I'm Trapped in the Block

Sea Sirens. This strange, infectious power was a subject of endless debate among researchers.

Some said it was a type of relic, while others claimed it was a creature hidden within sound itself.

If creatures could exist in the air, in the water, and even in magma...

...then why couldn’t they exist in sound waves?

Sea Sirens would follow anyone who heard them, parasitizing the sound within the person’s body. Then, when hungry, they would devour all living things around their host.

When they manifested, the outward sign was the appearance of a nearby island.

A beautiful island, from which an alluring song could be heard.

Odysseus was one such human who had been parasitized by a Sea Siren.

This feeding behavior was one of the reasons they were classified as living creatures.

Ever since the discovery of Sea Sirens, humanity had been searching for their true form, but to no avail.

However, they did manage to figure out the source of the Sea Sirens’ power: sound.

The island was an illusion created by the Sea Siren’s song, and its alluring power was also hidden within the sound.

Researchers who had visited the islands created by Sea Sirens discovered that every single one was identical. Even the bleached bones scattered upon them were arranged in the exact same pattern.

As if they were copied and pasted.

That was why Bai Zhou now felt that the power used by the robed figures was so similar to that of the Sea Sirens.

"Except they create more than just islands," Bai Zhou said grimly, touching the black square tiles on the wall.

"Fishmen are immune to the Sea Sirens’ allure, and the Sirens don’t attack them. Because of that, Fishmen actually know very little about them—even less than humans do."

’Fishmen are pretty amazing.’

’This is probably another one of Bai Zhou’s delusions. Still, the data on Sea Sirens couldn’t be faked; it really was recorded in the official database.’

’Why would these robed figures wield a power so similar to the Sea Sirens’?’

Mo Ling was reminded of the hieroglyphic relic, which had a similar effect. The Black Tower felt like a chaotic jumble of disparate powers.

"We have to find a way into that castle for a look," Bai Zhou said, gazing at the dark fortress in the distance.

That was exactly what Mo Ling was thinking, too.

’The "Master of Right Words" who wrote the book of rituals must know something.’

"Can your relic cut through walls?" Bai Zhou suddenly asked Li Luo.

The moment he spoke, Li Luo understood his plan and nodded.

The group snuck into a small alley at the side of the castle.

"Wait a moment."

Bai Zhou summoned his water tentacles, moved a few stone blocks from the side, and erected a wall that sealed the alley entrance.

"We’re good to go now." He made an "OK" gesture to Block.

At Mo Ling’s signal, a square-shaped opening appeared in the castle wall. Once they were inside, Mo Ling teleported the block of stone right back into place, leaving no trace.

"Once we’re inside, if we run into anyone, let me do the talking. You stay back and out of sight," Bai Zhou instructed.

Skirting a few pillars, they entered one of the castle’s side rooms.

A rich, meaty aroma filled the air. The robed figures inside were singing a fast-paced song. As they sang, black ingredients materialized out of thin air, falling into pots, bowls, and pans that were just as black.

The ingredients looked strangely uniform, as if copied and pasted. They resembled simple food drawings from an ink-wash painting.

The meat was a chicken leg formed from a shadowy outline. The vegetables were wavy-lined cabbages balled into a lump. There was a huge assortment of other "ink-wash" foods, an abundant spread that was nonetheless unsettling in every detail.

As the food dropped into the pots, a black flame ignited underneath. The fire moved like a looping animation with only a few frames, repeating the same flicker over and over.

’They can obviously create cooked food directly with their words, so why build a "cafeteria" like this?’

A cafeteria supervisor noticed them and began cordially signing to Bai Zhou, his face full of pride.

But after their exchange, the supervisor’s expression turned to disappointment. He made one last gesture to Bai Zhou and walked away.

Bai Zhou quickly led the others out of the cafeteria. Once they were in an empty hallway, he whispered, "He was inviting me to join the cafeteria."

As it turned out, the robed figures didn’t build the cafeteria just to prepare food, but to train their pronunciation.

They used the process of making food to master the pronunciation of various words, using the songs as a training exercise.

Once they felt their training in the cafeteria was complete, they would move on to other rooms.

For instance, a bathhouse, where they could practice pronunciations related to water.

A woodshed, for practicing words related to burning and smoke.

An armory, for practicing the names of various weapons.

Following this pattern, the robed figures would rotate through different rooms and jobs. Once they had mastered all the vocabulary, they could seek out the "Master of Right Words" to learn more advanced pronunciation techniques.

’It’s like an intern’s job rotation,’ Mo Ling thought, a sudden sense of déjà vu washing over him.

’Why is this castle run like a company?’

Normally, if a robed figure were to enter through the castle’s main gate, someone would assign them a post—their first job.

Each job was overseen by a dedicated supervisor. This supervisor also acted as a "mentor," teaching all the vocabulary related to that post and helping to correct any pronunciation errors.

Moreover, the supervisor was also the one who approved their "graduation." Only when their pronunciation was sufficiently accurate could they graduate from that station and move to the next room. At that point, they could finally choose their next post.

That supervisor in the cafeteria had assumed Bai Zhou was there to "apply" for a position, which was why he had been touting the benefits of working there.

That’s why he looked so disappointed when Bai Zhou refused.

"Let’s keep looking around."

The group continued to explore the castle, discovering all sorts of rooms. The black fortress didn’t look particularly large from the outside, but its interior was a complex maze hiding many extra spaces.

They even found rooms in a basement area, like a laundry, where robed figures sang tirelessly as they performed menial chores.

In addition, other personnel—cleaners, guards, porters—roamed throughout the castle, also singing loudly as they went about their duties.

Mo Ling also noticed that the black stone bricks seemed to have soundproofing properties. The layout of the corridors and rooms was also designed to prevent sound from carrying.

Some walls even used a hollow, double-brick construction to minimize any audio bleed.

’It all made sense. If, for instance, a song from the lavatories bled into the cafeteria and threw off the singers there, they could easily end up creating some bizarre food.’

But even with the excellent soundproofing, the castle was still bustling with activity, with all kinds of songs spilling out from the rooms.

Ignoring their distorted nature, the songs were actually quite beautiful.

The group walked on, eventually arriving before a gently ascending staircase.

A cathedral-like hall stood at the top of the stairs. Light spilled out from within, piercing the oppressive darkness.

Sacred and solemn.