克隆

克隆

 

一

“哇——哇——” 产房区此起彼伏的婴儿啼哭，仿佛一首充满生机和喜悦的生命交响曲，奏响了人类新时代的序曲。一向严肃、沉默寡言的Frank顾，也被这天籁之音所感染，脸上流露出少见的笑容。他紧张而又兴奋地在产房区的走廊上来回地走动着，目光不时扫向那一排排的产房。

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，十年磨一剑。从走出校门到现在，已经足足十年了，Frank顾从一个初出茅庐意气风发的毛头小子，终于成长为一个值得尊敬的顶尖科学家。他的辛勤研究终于结出了硕果：三百个鲜活的小生命，振聋发聩地宣示着人类科技终于走上了一个新的台阶！而三百个婴儿的啼哭，就是人类对所谓上帝造人的无情嘲笑，是人类在Frank顾的带领下，在上帝面前傲然挺立的宣言！今天，就是Frank顾在科学史上载入青史留名的一天！然而这一切对Frank顾来说并不重要，最重要的是，Ellen一定会为这个消息而露出她那甜美动人的笑容，那才是Frank最大的满足。

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.

从大学时代第一眼看见Ellen，Frank便不可救药地爱上了她。她宛如一颗灼热的恒星，骤然闪现在二十多岁，一直只知道埋头苦读的Frank的世界里，霎那间照亮了他的生命，灼痛了他的眼眸，也俘获了他全部的忠诚。

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团的创始人兼总裁。短短五年间，高氏集团从一个只有十几人的实验室，一跃成为全球最大、最有影响力的生化公司。Frank就是在Ellen回母校出席捐款仪式上第一次见到她。他就像一只想吃天鹅肉的瘌蛤蟆，远远地看着光彩照人、巧笑倩兮的女神。然而令他惊讶的是，在如此耀眼的光环下，Ellen依然保持着邻家女孩般的形象，是那么的亲切，那么的令人心生向往。

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.

于是，Frank义无反顾地放弃了自己最心爱的文学专业，放弃了从小就立下的获得诺贝尔文学奖的宏愿，申请从大一重新开始学习生化专业。他只有一个念头，就是妄想着有一天，能够亲近心中的女神Ellen，哪怕只是远远地仰望她一眼也心满意足。

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的刻苦努力没有白费，短短六年间，他便完成了从大一到博士的全部学业，顺利获得了博士学位。随后，他向高氏集团生命实验室递交了一封求职申请。

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.

高氏集团的每一个工作岗位，都吸引着全球上千名顶尖人才的激烈竞争。对于其中的难度，Frank毫不在意，在准备了简历、成绩单、论文列表以及工作经验等材料后，他还与众不同地附上一封情真意切的自我介绍信。在信中，他坦诚地表达了对 Ellen 的仰慕之情，字里行间充满了对她的爱慕和渴望。他希望能够加入高氏集团，不仅是为了实现自己的科研梦想，更是为了能够与 Ellen 朝夕相处，近距离接触这位他心中的女神、梦寐以求的缪斯。

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.

或许是因为Frank深厚的专业知识，亦或是他文学系熏陶下的文采，更或是他与众不同的坦率与大胆，最终他的申请引起了Ellen的注意，并被邀请参加最后一轮的面试。

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.

面试时，Ellen亲自接见了Frank。她没有问他专业上的问题，也没有追究他那封大胆的求爱信，而是抛出一个直击灵魂的疑问：“你愿意改变历史吗？”

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将自己封闭在高氏的实验室里，日复一日，年复一年，几乎足不出户。而今日，便是他十年磨一剑，今朝试锋芒之时！

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!

“紧急呼叫！顾博士，顾博士，请速到22号产房！产妇难产，情况危急，请您立即到场！”突然间，广播中传来焦急的呼叫声。

"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号情况如何？！”Frank一把推开门，焦急地问道。

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

“应该是脐带绕颈。产妇一用劲，婴儿心跳就降低。我们不敢继续，要不要实行剖腹产？”

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

“尽量不要，剖腹的话，志愿者会承受更大的痛苦，而且也令我们的实验有瑕疵。我们要纯自然的生产。”Frank一边说着，一边带上手术手套。

"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. 

病床边，助产士和护士正在安慰着产床上的志愿者。羊水早已破了，志愿者身下一片狼藉。她双手紧紧抓住一个护士的双臂，豆大的汗珠沿着鬓角滴落下来。

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的声音平静而坚定，他走近时试图安抚这位志愿者。“现在，和我一起做深呼吸。吸气……” 他轻轻地把手放在她的肩膀上引导她，“……然后慢慢呼气。” Frank的手轻轻移到她的腹部，熟练地用复杂的手法进行按摩，既轻柔又坚定。

"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.

看到旁边仪器上显示的婴儿心跳已恢复到了146下，Frank低下头，轻声地问：“王小姐，好一点了吗？我们再试一次，好吗？”

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?"

王小姐轻轻点点头。

Miss Wang nodded slightly.

“好，吸气，用力，再用力，加油，快出来了。看到头了，……”

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

“啊……”随着王小姐嘹亮的叫声，22，一个新生命终于来到了这个世上。

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

Frank抱过22，奇怪的是，她没有像其他新生儿那样哇哇啼哭，竟然还呵呵地看着Frank笑，又大又黑的眼睛好奇地看着四周。

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.

“小调皮，你是最后一个出生的。”说完，他轻轻地在她的额头上印下了一个吻。22的小手轻轻地拍着Frank的脸，在他脸上印下了第一个小手印。

"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

我一直住在这栋好看的楼里。除了我睡觉的房间、吃饭的房间和玩耍的房间，楼里还有很多很多别的房间。这些房间里有很多我不知道干什么的机器和仪器。白天，这些房间里都有人忙来忙去，到了晚上，他们就会回到一个叫做“家”的地方。跟我住在这里的只有我的胖阿姨，不过她会每隔一段时间回到她那个叫做“家”的地方住几天，这时候就会有一个大姐姐来陪我玩。

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，每当阿姨回家，我总会哭闹不止，紧紧抱着她的腿，不舍得她离开。但随着时间的推移，我反而开始期待起她离开我回家的日子。因为陪伴我的总是那几位姐姐中的一个，她们会做漂亮的折纸和其他有趣的手工。而胖阿姨总是重复着那几个故事，她讲完上句，我就能猜到下句。姐姐们爱笑，和我一样，还会陪我玩各种新奇有趣的游戏。那几天我总是玩得十分开心，虽然有时我也会想念胖阿姨。还有一件事情也是很值得期待的，就是胖阿姨的归来。每次她回来都会给我带回许多她在家里亲手制作的美味点心。家，应该是个很不错的地方吧。

