Embers Ad Infinitum

After ending the call, Jiang Baimian sighed and cast her gaze at the computer screen.

When it was almost noon, she snapped to her senses and muttered silently, “We haven’t even finished one round. Why is it already so late? Old Ge is still waiting in the lobby’s lounge…”

Jiang Baimian quickly stood up and called out to Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong, and Bai Chen. “It’s time to go.”

Upon noticing their situation, the attendant in a white shirt and red bow tie walked over and asked with a smile, “Are you leaving?”

Jiang Baimian looked at Shang Jianyao, who had taken off his earpiece and unplugged the small speaker from the computer. She then said to the attendant, “Yes, how much is it in total?”

She could actually count it herself but asking was a form of politeness.

The attendant smiled warmly. “There’s no need. Mr. Heinrich will pay.”

Uh… Jiang Baimian was a little surprised. In her impression, Lehman was equivalent to a miser. She never expected him to be so generous.

All kinds of words from Lehman quickly flashed through her mind before she finally fixed her gaze on the words ‘having good skills is inferior to having good relationships.’

From the looks of it, this fellow is still very generous when it comes to building relationships… Jiang Baimian didn’t have the intention of having the Old Task Force pay for it themselves. She nodded slightly and led Shang Jianyao and the others out of Old Era Internet Café.

Just as she left the door, she suddenly froze and looked back at the Internet café.

“What’s wrong?” Bai Chen asked acutely.

Jiang Baimian thoughtfully said, “I’m wondering who Lehman is related to in First City. Doesn’t Oray’s grandson, Marcus, like watching Gladiator Fights? But he’ll be situated in the nobles’ private rooms, which we can’t get tickets to. It’s easy for the secret protectors to discover us if we use Inference Clowning all the way. It will be much easier if we can get a few tickets through Lehman.”

“Then, we should ask after we complete the transaction.” Bai Chen felt that this was a solution.

Long Yuehong nodded and hesitantly asked, “Will this implicate Lehman?”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Shang Jianyao clapped, making Long Yuehong a little embarrassed.

Jiang Baimian smiled. “It won’t be a problem if we can complete two things. The first is to wait for Lehman to leave First City and return to the Linhai Alliance before using the tickets to gain access to the nobles’ private rooms. The second is that we shouldn’t be in a rush to make friends with Marcus even if we encounter him in the private rooms. We can make an attempt when an opportunity naturally presents itself.”

Long Yuehong had just heaved a sigh of relief when he suddenly realized a problem. “What if Lehman doesn’t leave First City after giving us the VIP tickets? Those tickets should have an expiry date.”

Jiang Baimian smiled. “He has to leave even if he doesn’t want to.”

“I’ll scare him!” Shang Jianyao was excited.

Bai Chen looked in the direction of the skyscraper’s lobby and said, “Let’s discuss this after we determine that Lehman can really get tickets to the VIP rooms.”

Jiang Baimian tersely acknowledged her words. “That’s true.”

They then entered the lobby and saw Genava in a dark-green military uniform sitting on a long sofa, chatting with a few humans.

“It’s time to leave,” Shang Jianyao shouted loudly.

Genava stood up, bade the few humans—who weren’t too old—farewell, and walked back to Bai Chen and the others.

“What were you guys talking about?” Jiang Baimian casually asked.

Genava replied in a slightly synthetic male voice, “When they saw me sitting there alone, they came over and asked if I was lost. After I said that you guys were in the Internet café, they asked where we were from. When they learned that we came from the south, they asked about the situation along the way…”

After Genava finished speaking, Shang Jianyao said with a heavy expression, “Old Ge, you were almost abducted!”

“Is that so?” Genava said in confusion. “They’re rather friendly, and they didn’t show any inclination to abduct me.”

“If you can sense it, it won’t be called abduction.” Shang Jianyao looked disappointed, expecting better from him.

“Alright, alright. Let’s go back.” Jiang Baimian stopped the carbon-based human and the smart bot’s debate.

After the jeep slowly drove off, Jiang Baimian looked at the rearview mirror and said, “Stay in the rented apartment on Iron Medallion Street this afternoon to prepare for the raid of the Zhao family manor.”

“How?” Long Yuehong immediately focused.

Jiang Baimian deliberated and said, “There are two things to take note of: The first is to make a backup copy of your key memories, a double copy. It should be written on paper and placed with the companion in charge of liaising with you. It’s also to be recorded into the computer and stored with Old Ge. When the operation is over, you can retrieve the data and make comparisons to see if your memories have been secretly tampered with.

