Embers Ad Infinitum

“Wait.” Jiang Baimian interrupted Shang Jianyao and Xu Datong’s firm footsteps.

The two of them simultaneously turned their heads and cast their gazes at her.

Jiang Baimian deliberated and asked, “Do you know what to do and how to do it?”

She didn’t want to doubt the older Xu Datong, but she felt a little worried when she saw how tacit the other party was with Shang Jianyao.

Shang Jianyao shook his head without hesitation.

At the same time, Xu Datong replied, “Destroy those load-bearing walls. We’ll deliver one last blow to this building when coming out.”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Shang Jianyao clapped.

Xu Datong turned his head to look at his ‘peer,’ his expression ambivalent. It was unknown if he was regretting being Shang Jianyao’s partner.

Fortunately, this Salvation Army powerhouse is in his fifties and has plenty of experience. He’s not as unreliable as Shang Jianyao… Jiang Baimian heaved a sigh of relief. “We will constantly and comprehensively monitor the situation. Be careful.”

As she spoke, she threw the grenade launcher she had prepared at Shang Jianyao.

Bai Chen, Long Yuehong, and Genava tacitly scattered and took up positions in different areas.

This was all in the tactical manual.

After entering the seventh-floor room of the Second Food Company, Shang Jianyao picked up the grenade launcher and pulled the trigger at one of the load-bearing walls.

Boom!

Accompanying the explosion, Xu Datong—who hadn’t taken out his weapon—raised his arm, clenched his fists, and struck forward.

Bang!

A few meters away, a load-bearing wall suffered an invisible blow and cracked from an emanating center.

Matter Interference!

Upon seeing this, Shang Jianyao became increasingly excited and popped out grenades one after another.

As the two of them wreaked havoc, they didn’t forget to take in their surroundings. They remained tense as they waited for an anomaly to happen.

When the building showed clear signs of instability, Xu Datong retracted his right hand and said to Shang Jianyao, “That’s our cue to leave.”

Shang Jianyao didn’t say another word. He turned around and ran with large strides.

Xu Datong was stunned for a moment as if he didn’t expect the other party to be so decisive and ‘hard-working.’ He quickly snapped to his senses and followed closely behind Shang Jianyao, running as if he had returned to his prime.

After leaving the building and running for a distance, Xu Datong stopped and faced Iron Mountain City’s Second Food Company.

Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, and the others pushed their focus to the maximum. On the one hand, they wanted to prevent any anomalies from happening in this Buddhist Holy Land. On the other hand, they were waiting for the special Superior Heartless to appear.

At this moment, Xu Datong stretched out his right hand, clenched it, and suddenly pulled downwards.

Rumble!

The already tottering food company building collapsed, stirring up a large plume of dust and rubble. However, nothing else happened.

The five Old Task Force members and Xu Datong waited for a while, but there was no sign of the special Superior Heartless.

Jiang Baimian exhaled and said to Xu Datong, “It seems like he won’t appear again.”

Even the destruction of Iron Mountain City’s Second Food Company failed to lure him out.

Xu Datong nodded. “The only solution now is for everyone to split up and maintain a certain distance from each other. We can then lure him into attacking by deliberately creating a decoy that’s ‘left behind.'”

Jiang Baimian pondered for a moment before saying, “It’s too dangerous. Besides, he most likely heard you say that. We plan on leaving according to our original plan and going to other Buddhist Holy Lands to search for new clues.”

Xu Datong glanced at her as if he were trying to determine if she was telling the truth or not. Finally, the Salvation Army’s Mind Corridor Awakened chose to believe her. “We’re also about to return to Redstone Collection. After we complete the transaction regarding the military exoskeletons, we might make a trip to Long River City’s United Steel Plant and use our methods to conduct another search.”

“Uh…” Jiang Baimian was momentarily at a loss for words.

The honest Shang Jianyao frankly replied, “You can forget about it. The Buddhist Holy Land there has collapsed, just like this one.”

Xu Datong fell silent. He sized up the Old Task Force members and sincerely said, “Everyone, if you are going to Icefield Tai City in the future, you might very well pass by our Salvation Army’s sphere of influence. When the time comes, just say my name if you encounter any problems. I’m a member of the Public Security Council. However, it might not work. Favors aren’t systematic, so all I can say is to give it a shot.”

“Alright!” Shang Jianyao agreed excitedly as if he was already certain that the Old Task Force would enter the Salvation Army’s sphere of influence.