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，阿姨从家里回来，我灵机一动地问她：“阿姨，我的家在哪里？我什么时候才能回家呢？”胖阿姨将我紧紧拥入温暖的怀抱，轻声说道：“孩子，你就住在这里，这里就是你的家啊。”随着年龄的增长，我对“家”的理解逐渐清晰，也明白了每个家庭通常都有爸爸妈妈。于是，我再次向胖阿姨询问：“阿姨，为什么我没有爸爸妈妈？”胖阿姨温柔地抚摸着我的脸庞，耐心地解释道：“因为你是22啊，22和其他的孩子不一样。等22再长大一些，长到和我差不多高的时候，你就会明白的。这里所有的人都爱22，会一直照顾好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？我很喜欢我现在的家，就像阿姨说的那样，这里的每个人都很照顾我，对我都很和颜悦色。虽然现在我没有爸爸妈妈，但我知道长大后就会有的。其实，还有一位名叫Frank的人也偶尔会住在这里，他在这里有一个专门的房间。不过，很多人不叫他这个名字，因为他的名字太长了，我记不住。他让我叫他Frank，我便一直这样称呼他。他经常来我的家，每次见到我都会把我抱起来，举得高高的。虽然大家都对我很好，有时也会给我带些好吃的好玩的，但我最喜欢的是Frank和胖阿姨，因为他们总是愿意耐心地听我说话，认真地回答我的问题。空闲的时候，Frank还会给我讲故事。我喜歡窝在他的怀里，听他讲故事，听着听着就忍不住笑起來。

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.

这栋小楼藏着许多漂亮可爱的房间，就像一个奇妙的玩具箱，充满着惊喜。我可以在里面做游戏，学画画，和学认字。然而也有些房间里面只有一些闪着冷光的仪器，总是给我一些可怕的感觉。每隔一段时间，我就要去这些房间做不同的检测，有时候还会痛，我总是害怕极了。但只要有Frank在身边，我就会安心很多。他会用温柔的声音哄我，告诉我只要我乖乖的，就可以多半个小时户外玩耍的时间。他知道那是我最喜欢的。我喜欢奔跑在外面的草地上，累了就坐在秋千上看着天上的白云飘来飘去。而事实上我每次的检测，他几乎都会在。‍后来我已经习惯了那些仪器和检测，但是我仍然讨厌那种冷冰冰的感觉。

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.

白天大部分的时间里，小楼里的人们都忙碌着工作。工作中的人们会收起笑容，变得严肃沉默起来，工作中的Frank也不例外。今天更是如此。刚刚做完最后一项检测，就有一群人走了进来，走在前面的正是笑容和蔼可亲的Ellen和Frank。Ellen是我见过的最好看的人啦，比好多画里的和屏幕里的还要好看。她来的次数不多，我很少看到她，每次见到她，我都好想上前去亲近她，想摸摸她。可是，每次抬起头看到她的眼睛，我的脚步就迈不开了。Frank像以前一样，大大地表扬了我。我抬起头看了看Ellen的眼睛，还是迈不开脚步。她也像从前一样，和蔼可亲地笑着，伸出戴着精致手套的手，摸了摸我的头发，然后就和Frank说着话转身离开了。每次都是这样。

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，终于换来Ellen一个香吻，这对于Frank来说，是莫大的鼓舞，让他兴奋了好久。然而，实验还得继续进行下去。为了得到Ellen更多的青睐，Frank再次把自己关进了实验室。

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.

三百个实验体的降生带来的喜悦转瞬即逝，令人不安的是，许多实验体开始出现早衰迹象。一个月后，204号实验体死亡，两个半月后，168号实验体停止了生命迹象。

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.

看着这一具具幼小而苍老的尸体，Frank犹如坐在一艘破旧的小船上，眼见它缓缓进水，逐渐下沉。他拼尽全力去补救，试图堵住船身上的每一个破洞。但一切迹象都预示着，实验离失败已越来越近。Ellen对他态度渐趋冷淡，不再有好的脸色。公司内部也开始流传关于他即将卷铺盖走人的传言。看来，Frank被迫离开的那一天已经不远了。

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并没有放弃。他仔细检查了剩余的实验品，并从中获得了一项重大发现。三百个实验品的DNA分析显示，它们的衰老程度呈现正态分布，平均值与样品提供者的年龄相关。最早死亡的实验品204号的衰老程度相当于80岁老人，而168号死亡时则相当于70多岁。大多数实验品目前的衰老程度相当于40多岁到50岁之间。然而，其中20个实验品的衰老程度却相当于10岁以下儿童，甚至还有两个实验品，17号和22号，完全处于新生儿状态。

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.

“你是说，大多数的实验品都已经是中年以上了？我今年已经46岁，还剩下多少可用？”Ellen冷冷地盯着Frank，语气中带着一丝不耐烦。

"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.

“我们仍有20个相当于10岁以下年龄的实验品，实验可以继续进行。”Frank带着一丝惶恐地注视着他心中的女神。从他第一次见到Ellen开始，至今已经过去了十六年。Ellen从当年那个年轻的邻家女孩的样子，已经成长现在手握大权，杀伐果断的女强人。只有她的美丽始终如一，哪怕这份美丽现在已经带上了岁月的痕迹，依然风华绝代，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.

“二十个？数量确实有点少，但勉强可以接受吧。”艾伦沉思片刻，脸色稍稍缓和了些。

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

“是，高总。那请问剩下的实验品怎么办？”

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

“失败品怎么处理你还不清楚，还用问我吗？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!"

喧嚣的实验区一下子就沉寂了下来，大批的保姆和看护被遣散。Frank的工作也相对轻松起来，但他丝毫不敢懈怠，因为20个实验品实在不容许再有任何闪失。

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每日的工作便是持续观察这20名酷似Ellen的小女孩，监控她们的成长过程。他对目前的工作怀有莫大的热忱，他把这些女孩当作自己与Ellen所生的女儿。见证着她们欢喜哭闹，陪伴着她们玩耍成长，他彷佛成为了世上最幸福的父亲；尽管Ellen除了每月例行询问实验进度外，鲜少理会他。

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.

