Embers Ad Infinitum

Chapter 617: Happens Daily in the Wilderness

Translator: CKtalon

The Old Task Force stayed in the periphery of Iron Mountain City Ruin for another day, but the special Superior Heartless remained elusive. They then headed north to First City to prepare for the exploration of the Holm Fertility Center in Wasteland Ruin 13.

After circling around the various polluted and dangerous areas for nearly two days, Genava looked at the wilderness outside. “There’s a nomad settlement nearby. Do you want to go over and do a RESUP?”

This was the place he had previously passed when heading south from First City.

Bai Chen was unfamiliar with the wilderness around here because she had never been here.

In the passenger seat, Jiang Baimian thought for a moment and said, “Sure.”

Although the Old Task Force’s jeep had been modified and had a wider trunk, the three military exoskeletons and two bionic artificial intelligence armor still occupied a considerable amount of space. With the addition of bullets, grenades, hand grenades, rockets, explosives, and spare weapons, there wasn’t much space for the other supplies.

With the help of a real smart navigation system, the jeep passed through a small forest and a few hills before arriving at a settlement that was strategically located in an Old World ruins based on the terrain.

When the car was about 100 meters away from their destination, Shang Jianyao suddenly sat up straight. “There’s nobody.”

“They migrated?” Bai Chen guessed as she slowed down the car.

This was relatively common in the Ashlands. Every few years—or even shorter—wilderness nomads would leave their current settlements and migrate to safer places due to location exposure, intense weather changes, problems in the environment, mutated creatures, and Heartless changing their hunting range.

“Impossible,” Genava replied firmly. “When I passed by previously, they were farming in the farms behind the settlement.”

Humans who were about to migrate wouldn’t do things that were a waste of resources.

The honest Shang Jianyao immediately retorted, “Maybe they were discovered by First City’s slave hunters in the past few days.”

They had no choice but to migrate in a rush.

As the carbon-based human and silicon-based human conversed, the jeep approached its destination.

“There are indeed no human bioelectric signals.” Jiang Baimian confirmed Shang Jianyao’s previous discovery.

The settlement’s gates were made of wood. At this moment, it was ajar.

Bai Chen swept her gaze and said in a deep voice, “There’s blood on the ground.”

Her vantage point was better than Genava, Long Yuehong, and Shang Jianyao’s. Jiang Baimian was focused on sensing the area.

The Old Task Force members looked over and saw several pools of dark-red blood beyond the door.

This gave Long Yuehong an ominous feeling. He recalled his encounter in Blackrat Town.

“An attack?” Jiang Baimian made the jeep stop. She slung a grenade launcher over her shoulder and held a rocket launcher as she pushed open the door and alighted.

Shang Jianyao and the others followed closely behind and entered the settlement one after another.

Some of the houses here originated from the Old World and had been later repaired to a certain extent, while some were newly built from wood. These two eclectic styles brought about a unique charm.

There were no humans here anymore, just as Shang Jianyao and Jiang Baimian had sensed. However, there were obvious traces of blood in many places. They were either splattered on the walls or on the ground into the distance.

Such scenes could be seen at virtually every house.

A massacre… This thought surfaced in Long Yuehong’s mind.

During the subsequent search, doubt grew in him. Since it’s suspected to be a massacre, why aren’t there any corpses? Why are fingers, rotten flesh, and other things occasionally found? It’s impossible for the wilderness nomads residing here to be blown to pieces, right?

Even if that was the case, the number of flesh remains didn’t match!

Furthermore, all the weapons in the settlement were gone, including woodcutting knives and other items.

In addition, blankets, rugs, clothes, and various foods had also disappeared.

These things definitely existed. Otherwise, the wilderness nomads in the settlements wouldn’t have been able to survive the winter.

However, there were also metallic items stocked up in each building—presumably for the transaction of other resources—as well as two fuel generators.

After the inspection, Bai Chen pursed her lips and said, “Preliminary judgment indicates that they were attacked by the Heartless.”

Upon seeing Long Yuehong’s confused expression, she simply explained, “If they were bandits or slave hunters, the generators and metallic items wouldn’t have been left behind. These things are sometimes more valuable than slaves. If it was a result of mutated creatures or other beasts, they wouldn’t take away weapons, clothes, blankets, or rugs. Only an attack by the Heartless will leave such a scene.”

