Embers Ad Infinitum

“The Kalendarium’s attitudes?” Long Yuehong suddenly felt that this matter had become very surreal. How do the changes in First City involve the Kalendarium? Could it be that all the years of war and strife in the Ashlands were machinated by the Kalendarium?

To Long Yuehong, this was like suddenly telling him that the heavens had decided that he would eat braised eggplants, roasted chicken wings, white rice, and iced Coke tonight. If he didn’t do as set, it would mean that he was being disrespectful to the heavens and would attract ‘His’ interference.

Jiang Baimian understood Long Yuehong and Bai Chen’s feelings very well. “To be honest, if I hadn’t encountered Eidolon Nun’s gaze in Redstone Collection’s Vigilance Cathedral, I wouldn’t have considered the Kalendarium’s attitude in a model governing the changes in First City’s situation. Ignoring us, normal intelligence personnel definitely won’t consider this when analyzing the problem. At most, they will pay attention to the different religions’ inclinations.”

As she spoke, Jiang Baimian turned around and glanced at ‘Garibaldi’ Giuseppe.

The Pangu Biology intelligence agent wore a blank look. “What do you mean by the Kalendarium’s attitudes?”

Jiang Baimian didn’t answer him and continued, “Perhaps many Mind Corridor-level Awakened and Senators won’t think about the Kalendarium’s attitude when judging a situation’s development. All these years, there have been no rumors of the Kalendarium’s will affecting the superstructures. The Kalendarium seem to be the most standard deities—they only look down from above and accept faith and worship. They sometimes respond, but they don’t interfere with the mortal world. They are closer to legends.”

“Mr. DiMarco will curse you if you say that,” Shang Jianyao retorted with ‘great resentment.’

From the various signs and DiMarco’s words, he should’ve been suppressed in the Underground Ark by the Kalendaria, Eidolon Nun. He had also been sealed to a certain extent, restricting his activity in the Mind Corridor.

Jiang Baimian took the opportunity to say, “Although we can’t rule out the possibility that most of the Kalendarium aren’t interested in the Ashlands or the mortal world, there are a total of 13 of ‘Them.’ There will always be a few that like to watch their churches and observe the situational changes in certain places.”

“Eidolon Nun probably once said, ‘you just need to say my electronic card number,'” Shang Jianyao echoed in a teasing manner.

Recalling the battle with DiMarco in the Underground Ark, Bai Chen—who was driving—nodded and said, “Indeed. Not only do we have to consider the various religions in the city, but we also have to pay attention to the Kalendarium’s attitude. At a critical moment, the development of the situation might change just because of two gazes sent over from the New World.”

Jiang Baimian’s eyes flickered as she muttered to herself, “We can preliminarily determine this: The Eternal Time Church helped First City seal Wu Meng. The Crystal Consciousness Church can preach in First City and often provides help to the officials. The Mirror Church sent Mind Corridor-level Awakened to protect Avia and Marcus—Oray’s two descendants. This means that the three Kalendarium—Master Zhuang, Subhuti, and Shattered Mirror—are biased toward First City’s official factions.

“Judging from the various incidents presently, the Anti-intellectualism Church and the Church of Paragon Desire want to kill the Senate’s Centrist faction. Furthermore, they left behind clues that point at the Conservatives. This means that they hope for First City’s situation to become chaotic. In other words, the Kalendarium—Last Man and Mandara—might very well be standing opposite First City’s official factions.

“Similarly, the Kalendaria—Monitor—that the behavioral artists believe in should be the same. As for the attitude of Shadow of Distortion—whose believers are widely distributed in the military—and Dawn, who General Phocas believes in, it’s still unknown. However, the latter seems to want to exploit this chaos like us.”

As for the other Kalendarium—Door of Scorching, Eidolon Nun, Arbiter of Fate, Double Sun, and Golden Scale—their believers had never participated in First City’s recent developments. At the very least, the Old Task Force had never seen them before, so they had no way of judging their attitudes.

Long Yuehong listened carefully and asked in confusion, “Why do the Kalendarium value power struggles in the secular world? The winning side can preach publicly and recruit believers, while the losing side will be banished underground and be besieged?”

This was the most reasonable explanation Long Yuehong could think of, but the Kalendarium usually ignored their believers and rarely replied. They didn’t seem to care much.

“Who knows?” Jiang Baimian casually replied.

The Kalendarium and humans were too far apart. Most of the time, they couldn’t use common sense and experience to analyze.

Long Yuehong didn’t expect an answer either and said, “Team Leader, according to your analysis, it doesn’t matter if we suddenly ignore the Kalendarium’s attitude. By grasping their Churches’ inclinations, it would represent their attitudes. And that isn’t our blind spot—we previously considered them.”

He felt that it was meaningless for Jiang Baimian to mention the Kalendarium so seriously apart from scaring him.

