Embers Ad Infinitum

After Li Zhe—who was wearing a fiery-red robe—described the feeling of bathing in the divine aura, he looked at the two visitors in front of him and asked, “Is there something you need?”

Behind him, on the altar representing the deity, was an iron-black furnace with a glowing-red door. This was their Church’s Sacred Emblem, the symbol of the Kalendaria—Door of Scorching.

Jiang Baimian signaled Shang Jianyao with her eyes and got him to take out the letter Miens had written. She then introduced herself. “We are foreign Ruin Hunters. On the way, we encountered Miens and the others from Omnidirectional Commerce. They were attacked by the Mountain Fox bandits, and we helped them escape their predicament. This is a letter he wrote to you.”

As Li Zhe came to a realization, his body twitched as if he had been scalded. He danced a short segment of a dance.

“May the divine aura bathe them.” At the end of the dance, he gave them his blessings.

He then danced an improvised tap dance to express his gratitude to Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao. “I dedicate this dance to you.”

Shang Jianyao mimicked his actions and replied, “May the divine aura bathe you as well.”

Li Zhe was stunned for a moment. “Are you also a parishioner of the Church?”

“I think so, but I haven’t obtained your permission,” Shang Jianyao replied frankly.

“Huh?” Li Zhe didn’t understand what he meant.

Jiang Baimian was already accustomed to this and informed him, “Read the letter first.”

“Alright.” Li Zhe unfolded the letter and read the content written in familiar handwriting.

After reading it, he smiled and said to Shang Jianyao, “So you also worship the Kalendaria and wish to join our Church.”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Shang Jianyao replied without hesitation.

Li Zhe restrained his expression and asked seriously, “Let me officially ask you: Are you sure you want to join our Furnace Church? Although we don’t have many rules, this also means that you will have to abide by certain rules. You can’t be as unrestrained as before.”

Shang Jianyao fell silent for a moment before asking, “Will this affect me from saving all of humanity?”

“Huh?” Li Zhe couldn’t keep up with Shang Jianyao’s train of thought again, and Jiang Baimian didn’t help explain.

The Dedicator hesitated for a moment and said, “I don’t think so…”

After all, there was no rule in the Church’s Holy Bible that forbade believers from saving the world. In the Holy Bible, this portion of the content was reserved for the Kalendarium, especially the Door of Scorching.

Shang Jianyao asked, “Will that affect my investigation of the reason for the Old World’s destruction?”

More sweat broke out on Li Zhe’s forehead. “In theory, no. We don’t interfere with our parishioners’ work. Even if you are a bandit, you can still believe in the Door of Scorching as long as you don’t kill the innocent.”

As he spoke, Li Zhe had a thought: What kind of person is he?

After joining the Church and becoming a clergyman for so many years, this was the first time he encountered such indescribably strange questions.

Previously, he felt most exasperated when he was asked: ‘Dedicator, does joining the Church ensure I have food to eat?’ ‘Does the Church give out wives (husbands)?’ ‘Dedicator, do the dead have to be cremated to conform to the teachings?’ ‘Dedicator, do we receive the blessings of the Kalendaria if we dance well enough?’

After hearing his answer, Shang Jianyao nodded. “I have no further questions; I confirm my admission.”

Li Zhe heaved a sigh of relief inexplicably.

At this moment, Jiang Baimian asked curiously, “I heard that faith in the same Kalendaria often develops into several denominations because of the differences in the proselytizing area, the lack of connections between them, the differences in the mainstream culture characteristics of the corresponding places, and the different interpretations of the oracle’s canonical texts. Are there such situations among the worshipers of the Door of Scorching?”

Li Zhe slowly sighed and said, “Yes, and we were originally one family.”

“Then, why did it fracture?” Jiang Baimian asked. On the one hand, she was interested. On the other hand, she wanted to show Shang Jianyao the problems of joining a religion.

Li Zhe said with a solemn expression, “Their understanding of the Kalendaria’s teachings has deviated. We believe that the focus is on Scorching and Fire. This forms the concept of a smelting furnace, and it then extends to dancing and hotpot. In our Church, August is a holy period, and August’s heat is another aura of the deity.

“They find dancing more important than flames, something that can please the Kalendaria more. Furthermore, they accused us of deviating from the orthodox path.”

Shang Jianyao curiously asked, “Deviation in what way?”

“They believe that only by using flames to directly process food can one show their sincerity. A hotpot with a container in the way is an inferior choice. It can’t be used as Holy Communion. It’s a false belief!” As Li Zhe spoke, he became a little agitated. He looked like he wanted to blow up the heretic’s head to maintain the orthodox path of hotpot.

Jiang Baimian’s expression became a little strange. “So, what’s their Holy Communion?”

“It’s barbecue,” Li Zhe controlled his emotions and replied.

