克隆

克隆

 

一

“哇——哇——” 產房區此起彼伏的嬰兒啼哭，仿佛一首充滿生機和喜悅的生命交響曲，奏響了人類新時代的序曲。一向嚴肅、沉默寡言的Frank顧，也被這天籟之音所感染，臉上流露出少見的笑容。他緊張而又興奮地在產房區的走廊上來回地走動著，目光不時掃向那一排排的產房。

The relentless cries of newborns echoed through the maternity ward, a vibrant symphony of life brimming with vitality and unbridled joy. It was as if they were composing the prelude to a new, wondrous era for humanity. Frank Gu, typically solemn and reserved, found himself unexpectedly moved by this celestial melody. A rare, serene smile graced his face as he paced nervously yet excitedly along the corridor, stealing furtive glances at the row of delivery rooms.

十年，十年磨一劍。從走出校門到現在，已經足足十年了，Frank顧從一個初出茅廬意氣風發的毛頭小子，終於成長為一個值得尊敬的頂尖科學家。他的辛勤研究終於結出了碩果：三百個鮮活的小生命，振聾發聵地宣示著人類科技終於走上了一個新的台階！而三百個嬰兒的啼哭，就是人類對所謂上帝造人的無情嘲笑，是人類在Frank顧的帶領下，在上帝麵前傲然挺立的宣言！今天，就是Frank顧在科學史上載入青史留名的一天！然而這一切對Frank顧來說並不重要，最重要的是，Ellen一定會為這個消息而露出她那甜美動人的笑容，那才是Frank最大的滿足。

A decade, a decade spent honing the blade. From the day he left school until now, a full ten years had passed. Frank Gu had grown from an enthusiastic fresh-faced youngster into a respected preeminent scientist. His diligent research had finally borne fruit: three hundred vibrant new lives, proclaiming loudly and clearly that human technology had ascended to a new level! The cries of three hundred infants were humanity's mocking laughter at the so-called God who created life, a bold declaration that under Frank Gu's leadership, humanity now stood tall and defiant before God! Today, Frank Gu carved his name into the granite of scientific history! However, none of this mattered to Frank Gu. What mattered most was that Ellen would surely wear that sweet, charming smile upon hearing this news—that was Frank's greatest satisfaction.

從大學時代第一眼看見Ellen，Frank便不可救藥地愛上了她。她宛如一顆灼熱的恒星，驟然閃現在二十多歲，一直隻知道埋頭苦讀的Frank的世界裏，霎那間照亮了他的生命，灼痛了他的眼眸，也俘獲了他全部的忠誠。

From the first glimpse of Ellen in college, Frank was hopelessly, irretrievably smitten. Like a supernova igniting in the vast emptiness of his world of textbooks, she blazed with a brilliance that both dazzled and consumed the 20-ish bookworm. Her radiance wasn't just captivating, it branded itself onto his memory, demanding his unwavering devotion.

Ellen是著名生化公司高氏集團的創始人兼總裁。短短五年間，高氏集團從一個隻有十幾人的實驗室，一躍成為全球最大、最有影響力的生化公司。Frank就是在Ellen回母校出席捐款儀式上第一次見到她。他就像一隻想吃天鵝肉的瘌蛤蟆，遠遠地看著光彩照人、巧笑倩兮的女神。然而令他驚訝的是，在如此耀眼的光環下，Ellen依然保持著鄰家女孩般的形象，是那麽的親切，那麽的令人心生向往。

Ellen was the founder and president of the famous biochemical company, Gao's Group. In just five years, Gao's Group has grown from a small lab with only a dozen people to the world's largest and most influential biochemical company. Frank first met Ellen when she returned to her alma mater to attend a donation ceremony. Despite knowing he was out of his league, he felt a pang of longing as he watched her from afar, captivated by her radiance. However, what surprised him was that under such a dazzling aura, Ellen still maintained the image of a girl next door, so kind and so yearning.

於是，Frank義無反顧地放棄了自己最心愛的文學專業，放棄了從小就立下的獲得諾貝爾文學獎的宏願，申請從大一重新開始學習生化專業。他隻有一個念頭，就是妄想著有一天，能夠親近心中的女神Ellen，哪怕隻是遠遠地仰望她一眼也心滿意足。

So, Frank resolutely gave up his beloved literature major and his childhood dream of winning the Nobel Prize in Literature. He applied to start over as a freshman in biochemistry, all in the delusional hope that one day he would be able to get close to the goddess Ellen in his heart.

Frank的刻苦努力沒有白費，短短六年間，他便完成了從大一到博士的全部學業，順利獲得了博士學位。隨後，他向高氏集團生命實驗室遞交了一封求職申請。

Frank's diligent efforts paid off. In just six years, he completed all his studies from freshman to Ph.D. and successfully obtained a Ph.D. degree. Subsequently, he submitted a job application to the Life Science Laboratory of Gao’s Group.

高氏集團的每一個工作崗位，都吸引著全球上千名頂尖人才的激烈競爭。對於其中的難度，Frank毫不在意，在準備了簡曆、成績單、論文列表以及工作經驗等材料後，他還與眾不同地附上一封情真意切的自我介紹信。在信中，他坦誠地表達了對 Ellen 的仰慕之情，字裏行間充滿了對她的愛慕和渴望。他希望能夠加入高氏集團，不僅是為了實現自己的科研夢想，更是為了能夠與 Ellen 朝夕相處，近距離接觸這位他心中的女神、夢寐以求的繆斯。

Every position at Gao's Group ignites fierce competition from thousands of the world's top talents. Frank, acutely aware of the difficulty, remained unfazed. After meticulously preparing his resume, transcripts, publication list, and work experience, he added a unique and heartfelt self-introduction letter. Within its lines, he openly declared his admiration for Ellen, each word brimming with his love and yearning for her. His desire to join Gao's Group wasn't solely fueled by his scientific aspirations, but also by the chance to be near Ellen, the goddess in his heart, his muse personified.

或許是因為Frank深厚的專業知識，亦或是他文學係熏陶下的文采，更或是他與眾不同的坦率與大膽，最終他的申請引起了Ellen的注意，並被邀請參加最後一輪的麵試。

Perhaps it was Frank's deep professional knowledge, or perhaps it was his literary talent cultivated in the literature department, or perhaps it was his unique frankness and boldness. In the end, his application drew Ellen's attention and he was invited to participate in the final round of interviews.

麵試時，Ellen親自接見了Frank。她沒有問他專業上的問題，也沒有追究他那封大膽的求愛信，而是拋出一個直擊靈魂的疑問：“你願意改變曆史嗎？”

During the interview, Ellen met with Frank personally. She didn't ask him any professional questions, nor did she question him about his bold love letter. Instead, she posed a soul-searching question: "Are you willing to change history?"

自此，Frank將自己封閉在高氏的實驗室裏，日複一日，年複一年，幾乎足不出戶。而今日，便是他十年磨一劍，今朝試鋒芒之時！

Since then,  Frank became a fixture in Gao's laboratory. Days bled into years, and he rarely stepped outside its walls.  Today is the day when he will finally put his ten years of sharpening to the test!

“緊急呼叫！顧博士，顧博士，請速到22號產房！產婦難產，情況危急，請您立即到場！”突然間，廣播中傳來焦急的呼叫聲。

"Dr. Gu, Dr. Gu! Emergency in delivery room 22! The patient is in critical condition during labor. Please report there immediately!" A frantic voice crackled over the loudspeaker, shattering the calm.

“22號情況如何？！”Frank一把推開門，焦急地問道。

"Delivery room 22! What's happening?" Frank barreled through the door, his voice laced with urgency.

“應該是臍帶繞頸。產婦一用勁，嬰兒心跳就降低。我們不敢繼續，要不要實行剖腹產？”

"Nuchal cord suspected. Heart rate drops significantly with each contraction. We might need to consider a C-section."

“盡量不要，剖腹的話，誌願者會承受更大的痛苦，而且也令我們的實驗有瑕疵。我們要純自然的生產。”Frank一邊說著，一邊帶上手術手套。

"We want a natural birth. If we do a C-section, the volunteer will suffer more pain, and it will also compromise our experiment."Frank put on his surgical gloves as he spoke. 

病床邊，助產士和護士正在安慰著產床上的誌願者。羊水早已破了，誌願者身下一片狼藉。她雙手緊緊抓住一個護士的雙臂，豆大的汗珠沿著鬢角滴落下來。

At the bedside, midwives and nurses are comforting the volunteer stretched on the delivery bed. Her water has broken, and the sheets beneath her are rumpled. She clings tightly to one nurse’s arms, and large beads of sweat trickle down her temples.

“王小姐？”Frank的聲音平靜而堅定，他走近時試圖安撫這位誌願者。“現在，和我一起做深呼吸。吸氣……” 他輕輕地把手放在她的肩膀上引導她，“……然後慢慢呼氣。” Frank的手輕輕移到她的腹部，熟練地用複雜的手法進行按摩，既輕柔又堅定。

"Miss Wang?" Frank's voice was calm yet firm as he approached, aiming to soothe the volunteer. "Take a deep breath with me. Inhale..." He guided her with a gentle hand on her shoulder, "...and exhale slowly." Frank's touch shifted to her stomach, where he administered a complex massage with practiced movements, both gentle and firm.

看到旁邊儀器上顯示的嬰兒心跳已恢複到了146下，Frank低下頭，輕聲地問：“王小姐，好一點了嗎？我們再試一次，好嗎？”

Glancing at the monitor, Frank saw the reassuring rise in the fetal heart rate to 146. He leaned closer, his voice soft yet determined, "Miss Wang, feeling stronger now? Shall we try pushing again?"

王小姐輕輕點點頭。

Miss Wang nodded slightly.

“好，吸氣，用力，再用力，加油，快出來了。看到頭了，……”

"Good, inhale, push, push harder, come on, you can do it, it's almost out. I can see the head, ..."

“啊……”隨著王小姐嘹亮的叫聲，22，一個新生命終於來到了這個世上。

"Ah..." With Miss Wang's powerful cry, 22, a new life finally arrived in the world.

Frank抱過22，奇怪的是，她沒有像其他新生兒那樣哇哇啼哭，竟然還嗬嗬地看著Frank笑，又大又黑的眼睛好奇地看著四周。

Frank cradled 22 in his arms. Strangely, she didn't cry like other newborns, but instead let out a soft giggle as she looked up at Frank with her big, curious black eyes scanning the room.

“小調皮，你是最後一個出生的。”說完，他輕輕地在她的額頭上印下了一個吻。22的小手輕輕地拍著Frank的臉，在他臉上印下了第一個小手印。

"Little rascal, you're the last one to join us," Frank said softly, before gently placing a kiss on her forehead. 22's tiny hand reached up and patted Frank's face, leaving her first mark on his cheek.

二

我一直住在這棟好看的樓裏。除了我睡覺的房間、吃飯的房間和玩耍的房間，樓裏還有很多很多別的房間。這些房間裏有很多我不知道幹什麽的機器和儀器。白天，這些房間裏都有人忙來忙去，到了晚上，他們就會回到一個叫做“家”的地方。跟我住在這裏的隻有我的胖阿姨，不過她會每隔一段時間回到她那個叫做“家”的地方住幾天，這時候就會有一個大姐姐來陪我玩。

I had always lived in this lovely building. Besides my bedroom, dining room, and playroom, there were many other rooms in the building. These rooms were filled with machines and instruments that I had no clue what they did. During the day, people were bustling in and out of these rooms, and at night, they returned to a place called "home." The only other person who lived here with me was my Round Auntie, but she went back to her own place called "home" for a few days every once in a while, and during that time, a big sister came to play with me. 

起初，每當阿姨回家，我總會哭鬧不止，緊緊抱著她的腿，不舍得她離開。但隨著時間的推移，我反而開始期待起她離開我回家的日子。因為陪伴我的總是那幾位姐姐中的一個，她們會做漂亮的折紙和其他有趣的手工。而胖阿姨總是重複著那幾個故事，她講完上句，我就能猜到下句。姐姐們愛笑，和我一樣，還會陪我玩各種新奇有趣的遊戲。那幾天我總是玩得十分開心，雖然有時我也會想念胖阿姨。還有一件事情也是很值得期待的，就是胖阿姨的歸來。每次她回來都會給我帶回許多她在家裏親手製作的美味點心。家，應該是個很不錯的地方吧。

Initially, whenever my auntie departed for her own home, I would erupt into  uncontrollable cries, clinging to her legs desperately, reluctant to let her go. However, as time passed, my feelings shifted, and I began eagerly anticipating the days when she would be away back to her own home. This was because I was always accompanied by one of the sisters, who would make beautiful origami and other fun crafts. Unlike my Round Auntie, who would always repeat the same few stories, I could guess the next sentence after she finished the previous one. The sisters were always smiling, just like me, and they would also play new and exciting games with me. I always had a lot of fun during those days, even though I sometimes missed my Round Auntie. Another thing I looked forward to was my Round Auntie's return, for each time she came back, she would bring me back many delicious treats that she had made herself at home. Home, I guess, must be a pretty good place.

