Embers Ad Infinitum

Wang Fugui has had similar experiences, or does he have a backer? Jiang Baimian’s eyes darted about as she deliberately showed that she was considering the other party’s words.

Upon seeing this, Wang Fugui smiled and said, “I know that you definitely can’t make up your mind in a short period of time. It’s fine; you can come to me when you’ve thought it through.”

“Should we inform you if we decide not to take the risk?” Shang Jianyao asked very sincerely.

However, his question left Wang Fugui stifled.

“That’s up to you.” Wang Fugui maintained his smile.

Before Jiang Baimian could speak, Shang Jianyao asked in confusion, “But if we don’t inform you that we are prepared to give up on this risky venture, won’t you have to keep waiting? You might have to wait until autumn or even next year?”

Without waiting for Wang Fugui’s response, he added, “You were the one who said that we could go to you when we’ve decided.”

Jiang Baimian easily understood what Shang Jianyao meant with his addition: It’s not that I’m deliberately finding fault, but you didn’t make yourself clear and left a loophole.

By the side, Long Yuehong almost laughed out loud. He felt like he was finally not the only one being ‘faulted’ by Shang Jianyao.

He turned his head to glance at Bai Chen and realized that his companion also wore a faint smile.

Wang Fugui opened his mouth and slowly exhaled. He then said, “I didn’t consider this problem. Three days—if you don’t give us an answer in three days, we’ll set off on our own.”

“Waite and the others have also agreed to continue exploring Wasteland Ruin 13?” Jiang Baimian asked in surprise.

Wang Fugui smiled and sighed. “Humans die for wealth, and birds die for food. Waite wants to earn some ‘compensation’ for his dead companions and is willing to take a risk. As for the other two, they are lone Hunters. They are quite capable and have some confidence in themselves. Yes, Waite also has a certain level of strength. He might not be inferior to the others.”

He had switched to speaking in Ashlandic.

Bai Chen wanted to interject, but she didn’t say anything in the end.

Jiang Baimian pondered for a moment and said, “I’ll give you an answer tomorrow at the latest.”

“I’m looking forward to the good news.” Wang Fugui smiled and said, “With you guys around, we will feel much more at ease.”

At this point, he paused and said, “However, you can’t bring your robot or military exoskeletons.”

These were essentially electric appliances, and they were precision tools with their core components related to circuits.

As for the equipment that October Xue used to release a high-voltage electric current, he wasn’t sure if it counted.

“Understood,” Jiang Baimian replied concisely.

After watching Wang Fugui leave, she turned to look at the other team members. “What do you think?”

Long Yuehong was just about to say, “There’s no need to take the risk. Even if we want to take the risk, we have to request backup from the company.”

However, Shang Jianyao beat him to it. “This is not only a Ruin Hunter mission; it might also be related to our primary target. We also have important information needed to avoid danger, so why not?”

The Ruin Hunter mission referred to the capture of the white wolf—dead or alive.

Jiang Baimian looked at Bai Chen.

Bai Chen fell silent for two seconds before saying, “Before joining the company and encountering such matters, my answer was ‘there’s no need to take risks when there’s no need.’ But now, with a large organization like the company backing us, it seems like we can be a little bolder.”

Jiang Baimian smiled. “The company’s power isn’t projected here.”

She then asked Long Yuehong, “What’s your opinion?”

With already two people in favor of it, you seem very tempted, Team Leader. Won’t I appear very timid if I object? Long Yuehong muttered and deliberated before saying, “I think we can send another telegram to the company and see if we can request any help.”

“Alright.” Jiang Baimian immediately agreed and finally asked Genava, “What’s your opinion?”

Genava immediately felt that as a smart bot, he had already integrated into the team and obtained respect. He nodded in satisfaction. “I’ll provide support from the periphery, so there won’t be any danger. The choice is mainly up to you guys.”

Jiang Baimian made a terse grunt. “After we preliminarily confirm that we are heading in, I’ll send the company another telegram.”

Pangu Biology’s reply came quickly: “Be careful.”

“…” Apart from Shang Jianyao and Genava, the Old Task Force members were momentarily speechless. Isn’t the company too petty?

Phew. Jiang Baimian exhaled and smiled in self-consolation. “It seems like the company really wants us to go. They didn’t stop us at all.”

Would you have listened if they dissuaded us? Long Yuehong muttered inwardly. However, he felt that there was a high chance that his team leader would comply but not necessarily Shang Jianyao.

After a brief silence, Jiang Baimian continued, “Let’s make some preliminary arrangements. Old Ge, stay in the cave when the time comes to guard our equipment and provide support. Little White, Little Red…”

Before she could finish speaking, Bai Chen interrupted her. “I’ll go with you. Wang Fugui and the others have four people. If they encounter something sufficiently tempting and choose to turn hostile, you will be lacking in numbers.”

Furthermore, it was Wasteland Ruin 13, which was filled with danger.

Upon seeing Bai Chen’s attitude, Jiang Baimian tersely acknowledged it and looked at Long Yuehong. “Do you want to stay with Old Ge?”

