Embers Ad Infinitum

Shang Jianyao was divided into nine parts, and with the help of the "Destiny Pearl", he quickly browsed through the various memories of the real "priest".

Although the focus was on recent events, he had a rough grasp of the true "priest's" life.

When he exited the spiritual world of "Father", Shang Jianyao discovered that the awakened person of the "anti-intellectual religion" named Alex had entered the stage of reflection.

"Father" Alex said nothing, quietly looking at Shang Jianyao above, trying his best to maintain a contemptuous attitude.

Suddenly, he saw some pity in Shang Jianyao's eyes.

Shang Jianyao asked:

"Do you remember your origins?"

What can't you remember about this? "Father" Alex sneered in his heart, patiently waiting for the majestic music when death came.

His mother is a descendant of the nobles of the "Prime City", and his father is an outstanding Gray Earth warrior. The two combined to give birth to him.

As a result, because he showed higher IQ and caution than those around him since childhood, he was noticed by "Pastor" Bouillon, who abducted him and trained him as the future backbone of the "anti-intellectual religion".

And he did not live up to the expectations of "Pastor" Bouillon. He successfully awakened during the ceremony and won the final victory in the subsequent battle for the title of "Priest", turning multiple awakened people in the same batch into his own. puppet.

After becoming a "priest", he planned and implemented many plans, most of which were successful and made him famous.

Not caring that the real "priest" didn't answer, Shang Jianyao said kindly:

"Your childhood memories must have been distorted by 'Shepherd' Bouillon. You are not a descendant of any nobles, nor do you have Red River blood. You are the descendant of two Gray Earth slaves in the city.

"I guess, 'Shepherd' Bouillon changed this part of your memory to make you arrogant and conceited, leaving obvious weaknesses for him to control.

"In this regard, he also does some other 'hypnosis'. In a sense, you are actually one of his puppets, a puppet with greater autonomy."

"Father" Alex's eyes froze instantly.

Based on his experience in the field of memory, when Shang Jianyao said this, he immediately noticed some problems that had been ignored in the past:

He almost never takes the initiative to recall his childhood life!

I am just a puppet... I have no aristocratic blood... My parents are both slaves... "Father" Alex kept repeating these words in his heart, and his mental state was close to collapse.

He had a feeling that his faith was about to collapse.

Surpassing the mortal world is the proudest thing in his life.

Shang Jianyao put away the "Destiny Pearl" and added two sentences:

“Don’t you find it strange that you have never been able to accommodate yourself and enter the ‘soul corridor’?

"When you competed for the title of 'Priest', you almost failed, but 'Pastor' Bouillon may have felt that you were relatively more controllable, so he quietly helped you..."

Me, I don’t even have an IQ higher than other fake “priests”? "Father" Alex suddenly felt that the world collapsed in front of him.

His heart was filled with pain, and his vision began to blur.

He entered a dying state.

Shang Jianyao said truthfully:

"Actually, your IQ is not bad, but you are too conceited and have no truly reliable helpers."

As he spoke, he bent down and saluted, and sincerely wished:

"I hope you can study hard in your next life."

After speaking, he added:

"Hey, I originally wanted to hang you up and beat you up, but seeing you like this, I decided not to."

"Father" Alex made a hoarse sound in his throat, as if he wanted to respond a few words, saying that you should hang me up and beat me, don't have mercy on me, it will make me feel insulted.

But in the end, he didn't say anything, opened his eyes wide, and took his last breath.

…………

Ducasse, a major with exaggerated muscles in the city defense army, and his colleague Cassirer led a group of soldiers to a street near Hester's apartment.

"Really, isn't it just a kidnapping case? Why did we come here? Are all the people from the 'Hand of Order' dead?" Cassirer looked around and complained.

The "Hand of Order" is equivalent to the police department of the "Primary City". The highest officer is also called the "Hand of Order". Under him are the law enforcement officers of each city, the order officers of each district, the street peace officers and a large number of security officers.

