Embers Ad Infinitum

Loannes was very confused by Shang Jianyao’s reaction. “What’s wrong? Don’t you find it very cold at night?”

“I do.” Shang Jianyao nodded honestly. Without waiting for Loannes to ask again, he muttered to himself, “When all the passengers boarded the cruise ship in the evening, a cold draft blew south and plummeted the temperatures. The cycle began from that moment…

“It’s fine during the day, but the night’s cold is bone-chilling… It’s normal during the day and chaotic at night… On the last day, we relied on hiding in the dark and cold storage to escape the fate of being infected with the Heartless disease…”

Loannes was stunned. “What are you talking about?”

As his father was an Ashlandic culture enthusiast, he had grasped Ashlandic when he was young. With this skill, he barely managed to survive around Iron Mountain City—which was mainly Ashlandic. Finally, he entered the Second Food Company and had a ‘fortuitous encounter.’

At this moment, he only had one thought: What is this fellow rattling about?

Faced with Loannes’s question, Shang Jianyao smiled brightly. “I figured out some stuff and found a key point. Then, I’ll see you the day after tomorrow.”

With that said, Shang Jianyao—who was wearing a black trench coat—pressed his hand to his chest and bowed. It was unknown where he had learned this from.

As he bowed, his figure quickly faded and disappeared in front of Loannes.

Loannes was dumbfounded. H-he’s really from the future? What did he mean by seeing me the day after tomorrow?

After the fourth exit and re-entry, Shang Jianyao arrived on the day when the cruise ship docked. He knew that Loannes, Sully, and the others had already hidden in the cold storage at this moment. Therefore, he went straight there and slammed the metal door.

The crew in the kitchen had their thoughts guided by him, so they treated this as normal.

After slamming the door for a while and not receiving a response, Shang Jianyao opened the door and walked in. He didn’t forget to put on thick clothes and wrap himself in a rug and blanket.

After casually closing the freezer door, Shang Jianyao switched on the flashlight and shone it around. As expected, he found Loannes in the familiar spot.

“We meet again.” Shang Jianyao smiled and waved.

Loannes was stunned for a few seconds before asking in confusion, “You are—you’re the Shang from two days ago?”

He still retained the corresponding memories before the story was rebooted.

“Who else do you think it is?” asked Shang Jianyao, who was wrapped up like a bear.

Loannes was excited. He looked around and suppressed his voice. “I chose to hide here because I thought of how you mentioned that the freezer is cold and dark. Did the Heartless disease really erupt outside?”

He had ruminated over Shang Jianyao’s cryptic words many times over the past two days.

“You’ll know the answer when the cruise ship docks.” Shang Jianyao dragged his paralyzed right leg—which was located at his tailbone—as he walked to a corner where there was still some food.

When Sully and the others saw his ‘appearance,’ they felt a chill run down their spines. They trembled as if they were facing a monster.

If it weren’t for the fact that Shang Jianyao didn’t show any intention of attacking or even glance at them, they would’ve long lost control of themselves and rushed out of the freezer to search for another hiding spot.

Of course, on the other hand, the fact that such a monster chose the kitchen’s freezer as a hiding spot meant that this place was better than other places.

As for Loannes, he ignored Shang Jianyao’s unique appearance. He was long ‘accustomed to it.’

Shang Jianyao didn’t waste any time here. He exited and entered again, pushing the timeline to the node when the cruise ship was docked.

As soon as he appeared in the freezer, he immediately ran to the door amidst the broadcast and opened it.

In the kitchen outside, the crew—who had become Heartless—looked over.

Shang Jianyao ignored them and circled around to escape the hunters. He was racing against time in his attempt to reach the source of the darkness—where the captain was. He was unwilling to delay any further.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Amidst Loannes and the others’ shots at the Heartless, Shang Jianyao rushed out of the kitchen and relied on the Six Senses Beads’ perception to run in the direction of the gradually thickening darkness.

On the way, he had no choice but to fire at a Heartless blocking the way. His shots hit accurately.

After arriving at the wheelhouse, Shang Jianyao finally saw the captain.

His rotund body leaned against the glass beside him as he looked down at the chaotic scene of the Heartless disease outbreak without moving.

If not for the fact that he still had human consciousness, Shang Jianyao suspected that he was already dead. Of course, Heartless also had human consciousness.

All kinds of signs indicated that the captain had already been infected with the Heartless disease.

First, he was the source of darkness, the node that connected to the New World. If the Heartless disease really came from this, it was impossible for him to be spared.

Second, there were many crew members in the cabin; they were all infected with the Heartless disease. Their bodies were hunched, and their eyes were turbid and bloodshot. However, they didn’t attack the captain. In a situation where they weren’t especially hungry, the Heartless didn’t hunt its own kind.

…

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Shang Jianyao held an Ice Moss in his left and a United 202 in his right to knock the Heartless—who were attempting to pounce on him—to the ground.

