红的脸颊。“我的完美通关里，也有你。”

“这份清单很好，瑞恩。”她说着，飞快地添了一行。“不过你漏了一项任务。”

她把笔和本子还给瑞恩。看着上面新增的目标，他皱起了眉。

自己也要幸福。

“我以为那是自然而然的事。”他说着，把东西收回风衣里。

“瑞恩，清单上几乎所有目标都是在帮别人，却没想着帮帮你自己。”莉维娅说。“这很高尚，但你也得把自己的幸福考虑进去。先从不再自杀开始吧。”

“什么？壮烈牺牲可是循环的一半乐趣！”瑞恩抗议。“你知不知道，有多少人活得失败，却死得成功？”

“如果你靠死亡来读档，就会越来越不珍惜自己的生命。我们要找一种更好、也不会痛苦的办法，让你倒转时间。还有，不许再碰毒品。我看见你车里藏的东西了，必须扔掉。”

“可是——”

“不许再碰毒品。”女朋友坚持道。“不管你愿不愿意，我都要把你的生活好好收拾一遍。你得过得健康些。”

“你要是想让我吃素，我就甩了你。”

她挑起一边眉毛，那神情在瑞恩看来实在是风骚得很。“你随时都可以尝尝我的肉。”

“我不尝。”他朝她颈间呵着气，回答道。“我咬。”

他这番放肆的话让她满脸通红。“你太过分了，瑞恩。”莉维娅说，怎么也藏不住羞意。“我得惩罚你。”

“欢迎女主人随时鞭打我。”

“我想的是另一种办法。”

她的唇羞涩地轻触他的嘴唇，短暂得仿佛只是一场梦。那滋味里有草莓，有她的香水，还有夏天。她很快便退开，脸红得像是从没吻过男孩。

“你偷走了我的初吻！”瑞恩故作震惊。“我还要为菲利克斯守身如玉呢！”

她放声笑了起来，瑞恩从没听过比这更美妙的声音。他一只手伸进她的发间，另一只手揽住她的腰，将她拉近。

他任由莉维娅偷走自己的第二个吻，接着是第三个、第四个。随后，胸口的灼伤疼了起来，她便用一根手指按住他的嘴唇。“等把你的伤治好了，我们一起泡个澡。”她额头抵着他的额头，说道。“我在度假村里有个私人的地方。你会喜欢的。”

“脑残应该今天到。”瑞恩提醒道。按照计划，等那位天才抵达，他们就放火烧掉废料场，把地堡敞开的入口埋起来，伪装成超能帮已经逃离了这座城市。

“他会来的，不过要到晚上。”莉维娅的声音轻柔而抚慰人心。“在那之前，你是我的。”

他没法对心上人说不。

下车时，瑞恩向莉维娅伸出手臂，女朋友紧紧挽住了他。这位黑帮公主很喜欢他扮绅士的样子。他们绕过门卫，搭上电梯。电梯一层层上升，莉维娅把头靠在男朋友的肩膀上。

穿过几条大理石走廊，两人来到一个介于会客室与诊所候诊室之间的地方。填得鼓鼓的舒适皮椅供人休息，坐在上面还能欣赏色彩鲜艳的挂毯，以及新老名人的肖像。事实上，工作人员里就有斯嘉丽·约翰逊、布拉德·皮特和莱昂纳多·迪卡普里奥的翻版，但他们虽然长着那些演员的脸，却没有那份自然从容的魅力。

一个高大的男人迎了上来，像个意大利版的乔治·克鲁尼，有一双熟悉的蓝眼睛和白胡须。“莉维娅。”他说道，身上的黑西装比大多数房子还贵。瑞恩立刻听出，这是玛尔斯的声音——原子猫咪和福尔图娜的父亲。“和你一起来的这位年轻绅士是谁？”

“卢卡，这是我的男朋友，瑞恩。”莉维娅颇为得意地介绍着快递员。“瑞恩，这是卢卡·韦兰，福尔图娜的父亲。”

“节哀。”快递员说。“把她养大还能不疯，您的勇气令我敬佩。”

“说到她的教养，大半责任要怪我妻子。”如果玛尔斯介意儿子的前女友跟了别的男人，他也没有表露出来。事实上，他热情地握住瑞恩的手，仿佛见到了老朋友。“雅努斯知道吗？”

瑞恩没有回答，而是掀起上衣，露出底下的灼伤。玛尔斯顿时大笑起来。“我就知道。”他说。“你们是来找我妻子消除疤痕的吧？”

“找她，也找福尔图娜，如果她在的话。”莉维娅说。

“她不在，说是要陪那个神秘的男朋友。”玛尔斯皱眉看着这对情侣。“你们知道他有没有能力吗？”

