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

Chapter 191 Hisakawa Arrives, Future Plans (1 words)

A slight noise came from the kitchen as Yang Chen quickly prepared a simple meal.

Inside the bedroom, Xiao Yuekui followed Bai Yuekui, her little face still showing worry.

"Sister, does it hurt?" She stood on tiptoe, trying to see the back of Bai Yuekui's neck.

Bai Yuekui sighed, put down the towel, and gently pressed Xiao Yuekui's head to turn her to the side.

"It doesn't hurt anymore, it's all better now." She tried to end the conversation. "Go check if Yang Chen has eaten enough."

Little Yuekui said "Oh" and obediently ran to the kitchen.

After sending Xiao Yuekui away, Bai Yuekui walked to the dressing mirror and looked at the back of her neck.

In the mirror, the red mark was indeed quite noticeable on the snow-white skin.

Soon, Yang Chen came out carrying a steaming bowl of noodles, with a golden fried egg on top.

"I just made something quick, just something to tide me over." He placed the bowl on the living room table.

Bai Yuekui walked over, sat down quietly, and picked up his chopsticks.

Little Yuekui leaned over the table, watching Bai Yuekui eat noodles in small bites, and couldn't help but ask, "Sister, will you still sleep this late tomorrow?"

Bai Yuekui paused, then looked up at Yang Chen, who sat opposite him with an innocent expression.

Yang Chen immediately looked down and examined his fingers.

“…No.” Bai Yuekui looked away and continued eating his noodles.

Time flies, and a week has passed.

The relocation and resettlement of the residents of the lighthouse has been put on track.

With the coordination of Honglu, Drake, and the original residents of the Second Village, the resettlement area is no longer just a gathering place for temporary tents, but has begun orderly planning and construction.

Relatively stable temporary housing was erected, and planned roads connected the various areas.

Strong laborers from the lighthouse, whether former residents or ordinary citizens, were organized to participate in the construction of their new home, as long as their health permitted.

Clearing the foundation, moving materials... everyone is contributing to our shared future. Although busy, most people have an expectation for the future on their faces, instead of the numbness of the past.

Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui stood on high ground, overlooking the ever-expanding settlement.

"The framework here is pretty much set up. Honglu and the others can handle the specific details." Yang Chen looked at it for a while and then said to Bai Yuekui beside him, "We should also go back to Jiuchuan. Professor Horn should have finished making preparations."

Bai Yuekui nodded: "Mm."

The two returned to their lodgings, taking Xiao Yuekui with them.

When the little guy heard that he was going home, although he was a little reluctant to leave the village, he still packed his little backpack because he hadn't seen his parents and brother for a long time.

With a flash of the Rabbit Talisman's power, the three disappeared from Dragonbone Village.

……

Bai Family Villa, Jiuchuan City.

Theresa had already received the message and was waiting in the living room.

Upon seeing the three of them appear, especially Xiao Yuekui who rushed over, a gentle smile immediately appeared on her face, and she bent down to hug her daughter tightly.

"Mommy!" Little Yuekui hugged Theresa's neck and nuzzled her affectionately.

"It's good that you're back. Did you have fun in the village?" Teresa gently patted her daughter's back, looking at Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui with a questioning gaze.

"I'm so happy! I saw so many new things!" Little Moon Queen answered eagerly.

Yang Chen smiled and said, "Mother-in-law, I'll leave Xiao Kui in your care. Yue Kui and I are going to the research institute; Professor Horn is waiting for us."

Theresa nodded. "Go ahead, business is more important. Xiaotian is in his room, let the two siblings play later." As she spoke, she ruffled Xiaoyuekui's hair. "Tell Mom what fun things you saw?"

After handing Xiao Yuekui over to Teresa, Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui did not delay. They immediately activated the talisman and appeared in a conference room in the core area of ​​the research institute.

The conference room was already quite full.

