Embers Ad Infinitum

A large area of ​​ground was barren and full of potholes, and the jeep of the "Old Tuning Team" drove on it, bumping as if on a boat.

"I don't want to die in failure and loneliness

"I don't want to live underground forever

"Material deceit

"The hurrying ant

"People without culture are not sad..." (Note 1)

As the song played from the small speaker, Shang Jianyao, who was sitting in the middle of the back row, held Gnawa's arms with one hand and put his other hand on Long Yuehong's shoulder, swaying his body from side to side to the dynamic rhythm.

Long Yuehong looked disgusted and tried to get away, but due to limited space, she could not escape from the clutches.

After not driving for a long time, Jiang Baimian, whose hands were itchy for a while, glanced at the "navigation". After confirming that the current direction was correct, he said "ha" and said to Shang Jianyao:

"You really like this song recently, keep playing it."

"Yes." Shang Jianyao admitted frankly, and then sighed while swaying his body, "But the lyrics and the title of the song are different. I think it is better to change it to 'People without ideals are not sad' is more suitable for our group's situation. , yes, that’s it, I’ll sing it myself later and record it!”

Jiang Baimian clicked his tongue and said:

"It was a lot of fun."

"Of course, after going through dangerous missions again and again, I feel more and more that I need to enjoy myself in time, be happy at ordinary times, and try my best to satisfy myself." I don't know which Shang Jianyao's words actually have a bit of philosophical meaning.

"Navigator" Bai Chen nodded and said:

"Most wilderness wanderers have similar ideas."

Therefore, they either indulge their bodies or modify their cars to express themselves wantonly.

Long Yuehong opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end she didn't speak.

Shang Jianyao then took back the hand on his shoulder, patted his thigh and said:

"I found that after changing the song just now, it is very suitable for the current situation of The Salvation Army!

"Don't they all say that they have fallen and lost their original ideals?"

Jiang Baimian's expression was startled, and he quickly reminded:

“When passing through the Salvation Army’s sphere of influence, don’t provoke them.

"Our only goal is to arrive at Icefield Taicheng quietly and smoothly."

Maybe she was afraid that Shang Jianyao wouldn't pay enough attention to it, so she added:

"The 'assassin' from before is not dead yet, and the 'doctor' behind her will probably not let us go. We have to keep a low profile and try not to expose Xingzang."

Shang Jianyao showed a thoughtful expression:

"If we kill 'Doctor', the lackey of 'darkness' and the minion of 'nightmare', is there any hope of regaining Odik's lost sanity?"

In the jeep, no one spoke for a moment, only the rock music was reverberating.

They all knew that after so long, the possibility of Odik returning to normal was slim.

What's more important is that the "Old Tune Team" combined is no match for "Doctor", even if he has not completely returned from the 'New World', his body is still lying in the Eighth Research Institute.

This realization made Jiang Baimian, who was familiar with Odike, feel sad. Long Yuehong and Bai Chen also felt a little sad.

Odik's good family was on the verge of falling apart overnight and could only rely on thought implantation to maintain it.

After a few seconds, the honest Gennava answered Shang Jianyao's question:

"I don't think there's much hope."

Jiang Baimian, who was driving, wanted to raise his hands to cover his face.

Gennava continued:

"To prevent similar tragedies from happening again and again, we must truly and completely dispel the 'nightmare' and drive away the 'darkness.'"

Shang Jianyao turned sideways and looked at Gnawa:

"Old Ge, you can actually say such things!

"I've grown up."

Bang bang bang, Shang Jianyao clapped his hands happily.

The sadness he had just felt seemed to have disappeared.

Long Yuehong didn't ask him why he could change his mood so quickly. He knew there was only one answer:

"Everything is a fantasy, why take it seriously?"

"My level of humanization should be a little higher." Gnawa calmly accepted Shang Jianyao's praise.

At this time, Jiang Baimian remembered something:

"Hey, didn't you say you wanted to go back to the first day and find out the owner of room '522' on the cruise ship as soon as possible?

"It's been many days and you still haven't gained anything?"

Shang Jianyao's expression suddenly became heavy, and he slowly said:

"forgotten."

"..." Jiang Baimian knew that he shouldn't argue with a mental patient, "Then try it tonight."

After saying that, she looked at the sunset that was burning brightly on the horizon, and then asked:

"Xiao Bai, how long does that settlement you mentioned last?"

After receiving a new amount of funds, collecting corresponding items, and replenishing canned biscuits and other foods, the "Old Tune Team" left the First City and embarked on the road to the northeast.

At this time, they had entered the bloody wasteland, which was the only way to go to the border of the "Primary City" and enter the territory of the "Salvation Army".

