Embers Ad Infinitum

Cliff Village, in the office room.

Shang Jianyao woke up and silently changed from a lying position to a sitting position.

"What's wrong?" Jiang Baimian, who was in the next bed, was still awake.

Because it was still early, she planned to wait until Shang Jianyao went to "506" to check the room before going to bed.

Shang Jianyao suppressed his voice and replied mysteriously:

"The owner of room '506' once believed in 'Zhuang Sheng'."

"She is the awakened person in the field of 'Zhuang Sheng'. Before you said that you have become arrogant, is it actually a kind of hypocrisy? No, '506' starts with '5', which belongs to the 'supervisor' of May. No, the awakened person in the 'Zhuang Sheng' realm can start with any number from 1 to 12." Jiang Baimian muttered to himself.

The honest Shang Jianyao shook his head in denial:

"no.

"She used a new ability today that can amplify the impulse in my heart at that moment, which is more like the field of 'Supervisor'."

Jiang Baimian said "hmm":

"In other words, she simply believed in 'Zhuang Sheng'.

"Then there are two possibilities:

"First, she accidentally came into contact with the senior executive deep in the laboratory of the Fourth Research Institute, and gradually discovered that he was 'Zhuang Sheng', and quietly began to believe in him. However, most people in the Fourth Research Institute did not know this secret;

"The second is that she encountered a sect that believed in 'Zhuang Sheng' outside, or the corresponding sect secretly preached in the Fourth Research Institute. After becoming a believer in 'Zhuang Sheng', she received a warning from this leader. Discovered the hidden secrets of the Fourth Research Institute, and determined that the person deep in the laboratory was another executive. It was precisely because of the blessing of 'Zhuang Sheng' that she was able to survive the subsequent changes and escape. .”

After analyzing this point, Jiang Baimian made his own judgment:

“I am more inclined to the latter possibility, which can explain several of our previous questions.

"'Zhuang Sheng' revealed the secret of the senior executive of the Fourth Research Institute through the owner of room '506'. Is this some manifestation of the struggle in the 'New World'?"

Shang Jianyao did not respond, but made a sad face.

Taking advantage of the bright moonlight outside the window, Jiang Baimian glanced at him:

"what happened again?"

Shang Jianyao sighed:

"When we first talked about why the owner of room '506' survived, her dream changed, and it seemed that someone was about to open her eyes.

“At the time, I felt like I was going to die.

"But Xiao Chong and I are friends!"

He looked disappointed.

"Xiao Chong is just one of thousands of 'Zhuang Shengs'." Jiang Baimian comforted, "Other 'Zhuang Shengs' may not be pleased with you."

"That's right." Shang Jianyao clenched his right fist and left palm, "We even called and woke up 'Zhuang Sheng' at that time. This is a deep hatred."

What kind of hatred is this? Jiang Baimian pondered for a moment and said:

"The fact that we have come so far step by step and investigated so many secrets is most likely due to the fight between Zhi Sui.

"What are they fighting for, what are they fighting for..."

"Who are the good guys and who are the bad guys?" Shang Jianyao helped to add to the question.

Jiang Baimian laughed and said:

"In this matter, the distinction between good guys and bad guys doesn't make much sense. We can only look at which victory is more beneficial to mankind."

"What is more beneficial to mankind is good people." Shang Jianyao is still obsessed with the distinction between good and bad people.

Jiang Baimian didn't say much, thought for a few seconds and said:

"Go to sleep. We will rest in Cliff Village for a few days. You have enough time to go to '506' for ward rounds and try to ask for more information."

In dreams, human beings are in a state of unconsciousness. Shang Jianyao is not bound to get the corresponding answer just by asking. This requires trying again and again.

Bang, Shang Jianyao fell down on his own initiative.

…………

The next morning, the "old tune team" was invited to the village chief's house for breakfast, and then followed the village chief to the warehouse where supplies were stored.

"Team leader, I thought of a question." Long Yuehong walked behind the team and said to Jiang Baimian in a suppressed voice.

Jiang Baimian turned sideways:

"what is the problem?"

"What should we exchange for supplies?" Long Yuehong asked seriously.

The "Old Tune Team" has never explored the ruins or traded other materials in Weed City. The jeep only has military exoskeleton devices, bionic smart armors, conventional weapons, corresponding ammunition and various cans and compressed biscuits. , energy bars, and a nuclear warhead.

Military exoskeleton devices, bionic smart armor, and nuclear warheads are strategic materials. Unless there is no other way, the "Old Adjustment Team" cannot trade them. Even if they do, Cliff Village may not dare to accept them.