Professor Horn, with slightly gray hair but still vigorous, sat in the main seat. Beside him were several elderly men with composed demeanors, clearly academic giants, who were obviously the core members he had gathered from his old academic circle.

On the other side sat a relatively young man, Xia Qinghe from Heluo.

Upon seeing Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui, two young men, enter, all the professors except Professor Horn couldn't hide their surprise, but their good manners prevented them from asking any questions.

He merely glanced at the two young men.

Xia Qinghe was considered young among the group, and he nodded slightly to Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui in greeting.

"Yang Chen, Yue Kui, you've arrived." Professor Horn stood up and introduced the two.

"These are all old friends of mine in the fields of physics, biological ecology, and materials science, and they are absolutely reliable."

"This is Mr. Xia Qinghe from Heluo. I also specially invited him here."

After a brief introduction, Professor Horn looked at Xia Qinghe and got to the point: "Mr. Xia, the reason I invited you here is twofold. Firstly, we need Heluo's support for deeper cooperation in the future. Secondly, I also want to confirm something."

He paused for a moment: "About a week ago, wasn't there a small, unreported earthquake in a certain area of ​​Heluo?"

Upon hearing this, Xia Qinghe was slightly taken aback, then nodded: "Professor Horn is so well-informed? He even pays attention to these things."

He then readily admitted: "There was indeed one time when the magnitude was very small and no one was injured or damaged, so it was not made public."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present before finally returning to Professor Horn: "This isn't exactly top secret."

"Previously, Heluo received an anonymous early warning message that accurately pointed out the time, magnitude and approximate area of ​​the earthquake. At first, we were skeptical, but the facts proved its accuracy."

Xia Qinghe leaned forward slightly: "We've done our internal analysis. To achieve this level of capability, either the other party has mastered some extremely advanced geological activity prediction model, or... the source of the information itself is extraordinary. We are more inclined to believe that it is a manifestation of the abilities of some kind of superhuman, and that there must be a highly skilled IT team behind them supporting them in order to transmit the information to us in this way."

"Professor Horn suddenly asked about this. Do you have any leads?"

After listening, Professor Horn smiled knowingly. He did not answer Xia Qinghe's question directly, but changed the subject: "There may be clues, but it's a long story."

“Mr. Xia, and everyone else.” He looked at the elderly professors who had been listening quietly. “I know that everyone’s time is precious, especially Mr. Xia. Your research on the source of life is at a critical stage, and you may not be as interested in the brain transplant surgery that this old fellow is tinkering with. I thank you in advance for coming this time.”

Xia Qinghe smiled modestly: "Professor, you flatter me. You are a senior, and I will definitely come since you personally invited me. Moreover, Jiuchuan City is developing rapidly, and I just wanted to come and see for myself."

“Alright, then let’s not beat around the bush.” Professor Horn’s smile faded, and his expression became serious.

"I have gathered you all here today because of the major discovery I have made, which concerns the future of the entire world."

He paused, then turned his gaze to Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui, who had been standing quietly to the side: "What you are about to see may challenge your preconceived notions of science, so please remain calm."

Upon hearing this, Xia Qinghe and several other professors all turned their attention to Professor Horn.

But soon, their attention was drawn to the huge display screen behind Professor Horn.

On the screen, a chilling scene was being displayed.

It was a vast land covered by mana ecosystem.

Twisted vines soar into the sky, and broken concrete and steel bars are exposed. The whole scene is deathly silent and oppressive, filled with the desolation of the post-apocalyptic world.

“What…is this place?” an elderly professor who studies geology and environment murmured in disbelief. He had never seen such a landscape and ecosystem before.

Xia Qinghe's gaze was fixed on a corner of the screen, where he could vaguely see the specific structural style of some dilapidated buildings, which was very similar to a certain area of ​​Heluo.

"This...this is the area in Heluo that was affected by the earthquake before?!" Xia Qinghe suddenly stood up. "Where did this image come from? This vegetation...this environment..."

He turned sharply to Professor Horn: "Professor, what's going on?"

