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

Chapter 168 Heading Towards the Most Forgiving Execution Ground~~~
Lighthouse, Lord's Hall.

Morgan sat upright in his chair.

The sea of ​​clouds outside the window flowed slowly, seemingly eternal and unchanging, just like it had been for decades.

"Elon and the others...haven't sent any news back yet?"

Morgan broke the silence in the hall.

Victor, standing below, shook his head with a cold expression: "No, Lord City Lord. According to the scheduled time, they should have sent back their reconnaissance report by noon today."

"The communications department tried all communication channels, but only received continuous interference and noise. The positioning signal also completely disappeared after entering the north."

He paused, then added, "The hunters led by Rock have returned from searching for supplies on the surface. The number of Devouring Beasts is still small today, and there are only two hours left until sunset."

After listening, Morgan closed his eyes and remained silent.

An elite hunter squad led by veteran Elon vanished without a trace.
Since the number of Devouring Beasts is still small, it's unlikely that Elon and his team lost communication because of them.

Therefore, it seems that human survivors do exist.

Elon is a veteran with extensive experience.

This time, the group that went with us was also elite, but how could that unknown force on the ground possess such means?
Is it overwhelming force, or...?

Flynn and Carrie's analysis of Ash and the white-haired woman resurfaced in his mind.

If all of this is indeed related to the woman who came to the Lighthouse many years ago and took away the body of the super artificial intelligence and Lord Grey.

So Elon and his team's disappearance might not be an accident, but an inevitability.

The inhuman power that woman displayed remains a mystery in the Lighthouse Archives.

But what puzzled Morgan even more was Gray's attitude toward the white-haired woman back then.

One minute they're ordering the woman to be taken down, the next they're saying they'll treat her well.

It felt to him like his left and right brains were fighting each other.

“Victor.” Morgan opened his eyes again, his gaze sharp.

"Keep in touch with Elon and the others. If they haven't returned by today, send out hunters to investigate tomorrow."

Morgan paused for a moment: "Bring your weapons and gravity body."

"Yes, Lord City Lord." Victor stood at attention and accepted the order, but a hint of hesitation appeared on his face.

"But Lord, Elon's disappearance after the Hunters went down to the surface today has given the Hunters some pause. Moreover, there are some... restless rumors circulating in the Dust People's District."

Morgan frowned: "What rumors?"

“It’s about… the survivors,” Victor whispered.

"Some Dust People are talking privately, saying that the hunters and Dust People teams who recently went down to the surface to search for supplies saw traces left by humans. Although it is just a baseless guess, it spread very quickly."

Morgan's heart sank.

Could it be that the news of the survivors on the ground has been leaked by someone?

Or is this just a coincidence?
He would never allow the order of the lighthouse to be shaken by some unfounded rumors.

"Strengthen control over public opinion!" Morgan immediately declared sternly. "Anyone who spreads rumors and attempts to undermine the foundation of the Lighthouse will be severely punished by the Light and Shadow Society according to the law!"

"Understood!" Victor bowed and replied, then turned and quickly left.

Morgan was once again the only one left in the empty hall.

Looking down at the endless sea of ​​clouds, he felt for the first time how isolated and fragile this aerial fortress he had devoted all his efforts to maintaining was.

Elon... what exactly happened to you?
……

……

Meanwhile, in Longgu Village.

Hongkou hurried back to her and Dawn's little house and picked up a communicator from the bedside table.

She pressed the communication channel that belonged to Red Heron.

After a brief pause, the communication was connected.

"Hello? Hongkou?" Honglu's cheerful voice came through the communicator. "Contacting me at this hour, are you missing your sister? Why didn't you come over today?"

Hearing her sister's voice, Hongkou couldn't help but smile: "Sister! Guess who came to the village today?"

"Oh?" Red Heron's voice was filled with affection and curiosity.

"Why are you keeping it a secret from your sister? Have the boss and the others returned?"

"No!" Hongkou exclaimed excitedly, eager to reveal the answer.

"It's Instructor Elon! Instructor Elon and the others have come to the village!"

She continued speaking rapidly, completely unaware of the sudden, eerie silence that followed on the other end of the communicator.

"The Lighthouse seems to have detected survivors on the ground, so they sent Instructor Elon to lead a team down to investigate. They were chased by the Devouring Beasts, then broke into our shielded zone, went straight to the village entrance, and were finally taken down by Ertong and Nata. Fortunately, no one on either side was injured, which is really a relief..."

Hongkou continued talking about what had happened, and after a few seconds, she belatedly realized that there was only silence on the other end of the communicator.

"Sister?" Hongkou called out uncertainly into the communicator.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Is the signal bad? I said Instructor Elon and the others are in the village right now..."

There was still a long silence on the other end of the communicator.

In a quiet rest room at Ecological Base No. 2.

Red Heron stood frozen in place, clutching the communicator.

