Embers Ad Infinitum

In the waiting area of the research institute.

Shang Jianyao paced back and forth and grumbled from time to time, “Why isn’t she out yet?”

Being rash and bold often meant being impatient.

Jiang Baimian sat on one end of the bench against the wall and couldn’t help but say, “Stop pacing about. You’re making me dizzy.”

Doesn’t this fellow know that emotions are infectious in such situations? I wasn’t nervous at first, but seeing you walking around and grumbling makes me nervous as well.

“That’s right—be patient. Such surgery will definitely take a long time.” Long Yuehong agreed with his team leader.

The honest Shang Jianyao immediately retorted, “Who said so? It’s not like you’ve done it before!”

“I did,” Jiang Baimian subconsciously replied for Long Yuehong.

Shang Jianyao quickly asked, “How long did it take?”

Uh… Jiang Baimian was a little stumped.

She was unconscious back then, so how could she know how long it had taken? Neither did she delve into the details after the surgery.

“In short…” She forced an answer. “It takes quite a while.”

In order to divert his attention, she criticized Shang Jianyao. “Look at you; it’s only been a few hours. How can you already lose your patience? Look at Little Red. He has been quietly sitting all this while. His expression won’t even change even if the sky falls.”

“He goes to the bathroom almost every hour,” Shang Jianyao pointed out. “The frequency of urination is a sign of nervousness.”

Hey, don’t drag me into your quarrel… Long Yuehong wanted to say that, but he felt his mouth parched and found it difficult to voice it out.

He didn’t remember how many times he had gone to the bathroom. He only knew that three hours and 17 minutes had passed since the surgery began.

Jiang Baimian had no interest in chatting and decided to ignore Shang Jianyao.

At this moment, the operating theater’s door suddenly opened. A hospital bed was then pushed out, and the person on it was wrapped in a strange thin film. There were many tubes inserted into the body, all connected to different instruments and medicine vials.

Long Yuehong stood up, but his legs felt a little limp. His body wobbled a little, and he could only watch helplessly as his team leader and Shang Jianyao rushed over.

“How is she?” Jiang Baimian asked.

The researcher in charge of the genetic modification nodded. “It’s considered rather successful at the moment. We’ll have to see if she can survive the post-op reactions.”

As he replied, he signaled for his assistants to push Bai Chen toward the ICU.

“How long will it take?” Shang Jianyao asked.

The researcher deliberated over his words and said, “About three hours. The situation will stabilize after that. Following that, there will be a month of ordinary treatment. It’s mainly to accelerate physical recovery. The exact process includes regular entry into high-pressured oxygen chambers…”

Three hours… Long Yuehong finally sauntered over. He couldn’t help but look at Bai Chen—who was lying on the hospital bed and being pushed into the ICU. He realized that her face was pale and that there was obvious pain.

As Jiang Baimian paid attention to the corresponding situation, she forced herself to calm down and asked about the subsequent matters. “When the time comes, do you need us to leave someone to take care of her?”

The researcher shook his head without hesitation. “Not for the first few days. None of you underwent professional training, so it’s very easy for you to bring in certain viruses and bacteria. After that period, the patient will regain a certain level of mobility again. You have two visiting hours a day. You can come often and keep the patient in a good mood; this can help her body repair itself.”

“Alright.” Jiang Baimian had always respected the opinions of professionals. She settled the matter before Shang Jianyao could say a word.

After watching Bai Chen enter the ICU, they went to the adjacent room and looked inside through the glass window.

After a while, Jiang Baimian flipped her wrist and looked at her watch. “Hey, go back to the office, get our lunch boxes, and grab some food from the canteen.”

“Skip mine. I’m not that hungry.” Long Yuehong had no appetite at all.

Jiang Baimian turned her head to glance at him.

Before she could speak, Shang Jianyao said seriously, “If we enjoy our meal outside, Little White should be able to sense it. She will then think of waking up quickly and joining us.”

Which Shang Jianyao is this? Why is he a little childish… Jiang Baimian muttered inwardly and didn’t retort.

Long Yuehong thought for a moment. “Alright.”

At this moment, even if Shang Jianyao said, “you have to take a step with your left foot when entering the bathroom to augment Little White with blessings,” he would still give it a try.

…

An indescribable pain and impenetrable darkness made Bai Chen’s consciousness blurry and throbbing. She struggled with all her might, but she couldn’t regain her clarity of mind.

