Embers Ad Infinitum

One minute later, in room "06".

Baz and Shang Jianyao sat down shoulder to shoulder, as if they were long-lost brothers.

This completely deviates from the creed of the Vigilant Sect that "distance makes a true friend."

"You didn't lie to us, did you?" Shang Jianyao asked unabashedly.

Baz suddenly showed an aggrieved expression:

"How can it be?

"I can't lie to anyone, and I can't lie to you!

"I almost died this morning. Those bastards actually got into my tunnel. Fortunately, I prepared more than three."

After hearing Baz's words, Long Yuehong suddenly thought of a sentence:

"Three nests of cunning rabbits."

Shang Jian Yao asked:

"Are you sure he is Ankhbas's subordinate?"

"Of course!" Baz was very sure. "The leader is his most powerful thug. He comes from United Industries. He is tall and strong. I won't admit it. I didn't pay attention to the others. If I had been a little slower at that time, At one point, it was blocked!”

"How high?" Shang Jianyao's point is always wrong.

"A little taller than you. In our Red Stone Collection, he is the only one with this height." Baz described, "His name is Lopez. He used to be an employee of a security company called United Industries. He later became unknown. What happened? You escaped here."

Jiang Baimian next to him nodded slightly and suddenly asked:

“Why don’t you go directly to the church and ask Bishop Renato, he should take care of this matter, right?

"Or, go into Hongshiji and find Han Wanghuo?"

Baz glanced around warily:

"It's no use looking for Han Wanghuo!

"If he hadn't been famous for his impartiality and his inability to betray, and he could organize us Red River people and Gray Whisperers to jointly deal with those ugly guys and bandits, no one would listen to him.

"For small things like daily order, everyone still gives him face, and he is willing to accept a certain degree of punishment if he makes a mistake. But for big things like this, Ankhbas will only be afraid of powerful groups and their representatives."

Jiang Baimian immediately helped him add:

"For example, the 'Underground Ark' and its representative Carl Steward, for example, the Vigilant Sect and its representative Bishop Renato?"

"Yes." Baz breathed out, "I was worried that I would be attacked on the way to the church. They might have been ambushing around the church, so I wanted to find you and ask you to cover me when I entered the church."

Having said this, Baz stood up:

"Forget it, I can't involve you. There are only four of you, and it's not enough for Ankhbas and his men to set fire.

"I will find a way to hide myself and wait until the limelight has passed before I sneak back to the church."

He said these words while looking at Shang Jianyao, as if he was deeply affectionate as a brother and did not want to harm the other party.

Shang Jianyao was moved:

"Is it dangerous for you to do this?"

He seems to really regard each other as a brother.

Feeling his sincerity, Baz said with a little pride:

“I’ve been in the top five in two of the last three hiding masses.

"That is to say, in the entire Red Stone Collection, there are only a few people who are better at hiding than me."

"Awesome!" Shang Jianyao clapped his hands.

Jiang Baimian pondered briefly and said:

"It's better that we take you to the church. We want to visit Bishop Renato."

Things in Hongshiji seem to be a bit out of control, so it would be better to communicate with their de facto mayor, Bishop Renato, as soon as possible.

Otherwise, the city gate will catch fire and the fish in the pond will be affected.

Neither Bai Chen nor Long Yuehong objected to the team leader's decision, and Shang Jianyao even agreed with it with both hands and feet.

This time, before they got into the car, they took out the "Tyrant" grenade gun and the "Reaper" individual rocket launcher and put them in places that were easy to access.

"Your firepower is not weak." Baz, who was squeezed between Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong, suddenly felt more confident, "Has the vehicle been modified? I think the armor is quite thick, and the glass seems to be bulletproof. .”

As a confidant of the arms dealer Herwig, he has a rather vicious vision in this regard.

"We came to Hongshiji this time to buy military exoskeleton devices." Jiang Baimian simply mentioned.

On the one hand, this is to demonstrate the pursuit of the "Qianbai Team", also known as the "Old Tune Team", and indirectly show their strength. On the other hand, it is also to hope that Baz, a native who is familiar with the local arms trade, can provide corresponding intelligence.

"It's hard to buy this. It's all ordered by big customers." Baz said, "Even big customers can't just order it if they want to, especially the latest models. The elite team of 'United Industries' You have to wait in line.”

While they were talking, Bai Chen started the car and drove to the Vigilance Church in the north of the ruins of the city.

Jiang Baimian understood what Baz meant, thought for a while and said:

“Is there anything I can do about the older models?”

"There are some in the 'Underground Ark', but no one can get in, and Mr. Dimarco won't sell them." Baz shook his head, "My boss, and Ankhbas, have handled some before, but Couldn’t stay.”

Speaking of this, he suddenly lowered his voice:

"The town guard organized by Han Wanghuo has two units, the 'AC-42' universal type."

"Is this the oldest model?" Jiang Baimian also has some research on military exoskeleton devices.

"Absolutely." Baz explained simply. "In the past two years, the fishmen and mountain monsters have slowed down and joined forces to drive us out of the Red Stone Collection. The situation was precarious, and Mr. Di Marco was unwilling to send his guards underground. Ark', Han Wanghuo organized everyone, gathered a batch of supplies, forced the boss and Ankhbas to sell all their favors, and brought back two "Grandfathers" from a certain warehouse of "United Industries".

"Don't tell me, it's really useful!"

"Maybe it's 'grandma'." Shang Jianyao expressed a different opinion.

Jiang Baimian ignored him, looked at the rearview mirror, sighed and said:

"This is a powerful weapon for you to guard the Red Stone Collection. Han Wanghuo probably won't sell it."

