Embers Ad Infinitum

Long Yuehong and Bai Chen remained silent. As their thoughts raced, Shang Jianyao suddenly looked up and laughed boisterously.

“Why are you laughing?” Genava asked cooperatively.

Shang Jianyao smiled. “It involves the cause of the Old World’s destruction and the New World secret. If we don’t find ourselves in an arrangement, it can only mean that we’ve deviated from the right path.”

He switched the ‘Heartless disease source’ he often used to say to ‘New World secret’ because the Old Task Force had already preliminarily confirmed that the Heartless disease originated from the New World. However, they weren’t sure what it was in the New World or what its essence was.

After hearing Shang Jianyao’s words, Jiang Baimian didn’t retort and nodded slightly. “The company clearly hopes to do something about these matters. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have sent out one Old Task Force after another. My current question is: Is the company’s real goal the investigation of the reason behind the Old World’s destruction and the New World’s secret to prepare for such dangers in the future, or is it to sow discord in the New World and obtain some kind of benefit?”

Long Yuehong thought for a long time and only came to one conclusion: It was all possible.

If powerhouses who entered the New World could transmit the New World’s secrets to the Ashlands without restraint, the company would definitely fall into the second camp. However, it was obvious that powerhouses who entered the New World were restrained by certain rules or threats.

“It’s also possible that it’s a mix of both possibilities.” Bai Chen expressed her thoughts.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Shang Jianyao clapped. “Yes! After investigating the reason for the Old World’s destruction and figuring out the New World’s secret, the company might be able to make a name for itself in the New World and obtain more benefits. This is precisely the preparation for such dangers in the future.”

Jiang Baimian nodded. “Regardless, we will definitely encounter greater and greater danger if we continue investigating the cause of the Old World’s destruction and the New World’s secrets. Our current situation is like crossing a large river—we’ve finally reached the middle, but we realize that our boats are leaking. We are unprepared in all aspects and are muddle-headed. We are no different from minesweepers.”

She then looked at Shang Jianyao and said seriously, “I plan on returning to the company after exploring Tai City’s Buddhist Holy Land to see if our current gains can squeeze more information from the board of directors. After we gain a deeper understanding of the New World and make more preparations, we’ll set off again. We’ll first search for the remaining Buddhist Holy Land before heading to the city your father last appeared in.”

The place the Heartless disease destroyed.

Shang Jianyao fell silent for a moment before answering in a slightly low voice, “Alright.”

Jiang Baimian tersely acknowledged his words and cast her gaze at Long Yuehong and Bai Chen.

Long Yuehong naturally agreed with her idea of returning home early. Bai Chen only wanted to move with the team, so she didn’t care where she went.

After moving her gaze away from them, Jiang Baimian instructed, “Let’s conserve our energy and wait for the migration.”

In fact, she was thinking further than anyone else. She planned on leaving Bai Chen and Long Yuehong in the company after returning to Pangu Biology.

From Jiang Baimian’s point of view, they—who weren’t Awakened—would definitely be in greater danger as the investigation progressed. If this continued, it might even be a problem for them to protect themselves.

After the Old Task Force members found their seats and sat down, Shang Jianyao suddenly jumped up. He looked at Bai Chen and anxiously asked, “Are you driving later, or should I drive? Or should we get Little Red to do it?”

In short, Jiang Baimian was out of the question.

As for Genava, it was best to save him some electricity.

“I’ll do it. You can focus on guarding against any accidents.” Bai Chen had no complaints about the division of labor in the team, nor did she feel inferior.

“I can do it too.” Long Yuehong wasn’t too sure why Shang Jianyao had to confirm this matter now.

“Then, Little White it is.” Shang Jianyao ignored Long Yuehong’s answer. He then took off his tactical backpack, took out a small black speaker with a blue bottom, and handed it to Bai Chen.

Bai Chen looked at him in confusion. Although she didn’t speak, it was best asking a question.

Frankly speaking, Jiang Baimian couldn’t guess what this fellow’s train of thought was. She only roughly understood that he wanted Little White to play music while driving.

The next second, Shang Jianyao smiled, revealing his white teeth. “Remember to play the song while driving. I’ve already raised the volume to the maximum.”

“You want background music during a battle?” Bai Chen tried her best to understand this from the perspective of a mental patient.

Most likely… Long Yuehong believed that he had a certain level of understanding of Shang Jianyao.

Shang Jianyao shook his head. “I want to attract Doctor’s attention. If he can really make it in time, I want him to know that we’re here and that we’re heading southwest along the Yuelin River. This way, he won’t attack the ordinary people evacuating in another direction just because he can’t find us.”

At this second, Long Yuehong suddenly found the sunlight a little blinding and couldn’t help but tilt his head.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Genava clapped without holding back. As a smart bot, protecting humans was one of his duties.