She only had one thought lingering in her mind: I’ve finally escaped the restraints of the past. I have to take a good look at the future.

Time passed minute by minute as she drifted.

After an unknown period of time, Bai Chen felt like light seemed to penetrate the dark border bit by bit.

She subconsciously headed for the spot, and the light became brighter and brighter and redder.

Finally, Bai Chen sensed her body. She blinked and slowly opened her eyes.

What she saw was a white and monotonous ceiling and a strange large lamp she didn’t know the name of.

The smell of disinfectant drilled into her nose. There was silence devoid of human activity.

Bai Chen slowly turned her head to the side as she stared blankly at this scene. She then saw the transparent glass window and the three faces stuck to it.

They belonged to two men and a woman.

Upon seeing Bai Chen look over, they smiled at the same time and waved their fists.

Bai Chen couldn’t help but blink.

…

The next morning, Room 14 on the 647th floor.

Jiang Baimian leaned against her desk and said to Shang Jianyao, “Since Little White went for surgery so quickly, we can only delay the scheduled surface training. It seems like you won’t be able to apply for the Six Senses Beads for the time being.”

Shang Jianyao stroked his chin. “Then, I’ll try applying and say that it’s useful for my exploration of the Mind Corridor. Can the Six Senses Beads be as dangerous as the Life Angel necklace?”

“Yes…” Jiang Baimian nodded. “You’re a Mind Corridor-level Awakened, so you should have this privilege.”

Most items weren’t as dangerous as Mind Corridor-level Awakened.

She continued, “Before that, you can explore other rooms. For example, that 506. It feels quite safe and suits the current you.”

Over the past few days, Shang Jianyao had shared some information regarding the different rooms in the Mind Corridor with her from time to time, making it easier for her to help plan for the future.

“No.” Shang Jianyao shook his head. “Most of us have OCD. We won’t go to the next room until we finish exploring this room.”

Jiang Baimian was amused. “Your mental problems are a little complicated.”

She didn’t mention it again and thought for a moment. “Since we have nothing to do during this period of time, let’s split up and go through the company’s internal information regarding Iron Mountain City’s ruins to see if we can find any clues. We’ll ask Old Han and Old Ge on our next mission.”

Han Wanghuo had been in Redstone Collection for several years, and Iron Mountain City was a ruin just a mountain away. The information on the Old World that Genava had downloaded from Mechanical Paradise’s intranet might be less detailed than that of Pangu Biology in certain areas but better in others.

In addition, Jiang Baimian also wanted Genava to investigate the genius scientist—Lin Sui—and figure out what she was mainly studying before the Old World was destroyed.

“Alright.” Shang Jianyao had been doing such work recently.

After giving the instructions, Jiang Baimian realized a problem, and she looked to the other side. “Little Red, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Huh?” Long Yuehong snapped out of his fugue. “I’m thinking about something.”

“Are you considering quitting the team?” Jiang Baimian expressed her understanding. “There’s no rush. Think carefully before making a decision.”

She then clapped her hands. “Alright, let’s go to the training room.”

At this moment, Shang Jianyao ‘hesitated’ and said, “I want to apply for two more items.”

“Which two?” Jiang Baimian’s thoughts raced as she guessed the answer.

Shang Jianyao replied truthfully, “The first is the medical record that Little Red and I found in the steelworks factory ruins. That place shares the same status as Iron Mountain City’s Second Food Company—one of Buddhism’s five Great Holy Lands. I want to see if the medical record found there will bring about a certain change in the Food Company.”

Jiang Baimian pondered for a moment and replied, “That’s a good idea, but it’s not the time.”

She quickly explained, “In Room 522, Iron Mountain City’s Second Food Company is only a manifestation of the room owner’s memories. The medical record shouldn’t exist inside, so there won’t be any changes. However, that medical record might come in handy when we go to Iron Mountain City’s ruins in the future.”

Shang Jianyao said indifferently, “It’s just an attempt in any case.”

“What about the second item?” Jiang Baimian had no intention of arguing.

Shang Jianyao laughed. “The owner of Room 522 is most likely in the Monitor domain. The heretical Naturalism Church—which had previously spread within the company secretly—believes in Monitor. Therefore, I want to apply for the recording pen that caused the Naturalism Church evangelism.”