Embers Ad Infinitum

In this report, Jiang Baimian still didn’t mention the suspected Eidolon Nun’s gaze on the night Bishop Renato contracted the Heartless disease.

On the one hand, she felt that the Old Task Force was still under Eidolon Nun’s attention since they were still in Redstone Collection and within the Vigilance Cathedral’s sphere of influence. Taking the initiative to leak the matter might incur the wrath of the Kalendaria.

Of course, Jiang Baimian was still an atheist. She temporarily treated the Kalendarium as powerful creatures that exceeded her imagination. She didn’t have a particularly serious sense of reverence or a strong urge to prostrate herself. She was only considering things based on reality—one had to bow their heads when under the eaves of another.

On the other hand, she had always known that the company hid many secrets. Its attitude toward the Ashlands and the already-destroyed Old World was worth ruminating over. Therefore, she instinctively wanted to hold back a little of what she had acquired—which had nothing to do with the mission—during her investigations.

Furthermore, they now had a friendly relationship with the Vigilance Church and were very respectful to Eidolon Nun. They hadn’t committed any sacrilegious acts against the deity, so they temporarily didn’t need to seek help from the company.

Jiang Baimian didn’t give Long Yuehong and Bai Chen the details about the Kalendaria’s gaze. She mainly reminded them that there really were Kalendarium in this world. Furthermore, ‘They’ could gaze at the Ashlands or even descend upon this world.

She didn’t share the horror, the hopelessness, and the shock she felt back then to avoid scaring the two team members.

Just as night settled upon them, the Old Task Force received a reply from Pangu Biology. “You can carry out some investigations, but pay attention to the following: First, do not directly touch anything with your hands after entering the temple. You have to wear items like latex gloves or rubber gloves.

“Second, unless it’s necessary, do not move the so-called deity’s body.

“Third, do not spend more than 15 minutes in the temple. You can’t exceed half an hour in the temple’s vicinity, and you can’t exceed three days elsewhere on the island.”

After translating the content, Jiang Baimian sighed with emotion. “The company is no stranger to such matters; they’ve already created a standard operating procedure.”

She was more curious about the reason behind these taboos. Did the company already figure out the source of the problem, or did they use human lives to gather experience?

“Otherwise, how could it be the greatest suspect for destroying the Old World—the current ultimate villain of the Ashlands?” Shang Jianyao replied to Jiang Baimian’s sigh in a radio-like tone.

Long Yuehong hesitated for a moment before asking, “Are you sure we are going?”

After seeing the list of things to take note of, he wasn’t that afraid.

The unknown was most terrifying. He definitely wouldn’t be so terrified if he knew what to do.

Regarding this, Long Yuehong’s most direct thought was: It feels good to have a company backing you!

“I think so.” Jiang Baimian was too embarrassed to say that she wanted to set off now. She smiled and said, “But we have to at least wait until we receive the exoskeleton and enhance your strength before we consider it.”

“Alright.” Long Yuehong felt even more at ease.

At this moment, Bai Chen looked at Jiang Baimian and asked in thought, “If the company didn’t let us explore it, would you secretly go?”

“How could I?” Jiang Baimian widened her eyes and denied it. “I’m not Shang Jianyao!”

“You can consider becoming Shang Jianyao,” Shang Jianyao suggested excitedly.

Bai Chen ignored Jiang Baimian’s denial and whispered, “Are those who are left behind not considered companions?”

“Huh?” Jiang Baimian made a prompt decision. She raised her right hand and touched her ear. “What did you say?”

She then said righteously, “I won’t leave any companions behind; it’s just that everyone has their own missions.”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Shang Jianyao suddenly applauded.

Jiang Baimian flew into a rage out of humiliation. She turned around and shouted, “Do you want more combat training?”

She then stood up and stretched her limbs.

Shang Jianyao then realized Jiang Baimian was a force to be reckoned with when she gave her all.

…

The next morning, Shang Jianyao took off his top and got Long Yuehong to apply medicine to the bruises on his back.

“Most of them are gone. Your recovery abilities are indeed better than mine,” said Long Yuehong with a sincere sigh.

This was only his second application of the medicine.

Shang Jianyao sincerely suggested, “Enduring more beatings can effectively enhance one’s resistance.”

“Haha.” Long Yuehong laughed dryly. “I’m not you; how can I last so long under Team Leader’s onslaught? Team Leader is amazing. She only recovered yesterday, but she can already showcase such strength. It seems like she usually holds back.”

“Combat practice might happen only once a week if she doesn’t hold back,” Shang Jianyao said with a smile. “The main problem is that you will most likely have to lie in a hospital bed for a week after every practice.”

Long Yuehong wanted to retort, but he eventually nodded thoughtfully.

As the two of them conversed, Shang Jianyao suddenly turned his head and looked outside.

At this moment, Jiang Baimian—who was enjoying Bai Chen’s application of the medicine—pushed open the door and called out, “Captain Han.”

“Your exoskeleton is here.” Shang Jianyao jumped up and put on his clothes.