一次，阿姨從家裏回來，我靈機一動地問她：“阿姨，我的家在哪裏？我什麽時候才能回家呢？”胖阿姨將我緊緊擁入溫暖的懷抱，輕聲說道：“孩子，你就住在這裏，這裏就是你的家啊。”隨著年齡的增長，我對“家”的理解逐漸清晰，也明白了每個家庭通常都有爸爸媽媽。於是，我再次向胖阿姨詢問：“阿姨，為什麽我沒有爸爸媽媽？”胖阿姨溫柔地撫摸著我的臉龐，耐心地解釋道：“因為你是22啊，22和其他的孩子不一樣。等22再長大一些，長到和我差不多高的時候，你就會明白的。這裏所有的人都愛22，會一直照顧好22的。”

One day, when my auntie returned from home, I had a sudden thought and asked her, "Auntie, where is my home? When will I be able to go home?" Round Auntie warmly embraced me and said softly, "My dear child, you live here. This is your home." As I grew older, my understanding of "home" gradually became clearer, and I also realized that every family usually has parents. So, I asked Round Auntie again, "Auntie, why don't I have parents?" Round Auntie gently stroked my face and explained patiently, "Because you are 22. 22 is different from other children. When 22 grows up a bit more, to be about as tall as me, you will understand. Everyone here loves 22 and will always take good care of 22."

嗯，我叫22，我的名字是不是很有趣呢？我很喜歡我現在的家，就像阿姨說的那樣，這裏的每個人都很照顧我，對我都很和顏悅色。雖然現在我沒有爸爸媽媽，但我知道長大後就會有的。其實，還有一位名叫Frank的人也偶爾會住在這裏，他在這裏有一個專門的房間。不過，很多人不叫他這個名字，因為他的名字太長了，我記不住。他讓我叫他Frank，我便一直這樣稱呼他。他經常來我的家，每次見到我都會把我抱起來，舉得高高的。雖然大家都對我很好，有時也會給我帶些好吃的好玩的，但我最喜歡的是Frank和胖阿姨，因為他們總是願意耐心地聽我說話，認真地回答我的問題。空閑的時候，Frank還會給我講故事。我喜歡窩在他的懷裏，聽他講故事，聽著聽著就忍不住笑起來。

Yes, my name was 22! Isn't that a fun name? I really liked my home back then. Just like my auntie said, everyone there took good care of me and was always kind. Even though I didn't have a mom and dad right then, I knew I would when I grew up.

Actually, there was also someone named Frank who stayed there sometimes. He had his own room in the building. But a lot of people didn't call him that because his real name was really long and I couldn't remember it. He told me to call him Frank, so that's what I always called him. He came to my home often, and every time he saw me, he'd pick me up and hold me really high!

Everyone here was nice to me, and sometimes they even brought me yummy food and fun toys. But my favorites were Frank and my auntie. They were always willing to listen to me patiently and answer my questions seriously. When he had free time, Frank would even tell me stories. I loved cuddling in his lap, listening to his stories, and giggling as he told them.

這棟小樓藏著許多漂亮可愛的房間，就像一個奇妙的玩具箱，充滿著驚喜。我可以在裏麵做遊戲，學畫畫，和學認字。然而也有些房間裏麵隻有一些閃著冷光的儀器，總是給我一些可怕的感覺。每隔一段時間，我就要去這些房間做不同的檢測，有時候還會痛，我總是害怕極了。但隻要有Frank在身邊，我就會安心很多。他會用溫柔的聲音哄我，告訴我隻要我乖乖的，就可以多半個小時戶外玩耍的時間。他知道那是我最喜歡的。我喜歡奔跑在外麵的草地上，累了就坐在秋千上看著天上的白雲飄來飄去。而事實上我每次的檢測，他幾乎都會在。‍後來我已經習慣了那些儀器和檢測，但是我仍然討厭那種冷冰冰的感覺。

This little building concealed many beautiful and cute rooms, like a magic box full of surprises. I could play games, learn to draw, and study letters inside. However, some rooms only contained gleaming cold instruments that always gave me a frightening feeling. Every so often, I had to go to these rooms for different tests, which were sometimes painful, filling me with dread. But as long as Frank was by my side, I felt much more at ease. He would soothe me with his gentle voice, telling me that if I behaved, I could have an extra half hour of outdoor playtime – my absolute favorite. He knew that was what I loved most. I loved running on the grassy field outside, and when I grew tired, I would sit on the swing watching the white clouds drift lazily across the sky. In fact, Frank was present for almost every one of my tests. Later on, I grew accustomed to those instruments and examinations, but I still disliked that cold, clinical feeling.

白天大部分的時間裏，小樓裏的人們都忙碌著工作。工作中的人們會收起笑容，變得嚴肅沉默起來，工作中的Frank也不例外。今天更是如此。剛剛做完最後一項檢測，就有一群人走了進來，走在前麵的正是笑容和藹可親的Ellen和Frank。Ellen是我見過的最好看的人啦，比好多畫裏的和屏幕裏的還要好看。她來的次數不多，我很少看到她，每次見到她，我都好想上前去親近她，想摸摸她。可是，每次抬起頭看到她的眼睛，我的腳步就邁不開了。Frank像以前一樣，大大地表揚了我。我抬起頭看了看Ellen的眼睛，還是邁不開腳步。她也像從前一樣，和藹可親地笑著，伸出戴著精致手套的手，摸了摸我的頭發，然後就和Frank說著話轉身離開了。每次都是這樣。

For most of the day, the people in the building were busy working. When at work, they would put away their smiles and become serious and silent. Frank was no exception when working. Today was especially like that. Right after finishing the last examination, a group of people walked in, with the friendly smiling Ellen and Frank leading the way. Ellen was the most beautiful person I had ever seen, even more beautiful than many in paintings or on screens. She didn't come often, so I rarely saw her, but each time I did, I really wanted to go up to her and get close, wanting to touch her. However, every time I looked up into her eyes, my steps faltered. As usual, Frank lavishly praised me. I looked up into Ellen's eyes, but still couldn't take a step forward. Just like before, she smiled kindly, stretched out her gloved hand to stroke my hair, then turned and left while talking to Frank. It was like that every time.

三

十年的努力，終於換來Ellen一個香吻，這對於Frank來說，是莫大的鼓舞，讓他興奮了好久。然而，實驗還得繼續進行下去。為了得到Ellen更多的青睞，Frank再次把自己關進了實驗室。

A decade of relentless effort finally yielded a sweet reward for Frank: a kiss from Ellen. This was an enormous encouragement for Frank, and filled him with immense joy that lingered for days. Yet, the scientific quest beckoned. Fueled by a renewed determination to win Ellen's favor, Frank once again retreated to the confines of his laboratory.

三百個實驗體的降生帶來的喜悅轉瞬即逝，令人不安的是，許多實驗體開始出現早衰跡象。一個月後，204號實驗體死亡，兩個半月後，168號實驗體停止了生命跡象。

The initial elation surrounding the birth of 300 experimental subjects proved short-lived. Alarmingly, a significant number began exhibiting signs of premature aging. Within a month, subject 204 succumbed. The tragedy continued two and a half months later when subject 168 ceased all vital functions.

看著這一具具幼小而蒼老的屍體，Frank猶如坐在一艘破舊的小船上，眼見它緩緩進水，逐漸下沉。他拚盡全力去補救，試圖堵住船身上的每一個破洞。但一切跡象都預示著，實驗離失敗已越來越近。Ellen對他態度漸趨冷淡，不再有好的臉色。公司內部也開始流傳關於他即將卷鋪蓋走人的傳言。看來，Frank被迫離開的那一天已經不遠了。

The sight of the withered corpses, miniature but undeniably aged, filled Frank with a sense of dread. He was like a man in a leaky boat, frantically plugging holes as the water rose around him. The experiment was failing, every fiber of his being screaming the truth. Ellen's once warm gaze had turned icy, mirroring the whispers of his dismissal that snaked through the company. The inevitable end, Frank's forced departure, loomed large.

然而，Frank並沒有放棄。他仔細檢查了剩餘的實驗品，並從中獲得了一項重大發現。三百個實驗品的DNA分析顯示，它們的衰老程度呈現正態分布，平均值與樣品提供者的年齡相關。最早死亡的實驗品204號的衰老程度相當於80歲老人，而168號死亡時則相當於70多歲。大多數實驗品目前的衰老程度相當於40多歲到50歲之間。然而，其中20個實驗品的衰老程度卻相當於10歲以下兒童，甚至還有兩個實驗品，17號和22號，完全處於新生兒狀態。

Refusing to give up, Frank meticulously examined the remaining subjects. This diligence led him to a critical breakthrough. Analyzing the DNA of the 300 subjects revealed a normal distribution in their aging rates, with the average closely linked to the age of the original donor. The first to succumb, subject 204, exhibited the cellular wear and tear of an 80-year-old. Subject 168, when it perished, mirrored the physical state of someone in their late 70s. The majority of the remaining subjects currently resemble individuals in their mid-40s to mid-50s. However, a startling anomaly emerged – 20 subjects displayed an aging rate equivalent to children under 10. Even more astonishing, two subjects, 17 and 22, exhibited a complete reversal, appearing in a newborn state.

“你是說，大多數的實驗品都已經是中年以上了？我今年已經46歲，還剩下多少可用？”Ellen冷冷地盯著Frank，語氣中帶著一絲不耐煩。

"So, most of the subjects are already past middle age? I'm 46 now, how many are still usable?" Ellen stared at Frank coldly, her voice laced with impatience.

“我們仍有20個相當於10歲以下年齡的實驗品，實驗可以繼續進行。”Frank帶著一絲惶恐地注視著他心中的女神。從他第一次見到Ellen開始，至今已經過去了十六年。Ellen從當年那個年輕的鄰家女孩的樣子，已經成長現在手握大權，殺伐果斷的女強人。隻有她的美麗始終如一，哪怕這份美麗現在已經帶上了歲月的痕跡，依然風華絕代，光彩照人。

"Twenty subjects remain equivalent to under 10 years of age, which should be enough to keep the experiment alive." Frank's eyes locked with Ellen's, a sliver of fear piercing his gaze. Sixteen years had passed since he first laid eyes on Ellen. She had grown from the young girl-next-door into the formidable, decisive woman of power she was now. Only her beauty remained constant - though it now bore the marks of time, she still radiated charm and brilliance beyond comparison.

“二十個？數量確實有點少，但勉強可以接受吧。”艾倫沉思片刻，臉色稍稍緩和了些。

"Twenty? It's not much, but it's still acceptable," Ellen said thoughtfully, her expression softening.

“是，高總。那請問剩下的實驗品怎麽辦？”

"Certainly, Miss Gao. How would you like me to handle the remaining subjects?"

“失敗品怎麽處理你還不清楚，還用問我嗎？你可以出去了。”

"You don't even know how to deal with defective subjects? Then what are you asking me for? Get out of here!"

喧囂的實驗區一下子就沉寂了下來，大批的保姆和看護被遣散。Frank的工作也相對輕鬆起來，但他絲毫不敢懈怠，因為20個實驗品實在不容許再有任何閃失。

The once bustling laboratory fell silent as a large number of nannies and caregivers were dismissed. Frank's workload also eased up, but he didn't dare to slack off, as the 20 experimental subjects could not afford any more mistakes.

Frank每日的工作便是持續觀察這20名酷似Ellen的小女孩，監控她們的成長過程。他對目前的工作懷有莫大的熱忱，他把這些女孩當作自己與Ellen所生的女兒。見證著她們歡喜哭鬧，陪伴著她們玩耍成長，他彷佛成為了世上最幸福的父親；盡管Ellen除了每月例行詢問實驗進度外，鮮少理會他。

Frank's daily work was to continuously observe these 20 little girls who resembled Ellen, monitoring their growth process. He had immense enthusiasm for his current job, treating these girls as if they were the daughters he had with Ellen. Witnessing their joy and tears, accompanying them as they played and grew, he felt as if he had become the happiest father in the world. Although Ellen rarely paid attention to him, except to routinely inquire about the progress of the experiment once a month.

在所有的實驗品中，Frank最鍾愛的無疑是編號22號的那一位。作為最後誕生的實驗體，她似乎比其他人更為聰穎靈慧，且天性溫順乖巧，從不無故哭鬧和撒嬌。所有照顧她的工作人員都非常的喜歡她。她對身邊所有的事情都無比的好奇，每當Frank前去檢查時，她總會拋出幾個連Frank自己也險些答不上來的問題。在檢查的時候，她總是靜靜的，順從地完成所有的要求。而當Frank累了的時候，她也總是體貼入微地陪伴左右，用那雙稚嫩的小手輕輕為他按摩。

Among all the subjects, Frank held a special fondness for 22. As the last one to be born, she seemed more intelligent and quick-witted than the others, with a naturally gentle and obedient nature, never crying or throwing tantrums without reason. The staff universally adored her. She was immensely curious about everything around her, and whenever Frank came to examine her, she would pose questions that even he could barely answer. During the examinations, she would always remain still and obediently complete all the required tasks. And when Frank was tired, she would thoughtfully keep him company, gently massaging him with her tiny hands.

