Embers Ad Infinitum
chapter-195

At this moment, Baz—who was in charge of opening the door—had already collapsed to the ground. He was trembling non-stop.

Jiang Baimian didn’t have time to communicate with Shang Jianyao. Instead, she cast her gaze into the room.

It was relatively spacious inside. There was a large bed, a closet, a desk, and a sofa area. It was covered with a thick, dark-brown rug. It was obvious that the resident was of high status.

The only problem was the wall at the back of the room, which hung Eidolon Nun’s Sacred Emblem. There was no way to open the windows. The windows near the corridor had a rather heavy, light-colored curtain that completely blocked out the light.

With the few rays of light that surged in through the door, Jiang Baimian barely managed to see the room clearly. She felt that, be it the layout or the decorations, they were closer to the style of Red River.

Jiang Baimian suddenly sensed something and raised her right arm, prepared to block.

Almost at the same time, a figure jumped out of the room. This figure wore a black robe and was about 1.7 meters tall.

He was extremely fast as he swung his fist fiercely.

Shang Jianyao took the initiative before Jiang Baimian could react and raised his arms to receive the brunt of the blow.

With a bang, the air seemed to explode when their fists and legs made contact.

Shang Jianyao staggered back the next second and almost bumped into Jiang Baimian. Despite his lower body’s stability and strength—which exceeded that of an ordinary person—he failed to block the other party’s punch.

Jiang Baimian was very surprised as well. During normal training, she wasn’t capable of achieving such an effect even if she used her left hand. After all, Shang Jianyao’s genetic enhancement was very effective, and he usually worked very hard to train himself.

It was only then that Jiang Baimian saw their assailant clearly.

He looked to be in his thirties, and he had deep facial features. He had slightly curled black hair and a pair of amber eyes. His face appeared pale from not getting enough sunshine.

Under the sunlight coming from the corridor, his eyes were bloodshot and turbid. He was ferocious like a beast and no longer gave the feeling that he was human.

Heartless!

He was a Heartless!

Jiang Baimian dodged the retreating Shang Jianyao and didn’t hesitate to rush forward. She swung her left shoulder and punched out.

It sounded like a miniature cannonball had blasted out and forcefully shattered the air wall with a bang.

The Heartless had the necessary instincts. Upon realizing that he couldn’t dodge in time, he raised his arms and crossed them in front of him.

Bam!

His body only swayed slightly, but he didn’t retreat. He managed to block Jiang Baimian’s punch, which had fully delivered the biological prosthetic limb’s strength.

Jiang Baimian—who was in a combat state—had no time to be surprised. She attacked with both arms, unleashing a barrage of attacks like a storm.

During this process, her right fist was mainly used to adjust the rhythm. She could force the Heartless to dodge by delivering an uppercut, a hook, a lashing, and a straight punch. She could then use her strengths without actually colliding with the Heartless.

Her left fist was like a cannon or a hammer—each punch was heavier and more ferocious than the last. The air crackled as the Heartless retreated into the room.

Cracking sounds constantly sounded as the two of them overturned the sofa and shattered the chairs with their punches and kicks, leaving the room in chaos.

After an unknown period of time, Jiang Baimian forced the Heartless to a corner and forcefully punched out with her left hand again.

Although the Heartless blocked the punch, he flew backward and slammed into the wall with a clang.

Eh… Jiang Baimian realized in surprise that the other party was much weaker than before. He wasn’t even as strong as Long Yuehong. This made her suspect that the Heartless’s immense strength was a temporary enhancement.

Without time to analyze the situation, she prepared to switch to combat techniques pertaining to joints. Jiang Baimian planned on coupling it with a high-voltage electric current to restrain the Heartless and confirm the situation.

At that moment, the Heartless’s mouth curled up as he suddenly laughed. Countless blood vessels seemed to come to life in his beast-like amber eyes.

Jiang Baimian unconsciously smiled as well, and the hostility in her heart suddenly vanished.

This made her feel that the other party had given up resisting and was willing to surrender. Therefore, she stopped being vigilant and stopped her attack preparation.

Pa!

The Heartless punched again, targeting Jiang Baimian’s ear.

Jiang Baimian’s body instinctively reacted. She curled up, ducked, and rolled on the ground, escaping the Heartless’s attack range.

