Was he at the breaking point, completely insane? Jiang Baimian was about to squeeze in a little when she noticed the crowd suddenly dispersing.
Two robot guard members in dark green uniforms were approaching.
They were about the same height as Genaewa, and their eyes also emitted a blue glow, so much so that Jiang Baimian, who prided herself on never being face-blind, couldn't tell who was who, since the most likely different add-on modules were covered by clothing.
The two robot guard members quickly supported a man in the middle of the road and walked him towards the other side of the street.
The man was wearing loose, blue-and-white cotton clothes, his black hair hung down messily, and there was newly grown stubble on his chin. His eyes revealed a sense of hysteria.
As he was dragged forward, he kept shouting:
"They're all dead! They're all dead!"
The originally bustling street quieted down, and it wasn't until the man was taken to another area by the robot guard members and disappeared from sight that everyone recovered and began discussing the "Advanced Heartless" in the southwestern mountains.
Although it was said to be in the southwestern mountains, it should actually be northeast of Tarnan, but the people here were used to using the main peak of the Kirill Mountains as a dividing standard.
Jiang Baimian glanced around and found that the people on the street didn't have expressions of fear or worry, as if they thought it was just a small matter that the robot guard could easily resolve.
"Mechanical Paradise" gives them a strong sense of security… Jiang Baimian silently sighed and continued to secretly follow Shang Jianyao ahead.
…………
At ten o'clock in the evening, inside room "221" of the "Dreamy Sleep" Hotel, the four members of the "Old Task Force" who had gone out for the day reunited.
"Not bad, you all came back in one piece." Jiang Baimian said with a smile, looking around.
The focus of her words was to praise Long Yuehong.
Not giving Long Yuehong a chance to be modest, she immediately added:
"Let's all share what we've gained, starting with, hmm, Bai Chen."
Although Bai Chen had been watching Long Yuehong, that didn't stop her from using her observational skills and the gaps when Long Yuehong was asking people for advice to gather some intelligence:
"Tarnan has two bars, but they only sell fruit wine, and it's limited.
"The situation inside is similar to the company's 'Activity Center.' It's mainly local residents during the off-season, ruin hunters who are afraid to take risks in winter, and personnel on rotation from various trading caravans who gather together to play cards, chat, sing, and dance..."
Obviously, Tarnan's grain production couldn't support the brewing industry. Even if there was a surplus, there would definitely be people who wanted it, and foreign caravans would choose more valuable trade goods. No one would cross mountains and ridges just to transport a dozen or twenty barrels of wine - in the graylands, places like Weed City that have many alcoholic beverages are rare, and most of them have a shortage of grain.
Therefore, for the residents of Tarnan, only those seasonal wild fruits in the Kirill Mountains that are not very tasty when eaten directly and have a short shelf life can be used to brew some wine.
Seeing Shang Jianyao's eyes light up as he listened, Jiang Baimian chuckled:
"The entertainment here is quite rich.
"Unfortunately, there don't seem to be any radio programs."
Inside "Pangu Biology," the "Activity Center" organizes special activities every holiday, including but not limited to ballroom dancing, basketball, tug-of-war competitions, etc., to enrich the employees' spiritual lives.
Long Yuehong heard this and helped add:
"But there are Old World entertainment materials.
"I found that many of the townspeople here have portable computers, and they all have some Old World entertainment materials stored inside to varying degrees."
"Pangu Biology" can't even compare to this.
Which ordinary employee has a computer at home?
"Electronic products here are indeed not very valuable. In Weed City, some nobles may not even have portable computers," Jiang Baimian commented.
Of course, given the relationship between Weed City and "Mechanical Paradise," the main reason those nobles didn't have computers was that they didn't think computers were very useful.
Can they help with farming?
After Bai Chen finished talking about the intelligence she had gathered, Jiang Baimian turned to ask Shang Jianyao:
"What did you gain?"
Please don't say dancing was fun, singing was satisfying, fried chicken wings were delicious… As soon as the words left her mouth, Jiang Baimian added in her mind.
Shang Jianyao seriously replied:
"The cult that organizes people to sing together on the street is the 'Mirage Dragon Church,' and they worship the November Ruling Star 'Shattered Mirror.'
"They believe that the current world is just a huge illusion, used by the Ruling Star 'Shattered Mirror' to test humanity, and that this 'God of Illusion' is actually the Mirage Dragon from ancient legends. Only by pleasing Him in various ways can we escape the painful illusion, wake up from the dream, and see the real, beautiful world, which is the New World…
"They call believers who receive 'Shattered Mirror's' grace 'Dragonspawn'…"
Well, not bad, he didn't forget his mission while singing, dancing, and eating fried chicken wings… As Jiang Baimian listened, she suddenly felt something was wrong and quickly asked:
"Aren't you concerned about what the 'Mirage Dragon Church's' Eucharist is?"
Shang Jianyao answered frankly:
"I'm afraid I'll hesitate."
Jiang Baimian tutted:
"Actually, you probably don't need to worry. Think about it, they all believe that the current world is a huge illusion, so why would they have any Eucharist? It's all fake anyway, illusory."