Outside the window, the simulated natural light from inside the ecological base softly bathed her, but it couldn't dispel the sudden freeze in her expression.

Her fingers tightened, gripping the communicator tightly.

"Elon..."

Countless fragmented images flashed through her mind in an instant.

That bloody night, that command post that was deliberately set up to lead me there, and that gun pointed at my head.

She thought that the past had long been buried by time and covered by the joy of being reborn on the ground.

But when the name was mentioned again, especially when it was spoken by my sister in such a light and carefree tone, those sealed emotions broke through the ground so easily.

"Sister? Hello? Can you hear me?" Hongkou's voice on the communicator pulled her out of her turbulent memories.

Red Heron took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound as usual.

"I can hear you."

She paused. "Where are they now?"

“I just said, it’s in the village, and Dawn and I are looking after it now,” Hongkou quickly replied.

"Sister...you..."

Hongkou vaguely sensed that something seemed off about Honglu on the other end of the communicator.

“I’m fine,” Red Heron interrupted her. “It’s just… a bit of a surprise. I didn’t expect Elon and the others to break into the main village.”

She raised her other hand and rubbed her temples, which suddenly felt throbbing.

"Keep an eye on them, Red Bean."

“I understand, sister,” Hongkou replied immediately. She could already sense that her sister was in a bad mood, but she didn’t dare to ask for the specific reason.

"Do you...do you want to talk to them? Or..."

“No need,” Honglu replied quickly, almost without hesitation. “Bring them to Village No. 2. I’m at the ecological base now and will be going back soon.”

"Huh? But Instructor Ulan said we can't leave the village."

Before Hongkou could finish speaking, Honglu interrupted her: "I will explain to Zhang Heng. Just bring them over."

“Okay, if they see you, they’ll be just as surprised as I was,” Hongkou replied with a smile.

Honglu forced a smile: "...Maybe."

Communication hang up.

The flamingo slowly put down its communicator, walked to the window, and gazed at the vibrant life and thriving ecosystem within the ecological base. Elon
In Longgu Village, the food is from steel.

Seeing Elon and the others' sudden change in expression, Dawn smiled and explained, "So every time Hongkou finishes a field mission, she goes to visit Sister Honglu in Village Two. If you weren't here today, she'd probably be having tea and chatting with Sister Honglu right now."

These words reached Elon, Snow Peak, and Haji's ears, and they heard them clearly.

The three of them felt as if they had heard the most incredible thing in the world.

"What...what are you saying?" Xuefeng suddenly jumped up from his chair. "Commander-in-Chief Honglu?! She...she's not..."

He stopped mid-sentence, as if his throat had been choked, and he could no longer utter a sound.

He could only look at Elon and Haji, who were equally pale, with utter terror in his eyes.

Instructor Elon was now completely drained of color, leaving only an unbelievable deathly pale complexion.

Red egret...

That name, that night, that headquarters, those secret operations that could not be spoken aloud...

How could she possibly still be alive?!
At that time they clearly...

Although Quenjay, Jeff, Gavin, and Gog did not react as violently as Elon and his two companions, their expressions also changed drastically.

Kun Jie couldn't help but speak up: "Commander-in-Chief Red Heron...didn't she die many years ago because of the Devouring Beast attack?"

Dawn looked at the sudden change in the expressions of the group, especially the expressions of Elon and the other two, who looked as if they had seen a ghost.

He had some guesses in his mind at this moment. Honglu only told him and Hongkou that it was Morgan who ordered the elimination of those who defied the Three Laws.

But looking at their expressions now, it's clear they're innocent.
He nodded in agreement with Kun Jie's words: "The boss happened to encounter them when he went out to find supplies, so he brought them all back and asked them if they wanted to be reborn. Some of them chose to sleep forever, and their life essence was properly preserved. Sister Honglu was one of those who chose to live."

"Resurrection...?" Haji's voice trembled. "Choose... eternal slumber? Preserve the life essence?"

He couldn't understand these words when they were put together.

Resurrected from the dead? How is that possible?!
Kun Jie and his three companions were also stiff. Although they hadn't gone directly to Honglu back then, they had still dealt with a significant number of city defense troops.
Xuefeng abruptly turned to Elon, already stammering, "Instructor... Instructor... what... what is going on?! She... Commander-in-Chief Red Heron, she..."

Elon kept his mouth tightly shut, his chest heaving violently, and his breathing became heavy.

He was unable to answer Xuefeng's question because he himself was also shocked by the sudden news.

If the flamingo has truly "come back to life," and is right here...

Does she still remember what happened back then?
Do you remember... the roles those three played in that cleanup?
A chill ran down his spine and up the back of his neck.

Looking at the group of people who had completely lost their composure, Po Xiao was now fairly certain of his guess.

But he still held onto that last glimmer of hope: "Yes, Sister Honglu is doing well now, helping out at Village No. 2 and the ecological base, and she's highly respected by everyone. If she knew that someone from the lighthouse was visiting, she would probably..."

