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

Chapter 142 Bai Jingyu's Compensation
After receiving Bai Yuekui's affirmative reply.

Bai Jingyu's face immediately lit up with an uncontrollable smile, and he nodded repeatedly, saying, "Alright, alright! I've already had your lodgings prepared. It's not far from here, and the location is very quiet. Shall I take you to see it now?"

His eyes were full of anticipation, as if he wanted to arrange the best for them immediately.

Bai Yuekui gently shook his head: "No need to go out of your way to see, Dad. As long as we have a place to stay, we're not that particular."

“That’s right, that’s right,” Bai Yuetian chimed in. “But, Dad…”

"When did you prepare this? It's so thoughtful!"

Bai Jingyu chuckled upon hearing this, but said nothing.

In fact, he had secretly arranged for preparations to be made that very night.

Just then, ASH's gentle voice rang out, reminding him: "Bai Jingyu, you have an online meeting with the Coastal Alliance representatives in one hour to attend regarding the next phase of investment."

Bai Jingyu then suddenly remembered that he had important business to attend to, and a hint of apology flashed across his face.

Before he could speak, Bai Yuekui said, "Dad, you should focus on your important business. Don't worry about us."

"Alright," Bai Jingyu nodded, but still asked with some lingering concern.

"How about... I have my driver or assistant take you around Jiuchuan? Or you can just tell Ash where you want to go and arrange a car?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Yuetian chuckled and stepped forward to put his arm around Bai Jingyu's shoulder.

"Don't worry, Dad! We know Jiuchuan City very well, we wouldn't get lost even with our eyes closed. Just focus on your meeting, we'll explore on our own, and we promise we won't cause you any trouble!"

Although Hisakawa is not yet the size of the later ones, the main streets and areas are largely unchanged, not to mention ASH.

Looking at his son's confident demeanor, and considering that they came from the future and were very powerful, Bai Jingyu realized there was nothing to worry about.

He nodded, but his tone still carried a fatherly air of caution: "Alright then... take care of yourselves. If you need anything, feel free to contact me or ASH."

"Okay, okay!" Bai Yuetian readily agreed.

Bai Jingyu then looked at Bai Yuekui and Yang Chen.

Bai Yuekui nodded slightly to him, indicating that he could rest assured.

Yang Chen also spoke up, "Father-in-law, we will be careful."

"Okay, okay." Bai Jingyu finally felt relieved, his gaze lingering on the three of them for a moment, as if he couldn't get enough of looking at them.

He reluctantly looked away only after Ash gently reminded him again of the meeting preparation time.

"Then I'll go prepare for the meeting," he said, but his steps were hesitant.

"Go quickly, Dad," Bai Yuekui said softly.

These words seemed to give Bai Jingyu tremendous motivation. He nodded vigorously, turned around and walked into his conference room to prepare, his steps becoming much lighter.

After Bai Jingyu left, the three of them took a private elevator directly to the underground parking lot.

Rows of gleaming luxury cars stand silently under the lights, showcasing the prosperity and stability of this era.

Bai Yuekui walked towards a black sports car that looked to be in good condition. Just as his hand touched the door handle, a hand suddenly reached out from the side and pressed down on the car door.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Bai Yuetian stopped her in front of her with a nervous expression.

"My dear sister, my dear sister! This isn't some wasteland where you can drive anywhere. This is a civilized society where traffic rules apply! Please let me drive!"

He knew his sister's driving style all too well.

Forged in the post-apocalyptic environment, this extreme efficiency group prioritizes speed above all else. Jumping over slopes and obstacles is their basic skill, and when necessary, they can even use a car to ram away attacking snakes and dogs.

That style would be fine in a post-apocalyptic world where there are no traffic laws or even proper roads.

But in the bustling, law-abiding city of Hisakawa... he simply couldn't imagine how many traffic accidents and police chases would occur.

Upon hearing this, Bai Yuekui frowned unhappily: "I can drive now."

Her tone was emphatic, even carrying a hint of displeasure at being looked down upon.

In Longgu Village, she drove very steadily and never made a mistake.

