Embers Ad Infinitum

Gu Bo… Long Yuehong memorized this name and asked about something else.

After chatting for a while, he politely bade farewell and looked for someone else to consult.

About 20 to 30 meters away from him, Bai Chen wore a scarf. She had changed her clothes and was silently following him with the help of the shadows and pedestrians.

This was Jiang Baimian’s special arrangement.

In the Old Task Force, Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong were the only two people who needed to accumulate experience in ‘solo operations.’ The former was worried that he would cause something major. Therefore, Jiang Baimian had Bai Chen secretly follow Long Yuehong to ensure that nothing happened to him, while she was in charge of watching Shang Jianyao and not giving Tarnan’s residents any trouble.

Life’s crossroads.

Shang Jianyao stood there, looking right and left as if he had fallen into an intense internal struggle. After a while, he seemed to have finally made up his mind and walked to the Furnace Church’s proselytizing grounds on the right.

Yes, the Furnace Church not only has dancing, but it also has hotpot Holy Communion. It’s indeed more tempting than the other Churches… Jiang Baimian nodded in understanding when she saw this scene from afar.

Shang Jianyao then joined in the mass dance. As the drumming sounded, he moved his body rhythmically and occasionally shouted, “Praise be to thee, the New World’s door!”

You sure are pious… Jiang Baimian came a little closer and smelled the rich and alluring fragrance of fried chicken wings.

This made her a little confused. Isn’t it said that apart from the local residents, everyone else in Tarnan lacks ingredients and can only rely on canned food, biscuits, and energy bars for a living? Could it be that Glorious Scale spends a large sum of money on buying a batch of live chickens from the local residents for their proselytization? They sure don’t feel the pinch…

As these thoughts raced through her mind, Jiang Baimian saw that the Furnace Church’s group dance had temporarily come to an end. The man presiding over this ritual took out a black book and talked about the New World’s beauty and the Door of Scorching’s greatness.

Shang Jianyao listened for almost a minute before suddenly taking out the smug monkey mask from his tactical backpack.

After putting on this mask, he turned around and crossed the road with a staid conscience and confidence.

He crossed the road.

“…” Jiang Baimian watched Shang Jianyao join the choir and sing a hymn with the group of people who had faith in the Kalendaria, Shattered Mirror.

Shang Jianyao seemed to have observed it for a long time, so there was nothing wrong with the lyrics or melody he belted out.

Do you think you’re another person when you wear a mask? Jiang Baimian couldn’t help but criticize. Just as this thought surfaced in her mind, she suddenly felt that Shang Jianyao really might’ve become another person.

He’s really trying his best… She sighed with emotion.

After singing one hymn, Shang Jianyao quietly left the choir not long after the clergymen began preaching and returned to the middle of the street.

Shang Jianyao quickly took off the monkey mask and seemed to heave a sigh of relief. He then opened his tactical backpack and took out another mask—this was a fat pig mask with exaggerated nostrils.

Jiang Baimian was a little dumbfounded by her surveillance of him. When did this fellow bring out Little Red’s mask? How well-prepared…

Shang Jianyao changed his mask and walked to the iron pot that had frying chicken wings without looking back.

So it’s Little Red who’s eating, not you? Jiang Baimian tried to guess Shang Jianyao’s thoughts.

After circling around the thin pole where people were standing, Shang Jianyao walked to the side and forcefully squeezed through the waiting crowd to approach the iron pot.

The person in charge of frying the chicken wings was an elder with a white beard. He was of Red River heritage and had blue eyes. He was about 1.7 meters tall, and he wore a red apron.

“Are you from the Glorious Scale Church?” Shang Jianyao asked in the Red River language. After staying in Redstone Collection for a period of time, his Red River language became increasingly fluent.

The white-bearded elder paid attention to the pot of oil and replied with a smile, “Yeah.”

Even he had forgotten how many batches of chicken wings he had cooked tonight.

“Which Kalendaria do you worship?” Shang Jianyao acted as if he wanted to join. After asking, he found his manners. “How may I address you?”

“Just call me Mike,” replied the old man with a white beard and a red apron with a smile. “We believe in June’s Golden Scale. ‘He’ controls the year’s equilibrium—a symbol of symmetry and balance. The Old World was destroyed because something lost its balance.”

It was obvious that Mike was experienced in proselytizing. He explained his deity’s authority and power in a few words.

With that said, he glanced at Shang Jianyao and casually asked, “You came from Redstone Collection?”

Apart from settlements controlled by the Vigilance Church, nobody liked to wear a mask all the time. Redstone Collection was the closest parish to Tarnan.

“You can actually tell?” Shang Jianyao was ‘shocked.’

Mike didn’t know if Shang Jianyao really felt that his disguise was flawless or if he was joking. He raised his hand and pointed at his face. “Isn’t it obvious?”

“Yes, I, Gu Zhiyong, come from Redstone Collection.” Shang Jianyao frankly admitted his ‘background.’ He then added, “I’m not a believer of Eidolon Nun.”

