Embers Ad Infinitum

Chapter 818 Café

Upon hearing Bai Chen and his team leader’s conversation, Long Yuehong thought for a moment and said, “Maybe this is a relatively common creature in Icefield that will change the color of its fur according to the season.”

Being covered in white fur when there was snow made it easier for it to use the environment to conceal itself and avoid danger. When the snow melted and the climate warmed up, the white faded, and black fur that was more suitable for its current situation grew.

The Old Task Force had already encountered such creatures several times elsewhere.

Jiang Baimian nodded slightly and said, “Maybe, but there’s a saying that goes: one needs to have broad predictions of the enemy’s actions. When making speculations, one has to try their best to let their thoughts run free and cover up a few more possibilities to prevent you from missing anything and failing miserably. Yes, apart from the large feline creatures that appear in the Ice Ruin and Ceningmis, what else do they have in common?”

She believed that if it wasn’t a coincidence to see such a large feline creature, the reason was definitely hidden in a secret connection between the two places.

Bai Chen recalled and said, “They are both located in Icefield and are all dead. There usually isn’t human activity.”

“The former residents were mainly Red River people,” Long Yuehong added.

Jiang Baimian nodded as her thoughts raced. “Also, also…”

She paused, and her expression gradually turned serious. “Also, these two are somewhat related to the Eighth Research Institute. The one at the icy ruin is just a mere suspicion, but the one here is without a doubt related.”

The Old Task Force currently suspected that the Eighth Research Institute was the one who had made the Rootless team’s goods ‘evaporate into thin air’ at the icy ruin. The Eighth Research Institute’s commissioners had clearly said that not only had they quarantined the area around Ceningmis to prevent the Heartless disease from spreading, but they had also entered the city district to search for the whereabouts of the Old Task Force which Shang Jianyao’s father was a part of.

“Team Leader, you mean that those large feline creatures are related to the Eighth Research Institute?” Long Yuehong was shocked.

Jiang Baimian tersely acknowledged it. “Xiaochong can control mutated creatures, so the Eighth Research Institute might be able to command certain animals.”

She meant that the Eighth Research Institute might have Awakened with similar abilities to Xiaochong that could exert influence on other creatures.

Of course, Xiaochong currently appeared to be one of Master Zhuang’s personalities. It wasn’t difficult for him to create and control mutated creatures like Nightmare Horse and Slumber Cat. The Eighth Research Institute clearly couldn’t be compared to a Kalendaria’s persona shards. Therefore, they could only use ordinary animals.

At this moment, Jiang Baimian added, “The Eighth Research Institute specializes in Awakening research. It might be able to create creatures similar to Nightmare Horse and Slumber Cat.”

They were mutated creatures with Awakened abilities.

“Those feline creatures are the Eighth Research Institute’s ‘scouts’ in Icefield?” Bai Chen roughly understood what her team leader meant.

Jiang Baimian nodded. “This is only a possibility. Most of the details were through inference, but we have to pay attention to this.”

“Yes, we can’t be careless!” Long Yuehong had always been careful.

Jiang Baimian immediately put on the military exoskeleton and used the built-in communications system to contact Shang Jianyao and Genava. “Hey, Old Ge, come in. Can you hear me?”

According to her estimates, Shang Jianyao and Genava were already out of the ordinary walkie-talkies’ effective range. After all, the closer they were to the main city area, the denser the buildings were, and the more complicated the environment became. Therefore, she switched to a higher-powered communications system. “I can hear you! You’re breaking up!” Shang Jianyao’s voice sounded with static in the background.

Jiang Baimian immediately warned him, “Be careful of animals! Especially feline animals!”

In the Ceningmis main city area, the sky was so dark that it seemed like evening or a storm was about to descend.

“Be careful, animals?” Genava restored Jiang Baimian’s words amid the static with great difficulty.

“Why should I be careful of animals?” Shang Jianyao was a little unconvinced. “Aren’t they the ones who should be careful of me?”

The honest Genava replied, “Maybe she wants you to be careful and not bully animals.”

“Alright!” Shang Jianyao was satisfied.

Genava then said, “We can’t ignore the abnormalities in the animals here either. It’s relatively dangerous, and Big White should’ve discovered something. In short, there’s nothing wrong with being careful.”

“No problem.” Although Shang Jianyao said that, he looked eager to see and take on whatever may come.

Genava–who was wearing the Chameleon bionic artificial intelligence armor-looked around and said, “I’ve calculated the distance between here to Big White and the others, and I’ve also analyzed the surrounding buildings’ layout. I don’t think the communications system’s effects will be that bad. Therefore, I’ve preliminarily determined that there’s relatively strong electromagnetic interference in this area, and it’s very special. I failed to detect it immediately.”

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Shang Jianyao smiled. “Electromagnetic disruptions in city ruins after the apocalypse are very normal. Besides, a New World node can be destroyed by a high-voltage electric current. Its form might be related to electromagnetism.”

