Embers Ad Infinitum

Long Yuehong weakly raised his steel right hand after hearing Jiang Baimian’s explanation. “Team Leader, I mean: how do you know that those people are investigating the reason for the Old World’s destruction and the Five Great Holy Lands of Buddhism?”

Weren’t they just asking the mountain monsters for information on Iron Mountain City’s ruins?

Jiang Baimian grunted. “All the valuable items in Iron Mountain City’s ruins have long been emptied. There probably aren’t many secrets left after so many years. The only thing worth the Salvation Army sending people over to investigate is probably the Second Food Company, a Buddhist holy land.”

As one of the city ruins that had been ‘excavated’ early on, the Iron Mountain City ruins had been plundered over and over again. Apart from the ‘anomaly’ that was buried deep as well as the Second Food Company which involved one of the two Kalendarium, there was no reason for it to fool batch after batch of large faction members and Ruin Hunters.

“One most likely has the goal of figuring out very high-level secrets that aren’t solely targeting Buddhism when investigating Buddhism’s Holy Lands.” Jiang Baimian left an out for herself. “This is the most logical inference, but there might also be exceptions. When the time comes, we can probe those people after making contact with them.”

Long Yuehong remained a little worried. “Team Leader, aren’t you afraid that they are secretly working with the Eighth Research Institute despite being members of the Salvation Army? If we share our gains obtained from investigating the cause of the Old World’s destruction and the Heartless disease’s origins with them, we might attract a fatal disaster.”

Even if that group of people wasn’t Eighth Research Institute commissioners, there was a possibility of the Old Task Force’s information being leaked. This would make the Eighth Research Institute value them more and send more powerhouses to wipe out the clues.

Jiang Baimian laughed. “Don’t worry. I’m not a fool who will have a heart-to-heart talk with them the moment I meet them. This naturally has to be probed slowly. I’ll decide what I can and can’t say according to the situation. Let’s go; time to set off!”

She waved her hand and led the way out of basement two’s reception room before turning in a certain direction.

Bai Chen and Long Yuehong hesitated and didn’t speak. A smile appeared on Shang Jianyao’s face.

The honest Genava quickly shouted, “That’s the wrong way. The elevator is over there!”

“…” Jiang Baimian wore the elegant monk mask in passing.

At this moment, Shang Jianyao came to Genava’s side and ‘whispered’ to him, “Big White has become an Awakened, and the price she paid is being directionally challenged.”

Do you have to be so loud? Jiang Baimian gritted her teeth.

After Shang Jianyao said that, he immediately put on the monkey mask with the furry face and protruding mouth and fled toward the elevator.

He had mostly recovered from the mental damage, and he was in especially good shape in the morning.

Jiang Baimian calmed down and followed behind. She had slowly realized a problem over the past two days: one or several of Shang Jianyaos had a strong interest in acting. After returning to Redstone Collection and taking out his monkey mask again, they became increasingly ‘lively…’

“The price of being directionally challenged corresponds to the Shattered Mirror domain?” Genava couldn’t keep up with Shang Jianyao’s ‘rhythm,’ so he could only discuss it with Long Yuehong.

Don’t say it out once you know it. Didn’t you notice that Big White is speeding up? Long Yuehong muttered inwardly, expecting better from Genava. Worried that Genava would harp on the topic, he helplessly nodded in the most perfunctory manner and simply replied, “Yes.”

Bai Chen walked beside the two of them and smiled at some point in time.

The five Old Task Force members had just taken the elevator and arrived at the cathedral hall when they saw Chu Ge and a few others complete their bowing to Eidolon Nun. They planned on finding the Vigilance Church members hiding and befriending them.

“Bai Chen!” Chu Ge spotted their group. He enthusiastically approached with a fast cadence.

Mu Chi with the thick makeup and the man in the floral shirt, Shao Liang, followed closely behind.

After arriving in front of Bai Chen, Chu Ge looked around and suddenly fixed his gaze on Genava.

This smart bot—who was 1.9 meters tall and had silver-black metal bones—wore a dark-green military uniform. His eyes emitted a red glow as he followed the local customs and wore a horse mask on his face.

Chu Ge was surprised. The first thought that flashed through his mind was: Smart bots can also grow and increase in size?

He remembered that Bai Chen’s previous smart bot was only about her height. Furthermore, its ‘skin color’ wasn’t silver-black.

An instant later, Chu Ge’s common sense told him that this was impossible. He began to suspect that the reason Bai Chen had a new companion and was willing to leave the area she was familiar with was that her original robot had been destroyed.

It could still be repaired if it was damaged.

“Good morning.” Bai Chen nodded at Chu Ge politely but distantly.

