Embers Ad Infinitum

Outside Tarnan General Hospital, inside a modified military green jeep.

Jiang Baimian sat in the passenger seat, leaning half of his body, and asked Shang Jianyao and others:

"What do you think?"

Long Yuehong spoke out her speculation before Shang Jianyao:

"The ability of the 'Higher Heartless One' should be to create hallucinations, so Zhang Jiu regarded his companions as monsters and the other party as a dragon. He made a big mistake and suffered a complete mental breakdown afterwards."

After he finished speaking, he found that no one added anything or refuted. He felt a little uneasy and took the initiative to ask:

"What do you think?"

"Judging from the information collected so far, this is the most likely." Jiang Baimian replied in the affirmative.

Then, she smiled and praised:

"Your analysis and judgment of things are getting better and better."

While Long Yuehong was happy and shy, Shang Jianyao said:

"Can intelligent robots be affected by hallucinations?"

"Yes, the biggest question now is why the ten members of the Robot Guard lost contact." Bai Chen, who was driving, agreed.

Jiang Baimian thought and said:

"It depends on the essence of the 'higher mindless' ability. If he creates illusions by interfering with the senses, then intelligent robots will definitely not be deceived. Their sensory systems are completely different from humans. But if that 'Advanced Heartless' directly distort environmental information and tamper with corresponding signals to create illusions, and intelligent robots may not be immune to this."

She paused and then said to herself:

"But why did Zhang Jiu see the dragon?

"Under normal circumstances, people who have not been exposed to this information cannot imagine a dragon on their own...

"Could it be that the 'Higher Heartless One' created the dragon? Why did he create the dragon?"

Hearing this, Shang Jianyao's eyes lit up and he said:

"I know where the dragons are!"

"Where?" Jiang Baimian vaguely guessed the answer.

"In the church of the Mirage Sect." Shang Jianyao replied with a firm tone.

"Have you ever been in?" The question was not Jiang Baimian, but Long Yuehong.

"No." Shang Jianyao shook his head and said confidently, "I guessed it."

While the corners of Long Yuehong's mouth moved slightly, Jiang Baimian said "hmm":

“It is normal for places where mirages are worshiped to have dragon images.

"If Zhang Jiu is a believer in the Mirage Sect, then the problem will be explained..."

Speaking of this, Jiang Baimian suddenly made a "huh" sound:

"Which Zhi Sui does the Mirage Dragon Sect worship?"

"November's 'broken mirror'." Bai Chen, who was driving, answered.

"What is His other name?" Jiang Baimian asked.

Bai Chen was silent for a second, and then he and Long Yuehong replied in unison:

"The God of Illusions!"

Shang Jianyao nodded and said that was it.

"This is interesting." Jiang Baimian said with excitement and solemnity, "The ability of the 'Higher Heartless One' is suspected of creating hallucinations. Zhang Jiu saw a dragon again..."

Snapped!

She patted her palms lightly and said to Bai Chen:

"Let's go to the Mirage Church's church."

Long Yuehong suddenly became a little nervous:

"Wouldn't it be good to go there directly?"

"Then how do you want to get there?" Shang Jianyao asked very cooperatively.

"Ask Mayor Gnawa and bring a few members of the robot guard with him." Long Yuehong felt that this was the safest approach.

"Okay, once your wings are strong, you will become the opposite!" It was not Jiang Baimian who said this, but Shang Jianyao.

Jiang Baimian was stunned for a second, and then cursed angrily:

"Where did you learn your lines? From a radio show?"

"No." Shang Jianyao flatly denied.

Jiang Baimian, who knew that he would not lie about this kind of thing, suddenly became a little curious:

"Where did you learn that?"

Long Yuehong felt something was wrong, but she didn't know what was wrong.

The next second, he saw Shang Jianyao laughing:

"I learned this while watching Xiaohong being beaten by her mother."

"Fuck..." Long Yuehong blurted out a curse word.

This is the disadvantage of having a bad friend who you have played with since childhood.

He was just thinking, why did these words sound so familiar!

Jiang Baimian suppressed a smile and did not continue the topic. He simply explained:

"Bringing a robot guard with you can easily create a tense atmosphere and intensify conflicts.

"Our purpose in the past was just to ask Zhang Jiu if he was a believer of the Mirage Sect, and to ask the Mirage Sect's, uh, it should be the bishop, right? What did he think of the 'higher unintentional person' in the southwest mountainous area, and how to spot him? Any suggestions for hallucinations.

"This is not a sensitive issue and there is no need to make such a fuss."

"Yes." Long Yuehong was convinced.

Moreover, in broad daylight, there are surveillance cameras everywhere that can talk.

…………

The Sanctuary of the Dragon Sect is at the northernmost end of Binhe Avenue. It is not a church, but a pavilion with a dusty ancient feel, with white walls and black tiles.

The horizontal plaque hanging above reads:

"Nanke View"

Behind the open brown wooden door is a patio, and at the other end of the patio is a pavilion painted with many cloud-like patterns.

