Embers Ad Infinitum

Chapter 198: Clues

Shang Jianyao tightened his grip on Lopez’s neck, preventing him from saying anything else. At this moment, he had used Lopez’s body to block the three guns aiming from the all-terrain vehicle’s left. He left his back to Jiang Baimian.

As he rushed out, Jiang Baimian helplessly and tacitly pulled out her United 202 and aimed at one of Lopez’s subordinates.

As for the remaining one, she believed that the other party wouldn’t be able to fire at the critical moment, even if he didn’t care about accidentally injuring Lopez.

They were all within the range of Hands Immobility.

Lopez tried to struggle, but Shang Jianyao had already pulled out the Ice Moss with his other hand and pressed the muzzle against his chest.

As he looked at the smug monkey mask, Lopez couldn’t decipher any emotion from the other party’s eyes. He could only raise his hands in surrender.

Shang Jianyao pulled him off the all-terrain vehicle’s hood and released the hand that clamped his neck. He then helped Lopez straighten his messy collar and patted the dust on his chest. He said with a friendly chuckle, “Isn’t this nicer?”

After doing this, Shang Jianyao maintained his aiming posture and walked back to Jiang Baimian’s side.

Such a development left the experienced Lopez abnormally confused. He couldn’t grasp the other party’s true intentions at all and couldn’t figure out what he was trying to do. He could only sense an indescribable madness.

Upon seeing that the other party had taken the initiative to give up on controlling him, Lopez’s eyes narrowed slightly as he prepared to take revenge.

He wasn’t the kind of person who would swallow his pride after suffering a slight. His status in Anhebus’s gang was built up through combat. He never used his height and strength as a bluff to raise his value.

If he had been inexplicably beaten up today but didn’t kill the fellow on the spot or counterattack, he believed that he would definitely become a joke in the eyes of the Redstone townsfolk and foreign desperados under Anhebus. He would no longer be the heartless, cold, and terrifying ‘Giant’ Lopez that was worthy of following.

At this moment, Jiang Baimian raised her left hand and raised three fingers.

With a muffled splat, soil splattered, and a bullet hole appeared beside the earthen-yellow all-terrain vehicle.

Someone fired from afar!

Lopez and his subordinates reflexively dodged, either hiding behind the tires or tumbling into a pile of concrete.

It was obvious that they were rather experienced.

Jiang Baimian held her United 202 and smiled despite her inner wariness. “You should know that our team has four people.”

At the top of a high-rise building that gave her a vantage point to monitor the surrounding area, Bai Chen’s eyes were behind the scope, and her expression was abnormally focused.

She could fire again at any moment. This time, it wouldn’t be a warning shot but the reaping of a life.

Long Yuehong was rather envious of this. He also wanted to take on the role of deterring the enemy. Unfortunately, he also knew that there was still a considerable gap between his sniping skills and Bai Chen’s.

Furthermore, he was holding a Death rocket launcher. The ammunition was clearly more expensive, and it was easy to deal collateral damage.

Upon seeing Lopez and the others hiding and attempting to aim at her, Jiang Baimian smiled and said, “Can’t everyone put down their guns and have a friendly conversation?”

“That’s right, that’s right.” Shang Jianyao agreed.

Who was the one who just beat someone up? Jiang Baimian grumbled inwardly.

She first put away United 202 to show her sincerity. Of course, she didn’t gesture at Bai Chen and Long Yuehong—they were to maintain their current state.

Lopez weighed the pros and cons and felt that hiding so timidly didn’t suit his image; it would make his subordinates look down on him even more. Therefore, he slowly stood up and walked back to the all-terrain vehicle.

He held a United 202 and lowered the muzzle to the ground. “What are you trying to do?”

“Didn’t you invite us over?” Jiang Baimian asked.

Lopez fell silent for a few seconds before gritting his teeth. “I’m providing you with clues. Didn’t you take on the mission to retrieve the firearms and investigate Helvig’s murder?”

“Yes.” Jiang Baimian smiled and asked, “There are two possibilities at present. First, Baz is telling the truth. The firearms are in Anhebus’s hands, so Baz and Helvig’s other trusted aides lack the motivation to kill Helvig. This is because they won’t get anything and will only benefit Anhebus even if Helvig dies. Second, the firearms actually fell into their hands, and it has nothing to do with Anhebus. In such a situation, they are the most suspicious. Which possibility do you think it is?”

As Shang Jianyao had already befriended Baz, she believed that the firearms were with Anhebus. She only asked this question to observe Lopez’s reaction.

Lopez quietly listened and suddenly laughed. “There’s another possibility. It was neither our boss nor Baz and the others. Helvig’s death had nothing to do with the firearms; it was done by another enemy of his.”

Lopez is hinting that they know Baz and the others are innocent. At the same time, Anhebus has never thought of letting Helvig die? Jiang Baimian tried to decipher his meaning.