Professor Horn met the questioning gazes of Xia Qinghe and the other senior professors and slowly began to speak.

"Mr. Xia, everyone, what you are seeing is the aftermath of the earthquake in the Heluo region. But it is not the Heluo of our world."

He paused: "This image comes from the future, a future where... the mana ecosystem has completely erupted and eroded most of the land."

Professor Horn pointed to the bizarre ecological scene on the screen: "This is the so-called 'Mana Ecosystem'."

Professor Horn recounted everything, and the meeting room gradually quieted down.

Xia Qinghe sat back down in his chair, digesting this revolutionary information.

Looking at the ecologically covered land on the screen, and recalling the accurate early warning and the images from the potential activation device, he was already seven or eight parts convinced.

He turned his head and looked at Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui. The two of them hadn't changed their expressions since they entered the room, so they must have known about these things all along.

"Professor Horn, so, the person who bypassed all of Heluo's security channels and sent the information directly to the Executive Officer of Dongmu... was that you? Or rather, was it... an organization or entity that you represent?"

He had always thought it was the work of some unknown force or superhuman, but now it seems that's not the case.

Upon hearing this, Professor Horn slowly shook his head. He turned to the side and glanced at Bai Yuekui, who stood calmly to the side.

Then he said to Xia Qinghe, "No, the message was not sent by me, nor by any mysterious organization. To be precise, the message came from Mr. Bai Jingyu, or rather, from his artificial intelligence ASH."

“Bai Jingyu? ASH?” Xia Qinghe was taken aback. Of course, he was familiar with this name.

"ASH...I remember it wasn't that long ago, was it?"

"They've become this amazing in just a few years? Is this some kind of prediction of the future?"

Horn shook his head and walked away, and ASH's holographic projection appeared at that moment: "Next, I will explain it to everyone."

"This information comes from parallel worlds, or you could say from the future."

"What? Parallel worlds?" A murmur of conversation instantly filled the conference room.

If they weren't familiar with Horn, they would have suspected that the person in front of them had been impersonated, or that he was senile and had called them over as a joke.

“I understand…” Xia Qinghe’s voice was a little hoarse. “If all of this is true, then it concerns the fate of two worlds, and whether our world will also face the same end.”

He looked at Professor Horn, his tone more serious than ever before: "Professor, you've summoned us to demonstrate these things. What do you need us to do? Heluo is willing to do everything in its power."

Horn looked at Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui: "Shall we take everyone to see... that place?"

Xia Qinghe and the other professors all had somewhat strange expressions.

Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui exchanged a glance, stepped forward, and said to the crowd, "Everyone, please come closer. No matter what you see next, stay calm."

Although they didn't understand why, everyone present followed orders and moved closer to Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui.

A slight dizziness came over them, and when their vision cleared again, they were no longer in the conference room.

“This is…” An elderly professor adjusted his glasses and looked around incredulously.

Xia Qinghe was completely stunned. He looked around and found that everything had changed drastically.

"What is this? A holographic projection? Simulated by ASH?"

Professor Horn, seeing the shocked expressions on everyone's faces, slowly began to speak:
"Welcome to... Eco-Base Three. A place that does not belong to the world we previously inhabited."

Xia Qinghe reached out and touched the metal wall; the air he breathed through his nose felt incredibly real.

He looked at Professor Horn: "Professor...you're not kidding, are you? Did we...time travel? Just a moment ago?"

His gaze immediately turned to Yang Chen, the young man who had led them closer, and then everything changed.

"You did it?"

Facing the astonished and uncertain gazes of Xia Qinghe and the other professors, Yang Chen calmly nodded: "Yes. As Ash mentioned earlier, Yue Kui and I come from this world, or rather, the future."

"This is a relatively safe refuge and research center that we have built in this world on the verge of destruction. We call it Eco Base No. 3."

Professor Horn added at the opportune moment: "Ladies and gentlemen, what you are standing on and breathing now is the land of another world. Everything here is real."