每次Frank見到22，總會有一種奇妙的錯覺，仿佛眼前站著的不是22，而是縮小版的Ellen，一個更加可愛、更加令人心動的Ellen。

Every time Frank saw 22, a strange feeling would wash over him. It wasn't 22 standing in front of him, but a miniature Ellen – an Ellen even more adorable and captivating.

其實，每個實驗品都像Ellen的翻版，但似乎隻繼承了她性格中的一部分。例如，另一個最成功的實驗品，17，就擁有Ellen的聰慧。她的智商高達150，小小年紀就展現出超越同齡人的果斷和深謀遠慮。她聰明伶俐，舉止乖巧，但Frank卻總覺得她心思深沉，難以捉摸。

In fact, each experiment bears a resemblance to Ellen, but it seems they've only inherited specific facets of her personality. Take 17, for instance, another of the most successful experiments. She possesses Ellen's sharp intellect. With an IQ exceeding 150, even at a young age, she displays a decisiveness and foresight that surpasses her peers. Intelligent and quick-witted, her behavior is well-mannered. Yet, Frank can't shake the feeling that a deeper current runs beneath the surface, making her difficult to decipher.

因此，Frank對22號情有獨鍾，不知不覺中，他流連在22號實驗室的時間越來越長。

Therefore, Frank developed a particular attachment to 22. As a result, he found himself spending more and more time in Lab 22, the hours seemingly slipping away unnoticed.

時光飛逝，Frank的實驗已經進行了十年。盡管實驗初期出現了一次大量樣品報廢的事故，這十年間，實驗進行得十分順利，再也沒有發生任何的意外。差不多是時候讓十歲的實驗品們互相見麵了。

A decade has swiftly passed, and Frank's experiment has reached its ten-year mark. Despite a significant setback in the early stages that resulted in the loss of numerous samples, the experiment has progressed remarkably smoothly over the past decade, with no further unforeseen incidents. It's about time to bring together the now ten-year-old experimental subjects for their first encounter.

四

我十歲了，我終於走出了我住的這個院子。第一次呼吸到外麵的新鮮空氣，世界的一切都顯得如此新奇。生日會上Frank還帶來了一個漂亮的大蛋糕，溫暖的燭光搖曳著映亮了我的臉。在大家的歌聲和祝福中，我戀戀不舍地一一吹滅了十根蠟燭，然後與大家開開心心地分享了這個巨大而漂亮的蛋糕。我喜歡這種被大家包圍的感覺，好像全世界都在關注著我，讓我覺得特別幸福。可是這樣的日子並不多，所以我都特別的珍惜，會在腦海裏牢牢地記住，還小心翼翼的一點點回味，好讓這種快樂延續多幾天。

On my tenth birthday, I finally stepped outside the yard I had been living in. Breathing in the fresh air, everything in the world seemed so new and exciting. Frank brought a beautiful big cake to my birthday party, and the warm candle light flickered on my face. Surrounded by everyone's singing and well wishes, I reluctantly blew out all ten candles and happily shared the huge, beautiful cake with everyone. I loved feeling surrounded by everyone, as if the whole world was watching me, making me feel especially happy. But days like these don't come often, so I cherish them especially, remembering them firmly in my mind and savoring them bit by bit, hoping to prolong the happiness for a few more days.

從五六歲開始，我就被安排了很多學習任務。這些功課並不難，但我發現，隻要有一點偷懶沒做好，大家就會用一種讓我不舒服的目光看著我，尤其是Frank，他的眼神中還帶著一絲緊張。我不喜歡這種感覺，所以總是努力做到最好，希望大家都開心。

From the age of five or six, my days were filled with endless study sessions. The work itself wasn't challenging, but I quickly realized that even the smallest mistake would draw disapproving glances from everyone, particularly Frank. His eyes would narrow slightly, filled with a sense of unease. This made me uncomfortable, so I always strived to do my best and keep everyone pleased.

最近，大人們好像更著急讓我學更多東西了。就在昨天，Frank跟我說，22已經長大了，還有很多東西需要學習，而且馬上就要和其他的小朋友一起上課了。他特別認真地囑咐我一定要努力。

I've been feeling the pressure lately, as everyone expects me to learn more and more. Yesterday, Frank had a serious talk with me. He explained that 22 was growing up and needed to be prepared for bigger challenges. He said I'd be joining a new class of other girls soon and explained how important that I needed to work hard.

我喜歡這裏的所有人，但Frank對我來說很特別。我喜歡和他在一起，他說的每一句話我都會認真聽，他提的要求我都會努力去做。自從胖阿姨離開後，Frank就是我最親近的人。雖然他有時候看起來很忙，眼神好像有些飄忽，但我能感覺到他對我的關心。

I loved everyone here, but my bond with Frank was unique. I hung on to his every word and strove to please him. Since Round Auntie left, he's filled that void. Although he could seem distant at times, I sensed a genuine care for me beneath his busy exterior.

我看著他的眼睛，笑嘻嘻地用力點了點頭。他摸了摸我的頭發，也笑了起來。

I met his gaze, nodding enthusiastically as a grin spread across my face. He returned my smile and ruffled my hair affectionately.

穿過一片無邊無際的草地，遠處點綴著幾幢顏色不一的小屋，它們錯落有致地散落在綠色的海洋中。拐過一片小樹林，一棟潔白的兩層小樓映入眼簾。我按捺住好奇心，小心地向它走去。就在快走到樓前時，一條小徑上出現了一個小小的身影。我回頭一看，是一個和我差不多大的女孩。這是我第一次見到同齡人，心中不禁一陣激動。我們四目相對，彼此打量著對方。那一刻，我仿佛看到了鏡中的自己，連神情都如此相似。我們緩緩伸出手，在半空中輕輕一碰，然後又害羞地縮了回去。我們看著彼此的眼睛，心意相通地相對一笑。這種奇妙的感覺，讓我覺得仿佛已經認識了她很久很久。

A vast expanse of green, dotted with colorful houses, lay before me. A charming white cottage stood at the end of a winding path. As I approached, I spotted another figure. It was a girl, and the instant our eyes met, I felt a strange sense of familiarity. We were like two halves of a whole, our expressions mirroring each other. Shyly, we reached out and our fingers brushed. It was a fleeting moment, but it felt like an eternity. We smiled, a silent understanding passing between us. In that instant, I knew we were destined to be friends.

她是189，我是22，那天，我們一同走到了那棟房子前麵，然後，兩隻小手緊緊地握在了一起，共同踏入了未知的世界。教室裏，二十張一模一樣的臉孔齊刷刷地望向彼此，大大的眼睛裏寫滿了好奇和驚愕。為什麽我們會長得如此相似？難道世上所有的女孩都應該如此嗎？這個問題盤旋在每個人的心頭，卻沒有人出聲問，也沒有人告訴我們。然而，我與189的手始終沒有分開。

She was 189, and I was 22. We arrived at the house together that day, our hands clasped tightly as we stepped into the unknown. In the classroom, twenty identical faces stared at each other, wide-eyed with wonder and confusion. Why were we all so alike? Were all girls meant to look the same? The question hung heavy in the air, unspoken yet understood. But my hand, intertwined with 189's, never let go.

日子忽然變得輕快起來。每天穿過那片草地時，我總覺得步伐不夠快，忍不住會抬腳小跑一段。每次見到189，我都會特別開心。

Life suddenly became lighter. Every day, as I crossed that meadow, I often felt like I wasn't walking fast enough and couldn't help but break into a little jog. Seeing 189 always made me especially happy.

我們每個人都有固定的座位。過了沒幾天，我們二十個人就能彼此認得清清楚楚了。我們之間存在著一種程度不同的特別感覺，既有不可言說的默契，又有難以探知的差異。這種感覺沒有緣由，就是彼此心知肚明。

Each of us had a designated seat. Within just a few days, all twenty of us could clearly recognize one another. There was a special feeling among us, varying in intensity, marked by an unspoken understanding and an elusive sense of difference. This feeling had no apparent reason; it was simply something we all intuitively knew.

其中有兩個女孩從第一天起就格外引人注目。一個自然是189，她給人一種特別的溫暖，仿佛是另一個我自己。另一個是17。我喜歡觀察人的眼睛，而17的眼神立刻讓我想起了許久未見的Ellen，那個我幼時莫名想親近，卻總被她冷漠目光阻攔的美麗女子。

Two girls stood out from the very first day. One was, of course, 189; she exuded a special warmth, almost like another version of myself. The other was 17. I have always liked observing people's eyes, and 17's gaze immediately reminded me of Ellen, a beautiful woman I hadn't seen in a long time. As a child, I had an inexplicable desire to be close to her, but her cold stare always kept me at a distance.

隨後我驚覺，我們二十個人的相貌竟都與Ellen酷似。這個發現讓我心中泛起了一絲的不安，暗自決定下次見到Frank時一定要向他問個清楚。

I then realized, to my astonishment, that all twenty of us bore a striking resemblance to Ellen. This discovery stirred a sense of unease within me, and I resolved to ask Frank about it the next time I saw him.

經過三個月的集中學習後，我們迎來了第一場的測試。測試結束後，第一個女孩離開了我們。公告上說她要去一個很遠的地方培訓，而隻有我們中最後的優勝者才能留下來並獲得豐厚的獎勵。就這樣，每隔三到五個月就要進行一場測試。教室裏的人越來越少，氣氛也越來越緊張，因為我們不知道等待我們的將會是什麽。

After three months of intensive study, we faced our first test. After the test, the first girl left us. The announcement said she was going to a faraway place for training, and only the final winner among us would be able to stay and receive a generous reward. Thus, every three to five months, we had to take another test. The number of girls in the classroom dwindled, and the atmosphere grew increasingly tense because we didn't know what awaited us.

為了履行當初對Frank的承諾，為了不與189分開，我和189約定要互相幫助，共同努力，爭取堅持到最後。至於最後會怎樣，隻能先放在心底，誰也不願多說，誰也不願多想。

To fulfill the promise I made to Frank and to avoid being separated from 189, 189 and I agreed to help each other, work hard together, and strive to make it to the end. As for what would happen in the end, we could only keep it in our hearts; neither of us wanted to talk about it too much or even think about it.

幾天的連綿陰雨終於放晴了。我和189本就喜歡待在室外，更何況教室裏那種暗中較勁的沉悶氣氛讓人難以忍受。午後，我們來到那片小樹林裏，不知不覺走得很遠。雨後的樹下，草叢中冒出了許多蘑菇。我們正蹲在一棵大樹下，琢磨著一個漂亮的大蘑菇，冷不防聽到遠處傳來一聲驚叫。

The rain that had been falling for several days finally cleared up. 189 and I always enjoyed being outdoors, especially given the stifling atmosphere of subtle competition inside the classroom. In the afternoon, we wandered into the small woods and unknowingly walked quite far. After the rain, many mushrooms had sprouted in the grass under the trees. We were squatting under a large tree, examining a beautiful mushroom, when suddenly a scream came from a distance.

抬頭望去，隻見一個女孩拚命向小樹林這邊奔跑，卻滑倒在草地上。幾個人迅速追上來，拉起她，披上一件帶帽子的外袍，簇擁著不停掙紮的女孩，走向一棟灰色的小樓。他們邊走邊警惕地四下張望。這一切發生得極快，但我們還是認出了那個女孩——231，上周測試後本該已經離開的女孩。隻有231才喜歡把頭發編成那樣的發辮。

Looking up, we saw a girl running desperately towards the woods, but she slipped and fell on the grass. Several men quickly caught up, pulled her up, threw a hooded cloak over her, and escorted the struggling girl towards a gray building, all the while looking around cautiously. This all happened very quickly, but we recognized the girl—it was 231, who was supposed to have left after last week's test. Only 231 liked to braid her hair in that particular way.

我們驚疑地對視一眼，189拉住我不讓我動。等那些人都走進灰色的小樓，過了好久，她才定下神來看著我說：“這件事我們先不要告訴任何人，包括Frank，好嗎？”雖然我的書讀得比189好一些，但她其實比我懂事得多。我愣了一下，想著Frank最近對許多問題的回避和支吾，按下心中的不安，對著189點了點頭。

We exchanged a bewildered glance, and 189 held me back. After those people had entered the gray building and a long time had passed, she finally calmed down and said to me, "Let's not tell anyone about this, including Frank, okay?" Although I was a bit better at academics than 189, she was actually much more mature than I was. I hesitated for a moment, thinking about Frank's recent evasiveness and hesitation on many issues, then suppressed my unease and nodded to 189.

