Leaving the recreational vehicle, Jiang Baimian glanced back at the interior and sighed softly, "Sangzi..."

Her soliloquy was completely drowned out by the song "I'm Looking Up."

The next second, she grabbed Shang Jianyao's shoulder, pulled him back, and laughed loudly, "You already skipped it!"

Then, she added with a smile, "I was originally thinking of letting you unwind and have some fun after we finished our business and had dinner.

"As a result, you brought this opportunity forward yourself, and you didn't even cherish it, just skipping a minute or two."

Shang Jianyao's expression changed, not hiding his disappointment and regret.

This made Jiang Baimian feel even better.

She turned to Long Yuehong and Bai Chen and said, "Do you want to play for a while?"

"Unless I want to sleep with someone, I don't really like this kind of entertainment. It's too noisy," Bai Chen replied frankly.

Long Yuehong, who was originally a little eager to try, felt a little scared when he was the only one left, so he said listlessly, "I'm a little tired today."

That was true. After traveling for so many days, even with alternating driving and sufficient rest, their mental state would be close to the fatigue line.

"Then let's all go back." Jiang Baimian didn't try to persuade them. She withdrew her gaze and was the first to walk out of the area.

Shang Jianyao followed behind her and asked loudly because the noisy music hadn't faded away, "Team Leader, don't you want to dance?"

"I'm such a steady person," Jiang Baimian boasted. "How could I participate in such messy activities? Besides, I have better ways to vent."

As she spoke, she glanced back at her three team members and smiled wickedly, "Once we get to Wildgrass City and settle down, we'll have to practice combat and adjust our skills to their best condition.

"This way, we can cope with the dangers lurking in the upcoming investigation."

Hearing this, Long Yuehong felt pain all over his body.

As they spoke, they returned to where the jeep was parked and found that many people in the camp were deliberately passing by, glancing at their vehicle.

"They really love their cars..." Jiang Baimian said with heartfelt emotion.

Then, she didn't rush to drive those people away. She stopped at a certain distance, as if thinking about something, and said, "Do you think Ferlin, the high priest of the 'Sacred Eye' Church, is an Awakened?

"If so, has he secretly used his Awakened abilities to influence us?"

Hearing these two questions, Long Yuehong was shocked and hurriedly checked himself.

Bai Chen immediately replied, "I just made a careful observation and didn't find anything unusual about Ferlin compared to ordinary people."

In other words, he might not have paid a price, so he wouldn't be an Awakened.

"The price might not be obvious," Jiang Baimian suggested a counter-example.

She then half-closed her eyes, not knowing what she was doing.

Shang Jianyao said seriously, "There's nothing wrong with me."

"Me neither." Jiang Baimian opened her eyes and gave a definite answer. "Then let's temporarily assume Ferlin isn't an Awakened."

After chatting for a while, when the crowd had dispersed and the intense music in the distance had subsided, Jiang Baimian said to Bai Chen and Long Yuehong, "You guys will be on watch tonight, same as usual."

"Yes, Team Leader!" Long Yuehong was already very familiar with the routine.

Shang Jianyao didn't say anything. He got into the jeep and lay across the back seat.

At the same time, he pinched both sides of his temples.

...

Inside the endless "Sea of Origins" that flickered with dim light, Shang Jianyao alternated his arms in a freestyle swimming style, moving forward.

He learned most of his swimming techniques during this time in this mental world.

—"Pangu Biology" didn't have swimming lessons because they were useless in the underground building. Shang Jianyao's first time swimming was after leaving the city ruins where Xiao Chong was located, on the way to Qifeng Town, in the Green River. This was also part of his training.

His feeling at the time was:

The water was too cold.

At this moment, he was swimming aimlessly, as if there was no end in sight.

This was also a form of torture for the mind.

Fortunately, whenever his "stamina" was insufficient, he would automatically withdraw, so he wouldn't "drown."

Tedious repetition always felt difficult, but Shang Jianyao was very persistent, as if he could keep swimming like this forever.

After an unknown amount of time, a shadow suddenly appeared in front of him.

It was a large island.

It lay quietly on the water, with nothing on top but scattered rocks.

Shang Jianyao suddenly became excited, alternating his arms forcefully and kicking his legs quickly.

Soon, he reached the island and climbed up without thinking.

The next second, figures emerged from the gaps in the rocks.

These figures were all draped in white sheets, completely shrouding their bodies.

At a glance, their faces were all hidden in the shadows of the "cloaks," a dark mass that couldn't be seen clearly.

Shang Jianyao immediately adopted a fighting stance and prepared to use his Awakened ability, "Loss of Bimanual Dexterity."

However, when he encountered one of the figures and touched the white sheet-like "cloak," he suddenly felt drained of energy.

His forehead began to heat up, his heart beat faster, and his breathing sounded like a bellows, blowing out scalding air.

Various pains and discomforts arose instantly, and Shang Jianyao's movements became extremely difficult. He was soon engulfed by the white figures.

...

Shang Jianyao opened his eyes, sat up, and gasped for breath.

Jiang Baimian woke up because of his movement and habitually rubbed her eyes.

