Embers Ad Infinitum

Jiang Baimian glanced at Shang Jianyao and saw his face full of expectation, so he said after careful consideration:

"If invited, you may consider participating."

She was very careful with her words and said it was considered.

The result of consideration must be weighed against the situation at that time and the development of things.

Shang Jianyao nodded with satisfaction and did not ask any more questions.

Long Yuehong and Bai Chen were indeed a little tired after going through ups and downs, so they walked to different bedrooms.

At this time, Jiang Baimian warned:

"Don't close the door."

"Ah?" Long Yuehong was a little confused for a moment.

Jiang Baimian smiled and explained:

"I'm afraid that the influence on you may still have some residual effects, so I have to keep an eye on your condition at all times.

"If you feel like you won't be able to sleep under our occasional gaze, you can choose to accept the 'Destiny Pearl' cleaning."

Shang Jianyao looked at Long Yuehong, his tone gradually became gloomy:

"I'm afraid that when you are sleeping, you will suddenly raise your hands and strangle yourself..."

"You have read too much old world entertainment materials!" Long Yuehong said this, but he did not dare not to prevent this situation, and opened the bedroom door wider with his body very honestly.

When he and Bai Chen fell asleep, Jiang Baimian stood up and said to Shang Jianyao and Gnawa:

"Let's first study what we collected from the scene."

As she spoke, she took out the small sealed bag containing the cigarette butt and placed it on the dining table.

——The room rented by the "Old Tune Group" in the Red Giant Wolf District has three bedrooms, one living room and one bathroom. The price is not cheap, but since they have activity funds, they are not stingy in this regard.

Gnawa also took out a bunch of packed items and swept them around with the red light in his eyes.

"What is this?" Shang Jianyao sat down swaggeringly and picked up a repackaging bag.

There are two black particles in the bag.

"I have analyzed it and it should be cinders." Gennava also pulled up a chair and sat down slowly.

Of course, he weighed the load-bearing capacity of the old chair and let his feet bear part of the weight.

"Where did you find it?" Jiang Baimian also sat down.

Gnawa explained in detail:

“There were a few footprints on bushes and rocks that were detached from above.

"These too."

He rolled out another portion bag.

Inside the bag was burnt black soil, which looked ordinary and nothing special.

Before Jiang Baimian could ask, Gnawa told the reason:

“They are darker than the soil in the woods and different from the soil in the southern suburbs, and I have detected trace amounts of radiation in them.

"After comparison, it is more than 95% likely that they came from the wasteland on the north bank of the Red River."

Jiang Baimian nodded thoughtfully:

"That is to say, after the last time the real 'Father' changed his shoes, he went out of the city and to the North Shore...

"Where did you step on those cinders?"

While talking to herself, she thought of some phenomena she observed while wandering around the original city:

There are frequent power outages in the Green Olive District, and the electricity bills are not low, so the lower class citizens and slaves prefer to use perforated "cakes" made of cinders, low-quality charcoal and cheap wood to make fires, cook, and heat.

This means that many streets in Green Olive District near the Red River have briquette workshops. If you pass by those places, there is a high probability of stepping on some coal slag.

Similarly, the coal preparation plant located on the north bank of the Red River and the factory area on the western outskirts of the original city all have similar environments.

"There are too many possibilities." Jiang Baimian answered himself. "The most likely possibility is that the real 'priest' recently passed by a coal preparation plant on the north bank of the Red River."

Gnawa added:

"It cannot be ruled out that the real 'priest' stepped on it in the Green Olive District. There are many low-level citizens here who work part-time as relic hunters. They often go in and out of the wasteland on the north shore. It is normal to unknowingly bring back some soil. Iron Medal Street is separated from the port. It’s not too far.”

The same goes for those coal cake workshops.

"You mean, the real 'Father' stepped on it when he was monitoring us?" Jiang Baimian easily understood Gnawa's meaning.

Gnawa moved his metal neck up and down:

"It's possible."

"There is another possibility." Shang Jianyao followed closely.

"What is it?" Jiang Baimian wanted to see what magical ideas this guy had.

This might give her some inspiration.

Shang Jianyao said seriously:

"The real 'priest' may be working in a coal preparation plant in the wasteland of the North Shore."

"..." Jiang Baimian was speechless at first, then laughed and said, "The 'anti-intellectual religion' has developed to the point where it needs quasi-high-level jobs like real 'priests' to support believers who have given up thinking?"

"The real 'Priest' is not in good health because he works too hard." Shang Jianyao further reasoned.

Jiang Baimian imagined the scene and tried hard not to laugh out loud.