Jiang Baimian also fully realized what it meant to have noble sentiment and pure integrity. For a moment, she felt ‘tiny.’

She muttered inwardly, The only problem is that this fellow is mentally ill…

At this moment, Shang Jianyao suggested, “Why don’t I borrow a car from the Salvation Army? When the time comes, I’ll drive it myself and play the song to attract Doctor’s attention.”

“There’s no need,” Bai Chen replied firmly.

Jiang Baimian also shook her head and snorted. “Wouldn’t that make us disloyal?”

Shang Jianyao said in surprise, “Isn’t this a very simple plan? I’m in charge of attracting attention, and you guys are in charge of ambushing.”

This… Which Shang Jianyao is this!? Jiang Baimian took a deep breath and said, “There’s no need. If Doctor really can rush over, the first target definitely won’t be us but the one sleeping in Ubei. Without restricting him, influencing him, and bypassing him, Doctor shouldn’t be able to deal with us directly.

“Since a powerhouse from the New World can take the initiative to spread the Heartless disease, there’s a high chance that he has the ability to use the node to absorb the corresponding virus and reduce its range or numbers. Otherwise, Commissioner Huang wouldn’t have suggested that we follow that person during the migration.”

Shang Jianyao had no objections to this.

The Old Task Force continued conserving their energy. After a while, Shang Jianyao and Jiang Baimian cast their gazes at the door at the same time.

Before long, there was a knock on the door.

“Who is it?” Shang Jianyao walked to the door.

“E-Elder Zhang is looking for you.” Shen Kang’s slightly trembling voice sounded.

Shang Jianyao’s face lit up as he opened the door and saw Elder Zhang with the grayish-white, deep aluminum pot. The latter was still wearing the faded, black Salvation Army uniform.

“Elder Zhang, they’re in the room. I-I can leave now, right?” Shen Kang turned to Elder Zhang.

Elder Zhang waved his hand and said, “Go back and reflect on yourself and your mistakes. Hmph, don’t think I don’t know why the thief previously succeeded. It’s because you and your subordinates always turn a blind eye. You don’t check the people who leave or even accept their gifts. You open the door for them and let them out when you shouldn’t!”

A layer of sweat broke out on Shen Kang’s forehead. “I’m just upholding the principle that customers are above all and that service is of utmost importance. I-I…”

“Go back.” Old Zhang didn’t want to hear his explanation.

After Shen Kang left the third floor, Elder Zhang lowered his head and walked into the room using the gap under the aluminum pot to find his path. He then identified the person by their shoes and said to Jiang Baimian, “Lass, you’re amazing. You didn’t seem to discover anything back then, but you found that fellow in a blink of an eye!”

“I was worried that acting too abnormally back then would alert the target,” Jiang Baimian admitted frankly.

Elder Zhang nodded in satisfaction. This was obvious from the aluminum pot’s up and down motion.

He said, “There’s no need to explain. Although our Salvation Army is honest with others, we are also methodological and strategic when dealing with enemies.”

His voice gradually became loud. “Let me ask you: Did something happen? Why did the Public Security Council suddenly change their plan and are now gathering the citizens to head northeast?”

Shang Jianyao didn’t hesitate to tell him about Doctor using what Jiang Baimian had said without a single stutter.

Elder Zhang didn’t say anything for a while.

“I see…” Finally, he sighed with emotion. “You guys have experienced a lot. You’re already coming into contact with the New World at such a young age.”

He didn’t question Commissioner Huang’s management.

Elder Zhang then waved his hand and said, “I’ll go back and inform my old comrades to prepare for the migration.”

Just as he said that, a flurry of footsteps suddenly sounded from the stairwell.

Shang Jianyao looked over and saw Commissioner Huang, his staff, and the security guards beside him. Ding Ling was also among them.

Commissioner Huang glanced at Elder Zhang and didn’t say anything before walking into the room.

Elder Zhang seemed to have guessed who it was as well. He stood motionless inside while Ding Ling took the initiative to close the door and leave the others outside.

“That fast?” Jiang Baimian looked at Commissioner Huang and instinctively felt that something was amiss. Didn’t you need a few hours?

At this moment, the ordinary citizens had probably not completely gathered, much less evacuated on a large scale.

Commissioner Huang’s gaze swept past Jiang Baimian, the others, and Old Zhang. He suppressed his voice and said, “We can’t contact the person sleeping in Ubei.”

What do you mean by ‘you can’t contact him?’ This thought flashed through Jiang Baimian’s mind first before she recalled Shang Jianyao using his Awakened abilities to connect to Yama Tiger’s consciousness and hear him cry for help.

In the blink of an eye, Jiang Baimian had a clear guess of Commissioner Huang’s words: After he used his Awakened abilities to connect to the consciousness of the New World powerhouse in Ubei, he realized that the other party didn’t respond?

Something happened to that person in the New World?

Doctor has done something?