Embers Ad Infinitum

Chapter 379: Sense of Ritual

Shang Jianyao split into nine. With the Destiny Pearl, he quickly scanned the real Father’s memories. Although he focused on recent matters, he still gained a rough understanding of the real Father’s life.

After exiting Father’s mind world, Shang Jianyao realized that this Anti-intellectualism Church Awakened—Alex—had already ushered in his final moment in life.

Father Alex didn’t say a word. He quietly looked at Shang Jianyao above him and tried his best to maintain a contemptuous attitude.

Suddenly, he saw a hint of pity in Shang Jianyao’s eyes.

Shang Jianyao asked, “Do you still remember your origins?”

How can I not remember? Father Alex scoffed inwardly and patiently waited for the grand melody of death’s arrival.

His mother was a descendant of First City’s aristocracy, and his father was an outstanding Ashlandic warrior. The two of them came together and had him.

As a result, he was chosen by Shepherd Bouillon because he had displayed intelligence and caution that exceeded his peers since he was young. He was abducted and groomed as the Anti-intellectualism Church’s future backbone.

He didn’t disappoint Shepherd Bouillon’s expectations. He successfully Awakened during the ritual and obtained the final victory in the subsequent battle for the title of Father. He turned many Awakened in the same batch into his puppets.

After becoming Father, he planned and implemented many plans. Most of them succeeded and made him famous.

Ignoring Father’s lack of response, Shang Jianyao kindly said, “Your childhood memories should’ve been distorted by Shepherd Bouillon. You aren’t a noble descendant, nor are you of Red River ethnicity. You are the descendant of two Ashlandic slaves in the city. I guess Shepherd Bouillon changed this portion of your memories to make you arrogant and conceited, leaving behind obvious weaknesses so that he could control you better. In this regard, he did other forms of Hypnosis. In a sense, you are actually considered his puppet, a puppet with greater autonomy.”

Father Alex’s eyes instantly froze. With his experience in the field of memories, he immediately sensed some problems that he had neglected in the past when Shang Jianyao raised the matter up.

He almost never took the initiative to recall his childhood!

I’m only a puppet… I don’t have noble blood… My parents were slaves… Father Alex kept repeating these words in his heart, and he was pushed to the brink of a mental breakdown.

He felt like his faith was about to collapse. Transcending mortals was the thing he was most proud of in his life.

Shang Jianyao put away the Destiny Pearl and added, “Don’t you find it strange that you haven’t been able to fuse with your inner self and enter the Mind Corridor? When you fought for the title of Father, you actually almost failed. However, Shepherd Bouillon might’ve felt that you were relatively easier to control and secretly helped you…”

I-I’m not even smarter than the other fake Fathers? Father Alex immediately felt the world crumble before him. His heart was filled with torment, and his vision began to fade.

He had entered a critical state.

Shang Jianyao said truthfully, “Actually, your intelligence is pretty good, but you’re too conceited. You don’t have any trustworthy helpers.”

As he spoke, he bowed and gave him sincere wishes. “May you study hard in your next life.”

With that said, he added, “Sigh, I originally wanted to hang you up and beat you up. But seeing you in this state, I’ve decided otherwise.”

Father Alex made a gasping sound in his throat as if he wanted to respond. He wanted to say: “It’s better if you hang me up and beat me up. There’s no need to pity me; that will only be an insult.”

But in the end, he didn’t say anything. With his eyes wide open, he took his last breath.

…

The ridiculously muscular city guard major and his colleague—Ducas and Cassiel—led a team of soldiers to a street near Hurst Apartments.

“Seriously, isn’t it just a kidnapping? Why did you get us to come over? Are all the Hand of Order members dead?” Cassiel looked around and grumbled.

The Hand of Order was equivalent to First City’s police department. The highest-ranking officer was also called the Hand of Order. Under him were the city’s enforcers, orderlies, sheriffs, and a large number of public security officers.

Ducas glanced at his colleague and coldly said, “It’s not like you don’t know the current situation. Even the slightest commotion in the Golden Apple Zone can easily make the Elders uneasy. Compared to the Hand of Order, our city defense forces’ personnel and equipment are clearly stronger.”

As he spoke, drones were searching the surroundings for clues.

Before long, a soldier led a few witnesses over.

“What happened?” Ducas asked.

A witness in his twenties quickly replied, “Sir, a robot kidnapped a man on the street and dragged him into that alley.”

“Robot?” Cassiel blurted out in surprise. It’s easy for a team with robots to earn money, but they had to kidnap or mug?

“Yes, a robot this tall!” The other witnesses echoed.

Ducas nodded slightly. “It seems like things aren’t simple…”

…

In another street nearby.

Beside a mailbox near a coffee shop, a man with brown hair, blue eyes, and sculptured outlines had his hands in his pockets as he watched his subordinates busy themselves.

He was the Golden Apple Zone’s Orderly Officer deputy, Konstanz. He was 1.87 meters tall and nearly 50 years old. His sideburns were a little white, but his figure was maintained well. Years added to his handsome looks, making him appear more mature and attractive.

This made him very popular among upper-class ladies.

“Sir, there was indeed a kidnapping, and he was very arrogant,” a public security officer reported to Konstanz.

Konstanz—who was wearing a thin black trench coat—nodded. “Are there any facial composites of the suspect?”

“Yes.” The public security officer handed over a piece of paper in his hand.

Konstanz took it and looked at it.

He realized that the kidnapper was a man in sunglasses. His face was covered in a beard, making him appear rugged and rash. However, Konstanz couldn’t tell if he was of Red River ethnicity, Ashlandic, or mixed.

How dare he kidnap someone in the Golden Apple Zone… Konstanz muttered under his breath.

This was the area with the most surveillance cameras. Although it couldn’t compare to the legendary Mechanical Paradise, it was enough.

Before long, Konstanz received a report and blurted out in surprise and anger, “What? The cameras in this area were destroyed at the same time?”

…

As they headed to the alley the case reporter had mentioned, the other Orderly Officer deputy of the Golden Apple Zone, Theodore, saw the person he didn’t want to see—Sheriff Wall, who resembled a wall.

They had a conflict in the first year they entered the Hand of Order. Later, due to their backgrounds and abilities, nobody gained the upper hand of the other.

When Theodore was finally promoted and became the Orderly Officer’s assistant, allowing him to rank higher than Wall, this fellow married the daughter of the newly promoted Elder, Gaius.

“Why are you here?” Theodore snorted.

Wall smiled and said, “That alley is under my jurisdiction. I have to come.”

He looked at Theodore’s wooden, immobile eyes and shook his head inwardly.

Other than this relatively obvious characteristic, Theodore had a medium build and ordinary looks with black hair and brown eyes. As an Orderly Officer deputy, he didn’t have to wear a grayish-blue uniform at all times. He could choose clothes that he preferred.

Today, he was wearing a shirt, long pants, and a black vest.

Surrounded by public security officers, Theodore and Wall passed through an apartment and entered the alley with high walls that lined the sides.

Of course, they could also choose to circle in from both sides of the apartment, but that would be a waste of time.

After walking along the alley for a distance, a figure appeared in front of Theodore and Wall at the same time.

The figure wore very ordinary clothes, and his body was covered in blood. He quietly lay against the wall, no longer breathing.

His face had completely lost its luster, but his dark eye circles remained obvious. His eyes were wide open in indignation.

There was a wide trail of blood in front of him as if someone had dragged him to this spot.

There was also a piece of paper stuck to his chest. On the paper were two printed lines in the Red River language: “I’m Father.

“I’m guilty.”

Father… Wall and Theodore’s pupils dilated at the same time.