Embers Ad Infinitum

Amidst the hoarse shouting, Commissioner Huang said to Elder Zhang and the others, “A team of four will each board a different helicopter.”

This was based on the Old Task Force’s numbers.

Commissioner Huang didn’t count Genava. Although he already knew that this was a smart bot from Mechanical Paradise, the other party didn’t have human consciousness and wouldn’t be sensed by Doctor.

Without the aluminum pot blocking his line of sight, Elder Zhang strode forward and walked toward one of the black helicopters in high spirits. Hong Guangming limped behind him.

These veteran Salvation Army warriors didn’t ask for weapons. On the one hand, Elder Zhang and the others knew that ordinary weapons were useless. On the other hand, the helicopters here were well-equipped. Once Doctor’s location was locked onto, they could immediately fire air-to-surface missiles.

As Jiang Baimian watched Elder Zhang and the others get into different helicopters one after another without filling up the seats other than the pilot’s, she muttered inwardly, Is the person sleeping in Ubei already sitting in a helicopter, or will he evacuate with the convoy?

At this moment, Commissioner Huang cast his gaze at the Old Task Force. “You guys will board the last one.”

“Alright.” Shang Jianyao—who was wearing a black trench coat and black sunglasses—curled his right foot and threw the small black speaker with a blue bottom into the air. He then stretched out his hand and grabbed it firmly.

However, he didn’t take the lead. Instead, he turned around and signaled for Jiang Baimian to take the lead.

The one who emphasizes manners is back? Jiang Baimian muttered silently and calmly walked to the black helicopter parked not far away.

The five Old Task Force members sat in the back row. Jiang Baimian took the left, and Shang Jianyao took the right. In the middle, from left to right were Bai Chen, Long Yuehong, and Genava.

Upon seeing this, Commissioner Huang turned to the remaining Salvation Army veterans and ordered, “You will form teams freely and fill up the empty seats in every helicopter. Heh heh, leave one for me.”

After giving the instructions, he turned his head and smiled at the staff and security guards beside him. “You guys are still young, so don’t take this risk with me. However, it’s not like you don’t have to bear any responsibility. In a while, you will split into a few teams and drive different vehicles southwest along the Yuelin River.”

As he spoke, Commissioner Huang asked Ding Ling, “Did they give you the key to their car?”

This referred to the Old Task Force’s jeep.

Ding Ling nodded. “They gave it to me the moment they came downstairs.”

Commissioner Huang tersely acknowledged her words. “Then, take a few people and drive that car out. Wait outside the Anse settlement.”

It was the forested settlement closest to Ubei.

After quickly briefing them on all kinds of matters, Commissioner Huang glanced at the helicopters, confirmed his ride, and quickly walked over.

His security guards checked all the helicopters’ appearances according to the plan to prevent anyone from secretly adding markings so that Doctor could identify the target. Right on the heels of that, they used riot forks, long bamboo poles, and other tools to sweep and scan the area around the helicopters that could be used for climbing.

Invisibility didn’t mean that one didn’t exist; it just meant that others couldn’t see, hear, or sense anything. Once they came into contact with each other, it was impossible for the assassin to turn something corporeal into illusory and allow the pole to pass through their body.

At the same time, everyone in the helicopter completed their confirmation of the remaining space.

Ta! Ta! Ta!

The rotors let out rapid spinning sounds as a strong wind lifted them from the ground.

Elder Zhang—who was sitting in the front row by the window—turned around before the helicopter door closed. He smiled and waved at his old comrades in the other helicopters. In a rather relaxed state, he shouted, “For all of humanity!”

Commissioner Huang and the others also smiled and waved their hands, scrambling to respond. “For all of humanity!”

Unlike the solemnity and sobriety from before, the shouting this time was like a group of old companions going on a road trip to their next stop in life. They would all say, “Cya at our destination.”

Shang Jianyao was unwilling to lag behind. He also half-raised his body and waved his hand with eager participation. “For all of humanity!”

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The doors completely closed as helicopters rose into the air amidst the strong winds created by the rotors. They circled in the air before flying in different directions.

Of course, they mostly headed southwest along the Yuelin River.

In the helicopter where the Old Task Force was, the loud noise didn’t affect Shang Jianyao. He looked at the relatively young pilot and blurted out in surprise, “You’re not a vet?”

The pilot straightened his back and laughed. “In order to protect the Salvation Army’s foundation and cover the evacuation of the Ubei people, there are people in our younger generation who are willing to sacrifice themselves! There are many others like me; they are in the other helicopters.”

The Salvation Army veterans in the same row as him nodded in relief like Shang Jianyao. They pressed their hands to their chests again and said, “For all of humanity!”

The pilot’s hands were busy, and he couldn’t salute. He could only respond in the loudest voice possible. “For all of humanity!”

Shang Jianyao then retracted his gaze, opened his tactical backpack, and took out the Six Senses Beads and the Life Angel necklace.

As he threw the two items to Bai Chen and Long Yuehong, he said, “These are all special items. They might be effective in your hands.”