Without waiting for her to speak, Lopez added, “Our boss is still more inclined to believe that Baz and the others did it. With Helvig dead, one of them might be able to inherit his wife, his children, his faction, and his supplies.”

“Are you saying that one of them might have an affair with Mrs. Theresa?” Jiang Baimian pretended to be convinced. Anyway, it wasn’t a bad thing to get more information.

“I can’t give you a definite answer.” Lopez acted very restrained. “Our boss once heard Helvig mention that Theresa was very cold to him. She always used vigilance as an excuse to reject his requests for sex.”

With Redstone Collection’s culture, isn’t such a thing very normal? Jiang Baimian grumbled inwardly. She then asked, “What clues did you say you were going to give us?”

Lopez glanced at the motionless Shang Jianyao in the monkey mask. “Don’t you find it strange that Helvig died from excessive shock?”

“It’s because it’s strange that it seems suspicious,” Jiang Baimian repeated.

Lopez gradually recovered from his shock and anger from being beaten. He smiled and said, “This might be caused by some Awakened ability. Our boss said that it appears more often in the group that believes in Eidolon Nun. Bishop Renato or a particular Harbinger possess such an ability. DiMarco also has one in the Underground Ark.”

Jiang Baimian nodded thoughtfully. “Are you hinting that Butler Carl killed Helvig?”

The Vigilance Church had no intention of messing up Redstone Collection. The current situation was most in line with their thoughts.

“That will require you to investigate. Our boss doesn’t have any evidence either,” said Lopez with a smile.

Jiang Baimian tersely acknowledged it and suddenly smiled. “One last question—do you know where the batch of firearms is?”

“You also have to investigate it yourselves.” After Lopez said that, he suddenly smiled, a little smug.

This... Jiang Baimian turned her head to look at Shang Jianyao in surprise.

Shang Jianyao nodded slightly, indicating that he had indeed added ‘condiments.’

Is this the weak application of Corny Person? This is just like how he dealt with the fake Father previously. Although it prevented him from doing something that would seriously violate his rationality and make him regret it on the spot, he couldn’t help but be a little corny in some of the details. He unconsciously flaunted himself? Jiang Baimian came to a realization.

Lopez’s smile just now was enough to prove that Baz wasn’t lying. Lopez knew where the firearms were, and he had even hidden them himself.

At this moment, Shang Jianyao suddenly said, “Six people.”

Two against six? Subdue Lopez, forcefully ‘befriend’ them, then retrieve the firearms and complete the mission? Jiang Baimian understood Shang Jianyao’s meaning.

With a thought, she realized that it wasn’t a 2v6 but a 4v6. Bai Chen and Long Yuehong were in position to snipe.

The main problem was that it was very difficult to capture the other party alive. Once it began, it would definitely result in considerable casualties. For the two parties that didn’t have any deep grudges, there was no need for this. It also didn’t conform to Jiang Baimian’s moral bottom line.

“There’s no rush,” Jiang Baimian replied.

Lopez suddenly had a sense of danger as he listened to their strange conversation. He maintained a high level of vigilance and said, “I’ve already said what needs to be said.”

He wanted to distance himself from these aggressive and strong Ruin Hunters as soon as possible.

“Goodbye.” Jiang Baimian smiled and waved her left hand.

Lopez didn’t get into the car immediately. He only got two of his subordinates to drive the all-terrain vehicle to the back of a nearby high-rise building. He then scattered around with the others and followed them on foot with the help of obstacles to prevent them from being wiped out because of their concentration.

“Very vigilant.” Shang Jianyao clapped and sent them off.

After Lopez and the others disappeared from sight, Jiang Baimian picked up the walkie-talkie and got Bai Chen and Long Yuehong to come down.

On the way back to the hotel camp, Long Yuehong eagerly asked, “Should we find an opportunity to capture Lopez alive next?”

“Yes.” Jiang Baimian didn’t object. “Report to the company first and see if we can get any useful information.”

Shang Jianyao smiled and added, “We can find bait to fish Lopez out.”

Long Yuehong immediately shrank back and looked at Shang Jianyao warily. “What’s the meaning of this?”

Shang Jianyao said seriously, “Baz is a very good bait.”

“That’s true...” Long Yuehong replied in a daze.

...

While the Old Task Force ate their late lunch, Pangu Biology returned the telegram.

After Jiang Baimian’s translation, the contents were displayed: “The Vigilance Church believes in October’s Kalendaria, Eidolon Nun. The supreme leader is Pope Darkness. Next are Terror Episcopal, bishops, and Harbingers. They call the believers ‘People of Vigilance.’

“A large portion of this Church’s Awakened are good at influencing others’ emotions and states. Some are experts at provocation, some are embodiments of terror, some are friendly people, and some can make people cold or enhance their corresponding abilities...

“In the Ashlands, the Vigilance Church is mainly in the White Knights and Orange Company’s sphere of influence, as well as some small and medium-sized settlements.”