Embers Ad Infinitum

While talking, Ding Ling took out a color photo from the inner pocket of his black uniform.

The protagonist of the photo is a man in his twenties, who is thin and slightly dark, wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses. His hair has obviously been combed and is neatly pulled back.

"This is a photo from almost ten years ago. He is now more mature and his hair is not so neat." Ding Ling added seriously.

She handed the photo to Shang Jianyao, who took the initiative to extend his hands, paused and said:

"If you can meet him somewhere in the ice field, remember to tell him that someone is waiting for him to come back."

At the end of the sentence, Ding Ling's tone unconsciously became quite gentle.

"No problem!" Shang Jianyao answered decisively.

He looked at the photo carefully, as if he wanted to imprint the person on it in his mind.

"Okay." Jiang Baimian also agreed.

At the same time, she sighed secretly.

Based on the similar things she has heard and experienced, she actually knows very well that if there is no news from someone who has not come back for two years, there is a high probability that he will never come back.

However, Jiang Baimian did not expose Ding Ling's expectations and asked her to accept the reality, because living in the dust and having a little hope and fantasy about the future is not a bad thing.

Jiang Baimian can also understand why Shang Jianyao is so excited.

She was sure that the other party remembered her father who had been missing for many years.

Shang Jianyao's father also went out on a mission to investigate the cause of the destruction of the old world. He never came back and there was no news from him again.

Since joining the "Old Tune Team", Shang Jianyao has been looking for traces of his father. Now he has a little clue and knows that there are certain clues in the city that was destroyed by "Wuxin" after a certain new year.

Therefore, Shang Jianyao probably felt the same way about Ding Ling asking someone to find her husband and bring him a message.

Now he should be the one who values ​​feelings... Jiang Baimian took Ji Qiang's photo from Shang Jianyao and took a serious look:

"We'll keep an eye out."

Ding Ling did not leave the photo to the "Old Tone Team", but took it back and carefully put it back in the inner pocket of her black uniform.

Bai Chen felt that she might have only this one photo left for various reasons.

"Where are your wedding photos?" The honest Shang Jianyao had obviously thought of a similar question.

It was too late for Jiang Baimian to stop him.

Ding Ling, who had maintained a polite smile when talking about Ji Qiang just now, looked dazed and said:

"Last year, when we were retreating into the mountains and being chased by people from the First City, we fell during a fierce battle and fell into a mountain stream."

At this moment, her sadness seemed a little uncontrollable.

I always carry it with me... Jiang Baimian deliberately changed the topic:

“Does your settlement have a copy machine?”

"Not this year." Ding Ling shook her head. "When we gave up the settlement last year, it was taken away by the people from the 'First City'. I have been applying this year, but it has never been approved. It seems that supplies are a bit tight, otherwise I will just make copies. I’ve got a photo for you.”

"It's okay, she has a good mind and a strong memory." Shang Jianyao did not help Jiang Baimian be humble at all.

After exchanging a few words, Ding Ling led Zeng Ping'an towards the gate of the settlement.

On the way, Zeng Pingan looked back at the "Old Tune Team" with a slightly complicated expression.

When they passed the gate and entered the settlement, Bai Chen withdrew his gaze and whispered:

"That man named Zeng likes Captain Ding."

"No?" Long Yuehong blurted out.

The age difference is a bit big. It feels like they are older than Yang Zhenyuan and Zhou Qi. The difference is at least ten years!

Moreover, Yang Zhenyuan and Zhou Qi got married because of the company's unified allocation. Under normal circumstances, it is unlikely that they would become a couple.

Jiang Baimian laughed when he heard this:

"Isn't it normal for a young man of seventeen or eighteen to like his older sister?

"Besides, in such an isolated border settlement, Zeng Ping'an has very few people he can interact with every day, and the ratio of men to women here is not very balanced. He often has to be on tenterhooks, being secreted by dangerous catalytic hormones, and unknowingly falls in love with the mature people around him. What's so surprising about a reliable woman? Ding Ling looks pretty good, right?"

"You understand so well!" Shang Jianyao almost applauded.

"If you expand it, it's a professional psychology paper." Gennava echoed Shang Jianyao's words.

Yes, yes... Long Yuehong agreed in her heart.

Jiang Baimian smiled modestly:

"Actually, I only realized it later. Even if Xiaobai didn't tell me, I didn't think there was any big problem. I thought it was a comradeship that lives and dies together."

