Embers Ad Infinitum

In the pitch-black night, First City, West Port.

This place was connected to the Green Olive Zone. There were warehouses that stored goods everywhere, and there were specialized port guards patrolling.

Terrence didn't expect to receive a call from Zhang Qubing not long after he sent the telegram. He was requested to meet at West Port's Pier 3 at 10:30 p.m. that very night. He wasn't to bring any attendants with him.

This didn't give anyone a breather or chance to prepare.

This bloated, fierce-faced, brown-haired, and blue-eyed gang leader and Church member parked their black car before entering Port Avenue according to the Qian Bai Team's instructions and walked to the meeting spot.

Through the connections of his Black Shirts, he obtained Shang Jianyao and the others' registration information and mission records in the Hunter's Guild. He confirmed that this was a relatively powerful team with unknown origins.

Terrence looked around and suspected that one or several of Zhang Qubing's team were in a building along Port Avenue or at a vantage point of a warehouse at the dock. They were quietly watching him and observing if anyone was secretly following him.

Fortunately, Terrence didn't have any ulterior motives and walked over without any apprehension.

With his weight, it was inevitable that he was a little out of breath after such a long stretch. It wasn't easy for him to avoid the patrolling port guards and arrive at Pier 3.

He looked around and didn't see his target. He restrained his temper and waited.

About seven to eight minutes later, two figures approached along the path Terrence had taken.

It wasn't until they were only 40 to 50 meters away that Terrence sensed something. He turned around and looked over.

Under the moonlight, Zhang Qubing and October Xue's familiar faces reflected in his eyes.

"Happy cooperation." Shang Jianyao's words stunned Terrence.

He took more than ten seconds to gather his train of thought and replied with a smile, "May we have a pleasant cooperation."

Jiang Baimian didn't immediately ask Terrence what cooperation he had in mind. Instead, she raised a question. "What does a top-notch gang like yours—a secret religion that serves the Kalendaria—need to cooperate with us for?"

Terrence smiled. "Your various performances, your mission records, and the fact that you dared to deal with our Black Shirts and even obtained preliminary success mean that not only are you powerful, but you also have a deep background. I guess you were sent by one of the mainstream and major factions in the Ashlands?"

"Guess if we'll guess." Shang Jianyao—who had some knowledge of the Old World's entertainment—finally found an opportunity to say this.

Terrence had no intention of probing their origins. Instead, he said, "Weren't you planning on participating in First City's internal conflict through your investigation of the Anti-intellectualism Church? I can sell you some information."

Jiang Baimian smiled and asked, "What payment do you need, or should I say, what are the terms of cooperation?"

Terrence smiled and said, "We don't expect you to cooperate with us because just letting you know that information might help us. Our only request is that you share the information you have with us when you feel the need."

His words were a little awkward, but his attitude was very humble.

"There's such a good deal?" Shang Jianyao voiced Jiang Baimian's thoughts.

The latter thought for a moment and said, "Tell me, what information?"

Terrence habitually looked around and confirmed that nobody else was at Pier 3. He deliberated over his words and said, "We have always been in possession of a Church of Paragon Desire member's identity, but we never exposed her. We've only secretly kept her under observation. Her name is Cynthia, a noble descendant and a socialite of First City's high society. She has a deep relationship with many people in power.

"She recently went to three places and met three people. One was Christina from the Hunter's Guild, and the other was Superintendent Alexander…"

Jiang Baimian quietly listened to Terrence, and her eyebrows twitched indiscernibly. A member of the Church of Paragon Desire went to meet one of the two bigshots, Superintendent Alexander, at this juncture?

Terrence didn't immediately say who the third person was and first introduced the others. "It's actually not surprising if Cynthia only went to meet Superintendent Alexander. The Church of Paragon Desire has many supporters in First City's high society. Although many nobles won't admit it verbally, they secretly participate in some Celestial Body Gatherings. This is very similar to the Church of Paragon Desire's style. Heh heh, many nobles in high society indulge in pleasure and their desires."

High society? Jiang Baimian scoffed inwardly. How many years has it been since the Old World was destroyed? How many years has it been since the New Calendar began? Yet, high society has already appeared?

