Embers Ad Infinitum
chapter-911-30041322

Jiang Baimian nodded with a normal expression. "I've thought it through."

The 'Jiang Baimian' examined her face for a while before sighing. "From the looks of it, it's not the answer I want. Do we really have to fight and determine who's better?"

Jiang Baimian had already questioned herself repeatedly during this period of time, and her will regarding this matter had gradually become firm. She calmly said, "Hey is risking himself in the New World in an attempt to figure out the truth and muddy the waters. Little White and Little Red are lurking in the company. Once an opportunity presents itself, they will face all kinds of dangers head-on and present the entire truth to everyone before organizing them to escape the underground building. Old Ge is clearly not a member of the company, but he has to be in charge of providing support and taking on considerable risks.

"They are all risking their lives on this matter. How can I betray them and choose to compromise? Our team has risked our lives together so many times. Nobody will back out at the last minute unless there's no hope and there's a need to ensure continuity."

Without waiting for the 'Jiang Baimian' to respond, she continued, "Besides, the essence of our dream is to prevent humans from always having the Heartless disease hanging over their heads and preventing human civilization from suffering the Old World's destruction again."

"Are you really not afraid of death? Aren't you afraid of changing Daddy, Mommy, and the others' comfortable lives?" That Jiang Baimian sighed.

Jiang Baimian smiled. "I remember a saying: 'Nothing is important except death.' Nobody isn't afraid of death—even Hey has a timid personality.

"Hey is the linchpin in this matter. I'm only doing some support work, and the dangers and difficulties I face are far inferior to his. Besides, we are in the Ashlands. It's not like we can live our lives peacefully until we are old and feeble just because we are afraid of death. If the problem with the New World isn't resolved and the battle there doesn't end, even the company's directors can't guarantee that we won't become Big Boss's food in the next decade or two.

"Once there's a development in the New World, Big Boss will need to be replenished. Nobody is spared."

At this point, Jiang Baimian concluded, "I'm afraid of death, but I'm not so afraid that my feet will go limp when I hear that there will be grave danger."

The 'Jiang Baimian' sighed and said in a self-deprecating tone, "It seems like we have to determine who's better."

Jiang Baimian didn't answer. She walked toward the golden elevator in front of her other self.

Step by step, she walked very firmly.

That Jiang Baimian's expression changed slightly. "Do you think I won't stop you?"

Jiang Baimian smiled and said, "I've figured something out in the past few days."

"What is it?" the other 'Jiang Baimian' asked with a solemn expression.

Jiang Baimian maintained her smile and said, "Why is the advice at the end of the Sea of Origins to find her, accept her, and accommodate her?"

The 'Jiang Baimian' didn't speak.

As Jiang Baimian walked forward, she smiled calmly. "Our situation is different from Hey's. He really has many split personalities, so he has to force the other party to cooperate to pass this hurdle. We essentially have the same personality—one is light, and the other is dark.

"As long as I admit that I have a selfish side and don't forcefully reject or attempt to deny it, making a final decision after repeated deliberation and hesitation basically means that I've completed a reconciliation with myself.

"This time, I chose to continue. But in the future, I will definitely constantly adjust my strategy according to the situation. I might choose to take a direction that's more beneficial to me at any moment and give up on this matter out of selfishness."

Jiang Baimian didn't deny that she had selfish thoughts in her heart, nor did she hide the fact that she might shrink back as things progressed.

She smiled very broadly.

The 'Jiang Baimian' revealed a hesitant expression.

Be it challenging the windmill like Don Quixote or selfishly giving up, entering the Mind Corridor was a good thing. This could effectively enhance Jiang Baimian's strength. If she really wanted to cower in the future, this was also one of the most important things needed to ensure her safety.

In comparison, it would be a waste of time if the two parties kept wrangling and couldn't advance any further. It would make them lack the ability to deal with unexpected changes.

If one were really selfish, they would naturally know what to choose under such circumstances. Putting aside the dispute and developing themselves together, only to decide on the future when it came!

Jiang Baimian walked to her side, smiled at her, and nodded before continuing forward.

The 'Jiang Baimian' subconsciously wanted to reach out to grab her, but her entire body suddenly swayed and became rather blurry.