在所有的实验品中，Frank最钟爱的无疑是编号22号的那一位。作为最后诞生的实验体，她似乎比其他人更为聪颖灵慧，且天性温顺乖巧，从不无故哭闹和撒娇。所有照顾她的工作人员都非常的喜欢她。她对身边所有的事情都无比的好奇，每当Frank前去检查时，她总会抛出几个连Frank自己也险些答不上来的问题。在检查的时候，她总是静静的，顺从地完成所有的要求。而当Frank累了的时候，她也总是体贴入微地陪伴左右，用那双稚嫩的小手轻轻为他按摩。

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见到22，总会有一种奇妙的错觉，仿佛眼前站着的不是22，而是缩小版的Ellen，一个更加可爱、更加令人心动的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.

其实，每个实验品都像Ellen的翻版，但似乎只继承了她性格中的一部分。例如，另一个最成功的实验品，17，就拥有Ellen的聪慧。她的智商高达150，小小年纪就展现出超越同龄人的果断和深谋远虑。她聪明伶俐，举止乖巧，但Frank却总觉得她心思深沉，难以捉摸。

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对22号情有独钟，不知不觉中，他流连在22号实验室的时间越来越长。

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.

时光飞逝，Frank的实验已经进行了十年。尽管实验初期出现了一次大量样品报废的事故，这十年间，实验进行得十分顺利，再也没有发生任何的意外。差不多是时候让十岁的实验品们互相见面了。

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

我十岁了，我终于走出了我住的这个院子。第一次呼吸到外面的新鲜空气，世界的一切都显得如此新奇。生日会上Frank还带来了一个漂亮的大蛋糕，温暖的烛光摇曳着映亮了我的脸。在大家的歌声和祝福中，我恋恋不舍地一一吹灭了十根蜡烛，然后与大家开开心心地分享了这个巨大而漂亮的蛋糕。我喜欢这种被大家包围的感觉，好像全世界都在关注着我，让我觉得特别幸福。可是这样的日子并不多，所以我都特别的珍惜，会在脑海里牢牢地记住，还小心翼翼的一点点回味，好让这种快乐延续多几天。

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.

从五六岁开始，我就被安排了很多学习任务。这些功课并不难，但我发现，只要有一点偷懒没做好，大家就会用一种让我不舒服的目光看着我，尤其是Frank，他的眼神中还带着一丝紧张。我不喜欢这种感觉，所以总是努力做到最好，希望大家都开心。

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，大人们好像更着急让我学更多东西了。就在昨天，Frank跟我说，22已经长大了，还有很多东西需要学习，而且马上就要和其他的小朋友一起上课了。他特别认真地嘱咐我一定要努力。

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.

我喜欢这里的所有人，但Frank对我来说很特别。我喜欢和他在一起，他说的每一句话我都会认真听，他提的要求我都会努力去做。自从胖阿姨离开后，Frank就是我最亲近的人。虽然他有时候看起来很忙，眼神好像有些飘忽，但我能感觉到他对我的关心。

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.

我看着他的眼睛，笑嘻嘻地用力点了点头。他摸了摸我的头发，也笑了起来。

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

穿过一片无边无际的草地，远处点缀着几幢颜色不一的小屋，它们错落有致地散落在绿色的海洋中。拐过一片小树林，一栋洁白的两层小楼映入眼帘。我按捺住好奇心，小心地向它走去。就在快走到楼前时，一条小径上出现了一个小小的身影。我回头一看，是一个和我差不多大的女孩。这是我第一次见到同龄人，心中不禁一阵激动。我们四目相对，彼此打量着对方。那一刻，我仿佛看到了镜中的自己，连神情都如此相似。我们缓缓伸出手，在半空中轻轻一碰，然后又害羞地缩了回去。我们看着彼此的眼睛，心意相通地相对一笑。这种奇妙的感觉，让我觉得仿佛已经认识了她很久很久。

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，我们一同走到了那栋房子前面，然后，两只小手紧紧地握在了一起，共同踏入了未知的世界。教室里，二十张一模一样的脸孔齐刷刷地望向彼此，大大的眼睛里写满了好奇和惊愕。为什么我们会长得如此相似？难道世上所有的女孩都应该如此吗？这个问题盘旋在每个人的心头，却没有人出声问，也没有人告诉我们。然而，我与189的手始终没有分开。

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.

日子忽然变得轻快起来。每天穿过那片草地时，我总觉得步伐不够快，忍不住会抬脚小跑一段。每次见到189，我都会特别开心。

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.

我们每个人都有固定的座位。过了没几天，我们二十个人就能彼此认得清清楚楚了。我们之间存在着一种程度不同的特别感觉，既有不可言说的默契，又有难以探知的差异。这种感觉没有缘由，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.

其中有两个女孩从第一天起就格外引人注目。一个自然是189，她给人一种特别的温暖，仿佛是另一个我自己。另一个是17。我喜欢观察人的眼睛，而17的眼神立刻让我想起了许久未见的Ellen，那个我幼时莫名想亲近，却总被她冷漠目光阻拦的美丽女子。

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.

随后我惊觉，我们二十个人的相貌竟都与Ellen酷似。这个发现让我心中泛起了一丝的不安，暗自决定下次见到Frank时一定要向他问个清楚。

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.

经过三个月的集中学习后，我们迎来了第一场的测试。测试结束后，第一个女孩离开了我们。公告上说她要去一个很远的地方培训，而只有我们中最后的优胜者才能留下来并获得丰厚的奖励。就这样，每隔三到五个月就要进行一场测试。教室里的人越来越少，气氛也越来越紧张，因为我们不知道等待我们的将会是什么。

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.

为了履行当初对Frank的承诺，为了不与189分开，我和189约定要互相帮助，共同努力，争取坚持到最后。至于最后会怎样，只能先放在心底，谁也不愿多说，谁也不愿多想。

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.

几天的连绵阴雨终于放晴了。我和189本就喜欢待在室外，更何况教室里那种暗中较劲的沉闷气氛让人难以忍受。午后，我们来到那片小树林里，不知不觉走得很远。雨后的树下，草丛中冒出了许多蘑菇。我们正蹲在一棵大树下，琢磨着一个漂亮的大蘑菇，冷不防听到远处传来一声惊叫。

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.

抬头望去，只见一个女孩拼命向小树林这边奔跑，却滑倒在草地上。几个人迅速追上来，拉起她，披上一件带帽子的外袍，簇拥着不停挣扎的女孩，走向一栋灰色的小楼。他们边走边警惕地四下张望。这一切发生得极快，但我们还是认出了那个女孩——231，上周测试后本该已经离开的女孩。只有231才喜欢把头发编成那样的发辫。

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.

