Embers Ad Infinitum
chapter-810

Chapter 810 Morning Prayers

After Long Yuehong, Bai Chen, and Genava left the room, Jiang Baimian said to Shang Jianyao, “The matter regarding Room 506 has almost come to an end. The information that needs to be squeezed out has probably been squeezed out. Even if there are still some secrets, they are things that the room owner doesn’t know or hasn’t delved into. Once you come into contact with them, you might face a Kalendaria.”

“I think so too.” It was the calm and rational Shang Jianyao.

Jiang Baimian nodded slightly. “You can explore other rooms next and search for the door that leads to the New World. Yes, don’t affect your daily missions.”

She felt that, based on the various pieces of information they currently had, the root cause of most of the problems was the New World. Without knowing the exact situation there, it was very difficult to make an accurate judgment, nor could she effectively and concretely resolve the corresponding ‘chronic problems.’

Among the Old Task Force, Shang Jianyao was undoubtedly the one with the highest chance of finding the New World’s door.

Of course, Jiang Baimian wouldn’t agree to Shang Jianyao entering directly if he really found it. Instead, she planned on gathering more relevant information. After coming up with a certain plan, they would wait for an appropriate opportunity.

Shang Jianyao eagerly replied, “Alright!”

“Rest tonight to recover some energy.” Jiang Baimian saw through his plan. “Alright.” Shang Jianyao walked to his bed in disappointment.

The next morning, the Old Task Force drove away from Cliff Village again and headed for Col Town.

The smell of blood from slaughtering the livestock still filled the air. Although the stains on the street had been washed clean by the stream, it still attracted some microorganisms to hover over the area.

These weren’t the flies and mosquitoes that Long Yuehong was familiar with. In this season, these two creatures normally wouldn’t appear near Icefield.

As for what they were, Long Yuehong couldn’t identify them at all. He only suspected that they were some mutated insects that were resistant to the cold.

Shang Jianyao familiarly drove past the cars parked in the small square and the surrounding streets, poking his head out to search for Old He.

“Smells good...” he suddenly said.

Long Yuehong subconsciously sniffed. As expected, he could smell the fragrance of roasted meat amidst the faint smell of blood.

“It won’t do to eat so much grease early in the morning!” Shang Jianyao looked to the side, pained.

Several people from End Year City were using the embers left over from last night to roast a few pieces of sliced pork. They didn’t have any seasoning and only had some salt and plant powder, which was local produce of the valley. However, just the pork belly itself made the roasted fat especially charming and whetted one’s appetite.

Shang Jianyao leaned over, looking like he wanted to criticize such an unhealthy diet.

“What can I use to exchange for a piece?” he asked.

“Clothes!” “Energy bars.” “Weapons.” The three young people from End Year City gave different answers.

Although they produced fur, the valley’s climate was warm. Apart from winter, it was about the same as the south most of the time. There was no need to wear thick clothes. Shang Jianyao readily took out two energy bars and exchanged them for a large piece of roasted pork belly.

He stood there and ate until his mouth was filled with oil.

Long Yuehong couldn’t help but gulp a mouthful of saliva and turn to look at Bai Chen. “Do you want some?”

“I just had breakfast.” Bai Chen indicated that she didn’t have the appetite, but she then added, “You can exchange for one and try the

taste.”

“There’s no need.” Long Yuehong shook his head. “We’ve had roasted meat for the past few meals.”

Finally, Shang Jianyao finished eating the pork belly and took the opportunity to inquire. “Where’s Old He?”

The young man-who had just received his energy bar-pointed at a car in the square. “Old He is doing his morning prayers. The Truth they believe in is troublesome. Unlike us, apart from the last day of the year when we hold Mass, when we pray is up to us.”

That’s very compatible with Big Boss’s attitude toward believers... Long Yuehong inexplicably felt a sense of intimacy.

Before Shang Jianyao could speak, Jiang Baimian pointed at him. “My companion also believes in the Arbiter of Fate, but they seem different from you.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Shang Jianyao said excitedly. “When newborns are born or when someone passes away, we will hold a one-month old celebration and a funeral respectively. Everything else will be simplified. However, we have to thank the Kalendaria for keeping us alive when we wake up every morning. In addition, the Guide will gather us at a relatively fixed time to do a sermon and enjoy Holy Communion.”

As he spoke, he raised his right hand and wiped his mouth. He didn’t seem worried that he would be reprimanded as a heretic by the other party.

The young man with messy hair, white skin, and light-brown eyes that had just replied revealed an envious expression. “We only have Holy Communion when there’s a Grand Mass.”

