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

Chapter 187 Clotho

Seeing that Dr. Carrie was finally distracted by Xia Tianlai and his group and temporarily spared him, Yang Chen scanned the resettlement area.

He quickly spotted Red Hair's striking red hair.

She was sitting next to a makeshift food area, and the small figure next to her, engrossed in her work, was Mark, along with Ran Bing, whose food was more appealing than Mark's.

Yang Chen strode over.

Up close, you can clearly see that Mark's plate is piled high with food, and he is wolfing it down, his cheeks bulging as if he hasn't eaten for several meals.

"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you, be careful not to choke." Hongkou watched from the side, feeling both amused and distressed, and couldn't help but advise her.

Mark struggled to swallow the food in his mouth, and glanced up at Hongkou, saying indistinctly, "Sis, Ranbing told me before that you must be eating delicious food every day on the ground, and I didn't quite believe it... But now it seems she was right! This smells so good!"

After he finished speaking, he buried his head again and continued his struggle with the food on his plate.

Hongkou shook her head helplessly at his hungry, predatory posture.

She scrutinized Mark's profile and his arms, which were noticeably more muscular than when she last saw him. Suddenly, she frowned slightly, gestured to Mark's shoulder height, and murmured to herself in surprise, "It hasn't been that long since I last saw you, have you grown a little taller again?"

"I really don't know if you'll grow up to be a big fat person like Shandong University if you keep eating like this."

Although Mark didn't know who "Shanda" was, he was clearly unhappy with the nickname "Fatty." He puffed out his cheeks and mumbled, "No way, I'm... I'm growing! Hunters need strength!"

“There are no more hunters now,” Ran Bing reminded her from the side.

“Then I will become an enlightened practitioner.”

Just then, Hongkou noticed Yang Chen approaching, and quickly stood up, nodding respectfully in greeting, "Boss Yang."

Yang Chen nodded slightly, his gaze falling on Mark, who was still engrossed in the food and reacted a beat slower to the changes around him.

Mark only belatedly looked up when he heard Hong Kou address him, and saw Yang Chen standing in front of him. His mouth was still stuffed with food, and he froze, looking at this "ground leader" with some helplessness.

Yang Chen looked at Mark's face, which was exactly the same as those clones, and felt a slight stirring in his heart, but he did not show it on his face. He simply said to Hong Kou, "It seems that your brother is adapting quite well."

Hongkou smiled and reached out to ruffle Mark's hair: "Well, it's just that your eating manners were too unseemly. Mr. Yang, did you need something from me?"

"Nothing special, just came to check on things here," Yang Chen said, then turned his gaze back to Mark and Ran Bing, asking in a calm tone, "Was the food to your liking?"

Mark seemed a little nervous when Yang Chen asked him a question directly. He nodded vigorously and almost choked on the food in his mouth. He coughed twice before answering.

"Yes, it suits my taste perfectly! It's delicious! Thank you... thank you, Mr. Yang!"

He looked at Yang Chen with bright, sparkling eyes, filled with gratitude and admiration.

After all, he had heard from Hongkou yesterday that it was this very person who had saved her and Po Xiao.

Looking at the admiration in Mark's eyes, Yang Chen felt a slight fading of the complex feelings he had felt because of Mark's identity.

A gentle smile appeared on his face as he reached out and ruffled Mark's slightly stubble-like hair.

"As long as it suits your taste, that's good. You can eat whatever you want here from now on." He said in a relaxed tone, as if he were just an elder who cared about his juniors.

However, the moment his palm touched Mark's head, the power of the Sheep Charm was quietly activated.

The magic gently probed into Mark's body, touching his life essence.

The investigation happened quickly and discreetly. Not only was Mark, who was struggling to swallow his food, completely unaware of it, but even Hongkou, who was standing nearby, only thought that Yang Chen's action was meant to reassure her.

In Yang Chen's perception, Mark's life essence was vigorous and active, and its shape was the same as his physical appearance.

Does the physical body determine the form of the life essence, or does the life essence determine the form of the physical body?
He withdrew his hand with a calm expression: "Eat slowly, don't rush."

He said something to Mark before turning to Red Hair, "The resettlement here is basically stable. Drake has also found his kinship file and handed it over to Ash. Keep a close eye on things from now on."

Hongkou nodded quickly and replied, "Understood, don't worry, Boss Yang."

Although the three laws have not been implemented for many years, the issue of gene classification has still made many people feel superior.

Upon learning that their descendants were "Dust People," some of them did not want to acknowledge them.

Some people's parents have already died, making it impossible to trace their blood relationship.

Yang Chen said no more. He nodded slightly to Hong Kou and the somewhat reserved Mark, and then turned and left.

Mark watched Yang Chen's departing figure and whispered to Hong Kou, "Sis, the way Boss Yang looked at me seemed a bit strange..."