Long Yuehong’s thoughts raced as he braced himself and said, “Old Ge doesn’t need to be taken care of. I’ll follow the main team.”

Jiang Baimian fell silent for two seconds before saying, “That works too.”

Bai Chen then asked, “Do you need to do something to the auxiliary chip in your biological prosthetic limb?”

This was to prevent Wu Meng from exerting his influence on her.

“There’s no need for that. It’s directly connected to the nerves and has a special mechanism that doesn’t allow passthrough via conventional circuits,” Jiang Baimian replied firmly. “Most importantly, it has a tissue structure that stores bioelectricity around it. It can effectively screen foreign signals.”

The next day, the Old Task Force informed Wang Fugui of their decision.

The two parties agreed to spend two more days for preparations before setting off at dawn the day after tomorrow.

…

The appointed time arrived in the blink of an eye. The five Old Task Force members had already sorted out their personal matters before dawn.

Upon seeing that there was still about an hour to go, Jiang Baimian smiled at Bai Chen and said, “Let’s drive the car near the entrance first, lest we need to line up when the time comes.”

At dawn, Ruin Hunters would busily enter and exit. As traffic was a little bad, the Old Task Force chose to circle in the opposite direction and slowly use the back of the castle.

At this moment, Shang Jianyao pointed at a corner to the east and smiled. “Wang Fugui.”

Jiang Baimian looked up and saw the thin, dark Wang Fugui—who always wore the same clothes—standing there. His face was facing the slightly red horizon, and it was unknown what he was doing.

Actually, Wang Fugui couldn’t directly see where the sun was rising because the castle walls blocked his line of sight.

Suddenly, Wang Fugui raised his hands and made a gesture that looked like he was spreading his wings. Right on the heels of that, he moved his hands and feet from time to time. With a strange rhythm, he made all kinds of baffling poses.

“He’s dancing…” Shang Jianyao’s face revealed admiration.

“It doesn’t look like dancing…” Jiang Baimian frowned and said, “It’s closer to a séance dance. Or is it some kind of religious ritual?”

After waiting for a few minutes, Wang Fugui completed the set of actions and turned to walk to the side door of the castle’s main building.

“You guys are early?” He saw Jiang Baimian and the others.

Shang Jianyao rolled down the window and stuck his head out. Instead of answering, he asked, “Were you dancing just now?”

He looked excited.

Wang Fugui was stunned for a moment before shaking his head and smiling. “No, it’s a set of exercises. I found a few sets in an Old World city ruin. They are called embryonic eagles take off and the summoning of an era… Well, the names might not be correct. Many poses have been lost, so I added them myself. I use them to train my body, and the effects aren’t bad.”

“…” Jiang Baimian—who was well-read—held her laughter in: they were exercise routines students did in school back in the Old World. She then looked at Shang Jianyao and realized that not only was this fellow not disappointed, but he was also eager to give it a try.

“Ahem.” After glaring at Shang Jianyao, Jiang Baimian said to Wang Fugui, “See you at the entrance.”

“Alright.” Wang Fugui didn’t waste any time and quickly entered the main building.

…

At dawn, two teams—consisting of eight humans and a smart bot in total—drove away from the advance base camp and arrived at the cave from before. Although they weren’t as careful as last time—where they used remote-controlled vehicles to scout the area ahead—they still followed their old path.

They weren’t rash.

At about 10 a.m., they saw the open metal door from afar.

“Leave the electrical appliances behind,” instructed Wang Fugui.

“Let Genava watch over them,” Jiang Baimian suggested.

The electrical appliances carried by the lone Hunter team were nothing more than walkie-talkies. They weren’t too worried and handed them to Genava directly.

Only Shang Jianyao reluctantly took out the small speaker and held Genava’s hand. “You have to take good care of it! Don’t let it bump into anything.”

“…No problem,” Genava replied after a moment of silence.

After removing the electrical appliances on them, the four Old Task Force humans quickly armed themselves.

Jiang Baimian carried ‘Death,’ the single-person rocket launcher. She also had a United 202 and an Ice Moss at her waist, and a Short Neck submachine gun. Behind Shang Jianyao was the Tyrant grenade launcher, and in his hand was the Berserker assault rifle. His waist had the same equipment as Jiang Baimian’s.

Bai Chen carried her usual Orange rifle and Short Neck submachine gun. Long Yuehong had the Berserker assault rifle in his hand and a flamethrower behind him. As for pistols, they were standard issue.

The two Short Necks and crude flamethrower were things the Old Task Force had obtained during their two-day preparation time. They had exchanged them with some of their war spoils.

The four people on Wang Fugui’s side were about the same—they were all fully armed.

At this moment, Jiang Baimian also knew the remaining Ruin Hunter’s name.

His name was Fars; he had blond hair and blue eyes. He was considered pretty tall among Ruin Hunters and was about the same height as Long Yuehong.

Jiang Baimian looked around and said, “Let’s set off.”

The eight of them immediately followed the passage and slowly walked toward the metal door that led to Wasteland Ruin 13.

The sun was shining brightly outside, and a large patch of weeds—which was clearer than at night—greeted their eyes.