Embers Ad Infinitum

Jiang Baimian watched Shang Jianyao attach the badge to his chest and laughed. “It’s just a Rookie Hunter badge. There’s no need to do that, right?”

Without waiting for Shang Jianyao’s answer, she quickly added, “I understand. It gives a sense of ritual.”

She remembered having a similar conversation with him before.

“Why ask if you know?” Shang Jianyao didn’t seem to understand his team leader’s intention of stopping.

Jiang Baimian rolled her eyes at him and took a few steps back. She looked up at the gigantic screen hanging in midair.

“There’s no need to go through so much trouble. You can see what missions are available using any machine over there. After choosing, swipe your badge at the blinking red light, and you’ll take on the mission,” advised the female staff member, who had helped them register as hunters.

As the two people opposite her had filled in the information themselves, she didn’t inform them that they could get the machine to read things out to them if they couldn’t read.

“…It’s pretty high-tech.” Jiang Baimian suddenly felt like a bumpkin.

It wasn’t even this convenient inside Pangu Biology! Or rather, she had never been to such a department or place.

The female staff member replied proudly, “In the entire Ashlands, there aren’t more than ten Hunter’s Guilds that are as convenient as ours.”

Ah, what did you say? Jiang Baimian touched her metal cochlear implant and was too embarrassed to ask.

The two parties were already a certain distance away, and the clerk’s words weren’t as loud as before.

“She said that there aren’t more than ten such Hunter’s Guilds in the Ashlands.” Shang Jianyao could always help give a timely ‘translation.’ Of course, it was unwanted or uncalled for at times.

“As expected of a city that’s rumored to be close to being taken over by the Hunter’s Guild…” Jiang Baimian muttered to herself in a half-joking and emotional manner.

She led Shang Jianyao to one of the tables scattered across the hall. They each picked up a thin, silver-white machine with an LCD screen.

This was like an enlarged, metal version of a paper notebook.

At this moment, many Ruin Hunters were standing in different spots. They either quickly swiped their fingers across the screen or brought their badges to a blinking red spot at the top of the machine.

Jiang Baimian was also considered experienced with computers. She usually had a chip to control. After doing a quick sweep, she roughly understood how to operate the machine in front of her.

After she lit up the screen, she slid it up according to the notification and had it reveal the mission page.

At this moment, she saw Shang Jianyao looking at her from the corner of her eye. He took out a box containing a mirror and was eager to give it a try.

“What are you trying to do?” Jiang Baimian was very vigilant.

“Deceive myself and pretend to be you. Then, mimic your actions and successfully learn how to use the machine,” Shang Jianyao explained very seriously.

He looked around to make sure that no one was around. This was just like how he had dealt with Qiao Chu and the Superior Heartless that made people greedy.

“…” Jiang Baimian cursed angrily. “There’s no need for such a complicated train of thought! Don’t make such a simple matter so troublesome! Come, I’ll teach you.”

As a graduate of the electronics department, Shang Jianyao quickly mastered how to operate the machine after Jiang Baimian said a few words. He had just been a little ignorant of the ways of the world.

It was only then that Long Yuehong and Bai Chen walked into the Hunter’s Guild’s hall. They didn’t want to register as hunters immediately after Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao.

Jiang Baimian glanced at the circular platform area, retracted her gaze, and officially flipped through the missions.

“Mission description: North Street’s Zhao Residence is recruiting 20 short-term mercenaries…”

“Mission description: Historian Harold is organizing a team to head to Swamp Ruin 1 in the near future. Experienced personnel are urgently needed…”

“Mission description: Seeking appraisal for a batch of ancient relics…”

“Mission description: Weapons for food…”

“Mission description: Send lunch to a sentry post in the wilderness…”

After quickly flipping through the missions that were still available, Jiang Baimian couldn’t help but sigh. “What a pity…”

“What a pity…” Beside her, Shang Jianyao made the same exclamation, but he didn’t imitate Jiang Baimian’s tone.

Jiang Baimian turned to look at him and asked with a smile, “What’s the pity?”

“The mission regarding Qiao Chu is gone.” Shang Jianyao did not hide his regret.

“I also find it a pity.” Jiang Baimian sighed. “Otherwise, with the information we have, we can receive four tons of flour at least. We wouldn’t have to worry about food any time soon. Besides, we would also instantly become Official Hunters.”

Her subtext was that their Old Task Force—which had information regarding Qiao Chu—could get each person to take on the mission individually and report different matters.

