Embers Ad Infinitum

"The journey of the great road is also about the world being one for the common good, selecting the worthy and capable, being trustworthy and cultivating harmony..."

Long Yuehong was sitting on the left side of the back row, holding a book and reading in a low voice.

After reading this paragraph, he raised his head and looked forward with confusion:

"Team leader, why doesn't the company teach this ancient Chinese prose?

"No one remembers it?"

The book in his hand was obtained in exchange for food from Shuiwei Town.

At this time, the afterglow of the setting sun was so strong that Jiang Baimian had to put on sunglasses.

She thought for a moment and said casually:

“I read it in extracurricular books when I was a child, which shows that many people still remember it.

"It's just that the company's senior management may not want everyone to learn this ancient text, lest they all pursue a unified society, which is not conducive to management."

"Isn't that true?" Long Yuehong expressed her thoughts, "Although the company has not done everything for the public and selected talents and talents, it can at least allow everyone to have a fulfilling life, be useful when they are strong, and be useful when they are young, uh , those who are humble, widowed, lonely, alone, and disabled are all provided with support."

Halfway through, he forgot the words and could only lower his head and look at the book again.

Jiang Baimian laughed:

"There is a saying called Beware of the slightest and the slowest.

"You see, employees like you who have only been officially working for a short time know that the people above often abuse power for personal gain and favor nepotism. This shows that everyone is still aware of the situation and dare not object openly. They are all criticizing in private.

"If generations have accepted ideas similar to the Datong society, how will they play? How will the big boss smoothly hand over power?"

Long Yuehong was somewhat convinced, but still felt it was not that serious:

“There should be no one directly opposing the top management, right?

"Everyone is quite satisfied with the current situation."

Compared with many wilderness wanderer settlements on the dusty earth, the interior of "Pangu Creature" is stable and peaceful. As long as everyone works hard, they will be rewarded to a certain extent, and there is no need to worry about starving to death.

"Not necessarily." Jiang Baimian said as he asked the jeep to turn and move along a small river.

Long Yuehong immediately laughed and said:

“How could someone be willing to make such a huge sacrifice just to help fight for everyone’s rights?”

After asking the question, he subconsciously looked at Shang Jianyao next to him.

He suddenly remembered that this friend and colleague often talked about saving all mankind.

"Yes." Shang Jianyao looked at him brightly and said.

"..." Long Yuehong felt that she couldn't argue with this guy, so she said instead, "Aren't you sleeping?"

During this period of time, Shang Jianyao would sleep from time to time during the day, as if entering a period of intermittent hibernation.

Long Yuehong was not surprised by this. For the past half month, he had been on the road every day and had basically no other life. Apart from sleeping, chatting and exercising to restore his physical nature, there was nothing else to do.

"I'm a little tired, wake up and take a rest." Shang Jianyao said the truth that sounded very weird.

Recently, he often travels into the "Sea of ​​Origin", looking for the second "island".

"Isn't sleeping with you a rest?" Long Yuehong laughed and cursed.

Suddenly he had a flash of inspiration and looked at Jiang Baimian's back again:

"Team leader, then why does Shuiwei Town teach this text? You have also seen that their senior officials have their own small thoughts. They don't want the world to be for the common good, and they don't want people to be alone..."

Jiang Baimian said "hmm":

“It may be that articles like this are put into the classroom precisely to prevent this from happening.

"Different original intentions lead to two different choices."

Bai Chen, who was in the passenger seat, glanced at the team leader and said in a moderate voice:

“Actually, it’s not that complicated.

"When Shuiwei Town was first established, we used whatever textbooks were available. No one thought too much about it, and then it became a tradition."

Jiang Baimian wanted to look at Bai Chen sadly, but his eyes were completely blocked by his sunglasses.

She laughed dumbly and said:

"You can't tear me down when I'm trying to reason!"

When she said this, she was still in a good mood, because Bai Chen was recovering well.

She thought that Tian Erhe's death would make Bai Chen unable to recover for a long time. As a result, after the handover, the day after leaving Shuiwei Town, Bai Chen could not see anything unusual, but his mood was slightly depressed.

In the past few days, she has become no different from before.

Jiang Baimian also understands this very well:

What wilderness wanderer is not used to seeing life and death?

As long as they don't collapse directly or have psychological problems, they won't be affected by similar things in their daily lives soon. Of course, they may still feel a dull pain deep in their hearts when they think about it a long time later.

After ending this topic, silence fell into the jeep again.

After half a month, how can we still have so much to talk about?

Long Yuehong then looked out the window and saw the low hanging lead clouds, the withered yellow wilderness, the brown soil, and the distant peaks and trees.

Apart from these, there is nothing, not to mention humans, even animals are stingy about showing their traces.

This is the winter of dust.

Looking at this kind of scenery for a long time is really depressing and irritating.

In order to rush to Wild Grass City as quickly as possible and avoid possible dangers, the "Old Tune Team" chose similar places along the way. It has been more than half a month now.