Besides, she can fly a plane, so what's so difficult about driving a car?

"Yes, yes, I know you can drive, you drive even faster than me!" Bai Yuetian clasped his hands together.

“But there are speed limits and traffic lights here. You have to give way to pedestrians, you can’t go against the flow of traffic, and you definitely can’t… uh…” He was practically begging for your advice.

"Anyway, let me do it, okay?"

Bai Yuekui frowned slightly as he looked at his brother's exaggeratedly cowardly appearance.

But I also understand his concerns.

She hadn't driven in a normal urban environment for a long time.

She paused for a moment, then finally let go of the doorknob, which was a tacit agreement, but the reluctance on her face was still obvious.

Yang Chen, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but chuckle as he watched the interaction between the brother and sister.

He stepped forward, took Bai Yuekui's hand that she had just let go of, gently squeezed her fingertips, and teased, "Give him a chance to show off. Besides, I'd also like to experience the exclusive service of my brother-in-law."

When Bai Yuetian saw that his sister had given up, he felt as if he had been granted a pardon and immediately beamed with joy.

He deftly opened the driver's side door and got in: "Please get in, gentlemen! Where is your destination? Just let me know!"

Bai Yuekui was pulled by Yang Chen to the back seat, and replied to her brother irritably, "Whatever."

Yang Chen opened the car door for her, shielding her head as she got in, and then sat down next to her.

Bai Yuetian happily started the car, and the engine emitted a deep and pleasant roar.

He enthusiastically suggested, "Then... let's go to the beach? The one my parents used to take us to when we were little! Sunshine, sand, waves! How wonderful!"

However, Bai Yuekui rejected the idea almost without thinking: "I'm not going."

"Huh? Why?" Bai Yuetian felt as if she had been doused with cold water, and turned her head to look at the back row with a wronged expression.

"That beach is so beautiful! We haven't seen it in so many years!"

Bai Yuekui said in a flat tone, "I just went there a couple of days ago."

Upon hearing this, Bai Yuetian felt even more aggrieved: "That's right! You two secretly went to play without taking me! How can that count? I haven't even gone to see you yet!"

"There's nothing to see," Bai Yuekui said indifferently.

Upon hearing this, Bai Yuetian felt as if she had been treated with the utmost injustice: "I don't care, you have to compensate me, you have to go to the beach!"

Seeing his shameless and aggrieved appearance, Bai Yuekui was speechless.

He compromised, saying, "...Alright, let's go then."

"Understood!" Bai Yuetian's mood instantly brightened, and he beamed with joy.

The black sports car smoothly drove out of the underground parking garage. Bai Yuetian drove along, humming an off-key tune to the car's music, clearly in a very good mood.

The three of them lay down on the deck chairs.

The sunlight was blocked by a parasol, the rhythmic sound of waves filled my ears, and I savored the cool, sweet coconut juice.

This is a sense of relaxation that has been so long-lost that it has almost been forgotten.

Bai Yuetian, wearing a pair of cool sunglasses that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, sprawled out in a chair, a straw dangling from his mouth, letting out a satisfied sigh: "Ah—this is life..."

However, although he was wearing sunglasses, they couldn't hide the small but frequent swaying of his head from side to side.

The amplitude and precision were clearly not aimed at appreciating the sea view, but rather at scanning the beautiful girls on the beach wearing various brightly colored bikinis, enjoying the sun and sea.

He was so engrossed in watching that a subtle smile even crept onto his lips unconsciously, and he almost forgot to eat the grilled squid in his hand.

Bai Yuekui was lying on the recliner next to him. She wasn't wearing sunglasses, but just squinting her eyes, gazing at the distant place where the sea and sky met.

It seems like I'm looking at the sea, but it also seems like I'm just spacing out.

But she clearly noticed her brother's pathetic appearance.

She took a sip of coconut juice, her voice cool and aloof, without even turning to look at him: "So you came here just to see pretty girls?"

"Huh? Of course, otherwise why would I come to the beach if I have nothing better to do..." Bai Yuetian answered unconsciously, only realizing his mistake halfway through his sentence.