他的声音不再那么友善了。“他能随时消失。”瑞恩说。“不过鸽子是他的氪石。”

“哦，那就好。”玛尔斯听上去大大松了一口气。“福尔图娜似乎很认真地在谈这段感情，我还担心她跟不该来往的那类人交往。”

莉维娅挤出一个笑容。“我不确定他是不是适合她，但你也知道福尔图娜，她向来随心所欲。”

“跟她哥哥一样。”玛尔斯轻笑道。“有这么两个不听管教的哥哥姐姐，纳尔西妮娅居然还能这么懂事，真不知道她是怎么长成这样的。”

因为你们杀了她父母，趁她还是婴儿就把她抢走了。瑞恩心想。莉维娅挽着他的手臂收紧了，她察觉到了他的不适。“纳尔西妮娅什么时候从伊斯基亚岛回来？”公主礼貌地问玛尔斯。她多半早就通过能力知道了答案，只是为了继续交谈而装作不知。“我好久没见她了。”

“她十四号回来，参加定在十五号的会议。”玛尔斯瞥了瑞恩一眼，意识到他知道他们在说什么，不由皱起眉。“你是……你懂的，我们的人？”

“我靠砍马头吃饭。”快递员说，令他高兴的是，玛尔斯似乎听懂了这个典故。“它们从来都跑得不够快。”

“你是要给我一个无法拒绝的提议吗？”玛尔斯温和地笑着回应。“等纳尔西妮娅回来了，也许可以请你们两个一起吃顿晚饭？她需要一些年纪相近的新朋友，我想她会喜欢你的，瑞恩。”

“很乐意。”莉维娅微笑着答应，挽住瑞恩手臂的手却攥得更紧了。

随后，玛尔斯借口有别的事要忙，告辞离开。瑞恩坐进舒适的椅子，莉维娅坐在他腿上。“这里有窃听器吗？”他凑到女朋友耳边低声问。

“有，但我的套房里没有。”她同样压低声音回答。“再等一会儿。”

安德烈娅·朱拉尼-韦兰，代号维纳斯，随后在一间一尘不染的手术室里接待了他们。她是个四十出头的美丽女人，就像女儿福尔图娜长大后的模样。她身穿一袭华贵的白色长裙，金发编成辫子，即便登上《花花公子》杂志的封面，也毫不违和。

瑞恩注意到，这里没有手术台，只有一张温暖的床。快递员躺了上去，这位模特美人掀起了他的上衣。维纳斯用拇指碰了碰他的胸膛，绿光一闪，灼伤便消失无踪，仿佛从未存在过。

“好了。”维纳斯露出职业性的微笑。

“我左边屁股上有块疤，能顺便也去掉吗？”瑞恩问。

“不要，我喜欢它。”莉维娅故作羞涩地说，“我喜欢掐那里的时候，你发出的声音。”

维纳斯的目光在两人之间来回，与丈夫不同，她毫不掩饰自己的不悦。“有菲利克斯的消息吗？”她问莉维娅，特意加重了那个名字。

“没有。”莉维娅冷淡地回答。瑞恩整理好上衣，回到她身边。“他不会回来的。”

“也许会呢。”维纳斯戒备地打量着瑞恩。他看得出，她更希望和奥古斯都的继承人交往的是自己的骨肉，可惜她没有第二个儿子可供选择。“要是不回来，我们就把他带回来。你父亲什么时候才会下令，把马纳达家族彻底铲除？”

“我不知道。”莉维娅含糊地回答，但瑞恩知道，她的意思是：只要我能如愿，就永远不会。“不过这件事可以留到十五号再谈。”

“当然。”维纳斯笑着回答，那笑容让瑞恩颇为不安。“还是和往常一样，要情侣套房？”

“对，当然。”莉维娅的话让年长的女人很不高兴。维纳斯给了他们一张房卡，默默看着他们离开会客室。瑞恩能感觉到她的目光刺在自己背上，毫无疑问，她已经开始盘算怎么除掉这个“篡夺”了她儿子位置的家伙。显然，她比丈夫更危险，不过快递员经历过比这糟糕得多的事，也都活了下来。

莉维娅带他来到度假村五楼的一间贵宾套房。公寓装潢雅致，还配有私人的按摩浴池。地板和墙壁都是木制的，而线条简洁的现代化电器则巧妙地藏在推拉式隔间里。透过彩色玻璃景观大窗，新罗马的沙滩和远方大海的美景尽收眼底；墙上还装饰着几幅莉维娅的画。