"That's true…" Shang Jianyao seemed convinced.
But then he asked:
"Wouldn't that mean they don't even need to eat? Wouldn't it be better to 'starve awake' sooner?"
Jiang Baimian almost couldn't answer that question, but luckily she reacted quickly and had good associative abilities:
"Didn't we encounter the 'Nightmare Horse' before? If you starve to death in a dream, you'll really starve to death."
Shang Jianyao slammed his right fist into his left palm and said:
"I understand."
Then he went on to talk about the "Glory Balance."
As for the "Furnace Church," everyone had heard Miens mention it, so he didn't repeat it.
After Shang Jianyao, it was Long Yuehong's turn. He told them all the information he had obtained from several local old men and women.
"Maximilian? 'Mechanical Paradise' has been offering a bounty for a human for so many years… What did he do? Or, was he involved in some important Old World research?" Jiang Baimian speculated based on Maximilian's suspected status as a scientist.
"Maybe." Long Yuehong proactively suggested, "Team Leader, I want to visit Gu Bo, the local chairman of the Hunter Guild, tomorrow. He should know a lot."
He hadn't found Gu Bo's house tonight.
"Okay." Jiang Baimian praised with satisfaction, "Not bad, you're getting more and more proactive and motivated. That means your confidence has increased. Hmm, tomorrow you and Bai Chen will be a group and visit that Chairman Gu Bo. Shang Jianyao and I will go to the 'Furnace Church' and see that 'Devotee' Li Zhe."
Since they had Miens's letter, it would be a waste not to take the opportunity to build some relationships and get some information!
Finally, Jiang Baimian talked about the survivor who had gone crazy and other things she had seen and heard.
…………
The next morning, after a simple breakfast, the "Old Task Force" split into two groups and headed for their respective destinations.
The "Furnace Church" was at the southernmost end of the street from last night. It seemed to have been converted from a small Old World factory.
It stood alone, with its exterior walls painted iron black and its doors painted fiery red. At first glance, it really looked like a strange "furnace."
It wasn't until they reached this point that Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao saw a street sign and learned the name of the current street from its peeling surface:
"Riverside Avenue"
The doors of the Furnace Church were tightly closed, giving off an air of forbidding entry, but Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao had heard Miens mention that this was mainly to simulate the feeling of a "furnace," not to prevent anyone from entering.
Jiang Baimian reached out her left hand and pushed open the door, only to feel a wave of heat rushing towards her.
This formed a stark contrast with the chilly wind outside.
Jiang Baimian looked up and found that the dome was very high, and gray-white or iron-black pipes extended along the pillars and walls to different places.
"It's producing heat." Shang Jianyao placed his palm on a section of iron-black pipe near the door.
Jiang Baimian thought for a moment and made a judgment:
"There should be hot water flowing inside, how extravagant!"
She believed that this was imitating the Old World's heating system.
Based on this, there were probably large boilers and piles of coal behind the church.
Although associating the church with these things felt strange, with a peculiar industrial style, Jiang Baimian felt relieved when she thought that the cult's name was "Furnace."
"Please close the door behind you." A voice came from the front of the prayer hall.
Hmm, they can't let too much heat escape, it would be a waste of energy… Jiang Baimian had a new understanding of why the "Furnace Church" always kept its doors closed.
Shang Jianyao closed the door while curiously asking:
"If it's summer, will they still provide heating?"
Jiang Baimian imagined the scene and suddenly felt very hot.
"We don't provide heating. The building's design ensures that the summer heat stays inside, directly creating the feeling of a furnace," the person in front of the prayer hall explained.
He was about forty years old, wearing a fiery red robe, and was a typical graylander, with slightly darker skin, relatively high cheekbones, wet hair, and sweat all over his forehead.
"Excuse me, is Mr. Li Zhe here?" Jiang Baimian approached and asked politely.
The red-robed man exhaled and said:
"I am Li Zhe, the 'Devotee' of the church."
"Are you hot?" Shang Jianyao asked curiously.
Li Zhe nodded:
"Very hot, but also very comfortable, very relaxed. I feel like the impurities in my body have been refined by the furnace."
Seeing that Jiang Baimian and the others were a little puzzled, Li Zhe pointed to a door on the side:
"I just finished hosting a Mass, that's our Mass room."
"You have a special room for your Mass?" Jiang Baimian didn't hide her confusion and curiosity.
Li Zhe smiled and said:
"Yes, our Mass ritual has relatively high requirements. It needs to be done in a relatively enclosed room, pouring water on red-hot stones and watching the steam spread out.
"Ah, this is the breath of God, He is bathing us.
"It will penetrate our clothes, enter our skin, and allow us to expel the impurities and fatigue from our bodies…
"After each Mass, after changing clothes, everyone will feel very relaxed and energized. This is a gift from God, just like how we feel after enjoying the Eucharist in the summer."
"…" Jiang Baimian's expression became stranger and stranger as she listened.
She really wanted to ask if your cult had a sanctuary in the Old World, and if it did, was it called a "Bath Center"?