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

Chapter 190 This chapter is about daily life.
When Yang Chen returned to Dragon Bone Village, the setting sun had already painted the sky a vibrant orange-red.

As soon as he appeared in front of the residence, he heard Xiao Yuekui's excited voice from inside: "Yang Chen is back? Sister, I'm going downstairs to play with Maiduo!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the door was opened, and Xiao Yuekui rushed out like a happy little bird, followed by Bai Yuekui, who had a calm expression.

"Slow down," Bai Yuekui instructed.

"Okay!" Xiaoyuekui replied without turning her head, and ran briskly downstairs towards Maiduo.

Bai Yuekui turned his gaze back to the direction where Xiao Yuekui had disappeared and placed it on Yang Chen: "When you came back, Ash told me about the situation with the teacher."

"Okay, that's good." Yang Chen nodded, stepped forward, put his arm around her waist, and the two went back into the house together.

The room was quiet. Bai Yuekui walked to the window and looked down at the open space not far away.

There, Little Moon Queen had already met up with Maido, and the two little girls were squatting on the ground, heads touching.
Bai Yuekui quietly watched his small, carefree self.

Just then, the door of a house in the distance was pushed open, and Bai Yuetian slowly walked out.

He squinted, adjusting his eyes to the light of the setting sun, then leaned lazily against the doorframe, arms crossed, looking just like a retired old man sunbathing.

He seemed to notice Bai Yuekui's gaze and lazily waved in their direction as a greeting.

Bai Yuekui smiled faintly, already used to his appearance.

Downstairs, Xiao Yuekui and Maiduo seemed to have reached some kind of consensus. They held hands and ran to Bai Yuetian's side, looking up at each other and saying something.

Bai Yuetian simply nodded.

Then, Xiao Yuekui excitedly raised her head, waved to Bai Yuekui at the window, and shouted, "Sister! Big brother, take me and Maiduo to the Second Village!"

Upon hearing this, Bai Yuekui nodded slightly towards the area downstairs, signifying his agreement.

Upon receiving permission, Xiao Yuekui immediately cheered and pulled Maiduo along, following behind Bai Yuetian.

"Brother! Let's go quickly!" Little Yuekui shouted excitedly.

Bai Yuetian, who had been in a lazy mood, paused almost imperceptibly when Xiao Yuekui called him "brother."

How long has it been... since I heard that voice that relied on me wholeheartedly, calling me that?
Looking at the young Bai Yuekui before him, Bai Yuetian felt a light shining into a long-dormant corner of his heart.

"Hmm." He cleared his throat, feeling extremely pleased, even overjoyed.

"Let's go!" Bai Yuetian suddenly perked up.

Before the two little ones could react, he bent down and easily picked up Xiaoyue Kui and Maiduo, one on each side, and held them steadily in his arms.

"I guess it'll just be the two of us for dinner." Yang Chen had also appeared by the window at some point, looking at Bai Yuekui beside him.

Bai Yuekui hummed in agreement and turned to walk towards the kitchen: "Want something simple to eat?"

"Ah."

The village gradually quieted down when the moon was high in the sky.

The sound of running water and faint laughter came from the bathroom; Bai Yuekui was giving Xiao Yuekui a bath after playing all day.

After a while, the sound of water stopped.

The bathroom door opened, and Bai Yuekui led Xiao Yuekui out. Xiao Yuekui was wearing a clean nightgown, and her shoulder-length black hair was slightly damp.

Bai Yuekui herself changed into a comfortable silk nightgown, her hair also damp.

Little Yuekui rubbed her eyes, looked at the clothes that had been taken off and placed aside, and asked vaguely, "Sister, what should we do with these clothes?"

Bai Yuekui gently dried her wet hair with a towel, not even lifting his eyelids when he heard her words: "Just leave it there, someone will clean it up tomorrow."

Yang Chen, who had just entered the living room, happened to hear this, paused in his steps, and looked helpless.

Xiao Yuekui said "Oh," pushed her clothes aside, yawned widely, and leaned sleepily into Bai Yuekui's arms.

Bai Yuekui picked her up by the waist, and the little one obediently wrapped her arms around her neck, buried her head in the crook of her shoulder, and almost immediately began to nod her head, as if she were about to fall asleep.

"I'm taking her to bed," Bai Yuekui whispered to Yang Chen, then carried little Yuekui into the bedroom.

Yang Chen watched as the bedroom door closed gently, stood there for a while, and felt that the room seemed to become much quieter all of a sudden.