Do you think we will believe your story? Long Yuehong muttered silently.

Bai Chen nodded:

"I'm quite sensitive to this aspect of things."

Uh... Long Yuehong felt nervous and uncomfortable.

The honest Gnawa then said:

"I didn't notice this, but the analysis revealed another problem."

"What?" Long Yuehong asked proactively.

Gennava moved his metal neck:

"Ding Ling and her husband have been married for almost ten years, and they didn't even mention children just now.

"Among most of the forces that have reached a large scale, encouraging childbearing has always been a basic policy at the forefront, and the 'Salvation Army' is no exception."

Jiang Baimian looked around and sighed:

"It may be that there was no support after the birth, or it may be that the pregnancy was not discovered immediately, or someone broke through the border or the "First City" launched an attack, and the pregnancy was accidentally miscarried.

"There are many reasons. The outside environment is not as good as inside the company, and the childbirth environment is not that good."

"Okay." Jiang Baimian clapped his hands, "Let's prepare dinner."

Just as the "Old Tune Team" was cooking the new variety of canned sauerkraut and pork that had recently been traded, a dented green jeep with pits and holes came from the east of the creek and stopped at the gate of the settlement.

"Captain Ding, let's update the data!" A head poked out from the passenger seat of the jeep.

He has a sinister look, wearing a thin felt hat, and his whole person is dusty.

Ding Ling knew him, but as usual, he sent his subordinates to search the bodies of the two people on the opposite side and check the vehicle before letting them in.

"Why so late? Didn't you say you could arrive in the morning?" Ding Ling walked down the wooden stairs to the wall and asked about the man with a sinister look.

Different from the gentle and restrained tone when she was communicating with the "Old Tune Group" just now, she is fierce and powerful now.

"Oh, that's unfair! Captain Ding, our car broke down on the road and it took a lot of time to repair it." The man with a sinister look quickly explained.

His name is Zhang Chenguang, a staff member of the Wubei Hunter Guild. Together with his companions, he is responsible for regularly updating hunter information for the surrounding settlements and border posts in a large area to ensure that the data can be unified.

Ding Ling didn't say much. She led Zhang Chenguang and his companions into a two-story building with fire marks deep in the settlement. She pointed at a portable computer and said:

"By the way, let's see why it's so stuck. I wanted to check the information of several hunters before, but it took a while to display it, and the information was not complete."

"Okay!" Zhang Chenguang is a technician who has received professional training.

Of course, he also works part-time as a relic hunter, because by running around like this, some tasks are naturally completed, such as helping soldiers at certain outposts deliver messages home.

After some cleaning, Ding Ling's computer returned to normal. Then, Zhang Chenguang plugged in the USB flash drive and imported the latest hunter information from all over the land, overwriting the original ones.

Ding Ling nodded slightly:

"Help me check the four hunters Xue Yueyue, Zhang Qubing, Qian Bai, and Gu Zhiyong. I have never seen why they are wanted by the "First City" before.

"The hunter numbers are..."

Ding Ling picked up a piece of paper lying next to her and read out the numbers on it.

"Okay." Zhang Chenguang typed on the keyboard very hard.

Soon, he retrieved the information of Jiang Baimian and others.

"Bounty of 20,000 Ole?" Zhang Chenguang stood up suddenly as if there were nails under his butt.

How many kilograms, no, how many tons of pork can this buy?

How dangerous would it be for a team of hunters with such a large bounty on their head?

"I know that." Ding Ling said with a look of disgust, "Help me find out why they are wanted."

If the bounty of the "Old Tune Team" hadn't been so high and they were going to the ice field on the way, she wouldn't have asked them for help.

Zhang Chenguang sat down tremblingly, as if there were several monsters lurking outside the room.

"Planning, uh..." Zhang Chenguang was stunned, "Planning a big conspiracy against the 'Primary City'."

Ding Ling doubted her ears:

"A big conspiracy? Against the 'prime city'?"

Just four people outside and one robot?

Zhang Chenguang nodded mechanically:

"That's what it says in the information."

"Well, the reason for wanting in the 'First City' may not be true. Sometimes, they will just find an excuse to cover up the real reason." Ding Ling quickly regained his composure, "However, to be taken so seriously by them, outsiders Those people must have done extraordinary things, and I have to report them to see if we need to make further contact."

Her eyes fell on the radio transceiver placed in the corner of the room.