Embers Ad Infinitum

An extremely serious crisis ended abruptly in an unexpected way after many people died. This caused everyone in Helicopter 5 to fall into an unspeakable silence with different emotions.

After a while, the pilot straightened his back and relied on the onboard communication equipment to say to the other helicopters:

"After confirmation, the crisis has been resolved.

“I repeat: upon confirmation, the crisis is over.

"Each unit will land at its destination as originally planned and wait for follow-up notifications."

After a pause, the pilot said with a slightly hoarse voice:

"I propose that everyone observe a minute's silence for Commissioner Huang and the soldiers who died without closing their eyes."

"I agree."

"I agree."

…

Voices rang out one after another, and then fell silent.

Nearly two minutes passed before Shang Jianyao opened his eyes and asked Jiang Baimian across the three companions:

"Did you sense the location of 'Doctor' just now?"

What's the use of asking now? Even if "Doctor" is not dead, he must have escaped... Jiang Baimian mumbled and replied with a slight sigh:

"No."

If so, she would tell it right away.

"Me neither." Shang Jianyao looked regretful, "What a pity, we can no longer see the ballistic missile salvo."

Be serious, you just finished the moment of silence! Are you the one looking for novelty and novelty now? Jiang Baimian closed his mouth and stopped talking.

She felt that silence was a sign of respect for the victims such as Commissioner Huang and Mr. Zhang.

Not long after, the helicopter began to descend and stopped outside a small human settlement.

There is a leveled field here.

Prior to this, the helicopters had received an order from the Wubei Material Coordination Committee, allowing them to carry the surviving veterans of the "Salvation Army" back to the military base affiliated with Wubei to wait for further notice.

Jiang Baimian and others carried different crates and waved goodbye to this group of temporary comrades.

After seeing the black helicopter making an arc in mid-air and flying into the distance, Long Yuehong raised her hand and rubbed her ears:

"The noise was so loud that my hearing has not fully recovered yet."

He could hear all the sounds around him, but he always felt like there was a thick barrier between them and himself.

"Really?" Jiang Baimian did not have such an experience.

Her biological cochlea is self-adjusting.

"Yes." The honest Shang Jianyao inserted two fingers into the left and right ear holes respectively, squeezed them in before pulling them out, "This will be much better."

Bai Chen did so and then asked:

"Where do we go next?"

"We'll wait until the Salvation Army delivers our car and find out the latest situation." Jiang Baimian looked around and walked in no hurry to the human settlement not far away.

As a representative of being lazy when he can, the vicious Shang Jianyao put down the crate he was carrying and sat on it.

Seeing this, Jiang Baimian followed suit, followed closely by Long Yuehong and Bai Chen.

Gennava hesitated and decided to be more human.

Ten minutes later, two vehicles, including the Jeep from the "old tune team", drove over from the direction of Wubei and stopped in front of Jiang Baimian and others.

The person in charge of driving their car was Ding Ling.

Ding Ling pushed the door open and threw the key to Jiang Baimian.

Shang Jianyao jumped up and grabbed the item first.

"..." Ding Ling felt a little stupid for a moment.

The car behind, with several "Salvation Army" soldiers in it, didn't come near, and seemed to be guarding them from a distance.

Shang Jianyao took the key, took a few steps forward, and said to Ding Ling with a heavy expression:

"Commissioner Huang and Mr. Zhang died."

His voice dropped, not hiding his sadness.

Ding Ling lowered her head slightly and glanced at her toes:

"I found out on the way, and there was a car radio in the other car."

She immediately raised her head and forced out a smile full of sadness:

“On my first day as a member of the Salvation Army, I knew sacrifice was inevitable.

"Unlike those soldiers around Wubei, I have been in border settlements for a long time, often faced dangers, been injured several times, and have always been mentally prepared for the sudden sacrifice of those around me.

"Although it really happened, it will definitely still be sad, but the most important thing is to keep going, cherish the people around you who deserve attention, get along well with them, and try not to leave too many regrets in your daily life. "

Jiang Baimian could understand Ding Ling's mood, and just as he was about to say a few words of comfort, the honest Gnawa suddenly spoke:

"Then do you know that Zeng Pingan likes you? Did you get along well with him and prevent him from leaving too many regrets?"

At this moment, not only Long Yuehong, but also Bai Chen and Jiang Baimian were stunned. Only Shang Jianyao seemed to want to applaud.

What the hell is this problem? Lao Ge, don’t torture human nature at this time! This is so rude! Moreover, isn’t this really an argument? After coming back to his senses, Jiang Baimian was embarrassed and wanted to dismantle the broken robot.

She already remembered who Zeng Ping'an was. He was a young man from the border post. He saved Ding Ling during the exploratory attack on "Primary City" last year. He was shot several times and almost died.

