Embers Ad Infinitum

　　 Before that, the tallest buildings that Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong had seen were a few "chimneys" in the ruins of the steel factory, and they obviously couldn't be compared with the tall buildings seen today.

　　 This is not to say that the "chimneys" must be much shorter, but in terms of visual effects:

　　 Regardless of length or width, these high-rise buildings are obviously better than the "chimneys" of steel plants. Therefore, all aspects of them can be regarded as "behemoths".

　　 What shocked Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong the most was that there were more than one and two buildings of this kind of behemoth.

　　 They are arranged neatly according to certain rules, extending to the left, right, and front, without seeing the end.

　　 At this moment, Shang Jian Yao and Long Yuehong seemed to have become mice. They could only observe with a look up when they first came to the country of mankind.

　　 Under the setting sun, thousands of glass gleamed on the outer walls of those skyscrapers, either made of gold or being burned by "fire".

　　 Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong's eyes narrowed slightly to counter the slightly dazzling reflected light.

　　 The speed of the Jeep slowed down quickly, and Jiang Baimian did not know whether he was also shocked, or he was instinctively prepared for accidents.

　　 As the vehicle is moving forward, the sun is also falling, and the golden or orange light on the surface of the tall buildings gradually recedes.

　　 It didn't take long for the glorious buildings just now to sink into darkness and gray, just like old photos with faded colors.

　　 The color of the whole city is darkened again.

　　 Long Yuehong opened her mouth and wanted to say something, but she couldn't express her feelings in words.

In fact, it is not that he has never encountered a building that is more magnificent and miraculous than the current scene-the underground building where the "Pangu Creature" is located is more than two kilometers high. If it were changed to the surface, it would have collapsed due to the unsupportable materials. .

　　 But Long Yuehong usually lives in an underground building, and it is impossible to see the whole from the outside, so naturally he cannot feel the majesty of that building.

　　 Therefore, the row of tall buildings in front of him left an indelible impression on him.

　　 "Is this the old world?" Shang Jianyao's voice was inexplicably soft, as if asking himself a question.

　　 "Yes. Haven't you seen the corresponding pictures in your textbooks?" Jiang Baimian in the driver's seat replied.

　　 The "comprehensive early warning system" of the military exoskeleton device made her hear clearly what Shang Jianyao was talking about.

　　 "The photos and the actual scenes feel completely different..." Long Yuehong glanced at Qiao Chu's profile and muttered softly.

　　 Until this time, as the emotional state calmed down and the vehicle approached, he and Shang Jianyao saw more details.

　　 Some of those high-rise buildings are black, some are dark blue, some are dark yellow, and some are brightly colored. Each is different.

　　 However, the glass curtain walls and ordinary exterior walls on their surfaces are either very dirty, foggy and stained, or they are mottled or even defective.

　　 Some green plants grew out of their gaps and stubbornly expanded their territory; various birds circled in the last afterglow of the setting sun and returned to their nests somewhere on the floor.

　　 On both sides of the road, the dense leaves of the trees are more than half withered, and as soon as the wind blows, the waves are falling like rain.

　　 On the ground, fallen leaves piled up, and some even showed signs of decay.

　　 some of the street signs fell to the ground, some were hung at the door, and some were missing several words.

At a glance, Shang Jianyao and Long Yuehong saw the remaining words such as "foot bath", "hairstyle", "supermarket", "xiaochao", "barbecue", "hot pot", "second sister", "pet", and "convenience", but they correspond to shops Either it's dilapidated, or it's dusty and empty.

　　 A car stopped at random on the road, seriously obstructing traffic. Their shells and glass surfaces were all traces of stains that were washed by rain and then solidified again...

　　 Everything is so quiet, only the wind is still blowing gently.

　　 This city is already dead.

　　 "Something is wrong..." While Jiang Baimian looked straight ahead, he used the "comprehensive early warning system" of the exoskeleton device to collect various details around him.

　　 Before Bai Chen had time to ask, Qiao Chu looked at the distance and the setting sun among the skyscrapers, and said in a low voice:

　　 "It's almost night.

　　" Before entering a safe house with no problems, try not to talk.

　　 "If you have to say, you must control the volume."

　　 He then pressed his voice and pointed to the left:

　　 "Turn into that door."

　　 That is a gate for two cars to drive side by side. There is a sentry in the middle, which separates it horizontally, as if one enters and one exits.

　　The metal fence that can stop the vehicle has been on the ground for many years, and the surface is rusty.

　　Long Yuehong looked at the gate subconsciously, and saw that its shape was closer to the archway on the textbook, the archway made of brown-yellow stones.

In the middle part of 　　 the memorial arch, most of the golden text has withered, and only two of them can be distinguished:

　　 "...Yang...Yuan"

　　 The Jeep quickly passed through the archway and drove into the gate.

