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

Chapter 158 We Are Alive
Elon fell silent after hearing what Mark said.

He looked into Mark's stubborn eyes, and finally, Elon sighed heavily, his stern expression replaced by helplessness.

He spoke slowly, "Mark, Red Bloom... she's already gone... she couldn't possibly still be alive..."

"Impossible!" Mark interrupted him abruptly, his little fists clenched tightly, his voice trembling with tears.

"She was so amazing! She was Hongkou! The most powerful Hunter Commander! How could she... how could she just be gone like that! I don't believe it! You must be looking in the wrong place!"

Elon looked at Mark's excited expression, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something more.

Seeing this, Xuefeng couldn't help but interject, "Mark, what Instructor Elon said is true. After Hongkou went on her way... when we went down to the ground to carry out the mission, the instructor also took a few of us to search near the area where she left, but... there really was nothing there."

Haji crouched down as well: "Little boss, we all know you and Hongkou have a deep bond. But... that's how the world is. Sometimes, when something disappears... it's really gone. Accept this fact, Hongkou... she wouldn't want to see you like this either."

“Accept? How can I accept this!” Mark finally couldn’t hold back his tears and they rolled down his cheeks, but he immediately wiped them away with the back of his hand.

“You all say she’s dead! But we need to see her alive or dead! You haven’t even found any flesh or soil! That means she might still be alive! Maybe…maybe she was rescued by someone else? Maybe she was injured and is hiding somewhere to recover?”

Seeing Mark crying like this, Ran Bing didn't know how to comfort him.

The child's logic was stubborn and full of imagination, but it made the hunters in the carriage feel a pang of sadness.

Elon looked at Mark's tear-streaked face, yet he still refused to give in, and felt a mix of emotions.

How could he not hope for a miracle?
Mingming had promised Honglu that she would take good care of Hongkou and Mark.
I can't protect anything.
He reached out and pressed heavily on Mark's shoulder, so hard that Mark stumbled.

“Mark.” Elon’s voice was heavier than ever before.

"Listen, this is the ground! It won't change its cruel rules just because you don't believe it! Hongkou is gone, that's a fact! You must learn to accept it! Live on with this memory, that's the best way to honor Hongkou! Instead of acting recklessly like this, putting yourself and Ranbing in danger!"

He stared into Mark's eyes and said, word by word, "Now, stop your tears and fantasies. Stay in the car and we'll settle this score after this mission is complete! Understand?"

Mark was stunned by Elon's unprecedented sternness. He opened his mouth, wanting to retort.

But in the end, he just lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly, and said nothing more.

Elon withdrew his hand, no longer looking at him, and turned to Xuefeng and the others, ordering, "Keep an eye on them. Continue the mission, speed up, reach the target point as soon as possible to collect supplies, and then return immediately!"

"Yes!" Xuefeng and the others responded in unison.

The convoy started again and headed towards the designated supply depot.

Mark curled up in the corner, burying his face in his knees. Ran Bing was close to him, patting his back helplessly with her small hands, her eyes also red.

Elon stood at the front of the carriage, gazing at the desolate landscape rushing past the window.

Wasn't he forcing himself to accept the fact he least wanted to accept? But in this era, the living don't have the luxury of indulging in sorrow.

The convoy stopped in front of the ruins of an old-world building.

This is one of the supply points marked by the lighthouse.

This building may have once been a small warehouse, and half of the wall has collapsed.

However, the electronic doors, lighting facilities, and main structure inside are still intact.

Through several recent ground missions, the hunters have discovered that most of these places with supplies are well-preserved in structure, and some facilities even have items that look brand new.

Elon opened the communicator and quickly assigned tasks: "Jeff, you guys go inside and urge the Dust People to move the supplies faster, speed things up!"

"Understood!" The hunters quickly dispersed and went about their respective duties.

Inside the carriage, Xuefeng crossed his arms and leaned against the carriage wall, his gaze sweeping over Mark and Ranbing, who were sitting close together in the corner.

Mark had stopped crying, but he still stared stubbornly at the closed carriage door, as if that would allow him to see through to the outside and find his beloved sister.

Xuefeng sighed, walked to the side wall of the carriage, and forcefully pushed open the cover of a heavy bulletproof observation window, letting some of the dim light from outside shine in.

"Mark, stop looking at the door and look outside." Xuefeng pointed out the window with his chin.

"Look, this is the ground. The real ground."

Mark hesitated for a moment, then slowly moved to the window, gripped the windowsill, and looked outside.

What came into view was an endless expanse of desolation.

Twisted steel bars pierced through the concrete block, and nearby, several bodies of flesh and earth in various poses were frozen in place, retaining their last movements before death.

There is no greenery, no vitality.

Only death and silence.

Xuefeng's voice rang out from the side: "See this? This is the kind of godforsaken place. There's no food, no clean water, only deadly Devouring Beasts, and invisible poison in the air that will kill you if you inhale it for too long."

