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

Chapter 125 happens to be Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day).

Anna's design sketches gradually came to a perfect finish, and a unique ring emerged on the paper.

"Yes, yes, yes! That's exactly the feeling!" A look of satisfaction appeared in Yang Chen's eyes. This ring perfectly matched what he had in mind.

Understated, unique, and imbued with power and beauty, it perfectly matches Bai Yuekui's temperament.

Bai Yuetian also came over and exclaimed in amazement, "This designer is amazing! Quite talented!"

Once the design was finalized, Yang Chen immediately provided Bai Yuekui's precise finger dimensions, as well as his own.

Designer Anna noted down the measurements and confidently assured them, "Please rest assured, since this is Mr. Bai's special request, we will mobilize all resources to prioritize its production. We will definitely deliver both rings perfectly before closing time tonight."

Having received a positive reply, Yang Chen and Bai Yuetian left the jewelry store satisfied.

Hisakawa City had fully awakened by this time, and the commercial streets were bustling with people.

Now that the most important task was completed and they only needed to wait, the two decided to split up and search for other gifts.

"Let's meet here again in an hour!" Bai Yuetian said, then enthusiastically plunged into a large electronics mall.

Yang Chen then walked towards another street.

An hour later, the two met at the agreed-upon fountain in the square.

Yang Chen now had several bags in his hands, containing fine tea, a top-quality cashmere shawl as soft as a cloud, and several books.

He looked at Bai Yuetian and saw that the guy was holding several huge paper bags in his arms, with a strange smile on his face.

Yang Chen's gaze swept over the familiar, brightly colored, and boldly patterned logos and promotional images on the paper bags, and his expression instantly became somewhat subtle and astonished.

Those were the same packaging from the specialty store where Bai Yuetian had secretly bought "adult games" before, and judging by the quantity, it was far more than what he had bought last time.

"..." Yang Chen was silent for two seconds before he couldn't help but speak, his tone full of doubt.

"Weren't we supposed to be buying a gift for Yue Kui today? Why are you only buying one for yourself?"

He really couldn't understand why Bai Yuetian was hoarding this stuff.

Upon hearing this, Bai Yuetian lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "I bought this for Yue Kui!"

"Hmm?" Yang Chen was even more puzzled.

Who are you buying it for?

"It's for Yue Kui!" Bai Yuetian said matter-of-factly, his expression quite smug.

"Buy it for Yue Kui?!" Yang Chen's voice unconsciously rose a little.

"Are you sure you want to give her this? Is...is this appropriate?"

He simply couldn't imagine how Bai Yuekui would react when he received this kind of "study material".

Should we take direct action to eliminate them, or should we send them both back to the factory for a fresh start?
"Oh, don't worry! Trust me!" Bai Yuetian said, winking.

"Yue Kui will like it! As her brother, how could I not know her? She's just keeping it a secret, although I never expected her to be interested in this."

"Stop!" Yang Chen quickly interrupted his increasingly outrageous remarks, and a black line seemed to droop down his forehead.

He looked at the scantily clad, alluring virtual girls on the packaging, and then imagined Bai Yuekui expressionlessly putting on the devices and entering these games...

An extremely strong sense of unease instantly welled up in my heart.

Did Yue Kui have this side to her? Why didn't I notice it before?

Or is it... that Bai Yuetian is just courting disaster?
Yang Chen was filled with doubt. Looking at Bai Yuetian's confident demeanor, he began to have serious doubts for the first time about his brother-in-law's "understanding".

He began to worry seriously that when he got home that night, a sign would be hung on his door that read "No dogs or dogs allowed."

"Let's go, let's go! It's still early, let's go look around and see if there's anything suitable!" Bai Yuetian obviously didn't take Yang Chen's worries seriously and urged him excitedly.

Inside the analysis laboratory at Ecological Base No. 3.

The cold light poured down, illuminating the complex data and simulated images that scrolled across the screen.

The main screen is playing a loop of a battle video recorded by ASH via the Swift.

It was Yang Chen, dressed as the Abyss Walker, clearing out new types of Devouring Beasts on other continents, especially the scene of his battle against the mutated Devouring Beast that could emit special sound waves.

Bai Yuekui stood in front of the screen with his arms crossed, his gaze sharp as a knife, analyzing Yang Chen's fighting style and the Devouring Beasts frame by frame, especially the reaction of the mutated one.

"ASH, amplify the energy spectrum from the seventh to the ninth second when the Devouring Beast vocalizes, and filter out background noise," Bai Yuekui instructed clearly.

“Processed,” ASH responded, and a clearer high-frequency sound spectrum immediately appeared on one side of the screen, with its waveform exhibiting an extremely stable regularity.

“As expected,” Bai Yuekui nodded slightly.

"This frequency directly interferes with the life source substance, similar to the auxiliary equipment used when actively stimulating potential."