He strolled to the window, gazing at the tranquil village outside, a sense of peace settling over him.

But there seems to be a slight feeling of being "excluded"?

He turned around, pushed open the door, and decided to go for a walk.

A cool night breeze blew, and Yang Chen's figure flashed, appearing on the mountaintop of Dragon Bone Village.

The view here is excellent, overlooking the distant ecological base and the even more vast wilderness.

He casually found a flat rock to sit on, looked up at the pure starry sky, and let his mind wander.

After an unknown amount of time, a very faint sound of footsteps came from behind.

Yang Chen didn't turn around, but a slight smile appeared on his lips.

The next moment, a familiar figure sat down beside him, naturally, shoulder to shoulder.

"Is Xiao Kui asleep?" Yang Chen turned his head and looked at Bai Yuekui, who had appeared out of nowhere.

She changed into casual clothes, her silver hair gleaming faintly in the starlight.

"Hmm, you slept soundly." Bai Yuekui nodded gently. "You're tired after playing all day."

The two remained silent for a moment, simply enjoying their time alone.

After a while, Bai Yuekui suddenly spoke up: "It's not convenient at home."

"We can go to Jiuchuan."

Yang Chen was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, but then he understood the meaning behind her words.

The subtle annoyance he felt because of the little third wheel vanished instantly. He turned his head and met her gaze, the meaning of which was self-evident.

He chuckled softly, reached out, and took her slightly cool hand in his.

"Walk."

As soon as he finished speaking, the mountaintop was deserted, with only the starlight remaining.

An apartment in Hisakawa City.

In familiar surroundings, undisturbed by anyone.

From the living room to the bedroom, clothes were scattered all over the floor, and rapid breathing was interspersed with suppressed moans.

Tired and unwilling to stop.

The game only gradually ended when a sliver of light appeared on the horizon and the city's outlines became clearer.

The next morning, as dawn broke, the dwellings in Dragon Bone Village were quiet.

The bedroom door was slowly pushed open a crack, and a small head peeked out.

Xiao Yuekui had already changed her clothes. Her shoulder-length black hair was a little fluffy. She tiptoed out and carefully turned back to close the door.

When she arrived in the living room, she found that Yang Chen was already up, idly watching the movie screen in front of him.

"Awake?" Yang Chen turned his head when he heard the noise.

"Are you hungry? I'll make you breakfast."

Xiao Yuekui nodded, walked to the dining table and sat down, placing her little hands neatly on her knees.

She blinked her sleepy eyes, looked at the closed bedroom door, and asked curiously, "Yang Chen, my sister seems very tired. Is she still sleeping in?"

In her memory during this period, Bai Yuekui was always self-disciplined, and it was rare for him to "sleep in" like this.

Yang Chen was about to go to the kitchen when Wen coughed lightly, "Hmm... she probably took too much time dealing with things yesterday. Let her sleep a little longer; she'll be more energetic after a good rest."

As he spoke, he turned and walked toward the kitchen.

What would you like to eat this morning?

Xiao Yuekui's attention was drawn to this, and she began to think about her breakfast choices.

The sunlight outside the window gradually brightened, and a delicious aroma wafted from the kitchen.

In the bedroom, Bai Yuekui remained sound asleep, completely unaware of the conversation taking place in the living room.

Little Yuekui obediently finished the breakfast prepared by Yang Chen. After a bowl of hot meat porridge, she felt warm all over.

She put down the small spoon and glanced at the closed bedroom door again.

It remained quiet inside.

She tiptoed to the bedroom door and peeked inside.

Bai Yuekui remained fast asleep, showing no signs of waking up.

Xiao Yuekui gently closed the door, turned around and ran to Yang Chen, who was clearing away the dishes, and tugged at his sleeve.

"Yang Chen, my sister hasn't woken up yet... Can you take me to the base? I want to go see that... Base Number Three!"

She remembered the novel things she had seen at the ecological base yesterday, especially the spinal cord parasite and scarlet pigment that Tasia had shown her, and her heart was filled with curiosity about the even more mysterious Ecological Base No. 3.

Upon hearing this, Yang Chen looked down at Xiao Yuekui's inquisitive eyes and felt somewhat troubled.

The research involved in Base No. 3 is more core and sensitive. Even most of the villagers have never been there, so it is not suitable to take children to visit, not even Bai Yuekui when he was a child.

