Embers Ad Infinitum

The next morning, the Old Task Force members had a simple meal, packed their things, and prepared to leave.

At this moment, the door to the border settlement opposite the stream opened. Ding Ling walked out with Zeng Ping’an.

“That soon?” She smiled and greeted the Old Task Force.

The honest Shang Jianyao asked, “Do you want to treat us to lunch?”

Ding Ling clearly choked. She paused before saying, “I wanted you to wait. I happen to be returning to Ubei to submit my report, so I can leave with you.”

A smile appeared on her face again. “Following me will save you a lot of trouble on the way. Our Salvation Army is quite different from other factions; we are relatively strict. Without the help of acquaintances, referrals, or passes, you won’t be permitted to approach many farms, forestlands, and settlements, much less trade supplies. I’m troubling you to help me keep an eye on my husband’s whereabouts in Icefield. Since it’s on the way, I should help in any way possible. That’s why I’m telling you this.”

Upon seeing that October Xue didn’t immediately answer and only turned to look at Qian Bai, Ding Ling added, “This isn’t a mandatory request; you can refuse. Not traveling together will only cause you more trouble. It doesn’t mean that you can’t trade supplies or ask for directions. There are Ruin Hunters in the wilderness and outside the various settlements that act as brokers. You can do many things through them, but it’s relatively inconvenient. Besides, it’s not free.”

Considering that Ubei was the large settlement closest to Cloud Mountain, was almost equivalent to an Old World city, and how it was a necessary route to Icefield unless one chose to circle around to a few relatively dangerous areas, Bai Chen nodded to indicate that Ding Ling was right.

Jiang Baimian pondered for a moment and smiled. “How can we refuse such kindness? It just so happens that we need to go to Ubei to replenish some supplies suitable for Icefield and obtain relevant information. These are very difficult to obtain in First City.”

First City didn’t directly border Icefield.

Ding Ling smiled and nodded.

Ding Ling didn’t elaborate.

“Thank you so much!” Shang Jianyao stretched out his hands before Jiang Baimian could do so to express his gratitude.

Ding Ling was a little confused by him. She ended up shaking his hand and felt his sincerity and joy.

The next second, Shang Jianyao asked seriously, “If I want to join the Salvation Army, what procedures do I need to follow? How long will it take?”

Upon seeing that this fellow refused to let go of his captain’s hand, Zeng Ping’an couldn’t help but interject. “You have to live on a farm, forestry station, ranch, or city for at least three years.”

“Is that so…” Shang Jianyao retracted his hand in disappointment.

Ding Ling skipped the topic and flipped her wrist to look at her simple electronic watch. “How about setting off in 15 minutes?”

“No problem.” Jiang Baimian readily agreed when it came to such matters.

After watching Ding Ling and Zeng Ping’an return to the border settlement, she turned her head and glared at Shang Jianyao. “Do you want to leave the company?”

“Not at all!” Shang Jianyao replied righteously. “The me from before doesn’t represent the current me. Besides, there are ten of us. It won’t be a problem for one of us to join the Salvation Army. The other nine still belong to the company!”

“Heh,” Jiang Baimian replied curtly.

In less than 15 minutes, Ding Ling drove a green, bulletproof mountain car out of the settlement’s entrance.

The Old Task Force’s jeep immediately crossed the stream and arrived beside her.

In the passenger seat, Jiang Baimian glanced around and realized that there were two men and a woman in Ding Ling’s car. They were all wearing the Salvation Army’s black uniforms.

However, this didn’t include the young man named Zeng Ping’an.

“Eh, where’s Zeng Ping’an?” Shang Jianyao—who had rolled down the window—asked honestly.

Ding Ling—who was sitting in the driver’s seat—looked at them and smiled. “He has to stay in the settlement. Him, me, and two others are considered relatively strong warriors here. We can’t have two gone at once.

“If it weren’t for the fact that he was worried about there being a problem with you and insisted on following me, I wouldn’t have wanted him to accompany me to meet you. We might’ve suffered heavy losses.”

Ding Ling acted casually and frankly regarding this matter.

There are four Awakened in such a border settlement? Or are they people with similar strength but different kinds of enhancement? Jiang Baimian immediately pondered.

Either possibility meant that the Salvation Army was extremely strong. As expected of the large faction that left First City in a sorry state back then.

After exchanging a few simple pleasantries, Ding Ling drove the green mountain car into the road that led east of Cloud Mountain. The Old Task Force’s jeep followed closely behind.

Jiang Baimian looked ahead and suddenly smiled. “Ding Ling probably has some understanding of Zeng Ping’an’s feelings. She deliberately found a dignified excuse not to bring him along.”

