Embers Ad Infinitum

Jiang Baimian’s ear.

Jiang Baimian’s body instinctively reacted.
She curled up, ducked, and rolled on the ground, escaping the Heartless’s attack range.

Seeing this, Shang Jianyao—who was blocking the door—took two steps forward and stopped the enemy.

Upon seeing this, the Heartless smiled at him.
This smile seemed to come from a man-eating beast.

Shang Jianyao was stunned for a moment, but he didn’t give up on attacking.
He punched out with his right fist.

The Heartless was a little stunned.
His reaction speed slowed down significantly due to the lack of an effect.
Fortunately, he was also prepared to launch a sneak attack—he squatted down in time to avoid the punch.

Shang Jianyao smiled.
His left thigh tensed up and lashed out like a whip that tore through the air.

The Heartless couldn’t be bothered to maintain his posture.
He exerted strength with his right foot and jumped to the side, rolling to the ground.

Shang Jianyao followed closely and began grappling.

In such a state, Shang Jianyao—who had learned the corresponding combat techniques—was clearly superior to the Heartless, who only relied on his instincts.
In a few moves, Shang Jianyao grabbed the other party’s joints and firmly locked the enemy with his body.

With another roll, Shang Jianyao flipped the Heartless around and pressed his knees against the Heartless’s back, shoving his face to the ground.

“I won!” Shang Jianyao announced happily.

Is he treating this as a game, and hence he isn’t affected by that ‘smile?’ No, he should’ve treated this as a game after he saw that ‘smile’ that replaced his wariness with a sense of victory and defeat… A mental illness sure is useful… Jiang Baimian could probably determine that the Heartless opposite her was a Superior Heartless.
She just didn’t know if he was an Awakened who fell ill or if he had inexplicably obtained an ability after his illness acted up.

At this moment, the Heartless replied with a deep roar as if he were threatening Shang Jianyao.

Shang Jianyao howled without hesitation.

The Heartless immediately fell silent, exuding confusion.

The corners of Jiang Baimian’s mouth slightly twitched as she turned to speak to Baz, who was outside the door.
“Do you know who he is?”

Although she had already guessed the Heartless’s identity, she still needed further proof.

Baz had already recovered from his previous shock.
He walked into the room and squatted down to examine the area.

He suddenly fell to the ground, propped himself up with both hands, and retreated.
He then shouted in abnormal horror, “Bishop! It’s the bishop!”

“Bishop Renato?” Jiang Baimian had just determined that the person who had caught the Heartless disease was very likely Bishop Renato based on his various characteristics.
However, she was still a little shocked when she heard Baz say that.

Even a bishop blessed by a Kalendaria would contract the Heartless disease?

Baz nodded heavily.
“Yes, I recognize his eyes! The amber color is the only one in the entire town! T-the bishop contracted the Heartless disease…”

He stood up in horror, momentarily at a loss for words.

“You’ve never seen Bishop Renato’s face?” Jiang Baimian asked cautiously.

Baz replied, “He has always been wearing a mask when I met him.”

Jiang Baimian thought for a moment and said, “Go get the others in the cathedral and have them identify him.”

Baz was in a daze.
After receiving the instructions, he reflexively did as instructed.

He ran out of the room and down the corridor, shouting as he ran.
“Help! The bishop has contracted the Heartless disease! Help! The bishop has contracted the Heartless disease…”

Jiang Baimian retracted her gaze and spoke to Shang Jianyao, who restrained Bishop Renato.
“Fortunately, it’s the Heartless disease.
Otherwise, we might very well have been wrongly accused of killing Bishop Renato.”

There was no way to blame others for falling ill.
It wasn’t like he was poisoned or infected.

Shang Jianyao immediately replied, “That’s inauspicious.”

Jiang Baimian didn’t continue the topic.
As she waited for the others in the Vigilance Cathedral to come over, she asked seriously, “Did you feel like we were being watched from afar the moment Baz opened the door?”

“Yes.” Shang Jianyao was very honest.

Jiang Baimian asked, “Back then, did you feel very terrified and horrified, but you couldn’t muster any thoughts of resisting? L-like you were facing a real deity?”

“Something like that,” Shang Jianyao replied frankly.

Jiang Baimian slowly exhaled and said seriously, “Could it be that the bishop’s contracting of the Heartless disease attracted Eidolon Nun’s attention?”

Shang Jianyao suddenly turned his head and looked over when he heard this.

Jiang Baimian’s voice was deep as she muttered to herself, “We might’ve just ‘encountered’ a Kalendaria…”

The Kalendarium really seem to exist…