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

Chapter 83 The People in the Life Support Pod
Like a blue comet streaking across the sky, the Swift flew at high speed over the barren continent.

Inside the cockpit, Bai Yuetian was startled by Yang Chen's sudden appearance, but quickly regained his enthusiastic demeanor.

This time, however, I toned it down a bit and didn't try to accelerate to the limit again.

The main concern was that Yang Chen might fall again, and then they would come after him.

"Hey Orange, I can accept giving me a fake talisman, but what's with sneaking onto my boat?" Bai Yuetian grumbled, looking out the window at the rapidly receding clouds.

"It's making me have no private space at all. As a dignified woman, I have to be watched by my brother-in-law when I go out."

Yang Chen's annoyed voice came from the rear cabin.

"Stalking? I'm keeping an eye on some guy who gets too excited after getting a new body and causes some trouble. Yue Kui's worries are not unfounded."

"Tch, you underestimate me!"

Bai Yuetian pursed her lips, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up.

Although being monitored was a bit unpleasant, knowing that her sister and brother-in-law cared about her warmed her heart.

He was about to say something more sarcastic when ASH's gentle voice sounded from the cockpit.

"Landing point coordinates locked." ASH is extremely efficient: "Swift will arrive over the destination in three minutes."

Looking in the direction indicated by the navigation, one could see a faint red dot trailing a faint tail as it slowly descended from the edge of the leaden-gray clouds.

The trajectory wasn't straight; it seemed to be slightly swaying, pushed by the airflow, yet it always headed towards the coastline.

"Finally, I saw it." Bai Yuetian's spirits lifted.

ASH's voice sounded again in the cockpit: "Physical image captured, analyzing. Target confirmed as Old World Escape Pod."

She paused for a moment: "Based on parameter and structural analysis, it is speculated to be an escape capsule of a space station deployed in low Earth orbit during the Coastal Union era, or a remnant of an early interplanetary migration program."

"This model of escape pod is equipped with a hibernation system and a life support system, and its design standard can support a single person to hibernate for up to 70 years."

"Hibernation system?" Bai Yuetian raised an eyebrow, his body involuntarily leaning forward.

"So, there's still someone alive inside?"

“It’s possible.” Ash’s voice returned to its steady tone.

"Attempting to connect to the escape pod's communication channel. Signal interference is too strong. Connection failed. Repeat, unable to establish communication."

As they were talking, the Swift had already approached the predicted landing site.

The surrounding area is an endless plain, and the horizon can be faintly seen in the distance.

The black escape pod was descending towards the area, its speed visibly slowing down, clearly indicating that the escape pod had activated its deceleration program.

"buzz"

Two pale blue streams of air suddenly shot out from the bottom of the escape pod, producing a dull rumble as they rubbed against the air.

The thrust reversers operated at full capacity, gradually dissipating the force of the fall. The cabin was almost suspended when it was less than 100 meters above the ground, and then it was as if it was being supported by an invisible hand.

It landed slowly on the gravel-covered ground, stirring up a fine cloud of dust.

The Swift landed about fifty meters from the escape pod, its engines gradually shut off, and the hatch slid open silently.

Bai Yuetian was the first to jump out of the driver's seat, his gaze fixed on the metal hull parked on the ground not far away.

The escape pod doors were tightly shut, showing no signs of opening.

"Let's go, Orange." Bai Yuetian waved behind him and walked briskly towards the escape pod.

Yang Chen also emerged from the rear of the Swift, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding environment.

There was no unusual activity around the escape pod, nor any trace of the Devouring Beast.

As the two drew closer, they could clearly see the mottled scratches and burn marks on the surface of the escape pod.

"Hey, is anyone inside?" Bai Yuetian called out tentatively from the hatch.

He reached out, about to touch the scorching hot metal hatch, when the escape pod suddenly made a slight sound, and the indicator lights on the surface began to flash, changing from red to a faint green.

"ASH, is there a response?" Bai Yuetian asked in a low voice.

"The power inside the escape pod is activated and is performing a self-test. It has detected vital signs, but the signs are weak."

ASH's voice rang out promptly: "The hatch locking device is disengaging and is expected to open in ten seconds."

Bai Yuetian and Yang Chen exchanged a glance and simultaneously took a half step back.

The black hatch slowly opened outwards under the push of the hydraulic system, revealing a pitch-black compartment inside.

The hatch opened completely, and Bai Yuetian, unable to contain her curiosity, was the first to lean out and look inside.

As ASH detected, the interior space was unusually small, almost entirely occupied by a huge cylindrical life support capsule.

The figure of a young man lay quietly inside the thick, transparent enclosure of the life support capsule.

His face was deathly pale, and his eyes were closed.

"Tsk, this is really rudimentary, they just stuffed this big jar in there." Bai Yuetian muttered, but his gaze was fixed on the people inside the life support pod.

"Has this guy been lying around since the old world?"

Yang Chen did not respond.

He stood at the hatch, his gaze sweeping across the entire cabin.

