Embers Ad Infinitum

Because they had just enjoyed a "big meal" at noon, the "Old Tune Team" casually ate some cans, energy bars and compressed biscuits in the evening without bothering with hunting or cooking.

Moreover, wild beasts are not so easy to find in mountainous areas in winter.

"Do many people know about this place?" Jiang Baimian sat by the fire and asked Jorgensen, who was working hard to serve as a "servant army".

Jorgensen glanced at his companions who were taking turns on duty around him, and smiled flatteringly:

"This is the last source of clean water to the southwest leaving Chilar Mountain. If it were not winter, there would definitely be various caravans and groups of relic hunters camping here, and you would encounter other humans if you are not careful."

He paused and added:

"We like to ambush nearby. If we encounter someone with lots of people and strong firepower, we will pretend not to see it. If it is a small team of four or five, uh, five or six people, we will rush out and grab it.

"Without this kind of fixed income, our boss can't afford to support so many people."

At this time, the robber with the scar on his face interrupted:

“Later on, those small caravans and small teams of ruin hunters became more sophisticated, and whenever they wanted to get water, they would gather a large group of people over.

"Hey, there are also ruin hunters specially invited to destroy us. Sometimes, we are forced to not dare to ambush in these places. We have no meals and can only survive on the fields cultivated in the mountains."

Seeing that this guy seemed to want to take his role and replace his place, Jorgensen looked at him angrily and said proactively:

"Don't listen to his nonsense. The Chilar Mountain Area is the main trade route from the Linhai Alliance to Tarnan. The things you grab can be easily exchanged for food in Tarnan.

"Those rotten fields in the mountains are mainly for the ladies at home to pass the time."

Jiang Baimian has long been accustomed to the idea of ​​robbers working part-time as farmers, or farmers working part-time as robbers. What makes her find it funny is that Jorgensen is obviously from Red River, but when he opens and shuts his mouth, he uses words such as "bitch" and "ghost bullshit".

Robbers also have partners... Long Yuehong sighed silently from the side.

Shang Jianyao asked:

"How was the harvest?"

"Huh?" Jorgensen didn't expect that the other party would care about this issue.

It made him feel like two farmers squatting at the door chatting.

If the other person also has his hands in his sleeves, that's more like it.

Jiang Baimian didn't know where Shang Jianyao learned the old farmer's tone from, so he skipped the topic in a funny way:

"Tonight, you two will take turns keeping watch.

"So are we."

She did not let Long Yuehong and others give up their long-established habits just because of the existence of the "servant army".

At this moment, Shang Jianyao and Bai Chen simultaneously set their sights on the entrance of the water source.

——This is a relatively closed valley. Clear water flows down from the rock wall and pours into a quiet pool. There is only one road around it that can drive cars in.

Of course, if you don’t drive, there are still many trails you can take off.

Not long after, a dark blue mountain bike equipped with steel plates drove in. It had a taller chassis, larger tires and a burly figure.

"Handsome!" Shang Jianyao whistled.

This is not a great beauty, but a great handsome guy.

——He was able to react before Jiang Baimian, not because his range of influence had increased, but because he heard the roar of the engine.

As soon as the mountain bike entered the valley, it discovered the vehicle and the newly pitched tent parked on the other side of the waterhole.

Its speed suddenly slowed down, and the people inside seemed to have picked up weapons and assumed a defensive posture.

The mountain bike drove slowly to the farthest place from Shang Jianyao and others, facing them across a small pool of water.

The people in the car looked natural and calm, but actually got out of the car cautiously. They were a combination of three men and one woman.

One of them is responsible for fetching water, and the other is looking for firewood. The two of them stand next to the mountain bike, watching the "Old Adjustment Team" and their "servant army" with vigilance.

——You can tell at a glance from their appearance. The four robbers Jorgensen all have a crooked appearance, look like gangsters, and appear to be timid in their actions.

Jiang Baimian glanced at them and left a very deep impression on one of them.

He stood next to the front hood of the car. He was taller than Jiang Baimian and only a little shorter than Shang Jianyao. The smaller right half of his head shone with a silvery metallic luster, as if it had been repaired with synthetic materials.

There was also an irregular piece of shrapnel embedded in the left corner of his forehead. I don't know why it was not removed, but the protruding part was smoothed out.

This man was wearing a black coat, carrying a fixed knife on his back, and holding a streamlined pistol in his palm.