Hongkou was handing water to Ranbing when she heard this, she paused slightly, then chuckled and reached out to rub Mark's head, but Mark cleverly dodged her.

"What could be so special? You're just starving, you can't stand anyone." Hongkou teased. "Boss Yang is the leader of our village, isn't it normal for him to care about the new kid? Look, he even asked Ran Bing about him."

Ran Bing, who was sitting to the side, nodded obediently and whispered, "Boss Yang... is quite amiable."

Mark pouted. Although he still felt a little confused, his attention was quickly drawn back to the delicious food left in the bowl after Hongkou's interruption. He muttered, "Anyway, it just feels different... and she even patted my head."

Hongkou watched as Mark re-engaged in the "battle" and reached out to ruffle his hair: "Because the hair on your head is prickly, it's fun to touch."

Mark frowned, slapped Red Hair's hand away, and continued eating.

Seeing his expression, Hongkou couldn't help but smile. She sat down again and gently instructed him, "Eat slowly. You can eat it every day from now on, and no one will take it from you."

"After we finish eating, I'll take you to see the village."

Mark, his mouth bulging, mumbled, "Sis, didn't Boss Yang tell you to 'pay more attention'? Taking us around, does that count as... um, dereliction of duty?"

Hongkou was amused by his newly learned words and reached out to pat the back of his head lightly: "You're so clever! Don't worry, most people are still in line waiting to see a doctor or register. Dawn and Origin Warriors are watching over things here, so things won't get chaotic."

"It won't take long to show you both around. After we're done, I'll come right back to keep an eye on things."

She looked at Mark and Ran Bing, her tone softening: "Besides, this is also part of 'taking care' to ensure that the new members can settle in with peace of mind."

Mark swallowed the food in his mouth and chuckled, "I knew my sister was the best!"

Ran Bing also whispered, "Thank you, Sister Hongkou."

"Eat quickly, we'll set off after we finish eating." Hongkou looked at them with a smile in her eyes.

The lighthouse, the upper level, a secluded room.

The furnishings here are far more spacious and comfortable than those of ordinary people's living quarters; it's like an ordinary room in the old world.

Honglu pushed open the door, and Bai Yuetian followed behind her, slowly walking in.

Inside the room, Charles and Jingnan were sitting at the table.

Upon hearing the door open, the two of them simultaneously looked up.

Charles's gaze first fell on Red Heron. He remembered Red Heron, who had once been his father's student, but his memory of her was somewhat hazy.

He called softly, "Sister Honglu."

Then, his gaze shifted to the unfamiliar man beside Honglu, and a clear look of confusion appeared on his youthful face.

“Who are you?” Charles asked.

Jingnan also quietly watched Bai Yuetian, her gaze even more serene as she silently observed.

Honglu stepped forward and said to the two children in a calm tone, "Charles, Jingnan. This is Baiyuetian."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the old room that belonged to Morgan, and continued, "Once the resettlement work on the ground is completely stable, I will take you down there to start a new life."

Charles nodded, his little hands gripping the edge of the table. He hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but look up at Honglu, his voice lowering, "Sister Honglu... I... can't I go see the city lord? He..."

His words carried unease.

These sudden changes and the father's absence made the child feel deeply uneasy.

Honglu looked at the glimmer of light in Charles's eyes, paused for a moment, and slowly shook her head, saying, "Your father has important matters to attend to and cannot see you for the time being."

She walked up to Charles, half-squatted down, and softened her tone: "From now on, you don't need to call me City Lord anymore. You can also call Jingnan 'Sister' directly, and I will take care of you."

Charles listened to Red Heron's words, his small lips pursed slightly, and he murmured repeatedly, "Father..."

He seemed to understand something, yet he also seemed unwilling to delve into it.

In the end, he simply lowered his head and softly murmured "Mmm".

Bai Yuetian, standing to the side, crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame, barely speaking since he came in.

His gaze swept over Charles and Jingnan without any attempt to conceal it, moving back and forth between their faces.

Looking at Charles's childish face, Bai Yuetian secretly curled her lip in her heart.

'This kid... he doesn't resemble me at all!'

His gaze then shifted to Jingnan, who was sitting quietly beside him.

The calmness in the little girl's eyes and some subtle features made him feel inexplicably that... this little girl seemed to resemble him somewhat?
However, the thought only flashed through my mind for a moment.

To him, the so-called "blood ties" that Gray left behind with his body were more like a forcibly imposed, nauseating historical legacy.

He didn't feel any affinity for it.

After comforting Charles, Honglu stood up, looked at Bai Yuetian, and asked him with her eyes if he had anything else to say.

Bai Yuetian received her gaze, but simply shrugged indifferently, indicating that he had nothing to say.

He came here today purely out of curiosity, wanting to see for himself what this "cheap offspring" produced by Gray actually looks like.

