Embers Ad Infinitum

Sixth Sense… She jumped out the window and ran away when she sensed danger? And this danger is because Zennaga is following us? Jiang Baimian instantly realized why.

It had to be said that the Awakened in charge of the ambush was exceptionally decisive. Old K—who was in the room—had yet to react.

Jiang Baimian also understood the true meaning of Zennaga’s Prophecy. The result of there being no accidents or dangers had the prerequisite that there was such a powerhouse following them.

Regardless of whether he would help the Old Task Force, just his existence alone could scare away the enemy with the Sixth Sense. And if the ambusher of the Church of Paragon Desire didn’t have the Sixth Sense, a conflict would break out regardless of whether Zennaga was present.

At this moment, Shang Jianyao seriously asked Old K, “So, this was indeed a trap?”

Old K—Corenza’s expression gradually returned to normal as he said with a hint of mockery, “I really didn’t expect him to hide in my house. If the world was filled with ordinary people, he might’ve hoodwinked us. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. He could only bear my wrath and divulge everything under the gaze of Mandara.”

In other words, Garibaldi has long been exposed. The ones who subsequently sought help from the company are the codex-possessing Old K and the Church of Paragon Desire backing him… Thankfully, we don’t use the same passcode and intelligence system as the company… The company has also arranged for other intelligence personnel in advance… Jiang Baimian looked at Old K and asked in puzzlement, “Why did you set up such a trap?”

She believed that Old K and the Church of Paragon Desire weren’t targeting her team because the Old Task Force had already left the city when Garibaldi was discovered and divulged everything. Back then, they didn’t even know that they would return to First City.

“Why?” Old K repeated the question. He smiled and said, “When I catch one, I naturally want to catch a whole string of others. Of course, we aren’t the ones upholding order in First City. We do this to see what kind of deal we can make. And since we want to make a deal, the more chips we have, the better our gains.”

They want to use the company’s strength during the future chaos in First City? Jiang Baimian’s eyes moved slightly as she looked at Old K and chuckled. “I thought you had already formed a community of vested interests with First City’s nobles.”

“The nobles have never been united.” Old K maintained a fundamental level of calmness in the face of the enemy who scared away the church’s powerhouse. “It can even be said that most of the chaos originates from their conflicts.”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Shang Jianyao applauded.

This made Old K even more confused.

Before Jiang Baimian could say anything, Shang Jianyao raised the question that perplexed him the most. “Why did you become enemies with him?”

He was referring to Garibaldi on the bed.

Old K glanced at Garibaldi and sighed. “I’m a believer of Mandara, so I only believe that desire has a spirit. I believe that all feelings can only be sublimated and extended through desire. All these years, I’ve been immersed in the sea of desire in a bid to find a spirituality that transcends everything. Later, I met her. I suddenly realized that feelings that don’t emphasize desire seem to have their own charm. There’s no need for constant romps in bed. Just talking about Old World literature and the heretics with strange habits can calm my heart as well.”

At this point, Old K laughed until his entire body trembled. “In the end, she was seduced by this fellow. The heart-to-heart connection ultimately lost to desire—the desire for external pleasure. To me, this is an enormous mockery.”

Old K stood up, patted his crotch, and said piously, “Mandara is in our hearts. After this matter, I realized that the Kalendaria’s teachings are right. By wavering in my faith, I deviated from the right path. This outcome was destined by fate.”

Old K looked around and laughed self-deprecatingly. He seemed to have let the matter go and was no longer affected by the matter, but Bai Chen vaguely sensed that he still cared a little.

As for Long Yuehong, he sighed with emotion at the machinations of destiny. Due to his lack of experience, he felt that Old K was just used to eating good—copious amounts of meat and fish. His sudden taste of something ordinary like porridge made him find it different and novel.

The reason why he couldn’t get over it was that before he got sick of such food, his porridge was processed, turning into a century egg and lean meat porridge with salted fish. It made him feel that the beauty in his heart was tainted.

Yes, it feels quite like some romance novels in the Old World’s entertainment… Long Yuehong muttered inwardly.

He wasn’t afraid of Zennaga hearing these words. If he could make the monk indulge in the Old World’s entertainment, he believed that he had done a great deed for the team.