“The second is to discuss the response to various unexpected developments.”

Bai Chen thought for a moment and said, “These are necessary.”

At this moment, Shang Jianyao looked at Genava. “Will you peek?”

“You must not insult my integrity,” the silver-black smart bot said truthfully.

“What about you?” Shang Jianyao looked at Long Yuehong again.

“I don’t even want to see it. I’m afraid that my mind will be corrupted!” Long Yuehong replied angrily.

After deciding on the afternoon work, Jiang Baimian placed her right hand on the passenger door and heaved a sigh of relief. “We’ll make the introductory Ashlandic textbooks tomorrow.”

Shang Jianyao suddenly exclaimed.

“What’s wrong?” Long Yuehong asked warily.

Shang Jianyao had a look of regret. “In another hour, the Internet Café will give us their complimentary specialty stewed rice.”

“That’s right!” Long Yuehong also recalled this matter and felt like he had missed an opportunity to earn money.

Jiang Baimian was also rather regretful. “I wonder if their specialty stew is delicious…”

This was something that Pangu Biology didn’t have the recipe for.

Without waiting for Bai Chen and the others to respond, Jiang Baimian clapped her hands and said, “I’ve decided. Let’s find a restaurant that serves stewed rice in the Red Wolf Zone at noon.”

She then laughed. “Just take it as if we didn’t get a treat surfing the net through Lehman.”

…

After having their fill, the Old Task Force returned to Iron Medallion Street.

After finding a place to park the jeep and setting up the alarm in a hidden spot, Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, and the others strolled along the narrow path to their rented apartment.

As they walked, a person walked toward them.

This person wore a mottled leather coat. He was about the same height as Long Yuehong, and he had brown hair, green eyes, and an old gray scarf around his neck that covered his mouth.

After passing each other, Bai Chen looked ahead and said, “This person looks a little like the one the sheriffs were looking for…”

Although the clothes were different, the other characteristics matched.

Jiang Baimian recalled Bai Chen’s prior description and nodded. “Yes.”

“Shall we go greet him?” Shang Jianyao took the initiative to ask.

“There’s no need. We aren’t First City’s sheriffs.” Jiang Baimian shook her head without hesitation. “Even if he’s related to the Citizen Conclave explosion, it’s not a reason for us to interfere.”

“Huh?” Long Yuehong was a little stunned. “He’s related to the Citizen Conclave explosion?”

How did Team Leader know? Or was it just an example?

Jiang Baimian smiled and looked around at her team members. “While all of you were engrossed in the Old World’s entertainment, I seriously browsed First City’s public network for a while and realized that someone mentioned that the suspect in this explosion was a man wearing a scarf.”

Shang Jianyao replied in confusion, “Weren’t you playing…”

“Stop!” Jiang Baimian cut him off. “In short, it has nothing to do with us. Besides, the more chaotic First City is, the more advantageous it will be for our subsequent investigations.”

Long Yuehong nodded and asked, “Why does he have to wear a scarf and cover his mouth? He’s already changed his clothes.”

“This means that his mouth has more obvious characteristics.” Bai Chen voiced her guess.

Jiang Baimian tersely acknowledged her words. “It shouldn’t just be characteristics. It’s more likely that there’s something around his mouth that allows him to be targeted if a passerby sees it. For example, criminal tattoos, slave markings, or some kind of deformity.”

A term immediately flashed across Long Yuehong’s mind: Subhuman!

…

In the blink of an eye, it was time to raid the Anti-intellectualism Church members in the Zhao family manor. The Old Task Force split up again.

Jiang Baimian led Shang Jianyao and a black-cloaked Genava. As she opened the door to the jeep’s driver’s seat, she said to Long Yuehong and Bai Chen, “Go there and wait. Equip the exoskeletons and come over as soon as you see the signal.”

“Alright.” Long Yuehong and Bai Chen didn’t waste any time. They turned around and walked toward the gray SUV with the two military exoskeletons.

Jiang Baimian entered the driver’s seat, adjusted the rearview mirror in the car, and said to Shang Jianyao and Genava, “Let’s go to General Phocas and meet up with his guards.”

Shang Jianyao replied excitedly, “I hope they are prepared.”

What do you mean by hoping that they are prepared? Who’s the ‘they’ you are referring to? Jiang Baimian didn’t attempt to understand Shang Jianyao’s words. She started the car and drove it forward.

It was just 8:30 a.m. at this moment, and there were very few pedestrians on the streets.