Upon hearing the gunshot, the captain’s rotund body slowly turned around.

His face was filled with panic and fear. Although his eyes were a little bloodshot, they weren’t turbid at all.

He had yet to become a Heartless!

However, Shang Jianyao could ‘see’ it very clearly. The source of the darkness was still in his body.

Shang Jianyao’s thoughts raced as he mimicked Jiang Baimian and smiled kindly. “I’m here to save you!”

“Y-you aren’t infected with the Heartless disease…” The captain observed for a while and heaved a sigh of relief. He then broke down and said, “I thought I was a goner! B-but…”

As he spoke, the captain revealed a look of suspicion.

Shang Jianyao didn’t respond. He put away the United 202 and walked over.

Bam!

He punched the captain behind the ear.

The captain fainted without a grunt.

Shang Jianyao then tore off the nearby Heartless’s clothes and tied the captain tightly again. He then carried the captain and stomped to the kitchen.

As Loannes and the others had already left and a batch of Heartless along the way had been eliminated, Shang Jianyao returned to the freezer rather easily.

He took a deep breath and confirmed that the Six Senses Beads and the Life Angel necklace were fine. He then walked through the ajar door and entered the dark and cold interior.

Hiss!

The unconscious captain twisted like he was awakening as though he had been thrown into ice water.

Shang Jianyao closed the metal door to the freezer.

Almost instantly, he felt the entire cruise ship shake violently. No, the entire world was shaking!

At the same time, he sensed that the ‘darkness’ was like a receding tide as it surged back into the captain’s body, curled up, and gradually disappeared.

An illusory click sounded as the psychological trauma cracked. The ‘glass shards’ fell one after another, revealing the dark void hidden behind them.

In the void, there was a city that had tall towers reaching into the clouds.

Crack!

The entire psychological trauma completely collapsed. A thin fog that seemed to reflect a burning cloud surged out and flew toward Shang Jianyao.

Shang Jianyao thought for a moment before reaching out to catch it and turning it into a ball.

After the psychological trauma completely disappeared and the dark void melted into the night, a temple ruin propped up by many stone pillars appeared in front of Shang Jianyao. This was Room 912’s owner’s second psychological trauma.

Shang Jianyao glanced at it and coolly left the room, returning to reality.

…

“It’s a little cold.” Shang Jianyao hissed and shrank his neck the moment he sat up straight.

He picked up the sunglasses on his trench coat and moved the crimson fog that he received from the psychological trauma inside.

Outside the jeep with the door open, Jiang Baimian asked curiously and with concern, “What’s wrong?”

Shang Jianyao threw his sunglasses to the passenger seat and smiled. “It’s been resolved. I obtained an item.”

“How was it resolved?” Long Yuehong was rather curious.

Shang Jianyao recounted his entire idea, placing his focus on the keyword ‘cold.’

“So, is the darkness afraid of the cold or not?” Bai Chen asked in confusion.

Its surge was accelerated in the cold night, thus affecting the entire cruise ship and causing most people to fall into a chaotic state. It appeared to enjoy such an environment, but it chose to circle around the freezer, allowing the people hiding inside to survive. Furthermore, when Shang Jianyao finally stuffed the captain into the freezer, the ‘darkness’ clearly retracted and gradually disappeared.

Jiang Baimian reenacted the relevant scenes in her mind and deliberated before saying, “I think it’s fear, but the reaction is different because of the different degrees of cold.”

She further explained, “At low temperatures, the darkness is frustrated by the cold and affects humans. At temperatures like that of the freezer, it chooses to go around it and escape.”

“I wonder if such a situation happens to the previous ‘darkness…'” Genava agreed with Jiang Baimian’s explanation and began coming up with ideas.

Shang Jianyao stroked his chin. “Being afraid of the cold seems to be one of the Door of Scorching domain’s characteristics? That darkness has Dufftiel’s consciousness?”

“It shouldn’t be limited to Awakened from the Door of Scorching.” Jiang Baimian didn’t refute Shang Jianyao’s guess and only reminded him not to miss anything.

The few of them discussed for a while before Shang Jianyao suddenly pointed at the sunglasses in front of him and said to Jiang Baimian, “Give it a try.”

“This is mine?” Jiang Baimian joked.

“That’s right!” Shang Jianyao didn’t hesitate.

Jiang Baimian was just about to speak when she suddenly shivered.

“It’s a little cold…” Her teeth rattled.

It was almost summer, so she wore thin clothes.

Shang Jianyao smiled. “The price is ‘fear of the cold.’ The ability is to throw people into chaos—probably.”

He had no way of knowing the correct name of the ability.

Jiang Baimian first put down her sunglasses and prepared to thicken her clothes before trying again. She then asked Shang Jianyao, “Your abilities should’ve improved significantly after clearing this psychological trauma, right?”