Embers Ad Infinitum

Chapter 644: Not Listening

Translator: CKtalon

On the way from First City to the North Shore Mountains, Shang Jianyao didn’t waste any time. He entered Room 912 again and searched for Room 522’s owner on the cruise ship.

However, he didn’t discover anyone who had been to Iron Mountain City Ruin despite asking the passengers several times. In other words, it was unlikely that these people were the owner of Room 522 unless they met the corresponding conditions.

It had to be known that Shang Jianyao used Inference Clowning or Thought Implantation when asking, so the probability of the target lying was almost zero. This forced him to believe that Room 522’s owner really didn’t exist on the cruise ship.

His train of thought to clear this psychological trauma was wrong from the beginning.

After hearing Shang Jianyao’s words, Long Yuehong—who was wearing the Blackmarsh Iron Snake bionic artificial intelligence armor and had his tail raised—deliberated and said, “Just because Room 522’s owner boarded that cruise ship doesn’t mean that he’s in the same batch as Room 912’s owner. Although that cruise ship is strange, there’s a possibility that it has been appropriated many times.”

Bai Chen agreed. “Maybe someone deliberately concealed the cruise ship’s abnormality and used it to achieve a certain goal.”

“Sounds terrifying.” Shang Jianyao—who had switched personalities—abandoned his depression and clapped with a smile.

Long Yuehong and Bai Chen’s words made one unable to help but think about a question: Did the passengers on that cruise ship successfully reach their destination on the last day and were no longer affected by the ‘chaos,’ or did they silently die? Only a few escaped and were left with relatively serious psychological trauma?

Jiang Baimian held the flashlight and listened to her team members’ discussion. She pondered for a moment and said, “If it’s really the situation Little Red and Little White described, Hey will have to adjust his approach to clear this psychological trauma. If it really doesn’t work out, give up for the time being. Use the rooms in the strategy guide to enhance yourself quickly.”

At this point, Jiang Baimian paused. “However, I believe there’s another possibility.”

She turned her head and cast her gaze at Shang Jianyao. “Are you sure you didn’t miss anyone? With so many people there, can you really remember which ones you’ve asked and which you’ve never asked?”

Long Yuehong wanted to say that Shang Jianyao wasn’t a fool that he would make a mistake on such a simple matter. But after careful thought, he felt that even he couldn’t really remember everyone on the cruise ship without the help of the auxiliary chip in his mechanical arm. After all, time was of the essence, and missions were important. As humans, it was inevitable that he would make mistakes.

Shang Jianyao shook his head confidently. “One of us asks while the other nine memorizes the answers. We also used a pen to write down the characteristics of different people. In theory, it’s impossible to mistake them and miss out on anyone.”

As he spoke, he took off his tactical backpack and took out a stack of paper. On it were densely written words like ‘only smells, not smoke,’ ‘has a black mole at the corner of his eyebrows,’ and ‘like a fool.’

Jiang Baimian was stunned for a moment. “I thought you were redoing the Blessings from all Kalendarium with all that writing and drawing you did the past few days…”

After the Old Task Force left the True Self Church’s stronghold, they didn’t immediately rush to the North Shore Mountains. Instead, they changed their vehicle’s appearance and found another place to stay to confirm that they had truly escaped the enemy.

They deliberately rented a single room. Everyone squeezed onto the bunk beds and pretended to have relaxed due to the departed danger, falling asleep one after another.

While pretending to sleep, they constantly recalled Eidolon Nun’s gaze and guarded against the enemy’s assassination.

After three uneventful attempts, the Old Task Force truly felt at ease. They spent a few days gathering supplies and handling trivial matters.

After saying her thoughts, Jiang Baimian realized that her train of thought had deviated a little. It became closer to Shang Jianyao’s train of thought, so she quickly added, “A good memory is inferior to a bad pen. Well done.”

Shang Jianyao ignored Jiang Baimian’s praise and continued, “My Blessings from all Kalendarium was drawn in a rush twice. It was too rough and crude, so I really needed to find an opportunity to redo it.”

You actually took it seriously… Jiang Baimian maintained her right hand and didn’t let the flashlight’s light waver. She thought for a moment and said, “Then, is there such a possibility? After the chaos on the first night, Room 522’s owner—who was unaffected and witnessed the corresponding scene—was terrified. He found a place to hide on the cruise ship and concealed his human consciousness. He only occasionally came out to search for food. It just so happens that one-third of the people you questioned on the first day didn’t include him. You subsequently didn’t find him during the daytime.”

