Embers Ad Infinitum

Soon, ‘Garibaldi’ Giuseppe and Shang Jianyao put their arms around each other’s shoulders and joined in the labor of changing the jeep’s appearance.

Jiang Baimian looked at their backs and silently heaved a sigh of relief. With Inference Clowning this time, no matter what happens when ‘Garibaldi’ Giuseppe returns to the company to report on his work, the matter regarding Xiaochong won’t leak as long as he doesn’t encounter a Last Man-domain Awakened that can read his memories. After all, the two prerequisites for the Inference were ‘their lives had been on the line together’ and that ‘they are all employees of the company.’ This forms the conclusion that ‘we belong to the same team and should keep each other’s secrets’ appear unassailable in a sense.

Of course, as long as it was a conclusion guided by Inference Clowning, there was no certainty that it wouldn’t be seen through. Jiang Baimian only felt that all the different conversations Garibaldi might hear from his surroundings after he returned to Pangu Biology weren’t enough to overturn Inference Clowning.

The emergency modification was completed before long, and the fashionable, sapphire-blue jeep blended into the surrounding cars again.

Bai Chen drove Jiang Baimian and the others to a safe house the Old Task Force had prepared in the Red Wolf Zone.

This didn’t provide them any help in escaping from Sikhara Temple and Zennaga’s control. Therefore, they had never thought of the additional safe houses they had prepared back then. Due to this, they didn’t have to worry that Zennaga had already grasped the corresponding location with his Mind Reading and could subsequently track them.

After parking the car and entering the house, Long Yuehong finally felt a little more at ease.

Jiang Baimian looked around and said, “Remember to touch up your disguises later. Also, we have to be out tomorrow morning. On the one hand, we have to observe what will happen to the Citizen Meet in Hope Square and determine the subsequent plans. On the other hand, we have to get another radio transceiver or assemble it ourselves with the corresponding electronic components. In short, we have to report tonight’s encounter to the company during working hours. We also have to inform Old Ge, Old Han, and the others at the agreed time and get them to pay attention to their surroundings. They can’t just be wary of First City’s personnel.”

Why didn’t they do it that very night? It was because they had missed their communication window.

Although Pangu Biology had a telegraph operator on night duty, Jiang Baimian felt that it was better to report it tomorrow.

This further highlighted how difficult it was for them to escape from the Mind Corridor-level Awakened, and it was also to hide Xiaochong’s existence. Furthermore, all kinds of things had happened tonight.

Jiang Baimian had also been affected by Awakened abilities many times, so she felt that her mind wasn’t as clear as it usually was. She wanted to get some sleep before combing through her memories carefully to determine what to report.

Her initial plan was: Replace Xiaochong’s whistling with Wu Meng’s whistling and push the critical moment of ‘freezing’ to the mysterious antiquarian, Du Heng. After all, the other party had rushed to the ‘frozen’ scene not long after.

“Alright.” Bai Chen had no objections to her team leader’s arrangement.

Long Yuehong was a little timid. “Team Leader, there’s actually no need for us to observe the Citizen Meet from a close distance. If anything bad happens, we might very well be embroiled in it. We just want to use the chaos. We can consider it when the chaos has expanded.”

Jiang Baimian nodded slightly and said, “I understand your concerns, but the observation I’m referring to isn’t close-range observation. Instead, it’s using the radio, television, and passersby’s reactions to gather some information and guess the possible developments while searching for a radio transceiver.”

Long Yuehong heaved a sigh of relief. “That’s good.”

At this point, he couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. “Only now do I know what it means that there’s always someone better out there. If it weren’t for the Mind Corridor-level Awakened being too careful in the early stages and us having certain trump cards, we wouldn’t have been able to survive. Xiaochong also seems to be countless times stronger than him. It’s no wonder Du Heng said that he could destroy a city.”

Bai Chen coldly replied to Long Yuehong, “As long as we continue investigating the reason for the Old World’s destruction and the origins of the Heartless disease, we will definitely encounter such powerful enemies in the future. They will only grow stronger and more terrifying.”

Upon hearing this, Long Yuehong deeply understood the loftiness and difficulty of investigating the cause of the Old World’s destruction and the Heartless disease’s origins. In contrast, the Old Task Force was tiny and weak.

