Embers Ad Infinitum

In the underground parking lot by the lake.

Anhebus’s trusted aide had already returned and was briefing him on the situation. “The all-terrain vehicle has been driven away, and the firearms in the truck are basically gone…”

Upon hearing this, Anhebus came to a realization. The true goal of the ‘massive attack’ was to snatch away the batch of firearms! Everything about eliminating foreign refugees and our collusion with the mountain monsters was fake! Those people went one big circle just for that batch of firearms!

“Damn it!” Anhebus cursed.

His trusted aide—who had gone out to investigate the situation—had also roughly figured out the truth. He asked in confusion, “Boss, who could have done it? The Ashlanders? DiMarco’s butler?”

Anhebus thought for a moment and said, “It’s not them. If it were them, they would directly target me.”

After settling Anhebus, would they be afraid of not getting the batch of firearms? There were even more supplies in store for them and countless other benefits!

Anhebus’s trusted aide agreed with his boss’s judgment. “Who could it be?”

“In Redstone Collection, there are only three groups that value the batch of firearms more than internal strife.” Anhebus’s brain was definitely not bad. As he thought, he said, “First, it’s Lehman and the others. Second, it’s Theresa. Third, it’s the Ruin Hunter team that took on the mission.”

Lehman was a smuggler from United Industries. He was the one who sold the batch of firearms to Helvig.

“Before we determine a winner, Lehman won’t easily state his stand. It’s impossible for him to move his home to Redstone Collection unless he has already completely sided with the Ashlanders or DiMarco’s butler. But this way, his focus will also be on attacking us.” Anhebus’s trusted aide analyzed the situation, following his boss’s train of thought. “Helvig’s subordinates don’t have a leader now, so it’s unlikely that they can do such a thing.”

Anhebus—whose beard was thick like a natural mask—nodded slightly. “From the looks of it, it can only be the Ruin Hunter team.” With Han Wanghuo setting up the defense line, the foreign Subhumans and bandits could be discounted.

“They sure are brave…” Anhebus’s trusted aide suddenly fell silent after saying that. He had recalled the corresponding information.

Anhebus asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?”

He previously didn’t mind the Ruin Hunters who had taken on the mission to retrieve the firearms. As the team didn’t consist of many people and didn’t pose any threat to him, he directly handed them over to Lopez to handle.

From the looks of it, he had to reevaluate this team’s strength.

Yes, they seem to have beaten up Lopez in the afternoon. Not only do they have some confidence, but they also like to take risks… It’s no wonder they dared to launch an attack suddenly and snatch the firearms… Anhebus felt enlightened.

At this moment, his trusted aide stammered, “Th-they only ha-have four people.”

“What? Anhebus suspected his ears. “Four people?”

With just four people, they dared to snatch firearms in front of dozens of armed personnel right under my nose? And they had succeeded!

From the situation and the final result, Anhebus thought there would be at least ten people.

“Yes, only four.” Anhebus’s trusted aide swallowed his saliva with difficulty. “I’ve asked the Hunter’s Guild. It’s recently winter. Apart from them, there aren’t any foreign Ruin Hunters. It’s unlikely that they can find helpers.”

He had just thought that this Ruin Hunter team was gutsy, but from the looks of it, it couldn’t be described as courage. They were simply crazy!

The four of them easily robbed the firearms under the deterrence of dozens of armed personnel at their headquarters!

Anhebus was momentarily speechless. He had never encountered such a thing in his life.

After dozens of seconds, he asked, “Are there really only four people?”

His trusted aide nodded heavily.

Anhebus asked, “What about Lopez and the others? How many died?”

“I-I don’t think anyone died. Th-they all ran away.” Anhebus’s trusted aide became more and more shocked as he spoke.

Apart from the madness, the entire matter also revealed a sense of absurdity.

Anhebus fell silent for a long time before saying, “That Hunter team has experts who play with people’s minds and hearts. The most important part of this play is that announcement. It magnified our internal suspicions, fears, and precautions to the extreme. It also cleverly utilized everyone’s habit of being too vigilant and not blindly believing.

“After that announcement, the townsfolk felt that it was possible that they were really armed personnel sent by the Church. They suspected that the foreign refugees were indeed colluding with the mountain monsters, and the ‘extermination’ didn’t eat into their interests. Lopez and the others definitely believed that I had betrayed them and wanted to use them as scapegoats. They naturally wouldn’t stop the enemy with all their might…

“Be it in terms of numbers or firepower, we are far stronger than them. But after what they did, we became as fragile as a dilapidated house. We collapsed upon a mere touch…”

He didn’t mention his thoughts back then. Those thoughts weren’t suitable to be exposed to his subordinates.

His trusted aide was shocked and angry. “Do they think they can be fearless in Redstone Collection by playing with people’s hearts? Boss, should we take revenge and let them know that the most important thing in the Ashlands is strength?”