Xu Datong bade farewell and walked into the distance to rendezvous with Li Shouyi and the others 200 meters away.

After getting into the dark-colored car and watching October Xue and the others leave, Xu Datong informed his subordinates of their discussion.

Li Shouyi frowned. “The Buddhist Holy Land of Long River City’s United Steel Plant was destroyed. It’s very likely because of them?”

Xu Datong nodded slightly, indicating that he thought so too.

Li Shouyi quickly said, “Iron Mountain City’s Second Food Company—another Buddhist Holy Land—was also destroyed today. They have at least half the responsibility. Could they be high-ranking commissioners from the Eighth Research Institute?”

Otherwise, how could they complete what the Eighth Research Institute wanted to do but had never been able to accomplish? And it happened twice!

Xu Datong had the intention of helping the Old Task Force come up with an explanation, but he was momentarily speechless.

…

Toward the evening the next day.

A convoy drove into Iron Mountain City Ruin from the northwest. They carried at least 30 cannons and established a position a few kilometers away, aiming at the Second Food Company.

The team’s ‘leader’ was a man and a woman. The woman wore a white shirt and a blue cowboy top and pants, with a wide felt hat topping everything off. The man wore a black trench coat and dark sunglasses. He was more than 1.8 meters tall.

The woman in the cowboy outfit took out her binoculars and cast her gaze in the direction of Iron Mountain City’s Second Food Company, prepared to help the gunners adjust their firing parameters.

She was Ashlandic with an oval face and willowy eyebrows. She looked to be only 25 or 26 years old, but she had a rather mature air about her.

“Eh…” The woman adjusted the binoculars’ direction as she voiced her confusion.

“What’s wrong?” asked the man in the trench coat and sunglasses.

The sky was still relatively bright, so he kept his sunglasses on. From his neatly combed golden-brown hair, he looked to be of Red River ethnicity.

The woman in the cowboy outfit observed for a while before saying in disbelief, “That Buddhist Holy Land has already been destroyed, but I’m not sure if I’ve found the right target.”

“What? Who did it?” The tall man in sunglasses reached out for the binoculars. After repeated confirmation, he frowned and said, “That’s indeed Iron Mountain City’s Second Food Company… Who did this? It saved us a lot of time.”

Their conversation was done in the Red River language with a northern accent, but some of the words and sentences had an Ashlandic flair.

“No matter who did it, we have to report it immediately.” The woman in the cowboy outfit took off her canvas backpack. She then took out an item that resembled an Old World tablet.

After lighting up the screen and unlocking it, she opened a telegram simulation software and inputted a series of numbers.

After she completed the connection, the LCD screen suddenly darkened as if it were passing through a tunnel.

The scene soon lit up, revealing a figure sitting behind a table.

The ‘space’ around the figure distorted as static appeared, making him appear very blurry and difficult to identify. Amidst the static, the figure asked, “Lan, what’s wrong?”

The woman in the cowboy outfit replied respectfully, “Doctor, Iron Mountain City’s Second Food Company has been destroyed.”

The figure named Doctor fell silent for a while before saying, “Listen to the Dao and Electrical Appliance Repairs radio station tonight. I want to speak to Wu Meng.”

“Yes, Doctor,” replied the woman in the cowboy outfit and the man in sunglasses.

At the stipulated time that night, they got a radio, tuned it to 119.2, and received the Dao and Electrical Appliance Repairs radio station’s broadcast.

At the same time, Xu Lan—who was dressed as a cowboy—took out the tablet computer again and connected to ‘Doctor.’

As soon as the distorted and blurry figure appeared on the screen, Wu Meng’s voice sounded from the radio. “You’re back. How is it? How’s the New World now? I previously sensed Truth’s aura appear in First City, but I ended up bumping into that person. How unlucky.”

He still spoke in the Red River language.

Doctor used the same language and said in a deep voice, “You don’t have to worry about the New World.”

“Then, why are you looking for me?” Wu Meng’s voice carried an indescribable smiling tone. “Because I know a few Buddhist Holy Lands?”

Doctor calmly replied, “That’s one aspect.”

Wu Meng’s voice disappeared for a few seconds before it sounded again with an obvious smiling tone. “Since you want to know so much, I’ll tell you. The highest virtue is like water. Water benefits all while not competing. This ruin I’m in has a place called the Holm Fertility Center. It’s another Buddhist Holy Land.”