“What’s your Holy Communion?” Shang Jianyao asked eagerly.

The young man pointed at a small number of livestock that had yet to be traded. “It’s to slaughter all kinds of animals; it symbolizes that the End belongs to the Arbiter of Fate. We then use their various parts to make different dishes. The most precious things are all kinds of dishes related to blood. Sigh, it’s a pity that all the blood sausages we brought along were sold out in the south. Otherwise, I could still let you have a taste.”

He didn’t view Shang Jianyao—who also believed in the Arbiter of Fate—as an enemy and was rather enthusiastic.

“Blood sausages. I think I’ve heard of it somewhere...” Jiang Baimian muttered to herself.

Genava wanted to give an answer, but he stopped his speaker’s operation in time considering that his identity as a smart bot couldn’t be exposed here.

Jiang Baimian quickly recalled. “I heard about it in Tarnan. It’s a local delicacy in President Gu’s hometown; he brought the recipe to Tarnan.”

“That’s right. There’s also Pork Stew!” Shang Jianyao clenched his right fist and punched his left palm. “Abbess Zhou still owes us Pork Stew.”

He just couldn’t forget about it.

“She’s not the one who owes you,” Jiang Baimian corrected him again.

The young man from End Year City listened in confusion and came to a realization. “Our Grand Mass also has Pork Stew. The President Gu you’re talking about should be someone from an area north of the Old World or their descendants. There are many such people in our End Year City.”

As for which area it was, he couldn’t give the specifics. First, he wasn’t a descendant of those people. Second, Icefield had already encroached the corresponding area, making it impossible to make a good comparison with the Old World’s map. “How should I address you?” Shang Jianyao’s eyes lit up when he heard Pork Stew. “I’ll visit you in End Year City in the future and participate in your Grand Mass. We’re all believers of the Arbiter of Fate, so we definitely can’t treat each other as strangers.”

He temporarily didn’t use Thought Guidance and followed Jiang Baimian’s suggestion to see what he could obtain through normal questions.

The young man from End Year City felt the sincere enthusiasm and replied with a smile, “My name is Li Bingliang; it means pure-hearted. Uh, our End Year City doesn’t accept outsiders to prevent our exact location from being leaked unless you can obtain an Elder’s invitation.”

“Oh...” Shang Jianyao was rather disappointed. “Is Old He an Elder?”

“No.” Li Bingliang shook his head.

At this moment, he recalled the question of why the ritual and Holy Communion were different when they both believed in the Arbiter of Fate.

“Our End Year City was mainly established by the End Year Church. You should belong to other denominations that believe in the Kalendaria. Evernight Parish, Sunset Church, or Life Ritual?”

“Life Ritual,” Shang Jianyao replied without hesitation.

Li Bingliang felt affirmed of his guess.

After chatting for a while, the Old Task Force walked deeper into the square and came to Old He’s military car.

Old He donned a bearskin coat. He was sitting in the passenger seat, holding a book. His head was slightly lowered as he silently chanted.

Jiang Baimian and the others looked at each other and nodded indiscernibly.

They began to believe in the hypothesis that Truth wasn’t Last Man. This was because the Anti-intellectualism Church had always advocated that knowledge was toxic and that thinking was a trap. How could they get believers to recite scriptures during morning prayers?

Even if this belonged to another denomination of Last Man, they–who used similar symbols -shouldn’t be diametrically opposite.

The Old Task Force waited for a while longer until Old He completed his morning prayers and closed the book.

Jiang Baimian curiously sized it up and saw the words ‘University Physics.’

University Physics... Jiang Baimian was knowledgeable, so she didn’t let her expression change.

“Physics?” Shang Jianyao asked with a questioning tone.

old He smiled and replied, “Physics is the principle of all things, the truth of this world, and the embodiment of our Lord. Of course, the physics written by humans is only close to the truth, not the truth. There are always certain flaws that can often be overturned and corrected—just like how I read a physics summary previously...”

Long Yuehong immediately recalled the despair he felt during his physics classes in university.

Shang Jianyao interrupted Old He. “This doesn’t look like the doll on your pendant. It has no facial features, which means that it doesn’t look, listen, sniff, or ask questions. It only listens and is a Last Man.”

Old He replied angrily, “That’s a heretic’s interpretation! The true meaning of this symbol is that human eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and eyebrows aren’t as important as their brains!”

Following this, he alighted, stretched out a finger with each hand, and pressed it against the sides of his head. Old He then said, “The Truth is in our minds!”