Embers Ad Infinitum

Chapter 592: Arrangements

What Jiang Baimian said was different from what was on her mind. She asked for information pertaining to the Old Task Force’s mission. “What do you know about Iron Mountain City’s ruins?”

Ulrich—who had a meticulous and serious appearance—didn’t show any signs of complacency in front of Jiang Baimian and the others just because he had become the interim president of the Ark Management Committee. He acted as if he had returned to the past and was facing the tyrannical DiMarco. His attitude was so impeccably respectful.

This might be his instinct and habit. Before DiMarco was killed, he had been a warden and butler for half of his life.

Half his life was equivalent to the entire lives of many wilderness nomads. Even if they were lucky and didn’t encounter any disasters or dangers, just the two problems of extreme malnutrition and the relatively harsh environment made them suffer physical ailments once they survived past their prime. They would gradually be plagued by illnesses and pain until they passed away. At such times, they would often only be in their forties.

Therefore, those older than 35 were considered elderly in some wilderness nomad settlements.

Ulrich organized his words and answered Jiang Baimian’s question. “The Ark and even the entire Redstone Collection don’t know much about Iron Mountain City’s ruins. After the Chaotic Era, most of Iron Mountain City’s ruins had been excavated by the time order here was restored and there were spare resources for expansions. It wasn’t of much value. We also began our smuggling business, so...”

Ulrich didn’t finish his sentence, but his meaning was crystal-clear—even a child could understand it.

He paused and said, “Perhaps the mountain monsters will know better. They lived deep in Iron Mountain not long after the Old World was destroyed. They should’ve come into contact with the ruins over there.”

“Okay.” Jiang Baimian nodded slightly. At the same time, she muttered inwardly, You were born after the New Calendar, so you don’t know that the Underground Ark had plenty of strength during the mid-stages of the Chaotic Era. However, DiMarco had focused his efforts on resisting Yama Tiger and the residents of Lake Heart Island. Later, the Vigilance Church came to preach...

Jiang Baimian went along with Ulrich’s answer and asked about something else she had previously instructed. “It’s been almost a year. How’s your contact with the merfolk and mountain monsters?”

Ulrich leaned forward slightly, leaving only half of his butt sitting on the sofa. He replied unhurriedly, “Over the past year, the merfolk and mountain monsters didn’t launch sporadic attacks like before due to the serious damage they suffered from their previous attack on Redstone Collection, so the situation has been relatively stable. They aren’t resistant to making contact with us. They hope to exchange the ores in the mountains and the lake’s produce for more useful smuggled items like food, weapons, and drugs.

“However, they are still very vigilant against humans with obvious hatred. If it weren’t for the fact that the Ark members had never participated in the defense of Redstone Collection, it wouldn’t have been easy for me to make contact with them.

“After much contact, the attitudes of some merfolk and mountain monsters toward us have softened significantly. I also instructed the people in charge of the transactions to talk to them about humanity and civilization. I repeatedly told them that the reason humans are humans isn’t because of appearance. They seem to like hearing this, or at least they don’t mind chatting with us.”

When she left Redstone Collection, in order to satisfy Shang Jianyao’s ‘great ideals’ of resolving the hatred between all parties and to prevent the merfolk, mountain monsters, and Redstone Collection’s residents from attacking each other without using Inference Clowning to achieve false peace, Jiang Baimian had specially instructed the Ark Management Committee’s commissioners to organize a smuggling team and make contact with the merfolk and mountain monsters. Through their interactions and the instillation of certain beliefs, they could close the distance between the two parties.

She didn’t have the grandiose hope that things would work out in a few years. This was something that would only happen after one or two generations of people died and their hatred was basically forgotten.

Furthermore, both parties had to work hard to maintain a ‘ceasefire.’ By using the smuggling trade to satisfy the merfolk and mountain monsters’ basic needs, they could suppress their desire to return to Redstone Collection through dialogues. Strength had to be shown to intimidate them...

In short, this was a complicated and difficult matter. It was definitely not as simple as Shang Jianyao moving his lips.

At this thought, Jiang Baimian was suddenly stunned. She was surprised to discover that to the current Shang Jianyao, this might really be a matter of moving his lips a few times.

He was now a Mind Corridor-level Awakened and had Thought Guidance. This could separately show the characteristics of Thought Implantation and Inference Clowning. It was easy to make the merfolk and mountain monsters accept certain philosophies and beliefs.

Furthermore, there weren’t many merfolk or mountain monsters. Shang Jianyao could ‘cover’ all of them in about half a month with some concealed hard work. He then needed to ‘plant’ the idea of listening to the radio regularly to cement the ‘treatment effects.’

This could likely allow the merfolk and mountain monsters to get along peacefully with Redstone Collection’s residents until all the Subhumans with deep-seated hatred died.

As for Redstone Collection, Shang Jianyao definitely couldn’t do anything on a large scale with the Vigilance Cathedral watching. But thankfully, Redstone Collection’s townsfolk weren’t interested in the harsh environments. As long as the merfolk and mountain monsters didn’t provoke them, most of them were willing to maintain the status quo.

