Embers Ad Infinitum
chapter-126

Translator: CKtalon

Ferlin didn’t seem to notice Long Yuehong’s silence and continued introducing the city. “Weed City isn’t large. Its layout is very simple. It’s divided into north, south, east, and west streets. There are also some alleys along each street. There, only one car can enter and leave at a time.

“South Street is mostly the market. You can buy all kinds of things as long as you find the right person, including Paradise Island’s marijuana…”

Ferlin didn’t finish his sentence and skipped the rest. “East Street is mainly made up of hotels, motels, warehouses, and parking lots. West Street has the Hunter’s Guild, bars, teahouses, bathhouses, and nightclubs. These are places where all kinds of riffraff can be found.

“To get to North Street, we have to cross Central Square and the municipal building first. Then, there’s a small bridge with more than ten to twenty armed guards on it. North Street is where nobles, manor lords, and rich merchants live. Castellan Manor is also over there.”

Jiang Baimian and the others knew all of this. After all, they had a competent guide like Bai Chen. However, they still listened very seriously as if they didn’t want to miss out on any details.

As the convoy advanced, Ferlin retracted his gaze and thoughtfully asked, “Do you have a Hunter’s Badge?”

“No.” Shang Jianyao was very calm.

“No.” Jiang Baimian and Long Yuehong shook their heads, but Bai Chen didn’t answer.

Ferlin smiled and said, “If you get the chance, it’s better to register as a Ruin Hunter. It’s fine elsewhere, but it’s not that convenient to not have a Hunter’s Badge in Weed City.”

“Has this place already become a city dominated by the Hunter’s Guild?” Jiang Baimian asked the obvious.

She had a certain level of understanding of Weed City, and Bai Chen was very familiar with it.

Ferlin thought for a moment and said, “From a certain perspective, yes.”

He smiled and explained, “Do you know the situation back when Weed City was first established?”

“I don’t know,” replied Bai Chen, who was driving. In the past, she was a wilderness nomad who desperately ran around in a bid to live. Her knowledge of Weed City was focused on the information that could be used immediately, so she had never paid much attention to its history.

Upon seeing Jiang Baimian also turning around to look at him, Ferlin stroked his white beard and said, “Back then, the survivors gathered here, naturally forming a dozen armed groups. After an intense gunfight, only seven remained. No one could do a thing to each other.

“Coupled with the threat of beasts, monsters, and Heartless, they realized that everyone would die if they continued fighting. Therefore, they compromised and established a council. Every armed group had a vote to elect a castellan so that they could collectively face against their enemies.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Baimian nodded and said, “Primitive military democracy.”

She then sighed. “The cycle of human civilization…”

Primitive military democracy… Long Yuehong repeated the term in his heart and realized that he knew every word. However, it was a little difficult to understand the term when the words were placed together.

We are all employees of Pangu Biology that received the same education. Why does Team Leader grasp so much additional knowledge? Is it because she can read a lot of extracurricular books?

Ferlin was also stunned. He didn’t expect to hear such an academic term. Of course, with his understanding of the various political systems, he easily understood what it meant.

“Whether it’s primitive or not, it’s fine as long as it works.” Ferlin expressed his thoughts and continued, “This allowed Weed City to survive the most dangerous period and continue. Although this didn’t completely eliminate internal strife, and every power struggle was more or less accompanied by blood, it was at least controlled to a certain extent.”

He looked out the window again. “Later, Weed City became First City’s vassal. The leaders of the seven armed groups slowly evolved into the region’s great nobles. They each have a small batch of nobles under them, who are in charge of the manors that surround Weed City.

“Heh heh, the council also added a word to their name, becoming the Noble Council.

“Later, an illegitimate son relied on his own efforts and family’s resources to climb to the position of the Hunter’s Guild’s local president. This wasn’t a big deal in the first place, but in an internal coup, the family’s main branch was terminated. In order to prevent a family branch from inheriting the family line, the illegitimate son was recognized as the family head and made a noble.

“He relied on his status in the Hunter’s Guild and his family’s wealth and supplies to gradually rope in a group of powerful Ruin Hunters without attracting anyone’s attention. Yes, they can be called mercenaries elsewhere. Anyway, I suspect that there might be some Awakened among them.

“In short, after a few bouts of internal strife, the illegitimate son was elected as castellan. From then on, the Noble Council’s powers began to diminish in actual strength. The election system was rigged into a disguised form of family inheritance.”

