Embers Ad Infinitum

Genava could analyze what Jiang Baimian was worried about and immediately said, “I can carry out some modifications to obtain the ability to interfere with the surveillance.”

The modifications he was referring to were as simple and natural as a normal human talking about changing clothes.

“I’ve considered it, but I was afraid it wouldn’t be in time. Besides, the corresponding equipment isn’t that easy to obtain.” As Jiang Baimian spoke, a smile gradually appeared on her face. “This was indeed a problem in the past, but I have a better idea now.”

“What is it?” Long Yuehong asked with a learning attitude.

Jiang Baimian’s eyes darted around as she smiled. “Since our approach to the Underground Ark might not escape DiMarco’s senses, we won’t hide it. We’ll go over openly.”

“Huh?” Long Yuehong looked confused. Bai Chen and Genava didn’t answer.

How can we carry out Operation Beheading if we go over openly?

Jiang Baimian looked at Shang Jianyao. “What do you have in mind?”

Shang Jianyao nodded solemnly. “Tactical deception!”

“Whoa.” Jiang Baimian didn’t bicker with him. Instead, she explained with a smile, “I mean, we can find an excuse to move openly in the Vigilance Cathedral’s ventilation duct.”

Upon hearing ‘ventilation duct,’ a name surfaced in Long Yuehong’s mind: Viel!

Before he could have any other thoughts, Jiang Baimian smiled and looked around. “For example, we can go to Harbinger Song and take on the mission to find Viel. As everyone knows, Viel likes to move around in ventilation ducts. Therefore, it’s very reasonable for us to search for him in the cathedral’s ventilation system.

“During this process, we will inevitably approach the Underground Ark due to the large number of interconnecting ventilation ducts. We will be sensed by DiMarco, and this will allow him to familiarize himself with our existence. He will also know of our supposed goal in advance.

“When he becomes numb to such a situation and is no longer as vigilant or doesn’t show any excessive reaction, we will take advantage of the night and use the chosen ventilation duct to infiltrate the Ark.”

Bai Chen nodded slightly. “It’s an idea.”

Jiang Baimian’s smile became even more obvious. “More importantly, if an accident happens and the operation fails, we can also come under the Vigilance Church’s banner to intimidate DiMarco and strive for everyone to retreat safely.”

At this point, she wore a bright smile and pretended that the people in front of her were from the Underground Ark. She then simulated a possible explanation. “We were commissioned by the Vigilance Church, and we suspect that Viel’s disappearance was related to your Ark. Therefore, we infiltrated to search for clues! If you think there’s anything wrong with that, communicate with the Church and let them punish us. Could it be that you want to meddle in our affairs?”

Long Yuehong was stunned when he heard that. He had the feeling that a pair of black wings had extended from his team leader’s back, and a black tail had curled up.

At this moment, Jiang Baimian concluded, “To put it simply, we’re hoisting a banner such as a tiger’s skin to intimidate others!”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Shang Jianyao clapped as expected.

Long Yuehong sincerely felt that he could offend anyone but his team leader in the future.

Fortunately, Team Leader has always been tolerant and magnanimous. Shang Jianyao’s survival to this day is a testament to that… As Long Yuehong muttered inwardly, he thought of a question. “What if Viel has already returned?”

“Then, let’s communicate with the Vigilance Church. If they really are as we deduced, not only will they not protect DiMarco, but they might also provide us with a certain level of help. Let Viel disappear for a period of time. If it’s different from what we expected, there’s no need for Operation Beheading to continue. Fighting the Vigilance Church is something only the company has the right to consider.” Jiang Baimian had long thought about this.

Let Viel disappear for a period of time? Long Yuehong felt a headache coming on.

…

The next morning, in the red and gold Vigilance Cathedral.

The Old Task Force met Harbinger Song He in his room.

“Harbinger Song, is Viel back?” Jiang Baimian asked directly.

Song He shook his head and said worriedly, “I was just about to get people to seek him out. Something seems wrong.”

As Long Yuehong heaved a sigh of relief, Jiang Baimian volunteered. “Why don’t you entrust this mission to us? We were the ones who found Viel previously.”

Although Viel was the one who had come out on his own initiative, it was after the Old Task Force took on the mission and conducted a search.

Song He thought for a moment and said, “What kind of payment do you need?”

“A little protection from Eidolon Nun.” Jiang Baimian deliberately made her words sound meaningful.

“Oh?” Song He found it a little difficult to understand.

Jiang Baimian didn’t answer and said, “Viel’s most likely hiding place is the ventilation ducts all over the cathedral. We want to enter and exit the cathedral freely and search every ventilation duct.”

Song He fell silent for a few seconds as if he understood the meaning behind Jiang Baimian’s words. He deliberated and said, “I can’t make a decision regarding this matter and the payment you want. I’ll discuss it with Bishop Antonella now. Wait here for a moment.”

“Alright.” Jiang Baimian—who was wearing the graceful monk mask—smiled.

