Embers Ad Infinitum

New World people can take the initiative to spread the Heartless disease to the surroundings!

This sentence was like an electrified arrow shooting into Long Yuehong and the others’ minds, shattering their thoughts. It made their bodies and hearts tremble and numb.

The Old Task Force had already had a certain guess regarding the connection between the Heartless disease and the New World. They also suspected that the enhancement of nodes would cause the Heartless virus to spread from the New World and infect the surrounding humans when the New World’s powerhouses returned.

Even if they didn’t return, as long as the body of the person who entered the New World was still alive, it was equivalent to a natural node, resulting in the Heartless virus spreading across the Ashlands. It all depended on whether they were willing to control it.

Of course, such nodes were very weak; the corresponding ‘passage’ was extremely narrow. The load of the Heartless virus that used this opportunity to enter the Ashlands was very low, and it could hardly survive—it could only affect a small area near the node. The further out one went, the fewer viruses there were until there were none.

With this knowledge as a psychological foundation, Long Yuehong originally felt that he wouldn’t be too surprised even if the guess was confirmed and that the Heartless disease came from the New World. Instead, he would be depressed.

But Commissioner Huang actually told them that the New World could take the initiative to spread the Heartless disease around them once they returned to the Ashlands! This meant that every New World powerhouse was equivalent to a weapon of mass destruction, and it was the kind with precision. At the same time, it also meant that humans had no chance of defeating the Heartless disease. If the Old Task Force really encountered the returning Doctor, they would definitely die!

At this moment, Jiang Baimian’s thoughts were chaotic and in a fragmented state. She then recalled something: The last city Shang Jianyao’s father appeared in was a place where a large-scale Heartless outbreak happened—a rare event after the establishment of the New Calendar. This resulted in a human settlement not much smaller than Ubei turning into ruins instantly.

Could it be that they encountered a powerhouse who returned from the New World there? Jiang Baimian’s various thoughts gradually subsided as she slowly found her normal train of thought.

At this moment, Commissioner Huang looked around and took in the changes in Long Yuehong, Bai Chen, and the others’ expressions. He sighed and smiled bitterly. “When I preliminarily confirmed this matter, my reaction was about the same as yours. Heh heh, this was originally information with a very high confidentiality level. But first, you encountered a threat from a New World powerhouse, and this might very well affect Ubei. We have to respond. Second, I’ve always insisted that this should be made public to all of humanity so that everyone can be more vigilant. Therefore, I’ll share the corresponding situation within the powers of my clearance based on special exceptions afforded during an emergency.”

Before Jiang Baimian and the others could respond, Shang Jianyao asked, “Then, why not make it public to all of humanity?”

He seemed to care more about this.

Commissioner Huang wasn’t too surprised by his reaction and frankly replied, “This is because we haven’t figured out the real reason for the Old World’s destruction and the New World’s secret. Once the source of the Heartless disease is announced, we are afraid that humans will encounter another ‘great purge’ similar to the one from back then. If that happens, we can’t be sure if humans can continue on and if we can slowly rebuild civilization.”

“A very reasonable worry.” Jiang Baimian commented before Shang Jianyao could. She recovered and asked, “How did you confirm that people who return to the New World can take the initiative to spread the Heartless disease to the surroundings?”

This was very important.

Commissioner Huang held an unlit cigarette and paced back and forth. “In the beginning, we encountered a few humans who had fallen asleep for many years without dying. Once people stayed around them for too long, they would definitely be infected with the Heartless disease…”

A situation like Yama Tiger’s… Bai Chen pursed her lips and recalled the first New World powerhouse the Old Task Force had encountered—he was also the only New World powerhouse that couldn’t autonomously return and was praying for help.

Commissioner Huang continued, “Back then, the strongest of us had just entered the Mind Corridor. We couldn’t figure out what was going on, so we could only issue a ban to prevent all warriors from approaching the corresponding area.”

Yes, the Salvation Army was formed in the mid to late Chaotic Era. Many humans experienced disappointment time and time again and witnessed failure. Back then, it was indeed possible that Awakened had already pushed open the door to the New World… Jiang Baimian analyzed Commissioner Huang’s words from a different angle.