It’s no wonder everyone finds Shang Jianyao’s proclamation of ‘saving all of humanity’ ridiculous and thinks he’s joking… Long Yuehong sighed inwardly.

Jiang Baimian fell silent for a moment, unable to speak.

Shang Jianyao nodded and said, “Therefore, we have to work hard to improve ourselves. I can’t wait to enter the Mind Corridor!”

He was still filled with confidence and motivation.

At this moment, Jiang Baimian recalled the past. Shang Jianyao once said: “Isn’t that great? When everyone is depressed, negative, and in despair, there’s still one person who keeps smiling. He’s full of passion…” He has indeed fulfilled his promise… However, you still have room and the possibility for improvement. As for us… Is there really no room or possibility to improve?

All kinds of thoughts surfaced in Jiang Baimian’s mind. She fell silent for a moment before saying, “No matter what, let’s hold out for now. Otherwise, we will die in First City. After we return to the company, we’ll evaluate our strength and the danger of the subsequent missions and make a rational decision.”

…

Golden Apple Zone, 18 Citizen Street, in the general’s residence.

The old lion-like Phocas sat in the unlit study that didn’t only rely on the moonlight to illuminate the dark room. He held a phone and constantly ordered, “In the past three days, all entrances and exits have been cordoned off. No matter which troops they are, regardless of the warrant they hold, they aren’t to enter the city without the Senate’s unanimous permission…

“From tonight on, flying is prohibited city-wide. Even the Hand of Order’s drones and helicopters have to abide by this restriction. There will only be one warning before they are struck down…

“Maintain order for the Citizen Meet tomorrow morning…

“Regardless of who it is, if they use any excuse to gather at places like the Senate, the Administrative Office, the commander’s estate, and the Overwatch Council, arrest them directly. If they attempt to resist, use tear gas first before considering killing them…

“Gather all the military exoskeletons and bionic artificial intelligence armor and centrally assign them…

“Arrange the Awakened among them randomly to prevent any accidents…”

The orders were methodically issued to the city defense forces’ different departments, making Phocas a little thirsty. Finally, he put down the phone and heaved a sigh of relief.

He had already done what needed to be done. If any large-scale unrest really happened, he could only take it one step at a time.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Someone knocked on the study door.

“Come in.” Phocas—who was wearing a military uniform—leaned back in his chair.

The wooden door creaked open, and the yellowish light from the corridor’s wall lamps surged into the dim study.

It was quiet outside. Most people in the manor seemed to be asleep.

…

On another street in the Golden Apple Zone, in the manor of Superintendent Alexander—one of First City’s two giants.

The spotted, blond-haired, and muscular Elder in black civilian clothes cast his gaze at his daughter—who wasn’t far away.

The blonde, blue-eyed, and beautiful Galoran was no longer wearing a grayish-blue Daoist robe. She had already changed into a wine-red dress.

The clothes were very exquisite, and the material used was extremely extravagant. It was obvious that it wasn’t the kind mass-produced by machines.

“I thought you wouldn’t wear these clothes again.” Alexander nodded slightly. He didn’t hide his relief, concern, and a little mockery.

Galoran had a calm and indifferent expression. “It’s just a dress.”

The state she showed was: This was no different from a Daoist robe. It was a prop used by humans to hide their naked bodies and maintain their body temperature.

At this moment, an explosion sounded from a distance. In the relatively quiet night, it sounded so obvious.

And it wasn’t just one—some were loud, and some were soft.

Alexander walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows, looked in the direction of the explosion, and took the opportunity to educate his daughter. “What you want needs to be exchanged with iron and blood and a large number of lives. It doesn’t mean that you can achieve it by pitying them and making a scene at home. You’ve been traveling the Ashlands for several years, so you shouldn’t be as childish as before, right?”

Galoran nodded. “I understand, so I hope that everyone will follow Master Zhuang’s teachings and understand that fate cannot be defied. They are to focus their efforts on comprehending the Dao. Given time, they can completely escape their shackles if they can distinguish reality from illusion. There is hope to live forever.”

Alexander was speechless. After a long while, he said, “Then, there will be no human society.”

Galoran was just about to respond when someone suddenly knocked on the activity room’s door.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Who is it?” Alexander raised his voice.

Outside the door was his butler. “Sir, Madam Cynthia has come to visit.”