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

Chapter 32 Traveling Far Away
The heavy doors of the conference hall opened silently.

The interior space was spacious and tall, with Lord Morgan sitting at the highest command seat.

Rock, the city garrison "coordinator" who deserted in the face of battle, was now standing below Morgan.

Although he tried his best to hide it, there was still a hint of guilt in his eyes. When he saw Hong Kou come in, he quickly looked away.

Red stood alone on the cold floor in the center of the hall, while Victor silently walked to Morgan's other side, like a cold guard.

“Red Cop.” Morgan’s voice rang out, not loud, but somewhat suffocating.

"The laws of the lighthouse do not tolerate a second challenge."

Red Collar didn't argue; she simply straightened her back and met Morgan's gaze.

"Lord, I don't understand."

Rock immediately stepped forward, deliberately raising his voice.

"Lord! I must report Captain Red Bandit's serious dereliction of duty and violation of the Lighthouse Code! This mission suffered heavy losses entirely because of her flawed command and acting on personal emotions!"

He spoke very quickly, as if afraid of being interrupted: "During training and daily interactions, Hong Kou and Po Xiao behaved intimately."

"Furthermore, I have reason to question the serious errors in Hong Kou's command! His rash entry into the dangerous area and subsequent chaotic decision-making after encountering the mutated Devouring Beasts led to heavy losses for the Hunter Squad! It was I who drove the vehicle to draw away some of the Devouring Beasts, buying precious time for the convoy; the consequences would have been unimaginable!"

"All my actions are aimed at safely bringing the team members and supplies back to the lighthouse." Red Cop said calmly, looking at Rock: "And..."

"Rock did not lure away the Devouring Beasts, but deserted during the battle, abandoned his comrades, and drove off alone in an armored transport vehicle."

Morgan remained silent, his expression shrouded in shadow, making it difficult to decipher.

“As the commander of the Hunters, Red has consistently brought back sufficient supplies for the Lighthouse.” Morgan’s deep voice rang out as he looked at Red and spoke slowly: “I have no doubt about Red’s command and combat capabilities.”

"This..." Rock's expression suddenly froze.

“But…” Morgan’s voice suddenly turned somber.

"The three laws of the Lighthouse, one of the ironclad laws is to prohibit emotional exchange and completely sever the old-world family relationships!"

He slowly stood up and walked down the steps, each step striking the cold floor.

Morgan stood a short distance in front of Red: "You violated the life formula before and insisted on healing your teammates. Now, are you going to continue to trample on other rules?"

"If everyone were like you, how would the order and survival of the lighthouse be maintained?!"

Morgan frowned, looking at the silent, head bowed Hong Kou before him.

After a while, Hong Kou suddenly raised her head, and the confusion in her eyes faded.

She met Morgan's gaze, her voice clear and strong.

“Are we just going to live like this forever?” Red Cop looked at Morgan: “On the ground, just now.”

"I saw figures. They might have lured that mutated Devouring Beast away. We can definitely survive on the ground!"

"Humans on the ground definitely have ways to deal with the Devouring Beasts, and they definitely have ways to survive! Otherwise, after so many years, it would be impossible for humans to still exist!"

"enough!"

Morgan's expression suddenly turned furious, and he interrupted Red Cop to continue.

"That's just your imagination!"

"The ground is no longer suitable for human habitation! The lighthouse is humanity's only hope!"

The field fell silent for a moment.

Just then, Victor, who had been standing like a statue beside Morgan, suddenly took half a step forward. His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly on his usually expressionless face.

"Hong Kou!" he called her name, his voice not loud, but enough to break the suffocating silence. "Enough. Now is not the time to argue. Go to the city lord... and apologize."

His sharp gaze pierced Hong Kou, as if telling her to pull back from the brink.

"What's more important than living?" "Admitting your mistakes?"

Hong Kou's voice was soft, yet it echoed clearly in the empty hall.

“If this counts as living, as having hope,” she said, turning her gaze back to Morgan, “then I request permission to travel far away.”

As Hong Kou's voice faded, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence, heavier than ever before.

The last glimmer of persuasion in Victor's eyes vanished completely, leaving only a complex expression.

Rock was completely stunned by this audacious, almost insane request, and stood there speechless, his mouth agape.

Lord Morgan stood on the steps, shadows covering most of his face.

He slowly raised his head, his deep eyes fixed on the stubborn figure in the center of the hall.

“A long journey…” Morgan’s deep voice finally rang out again.

"Red Robe, do you know what you're saying?"

“I know.” Red Collar met Morgan’s gaze without flinching.

"you!"

Morgan pointed at Red Cop, his face full of disappointment and frustration.

“Alright, since you want to travel far away, then so be it.” Morgan turned around and waved for Victor to take Red Cop away.

Just as Victor was about to lead Red Cop out the door, Morgan's voice came again.

“Red Knife, I’ll give you three more days to consider. Put aside any emotions and stop defying the Three Laws. I can let bygones be bygones.”

Red Cop, with her back to Morgan, did not answer, but simply walked out of the hall quietly.

The cool, pale light bathed the lighthouse's icy metal structure, enveloping the two people standing side by side.

Red Collar calmly and without reservation told Dawn everything that had happened in the courtroom.

"That's it"

After listening to Hong Kou's story, Po Xiao and the other person stood on the stands and looked up at the white moon in the distance.

Silence spread between the two, with only the howling wind above.

As dawn broke, his gaze shifted from the moon, meeting Red Collar's eyes.

There was no fear or dissuasion she had expected, only a kind of determination similar to her own.

"If there are still humans on the ground, then I will go with you to find them."

“Dawn…” Her voice choked with emotion, and in the moonlight, her eyes seemed to glisten with tears. “A long journey… that means…”

“I know what that means!” Dawn interrupted her: “I said I would face whatever happens with you.”

"I'd rather live freely on the ground with you than stay in a lighthouse."

"Even if there's little hope."

Hong Kou could no longer hold back, tears silently streaming down her face. She suddenly reached out and hugged Po Xiao tightly, her knuckles turning white with the force.

In a dark corner some distance from the two of them.

Victor took in everything before him, then sighed helplessly and left.

He had already tried to persuade Hong Kou, but if she insisted on doing so, there was nothing he could do.

远行
They will only become nourishment for the Devouring Beasts.

(End of this chapter)