Embers Ad Infinitum

The tanky, dark-red SUV drove through the Green Olive Zone’s different streets at a moderate speed as if it wanted to tour the area.

As Bai Chen drove, Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong, and Genava cast their gazes out the window, searching for places with coal residue and scorched earth.

At the same time, they also tried to find the crazy woman who had disappeared.

Without realizing it, the car entered a familiar area—the street where Wolf’s Den was.

Jiang Baimian looked at the eight-story building and thought for a moment. “Let’s go up and see Su Na and the others. We can also give them the first part of the Ashlandic introductory textbooks. The earlier they start learning, the better.”

The Old Task Force had only finished two-fifths of the Ashlandic introductory textbooks.

“Yes.” Long Yuehong and the others didn’t object.

On the seventh floor, the five Old Task Force members saw the original gang members. They were still holding pistols and wearing the same short-sleeved black T-shirt, but unlike before, their expressions and attitudes seemed rather respectful.

“Is Su Na around?” Bai Chen asked.

Recently, Su Na and the others had taken turns bringing the translation device and a few ‘servants’ out every day to make preparations for the fast-food business. They might not be at Wolf’s Den.

A gang member recognized the visitors and quickly smiled obsequiously. “Miss Su Na is available. They are learning the Red River language.”

Jiang Baimian and the others had obvious characteristics. Furthermore, they had Genava—a robot—following them. Even if they disguised themselves, they couldn’t hide from people who had made close contact with them.

Jiang Baimian nodded. Just as she was about to enter Wolf’s Den, she suddenly recalled something and asked the gang member, “Have you seen such cigarettes?”

As she spoke, she took out the transparent bag containing the cigarette butt from her pocket.

Bai Chen didn’t smoke, and it wasn’t like she had been to every spot in First City. Hence, she didn’t know much about it.

The Black Shirts member took the bag and looked at it carefully. “Isn’t this a Flagship cigarette? The sailors’ favorite cigarettes are cheap and strong; it’s just that the smell is overwhelming. It’s about the same as the earthy cigarettes that are dried and rolled up using inferior tobacco.”

“What do you mean by ‘strong?'” Jiang Baimian didn’t have experience in this aspect.

The Black Shirts member gestured a few times and said, “I don’t know how to describe it. It’s just that it has a… a strong feeling. Uh, it’s especially refreshing and satisfying.”

“Especially refreshing.” Jiang Baimian turned her head to look at Shang Jianyao and realized that he was raising his right hand and covering his mouth to yawn.

Based on the traces at the scene and combining it with information regarding the Last Man domain, their initial judgment of the real Father was: A person with a sleep disorder, thereby requiring an external object to keep him refreshed!

“Where can I buy such cigarettes?” Jiang Baimian asked further.

The Black Shirts member pointed out the window. “At the port. Several provision shops sell it.”

“Port…” When Jiang Baimian ruminated over this word, Shang Jianyao had already entered the Wolf’s Den and walked to the row of glass windows facing the port. This was also the spot where Su Na, Li Qiong, and the others had previously sprawled by the windowsill to howl like a female wolf.

Jiang Baimian followed and looked at West Port.

There were many boats and cargo bays everywhere. From time to time, a steam whistle sounded.

“There’s not only one port along the Red River. There are two to three others that are related to the northern shore wastelands,” Bai Chen said calmly.

Jiang Baimian looked at her and thoughtfully asked, “You mean that the sailors disembarked at other ports, hunted in the wastelands, and brought the scorched earth to First City?”

“Very likely.” Bai Chen nodded and said, “They don’t like maintaining hygiene, much less wash their clothes, pants, and shoes.”

Genava quickly said, “Most of the coal pancake factories are by the river, not far from the port.”

“I get it!” Shang Jianyao clenched his right fist and punched his left palm.

Jiang Baimian and Long Yuehong looked at him in anticipation.

Shang Jianyao looked like there was only one truth. “After the real Father tried Flagship cigarettes by chance, he felt that they suited him well. Therefore, he often goes to the port to buy a bunch at a time. During this process, he accidentally stepped on the scorched earth brought by the sailors from the North Shore and the coal residue. We just have to ask the provision shops one by one and find their biggest buyer. That way, we can find the real Father.”

Long Yuehong originally wanted to retort Shang Jianyao, but after careful thought, he realized that it was actually possible.

Under the premise that they lacked information regarding what kind of cigarettes the real Father used to smoke, Shang Jianyao’s inference was logical but not necessarily correct.