“It feels like history repeated itself…” Jiang Baimian laughed after hearing that. “This is why the local Hunter’s Guild is relatively strong.”

Ferlin nodded. “Yes, every castellan will be the local president of the Hunter’s Guild.”

“From the looks of it, the Hunter’s Guild will undergo some changes in different places. I knew too little in the past.” Jiang Baimian was very satisfied with knowing this.

Bai Chen suddenly asked, “That illegitimate son is the stone statue in front of the municipal building?”

“Yes.” Ferlin smiled. “Xu Erde is known as the greatest castellan of Weed City to date. When he was alive, he released many restrictions and made Weed City the most developed, most vibrant, and the best agricultural city in the Monk Wastelands. If not for that, it would be impossible for Weed City not to lack food in this year’s climate.

“But after he was elected as castellan, he paved the way for the next generation. In order to obtain First City’s support, he abolished many of Weed City’s important industries and started imports from them. In this regard, Weed City completely became First City’s vassal.

“However, this is good for us. We make many trips between Weed City and First City every year.”

As a caravan leader who traveled extensively, he knew these secrets very well.

As they spoke, the convoy turned into East Street and drove outside a hotel.

This hotel was called the Meri Hotel. It occupied three adjacent units on the street and the corresponding third, fourth, and fifth floors.

Beside the hotel was an alley. In the alley was a pair of iron fence doors that led to an empty courtyard surrounded by buildings.

This was the hotel’s parking lot.

Hometown’s convoy drove here skillfully.

A middle-aged man—wearing a knit cap and a thick army-green cotton coat—came out of the sentry post. He opened the door and smiled. “You guys are here again?”

He rubbed his hands, trembling a little from the chilly wind.

“Isn’t it because I like your daughter?” The Rootless in front joked as he drove the car into the parking lot.

Upon seeing Bai Chen step on the brakes and stop the jeep on the street, Ferlin asked regretfully, “Are you guys planning on finding a place to stay yourselves?”

“Yes, I won’t trouble you any further. I don’t want to implicate you in any future matters,” Jiang Baimian said frankly.

“What’s there to be afraid of? Jianyao and I are brothers!” Ferlin patted Shang Jianyao’s shoulder.

“It’s because we are brothers that I can’t implicate you,” Shang Jianyao replied very seriously. He then looked into Ferlin’s eyes, unwilling to show weakness.

Finally, Ferlin sighed and said, “Then, you have to be careful. Come to me if you have any problems. We should be here for a few days. Sigh, the situation is gradually becoming clearer. The nobles and manor lords should be able to tell that it won’t be easy to buy food.”

After giving the advice, he alighted from the car and tightly gripped Shang Jianyao’s hands. He then reluctantly said, “Pray we meet again!”

“We’ll definitely meet again!” Shang Jianyao shook their tightly clenched hands.

After bidding Ferlin and the others farewell, Bai Chen let the jeep continue driving forward.

Long Yuehong held in his question for a long time before he finally had a chance to ask, “Where are we going now?”

Jiang Baimian pointed at Bai Chen with her chin. “Let Little White¹ do whatever she wants.”

“…” Bai Chen frowned. “Team Leader, why did you give me a nickname?”

“There will be a distance between our team if we keep using our names.” Jiang Baimian smiled. “You can also call me Sister Jiang, Sister Mian, or Big White¹.”

“You’re so childish,” Shang Jianyao said.

Jiang Baimian raised her left hand and let it escape the passenger seat’s seat cover.

Tiny electric arcs flashed on it.

Bai Chen didn’t say a word. She drove the car to the end of East Street and circled back south along the road by the city wall’s edge.

Upon seeing Shang Jianyao shut his mouth, Jiang Baimian thought for a while and continued, “After we settle down, we’ll have lunch. We’ll then contact the company’s intelligence personnel and meet at the designated time according to our agreement.

“There’s nothing wrong with secretly observing the intelligence officer. After we confirm that no one is tailing him, we’ll get Shang Jianyao to ‘make friends’ with him…”

At this moment, the jeep turned into an alley on South Street and stopped in front of a row of houses.

Long Yuehong looked out and saw a signboard: ‘Ah-Fu Gun Shop.’

Under the signboard, someone had written a line of words on the seriously damaged white porcelain wall with a black place: “Taking in broken pistols, broken rifles, and broken submachine guns.”