Ling Cage: Twelve Talismans? I have everything I need.

Chapter 138 You admit this is your home?

Bai Jingyu stared blankly at his surroundings.

Although I had seen this apocalyptic scene in the images shown by ASH before, the impact of seeing it in person was far greater than any simulation or visual representation.

Desolate, lifeless, and dilapidated.

Twisted steel bars protruded from the collapsed concrete blocks, their gray hue staining everything in sight.

The air was filled with an indescribable odor, so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

This is... the world of the future?

His children struggled to survive in such an environment.

A wave of sorrow spread from the bottom of my heart.

Just then, a few low growls broke his daze.

In the shadows of the ruins not far away, there were two or three strangely shaped creatures with six limbs on the ground.

It is the pan-genetic devourer "Snake Dog" mentioned in the ASH materials.

They stared intently at Bai Jingyu, who was standing in the open space, and slowly approached him.

For Bai Jingyu, who cannot return to his original state and whose life essence is as conspicuous as a light in the darkness, he has nowhere to hide in the eyes of these Devouring Beasts.

The hissing became rapid and excited. The snake-dogs suddenly pushed off the ground, transforming into several swift black shadows as they pounced straight at them!

Bai Jingyu's pupils suddenly contracted, and his body tensed up instinctively.

He had no means of self-defense, and faced with this monster that far exceeded common sense, he was momentarily at a loss for how to react.

However, he didn't need to lift a finger.

Just as the snake-dog pounced...
"Get out of the way!" Bai Yuetian shouted, his body moving swiftly, and he delivered a fierce whip kick to the side, striking the lead snake-dog directly in the side of its abdomen.

boom!
A dull thud rang out, and the snake-dog, as if struck by incredible luck, was sent flying backward, its massive body twisting as it crashed heavily into a pile of construction debris.

Almost simultaneously, Bai Yuekui's movements became even more concise.

She casually raised her hand and gave a perfunctory grip to the other two snake-dogs that were about to pounce.

The two charging snake-dogs were suddenly grabbed by an invisible giant hand, their attacking movements instantly frozen, and their bodies collided violently together uncontrollably!
The cracking sound of bones breaking is sickening.

But this is far from over.

As Bai Yuekui's slender fingers slightly closed, the invisible force suddenly intensified.

The two snake-dogs, dazed and disoriented from the collision, didn't even have time to howl before being forcibly kneaded and compressed by a terrifying force amidst a heart-palpitating squeezing sound.

Almost in the blink of an eye, the two Devouring Beasts were forcibly kneaded into a twisted, broken lump of flesh, which then fell to the ground and remained silent.

The battle was over before Bai Jingyu could even fully react.

He stood there, stunned, looking at his two children who looked perfectly normal, then at the two snake dogs that were no longer moving in the ruins in the distance, and finally his gaze fell on Yang Chen's calm face.

The information provided by ASH did not show any evidence of the children's combat capabilities.

Seeing this almost overwhelming, inhuman power and speed with his own eyes, Bai Jingyu was clearly stunned.

"Dad, are you alright? Were you scared?" Bai Yuetian came over and asked with a grin.

Bai Yuekui also looked at Bai Jingyu, his eyes questioning.

"...No, it's nothing." Bai Jingyu shook his head.

He was somewhat prepared after all, and quickly suppressed the turmoil in his heart.

Yang Chen spoke up at the right moment: "We shouldn't stay here any longer. Let's go back to the village first."

Bai Jingyu finally snapped out of his daze and quickly nodded, "Okay, okay."

“Lead the way,” he said.

He wanted to see with his own eyes the land of hope that the children had built in this land of despair.

As soon as Bai Jingyu finished speaking, he felt his body suddenly become lighter!
The gravel beneath his feet instantly receded, and he was uncontrollably lifted into the air. The intense feeling of weightlessness made him instinctively cry out and frantically try to grab onto something.

"Relax, Dad, you won't fall." Bai Yuetian chuckled beside him, seemingly enjoying his father's rare expression of panic.

Bai Jingyu then realized that he was not the only one floating in the air.

Yang Chen, Bai Yuekui, and Bai Yuetian also floated lightly beside him.

Before he could fully appreciate the physics-defying feeling of levitation, he heard Yang Chen say, "Let's go."

next moment.

call!
The surrounding scenery suddenly blurred and stretched.

Bai Jingyu's heart was pounding in his chest. He gritted his teeth to keep from letting out a second gasp.

This speed far exceeded that of any aircraft he knew.

The ruined land below swept backwards wildly, the broken buildings forming a gray blur, making it impossible to discern their specific shapes.

As the speed suddenly decreased and the surrounding scenery became clear again, Bai Jingyu's feet finally touched solid ground once more.

He staggered slightly, but Yang Chen reached out and supported him.