The elderly professors were so shocked they were speechless.

Xia Qinghe is young after all, and his ability to learn is quite strong.

His gaze swept across the vast space, and a most direct question immediately came to his lips:

"Humanity... was it really that easy to wipe out of this world? Faced with such an ecological disaster, didn't they have any semblance of resistance?"

He couldn't imagine that humanity, with its highly advanced technological civilization, would be so easily defeated by an ecosystem.

Bai Yuekui, who had been silent all along, slowly spoke up: "Resistance? Humanity initially had the opportunity."

"When the Hela Empire dropped the first neutron plume on Hisakawa City, humanity's own all-out war had already begun."

"Nations and powers vied for the last resources and living space on the land of the Old World. Missiles, warships... every conceivable means of destruction was used against their own kind. Mana Ecosystem? At that time, it was just one of many disasters, and it was not even a priority for most powers to deal with or study."

Her tone remained calm, but the content was chilling: "The civil war consumed the vast majority of humanity's manpower and technological reserves. Then, the shifting of continental plates and global geological disasters... took away countless survivors and the industrial base."

"When the remaining humans finally realize that the Mana ecosystem is the real enemy..."

Bai Yuekui paused, his gaze sweeping across the faces of everyone present: "...At that time, the rate of ecological expansion had increased exponentially, and the Devouring Beasts were born from the underground and from the Mana Flower. They absorbed the life essence of humans, adapted, and evolved. As for us, we lost industrial support, unified command, and a large number of people and researchers...we have completely lost the ability to resist on a large scale."

“Scattered sparks, like the base here, can only eke out a living in the cracks, or... eventually be swallowed up.”

There was dead silence in the venue.

Xia Qinghe originally thought it was a sudden natural disaster, but he never expected that there was such a long and cruel process behind it.

Human beings killing each other and the ensuing natural disasters ultimately led to their complete defeat in the face of the Mana ecosystem.

This is not a simple war, but the entire process of a civilization disintegrating from within and then being completely destroyed by external forces.

Looking at the well-equipped and technologically advanced ecological base before him, and recalling Bai Yuekui's description of the human civilization powerless to recover from war and disaster, a huge sense of heaviness weighed on his heart.

Professor Horn's voice broke the silence: "Now, do you all understand why we've gathered here, why we're devoting all our efforts to researching and responding to this? What we're seeing isn't just a tragedy from a parallel world, but a future that could happen. Our world must never repeat the same mistakes."

Xia Qinghe nodded heavily. He looked at Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui, then at Professor Horn, and said in a deep voice, "I understand. Heluo will support all related research without reservation."

"No, we can still go back to our world, right?"

Having received Yang Chen's confirmation, Xia Qinghe added, "I will inform the executive officer of everything here."

Bai Yuekui then turned to Professor Horn: "Teacher, I'll leave this to you."

Professor Horn nodded solemnly and gestured to the senior professors who were still in shock and revelation: "Gentlemen, come in with me. The research areas inside the base have many things that will broaden your horizons and may help us find new directions for the future of our world."

However, Xia Qinghe remained standing still. He looked at Bai Yuekui and Yang Chen and made his request: "Gentlemen, before we go deeper into this place, I have a favor to ask."

“I am very interested in that ‘potential activation device’. I wonder if you could take me to see it first? After all, it was originally a direction derived from our Heluo’s theory of life source.

Bai Yuekui was not surprised by this. She said calmly, "Sure. The device isn't here; it's in another area. Anyway, it's based on your Heluo's original research and development, so you can see it if you want."

She paused, then added, "However, the potential activation center isn't here."

Xia Qinghe immediately replied, "No problem, I'll go along with whatever you say."

Therefore, Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui took Xia Qinghe and temporarily left the core area of ​​the No. 3 Ecological Base.

Professor Horn then led the elderly professors deeper into the area.

On the way to the Potential Activation Center, Xia Qinghe looked at Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui walking ahead and asked, "Speaking of which, how should I address you two?"