It’s obvious that Eidolon Nun’s believers aren’t able to cheat them of fried chicken wings… Jiang Baimian—who was squeezed amid the crowd opposite him—cursed inwardly.

Her guess was right. It was ‘Long Yuehong’ who chose the Glorious Scale for fried chicken wings, not Shang Jianyao!

Gu Zhiyong was Long Yuehong’s alias. The origin of this alias was that Long Yuehong’s mother’s surname was Gu, and his father’s name had the word ‘Yong.’

After learning of this alias back then, Jiang Baimian used all her strength to resist the urge to mock him.

“Is that so? Are you interested in our religion?” Mike naturally wouldn’t let go of the opportunity to spread the faith.

“Yes.” Shang Jianyao nodded without hesitation. “Where did you get these chicken wings? How did you get so many chicken wings in Tarnan?”

Mike was just about to speak when his gaze suddenly focused. He skillfully scooped up the fried chicken wings and placed them over a filter.

The alluring fragrance became stronger.

“It’s your turn.” Mike looked at the group of people on his left.

The group of people walked in front of the pole and lined up to pick up the chicken wings that were no longer scorching.

“The rest of you, be patient. There will be more later,” Mike said to Shang Jianyao and the others.

When the group of people received their fried chicken wings, most of them spread open their arms and prayed. This was roughly divided into two categories. One was the ‘Balance of All Things,’ and the other was the ‘Glory of the Scale.’

After distributing this batch of fried chicken wings, Mike bent down, picked up new chicken wings, and threw them into the pot of oil.

After doing this, he turned his head and answered Shang Jianyao’s previous question. “These were all imported. Our Church has a specialized freezer truck and a chicken farm we built ourselves.”

Chicken farm? Is there something wrong with your religion? The corners of Jiang Baimian’s mouth twitched slightly when she heard that. This is actually a religion that has specially built chicken farms for believers to enjoy Holy Communion! Sounds harmless… Yes, it’s only harmful to birds!

Mike continued, “We don’t have that many resources either. Only during the Grand Mass in the middle of every month can believers enjoy Holy Communion. You’re pretty lucky; yesterday was our church’s Grand Mass. This batch of chicken wings was the last one left. It was specially approved for proselytizing.”

“Oh, oh.” Shang Jianyao—who was wearing a fat pig mask—nodded repeatedly. He then asked, “What’s the doctrine of your religion?”

He had always been very professional when it came to acting as a missionary.

Mike’s expression turned solemn. “I’ve already mentioned the core of our doctrine. There are only two words: Symmetry and balance. We have to maintain balance in everything we do. This includes the balance of your condition, the balance of your bodily fluids, the balance of your emotions, the balance between you and your family.

“On a larger scale, there is the balance between humans and nature, the balance between humans, the balance between humans and Subhumans, the balance between humans and the Kalendarium… Symmetry is the most beautiful phenomenon in the world. Asymmetrical things are dirty and ugly…”

Mike explained the beliefs of the Glorious Scale one by one. Shang Jianyao listened attentively and echoed him from time to time.

After a while, Shang Jianyao specially reminded him, “The chicken wings are done.”

“Ah, right.” Mike quickly scooped out the fried chicken wings and said to Shang Jianyao’s group, “It’s your turn.”

Shang Jianyao took the lead and lined up in front of the iron pot. His speed and firm attitude left everyone in awe.

Shang Jianyao quickly obtained a chicken wing that had been fried golden. After biting into it, he said with a mouth full of oil, “Delicious…”

Jiang Baimian’s expression became rather complicated when she saw this.

After eating the fried chicken wing, Shang Jianyao asked very politely, “Do you care that believers worship other Kalendarium?”

“That definitely won’t do!” Mike replied firmly.

Shang Jianyao nodded slightly. “Then, I’ll consider it.”

With that said, he turned around and returned to the middle of the street. He then took off the fat pig mask as quickly as possible.

Upon seeing Shang Jianyao walk to the other side of the street, Jiang Baimian looked at the batch of chicken wings that had just been thrown into the pot. She gritted her teeth and squeezed out of the crowd.

She followed for a while before a commotion suddenly occurred in front of her.

A group of people surrounded the middle of the street. She had no idea what had happened.

Jiang Baimian curiously approached when she saw Shang Jianyao rush over to watch the commotion. She stood on her tiptoes and looked into the crowd.

The person in the middle seemed to be a person.

“Who is it?” Jiang Baimian asked the onlookers in front of her.

Without turning his head, a person said, “A survivor from the southwest mountains this afternoon. He ran out of the hospital.”

“It’s related to the Superior Heartless?” Jiang Baimian came to a realization.

“Yes.” Just as the onlooker in front of her replied, the middle area changed.

Someone asked, “Ninth Zhang, where are the others in your team?”

After a brief silence, a hoarse voice shouted with indescribable fear, “Dead! They’re all dead!”

The person asking the questions asked, “Who killed them? That Superior Heartless?”

Ninth Zhang’s hoarse voice fell silent for a while before he suddenly cackled. “It’s me! It’s me!”

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