我们惊疑地对视一眼，189拉住我不让我动。等那些人都走进灰色的小楼，过了好久，她才定下神来看着我说：“这件事我们先不要告诉任何人，包括Frank，好吗？”虽然我的书读得比189好一些，但她其实比我懂事得多。我愣了一下，想着Frank最近对许多问题的回避和支吾，按下心中的不安，对着189点了点头。

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

实验品们的见面异常顺利。尽管她们对彼此相似的外貌感到惊讶，但这也无形中突显了各自的差异。Ellen的方法果然有效，通过相互竞争，这些实验品的智力和各方面能力得到了充分开发。Frank不禁感叹Ellen的远见卓识。

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.

尽管所有实验品在外貌上极为相似，但她们之间总有一种特殊的隔阂。虽然相处得和谐，却绝不能称之为亲密。唯有22号和189号例外，她们与其他实验品截然不同。一见面，她们便显得格外亲密，很快就成了形影不离的好朋友。她们的性格非常相似，唯一的区别在于22号的智商较高，而189号则显得更加成熟。或许是因为189号的衰老程度比22号大了几岁，但总的来说，她们不仅极为相像，还非常亲密。

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很快找到了问题的答案：22的宿主和189的宿主是一对姐妹。答案在于克隆技术的局限性。当前的技术只能克隆Ellen细胞核内的遗传物质，用带有Ellen遗传物质的细胞核取代宿主体内卵子的细胞核。而线粒体的遗传物质只能来自宿主。由于这两位宿主是姐妹，她们的线粒体都来源于她们的母亲，因此22和189的线粒体基因来自同一个源头。这大概就是她们之间相似且亲密的原因。同样，这也解释了其他所有实验品之间的隔阂，因为线粒体基因的不同，使得她们之间产生了互相排斥。

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.

这是一个非常有趣且有用的发现。Frank兴冲冲地向Ellen汇报这一发现，心里期待着能得到Ellen的夸奖，甚至奢望着会有十几年前那个香吻般的奖励。然而，Ellen却大发雷霆，异常愤怒，把Frank赶出了办公室。

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.

这个突如其来的消息让Ellen非常苦闷。十几年过去了，这些实验品竟然没有一个是自己的完全复制品！可是时间已经不多了，自己已经将近六十岁，还能再花十几年时间重新开始吗？更不用说，复制线粒体DNA的难关还没有攻克。即使成功，实验品的年龄正态分布也会使得可用的实验品更加稀少。何况，时间已经来不及了，自己的时日已经无多。该死的Frank！Ellen恨恨地拿起桌上的茶杯，用力往墙上扔去。

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.

一个小时后，Ellen走出了仿佛遭受恐怖袭击的办公室。她依旧举止优雅，如往常一样走进了Frank的实验室。Frank没有得到奢望中的香吻，只是接到了一项新的任务：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.

淘汰的任务其实在十几年前Frank就已经执行过。但那时处理的只是即将死去的失败品。而现在这20个实验品，每一个都在Frank眼皮底下成长了十几年，无论淘汰哪个，Frank都觉得自己很残忍。然而，实验品终究只是实验品，自己怎么能对实验品产生感情呢？想着Ellen被岁月侵袭但依然动人的脸庞，Frank告诉自己，绝不能再让她失望。

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，那个乖巧的女孩。不知从何时起，她在自己脑海中出现的频率早已远远超过了Ellen。或许是因为22酷似Ellen，而且自己经常与她相处吧。Frank似乎有意忽略了所有20个实验品都酷似Ellen这一事实，尤其是17，她更是拥有与Ellen相同的冷艳气质。

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.

不知不觉中，Frank暗暗希望22能在所有的比试中超越其他实验品，取得最终的成功。他也不经意地投入了更多时间和精力在22的培养上。22没有辜负Frank的期望，她凭借超人的智商，几乎在每次比试中都取得了第一。偶尔的一两次失误，第一名则被17夺得。

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对22的特殊照顾并没有逃过17锐利的眼睛。然而，她并未表现出任何不满，总是在Frank和Ellen面前表现得更加乖巧，并在学习和比试中更加努力。

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个实验品已经剩下8个，Frank觉得自己变得越来越冷血。女孩子们的哭喊、尖叫和求饶都无法打动他铁石心肠。他不断地告诉自己，这些只是失败的实验品，比试中最后一名的结果就是失败的标志。而他只是在完成自己的工作，完成Ellen交给他的任务。女神的青睐才是他活着的唯一动力。

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.

每次处理失败的实验品，Frank总是非常细致地做好保密措施。他的助手Vincent对此颇有微词，认为这些不过是什么也不懂的女孩子，何必如此如临大敌。Frank每次安排好保密措施后便独自离开，把剩下的工作交给Vincent。一直以来，Frank对Vincent的工作都很放心，而Vincent也从未让Frank失望。除了这一次，第十三个失败品，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没有告诉Frank在处理231过程中发生的小插曲。他认为这不过是个小插曲而已，没什么大不了的。直到17跑到他面前，告诉他22和189正在策划逃跑。

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

时间已经耽搁太多，我和189环顾四周，确认无人后，便一起向教室跑去。刚刚穿出小树林，就看到17的身影急匆匆地闪进楼门口。我们顾不上多想，稍作停顿后也赶紧跑了进去。小教室里的五个人已经准备好上课，坐在门口的17抬头冷冷地扫了我们一眼，面无表情。想着刚才诡异的一幕，我心神不宁地坚持到下午的课结束。

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189一路沉默地走着，直到分岔路口。189抱了我一下，拍拍我的肩膀说道：“先别担心，我们都回去好好想想再说。”然后，我们互相安慰地微微一笑，挥手告别。

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.

傍晚时分，院内外一片静谧，四周稀疏地亮着几盏路灯。这种孤寂我早已习惯，但今天却怎么也静不下心来，不安地在楼前徘徊。夜幕缓缓降临，天空没有星星，惨白的月光在地上投下浓重的阴影。

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还没走。又过了一段时间，门口传来响动，他那熟悉的身影出现在门边。他的严肃坚定和沉默微笑是我从小就信任依赖的。然而，这一年里，许多问题他都不再直接回答，只是劝我不要着急，说等我再长大一些、努力一些，就会懂得答案。我向前走了几步，走出了树荫。Frank看到我，便大步走了过来。

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.