Although he had heard the name from Professor Horn, he knew nothing more about his specific identity.

Yang Chen turned his head and replied simply, "Yang Chen."

"Bai Yuekui".

“Bai Yuekui?” Xia Qinghe repeated the name, his brows furrowing.

"Surname Bai?" Bai Yuekui seemed to know what he was thinking and directly confirmed his guess: "Yes, Bai Jingyu is my father."

Upon hearing the confirmation, Xia Qinghe was taken aback.

He looked at Bai Yuekui's face and then thought about Bai Jingyu's age.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately swallowed his words.

But in my heart, I felt that Bai Jingyu might be too precocious.

Looking at Xia Qinghe, Yang Chen chuckled: "The Moon King of the other world is still young. You're overthinking it."

Xia Qinghe turned to look at Yang Chen: "What...what does this mean? The other world...is still small?"

Bai Yuekui didn't look at him, his gaze calmly fixed ahead: "The literal meaning. I've lived from the old world until now."

"The old world... still alive now?!" Xia Qinghe looked at Bai Yuekui's young profile in disbelief.

"This... immortality? You... no, we in the future have already developed the technology for immortality?"

Bai Yuekui finally turned his head and glanced at Xia Qinghe: "Immortality? Humanity's exploration of life forms and its desire to break the limits of lifespan are indeed the research directions of countries in the old world."

"But this research is also the beginning, or rather... the catalyst, of this ecological disaster that has swept the world."

"Catalyst? What do you mean?" Xia Qinghe's voice was a little tense.

Bai Yuekui turned his head: "What I mean is that something is stopping us as we try to explore the origin of life and touch immortality. Mana Ecology is their means."

Xia Qinghe felt as if his breath had stopped.

"...High-dimensional beings?" Xia Qinghe's voice was dry.

Yang Chen chimed in from the side, "Who knows?"

"This is it," Bai Yuekui said calmly.

Xia Qinghe followed the two into the Potential Activation Hall.

He glanced curiously at the people inside the stimulation center, then carefully examined the surrounding guidance devices and vital sign monitoring system, his eyes gleaming.

"It's very ingenious... It's consistent with the direction of our theoretical model deduction, but in terms of completion, it far exceeds our current level."

He couldn't help but admire it, then looked at Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui: "Can I see it in actual operation? The video footage you sent over before was lost at the crucial moment."

Upon hearing this, Yang Chen instructed Xia Tianlai, who was adjusting equipment not far away, "Tianlai, you can let them come over now."

Today was also the day of this session of potential activation, what a coincidence.

He paused, then added, "Let Dr. Carrie come and take a look too; she's interested in this as well."

Xia Tian nodded and replied, "Okay, boss."

He then walked to the communication device on the wall and began contacting the relevant personnel.

Xia Qinghe stood to the side, his gaze unconsciously following Xia Tianlai's figure.

He looked at Xia Tianlai's profile and a strange sense of familiarity welled up in his heart.

Not long after, footsteps were heard, and Dr. Carrie practically rushed into the Potential Activation Hall. She had dark circles under her eyes, but her eyes were unusually bright. As soon as she entered, she eagerly scanned the entire hall.

"Is this the place? I can finally see it with my own eyes!" Carrie rubbed her hands excitedly, then noticed the crowd and composed herself slightly.

Having learned about her over this period of time, Carrie has come to understand the role of emotions, and that the Three Laws' approach of suppressing emotions is actually a step backward.

Immediately afterwards, Xia Tianlai led several candidates who were participating in this potential activation event into the room.

These people included both men and women, and varied in age.

Xia Tian walked up to Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui and reported the situation: "Boss, Boss Bai, everyone has arrived and we can start at any time."

Yang Chen said to Xia Qinghe, "Mr. Xia, Dr. Carrie, you will now see the complete potential activation process. Tianlai will be responsible for the main operation and explanation."