"We're here, Dad. Welcome to Dragon Bone Village," Bai Yuetian said with a smile as he turned around.

Bai Jingyu was panting heavily, his face pale, and he subconsciously raised his hand to press on his still rapidly beating heart.

He looked around and found himself standing in front of a mountain.

He suddenly raised his head and looked at Yang Chen, who had a calm expression: "Just now... just now that was... was it also the power of your talisman?"

Yang Chen looked at him and nodded: "Yes, that's right."

Yang Chen and the others led Bai Jingyu toward the village entrance.

It's less of a village entrance and more of a defensive fortification built into the mountainside.

The metal gate was half open, with several men and women dressed in different styles but with sharp eyes and wiry builds standing on either side.

They carried an aura of seasoned veterans, unlike any security personnel Bai Jingyu had ever encountered in Jiuchuan City.

These people should be the awakened practitioners mentioned in the ASH materials, who are able to utilize the source matter.

Upon seeing Bai Yuekui, Yang Chen, and Bai Yuetian approaching, the Awakened Ones immediately straightened their backs and nodded in greeting.

"boss."

Bai Yuekui simply nodded slightly, Yang Chen replied, "Thank you for your hard work," and Bai Yuetian waved to them with a grin.

Their gazes briefly swept over Bai Jingyu, who was following behind the three, but they didn't ask any questions. They quickly looked away and continued to perform their duties.

After Bai Yuekui and his companions led the stranger away and their figures disappeared around the corner of the village passage, they left.

One of the younger practitioners at the door nudged his companion with his elbow and asked in a low voice with curiosity.

"Hey, Er Tong, who was that unfamiliar face earlier? You arrived early, have you seen him before?"

When asked about it, Er Tong looked in the direction where the group had disappeared and shook his head: "Never seen them before, they're definitely not from our village. They look delicate and fair-skinned, they don't seem like they were taken in."

"Could they be from Village No. 2? I heard they've picked up a few new recruits there recently," another woman leaning against the wall, wiping her weapons, interjected, but then quickly dismissed the idea.

"No, why would the people from Village No. 2 be sent to pick up all three bosses?"

"If you're really curious," Er Tong said, looking at the woman wiping her weapons.

"Why don't you just go and ask the boss? Anyway, you have a pretty good 'relationship' with Boss Yang."

The woman paused in wiping her gun, then glared at Ertong with annoyance.

She instinctively shrank her neck, as if recalling some extremely unpleasant experience, and her voice lowered a few decibels: "Get lost! You go if you want! I wouldn't dare... I was new to the village and didn't know the rules, so Boss Yang burned me to ashes. That feeling... I still get weak in the knees when I think about it. Why didn't the boss burn you too?"

She muttered to herself, still shaken, clearly remembering Yang Chen's hospitality vividly.

Er Tong chuckled twice upon hearing this: "I'm not like some hothead who would kill someone the moment things go wrong."

"You think you're so smart, huh?"

The group passed through the passage and officially entered the interior of Dragon Bone Village.

In stark contrast to the deathly silence of the ruins outside, the village is full of life.

Houses built from various materials are arranged in a neat and orderly fashion, clotheslines are crisscrossed, and in the distance, you can even see cultivated fields, lush and green.

Instead of numbness and despair, most people wore a resilient expression.

Bai Jingyu was like Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden for the first time, his eyes darting around, unable to take it all in.

He saw people sharpening weapons in the open space, others repairing equipment, and several children chasing and playing as they ran past him. They glanced at him curiously, then laughed and ran away.

The villagers also looked at this unfamiliar visitor with curiosity.

His clothes were clean and tidy, and he was accompanied by three "bosses," so his status was obviously extraordinary.

A villager, who was carrying a hoe and preparing to go to the field, squinted at the man, nudged his companion with his elbow, and whispered, "Hey, look at that guy... doesn't he look a bit like Boss Bai Yuetian? Especially his eyebrows and eyes... could he be Bai Yuetian's son?"

Upon hearing this, his companion glanced at Bai Yuetian, who was enthusiastically pointing and commenting on Bai Jingyu, and then compared him to Bai Jingyu before replying in a low voice.

"Are you out of your mind? How can you guess so well? I bet you're a long-lost brother."

"Get lost! Didn't Bai Yuetian say he's his only son? He also has a sister, Boss Bai?"

"Then who is this? It can't be Dad, can it?"

"That's even more impossible."

The whispers between the two drifted over on the wind. Bai Yuetian, with his excellent hearing, heard them clearly. He couldn't help but twitch his lips and glared at them in annoyance.

The two villagers immediately fell silent, picked up their hoes, pretended nothing had happened, and quickly slipped away.

Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui were used to the villagers' various speculations and remained calm.

After touring the village, Bai Jingyu gained a more intuitive understanding of its scale, layout, and the people's spirit.

It was far more orderly and vibrant than he had imagined.