As these thoughts raced through her mind, Jiang Baimian’s expression changed slightly. She almost shook her head in front of Long Yuehong, Ulrich, and the other Ark Management Committee members.

She had actually begun considering using Awakened abilities to forcefully resolve the problems plaguing Redstone Collection!

This was a rather evil act from her previous point of view. Using one’s abilities to directly distort another person’s will was no different from creating puppets. It was only suitable for enemies.

Although she still felt that this wasn’t desirable, she couldn’t help but list out the steps to the plan. Sigh, we still have to respect the merfolk and mountain monsters’ wills. We can’t mock ourselves as villains and do what villains do... However, if we can’t suppress the merfolk and mountain monsters’ urge to return to Redstone Collection in the future and can’t find a way to make the townsfolk accept it, we can temporarily use abilities to suppress the possible large-scale bloody conflict and let them continue maintaining peace. That’s still on the table...

Jiang Baimian turned her head to glance at Shang Jianyao. In the Ashlands, one mustn’t have moral mysophobia. This can sometimes kill many people... The guilt of having their will temporarily warped for a few years, thereby allowing more people to survive and welcome the dawn of hope, guilt is nothing...

She didn’t know which Shang Jianyao was in control of the body now. In any case, he didn’t show any signs of eagerness because of Ulrich’s words.

“You guys did well. You have to persist on this matter for a long time.” Jiang Baimian nodded at Ulrich, Yu Tian, and Bode.

“The smuggling business with merfolk and mountain monsters also benefits us.” Ulrich indicated that the Ark Management Committee would continue this matter even if Honorary President October Xue didn’t remind them.

Jiang Baimian tersely acknowledged his words and pondered for a moment. “When’s your next transaction?”

Ulrich didn’t answer and instead said, “We can have it at any time, but you have to tell me a day in advance so that I can send people to contact them.”

Whoa, the former butler and current president is really considerate. He actually understood the meaning behind my words... It’s no wonder that people with money and status in the Old World wish to find a good butler... Jiang Baimian glanced at Long Yuehong and Shang Jianyao from the corner of her eye and realized that one of them was confused while the other was daydreaming.

After some thought, Jiang Baimian asked, “Shall we meet the merfolk tomorrow afternoon and the mountain monsters the day after tomorrow?”

“No problem.” Ulrich remained calm.

After discussing other matters and dismissing the three Ark Management Committee members, Jiang Baimian stood up and stretched without maintaining her image. “We’ll stay on this floor tonight and try to meet the merfolk and mountain monsters before Old Ge comes.”

Long Yuehong finally couldn’t help but ask, “Team Leader, I can understand meeting the mountain monsters. It’s to obtain more information regarding Iron Mountain City’s ruins. But what’s the point of meeting the merfolk?”

Jiang Baimian chuckled. “I wanted to do this back then, but we were still too weak. The knowledge might’ve brought us trouble. Do you still remember the murloc Oracle?”

“I remember.” Bai Chen was the first to answer.

Shang Jianyao had been awake for too long today, and his dizziness had worsened.

Jiang Baimian smiled and said, “The first to discover Yama Tiger Temple wasn’t the murloc Oracle but some young merfolk. They went to the island and entered the town. They discovered the temple and found it a little strange. They didn’t dare to enter and sent someone to inform the murloc Oracle. I’m wondering if they waited for the murloc Oracle in town for more than half an hour...”

Long Yuehong came to a realization. He recalled the third thing the company had told them to take note of when exploring Lake Heart Island: “Do not spend more than 15 minutes in the temple. You can’t exceed half an hour in the temple’s vicinity, and you can’t exceed three days elsewhere on the island.”

The merfolk didn’t enter the temple, nor had they been on the island for more than three days. However, it was very likely that they had been waiting for the murloc Oracle in the town near the temple for a period of time!

Long Yuehong probed, “Team Leader, do you want to investigate if anything abnormal happened to the merfolk back then or later?”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Shang Jianyao got a hold of himself and applauded.

Jiang Baimian nodded in satisfaction. “Yes.”

With that said, she pointed at the door. “Let’s get some food first before having an early night so that we can rise and shine early. We won’t be going out tonight.”

Just as she said that, Shang Jianyao deliberately suppressed his voice and said, “Are we really not going out? Are we not going to listen to what the people from the Vigilance Cathedral are arguing about?”

“Not for the time being.” Jiang Baimian shook her head.

The Shang Jianyao that sought ty continued suppressing his voice. “Different interpretations of the teachings are reflected in different folk traditions in their daily life. Folk tradition...”

He deliberately emphasized ‘folk tradition.’

Jiang Baimian hesitated.

“It’s still early anyway,” Bai Chen interrupted.

“Alright.” Jiang Baimian exhaled. “Let’s visit Harbinger Song at the Vigilance Cathedral, or else others might find us rude.”