Embers Ad Infinitum

For the "Old Tune Team", the name Qiao Chu not only represents a military exoskeleton device, but also symbolizes the weakness and powerlessness of the past.

That was the first time they encountered a dangerous situation in which they had no power to fight back, and they managed to escape from control by relying on various encounters.

If something goes wrong in the middle, they might be wiped out.

Therefore, even a person like Long Yuehong who doesn't hold grudges very much will feel itchy with hatred when he thinks of Qiao Chu.

"Yes." Jiang Baimian nodded, "That wolf is probably also in a situation where its charm is out of control, but it's not sure whether this is the price it paid for its awakening or the ability it gained through distortion."

"Just like the nightmare horse and ghost cat before." Bai Chen was equally impressed by Xiao Chong's "pet".

Jiang Baimian said "hmm":

"Forget it, we don't have time or need to join in the fun. We can just go back and sell a piece of information to the guild. I hope it can help the hunters who have accepted the mission."

"This can also raise some supplies to replace the robotic arms and exoskeleton devices." Long Yuehong thinks the idea of ​​selling information is great.

Jiang Baimian responded with a smile:

"Actually, with the information we have, if we really take out all the information and replace it with robotic arms and exoskeleton devices, the company won't be able to spare us."

While joking, Shang Jianyao came back from the bath and changed to Long Yuehong.

Because they were tired from the journey, they went to bed and lay down in the darkness before the lights were turned off in the Weed Grass City living area.

As if in the slowly flowing silence, Jiang Baimian on the lower bunk suddenly sighed:

"I hope this trip to the First City will have good results."

Shang Jianyao from the upper bunk responded:

"I'm counting how many people in the original city owe us a big meal:

"Bai Xiao, Lin Tong and their team, Odike, Han Wanghuo..."

Jiang Baimian decided to close his eyes and pretend that he had fallen asleep.

…………

At around seven o'clock the next day, the sky was already bright, and the whole city woke up again.

Walking on South Street, Long Yuehong looked at each side and said in surprise:

"Why are so many breakfast places closed?"

He remembered that the last time he came here, even though it was winter, there were many shops selling breakfast, and the business was pretty good, even booming. After all, most ruin hunters didn't have a home here, they only rented it for a short time, and they couldn't do it themselves. To cook, you can only buy food on the street.

Their favorite is the dry and rough but cheap steamed bun with 1 cup of warm water.

But today, except for three or four breakfast shops that were doing business, the rest were closed.

And even at the ones that sell breakfast, the business can only be said to be average.

If the streets were deserted and there were few pedestrians, this situation would be understandable, but Long Yuehong glanced around and saw a large number of relic hunters wearing tattered clothes gathering in the central square, as if waiting for something.

Bai Chen was also a little confused:

"Usually during this season, the breakfast business is very good."

Relic hunters from the surrounding areas will gather in Wild Grass City.

Shang Jianyao looked at the central square, looking eager to try:

"It might be fun to watch."

"Well, let's go and have a look." Jiang Baimian was not in a hurry to have breakfast.

They walked along the street, which could only accommodate two cars, walking on blue or gray stone bricks, between the four- and five-story buildings with cornices and brackets, and walked towards the central square.

Before they really got close, they heard the sound of a bell.

The sound of the bell echoes in the weed city in the early morning, long and ethereal, as if it can cleanse everyone's soul.

when!

when!

The bell rang twice more, and the relic hunters and local residents on South Street rushed to the central square.

Most of them were holding lunch boxes and large bowls of various materials and styles.

Jiang Baimian, Long Yuehong and Bai Chen became more and more confused.

Shang Jianyao quickened his pace and joined the large army.

Soon, they arrived at the central square, and what hit their nostrils was the complex smell that would inevitably come with a large number of people.

You know, many ruin hunters often don't take a shower for two or three weeks and have developed this habit.

After all, except for places like Yecao City and Hongshiji that occupy relatively abundant water resources, many settlements are in a state of having to use polluted water sources from time to time to survive.

Because of this, within many forces, the "Water Resources Protection Committee" or similar organizations have a high status.

