I'm Trapped in the Block

Chapter 384: Chapter 381: The Congealed Sea

The performance had to end sometime. The Sky Shuttle slowly parted the waves, sailing past the stretch of sea where the beautiful music had played.

The intermittent announcements over the PA system ceased, and tranquility returned.

The entire vessel fell silent. Aside from the occasional sound of a robot moving down the corridor, nothing could be heard.

The waves returned to normal, sparkling as they lapped against the surface of the sea.

But now, Mo Ling could no longer look at this sea with ordinary eyes.

Who knew what else was hidden beneath the surface, a surface as pristine as a diamond.

As the Sky Shuttle forged ahead, Mo Ling noticed the sea was gradually growing more viscous. The vessel’s progress slowed accordingly.

Moreover, the small, shimmering crystals in the water began to grow larger.

The water had become as thick as sludge, so the wake of the Sky Shuttle did not dissipate for a long time, leaving a long ”scar” across the surface.

Yet, in this increasingly congealed sea, ”normal” creatures began to appear.

Small fish meandered leisurely in the shallows. Seaweed was anchored to some of the solidified crystals. And in the deepest reaches of Mo Ling’s vision, bizarrely shaped marine life existed, free and unrestrained.

The water was clearly too viscous to support life, yet here, defying all logic, were countless creatures that seemed completely unaffected, making the sea ”teem with life.”

These creatures had a peculiar appearance. They were like sculptures made of glass—entirely transparent and exquisitely detailed.

Through their transparent skin, one could see the shape of their internal organs.

The organs were transparent as well, like clumps of crystalline jelly that squished into different shapes with the creatures’ movements.

These glass creatures were completely unaffected by the congealing sea. As agile as any normal marine life, they scattered before the approaching Sky Shuttle, flicking their tails as they fled into the distance.

As the Sky Shuttle pressed on, Mo Ling began to see larger glass creatures.

A pod of glass dolphins breached the surface before plunging back in. They seemed curious about the distant traveler, the Sky Shuttle, and followed alongside it, circling and playing with one another. After a while, they gradually swam away.

Adorned by these glass creatures, the sea grew ever more lively.

However, Mo Ling was still shaken.

’Behind the beautiful symphony were inescapable Earth-bound Spirits. So what lies behind these exquisitely beautiful glass creatures?’

The shapes of these creatures were indistinguishable from those of normal animals.

Mo Ling saw many common fish species. Other than their bodies being completely transparent, their forms were entirely unchanged.

They moved as if they had always belonged here, roaming freely in the sparkling, diamond-like sea.

A small glass fish opened and closed its tiny mouth, swallowing the ubiquitous small crystals in the water.

Just then, a massive glass Sea Serpent slithered over, seemingly intending to ambush the small fish. But the disturbed crystals caught the little fish’s attention.

The little fish spotted the Sea Serpent in an instant and darted away, hiding between two large crystals. The Sea Serpent approached the crystals and made an attempt, but its massive body couldn’t fit through. It could only depart in dejection.

Having survived the close call, the little fish cautiously poked its head out. Seeing no sign of the Sea Serpent, it swam out from between the crystals, reassured.

At that moment, however, a thick, transparent tentacle shot out from behind, instantly binding the small fish tight.

A squid that had been hiding among the crystals revealed its true form, launching a silent attack.

The little fish struggled, but it couldn’t escape the powerful tentacle. In the end, it was fed into the squid’s mouth, its transparent body clearly visible inside the squid’s stomach.

The hunt complete, the squid retreated once more, hiding among the crystals to await its next prey.

Scenes like this were common throughout these waters, no different from any other vibrant marine environment.

The only difference was the color palette.

As the Sky Shuttle continued its journey, the crystals grew ever larger.

These crystals were like coral reefs—or rather, they had taken the place of coral reefs, providing a habitat for all sorts of creatures.

Small marine creatures darted through the crystal formations. Some mollusks clung tightly to their surfaces, while Hunters roamed outside, searching for prey.

As the Sky Shuttle advanced, Mo Ling watched, clicking his tongue in amazement.

’What a unique ecosystem.’

And yet, the scene still struck Mo Ling as profoundly bizarre.

’They’re completely different life forms, yet the ecosystem is so similar.’

’Like some kind of... crude imitation.’

’Or a ”mirror image” of a normal ecosystem.’

’It’s as if everything was made transparent and just... moved over. Anything missing was replaced with whatever was lying around, with no concern for whether it made sense.’

The sparkling sea was undeniably beautiful, vibrant, and full of life, but the pervasive sense of dissonance was deeply unsettling to Mo Ling.

Fins flapped in the viscous water, yet the fish moved forward freely.

A completely transparent Hunter would hide behind a completely transparent crystal, yet its prey would remain oblivious, swimming right into the trap.

A crystal would drift away with the slightest push, yet a massive Hunter would just stare blankly, helpless, as its prey slipped into a crevice between them.

Schools of fish would sometimes be blocked by the crystals, and at other times pass right through them as if they were air.

...

Under the sun’s rays, the massive crystals of this sea glittered, and everything appeared to be in perfect order.

But Mo Ling felt like he was watching a ”performance.”

As the sea continued to congeal, the show grew even more absurd.

The glass creatures began to pass right through the middle of the crystals, as if the crystals weren’t even there.

But whenever a chase began, the creatures could once again use the same crystals as cover.

It was as if the ever-growing crystals were merely stage props, to be used when needed and ignored when they were not.

The longer Mo Ling watched, the more stunned he became.

’Who is this performance for?’

’And why simulate a normal ecosystem?’

Mo Ling couldn’t come up with an answer. He could only let his gaze drift along with the Sky Shuttle, taking in the cursory, mistake-ridden performance.

The Sky Shuttle’s progress was also impacted by the growing crystals, its speed slowing considerably.

However, the crystals seemed to be weightless and extremely fragile, like foam floating on the sea. The slightest touch from the drill on the ship’s bow shattered them into countless fragments that drifted away.

The Sky Shuttle was like a silent passerby, cruising through this bustling sea.

The PA system would occasionally broadcast notices, calm and steady, as if the world outside had nothing to do with the ship’s interior:

”Estimated docking time: tomorrow morning. Please pack your luggage in advance.”

”Leaving your assigned room is prohibited...”

”Loud noises within rooms are prohibited...”

”Assuming a shooting stance to throw paper balls inside your room is prohibited...”