Embers Ad Infinitum

“A living person?” Waite blurted out before Long Yuehong could.

In this city ruin, encountering living people that didn’t belong to their team or someone they didn’t know was much more terrifying than encountering dead people, Heartless, or mutated creatures.

Long Yuehong thought so too.

Ferrington held his shotgun and recalled. “That street was about the same as here. It’s dirty, messy, and smelly. It’s unknown how many years it’s been since it was cleaned. There’s a long bench by the roadside with a person sitting on it. He—he’s Ashlandic, and he’s wearing what the Old World calls a formal suit; it’s gray with black stripes. He didn’t look a year over thirty. His hair was neatly combed back, and he wore round, petite glasses.”

“That doesn’t seem special…” Long Yuehong deliberated and said.

When encountering such a person, one shouldn’t immediately treat him as a monster even in such a dangerous ruin. Perhaps they should try to approach him and talk to him to see if he was friendly or cooperative.

“There’s indeed nothing special about him apart from the fact that he’s still alive.” Ferrington exhaled and said, “But there was a gigantic python coiled around a tree behind him. The python’s eyes were large and round like two searchlights, and they were the color of blood… Its upper body was hanging down and resting on the back of the bench like it was that person’s guard… That’s not the most terrifying thing. I-I saw the white wolf. It—it was crouched beside that person!”

At this moment, a name suddenly surfaced in Jiang Baimian, Wang Fugui, and the others’ minds: Wu Meng!

Dao and Electrical Appliance Repairs radio station’s owner, Wu Meng!

Wasn’t it said that we would be fine if we didn’t bring any electronic products within a kilometer of the radio station? Wasn’t he sealed? Why is he wandering the streets? That direction is completely opposite of the radio station’s location. It’s definitely more than two kilometers away… Long Yuehong experienced Ferrington’s prior horror, and he felt it more deeply than the other party.

After all, Ferrington was unlikely to know anything about the Dao and Electrical Appliance Repairs radio station. He didn’t know how strange and terrifying Wu Meng was.

“That person was reading the newspaper and was very focused, but the white wolf and the python looked at me,” Ferrington continued. “I was terrified, so I ran over as I shouted for help.”

You already saw them. With Wu Meng’s abilities, it should be very easy for him to control you. How could he let you escape? Jiang Baimian frowned and sensed that something was amiss.

There were two explanations for this. First, Ferrington had been deliberately released. He had actually been secretly influenced by Wu Meng and was just waiting to deliver a fatal misdirection to the eight people here at the critical moment. The second was that it wasn’t the real Wu Meng but a projection he had created with the help of an electronic product.

Combining the information provided by the company and Galoran’s words, Jiang Baimian was more inclined to the latter. Otherwise, with Wu Meng’s strength and level, there was no need to use such a complicated plan. He could’ve just come over directly.

Despite her inclination, Jiang Baimian didn’t dare to be careless when it came to matters rooted in reality. She didn’t talk about the strange person with Ferrington and instead solemnly asked, “Do you have any electronic products on you?”

“No, why are you asking?” Ferrington was stunned for a moment. Why the question?

“That’s good.” Jiang Baimian casually explained, “Electronic products are a dangerous medium here.”

“Is that so?” Although Ferrington couldn’t understand why, he had previously seen the white wolf control the group of Ruin Hunters. He was skeptical about it, but he didn’t ask why after receiving an affirmative answer.

Compared to this, he was more concerned about something else. “Where is this place? You seem familiar? Are there any other exits?”

“Wasteland Ruin 13,” Wang Fugui replied concisely.

“Huh?” Ferrington’s pupils suddenly dilated.

Every Ruin Hunter that used First City as a stronghold had heard of Wasteland Ruin 13 and its related rumors unless they had just arrived and planned on taking up residence. Therefore, Ferrington was a little stunned.

Jiang Baimian didn’t comfort him. She glanced in the direction that Ferrington had fled from and deliberated before saying, “Let’s head back. We’ll take a slight detour and continue gathering supplies on the way.”

“Alright!” Waite answered ahead of Long Yuehong again. He had already reaped a bountiful harvest today, so there really was no need for him to explore further and take unnecessary risks.

The others had no objections.

From their conversation, Ferrington could tell that these people seemed to have a way out. Thus, he felt much more at ease.

As they walked back in a tactical formation, Jiang Baimian smiled at Ferrington. “As you can see, the white wolf can control humans and turn them into puppets. For everyone’s safety, I have to ask you a few questions to determine if you are the real you or if you are affected.”

“You know me?” Ferrington understood the meaning behind Jiang Baimian’s words and asked in surprise.

Jiang Baimian replied in a rather awkward manner, “I know a person who knows you. Yes, first question. What’s your name?”

“Ferrington,” Ferrington replied frankly.

“Second question: Do you know of a religion that worships mirrors?” Jiang Baimian got to the point.

Upon hearing this, Wang Fugui and Gray looked at Ferrington.

“Yes.” Ferrington came to a realization. “Are you Terrence’s friends?”

He remembered that he had only mentioned this to Terrence and a few others. Among these people, Terrence had the most friends.

“No, he’s our creditor.” Shang Jianyao had a heavy expression.

However, this creditor often trembles in fear of being killed by his debtor… Long Yuehong scoffed at Shang Jianyao’s excessive performance.

Ferrington didn’t ask how much they owed. He thought for a moment and said, “I do know such a religion. Yes, I know a parishioner of theirs and am relatively familiar with him. He wanted to bring me into the faith some time ago.”

Jiang Baimian slowly walked forward and warily observed her surroundings as she asked, “What’s his name, and where does he live?”

“His name is Smith.” Ferrington had no choice but to surrender to his circumstances. He had no intention of helping his friend hide anything. “He lives in Room 503 at 9 Haray Street in the Golden Grain Zone.”

Shang Jianyao immediately asked, “Do you know what their Holy Communion is?”

Ferrington shook his head in confusion.

“It’s no wonder you haven’t joined them.” Shang Jianyao had an expression that said: I understand you very well.

“Which Kalendaria does their religion worship?” Jiang Baimian asked.

Ferrington shook his head again. “They don’t seem to worship a Kalendaria but the mirror. They always tell me that the New World is on the other side of the mirror, and they also say that the person you see in the mirror is also staring back at you. It makes me feel awkward and even a little scared every time I look in the mirror…”

Shang Jianyao listened with relish as if he had learned a new mantra.

After Ferrington finished speaking, Jiang Baimian signaled Shang Jianyao with her eyes and raised her right thumb and middle finger.

This represented a preset plan. It meant that he could ‘make’ friends or ‘persuade’ the other party to eliminate any latent dangers.

Although Ferrington had acted very normal until now and his words and actions were reasonable, he had already stayed in Wasteland Ruin 13 for too many days. Hence, Jiang Baimian didn’t dare to let her guard down.

Shang Jianyao immediately smiled at Ferrington. “Don’t mind us asking so many questions. Look, this is Wasteland Ruin 13. Everyone has to be honest and united to eliminate distrust in order to ensure their safety to the greatest extent. So…”

These were all words that could withstand a test. Ferrington nodded as he listened, and Wang Fugui, Waite, and the others didn’t think there was anything hidden.

When the word ‘so’ was said, Ferrington’s expression suddenly warped as if a layer of haze covered him. His lips quivered a few times before he said in a deep voice, “The more dangerous it is, the more one should take risks—the more one should act in an antithetical manner as the saying goes…”