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

Chapter 23 Conflict
The heavy lifting platform made a loud metallic clanging sound at the interface at the bottom of the lighthouse, and slowly rose with the hiss of the hydraulic system.

Hong Kou quickly climbed out of the gravity body and arrived at the vehicle.

At this time, the injured hunters and dusters had already been carried out by their teammates.

The remaining hunters silently stepped off the vehicle, their faces no longer showing the ease of their previous mission, but only the exhaustion and heaviness of surviving a disaster.

The Dust People cowered even more, burying their heads as they quickly moved the supply crates, covered in mud and unidentified slime, away from the platform, their movements revealing a numb obedience.

Medical staff, who had been notified in advance, rushed forward with their equipment, moving quickly but with indifferent expressions.

"Hurry! Their injuries are serious, they need to be treated as soon as possible!" Hong Kou urged the medical staff who were carrying the stretchers over.

A man wearing a white coat and a mask walked over. He was the medical director, a middle-aged doctor with a stern face.

He quickly checked on Benny and the other two seriously wounded. He flipped open the data panel in his hand, his fingertips swiping rapidly across the screen, accessing the Lighthouse's medical resource allocation and contribution point system data.

His gaze lingered on Benny's young face, contorted with blood loss and pain, for less than a second before shifting away.

"Captain Hong Kou, according to regulations, we need to assess their injuries first. If there's no value in treating them..."

Before the medical supervisor could finish speaking, he felt a cold sensation on his forehead.

Hong Kou pulled out a pistol and pressed it against his head: "I said, they need to get medical treatment as soon as possible."

"If you don't have enough contribution points, then deduct them from my contribution points!"

"Quickly prepare the stretcher." The medical supervisor took two steps back in fear, his expression tense.

Upon hearing the clear order, the others immediately lifted the injured hunter onto a stretcher.

"Benny, hang in there!" Xuefeng gripped his comrade's hand on the stretcher, his voice urgent.

Benny's face was ashen, and his broken leg was tightly bound with a makeshift tourniquet, but the seeping blood still stained the simple bandage.

His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he only made weak hoarse sounds, his eyes filled with a longing for life.

“Captain Red, you can see that his injuries are too severe. He has lost both legs. Even if he survives the surgery, he will lose the ability to move freely in the future. Even if you use all your contribution points to treat him and fit him with prosthetics, the loss will already exceed the value he can bring.”

Seeing that Hong Kou's expression had softened, the medical supervisor couldn't help but offer some words of advice.

Hong Kou could no longer hold back and immediately rushed forward, grabbing him by the collar: "My team member risked his life to bring back the supplies that the lighthouse desperately needed! What he needs now is medical treatment, not your so-called 'value assessment'!"

At this moment, the city defense troops also arrived and surrounded the crowd.

Upon seeing this, Po Xiao immediately stepped forward and stood beside Hong Kou, as did Xue Feng and the others.

"Captain Hong Kou, watch your temper!"

Victor pushed through the city guards and stood in front of the doctor, his metal prosthetic arm slightly raised as a silent warning.

Red Coo loosened the medical director's collar and stared coldly at Victor.

“The rules of the Lighthouse are inviolable, and the doctor has made a professional judgment. Resources must be used on those who can continue to contribute to the Lighthouse.” His gaze swept over Benny. “The Lighthouse will remember his sacrifice.”

"But survival requires rational choices."

Upon hearing this, Red Cop raised his gun again, but this time he aimed it at Victor.

"brush"

At the same time, the city's garrison soldiers also raised their weapons and aimed at the Red Guards ahead.

Po Xiao stepped forward and stood in front of Hong Kou.

A deathly silence fell over the field. Only the monotonous ticking of the medical equipment and Benny's increasingly faint breathing could be heard.

The dust people lowered their heads, not daring to breathe, and their movements of carrying supplies came to a standstill, while the hunters all had ashen faces.

Dr. Carrie had appeared at the entrance of the passageway at some point, watching the scene with great interest, as if observing an interesting experiment.

“Red Cop, are you betraying the Lighthouse?” Victor’s expression was unreadable. “I’ll tell you,” Red Cop said, enunciating each word clearly, “My team members need medical attention.”

Victor was silent for a moment, then waved his hand: "Take him away and treat him."

"Yes!" The medical supervisor paused for a moment, then immediately directed the staff to carry Benny away.

Victor gestured to the city guards behind him to lay down their weapons.

Red Cop wasn't truly out of his mind; upon seeing that Benny had been taken away for treatment, he also put down his weapon.

"Come with me to see the city lord."

After Victor finished speaking, he turned and left, and the city guards immediately made way for him.

Hong Kou looked at Po Xiao's worried gaze and gave him a relieved smile.

Dawn looked at Red Armor: "No matter what, I'll face it with you."

Hong Kou nodded, said no more, and quickly followed Victor toward the conference hall.

"Won't our captain be punished?" Haji whispered to Xuefeng beside him.

Xuefeng sighed: "The captain has already pointed a gun at General Victor."

"But that was for Benny."

The hunters fell silent. A captain who dared to point a gun at the city defense forces for the sake of his teammates was someone that his teammates couldn't find fault with.

But blatantly going against the rules of the lighthouse is a consequence no one can afford.

Red followed Victor toward the conference hall, each step feeling as heavy as a thousand pounds.

Benny's eyes, filled with a will to survive, were like a brand, deeply searing her soul.

The lighthouse's "survival rules" seemed so cruel and suffocating at this moment.

Is this the only way to live in this world?

Once this idea took root in Hong Kou's mind, it became clear.

“Although it seems like we shouldn’t ask now,” Carrie said, having somehow appeared beside Redhead. “But it seems Captain Redhead didn’t bring back the bones of the Devouring Beast.”

Hong Kou paused, frowning as she looked at Jia Li: "My team members didn't even come back alive, and you're telling me this now?"

"Sorry~ Sorry, then we can only hope that Captain Red will be able to bring her back successfully next time." Carrie smiled.

Hong Kou ignored the heartless woman and continued walking forward.

But Carrie seemed to want to watch the show, so she followed behind Red.

The group pushed open the doors to the meeting hall, where Morgan was sitting in the seat of the city lord, his head bowed and his brows furrowed.

"Lord, the Red Bandits have arrived," Victor said as he stepped forward, then walked to the side.

Carrie was also quite interested and stood aside to watch, wanting to hear what kind of conversation would follow.

Morgan only looked up when he saw Red Cop arrive.

Red also looked at Morgan, neither of them intending to speak first.

The meeting room fell silent for a moment, then Morgan broke the silence.

"Red Bandit".

Why break the rules set by the lighthouse?

(End of this chapter)