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

Chapter 173 The Lighthouse Visitor
The barren, yellowish-brown land was gradually left behind as the armored vehicle roared over the last patch of gravel.

When that vibrant green suddenly came into view, all the hunters in the carriage held their breath in unison.

"Stop the car!" Rock ordered in a deep voice.

The convoy came to an abrupt stop.

Rock grabbed the high-powered binoculars beside him, pushed open the car door and jumped out. He climbed onto the hood in a few steps and looked through the binoculars.

The green expanse in my field of vision was not an illusion, but a real place.

Lush grasslands and even low shrubs; further away, a mountain stands tall.

His lens moved slowly, sweeping across the green expanse, finally settling on the left horizon.

There stands a building entirely black, with a rugged design.

Rock's brows furrowed into a deep frown.

"Commander?" A member of the Hunter team also got out of the vehicle and came to his side.

"What...what is that place? Those black buildings..."

Rock put down his binoculars, his expression grave.

He recalled the direction Elon's team last disappeared from, as stated in the report; it was heading towards this area.

That should be a remnant of the old world. If there are any human survivors, then it is indeed possible to survive there.

Is it all true?

Rock decisively gave the order, pointing to the cluster of black buildings: "Stay alert, proceed in that direction! Observe your surroundings carefully, and report any unusual activity immediately!"

"Yes!"

The convoy started again, adjusted its direction, and slowly approached the quiet cluster of black buildings.

……

……

The atmosphere in Dragon Bone Village remained unchanged.

After Yang Chen finished discussing with Honglu and Drake, he returned to the open space in the village and saw Xiaoyue Kui being dragged around by Maiduo.

Maido acted like a dutiful little guide, pointing out various items in the village and explaining them carefully.

Little Yuekui opened her big, dark eyes and listened quietly to Maiduo's explanation.

Bai Yuekui and Bai Yuetian stood not far away, watching this scene.

Yang Chen walked to Bai Yuekui's side, looked at the little Yuekui who was not far away, head to head with Maiduo, studying a wildflower, and asked softly.

"It seems you really liked playmates like Mydo when you were little?"

Bai Yuekui looked at the two small figures and smiled slightly: "A child like Maiduo is warm and sincere, everyone would like to play with her."

She paused, then turned to look at Yang Chen: "Have you finished talking with Honglu and the others?"

Yang Chen nodded: "Yes, it's mostly arranged. We'll go to the lighthouse tomorrow or the day after. Let's start today..."

Before he could finish speaking, Bai Yuekui's ASH mobile device screen flickered, and a voice simultaneously sounded: "Yuekui, a lighthouse armed convoy has been detected approaching the outer defense perimeter of the ecological base."

"The convoy includes six armed vehicles and five gravity vehicles, equipped with medium-sized firepower. I am currently negotiating with them."

Yang Chen was taken aback upon hearing this: "Heh, I didn't expect them to come knocking on our door before we even went up there."

"Are Red Bloom and Dawn in the village now?"

ASH responded: "Red Coconut spontaneously activated its source potential last night, and its potential principle and stability are currently being tested at the ecological base."

"Has his potential been unleashed?"

Unleashing one's potential requires a strong will, and it seems that what Hongkou experienced yesterday had a significant impact on her.

He turned to Maiduo and called out, "Maido, take Xiaokui and play in the village. Be careful and don't go too far."

"Okay, Brother Yang!" Maiduo replied from afar.

Yang Chen gestured to Bai Yuekui, and the two of them, without further delay, turned around and headed towards the ecological base.

Bai Yuetian stayed in the village to watch over Xiao Yuekui.

Watching them leave, Maido blinked curiously.

She took Xiao Yuekui's hand and asked, "Xiao Kui, we always call you Xiao Kui, what's your full name?"

Xiao Yuekui raised her head and looked at Maiduo: "My name is Bai Yuekui."

"Bai Yuekui?"

Maido repeated it subconsciously, then her eyes slowly widened and her little mouth slightly opened.

He stared blankly at the little friend in front of him.

The dark metal exterior of the ecological base is already in sight.

Rock's convoy stopped again about one kilometer from the base's outer wall.

What alarmed him even more was that there were no signs of pollution in this area. What... what was going on here?

He pressed the communicator, attempting to contact the Lighthouse: "This is Hunter Commander Rock, calling the Lighthouse! We have detected an anomaly and are requesting instructions!"

There was only a crackling electrical noise from the communicator; there was no response.

"Captain, communications are being jammed!" the adjutant reported.

Just as the atmosphere inside the vehicle was becoming increasingly tense, a clear female voice suddenly rang out in the helmet's built-in communication channel and the vehicle's communication channel.

"Warning. You have entered a protected area. Halt immediately, disarm, and identify and state your intentions, or I will consider it a hostile act and take necessary measures."

