Embers Ad Infinitum

"You mean, there is something weird in the ruins of this city?" Facing the calm and rational Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong could relatively easily decipher what he wanted to express.

Shang Jianyao smiled and said:

"I am simply analyzing the contradiction between the current situation of this urban ruin and its geographical location."

"Yes." Jiang Baimian nodded lightly, "Nearly seventy years have passed since the destruction of the old world. Unexplored ruins like this must have their own special features: the Ruins of Marsh No. 1 are located inside the Great Swamp. If you want to find a very special Difficulty, the ruins of Wasteland No. 13 were guarded by troops sent by the "Primary City", and no one was allowed to enter.

"Opposite of them is the Bloody Wilderness No. 9 ruins. Although there are many dangers inside, and many places have been restricted to humans until now, but because they are easier to find and have not been circled by any major force, there are still a large number of them. Relic hunters have come one after another, which has resulted in some urban areas there being almost 'developed'."

What she meant was that Taicheng is located in a place with ice fields extending in all directions. The "Old Tunnel Team" traveled all the way without even deviating from the roads left over from the old world before reaching its destination, and the "Salvation Army" did not send any troops. The army is here to take care of it. The current situation is indeed worth pondering and there must be something weird about it.

If Taicheng is located in an area of ​​semi-permanent frozen soil deep in the ice sheet, and ruin hunters cannot use the short summer to get there through many obstacles, resulting in better preservation of the city ruins, then it is understandable. From every angle, it goes against common sense.

Bai Chen considered it and said:

"It may be that the ice sheet has a shorter season suitable for human action. After so many years, ruin hunters have not even excavated many ruins of cities further south, and lack enough motivation to continue going north."

"This is a reason." Gnawa said after modeling analysis, "But the probability is very low, because the further north you go, the fewer 'unintentional people' remain in the ruins of the city, and the degree of danger is relatively lower. After comprehensive calculation, Spend a little time exploring north, where the rewards are higher and the risks are easier to grasp.”

Winter is difficult, both for humans and for the "unintentional" group.

The situation becomes more severe the further north the ice sheet goes.

Jiang Baimian nodded, looked at Shang Jianyao and said:

"Do you have any idea?"

In terms of broad thinking, she has always believed that there is a big gap between herself and Shang Jianyao.

She is still in the realm of normal human beings.

Shang Jianyao laughed:

"The ruins of such a large city are here, and the surrounding environment is not bad. There are many ruin hunters heading north to hunt and explore. Why do they turn a blind eye?"

"Turn a blind eye..." Jiang Baimian's heart moved, and a sudden association occurred.

Shang Jianyao then showed a pleased expression:

"As expected, you also remembered it.

"Namo Ayodoro Sanliu Sanbodhi, donor, do you still remember the anomaly in Room 302, Building 4, Area 2, District 2, Ruins of the Steel Factory?"

Hearing these words, not only Jiang Baimian, but also Long Yuehong and Bai Chen reacted instantly.

As for Gnawa, because he had never experienced it personally, it took him a while to retrieve the relevant information:

At that time, what Shang Jianyao and Jiang Baimian saw in Room 302 was an ordinary scene of ruins, and they found nothing of value. However, Long Yuehong, who peeked out of the window, saw two corpses lying on the bed. A bright red quilt embroidered with auspicious patterns of dragons and phoenixes.

In the end, Shang Jianyao, prompted by Long Yuehong, touched the small jade Buddha at the intersection of reality and fiction, and lifted it out.

This caused the false scene he and Jiang Baimian had seen before to shatter, and the real situation inside Room 302 was revealed.

This incident is connected with the contradictory phenomenon in Taicheng, which makes people naturally make corresponding guesses.

Long Yuehong, who spoke more enthusiastically than before, considered and said:

"We entered the real Tai City, but what the ruin hunters saw was a fake Tai City. There were no valuable items there, or was it in a state that was difficult to excavate and lacked the meaning of exploration?"

"We were able to enter Zhentai City because we brought special items from the Buddhist Holy Land?" Bai Chen speculated.

While Jiang Baimian nodded lightly, Shang Jianyao smiled and took off his tactical backpack:

"I think so too."

Snapped!

He found the "Six Senses Pearl" and threw it to the roadside very casually.

Immediately afterwards, he lifted up the small jade Buddha with green lake water and threw it on the ground. Jiang Baimian also threw the "right hand of chaos".

There is no change in the surrounding scene.