尽管莉维娅坚持说这里安全，瑞恩还是花了点时间检查房间，确认有没有陷阱或窃听器，但什么也没找到。他赤身滑进按摩浴池，池水温暖，伴侣随后也进来了。

“我感觉我们迟早会黏在一起，分都分不开。”她坐进他两腿之间、后背靠上他胸膛时，瑞恩说道。她还戴着那条银项链，在窗外照入的阳光下熠熠生辉。“不过这样安全吗？维纳斯没准给我染上了瘟疫之类的东西。”

“她的能力不是这么运作的。”莉维娅回答，气泡不断升上水面。挨过奥古斯都那顿打之后，瑞恩不得不承认，这对舒缓酸痛的肌肉实在很有效。“她只能做体表的美容整形改动。她能改变皮肤、眼睛的颜色、头发，但不能把你的内脏搅成一团。”

“可她能把我的嘴唇和鼻子变成一块皮肤，让我窒息。”

“她能。”她笑看着他，承认道。“但必须一直保持身体接触才行。”

“知道这个就好。”

“我不想去吃那顿晚饭。”莉维娅把头靠在瑞恩肩上，坦白道。“别误会，我很喜欢福尔图娜和纳尔西妮娅，可维纳斯会想方设法拆散我们，玛尔斯则会发表针对普通人的种族歧视言论。你到时就知道了。”

“那为什么还答应？你又没必要跟她们的父母打交道。”福尔图娜尤其受不了自己的母亲，纳尔西妮娅知道身世真相后，多半也会如此。“我的意思是，我们可以在杰米家办场派对，把韦兰姐妹请过去。”

“如果我想继承这个组织，再对它进行改革，就得维持表面上的和气。”莉维娅回答。“玛尔斯和维纳斯都是父亲的追随者，可我已经把父亲逼得够紧了。陪几个笑脸，就能换点安宁。”

瑞恩仔细看着她，伸出双臂环住她的腰。他看得出，她很感激这份安慰。

“这里除了是豪华度假村，还是家妓院吗？”他问她。

瑞恩注意到，那些演员的仿冒者与客人交谈的方式……有些可疑。

“是的，这里就是新罗马卖淫生意的中心。”莉维娅难过地皱起眉。“维纳斯用能力重塑他们的脸和身体，迎合各种口味。有些人愿意花大价钱，跟自己最喜欢的演员上床……或者英雄。听说双足飞龙的替身很受欢迎。”

“伏尔甘常去找她吗？”莉维娅轻笑了一声，却没有回答。“要我像毁掉极乐工厂那样，把这里也毁了吗？”

她的手指轻轻拂过银项链，神情若有所思。“如果我开口，你会这么做吗？”

“会。”他轻轻蹭了蹭她的脸颊。“莉维娅，我不想让你戴着面具，哪怕只是吃顿晚饭。如果这个地方，还有经营它的人让你不开心，我可以把这里拆掉，让你摆脱他们。”

“你能不流血就做到吗？”她问，目光有些遥远。

“只要时间足够，我什么都做得到。”

“但你自己一定得付出代价。我跟你说过了……我不会让你为了我牺牲自己。”莉维娅摆弄着头发。“说实话，我也不知道该怎么处理这个地方。这里确实有邪恶的勾当，可度假村的大部分业务都是合法的。那些在这里老老实实工作谋生的员工，我该拿他们怎么办？我不想让无辜的人丢掉饭碗，瑞恩。”

“那关起门来，这里又在搞什么血腥勾当？”

“别的不说，我知道维纳斯和她丈夫利用这里，让客人对极乐上瘾。”莉维娅阴沉地说。“或者制造黑料，作为敲诈的把柄。”

“我有办法治好极乐成瘾。”瑞恩一直在考虑把这个办法告诉基贞，因为她似乎仍在努力抵抗诱惑。

“你有？”莉维娅睁大了眼睛。

“内啡肽阻断剂。”瑞恩耸耸肩。这是在很久以前的一轮循环里，他自己对那玩意儿上瘾之后找到的解决办法。“只要有合适的设备，制造起来相当容易。你可以开一家戒毒诊所。”

“这是个有意思的主意，可我父亲绝对不会喜欢。”莉维娅皱着眉说。“不过我会记住的。目前，我们可以先把心思放在纳尔西妮娅的未来上。”

到头来，和蕾恩的情况一样，一切的症结还是她父亲。

无论莉维娅想做多少好事，只要奥古斯都还活着，家族那些正当的生意，就始终只是闪电屁股用来掩盖阴险疯狂目的的烟幕。就像血流残存的那点人性余烬，到头来也只是遮住了他早已化身的怪物。

总有一天，瑞恩会把黑帮宙斯和他那群所谓的奥林匹斯众神从山巅拖下来，让他们再也无法威胁任何人。

为了她。