Embers Ad Infinitum

Translator: CKtalon

Genava replied honestly, “It’s very likely somewhere in Tai City. They likely encountered danger back then, which resulted in a member being separated from the bulk of the troops.”

Jiang Baimian thought for a moment and said, “The corpse in the school didn’t have any items related to Buddhism. He should’ve entered the true Tai City with the person holding a Buddhist keepsake, and there’s a high chance that someone is in the scientific team.”

In other words, the possibility of nobody escaping after the entire scientific team accidentally entered the true Tai City and encountered danger was rather high.

“Maybe the Buddhist ‘keepsake’ on the corpse fell elsewhere and is not missing,” retorted the honest Shang Jianyao.

“That’s another possibility,” Jiang Baimian replied calmly.

Bai Chen nodded. “The Salvation Army soldier—who was lost in the dream—came here on foot from elsewhere.”

Her reason was: “We previously checked the surroundings and didn’t discover any relatively new vehicles.”

Jiang Baimian tersely acknowledged her words. “Since he was on foot, the possibility of him coming in with the bulk of the troops is a little higher.”

It was at least 20 kilometers from Tai City’s periphery; it was definitely not a wise choice to come on foot.

In other words, the possibility of the corpse encountering danger outside Tai City and entering the real Tai City in a panic to walk to this place was very low.

Jiang Baimian then looked around. “Let’s go out first. It feels a little worrisome to discuss here. I’m afraid that an accident will happen again.”

Long Yuehong was in full agreement.

The Old Task Force managed to retrace their route relatively smoothly and left Tai City.

After arriving at the camp near the water source, they each washed their faces and freshened up. Genava also wiped the dust from his metal-skeleton face.

Long Yuehong secretly heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that the surroundings remained the same. He asked Jiang Baimian, “Team Leader, what should we do next?”

After such a harrowing and dramatic adventure, he only wanted to empty his mind, lie down, and stay with Little White while waiting for the return trip to Pangu Biology.

Shang Jianyao replied before Jiang Baimian could. “Only Renhui Hospital’s Vegetative Rehabilitation Center is left. We’re already here!”

Upon seeing Long Yuehong’s solemn expression and ignoring him, he revealed a methodical and patient expression. “What’s there to be afraid of? Our strength is still relatively intact; we only lost a phone number that can connect to Master Zhuang. Renhui Hospital’s Vegetative Rehabilitation Center has a New World node at most. We have sufficient ways to deal with it!”

Be it Jiang Baimian or Genava, they could release high-voltage electric currents. Similarly, Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong, and Bai Chen could also use the simple discharge device they had previously created.

“What do you mean by ‘New World node at most?’ You’ve never been there, so how would you know?” Long Yuehong didn’t believe it at all.

Shang Jianyao shook his head and smiled. “There are ways.”

At this moment, Jiang Baimian thoughtfully said, “If the scientific team Ding Ling’s husband, Ji Qiang, was in did enter the true Tai City, where will they most likely encounter danger and have their team members scatter?”

“Renhui Hospital,” Bai Chen replied in a slightly low voice.

From the current situation, the living beings in Tai City had instantly died the moment the Old World was destroyed. There were no Superior Heartless or powerful mutated creatures.

In other words, apart from the fact that they harbored secrets and that the danger came from certain places in the ‘outside world,’ it was unlikely that any other place in Tai City could destroy a scientific team protected by professionals.

The Old Task Force only knew of Harbour Homeland, Renhui Hospital, and Tai City’s No. 1 Senior High School as places that harbored secrets.

They had already been to Harbour Homeland and Tai City’s No. 1 Senior High School. The former wasn’t dangerous, and the latter only had a foreign corpse inside.

With the information they currently had, there was a high chance that Ding Ling’s husband—Ji Qiang’s scientific team had an accident at Renhui Hospital.

Of course, the Old Task Force couldn’t temporarily rule out the possibility that there were other dangerous places in Tai City. After all, the situation here was rather special. It didn’t suffer bombardment during the Old World’s destruction, nor was anyone infected with the Heartless disease on a large scale. The citizens died silently on the spot.

Upon hearing Bai Chen’s answer, Shang Jianyao became increasingly anxious. “Therefore, it makes it even more imperative for us to head there!”

The Old Task Force still owed Ding Ling a favor. In addition, it was equivalent to them indirectly obtaining a nuclear warhead through Ding Ling.

They really felt a little guilty.

Jiang Baimian raised her hand to stop Shang Jianyao’s urging and smiled. “Prepare some food. It’s already noon! I’ll report our recent experiences to the company and see if they have any suggestions for any subsequent arrangements.”

“Alright.” Shang Jianyao instantly returned to being a model employee.

He, Bai Chen, and Long Yuehong prepared lunch. As Genava patrolled and guarded the area, Jiang Baimian deliberated and wrote a telegram.

She attributed the reason for her team’s entry into the real Tai City to the Six Senses Beads. There was no problem with that; the Six Senses Beads could indeed allow the wearer and the people 50 meters around them to see through the fake Tai City.

