Embers Ad Infinitum

Translator: CKtalon

Nobody could answer Shang Jianyao’s question. Only Long Yuehong seriously thought about why the old monk had chosen to jump off a building rather than hang himself in order to rid his mortal coils.

Perhaps hanging himself would make him appear weak? He repeatedly compared the two and could only come up with this explanation.

​

At this moment, the scene in front of the Old Task Force members returned to normal. All that was left was simple furniture and the slightly mottled walls around them.

Jiang Baimian retracted her gaze and laughed self-deprecatingly. “I previously thought that the Crystal Consciousness Church was different from the Monks Conclave, having truly restored the Old World’s Buddhist teachings. From the looks of it, it’s because Master Zennaga is relatively special and compassionate.

“Right… The scene just now reminded me of the cults in the Old World’s entertainment. Think about it—the night with dim starlight, a dark, wide, and deep hall, the gray-robed monks from everywhere, the different overlapping visions, the Buddha statue that watched it all quietly, a Zen master who claims to have achieved enlightenment but suddenly jumps down from the top of the temple… Are they not worshiping an evil god?”

“Evil Buddha.” Shang Jianyao corrected Jiang Baimian’s words.

Long Yuehong nodded and shared his thoughts frankly, “Indeed. I feel terrified when I think about what just happened.”

Bai Chen recalled and said, “Even if the Crystal Consciousness Church is evil, it can’t be too evil. It’s definitely better than the Monks Conclave. I never hear about them doing anything excessive during my time in First City. The heretics should be referring to internal members.”

It was obvious that Bai Chen hated Jingfa to the core. Even her evaluation of the Monks Conclave was extremely low.

Jiang Baimian thought for a moment and exhaled. “Let’s get some sleep. If we can’t find an opportunity to escape tomorrow and have nothing to do, I’ll borrow the Crystal Consciousness Church’s tomes and scriptures from the monks who deliver the food. I’ll see if their philosophy is different from the Monks Conclave, as well as compare them to the Buddhist scriptures left behind from the Old World.”

She made it clear that she was looking for an opportunity to escape. She wasn’t afraid that Zennaga would ‘hear’ her.

In any case, nobody would believe the Old Task Force’s claim that they had already accepted their fate and were willing to stay for ten days.

Shang Jianyao immediately occupied a bed.

Jiang Baimian then glanced at Bai Chen.

“Get some sleep first. I’ll keep watch with Little Red.” She pointed at another empty bed.

Even if they were being watched and even if they were within the Crystal Consciousness Church’s Sikhara Temple, they didn’t dare to show the slightest bit of carelessness. They still maintained the habit of taking turns for night duty.

Zennaga was compassionate and a good person, but it didn’t mean that other monks were the same. There was a high chance that many of them had something wrong with their heads. Furthermore, the strange and foul incident that had just happened made every Old Task Force member wary.

As for why they were reorganized, it was because Jiang Baimian wanted to ensure that each team on night duty had the ability to sense a human’s approach.

“Alright.” Bai Chen didn’t question her.

At this moment, Garibaldi—who was struggling in pain—reached his physical limit and fell asleep again.

…

The night passed uneventfully.

Not long after the sun rose, Han Wanghuo, Zeng Duo, and Genava drove away from the wilderness nomad settlement with an old radio transceiver they had traded for. They returned to the black wasteland from the North Shore Mountains.

“There’s a small Hunter team over there.” Han Wanghuo—who was driving—looked into the distance and asked, “Should we go over to ask for directions and leave some traces?”

“Yes,” Genava—who was in the middle of the back row—replied.

Zeng Duo, on the other hand, was stunned because she didn’t see any small Hunter team.

After driving for a few more seconds, she realized that there was a multi-purpose car in the distance.

His vision is that good? Zeng Duo turned her head to look at Han Wanghuo in surprise. She wasn’t surprised that the smart bot, Genava, could resolve objects from that distance. But as an ordinary human, could Han Wanghuo actually accomplish such a feat?

Thinking of Han Wanghuo’s yellowish eyes, Zeng Duo thought to herself, He has mutations too?

Soon, Zeng Duo recovered and replied to Han Wanghuo’s suggestion. “Sure.”

Han Wanghuo immediately drove the car behind a small mound. As he disguised himself, he said to Genava, “Stay here and pretend like you’re here to back us up. We can’t let others know that we only have three people left. We have to let them think that there are more people hiding over here.”

Genava was rather satisfied with Han Wanghuo’s easy admittance that he was a ‘person.’ “No problem.”

After he pushed open the door and got out of the car, he found a spot to ‘hide.’

Han Wanghuo drove the black SUV and approached the white multi-purpose vehicle with Zeng Duo.

When there was still a long distance between the two parties, Han Wanghuo took the initiative to stop the car. He leaned out, waved his hand, and shouted, “I have something to ask!”

If he didn’t greet them in advance and directly went over, he would easily be treated as a bandit or a Ruin Hunter that was a part-time bandit.