Upon seeing this, Long Yuehong’s heart rate returned to normal.

The unmasked Chu Ge laughed and said in a familiar manner, “I never expected you guys to be the honorary presidents of the Underground Ark Management Committee.”

At this moment, the Friendly Hand archbishop, Delro, walked to their side.

Upon seeing him, Shang Jianyao suddenly took two steps forward. His gaze shot out from behind the monkey mask and met Delro’s gaze.

Spark!

The wall lamps in the cathedral hall lit up at the same time before quickly dimming.

Sizzle! Sizzle!

The wall lamps flickered, and everyone heard the sound of clear electric currents.

The Vigilance Church members hiding in the dark subconsciously shrank deeper to give themselves a deeper sense of security.

Mind Corridor-level Awakened… Chu Ge, Mu Chi, Shao Liang, and the others felt a chill run down their spines. Their expressions changed slightly as they instinctively took two steps back.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Baimian walked to Shang Jianyao’s side and asked in a slightly deep voice, “What happened?”

“I didn’t do anything.” Delro spread his hands, turned around, and faced his back to the Old Task Force.

Shang Jianyao nodded in agreement and smiled. “Shouldn’t a similar scene happen when two powerhouses meet to build up the mood?”

Did you just orchestrate and act out that scene yourself? Great, you aren’t allowed to spend more than two hours a day watching the Old World’s entertainment in the future! Extract the essence and discard the dross! Jiang Baimian felt pained.

What kind of Old World entertainment was it? Look at how ‘poisoned’ this fellow has become.

“How do you know I’m a powerhouse?” Delro turned around and smiled kindly.

“Your hair tells me that.” The sincerity on Shang Jianyao’s face was obscured by the mask.

“Huh?” Delro stroked the little of his remaining hair in confusion.

Jiang Baimian silently took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. After that, she took a step forward and shielded half of Shang Jianyao behind her. “He means that Chu Ge and the others’ attitude toward you and your age means that you have a high status, so you definitely are very strong.”

“You have very sharp observation skills.” Delro resolved his doubts. He didn’t hide his curiosity and kindly asked, “I heard that you overthrew the rule of the Underground Ark’s former owner, DiMarco?”

“Yes.” Everyone in Redstone Collection knew this, so Jiang Baimian didn’t think there was any need to hide.

“You don’t seem to be around most of the time, nor did you take away a large number of resources from here. Why did you do it?” Delro asked again.

Shang Jianyao raised his right hand and pressed it to his left chest. He replied loudly and seriously, “To save all of humanity!”

Delro and the others were clearly stunned.

A few seconds later, Chu Ge came to a realization. “Are you guys from the Salvation Army? Apart from those elders, there aren’t many Salvation Army members who still insist on this ideal.”

“No.” In order not to let Shang Jianyao spout nonsense and mislead her former friend, Bai Chen took the initiative to deny it.

Jiang Baimian flipped her wrist and looked at her watch. “Sorry, we still have something on. Talk to you later.”

“Alright.” The Friendly Hand parishioners were always friendly.

After watching the Old Task Force walk out of the Vigilance Cathedral and get into the jeep they had driven here from Iron Mountain’s entrance last night, Chu Ge sighed with emotion. “They are indeed very strong. There really is a Mind Corridor-level Awakened.”

Delro nodded slightly. “Besides, he’s not the leader of this team.”

The tall woman was clearly the leader.

Upon hearing this, Chu Ge, Mu Chi, and Shao Liang fell silent again.

…

After nearly a year, the Old Task Force entered Redstone Collection again. Just like before, there were no obvious changes. Most of the personnel were sufficiently vigilant and hid themselves to ensure their safety.

The only exceptions were the local Hunter’s Guild and the Visa Trading Company that belonged to the Ark.

“Why didn’t we encounter Viel?” Long Yuehong casually asked.

Jiang Baimian smiled and replied, “After that matter, he probably doesn’t want us to appear in front of him again.”

Since Viel couldn’t stop the Old Task Force from going anywhere, he could only avoid them.

As they spoke, Jiang Baimian and the others arrived at the Public Security Department at the bottom of the underground mall.

The current town guard captain and sheriff, Tan Jie, sat behind his desk and looked at this group of acquaintances expressionlessly.

He mimicked Han Wanghuo and didn’t wear a mask to gain the trust of all the townsfolk.

“I heard that you are entertaining a group of Salvation Army personnel?” The honest Shang Jianyao was ever so direct.

The black-haired, brown-eyed, and baby-faced Tan Jie replied simply, “They want to buy a batch of military exoskeletons from United Industries. They also plan on making a trip to Iron Mountain City’s ruins.”