Embers Ad Infinitum

Without needing Song He to speak, Shang Jianyao had already ‘helped’ him ask, “What’s it like inside?”

From their exchange, they could determine one thing—this murloc could understand the Red River language as long as he spoke slowly.

The murloc shook his head. “There was a very strange feeling there. We didn’t dare enter, so we could only inform the Oracle. Uh, he was only a priest back then.”

Song He wasn’t surprised by this and asked, “He forbade you from exploring that temple after he came out?”

The murloc was abnormally surprised. “How do you know?”

By figuring it out with our brains… Long Yuehong criticized inwardly.

Upon seeing the smile on Song He’s face, the merfolk stopped seeking an explanation and tersely acknowledged it. “Back then, he entered the temple alone and came out in less than 15 minutes. He then said that it was very dangerous inside and that nobody could enter without his permission. In less than two days, he got everyone to evacuate that island.”

Song He nodded and asked patiently, “How long after that before he became abnormally strong?”

“I don’t know,” the murloc replied in confusion. “We only sensed his strength at a Mass two weeks later and started calling him Oracle.”

Song He quietly listened and fell into deep thought. He didn’t ask any more questions for a short period of time.

Shang Jianyao seized the opportunity and inquired curiously, “Does he usually like to sleep?”

The merfolk felt confused by this question. He was stunned for a moment before saying, “I’m not too sure. He lives behind the cathedral alone; he only comes out for the sermon, Mass, and something major like last night.”

Song He and Shang Jianyao took turns asking a few more questions, but they didn’t receive a satisfactory answer.

It was obvious that the murloc wasn’t hiding anything—he just didn’t know the answers.

Song He stood up and said in a friendly manner, “Alright, that’s all for today.”

The murloc was stunned for a moment before suddenly asking, “Are you guys going to execute me?”

His body trembled slightly.

Shang Jianyao glanced at him and turned his head to Harbinger Song He. “Can I buy these captives?”

What are you going to use to buy them… Long Yuehong muttered inwardly.

Song He fell silent for a moment before smiling and sighing. He then said in Red River language, “They aren’t invaders in the true sense of the word. We also have a home we need to defend. On the battlefield, weapons are blind; it’s normal for either side to kill the other.

“As long as there’s no indiscriminate killing, I don’t think there’s a need to take revenge on a prisoner of war. It’s enough to carry out the corresponding judgment under the gaze of the Kalendaria according to the crimes he has committed. This is one of the bottom lines that humans possess that makes us different from beasts.

“It just so happens that our previous sentry team never returned. Some of the town guards that we later sent out for reconnaissance were also captured by the merfolk and mountain monsters. If they are still alive and the prisoners here haven’t committed any crimes of indiscriminate killing, I will push for the two parties to make contact and exchange captives.”

Upon hearing this, the murloc immediately relaxed. He collapsed into the chair as if he had lost his bones.

After leaving the interrogation room, Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong, and Song He walked to Redstone Collection’s parking lot.

When he was about to reach the jeep’s parking spot, Shang Jianyao suddenly thought of something. “Why didn’t I see Baz?”

Song He fell silent for a moment before saying, “He’s also a town guard; he was added to the defense line last night and didn’t manage to return.”

He spoke very euphemistically.

Huh? Long Yuehong was a little stunned. Although he had seen many Redstone townsfolk die in battle last night, he didn’t have deep feelings because he didn’t know them at all. Who knew that Baz—who had previously worked hard to survive and seek protection—would actually lose his life in this battle?

Long Yuehong originally imagined that Baz would be happy to receive the cathedral’s protection after Anhebus and Helvig’s plan was exposed. This left him gloomy all of a sudden.

He dug so many tunnels, but none of them could protect him on the battlefield… In such a war, a single person is really insignificant; they die just like that… Sigh, it would be good if there was no war… Long Yuehong glanced at Shang Jianyao, unable to decipher anything from the monkey mask.

Shang Jianyao fell silent for a moment before asking, “Will you hold a funeral for him? I know a lot about funerals.”

Song He tersely acknowledged it. “There’s no need to be too sad; he entered the New World under Eidolon Nun’s guidance. Our Church doesn’t have complicated funerals, but we will have a Requiem Mass.”

“Can I participate?” Shang Jianyao asked.

Song He nodded slightly. “Sure. Without you, more people from Redstone Collection would’ve died.”

After bidding Song He farewell, Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong silently walked back to the hotel camp.

At this moment, Jiang Baimian had taken anti-inflammatory drugs and slept for a while. Her physical and mental state was much better than in the afternoon.

After learning of Baz’s death, she sighed for a while, wistful about the fragility of life.

After Long Yuehong described the large island in the lake, the sleeping deity, the forbidden temple, and the large-scale Heartless disease outbreak, Jiang Baimian’s eyes lit up.

These were things that interested her greatly.