Just when Jiang Baimian was trying to smooth things over and apologize, Ding Ling replied with a complicated expression:

"I had sex with him."

"..." Jiang Baimian, Long Yuehong, and Shang Jianyao all temporarily lost the ability to speak. Only Bai Chen didn't react much.

Before Gennava asked, Ding Ling sighed softly:

"Are you trying to say that I have a husband, and I'm asking you to go to the ice field to find him?

"For two years, there has been no news from him in the ice field. I am guarding my hometown on the border. I don't even know whether he is dead or alive now, and whether there is a possibility of reunion. The same is true for him. Maybe one minute, we will be reunited. Someone among them was infected with 'Wuxin disease', or was hit by a bullet in the heart.

"I love him, but I also pity and love my comrades.

"A child who can protect your back and be seriously injured for you is about to die and looks at you with eyes longing for love. Do you just refuse? He is a wanderer in the wilderness. His parents died young and suffered a lot. He endured hardships and finally came to our Salvation Army. He survived the years and joined the army. He has never felt love. Do you want him to die like this, unable to even satisfy his last wish?

"Haha, I have seen people who have never met again, but they stick to their lifelong love for each other, but this is a luxury product. Huitu only cares about today and does not think about tomorrow."

Having said this, Ding Ling lowered her eyes and said in a disappointed tone:

"I have also longed for..."

Long Yuehong couldn't accuse Ding Ling of doing something wrong. He felt that people who had never experienced the same thing would just stand up and talk without hurting their backs.

He could only curse fiercely in his heart:

This fucking world!

Ding Ling quickly returned to normal, looked at the "old tune team", exhaled and said:

"If my husband comes back, I will tell him everything that happened to me and let him decide what our future will be like."

As he talked, Ding Ling spoke faster and faster:

"I hope you can find him, tell him, tell him that I miss him."

There was still hope shining in her eyes.

Jiang Baimian nodded:

"Don't worry, we will definitely work hard to do what we promised you."

She did not continue the topic and asked instead:

"What's the current situation in Wubei?"

"We are investigating whether there is a hidden nuclear bomb. I don't know how many Salvation Army soldiers are busy at the risk of being killed." Ding Ling smiled bitterly, "When it is confirmed that there is no problem, let the evacuated people return. This should soon."

"So fast?" Shang Jianyao asked cooperatively.

Ding Ling nodded slightly:

"The threat from the powerful men of the 'New World' came too urgently. In order to seize the time and allow a large number of people to evacuate quickly, they did not do any inspections when they left the city.

"Now, the nuclear bomb has most likely been transferred out of Wubei. Haha, it's going to rain and my mother wants to get married. Let it go. Anyway, our 'Salvation Army' doesn't only have this nuclear warhead."

At present, it seems that the group that stole the nuclear bomb does not want to blow up any important city of the "Salvation Army". After all, the only thing more important than Wubei is Pingnancheng, the headquarters of the "Salvation Army".

"We can only investigate slowly later." Jiang Baimian said with relief.

Ding Ling looked back at the other car:

"I have to go. You can go back to Wubei to replenish supplies, or go directly to the ice field and replenish supplies on the way.

"Did you lose your passes?"

"No." Jiang Baimian shook his head.

Ding Ling said "hmm":

"If you want to return to Wubei, it is best to wait until three days later, or until you receive a notification that it is safe."

She then waved her hand:

"I'm waiting for you to bring me good news!"

After watching Ding Ling get into another car and drive towards Wubei, Jiang Baimian said to Shang Jianyao and others:

"Carry all the boxes back to the car."

Long Yuehong quickly stepped forward and opened the trunk of the Jeep.

As soon as he glanced at it, he frowned slightly:

"So many supplies?

"Given by the Salvation Army?"

He found that the few supplies left in the trunk filled more than one-third of the space.

"Is there such a good thing?" Shang Jianyao rushed over excitedly and dug a few times in the pile of supplies.

With a crashing sound, the pile of supplies collapsed, revealing a large box underneath.

"It's only one or two layers..." Shang Jianyao opened the box with a little disappointment and curiosity.

At the sound of snapping, the eyes of several members of the "Old Tune Group" suddenly froze.

Lying quietly in that box was a silver-gray, rather heavy warhead.

After being at a loss for a few seconds, Jiang Baimian said to himself:

"Isn't this the nuclear warhead?"

I am the culprit?

After hearing these words and seeing this scene, a vague memory suddenly became clear in Long Yuehong's mind:

When the team leader and Shang Jianyao went to meet with Commissioner Huang, he replaced Gnawa and came to the window to monitor the movement near the jeep. It seemed, probably, maybe that a person came over with a cart and opened the door of his own vehicle. It was quite difficult to put such a large box in the trunk, and it was disguised with the remaining supplies.

The man avoided surveillance cameras the whole time and knew everything about the parking lot.