The blood color of the Bloody Wasteland does not refer to the color of the soil here. It comes from the many wars that broke out here in the chaotic era and caused a large number of casualties.

——This wasteland is rich in mineral resources and has little arable land, both of which are extremely prone to disputes.

Before the "Primary City" expanded its sphere of influence and one family became the dominant one, the large and small forces in the bloody wasteland really dyed the valuable land red with blood.

Bai Chen distinguished the terrain ahead:

"We'll be there in half an hour."

This area can barely be regarded as the area around the Prime City. It hasn't gone deep into the wasteland. Bai Chen has been there before and knows where a settlement belonging to the "Prime City" is.

It is relatively lively due to the large number of relic hunters coming and going.

When the sun dropped to the horizon, the settlement appeared in front of Long Yuehong and others.

In the old world, this was a shopping plaza located in the outer suburbs. Today, the items inside have long been evacuated, but the vast parking lot and the buildings forming several short streets have survived and become a gathering place for wanderers in the wilderness. point.

Those buildings are not high, only two or three floors. Those in the core area are all residences, and those on the outside have been transformed into bunkers, forming a rather solid defense line.

Because it is connected to various ruins, a large number of mineral deposits and the original city deep in the Blood Wilderness, it is an important business node, so a large number of various modified vehicles are parked in the vast parking lot.

The blank area without vehicles has become a place for ruin hunters to communicate and even trade with each other.

Residents in the settlement come out from time to time to sell valuable items they have collected in exchange for light beer and food.

——This area is so polluted that even the groundwater cannot be consumed for a long time. Compared with clean water, brewed light beer is more suitable for long-distance transportation.

With so many relic hunters around, the arrival of the "Old Tune Team" was like a stone falling into the sea, causing no waves.

Moreover, many hunter teams here have robot companions. Gnawa is not conspicuous at all, which only proves that Jiang Baimian and others are not easy to mess with.

"There's a lot of excitement over there!" Shang Jianyao pointed excitedly not far away as soon as he got off the car.

It was a blank area with a bonfire lit in the middle and many people surrounding it. Some were hooking up with members of the opposite sex, some were setting up stalls to sell small items, and some seemed to be businessmen who were shuttling among the relic hunters, trying to make money at a low price. Buying the proceeds from their adventures at a reasonable price, some gathered together, drinking light beer, talking and laughing loudly.

Jiang Baimian did not try to stop Shang Jianyao, but smiled and said:

"Let's go and have a look. Maybe we can get some useful information and trade some unique food."

Shang Jianyao couldn't wait to take a step forward, leading the way.

Long Yuehong, Bai Chen and others followed closely behind.

As soon as they arrived at the bonfire area, the crowd there suddenly fell silent, as if someone had pressed a silencer.

Relying on his height, Jiang Baimian noticed that several people were walking out of the settlement.

The leader is nearly 1.8 meters tall, wearing a black windbreaker, with all his black hair sticking up, and his face is thin and angular.

The beard on his chin spread to his ears, and his eyes were brown-gray.

After a brief silence, someone among the ruin hunters beside the campfire laughed loudly:

"Davis, I heard that you met a powerful guy this time and almost didn't come back?"

The man named Davis was the middle-aged man wearing a black trench coat and a beard. He glanced at the speaking ruins hunter and laughed:

"It's really powerful, two high-level 'unintentional ones'.

"However, we are still back. Unlike you, we don't dare to go to Ruins No. 9!"

Ruin No. 9 is the most famous ruins in the Bloody Wasteland. To this day, there are still many places that have not been fully explored by ruin hunters, and there are many dangers lurking there. The "First City" officially organized several operations to take away some After getting the stuff, he seemed to lose interest there and just let it go.

Two high-level "unintentional people"? Hearing Davis' answer, the ruin hunters took a deep breath.

Two high-level "unintentional people"... Long Yuehong actually felt numb.

In the past, no matter where he was, encountering two high-level "unintentional people" was a big event for him, worthy of thrilling and sweating.

But now, after experiencing the ruins of Wasteland No. 13, Long Yuehong feels a little disdainful when he looks at other things:

That's it?

Moreover, if you think about it, the ruins of Swamp No. 1 they have visited may be more terrifying than the ruins of Wasteland No. 13. After all, Wu Meng is sealed, but Xiao Chong can move freely.

If Shang Jianyao hadn't successfully made friends at that time, the result would have been unimaginable.

While Long Yuehong's thoughts were ups and downs, Shang Jianyao looked at Davis steadily, seeming to be thinking about why so many people like to wear windbreakers and whether he should get one too.

Note 1: Quoted from "People without ideals are not sad", New Pants Band