“Indeed.” Genava didn’t retort. He looked at the messy street in front of him and reminded Shang Jianyao, “From the western mountain pass to here, you didn’t sense the existence of a New World node. This means that the possibility that the current situation originated from a large number of small New World nodes is basically eliminated.

“This way, the probability of us encountering a large New World node somewhere in the main city district has increased. In addition, there are two possibilities—a New World powerhouse that exhibits strange mannerisms and has strength that’s close to the Kalendarium.”

The latter three situations were clearly more serious and dangerous than the first.

“Well, we’re already here.” Shang Jianyao didn’t mind.

Wearing the military exoskeleton, he lowered one hand and held the Berserker assault rifle in the other as he tore through the abandoned vehicles.

Compared to the cities that had been reduced to ruins when the Old World was destroyed, there were much fewer cars on Ceningmis Street. It wasn’t even one-tenth of the former.

As Ceningmis didn’t produce oil, the electricity supply from the surrounding power plants could only maintain the production and basic needs of the citizens. Therefore, only a few people drove.

The difference between this place and places like Weed City was that it was surrounded by Icefield. This made it relatively difficult for Ceningmis to exchange supplies with the outside world; they had to choose the season.

At the same time, Ceningmis’s residents couldn’t freely explore other city ruins in the nearby area to obtain gasoline from those places. This way, the additional vehicles were naturally refurbished and made into raw materials for other items.

Amidst slight clunking sounds, Shang Jianyao and Genava walked toward the city district.

Suddenly, a figure pounced out from the second floor of a tall building by the roadside and went straight for Shang Jianyao.

His face was warped, and it was impossible to tell his age. His eyes were abnormally turbid and bloodshot. His golden hair reached his singlet, and the hair was clearly frayed. He wore a tattered, black cotton coat.

It was a Heartless.

Shang Jianyao—who was supposed to sense it in advance and use his abilities—watched in a daze as if he had been stunned at the critical moment.

Bang!

Genava shot the Heartless down. Not only was his marksmanship abnormally precise, but he could also make a certain level of judgment.

The Heartless had clearly attempted a dodge but failed. The bullet hit his head, blasting it apart like a watermelon.

Thud!

As the corpse fell to the ground, blood quickly pooled.

“What’s wrong?” Genava asked Shang Jianyao in concern. “Why didn’t you counter-attack?”

“I was hit by an ability.” Shang Jianyao excitedly shared his encounter. “The Heartless should’ve hidden his human consciousness from the beginning. He then used a certain ability on me after I entered his range.”

“Superior Heartless.” Genava concluded and asked, “An ability that makes you dazed?”

Shang Jianyao shook his helmeted head. “No, I wanted to use Limbs Immobility back then, but I realized that I had forgotten how to use my Awakened abilities. Uh, I haven’t figured out how to use them yet, but I feel like it’s slowly returning.”

“Forgot the way to use your abilities?” Genava looked down at the Heartless corpse. “The question now is: Why did he ignore my existence and directly attack you?”

“Heartless are brainless. They probably don’t know how powerful smart bots are.” Shang Jianyao chuckled and said, “Besides, you’re still wearing the Chameleon armor. He might think that you’re a large chameleon. He can deal with you easily after finishing me off.”

Genava’s gaze moved to the corpse’s abdomen, and he moved his metal neck up and down. “No chameleon carries or uses weapons. He should be starving; it’s been a long time since he found food, so he took the risk and felt that he could avoid my attack. From the looks of it, the other Heartless in Ceningmis aren’t weaker than him. Or rather, at least one in each small group is about as strong as him.”

Genava didn’t receive Shang Jianyao’s response because the fellow had already looked ahead. “There seems to be fog over there!”

At the end of the street and deep in the main city district, a faint fog filled the darkness, making the environment there closer to night.

“Let’s go take a look.” Shang Jianyao did as he said and ran over.

Genava couldn’t stop him in time and could only follow closely behind.

Before long, they arrived at the edge of the area by relying on their equipment or themselves.

“Could the source of the problem be in this area?” Shang Jianyao asked excitedly as he stepped into the light fog. The next second, he saw a yellowish light suddenly appear in the distant darkness.

A window was lit up; it seemed to be a café by the side of the road. Two people appeared to be sitting inside.

“There’s someone?” Shang Jianyao became increasingly excited. “I’ll go over to greet them and make friends!”

“Be careful!” Genava could only warn him.

He had already determined the two figures sitting by the window clearly: One was a lady with her back facing Shang Jianyao and Genava. She wore a thin white dress, and her hair was golden and wavy.

One was a male elder in a formal black suit, a white shirt, and a dark tie. He was in his sixties, and there were obvious wrinkles on his face. His eyes were brownish-yellow, and his hair was thin and white.

The two of them were drinking coffee and chatting calmly.

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