Chapter 4

chapter four "I knew the mall would be big," I say. "But I didn't know it would be this big." It's so busy, my eyes don't know where to begin. This place is like a cruise ship's DNA was spliced with a creature carnival to create some massive mobile monster metropolis.

“我就知道商场会很大，”我说。 “但我不知道它会这么大。” 它是如此的繁忙，我的眼睛不知道从哪里开始。 这地方就像一艘游轮的DNA和一个生物狂欢节拼接在一起创造了一个巨大的移动怪物大都市。

The mall's wide halls are busy thoroughfares, stretching off into the distance. And if what I'm seeing here is any indication of the mall's population, there must be thousands upon thousands of monsters aboard. I can only hope they're friendly... Welcome to Mollusk City. Four levels of Monster Living, six hundred and fifty-two stores, three coasters for rolling two alleys for bowling carousels and monorails, five parking garages, holding hundreds of carapaces. And how many of these monsters are we going have to fight? Dirk just asked the big question: the exact thing I was thinking. Four levels of monsters... They can't all be friendlies.

商场宽阔的大厅是繁忙的大道，一直延伸到远处。 如果我在这里看到的是商场人口的迹象，那上面一定有成千上万的怪物。 我只希望他们是友好的…… 欢迎来到软体动物城。《怪物生活》的四层楼，六百五十二家商店，三个过山车，两个保龄球旋转木马和单轨铁路的小巷，五个停车场，容纳数百个尸体。 我们还要对付多少这样的怪物？ 德克刚刚问了一个大问题：我在想什么。 四个级别的怪物…… 他们不可能都是友好的。

"Most everyone aboard is peaceful," replies Johnny Steve. "Mallusk City is a haven of sorts. A place for creatures who do not wish to involve themselves with events in this dimension or the larger war against .Reza" 'Do not wish to involve themselves'?" Quint repeats. "I didn't know not getting involved in the war was an option." I glance at my friends. "Did you guys know not getting involved in the war was an option?" "Remember when you blew up Thrull's big Rezzoch tree, Jack?" Dirk says. "That's when it stopped being an option." "Wait," June says. "What do you mean when you say most everyone on here is peaceful?" "Sometimes..." Johnny Steve says mysteriously, "among the scents of giant cookies, Orange Juliuses, and deep-fried—" Quint moans, "You're making me hungrier." "Sometimes," Johnny Steve continues, "among those scents, I smell evil. I suspect I know which creature is emanating the smell, though I have yet to confirm my suspicions. However!" Johnny Steve pulls us close and uses his whispery spy voice. "I will figure it out. I am on board the Mallusk, undercover, keeping my ears open and an eye to the ground for anything that may help in the fight against Raza

“船上大多数人都很和平，”约翰尼·史蒂夫回答。 “马卢斯克市是某种意义上的避风港。 一个不希望卷入这个维度事件或更大的战争的生物的地方。礼萨：“‘不想把自己卷进来’？”五胞胎重复。 “我不知道不卷入战争也是一种选择。” 我瞥了我的朋友们一眼。“你们知道不卷入战争也是一种选择吗？”“还记得你炸掉瑟鲁的大雷佐克树吗，杰克？”德克说。 “从那时起，它就不再是一个选择了。” “等等，”琼说。“你说这里的大多数人都很和平，这是什么意思？”“有时候……” 约翰尼·史蒂夫神秘地说：“在巨大的饼干、橙汁和油炸的香味中——”昆特呻吟道：“你让我更饿了。” “有时候，”约翰尼·史蒂夫继续说道，“在这些气味中，我闻到了邪恶的味道。 我怀疑我知道是哪种生物发出这种气味，尽管我还没有证实我的怀疑。 然而!”约翰尼·史蒂夫把我们拉近，用他那窃窃私语的间谍腔调。 “我会想办法的。我在马洛斯克号上，做卧底，时刻留意着一切可能有助于对抗拉扎的线索

I feel like Johnny Steve's not a great spy if he just goes around talking about being a spy a whole bunch, but whatever. Plus, if you're gonna be a spy somewhere, this is not the worst place... dudes. Some of the stores still have real human stuff. First thing I'm doing getting fresh underwear. Oh yes, you shall all have fresh underwear. That is the mollus promise. We pass a large fountain at one of the mall's many rotundas. It's now a hot tub. Monsters sit along the edges, sipping fizzy drinks and tossing a giggling Koosh-ball-type creature back and forth. I feel a sharp pang of loss I want to sit in that hot tub and goof around with Bardle while Rover snores happily at the water's edge. I'm suddenly yanked backward as Quint says, "Look where you're walking, Jack!"

我觉得约翰尼·史蒂夫不是个好间谍如果他到处说自己是间谍什么的，不过无所谓了。 另外，如果你要在什么地方当间谍，这里也不是最糟糕的地方…… 帅哥。有些商店还有真人的东西。 我要做的第一件事就是拿新内裤。 对了，你们都有新内裤了。 这就是软体动物的承诺。 我们经过商场众多圆形大厅之一的一个大喷泉。 它现在是一个热水浴缸。怪物坐在边缘，喝着碳酸饮料，把一个咯咯笑的库什球式生物扔来扔去。 我感到一阵剧烈的失落，我想坐在热水浴缸里，和巴德尔一起闲逛，而罗佛在水边快乐地打呼噜。 昆特说：“看你在往哪儿走，杰克！”我突然向后一拉。

"I totally am, what are you—" ZOOM! A two-car roller coaster rockets past me, zipping around a winding track so long it must stretch from one end of the mall to the other. Inside each car is a rock-and-roll sorta monster, and they're engaged in something like a heavy metal showdown. Their instruments are standard Guitar Center stuff, but upgraded with other-dimensional modifications and alterations. These monsters are absolutely slaying—otherworldly shredding like nothing anyone has ever heard before.

“我完全是，你是什么——”ZOOM！一辆两节车厢的过山车从我身边飞驰而过，沿着一条蜿蜒的轨道疾驰而过，这条轨道很长，必须从商场的一端延伸到另一端。 每辆车里都有一个摇滚怪物，他们正在进行一场类似重金属的对决。 他们的乐器是标准的吉他中心的东西，但升级与其他维度的修改和改变。 这些怪物绝对是杀人的——超凡脱俗的撕碎，就像以前没有人听过的那样。

I do believe that's what's known as a battle of the bands. Y'know, I got to dig their sound retro, very millennial

我相信这就是所谓的乐队之战。 我喜欢他们复古的声音，很有千禧一代的味道