Her fingertips tapped rapidly on the console, bringing up another set of data models.

"Its principle is similar to that of the resonant gun used to clean up the 'tumor' of the Mana Flower. Both of them induce resonance or disorder in the internal structure of the target through a specific frequency, but its frequency is targeted at the flowing life essence itself."

In the past month, no large-scale gatherings of Devouring Beasts have appeared outside the shielding tower, nor has this new species crossed the sea.

However, we must take precautions; it would be bad if there were a sudden attack.

Based on ASH's in-depth analysis of combat data, she has designed prototype blueprints for several countermeasures devices.

Some are small, personal wearable sound wave cancellers that can automatically generate the opposite sound wave frequency to neutralize interference when a specific frequency is detected.

Some are regional frequency jamming devices with a larger operating range, which can be installed around shielding towers or important facilities.

"Tasia," Bai Yuekui called out without turning his head.

"Give me the resonant core frequency calibration data from the previous prototype."

There was no immediate response.

Bai Yuekui tilted his head slightly and looked at the control panel in the corner of the laboratory.

Tasia was sitting in the chair, her little head nodding off, the data tablet in her hand almost slipping off her lap.

She was clearly exhausted; her eyelids drooped heavily, and her breathing was even.

The only sounds in the lab were the low hum of the instruments and the sound effects playing on a loop on the screen.

Bai Yuekui glanced at the time displayed on the screen; it was already late at night.

She then realized that she had been so engrossed in her work that she had lost track of time.

"It's so late..." she murmured to herself, her brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.

"Why haven't Orange and my brother come back yet?"

ASH had previously told her that Yang Chen and Bai Yuetian were going out and would return in the evening, but now it had gone far beyond the scope of "evening".

For Yang Chen, who was using the Rabbit Talisman, the distance between Jiuchuan City and Longgu Village was practically negligible.

She withdrew her gaze and looked at Tasia, who was trying to stay awake but was still drowsy. Her eyes softened slightly.

She stepped forward, gently took off her white coat, and draped it over Tasia's shoulders.

The movement startled Tasia awake. She jolted awake, opened her sleepy eyes, and looked at Bai Yuekui with some confusion: "B-Boss? I'm fine, I'm not sleepy..."

"I'm leaving." Bai Yuekui interrupted her, his tone leaving no room for doubt, but without any blame.

"It's getting late, go back to sleep first. The remaining ASH analysis will be completed, and the calibration work can be done tomorrow."

Tasia rubbed her eyes and obediently stood up.

She wrapped her coat tighter around herself, which still carried Bai Yuekui's warmth and faint fragrance, and replied softly, "Um... thank you, boss."

Bai Yuekui turned off the main screen, and the light in the laboratory immediately dimmed, leaving only the faint glow of some indicator lights.

She led the yawning Tasia out of the laboratory, the door closing silently behind them.

The corridor was quiet and deserted, with only the soft echoes of their footsteps.

Bai Yuekui escorted Tasia home, watched her enter, and then turned and walked towards his and Yang Chen's hut.

The village of Longgu was unusually quiet at night, with most of the houses dark.

She looked up in the direction of her own little house; the windows were still completely dark.

Yang Chen hasn't returned yet.

Bai Yuekui paused slightly. Under the cover of night, her expression was not clear, only her clear eyes shone brightly in the darkness.

Inside Yang Chen and Bai Yuekui's small house.

Unlike the tranquil night outside, the room was filled with a subtle atmosphere that mixed anticipation, tension, and a touch of absurdity.

Several beautifully packaged gift bags were already laid out on the living room table.

The fine tea, cashmere shawl, and books that Yang Chen bought were placed to one side, while the luxury brand handbag containing two custom-made rings was carefully placed in the most conspicuous position.

At that moment, Bai Yuetian was lying to the side, writing furiously on a specially selected greeting card with cute designs.

Yang Chen stood beside him, looking down at the words on the greeting card, his expression becoming increasingly subtle.

He finally couldn't help but ask, "Are you... sure you really want to write it this way?"

The greeting card read:

Happy 60th birthday to my dearest sister, Yuekui:

May you always maintain a spirit of exploration towards the unknown and a strong thirst for knowledge!

These games, selected by me, offer rich content and unique perspectives, helping you to improve yourself in all aspects, broaden your horizons, and experience a different world!

—Respectfully presented by your thoughtful and understanding brother, Bai Yuetian.

Bai Yuetian looked up, his expression matter-of-fact: "Huh? Is there a problem? Isn't it well written?"

Yang Chen watched as Bai Yuetian rewrapped the gifts, which were clearly in "adult game" packaging, with the same fancy gift paper and piled them next to the greeting cards.

Adding this text to the text at this moment makes my temples throb.