Bai Chen nodded in agreement. “Women are relatively sensitive in this regard.”

Uh… Long Yuehong became nervous again.

Fortunately, Jiang Baimian didn’t continue the topic.

They slowly left behind several precipitous or seriously damaged areas. The road gradually widened and leveled in front of everyone.

The road showed clear signs of maintenance.

“Isn’t this better than First City’s wilderness road that has been in disrepair for years?” Shang Jianyao pointed out the window proudly.

If anyone here didn’t know his background, they might have imagined that he was from the Salvation Army.

Jiang Baimian didn’t glare at him or mock him. She nodded and sighed with emotion. “The Salvation Army used to be very capable at mobilization. This is obvious from these details.”

Just as she said that, the green mountain car ahead stopped in a relatively open area to the side.

Ding Ling pushed open the door, got out of the car, and shouted in the jeep’s direction, “It’s noon. Let’s take a break and get something to eat. We’ll then travel until we leave the mountain.”

“Alright!” Shang Jianyao replied enthusiastically.

Jiang Baimian couldn’t help but suspect something. Who’s the leader he should be following in this fellow’s mind?

As eating was a common requirement for all her team members apart from Genava, Jiang Baimian wasn’t a petty person who had to do the opposite. Therefore, she led her team members to alight naturally and instructed them to search for firewood.

Every bit of electricity saved for the solar charger board and batteries counted.

Upon seeing this, Ding Ling waved her hand. “There’s no need to go through so much trouble. Let’s share this.”

Her subordinates had already started a fire.

“That works too.” Who wouldn’t want to slack off when they could? Jiang Baimian was no exception.

She walked over and scanned the area. Then, she smiled and praised, “Your subordinates are very proactive!”

They did many things without needing instructions.

Ding Ling sat cross-legged on the ground and smiled. “Because this is a benefit for them. In a border settlement, apart from having a fixed vacation every year to return home, we have to stay there all the time and can’t leave without permission. Being able to go to Ubei on the grounds of a mission is what all of us look forward to.

“When I made the selection this morning, they were so enthusiastic that I could only decide based on the contribution they made during the attack from First City last year.”

The woman and the two men—who were busy preparing lunch—smiled and nodded repeatedly, indicating that their team leader was right.

Shang Jianyao asked in concern, “Was the attack last year especially dangerous?”

A male Salvation Army member—who was only 1.7 meters tall and had a pockmarked face—replied in fear, “That’s right. Captain Ding almost died. Fortunately, Ping’an did his best to save her. Ping’an was shot thrice, and we thought that he was doomed. Fortunately, he’s young and healthy. He managed to survive eventually.”

Is that so… Jiang Baimian forced herself not to look at Ding Ling.

“It’s all in the past.” Ding Ling smiled and consoled her subordinates. She then asked October Xue, “Did you bring a lot of notes from First City?”

“Not much. Most of them were exchanged for supplies,” Jiang Baimian replied frankly. She also casually found a place to sit down.

Ding Ling nodded. “That’s good. The main reason is that those First City notes are not legal tender in the Salvation Army. You can only exchange them for all kinds of negotiable instruments in the underground black market. The spread is very high.”

The Salvation Army mainly traded negotiable instruments in their day-to-day life, with cash being supplementary.

“We considered this.” With Jiang Baimian’s personality, how could she enter the Salvation Army’s territory without doing her homework?

The Old Task Force, Ding Ling, and the others quickly had lunch when a military jeep suddenly drove over from the east.

Upon seeing Ding Ling by the roadside, the military jeep suddenly braked and quickly stopped.

A man in a black uniform also left the passenger seat and circled to the open area. As he quickly approached, he shouted, “Captain Ding, there’s something for you!”

As he swept his gaze, he discovered Jiang Baimian and the others.

“These are?” he asked Ding Ling suspiciously.

“My friends,” Ding Ling introduced simply.

The man didn’t say anything else. He took out a document and handed it over. “Captain Ding, two moles have stolen some military supplies and might defect to First City. Your settlement has to pay special attention to such figures.”

Ding Ling’s expression turned solemn. She tore open the document and read it for a while before handing it back. “I’m on my way to Ubei. Please continue forward and inform the warriors staying at the settlement.”

“Alright.” The man took back the document and jogged back to the military jeep.

Shang Jianyao and the others didn’t ask any further. They ate their lunch without stealing glances or eavesdropping.

After setting off again, Jiang Baimian looked at the green mountain car in front of her and thoughtfully said, “The stolen military supplies are probably very important…”