He explained gently, "Xiao Kui, we can't take you to Base Three yet. There are some things there that are still a secret and need to be kept confidential."

Little Yuekui pouted slightly and said "Oh" in disappointment.

Although she was sensible, the feeling of having her expectations dashed still made her somewhat depressed.

Seeing her adorable face, Yang Chen's heart softened. He reached out and ruffled her hair, changing the subject, "However, we can go back to that place from yesterday. Didn't Tasia show you the spinal cord parasite? Or shall we go find Principal Qiu Shi and see how the new children are settling in?"

Although Xiaoyuekui was still somewhat resentful about not being able to go to Base No. 3, her attention was drawn back to the Ecological Base when she heard that she could go there.

She thought for a moment, then finally nodded and said softly, "Okay... then let's go to the ecological base."

"Okay, let me tidy up here, and then we'll set off," Yang Chen agreed with a smile.

Yang Chen brought Xiao Yue Kui to the ecological base.

As soon as I stepped through the door, I heard a slightly excited female voice echoing in the empty research area.

"...So, this scarlet pigment carries memories, it's information?"

Looking in the direction of the sound, they saw Dr. Carrie circling around a transparent observation container, inside which was a wriggling spinal worm.

She kept raising various hypotheses and questions.

Standing beside her, the one responsible for "accompanying" her had changed to Sui Xing.

Shattered Star remained as calm and quiet as ever, arms crossed, only occasionally offering a word or two in response to Dr. Carrie's questions, or nodding or shaking her head.

Seeing Yang Chen and Xiao Yue Kui enter, Sui Xing cast a slightly helpless glance at them and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

Yang Chen immediately understood.

With Dr. Carrie's relentless questioning and inquisitive nature, Jiuge probably couldn't keep up. She was probably too annoyed by the nagging, which is why the calmer-tempered Suixing was brought in to "fill in."

"Boss Yang, young boss," Sui Xing greeted, interrupting Dr. Jia Li's engrossed academic questioning.

Dr. Carrie then noticed the two people who had entered. Her gaze first quickly swept over Yang Chen, then focused on Xiao Yue Kui. Curiosity flashed in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by her enthusiasm for research.

She simply nodded to Yang Chen as a greeting, then quickly returned her attention to the spinal worm and the shattered star, clearly not wanting to waste any research time.

“Shattered Star, you just said that the Spine Worm itself doesn’t have the ability to directly absorb life essence?” Carrie’s gaze was fixed on the Spine Worm. “They only cooperate with the Devouring Beast by releasing Crimson Phenomenon?”

"Hmm," Suixing replied succinctly.

Once confirmed, Carrie pointed to the other side of the research area, where several enormous skeletons of Devouring Beasts were neatly arranged.

“And what about these?” Carrie’s questions came one after another. She walked quickly to the skeleton and reached out to touch it.

"You've preserved so many Devouring Beast bones, surely not for specimen collection? What special purpose do they serve?"

Shattered Star's gaze then fell upon the skeletons, and he calmly explained, "The bones of a monarch-level being can slowly condense into a high-density energy crystal, which we call 'marrow crystal.' It's a kind of... energy."

She paused for a moment: "As for these rare mutated forms, their bones are extremely hard. After processing, they are usually used to make weapons, and their performance is superior to that of ordinary materials."

At this point, Suixing rummaged around for a bit and pulled out a small notebook, handing it to Carrie.

Carrie opened the notebook and murmured, "Collarbone is highly resilient and resistant to breakage, making it suitable for blades. Finger bones and teeth can be used to make bullets."

She quickly flipped through the notes on various material properties and applications, muttering repeatedly, "Weapons. Biological materials weapons."

Suddenly, as if she remembered something crucial, she abruptly looked up at Suixing.

"Wait! Do you have a gravity body here? Your boss, Mr. Bai, went to the lighthouse before. Is that black gravity body here?"

If even conventional weapons have begun to use Devourer as a material on a large scale, then the technological origins and constituent materials of that Gravity Body become even more intriguing.

Shattered Star's expression remained unchanged; he simply shook his head slightly: "You mean the Abyss Walker? That's very dangerous; they're not here."

Yang Chen, who had originally planned to take Xiao Yuekui to visit the other side, stopped in his tracks.

He heard Carrie's question about the Abyss, turned around, and led Little Moon Crest back.

"Are you interested in the Abyss Walkers?" Yang Chen asked Carrie.

