Embers Ad Infinitum

Chapter 615: Plan

Modeus: foreigner; Fan Wensi’s son: turned into a vegetable after a car accident.

There had been a traffic accident in Iron Mountain City where a foreigner had gotten into an accident with a pedestrian, turning the person into a vegetable.

Modeus had Awakened Subhuti domain abilities after the Old World was destroyed.

Iron Mountain City’s Second Food Company had become one of Buddhism’s Holy Lands. Its employee, Liu Lu, had been possessed via Destiny Connection by someone.

Shang Jianyao used Fan Wensi’s medical record to trigger an anomaly in the psychological trauma that included Iron Mountain City’s Second Food Company.

Long River City’s United Steel Plant—where Fan Wensi and Li Jinlong lived—had also become a Buddhist Holy Land.

This series of information echoed in Long Yuehong’s mind, making him feel like the clues they had gathered all this time were strung together. There were no longer any gaps.

However, this also brought about contradictions, disestablishing many of the Old Task Force’s previous guesses.

If Fan Wensi’s son had really become a vegetable because of Modeus, why would he—who was suspected to be related to the Kalendaria, Subhuti—allow Modeus to awaken his abilities in the corresponding domain? Furthermore, he managed to enter the Mind Corridor all the way until he was suppressed by another Kalendaria, Eidolon Nun?

Long Yuehong cast his gaze at Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, and Bai Chen and realized that they had obvious reactions—one was deep in thought, another was astonished, and the last was confused.

As for Genava, apart from the red glow in his eyes blinking a few times, his face was expressionless.

He was expressionless to begin with.

Xu Datong, Li Shouyi, and the other Salvation Army members had previously received Fan Wensi’s medical record from the Old Task Force. After learning that Modeus was a powerful Awakened in the Subhuti domain, they instantly made sufficient connections and felt an indescribable shock when they heard Genava’s words.

Amidst their shock, they fell silent and quickly thought about the story that these clues could weave and what terrifying secrets were hidden behind the story.

After a while, Xu Datong took the initiative to say, “With so many things intertwined, there must be some secret we don’t know about. Sigh, we’re still lacking a little bit more information. Maybe we’ll be able to see a corner of the truth with another piece of related information.”

The current clues only confirmed that those people and matters were related.

The person who connected them all together seemed to be Fan Wensi’s vegetable son, but why were they connected, and what did these phenomena mean?

Everything was only a baseless guess.

“That’s right, that’s right.” Shang Jianyao—who was used to echoing—spoke before Yuehong again.

Upon hearing Xu Datong’s words, Jiang Baimian turned her head to look at the seven-story building where Iron Mountain’s Second Food Company was. She thoughtfully said, “It’s not impossible to find more relevant information here…”

“You mean?” Xu Datong was experienced and could vaguely guess what October Xue wanted to say.

Jiang Baimian smiled. “The special Superior Heartless you encountered. Many of the unique points in Iron Mountain City Ruin should be related to this Buddhist Holy Land. Besides, the Superior Heartless attacked you here. Therefore, if we can capture him and figure out what makes him special, we might be able to find more relevant information or even answers to our questions.”

Xu Datong nodded without hiding his intentions and agreed with Jiang Baimian.

Li Shouyi frowned and said, “That Superior Heartless isn’t that easy to capture. He seems to have Clairvoyance…”

“It’s not Clairvoyance.” Shang Jianyao interrupted Li Shouyi.

This was a rude Shang Jianyao because he was too honest.

Jiang Baimian could only help add, “We suspect that his ability is Heavenly Ears, and we might have to add Heavenly Eyes…”

She roughly explained the basis of her judgment. Of course, she definitely wouldn’t take the initiative to reveal the other types of reconnaissance abilities the Old Task Force had and had pushed all of this onto Genava.

In any case, Genava did have radar, infrared surveillance, and other functions. It could increase the risk of the Superior Heartless being exposed.

Those who knew smart bots were no strangers to these.

Xu Datong thought for a moment and said, “If it’s Heavenly Ears, that explains our previous encounter.”

Jiang Baimian nodded and smiled. “Therefore, we have to come up with a plan to avoid his Heavenly Ears.”

“First, we have to find the target.” The honest Shang Jianyao never hid his thoughts just because they were all part of a team.

Nobody retorted him—this was indeed a rather realistic question.

Iron Mountain City used to be a megacity, and the ruin it had turned into was equally large. It was definitely very difficult to find prey that was good at hiding and had outstanding instincts in this concrete ‘jungle.’

It wasn’t that Xu Datong and the others hadn’t thought of tracking the Superior Heartless after they were attacked, but the Superior Heartless didn’t leave many traces during his retreat. There were indeed some traces in the beginning, but they completely disappeared later.

Furthermore, the target’s usual residence was likely the nearby mountains. Only those places had enough food to feed him and his subordinates.