Shang Jianyao’s eyes lit up. “I’ll try again tonight!”

He planned on asking the other two-thirds upon returning to the first day of the cruise.

If the Old Task Force didn’t finish exploring the corresponding area today, they would leave Wasteland Ruin 13 before dark and return to the North Shore Mountains to spend the night. They weren’t going to experience how dangerous night in the ruins was.

As they conversed, Jiang Baimian and the others walked through the passage and arrived in front of the metal door.

After pushing open the door, they saw the overgrown park, the man-made lake with a vista, and the high-rise buildings in the distance.

These things bathed in the noon sun, a mixture of silence and brilliance.

Jiang Baimian—who was holding a single-man combat rocket launcher in her left hand and switching the flashlight to a submachine gun in her right—reminded them, “Don’t wander around. Wu Meng isn’t the only danger here.”

Long Yuehong subconsciously lowered his voice. “But we don’t know where the Holm Fertility Center is. We can only explore it bit by bit and search slowly.”

Wasteland Ruin 13 had been sealed off by First City, so not much information had been leaked.

“Find a map!” Shang Jianyao was in a rather good mood.

“Where can we find one?” Long Yuehong asked, undaunted.

Bai Chen deliberated and said, “Search the nearby streets? Just pay attention and stay away from the place where Wu Meng is sealed.”

Jiang Baimian thought for a moment and said, “According to the information I’ve read, the larger bookshops in these countries in the Red River Zone had city maps sold before the Old World was destroyed.”

“This should be easier to find.” Long Yuehong heaved a sigh of relief.

In such a large city, there was definitely more than one bookshop. It was easier to find one than the Holm Fertility Center that definitely didn’t have any branches.

The Old Task Force members maintained a certain distance and left the park in a combat formation in the opposite direction of where Wu Meng was sealed.

After entering a street, they weren’t frightened by the scattered corpses, oxidized blood, the smashed cars, or the dead silence. They weren’t tempted by the shiny golden objects either. They walked forward step by step, searching.

On the way, Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao focused on sensing the electromagnetic waves and electric currents around them to prevent themselves and their teammates from being unknowingly affected by Wu Meng.

After crossing two streets, Bai Chen’s eyes lit up. She pointed diagonally ahead with her chin and said, “There’s a bookshop there.”

Through the dirty glass window, she saw that the books inside hadn’t been moved away. This meant that very few people had come to Wasteland Ruin 13.

After circling around the wanton, overgrown street garden, Jiang Baimian and the others arrived at the bookshop by the roadside.

It wasn’t small. Long Yuehong stood at the door and looked inside, but he couldn’t see the end.

After sensing and confirming that there were no monsters inside, Jiang Baimian took the lead and walked in. She looked up at the LCD screen above the cashier and muttered, “Why do bookshops have such things installed?”

The four Old Task Force members were just about to look away and head toward the bookshelves around them when the LCD screen suddenly lit up.

Amidst the sound of static, a distorted figure appeared on the static-filled screen.

“Long time no see, everyone!” Wu Meng’s voice sounded with joy.

Ta! Ta! Ta!

Jiang Baimian fired a short burst and shattered the LCD screen.

The figure above vanished, and the echoing voice stopped.

Facing Wu Meng, the Old Task Force had many consensuses. One of them was: Don’t give him a chance to speak!

Just as Jiang Baimian’s gunshot subsided, the radio equipment in the shop sounded one after another. “Scholars of the highest class, when they hear about the Dao…”

Bang!

“Don’t you want to know the New World’s secrets…”

Bang!

“Regarding the Heartless disease, it’s best you guys don’t…”

Bang!

“It’s true that I transformed Bai Xiao into a mutated creature…”

Ta! Ta! Ta!

Wu Meng’s words were interrupted one after another. Bai Chen, Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong, and Jiang Baimian didn’t give him a chance to finish his sentence.

It was only when the electrical appliances in the bookstore were destroyed by the Old Task Force members—who had very good marksmanship—that peace returned.

Long Yuehong exhaled and said, “Wu Meng seems to know a lot…”

Shang Jianyao cast his gaze at him and asked with bright eyes, “Were you affected by him?”

“I’m just thinking normally!” Long Yuehong replied angrily.

Jiang Baimian didn’t stop their ‘argument.’ She frowned and muttered to herself, “Wu Meng can transform ordinary creatures into mutated creatures?”

If this were true, he might have the ability to Awaken humans as well!

As expected of this world’s poisonous sore!