Embers Ad Infinitum

In the face of the numerous scenes and the huge waves that reflected Shang Jianyao, DiMarco’s figure suddenly turned ethereal as if he wanted to split into countless entities, which would then escape in different directions.

But at this moment, the eight Shang Jianyaos that had assimilated with his body each did something.

One protruded from DiMarco’s thigh and tried his best to stretch out his body to wrap around the enemy’s legs. Another stretched out both arms and firmly covered DiMarco’s mouth. One tore out of DiMarco’s chest and firmly gripped his torso. Another drilled out from above his head, holding a small speaker as it played the Old World’s mournful music…

DiMarco was firmly entangled by the eight Shang Jianyaos growing out of his body. This made DiMarco unable to move or shout. All he could do was gradually drown in despair.

In the Mind Corridor, in the room that belonged to him, the human faces on the pitch-black wall separated one after another. As they quickly faded, they caused the entire environment to collapse.

…

In DiMarco’s wrecked room in the Underground Ark, basement six, Zone C.

Jiang Baimian’s left hand hung in midair and didn’t press down on Shang Jianyao. She was just hesitating about giving Shang Jianyao a few seconds of observation time and what kind of cutoff conditions to set when the ordinary glass sphere in Shang Jianyao’s hand was suddenly dyed a green color.

In the blink of an eye, the glass sphere turned into a night pearl that emitted a green glow.

Jiang Baimian’s heart palpitated as she looked into Shang Jianyao’s eyes.

Under the smug monkey mask, Shang Jianyao’s deep eyes quickly returned to normal. He then lowered his head and looked at the green night pearl in his hand, falling into deep thought.

“W-what are you thinking about?” Jiang Baimian probed in a poised manner.

Shang Jianyao replied truthfully, “I was wondering what color I would be.”

This answer really has Shang Jianyao’s style… DiMarco definitely can’t imitate it… Jiang Baimian secretly heaved a sigh of relief and thoughtfully asked, “Did you counterattack when DiMarco—uh—seized your body? That should’ve been when he was at his weakest… You relied on your ability to split into nine?”

Jiang Baimian couldn’t think of an accurate term to describe DiMarco’s actions. She could only draw upon knowledge from the Old World’s entertainment material.

Shang Jianyao expressed his ‘shock’ with his eyes and tone. “You can also invade other people’s minds?”

It’s Shang Jianyao. There’s no doubt about it… Jiang Baimian subconsciously asked, “What’s fused with the glass sphere now is DiMarco’s remnant aura?”

Upon seeing Shang Jianyao nod in affirmation, she didn’t ask any further and said, “Act according to plan. I’ll go see how Little White is doing.”

Meanwhile, Long Yuehong had already returned to the room and hurriedly removed the rubble from Bai Chen’s body with Genava’s help.

“How are you?” he asked in concern.

“I’ll probably… Hiss… won’t die…” Bai Chen moved her body slightly and replied with a frown, “It’s mainly my right shoulder and arm. I might have fractured them.”

Upon hearing this, Genava slightly modified the parameters of his detection module and examined Bai Chen.

At this moment, Jiang Baimian rushed over. She took off her tactical backpack and injected Bai Chen with a FECA jab.

This was to prevent any accidents.

“Bear with it. I’ll fix you up simply for now,” Jiang Baimian said as she busied herself.

Bai Chen was also someone who had suffered many injuries. She pursed her lips and nodded.

After a while, Genava straightened his body and said, “Preliminary examination indicates no internal bleeding.”

Phew… Jiang Baimian and Long Yuehong heaved a sigh of relief at the same time. Bai Chen also closed her eyes.

At this moment, footsteps approached DiMarco’s room—they were either fast or slow, heavy or light.

The Ark guards had finally come to their senses and had begun to rush over to save DiMarco.

Shang Jianyao had already covered Lars’s face with the black and white mask again. He also took out a blue and white loudspeaker and a piece of paper filled with content from his tactical backpack.

His energetic voice boomed across this floor: “DiMarco is dead! DiMarco is dead!”

The approaching footsteps stopped almost at the same time.

“We were only targeting DiMarco. There’s no need for others to be nervous. It’s the same even if you are DiMarco’s relative. It can even be said that the Vigilance Church hopes that Eidolon Nun’s believers in the Ark no longer have to be afraid or face DiMarco’s brutality.

“We will allow each of you to enter and leave the Ark freely. You can be assigned to large, abandoned fields around Redstone Collection and obtain food that can last until the next harvest. You can freely choose your lifestyle. If you wish to leave the Ark, leave. If you wish to stay here, stay. If you want to farm, farm. If you want to continue your current line of job, continue.