At the same time, she concealed the encounter when all the carbon-based humans in the team were collectively lost in a dream. She said that they had split up and relied on the auxiliary chip to barely find themselves and escape.

About calling the mysterious number provided by Avia, Jiang Baimian described how she had successfully stored the number into a phone with the help of a robot in Ubei.

As she embellished the corresponding details, Jiang Baimian suddenly heard Shang Jianyao yelp. Long Yuehong and Bai Chen were also taking long or short gasps.

She looked up and asked warily, “What’s wrong?”

Shang Jianyao pointed in the direction of Tai City and said, “Look!”

Jiang Baimian turned her head and saw the relatively well-preserved true Tai City in the distance.

This was no different from the previous scene because the Old Task Force carried the Six Senses Beads and the small jade Buddha.

“Is there a problem?” Jiang Baimian asked.

Shang Jianyao pointed behind him. “I threw my backpack 50 meters away.”

The Six Senses Beads and the small jade Buddha were in his backpack.

Jiang Baimian couldn’t help but draw a light breath. “The fake Tai City has disappeared?”

Shang Jianyao smiled smugly. “In order to slack off, I was there thinking. Since Master Zhuang has already woken up and the dream of No. 1 Senior High School has disappeared, will the fake Tai City disappear as well? I tested it, and the answer is yes.”

Do you have to make your cunning intentions sound so open and aboveboard… Long Yuehong muttered.

Jiang Baimian nodded in admiration. “Good idea.”

It was meaningless, however.

Shang Jianyao quickly said, “Do you still remember? I previously saw Master Zhuang’s dream in Room 102 in the Mind Corridor—it was Tai City’s No. 1 Senior High School.”

“Yes.” Bai Chen, Long Yuehong, and Genava nodded in unison.

Jiang Baimian’s heart palpitated. “Master Zhuang is awake now.”

Shang Jianyao smiled in satisfaction. “Therefore, I’m very curious about what I’ll see when I enter Room 102 now. The Kalendaria’s psychological trauma?”

“Isn’t that too dangerous?” Long Yuehong blurted out.

Shang Jianyao casually said, “I’m just looking from the door and not going in. Don’t worry. Most of us are careful.”

Is that so? I don’t believe it… Long Yuehong didn’t voice out his thoughts.

Jiang Baimian deliberated for a moment and said, “Go in and take a look then.”

She then reminded Shang Jianyao repeatedly not to cross the line.

…

In the Mind Corridor, the Shang Jianyaos came to Room 102 again.

Standing in the aisle covered in thick, dark-yellow carpet, he stretched out his right palm, twisted the brass handle, and gently pushed it forward.

The door opened to pitch-black darkness. It was difficult to see the exact scene.

Shang Jianyao skillfully took a step in.

Light suddenly appeared in front of him as a river meandered not far away.

At the riverbend, a village with ancient-styled buildings was hidden under the dark sky. A large pagoda tree stood at the entrance.

The pagoda tree’s branches and leaves gently swayed as if it were beckoning Shang Jianyao.

The Shang Jianyao that sought novelty and the rash and brainless Shang Jianyao split out on their own. They were just about to stride forward and visit when they were pulled back by the other Shang Jianyaos. They were tightly bound and carried out of the room.

…

“The old pagoda tree at Linhe Village in Dajiang City?” After hearing Shang Jianyao’s description, the name of the Buddhist Holy Land flashed across Jiang Baimian, Long Yuehong, Bai Chen, and Genava’s ‘minds.’

Shang Jianyao had an excited expression. “There’s Master Zhuang’s psychological trauma there?”

“Maybe.” Jiang Baimian unconsciously lowered her voice, afraid that she would be struck by lightning. She then exhaled and said, “We’ll discuss this later; there’s no rush. I’ll send a telegram first. Get the meal done.”

Before long, she sent out the entire telegram and waited for Pangu Biology’s reply.

As they waited, the Old Task Force had a simple meal to fill their stomachs.

Food could soothe one’s emotions. Long Yuehong felt much more relaxed than when they evacuated.

He looked in the direction of Tai City and suddenly laughed. He then said in relief, “We didn’t destroy the Holy Land this time either. The monks from the Asceticism Department can’t say ‘the omen has appeared; a great calamity is imminent.’”

Shang Jianyao chuckled. “It’s not like we aren’t going in anymore. Maybe we will trigger a chain reaction when we explore Renhui Hospital, causing Tai City’s No. 1 Senior High School to collapse.”

Just as he said that, Genava suddenly said, “Incoming missile strikes detected! I repeat, incoming missiles detected! Take cover!”

Jiang Baimian and the others were shocked. They didn’t dare to delay and found cover to hide themselves.

Before long, they saw missiles flying overhead from a distance and landing on the true Tai City.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As the mountains shook, flames rose, producing an ear-splitting sound.

The missiles didn’t seem to target the Old Task Force but the Tai City ruins..