Embers Ad Infinitum

With the investigation coming this far, Long Yuehong and the others gradually had an idea of the ins and outs.

Two people in the Salvation Army’s secret base—who had access to the nuclear warhead—had been instigated to defect for some reason. They seized the opportunity to bring the corresponding items to Ubei. They then completed the transaction with their contact and handed over the nuclear warhead, obtaining a large amount of supplies and a route out of the Salvation Army.

After separating from their contact, the two defectors headed west. In the end, they were discovered near a settlement closest to Cloud Mountain before being killed. The person who obtained the nuclear bomb handed the weapon of mass destruction to a relatively strong person, or he himself was strong.

This person originally planned on leaving Ubei as soon as possible and delivering the nuclear warhead out. Unexpectedly, something happened, and he was trapped in the city until the army entered the city and enacted martial law.

Having a clear understanding of the Salvation Army’s efficiency and situation, he panicked slightly. After some time, he thought that perhaps he could use his Awakened abilities or hacking abilities like Genava’s to hijack the radio system and plan a ‘game’ to feign a diversion.

Of course, this was only the most likely scenario. They couldn’t rule out the possibility that the person who obtained the nuclear warhead was a lunatic and a swindler who wanted to pull off something big.

“What accident did the target encounter?” Long Yuehong began to think about this question.

Jiang Baimian pondered for a moment and replied, “Maybe his public identity prevents him from leaving Ubei without permission as he might be suspected. It’s also possible that someone around him has been infected with the Heartless disease. The Ubei Public Security Council would employ caution by quarantining him at home for observation. It’s also possible that he’s really a powerful Awakened, and of all days, his weakness was ‘hit’ that very day. This forced him into spending two to three days to recover…”

“We can rule out the possibility that someone around him got infected with the Heartless disease,” Bai Chen said as she thought about it. “We’re currently in a state of martial law, so if that person has a way to hijack the radio system, it’s unlikely the stay-home quarantine—which is low on the wariness priority—can trap him.”

Shang Jianyao suddenly smiled. “Is there a possibility that he’s actually the one infected with the Heartless disease?”

Long Yuehong was stunned, and the corners of his mouth twitched. One can’t think of such a situation without suffering from years of mental illness!

Just as this thought flashed through Long Yuehong’s mind, Shang Jianyao smiled as if he had succeeded in his prank. He then changed the topic. “I mean that the original contact contracted the Heartless disease, causing a problem with the nuclear warhead’s handover. The person who hijacked the radio spent a great deal of effort and time reconnecting with him to retrieve the nuclear warhead. However, Ubei entered martial law before he could leave the city.”

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Genava clapped for Shang Jianyao.

Jiang Baimian also nodded slightly. “It might not be the Heartless disease. It might also be a heart attack, brain hemorrhage, or a car accident…”

At this moment, Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao cast their gazes at the door at the same time.

Soon, someone knocked on the door.

“Who is it?” Shang Jianyao asked enthusiastically.

“Me.” Ding Ling’s voice sounded.

Jiang Baimian walked over and opened the door with a smile. “Why are you here again?”

How long has it been since we separated?

Ding Ling didn’t look good as she sighed. “I never expected things to turn out this way; the nuclear warhead actually landed in the hands of a lunatic. After I heard the broadcast, I quickly reported it to Commissioner Huang’s secretary for your future arrangements. Don’t worry. Commissioner Huang told me to inform you that you will be examined in detail tomorrow morning and will be evacuated from Ubei. When this matter is resolved, we’ll invite you back to wait for the Supplies Management Committee to approve the sharing of the corresponding information.”

That’s good, that’s good… Long Yuehong was delighted and even wanted to clap.

“No!” Shang Jianyao replied before Jiang Baimian could.

Ding Ling was just about to say that she would work harder and strive to evacuate them in the evening when Shang Jianyao added righteously, “Evacuate the ordinary people first!”

“…” Ding Ling’s expression froze as if she hadn’t seen such a noble human in a long time.

Fortunately, Jiang Baimian didn’t embarrass her. She glared at Shang Jianyao and said, “With Ubei’s manpower and how the army is already in the city, we definitely aren’t the first batch to be evacuated.”

Ding Ling forced a smile and nodded.

Jiang Baimian changed the topic and carefully recounted their analysis of the radio broadcast and their guesses on the entire matter. Finally, she said, “This is our humble opinion. Your Salvation Army might’ve already thought of it, but advice from others may help one overcome their shortcomings. I hope it can give you the corresponding inspiration.”

Ding Ling became more and more shocked as she listened. In the end, she unconsciously revealed an expression of admiration. “Regardless of whether others have thought of it or not, this is the first time I’ve discovered that one can figure out so much important information through such inconspicuous details.”

The honest Shang Jianyao was just about to say, ‘you just need to rely on the brain’ when Jiang Baimian smiled and replied, “We’ve undergone professional training.”

Ding Ling nodded. “I’ll submit your analysis. I’ll lead you to be examined tomorrow morning.”