Jiang Baimian smiled. “Not bad. You know how to stop believing in authority and think independently. On the surface, there’s nothing wrong with what you said—we just need to take those religious organizations into consideration. But if you take the premise that the Kalendarium might personally take action, you will discover that the responses from different factions and powerhouses will definitely change on certain key questions.”

At this point, Jiang Baimian laughed self-deprecatingly. “Of course, this knowledge is very important to people who are deeply involved. To us, we just have to remember one thing: No matter which religious organization you encounter in the next few days, don’t provoke them. Also, try your best not to participate in activities held by the friendly Churches. Otherwise, you might be implicated, and we’ll have no way of resisting.”

Jiang Baimian still had a fresh memory of the fear and helplessness brought about by Eidolon Nun’s gaze.

“Am I considered a member of a friendly Church?” Shang Jianyao asked.

“No, you have the Blessings from all Kalendarium pictures.” Jiang Baimian patronized Shang Jianyao with an answer that didn’t have any logical connections.

At this moment, Bai Chen had already driven the car near Emperor Street.

Jiang Baimian turned to her side and said to ‘Garibaldi’ Giuseppe, “You can get off now.”

Giuseppe—who had been hearing the Kalendarium discussion the entire journey—had a blank look. He didn’t seem to know what day and age it was or where he was. What the heck are y’all talking about!?

At this moment, Giuseppe had the absurd feeling that it was akin to a discussion among a few rookie Hunters, car rental company employees, and bathhouse attendants about the replacement of First City’s Senators and the power struggles in the Hunter’s Guild.

But reality was even more exaggerated—a few humans were actually discussing the attitudes of some so-called Kalendarium!

Giuseppe silently pushed open the door, climbed out of the jeep, and walked toward a nearby house.

After watching his figure disappear around a roadside tree, Jiang Baimian sighed with emotion. “Gaius’s speech was really provocative…”

They had been listening to the development of the Citizen Meet through First City’s radio station.

“That’s because what he said is true. He exaggerated a little in certain areas at best…” Bai Chen stepped on the accelerator and let the military-green jeep enter Emperor Street.

…

In a secret room shrouded by a thick curtain somewhere in the Golden Apple Zone.

First City’s consul and commander-in-chief, Beulis, looked at the large bed in the middle.

An old man lay on the bed. His hair had already turned white, and it appeared sparse. His arms and face—which weren’t covered by the velvet blanket—were all skin and bones, exposing his blue blood vessels.

There were metal sensors attached all over his body. Stuck to the tip of his nose was a ventilator’s socket, and an IV needle was inserted into his vein. He looked like a vegetable that had been in a coma for a long time and relied solely on machines to maintain his vital signs.

It was obvious that this elder wasn’t scrawny when he was young, but he looked so thin now.

This was one of First City’s founders—Cass, who had lived from the Old World to this day. He was already in his nineties.

Beulis took a few steps forward and said in a respectful tone, “Your Excellency Cass, things are going well. The prey has already stepped into the trap. You can temporarily wake up and give the Anti-intellectualism Church’s Eight-Man Council an order.”

In First City, only a few people knew that Cass was the Anti-intellectualism Church’s Pope—who was said to have gone to the New World to serve the Kalendaria, Last Man, and was in charge of guiding believers!

The Anti-intellectualism Church was a religion he established before entering the New World.

The Anti-intellectualism Church had recently framed Varro and dealt with the Centrist, Phocas. It was all arranged by Beulis through Cass. Their goal was to lure out all the opposition and make them think that there was an opportunity before they were wiped out.

Beulis—who was no longer young and might be forced to take on a featherbed job after his term—hoped to use this ‘purge’ to make the Senate truly obey him! He was also an ambitious person and admired what Oray had said back then: “How can a consul be better than an emperor?”

Just as Beulis said that, Cass—who was lying in bed—opened his eyes. As his blue eyes reflected the ceiling, the light around him suddenly contracted rapidly, surging toward the body on the bed.

For a moment, the other areas of the chamber became extremely dark. It was pitch-black.

Beulis—who was just one step away from the New World—vaguely felt an illusory door being pushed open.

Thud!

The next second, Beulis felt his memories turn into a book. It was uncontrollably flipped through in the darkness, and page after page fell out.

This… He looked at the figure sitting up on the bed, who had swallowed all the light and was shrouded in darkness. He couldn’t see its exact appearance, but he then said in a deep voice, “Y-you aren’t His Excellency Cass…”

The figure sitting on the bed laughed hollowly. “Yes, you can call me Truth—the existence destined to replace Last Man.”

…

In Hope Square.

The agitated citizens shouted ‘punish Varro severely’ as they cast their gazes at the Senate not far away.

Gaius waved his hand. “Let’s go over and let all the Elders hear our cries!”

“Punish Varro severely!”

“Punish Varro severely!”

Under the guidance of some people, the citizens participating in the meet rushed toward the Senate in an orderly manner.