Embers Ad Infinitum
chapter-724

Chapter 724: ‘Wronged’

Translator: CKtalon

Shang Jianyao turned around and said to Bai Chen, who was in the driver’s seat, “Stop the car, stop the car.”

Bai Chen didn’t refuse because Jiang Baimian didn’t immediately hold back Shang Jianyao.

After the jeep slowed down and stopped by the side of the road, Shang Jianyao pushed open the door and walked straight to Paranga’s side. He then asked persistently, “What does ‘great calamity’ refer to?”

Paranga—who was wearing gray patched clothes—lowered his head and walked forward step by step like before.

Shang Jianyao adjusted his gait and made himself walk alongside the other party. “Venerable One, you and I are both Buddhists. We should be compassionate and responsible for delivering all living beings from suffering. Why don’t you be honest and inform us of the great calamity so that everyone can be prepared in advance?”

It’s even done in such a genteel manner… As the jeep drove at an extremely slow speed beside them, Jiang Baimian had already swapped seats with Genava and was beside the window.

Shang Jianyao had already rolled down the window previously.

Paranga finally said, “Our Asceticism Department doesn’t care about compassion or the desire to deliver all living beings from suffering. Buddha is a tutor, not a savior.”

With Shang Jianyao’s ability to spout nonsense, he actually choked a little. However, he quickly composed himself. “Then, can you tell me why you can’t tell me the details of the great calamity?”

Paranga lowered his head slightly and pressed his palms together. “Namo Annutara-Samyak-Subhuti.”

“Venerable One, are you testing my comprehension?” Shang Jianyao suddenly became excited.

Jiang Baimian couldn’t help but facepalm.

Paranga didn’t respond to Shang Jianyao and led the ascetics forward.

Shang Jianyao quickly took a few steps forward and followed. He stroked his chin and said, “Venerable One, since you’re unwilling to tell me, I won’t force you. I remember you previously saying that an omen has appeared and that a great calamity is imminent. Can you tell me what the omen refers to?”

He didn’t feel ashamed or angry that he hadn’t obtained an answer despite repeatedly asking.

Paranga’s footsteps paused. He finally looked up at Shang Jianyao and said with an extremely complicated tone, “The Holy Lands have begun to collapse.”

Shang Jianyao’s eyes widened slightly as he asked, “The Buddhist Holy Lands?”

Paranga returned to his previous state. He lowered his head, pressed his palms together, and chanted a Buddhist proclamation. “Namo Annutara-Samyak-Subhuti.”

Shang Jianyao didn’t ask any further and changed the topic with piqued interest. “Venerable One, what requirements need to be met before you’ll share the matter regarding the great calamity?”

Paranga wasn’t angry because of the constant pestering; he simply replied, “I’ll naturally say it when it’s time.”

The muscles on Shang Jianyao’s face clearly contorted. “I hate communicating with monks like you the most! You don’t speak human!”

Clearly, these monks included Zen Master Redemption.

Paranga turned his head and glanced at the fellow as if he were surprised that he had cursed himself. He then thoughtfully said, “When one no longer thinks in terms of an ego, a personality, a being, and a life, they’ll be able to meet Gautama Buddha.”

Zen Master Redemption Shang Jianyao scratched his head, not understanding.

The unaffiliated monk was ashamed of his inferiority. He pressed his palms together and said, “Namo Annutara-Samyak-Subhuti. This Penniless Monk won’t disturb you any further.”

He turned around and quickly fled to the jeep before opening the door.

Jiang Baimian signaled for Genava to lean against the window on the other side. She then squeezed in and emptied a seat.

After Shang Jianyao sat firmly in the car, Bai Chen stepped on the accelerator and let the jeep go.

Before long, they left Paranga and the ascetics behind so much that they couldn’t even see them with their tail lights.

After driving for another five to six minutes, Shang Jianyao suddenly slapped his thigh. “So we were wronged!”

“Huh?” Not only Long Yuehong and Bai Chen, but Jiang Baimian and Genava also voiced their confusion. Isn’t this train of thought too jumpy?

Shang Jianyao explained seriously, “The destruction of those Buddhist Holy Lands is a sign that a great calamity is imminent. Regardless of whether we participate or not, the same outcome will happen.

“One can’t say that we destroyed those Buddhist Holy Lands. We only happened to be caught in the fray!”

The more he spoke, the more sincere he became.

That actually makes sense in a warped way… Jiang Baimian chuckled. “You might as well say that we are only tools arranged to do so—blame the mastermind if you want to. It’s like shooting you; you should be blaming me, not the gun.”

“That’s right, that’s right.” Long Yuehong also felt that the Old Task Force couldn’t take the blame for destroying the Buddhist Holy Lands.