五

實驗品們的見麵異常順利。盡管她們對彼此相似的外貌感到驚訝，但這也無形中突顯了各自的差異。Ellen的方法果然有效，通過相互競爭，這些實驗品的智力和各方麵能力得到了充分開發。Frank不禁感歎Ellen的遠見卓識。

The meeting of the test subjects went exceptionally smoothly. Although they were surprised by each other's similar appearance, this inadvertently highlighted their individual differences. Ellen's method proved to be effective; through mutual competition, the intelligence and various abilities of these test subjects were fully developed. Frank couldn't help but marvel at Ellen's foresight.

盡管所有實驗品在外貌上極為相似，但她們之間總有一種特殊的隔閡。雖然相處得和諧，卻絕不能稱之為親密。唯有22號和189號例外，她們與其他實驗品截然不同。一見麵，她們便顯得格外親密，很快就成了形影不離的好朋友。她們的性格非常相似，唯一的區別在於22號的智商較高，而189號則顯得更加成熟。或許是因為189號的衰老程度比22號大了幾歲，但總的來說，她們不僅極為相像，還非常親密。

Although all the test subjects are extremely similar in appearance, there is always a special barrier between them. While they get along harmoniously, they cannot be described as intimate. Only 22 and 189 are exceptions; they are completely different from the other test subjects. From the moment they met, they appeared exceptionally close and quickly became inseparable friends. Their personalities are very similar, with the only difference being that 22 has a higher IQ, while 189 appears more mature. Perhaps this is because 189 has aged a few years more than 22, but overall, they are not only very alike but also very close.

Frank很快找到了問題的答案：22的宿主和189的宿主是一對姐妹。答案在於克隆技術的局限性。當前的技術隻能克隆Ellen細胞核內的遺傳物質，用帶有Ellen遺傳物質的細胞核取代宿主體內卵子的細胞核。而線粒體的遺傳物質隻能來自宿主。由於這兩位宿主是姐妹，她們的線粒體都來源於她們的母親，因此22和189的線粒體基因來自同一個源頭。這大概就是她們之間相似且親密的原因。同樣，這也解釋了其他所有實驗品之間的隔閡，因為線粒體基因的不同，使得她們之間產生了互相排斥。

Frank quickly found the answer to the problem: the hosts of 22 and 189 were sisters. The answer lay in the limitations of cloning technology. Current technology could only clone the genetic material within Ellen's cell nucleus, replacing the host's egg cell nucleus with a nucleus containing Ellen's genetic material. However, the mitochondrial genetic material could only come from the host. Since the two hosts were sisters, their mitochondria came from their mother. Therefore, the mitochondrial genes of 22 and 189 came from the same source. This was likely the reason for their similarity and closeness. Similarly, this also explained the barrier between all other test subjects, as the differences in mitochondrial genes caused mutual repulsion among them.

這是一個非常有趣且有用的發現。Frank興衝衝地向Ellen匯報這一發現，心裏期待著能得到Ellen的誇獎，甚至奢望著會有十幾年前那個香吻般的獎勵。然而，Ellen卻大發雷霆，異常憤怒，把Frank趕出了辦公室。

This was a very interesting and useful discovery. Frank excitedly reported the finding to Ellen, hoping to receive her praise and even daring to dream of a reward like the kiss from a decade ago. However, Ellen flew into a rage, became extremely angry, and kicked Frank out of the office.

這個突如其來的消息讓Ellen非常苦悶。十幾年過去了，這些實驗品竟然沒有一個是自己的完全複製品！可是時間已經不多了，自己已經將近六十歲，還能再花十幾年時間重新開始嗎？更不用說，複製線粒體DNA的難關還沒有攻克。即使成功，實驗品的年齡正態分布也會使得可用的實驗品更加稀少。何況，時間已經來不及了，自己的時日已經無多。該死的Frank！Ellen恨恨地拿起桌上的茶杯，用力往牆上扔去。

This sudden news left Ellen deeply distressed. After more than a decade, not a single one of these test subjects turned out to be her exact replica! But time was running out. She was nearly sixty years old; could she afford to spend another decade starting over? Not to mention, the challenge of replicating mitochondrial DNA had yet to be overcome. Even if successful, the normal age distribution of the test subjects would make viable ones even scarcer. Moreover, there simply wasn't enough time left—her days were numbered. Damn Frank! Ellen angrily picked up the teacup on the table and hurled it against the wall with all her might.

一個小時後，Ellen走出了仿佛遭受恐怖襲擊的辦公室。她依舊舉止優雅，如往常一樣走進了Frank的實驗室。Frank沒有得到奢望中的香吻，隻是接到了一項新的任務：淘汰。

An hour later, Ellen walked out of her office, which looked as if it had been hit by a terrorist attack. She maintained her usual grace and walked into Frank's lab as if nothing had happened. Frank did not receive the coveted kiss he had hoped for; instead, he was given a new task: elimination.

淘汰的任務其實在十幾年前Frank就已經執行過。但那時處理的隻是即將死去的失敗品。而現在這20個實驗品，每一個都在Frank眼皮底下成長了十幾年，無論淘汰哪個，Frank都覺得自己很殘忍。然而，實驗品終究隻是實驗品，自己怎麽能對實驗品產生感情呢？想著Ellen被歲月侵襲但依然動人的臉龐，Frank告訴自己，絕不能再讓她失望。

The task of elimination was something Frank had carried out more than a decade ago. But back then, he was only dealing with failed specimens that were about to die. Now, these 20 test subjects had each grown under Frank's watchful eye for over a decade. No matter which one he had to eliminate, Frank felt it was an act of cruelty. However, test subjects were just that—test subjects. How could he allow himself to develop feelings for them? Thinking of Ellen's face, still captivating despite the ravages of time, Frank told himself that he could not let her down again.

Frank突然想起了22，那個乖巧的女孩。不知從何時起，她在自己腦海中出現的頻率早已遠遠超過了Ellen。或許是因為22酷似Ellen，而且自己經常與她相處吧。Frank似乎有意忽略了所有20個實驗品都酷似Ellen這一事實，尤其是17，她更是擁有與Ellen相同的冷豔氣質。

Frank suddenly thought of 22, that sweet girl. He couldn't remember when it started, but she had been appearing in his mind far more often than Ellen. Perhaps it was because 22 resembled Ellen so much and he spent a lot of time with her. Frank seemed to deliberately overlook the fact that all 20 test subjects resembled Ellen, especially 17, who possessed the same cold and alluring demeanor as Ellen.

不知不覺中，Frank暗暗希望22能在所有的比試中超越其他實驗品，取得最終的成功。他也不經意地投入了更多時間和精力在22的培養上。22沒有辜負Frank的期望，她憑借超人的智商，幾乎在每次比試中都取得了第一。偶爾的一兩次失誤，第一名則被17奪得。

Unconsciously, Frank secretly hoped that 22 would surpass the other test subjects in all the competitions and achieve ultimate success. He also inadvertently invested more time and effort in 22's development. 22 did not disappoint Frank's expectations; with her extraordinary intelligence, she secured first place in almost every competition. On the rare occasions when she made a mistake, it was 17 who claimed the top spot.

Frank對22的特殊照顧並沒有逃過17銳利的眼睛。然而，她並未表現出任何不滿，總是在Frank和Ellen麵前表現得更加乖巧，並在學習和比試中更加努力。

Frank's special attention to 22 did not escape 17's sharp eyes. However, she did not show any displeasure. Instead, she behaved even more obediently in front of Frank and Ellen, and worked harder in her studies and competitions.

20個實驗品已經剩下8個，Frank覺得自己變得越來越冷血。女孩子們的哭喊、尖叫和求饒都無法打動他鐵石心腸。他不斷地告訴自己，這些隻是失敗的實驗品，比試中最後一名的結果就是失敗的標誌。而他隻是在完成自己的工作，完成Ellen交給他的任務。女神的青睞才是他活著的唯一動力。

Of the 20 test subjects, only 8 remained, and Frank felt himself growing increasingly cold-hearted. The girls' cries, screams, and pleas for mercy could not move his stone-cold heart. He constantly reminded himself that these were merely failed experiments, and finishing last in the competitions was a mark of failure. He was simply doing his job, completing the tasks Ellen had assigned him. The favor of his goddess was the only motivation for his existence.

每次處理失敗的實驗品，Frank總是非常細致地做好保密措施。他的助手Vincent對此頗有微詞，認為這些不過是什麽也不懂的女孩子，何必如此如臨大敵。Frank每次安排好保密措施後便獨自離開，把剩下的工作交給Vincent。一直以來，Frank對Vincent的工作都很放心，而Vincent也從未讓Frank失望。除了這一次，第十三個失敗品，231。

Whenever dealing with failed test subjects, Frank always meticulously ensured confidentiality measures were in place. His assistant Vincent often had reservations about this, thinking these were just girls who knew nothing, so why treat it like a major threat? After setting up the confidentiality measures, Frank would leave and entrust the remaining work to Vincent. Frank had always trusted Vincent's work, and Vincent had never let him down. Except for this time, with the thirteenth failed subject, 231.

Vincent沒有告訴Frank在處理231過程中發生的小插曲。他認為這不過是個小插曲而已，沒什麽大不了的。直到17跑到他麵前，告訴他22和189正在策劃逃跑。

Vincent didn't tell Frank about the minor incident that occurred while handling 231. He thought it was just a small hiccup, nothing significant. That was until 17 came to him and revealed that 22 and 189 were planning to escape.

六

時間已經耽擱太多，我和189環顧四周，確認無人後，便一起向教室跑去。剛剛穿出小樹林，就看到17的身影急匆匆地閃進樓門口。我們顧不上多想，稍作停頓後也趕緊跑了進去。小教室裏的五個人已經準備好上課，坐在門口的17抬頭冷冷地掃了我們一眼，麵無表情。想著剛才詭異的一幕，我心神不寧地堅持到下午的課結束。

Time was running out. After confirming that no one was around, 189 and I quickly ran towards the classroom. Just as we emerged from the small grove, we saw 17 hurriedly slip into the building's entrance. Without thinking much, we paused briefly and then rushed inside. The five other girls in the small classroom were already prepared for the lesson. Sitting by the door, 17 glanced at us coldly, her face expressionless as usual. Thinking about the strange scene earlier, I anxiously endured until the afternoon classes ended.

我和189一路沉默地走著，直到分岔路口。189抱了我一下，拍拍我的肩膀說道：“先別擔心，我們都回去好好想想再說。”然後，我們互相安慰地微微一笑，揮手告別。

189 and I walked in silence all the way to the fork in the road. 189 gave me a hug and patted my shoulder, saying, "Don't worry for now. Let's both go back and think it over." Then, we exchanged reassuring smiles and waved goodbye.

傍晚時分，院內外一片靜謐，四周稀疏地亮著幾盞路燈。這種孤寂我早已習慣，但今天卻怎麽也靜不下心來，不安地在樓前徘徊。夜幕緩緩降臨，天空沒有星星，慘白的月光在地上投下濃重的陰影。

At dusk, the courtyard and its surroundings were enveloped in silence, with a few streetlights sparsely illuminating the area. This solitude was something I had long been accustomed to, but today I couldn't calm my restless mind, anxiously pacing in front of the building. As night slowly fell, the sky was devoid of stars, and the pale moonlight cast deep shadows on the ground.

我知道Frank還沒走。又過了一段時間，門口傳來響動，他那熟悉的身影出現在門邊。他的嚴肅堅定和沉默微笑是我從小就信任依賴的。然而，這一年裏，許多問題他都不再直接回答，隻是勸我不要著急，說等我再長大一些、努力一些，就會懂得答案。我向前走了幾步，走出了樹蔭。Frank看到我，便大步走了過來。

I knew Frank hadn't left yet. After a while, I heard a noise at the door, and his familiar figure appeared in the doorway. His serious demeanor and silent smile were something I had trusted and relied on since childhood. However, over the past year, he had stopped giving direct answers to many of my questions. Instead, he advised me not to worry, saying that as I grew older and worked harder, I would come to understand the answers. I took a few steps forward, stepping out of the shade. When Frank saw me, he walked over with long strides.

“這麽晚了怎麽還在外麵？有什麽事嗎？”他溫和地笑著問道。

"Why are you still outside so late? Is something wrong?" he asked with a gentle smile.

我已經長高了不少。抬眼看著他，遲疑了一下，然後笑著說：“嗯，沒什麽事。”

I've grown quite a bit taller. I looked up at him, hesitated for a moment, then smiled and said, "No, nothing's wrong."

“沒事就看會兒書，好好休息，這麽晚了，別老待在外麵。22要加油，一定要做最後的優勝者。有問題一定要說出來，好好解決。”這是他最近最常說的話，也是他最常做的事。我知道，他給了我許多其他人沒有的關懷和額外幫助。

"If there's nothing else, read a book and get some rest. It's late; don't stay outside for too long. 22, keep pushing yourself. You must be the ultimate winner. If you have any problems, make sure to speak up and resolve them properly." These were the words he had been saying most often lately, and it was also what he did most frequently. I knew he had given me a lot of care and extra help that others didn't receive.