Ducas glanced at his colleagues and said coldly:

"It's not like you don't know the current situation. The slightest movement in the Golden Apple District can easily make the elders uneasy, and compared to the 'Hand of Order', our city defense army's personnel and equipment are significantly stronger."

As he spoke, drones were looking around for clues.

Not long after, a soldier brought over several witnesses.

"What happened?" Ducas asked.

A witness in his twenties quickly replied:

"Sir, a robot kidnapped a man on the street and dragged him into the alley."

"Robot?" Cassirer blurted out in shock.

What can a team with robots do that is not profitable, but must it be kidnapped or robbed?

"Yes, such a tall robot!" Several other witnesses responded in the affirmative.

Ducas nodded slightly and said:

"It seems that things are indeed not simple..."

…………

Nearby area, within another street.

Next to the mailbox near a cafe, a man with brown hair and blue eyes and a sculptural outline put his hands in his pockets and watched his subordinates busy.

He is Constance, the assistant to the Order Officer of the Golden Apple District. He is 1.87 meters tall and nearly 50 years old. His temples are a little gray, but his figure is very well maintained. His appearance has gained a lot of years on top of his handsome appearance in the past. It settles and becomes more flavorful.

This made him popular among the ladies of high society.

"Sir, someone was indeed kidnapped on the street, and his attitude was very arrogant." A security guard reported to Constance.

Constance, who was wearing a thin black windbreaker, nodded and said:

"Did you draw a portrait of the suspect?"

"Yes." The security guard handed over the paper in his hand.

Constance took a look and found that the kidnapper was a man wearing sunglasses with a beard all over his face. He looked rough and reckless, but he couldn't tell whether he was a Red River man, a Gray native, or a mixed race.

"How dare you kidnap someone in the Golden Apple District..." Constance whispered silently.

This is the area with the most surveillance cameras.

Although it is not as good as the legendary "mechanical paradise", it is enough.

Not long after, Constance received the reward, and blurted out in shock and anger:

"What? The cameras in this area were broken at the same time?"

…………

When going to the alley mentioned by the reporter, Theodore, another assistant of the Golden Apple District Order Officer, saw the person he did not want to see.

Like Sheriff Wall of a wall.

They had conflicts in the first year they joined the "Hand of Order". Later, because they had different backgrounds and abilities, no one could do anything to help the other.

Originally, Theodore was finally promoted and became the assistant of the Order Officer, which would put him ahead of Wall. However, this guy unexpectedly married the youngest daughter of the newly promoted senator Gaius.

"Why are you here?" Theodore snorted.

Wall-like Wall smiled and said:

"Outside that alley is my jurisdiction, I have to come."

He looked at Theodore's wooden eyes that were hard to move and shook his head inwardly.

Theodore is of medium build and ordinary appearance, with black hair and brown eyes. This is his only obvious feature.

As the deputy of the Order Officer, he no longer needs to wear a gray-blue uniform all the time, and can choose the clothes he likes more.

Today, he is wearing a shirt, trousers and a black vest.

Surrounded by security guards, Theodore and Wall walked through an apartment and entered the alley with high walls on both sides.

Of course, they could also choose to go around the apartment from both sides, but that would waste a lot of time.

After walking along the alley for a while, a figure appeared in front of Theodore and Wall at the same time.

The figure was wearing very ordinary clothes and was covered in blood. He was lying quietly against the wall, no longer breathing.

His face had completely lost its luster, but the dark circles under his eyes were still obvious, and his eyes were wide open unwillingly.

There was a wide bloodstain on the road in front of him, as if someone had dragged him to his current position.

There was also a piece of white paper taped to his chest. On the white paper were printed two sentences in Honghe dialect:

“I am ‘Father’.

"I'm guilty."

"Father"... Wall and Theodore's pupils dilated at the same time.

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