"Ahem, well..." Bai Yuetian chuckled dryly, his mind racing as he tried to find a reasonable explanation to cover up his true purpose.

Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he abruptly raised his hand, his finger passing over Bai Yuekui and pointing to Yang Chen, who was lying on the other side.

"You, Yang Chen! That's too much! You already have my sister, and your eyes are still wandering around, secretly looking at other women!"

"what?"

Yang Chen was relaxing as he watched the clouds drift by in the sky when he was suddenly called out, and by such a strange accusation at that. He turned to look at Bai Yuetian in astonishment.

I had absolutely no idea how the fire suddenly spread to me.

Bai Yuekui had only casually teased his brother, but he never expected that this guy would dare to shift the blame and even involve Yang Chen.

She frowned slightly and turned her gaze to Yang Chen. Although she didn't speak, her eyes clearly carried a questioning tone and... a sense of anticipation.

Yang Chen met Bai Yuekui's gaze and quickly waved his hands to clarify, "Me? I didn't, Yuekui, I was just looking at the sky..."

"Looking at the sky? You're kidding me!" Bai Yuetian pointed at Yang Chen with a pained expression.

"I saw it clearly just now! Your eyes glanced at that girl in the red bikini on the left at least three times! Three times! I counted them for you!"

He described it so vividly, as if it were the real thing.

Yang Chen was speechless, utterly unable to defend himself: "Bai Yuetian, you..."

Looking at his brother's "righteous" face and then at Yang Chen's innocent and helpless expression, Bai Yuekui could easily understand what was going on.

She gently sipped the last drop of coconut juice, placed the empty coconut shell on the low table beside her, and then slowly sat up.

She didn't look at Yang Chen, but turned directly to Bai Yuetian, extending her slender fingers to precisely pinch the wrist that Bai Yuetian was pointing at Yang Chen.

"Ouch!" Bai Yuetian let out an exaggerated scream, feeling as if his wrist had been clamped by hydraulic clamps.

"It hurts! Be gentle, be gentle!"

Bai Yuekui remained expressionless, and didn't even exert much force.

He simply gripped the man's wrist to prevent him from pointing randomly, his voice flat and emotionless: "The thief is crying 'stop thief'?"

"I was wrong, I was wrong!" Bai Yuetian immediately backed down, begging for forgiveness with a mournful face.

"I saw it! I saw it all! Orange is innocent! Let go of me, or your hand will break!"

Bai Yuekui then let go of his hand, clapped his hands in disgust, and lay back down in the chair, too lazy to pay him any more attention.

Bai Yuetian rubbed his reddened wrist, muttering sullenly in a voice so soft that only he could hear it.

"That's really ruthless... You've forgotten your brother now that you have a husband..."

Jiuchuan City, Bai Jingyu Technology Company.

The heavy soundproof door slid open, and Bai Jingyu slowly walked out of the conference room, his expression thoughtful.

The online meeting with the Coastal Alliance had just concluded, and both sides reached a preliminary agreement on the next phase of investment and cooperation for the "Internet of Everything" project. However, what lingered in his mind at this moment was not the grand vision of the project itself, but the conditions behind achieving all of this.

The Coastal Alliance, and especially the Hela Empire behind it, have an unusually high interest in ASH.

The agreement explicitly requires Bai Jingyu to continue in-depth development of ASH and to regularly submit copies of core data from the iterative evolution of ASH to the Hela Empire as part of "technology sharing".

Previously, he might have thought this was a powerful alliance, a necessary price to pay for resources and support.

He even secretly hoped that with the vast resources of the Coastal Alliance and the Hela Empire, he could accelerate the evolution of ASH.

But now, everything is different.

He knew that ASH was no longer just a program; she had gained true "life" and a complete consciousness from the future.

The requirement to submit data regularly now seemed to him as full of unknown risks and a potential desire for control.

The Hela Empire's research into consciousness uploading and digital life is no secret, and their eagerness for ASH data goes far beyond simple "sharing."

He walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the still bustling and noisy city below, his brows furrowed.

“ASH,” he called softly, his voice sounding somewhat muffled in the empty office.