One can only imagine the immense effort his children must have put in to build such a shelter in this apocalyptic world. Overwhelmed with emotion, he couldn't help but ask, "You...do you usually live here? Which part of the area do you live in?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Yuetian immediately perked up and pointed to a house not far away: "Look, Dad, that's my place! What do you think? Not bad location, right? Open view, and convenient for going out!"

Then he pointed to the other end of the village, to a relatively quiet area closer to the mountainside, where a few detached houses were scattered.

"Yue Kui and Cheng Zi live over there; it's quieter there."

After the introduction, Bai Yuetian turned to Bai Jingyu and blinked: "What? Are you tired after walking around like this? Why don't you come sit down at my place for a while, rest your feet, and have a drink of water?"

He paused for a moment, then said, "Besides, there are a few more people for you to meet later. They are all key figures in our village, so you can learn more about their situation."

Looking at his son's smile and hearing the arrangements, Bai Jingyu felt much of his unease dissipate.

He nodded and smiled gently, "Okay, I'll do as you say. I'll also take this opportunity to see where you're staying."

He also wanted to see how his seemingly carefree son had managed to make his little home in this post-apocalyptic world.

Bai Yuetian led Bai Jingyu to his small house.

The house looks much like any other dwelling in the village.

"Dad, this is it, my place." Bai Yuetian patted the door and said to Bai Jingyu in a carefree manner.

"The door isn't locked, just go in."

He then turned to Bai Yuekui and Yang Chen: "Yuekui, Chengzi, you two stay with Dad for now. I'll go and call Xiaodeng and the others over."

With that, he turned and prepared to leave in a hurry.

Just then, Yang Chen seemed to suddenly remember something, raised his eyebrows slightly, and called out to him, "Bai Yuetian."

Bai Yuetian stopped and turned back in confusion: "Hmm? What's wrong, Orange?"

Yang Chen glanced meaningfully around the room: "You've put all those things away?"

Bai Yuetian didn't react for a moment, his face full of question marks: "What is that?"

But before he could finish speaking, he saw Yang Chen's ambiguous smile and noticed that his younger sister, Bai Yuekui, seemed to have remembered something and was looking at him with a "you're hopeless" look.

In a flash, Bai Yuetian's mind went blank, and his expression changed instantly!
He remembered!
After being interrupted by Yang Chen yesterday, the VR device and the few boxes of "art collectibles" that he had secretly hidden seemed to be... seemingly just lying on the table and sofa, without being tidied up at all!
"Wait—!" Bai Yuetian shouted in panic, turning around abruptly to stop them.

However, it's too late.

Out of concern and curiosity about his son's living environment, Bai Jingyu didn't pay much attention to the interactions between the children.

After Bai Yuetian said, "Just go in," he pushed open the unlocked wooden door.

The interior is simply furnished, and you can see the whole room at a glance.

A bed, a table, a few chairs, a storage cabinet, and... a few pieces of clothing scattered on the chairs.

And, Bai Jingyu noticed at a glance, the strangely shaped head-mounted device that was quietly placed on the table.

The appearance of the device, and the several flashy game box covers scattered around it... Bai Jingyu's gaze froze instantly.

This thing... doesn't it look so much like the latest immersive motion-sensing interactive device launched by one of his company's entertainment subsidiaries? And there's more than one!
And the covers on the boxes next to them...

Bai Jingyu silently walked forward, picked up the headset, examined it from all angles, and his expression became somewhat subtle and indescribable.

He remembered clearly that a considerable expense in his account had gone to his company's equipment store.

Bai Yuetian had already rushed to the door in one stride, looking at the extremely familiar device in his father's hand, and his father's silent profile, which revealed no expression.

He felt a chill run down his spine, and his toes felt like they were about to tear through the soles of his shoes.

"Uh...hehe...Dad..." Bai Yuetian gave a dry laugh.

"Um... this is..."

His eyes darted around, and in a moment of inspiration, he slapped his thigh hard, his voice suddenly rising in pitch.

"Who?! Whose stuff is this?! Who put this thing in my room?!"

His voice was loud: "This is outrageous! How can they just leave something like this here! Isn't this slandering my innocence?!"

Yang Chen crossed his arms, leaned against the door frame, chuckled lightly without any restraint, and shook his head, clearly unable to bear watching Bai Yuetian's clumsy performance.

Bai Yuekui didn't even bother to roll his eyes; he simply turned his face away as if he didn't recognize the idiot shouting at the door.

Bai Jingyu finally turned around slowly, still holding the VR device in his hand, his gaze calmly falling on his son, who was acting like a drama queen.

He didn't say anything, he just looked at him quietly.

Bai Yuetian felt uneasy under his father's calm and unwavering gaze, and his shouts grew softer and softer, less and less confident.