"No!" Elon suddenly interrupted him.

He realized his loss of composure and forcibly suppressed his turbulent emotions, but the fear deep in his eyes could not be completely concealed.

"We...we should...not bother her for now."

He struggled to find the right words: "After all...after all...the situation is special. Meeting suddenly would probably be...inappropriate."

Xuefeng and Haji nodded in agreement, their faces still pale.

Seeing the reactions of the others, Dawn didn't press further, but that glimmer of hope was gone.

They could only look at each other blankly, and the atmosphere in the restaurant became exceptionally heavy.

"Gentlemen, would you like to order anything else? If not, I'll have to clear the plates." The waiter came over with a dishcloth and asked, looking at the empty plates on the table.

Po Xiao was the first to come to her senses, and smiled at the shop assistant: "Thanks, but no need, we're already full."

The clerk nodded and quickly began clearing away the dishes.

Elon, Snow Peak, and Haji remained frozen in place, like three soulless sculptures.

Kun Jie and the others had complicated expressions, as if they wanted to say something but hesitated.

After hesitating for a moment, Po Xiao stood up and said to the others, "Let's go out first, so as not to delay their packing."

His voice temporarily pulled Elon back from his chaotic thoughts.

Elon followed Dawn out of the store.

Xuefeng and Haji seemed to wake from a dream, and followed with their heads down and heavy steps.

As soon as the group stepped out of the restaurant, they saw Hongkou walking towards them from a distance.

"Have you finished eating?" Hongkou asked with a smile. "My sister just called and said she wants me to take you to Village No. 2 to see her."

She wanted to say something more, but she noticed the strange atmosphere among everyone, especially the extremely unpleasant expressions on the faces of Instructor Elon and the other two.

"What's wrong?" Hongkou's smile froze as she looked at Po Xiao with a puzzled expression, then at Elon and the others. "What happened? Why do you all look like that?"

Dawn shook her head gently: "Yes. Instructor Elon and the others are very sorry for trespassing into the village."

"Oh~" Hongkou said knowingly, "It's good that there were no casualties. You're all fine now."

Elon forced a smile: "Mhm."

"Hongkou, the Red Heron you mentioned when you left?"

Elon desperately wanted to know if what Dawn had said was a lie, or if he had just hallucinated.

Hongkou smiled and nodded: "Yeah, you didn't expect that, did you? I was shocked too. I never thought I'd see you on the ground."

"Oh, right, I just mentioned you to her. She heard you were here and asked me to take you to Village No. 2 to see her."

These words struck Elon, Xuefeng, and Haji like a heavy blow.

The three men's faces turned even paler instantly.

Go see the red egret?

"Go...go see Commander-in-Chief Honglu?!" Xuefeng exclaimed, his face turning even paler, and he subconsciously took a half step back.

Haji also gasped for breath and looked nervously at Elon.

Elon hesitated for a long time before finally speaking with difficulty: "Red Hair... this... isn't this too much of a disturbance? We... we are, after all, outsiders, and just now..."

He wanted to find an excuse to avoid it, any excuse would do, as long as he could temporarily avoid facing the person he thought was long gone, but who had now come back to life.

Hongkou observed their unusual reactions, especially Xuefeng and Hajina's almost terrified expressions, and the barely concealed panic in Instructor Elon's eyes.

The smile on her face gradually faded, and she frowned in confusion.

"What's the disturbance? My sister specifically asked me to take you there." She looked at Elon with a puzzled expression.

“Instructor Elon, Xuefeng, Haji, what’s wrong with you? You’ve been acting strangely since earlier. Aren’t you happy to hear that my sister is still alive?”

Her eyes were filled with confusion, completely unable to understand why these former comrades would show such immense...fear upon hearing the news of her sister's survival?
Yes, it's fear.

She finally recognized that emotion.

But why?
Elon was speechless; he opened his mouth but couldn't utter a sound.

What could he say? Was he supposed to tell Hongkou, who cherished her sister like a treasure, that they had participated in the purge of her sister back then?
Dawn sighed inwardly.

He stepped forward and gently put his arm around Hongkou's shoulder, whispering, "Hongkou, don't ask now. Maybe... Instructor Elon and the others need some time."

Hongkou glanced at Dawn, then at Elon and the other two, whose faces were pale and eyes were darting around. Even if she was slow to realize, there must be a huge secret she didn't know about.

She recalled her sister's unusual silence during the call, and her heart sank.

The atmosphere became awkward and heavy again.

Elon finally broke the silence: "...Okay. Let's...go see Red Heron."

What should be faced must be faced.

Running away solves nothing.

Xuefeng and Haji looked at Elon in disbelief, their eyes filled with pleading, but after meeting Elon's gaze, they both lowered their heads in dejection.

"Then... let's go." Hongkou's voice also lowered, no longer showing the previous excitement.

She silently turned around and led the way.

(End of this chapter)