“If we treat this as hunting, luring the target and setting up traps might be the most effective method.” Xu Datong recalled his experience dealing with some Superior Heartless.

Although these Heartless were slightly smarter than average Heartless and had higher intelligence, they still couldn’t escape their bestial instincts.

With a questioning tone, Jiang Baimian said, “Then, what should we use as bait? Food?”

“The target doesn’t look like he lacks food,” said Li Shouyi—who had previously fought the Superior Heartless.

With outsiders around, Genava had always played the role of an ordinary robot. Although he had analyzed a possibility, he couldn’t raise it at this moment. He could only turn to look at Jiang Baimian, attempting to give Big White a string of Morse code through the frequency of the red glow in his eyes.

Carbon-based humans relied on tacit understanding, while smart bots relied on technology.

Jiang Baimian nodded indiscernibly at Genava and deliberated before saying, “It’s very likely that the Superior Heartless tried to attack us because of our exploration of this place.”

She was referring to Iron Mountain City’s Second Food Company.

Jiang Baimian further explained, “Most of the Ruin Hunters who encountered him in Iron Mountain City Ruin weren’t attacked; they were only affected in some way. Only a small number reflexively fired at him, resulting in a nasty outcome.”

Xu Datong thought for a moment and pointed at the food company building beside him. “Use it as bait?”

Upon hearing their discussion, Long Yuehong felt that something was amiss and blurted out, “If the Superior Heartless is hiding in the surrounding area, won’t he have already heard everything we say through Heavenly Ears?”

In that case, any plan would be useless!

Jiang Baimian, Xu Datong, and the others fell silent. Even Shang Jianyao didn’t make any jokes and only stroked his chin.

After a while, Jiang Baimian sighed and smiled. “Heavenly Ears is quite difficult to deal with. Sigh, we can only forget it and go to other Buddhist Holy Lands to find new clues. The other three Buddhist Holy Lands are…”

She shared this information with Xu Datong and the others before leading the other Old Task Force members to the jeep and driving north of the city ruin.

Xu Datong looked at them for a few seconds before returning to the dark-colored car with Li Shouyi and heading south.

After the jeep drove for a kilometer or two, Jiang Baimian—who was in the passenger seat—suddenly said, “Give me the wheel.”

Ah? Team Leader, calm down…?This thought subconsciously flashed across Long Yuehong’s mind. Although he knew that his team leader wouldn’t get lost with a manual navigator and would only be a little slower than normal, he felt that it wasn’t a good idea to let a directionally challenged person drive.

At this moment, Shang Jianyao—who was in the driver’s seat—stroked his chin and smiled. “Let me continue.”

As he spoke, he turned the steering wheel and made the jeep turn left. At the same time, Shang Jianyao pointed at the rearview mirror and whistled.

Are we… returning to the Second Food Company? Team Leader’s words to Xu Datong and the others were a trap for the Superior Heartless!?Long Yuehong was first stunned before he understood.

He turned to look at Bai Chen and realized that she slowly nodded.

The Old Task Force’s jeep circled around and arrived in front of Iron Mountain City’s Second Food Company’s seven-story building again.

It was still quiet with no trace of anyone.

Almost at the same time, Xu Datong’s dark-colored car appeared in the distance.

After they met again, Jiang Baimian—who had already alighted—looked around and said regretfully, “Unfortunately, he didn’t fall for it.”

“So you really were tricking him.” Xu Datong revealed an expression of admiration.

Shang Jianyao curiously asked, “When did you figure it out?”

Xu Datong smiled. “Given my age, I’m quite experienced. Back then, I felt that you guys gave up too quickly.”

He paused and said, “What should we do now?”

Jiang Baimian fell silent for a few seconds before turning to look at the food company’s seven-story building. “Should we try to destroy this place and agitate him?”

She recalled the collapse of Building 4 in the steelworks factory ruins’ Residential Zone 2.

Xu Datong fell silent for a moment before saying, “We can give it a try.”

Jiang Baimian reminded him seriously, “This is a Buddhist Holy Land. Normal destruction might be fine, but devastating destruction might bring about terrifying anomalies.”

The younger Li Shouyi frowned again and said to Xu Datong, “There’s no need to do so. He’s only a Superior Heartless. No matter how special he is, he can’t possess many secrets.”

Xu Datong thought for a moment and smiled in relief. “Little Li, get in the car and stay 200 meters away. Leave this place to me. Since I’ve seen hope of figuring out the truth, I have to give it a try.

“That’s enough. This is an order!”

“Yes.” Li Shouyi raised his right hand and pressed it to his left chest.

Upon seeing this, Shang Jianyao took the initiative to step forward and look at Xu Datong. He also pressed his right hand to his left chest and said in a deep voice, “For all of humanity!”

Xu Datong’s expression instantly turned solemn. He also pressed his right hand to his left chest. “For all of humanity!”

Amidst the brief and forceful voice, the two of them walked to the seven-story building where Iron Mountain City’s Second Food Company was.