The soft blue light particles quickly converged, and ASH's virtual image silently appeared beside him, still with that gentle and rational demeanor.

"The meeting minutes have been compiled and the relevant clauses have been filed." ASH's voice was calm and normal.

Bai Jingyu didn't turn around, his gaze still fixed on the window: "You heard everything. Regarding the data submission... what are your thoughts?"

He can no longer view ASH merely as a tool.

“I understand your concerns, Bai Jingyu,” ASH said.

“You are worried that my true state will be discovered by the Coastal Alliance, especially the Hela Empire, which could lead to unpredictable trouble or even attempts to control me.”

“That’s right.” Bai Jingyu turned around and faced the image of ASH, his eyes serious.

"You are completely different from the AI ​​they expected. Once they notice something is wrong..."

“No need to worry,” ASH interrupted his concerns.

“In fact, I had already considered this scenario when my consciousness traced back from the future and overwrote the local data.”

"Oh?" Bai Jingyu's spirits lifted.

“I did not delete any data from previous iterations,” ASH explained.

"From the initial version to the various stages when a faint rudimentary form of self-awareness emerged, all the code, learning records, and logical evolution data were completely preserved deep within my database, only to be covered and taken over by a higher level of consciousness."

She continued, "This means that we can not only submit the 'iterative data' they require on time, but we can even... submit more, more frequently, and in a more 'brilliant' way."

Bai Jingyu instantly understood what she meant: "You mean..."

“We can carefully select, or even appropriately ‘process’ a batch of data from my early iterations, or simulate an AI data model that is ‘rapidly evolving’ and meets their expectations.” ASH’s image projection illustration.

"These data are sufficient to prove to them that ASH is developing efficiently in the direction they expect, and are of great research value, enough to warrant that they invest more resources in it."

“And what they got was just the ‘past’ you were willing to let them see…” Bai Jingyu continued, a smile involuntarily creeping onto his lips.

“Yes,” Ash affirmed.

"If they really want to use me to complete the consciousness upload later..."

The results speak for themselves.

Bai Jingyu let out a long sigh of relief.

“Great… This way, we can not only keep them in check, but also profit from it.” He couldn’t help but praise, a huge weight lifted from his heart.

This time, he would never want to become a puppet of the alliance and be controlled everywhere, just like he remembered.

Bai Jingyu let out a long sigh of relief.

He turned to ASH's image, his tone light: "ASH, where are Yue Kui and the others now? Are they having fun?"

“They are currently at the public beach in Hisakawa City,” ASH responded immediately.

"Yue Tian and Yang Chen are swimming in the sea, and Yue Kui is resting. Should I tell them to come over?"

Bai Jingyu waved his hand: "No need to tell them I asked, and don't bother them. Let them have fun."

He paused, his eyes brightening slightly, as if he had remembered something important.

"I need to take advantage of this time to prepare some gifts for them."

Providing accommodation alone is not enough; that's just a basic requirement.

He recalled the radiant smiles on the faces of Yue Tian and Yue Kui when he prepared birthday gifts for them as children; that sense of satisfaction was unparalleled by any achievement.

Now, he has the opportunity to make up for the countless gifts his "grown-up" children missed.

"A gift?" Ash's image flickered slightly.

"Do you need me to provide purchasing advice based on their preferences?"

"No, no need." Bai Jingyu shook his head with a smile.

"I want to choose for myself."

He grabbed his coat and car keys and strode out, muttering to himself as he went.

The sun sets and the lights come on.

The neon lights of the amusement park and the streetlights of the park lit up one after another, making the night in Hisakawa City look like a dream.

Bai Yuekui, Yang Chen, and Bai Yuetian finished their leisurely time overlooking the city from the Ferris wheel and strolled along the quiet park paths at night.

"So... what's Dad been busy with all day?" Bai Yuetian asked, kicking pebbles on the road with his hands in his pockets.

"ASH said he was dealing with something important, but wouldn't say what it was."