“这么晚了怎么还在外面？有什么事吗？”他温和地笑着问道。

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

我已经长高了不少。抬眼看着他，迟疑了一下，然后笑着说：“嗯，没什么事。”

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

“没事就看会儿书，好好休息，这么晚了，别老待在外面。22要加油，一定要做最后的优胜者。有问题一定要说出来，好好解决。”这是他最近最常说的话，也是他最常做的事。我知道，他给了我许多其他人没有的关怀和额外帮助。

"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.

他的笑容让我鼓起了勇气，我看着他说：“我会努力的。……Frank，我想问一下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..."

话还没说完，我就看到他的神情微微变了。我垂下眼睛，说道：“我想问问231，她是不是已经走了？她有几样东西在我这里。”

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，她早已经走了。既然她没要，就说明那些东西不重要，没事的，别担心。”他又叮嘱了我几句。我低着头，一一答应着，送他到了院门口。

"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.

辗转反侧了一夜，终于等到天亮。我早早起身，跑到路口去等189。我没有把Frank的话告诉她，因为她眼中的Frank和我认识的并不一样。不过，她也知道Frank对我很好。我们商定要找机会悄悄去那栋小灰楼看看究竟。

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.

不久之后，我们有一堂大型实验课，地点与小灰楼在同一个方向。然而，无论是去的时候还是返回的时候，只要接近那栋楼，就会有人出来阻止，没有证件是不允许进入的。唯一知道的是，那是一间标本制作陈列室。最后一次尝试时，我们意外地遇到了Frank的助手Vincent。他回头看了看身后的小楼，用一种奇怪的目光看着我们说：“这里目前你们还不能进，不过……你们每个人都会有机会进来的，别着急，一定会有机会的，只是现在还不行。”说完，他意味深长地笑了笑，便走开了。他走了很久，那种令人厌恶的目光似乎还粘在我们身上。

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.

越是没有答案，心中的疑惑越深。就这样过了一段时间，又一次测试来临。我们只剩下了六个人，189只是险胜而已。六个人上课的第一天，气氛异常地压抑紧张。我越来越害怕会与189分离。迅速吃完午饭，189又拉着我到了小树林里。沉寂了许久的小灰楼又开始人来人往，好几次都看到了Frank的身影，最多的还是Vincent。只是一周后，又诡异地恢复了安静。189好几次看着我欲言又止。我心中的害怕，也不敢说出来。

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.

实在按捺不住心中的忐忑，终于有一天我跑去问了Frank：“这些测试最后是不是一定只能留下一个人？如果是，我可不可以放弃，与189一起走？我不想与189分开。”我不敢问他小灰楼里发生了什么事，虽然他显然知道。我自己不怕，但我怕189会有事。Frank皱着眉，严厉地斥责了我：“一个人要成功，要强大，就一定要有所牺牲，坚持到底。”

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，去别的地方不是也可以继续学习吗？”

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

“住嘴！你绝不能这样想！你必须坚持到最后一个！只许成功，不许失败！”他喊完以后，我们两个都沉默了。

"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，人必须要成长，没有谁能永远和谁在一起。以后你会明白的。”

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

“22知道了。”从小到大，从来没有我选择的余地，不是吗？我只能，也必须做好所有被要求做的事情。我只是不想与189分开。我只是不知道小灰楼里等待着我们的是什么，231为什么那样惊恐绝望地拼命挣扎，还有小灰楼那个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.

我安静下来，不再争执。反正争执也是徒劳，有什么用呢。

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诉了189。原来她早已做好了被淘汰的准备，只是希望能帮助我坚持到最后。可是，我不愿意。我们对视了一眼，只需一个微笑，不必再多说什么。我们决定一起离开这里，尽管不知道外面的世界是什么样的，也不知道外面有什么。

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.

不敢再冒下一次测试的风险，我们立刻行动起来。真正准备离开时，我们才发现这个看似空旷少有人烟的地方，处处都有戒备。原来我们一直被圈定在一个看不出界限的范围内。这让我们更加坚定了离开的决心。我和189利用所有可能的机会悄悄地四处查看和试探。两个月后，我们终于发现了一条极其隐蔽的小路。时间已经不多了，不能再耽搁。确定好日期，做好准备后，我和189分别来到了约定的地点。躲过巡视后，我们拼命奔向小路的尽头。就在我们喘息未定时，却看到路旁站出两个人，定睛一看，一个是Vincent，另一个是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的逃跑让Ellen大发雷霆。Ellen的办公室再次遭到恐怖袭击，而Frank则被罚掉整整一年的工资。对Frank来说，工资只是小事，因为他本质上不是一个追求享乐的人，金钱只是用来解决温饱的基本需求，而他早已是公司最富有的员工之一。他唯一的享乐就是能够接近Ellen，并为她实现一切目标。然而，由于这次意外，Frank明显感觉到Ellen对自己的不满。尽管Vincent名义上仍然是他的助手，但由于在处理这次事故中的出色表现，他得到了Ellen的高度嘉奖。Vincent对Frank的态度似乎也不再那么尊敬，隐隐有了分庭抗礼的意味。

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.

而最头痛的就是如何处理22和189。Ellen让Frank这次亲自处理她们。其实并不难，淘汰掉就是了，反正还有其他实验品。剩下的这些实验品，任何一个都不比她们差。然而，要处理22，Frank却不敢面对自己内心隐隐的难过。他知道自己不该有这样的情绪，实验品终究只是实验品，不管多么优秀，依然只是实验品。怎么能对实验品产生感情呢？

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?

