Embers Ad Infinitum

The sunlight outside passed through the tied-up curtains and shone into the temple’s depths, barely allowing Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao to see the person in the coffin.

He had long black hair and wore a white linen shirt. He was as thin as a skeleton that resembled a corpse that had been smeared with preservatives and desiccated for many years.

In such a state, Jiang Baimian couldn’t tell what his true appearance was like.

It was like a skull. Without using a computer to do restoration work, one could only determine if he was abnormal or atavistic. She couldn’t tell if he was handsome or not.

If not for the fact that she could sense a weak electric signal and confirm that the other party still had biological activity, Jiang Baimian would only believe that this was a mummy that hadn’t rotten due to the special environment and not a so-called sleeping deity.

She even vaguely sensed the smell of preservatives wafting toward her nose. This was especially terrifying when compounded by the current environment.

Jiang Baimian slowly looked down and realized that the sleeping deity wore a bracelet made of tree branches on his right wrist.

Her heart palpitated as she turned to look at Shang Jianyao.

Shang Jianyao wore a monkey mask with a furry face and a protruded mouth. He stared straight at the corpse-like sleeping ‘deity.’

Jiang Baimian hesitated for a moment before asking, “What are you thinking about?”

Shang Jianyao replied seriously, “Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mouth-to-mouth, and FECA injection.”

“…” Jiang Baimian once again confirmed that she was mentally fine—in a completely different world from Shang Jianyao.

After a few seconds, she spoke with exasperation and amusement. “Didn’t the company mention matters to take note of? Unless necessary, we can’t touch this so-called sleeping deity.”

“It only said not to move it.” Shang Jianyao always had a good memory.

Jiang Baimian chuckled. “Didn’t I just say? There has to be redundancy; it has to be treated with higher and stricter standards.”

Without giving Shang Jianyao a chance to retort, she spat. “I almost forgot about important things because of you. Don’t you find this tree branch bracelet familiar?”

Shang Jianyao had long noticed it. “The Awakened murloc’s wreath laurel.”

“From the looks of it, his strength came from the laurel.” Jiang Baimian then proceeded to ask, “You should’ve touched the laurel back then. Didn’t you notice anything abnormal?”

Shang Jianyao shook his head. “It was very ordinary.”

“That’s true. If it were special, you wouldn’t have left it behind.” Jiang Baimian looked down at the mummy’s skin-covered face and analyzed it thoughtfully. “According to Harbinger Song’s description, powerful Awakened—who have explored the Mind Corridor’s depths—can leave their auras in the Mind Corridor or the real world and fuse with items or even humans…

“The aura had originally fused with the wreath laurel, but the aura seeped into the Awakened murloc’s body after he obtained it, making him relatively stronger? However, this also left behind latent dangers. Back then, it was as if he were producing a monster…”

At this point, Jiang Baimian suddenly had an idea. “If we didn’t forcefully fire back then and allowed the changes to continue, what would’ve happened in the end? Would this sleeping deity wake up because of this?

“But if it’s really that simple, his former believers could’ve done it. Isn’t it reasonable to use the items carried by deities to protect oneself? Could it be that the prerequisite for the fusion of aura and body requires an Awakened of the same domain?”

This was purely a random guess without much evidence because there were other explanations. For example, before this so-called Yama descended into a slumber, he didn’t know that such a thing would happen. He didn’t leave behind any instructions. His believers revered him and didn’t dare to touch his body or take away his items.

Shang Jianyao suggested a way to verify Jiang Baimian’s guess. “We’ll know by trying.”

“…There’s no need.” Jiang Baimian suppressed her eagerness.

She knew what Shang Jianyao meant: He was clearly not in the same domain as the Awakened murloc.

Jiang Baimian herself wasn’t even an Awakened. If they removed the bracelet, many things could be explained if an aura didn’t fuse with them when they used the bracelet. However, this was very, very dangerous.

After exhaling, Jiang Baimian held the gun in one hand and flipped her wrist to look at her electronic watch. “Nine more minutes.”

From the moment she stepped across the temple doorsill, she had already begun counting down. She also gave herself some leeway; she didn’t give herself 15 minutes, but 13 minutes.

Shang Jianyao quickly raised an idea. “Do you think he can hear us? Will he appreciate the music if I play something? Will there be any song that can make him stand up from his coffin and dance with me?”