他的笑容讓我鼓起了勇氣，我看著他說：“我會努力的。……Frank，我想問一下231的事情……”

His smile gave me the courage to look at him and say, "I will do my best. ...Frank, I wanted to ask about 231..."

話還沒說完，我就看到他的神情微微變了。我垂下眼睛，說道：“我想問問231，她是不是已經走了？她有幾樣東西在我這裏。”

Before I could finish speaking, I noticed his expression change slightly. I lowered my eyes and said, "I wanted to ask about 231. Has she already left? She left a few things with me."

“傻孩子，她早已經走了。既然她沒要，就說明那些東西不重要，沒事的，別擔心。”他又叮囑了我幾句。我低著頭，一一答應著，送他到了院門口。

"You silly child, she left a long time ago. Since she didn't take them, it means those things aren't important. Don't worry about it." He gave me a few more reminders. I lowered my head, agreeing to everything, and walked him to the courtyard gate.

輾轉反側了一夜，終於等到天亮。我早早起身，跑到路口去等189。我沒有把Frank的話告訴她，因為她眼中的Frank和我認識的並不一樣。不過，她也知道Frank對我很好。我們商定要找機會悄悄去那棟小灰樓看看究竟。

Tossing and turning all night, I finally waited until dawn. I got up early and ran to the intersection to wait for 189. I didn't tell her what Frank had said because the Frank she knew was different from the one I knew. However, she also knew that Frank was good to me. We agreed to find an opportunity to quietly check out that small gray building.

不久之後，我們有一堂大型實驗課，地點與小灰樓在同一個方向。然而，無論是去的時候還是返回的時候，隻要接近那棟樓，就會有人出來阻止，沒有證件是不允許進入的。唯一知道的是，那是一間標本製作陳列室。最後一次嚐試時，我們意外地遇到了Frank的助手Vincent。他回頭看了看身後的小樓，用一種奇怪的目光看著我們說：“這裏目前你們還不能進，不過……你們每個人都會有機會進來的，別著急，一定會有機會的，隻是現在還不行。”說完，他意味深長地笑了笑，便走開了。他走了很久，那種令人厭惡的目光似乎還粘在我們身上。

Not long after, we had a large experimental class, and the location was in the same direction as the small gray building. However, whether we were going there or returning, as soon as we got close to that building, someone would come out to stop us. Without proper credentials, entry was not allowed. The only thing we knew was that it was a specimen preparation and display room. During our last attempt, we unexpectedly ran into Vincent, Frank's assistant. He glanced back at the small building behind him and, with a strange look in his eyes, said to us, "You can't go in here right now, but... each of you will have the chance to enter eventually. Don't worry, there will definitely be an opportunity, just not now." After saying this, he gave us a meaningful smile and walked away. Even after he had been gone for a long time, that repulsive gaze seemed to linger on us.

越是沒有答案，心中的疑惑越深。就這樣過了一段時間，又一次測試來臨。我們隻剩下了六個人，189隻是險勝而已。六個人上課的第一天，氣氛異常地壓抑緊張。我越來越害怕會與189分離。迅速吃完午飯，189又拉著我到了小樹林裏。沉寂了許久的小灰樓又開始人來人往，好幾次都看到了Frank的身影，最多的還是Vincent。隻是一周後，又詭異地恢複了安靜。189好幾次看著我欲言又止。我心中的害怕，也不敢說出來。

The more there were no answers, the deeper my doubts grew. Time passed like this, and another test came. Only six of us remained, and 189 had barely passed. On the first day of class with the six of us, the atmosphere was unusually oppressive and tense. I became increasingly afraid of being separated from 189. After quickly finishing lunch, 189 pulled me into the small grove again. The small gray building, which had been quiet for a long time, started to see people coming and going again. We saw Frank several times, but mostly it was Vincent. However, just a week later, it eerily returned to silence. Several times, 189 looked at me as if wanting to say something but held back. The fear in my heart also kept me from speaking up.

實在按捺不住心中的忐忑，終於有一天我跑去問了Frank：“這些測試最後是不是一定隻能留下一個人？如果是，我可不可以放棄，與189一起走？我不想與189分開。”我不敢問他小灰樓裏發生了什麽事，雖然他顯然知道。我自己不怕，但我怕189會有事。Frank皺著眉，嚴厲地斥責了我：“一個人要成功，要強大，就一定要有所犧牲，堅持到底。”

Unable to contain my anxiety any longer, one day I finally went to ask Frank, "In the end, do these tests mean only one person can remain? If so, can I give up and leave with 189? I don't want to be separated from 189." I didn't dare ask him what was happening in the small gray building, even though he clearly knew. I wasn't afraid for myself, but I was worried something might happen to 189. Frank frowned and sternly rebuked me, saying, "For a person to succeed and become strong, sacrifices must be made. You have to persevere to the end."

“可是，去別的地方不是也可以繼續學習嗎？”

"But can't we continue learning somewhere else?"

“住嘴！你絕不能這樣想！你必須堅持到最後一個！隻許成功，不許失敗！”他喊完以後，我們兩個都沉默了。

"Shut up! You mustn't think like that! You have to persevere until the very end! Only success is allowed, no failure!" After he shouted, we both fell silent.

“22，人必須要成長，沒有誰能永遠和誰在一起。以後你會明白的。”

"22, people have to grow up. No one can stay with someone forever. You'll understand this in the future."

“22知道了。”從小到大，從來沒有我選擇的餘地，不是嗎？我隻能，也必須做好所有被要求做的事情。我隻是不想與189分開。我隻是不知道小灰樓裏等待著我們的是什麽，231為什麽那樣驚恐絕望地拚命掙紮，還有小灰樓那個令人不寒而栗的名字。

"22 understands." From childhood to now, I've never had a choice, have I? I can only, and must, do everything I'm told to do. I just don't want to be separated from 189. I just don't know what awaits us in the small gray building, why 231 struggled so desperately in terror and despair, and the chilling name of that building.

我安靜下來，不再爭執。反正爭執也是徒勞，有什麽用呢。

I quieted down and stopped arguing. After all, arguing is futile; what's the point?

第二天，我把所有的一切都告訴了189。原來她早已做好了被淘汰的準備，隻是希望能幫助我堅持到最後。可是，我不願意。我們對視了一眼，隻需一個微笑，不必再多說什麽。我們決定一起離開這裏，盡管不知道外麵的世界是什麽樣的，也不知道外麵有什麽。

The next day, I told 189 everything. It turned out she had long been prepared for elimination; she just wanted to help me persevere until the end. But I was unwilling. We looked at each other, and with just a smile, there was no need to say anything more. We decided to leave here together, even though we didn't know what the outside world was like or what awaited us out there.

不敢再冒下一次測試的風險，我們立刻行動起來。真正準備離開時，我們才發現這個看似空曠少有人煙的地方，處處都有戒備。原來我們一直被圈定在一個看不出界限的範圍內。這讓我們更加堅定了離開的決心。我和189利用所有可能的機會悄悄地四處查看和試探。兩個月後，我們終於發現了一條極其隱蔽的小路。時間已經不多了，不能再耽擱。確定好日期，做好準備後，我和189分別來到了約定的地點。躲過巡視後，我們拚命奔向小路的盡頭。就在我們喘息未定時，卻看到路旁站出兩個人，定睛一看，一個是Vincent，另一個是17。

Not daring to risk another test, we immediately took action. When we actually prepared to leave, we discovered that this seemingly empty and sparsely populated place was guarded everywhere. It turned out we had always been confined within an invisible boundary. This realization only strengthened our determination to leave. 189 and I used every possible opportunity to quietly explore and probe around. Two months later, we finally found a very hidden path. Time was running out, and we couldn't delay any longer. After setting a date and making preparations, 189 and I arrived separately at the agreed-upon location. Avoiding the patrols, we ran desperately towards the end of the path. Just as we were catching our breath, two people stepped out from the roadside. Looking closely, we saw that one was Vincent and the other was 17.

七

22和189的逃跑讓Ellen大發雷霆。Ellen的辦公室再次遭到恐怖襲擊，而Frank則被罰掉整整一年的工資。對Frank來說，工資隻是小事，因為他本質上不是一個追求享樂的人，金錢隻是用來解決溫飽的基本需求，而他早已是公司最富有的員工之一。他唯一的享樂就是能夠接近Ellen，並為她實現一切目標。然而，由於這次意外，Frank明顯感覺到Ellen對自己的不滿。盡管Vincent名義上仍然是他的助手，但由於在處理這次事故中的出色表現，他得到了Ellen的高度嘉獎。Vincent對Frank的態度似乎也不再那麽尊敬，隱隱有了分庭抗禮的意味。

The escape of 22 and 189 infuriated Ellen. Ellen's office was once again targeted by a terrorist attack, and Frank was penalized with a full year's salary deduction. For Frank, the salary was a minor issue because he was not inherently a pleasure-seeker; money was merely a means to meet his basic needs, and he was already one of the wealthiest employees in the company. His sole enjoyment was being close to Ellen and helping her achieve all her goals. However, due to this incident, Frank clearly felt Ellen's dissatisfaction with him. Although Vincent was still nominally his assistant, he received high praise from Ellen for his outstanding performance in handling the incident. Vincent's attitude towards Frank seemed to lack the previous respect, hinting at a subtle rivalry.

而最頭痛的就是如何處理22和189。Ellen讓Frank這次親自處理她們。其實並不難，淘汰掉就是了，反正還有其他實驗品。剩下的這些實驗品，任何一個都不比她們差。然而，要處理22，Frank卻不敢麵對自己內心隱隱的難過。他知道自己不該有這樣的情緒，實驗品終究隻是實驗品，不管多麽優秀，依然隻是實驗品。怎麽能對實驗品產生感情呢？

The most troublesome issue was how to deal with 22 and 189. Ellen asked Frank to handle them personally this time. In fact, it wasn't difficult; they could simply be eliminated, as there were other test subjects available. The remaining test subjects were just as good as them. However, when it came to dealing with 22, Frank couldn't face the subtle sadness in his heart. He knew he shouldn't have such emotions; test subjects were just test subjects, no matter how exceptional they were. How could he develop feelings for a test subject?

看著倔強的22的臉，Frank想起了自己第一次見到Ellen的樣子。那時，她在講台上意氣風發，美麗的臉龐上洋溢著驕傲和自信。眼前被銬著的22，雖然有些狼狽，卻毫無驚慌，依然帶著同樣的驕傲和自信。而旁邊的189，雖然同樣美麗，卻流露出絕望的神色。

Looking at the stubborn face of 22, Frank was reminded of the first time he saw Ellen. Back then, she stood on the podium, full of vigor, her beautiful face radiating pride and confidence. The handcuffed 22 before him, though somewhat disheveled, showed no sign of panic and still carried the same pride and confidence. Meanwhile, 189, equally beautiful, displayed an expression of despair.

“Frank，這不是22的錯，都是我的主意。”189並不知道她們將要麵對什麽，但想起231逃跑時那恐怖的表情，她知道自己不可能活下去。然而，她想救22，因為22是她在這個世界上唯一的朋友，也是最有可能最終勝利的人。“Frank，我知道你最喜歡22，……”

"Frank, it's not 22's fault; it was all my idea." 189 didn't know what they were about to face, but recalling the terrified expression on 231's face when she escaped, she knew she wouldn't survive. However, she wanted to save 22, as 22 was her only friend in this world and the most likely to ultimately succeed. "Frank, I know you like 22 the most, ..."

Frank揮手打斷了189的話，隻是靜靜地看著22。22倔強地回視著Frank，一言不發。Frank有些惱怒，為什麽，為什麽自己為她做了這麽多，她竟然還要逃跑。畢竟，獲得最終勝利對22來說並不是難事，即使是17也無法真正勝過她。為什麽她不珍惜這一切？如果她真的知道逃跑帶來的全部後果，她會不會知難而退呢？

Frank waved his hand to interrupt 189, simply staring quietly at 22. 22 stubbornly returned Frank's gaze, saying nothing. Frank felt a surge of anger. Why? Why, after everything he had done for her, did she still want to escape? After all, achieving ultimate victory wasn't difficult for 22; even 17 couldn't truly surpass her. Why didn't she cherish all of this? If she truly understood the full consequences of escaping, would she still choose to run away?