The sound came so suddenly that all the hunters were horrified.

There really are survivors on the ground.

Rock steadied himself and spoke into the communicator, "We are the hunters from the Lighthouse. Our instructor, Elon, went missing in this area yesterday, and we're here to search for him. If you see him..."

Before he could finish speaking, another slightly unruly young male voice suddenly switched into the communication channel, interrupting Rock's words.

"Alright, alright, stop talking nonsense." It was Qianli's voice, somewhat nonchalant. "Your so-called instructor, he sneaked into our village with his men yesterday, and we've already taken him down. If you know what's good for you, put down your weapons right now, and we promise to treat prisoners well."

These words resonated directly in the ears of the hunters.

Instructor Elon is really here! And he's already under their control!
A commotion erupted inside the car, the team members' faces filled with disbelief.

Rock's heart sank to the bottom; the other party had actually admitted it outright.

Luo Keqiang suppressed the shock in his heart and tried to take the initiative.

“Listen, our Lighthouse has a complete survival system and can fully accommodate you survivors. As long as you safely return Instructor Elon and his team to us, everything is negotiable…”

“Damn it!” Qianli interrupted him without any politeness, his tone full of mockery.

"You want to drag us up there to be laborers among the dust? Give me a break! We'll be taking you up there in a couple of days. Who are you to negotiate with then?"

These hunters each had their own thoughts.

The other party not only scoffed at their proposal, but even took the initiative and threatened to take over the lighthouse.
This was the most absurd nonsense they had ever heard.

Suddenly, static came from the other end of the communicator, followed by a slightly eccentric young male voice.

"Hey, hey, you've come all this way, let me say a few words, just a few words!"

He seemed to snatch the communicator and even cleared his throat in a mock manner.

"Um... I was wondering what that 'Hall of Dawn' on your lighthouse is like? When people go in... uh, when they're doing *that*, is there someone watching and recording it or something...?"

"Pfft!" On the communication channel, you could even faintly hear someone on the ground unable to hold back their laughter.

"What nonsense are you asking? Stop talking nonsense." Qianli's voice rang out immediately, accompanied by a clear kicking sound and the young Awakener's cry of pain.

This sudden, absurd question instantly turned the already tense and confrontational atmosphere into something strange.

The hunters exchanged bewildered glances. It seemed the people on the ground had learned about the lighthouse from Elon and his group, and might even know quite a bit about it.

At that moment, Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui also arrived inside the ecological base and saw the hunter team outside through the monitoring system.

Yang Chen turned to Ash and asked, "Is Hongkou's test over? What were the results?"

“The test is over,” ASH replied.

"Red buds activate non-coding genes related to pheromone synthesis and olfactory receptors. Tiny pheromone glands specialize in the skin of areas such as the palms, and their secretion can be precisely controlled through the sympathetic nervous system. At the same time, the olfactory system has evolved to be able to analyze the smallest chemical signals in the air and secrete a specific mixture of pheromones, which can induce temporary emotions such as trust, fear, joy or sadness in the subconscious of others."

"But its effectiveness is greatly reduced in well-ventilated environments, and no side effects have been found from prolonged use."

Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui exchanged a glance and walked towards the testing area.

Pushing open the door to the control room, one sees Qianli and two other Awakeners huddled together in front of the communicator.

Juexing Zhe gripped the communicator, speaking animatedly: "...So, will your city lord actually come down in person? When our boss goes up, shouldn't you prepare a welcoming ceremony for him?"

Yang Chen coughed lightly.

The three of them turned around abruptly, and Qianli almost dropped the communicator because his hand trembled.

"Boss!" Qianli quickly stood up straight. "We are having a friendly exchange with the lighthouse!"

Yang Chen didn't dwell on it, and only asked, "Where's Hongkou?"

"In the testing area next door." Qianli pointed to the side door. "Old Xia and Po Xiao are both there."

Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui arrived at the testing area and saw Hong Kou poking Po Xiao's arm with her finger.

Po Xiao's expression shifted rapidly between crying and laughing, with tears still clinging to the corners of her eyes, yet the corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up.

Summer came and stood in the corner of the room, wearing a heavy protective mask and holding a notepad.

"Hongkou, stop..." Dawn's voice was trembling with tears, but then she suddenly burst out laughing, "Hahaha... This feels so weird!"

Hongkou looked at her palm with distress: "I don't know how to control it accurately. Let me adjust it for you and see if I can get it back."

She poked him again, and Dawn immediately clutched her stomach and burst into laughter, but her tears flowed even more fiercely.

"It seems the test was a success?" Yang Chen asked.

Hongkou turned around abruptly: "Boss, Boss Bai. This ability... I'm not very good at controlling it."

Taking a few steps back as she did so, she wiped away her tears while laughing, "She tried for at least twenty minutes..."