Xia Tianlai gestured to Xia Qinghe and Jiali, guiding them to the observation area next to the main control console.

Here, you can clearly see the extraction of life essence and also see various physiological data in real time on the main control screen.

The entire stimulation process was an eye-opener for Xia Qinghe and Jiali.

Xia Qinghe murmured, "The power of will... the thought of protecting my dearest loved ones."

If not enough willpower is generated, the activation device cannot always guide out the source potential.

No wonder that apart from those who are born with superpowers, most of the others who acquire superpowers later in life are people who have participated in battles.

No, they should be called enlightened practitioners now.

He pondered, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over Xia Tianlai, who was directing the finishing touches.

Xia Qinghe stepped forward, patted Xia Tianlai on the shoulder, and asked, "Are you from the Heluo region?"

Xia Tian was taken aback for a moment, then turned around and said, "I guess so."

"I was picked up by Boss Bai."

At this moment, Yang Chen walked over and said to Xia Qinghe, "Regarding all the technical parameters and operating data of the potential activation device, as well as the theoretical basis and preliminary training methods of our research on the 'return to origin' state, ASH will compile them into complete information and send it to Heluo after you return. We can fully share this part."

Xia Qinghe perked up: "Thank you very much! This will save us a lot of time and resources, allowing us to continue our research directly from your shoulders."

Afterwards, Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui took Xia Qinghe on a tour of several other important areas of the base, including some research laboratories for Mana ecology and Devouring Beast samples, giving him a more intuitive and profound understanding of the source of this disaster and the characteristics of the enemy.

Finally, they returned to Ecological Base No. 3 and reunited with Professor Horn and the other senior professors who already knew the situation.

The massive holographic sand table clearly displays the expansion pattern of the Mana ecosystem, the types and behavioral logic of the Devouring Beasts, and the key node—the Mana Flower.

Everyone's brows were furrowed.

Having witnessed the horrors of another world firsthand, and combined with the information they had just obtained, they all understood the gravity of the situation.

"The key lies in the Mana Flower and the special magnetic field it generates." An old professor pointed to the simulated Mana Flower. "Within this magnetic field range, as long as the 'Spirit Seed' at its core is not destroyed, the Devouring Beast can repair its damage almost infinitely and rapidly, which greatly reduces the effectiveness of conventional physical attacks."

"Perhaps we can approach this from two directions," Professor Horn said thoughtfully.

"One is genetic weapons. We will develop agents that can target the unique genes of the Devourer Beasts and Mana to destroy their structure or block their regeneration ability."

“Another direction is to try to create the opposite magnetic field, or rather, the ‘interference field’,” another scholar added. “If we can develop a device that can neutralize or even suppress the magnetic field of the Mana Flower, it can significantly weaken the regenerative ability of the Devouring Beasts and may even affect the expansion of the Mana ecosystem itself. This is more like an environmental confrontation.”

Listening to the discussion, Xia Qinghe also offered his own perspective: "There's another question."

"According to the information you provided, a 'spore virus' outbreak occurred in the early stages of the collapse, which also caused a huge disaster."

Bai Yuekui nodded and confirmed, "Regarding the spore virus, there is now an antidote. One of the awakened individuals in the village has gut flora that can suppress it to a certain extent."

The group engaged in a heated discussion around these main directions, with various ideas, difficulties, and possibilities being raised and analyzed.

At the end of the meeting, Xia Qinghe, representing Heluo, reached a preliminary agreement with Professor Horn, Yang Chen, and Bai Yuekui on the intention to cooperate comprehensively.

ASH will become a core hub for information transmission and technology sharing between the two worlds.

When Yang Chen used the power of the talisman again to bring Xia Qinghe and several old professors back to the familiar conference room in Jiuchuan City, everyone felt as if they had been transported to another world.

Outside, the bustling city of Hisakawa still stood, but they all knew that a battle concerning the survival of humanity had quietly begun.

Xia Qinghe solemnly said to Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui, "I will immediately report to the CEO and expedite the cooperation agenda."