Frank想起了十幾年前的那一天。那是他這一生中最意氣風發的一天，300個小生命在他手下誕生，而麵前的22，卻是300個中最後出生，幾乎讓實驗失敗的那個。他親眼看著她成長，她總是那麽乖巧地陪在他身邊。她說的第一句話，她走的第一步路，都是在他的關注下完成的，甚至她學會寫的第一個字也是“Frank”。Frank的表情慢慢柔和下來，他看到22倔強的眼角似乎也閃現了一絲淚光。

Frank recalled that day from over a decade ago. It was the most exhilarating day of his life, with 300 small lives born under his supervision. But the 22 standing before him was the last of the 300 to be born, almost causing the experiment to fail. He watched her grow up; she was always so obedient, staying by his side. Her first words, her first steps, were all taken under his watchful eye. Even the first word she learned to write was "Frank". Frank's expression gradually softened, and he noticed a glimmer of tears in the stubborn eyes of 22.

“Frank，雖然她們倆有錯，但您可以替她們向Ellen求求情嗎？”被Ellen要求參觀處理過程的17怯生生地問。

"Frank, although they both made mistakes, could you plead with Ellen on their behalf?" 17 timidly asked, having been instructed by Ellen to observe the handling process.

Frank轉過頭看了看17。17那酷似Ellen的美麗臉龐上露出一副驚慌的模樣，但他知道這隻是17裝出來的。她故意提到Ellen，就是在提醒Frank不要做傻事。想到這裏，Frank不禁感到一陣反胃。

Frank turned his head to look at 17. Her beautiful face, so similar to Ellen's, displayed a look of panic, but he knew it was just an act. She deliberately mentioned Ellen to remind Frank not to do anything foolish. Thinking of this, Frank couldn't help but feel a wave of nausea.

“我也和Vincent說過，他也說聽你的。”17繼續說道。

"I also spoke with Vincent, and he said to follow your lead," 17 continued.

對呀，Vincent很快就會來了。這個小姑娘是在威脅我嗎？Frank恨恨地想著。被實驗品威脅的滋味真是不好受。

That's right, Vincent will be here soon. Is this girl threatening me? Frank thought angrily. It felt truly unpleasant to be threatened by a test subject.

“Ellen的話是不能更改的。17，你過來，幫我按這個紅色按鈕。”Frank似乎下定了決心，拉起銬住189的鐵鏈，伸手把她提了起來。

"Ellen's words cannot be changed. 17, come over here and press this red button for me." Frank seemed to have made up his mind. He grabbed the chain binding 189 and lifted her up.

17走過來，按下了紅色按鈕，一扇厚重的門無聲地打開了。裏麵是熊熊燃燒的爐火，竟然是個焚化爐。厚重的門將內部的高溫完全隔絕，現在門一打開，一股熱浪撲麵而來。

17 walked over and pressed the red button. A heavy door silently opened, revealing a blazing furnace inside—it was an incinerator. The thick door had completely sealed off the intense heat within, but now, as the door opened, a wave of heat rushed out.

189一下子嚇壞了，拚命掙紮，哭喊著，試圖從Frank的懷裏逃脫。然而，一切都是徒勞的，Frank的手臂牢牢地鎖住她，一步步走向爐口。“Frank，不，不要啊……”

189 was terrified all of a sudden, struggling desperately and crying out, trying to escape from Frank's grasp. However, it was all in vain; Frank's arms held her tightly as he walked step by step towards the furnace. "Frank, no, please don't..."

189的聲音很快就消失了。22的臉上失去了從容，臉色煞白，驚恐地看著Frank，但依然倔強地一動不動。

189's voice quickly faded away. The composure on 22's face vanished, her complexion turned pale, and she looked at Frank with terror, yet she remained stubbornly still.

17似乎也嚇呆了，捂著臉癱坐在地上。“這就是淘汰的結局……”她喃喃地說。

17 seemed to be stunned as well, covering her face and sitting on the ground. "This is the fate of being eliminated..." she murmured.

Frank踢了17一腳，“起來，幫我把22帶過來。”

Frank kicked 17 and said, "Get up and help me to bring 22 over here."

22雖然很害怕，但她沒有掙紮也沒有哭喊。她緊緊地咬住牙關，眼淚無聲地滑落，雙手卻死死抓住Frank的手臂，無論如何也不肯鬆開。

Although 22 was terrified, she neither struggled nor cried out. She clenched her teeth tightly, silent tears streaming down her face, while her hands gripped Frank's arm firmly, refusing to let go no matter what.

17抓住她的腿，與Frank一起將22抬到爐口。突然，Frank一個踉蹌，似乎被什麽絆了一下，身體失去平衡，向17倒去。17隻好放開22的腿，伸手去扶住Frank。

17 grabbed her legs and, together with Frank, lifted 22 to the furnace. Suddenly, Frank stumbled, as if tripping over something, losing his balance and falling toward 17. 17 had to let go of 22's legs and reached out to steady Frank.

在Frank倒向17的瞬間，他猛地用手一推，“啊！”17的慘叫聲從爐子裏傳了出來。

As Frank fell toward 17, he gave a powerful shove with his hand. "Ah!" 17's scream echoed from the furnace.

Frank迅速爬起來，用力按下紅色按鈕，門無聲地關上了。除了室內依然的悶熱，一切仿佛什麽都沒發生過。

Frank quickly got up and forcefully pressed the red button. The door closed silently. Apart from the lingering heat in the room, it was as if nothing had happened at all.

Frank蹲下來，解開22的鐐銬，扶她起來。“17，你該回去學習了。別被淘汰。”

Frank knelt down, unlocked 22's shackles, and helped her up. "17, you should go back to your studies. Don't get eliminated."

22深深地看了Frank一眼，然後站起身，轉身走了出去。

22 gave Frank a long, deep look, then stood up and walked out.

Frank走出處理室，來到走廊的窗前，看著女孩朝17的住處走去。遠處，Vincent正提著公文包，朝這棟房子走來。

Frank stepped out of the processing room and walked to the window in the hallway, watching the girl head towards 17's quarters. In the distance, Vincent was approaching the building, carrying a briefcase.

八

死裏逃生後，我又害怕又心痛，幾近虛脫。Frank從地上扶起我，緩緩收回他的手，隻說了一句話。我盯著這個剛剛抱著我走向焚化爐的人，既熟悉又陌生。我曾經是多麽信任和依賴他的懷抱。拚命咬牙忍住不爭氣的淚水，再次記住他說的話，用盡所有的力氣轉身離開。

After narrowly escaping death, I was both terrified and heartbroken, nearly collapsing from exhaustion. Frank helped me up from the ground and slowly withdrew his hand, saying just one sentence. I stared at the man who had just carried me towards the incinerator, someone both familiar and strange. I had always trusted and relied on his embrace. Clenching my teeth to hold back the tears, I etched his words into my memory once more, and with all the strength I could muster, I turned and walked away.

茫然地站在台階上，冷風吹拂著我的臉。我想立刻跑回那熟悉的院落，想在好好睡一覺後發現這一切都隻是一場夢。但我不能這麽做。遠遠地，我看到Vincent走了過來，幾乎立刻就能感覺到他那像蛇一樣陰冷的目光纏上了我。我邁開發軟的雙腿，避開他的方向，失魂落魄地走向17的住處，繼續這場噩夢。

Standing dazed on the steps, the cold wind brushed against my face. I wanted to run back to the familiar courtyard immediately, hoping that after a good night's sleep, I would wake up to find that all of this was just a bad dream. But I couldn't do that. From a distance, I saw Vincent approaching, and almost instantly, I could feel his snake-like, cold gaze wrapping around me. I forced my shaky legs to move, avoiding his direction, and walked disoriented towards 17's quarters, continuing this nightmare.

我不想看見，更不想觸碰這個房間裏的任何東西，我隻想逃開。它們讓我覺得17似乎仍在這個房間裏。我徒勞地在房間裏轉著圈，怎麽也躲不開，最後隻好跳上床，躲在被子裏。在黑暗中，我終於能夠獨自麵對189的記憶。我終於可以瑟瑟發抖，任由淚水流下。

I didn't want to see or touch anything in this room; all I wanted was to escape. Everything made me feel as if 17 was still here. I wandered aimlessly around the room, unable to avoid the overwhelming presence. Finally, I jumped onto the bed and hid under the covers. In the darkness, I could finally face the memories of 189 alone. At last, I allowed myself to tremble and let the tears flow freely.

189最後的掙紮、痛苦和絕望，我全都感同身受。劇烈的心痛之後，是一個無法彌補的巨大空洞。不過也好，以後你就能夠住在這個空洞裏，我們時時刻刻都能夠在一起了。你這個傻子，逃跑被發現的那一刻，竟然一把把我拉到身後；在小灰樓裏你居然還妄想為我求情。

I could feel every bit of 189's final struggles, pain, and despair. After the intense heartache, there was an unfillable void. But maybe it's for the best; now you can reside in that void, and we can be together all the time. You fool, when we were caught trying to escape, you pulled me behind you; in the small gray building, you even foolishly tried to plead for me.

從很小的時候我就知道，所有的哭泣、害怕和掙紮都毫無用處，改變不了任何事情。要做的事情終究一件不少地都會做，隻有安安靜靜乖乖做好才能得到讚揚、笑臉和安生。你一定比我更清楚這一點吧，你怎麽會不知道，至少還有Frank對我不同……

Since I was very young, I knew that crying, fear, and struggling were all useless and wouldn't change anything. The tasks that needed to be done would be completed, one way or another. Only by quietly and obediently doing what was asked could one earn praise, smiles, and peace. You must have known this even better than I did. How could you not know that, at least, Frank treated me differently...

Frank，你是不是在恨我選擇逃跑？你們要的無非是一個優勝者，17已經很優秀了啊。我雖然知道你的好，可是我害怕，我不想和189分開，這有什麽錯？你們居然可以這樣冷酷！那麽最後，為什麽要救我？在我看著你親手把189葬送之後，為什麽還要救我？你說是Ellen的命令吧。Ellen，我隻記得那是一個我小時候想要親近的美麗女人；還有陰冷的Vincent……

Frank, do you resent me for choosing to escape? All you wanted was a winner, and 17 is already excellent. I know your kindness, but I was scared. I didn't want to be separated from 189—is that so wrong? How could you be so cruel?

So why did you save me in the end? After I watched you send 189 to her death, why did you still save me? You said it was Ellen's order. Ellen, I only remember her as a beautiful woman I wanted to be close to when I was little; and then there's the cold, snake-like Vincent...

還有17，17的戒備和敵意幾乎是不加掩飾的。你一直想要擊敗所有的人，可是17，如果你猜到今天的結局，不知道你還會不會這樣處心積慮地阻止我和189的逃離？

And then there's 17. Her wariness and hostility were almost palpable. You always wanted to defeat everyone. But 17, if you had foreseen today's outcome, I wonder if you would still have gone to such lengths to prevent 189 and me from escaping.

不過沒關係，現在189已經不在了。從今以後，我會聽Frank的話，成為最後的勝利者，那個無可替代的勝利者，一直走下去，揭開所有的謎底。我擦幹了眼淚。189，你的死不會白白浪費的。

But it's okay. 189 is gone now. From now on, I will follow Frank's words and become the final victor, the irreplaceable winner, and I will keep going until all the mysteries are unveiled. I wiped away my tears. 189, your death will not be in vain.

天亮了，我封好了心中的傷口。冷冰冰、麵無表情地走到17的位置上坐下，教室裏隻剩下四個人了。過了一會，Vincent毫不在乎地前來隨意解釋了一下189和22的離去。我盯著他的臉，忽然想到：17已經死了，22也不在了，誰知道活著坐在這裏的這個人到底是誰呢？我認真地看了一眼教室裏其他三個跟我長得一樣的女孩，她們什麽都不知道，還在盡心努力。可是我知道，隻要我多花費些心思，她們每一個人都逃不掉那個最終的結局。我還知道，為了我自己，為了189，無論如何我都不能放棄。我回過頭來，再也不願看她們一眼。

Daylight broke, and I sealed the wounds in my heart. Cold and expressionless, I walked to 17's seat and sat down. There were only four of us left in the classroom. After a while, Vincent came in, nonchalantly explaining the departure of 189 and 22. I stared at his face and suddenly thought: 17 is dead, and 22 is gone. Who knows who this person sitting here really is?

I took a good look at the other three girls in the classroom who looked just like me. They knew nothing and were still diligently working. But I knew that if I put in a little more effort, none of them would escape the final outcome. I also knew that for myself and for 189, I could not give up, no matter what. I turned away, unwilling to look at them ever again.

沒過幾天，我就見到了那個Ellen。在房間裏，隔著長長的會議桌，我對麵坐著三個人。一個是不再年輕的高傲冷漠的Ellen，絲毫沒有了記憶中和藹可親的模樣，略顯病態的臉上目光更加銳利；她的旁邊是Frank和Vincent。就是這三個人和17一起害死了189。我冷冷地看著他們，反正17一向也是如此，直到我發覺Frank有些擔憂地看著我，我才垂下目光。

A few days later, I met Ellen. In the room, across the long conference table, three people sat opposite me. One was Ellen, no longer young and now proud and indifferent, with none of the kindness I remembered. Her face, slightly sickly, had an even sharper gaze. Next to her were Frank and Vincent. These three, along with 17, were the ones who killed 189. I looked at them coldly, as 17 had always been like this. It wasn't until I noticed Frank looking at me with some concern that I lowered my gaze.

