Chapter 365 - Persistently Haunting (1/2)

Chapter 365: Persistently Haunting

The tanky, dark-red SUV drove through the Green Olive Zone’s different streets at a moderate speed as if it wanted to tour the area.

As Bai Chen drove, Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong, and Genava cast their gazes out the window, searching for places with coal residue and scorched earth.

At the same time, they also tried to find the crazy woman who had disappeared.

Without realizing it, the car entered a familiar area—the street where Wolf’s Den was.

Jiang Baimian looked at the eight-story building and thought for a moment. “Let’s go up and see Su Na and the others. We can also give them the first part of the Ashlandic introductory textbooks. The earlier they start learning, the better.”

The Old Task Force had only finished two-fifths of the Ashlandic introductory textbooks.

“Yes.” Long Yuehong and the others didn’t object.

On the seventh floor, the five Old Task Force members saw the original gang members. They were still holding pistols and wearing the same short-sleeved black T-shirt, but unlike before, their expressions and attitudes seemed rather respectful.

“Is Su Na around?” Bai Chen asked.

Recently, Su Na and the others had taken turns bringing the translation device and a few ‘servants’ out every day to make preparations for the fast-food business. They might not be at Wolf’s Den.

A gang member recognized the visitors and quickly smiled obsequiously. “Miss Su Na is available. They are learning the Red River language.”

Jiang Baimian and the others had obvious characteristics. Furthermore, they had Genava—a robot—following them. Even if they disguised themselves, they couldn’t hide from people who had made close contact with them.

Jiang Baimian nodded. Just as she was about to enter Wolf’s Den, she suddenly recalled something and asked the gang member, “Have you seen such cigarettes?”

As she spoke, she took out the transparent bag containing the cigarette butt from her pocket.

Bai Chen didn’t smoke, and it wasn’t like she had been to every spot in First City. Hence, she didn’t know much about it.

The Black Shirts member took the bag and looked at it carefully. “Isn’t this a Flagship cigarette? The sailors’ favorite cigarettes are cheap and strong; it’s just that the smell is overwhelming. It’s about the same as the earthy cigarettes that are dried and rolled up using inferior tobacco.”

“What do you mean by ‘strong?’” Jiang Baimian didn’t have experience in this aspect.

The Black Shirts member gestured a few times and said, “I don’t know how to describe it. It’s just that it has a… a strong feeling. Uh, it’s especially refreshing and satisfying.”

“Especially refreshing.” Jiang Baimian turned her head to look at Shang Jianyao and realized that he was raising his right hand and covering his mouth to yawn.

Based on the traces at the scene and combining it with information regarding the Last Man domain, their initial judgment of the real Father was: A person with a sleep disorder, thereby requiring an external object to keep him refreshed!

“Where can I buy such cigarettes?” Jiang Baimian asked further.

The Black Shirts member pointed out the window. “At the port. Several provision shops sell it.”

“Port…” When Jiang Baimian ruminated over this word, Shang Jianyao had already entered the Wolf’s Den and walked to the row of glass windows facing the port. This was also the spot where Su Na, Li Qiong, and the others had previously sprawled by the windowsill to howl like a female wolf.

Jiang Baimian followed and looked at West Port.

There were many boats and cargo bays everywhere. From time to time, a steam whistle sounded.

“There’s not only one port along the Red River. There are two to three others that are related to the northern shore wastelands,” Bai Chen said calmly.

Jiang Baimian looked at her and thoughtfully asked, “You mean that the sailors disembarked at other ports, hunted in the wastelands, and brought the scorched earth to First City?”

“Very likely.” Bai Chen nodded and said, “They don’t like maintaining hygiene, much less wash their clothes, pants, and shoes.”

Genava quickly said, “Most of the coal pancake factories are by the river, not far from the port.”

“I get it!” Shang Jianyao clenched his right fist and punched his left palm.

Jiang Baimian and Long Yuehong looked at him in anticipation.

Shang Jianyao looked like there was only one truth. “After the real Father tried Flagship cigarettes by chance, he felt that they suited him well. Therefore, he often goes to the port to buy a bunch at a time. During this process, he accidentally stepped on the scorched earth brought by the sailors from the North Shore and the coal residue. We just have to ask the provision shops one by one and find their biggest buyer. That way, we can find the real Father.”

Long Yuehong originally wanted to retort Shang Jianyao, but after careful thought, he realized that it was actually possible.

Under the premise that they lacked information regarding what kind of cigarettes the real Father used to smoke, Shang Jianyao’s inference was logical but not necessarily correct.

Jiang Baimian doused his enthusiasm. “The provision shop owners might not remember what the real Father looks like. With the real Father’s habits, altering the other party’s memories should be an instinct—unless it’s a chance encounter where nobody notices the other.”

Bai Chen also shook her head. “This isn’t the real Father’s style. Unless it’s necessary to take action personally, I don’t think he will directly appear in a situation where he might expose himself. He has many ‘servants’ and even ‘puppets.’ It’s not a complicated matter to get them to buy a few packs of cigarettes for him. There’s no need for him to drive here personally and go to those provision shops on foot.”