Now that people have seen it and their curiosity has been satisfied, that's about it.

He waved lazily at the red egret, indicating that he had finished looking and could leave.

Honglu understood his meaning, and finally gently told Charles and Jingnan, "Don't overthink it, get some rest. If you need anything, just tell the people outside."

Then he and Bai Yuetian left the room one after the other.

The door closed gently behind them, shutting out the complicated emotions of the two children inside.

The passageway outside was quiet and empty, with only the rhythmic footsteps of the two echoing through it. Bai Yuetian put his hands back in his pockets, resuming his nonchalant demeanor, as if he had just visited an insignificant place.

The two hadn't walked far along the passage when they encountered Yang Chen, who was walking towards them, at a corner connecting to the main corridor.

"Orange." Bai Yuetian raised his chin as a greeting.

Yang Chen nodded, his gaze sweeping over the two of them before finally settling on Honglu. He asked, "Finished watching?"

"Mmm," Bai Yuetian replied lazily.

Yang Chen didn't ask any further questions, and instead looked at Honglu: "Honglu, you mentioned before that one of the key reasons why the people of the Lighthouse are so certain of the existence of the Lord of Light and Shadow is that, it is said, when he encountered the Devouring Beast on the ground, he touched a humanoid creature?"

Upon hearing this, Honglu's expression also turned serious.

She nodded and confirmed, "Yes, Mr. Yang. That thing simply waved its hand and dispersed the Devouring Beasts. It seems to be a product of the ecosystem, and holds a very high position within it."

She paused, then continued, “The people believed it was a miracle, that the Lord of Light and Shadow had chosen Charles as His representative on earth. This idea gave many people a vague hope at the time. Later, Morgan… also took advantage of this, establishing the Society of Light and Shadow, and venerating Charles as the ‘chosen one,’ in order to unite the people and consolidate his rule.”

"What happened after that? Did that Lord of Light and Shadow ever reappear?"

Red Heron shook his head: "According to other people's accounts and Gordon's records, he has never appeared again."

Yang Chen nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this.

He had previously examined Charles's life essence and found nothing different from that of an ordinary child.

“I have examined Charles’s life essence,” Yang Chen said slowly. “Indeed, I found nothing unusual about it; it is very pure.”

He then changed the subject: "However, since the so-called Lord of Light and Shadow, according to your description, is likely a special being with a very high status in the Mana ecosystem, then its initial 'contact' with Charles may not have been a simple parasitism or fusion, but rather more like a kind of... 'marking' or 'sleeping seed'."

"This connection may only be activated and reveal something extraordinary when Charles himself connects or resonates with the Mana ecosystem under specific conditions."

Yang Chen analyzed that this might also be why he couldn't observe any abnormalities under normal circumstances.

This speculation made the atmosphere slightly tense.

If Charles does indeed have a potential connection to some powerful ecosystem, then his future and stability need to be taken into consideration.

Then, Yang Chen thought of another question. He looked at Honglu: "Besides Gray, were there any other people on the Lighthouse who participated in the research of the Kloto system back then? Especially the core researchers."

“Kloto System…” Red Heron repeated the long-unheard name softly, his brows furrowing slightly.

As a former commander-in-chief of the city's defense forces, she had access to many of the lighthouse's core secrets, but due to the highly sensitive nature of the research on Kloto, her knowledge of the details was limited.

Suddenly, a name forgotten in a corner surfaced in her mind, causing her to involuntarily murmur, "...Flynn?"

“Yes, Flynn… a researcher of the Kloto system, and one of Gray’s most capable assistants back then. He participated in most of the early theoretical and framework construction of the Kloto system.”

As soon as Honglu finished speaking, she was taken aback for a moment, and then a look of annoyance appeared on her face.

Carrie had mentioned to Red Heron that Flynn was still alive, but had long been secretly imprisoned by Morgan in a nearly unknown archive room, effectively under house arrest.

“Flynn…”

She rubbed her temples: "These past two days I've been so focused on prioritizing the relocation of people and maintaining order that I've completely overlooked him."

Without further delay, she turned and led the way: "Boss, please follow me."

Bai Yuetian raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest appearing in his eyes.

The three chatted briefly as they walked, led by Honglu, quickly navigating the intricate passageways of the upper level of the lighthouse.

The deeper you go into the research layer, the more desolate the environment becomes, and the lights become dim, as if you have entered a forgotten corner of the lighthouse.

Finally, the red heron stopped in front of a metal door.

There were no markings on the door, but there was an electronic lock that required specific permissions to open.

"This is it," Honglu confirmed, swiping the access card she had obtained from Carrie's research lab.

A soft "click" came from inside the door, and the metal door had opened.

The scene behind the door came into view.

This is a room that isn't very big; it's more like a cramped storage room than a document room.