He rubbed his temples, his face showing obvious fatigue and headache. "However, just thinking about the series of problems we have to face makes me feel... that the task ahead is arduous and the road is long."

He counted on his fingers, "Leaving aside those Devouring Beasts, the large-scale displacement of continental plates alone is an almost unsolvable problem."

"This involves global geological disasters, large-scale population migration, and the construction of survival bases... Given the current level of cooperation among various countries, it is almost an impossible task to complete."

He paused, then added, "And those lunatics from the Hela Empire! Their real aim is to seize the AI ​​ASH, but they insist on using the excuse of 'eliminating the mantle vines' to launch neutron plumes at Hisakawa. If you ask me, the Coastal Alliance should be led by Heluo."

After listening quietly to Xia Qinghe's complaints, Bai Yuekui added, "My father, Bai Jingyu, can participate in the negotiations with the Hela Empire with you."

Xia Qinghe nodded upon hearing this.

However, the seriousness on his face did not completely disappear.

Even with the full support of Dragonbone Village and the sharing of technology and information across the world, humanity still faces a difficult road full of thorns.

The mana ecosystem is like a Damocles' sword hanging over our heads.

But sometimes, the madness within humanity is more deadly than external threats.

He temporarily suppressed his worries about the future and said to Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui, "In any case, the first step of cooperation has been taken. Let's deal with the immediate matters first, and I will bring back what I have seen and heard here, as well as the intention to cooperate, to Heluo as soon as possible. As for the follow-up..."

"We can only take it one step at a time and do our best."

Yang Chen patted him on the shoulder: "Don't put too much pressure on yourself. At least now, we're not fighting alone. With the wisdom and technology of both worlds combined, we'll always find a way to change the game."

Bai Yuekui nodded slightly.

Xia Qinghe felt somewhat relieved looking at the couple in front of him.

"And the research on immortality isn't just supported by high-ranking officials from various countries, but also by wealthy individuals from various countries. Brain transplant surgery is what those people want to promote. Bai Yuekui, you know this better than we do."

Bai Yuekui said, "I know."

He nodded, said no more, and left the research institute with several senior professors. He was preparing to return to Heluo immediately.

After seeing Xia Qinghe and several senior professors off from the research institute, Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui went to Bai Jingyu's company.

After confirming via ASH's mobile app that Bai Jingyu was currently in his office on the top floor, Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui appeared in the office.

Bai Jingyu had his back to them when he heard the noise behind him, so he slowly turned around.

"You're back?" His voice was calm. "ASH told me you took Professor Horn and his team there... Is everything going well?"

"Hmm." Bai Yuekui nodded slightly and walked to the sofa to sit down.

"It's good that everything went smoothly." Bai Jingyu walked to the side, poured two glasses of water, and handed them to Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui. He held the other glass for himself but did not drink it.

His gaze shifted to the center of the office, where ASH's pale blue holographic projection quietly lit up and hovered silently.

A brief silence fell over the office.

Bai Jingyu's gaze lingered on the ASH projection, his expression complex.

After a long silence, he slowly spoke: "Cooperation...research...these are all necessary to prepare for future disasters. ASH is indispensable in this process, with its computing power and stored knowledge."

He paused, his fingers tightening slightly around the water glass: "But..."

"ASH, don't let Yue Kui get into danger this time."

After a moment of silence, ASH spoke: "I know, Bai Jingyu."

At that time, in order to advance brain transplant surgery and immortality, she released Bai Yuekui's surgical video without authorization. She had calculated a lot, but she could not have predicted that the disaster would break out so quickly.

Research into immortality must be paused here, otherwise the ecosystem might erupt prematurely or something else might happen.

As for the world of Dragonbone Village, you can do whatever you want, as ruthless as you want.

Bai Jingyu nodded and said nothing more.

He walked to Bai Yuekui's side and gently patted her shoulder, everything understood without words.