He took a deep breath and decided to give up trying to correct his brother-in-law, who was clearly on a path of self-destruction.

Yang Chen shook his head helplessly: "...No, whatever makes you happy."

Just then, the mobile terminal in Yang Chen's pocket vibrated very slightly, and ASH's voice sounded softly.

"Yang Chen, Yue Kui has already taken Tasia home and is currently walking in that direction. At her walking speed, she should arrive at the door in about two minutes."

The two people inside the room froze instantly, exchanging a glance.

"So fast?!" Bai Yuetian almost jumped up, hurriedly and haphazardly sticking the last piece of gift paper back on.

He then placed the "special gift" next to the pile of normal gifts, trying to make it look less out of place.

"Hide, I'll go turn off the lights," Yang Chen decided immediately.

Coming back so late and secretly preparing so many things—if they were caught red-handed, all the surprise would be ruined.

Looking around, the living room was quite spacious, enough to easily hide two grown men.

Footsteps could already be faintly heard outside the door, getting closer and closer.

Yang Chen grabbed Bai Yuetian, who was still trying to hide the game box behind her, his mind racing. The magic of the snake talisman quietly surged.

The next second, the two figures disappeared completely as if they had merged into the air, and even their auras were almost completely concealed.

The moment their figures disappeared.

"Click."

The door lock clicked softly, and the door was pushed open from the outside.

Bai Yuekui walked in.

Turn on the lights.

Her gaze swept across the room as usual, and immediately landed on the pile of obvious gift bags that had appeared on the living room table.

Her steps faltered at the doorway.

Bai Yuekui's gaze swept over the bags on the table that were clearly gifts, and finally landed on the two most exquisite and delicate jewelry boxes placed side by side.

She tilted her head slightly, seemingly puzzled, but still slowly walked forward.

She extended her fair fingers and opened one of the boxes first.

In the soft indoor light, a uniquely designed ring lay quietly on a black velvet cushion.

Bai Yuekui was clearly taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

She stared at it silently for a few seconds, then reached out and opened another box that was slightly larger than the one next to her.

Inside is another ring. The design language is consistent with the first one.

The two rings are clearly a pair.

Bai Yuekui's gaze shifted back and forth between the two rings before he finally raised his head, his cool gaze sweeping across the excessively quiet room.

"orange?"

Her voice sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet living room.

Before Yang Chen, who was hiding to the side, could respond.

"Hey! Why are you only calling him and not me? I'm here too!" Bai Yuetian's barely suppressed voice suddenly rang out.

Bai Yuekui immediately looked toward the corner of the living room, where there had been nothing before.

But as Bai Yuetian finished speaking, the concealment effect of the snake talisman faded, and Yang Chen and Bai Yuetian's figures appeared without warning.

Yang Chen wore a slightly helpless smile, while Bai Yuetian had a smug look on his face, as if saying, "Praise me, praise me!"

What's even more eye-catching is that the two of them are carrying a rather large cake together, one on each side.

In the center of the cake, a lit candle flickers with a warm light.

"Happy birthday!" they both said in unison.

Bai Yuekui was completely stunned.

She looked at the two people who had suddenly appeared, and at the cake they were carrying.

The flickering candlelight shimmered in her clear pupils, then she looked at the pair of rings on the table, which clearly held great significance...

Only then did she belatedly realize that, according to the old world's calendar, today... was indeed her birthday.

The long lifespan and the end of the world have long since blurred and distanced these rituals that belong to ordinary people.

She looked into Yang Chen's gentle, smiling eyes, then glanced at Bai Yuetian, who was making faces at her.

Bai Yuekui looked at the flickering candlelight and the pair of rings that held special significance in her eyes. Her usually aloof face showed a complex expression, and she pursed her lips slightly, as if trying to suppress the surging emotions in her heart.

Seeing this, Bai Yuetian immediately took a step closer with a grin and pointed exaggeratedly at her face: "Oh? Are you about to cry from being so moved?"

Bai Yuekui immediately glared at Bai Yuetian, a look that made Bai Yuetian shrink back and awkwardly chuckle as he took a half-step back.

She took a deep breath, her gaze returning to the rings on the table. She reached out and carefully picked up the one that was clearly hers.

The cool, metallic touch came from my fingertips.

She looked up at Yang Chen, her eyes swirling with emotion, but her tone deliberately carried a hint of reproach: "Who gives a ring on their birthday?"

Yang Chen was taken aback by her question. Looking at her seemingly expressionless face, his heart skipped a beat.

He hesitated for a moment, then said uncertainly, "Don't you like it?"

All the arguments he had prepared seemed useless at this moment.

However, the next second, Bai Yuekui's lips curled into a smile, and the ice in his eyes seemed to melt away in the candlelight.

She gently shook her head, her voice much softer than usual: "I like it."

