Embers Ad Infinitum

The two Underground Ark guards in olive-green uniforms originally thought that the other party was only one person and one gun. Just as they were considering taking a gamble, additional people descended from the sky and aimed at them with various firearms.

As their gazes swept across the masks or the metal face with a pair of sunglasses, the two guards simultaneously raised their hands, placed them behind their heads, and slowly squatted down.

Discretion is the better part of valor!

Jiang Baimian looked at the sack on the ground and asked in the Red River language, “What’s inside?”

Of the two guards, one was Ashlandic, and the other was of Red River heritage. However, they both showed characteristics of being mixed-race.

Among them, the one with thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a square face rushed to answer, “Two dead people.”

“Did DiMarco do it?” Jiang Baimian asked as she signaled for Bai Chen and Long Yuehong to open the sack.

The other Red River guard nodded repeatedly. “Yes, it’s all Mr. DiMarco. No, DiMarco did it. It has nothing to do with us!”

He had slightly curled black hair, and his face was slightly chubby, dotted with many freckles.

Shang Jianyao took two steps forward and asked, “Why did DiMarco kill them?”

The square-faced man hesitated and said, “One’s a maid. There’s also h-her lover, the kind that’s about to get married; he’s also a servant. DiMarco took a fancy to her and wanted to drag her into his room. She was unwilling, and her resistance angered DiMarco. She was directly strangled to death. After DiMarco learned that she had a lover, he was worried that he would take revenge, so h-he found this valet and executed him with a gun…”

As the Ark guard recounted the matter, Long Yuehong and Bai Chen had already opened the sack and revealed the two corpses’ upper bodies.

They were a man and a woman. They didn’t seem old, and it was very likely that they weren’t even 20 years old. At this moment, the girl’s face was purple, and her eyes protruded. There was also a clear mark on her neck. The man’s skull was gaping open, and his chest was covered in blood. His expression was extremely hideous.

At that moment, Long Yuehong didn’t dare look them in the eye.

Jiang Baimian retracted her gaze and sighed indiscernibly. She then signaled Shang Jianyao with her eyes.

Shang Jianyao looked at the two Ark guards and revealed an indescribable smile under his furry, mouth-protruding mask. “How should I address you?”

“Y-Yu Tian?” The square-faced man gave his name in the Red River language.

The slightly chubby-faced guard with freckles replied, “Bode.”

Shang Jianyao nodded, and his dark-brown eyes instantly turned deep. “We come from the Vigilance Cathedral. The guards and servants of the Underground Ark may rejoice. So…”

Yu Tian and Bode were confused at first, but they came to a realization and asked in surprise, joy, and fear, “The Church wants to overthrow DiMarco?”

“We don’t have to tolerate his brutality anymore?”

Most of the people in the Underground Ark were believers of the Vigilance Church, but they weren’t that pious. Furthermore, due to the rules, they didn’t have the habit of wearing masks.

DiMarco and his ancestors didn’t allow the people around them to wear masks to prevent any problems. For example, someone might sneak into the Ark without anyone noticing and rely on the mask’s concealment to openly approach the master’s bedroom.

Genava couldn’t understand the two guards’ responses. No matter which algorithm or module he used, he couldn’t draw a similar conclusion from Shang Jianyao’s two sentences.

After some analysis, he believed that this was an Awakened ability that directly changed the target’s perception.

Shang Jianyao—who was wearing his furry, mouth-protruding mask—smiled. “Yeah. We’re here to save you. Do you want to live in DiMarco’s shadow for the rest of your lives, with the possibility of dying from his brutality and anger at any moment?”

Yu Tian subconsciously replied, “Guards are rarely killed…” He stopped before he could finish speaking because he recalled DiMarco’s most crazy and brutal period.

Back then, the guards lived every day in fear. People were often killed for trivial matters.

“Don’t worry. With us as your backers, you don’t have to be afraid of DiMarco’s counterattack.” Shang Jianyao used specious words to enhance the effects of Inference Clowning.

Bode’s body trembled slightly. “With the Church and the Church’s support, w-we definitely aren’t afraid.”

At this moment, Jiang Baimian—who was wearing a graceful monk mask—approached and smiled. “There’s no need to be afraid. There are very, very few things you need to do, and it won’t be too dangerous. If we fail, we will give you a few shots at relatively unimportant positions so that you can avoid the subsequent investigations. If we win, we will definitely need to find some new owners for the Ark. Heh heh, none of us want to live permanently underground and deal with all kinds of complicated matters.”

She didn’t mention the Vigilance Church at all, but every word made Yu Tian and Bode feel like Eidolon Nun was with them.

After hearing this, Yu Tian looked at Bode, gritted his teeth, and exhaled. “What can we do?”