Ellen簡單地問了我幾句話，然後讚揚了17的忠誠以及她一直以來，特別是最近幾天的良好表現，沒有被多餘的感情所影響。在Ellen審視的目光下，我小心地一一應答。接著，Vincent皮笑肉不笑地解釋了為什麽要處置掉那些被淘汰的女孩子。原來，她們都不夠優秀，屬於不合格的實驗產品，除了成為隱患，沒有任何存在的價值。

Ellen asked me a few simple questions, then praised 17's loyalty and her consistently good performance, especially in recent days, noting that she wasn't influenced by unnecessary emotions. Under Ellen's scrutinizing gaze, I carefully answered each question. Then, with a smirk that didn't reach his eyes, Vincent explained why those eliminated girls had to be disposed of. It turned out they weren't good enough and were considered unqualified experimental products. Apart from becoming liabilities, they had no value whatsoever.

我木然地離開了那間屋子。在外麵漫無目的地走了許久，才重新感覺到我是一個人，一個活生生的人。原來我也隻是一個實驗產品而已。難怪，實驗品需要什麽感覺知覺呢？實驗品需要什麽自我主張呢？實驗品需要什麽感情呢？原本也從來沒有人告訴我們感情是一種什麽東西，從小到大，我隻知道到有三個可以親近的人，胖阿姨，Frank，189。現在，一個也沒有了。

I left the room numbly. Outside, I wandered aimlessly for a long time before I once again felt that I was a person, a living, breathing person. It turns out I was just an experimental product as well. No wonder—why would an experimental product need feelings or perceptions? Why would an experimental product need self-assertion? Why would an experimental product need emotions? No one ever told us what emotions were. From childhood to now, I only knew three people I could be close to: Round Auntie, Frank, and 189. Now, all of them are gone.

從我變成17的那天起，今天是我第一次見到Frank。他一句話也沒有說。可是我看到了他對待Ellen的神情，我終於明白了他有時穿過我看向的是什麽。在那麽多個相貌相同的實驗品中，我恰巧是最像他喜歡的那個Ellen的實驗品吧。他的喜歡和關愛也都是因為Ellen吧，跟我22又有什麽關係呢？嗬嗬，22隻是他最滿意的一件實驗產品，隻需要成為他想要的樣子。可是，我是什麽樣子沒關係，189卻跟我有關係，189是他親手葬送的。我甩甩頭，不再去想今天他那擔憂的眼神。

Since the day I became 17, today was the first time I saw Frank. He didn't say a word. But I saw the way he looked at Ellen, and I finally understood what he sometimes saw when he looked through me. Among so many identical-looking experimental subjects, I happened to be the one that most resembled the Ellen he liked. His affection and care were all because of Ellen, weren't they? What did they have to do with me, 22? Ha, 22 was just his most satisfactory experimental product, only needing to become what he wanted. But it doesn't matter what I am like; 189, however, has everything to do with me. 189 was someone he personally condemned. I shook my head, refusing to dwell on the worried look he gave me today.

既然我是實驗產品，那我就做一個最優秀的產品，成為最終的勝利者，成為讓你們這些人最滿意的實驗產品。

Since I am an experimental product, I will become the best product, the ultimate victor, the experimental product that satisfies all of you the most.

九

Frank一直擔心22會露出破綻，畢竟她曾經是一個如此溫暖的女孩，而17則總是給人一種冰冷的感覺。然而，Frank很快發現自己的擔心是多餘的。現在的22與原來的17幾乎沒有任何區別，甚至有時讓Frank懷疑自己那天是否真的處理掉了22。

Frank was always worried that 22 would reveal a flaw, after all, she used to be such a sweet girl, whereas 17 always gave off a cold vibe. However, Frank soon realized that his worries were unnecessary. The current 22 is almost indistinguishable from the original 17, to the point where Frank sometimes even doubts whether he actually dealt with 22 that day.

Frank當然不會記錯，是他親手把17推進了焚化爐。推了這一把之後，他知道自己已經無法回頭了。他明白，他推下去的不僅僅是17，還有Ellen的信任。這一推，把他自己推到了Ellen的對立麵，從此他與整個高氏集團為敵。

Frank certainly couldn't have remembered incorrectly; it was he who had pushed 17 into the incinerator with his own hands. After that push, he knew there was no turning back. He understood that he had pushed away not just 17, but also Ellen's trust. This action had placed him in opposition to Ellen, and from that moment on, he became an enemy of the entire Gao's Group.

而22偽裝成17得實在太像了。雖然這有助於瞞過Ellen和Vincent，為Frank爭取更多時間，但他也感受到22刻意對自己的疏離。她那冷冷的目光，就像Ellen生氣時的眼神，讓Frank不寒而栗。

22's impersonation of 17 was astonishingly convincing. While this helped to deceive Ellen and Vincent, buying Frank more time, he also sensed a deliberate distance from 22. Her cold gaze, reminiscent of Ellen's when she was angry, sent chills down Frank's spine.

Frank一開始並不明白自己為什麽會背叛Ellen。麵對22越來越冷的眼神，他發現自己非常懷念那個曾經可愛的22。他不得不承認，自己已經愛上了這個女孩，而Ellen隻是年少時一個不可能實現的青澀美夢。

At first, Frank didn't understand why he had betrayed Ellen. Faced with 22's increasingly cold gaze, he found himself deeply missing the once-adorable 22. He had to admit that he had fallen in love with this girl, while Ellen was merely an unattainable, youthful dream from his past.

時間緊迫，實驗品所剩無幾，末日即將來臨。Frank既沒有時間，也不敢向22解釋這個實驗的最終目的。為了自己的愛和命運，他必須為自己找到一條後路，他要救22離開這裏。他秘密地收集整理了這十幾年來整個實驗的數據和資料，每天一點一點地偷偷帶回自己的住處。

Time was running out, and the remaining test subjects were dwindling. The end was near. Frank neither had the time nor the courage to explain the ultimate purpose of the experiment to 22. For the sake of his love and his destiny, he had to find a way out for himself. He was determined to save 22 and get her out of there. He secretly collected and organized all the data and information from the experiment over the past decade, smuggling it back to his place bit by bit each day.

Ellen出奇冷靜地聽著Vincent的匯報，麵無表情。她靜靜地坐在辦公桌前，點燃了一支雪茄。Ellen並不嗜煙，隻有在做重大決定時才會點上一根古巴雪茄。其實，她非常討厭雪茄嗆人的味道，但正是這種令人作嘔的氣味，能讓她保持冷靜和頭腦清醒。因為她知道，自己做出的任何一個決定，都會比這煙味更加令人厭惡。

Ellen listened to Vincent's report with an unusual calmness, her face devoid of any emotion. She sat quietly at her desk and lit a cigar. Ellen wasn't a smoker; she only lit a Cuban cigar when making significant decisions. In fact, she despised the pungent smell of cigars, but it was precisely this nauseating odor that helped her stay calm and clear-headed. She knew that any decision she made would be more repulsive than the smell of the cigar.

Vincent誠惶誠恐地坐在Ellen對麵，大氣也不敢出。和Frank一樣，Vincent也是Ellen的仰慕者，並且自認為能力不比Frank差。隻是因為比Frank晚了兩年加入公司，所以隻能充當Frank的助手。實際上，若沒有他的幫助，Frank的大多數研究成果都不會成功。因此，Vincent對Frank其實非常不屑。Vincent一直保持低調，知道自己絕不能與Frank正麵交鋒，但他從不放過任何可以超越Frank、更加親近Ellen的機會。231的逃跑是一次機會，處理22和189則是另一次機會。每一次，他都能巧妙地抓住這些機會，但他時刻提醒自己不要得意忘形。所以，他一直謙遜地等待著，看著Ellen把整根雪茄抽完，並用力在煙灰缸裏掐滅剩下的煙頭，始終不發一言。

Vincent sat across from Ellen, filled with trepidation, not daring to make a sound. Like Frank, Vincent was also an admirer of Ellen and believed that his abilities were no less than Frank's. However, because he joined the company two years later than Frank, he could only serve as Frank's assistant. In reality, without his help, most of Frank's research achievements would not have been successful. Therefore, Vincent actually held Frank in contempt. Vincent always maintained a low profile, knowing that he could never confront Frank head-on. However, he never missed any opportunity to surpass Frank and get closer to Ellen. The escape of 231 was one such opportunity, and handling 22 and 189 was another. Each time, he managed to seize these opportunities skillfully, but he constantly reminded himself not to get carried away. So, he waited humbly, watching as Ellen finished her cigar and forcefully extinguished the remaining stub in the ashtray, without uttering a single word.

“通知Frank，一周後進行最後的測試。我們將選出最終的實驗品，然後進行下一步。讓Frank把所有儀器準備好，這次我們絕不能再失敗。”Ellen冷冷地吩咐Vincent。

"Inform Frank that the final test will take place in a week. We will select the ultimate test subject and proceed to the next step. Make sure Frank has all the equipment ready; we cannot afford to fail this time." Ellen instructed Vincent coldly.

“是，高總。如果沒有其他吩咐，我就先出去了。”Vincent站起身來，躬身對Ellen說道。

"Yes, Ms. Gao. If there are no other instructions, I'll take my leave." Vincent stood up and bowed to Ellen as he spoke.

“去吧。在實驗之前，你協助Frank再詳細地過一遍實驗步驟，不要有任何疏漏。對了，把這個拿出去，扔掉。”Ellen說著，把煙灰缸遞給Vincent。

"Go ahead. Before the experiment, assist Frank in thoroughly reviewing the steps to ensure there are no oversights. Oh, and take this out and dispose of it." Ellen said, handing the ashtray to Vincent.

“是，高總。”Vincent壓住心頭的狂喜，小心翼翼地接過煙灰缸，然後走了出去，順手輕輕帶上了門。

"Yes, Ms. Gao." Vincent suppressed his overwhelming joy, carefully took the ashtray, and then walked out, gently closing the door behind him.

Vincent知道自己的出頭之日來了。讓自己再檢查一遍實驗步驟，其實表明Ellen已經對Frank失去了信任，這正是自己的機會。

Vincent knew that his moment to shine had arrived. Being asked to review the experiment steps once more was a clear indication that Ellen had lost trust in Frank, and this was his opportunity.

最後一次測試將在剩下的三名實驗品之間進行。Ellen難得地第一次也是最後一次出現在測試現場。毫無意外，優勝者自然是22，不，現在應該叫17了。至於那兩名失敗者，雖然對未來有些不安，但很顯然並不知道自己將麵臨的命運，順從地跟著Vincent離開了。

The final test would be conducted among the three remaining test subjects. For the first and last time, Ellen made a rare appearance at the testing site. Unsurprisingly, the winner was 22, or rather, she should now be called 17. As for the two who failed, although they felt uneasy about the future, it was evident that they had no idea what fate awaited them. They obediently followed Vincent out.

剩下最後的一個女孩，美麗而冰冷的女孩，靜靜地看著Frank跟Ellen。

The last remaining girl, beautiful and cold, quietly looked at Frank and Ellen.

“恭喜你，17。你將會是高氏集團的唯一合法繼承人。”Frank看著眼前這個安靜而冰冷的女孩，聲音不禁有些顫抖。他深吸了一口氣，讓自己冷靜下來。“17，從現在開始，你的名字就是Elena，請在文件上簽名。”說著，Frank把文件遞給Elena。

"Congratulations, 17. You will be the sole legitimate heir to the Gao’s Group." Frank's voice trembled slightly as he looked at the quiet and cold girl before him. He took a deep breath to calm himself. "17, from now on, your name is Elena. Please sign the document." With that, Frank handed the document to Elena.

“Elena是Ellen的另一種寫法。既然你成了我的繼承人，我的名字也將由你繼承。你不再需要使用實驗代碼作為你的名字了。”Ellen微笑著對女孩說道。

"Elena is another form of Ellen. Since you have become my heir, my name will also be passed on to you. You no longer need to use the experiment code as your name." Ellen said, smiling at the girl.

“Elena。”女孩輕輕地念了一下自己的新名字，接過文件和筆，簽下了這個陌生的名字。

"Elena." The girl softly repeated her new name, took the document and pen, and signed this unfamiliar name.

“請跟我來，我們還有最後一個實驗。”Frank對女孩說，伸出手。然後悄悄地用幾乎聽不見的聲音補充道，“不要怕，我會保護你的。”

"Please come with me, we have one final experiment." Frank said to the girl, extending his hand. Then, in a nearly inaudible whisper, he added, "Don't be afraid, I will protect you."