Summer came and took off her mask: "Hongkou's potential is quite complex. We still need to try to see if it can be accurately controlled and whether there are any serious side effects."

Yang Chen reached out and placed his hand on Po Xiao's shoulder, removing the debuff from Po Xiao's body.

Yang Chen said to Hong Kou, "The people from the Lighthouse are here. You and Dawn, come out with me."

Upon hearing the word "lighthouse," Hongkou paused, momentarily stunned.

She thought of those familiar faces, those veterans who had fought alongside her, but now she found it hard to face them.

She nodded silently and followed Yang Chen outside.

The three arrived at the observation platform on the periphery of the ecological base.

Looking at the convoy not far below, Hongkou picked up her communicator, took a deep breath, and said, "I am Hongkou, former commander of the Hunters. Put down your weapons; Dragonbone Village will not harm you."

The communication channel erupted in an uproar.

The hunters exchanged bewildered glances, and one couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice, "Is that really Captain Red Hair's voice?!"

Through his telescope, Rock clearly saw Red Bloom and Dawn standing on the observation platform.

Red Hair and Dawn didn't die?
He frowned, noticing that the team members around him had begun to hesitate, and some even subconsciously relaxed their grip on their guns.

"Stay alert!" Rock shouted sternly.

"Don't forget that Elon and the others didn't return to the lighthouse. Maybe the people inside have taken control of Red Hair and Elon."

Rock stared intently at Red Hair on the observation platform through his binoculars, and shouted sternly, "Listen up, you inside! Hand over Red Hair and all the hunters immediately, or we will take drastic measures!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Chen frowned and put his hand on Hong Kou's shoulder.

The two men instantly appeared directly in front of the convoy.

"Put down your weapons," Yang Chen said calmly.

The hunters were startled by the sudden appearance and scrambled to their feet, raising their guns to aim at the two who had suddenly appeared.

Rock's pupils contracted sharply, and he instinctively took a half step back.

Hongkou gazed at the familiar faces before her, her expression complex.

She then looked at Rock: "Rock, you're the captain now?"

"Are you really Captain Red Bloom?" a young hunter couldn't help but ask, his gun barrel slightly lowered.

Suppressing his shock, Luo Keqiang shouted sternly, "Stay on high alert!"

Hongkou looked at the young hunter and smiled slightly, "It's me, long time no see."

The young hunter, his expression agitated, was about to lower his weapon when Rock suddenly raised his gun and pointed it at Red Hair: "Don't trust her! She's with the people here. If you drop your weapons, we're all in danger!"

He had offended Red Hair before, and had slandered her in front of Lord Morgan.

Hongkou was taken aback by his words: "Rock, are you referring to that mission report? I haven't cared about it for a long time."

"Where is Instructor Elon? Tell him to come out and see me."

Hongkou remained silent for a moment after hearing this, her gaze slowly sweeping over the hunters in front of her.

Among these faces were new recruits she had personally trained, as well as veterans who had looked after her when she first joined the Hunters.

Although she is now unsure whether those favors were backed by guilt over the cleanup operation years ago.

"If you still acknowledge me as your former commander," Red Hair said to the crowd, "then lay down your weapons. If you don't want to lay down your weapons, then please return the way you came."

She stepped forward, ignoring the gun still pointed at her by Rock: "I will not force anyone to stay, nor will I harm anyone who chooses to leave."

The young hunters looked at each other and were the first to put their weapons on the ground.

The older team members hesitated, their eyes shifting between Hongkou and Luo Ke.

"Don't be fooled by her!" Rock shouted sternly.

Hongkou gently shook her head: "Rock, you're too nervous."

She turned to the team members who were still hesitant: "I understand your concerns. But think about it, if we really had malicious intent, why would we have taken the initiative to talk to you?"

A middle-aged hunter sighed and gently placed his rifle on the ground: "Captain Red Hair, I believe in you."

As he moved, more and more weapons were put down.

Rock looked around and realized that he was the only one still holding a gun, and his face turned extremely ugly.

I usually secretly share some of the supplies I bring back from the ground with them, but I never expected that when I met Hongkou, she would obey my orders after just a few words.

Yang Chen watched as Rock still held his gun and slowly stepped forward.

Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, he reached out and grasped the gun barrel, his thumb directly blocking the muzzle.

"You—" Rock had barely opened his mouth when he heard the sound of metal twisting.

Yang Chen clenched his five fingers, forcefully bending the gun muzzle into a strange arc.

"Now," Yang Chen released his grip, "can we have a proper talk?"

Rock looked horrified. How could a human bend a gun barrel with their bare hands?

Is this still a human being?

He released his grip, and the twisted rifle fell to the ground.

The other hunters looked at Yang Chen as if he were a monster.

(End of this chapter)