With a fellow like you, no matter how eerie, sinister, and terrifying a scene is, it will become strange and even comical… Unless you happen to want to give me a scare as well… When Jiang Baimian first saw the mummy in the coffin, she was a little terrified. But now, she didn’t know what kind of expression to face the target with.

After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Baimian replied, “We can try a conversation; forget the music.”

Shang Jianyao sighed regretfully. He took a step forward and looked into the coffin. “Can you hear me? If you can, blink.”

He spoke in Ashlandic and Red River language.

The skinny ‘sleeping deity’ in white linen clothes didn’t react.

Shang Jianyao suddenly raised his voice. “Your hat has been stolen!” He was referring to the wreath laurel.

The ‘sleeping deity’—who was like a mummy—still looked like he had been dead for many years.

“It seems useless.” Jiang Baimian made a judgment.

Shang Jianyao still didn’t give up and shouted, “Your wife ran off with someone!”

? The radio broadcasts these days sure dare to broadcast anything… Jiang Baimian forced herself not to laugh.

The ‘sleeping deity’ lying quietly in the coffin remained motionless.

After Shang Jianyao switched to the Red River language and tried again, Jiang Baimian sighed. “If it weren’t for the fact that you were sure that he had residual human consciousness and that I can sense some weak electric signals, I wouldn’t believe that he’s still alive. He has been asleep for at least 30 to 40 years, right? Yet, his body still retains a certain level of activity; this is unbelievable. Could it be that someone is injecting him with glucose and nutrients regularly?”

Even if humans recovered the hibernation abilities buried in their genes, they couldn’t accomplish such a feat.

Shang Jianyao thought for a moment and said, “Human cryonics technology.”

Jiang Baimian wasn’t unfamiliar with this term. She pondered for a moment and said, “Are you saying that he used some ability or something to allow his body to enter a state similar to a deep freeze?”

This clearly wasn’t a real deep freeze. Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao only felt a little cold as they stood in front of the coffin.

“We have to wake him up to be sure.” Shang Jianyao stroked his chin. Just as he said that, he suddenly turned his head and stared at Jiang Baimian. “Look…”

“Stop, what do you mean by look?!” Jiang Baimian was instantly alarmed. “What are you trying to do?”

Shang Jianyao frankly replied, “I want to try using my Awakened abilities on him. Look, think about it. My Awakened abilities can be used on creatures with human consciousness, and he still has human consciousness.”

Without Inference Clowning’s help, Jiang Baimian already understood Shang Jianyao’s thoughts.

She really felt that it was of some practical value and had a chance of success.

“The company only said that we aren’t to move the sleeping deity’s body unless necessary. The additional condition I added was that it’s best not to even touch it…” Jiang Baimian thought for a moment before saying, “Psychological influence and contact isn’t something to pay attention to.”

Shang Jianyao became excited when he heard this. He even took off his mask and prepared to do his best.

Jiang Baimian immediately added, “Inference Clowning won’t do. He shouldn’t be able to hear you. In theory, Corny Person and Hands Immobility should work. However, I suggest using Hands Immobility. This is because the former will directly produce a corny effect and might bring about unnecessary accidents. The latter will first establish a connection before affecting his hands.

“Yes, his hands can’t move in the first place. This way, there won’t be any obvious changes during the entire process, minimizing the risk.”

Jiang Baimian didn’t want to see this mummy suddenly sit up.

“Alright.” Shang Jianyao had no objections.

Jiang Baimian took off the rubber glove on her left hand and flexed her fingers. She then smiled and said, “I won’t touch anything here, but I can jolt you. I’ll closely observe your condition later. I’ll wake you up if anything goes wrong.”

As she spoke, electric currents emitted from her left hand.

Shang Jianyao glanced at her and cast his gaze at the ‘sleeping deity’ in the coffin again. His consciousness quickly extended over and connected with the other party’s consciousness.

With a bang, Shang Jianyao’s vision turned pitch black. He felt like he had returned to the Sea of Origins—all he could see was a faint glow.

With the help of this light, he discovered a window. A hazy tower that reached into the clouds stood very far away.

Under the window, a figure lay prone in the darkness without moving.

He suddenly looked up at Shang Jianyao, and his eyes suffused a strange glow as he weakly said, “Save me!”