“Later, someone among my colleagues finally found the New World’s door and walked in. From the hints he gave, we understood the root cause of the previous phenomenon. We also preliminarily confirmed that people who return to the New World can take the initiative to spread the Heartless disease.” Commissioner Huang’s memories in this regard seemed to be well-preserved—or rather, he had been reading the corresponding information repeatedly to form new memories again and again.

Shang Jianyao expressed his confusion again. “Why did your colleagues who entered the New World only hint instead of making it clear?”

Commissioner Huang’s expression changed slightly. “I’ve forgotten my doubts back then and can only make some guesses from the documents that record these matters. My colleagues seem to have been restrained in some way; they even became real vegetables a few years after giving the hint. They could no longer transmit information from the New World, and such a situation continued until their bodies completely died.

“I still don’t know if they are still alive in the New World. Those of us who later entered the New World learned a lesson because of this and didn’t give any similar hints. Most of their bodies have successfully survived to this day.” At this point, Commissioner Huang sighed with a solemn expression. “From the looks of it, the New World’s situation is very complicated. Maybe we have to wait for more like-minded people to enter before we can stir some waves.”

“Alright,” Shang Jianyao said in a tone as though he was making a promise.

Without waiting for Jiang Baimian to speak, Commissioner Huang pondered for a moment and said, “The rules for transmitting information in the New World are unknown. We still have to be prepared for Doctor’s possible attack. How about this? Wait a few more hours. I’ll change the current arrangement and get the ordinary people to leave from the other side of Ubei. You, the person sleeping in Ubei, and the team that’s escorting him will evacuate to the southwest along the Yuelin River.”

The one sleeping in Ubei? Long Yuehong instantly understood that this represented a New World powerhouse from the Salvation Army.

The first thought that surfaced in his mind wasn’t that he was finally safe but that the New World powerhouses were also afraid of a nuke. He then felt some indescribable emotions.

Commissioner Huang arranged for most humans in Ubei to evacuate in another direction, making him feel like the Old Task Force was the source of the disaster. It was very easy for them to be implicated if they stayed around them.

Of course, Long Yuehong also understood why Commissioner Huang had made such an arrangement—he was worried that Doctor would really attack. When the time came, it would be very easy for the ordinary citizens to be implicated if they were still nearby during the intense battle.

“No problem.” As the team leader, Jiang Baimian agreed to Commissioner Huang’s suggestion on behalf of the Old Task Force.

After leaving Commissioner Huang’s room and returning to the third floor, the four carbon-based Old Task Force members fell silent.

Genava looked around and said, “Shouldn’t you be happy that the connection between the Heartless disease and the New World has been further confirmed?”

This was the Old Task Force’s main mission.

“It weighs on my heart.” Long Yuehong didn’t hide his feelings.

Shang Jianyao stroked his chin and chuckled. “I’m thinking about some problems.”

“What problem?” Bai Chen felt that although Shang Jianyao’s train of thought was always strange, it was often something that invoked strong inspiration.

This time, it wasn’t Shang Jianyao who replied but Jiang Baimian. The latter looked at the sunlight outside the window and slowly said, “I’m thinking that the company also has New World powerhouses. It’s impossible for the Board of Directors not to know the source of the Heartless disease. Why did they establish an Old Task Force to pursue the truth in this regard?”

The calm and rational Shang Jianyao gave his explanation. “Maybe the hints from the company’s New World powerhouses are even more unclear to prevent them from repeating the mistakes of the Salvation Army’s earliest batch of New World powerhouses.”

Jiang Baimian nodded. “This depends on who entered the New World first—the company or the Salvation Army.”

Normally speaking, humans who had experienced the Old World’s destruction and painstakingly entered the New World would more or less work hard to transmit some important information without the corresponding experience or sufficient lessons.

Jiang Baimian glanced at Long Yuehong, Bai Chen, and Genava before continuing with a solemn expression. “I thought of the Kalendaria’s gaze on us and how we went to Swamp Ruin 1 and met Xiaochong during our first training in the Ashlands…”

Hiss… Long Yuehong gasped. He smelled the scent of ‘arrangement.’