　　 This is an area surrounded by seven or eight tall buildings. There are lawns full of weeds, dirty pools with a lot of garbage floating, pavilions used to keep out rain, and trees that seem to bear fruit.

　　 "Turn right, the first building." Qiao Chu seemed to be familiar with this place.

　　 Jiang Baimian passed through the narrow road between the two abandoned cars according to his instructions, and stopped outside the first building with brown and yellow exterior walls.

　　 "Take some of the food and enter a unit." Qiao Chu took the lead to get out of the car.

　　 Shang Jian Yao and Bai Chen left the jeep without hesitation, and each took a pile of food out of the trunk.

　　Long Yuehong took a step slower, and failed to grab the task, so she had to follow Qiao Chu and Jiang Baimian and enter the rightmost entrance.

　　 There are brown floor tiles, weeds occupy the gaps, and it seems that it has been left unattended for a long time.

　　 After Long Yuehong passed the hall, he took a step forward and went straight to the three silver-black elevators.

　　 He instinctively pressed the up button, then turned sideways to ask Qiao Chu to go in first.

　　 But the button didn't respond at all, and there was no light on it.

　　 Long Yuehong was startled for a while before he woke up:

　　 "No battery..."

　　 Jiang Baimian looked at the rather old elevator and the buttons without any rust, and said again:

　　 "This is not right..."

　　 This time, she didn’t need to explain too much. Shang Jianyao and others also saw the problem:

　　 The condition of elevators, buttons, floor tiles, and the spread of weeds is not like it has not been maintained for decades. It is said that it has only been abandoned for less than a year and is closer.

　　 "Could it be that there were vagrants living here before?" Bai Chen proposed a possibility.

　　 In the next second, she herself denied this judgment:

　　 "No, the Wilderness Wanderers will not maintain useless things.

　　 "And, isn't it said that this is a newly discovered city ruin?"

"It's not just that." Seeing that Qiao Chu did not stop, Jiang Baimian added, "The accumulation of fallen leaves on the street and the damage to each house seem to explain one thing: Who has just'maintained' it not long ago? This city."

　　 She paused, and said her guess:

　　 "Maybe, some people are regularly ‘maintaining’ the city?"

　　 "Intelligent robots? Humans, after passing away, intelligent robots are still sticking to their duties?" Long Yuehong asked immediately.

　　 Jiang Baimian shook his head:

"Not too possible.

　　 "As far as I know, before the destruction of the old world, the real intelligent robot technology has been greatly developed. Similar products are still more luxurious things and are unlikely to be used for this kind of thing, unless it is a place like ‘machine heaven’.

　　 "Well, it's not necessarily special here."

　　 Qiao Chu listened to them discussing for a while, did not speak, turned and walked into the stairs.

　　 climbed all the way to the sixth floor, he stopped, turned into the corridor on the right, and entered the deepest room.

　　 The crimson door of this room was ajar and not locked. The doorknob skin is peeling off and the rust is obvious.

After passing through the gate, Qiao Chu, carrying a silver rifle and "United 202" pinned on, looked back and watched Shang Jianyao and others come in one by one ~www.readwn.com~ He had a habitual smile on his face, but his eyes were very cold. :

　　"Just rest here.

　　 "When sleeping, one person stands by the floor-to-ceiling window and monitors the exit of the tunnel. Another person patrols the room and pays attention to everyone's situation. If something abnormal occurs, immediately wake everyone up."

　　 Jiang Baimian was curious:

　　"Do you also know the problem of real nightmares?

　　 "How did this happen?"

"A special kind of aberrant creature called a nightmare horse. As long as your dream is affected by it, dying in it is equivalent to dying in reality." Qiao Chu replied indifferently, "I was chased by it for more than a hundred Kilometers."

　　 "Why?" Bai Chen has never seen a monster with such patience and perseverance.

　　 Qiao Chu didn't answer, he was about to leave the door and walk into the room.

　　 At this time, Shang Jianyao showed an unconcealed smile:

　　 "I know the reason!

　　 "It wants to be on him!"

　　 Long Yuehong and others were in a quiet place, and no sound came out.

　　 Qiao Chu frowned slightly and glanced at Shang Jian Yao:

　　 "Do you use your brain or thinking to exchange abilities in the "Hall of Stars"?

　　 "Don't think that there is no big problem now. When you enter the Sea of ​​Origin, your symptoms will become more and more serious. Forget it, you have no chance to enter."

　　 "You know so much... so amazing." After hearing Qiao Chu's words, Jiang Baimian exclaimed sincerely, "Where are you from?"

　　 Joe thought for a few seconds, straightened the black windbreaker on his body, and bowed slightly:

　　"Then I will introduce myself again:

　　 "Special Representative of the Eighth Research Institute, Qiao Chu."

　　PS: Ask for a recommendation ticket~