Chapter 7

Shen Du immediately laughed:

"That way, be careful to avoid..."

He didn't finish, but looked up at the ceiling, signaling Shang Jianyao to be cautious.

Every floor of the "Living Area" is equipped with surveillance cameras, but not many, only at key intersections and indoor public places.

In comparison, both the "Inner Ecological Area" and the "Factory Area" have many more surveillance cameras, but they still fall far short of the "Research Area" and the "Management Area."

Shang Jianyao followed Shen Du's gaze, looked at the crossroads ahead, and said with a smile:

"It might not even be on."

"True." Shen Du actually agreed with Shang Jianyao.

This is because such situations are very common within the company. From time to time, it is revealed that certain equipment has been broken for a long time and is just there for show.

It is said that this is related to the chaos when the remnants of humanity hastily retreated into the underground building during the destruction of the old world.

Moreover, it is the 46th year of the New Calendar. It is very normal for some equipment to be damaged. The corresponding production lines may not have been rebuilt due to resource shortages, lost technology, or lack of documentation, so they cannot be replaced or repaired.

"Still, be careful. The company has always been strict about religious matters." Shen Du warned, holding a flashlight and walking forward.

At the intersection, he turned off the flashlight and carefully moved along the wall, turning right.

Shang Jianyao followed behind, once again looking at the surveillance camera on the ceiling at the crossroads.

There was a red dot slowly flashing.

Shang Jianyao looked at the red dot, suddenly raised his hands, pinched his cheeks, and pulled up the corners of his mouth.

He made a funny face.

Then, he rubbed the muscles of his face that had been pressed by the flashlight, and followed Shen Du, moving along the wall.

After a series of twists and turns, Shen Du stopped in front of Door 35 in Area A.

He then raised his left hand and lightly knocked three times.

"A new life rises like the sun." A deliberately low voice came from inside the room.

Shen Du stretched his neck and responded in the same low voice:

"Life is the most precious."

With a creak, the door opened, and a dim yellow light flowed out, gently swaying.

"Is this?" The woman who opened the door saw Shang Jianyao standing behind Shen Du.

She was in her thirties, clearly having undergone genetic modification. She had straight black eyebrows, a high nose bridge, and upturned eyes, making her both beautiful and distinctive.

Shang Jianyao stepped forward and said sincerely:

"I'm attending for the first time.

"Uncle Shen brought me here."

The woman's slightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and she said thoughtfully:

"So you're a new believer."

She looked around and moved aside:

"Come in quickly, don't let others see."

Seeing that the woman had recognized Shang Jianyao's identity without any suspicion, Shen Du walked into the room, turning off the flashlight.

Shang Jianyao followed behind, looking around and taking in the entire room.

This room was much larger than the one he currently lived in, and there was a door at the far end of the wall, indicating the presence of an inner bedroom, bathroom, or small kitchen.

This made Shang Jianyao think of his old home, suggesting that the owner of this room either had a couple both at D4 or higher, or one had reached the D7 team leader level.

The outer room was about 2.5 meters wide and nearly 5 meters deep. At the far end of the wall, there was a wardrobe, a cabinet, and a bedside table between them, with a double bed placed horizontally, leaving a passage to the inner room at the foot of the bed.

Outside the bed, there was a small living room with a reclining chair, a square stool, a low stool, a coffee table, a desk, and a fabric sofa.

At this moment, two candles were lit on the coffee table, casting a dim yellow light. Many people, both men and women, old and young, were sitting around.

Shang Jianyao didn't count, but judging by the crowded scene, he thought there were at least ten people.

"Xiao Shang, do a registration first." The woman who opened the door took out a soft-cover notebook from somewhere.

Shang Jianyao took the pen and wrote his name on the blank page she opened.

"Do you know me?" He looked curious.

The woman smiled and said:

"When your parents lived here, we were neighbors.

"But you probably don't remember me. You can call me Aunt Li."

"Okay, Aunt Li." Shang Jianyao was not at all formal.

"Alright, go sit down. The 'Guide' is about to start the sermon." Aunt Li pointed to an empty low stool.

"Where will you sit?" Shang Jianyao politely asked.

"I can sit by the bed." Aunt Li smiled in response.

Shang Jianyao didn't ask further, walked a few steps to the side, and sat down.

After about two or three minutes, the door leading to the inner room opened, and a figure walked out.

This figure was not unfamiliar to Shang Jianyao. It was Aunt Ren Jie, whom he had seen in the "Activity Center" in the evening, a D3-level employee serving on the company's "Strategic Committee."

At this moment, Ren Jie was still wearing the polyester shirt, but had changed into gray pants. Her beautiful face, showing some signs of age, had a holy and dignified expression.