She paused, looked at him intently, and added, "This is the most special gift I've ever received..."

Upon hearing this, Yang Chen felt relieved, and a smile spread across his face. He quickly said, "Then try it on and see if it fits."

Instead of immediately putting on the ring as he had said, Bai Yuekui looked up at him quietly, then stretched out the hand holding the ring towards him.

Yang Chen looked at the ring she handed him, then at her, momentarily stunned and puzzled.

"……What's wrong?"

Bai Yuekui looked at his unusually slow-witted appearance, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes.

She tilted her head slightly, her tone even unusually sweet and innocent: "Shouldn't you be the one helping me put it on?"

In the candlelight, her fair fingers were slightly raised, waiting.

Those eyes, which always seemed to see through everything, now clearly reflected his figure, carrying a sense of expectation and promise.

Yang Chen instantly understood what she meant. He took a deep breath and became serious.

"Okay," he replied softly.

He took the ring from her finger and carefully lifted her left hand.

Then, she slowly slipped the unique ring onto the ring finger of her left hand.

The size fits perfectly, as if it was meant to be there.

Bai Yuekui raised his hand, looked at the ring shining under the light, and smiled as he picked up the other one.

She took Yang Chen's hand and put the necklace on him as well.

The moment the ring was on, their eyes met, and a silent yet intense emotion filled the air.

"Cough!" Bai Yuetian, who had been ignored, coughed loudly, trying to regain his sense of presence, and pointed at the cake.

"Um... the candle's almost burned out! Let's blow it out! Blow out the candle and make a wish, Moon Queen!"

The warm atmosphere was broken. Bai Yuekui glanced at her older brother indifferently, but ultimately turned her gaze to the cake and leaned forward slightly.

The lights were suddenly turned off.

The candlelight illuminated her face. She closed her eyes, her long eyelashes casting soft shadows beneath them, as if she were truly making a wish in her heart. Then she gently blew out all the candles.

The room was plunged into darkness for a short time, with only the faint light of the stars and moon shining through the window.

"Happy birthday, Yue Kui." Yang Chen's voice rang out in the darkness.

"Happy birthday!" Bai Yuetian shouted along, then snapped his fingers.

"ASH, turn on the lights!"

The lights come back on.

Bai Yuekui lifted his gaze from the gleaming ring on his finger and looked at Yang Chen in front of him and Bai Yuetian, who was grinning beside him.

She took a small step forward and stretched out her arms to hug Yang Chen.

After releasing Yang Chen, she turned to Bai Yuetian.

Bai Yuetian seemed surprised to receive a share, paused for a moment, and then opened his arms, feeling flattered.

The usual playful smile on his face faded, replaced by a rare gentleness.

Bai Yuekui also hugged him and patted him on the back.

"Thank you, brother." Her voice was very soft, almost a whisper.

Bai Yuetian chuckled twice, raised his hand and gently patted the back of her head, just like he did when she was a child.

"Oh, why are you being so polite with me, brother!" He tried to make his voice sound nonchalant, but it couldn't hide his happiness.

"Alright, alright, that's so cheesy at our age! There's a gift too, hurry up and open it! Orange and I have been picking it out for a long time, we guarantee you'll like it!"

He pointed to the pile of colorful gift bags on the table, eager to show off their "trophies".

Especially the "big surprise" he had carefully prepared.

Bai Yuekui looked in the direction he pointed and saw that there were indeed quite a few gift bags on the table.

Her gaze softened as she followed Bai Yuetian's urging gaze toward the pile of gifts.

She first picked up the gifts Yang Chen had prepared, and carefully examined them one by one, her eyes filled with warmth.

“I like all of these.” She looked at Yang Chen, her tone gentle.

Then, her gaze fell on the bags with completely different packaging styles.

The colors are vibrant, the designs are bold, and some bags even feature suggestive abstract patterns.

These were clearly the work of Bai Yuetian.

She picked up the top one at random and opened the packaging.

Inside was a glass crystal ball. She raised an eyebrow, seemingly somewhat surprised by the "normal" nature of the gift.

Bai Yuetian couldn't wait to point to the several colorful bags below.

"Those and those! Pay special attention to those! They're all handpicked by me!"

Bai Yuekui continued looking and saw a greeting card above the gifts.

Upon seeing the first line of text, Bai Yuekui couldn't help but clench his fingers tightly.

But since it was prepared by my own brother, I'll continue reading.

But the words on the greeting card were getting weirder and weirder.

What does it mean to broaden one's horizons?
Bai Yuekui glanced at Bai Yuetian with a puzzled look, then unpacked the packages.

After seeing clearly what it was, Bai Yuekui looked at Bai Yuetian again.

Bai Yuetian smiled confidently.

"How about that? I understand you best, don't I?"

　The author, Hachi, has something to do, so there will only be one update today.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)