——They took a very long detour without taking the usual route, and were delayed for several days due to changes in the environment and bad weather conditions in some places.

"When can I meet someone?" Long Yuehong slowly exhaled.

If this continues, he feels that one day he will go crazy because of this.

"Then what? Will you chat with them?" Shang Jianyao asked excitedly.

"Uh..." Long Yuehong thought about it carefully and felt that she shouldn't be so rash. "I just want to see other people. Otherwise, I will feel that there are only the four of us left in the whole world."

"Then who do you choose? For the reproduction of mankind, you must make sacrifices." Shang Jianyao seemed to be imagining Long Yuehong's hypothetical scene.

Just as Jiang Baimian was about to stop this guy from continuing, Bai Chen suddenly said:

"In this season, it's better not to meet anyone in the wilderness."

Long Yuehong had some experience and said thoughtfully:

"In such a cold weather, all the wanderers who enter the wilderness have no food?"

"Yes. Moreover, their food is seriously insufficient." Jiang Baimian answered.

She immediately sighed:

"When the time comes, it's okay if they try to rob you, but if you kneel on the roadside, holding a child, begging hard, will you save him or not?

"If you choose to save them, can you provide them with food for how many days? How many can you save along the way?

"After the rescue, if they feel that they can't survive the winter, they decide to take advantage of you, or even kill you to make food reserves, how would you feel?

"Even if they knew how to be grateful and didn't do this, they turned around and killed other people you saved, even more pitiful people, for food and winter, would you blame yourself?"

These rhetorical questions were like sharp arrows that penetrated Long Yuehong's heart accurately, making his lips quiver and unable to answer.

"No one can be saved." Bai Chen answered on his behalf, "We only have enough food to reach Weed City, and it's winter now."

"Unless you are willing to starve yourself to death, otherwise, it is better to keep out of sight." Jiang Baimian added.

She smiled self-deprecatingly:

“Individual power cannot save the dust.

“It was after experiencing similar things again and again that the founders of the ‘Salvation Army’ decided to unite and establish an organization with equality between top and bottom, with the goal of saving all mankind.

“They hope to use a strong collective to rebuild the social order and production system as quickly as possible, and then use this to accommodate more homeless people, produce more food and other materials, and grow like a snowball.

"such a pity……"

She lamented that the "Salvation Army" founded by idealists eventually degenerated.

"There are always latecomers." Shang Jianyao responded solemnly.

Jiang Baimian did not continue this topic, pursed his lips, and said seriously:

"Time to think about what to eat for dinner."

Hearing these words, Long Yuehong's expression suddenly fell, and Shang Jianyao did not raise his hand to wipe the corners of his mouth.

They have only three choices:

Energy bars, compressed biscuits and military cans.

Although there are different flavors and types, it boils down to energy bars, compressed cookies and military cans.

And after eating these things repeatedly for more than half a month, they will inevitably feel bad and even a little sick when they hear similar topics.

"When I go back this time, I will definitely never want to eat canned food again." Long Yuehong sighed sincerely.

Those cans are indeed delicious, but who can bear to eat them every day?

Seeing no one answered, Jiang Baimian glanced at the sunset hanging on the horizon, turned his head and said to Bai Chen:

"Is there any suitable wilderness wanderer settlement nearby?"

Although the map given by the company marked several famous settlements in this area, Jiang Baimian felt that it would be more direct, convenient and appropriate to ask Bai Chen.

"Besides trading food, what other requirements are there?" Bai Chen asked directly.

She was very sure that the group leader was not someone who would change the itinerary just to change the menu.

Jiang Baimian laughed:

“We are going to Weed Grass City in a day or two, so we have to make some preparations in advance.

“You can’t just swagger into the city like that, right?

"Even if the 'Life Sacrifice' cult is not that extreme or powerful, and has no information that we are going to Weed Grass City, we still have to consider the factors that caused the disappearance of the other 'old tune group'.

"So, it's better to find a suitable settlement for wanderers in the wilderness and make the necessary disguises, such as blending in with the caravan going to Weed City for trade."

Bang bang bang, Shang Jianyao applauded sincerely. Long Yuehong also sincerely praised the team leader for his thoughtfulness and thoroughness.

Bai Chen nodded gently:

"I understand what you mean.

“Then go to the nearby ‘Rootless’ camp.

"They should all be here in the winter."

"Rootless?" Long Yuehong made a confused voice.

"Are they all eunuchs?" Shang Jianyao asked.

Jiang Baimian also said with interest:

"I've heard of 'rootless people', but I don't know much about them. What exactly are they?"

Bai Chen smiled slightly:

"When you see them, you will know that they are not sub-humans or eunuchs, they are just a group of normal humans with unique customs and habits."

"Oh, you've learned how to tell the truth." Jiang Baimian joked, "Which way should I drive?"

Bai Chen sat up straight and pointed the way carefully.