At this critical moment, be it Bai Chen or Long Yuehong, they didn’t waste their breaths. One held the Six Senses Beads, and the other wrapped the Life Angel necklace around himself.

Shang Jianyao said to Jiang Baimian, “You have Chaotic Right Hand, which is also special and comes from a strange psychological trauma. I won’t give you the small jade Buddha.”

As he spoke, he took out the small, lake-green jade Buddha and casually held it in his hand.

“Alright!” Jiang Baimian had already put on Chaotic Right Hand and was trembling.

Amidst the rotors and the sound of the wind, their conversation unconsciously became louder.

A Salvation Army veteran in the front row clicked his tongue in wonder. “You guys sure have good stuff. It seems like you’ve experienced a lot. It’s no wonder you were targeted by a New World powerhouse.”

Before Shang Jianyao could respond, the helicopter’s radio broadcast sounded.

“Heli 1, safety confirmed.”

“Heli 2, safety confirmed.”

…

The young pilot picked up the communication device and reported the situation. “Heli 5, safety confirmed.”

Just as he said that, Heli 6 began to provide feedback.

…

“Heli 8, safety confirmed.”

Elder Zhang looked at the pilot in front of him and turned to smile at Hong Guangming beside him. “You didn’t embarrass our battalion by stepping forward!”

Hong Guangming said awkwardly, “Actually, I sometimes wonder how good it would’ve been if I died on the battlefield. That way, I wouldn’t have to see the current situation and be implicated by my child. I wouldn’t have to do those things against my conscience…”

This involved his guilt, so he was unwilling to mention it further. He then asked, “Battalion Commander, why aren’t you wearing the aluminum pots? You might really be able to resist the Heartless disease later.”

Elder Zhang had just informed his former subordinate of the horror of a New World powerhouse.

Elder Zhang shook his head and laughed self-deprecatingly. “Actually, we all know very well that aluminum pots can’t prevent the Heartless disease, but mind control really exists! Some people will unconsciously change their personalities and do things that they wouldn’t have done in the past. You probably did the same—yes, definitely. It was only when you were shocked by everyone’s performance that you returned to normal…”

Before Elder Zhang could finish speaking, he suddenly saw Hong Guangming’s face distort. The latter’s eyes quickly turned turbid, and blood vessels protruded.

“Guangming…” The latter half of Elder Zhang’s words were stuck in his throat. A gasping sound came from his mouth as if he had become a beast that couldn’t speak human.

In just a few seconds, everyone in the helicopter was infected with the Heartless disease.

The helicopter’s flying trajectory became stranger as it plummeted to the ground not long after.

Boom!

A fireball rose.

…

“Heli 7, safety confirmed.”

Sizzle…

In the second round of situation reports, nobody replied after Heli 7.

After a few seconds, a voice sounded. “Heli 1, safety confirmed…”

Without the pilot’s explanation, Long Yuehong and the others clearly knew one thing: Something had happened to Heli 8.

Doctor was really here!

Just as this realization flashed through his mind, the pilot—who knew the callsigns and had also observed the situation—said in a deep voice, “It’s the one Elder Zhang and the others were on.”

Elder Zhang… Long Yuehong suddenly felt his mood sink.

A faint sense of grief quickly filled the helicopter.

In Heli 3, Commissioner Huang—who also knew the callsigns—couldn’t help but sigh.

“Old Zhang…” He felt like he had lost another pillar that could support his memories.

At this moment, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head, accompanied by strong dizziness.

Heartless disease! This realization suddenly flashed across Commissioner Huang’s mind. He tried his best to mobilize his mind and stimulate his consciousness to mount a defense. However, his vision became darker and darker, and his thoughts slowed down.

Before long, Commissioner Huang felt like he couldn’t hold on any longer. With his lingering obsession, he opened his mouth and shouted, “For all of…”

These were the words that had accompanied him through a long life fraught with danger—words that he had lost and found puzzling before finding them again.

At the end of his sentence, a beast-like roar replaced the word ‘humanity.’ Commissioner Huang’s eyes rapidly turned turbid as countless blood vessels surfaced.

The helicopter—which had lost its pilot—soon crashed into a nearby mountain.

Boom!

A fireball bloomed in midair.

…

“Heli 1, safety confirmed.”

“Heli 2, safety confirmed.”

After a moment of silence, the pilot in Heli 5 said with a sobbing tone, “Commissioner Huang and the others have sacrificed themselves.”

Commissioner Huang… Long Yuehong’s heart palpitated as if he saw the shadow of death looming over. He couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Bai Chen. “I…”

Bai Chen cut him off. “We’ll talk about it later. We’ll definitely survive!”

At this moment, Shang Jianyao raised his right hand that was holding the small jade Buddha with a solemn expression and pressed it to his left chest.

“For all of humanity!” he shouted in a deep voice.

The Salvation Army veterans in the front row bowed their heads because of Commissioner Huang’s death. Their eyes seemed to flicker with tears as their right hands neatly pressed to their left chests. “For all of humanity!”

A firm and passionate voice echoed in the helicopter.