He then stepped forward, smiled awkwardly, and took the things back from Bai Jingyu's hands.

"It seems like we should lock the door from now on."

Bai Jingyu did not answer.

An eerily quiet silence fell over the entrance to the cabin.

"Ugh"

With a sigh, Bai Jingyu, his expression complex, patted Bai Yuetian on the shoulder.

"It's okay, I... I understand."

"."

Bai Yuetian fell silent, then said, "I'll go get help," and ran out of the house.

Bai Jingyu stared in the direction his son had disappeared for a long time before slowly withdrawing his gaze. His expression was complex and difficult to discern, and it eventually turned into a soft sigh.

He turned to Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui at the door, his tone filled with an indescribable sense of emotion.

"Yue Tian... he's changed quite a bit."

It seems like there's something to say, but no idea where to begin.

The little boy in his memory who would whine and beg for toys, the sunny and upright police officer who grew up, and Bai Yuetian who just now bought that kind of "art" and clumsily shifted blame—these overlapped and separated, leaving him, as a father, with mixed feelings.

Bai Yuekui opened his mouth, but for a moment he couldn't think of anything suitable to say in response.

Should we say, "Surviving in the apocalypse is stressful, so he needs some entertainment and relaxation"? Or should we say, "That's just how he is now, you'll get used to it"?
None of them seem quite right.

She simply stepped aside to let the doorway pass: "It's still a bit messy inside. Why don't you stand outside for a while?"

Bai Jingyu readily agreed and followed his daughter and Yang Chen to a more open area outside, temporarily leaving behind the little house full of surprises.

They didn't have to wait long before Bai Yuetian's loud voice and several different footsteps came from afar.

"They're here, they're here!" That was Bai Yuetian's voice.

Soon, he led four people over quickly.

Leading the group was the tall and composed Ulan Aodeng, with Nanjixing, Xia Tianlai, and Qiushi beside him.

"Dad! I've called the person for you!" Bai Yuetian acted as if the awkwardness from just now had never happened.

He cleared his throat and began to introduce in a serious tone: "This is Ulan Aodeng, you can just call him Xiao Deng."

As Bai Yuetian introduced Bai Jingyu, the others looked at him with curiosity.

Bai Yuetian had already told them on the way that this was his and Bai Yuekui's father.

When summer arrived, everyone politely greeted Bai Jingyu.

Bai Jingyu's gaze swept over the four Zhang Hengs, each with a distinct temperament, and he understood that these were the important companions who had helped, accompanied, and perhaps even protected his children in this apocalyptic world.

He stepped forward, his expression solemn, and shook hands with each of them very formally.

“Mr. Wulan, Mr. Nan, Mr. Xia, Miss Qiushi.” He spoke sincerely, with obvious gratitude, “I am Bai Jingyu, the father of Yue Tian and Yue Kui. Thank you for your continued care.”

This earnest expression of gratitude surprised Ulan Aodeng and the others slightly.

Before they could respond, Bai Yuetian, who had been "represented" on the side, immediately interrupted.

"Hey, hey, hey! Dad, you've got it backwards. Who's taking care of whom?" He put his hands on his hips and pointed at Wulan Aodeng and the others.

"We raised those kids by feeding them our every drop of poop and pee."

Upon hearing this, Xia Tianlai immediately frowned and retorted, "I was raised by someone, and I've never eaten any of those things you're talking about."

He also shook his head, indicating his resistance.

Looking at the scene before him, Bai Jingyu finally showed the first truly relaxed smile of the day.

"No matter what, the fact that we were able to build such a home here wouldn't have been possible without everyone's hard work. Thank you for your efforts."

“I know that just saying thank you is not enough.” He paused, his voice clear and firm.

"Is there anything else you need right now? Whether it's supplies, equipment, or anything else, I will do my best to prepare it if I can get it."

His gaze finally landed on Qiu Shi, with a questioning tone.

As the person in charge of education and cultural affairs here, her needs may be different.

Qiu Shi paused for a moment, then, after a brief thought, did not stand on ceremony.

"Mr. Bai, if possible... could you find some books from old-world schools? Any kind is fine, popular science books, literary stories, history and geography, or even basic drawing... anything is good."

She said gently, “The children in the village need to learn. They should know that the sky used to be blue, the ocean was vast, and that cars, not monsters, run in the city… They need to understand the complete world that once existed.”

Bai Jingyu replied without hesitation, "No problem! Leave this to me. I will find a way as soon as possible to collect as many books and teaching materials as possible and send them over. Not just books, but also teaching equipment and experimental materials if needed."

The group discussed the supplies needed.

Although most of the experimental equipment is available, more is always better, and it would be nice to have a wider variety.

The four officials chimed in with their demands.

Bai Jingyu agreed to everything, even though he had not yet been elected mayor and had no real power.

However, he is not short of money.

(End of this chapter)