She walked between the bed and the wardrobe and cabinet, scanning the crowd.

"Xiao Shang?" She immediately saw Shang Jianyao sitting upright.

Shang Jianyao stood up, took two steps forward, and greeted her:

"Aunt Ren, I just registered.

"Uncle Shen brought me here."

Ren Jie's eyes flickered, as if thinking about something, then she smiled:

"Is that so? You've already passed the examination."

"Sit down."

After Shang Jianyao sat down again, she looked at everyone and said:

"Since we have a new believer, I'll give a brief introduction to our religious group."

Clap, clap, clap. Shang Jianyao clapped enthusiastically.

Shen Du and others turned their heads or leaned to the side, looking at him with equally puzzled eyes.

Ren Jie, who had probably heard that Shang Jianyao was a rather outgoing person, was taken aback for a moment, then laughed:

"No need for that, this isn't a company meeting."

She paused for two seconds, and after Shang Jianyao stopped, she said in a serious voice:

"None of us here have left the company, and we have never truly set foot on the surface.

"The information we have about the Ashlands comes from the company's broadcasts, textbooks, and descriptions by 'Security Department' employees, all of which have been pre-screened for confidentiality.

"We do not truly understand the Ashlands, just as we have never truly seen the sky."

Her gaze swept around and landed on Shang Jianyao's face:

"We know that after the destruction of the old world, after a long period of chaos and conflict, humanity finally rebuilt order in some regions, and the New Calendar began. We also know that the shadow still looms over the Ashlands, and the areas of order are like islands in the sea compared to the chaotic zones, uninhabited areas, and various wildernesses. Pollution, mutation, and famine come in waves, endlessly.

"The most fatal is the Heartless Disease, or the Beastification Disease in the textbooks. To this day, we still do not understand its mechanism or transmission patterns. We and those around us may wake up one day to find ourselves regressed into true 'beasts,' unable to communicate, with only the instinct to hunt."

Ren Jie took a breath and continued:

"This is what we know. What we don't know is why the old world was destroyed and why the new order was rebuilt.

"Among the many humans in the Ashlands, such rumors spread:

'The certain actions of the old world angered the gods, so they were destroyed. The survivors passed the test and were saved by the gods.

'This rumor is partly true and partly false.

'The true part is that there indeed exists a group of deities who collectively govern the passage of time and manage different months, hence they are revered as the 'Time Keepers.' Of course, some call them 'Supreme Beings,' 'Time Gods,' 'Blue Gods,' 'Saviors,' 'Painters of the Past,' and 'High Priests of the Present.'

'The false part is that the 'Time Keepers' did not destroy the old world out of anger; it was just a natural and inevitable result of development.

'Life is sacred and noble, but it will eventually pass, just as the world will. This is like the old year always coming to an end, preparing to enter the new year.

'Our religious group is called the 'Life Sacrifice,' and we believe in the most special of the 'Time Keepers,' the 'Master of Fate,' who governs the twelfth month. He is the end of the year, but also symbolizes the beginning of the new year. He is the terminator of the old world and the initiator of the new world.'

At this point, everyone except Shang Jianyao extended their arms, making a motion as if cradling a baby and gently rocking it:

'All will return to the Master of Fate.'

Their voices were low but clear, blending together and echoing in the room.

Ren Jie looked at Shang Jianyao and continued:

"The new world has not yet arrived. Now is the stage where the gods are testing all beings. Only by sincerely believing in the Master of Fate and entrusting ourselves to him through sacrifice can we enter the new world, escape the cycle of time, and achieve eternal life, free from pain."

"Praise your mercy!" The believers once again gently rocked their arms and spoke in low voices.

Shang Jianyao imitated their actions and said:

"Praise your mercy."

Ren Jie nodded in satisfaction and said:

"Alright, let's begin the sermon.

"Our Life Sacrifice religious group worships life and respects death, so we place great importance on new births and funerals.

"Today's content is mainly about new births."

Shang Jianyao sat up straight, listening as attentively as those around him.

Ren Jie's voice gradually softened, and her expression became even more holy:

"We should let infants sleep on their backs;

"We should help infants develop the habit of playing during the day and sleeping at night;

"We should hum songs to them when they sleep;

"We should carefully distinguish their cries:

"Short and low, rising and falling, indicates hunger; intense indicates anger; sudden and very sharp, followed by a long pause and then a gentle wail, indicates pain...

"We should gently pat their backs to help them release gas...

"When holding infants, we should support their heads...

"We must feed them with breast milk..."

Shang Jianyao's eyes gradually became vacant, his mouth slightly open, unable to close.