The reward for completing one mission was one ton of ordinary-grade flour and 100 credit points.

From Rookie Hunter to Official Hunter, it only required 100 credit points.

At this point, Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao sighed in unison again. “What a pity…”

In a sense, Qiao Chu really was a walking ‘treasure.’

After roughly understanding what kind of missions there were, Jiang Baimian said to Shang Jianyao, “Let’s go. These aren’t suitable. We’ll come again tomorrow and the day after.”

In fact, some of the missions were quite suitable for Rookie Hunters. They also didn’t require one to leave Weed City. However, Jiang Baimian had to contact Pangu Biology’s intelligence agents and confirm what she needed to do next before she could consider taking on those missions.

On the one hand, she was registering her identity at the Hunter’s Guild. On the other hand, she used this opportunity to gain a preliminary understanding of Weed City’s current situation through the available missions.

A single leaf’s fall spelled the coming of autumn. In the highly developed Hunter’s Guild in Weed City, any undercurrents would more or less show some clues through the missions issued.

In short, Jiang Baimian only felt that the situation at North Street might be a little tense after she had finished browsing. Everything else was fine.

As Shang Jianyao followed Jiang Baimian to the Hunter’s Guild’s entrance, he asked in confusion, “Swamp Ruin 1?”

“From the description at the end, it should be the one we’ve been to.” Jiang Baimian was no stranger to using numbers in place of sensitive matters.

After leaving the Hunter’s Guild, she placed her hands in her pockets and smiled. “Let’s walk around. This is my first time in Weed City. I originally had a chance to come, but I missed it.”

Shang Jianyao was also excited.

After a while, Long Yuehong—who was behind them—asked Bai Chen in confusion, “Where is Team Leader going?”

Why did she appear aimless?

Bai Chen thought for a moment before saying, “She should be familiarizing herself with the area.”

Long Yuehong was stunned for a moment before he came to a vague realization.

They walked around until three in the afternoon before they finally returned to Ah Fu’s Gun Shop. They entered from the front door, exited from the back door, climbed the stairs, and opened the door.

Jiang Baimian didn’t say a word. She took out a relatively large piece of paper from her tactical backpack and began drawing on it with a fountain pen as she recalled some things.

Before long, apart from North Street, the entire layout of Weed City was revealed.

At the same time, Jiang Baimian also labeled the areas with words such as ‘trenches,”more cover,”relatively chaotic surroundings,’ and ‘poor electrical layout, prone to malfunction.’

After doing this, she handed the pen and paper to Bai Chen. “What do you want to add? Haha, Weed City isn’t large, thankfully.”

Bai Chen tersely acknowledged her words and reached out to take the pen and paper. She laid them on the table and began drawing and writing.

Taking this opportunity, Jiang Baimian said to Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong, “Take a good look later and memorize it. We might split up later. When the time comes, we have to at least know where to hide and how to use the terrain if we encounter any accidents.”

Long Yuehong had long been convinced. “Yes, Team Leader!”

Shang Jianyao frowned slightly. “What needs to be avoided are accidents.”

Without waiting for Jiang Baimian to glare at him, he added, “After memorizing it, you can prevent the accidents from dodging or using the terrain.”

“It’s good that you understand.” Jiang Baimian couldn’t be bothered to say anything else.

After Bai Chen completed the map and everyone memorized the corresponding key areas, Jiang Baimian pointed at the alley opposite the South Street Slave Market. She then asked, “When we meet the intelligence agent tonight, we will split up into teams to monitor them secretly to prevent any accidents. Which spot do you think is better?”

As the team’s sniper, Bai Chen pointed at South Street Slave Market and said, “Here, the roof on the left can give us complete control of the alley opposite.”

Jiang Baimian nodded. “If—I mean if—something’s wrong with the company’s intelligence agent, the person behind them would choose this point as well. We should try our best not to encounter them. It’s better to choose the second-best spot.

“In any case, Shang Jianyao and I can adjust our positions to ensure your vision and trajectory.”

After a round of discussion, the Old Task Force had finalized on the rooftop to the right of South Street Slave Market. When the time came, Bai Chen and Long Yuehong would be in charge of that spot. Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao would meet the company’s intelligence agent.

Winter nights always came early. Darkness gradually enveloped Weed City as yellow or pure white lamps lit up one after another.

At 7:40, Jiang Baimian stood up, put on the hoodie that came with her clothes, and said to Shang Jianyao and the others, “Move out.”