看着倔强的22的脸，Frank想起了自己第一次见到Ellen的样子。那时，她在讲台上意气风发，美丽的脸庞上洋溢着骄傲和自信。眼前被铐着的22，虽然有些狼狈，却毫无惊慌，依然带着同样的骄傲和自信。而旁边的189，虽然同样美丽，却流露出绝望的神色。

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，这不是22的错，都是我的主意。”189并不知道她们将要面对什么，但想起231逃跑时那恐怖的表情，她知道自己不可能活下去。然而，她想救22，因为22是她在这个世界上唯一的朋友，也是最有可能最终胜利的人。“Frank，我知道你最喜欢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挥手打断了189的话，只是静静地看着22。22倔强地回视着Frank，一言不发。Frank有些恼怒，为什么，为什么自己为她做了这么多，她竟然还要逃跑。毕竟，获得最终胜利对22来说并不是难事，即使是17也无法真正胜过她。为什么她不珍惜这一切？如果她真的知道逃跑带来的全部后果，她会不会知难而退呢？

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想起了十几年前的那一天。那是他这一生中最意气风发的一天，300个小生命在他手下诞生，而面前的22，却是300个中最后出生，几乎让实验失败的那个。他亲眼看着她成长，她总是那么乖巧地陪在他身边。她说的第一句话，她走的第一步路，都是在他的关注下完成的，甚至她学会写的第一个字也是“Frank”。Frank的表情慢慢柔和下来，他看到22倔强的眼角似乎也闪现了一丝泪光。

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，虽然她们俩有错，但您可以替她们向Ellen求求情吗？”被Ellen要求参观处理过程的17怯生生地问。

"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转过头看了看17。17那酷似Ellen的美丽脸庞上露出一副惊慌的模样，但他知道这只是17装出来的。她故意提到Ellen，就是在提醒Frank不要做傻事。想到这里，Frank不禁感到一阵反胃。

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说过，他也说听你的。”17继续说道。

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

对呀，Vincent很快就会来了。这个小姑娘是在威胁我吗？Frank恨恨地想着。被实验品威胁的滋味真是不好受。

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的话是不能更改的。17，你过来，帮我按这个红色按钮。”Frank似乎下定了决心，拉起铐住189的铁链，伸手把她提了起来。

"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走过来，按下了红色按钮，一扇厚重的门无声地打开了。里面是熊熊燃烧的炉火，竟然是个焚化炉。厚重的门将内部的高温完全隔绝，现在门一打开，一股热浪扑面而来。

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.

189一下子吓坏了，拼命挣扎，哭喊着，试图从Frank的怀里逃脱。然而，一切都是徒劳的，Frank的手臂牢牢地锁住她，一步步走向炉口。“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的声音很快就消失了。22的脸上失去了从容，脸色煞白，惊恐地看着Frank，但依然倔强地一动不动。

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似乎也吓呆了，捂着脸瘫坐在地上。“这就是淘汰的结局……”她喃喃地说。

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17一脚，“起来，帮我把22带过来。”

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

22虽然很害怕，但她没有挣扎也没有哭喊。她紧紧地咬住牙关，眼泪无声地滑落，双手却死死抓住Frank的手臂，无论如何也不肯松开。

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，与Frank一起将22抬到炉口。突然，Frank一个踉跄，似乎被什么绊了一下，身体失去平衡，向17倒去。17只好放开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的瞬间，他猛地用手一推，“啊！”17的惨叫声从炉子里传了出来。

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

Frank迅速爬起来，用力按下红色按钮，门无声地关上了。除了室内依然的闷热，一切仿佛什么都没发生过。

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蹲下来，解开22的镣铐，扶她起来。“17，你该回去学习了。别被淘汰。”

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，然后站起身，转身走了出去。

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

Frank走出处理室，来到走廊的窗前，看着女孩朝17的住处走去。远处，Vincent正提着公文包，朝这栋房子走来。

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

死里逃生后，我又害怕又心痛，几近虚脱。Frank从地上扶起我，缓缓收回他的手，只说了一句话。我盯着这个刚刚抱着我走向焚化炉的人，既熟悉又陌生。我曾经是多么信任和依赖他的怀抱。拼命咬牙忍住不争气的泪水，再次记住他说的话，用尽所有的力气转身离开。

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.

茫然地站在台阶上，冷风吹拂着我的脸。我想立刻跑回那熟悉的院落，想在好好睡一觉后发现这一切都只是一场梦。但我不能这么做。远远地，我看到Vincent走了过来，几乎立刻就能感觉到他那像蛇一样阴冷的目光缠上了我。我迈开发软的双腿，避开他的方向，失魂落魄地走向17的住处，继续这场噩梦。

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.

我不想看见，更不想触碰这个房间里的任何东西，我只想逃开。它们让我觉得17似乎仍在这个房间里。我徒劳地在房间里转着圈，怎么也躲不开，最后只好跳上床，躲在被子里。在黑暗中，我终于能够独自面对189的记忆。我终于可以瑟瑟发抖，任由泪水流下。

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最后的挣扎、痛苦和绝望，我全都感同身受。剧烈的心痛之后，是一个无法弥补的巨大空洞。不过也好，以后你就能够住在这个空洞里，我们时时刻刻都能够在一起了。你这个傻子，逃跑被发现的那一刻，竟然一把把我拉到身后；在小灰楼里你居然还妄想为我求情。

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.

从很小的时候我就知道，所有的哭泣、害怕和挣扎都毫无用处，改变不了任何事情。要做的事情终究一件不少地都会做，只有安安静静乖乖做好才能得到赞扬、笑脸和安生。你一定比我更清楚这一点吧，你怎么会不知道，至少还有Frank对我不同……

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，你是不是在恨我选择逃跑？你们要的无非是一个优胜者，17已经很优秀了啊。我虽然知道你的好，可是我害怕，我不想和189分开，这有什么错？你们居然可以这样冷酷！那么最后，为什么要救我？在我看着你亲手把189葬送之后，为什么还要救我？你说是Ellen的命令吧。Ellen，我只记得那是一个我小时候想要亲近的美丽女人；还有阴冷的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...

还有17，17的戒备和敌意几乎是不加掩饰的。你一直想要击败所有的人，可是17，如果你猜到今天的结局，不知道你还会不会这样处心积虑地阻止我和189的逃离？

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.

不过没关系，现在189已经不在了。从今以后，我会听Frank的话，成为最后的胜利者，那个无可替代的胜利者，一直走下去，揭开所有的谜底。我擦干了眼泪。189，你的死不会白白浪费的。

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，我封好了心中的伤口。冷冰冰、面无表情地走到17的位置上坐下，教室里只剩下四个人了。过了一会，Vincent毫不在乎地前来随意解释了一下189和22的离去。我盯着他的脸，忽然想到：17已经死了，22也不在了，谁知道活着坐在这里的这个人到底是谁呢？我认真地看了一眼教室里其他三个跟我长得一样的女孩，她们什么都不知道，还在尽心努力。可是我知道，只要我多花费些心思，她们每一个人都逃不掉那个最终的结局。我还知道，为了我自己，为了189，无论如何我都不能放弃。我回过头来，再也不愿看她们一眼。

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.