Seeing this, Shang Jianyao—who was blocking the door—took two steps forward and stopped the enemy.

Upon seeing this, the Heartless smiled at him. This smile seemed to come from a man-eating beast.

Shang Jianyao was stunned for a moment, but he didn’t give up on attacking. He punched out with his right fist.

The Heartless was a little stunned. His reaction speed slowed down significantly due to the lack of an effect. Fortunately, he was also prepared to launch a sneak attack—he squatted down in time to avoid the punch.

Shang Jianyao smiled. His left thigh tensed up and lashed out like a whip that tore through the air.

The Heartless couldn’t be bothered to maintain his posture. He exerted strength with his right foot and jumped to the side, rolling to the ground.

Shang Jianyao followed closely and began grappling.

In such a state, Shang Jianyao—who had learned the corresponding combat techniques—was clearly superior to the Heartless, who only relied on his instincts. In a few moves, Shang Jianyao grabbed the other party’s joints and firmly locked the enemy with his body.

With another roll, Shang Jianyao flipped the Heartless around and pressed his knees against the Heartless’s back, shoving his face to the ground.

“I won!” Shang Jianyao announced happily.

Is he treating this as a game, and hence he isn’t affected by that ‘smile?’ No, he should’ve treated this as a game after he saw that ‘smile’ that replaced his wariness with a sense of victory and defeat… A mental illness sure is useful… Jiang Baimian could probably determine that the Heartless opposite her was a Superior Heartless. She just didn’t know if he was an Awakened who fell ill or if he had inexplicably obtained an ability after his illness acted up.

At this moment, the Heartless replied with a deep roar as if he were threatening Shang Jianyao.

Shang Jianyao howled without hesitation.

The Heartless immediately fell silent, exuding confusion.

The corners of Jiang Baimian’s mouth slightly twitched as she turned to speak to Baz, who was outside the door. “Do you know who he is?”

Although she had already guessed the Heartless’s identity, she still needed further proof.

Baz had already recovered from his previous shock. He walked into the room and squatted down to examine the area.

He suddenly fell to the ground, propped himself up with both hands, and retreated. He then shouted in abnormal horror, “Bishop! It’s the bishop!”

“Bishop Renato?” Jiang Baimian had just determined that the person who had caught the Heartless disease was very likely Bishop Renato based on his various characteristics. However, she was still a little shocked when she heard Baz say that.

Even a bishop blessed by a Kalendaria would contract the Heartless disease?

Baz nodded heavily. “Yes, I recognize his eyes! The amber color is the only one in the entire town! T-the bishop contracted the Heartless disease…”

He stood up in horror, momentarily at a loss for words.

“You’ve never seen Bishop Renato’s face?” Jiang Baimian asked cautiously.

Baz replied, “He has always been wearing a mask when I met him.”

Jiang Baimian thought for a moment and said, “Go get the others in the cathedral and have them identify him.”

Baz was in a daze. After receiving the instructions, he reflexively did as instructed.

He ran out of the room and down the corridor, shouting as he ran. “Help! The bishop has contracted the Heartless disease! Help! The bishop has contracted the Heartless disease…”

Jiang Baimian retracted her gaze and spoke to Shang Jianyao, who restrained Bishop Renato. “Fortunately, it’s the Heartless disease. Otherwise, we might very well have been wrongly accused of killing Bishop Renato.”

There was no way to blame others for falling ill. It wasn’t like he was poisoned or infected.

Shang Jianyao immediately replied, “That’s inauspicious.”

Jiang Baimian didn’t continue the topic. As she waited for the others in the Vigilance Cathedral to come over, she asked seriously, “Did you feel like we were being watched from afar the moment Baz opened the door?”

“Yes.” Shang Jianyao was very honest.

Jiang Baimian asked, “Back then, did you feel very terrified and horrified, but you couldn’t muster any thoughts of resisting? L-like you were facing a real deity?”

“Something like that,” Shang Jianyao replied frankly.

Jiang Baimian slowly exhaled and said seriously, “Could it be that the bishop’s contracting of the Heartless disease attracted Eidolon Nun’s attention?”

Shang Jianyao suddenly turned his head and looked over when he heard this.

Jiang Baimian’s voice was deep as she muttered to herself, “We might’ve just ‘encountered’ a Kalendaria…”

The Kalendarium really seem to exist…