At this point, Bai Chen concluded, “Many wilderness nomads believe that Heartless who lack food in winter are the most aggressive and dangerous. Actually, it’s the same for Heartless in spring. After a long winter, the Heartless who manage to survive will often have run out of food and need replenishment.”

Jiang Baimian had only experienced the Heartless attack on human settlements a few times while serving in the Security Department’s other companies. With their help, the settlements under Pangu Biology’s aegis successfully survived the danger and didn’t encounter such a disaster.

She sighed and said, “Nomads who can survive in the wilderness won’t slack when it comes to such matters. It seems like they were overwhelmed by strength…”

“It’s also possible that a group of Heartless suddenly migrated here after spring because there were originally no powerful Heartless here.” Bai Chen recalled the situations she had encountered and heard of.

Jiang Baimian looked at the silent Shang Jianyao and was momentarily at a loss for words.

“What should we do now?” Long Yuehong asked.

It was clearly impossible to exchange supplies. He wanted to ask if they should rest here and set off tomorrow or continue their journey while it was still early.

Shang Jianyao suddenly turned his head and asked Genava, “Are there other wilderness nomad settlements nearby?”

“There are three more within 20 kilometers,” Genava replied.

Bai Chen quickly said, “They shouldn’t have been attacked yet. The food harvested here is enough for the Heartless to survive for a long time. In such a situation, their aggression will be greatly reduced.”

This was similar to how many beasts didn’t have aggressive tendencies after eating their fill. Furthermore, if one hunted too much in one go, there was no way to preserve it for a long period of time. It would result in a huge waste.

For Heartless—who were slightly smarter than beasts—it was better to continue letting them live.

Shang Jianyao laughed and suggested, “Should we eliminate the Heartless horde?”

“With the strength they have shown, the other three settlements probably won’t be able to withstand an attack either…” Jiang Baimian pondered for a moment and said, “We can give it a try, but we can’t be rash.”

To the current Old Task Force, this was something they could do in passing. It wouldn’t be too difficult.

…

When it was almost evening and the clouds on the horizon were still fiery red, the Old Task Force tracked down the target group after Genava and Long Yuehong gathered, compared, and analyzed the environmental information.

They hid in a relatively large hill and occupied a hidden cave.

Genava put on the Chameleon bionic artificial intelligence armor and sneaked closer to observe the area carefully.

He then returned to the jeep and reported, “There are four Heartless guarding the cave entrance. Their weapons are hunting rifles, assault rifles, shotguns, and submachine guns.”

Jiang Baimian was perplexed and wistful. “They have pretty good firepower… The harvest from plundering the wilderness nomad settlement?”

Bai Chen pursed her lips and said, “That’s one aspect. From what we saw, their firepower wasn’t weak to begin with either.”

Genava then said, “From time to time, a unique aura will leak out of the cave, making the four Heartless guards tremble in fear.”

“Tremble in fear?” Jiang Baimian muttered to herself.

“A Superior Heartless?” Shang Jianyao was a little excited.

Long Yuehong came to a realization. “It’s no wonder they can crush that wilderness nomad settlement.”

Not only did these Heartless have adequate firepower, but they also had a leader equivalent to an Awakened!

“From the looks of it, there might be a certain problem with their origins,” Jiang Baimian said thoughtfully.

There were relatively few Superior Heartless; they only appeared in large city ruins from among thousands of Heartless. According to Genava’s observations, there weren’t more than 50 Heartless in the cave.

Of course, there were exceptions to such matters. A probability, no matter how minuscule, was still possible.

After some thought, Jiang Baimian ordered, “Don your gear and make plans for any accidents. Little White, get into sniping position. Little Red, you and Old Ge will charge in front. I’ll support you. Hey, exert your influence at the end and control the entire situation.”

After some work, Bai Chen—who was wearing a military exoskeleton—followed Genava to a sniping spot he had found during his reconnaissance.

From the top of a withered tree, one could see the four Heartless guarding the cave entrance nearly 300 meters away.