Embers Ad Infinitum

Chapter 864: ‘Payback’

After the Old Task Force left the heavily fortified borders of Gesterbourg, the weeds ahead gradually thinned. Looking into the distance, they could vaguely see a wasteland and hills.

“How many kilometers has it been?” Shang Jianyao—who was sitting in the backseat—asked Genava, the automatic odometer.

“We’re almost two kilometers away from Gesterbourg.” Genava chose to use more fuzzy data like a human.

Shang Jianyao was disappointed. “It’s less than three kilometers.”

He looked at the driving Bai Chen and opened his mouth to speak before closing it again.

“You want Little White to drive faster?” Jiang Baimian glanced at him.

“That’s right, that’s right.” Shang Jianyao quickly nodded.

“Do you want to reach three kilometers as soon as possible and get Gitis’s body to return?” Jiang Baimian asked again.

Shang Jianyao frankly replied, “The Eighth Research Institute has Awakened from all domains. I wonder who they will send this time. It’s too dangerous—too dangerous!”

That’s right. Gitis isn’t an Awakened yet… Although she uses another body, and it won’t affect her main body even if she loses it, the problem is that we don’t have a complete understanding of the various domains’ abilities. Who knows if they have the ability to restrain Divine Mirror Connection and Destiny Connection…?Jiang Baimian echoed Shang Jianyao inwardly.

They couldn’t bear to involve Gitis in the battle between the Old Task Force and the Eighth Research Institute. They hoped to hit the three-kilometer threshold early and take over the Subhuti figurine from Gitis’s other body.

In any case, the oldest AC-42 military exoskeleton had already been mortgaged to Gitis.

The only problem was that this path was complicated and difficult to traverse. Jiang Baimian didn’t dare to let Bai Chen drive too quickly to prevent any accidents from happening—ones that could be exploited by the Eighth Research Institute.

She composed herself, straightened her body, and looked ahead—where she couldn’t see any vehicles. “Maintain your previous state. Don’t relax.”

From time to time, they would recall Eidolon Nun’s gaze and Master Zhuang’s dream.

…

Behind a small hill, a figure was leaning against a red pine tree. He had a hand in his pocket and was looking at the distant blue sky.

This formed a sharp contrast to the dark gray smog in Gesterbourg’s direction.

The figure was about 1.8 meters tall. He wore a black trench coat, black pants, and black boots. He also wore gloves of the same color and carried a silver Gauss rifle on his back.

His black hair was neatly combed back. He had sword-like eyebrows, an abnormally straight nose, and golden eyes. His face was well-defined and rather handsome.

Qiao Chu!

This person was Qiao Chu, the Eighth Research Institute commissioner who had previously controlled the Old Task Force and led them to Swamp Ruin 1—Dajiang City Ruin! At this moment, he didn’t show any uncontrollable charm, or rather, there were no humans or animals around him to prove this.

Suddenly, Qiao Chu touched the white earpiece in his ear as if he were listening to something. Toward the end, he frowned, and his expression turned nasty.

After he lowered his right hand, he muttered to himself, “I’ll listen to your instructions for now. It won’t be long before I become a Professor!”

If not for the fact that he spent too much time between the Sea of Origins and Mind Corridor, he might’ve already explored the depths with the Eighth Research Institute’s rich Mind Corridor information.

He stretched out his left palm, revealing the ordinary black electronic watch on his wrist. Qiao Chu then took off his watch and threw it to the ground.

In an instant, the red pine tree he was leaning against exuded two completely different phenomena.

The first were the ants circling around the watch; it was as if they had encountered something nasty. The second were the various creatures; they approached Qiao Chu uncontrollably.

The latter came from the price Qiao Chu paid—Uncontrollable Charm. This made him constantly emit a fatal attraction to his surroundings. Be it men, women, or beasts, the target wasn’t spared.

After he entered the Mind Corridor, the situation became increasingly serious. He could only apply for the watch from the Eighth Research Institute to reduce the effects.

Qiao Chu didn’t like the ability attached to the electronic watch. He used the item’s negative effects: Detestable!

Detestable neutralized Qiao Chu’s Uncontrollable Charm to a large extent, allowing him to enter and leave the various settlements freely without triggering any abnormalities. He only enjoyed the privilege that good-looking people often obtained.

If not for Gesterbourg’s powerhouse holding the fort, he felt that it was better to pay a visit to them yesterday and launch a surprise attack on the team that had once been his slaves.