"Yes." Baz said whether he was complaining or admiring, "And he is not greedy for profit and cannot be bribed."

Jiang Baimian nodded thoughtfully:

"Everyone I met at Hongshiji spoke highly of Han Wanghuo."

Even Mrs. Teresa only thought that Han Wanghuo might be partial to the Gray Whisperer and didn't think he had any other problems.

"Otherwise, he wouldn't still be the Sheriff and Captain of the Town Guard today." Baz said without praise or criticism.

"It's really not easy for an outsider." Jiang Baimian said "hmm".

Soon, Jeep arrived at the northern area of ​​the city near the Vigilant Church.

Jiang Baimian observed the environment outside, suddenly pointed to a place and said:

"Stop there."

Bai Chen didn't ask why, and quietly drove the jeep to the side of an abandoned high-rise building.

Jiang Baimian immediately turned around and said to Long Yuehong:

"We have previously confirmed the terrain and can monitor the area around the church from here.

"You and Bai Chen go to the roof of the building and use the 'Orange' rifle and 'Reaper' rocket launcher to help us guard against accidents."

"Yes, team leader!" Long Yuehong was no longer a novice at the time, and was no longer timid.

Jiang Baimian warned:

"You should also pay attention to safety."

This place is already in the suburbs, and there are not many high-rise buildings. If Ankhbas' people want to snipe Baz, they will probably be on the roof of that building.

"It's time to test your physical strength." Shang Jianyao smiled and waved to Long Yuehong.

This kind of high-rise building covered with withered plants and with few intact glass windows is most likely not where the residents of Hongshiji Town live, so there is no electricity or elevator.

And Long Yuehong also has to carry the "Reaper" individual rocket launcher and corresponding ammunition.

Fortunately, this building was not too high, only about twenty floors. When Long Yuehong came to the rooftop, she was just breathing heavily and her legs were a little sore, but there was no other discomfort.

On the roof of the building covered with bird droppings, he and Bai Chen each found a place to mount the "Orange" rifle and the "Reaper" individual rocket launcher on the guardrail, covering different areas around the Vigilant Church within their own firepower.

After getting ready, Bai Chen picked up the walkie-talkie and said:

"You can leave now."

…………

Jiang Baimian put away the walkie-talkie and got out of the jeep.

Because they were visiting Bishop Renato, she and Shang Jianyao did not bring grenade guns or assault rifles for fear of causing unnecessary misunderstandings, but each took an extra "United 202" as a spare.

This allowed them to maintain their mobility, and together with Baz, they bent their backs slightly and approached the Vigilance Church in the shadows of abandoned buildings.

Broken cement pillars, wire rubber without metal cores, glass fragments inserted into the soil, and piled concrete blocks were left behind one by one.

Ten minutes later, they arrived at the fortress-like Vigilance Church and climbed in through the rear window of the two-story building.

"There was no attack..." Jiang Baimian said in a deep voice after standing firm on his feet and looking around.

She felt like she was fighting with the air for a while.

"Impossible..." Baz said he couldn't understand.

Has Ankhbas given up?

Isn't he afraid of the bishop's wrath?

"It shows that we hid it well enough." Shang Jianyao praised himself.

At this time, Jiang Baimian suddenly took two steps to the side and pushed open a black wooden door.

Behind the door squatted a vigilant church guard wearing a dark robe and holding an assault rifle.

"Where is Bishop Renato?" Jiang Baimian asked in Honghe dialect.

The guard pointed to the corridor outside the door:

"It's in his room. You go towards the hall. That's the room behind the Holy Emblem."

"Really?" Jiang Baimian turned around and asked Baz.

"Yes." Baz said that it was indeed Bishop Renato's bedroom.

The three of them didn't waste any time and immediately walked along the corridor to the church hall area.

Not long after, they saw the side area of ​​the hall and the wall with the Holy Emblem of the Year.

Arriving at the place described by the guard, Jiang Baimian easily recognized Renato's room.

His door, like the corresponding element in the holy symbol symbol, was painted pure white and had a golden handle.

Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao looked at each other and nodded at the same time.

This means there is someone in the room.

Boom, boom, boom, Baz knocked on the door and shouted:

"Your Excellency, I have something to ask you."

There was silence in the room, no one responded.

Baz shouted twice and said to himself in confusion:

"no one?"

As he spoke, he turned the handle and pushed the door open.

This would be rude behavior elsewhere, but in a redstone set where you often have to find your own goals, it's commonplace.

The moment the white wooden door opened back, Jiang Baimian felt that his eyes suddenly became dark, as if the lightless environment in the room flowed out and flooded the corridor.

In the endless darkness, there was a vague female figure standing behind the door, looking out.

For some reason, Jiang Baimian felt that the silent gaze of this female figure was both close and far away.

It's as close as a stone's throw away, and as far away as the horizon.

With such gaze falling on him, Jiang Baimian felt as if someone had poured cold water on him in the winter, chilling him from head to toe and shivering uncontrollably.

This reminded her of the ruins of Swamp No. 1, and of the monster in the mysterious laboratory. Its roar alone could make people in the distance tremble, become extremely frightened, and find it difficult to control themselves.

And unlike the monster's roar, the current gaze is so high, empty, indifferent, and majestic that people can't even think of resisting.

The next second, this feeling disappeared, and the darkness was melted by the sunlight, as if it had never appeared.

Jiang Baimian suddenly turned his head and looked at Shang Jianyao, finding that his forehead was covered with sweat.

PS: I wish everyone a happy Lantern Festival, and please ask for monthly tickets~