The mysterious and dangerous image of the true "priest" briefly collapsed.

Jiang Baimian, Gnawa and Shang Jianyao discussed for a long time what cinders and scorched earth could represent, but they did not get a clear direction of investigation and could only decide to take the time to visit various suspected locations.

When Jiang Baimian moved his eyes to other packaging bags, he frowned slightly and said:

"I just mentioned that the real 'priest' may have monitored us, otherwise we would not be able to accurately grasp the whereabouts of Xiaobai and Xiaohong, find them in time, and 'hypnotize' them, but I have thought about it repeatedly and do not think our whereabouts have been exposed.

"We paid attention to every step: we did not go directly to investigate around the manor. When we returned, regardless of whether we noticed anything or not, we carefully completed the necessary anti-tracking process. The appearance of our vehicles is still relatively common, and it cannot be said to be distinctive. ...With the sensing and reconnaissance abilities of me, you and Shang Jianyao, can we really be quietly followed by the real 'priest' without any detection?

"The real 'priest' can at most know from Shen Kui's memory that there are a few of us investigating the Zhao family manor, and find out from some undercover agents in Weed Grass City who ruined his good deeds."

Shang Jianyao once again raised a possibility:

"Perhaps the ones following us are the strong ones from the 'Anti-Intellectual Cult' at the 'Soul Corridor' level.

"His sensing range is larger than ours. He may also be able to remember the characteristics of different consciousnesses and can complete tracking from a distance."

Jiang Baimian wanted to laugh a little:

"Theoretically, it's possible, but can an awakened person at the 'soul corridor' level do this?

"Can't he just make a surprise attack?"

Speaking of this, Jiang Baimian said "uh" because she remembered the existence of Gnawa.

With such an intelligent robot around, the Awakened Ones' raid at the "Soul Corridor" level may not be effective, and they might get beaten up instead.

After all, abilities that affect robots won't be that common.

Jiang Baimian added:

"What I mean is that most of the abilities of the awakened ones are weird, weird, and difficult to guard against. At the level of the 'spiritual corridor', they can completely play with us without showing up, making Lao Ge even the enemy. If we can't find it, we can only watch us being affected and in crisis.

"If he doesn't want to disrupt and provoke internal strife in the First City, then he should come forward in person instead of letting the real 'priest' try to make us vigilant."

"This may be his price." Shang Jianyao pointed to his head, "The thinking is not normal."

They discussed for a long time, but could not think of a reasonable explanation, so they had to continue checking the clues collected from the scene to see what they could gain.

"There are no decisive traces." Jiang Baimian sighed, "I can only hope that the cigarette butt will be tested for something."

She planned to use the company's intelligence system and find a trustworthy laboratory to complete the work, so as to avoid being known by the "anti-intellectual religion" to the greatest extent.

In the days that followed, the three of them revised and compiled the introductory textbook on Hui Tu dialect based on the previously printed information.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, Long Yuehong and Bai Chen woke up and joined the group, and they were busy until the evening.

"What should we eat?" Long Yuehong put away the papers on the table and asked this eternal question.

"Noodles?" Jiang Baimian said thoughtfully, "After staying in the First City for so many days, I suddenly feel like eating noodles."

Bai Chen poured cold water on her:

"In the beginning, there were very few places selling noodles in the city, unless you went to the streets where the Gray Tutors gathered, but most of them were in the Green Olive District."

"We have reserves of flour and can make it ourselves." Gnawa said.

"Okay." Shang Jianyao was excited.

Not long after, four carbon-based people from the "Old Tune Team" gathered around the dining table, watching Gnawa tie on a white cloth as an apron, mixing, kneading, grinding, and cutting noodles skillfully and accurately.

Although the whole process is not pleasing to the eye, it is absolutely smooth and smooth.

"It's amazing." Long Yuehong praised Gnawa.

Gnawa's eyes flashed red twice:

"I downloaded some cooking videos in Tarnan before, wanting to be more human-like, but I didn't expect that they would come in handy today."

Bang bang bang, Shang Jianyao applauded "Chef" Gennava.

Long Yuehong hesitated for a moment, then decided to clap along to boost Lao Ge's confidence.

At this time, Bai Chen was already applauding.

The only one who didn't move was Jiang Baimian, who seemed to be deep in thought.

Shang Jianyao immediately waved his hand in front of her eyes.

Jiang Baimian suddenly woke up and said after careful consideration:

"I just thought of a location where we might be targeted by the 'anti-intellectual cult'."

"Where?" Bai Chen and Long Yuehong asked at the same time.

Jiang Baimian's expression gradually became serious:

"The residence of General Phocas."