The white multi-purpose vehicle also stopped. A man wearing an Old World cowboy hat walked out from the passenger seat.

He wore a white shirt and an unzipped brown vest. He had a revolver at his waist and a sharp dagger spinning in his hand.

The man with rough skin and traces of the elements looked at Han Wanghuo for a few seconds before replying loudly, “Come over and talk. It’s too tiring to shout like this.”

One of his hands was already on the revolver at his waist, indicating that he wasn’t unprepared.

Han Wanghuo observed the man and didn’t immediately start the car.

At that moment, Zeng Duo frowned slightly and said, “He should’ve just entered the wasteland a few days ago.”

This was the judgment of a Ruin Hunter who had been in the wasteland all year round.

The water, food, and environment here were all in terrible condition. As long as humans entered—no matter how well prepared they were—they would become ‘dirty’ and tired after five to six days. They wouldn’t be as energetic and clean as the other party.

Han Wanghuo agreed with Zeng Duo’s judgment and nodded slightly. “First City is relatively nearby. Since they came from First City, they must’ve seen our bounty. With our current ‘disguise,’ it’s impossible for them not to recognize us.”

At this point, Han Wanghuo paused. “Since they recognized us and still want us to go over, it means that they have a certain confidence in dealing with us. Yes, before our ‘reinforcements’ arrive.”

“Indeed.” Zeng Duo looked at the man in the cowboy hat again and felt that his attitude was indeed suspicious.

Han Wanghuo no longer hesitated. As he stepped on the accelerator, he turned the steering wheel and made the black SUV turn toward the small mound where Genava was hiding.

When the man in the cowboy hat saw this, he sighed in disappointment. He then took out a walkie-talkie and said in a deep voice, “Target spotted.”

…

The sixth floor of Sikhara Temple.

Jiang Baimian looked at the young monk who had delivered plenty of oat bread and water as she asked with a smile, “Zen Master, we are very interested in your Church after what happened last night. Can we borrow a few scriptures to read?”

The young monk hurriedly lowered his head and said a Buddhist proclamation. “This is our Church’s original intention as well.”

Jiang Baimian was about to thank him when Shang Jianyao suddenly turned around and asked, “Why are there so many monks out today?”

“The Chief has passed on and entered Paradise, which is what ordinary people like you call the New World. Therefore, we have to send people to the Five Great Holy Lands to hold the corresponding ceremony,” the young monk answered frankly.

“Five Great Holy Lands?” This was the first time Jiang Baimian had heard of this practice. “Which five?”

The young monk shook his head in embarrassment. “The Buddha said, ‘It cannot be said, it cannot be said.’ This Penniless Monk can’t lie but can choose not to answer.”

“Why can’t you tell?” Jiang Baimian asked curiously.

The young monk explained simply, “The Five Great Holy Lands are related to Buddha Subhuti and Lokeśvara-Tathāgata. It’s either the place where ‘They’ passed on, the place where ‘They’ descended, or the place where ‘They’ preached in the ancient times of the Old World. To prevent outsiders from destroying the Holy Lands, we keep the corresponding situation a secret.”

At this point, the young monk smiled honestly. “Actually, I don’t know which are the Five Great Holy Lands either. I only have a general idea. In our Church, only monks who have activated their sixth sense can come into contact with matters pertaining to the Holy Lands.”

“Alright.” Jiang Baimian exhaled regretfully.

She didn’t get Shang Jianyao to ‘make friends.’ After all, how could they act so wantonly when they were under another’s roof?

What would happen if it provoked Zennaga into turning nasty?

Not long after Jiang Baimian and the others finished breakfast, the young monk from before delivered a few Crystal Consciousness Church scriptures.

As the four Old Task Force members flipped through each book, Long Yuehong suddenly exclaimed, “There’s a piece of paper inside.”

Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, and Bai Chen cast their gazes over in unison.

Long Yuehong curiously took out the piece of paper and smiled as he unfolded it. “It’s quite new.”

As soon as he finished speaking, his expression suddenly froze.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Baimian and Bai Chen got up and walked toward Long Yuehong.

Shang Jianyao even jumped over.

Long Yuehong snapped to his senses and said in confusion, “On it is the information regarding the Five Great Holy Lands…”

This… Jiang Baimian and the others squeezed to Long Yuehong’s side and cast their gazes at the piece of paper.

The paper was written in the Red River’s cursive language. The first line read: “Five Great Holy Lands…”

The second line had a specific name: “1. Iron Mountain City’s Second Food Company.”

“…” Long Yuehong was momentarily at a loss for words. This seems wrong? Is this the so-called Holy Land? Your Holy Land is the Second Food Company?

Jiang Baimian also had similar thoughts. Her gaze quickly moved down as she looked at the third line: “2. Long River City’s United Steel Plant.”

Long River City’s United Steel Plant? Jiang Baimian suddenly turned her head and looked at Shang Jianyao and Bai Chen.

Wasn’t this the Old World’s original name for the steelworks factory ruins we encountered in the Blackmarsh Wilderness? It wasn’t a coincidence that Jingfa appeared there?