Embers Ad Infinitum

The bald man’s aura was very strong. Every step he took felt like an additional boulder was pressing down on Bai Chen’s heart, making her uncontrollably recall the nightmares she had tried to forget.

Her body trembled slightly as if she had encountered her born enemy.

At this moment, a figure appeared in front of her. It was a slightly hunched figure in a black cotton coat.

This figure blocked the bald man from her line of sight, cutting off the source of her fear.

Long Yuehong stared at the bald man, his heart beating like drums. He constantly hypnotized himself and pretended to be Shang Jianyao, playing a game where whoever first blinked and looked away lost.

The bald man chuckled and sized up Long Yuehong. He then laughed. “Why? Do you want to save the damsel in distress?”

As he spoke, he didn’t stop walking. He continued approaching the two of them with an extremely oppressive feeling.

His two bodyguards circled the dark-red sofa and followed closely behind.

Long Yuehong trembled in fear, unsure of what would happen next. He already had the urge to draw his gun. As long as he killed the three in front of him, the matter would be resolved!

At this moment, a slightly old voice sounded from the inner area of the hall. “Eugene, don’t cause trouble here.”

The bald man, Eugene, slowly turned his body and looked at the person speaking.

This was a man in his fifties. He was wrapped in a thick and fluffy black down jacket, seemingly unable to withstand the winter’s cold and humidity. His face was thin, and his sideburns were a little white. He wore a golden watch on his left wrist, and a string of lustrous mala beads on his right hand.

Eugene laughed. “How can it be called causing trouble? I’m just trying to retrieve my lost property.”

The middle-aged man emphasized, “Don’t settle any disputes at my place. There are plenty of places outside.”

Eugene stared into the elder’s eyes, his gaze gradually turning fierce.

The elder didn’t look away, appearing calm and composed.

“Haha, alright. I’ll do it for you, Uncle Sun.” Finally, Eugene retracted his gaze. He then looked at Long Yuehong and Bai Chen—who were behind him—and smiled. “I hope we don’t bump into each other outside.”

Long Yuehong wanted to retort with a few harsh words, but he was inexperienced and couldn’t organize his words quickly. He could only watch as Eugene turned around, walked back to the dark-red sofa, and sat down.

At this moment, Bai Chen nudged Long Yuehong’s back and whispered, “I’m fine.”

Long Yuehong silently heaved a sigh of relief. He turned around and made Bai Chen walk toward the elder sitting in the armchair.

“Uncle Sun,” shouted Bai Chen.

Uncle Sun narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Bai Chen’s face for a few seconds before smiling apologetically. “Too many people come and go here. I don’t really remember who you are.”

After all, people who entered the underground market always respectfully called him Uncle Sun.

“It’s fine.” Bai Chen’s gaze casually swept past the row of bodyguards behind Uncle Sun. She then took out Lin Feifei, Lei Yunsong, and the others’ photos and bent down. “I took on a Hunter’s Guild mission and wanted to ask if any of them had come to this bar before.”

Uncle Sun took the photos and flipped through them. He then shook his head and smiled. “Several Ruin Hunters I know came to ask, but unfortunately, no such people have come to my bars, teahouses, or nightclubs in the past few days. This answer is free because it’s worthless.”

“Thank you,” Bai Chen replied politely.

Uncle Sun smiled and asked, “Are you interested in getting some good stuff? A batch of new things came recently. There’s a jeep with stronger cross-country and bulletproof capabilities that First City just produced. There’s a batch of heavy weapons—including rocket launchers—marijuana produced by Spirit Island, and more exciting trinkets…”

As a wilderness nomad who had come to Weed City’s underground market many times, Bai Chen had heard of Spirit Island, but she didn’t know much about it. She only knew that it was also called Paradise Island. It was located outside the Gold Coast, and it was a medium-sized faction. There were no industrial factories on the island, but it was especially suitable for growing plants like marijuana and poppy. Many people in the Ashlands needed such things to relieve the psychological pressure from the bleak lives they faced, especially those who often needed to fight.

“Do you have any food?” Bai Chen was in no rush to change her questioning. She was replenishing supplies for the team anyway.

Uncle Sun shook his head. “There’s a batch of flour, but it’s already been reserved.”

Bai Chen thanked him again and walked to another person, repeating her previous question.

After going one round, she didn’t obtain any information regarding Lin Feifei or Lei Yunsong. She could only leave with Long Yuehong.

During this process, Long Yuehong kept feeling like Eugene’s gaze was on the two of them, making him feel a chill run down his spine.

After leaving the Today nightclub, Bai Chen silently returned to South Street.

Long Yuehong followed beside her. He wanted to ask several times, but he shut his mouth each time.

In the indescribable silence, they circled around for a while. After confirming that they weren’t being followed, they returned to Ah Fu’s Gun Shop and went up to the second floor.

After they entered the room by the alley, Jiang Baimian closed the door and asked, “How was it?”