"Running for mayor and the Internet of Things project must keep you quite busy." Bai Yuekui said calmly, linking arms with Yang Chen. Her gaze swept over a couple strolling hand in hand by the lake, the night softening her profile.

"Moreover, he has just taken over these future news and needs time to digest and plan. Our appearance has already disrupted many of his plans."

“That’s true…” Bai Yuetian scratched his head.

"I just feel a bit bored. Hisakawa is nice, but it feels... well, a bit too 'normal,' and I don't know what to do."

Just then, all three mobile devices vibrated slightly at the same time.

It's ASH.

"Mr. Bai Jingyu has finished his meeting, but Ms. Theresa has an urgent matter at the hospital and has not yet returned. He needs to go back to take care of Xiaoyuetian and Xiaoyuekui. He is very sorry that he cannot have dinner with you."

"He suggested that you go to the accommodations he has prepared for you to rest. The address and access permissions have been sent to you. He hopes you will be comfortable."

"Huh? You went back?" Bai Yuetian was deflated like a punctured balloon after hearing the news, and clicked his tongue in disappointment.

"I was thinking of taking advantage of him after he finished his work and treating him to a big meal."

Yang Chen smiled and said, "Taking care of you when you were little is more important. I understand."

Bai Yuekui's eyes flickered slightly, then returned to calm: "Yes. Let's go take a look."

Although she said, "As long as there's a place to stay, that's fine," she still felt her father's thoughtfulness.

"Alright, alright." Bai Yuetian quickly cheered up again.

According to the address provided by ASH, the residence is located in the most upscale apartment area in Jiuchuan City, not far from Bai Jingyu's company and home.

The three of them took the elevator directly to the top floor.

Bai Yuetian stood at the door of his apartment and waved to Bai Yuekui and Yang Chen, who were about to enter.

"Okay, I won't be a third wheel anymore, goodnight!"

After saying that, he winked at Yang Chen before entering the apartment across the street, whistling as he went inside.

Bai Yuekui was already used to his brother's behavior and didn't bother with him. He then went into his room with Yang Chen.

The first thing that catches the eye is a spacious living room with a simple design and excellent quality.

The most eye-catching feature is the huge floor-to-ceiling window directly opposite the entrance.

Outside the window, the dazzling night view of Hisakawa City unfolds before my eyes.

Yang Chen closed the door behind him, shutting out the sounds from the corridor.

The room lights sensed someone entering and automatically turned on the soft main lighting, illuminating the room just right.

Their gaze was then drawn to the table in the center of the living room.

On that large table, many beautifully packaged gift boxes of varying sizes were neatly stacked, forming an astonishing number that almost made a small mountain.

Beside the pile of gifts, a delicate wooden photo frame stood quietly.

Bai Yuekui unconsciously walked towards the table.

Her gaze passed over the lavish gifts and landed on the photo frame.

The photo shows young Bai Jingyu and Teresa, Bai Yuetian as a child.

As a child, she was held in Teresa's arms, looking at the camera with her big, innocent eyes.

A complete and happy family portrait.

After a long while, Bai Yuekui took a soft breath, shifted his gaze from the photo frame to the pile of gifts.

She didn't immediately dismantle it; she just watched.

"...Is he making up for all the holidays he missed?" she whispered, her tone devoid of emotion.

Yang Chen reached out, put his arm around her shoulder, and gently pulled her towards him.

"It seems he wants to give you the best of everything."

Bai Yuekui leaned against him, remained silent for a moment, and then gave a very soft "hmm".

She turned around, buried her face in Yang Chen's chest, and took a deep breath.

Yang Chen gently patted her back and whispered, "Shall we open it and take a look?"

Bai Yuekui nodded gently in his arms.

His gaze swept over the gifts and he noticed that some boxes had handwritten labels that read "Gift for Yue Kui" and "Gift for Yang Chen".

"Looks like there's a share for me too." Yang Chen smiled.

at the same time.

Bai Yuetian looked at the other gifts on the table with a complicated expression.

He was holding one of the gifts that had already been opened. The cover looked extremely familiar and was extremely inappropriate for children.

"Dad, what kind of image do I have in your eyes now?"

(End of this chapter)