She thought for a moment and tentatively said, "Did you find the second island?"

For the past half-month, Shang Jianyao hadn't experienced this kind of situation.

"Yes." Shang Jianyao didn't hide it and even actively described his experience.

Jiang Baimian asked thoughtfully, "What do you think was happening to you at the time?"

"I was seriously ill," Shang Jianyao replied with certainty.

Jiang Baimian hummed and said seriously, "Could it be that during the period when your mother was sick, you frequently went in and out of the hospital, and you were young, so you developed a fear of illness and it left a shadow?"

She deliberately didn't say that Shang Jianyao's mother died of illness to avoid stimulating him.

Shang Jianyao was silent for a few seconds and said, "I watched her being pushed in for rescue. I sat outside and waited for a long time."

Jiang Baimian sighed silently and then asked, "Have you been sick since then? A serious illness?"

"No." Shang Jianyao shook his head.

"It's obvious you're as strong as an ox." Jiang Baimian had actually seen an ox.

Shang Jianyao didn't ask what it was like to be as strong as an ox, and pondered, "Are you saying I should get seriously ill once and overcome it in reality?"

"I didn't mean that!" Jiang Baimian denied, amused and exasperated. "This kind of thing can't be controlled. The result might not be you overcoming it, but it overcoming you."

She stopped Shang Jianyao from proposing more bizarre plans and said seriously, "Let me think about it for a few days. You should also think about it carefully and don't try it rashly."

She was afraid that Shang Jianyao, a person with the unique persistence of a mental patient, wouldn't simply follow her advice, so she emphasized the responsibility again:

"We're about to arrive at Wildgrass City. We can't damage our strength!"

"Okay." Shang Jianyao nodded in agreement.

Jiang Baimian then softened her voice:

"Sleep for a while longer. This time, actually sleep and replenish your energy."

...

The next day at noon, they arrived as scheduled at the recreational vehicle of Ferlin, the leader of the "Sangzi" Merchant Group.

At this time, the chairs and stools outside were neatly arranged in rows and columns.

Ferlin, who had a circle of graying beard around his mouth, had put on an orange robe, and his expression was a little more serious.

"You're here?" Seeing the Brothers of Life and Death and his team come over, Ferlin greeted them with a smile.

After the pleasantries, Jiang Baimian asked curiously, "Why is your mass in the middle of the day? Is it because the Year Star god's name is 'Double Sun'?"

"Yes." Ferlin nodded. "'Double Sun' governs not only the hottest month of July but also noon."

"I see..." Jiang Baimian was extremely satisfied with the answer.

At this moment, Shang Jianyao suddenly asked, "Are there any Awakened in your church?"

Ferlin couldn't help but cough twice:

"Shouldn't we discuss this, uh, in private?"

Shang Jianyao looked around and said, "Look, there's no one around."

Ferlin was persuaded:

"Yes, I've seen three or four."

"Are you one?" Shang Jianyao was very direct.

Ferlin quickly shook his head:

"Of course not.

"I wouldn't dare pay the price."

Speaking of this, he clicked his tongue:

"Our church has an Awakened whose price is severe hair loss.

"Hehe, at our age, every hair is extremely precious. How can we bear to lose it?"

As he spoke, Ferlin raised his hand and touched his short hair mixed with a few strands of silver, looking proud.

Jiang Baimian laughed:

"Actually, that's a pretty good price. You won't be targeted."

"Yes, that's why I'm telling you. Otherwise, I'd have to keep it a secret." Ferlin sincerely agreed. "There's also another Awakened, from our merchant group, who has already passed away. His price was a problem with his sexual orientation. You know, people in our merchant group all like cars, but more as precious property and family members who can't speak, and we make jokes about it. But he... During that time, every family had to protect their vehicle's exhaust pipe..."

This shocked everyone in the "Old Task Force."

Before they could comment, Ferlin looked up at the position of the sun and said with a smile, "The mass is about to begin. We'll talk later."

Then, he extended two fingers and pressed them to the corresponding points under his eyes, saying:

"May your eyes shine brightly."

At this time, the chairs and stools in front of the recreational vehicle were already full of people.

Ferlin quickly boarded the recreational vehicle, stood at the door, and pointed to the window next to him, saying, "Step one, pay respects."

It was only at this moment that Long Yuehong noticed that two golden suns were pasted on the vehicle window.

They were like a pair of eyes radiating light.

The believers present then stood up at the same time, pressed their fingers to the area under their eyes, and solemnly praised:

"God is the sun and the moon!"

After completing the first step, Ferlin signaled everyone to sit down and, because there were guests watching, said a few more words:

"The Year Star is both the sun and the moon, and it also represents the sacred eyes.

"He tells us that on the graylands, only those with sufficiently keen eyes and strong bodies can find and enter the new world.

"Step two, the official ceremony.

"This is a ritual from before the destruction of the Old World, a testament to the worship of the Year Star in distant ages. It has survived the tribulations and has been passed down.

"Fellow believers, prepare yourselves:

"Close your eyes! Play the sacred music!"

The music then began, and a female voice echoed:

"Section one, rub the Tianying Acupoint."