“The butlers and wardens who were originally in charge of the various businesses don’t have to be afraid. You will continue on with your responsibilities and maintain the corresponding channels. You will only be sharing the profits that were originally handed over to DiMarco with the rest, and that includes yourselves.

“Captains of the various guards, you will remain the main force at maintaining order in the Ark. You are the guns that will protect everyone’s safety and interests. We will also establish the Ark Management Committee. The members will mainly be chosen from you, and the overseer will be the cathedral’s bishop.

“Alright, all of you are to come to DiMarco’s room now. We will discuss the management committee’s member list and the subsequent income distribution plan. Some of you can take this opportunity to leave the Ark with some supplies from other exits. But from then on, you will no longer have anyone to rely on and can only wander the wilderness alone. The first to approach us and show sincerity will receive sufficient preferential treatment.

“Yutian, Bode, you are one of them…” Shang Jianyao first used the loudspeaker to make the guards, servants, mistresses, and children on the sixth floor hear him clearly. Then, he used the Ark’s radio system to transmit his voice to every corner, reaching the ears of the people on duty outside.

…

At basement two, the four guards—who had been knocked out by Shang Jianyao and the others—had already woken up and heard the broadcast.

Yu Tian and Bode no longer put on an act. They stood up at the same time and happily removed their companions’ restraints.

The guards looked at them with strange gazes; they were a little angry but also a little envious.

When Yu Tian and Bode looked back, they smiled in unison.

“Quick, let’s rush over now. We can’t be late.” Yu Tian urged and made a promise. “Don’t worry. If there’s anything for me, you guys won’t be left out!”

Bode immediately echoed, “We’re all brothers, so we have to be united!”

The four guards’ felt zeal and ardor surge to their faces as they immediately patted their chests and promised to follow the two of them.

…

In the servants’ room at basement one, where they were still under probation during their training.

Ge Lin and Ge Miao were woken up by the commotion outside. They heard the patrolling guards and the various wardens rushing to the elevator.

At this moment, Shang Jianyao’s voice—which had switched to using Ashlandic—echoed through the electronic products on these people again. “DiMarco is dead!

“…Each of you can enter and leave the Ark freely. You can be assigned to large, abandoned fields around Redstone Collection and obtain food that can last until the next harvest…”

Ge Lin was first confused before she came to a realization: The ill-tempered Mr. DiMarco—who loved to kill servants—was dead! His rule had been overthrown, and the Underground Ark was about to change owners.

The new owner promised that everyone would receive fields and food. Nobody had to worry about being killed for no reason or be on edge every day.

W-we are saved. W-we have, we have a future… Ge Lin’s vision suddenly turned blurry.

She grabbed her sister’s arm the next second. “Quick, let’s go too!”

These slaves rushed out of their rooms.

…

After treating Bai Chen’s injuries, the Old Task Force waited for everyone from the Underground Ark to rush over.

At this moment, many people had already gathered in the wrecked room. Most of them were the guards on this floor and DiMarco’s mistresses and children.

Jiang Baimian looked around and was just about to say something when she suddenly cast her gaze outside the door and at the ventilation duct on the ceiling.

Soon, a figure jumped down.

The figure was a teenager, about 1.6 meters tall. He had soft blond hair and green eyes. He was none other than Viel, who had been missing for a few days.

He looked at DiMarco’s corpse in the room and muttered, “You guys settled it really quickly. I was actually late. Damn it! Coward should be matched with Extreme Terror. This can directly scare DiMarco to death, even if he’s only a ghost.”

“Huh? What did you say?” Jiang Baimian really didn’t hear him clearly.

Shang Jianyao—who was wearing a monkey mask—kindly helped her and repeated his words using the exact same tone.

Jiang Baimian’s eyebrows twitched slightly as she looked at Viel. “You are aware of our possession of the night pearl? You’ve long entered the Underground Ark?”

Viel revealed a harmless smile. “Don’t tell me you think my disappearance was a coincidence? Oracle—I’m a reserve Oracle. What’s that murloc? I’ll be the real Oracle in the future!”

At this point, his expression turned solemn. “Everyone, fate often is behind any coincidence.”

Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, Bai Chen, and the others looked at each other, and their expressions couldn’t help but turn solemn.

She probed, “What else does the Kalendaria have to say to us?”

Viel smiled. “It has to be described with an oracle! Why would the Kalendaria give an ordinary person an oracle? Even for me, I only occasionally hear ‘Her’ voice from the other world.”

At the mention of the Kalendaria’s oracle, Viel’s expression turned solemn. “‘She’ said that the answers to all the questions are in the New World.”