As for cans, compressed biscuits and energy bars, the "Old Tune Team" has already eaten two-thirds of them, and there is not much left. Moreover, they themselves want to replenish such supplies, so there is no point in exchanging them unless Just going to change the taste.

The "Old Adjustment Team" did not prepare enough conventional weapons and corresponding ammunition, which was barely enough for its own use.

After Jiang Baimian heard this, he laughed:

"We can swipe our cards when we enter the village, and of course we can use contribution points to trade supplies here."

"You, didn't you say that what you were given was only a closed data package, which could only verify the authenticity of the electronic card and whether it corresponded to the employee's photo?" Long Yuehong said she didn't quite understand.

Jiang Baimian smiled and said:

"Yes, your original contribution points will not be used to pay here, but an additional data expressed as a negative number will be generated. When we return to the company and submit the report, the corresponding expenses will be verified and eliminated for you.

"The Cliff Village will get corresponding data expressed as positive numbers, which can be used as contribution points to purchase supplies from the company's caravan."

"So that's it." Long Yuehong finally understood.

Although the equipment in Cliff Village does not have the right to extract most of the data in the electronic card, it can write new data into it.

At this time, Bai Chen had questions:

"There are also people in Cliff Village who know computers and programs. Without supervision, wouldn't it mean that they get as many contribution points as they write?"

This will steal a lot of money from the company.

Shang Jianyao's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he seemed to want to do this.

In order not to expose his identity, Gnawa, the expert of the "Old Tune Team", always wore a burqa and shoes and did not dare to speak.

"No." Jiang Baimian shook his head, "Teams that have completed transactions with contribution points here must keep accounts and submit them to the above when they go back to compare with the data in the electronic card. After the company summarizes it, the cliff village They know how many contribution points they have, and if they spend more than they should, the company will definitely send someone to investigate."

Before Shang Jianyao could ask questions, Jiang Baimian added a few more words:

"But it can't be prevented that the supply team coming to Cliff Village colludes with the people here to make false accounts and each gets a share of the benefits. However, there are no fish in the water. When Cliff Village is far away from the company, with the current technical conditions , it is impossible to avoid all problems. We can only investigate the exposure together. Also, many teams stayed in the ice field forever after replenishing here, and the data cannot be transferred back to the company..."

"Louder." Shang Jianyao looked like "I didn't hear clearly."

Jiang Baimian glanced at the village chief walking in front and ignored the guy.

After 20 to 30 years of stable development, the population of Cliff Village has increased a lot, and the originally empty scenic spot has gradually been filled up. It took the "old adjustment team" a while to arrive at the warehouse where supplies are stored.

"The upper part is the regular warehouse, and the lower part is the cold storage." The village chief pointed to the building in front of him and said, "The list of supplies is in the hall. You can choose it yourself."

"Okay." Jiang Baimian took a few steps forward and stood side by side with the village chief.

The village chief pointed to the half-hundred-year-old man sitting at the door of the warehouse blowing the wind:

"Old Zhao, like you, worked as a volunteer before. After he came back, he was given a relatively easy job in accordance with the company's regulations."

Old Zhao looks about the same age as the village chief, but his hair is much thinner, the wrinkles on his face are more obvious, and he is wrapped in a thick cotton jacket.

In this place near the ice sheet, even in April, the weather is still a bit cold.

"What projects have you participated in?" Shang Jianyao didn't hide his curiosity at all.

Lao Zhao heard that people from "Pangu Creatures" came to the village last night, and there were all handsome men and beauties in front of him, so he easily guessed the identity of the "Old Tune Group".

He stood up, smiled and said:

"What a human cold tolerance experiment."

"Why does the company keep doing experiments in this area?" Shang Jianyao said, "I am well-informed."

Jiang Baimian then smiled and said:

"What was your experiment like?"

Lao Zhao showed a recalling expression:

"The first time they dragged us deep into the ice field and gave us only a single piece of clothing. I almost froze to death, but luckily I was rescued...

"I gave them thick clothes the second time, but I couldn't bear it. It was so cold...

"The third time I went south, the temperature was a lot higher. I tried single clothes, thick clothes, and a cotton-padded jacket like mine, but it didn't work. Some people still have problems with the cold..."

Old Zhao Xu rambled, which made Jiang Baimian and others quite puzzled.

What is the purpose of the company's experiment? Is it really to test human beings' ability to withstand cold under various circumstances?