Bai Jingyu then went to his desk and fiddled with the controls, bringing up several new design drawings and real-world test videos.

The video shows the police equipment he requested, which has been modified and looks very similar to the prototype he had seen before.

“Let’s get back to the other things.” Bai Jingyu pointed to one of the models.

"Based on ASH's continuous optimization, the biggest improvement in this batch of equipment is the simplification of operation. Even untrained personnel can use the equipment to locate the Lingxi Seed."

In the video, a person wearing ordinary combat uniform is seen wearing a gravity suit and attacking a training beast in front of him.

Bai Jingyu added, "With this kind of user-friendly equipment, the time required to develop combat capability in the future can be greatly shortened."

ASH's projection added in a timely manner: "It is recommended to conduct field tests, and the feedback data will be used to optimize the next generation of equipment."

Bai Jingyu looked at Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui: "The first batch of materials is ready. You can take them back directly. Test them as soon as possible, get the data and send it back so we can see if there are any areas that need improvement. After all, there will always be a gap between theory and practice."

"Understood." Yang Chen nodded. "We'll arrange the test when we get back."

"Okay, be careful," Bai Jingyu reminded him.

"Don't worry, father-in-law, I'm here." Yang Chen smiled.

Bai Jingyu nodded and said no more.

He performed a few steps and sent the warehouse permissions and equipment list to Yang Chen's ASH mobile app.

Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui didn't linger any longer. After saying goodbye to Bai Jingyu, they disappeared from the office.

The next moment, the two appeared in a heavily guarded warehouse.

Dozens of silver-gray sealed boxes are neatly stacked here.

Based on the list, Yang Chen moved the batch of brand-new equipment away with a wave of his hand.

"Let's go back to the village," Yang Chen said, looking at Bai Yuekui.

The next moment, Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui appeared in the second village.

The dozens of silver-gray sealed boxes appeared neatly on the open ground, making a dull sound, which attracted the curious eyes of many villagers and patrol soldiers nearby.

Upon hearing the news, Honglu and Drake rushed over, with Hongkou following behind them, clearly very interested in the commotion.

"Boss Yang, Boss Bai," Honglu spoke first, her gaze sweeping over the sealed boxes. "These are...?"

“New equipment brought from Jiuchuan.” Yang Chen patted a box next to him. “It was modified over there based on the information we provided, and it’s specifically designed to counter the Devouring Beasts.”

He gestured for Honglu to come forward and casually opened a box.

Inside is a modified police gravity chamber with sleek lines, additional protection and interfaces added to key areas, and several new weapon modules are also provided.

“The biggest improvement is here,” Yang Chen pointed to the head, “You can directly locate the Spirit Rhinoceros Seed through the eyepiece.”

A glint of light flashed in Honglu's eyes; she immediately understood the value of this equipment.

Meanwhile, Hongkou's gaze was completely drawn to the gravitational body.

Hongkou excitedly walked to the large box, reached out and stroked the cool metal casing, her eyes burning with excitement: "It looks much better than those old relics in the lighthouse!"

She was the commander of the Hunters when she was at the Lighthouse, so she was very familiar with gravity bodies. Although the equipment in front of her was based on police equipment, it had been modified by ASH, and its design concept and potential performance were obviously far beyond the current level of technology.

Seeing Hong Kou's eager expression, Yang Chen couldn't help but smile: "I guess so. I've improved the ease of use and the special attack against Devouring Beasts. What, want to give it a try?"

Hong Kou herself is familiar with gravity bodies, and with her ability to return to the origin, it's just right for her to take the lead in conducting experiments.

"Yes! Of course I want to!" Hongkou answered almost without hesitation.

She turned to Honglu: "Sister, let me try first! I promise I'll be careful!"

Honglu looked at her younger sister's impatient appearance with some helplessness, but she also knew Hongkou's abilities and familiarity with the equipment.

“Okay.” Red Heron nodded.

"Then you will lead the team out to give it a try."

(End of this chapter)