After adapting to his ‘unlocked’ state, Qiao Chu turned around, walked out from behind the red pine tree, and walked toward the path that led to Icefield between the hills.

He knew that the target team had an additional robot member, but he wasn’t too worried. This was because the basic ability obtained by Monitors after entering the Mind Corridor was Electromagnetic Interference.

Although this couldn’t help him finish off the robot, it was still enough to affect the other party’s judgment and delay it for almost a minute.

…

“It’s three kilometers once we circle around that hill,” Genava gave Shang Jianyao a heads up.

Shang Jianyao nodded excitedly and said to Bai Chen in front of him, “Little White, remember to stop the car when the time comes.”

Before Bai Chen could respond, her expression suddenly changed, and her eyes became a little infatuated.

A figure appeared beside the hill—a familiar figure to the Old Task Force.

It was Qiao Chu, the Eighth Research Institute commissioner with his black hair, golden eyes, and sharp eyebrows!

Bai Chen’s right foot stepped on the brakes and gradually exerted more strength, slowing down the car so that it could stop in front of Qiao Chu steadily.

In the passenger seat, Long Yuehong didn’t stop her. Instead, he wore an expectant expression and praised sincerely and silently, “He’s handsome again.”

Genava—who was in the back row—didn’t seem to notice anything and only asked, “Are we preparing for the Subhuti figurine handover now?”

Beside him, Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao remained silent as they stared ahead.

The SUV behind them suddenly accelerated and overtook them.

Gitis’s male body in the cap and grayish-blue clothes was looking at the hill with a burning gaze as if he were searching for the reason for his sudden interest.

The next second, ‘he’ saw Qiao Chu. His expression went adrift for a moment as he revealed obvious confusion.

This was the anomaly Gitis’s main consciousness—which was far away at the edge of Gesterbourg—sensed.

She was naturally unaffected by Qiao Chu’s Uncontrollable Charm. However, the male body holding the Subhuti figurine didn’t maintain a confused expression for long before quickly returning to its obsession.

Qiao Chu’s Uncontrollable Charm constantly exerted influence! Just like that, Gitis’s male body constantly switched between resisting and obsession as he slowly drove toward Qiao Chu.

Qiao Chu glanced at the SUV in surprise and frowned at the fact that someone could still struggle.

At this moment, the Old Task Force’s jeep overtook the SUV driven by Gitis’s male body and stopped not far from Qiao Chu.

Three doors opened as Bai Chen, Long Yuehong, Jiang Baimian, and Shang Jianyao alighted one after another and ran toward Qiao Chu.

Qiao Chu focused and forcefully interfered with the electromagnetic signals received by Genava. He hoped that the four Old Task Force humans wouldn’t sense anything until they came in front of him and formed a human shield. In that case, he could control the robot with Shang Jianyao, Jiang Baimian, Long Yuehong, and Bai Chen as hostages.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Shang Jianyao ran the fastest and was the first to reach Qiao Chu.

He’s indeed the most proactive one…?Qiao Chu recalled what had happened in Swamp Ruin 1 and nodded slightly.

At this moment, Shang Jianyao reared his upper body slightly and pulled his right arm away, his hand clenching into a fist.

Bang!

His heavy fist struck Qiao Chu’s well-defined face, causing the commissioner to see stars. A few of his teeth loosened and flew out.

“Return us our military exoskeleton!” Shang Jianyao shouted with gusto.

At this moment, Qiao Chu’s eyes were frozen with disbelief and extreme confusion. This punch made him doubt life.

This punch also stirred Bai Chen, Long Yuehong, Jiang Baimian, and the others. After all, Qiao Chu’s ‘perfect face’ in their hearts had been destroyed.

“How can you not be affected?” Long Yuehong blurted out.

Shang Jianyao punched again and knocked Qiao Chu out. He then replied proudly, “Liking a person only affects me from saving humanity!”

“This…” Long Yuehong was confused.

Jiang Baimian recalled the past and asked in surprise, “Is this the Inference Clowning that you exerted on yourself in Swamp Ruin 1 back then?”

How many years has it been!? This lunatic has yet to remove that effect, and it has lasted to this day!

“Huh?” Shang Jianyao was confused at first before he came to a realization.

Jiang Baimian then looked around and frowned. “The enemy is only Qiao Chu?”

Impossible! It had to be known that the Old Task Force had a robot that could resist such charm!