"This is a bit embarrassing..." Honest Shang Jianyao laughed at himself.

Jiang Baimian looked around and said thoughtfully:

"Maybe it's because we have entered Zhentai City. Even if we throw away the corresponding items, we will no longer have 'hallucinations'."

When it comes to the word "hallucination", she is not so sure, because it is still unclear what the situation is.

"What should we do?" Long Yuehong frowned slightly.

The reckless Shang Jianyao immediately responded:

"Go on, go to No. 1 Senior High School!"

That is the true body of the Buddhist Holy Land.

Jiang Baimian glared at him:

"Exit and re-enter, confirm the situation before proceeding.

"Caution is the boat!"

"Yes, yes." Shang Jianyao didn't feel that Jiang Baimian was refuting his self-consciousness at all.

Long Yuehong, Bai Chen and Gnawa had no objections to this.

After picking up the items on the ground, several members of the "Old Adjustment Team" got back into the car and returned along the original path until they reached the fault zone.

From here, they can no longer see Taicheng.

"Lao Ge, please stay here with the 'Six Senses Pearl' and the Little Jade Buddha, waiting for news." There was no doubt about Jiang Baimian's choice.

Gennava was the only one among the team members present who was not affected by the "Six Senses Beads" and other props.

This time, Shang Jianyao not only left the "Six Consciousness Pearl" and the small jade Buddha, but also gave Gnawa the "Angel of Life" necklace and the blessing map of the gods to be on the safe side.

"You must take good care of them!" he warned sincerely.

Jiang Baimian moved his mouth slightly, and while handing the "Right of Chaos" to Gnawa, he set up the auxiliary chip in the biological prosthetic limb so that it could monitor its own status.

The four of them got into the car again, driven by Bai Chen, and headed towards Taicheng.

During the journey, both Shang Jianyao and Jiang Baimian maintained a high degree of concentration, sensing the changes around them in their own ways.

Ten minutes later, the scene in the distance made them both fall silent at the same time.

Taicheng, which was still "here" before, seemed to have suffered a natural disaster like a landslide. It had been buried under boulders, mud and cracks, with only some faintly collapsed buildings exposed.

And surrounding the ruins that are extremely difficult to excavate, there are swamps formed by water infiltration, isthmuses with bottoms that cannot be seen, and barrier lakes that may collapse at any time...

Anyone who sees this scene will give up without hesitation and stop trying to explore Taicheng.

There are many ruins of cities on the ice sheet that are better for obtaining supplies. There is no need to fight here. The risks and benefits are completely disproportionate!

"There really is a fake Taicheng..." After silence, Long Yuehong said in an almost babbled tone.

He was deeply shaken.

Room 302 in the ruins of the steel plant is just a house with a few dozen square meters. It hides the truth and covers it with falsehood, making it feel not so exaggerated.

But now, what the "Old Tune Group" sees in front of them is a city where millions of people live in the old world, and it is actually separated into the real and the false!

Shang Jianyao's expression gradually became excited:

"What will happen if we don't stop and continue driving towards the isthmus ahead?"

"Don't seek death." Jiang Baimian stopped this guy concisely.

She took a breath and said:

"Let's try a few more times to confirm which items can allow us to enter Zhentai City. This may be of great use later."

"Okay." Bai Chen withdrew his gaze with some difficulty.

Since joining the "Old Tune Group", many of her past common senses have been subverted.

After several rounds of experiments, the "Old Tune Group" determined that the effect was caused by the "Six Senses Pearl" and the Little Jade Buddha.

As long as they carry any one of them, the "Old Tune Team" can enter Zhentai City, provided that they are no more than fifty meters away from these two items.

"It's really magical..." Long Yuehong ended today's attempt with this sentence.

At this time, the five members of the "Old Tune Team" were sitting on a jeep, walking slowly along the car-free streets of Zhentai City.

Gennava looked at Jiang Baimian with his flashing red eyes:

"Where do we go next?"

Jiang Baimian already had a draft:

"First find a city map nearby.

"Then go to Harbor Home, No. 1 Senior High School and Yanhui Hospital in sequence."

She ranked them according to the degree of danger - Harbor Home is the place where Fan Wensi and Li Jinlong once rented, and it must have the least secrets. The No. 1 Senior High School is clearly a Buddhist holy place, and Renhui Hospital involves those volunteers who are in a vegetative state. The most risky place.

PS: Ask for double monthly tickets at the end of the month~