“So there’s such a story…” Shang Jianyao said regretfully. He felt that this wasn’t as complicated and exciting as he had imagined.

Jiang Baimian nodded slightly and glanced at Garibaldi, who was either asleep or unconscious but had stable vital signs. She then said to Old K, “Hence, you sent someone to kill him? And what have you done to him now?”

Old K adjusted his collar. “I was so angry that I got a gunman to do the deed. As for now… Hehe, I and the person from before only let him experience what true desire is like with the previous one. We let him experience how wonderful it is to be close to something that transcends all spirituality. I think he should thank me for letting him realize the meaning of life…”

“You squeezed him dry?” Bai Chen interrupted Old K. “You even made him smoke marijuana or something similar?”

“Those are just supplementary items for the ritual.” Old K shrugged. He then looked at Jiang Baimian and the others. “My grudge with him is over. If you want to take him away, go ahead.”

To describe your cowardliness in such a refreshing and refined manner… Long Yuehong grasped the essence of the situation.

“Alright.” Jiang Baimian gestured for Long Yuehong to carry Garibaldi away.

At this moment, Shang Jianyao asked Old K another question. “What about her, the one between the two of you? How is she now?”

Old K’s expression changed a few times. “I had the urge to kill her back then, but I felt that it wasn’t enough to appease my anger. I wanted to see her regret—I wanted to see her cry bitterly and repent. Thus, I just took everything I gave her and waited for her to suffer with each passing day.”

How old are you? Why are you still so childish… Long Yuehong—who had been influenced by the Old World’s entertainment—couldn’t help but criticize inwardly.

However, he felt that this was good. At least nobody died.

As he thought this, Long Yuehong helped Garibaldi up.

Jiang Baimian didn’t get Shang Jianyao to ask more questions. She gave him a look, indicating that he should help Little Red. She then smiled at Old K and said, “It’s time to say goodbye. I don’t think you want our relationship to be too strained, right?”

As she spoke, she deliberately glanced at the open window. She meant that even the person who was involved in ambushing them found them dangerous and that they didn’t have any ill intentions toward them. Therefore, it was best for both sides not to hurt each other.

This hidden meaning made Jiang Baimian feel like she was assuming the authority of another as her own. For the sake of expressing her ‘friendliness,’ she deliberately didn’t ask about the ambusher from before.

“There might still be a chance to cooperate.” Old K patted his crotch again and bowed in accordance with the Church of Paragon Desire’s teachings.

With the unconscious Garibaldi, the four Old Task Force members left Old K’s house and returned to their car.

“Thank you, Zen Master.” Jiang Baimian looked ahead and thanked him sincerely.

“I didn’t do anything,” the unseen Zennaga calmly replied.

Jiang Baimian then said, “Zen Master, why don’t you let us bring along everything we need since we are on the way?”

“Very well,” Zennaga did not object.

The Old Task Force drove back to the room Han Wanghuo had rented and placed all their items in the sapphire-blue jeep.

After leaving the repair fee in the rental car, they drove their jeep and followed Zennaga—who was riding the black motorcycle—to the Crystal Consciousness temple located in the easternmost part of the Red Wolf Zone.

During this process, they never found an opportunity to escape.

“Zen Master, we don’t want to be seen by most monks.” Jiang Baimian raised a new preposition.

Anyway, when it came to being watched, she tried her best to seek better treatment.

Of course, she was only making as many requests as possible. She wasn’t too sure if the other party would agree.

“Alright.” Zennaga did not make things difficult for them.

He rode his motorcycle and led the Old Task Force to the side of the temple. He entered through a small door and followed a narrow and dim staircase to the sixth floor.

“You will stay here for the next ten days. I will deliver food regularly.” Zennaga pointed to a wooden door.

Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, and the others nodded and helped Garibaldi push the door open.

It was a very simple room with three medium-sized beds. There was a long table against the wall and a bathroom on the side.

After confirming that the human consciousness representing Zennaga had left, Jiang Baimian looked at Long Yuehong and the others and said solemnly, “We have to quickly report the matter regarding Garibaldi.”

Zennaga didn’t ban them from using the radio transceiver.