Her figure overlapped Jiang Baimian's body, slowing down her footsteps.

Although she became slow, Jiang Baimian continued forward. However, she occasionally quickened her pace and slowed down, showing the struggle in her heart.

In just a few steps, she arrived in front of the golden elevator. The other Jiang Baimian had already completely fused with her.

The true meaning of finding her other self, accepting her, and accommodating her wasn't to overcome or destroy her. Not was there a need to fear her like a tiger or stand alongside her, much less bow down to her and blindly echo her.

Everyone had many facets, and every facet was their true selves. As long as they could finally admit this and frankly consider the corresponding aspect when considering problems and making decisions in the future, it would be considered as them facing their other selves, accepting them, and accommodating them.

Jiang Baimian had already thought this problem through rather clearly over the past few days. After she told her other self her opinion, struggles, and reasons, she knew that the other party wouldn't be able to stop her.

She stretched out her right hand and pressed the golden elevator button.

The elevator door opened, and Jiang Baimian stepped in and pressed the only button.

As the door closed, the elevator quickly rose, but it also made Jiang Baimian feel weightless without the laws of physics acting on her.

As her body and thoughts floated, balls of light appeared around her. The different balls of light had words that she could directly understand.

They were: Color Hallucination; Multi-limb Hallucination… Comprehensive Hallucination; Mirror Dimension; Limbs Disorder; Illiteracy; Partial Blindness; Limbs Agnosia; Prosopagnosia; Color Deficiency; Directionally Challenged; Direction Indetermination…

Some of these balls of light were clear and close enough for her to reach out and grab them. Some were rather far away and very blurry, requiring her to use all her strength to touch them.

Jiang Baimian noticed that it was just as Shang Jianyao had described. There were two other balls of light hanging above her head. One was 'Number Increase,' and the other was 'Increased Distance.'

Jiang Baimian—who had long considered the relevant problem—thought for a moment and made a decision. She stretched out her hands and grabbed at two balls of light first; they were Mirror Dimension and Directionally Challenged.

The former was an ability the Old Task Force had encountered and was called Virtual Machine by Shang Jianyao; it was very powerful. The latter was a problem that Jiang Baimian was deeply troubled by. She planned on letting her pursuers have a taste of being directionally challenged if she was forced to escape in the future to offset the time she wasted getting lost.

1

Among them, Mirror Dimension could be upgraded from Spatial Hallucination, so it was very close to Jiang Baimian. She casually stretched out her hand and grabbed it, holding it in her palm and fusing it into her body.

Directionally Challenged had nothing to do with Jiang Baimian's three abilities. It floated very far away, and Jiang Baimian had to expend a Herculean effort to touch it.

By the time Jiang Baimian fused with Directionally Challenged, the golden elevator had already stopped.

Jiang Baimian didn't hesitate to seize the last opportunity and wave her hand upward. She touched Increased Distance.

Jiang Baimian knew very well that in the Awakened domain, a greater perception range often meant that one had the initiative. The perception range was equivalent to the maximum effective range of some of her abilities.

It was precisely because of this that she had reserved a spot for Increased Distance.

Just as the ball of light entered Jiang Baimian's body through her palm, the elevator door opened.

Jiang Baimian heaved a sigh of relief and walked out of the elevator to her Mind Room.

This place was empty. A vermilion door with a brass handle was embedded in a wall.

Jiang Baimian looked around, walked to the door, opened it, and walked out to examine her door number.

It was 1175.

She nodded and retreated into the room. Then, she turned her Sea of Origins into a mirror and hung it on the wall opposite her.

Looking at the slightly deep mirror, Jiang Baimian smiled and muttered to herself, I thought I would be able to see the door to the New World just opposite my room.

At this point, she sighed and smiled at the mirror. Such good things are unlikely to happen in the future…

If I enter the New World, who will move the nuclear bomb to the right spot and issue the command at the right time to detonate it?

As she muttered to herself, the corners of Jiang Baimian's mouth curled into a mocking smile. It was unknown who she was mocking.

…

In Pangu Biology's underground building, Long Yuehong looked at the door and then looked down at the recording pen in his hand.