His black hair is very short, and his right eye seems to have been modified. The iris reflects a strange purple-red color, and there is an inconspicuous tear mole under his left eye.

"Mechanical transformation person?" Long Yuehong asked Shang Jianyao in a low voice.

Shang Jianyao said "hmm" and replied solemnly:

"For the time being, we can only see modifications, but no machinery."

Not all metals can be called machines.

The person opposite who was responsible for collecting water was a twenty-seven-year-old woman with long straight black hair and a gentle and intellectual temperament. She did not look like a ruin hunter who had been adventuring outside for a long time.

Antiquarian? Historical researcher? Natural scientist? She hired a relatively powerful team of ruin hunters to protect her and went deep into the Chilar Mountains? When Jiang Baimian withdrew his gaze, guesses flashed through his mind.

The team of ruin hunters over there didn't seem to have any intention of coming over to communicate, and Jiang Baimian didn't send Shang Jian Yao over to stimulate the other party. The two sides were on guard against each other and maintained a peaceful state.

This is the normal situation when a caravan or a team of relic hunters meet at a water source. Everyone is unrelated, has no common language, and does not need to communicate at all, unless they are all gathered for one thing, or someone is eager to ask for directions or inquire. information.

When the fire was lit across the street and dinner was finished, Jiang Baimian arranged for Long Yuehong and Bai Chen to take turns first, while he and Shang Jianyao were responsible for the most dangerous time period when it was easy to slack off.

Shang Jian Yao got into the jeep and without saying much, he pinched his temples and fell asleep.

…………

As soon as he got familiar with his abilities, before leaving the Red Stone Collection, he was once again wandering in the "Sea of ​​Origin" and heading to the next island.

In the shimmering illusory ocean, Shang Jianyao changed various postures and entertained himself during the boring "journey".

He used freestyle for a while, switched to backstroke for a while, started doing dog paddle for a while, and swam in an S shape, moving forward aimlessly.

After an unknown amount of time, an island appeared in front of him.

This island has mountains, water, trees and grass. Compared with the previous two, it is like a paradise.

As soon as Shang Jianyao climbed up, he took a posture to respond to the attack, but after a while, he saw nothing.

He looked around and found no fear-derived monsters.

After thinking about it, Shang Jianyao sat down cross-legged and decided to compare who was more patient.

The warm sunshine and the gentle breeze made him feel a little drowsy, but he was not unable to control himself.

This state of normalcy lasted until he began to tire.

As a result, Shang Jianyao naturally left the "Sea of ​​Origin" and returned to the real world.

He opened his eyes suddenly, looked at the front seat of the Jeep, and opened his mouth half-open.

After hesitating for a moment, Shang Jianyao closed his mouth again and closed his eyes again.

This time, he actually fell asleep.

…………

After staying on duty until dawn, Jiang Baimian ordered his team members and "servant army" to pack their belongings and prepare to leave.

When they drove their cars slowly towards the entrance and exit of the valley, the man opposite who seemed to have undergone mechanical modification hesitated for a few seconds and shouted:

"Are you going southwest?"

"Yes!" Shang Jianyao pressed the window and answered all questions.

The man raised his hand and touched the cold metal right cheek and said loudly:

“Then it’s best to take a detour.

"A 'Higher Heartless One' appeared in the southwest mountainous area."

"Higher unintentional ones"? Jiang Baimian opened the passenger window and asked doubtfully:

"When did this happen?"

Means and the others had just come out of Tarnan and returned to the "Linhai Alliance" through that area.

The man whose lower half of his skull was replaced with silver-white metal replied:

"Just recently.

"He wasn't there originally. He just entered the mountainous area yesterday."

Jiang Baimian suddenly realized and asked:

"Is it caused by the deformation of the 'unintentional ones', or is the awakened person suffering from the 'unintentional disease'?"

"I don't know. This is information obtained by several teams of ruin hunters in exchange for tragic casualties." The other party responded.

They seemed to want to say no more.

Jiang Baimian took a breath, stopped pestering, and said loudly:

"thank you!"

"Thank you!" Shang Jianyao also expressed his feelings.

After leaving the valley, before Jiang Baimian could stop Jorgensen and others' vehicles and ask about the detour, Shang Jianyao suddenly said:

“I discovered the third island last night.

"But it's weird."

Why didn't you tell me earlier? Jiang Baimian first subconsciously flashed such a thought, and then asked gently:

"Is there anything strange?"