十

女孩跟隨Frank和Ellen走進實驗室。實驗室中央擺放著兩張醫療用躺椅。Ellen率先走到其中一張，坐了上去。她轉頭微笑著示意女孩也坐到另一張躺椅上。然後，Ellen拿起旁邊一個布滿電線的頭盔，戴在頭上，安詳地躺了下去。

The girl followed Frank and Ellen into the laboratory. In the center of the room were two medical recliners. Ellen walked over to one of them first and sat down. She turned her head and smiled, signaling the girl to sit on the other recliner. Then, Ellen picked up a helmet full of wires from beside her, put it on her head, and lay down peacefully.

女孩警惕地走到自己的躺椅前，猶豫著是否要躺上去。

The girl cautiously walked to her recliner, hesitating about whether to lie down.

“Elena，請放鬆點。沒事的，有Frank在呢。” Frank盡量用溫柔的語氣說道，並伸手想要撫摸女孩的頭發。十八年來，他一直這樣做，每次都能讓女孩安靜下來，然後乖乖地接受測試。

"Elena, please relax. It's okay, Frank is here." Frank said in as gentle a tone as possible, reaching out to touch the girl's hair. For eighteen years, he had always done this, and every time it calmed the girl down, making her obediently undergo the tests.

可是這次女孩躲開了。她看著Frank的眼神依然充滿了警惕和不信任。眼眶微紅，淚光閃爍，緊閉的雙唇微微發抖，美麗的小臉上露出倔強和不甘的神色。她深深地看了Frank一眼，然後漠然地坐了上去，閉上了眼睛。

But this time, the girl dodged. Her gaze at Frank was still filled with wariness and distrust. Her eyes were slightly red, tears glistening, and her tightly closed lips trembled slightly. On her beautiful little face was an expression of stubbornness and defiance. She gave Frank a long, deep look, then sat down indifferently and closed her eyes.

哢嚓一聲，她的手腳突然被束縛住。她掙紮了一下，發現無法動彈，便認命似的放棄了反抗。兩行淚水從眼角滑落，恐懼使她的呼吸不由自主地加快了。

With a click, her hands and feet were suddenly restrained. She struggled for a moment, but realizing she couldn't move, she resigned herself and stopped resisting. Two lines of tears rolled down from the corners of her eyes, and fear caused her breathing to involuntarily quicken.

Frank輕輕撫摸著女孩的頭發，拿起一個相同的頭盔，套在她的頭上。在最後扣上頭盔時，他用隻有女孩能聽到的聲音低聲說：“我會救你出去的。”女孩的身體僵硬了一下，然後慢慢放鬆下來。

Frank gently stroked the girl's hair, picked up a similar helmet, and placed it on her head. As he fastened the helmet, he whispered in a voice only she could hear, "I will get you out of here." The girl's body tensed for a moment, then slowly relaxed.

Frank走到操作台前，在鍵盤上輸入了一係列指令。連接兩人頭盔的機器開始運作，紅、綠、黃的小燈不時閃爍著。

Frank walked to the control panel and typed a series of commands on the keyboard. The machine connecting their helmets began to operate, with red, green, and yellow lights flashing intermittently.

Frank的操作停頓了一下，他望向Ellen，眼神中流露出一絲傷感和決絕。他深吸一口氣，然後在鍵盤上輸入一行指令，按下回車鍵。

Frank's hands paused for a moment. He looked at Ellen, his eyes filled with a mix of sadness and determination. Taking a deep breath, he then typed a command on the keyboard and pressed Enter.

“嘟嘟嘟”——電腦響起了刺耳的警告聲，屏幕上閃爍著“指令錯誤”的提示。Frank皺起眉頭，擦了擦額頭的汗水，緊盯著屏幕，手指在鍵盤上飛快地敲擊，再次輸入指令。然而，警告聲再次響起，屏幕依舊顯示“指令錯誤”。Frank的臉色變得更加凝重，他深吸一口氣，正準備再次嚐試。就在這時，實驗室的門被猛地推開，Vincent帶著一隊荷槍實彈的保安闖了進來。

“Beep, beep, beep”—the computer emitted a piercing warning sound, and the screen flashed with a "Command Error" message. Frank frowned and wiped the sweat from his forehead, his eyes fixed on the screen. His fingers flew across the keyboard as he re-entered the command. However, the warning sound blared again, and the screen still displayed "Command Error." Frank's expression grew even more serious. He took a deep breath and was about to try again when the lab door was suddenly flung open. Vincent burst in, accompanied by a team of armed security guards.

“顧博士，怎麽了？實驗出問題了？”Vincent皮笑肉不笑地說道，“我早就提醒過您，這個實驗非常重要，不能有一點差錯。”與此同時，幾名保安衝上前，將Frank從操作台拉開，狠狠地按在地上，然後迅速將他捆綁起來。

"Dr. Gu, what's going on? Is there a problem with the experiment?" Vincent said with a fake smile. "I warned you long ago that this experiment is very important and cannot afford any mistakes." Meanwhile, several security guards rushed forward, pulling Frank away from the control panel, forcefully pressing him to the ground, and quickly tying him up.

“Vincent，你來完成吧，別再廢話了。”Ellen的聲音透過頭盔傳了出來。

"Vincent, you finish it. Stop wasting time," Ellen's voice came through the helmet.

“是，高總。對不起了，顧博士，既然您不方便完成實驗，就讓我來替您完成吧。”Vincent走向操作台，經過Frank身邊時，狠狠地踢了他一腳。

"Yes, Ms. Gao. Sorry, Dr. Gu, since you're unable to complete the experiment, I'll do it for you." Vincent walked towards the control panel and, as he passed by Frank, gave him a hard kick.

Frank痛苦地弓起腰，朝著女孩絕望地大喊：“22，快逃！”

Frank arched his back in pain and desperately shouted at the girl, "22, run!"

可惜，女孩的手腳已經被緊緊綁住，連掙紮也是徒勞。

Unfortunately, the girl's hands and feet were tightly bound, making any struggle futile.

“22？哈哈，你以為我們不知道她是22嗎？那天你把22和17掉包，我就知道了。隻是高總說，不管是22還是17，隻要是好的實驗品，編號又有什麽關係呢。你才有命活到今天。顧博士，你以為天衣無縫的計劃，早就被我們識破了。” Vincent肆無忌憚地譏笑著Frank，然後轉身對還在掙紮的女孩說，“22，你是17還是22沒有關係。因為你很快就是高總了。我們選個優勝者，隻是要選個身體和智力達到最高水平的實驗品，至於你的自我意識，很快就會消失。你就是Elena高，我們的高總2.0。”

"22? Haha, you think we didn't know she was 22? The day you swapped 22 and 17, I knew. But Ms. Gao said, whether it's 22 or 17, as long as it's a good specimen, what does the number matter? That's why you're still alive today. Dr. Gu, your supposedly flawless plan was seen through long ago." Vincent mockingly laughed at Frank, then turned to the struggling girl and said, "22, whether you're 17 or 22 doesn't matter. Because soon, you will be Ms. Gao. We select a winner based on the highest physical and intellectual standards. As for your self-awareness, it will soon disappear. You will become Elena Gao, our Ms. Gao 2.0."

嗶——嗶——嗶，機器快速運行的提示聲傳來。Vincent仿佛沉浸在一段狂熱的樂章中，表情因陶醉和激動而扭曲。“顧博士，讓我們見證這個改變曆史的時刻吧！”他說著，伸手準備按下一個綠色按鈕。

Beep—beep—beep, the machine's rapid operation signal sounded. Vincent seemed to be immersed in a frenzied symphony, his expression twisted with ecstasy and excitement. "Dr. Gu, let us witness this history-changing moment!" he said, reaching out to press a green button.

說時遲那時快，Frank猛地掙脫了壓製他的兩名保安，跌跌撞撞地衝向操作台。在Vincent按下按鈕的同時，他的頭猛地撞向了一個隱藏的黃色按鈕。

In the blink of an eye, Frank forcefully broke free from the two guards restraining him and stumbled towards the control panel. Just as Vincent pressed the button, Frank's head collided with a hidden yellow button.

“你幹了什麽！” Vincent氣急敗壞地踢開Frank，隨即幾聲槍響，子彈射向Frank的身體。

"What have you done!" Vincent furiously kicked Frank away. Immediately, several gunshots rang out, and bullets struck Frank's body.

“哈哈，哈哈，你們的實驗還是會失敗的。” Frank瘋狂地喊道，然後瞪大眼睛，慢慢倒在地上，大口喘著氣，鮮血從身上湧出。

"Haha, haha, your experiment will still fail," Frank shouted madly. Then, with wide eyes, he slowly collapsed to the ground, gasping for air as blood poured from his body.

“發生什麽事情了？”Ellen冷冷地問道。

"What happened?" Ellen asked coldly.

“沒，沒事。都解決了。”Vincent假裝鎮定地回答。他再次仔細檢查了女孩的情況，似乎沒有什麽異常，一切看起來都很順利。

"Nothing, nothing. It's all taken care of," Vincent replied, feigning calm. He checked the girl's condition again; everything seemed normal, and it all appeared to be going smoothly.

機器繼續快速運轉，隨後慢慢停了下來，鎖住女孩的束縛鬆開了。女孩站起來，伸了伸胳膊，打量了一下自己，又環顧四周。她似乎有些滿意，但當她看到正在摘下頭盔的Ellen時，眉頭微微皺起。

The machine continued to run rapidly and then gradually came to a stop, releasing the restraints on the girl. She stood up, stretched her arms, examined herself, and looked around. She seemed somewhat satisfied, but when she saw Ellen removing her helmet, she frowned slightly.

“這個老太婆怎麽還在，處理了。”女孩不滿地瞥了Vincent一眼，然後對舉著槍的保安們冷冷地說道。

"This old woman is still here? Take care of her." The girl glanced at Vincent with displeasure, then coldly addressed the armed guards.

“你，你就是我的分身，你怎麽敢這麽對待我！”Ellen從實驗成功的喜悅中一下子愣住，仿佛掉進了冰窟窿，滿臉不可置信地看著眼前的女孩，驚恐萬分。

"You, you are my clone! How dare you treat me like this?" Ellen was stunned, her joy from the experiment's success vanishing as if she had fallen into an icy abyss. She looked at the girl in front of her with a face full of disbelief and terror.

“實驗既然成功了，你還有什麽用？”她說著，轉過頭對依然有些發愣的Vincent說道，“Vincent，你也要背叛我嗎？”

"The experiment was a success, so what use are you?" she said, turning to the still somewhat dazed Vincent. "Vincent, are you going to betray me too?"

Vincent看了看Ellen，又看了看女孩，然後轉過身，朝保安們點了點頭。

Vincent looked at Ellen, then at the girl, and then turned around and nodded to the guards.

槍聲響起，Ellen倒在了血泊中。此刻她才明白，自己所做的一切原來是那麽的可笑。她看著不遠處奄奄一息的Frank，眼中充滿了絕望和悔恨，艱難地向他爬去，緊緊握住Frank的手。“Frank，我對不起你……”她微弱而哽咽地說道。

Gunshots rang out, and Ellen fell into a pool of blood. At that moment, she realized how foolish all her actions had been. She looked at the dying Frank not far away, her eyes filled with despair and regret, and struggled to crawl toward him, tightly gripping Frank's hand. "Frank, I'm sorry..." she said weakly, her voice choked with sobs.

Frank慢慢睜開雙眼，抬頭看著高高在上的女孩，“22，我知道你還是22，快醒醒。”

Frank slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the girl towering above him. "22, I know you're still in there. Wake up."

女孩輕蔑地看了看血泊中的兩人，“我當然是22，我也是Ellen，我是Elena。謝謝你幫我保留了22的記憶，但既然我也是Ellen，那麽你就是背叛了我。這也是為我曾經最好的朋友189報仇。”說著，她走到兩人麵前，朝他們緊握的雙手狠狠地踩了下去。

The girl looked disdainfully at the two lying in the pool of blood. "Of course, I am 22. I am also Ellen. I am Elena. Thank you for preserving 22's memories for me, but since I am also Ellen, it means you have betrayed me.This is also for avenging my late best friend, 189." Saying this, she walked up to them and stomped hard on their tightly clasped hands.

“Ellen，我終於可以和你死在一起了。”Frank閉上了雙眼，臉上浮現出一絲釋然的微笑。

"Ellen, I can finally die with you," Frank said, closing his eyes as a faint smile of relief appeared on his face.

一個月後，高氏集團宣布Ellen高的死訊，並宣布由她的女兒Elena高繼承整個高氏集團。同時宣布，Vincent文升任高氏集團首席科學家，並領導一項新的生育研究，在全球範圍內征集一千名健康的年輕女性作為誌願者，報酬十分豐厚……

A month later, Gao's Group announced the death of Ellen Gao and declared that her daughter, Elena Gao, would inherit the entire corporation. They also announced that Vincent Wen was promoted to Chief Scientist of Gao's Group and would lead a new fertility research project, recruiting one thousand healthy young women worldwide as volunteers, with very generous compensation...