Besides the central life support module, there were several long-off display screens embedded in the wall, and some exposed cables dangling down.

The entire space exuded a sense of decay, as if it had been abandoned for a long time and was incomplete in function. "Some functions are indeed malfunctioning, but the life support system is the core and is still barely operating." Yang Chen reached out, his fingertips carrying a faint blue light, and gently touched the hatch.

As he touched it, the interior of the escape pod suddenly lit up, emitting a steady pale light that instantly dispelled the darkness inside.

The sudden light made Bai Yuetian squint, which also allowed him to see the details inside the life support pod more clearly.

Bai Yuetian tried knocking on the wall of the hatch, then reached out and opened the hatch on the control panel next to him.

"Hey buddy? Can you hear me? It's the end of the world, time to get up!"

The man inside the hibernation pod opened his eyes a crack, his lips moved very slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but he only managed to utter a faint, almost inaudible breath.

"Awake? Really awake!" Bai Yuetian moved even closer, almost half of his body leaning over the open life support hatch.

"Hey! Dude? Can you hear me? What's your name? How did you end up here?"

However, the man inside the cabin did not respond to his calls.

Those newly opened eyes still stared blankly upwards, their pupils unable to focus, and the rise and fall of their chests so faint as to be almost imperceptible.

The joy on Bai Yuetian's face faded, and he reached out and touched the man's exposed arm with his fingertips.

icy!

Moreover, the skin was abnormally loose and lacked elasticity.

"Hiss..." Bai Yuetian gasped.

"This...this condition is too bad, it looks like he's about to breathe his last."

"The hibernation time may have far exceeded the limit, causing a decline in the effectiveness of the life support system." ASH's voice rang in Bai Yuetian's mind.

"He needs immediate intensive life support and cellular repair, otherwise..."

“Otherwise, it would become an unearthed cultural relic.” Bai Yuetian turned to look at Yang Chen.

"Orange, quickly give him some milk, it might get cold if you wait any longer."

Yang Chen quickly stepped forward and placed his hand on the man's body.

Visibly, the man's paper-white skin seemed to have been infused with vibrant life force; the ashen, lifeless aura quickly faded, replaced by a healthy, warm hue.

His tightly furrowed brows relaxed, and his pursed lips loosened. His near-death state was reversed in just a few breaths.

"Wow!" Bai Yuetian's eyes lit up as he watched from the side. "It has to be you, Orange."

Just then, the man inside the life support pod suddenly opened his eyes.

His gaze instantly locked onto Yang Chen, who was standing right in front of him.

There was no warning, no communication whatsoever.

The man, who had just been pulled back from the brink of death, quickly got up and reached out to grab Yang Chen's shoulder.

His body glowed with blue light, and he strained his arms, seemingly trying to pull Yang Chen down.

Unexpectedly, Yang Chen didn't even sway, remaining firmly in place.

The fierce expression on the man's face froze instantly: "You and I can't affect you?"

Yang Chen's gaze fell on the man's hand, which was covered in a pale blue light and was futilely gripping his shoulder. A look of understanding and contemplation flashed in his eyes.

Source potential?

Seeing that his abilities seemed to have no effect on Yang Chen, the man immediately jumped out of the hibernation pod and ran away.

To Bai Yuetian and Yang Chen's surprise, the man ran towards the thick alloy wall behind him.

"Wow, is he trying to kill himself by crashing his head into a wall?" Bai Yuetian exclaimed.

Unexpectedly, as soon as Bai Yuetian finished speaking, the man's body passed through the wall without any hindrance.

But just as the man's body had passed halfway through the wall, it suddenly felt as if he was being gripped by an invisible hand.

His body flew backward violently, crashing heavily onto the metal floor of the escape pod with a dull thud.

"Huh?" He clutched his chest, looked up in astonishment, and met Yang Chen's gaze.

Bai Yuetian walked a few steps to Yang Chen's side, looking at the man on the ground who hadn't yet recovered.

He put his arm around Yang Chen's shoulder: "That's interesting. It seems he was trying to use his potential to pull you underground just now, wasn't he?"

Yang Chen nodded: "I did feel him trying to press me to the ground just now."

Recalling the scene of the man passing through the wall, it seems that he can change the structure of the things he comes into contact with.
"What's going on... You're also superhumans?" The man's voice was hoarse and dry.

He was pulled back halfway through a wall for no apparent reason; this was the first time he had ever experienced this.

Bai Yuetian crouched down, scrutinizing the man with interest: "A superhuman? I say, buddy, you haven't been floating in the sky since the old world, have you?"

In the old world, those who awakened their source potential were collectively known as superhumans.

The man struggled to get up, but suddenly floated up uncontrollably, his limbs flailing futilely, like a fish being held down on the surface of the water.

His gaze swept back and forth between Bai Yuetian and Yang Chen: "The Old World? What do you mean? Who...who exactly are you?"

Yang Chen did not answer immediately, but walked up to the man and calmly looked at him.

"Calm down, I saved you, we meant no harm."

"You saved me?"

(End of this chapter)