“Alright.” Jiang Baimian didn’t give Shang Jianyao a chance.

After sending Ding Ling off, the Old Task Force went to the hotel restaurant for a simple lunch. They then returned to their rooms and didn’t go out again.

When the sun began to set, they suddenly heard an argument in the parking lot outside.

“Mr. Zhang, why are you here again? You are putting me in a tough spot!” said the hotel manager, Shen Kang, sounding frustrated.

Shang Jianyao leaned against the glass window and saw a person wearing a dark-gray aluminum pot and a black uniform that had faded from washing standing there with his back straight.

The person spoke quickly with an aged voice. “Why are you in a tough spot? What’s wrong with me coming over for a walk? I’m not doing anything else!”

At least not yet.

“Mr. Zhang, we are under martial law.” Shen Kang spoke sincerely, not daring to be rude to him.

Shang Jianyao turned his head and asked Long Yuehong and Bai Chen, “The one you encountered this morning?”

Although the other party was wearing an aluminum pot and only revealed the area below his nose, making it impossible for Long Yuehong to identify him from his appearance, he could tell from the voice. “Yes, that’s right.”

Jiang Baimian also walked over. She looked at the elder in the grayish aluminum pot below and muttered to herself, “That’s right. Why didn’t I notice that he managed to come to the hotel’s parking lot despite the city being under martial law…”

At this moment, Elder Zhang—who was wearing an aluminum pot—snorted and pointed at Shen Kang. “Back when they sent us to the sanatorium, the Supplies Management Committee said: ‘If you are sick of staying in the sanatorium, you can walk around. This area is equivalent to your courtyard.’

“I figure that even if martial law is up, it won’t affect anyone if I stroll in my courtyard! You don’t care about what needs to be cared for, and you worry about what you shouldn’t care about. You even play dirty, are lazy, and love to take advantage of others…”

Shen Kang’s face turned pale from the scolding, but he didn’t dare to retort.

At this moment, a voice sounded beside Elder Zhang. “That’s right, that’s right!”

At some point in time, Shang Jianyao had already jumped out of the window and landed on the first floor.

This stunned Shen Kang.

“You are…” Elder Zhang moved his body and turned to Shang Jianyao as if he were trying to determine if he had met the latter before by sizing up his large shoe.

Before Shang Jianyao could respond, Shen Kang stammered, “Mr. Zhang, I’m just worried that something will go wrong. Sir, please take your time strolling. I still have something on!”

He quickly left and returned to the hotel.

At this moment, Jiang Baimian also jumped to Shang Jianyao’s side in just two clean moves.

Shang Jianyao took a step forward and enthusiastically stretched out his hands, attempting to hold the old man in the aluminum pot. “Mr. Zhang, I’m very interested in what you proclaim. Can you tell me in detail about mind control and degeneration?”

Elder Zhang was stunned for a moment. It was only when Shang Jianyao gripped his hand that he suddenly shook him off and took two steps back warily. “Who are you? What do you want?”

Excessive enthusiasm results in the opposite effect… Jiang Baimian facepalmed with her right hand. She even felt like laughing.

Under normal circumstances, Elder Zhang would come to the hotel to ‘racketeer’ and talk to any kind helpers about mind control and degeneration. However, he ended up encountering Shang Jianyao—who was too proactive. Instead, he suspected that the other party was a spy sent by the degenerates who wanted to infiltrate the anti-secret control organization.

Shang Jianyao quickly explained, “My name is Shang Jianyao. Many years ago, I felt that I should be a member of the Salvation Army.”

Hey, don’t say that in front of the team leader of Pangu Biology’s Investigation Unit for the Cause of the Old World’s Destruction! Jiang Baimian yelled weakly in her heart.

Elder Zhang snorted. “Don’t even think of lying to an old man like me. From your voice, how old can you be?”

He turned around and slowly walked in the other direction.

Shang Jianyao wore a disappointed and confused expression.

“Mr. Zhang,” Jiang Baimian shouted, “I want to ask something. Do you know that a nuclear warhead is installed in Ubei?”

Elder Zhang paused and raised his voice. “So what if I know? It’s not like I can do anything about it!”

“We want to ask if you and your comrades still stroll the area during the martial law lockdown. Did you encounter anyone suspicious?”

Elder Zhang asked loudly, “Why are you two foreigners concerned about this? Hurry up and find an opportunity to evacuate Ubei!”

Shang Jianyao took two steps forward and said in a deep voice, “How can we abandon the ordinary citizens and evacuate first!?”

Elder Zhang was stunned, and words seemed to fail him. He instinctively raised his right hand as if he wanted to touch his forehead, but he ended up touching the cold aluminum pot.

Suddenly, he laughed. “The families and relatives of those above have probably already left Ubei by this time!”

Phew. Elder Zhang took a deep breath and said seriously, “Kid, let me ask you: Why can’t we abandon the ordinary citizens?”

Shang Jianyao stood up straight, stretched out his right hand, and pressed it to his left chest. “For all of humanity!”

The pot-wearing Elder Zhang stood there stunned and silent.