"Let alone hiding to recover from an injury, even a fully equipped hunter with a full set of gear would have a very slim chance of survival if he fell behind for more than a day."

Mark looked out the window at the despairing scene, his face growing paler and paler.

He had seen footage of it on the ground, but the impact of seeing it with his own eyes was completely different.

Those pieces of flesh and dirt... were once living, breathing people.

Looking at Mark's expression, Xuefeng knew that his words had had some effect.

He paused, then took a military binocular from his equipment pouch and handed it to Mark.

"Here, take this. Still not giving up? Look for yourself, look further ahead, take a closer look." Xuefeng's voice softened a bit.

"Look at how big and desolate this ruin is. Then you'll know how slim your 'what if' really is."

Mark looked at the binoculars handed to him, then looked up at the snow-capped peaks.

There was no mockery on Xuefeng's face, only a heavy understanding.

Mark pursed his lips and took the heavy binoculars.

He held the telescope up to his eyes and adjusted the focus.

The field of vision zoomed in instantly.

The details of the dilapidated building are clearly visible: bullet holes in the walls, broken objects scattered on the ground...

The telescope moved slowly, sweeping across one desolate area after another.

Every dilapidated spot seemed to confirm Xuefeng's words.

Hope, in such an environment, is like a drop of water in the desert, evaporating in an instant.

Mark's heart sank lower and lower.

Could it be... that Hongkou really...?

Inside the car, Hongkou leaned back in the back seat, closed her eyes, and breathed steadily.

The young driver was clearly full of energy, with one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding a brand-new stereo, humming lyrics to the tune.

"When the world faces death... the soul ignites a glimmer of light... Alas! That is the delusion of the redeemer..."

He sang with great passion, his voice growing louder and louder, the tune taking many unexpected turns.

"We're alive~~~"

"Shut up!"

In the passenger seat, Qianli, unable to bear it any longer, suddenly turned his head and glared fiercely at his companion who was driving.

"Dou Lei Lou, what the hell are you singing? This is practically a test of my hearing. You're going to attract the Devouring Beasts."

The driver, Juexing, shrank back at the shout, and the singing stopped abruptly.

He pouted, looking aggrieved: "Boss Bai just cleaned it not long ago, how could it be?"

"Hongkou is so annoyed by you!" Qianli said irritably, and slammed the stereo shut.

"Drive quietly and pay attention to the road conditions!"

The world is finally quiet.

Hongkou in the back seat twitched her eyelids slightly, but didn't open them; she just smiled.

The vehicle stopped, and Hongkou was the first to push open the car door and jump out gracefully.

Qianli and the driver, Juexing, followed closely behind.

Their mission was to retrieve several monitoring beacons previously buried in the nearby area in order to obtain detailed data on manna ecological activity in the region.

Based on her memory and location, Hongkou quickly found the burial point at the base of a partially collapsed wall. She crouched down and picked up the beacon, its surface still covered in dirt.

Qianli took out a handheld data terminal, took the beacon, and connected the interface.

The screen lit up, and data scrolled rapidly. Qianli's eyes were fixed on the screen.

"Eh?" Qianli asked in confusion.
"What's wrong?" Hongkou noticed his unusual behavior and asked.

"This beacon must be broken."

"Is the data incorrect?" Hongkou asked, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Hmm, the readings are all over the place, it seems like the internal components are damaged." Qianli tapped on the beacon's casing.
"I'll go get the spare from the car," Hongkou said, turning and walking towards the car parked not far away.

She walked to the car and was about to open the door when she caught a glimpse of something unusual on the distant horizon.

She paused, then squinted and looked over.

In the distance, against a backdrop of gray scenery, a small area was raising dust, which was moving.

"A horde of Devouring Beasts?"

A sense of vigilance flashed through Hongkou's mind. After a moment's thought, she reached into the car and took out a high-powered telescope from the storage compartment.

Raise the binoculars, adjust the focus, and the distant scene is instantly brought closer.

The source of the dust gradually became clear: a convoy was traveling along an abandoned road in the opposite direction from Hongkou and her group, seemingly returning home after completing a supply collection mission.

"Hunter."

"Hongkou! Have you gotten the spare beacon yet?" Qianli's shout came from the ruins.

"Got it." Hongkou withdrew her gaze, called out, and walked towards Qianli with the spare beacon in hand.

Qianli took the beacon and casually asked, "What were you looking at so intently just now? Did you find something interesting?"

Hongkou didn't answer directly, but handed him the binoculars and pointed in the direction where the convoy had disappeared: "Over there."

Qianli curiously took the binoculars, held them up to her eyes, and exclaimed, "Wow!"

He suddenly realized: "It's the lighthouse's convoy!"

He put down the binoculars and handed them to Hongkou.

"I remember they still had quite a lot of supplies in that direction. They were pretty smart to come down and get the supplies while there were fewer Devouring Beasts."

Hongkou took the binoculars, silently put them away, her gaze still fixed in that direction, and simply gave a faint "hmm".