没过几天，我就见到了那个Ellen。在房间里，隔着长长的会议桌，我对面坐着三个人。一个是不再年轻的高傲冷漠的Ellen，丝毫没有了记忆中和蔼可亲的模样，略显病态的脸上目光更加锐利；她的旁边是Frank和Vincent。就是这三个人和17一起害死了189。我冷冷地看着他们，反正17一向也是如此，直到我发觉Frank有些担忧地看着我，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简单地问了我几句话，然后赞扬了17的忠诚以及她一直以来，特别是最近几天的良好表现，没有被多余的感情所影响。在Ellen审视的目光下，我小心地一一应答。接着，Vincent皮笑肉不笑地解释了为什么要处置掉那些被淘汰的女孩子。原来，她们都不够优秀，属于不合格的实验产品，除了成为隐患，没有任何存在的价值。

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.

我木然地离开了那间屋子。在外面漫无目的地走了许久，才重新感觉到我是一个人，一个活生生的人。原来我也只是一个实验产品而已。难怪，实验品需要什么感觉知觉呢？实验品需要什么自我主张呢？实验品需要什么感情呢？原本也从来没有人告诉我们感情是一种什么东西，从小到大，我只知道到有三个可以亲近的人，胖阿姨，Frank，189。现在，一个也没有了。

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.

从我变成17的那天起，今天是我第一次见到Frank。他一句话也没有说。可是我看到了他对待Ellen的神情，我终于明白了他有时穿过我看向的是什么。在那么多个相貌相同的实验品中，我恰巧是最像他喜欢的那个Ellen的实验品吧。他的喜欢和关爱也都是因为Ellen吧，跟我22又有什么关系呢？呵呵，22只是他最满意的一件实验产品，只需要成为他想要的样子。可是，我是什么样子没关系，189却跟我有关系，189是他亲手葬送的。我甩甩头，不再去想今天他那担忧的眼神。

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.

既然我是实验产品，那我就做一个最优秀的产品，成为最终的胜利者，成为让你们这些人最满意的实验产品。

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一直担心22会露出破绽，毕竟她曾经是一个如此温暖的女孩，而17则总是给人一种冰冷的感觉。然而，Frank很快发现自己的担心是多余的。现在的22与原来的17几乎没有任何区别，甚至有时让Frank怀疑自己那天是否真的处理掉了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当然不会记错，是他亲手把17推进了焚化炉。推了这一把之后，他知道自己已经无法回头了。他明白，他推下去的不仅仅是17，还有Ellen的信任。这一推，把他自己推到了Ellen的对立面，从此他与整个高氏集团为敌。

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伪装成17得实在太像了。虽然这有助于瞒过Ellen和Vincent，为Frank争取更多时间，但他也感受到22刻意对自己的疏离。她那冷冷的目光，就像Ellen生气时的眼神，让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一开始并不明白自己为什么会背叛Ellen。面对22越来越冷的眼神，他发现自己非常怀念那个曾经可爱的22。他不得不承认，自己已经爱上了这个女孩，而Ellen只是年少时一个不可能实现的青涩美梦。

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.

时间紧迫，实验品所剩无几，末日即将来临。Frank既没有时间，也不敢向22解释这个实验的最终目的。为了自己的爱和命运，他必须为自己找到一条后路，他要救22离开这里。他秘密地收集整理了这十几年来整个实验的数据和资料，每天一点一点地偷偷带回自己的住处。

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出奇冷静地听着Vincent的汇报，面无表情。她静静地坐在办公桌前，点燃了一支雪茄。Ellen并不嗜烟，只有在做重大决定时才会点上一根古巴雪茄。其实，她非常讨厌雪茄呛人的味道，但正是这种令人作呕的气味，能让她保持冷静和头脑清醒。因为她知道，自己做出的任何一个决定，都会比这烟味更加令人厌恶。

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诚惶诚恐地坐在Ellen对面，大气也不敢出。和Frank一样，Vincent也是Ellen的仰慕者，并且自认为能力不比Frank差。只是因为比Frank晚了两年加入公司，所以只能充当Frank的助手。实际上，若没有他的帮助，Frank的大多数研究成果都不会成功。因此，Vincent对Frank其实非常不屑。Vincent一直保持低调，知道自己绝不能与Frank正面交锋，但他从不放过任何可以超越Frank、更加亲近Ellen的机会。231的逃跑是一次机会，处理22和189则是另一次机会。每一次，他都能巧妙地抓住这些机会，但他时刻提醒自己不要得意忘形。所以，他一直谦逊地等待着，看着Ellen把整根雪茄抽完，并用力在烟灰缸里掐灭剩下的烟头，始终不发一言。

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，一周后进行最后的测试。我们将选出最终的实验品，然后进行下一步。让Frank把所有仪器准备好，这次我们绝不能再失败。”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，高总。如果没有其他吩咐，我就先出去了。”Vincent站起身来，躬身对Ellen说道。

"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。在实验之前，你协助Frank再详细地过一遍实验步骤，不要有任何疏漏。对了，把这个拿出去，扔掉。”Ellen说着，把烟灰缸递给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，高总。”Vincent压住心头的狂喜，小心翼翼地接过烟灰缸，然后走了出去，顺手轻轻带上了门。

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

Vincent知道自己的出头之日来了。让自己再检查一遍实验步骤，其实表明Ellen已经对Frank失去了信任，这正是自己的机会。

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.

最后一次测试将在剩下的三名实验品之间进行。Ellen难得地第一次也是最后一次出现在测试现场。毫无意外，优胜者自然是22，不，现在应该叫17了。至于那两名失败者，虽然对未来有些不安，但很显然并不知道自己将面临的命运，顺从地跟着Vincent离开了。

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.

剩下最后的一个女孩，美丽而冰冷的女孩，静静地看着Frank跟Ellen。

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

“恭喜你，17。你将会是高氏集团的唯一合法继承人。”Frank看着眼前这个安静而冰冷的女孩，声音不禁有些颤抖。他深吸了一口气，让自己冷静下来。“17，从现在开始，你的名字就是Elena，请在文件上签名。”说着，Frank把文件递给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的另一种写法。既然你成了我的继承人，我的名字也将由你继承。你不再需要使用实验代码作为你的名字了。”Ellen微笑着对女孩说道。

"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。”女孩轻轻地念了一下自己的新名字，接过文件和笔，签下了这个陌生的名字。

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

“请跟我来，我们还有最后一个实验。”Frank对女孩说，伸出手。然后悄悄地用几乎听不见的声音补充道，“不要怕，我会保护你的。”

"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

女孩跟随Frank和Ellen走进实验室。实验室中央摆放着两张医疗用躺椅。Ellen率先走到其中一张，坐了上去。她转头微笑着示意女孩也坐到另一张躺椅上。然后，Ellen拿起旁边一个布满电线的头盔，戴在头上，安详地躺了下去。

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，犹豫着是否要躺上去。

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

“Elena，请放松点。没事的，有Frank在呢。” Frank尽量用温柔的语气说道，并伸手想要抚摸女孩的头发。十八年来，他一直这样做，每次都能让女孩安静下来，然后乖乖地接受测试。

"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.