“After the deity protecting them fell asleep, the Heartless disease began to erupt on a large scale? Is there really a connection between the two? If there is and if we can find it, we might be able to unravel the secret of the Heartless disease!” Jiang Baimian became more and more excited as she spoke. It seemed like she would ignore her illness in the next second, lift her blanket, and rush to the lake to search for a boat.

Apart from the Heartless disease, a sleeping deity and an Old Era Awakened suspected of having explored the Mind Corridor’s depths also filled her with the desire to research.

These were all things that could only be chanced upon by luck.

Upon seeing Jiang Baimian’s ‘sudden spurt of energy,’ Long Yuehong quietly hissed. “Team Leader, the Lake of Wrath is the merfolk’s territory.”

For Subhumans that were good at swimming and had gills and scales, overturning a few boats was easy.

Furthermore, things like sleeping deities, forbidden temples, and large-scale Heartless disease outbreaks sounded very dangerous!

“I’m not stupid. I’m still sick,” Jiang Baimian replied in amusement. “Isn’t that right, Little White?”

Bai Chen—who had been listening quietly—thought for a few seconds and said, “I agree with the second half of your sentence.”

“The second half of the sentence? The sentence ‘I’m still sick?’ Ha, you think I’m stupid?” Jiang Baimian’s brain wasn’t as good as it usually was. It took her a while to figure out Bai Chen’s meaning.

Bai Chen stood up and replied in all seriousness, “I never said that; I can’t help it if that’s what you wish to believe.”

“…” Jiang Baimian was speechless. She turned to look at Shang Jianyao. “Why do I feel like Little White has been infected by you? I’m starting to miss the Little White who didn’t know how to make sarcastic remarks in the past!”

After the little episode, Bai Chen and Long Yuehong returned to the room next door because the patient needed rest. They did their own things and planned on buying some fresh food from Redstone Collection later to make today’s dinner more sumptuous.

After watching them leave the room, Jiang Baimian stopped smiling.

She was still tempted; she still wanted to go to the island in the lake and see the sleeping deity. However, this didn’t seem to have anything to do with the reason for the Old World’s destruction. It wasn’t their team’s mission. She didn’t want to drag Bai Chen, Long Yuehong, and Shang Jianyao into danger because of her willfulness.

I’m stumped… Do I have to go secretly? But as someone who should set an example for the team, how can I do such a thing? Jiang Baimian leaned back against the pillow as her thoughts wandered.

At this moment, Shang Jianyao—who was sitting on the edge of another bed—suddenly said, “At least give me a signal in advance.”

“Huh?” Jiang Baimian was a little confused.

While confused, she found the words familiar. After careful thought, she realized that she had said something similar.

That was after Shang Jianyao suddenly threatened that group of nobles in Weed City and established the Brotherhood. She had warned this fellow, hoping that he would at least give her a signal or hint before doing such a thing and not launch a sudden attack.

At such a juncture, how could she not support him and protect his back?

What was a companion? A person who could accompany you through life and death with just one look!

Now, Shang Jianyao was using the same words back at her.

He’s implying that he supports me and is willing to explore the temple on Lake Heart Island? Jiang Baimian immediately understood and couldn’t help but smile. She snorted and said, “I think you just want to go yourself.”

“Yes, yes.” Shang Jianyao readily agreed.

Jiang Baimian glared at him and smiled. “I’m still sick.”

Even if she really wanted to go, she had to wait until she recovered.

Shang Jianyao didn’t say anything else. He took out the small speaker from his tactical backpack and carefully checked it.

After a while, he and Jiang Baimian turned around and turned their heads to look at the door.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Someone knocked on the door as expected.

“Who is it?” Shang Jianyao wore the monkey mask.

He spoke in Ashlandic.

Soon, someone outside the door replied in clumsy Ashlandic, “Lehman—Merchant Lehman from United Industries.”

The arms smuggler who sold the arms to Helvig? He previously refused to see us and didn’t want to get involved in Redstone Collection’s matters. Why is he here now? Jiang Baimian perked up, put on her coat, and put on her mask.

From his appearance, Lehman didn’t look like an arms smuggler at all. His light-blue eyes, slightly messy short blond hair, his nervousness, his height, ordinary looks, and restrained bearing made him no different from the middle-aged Red River slaves in the nobles’ manors outside Weed City.

The most eye-catching thing about him was the red nose that appeared due to long-term alcoholism.

In the Ashlands, a person’s long-term alcoholism was enough to indicate their status or value.

Amidst his bodyguards’ protection, Lehman sat down. He maintained his smile, rubbed his hands, and continued speaking in clumsy Ashlandic. “I heard that you killed a very powerful Awakened?”

Although she wasn’t used to his Ashlandic, Jiang Baimian had no intention of letting him switch to the Red River language. She smiled and asked, “Who did you hear that from?”

Shang Jianyao ‘cooperated’ and added, “They actually leaked our secret!”

Lehman’s body immediately stiffened.