In the pavilion, there are wooden beams above, and rows of black back chairs lying horizontally below. There is a shrine in the deepest part, and inside the shrine is a dragon symbol inlaid with broken lenses.

At this time, several believers were sitting on chairs, praying with their eyes closed.

Before Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao and others could get close to the female cleric in front of the shrine, she hurried over.

The clergyman was not too old and looked to be in his mid-twenties. He was wearing a white robe in an old world classical style with a hemp rope tied around his waist.

Her hair was black and shiny, flowing down her shoulders. Her facial features were not beautiful, but she had an indescribable temperament.

The cleric glanced at Shang Jianyao and others, smiled and said:

"You are finally here."

"Ah?" Long Yuehong made a confused voice.

He couldn't remember when the "Old Tune Team" made an appointment with the clergy of the Mirage Sect to visit him.

Could it be... When he was confused, Long Yuehong looked at Shang Jianyao.

Could it be that this guy made an appointment with someone else while acting alone in order to taste the Holy Communion of the Mirage Sect?

The female cleric was a little stunned when she saw Jiang Baimian and others, and immediately showed a comforting smile:

"Don't be nervous, it's normal to be late. Our sect's 'Fantasy World Festival' is such an important and serious matter that several 'Dream Protectors' were late, and some even missed the entire event.

"Okay, let's hold the initiation ceremony..."

"Wait a minute." Shang Jianyao interrupted, "What is your Holy Communion?"

"Didn't I tell you?" the female cleric asked in confusion, "Our Holy Communion is very simple, it's just biscuits made by the sect and mixed with honey water."

"Honey water..." Shang Jianyao hesitated.

At this time, Jiang Baimian finally couldn't help but ask:

"Did you admit the wrong person?"

The female cleric was stunned for a moment, then showed an embarrassed expression:

"This, maybe."

She laughed dryly and took out a photo from the hidden pocket of her white robe:

"This is really not you?

"Exactly four!"

Jiang Baimian glanced at it and almost laughed angrily.

The four people in the photo are not only from the Gray Earth, but also two men and two women. They have no resemblance to the "Old Tune Group".

Especially the tallest man, who looks like a gorilla. How blind would one have to be to recognize Shang Jianyao as him.

But Shang Jianyao actually connected seamlessly and discussed the matter of joining the religion with the other party in a matter-of-fact manner!

The female cleric looked at the photo and then at the "old tune team". After several times in a row, she finally confirmed that she had identified the wrong person.

She showed an embarrassed smile and bowed deeply:

"I'm sorry, I can't remember what other people look like."

After speaking, she half raised her body and raised her hands slightly, as if paying tribute to a certain existence in the void:

"May you please the gods."

What's going on with your sect? There are senior executives who like to be late, and there are preachers who can't remember their faces... Isn't this a little too casual? Long Yuehong, who was standing next to her, felt so full of words that she was embarrassed to say them out.

He glanced around and found that the team leader not only did not laugh, but also showed a thoughtful expression.

This, is this the price the awakened ones pay? Long Yuehong suddenly realized something with a flash of inspiration.

Jiang Baimian restrained his emotions and asked seriously:

"I don't know what to call it?"

"I am Zhou Yue, the master of Nanke Temple. You can just call me Taoist Zhou." The female cleric introduced herself.

Perhaps thinking that her performance just now was unreliable, she laughed dryly twice:

"Everything is a dream, why take it seriously?

"Everyone, please be casual and casual."

Before Jiang Baimian could respond, Shang Jianyao asked:

"I have a question, why are those 'Dream Protectors' late?"

The viewer, Zhou Yue, seemed very happy that it was not she who was embarrassed after all, and she quickly replied:

"Some are lost!"

Seeing that the topic was finally back on track, she assumed a calm and gentle attitude:

"What's wrong with you guys?"

Jiang Baimian organized the following words:

"Monster Zhou, do you know about the 'Higher Unintentional One' in the southwest mountainous area?"

"I heard. What, is there anything you need my cooperation with?" Zhou Yue looked carefree.

Jiang Baimian further asked:

"Then do you know the survivor Zhang Jin? His nickname is Zhang Jiu."

Zhou Yue thought about it:

"do not know.

"Although I can't remember the face, I remember the person's name very clearly. He shouldn't be from our sect, unless he used a false name when he joined."

"This is probably very low." Shang Jianyao commented in a detective tone.

Who is eating fried chicken wings under the name "Gu Zhiyong"? Jiang Baimian's eyes rolled up and he cursed in his mind.

Although there are not many similar guys, there must be some!

She turned to the temple owner Zhou Yue and said:

"It's like this. When we asked Zhang Jiu, he said that after meeting the 'Higher Heartless One', he mistook his companions for monsters and even saw a dragon."

"Dragon..." Zhou Yue's expression gradually became serious.

PS: Ask for monthly tickets at the end of the month~