When Carrie saw that Yang Chen had taken the initiative to speak, she immediately shifted all her attention to him: "Of course I'm interested! Back in the Lighthouse, we managed to extract a sample of the red tissue attached to that black gravity body for research."

"But once that thing is deactivated, any living cell will quickly lose its activity; it's simply not something that humans can control!"

She stared intently at Yang Chen: "I really want to know, how did you manage to do that? How could someone possibly pilot that thing and unleash such immense power?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Chen frowned slightly: "You just said... that you extracted tissue samples from the interior of the Abyss Back then?"

“Yes,” Carrie nodded, “but it’s been deep-frozen and sealed away.”

After receiving confirmation, Yang Chen pondered for a moment and said to Carrie, "The Abyss Walker was created in the Old World. I can't go into too much detail with you. You just need to know that it's not equipment made for ordinary people."

"As for the part of the organization that you sealed up at the lighthouse..." Yang Chen continued, "I will arrange for someone to retrieve it."

Carrie opened her mouth, wanting to ask more about the specific techniques of the Abyss Walkers or what the so-called "unusual" meant, but looking at Yang Chen's attitude, she knew that this was the limit of what he was willing to reveal.

As a researcher, she felt a little sorry for what happened, but reason also told her that Yang Chen's decision was correct.

“I understand.” Carrie finally nodded.

Just then, Xiao Yuekui, who had been quietly standing by, gently tugged at Yang Chen's hand and asked curiously, "Yang Chen, what is a Lin Yuan Zhe? It sounds very powerful."

Yang Chen looked down at Xiao Yue Kui: "The Abyss... it was originally developed by your father... well, later by his Nirvana Research Institute."

Carrie was completely baffled, her gaze darting back and forth between Yang Chen and Xiao Yue Kui.

Just now it was clearly said that the Abyss was 'made in the old world', so how come it's now said to be... developed by this little... little girl's father's research institute?
These contradictory statements made her lips part slightly, as if she was about to raise a new question.

Just then, Sui Xing, who had been standing quietly by the sidelines, showed great insight.

Shattered Star stepped forward and said to Carrie, "Dr. Carrie, you've been observing and asking questions here for over twelve hours straight. You need to rest."

“Research also requires a clear mind and plenty of energy,” Shattered Star continued. “If you want to continue observing or participate in the research, you should get some sleep now. You can come back anytime after you’ve rested.”

Carrie was stunned for a moment when Shattered Star interrupted her. She subconsciously wanted to refute him, but the physical and mental exhaustion she felt at that moment was indeed overwhelming.

She glanced at Yang Chen, then at Sui Xing, and ultimately swallowed the question that was on the tip of her tongue.

"...Okay, then...I'll come back later."

Sui Xing nodded and made a "please" gesture, indicating the direction to leave the research area.

Yang Chen watched them leave, then smiled at Xiao Yuekui beside him: "Alright, shall we continue our exploration?"

He led Xiao Yuekui slowly through the base, arriving at a relatively basic observation area.

This display features processed samples of Etamorphobacter tissue and cell smears.

Yang Chen adjusted the high-powered microscope and carried Xiao Yuekui to the chair.

"Come, look at this."

Xiao Yuekui curiously brought her eyes close to the eyepiece and was immediately drawn to the strangely shaped cells in her field of vision.

"Wow... are these the cells of the Devouring Beast? It's actually a combination of plant and animal!" she exclaimed softly.

Yang Chen gave a brief explanation from the side. After reviewing the cell samples, Yang Chen thought for a moment and then contacted Hong Kou.

Hongkou's potential has just been unleashed, and her control is still unstable.

Summer is coming and I'm busy, but I have some free time now. I can help Hongkou check her potential and think about designing a set of equipment to assist her. It's also a good opportunity to let Xiaoyuekui see what source potential is.

……

Inside the bedroom of the residence in Longgu Village.

Bai Yuekui's long eyelashes trembled a few times, and she finally slowly woke up from her sleep.

She opened her eyes groggily, the first thing she felt was soreness all over her body.

Outside the window, the sunlight was no longer that of early morning.

Bai Yuekui frowned slightly and propped himself up to sit up.

She was completely unaware that the straps of her silk nightgown had slipped down, and her short, silvery-white hair was now a mess, with a few strands sticking up playfully.

She turned to look at the clock on the bedside table.

When she saw the numbers displayed above, her eyes widened instantly.

2:17 PM?!
She actually slept until this hour?
After a brief moment of surprise, she threw off the covers and got out of bed, her feet touching the cool floor.