Seeing that she seemed rather uninterested, Qianli asked, "What's wrong? Did the person who saw the lighthouse feel something?"

"Huh? I remember you mentioned you had a younger brother?"

Hongkou nodded: "Yes, his name is Mark."

"Don't worry, they're too young to be sent to the ground anyway."

Qianli reburied the beacon in the ground, then stood up and patted the dust off his hands.

“Besides, there are fewer Devouring Beasts now, so they won’t encounter any danger. It also takes time to raise Devouring Beasts ecologically.” Qianli looked at Hongkou. “After the boss and the others finish dealing with their affairs and come back, they should communicate with the Lighthouse again.”

"Then you and your brother will be able to meet."

Qianli then added, "But those people at the Lighthouse are really ungrateful. Back then, Boss Bai went up there wanting to cooperate, but they actually tried to steal his armor. They're such scoundrels."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qianli realized what he meant and quickly added,
"Of course, I'm not talking about you and Dawn. You and Dawn are quite good friends."

Upon hearing this, Hongkou simply smiled indifferently and shook her head.

"That's all in the past." Her tone was flat, revealing no emotion.

"Let's go. Now that we've collected the beacon data, it's time to head back to the village."

Qianli Jianhongkou didn't take it to heart and breathed a sigh of relief, her face regaining its cheerful smile.

He turned around and waved vigorously at the young ascetic in the distance, shouting, "Hey! Let's go, time to call it a day and head back to the village!"

The young Awakened One looked up, responded, quickly packed his things, and jogged to catch up with the two.

After getting into the car, Qianli turned back to Hongkou and asked, "Hey, how many people are there at the lighthouse?"

"A little over ten thousand," Hongkou replied.

Qianli clicked his tongue: "Over ten thousand! Wow, that means there won't be enough food at the eco-base!"

The grain reserves at Ecological Base No. 2 are sufficient to supply two villages and the adjacent settlement.

But if we suddenly accept the more than 10,000 people from the Lighthouse...
"Never mind, the boss and the others will definitely figure something out."

Elon frowned as he looked at Mark standing in front of him.

As soon as the convoy returned to the lighthouse, Mark rushed to find him and incoherently said that he had seen Red Hair.

"Mark, you...you really saw Red Hair?"

“Really! I really saw it!” Mark nodded vigorously, his eyes shining.

“It was on our way back! I saw it with the binoculars Xuefeng gave me! In a distant area of ​​ruins, that red hair… it’s definitely Hongkou! I can’t be mistaken!”

Elon frowned and turned to Xuefeng, who was following behind Mark, with a somewhat complicated expression.

“Snow Peak,” Elon’s gaze sharpened.

“You were there too. Did you see what Mark was saying?”

Xuefeng met Elon's gaze and shook his head helplessly: "Instructor, I...didn't see it. Mark handed me the binoculars and pointed in a direction, but it wasn't there."

He paused, then added, "Moreover... the direction Mark is pointing is an area with severe ecological erosion; under normal circumstances... the living environment there is extremely harsh."

Xuefeng's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Mark's head.

Mark grabbed Xuefeng's arm urgently: "It really is! It's just... it's just that Hongkou had just walked away when you were looking at it."

“Mark,” Elon said in a deep voice, interrupting Mark’s argument.

He looked into Mark's eyes, which were instantly filled with tears yet still stubbornly staring at him, and felt a pang of pain in his heart.

“I know you miss her, Mark,” Elon’s voice lowered.

Mark's lips trembled, and tears welled up in his eyes.

Elon looked at him and sighed heavily.

He reached out, intending to pat Mark's head as he used to, but stopped halfway through.

In the end, he simply patted Mark on the shoulder.

"This matter ends here." Elon's voice regained its authority as an instructor.

"Go back and rest. For following the car down without permission today, you'll be confined for three days, starting tomorrow."

Mark looked up abruptly, staring at Elon in disbelief, as if he wanted to argue, but Elon had already turned away and was no longer looking at him.

"Xuefeng, take him back."

"...Yes, Instructor." Xuefeng felt a pang of sadness as he watched Mark's small figure collapse in despair.

He could only step forward and gently pull Mark's arm: "Let's go, Mark, let's go back first."

Mark was half-pulled away by Xuefeng, and he kept looking back as he went.

Watching Elon's back turn, he ultimately said nothing more, only wiping his eyes hard before lowering his head and walking away with Xuefeng.

Elon was left alone.

He stood there for a long time before slowly raising his hand and pressing hard on his brow.

Red buds...

Really... is there still a chance?
"Whether it's true or not, we need to explain the situation to the city lord first." After thinking for a moment, Elon decided to go find Morgan.

If life on the ground is indeed still possible, that would be an absolute major discovery.

The number of Devouring Beasts shouldn't suddenly increase in the next few days. Take advantage of this time to send a Hunter Squad to explore the distance.

(End of this chapter)