Shang Jianyao instantly became serious. “However, it can be seen from another perspective that certain Buddhist schools of thought had expected the Holy Land to be destroyed. This might really be related to the so-called ‘great calamity.’”

Long Yuehong was just about to nod when Shang Jianyao added, “Someone finds the destruction of the Old World insufficient?”

“Uh…” Long Yuehong’s heart sank.

If the Old World was destroyed again, Pangu Biology might not be spared even if it was hidden underground.

It was only till recently that he felt that there was plenty to look forward to in life!

“What will come will come sooner or later.” Jiang Baimian concluded the discussion with this sentence.

Fear didn’t prevent the inevitable.

…

In the evening, the Old Task Force arrived at an extremely beautiful primitive forest.

They found a forest ranger’s cabin left behind from the Old World at the edge of the forest, removed the vines that covered its surface, and simply cleaned up the messy room.

After a simple dinner, Jiang Baimian ordered, “The people not on duty tonight shall sleep inside.”

The honest Genava volunteered. “You can all sleep in the room; I’ll stay outside. I can’t charge here anyway. In sleep mode, I can still react to the surroundings to a certain extent.”

“No.” Jiang Baimian shook her head. “Inequality rather than want is the cause of trouble.”

She then made further arrangements. “Hey and I will be on night duty tonight. Little White and Little Red will sleep in the room. Old Ge will rest in the car and use the solar charger to recharge.”

“Alright!” Shang Jianyao agreed very quickly.

Long Yuehong naturally had no objections and chose to agree tacitly.

After a meal and an internal discussion, Jiang Baimian slung a Short Neck submachine gun over her shoulder and said to Bai Chen and Long Yuehong, “Get some rest.”

She pushed open the cabin door and walked out into the darkness.

Shang Jianyao and Genava followed closely behind. The former even carefully closed the door.

Suddenly, the cabin became extremely quiet.

Long Yuehong reflexively felt a little nervous. He looked around and said, “Get some rest. We still have to get up at midnight to replace Team Leader and Shang Jianyao.”

“Alright.” Bai Chen sat on the wooden bed that had been sprayed with insect repellent and covered with a military blanket.

Long Yuehong sat by the bed a distance away. He opened his mouth and suddenly didn’t know what to say.

After trying to be in the right mind for more than ten seconds, he finally asked, “Little White, w-why do you like me?”

Long Yuehong almost slapped himself with his right hand after asking that.

Yes, his right hand.

Bai Chen thought for a moment before saying, “Ever since my parents passed away, nobody has meticulously treated me as you do.”

Long Yuehong was overjoyed, but he didn’t have much confidence. He instinctively wanted to mutter, “I’m only 1.75 meters tall after genetic enhancement…”

At this moment, Bai Chen added, “Besides, you’re a brave person.”

Long Yuehong couldn’t help but smile.

Bai Chen looked at him and asked, “Then, why do you like me?”

Long Yuehong scratched his head with his left hand. “I don’t know when it started either. Maybe it was when we gradually had common topics to talk about, or maybe it was after I felt comfortable with you even without talking. I don’t have to think about how to liven up the atmosphere.”

“You seem uneasy now.” Bai Chen hit the nail on the head.

Long Yuehong smiled embarrassedly before yelping.

“What’s wrong?” Bai Chen asked.

Long Yuehong scratched his head with his right hand. “I specially watched some Old World entertainment previously. It said that when you interact with the girl you like, don’t ask direct and awkward topics such as why you like or don’t like something. I forgot all of that…”

Forgot… Bai Chen’s eyes flickered slightly. “Then, what did it say about how you should interact and what to chat about?”

Long Yuehong was just about to answer when he suddenly saw Bai Chen’s eyes curl slightly under the light of the fire outside. Her eyes were like stars, and her lips slightly opened.

1

Swoosh!

Jiang Baimian grabbed the back of Shang Jianyao’s collar and dragged him away from the forest ranger’s cabin window.

1

This fellow had just sneakily tried to stick his head out from the side to reduce the lighting.

“Focus on patrolling!” Jiang Baimian released her left hand and released Shang Jianyao.

Shang Jianyao straightened his clothes and suppressed his voice. “Aren’t you curious?”

“Uh…” Jiang Baimian hesitated. She then straightened her face and said, “You have to be polite!”

“That’s right.” An unknown Shang Jianyao strongly agreed.

He began to patrol seriously.

…

After five to six days, the Old Task Force—which had been heading northeast—realized that the surrounding buildings were gradually becoming dense.

This meant that there might be a city ruin ahead of them.

From the map that had no landmarks for reference, this could either be Tai City or not.