She looked around the quiet bedroom; she was all alone.

There was no movement outside the living room.

Where did Yang Chen and Xiao Kui go?
Yang Chen held Xiao Yuekui's hand as the two returned from the ecological base.

Little Yuekui was still chattering excitedly, talking about how amazing it was when Sister Hongkou demonstrated her source potential.
"Yang Chen, will my future source potential be like Sister Hong Kou's?"

"Oh, no way." Yang Chen smiled and ruffled her hair. "Your potential and your sister's potential are definitely the same."

The two talked as they walked to the front of their residence.

Pushing open the door, the living room remained quiet, but the bedroom door was wide open.

The sound of running water came from the direction of the bathroom.

The rain was pattering, mixed with a few hummed tunes.

Yang Chen and Xiao Yuekui stopped at the same time and looked at each other.

"Sister is awake?" Xiao Yuekui whispered.

Xiao Yuekui blinked, then tiptoed towards the bathroom.

Yang Chen swiftly grabbed her and chuckled in a low voice, "Hey, you little rascal, what are you trying to do?"

“Go scare my sister!” Xiao Yuekui replied confidently.

"No." Yang Chen picked her up. "My sister is taking a bath, we can't disturb her. Let's wait here obediently."

He sat down on the sofa in the living room with Xiao Yuekui in his arms. The sound of water from the bathroom continued, and occasionally a humming could be heard.

It seems that Mr. Bai is in quite good spirits after getting enough rest.

After a while, the sound of water in the bathroom stopped.

After a moment of silence, there were the soft sounds of towels being wiped and clothes being put on.

Unable to contain herself any longer, Xiao Yuekui jumped off Yang Chen's lap, ran to the bathroom door, and called out in a clear voice, "Sister! You're awake! Yang Chen and I are back!"

The activity in the bathroom paused slightly.

Then, the door was pulled open a crack from the inside.

Bai Yuekui's figure appeared behind the door.

She had just finished showering and was already wearing her nightgown, though the straps were still loosely hanging down her arms, revealing large expanses of her fair skin and delicate collarbones.

Seeing Xiao Yuekui peeking in from the doorway, and Yang Chen standing by the door frame smiling as he looked over, Bai Yuekui was clearly somewhat surprised.

"Mmm," she responded softly.

"Sister, you slept for so long!" Little Yuekui continued chattering. "The sun's already high in the sky! Yang Chen and I have already gone to the ecological base and played around for a while!"

Bai Yuekui glanced at Yang Chen with a hint of helplessness.

Yang Chen received her gaze and shrugged innocently.

"Sister, are you hungry? Yang Chen's breakfast is so delicious, but it seems like it's all gone now..."

"I'm not hungry." Bai Yuekui interrupted her, reached out to pull up the slipped bra strap, and walked out of the bathroom.

Have you had lunch?

"I ate with Sister Hongkou!" Xiaoyuekui answered quickly.

Bai Yuekui nodded, walked to the bedside and sat down, picked up a dry towel from the side and began to dry his wet hair.

Xiao Yuekui looked at Bai Yuekui, tilted her head, and suddenly asked, "Sister, why is there some redness on the back of your neck? Did you get bitten by bugs?"

Bai Yuekui suddenly stopped wiping his hair.

Yang Chen coughed lightly and walked back to the living room.

"Hmm...maybe." Bai Yuekui responded vaguely, quickening his movements as he dried his hair.

Xiao Yuekui believed it and immediately became worried: "Oh? Should I apply some medicine? I'll go and ask Yang Chen to use magic on you."

"No need," Bai Yuekui stopped her, "...it will be fine in a couple of days."

Yang Chen, who was in the living room, couldn't help but laugh out loud while listening to the conversation.

This smile immediately attracted Bai Yuekui.

"Ahem." Seeing Bai Yuekui glaring at him, Yang Chen suppressed his smile. "Um... Yuekui, are you hungry? I'll go get you something to eat. What would you like?"

Bai Yuekui said indifferently, "Whatever."

Her gaze swept over Yang Chen, then she walked back to the bedroom.

Yang Chen touched his nose and stood up tactfully: "Okay, then I'll go get you something to eat first. Xiao Kui, keep your sister company and talk to her."

He walked towards the kitchen, and behind him came Xiao Yuekui's concerned voice: "Sister, are you really alright? Is your neck still red? Let me take a look..."

"It's okay, it's really okay..."

(End of this chapter)