可是这次女孩躲开了。她看着Frank的眼神依然充满了警惕和不信任。眼眶微红，泪光闪烁，紧闭的双唇微微发抖，美丽的小脸上露出倔强和不甘的神色。她深深地看了Frank一眼，然后漠然地坐了上去，闭上了眼睛。

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.

咔嚓一声，她的手脚突然被束缚住。她挣扎了一下，发现无法动弹，便认命似的放弃了反抗。两行泪水从眼角滑落，恐惧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轻轻抚摸着女孩的头发，拿起一个相同的头盔，套在她的头上。在最后扣上头盔时，他用只有女孩能听到的声音低声说：“我会救你出去的。”女孩的身体僵硬了一下，然后慢慢放松下来。

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，在键盘上输入了一系列指令。连接两人头盔的机器开始运作，红、绿、黄的小灯不时闪烁着。

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的操作停顿了一下，他望向Ellen，眼神中流露出一丝伤感和决绝。他深吸一口气，然后在键盘上输入一行指令，按下回车键。

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”——电脑响起了刺耳的警告声，屏幕上闪烁着“指令错误”的提示。Frank皱起眉头，擦了擦额头的汗水，紧盯着屏幕，手指在键盘上飞快地敲击，再次输入指令。然而，警告声再次响起，屏幕依旧显示“指令错误”。Frank的脸色变得更加凝重，他深吸一口气，正准备再次尝试。就在这时，实验室的门被猛地推开，Vincent带着一队荷枪实弹的保安闯了进来。

“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.

“顾博士，怎么了？实验出问题了？”Vincent皮笑肉不笑地说道，“我早就提醒过您，这个实验非常重要，不能有一点差错。”与此同时，几名保安冲上前，将Frank从操作台拉开，狠狠地按在地上，然后迅速将他捆绑起来。

"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，你来完成吧，别再废话了。”Ellen的声音透过头盔传了出来。

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

“是，高总。对不起了，顾博士，既然您不方便完成实验，就让我来替您完成吧。”Vincent走向操作台，经过Frank身边时，狠狠地踢了他一脚。

"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，朝着女孩绝望地大喊：“22，快逃！”

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

可惜，女孩的手脚已经被紧紧绑住，连挣扎也是徒劳。

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

“22？哈哈，你以为我们不知道她是22吗？那天你把22和17掉包，我就知道了。只是高总说，不管是22还是17，只要是好的实验品，编号又有什么关系呢。你才有命活到今天。顾博士，你以为天衣无缝的计划，早就被我们识破了。” Vincent肆无忌惮地讥笑着Frank，然后转身对还在挣扎的女孩说，“22，你是17还是22没有关系。因为你很快就是高总了。我们选个优胜者，只是要选个身体和智力达到最高水平的实验品，至于你的自我意识，很快就会消失。你就是Elena高，我们的高总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."

哔——哔——哔，机器快速运行的提示声传来。Vincent仿佛沉浸在一段狂热的乐章中，表情因陶醉和激动而扭曲。“顾博士，让我们见证这个改变历史的时刻吧！”他说着，伸手准备按下一个绿色按钮。

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.

说时迟那时快，Frank猛地挣脱了压制他的两名保安，跌跌撞撞地冲向操作台。在Vincent按下按钮的同时，他的头猛地撞向了一个隐藏的黄色按钮。

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.

“你干了什么！” Vincent气急败坏地踢开Frank，随即几声枪响，子弹射向Frank的身体。

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

“哈哈，哈哈，你们的实验还是会失败的。” Frank疯狂地喊道，然后瞪大眼睛，慢慢倒在地上，大口喘着气，鲜血从身上涌出。

"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.

“发生什么事情了？”Ellen冷冷地问道。

"What happened?" Ellen asked coldly.

“没，没事。都解决了。”Vincent假装镇定地回答。他再次仔细检查了女孩的情况，似乎没有什么异常，一切看起来都很顺利。

"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.

机器继续快速运转，随后慢慢停了下来，锁住女孩的束缚松开了。女孩站起来，伸了伸胳膊，打量了一下自己，又环顾四周。她似乎有些满意，但当她看到正在摘下头盔的Ellen时，眉头微微皱起。

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.

“这个老太婆怎么还在，处理了。”女孩不满地瞥了Vincent一眼，然后对举着枪的保安们冷冷地说道。

"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，你怎么敢这么对待我！”Ellen从实验成功的喜悦中一下子愣住，仿佛掉进了冰窟窿，满脸不可置信地看着眼前的女孩，惊恐万分。

"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.

“实验既然成功了，你还有什么用？”她说着，转过头对依然有些发愣的Vincent说道，“Vincent，你也要背叛我吗？”

"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，然后转过身，朝保安们点了点头。

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

枪声响起，Ellen倒在了血泊中。此刻她才明白，自己所做的一切原来是那么的可笑。她看着不远处奄奄一息的Frank，眼中充满了绝望和悔恨，艰难地向他爬去，紧紧握住Frank的手。“Frank，我对不起你……”她微弱而哽咽地说道。

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慢慢睁开双眼，抬头看着高高在上的女孩，“22，我知道你还是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."

女孩轻蔑地看了看血泊中的两人，“我当然是22，我也是Ellen，我是Elena。谢谢你帮我保留了22的记忆，但既然我也是Ellen，那么你就是背叛了我。这也是为我曾经最好的朋友189报仇。”说着，她走到两人面前，朝他们紧握的双手狠狠地踩了下去。

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，我终于可以和你死在一起了。”Frank闭上了双眼，脸上浮现出一丝释然的微笑。

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

一个月后，高氏集团宣布Ellen高的死讯，并宣布由她的女儿Elena高继承整个高氏集团。同时宣布，Vincent文升任高氏集团首席科学家，并领导一项新的生育研究，在全球范围内征集一千名健康的年轻女性作为志愿者，报酬十分丰厚……

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...