Although Jiang Baimian had already expected this, she couldn’t help but twitch her facial muscles.

This disagreement was unimaginable to her. In Pangu Biology, employees of the Security Department would occasionally retrieve a few Old World computers. Some of the data on them could be restored, and some couldn’t.

Jiang Baimian had previously read some of the recovered information and found the things recorded in it ridiculous. She expressed her confusion.

This included disputes between the groups that liked sweet tofu, salted tofu, and spicy tofu, respectively.

She originally imagined that this might be a joke on the Old World’s Internet. Who knew that she would encounter a living example in the real world today!?

After hesitating, she asked with interest, “Then, can your religion eat barbecue?”

“We can, but we try our best not to.” Li Zhe tactfully expressed his attitude. “I know that in the wilderness, barbecue might be the most convenient way to process the ingredients. Therefore, I don’t insist on parishioners doing so when out on expeditions.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Baimian turned her head to glance at Shang Jianyao and realized that he seemed to be a little hesitant.

Jiang Baimian chuckled and asked, “What’s that Church’s name? Can their believers eat hotpot?”

“They are called the Dance of Frenzy. In the teachings, they aren’t to eat hotpot unless there’s no other choice.” Li Zhe was unwilling to elaborate on the heretics’ situation. He looked at Shang Jianyao and asked, “Will you be leaving Tarnan any time soon?”

“Not for a week at least,” Jiang Baimian answered on Shang Jianyao’s behalf.

Li Zhe tersely acknowledged it. “In three days, we have a baptism ceremony at 2 p.m. If you participate, you will officially be a member of the Church. Heh heh, remember, 2 p.m. is the Church’s Holy hour. Try your best to arrange your daily prayers at this time. There’s no time limit for our ordinary Mass. The Grand Mass and Baptism can only be held between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.”

“What’s the baptism ritual like?” Shang Jianyao asked excitedly.

Li Zhe pointed at the Mass chapel’s door. “It’s about the same as an ordinary Mass, but the baptized can’t wear the clothes they prepared. They have to strip naked and wrap themselves in the cathedral’s red bath towels. The longer someone can stay in the Mass chapel, the more they will receive the Kalendaria’s favor.”

Jiang Baimian listened with relish and interrupted. “What’s different about the Grand Mass?”

“It’s only once a month. Outside ordinary Mass, there’s an additional hot water bath and a mass dance that praises the deity,” explained Li Zhe simply.

After chatting about joining the parish, Jiang Baimian talked about the Old Task Force’s goal in coming to Tarnan. “We want to meet the Source Brain for some matters and directly ask it some questions. Dedicator, I wonder if you have a way to move Mechanical Paradise into giving us permission?”

Li Zhe quietly listened and sighed. “I’ve been in Tarnan for so many years…”

At this point, he pointed outside the cathedral. “The people in town have stayed here longer. The caravans that come and go also represent a certain faction, but nobody has seen the Source Brain. Most of them don’t even know of its existence.”

Li Zhe meant: It’s beyond me as well.

Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao couldn’t force the matter. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they bade farewell and left.

As a quasi-member of the Furnace Church, Shang Jianyao offered a dance to the Holy Emblem representing the Door of Scorching before turning around.

Li Zhe was rather satisfied with this.

…

The Tarnan Hunter’s Guild was also in the middle of the most lively Riverfront Avenue.

The layout inside was very similar to that of Weed City’s Hunter’s Guild. There were also many tables with corresponding electronic products, hunters that assisted in accepting missions and handing in missions.

The only difference was that the Hunter’s Guild here wasn’t too large. There weren’t many employees, and there were only three of them. Furthermore, they appeared rather relaxed because of the machines. They could even zone out and be in a daze.

Long Yuehong and Bai Chen walked to a round-faced female employee and looked inside through the empty glass panel below.

“Hello,” Long Yuehong said.

The staff member raised her head, her eyes filled with confusion. “What’s the matter?” she asked in Ashlandic after a while.

She didn’t use a dialect, but a language similar to Redstone Collection’s.

Long Yuehong had already discussed it with Bai Chen and bluntly said, “We want to meet President Gu Bo.”

“Ah, I’ll help you ask.” The staff member picked up the black phone in a panic and dialed a number.

After the call connected, she said a few words and made a few terse acknowledgments. She then looked up and said to Long Yuehong and Bai Chen, “President Gu has agreed to your request. Room 201 on the second floor.”

Uh… That’s it? That simple? Long Yuehong was a little surprised. He still remembered that a reason was needed if they wanted to meet the few high-ranking members of the Hunter’s Guild in Weed City.

Maybe the guild here isn’t large, so it doesn’t have so many rules and interests? Long Yuehong was more and more accustomed to thinking about the information contained in these differences, although he often couldn’t figure out the answer.

After exchanging looks with Bai Chen, they walked to the stairwell.

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