Long Yuehong couldn’t hide his excitement and quickly ran to the door.

After Shang Jianyao wore his mask, he immediately opened the door.

At a glance, he saw Han Wanghuo with a rifle on his back, two tattered SUVs, and several Redstone town guards.

They were moving a cardboard box toward Jiang Baimian.

“An AC-42 General exoskeleton. Please take receipt,” Han Wanghuo said in a business-like tone.

Jiang Baimian turned to look at Long Yuehong and smiled. “Come, do a check.”

Long Yuehong and Shang Jianyao eagerly walked over, opened the cardboard box, and examined the black metal exoskeleton that exuded a metallic sheen.

At the same time, Jiang Baimian said to Han Wanghuo, “Didn’t you say that we would have to wait another two days?”

The maskless Han Wanghuo revealed a rare smile. “Since you came to rush them, they didn’t dare delay.”

The town guards who wielded authority had agreed unanimously.

Jiang Baimian laughed involuntarily. “Are we that terrifying?”

“Yes,” a town guard member—who had just moved a box of food over—replied softly.

Fortunately, Jiang Baimian didn’t hear him clearly.

Shang Jianyao hummed a song. “The young monk went down the mountain to beg for alms…”

The latter half of his lyrics was cut short because of Jiang Baimian’s glare.

Upon seeing this, Han Wanghuo said with emotion, “There are many powerful Ruin Hunters in the Ashlands; they can destroy a large settlement by themselves. In the eyes of many townsfolk in Redstone Collection, you are such a Ruin Hunter team.”

How terrifying the Awakened murloc was that night and how deep the trauma he had left in the hearts of Redstone Town’s residents was how exaggerated their reverence and fear for the Qian Bai Team.

The praised Jiang Baimian humbly said, “A large settlement with the blessings of a Kalendaria like Redstone Collection isn’t something that a Ruin Hunter team can destroy, including us.”

Just as she said that, she saw the town guards look over at the same time. Their eyes seemed to say, “You really did consider destroying Redstone Collection.”

Aren’t you guys too vigilant? It’s not a good thing to be overly sensitive… Jiang Baimian felt her pulse rise.

Long Yuehong soon put on the very simple black exoskeleton with Shang Jianyao’s help. After attempting to move his body, he once again felt the strength of such equipment.

After a round of experiments, Long Yuehong happily replied, “No problem!”

At this moment, Bai Chen had also checked the boxes of food and confirmed that the amount was just right.

Jiang Baimian then said to Han Wanghuo, “The transaction is officially completed.”

Han Wanghuo heaved a sigh of relief and said, “Didn’t you request to have information regarding Mechanical Paradise gathered in a week?”

“It’s done?” Jiang Baimian asked in surprise.

Han Wanghuo shook his head. “Not yet, but I can tell a problem from the information we’ve found.”

“What is it?” Shang Jianyao came over with interest.

Han Wanghuo pondered for a moment and said, “Nobody has ever seen a human from Mechanical Paradise. Any dealings are done with smart robots.”

“Is that so…” Jiang Baimian wasn’t surprised. Weed City’s Castellan, Xu Liyan, had also mentioned such a situation.

After discussing this matter, Han Wanghuo saw that the town guards were a certain distance away and were in a state of constantly finding a place to hide. He suppressed his voice and said, “I have something to ask you.”

“What is it?” Jiang Baimian asked in confusion.

Han Wanghuo organized his words and said, “Who else other than you knew about Bishop Renato’s urgent recall to the Vigilance Church’s headquarters?”

Upon seeing that the Qian Bai Team didn’t have an immediate answer, he simply explained, “We exchanged captives with the merfolk and mountain monsters this morning. The Gaudi you know was released. He said that he heard some of the merfolk’s discussions after he was captured. They originally wanted to prepare for a month before launching an attack after they finished their reconnaissance. However, they suddenly received news that Bishop Renato had left and that the new bishop had yet to arrive. In order to seize this opportunity, they pushed forward the operation.

“Because their operation failed and had even lost their Oracle, they grumbled at each other and revealed this information.”

Jiang Baimian understood what Han Wanghuo meant. “Someone sold this critical information to the Subhumans?”

“I think so.” Han Wanghuo didn’t hide his thoughts.

The news the Subhumans received was that Bishop Renato had been recalled to the headquarters? That’s interesting… Jiang Baimian thoughtfully said, “The cathedral’s Harbinger and guards were there that night. Baz, Viel…”

What these people knew was that Bishop Renato had contracted the Heartless disease!

Han Wanghuo quietly listened and nodded. “I’ll rule them out one by one.”

Jiang Baimian smiled. “We seem to be suspects as well.”

Han Wanghuo was speechless. “If you had sold this information, the only reason would be that you wanted to lure the Awakened murloc out and use our exoskeleton to finish him off.”

“Good explanation!” Shang Jianyao clapped, deeply inspired.

…

In the afternoon, the prepared Old Task Force entered the lake area and borrowed the town guard’s speedboat.

With Han Wanghuo’s help, they had already planned a route that circled around the merfolk’s enclave.