Almost ten minutes later, Antonella—who was wearing a simple mask and a black cloak—entered the room with Song He. He directly said, “Eidolon Nun’s blessings are for those who sincerely believe in ‘Her’ and work for ‘Her.’ I can’t give you any promises on behalf of the Kalendaria.”

Just as he said that, Shang Jianyao clasped his hands in front of his chest and took a step back. “Always be vigilant!”

“…” Antonella didn’t know how to respond. After a few seconds, he changed the topic. “I can give you permission to search the cathedral’s ventilation ducts. I only hope that you can find Viel as soon as possible. I also hope that you don’t cause any damage to this place.”

He didn’t mention the final payment as if it wasn’t something worth paying attention to.

Jiang Baimian’s eyes flickered as if she were in thought. “The ventilation ducts here have a complicated layout and are connected to the Underground Ark. What if we get lost and enter a place we shouldn’t enter?”

Antonella fell silent for nearly ten seconds before smiling. “Make sure there won’t be a next time.”

Jiang Baimian laughed as well. “Alright, there won’t be a next time.”

…

Vigilance Cathedral, basement one.

Slave Merchant Huo Zhi looked at the 40-odd young men and women in front of him and smiled. “As you can see, even a place used for training is better than the one you used to live in. There are beds of similar sizes, mattresses, blankets, pillows, and three punctual meals. What’s this called? Heaven, I tell you! This is your blessing; you can’t let Mr. DiMarco down. In short, train well and strive to enter the Ark. If you aren’t selected, heh heh, you might have to go to places like the mines.”

The eyes of the 40-odd men and women in tattered clothes lit up with hope. They were also worried about the consequences of not being chosen.

Just as the Underground Ark’s personnel began arranging for these men and women to stay in different rooms, Huo Zhi and his subordinates saw the Ruin Hunter team—which had the robot and could wipe out the entire Redstone Collection—take the elevator here.

What are they doing here? Huo Zhi subconsciously took two steps to the side and made way.

The slaves he brought were huddled in different rooms, sizing up the ‘visitors’ with apprehensive and confused gazes.

Shang Jianyao stopped and swept his gaze across the relatively clean but pale faces.

“What are you doing here?” An Underground Ark warden walked over and said, “Our Ark is using it to train servants now.”

The ownership of basement one belonged to the Ark. Only when they did not use it for the training and inspection of servants would they lend it to the Vigilance Church for Masses.

Shang Jianyao—who was wearing the furry, mouth-protruding monkey mask—smiled and raised his hand. “We’re here to repair the ventilation ducts.”

The warden, Huo Zhi, and the others were stunned by this answer. For a moment, nobody spoke.

Jiang Baimian took two steps forward and explained, “A child was lost in the cathedral; he likes to go about the ventilation ducts. We’re here for him.”

As she spoke, she took out the document that Antonella had written.

The Underground Ark warden took a few looks and nodded slightly. “Don’t disturb us.”

“Alright.” Jiang Baimian smiled and agreed.

This interlude was deliberately done by Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao. Their goal was to inform the Underground Ark’s people of their ‘mission’ and strive to get this message passed to DiMarco as soon as possible.

The Old Task Force then searched the ventilation ducts according to the map layout. During this process, they arrived at the ventilation ducts that allowed them to enter the Underground Ark many times. However, they left for elsewhere after ‘confirming’ that there was no sign of Viel. They acted like a Ruin Hunter team that was sticking to their promise.

As outsiders who were unaccustomed to ventilation ducts, the Old Task Force’s search progress was undoubtedly slow. They had to go out for a breather every two to three hours to stretch their bodies and rest their minds.

Just like that, they worked until 11 p.m. There were only two to three unsearched areas left.

One of the corresponding ventilation ducts was where their moles—Yu Tian and Bode—were in charge of.

The Vigilance Cathedral had already closed. The clergymen had all returned to their rooms to rest. Only a portion of the cathedral’s armed personnel was still patrolling and on duty.

In the empty golden-red hall, Jiang Baimian—who had recovered—stood up and led Shang Jianyao, Bai Chen, and the others to Eidolon Nun’s Sacred Emblem.

Looking at the indistinct female figure behind the door, she lowered her head, suppressed her voice, and sincerely said, “The Underground Ark believed in you in the past. It believes in you now and will believe in you in the future. We just want your believers to lead a better and more peaceful life. They don’t have to be afraid of being killed at any moment.”

After the confession, the five people from the Old Task Force looked up at the same time.

The female figure—Eidolon Nun—was still quietly hanging in the darkness behind the door.

Long Yuehong muttered in disappointment, “There’s no response…” Although he also knew that this was wishful thinking—after all, even the most pious Eidolon Nun believer might not receive the Kalendaria’s attention, much less heretics and faithless like them—humans had the tendency to look forward to the good.

In fact, if Eidolon Nun really cast her gaze over, Long Yuehong would definitely be the first to be shocked.

Just as he said that, Shang Jianyao smiled and said excitedly, “The Kalendaria has tacitly agreed!”

With that said, Shang Jianyao wore the monkey mask with the furry face and protruding mouth. He then turned around and walked to basement one.