The surrounding area was piled with various old paper documents and data storage modules, as well as tangled cables.

In the corner of the room, a man with gray hair, wearing an old research uniform, sat with his back to the door.

"Carrie? What are you doing here again... What's gotten into Morgan this time? Could it be that the white-haired woman really exists in the underground forces, and then she came looking for him and got chased down and killed?"

"The lighthouse was swaying like it had encountered a giant monster..."

As he spoke, he slowly turned the chair he was sitting in.

When his gaze fell upon the person standing at the door, it wasn't Carrie as he had expected, but rather that striking head of red hair and that cold, stern face he had seen several times in high-level meetings, a face he remembered as having "sacrificed" many years ago.

Flynn's rambling words came to an abrupt halt.

All the expressions on his pale face, which had been deprived of sunlight for a long time, froze instantly.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

The carbon pen he was pressing also fell to the ground.

"...Red...Red egret...?"

Flynn stood up abruptly and stammered.

He glanced at Honglu, then at the unfamiliar black-haired youth behind her, and at another man.

"Lord Gray City Lord!!!"

Flynn's mind was in complete chaos, and he had no idea what was going on.

Seeing Flynn's horrified expression, Red Heron stepped inside and calmly began to speak.

"It seems the lighthouse's internal broadcast system isn't working for you."

Flynn instinctively asked, "Broadcast...? What broadcast?"

He had been locked up here for too long, almost completely cut off from the outside world, and his only source of information was Dr. Carrie, who had visited him last time.

Red Heron didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the bombshell news for Flynn: "Morgan is dead."

"Wha...what?!"

Honglu succinctly recounted the existence of the ground force Dragonbone Village, Yang Chen's arrival, Morgan's purge due to stubborn resistance, and the current large-scale relocation of the Lighthouse to the ground.

Flynn listened blankly, his expression gradually shifting from initial shock to bewilderment, and finally to a complex look.

He slowly sat back down in the creaking old chair.

“I never expected... Morgan to die like this…” Flynn murmured to himself, his emotions unreadable.

Several seconds passed before he recovered slightly from the overwhelming information shock, raising his somewhat cloudy eyes and scanning Yang Chen and Bai Yuetian.

"You've come to me... to learn about the Cloto system?"

"Those core research materials and experimental records from back then, and Lord Gray..." When Gray was mentioned, Flynn subconsciously glanced at Bai Yuetian, but all he got in return was a raised fist.

Feeling like he was about to be punched, Flynn looked away and pointed to the computer next to him: "...and Lord Gray's speculations are all here with me."

Seeing that Yang Chen and the others had already met Flynn, Red Heron left, handing the space over to the three of them.

Under Flynn's guidance, the long-forgotten databases were opened one by one, revealing yellowed paper documents and encrypted experimental logs on the screen.

Yang Chen and Bai Yuetian stood behind him, their eyes scanning the data and Gray's handwritten notes.

“This…records an anomaly.” Flynn pointed to a log entry.

“Mark… well, Lord Gray deciphered the information given by Cloto and, based on the coordinates provided in the information, found a baby on the ground.”

He pulled up the surveillance footage from that time. Although the footage was blurry and intermittent, he could make out a small, thin figure that had somehow passed through several security defenses without triggering any alarms and finally stopped in front of the Kloto system.

Flynn's tone carried a hint of disbelief: "Based on Lord Gray's analysis at the time and our subsequent simulations, the only reasonable explanation is that Mark may be 'of the same origin' as the Krotor system."

Then, Flynn pulled up another document, which contained coordinate instructions for the Kloto system.

“This,” Flynn pointed to the instruction, “is the original coordinates from when Mark was found and brought back to the lighthouse.”

He looked at Yang Chen: "Mark, you've seen him, right? Just a child."

"However, I did hear Gray mention the Krotto system back then. It originated from half of the brain of a creature that has lived for hundreds of millions of years."

Upon hearing this, Bai Yuetian raised his hand to interrupt: "We know more about this. Mana's first appearance is still fast asleep on the ground."

"Wh-what? Mana's initial form?" Flynn was a little confused when he heard this unfamiliar term.

Yang Chen didn't speak, he just looked at the documents.

The Kloto system can sense Mark, resonate with him, and actively guide him to be found by the lighthouse.

All of this points to one possibility.

Mark's existence is another key to the creation of Mana's original body.

However, it is also possible that it was created by another ASH within the Kloto system.

The reason why the Lighthouse was able to ignore the defenses and reach the core was because the Lighthouse relied on the Kloto system. The authority of the second ecological base was entirely controlled by ASH, while Mark could not go to the Primordial Body.

He glanced at Flynn: "Dr. Flynn, now that the Lighthouse has a new leader, you're free to do as you please."

"Okay."

(End of this chapter)