“First, tell us the general situation inside the Ark. Focus on the surveillance system and the isolation system.” Jiang Baimian asked about the corresponding matters according to the plan.

Bode quickly said, “We aren’t guards in charge of surveillance, so we don’t know much…”

He explained what he knew in detail.

The guards in charge of surveillance were selected from the various guard teams and took turns on duty. They would never be assigned the task of burying the corpses outside and guarding the exits and ventilation ducts. They would definitely be isolated from the outside world. DiMarco also had a small surveillance room in his bedroom. He liked to stare at the screen when he had nothing to do…

According to Bode and Yu Tian’s descriptions, Genava drew a general layout in his ‘mind,’ including the location of the surveillance cameras, the route, the engine room, etc.

He quickly opened a panel in front of his chest and projected the map onto the ground.

“Is there anything you need to correct?” Genava asked in a slightly synthetic male voice.

Yu Tian and Bode were a little dumbfounded. They only came to their senses after a few seconds and examined it carefully. “N-No.”

Upon seeing this, Jiang Baimian could only sigh inwardly. Technology changes lives… This is too convenient!

After Yu Tian and Bode confirmed the map’s situation, Shang Jianyao asked, “Can you contact the guards in charge of surveillance?”

“Sure,” Yu Tian quickly replied.

Shang Jianyao fell into deep thought.

Could it be that this fellow is considering how to achieve the spreading of Inference Clowning? There are no signs that his Awakened abilities can achieve this. It’s too lacking… Jiang Baimian guessed Shang Jianyao’s thoughts and was actually a little shocked.

She deliberated for a moment and asked according to her train of thought, “Do you have a chance to ask those people about the system’s exact situation?”

“They are very tight-lipped. If DiMarco learns of it, they will definitely be beaten to death.” Bode first gave a rather pessimistic answer before changing the topic. “But over the years, everyone apart from a few has been very dissatisfied with DiMarco’s brutality. However, we were previously isolated and helpless without the Church’s support. We didn’t dare to resist. Now, I can try to persuade the few most easily swayed among them to obtain the corresponding information.”

He was much more confident than before because he believed that the Vigilance Church was backing them up. They were powerhouses who had obtained the protection of the Kalendaria, Eidolon Nun.

This… From a certain perspective, this can be considered the spreading of Inference Clowning. However, it doesn’t rely on superpowers but on the subtleties of the human heart… Just as Jiang Baimian sighed, Bode raised a question.

“But how can we hand the information to you after we obtain it?”

Jiang Baimian pondered for a moment and inquired, “Will your belongings be checked when you return?”

“Yes, there are anti-explosive tests and checks for electronic items. It’s very strict.” Yu Tian’s answer caused Jiang Baimian’s plan to die in the womb.

Genava, Long Yuehong, and Bai Chen thought of ways to transmit information.

Jiang Baimian then asked, “Do you know your mission schedule for the next three days?”

“Yes, the two of us are in the same team.” Yu Tian nodded. “After today, we will be on duty at an inspection point at Iron Mountain’s entrance and the cathedral’s ventilation duct at basement two… We will rest for a day every seven days. After we start work again, we will receive the schedule for the next six days. If there are no accidents, this won’t change. Uh, we don’t know what missions others will be assigned.”

Yes, if they arrange for the guards to do things randomly every day, it will definitely cause a great deal of chaos. It’s impossible without a powerful and smart central command… After Jiang Baimian heard Yu Tian and Bode’s answer, she vaguely had a new plan in mind.

“When will you guys guard the cathedral’s vent at basement two?” she asked further.

Bode replied without hesitation, “11 p.m. to 5 a.m., the day after tomorrow.”

Within the time limit… Jiang Baimian didn’t know if she was disappointed or relieved. “Will you two be the only ones?”

“No, there will be three groups. A total of six,” Bode said.

Jiang Baimian turned her gaze to the map projected by Genava and seriously examined it. “There are three surveillance cameras at every vent?”

“Yes.” Yu Tian wanted to argue that it was something he had just emphasized, but he didn’t dare.

As Jiang Baimian pondered, Shang Jianyao had already turned to smile at Genava. “Why don’t we enter the Ark first and then invade the system while analyzing the network from inside?”

“It’s feasible, but there’s a risk of exposure.” Genava gave a professional answer.

Jiang Baimian tersely acknowledged his words. “Maybe… We can give it a try.”

She asked for many more details and exhorted Yu Tian and Bode of certain matters before letting them go.

As he watched the two people begin to bury the corpses, Long Yuehong caught up to the team and asked Shang Jianyao in confusion, “Why didn’t you make friends with them and instead chose to mislead them about our identities and goals?”

It was clearly more reliable to make friends with them!