“All of them say that they’ve never seen them,” Bai Chen replied truthfully. “I observed their expressions and didn’t discover anything abnormal about them.”

She knew that if someone ‘took’ Lin Feifei in, they definitely wouldn’t say that they had seen her. Therefore, she had to make a judgment based on the other party’s subtle reactions.

“It’s normal.” Jiang Baimian tersely acknowledged it. “I hope the other Ruin Hunters can give us a surprise.”

As the two of them conversed, Long Yuehong glanced at Bai Chen, wondering if he should tell his team leader about Eugene.

As he hesitated, Bai Chen tugged at the gray scarf around her neck and fell silent for a moment. “I encountered an enemy at the underground market. You have to be careful in the future.”

“Enemy?” Jiang Baimian raised her eyebrows.

Shang Jianyao instantly became focused.

Bai Chen fell silent again. After a few seconds, she smiled mysteriously. “A unilateral enemy. I’m the only one who treats him as an enemy. In his eyes, I’m just prey.”

Jiang Baimian thoughtfully gave up on the idea of answering and asked, “What’s his name? Which faction is he from?”

Bai Chen slowly exhaled and said, “Eugene. He’s the leader of a slave-catching team in First City.”

At this point, Bai Chen pursed her lips and said, “I was once captured by him… I was a slave for a period of time…”

Although they had already guessed it, Jiang Baimian and the others were momentarily at a loss for words.

At this moment, Bai Chen raised her right hand and removed the gray scarf around her neck.

After the scarf fell off, her neck was revealed.

Perhaps due to the rare exposure to the sun, the skin around her neck was clearly much fairer. There was a bluish-black tattoo on each side. It was a word and a number: “Female slave, 105.”

Jiang Baimian’s expression revealed some pity, but she quickly restrained her expression and pretended that it was nothing serious. “I see. When we return to the company, get something to cover it. If you don’t trust others, I can learn from them.”

Just as she said that, Shang Jianyao suddenly asked, “What does Eugene look like?”

As she wanted Shang Jianyao and the others to pay attention to Eugene and avoid being implicated, Bai Chen didn’t hesitate to describe him. “He’s about 1.7 meters tall and has a shaved head. On it is the wolf symbol of First City…

“His body has undergone certain mechanical modifications. It’s said that his core has been transplanted with an artificial heart. This gives him explosive strength that exceeds that of humans and some powerful means. In this regard, he knows how to keep it a secret. Almost no one knows what it is…

“He’s very afraid of heat. Even in such weather, he’s only wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts. This might be related to the mechanical modifications…”

Jiang Baimian muttered to herself as if in thought. “Is there a heat dispersion problem with the mechanical parts obtained from cheaper workshops?”

Shang Jianyao asked, “Where does he live? How many people does his team have?”

Bai Chen’s complicated feelings were mostly washed away by these questions. She glanced at Shang Jianyao suspiciously and said, “I just met him too, but he always has many bodyguards by his side.”

Shang Jianyao didn’t ask any further and fell into deep thought.

Jiang Baimian glanced at him and suddenly smiled at Bai Chen. “It’s fine. Recently, we’ve been moving around separately. He probably doesn’t know that we’re companions. On the other hand, you have to be careful when you go out these days.

“Yes… Since nobody at the underground market knows, Shang Jianyao and I will go to the various bars and nightclubs to see if there are any other clues. We can also satisfy his desire to dance.”

Bai Chen nodded and spoke in a soft voice. “Eugene will also be in the city. He will k-kidnap good-looking young women and men and sell them to some nobles in First City and the mine supervisors…”

After speaking for a while, she stopped.

Jiang Baimian listened carefully and touched her metal cochlear implant. “It’s fine. We are from Pangu Biology!”

Her words were filled with killing intent.

With that said, Jiang Baimian didn’t delay any further. She led Shang Jianyao out of the room and went downstairs into the courtyard.

After watching their backs disappear from the door, Bai Chen suddenly sat down on the bottom bunk as if she had lost all her strength. She stroked the bed as if she were searching for something.

Suddenly, a gray scarf appeared in front of her.

Long Yuehong had picked it up from the ground.

…

In the courtyard behind Ah Fu’s Gun Shop, Jiang Baimian walked toward the exit as she glanced at Shang Jianyao and chuckled. “What excuse do you plan on finding if I don’t take you there?”

“Bathroom,” Shang Jianyao replied as if he already had the answer.

“Can you go to the bathroom for that long?” Jiang Baimian was peeved and amused.

Shang Jianyao replied seriously, “Constipation.”

“…” Jiang Baimian subconsciously raised her hand and held it to her nose and mouth. After two seconds, she looked to the side and coughed. “Oh right, what did Little White say in the end? I only heard a little, so I was too embarrassed to ask.”

Shang Jianyao did not mock her and repeated Bai Chen’s words seriously.

Jiang Baimian narrowed her eyes.

After Shang Jianyao finished speaking, she tersely acknowledged it and smiled. “Next, you can do whatever you want. I only have two requests.”