Terrence then said, "But two days before Cynthia found an opportunity to visit Superintendent Alexander, she met another person. That person's name is Sutton. He's an artist on the surface, but according to our investigations, he's very likely an Anti-intellectualism Church member."

"What does he look like?" Shang Jianyao asked anxiously.

Terrence frowned in confusion. "Less than 1.7 meters tall. He's thin, and his hair is dyed gray. He looks like he has overindulged in his pleasures."

Shang Jianyao sighed in disappointment.

Jiang Baimian asked thoughtfully, "You suspect that the Anti-intellectualism Church and the Church of Paragon Desire are cooperating once again and that their target is Superintendent Alexander?"

This matched their judgment that the Anti-intellectualism Church wanted to escalate the conflict further.

Could it be that their next target isn't General Phocas but Superintendent Alexander? The one pushing the matter forward isn't the Anti-intellectualism Church, but a Church of Paragon Desire member? Could this hide from the security forces around Superintendent Alexander? Thoughts rose in Jiang Baimian's mind, making her see a fog.

Terrence said seriously, "I can only say that I have a guess. I hope you can verify it with this information. To show our sincerity, we'll relinquish Wolf's Den and not find trouble with them. However, you have to release Ogre and the others."

"We might have to borrow them for another two to three months." Jiang Baimian didn't comment on the first sentence.

In two to three months, Su Na and the others should be able to have a simple conversation with Red River people. They would also be more skilled at marksmanship. With the translation device's help, they wouldn't need the 'services' of Ogre and the other Black Shirts.

Just as Jiang Baimian said that, Shang Jianyao shared his thoughts. "They've done too many bad things. They have to serve at least ten years."

Upon seeing Shang Jianyao's spirited eyes, Terrence rationally gave up on arguing and smiled. "Ten years it is. Just don't ask me for their living expenses."

He was only mentioning Ogre and the others in passing. This was the last bit of his dignity as a 'superior.'

After stopping Shang Jianyao from making the comment 'so we can actually ask for living expenses,' Jiang Baimian nodded and said, "If we have any gains or any other information we want to share with you, we'll call you."

"Alright." Terrence heaved a sigh of relief.

After watching him leave Pier 3 and gradually walk into the distance, Shang Jianyao asked, "Are we going to monitor Alexander?"

Jiang Baimian fell silent for a moment before saying, "We don't have the ability. Without being able to approach, we can't stop the Church of Paragon Desire. Besides, the real Father might not appear if that happens. Yes, it's better to report it to the company and let the ministers and directors worry. They can mobilize the intelligence personnel here to handle it. We'll continue monitoring General Phocas."

"Alright." Shang Jianyao smiled. "I still have something to do over there."

"What is it?" Jiang Baimian asked warily.

…

The next morning, they took over the jobs of Bai Chen, Long Yuehong, and Genava—who had been monitoring the entire night—and entered a room on the top floor of the building.

Shang Jianyao walked around and took out a piece of paper filled with words and pictures. He smiled and said, "This is the public bathroom distribution map of the surrounding blocks. Most of them are free, and the environment is pretty good…"

Jiang Baimian glanced at him with a complicated expression. "Yes, pay more attention to these places later and see if anyone that matches the real Father's characteristics appears."

The two of them held binoculars and observed the people that came and went around the general's residence.

They took turns eating during the process.

At five or six in the afternoon, when the sky gradually darkened, Jiang Baimian saw a dark-green SUV with a black and white license plate drive into the surveillance area.

She subconsciously turned her attention over and realized with the binoculars' help that the driver was a person in black that wore a baseball cap pressed very low.

The car plate belonged to the Senate. It could enter and leave the Golden Apple Zone without any inspection.

Jiang Baimian was first stunned before she said to Shang Jianyao, "Look at that car. Is it the one that followed us previously?"

The only difference between the two was that the one before didn't have a car plate.

"Yes." Shang Jianyao quickly gave an affirmative answer.

Jiang Baimian immediately laughed. "The appearance of the real Father's puppet in this area means that they are still targeting General Phocas."

This spelled opportunity for the Old Task Force.