Anhebus tersely acknowledged it. “We’ll see if an opportunity crops up. However, there’s something else to do now.”

“What?” His trusted aide was a little confused. Shouldn’t we be going all out now to retrieve that batch of firearms?

Anhebus picked up a white mask with black eyes and wore it. “To the Vigilance Cathedral.”

With that said, he instructed in a deep voice, “Find Lopez and the others and kill them!”

…

Outside the fortress-like Vigilance Cathedral, Long Yuehong escorted the awakened Lopez out of the jeep.

Long Yuehong looked at the cardboard boxes that filled every space in the vehicle and felt something called ‘happiness’ in his heart. He still found it surreal, believing that they had succeeded too easily.

At this moment, Shang Jianyao—who was wearing a monkey mask—had already rushed to the Vigilance Cathedral’s tightly shut door and slammed it.

The door soon opened.

A cathedral guard in a black cloak held a submachine gun and asked warily, “What’s the matter?”

“Something very important,” Shang Jianyao emphasized seriously. “We’re looking for Harbinger Song.”

Clunk!

The door closed in front of him.

After a few minutes, Song He—who wasn’t wearing a mask—personally opened the slightly heavy door and looked around.

His gaze quickly landed on the handcuffed Lopez and the yellow all-terrain vehicle. After some thought, Song He asked, “Everyone, did he attack you?”

Shang Jianyao immediately replied, “We attacked them and retrieved that batch of firearms.”

Song He’s gaze swept between them a few times. “You tracked Lopez and found that batch of firearms?”

He gave an explanation based on his understanding.

“Something like that.” Jiang Baimian stopped Shang Jianyao’s retort and said loudly, “Harbinger Song, we want to stay in the cathedral for the night. We will return the firearms tomorrow and complete the mission. We will also discuss a deal with the town guards.”

Song He smiled in enlightenment. “No problem. Nobody dares to cause trouble under Eidolon Nun’s watch.”

Jiang Baimian turned around and pointed at Lopez. “You can ask him about the specifics; we won’t bother. Oh yes… give us a four-person room.”

“Alright.” Song He agreed.

…

Seven to eight minutes later, Anhebus brought a few trusted aides to the Vigilance Cathedral.

He immediately saw the earthen-yellow, all-terrain car parked in the wilderness outside the door, but it was empty inside. There were no longer any firearms.

Anhebus’s eyelids twitched. He took a deep breath and walked to the door.

The door was ajar.

Before Anhebus could knock, Song He’s voice sounded from inside. “Please come in.”

Anhebus and his trusted aides entered the hall. They first raised their arms, crossed them, and took a step back.

After bowing to Eidolon Nun, Anhebus looked at Song He—who was beside the gigantic symbol—and fell to one knee.

“Harbinger, I want to repent!” he shouted in a tone filled with self-reproach.

Song He’s expression didn’t change. “Speak; Eidolon Nun is watching you.”

Anhebus explained how he had been deceived by the foreign refugees and how he had stolen Helvig’s firearms.

Towards the end, he said with tears flowing down his face, “Greed blinded me. I’m willing to accept the Lady’s punishment.”

Song He nodded slightly. “Knowing how to repent is the first step in redemption. In the future, you have to contribute sufficiently to Redstone Collection’s defense against the Subhumans.”

“Yes, Harbinger.” Anhebus heaved a sigh of relief.

Song He continued, “Redstone Collection lacks manpower now. We can replenish the forces with the foreign refugees and get them to redeem themselves with their contributions.”

Anhebus agreed without hesitation.

After his trusted aides finished repenting, he bade Song He farewell and prepared to leave.

Just as he turned around, a smug monkey mask suddenly appeared in front of him. Shang Jianyao had already snuck behind them at some point in time.

“I have a few questions.” Shang Jianyao announced his goal.

Without waiting for Anhebus to agree, he looked into the other party’s eyes behind the mask and asked seriously, “Why did you sell the firearms to the mountain monsters? Don’t you know that the mountain monsters will attack Redstone Collection and make everyone lose their families and friends after they have many weapons? Aren’t you worried that you and your family will die because of this?”

These three questions seemed to pierce through the emperor’s new clothes, making Anhebus stammer and not know how to answer.

After a few seconds, he said loudly, “I-I didn’t sell them!”

After retorting, he strode past Shang Jianyao and rushed to the door.

Outside, he swept his gaze and saw Lopez in a black cloak.

“You?” Anhebus was a little surprised.

Lopez, a foreign refugee, smiled at his former boss. “I’m a cathedral guard now.”

…

Outside the hall’s side door, Long Yuehong watched Anhebus leave with his subordinates and saw Shang Jianyao walk back. He then grumbled, “Didn’t you say we were going to the bathroom together?”

Shang Jianyao laughed. “I happened to bump into them.”