Jiang Baimian doused his enthusiasm. “The provision shop owners might not remember what the real Father looks like. With the real Father’s habits, altering the other party’s memories should be an instinct—unless it’s a chance encounter where nobody notices the other.”

Bai Chen also shook her head. “This isn’t the real Father’s style. Unless it’s necessary to take action personally, I don’t think he will directly appear in a situation where he might expose himself. He has many ‘servants’ and even ‘puppets.’ It’s not a complicated matter to get them to buy a few packs of cigarettes for him. There’s no need for him to drive here personally and go to those provision shops on foot.”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Shang Jianyao applauded Bai Chen’s analysis. His praise was never targeted.

Bai Chen was no longer as embarrassed as before unless she also felt that there was something wrong with her words.

Jiang Baimian nodded slightly and said, “Yes, we’ve interacted with the real Father twice. We’ve also obtained the corresponding information from the company. Although our judgment of his style might not be 100% accurate, it’s not far from the truth. Therefore, the person who drove the dark-green SUV to tail us was most likely not the real Father, but we can basically confirm that he was the person who attacked us that day.

“Hmm, let’s talk hypothetically. Assuming that the real Father did come to the port and stepped on the North Shore’s scorched earth and coal residue to buy a pack of Flagship cigarettes, is there anything he needs to do here personally?”

Just as she said that, Jiang Baimian anxiously spoke before Shang Jianyao, Genava, and company could answer. “Could Father’s servant have tailed one of our teams and discovered Wolf’s Den? Then, the real Father came and personally took action.”

Long Yuehong was alarmed.

This was a logical deduction!

Jiang Baimian signaled Shang Jianyao with her eyes and walked deeper into the Wolf Den’s with him. Genava, Bai Chen, and Long Yuehong followed closely behind.

Recitals sounded from the innermost room. It was Su Na and the others memorizing different letters and the corresponding pronunciation.

Jiang Baimian stopped in front of the wooden door, bent her finger, and knocked thrice.

The recital stopped.

Genava also followed standard operating procedure and checked his surroundings. In this regard, he worked with Shang Jianyao and Jiang Baimian. On the one hand, he mainly examined non-lifeforms, while the other two focused on human consciousness and bioelectric signals.

“What’s the matter?” Su Na’s voice sounded. She spoke very awkwardly in the Red River language as if she had taken several days to finally memorize this sentence.

She thought that it was one of the ‘servants’ knocking on the door.

Jiang Baimian pushed open the door and saw Su Na, Li Qiong, and the others sitting by the bed or chairs that had been moved over. They were seriously studying the Red River language.

“You guys are here.” Su Na happily stood up and greeted them. She subconsciously placed her right hand into her pocket.

The others stood up as well. A few also stuffed their hands into their shirt pockets or trouser pockets.

Upon seeing this, alarm bells rang in Jiang Baimian’s mind.

Without needing her to give the order, Shang Jianyao’s eyes suddenly turned deep.

Su Na, Li Qiong, and the other women’s hands in their pockets immediately stopped moving.

At the same time, Genava took a few steps forward and blocked the carbon-based humans. He shouted, “There are many explosives here!”

“Explosives…” Long Yuehong almost hissed. This Father sure is persistently haunting and impossible to guard against!

Facing the confused Su Na and the others, Jiang Baimian said to Bai Chen, “Go and see what’s in their pockets.

“Old Ge, gather the servants outside and watch them. Execute anyone who makes any abnormal moves.”

“Alright.” Genava obeyed the order, turned around, and went to the door to find the Black Shirts members.

“Did something happen?” Su Na asked in confusion.

“No worries; it has nothing to do with you. I’m mainly worried that you will be hurt,” Jiang Baimian consoled.

Bai Chen quickly walked over and found a trigger from the girl’s pocket.

“What’s this…” Su Na was also rather surprised. She then held her head as if someone was striking her hard.

Bai Chen found seven triggers one after another, making all the women in the room show pained expressions.

Ten seconds later, Su Na struggled and shouted, “Run! There’s a bomb!”

The moment this was said, she and her companions seemed to have finally escaped their nightmares and returned to normal.

Jiang Baimian slowly exhaled and said, “Don’t worry; it’s fine.”

She then turned her head and said to Long Yuehong, “Let’s get rid of the bomb first.”

“Yes, Team Leader,” Long Yuehong replied instinctively.

Jiang Baimian looked at Shang Jianyao again and realized that he had a serious and solemn expression. That’s right. If Father isn’t eliminated, there will be no end to our troubles!