After getting used to the environment here, Long Yuehong smelled the aroma of rice porridge.

At this time, a voice with an obvious electronic synthesis sounded throughout the square:

"Donors please line up."

Shang Jianyao's eyes lit up and he shouted loudly:

"Which Zen master is he?"

No one paid any attention to him.

Most of the people in the central square seemed to have enough experience, and it didn't take long for a long and neat queue to form.

The team circled the square several times, allowing Jiang Baimian and others to see clearly the situation where the sound came from.

At the junction of the municipal square and the building where the library is located, a gray-white water tower stands proudly.

Under the water tower, there is a wooden frame with a large iron-black clock hanging.

A robot wearing yellow monk robes and red cassock stood on the wooden platform, pressing the bell in his hand, facing the team, and pronounced the Buddha's name:

"Namo Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, all donors, please listen to what this poor monk has to say:

"All things are empty, consciousness is true, form is emptiness, emptiness is form..."

On the side of the wooden platform where the mechanical monk lectures, there are several iron pots supported, and each pot is filled with rice porridge that is not too thin.

Near the iron pot, there are tables with white or yellow steamed buns and medium bowls stacked on top of each other.

The people who had gathered lined up in an orderly manner, listening to the scriptures and waiting for the mechanical monk's human servant to scoop them a spoonful of porridge and give them two steamed buns.

"Xu Liyan has fulfilled his promise to the 'Monk Order'..." Jiang Baimian sighed with understanding.

That promise was to allow the "Monk Order" to send mechanical monks who were less prone to getting out of control to preach in Weed City.

Long Yuehong curiously asked a passerby:

"How often does this usually happen?"

"It's once a month now, and it's said that there are two Buddha birthdays every year." The passerby answered quickly.

He didn't want to delay the queue.

By then, the porridge and steamed buns may have been distributed.

"What a luxury." Long Yuehong sighed.

Jiang Baimian smiled:

"The monks don't have to eat porridge or steamed buns, so it's good to treat the food they get in this way."

While the "Old Tune Group" was talking, someone was looking at them at the door of the library.

This man was in his early twenties, with a bit of Honghe blood, and had profound facial features. He was Xu Liyan, the lord of Weedao City.

He was dressed less formally today, making himself look like an ordinary citizen, but he didn't have any clothes with patch marks, which made him look a little different.

Xu Liyan did this because he wanted to visit the four-person team of "Pangu Creatures" in an intimate manner.

But before he could implement this plan, he discovered Shang Jianyao, Jiang Baimian and others in the square.

"This team is very powerful and has special abilities. I don't know what to do when I return to Weed City. I can only build relationships first so that we can talk easily..." Xu Liyan muttered a few words silently to himself, sorted out his clothes, and gave them to the people around him. The bodyguards winked.

At this moment, he saw Shang Jianyao take out his lunch box from his tactical backpack and hurried to the end of the queue.

Jiang Baimian, Long Yuehong and Bai Chen followed closely.

"..." Xu Liyan suddenly doubted whether he had recognized the wrong person.

If he hadn't experienced it personally and saw Qian Bai's team like this, he would never have thought that the four people in front of him were powerful characters.

With your abilities, why bother queuing for free food like this... Xu Liyan sighed and walked over.

When he got closer, a smile appeared on his face.

Before he could say hello, Shang Jianyao had already seen him. He pointed to the place in front of him and shouted with surprise, joy and excitement:

"Here here!"

Xu Liyan was stunned for a second, moved awkwardly, and stood in line among the gazes.

His bodyguards quietly dispersed around, completing their tasks conscientiously. Among them were two awakened ones that Xu Liyan hired with a lot of money.

"When did you come? You didn't even look for me." Xu Liyan calmed down and pretended to complain.

Jiang Baimian, who was behind Shang Jianyao, laughed first and said:

"We are just passing through and can't stay for a few days."

"That's it..." Xu Liyan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

After chatting for a while, as the team continued to move forward, Xu Liyan asked as if he didn't mean it:

"What did Uncle Zhao have to do with you yesterday?"