I'm Trapped in the Block

Initially, the Natural Gas Race didn’t sneak into the mineral veins to secretly transform others. Instead, they deployed spies.

They would transform some of their own people into other races, who would then infiltrate the corresponding mineral veins to spread the Abnormal Vein disease.

This is also where the term "sacrificer" came from.

After their material transformation, these sacrificers would develop different emotions. They were no longer ruled solely by fear.

These sacrificers were even willing to spread the Abnormal Vein disease for the sake of their people.

However, before the material transformation, most members of their race were unwilling to become other races.

Gradually, fewer and fewer of them were willing to become sacrificers.

Furthermore, as the Abnormal Vein disease spread, the other Mineral Races learned to identify these spies and began to actively expel them. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

The change in material was extremely obvious to the senses of the Mineral Race, making it increasingly difficult to spread the Abnormal Vein disease.

So they switched tactics. They began wearing a red cloth, sneaking into other mineral veins, and randomly selecting a member of the Mineral Race to infect, turning them into an Abnormal Vein Patient.

This didn’t require any sacrificers from the Natural Gas Race, so this method quickly replaced the old one.

These victims, their materials transformed and now considered Abnormal Vein Patients, inherited the old title and were also called "sacrificers" by the Natural Gas Race.

The only difference was that these new victims were completely unaware of their "sacrifice."

This was also why the ghost had initially called Block a "sacrificer."

With the Natural Gas Race’s continuous use of the red cloth, the Abnormal Vein disease began to ravage the various mineral veins throughout the Thorn Stone Forest.

However, the red cloth had one drawback: each user could only use it once.

This meant the Natural Gas Race had to send out a different member each time.

Though the Natural Gas Race was numerous, it was still just a drop in the bucket compared to the entire population of Mineral Races in the Thorn Stone Forest.

As a result, the red cloth was passed between the different natural gas pillars, with a new member using it each time.

This is why the Abnormal Vein disease seemed to coincidentally "appear in multiple locations," leaving the solid Mineral Races completely baffled.

Through the efforts of the Natural Gas Race clans scattered across the land, the Abnormal Vein disease created immense panic throughout the Thorn Stone Forest, and the war ground to a halt.

Their goal was achieved, but the Natural Gas Race continues to spread the Abnormal Vein disease even now, ensuring the panic never subsides.

"We don’t have many members left who haven’t used the red cloth. After a little more time, there will be no one left to use it, and the Abnormal Vein disease will no longer occur."

Li Luo recorded the red cloth’s abilities, but the look of doubt on her face didn’t fade.

Mo Ling also found the red cloth to be quite odd.

"Why can this red cloth change material, just like the Golden Touch Hand, and also cause these Abnormal Vein Patients to develop emotions?"

It sounded like the red cloth’s abilities were similar to the Golden Touch Hand’s, yet slightly different.

With this in mind, Mo Ling posed another question to Li Luo. "Does the effect of the Golden Touch Hand spread from things it has touched? Like the Abnormal Vein disease."

Li Luo looked at her electronic screen, checking some data before answering, "No."

’That’s another difference, then,’ Mo Ling thought.

Still, the two were remarkably similar.

It didn’t take much to guess that the red cloth was surely a relic with a similar function, working in much the same way as the Golden Touch Hand.

After another moment, once Li Luo finished recording the red cloth’s abilities, she casually asked the ghost, "What is the price for using the red cloth?"

However, this simple question left the ghost stunned.

Li Luo’s eyes widened in disbelief. "You don’t know?"

The ghost nodded.

’Almost the entire race has used this red cloth, and they don’t even know the price?’

A sense of foreboding crept into Mo Ling’s heart.

Thinking of the red cloth’s "one use per person" restriction, Mo Ling felt a growing sense of dread.

A theory formed in his mind:

’It’s not a restriction! The price has already been paid. The members of the Natural Gas Race who have used the red cloth can’t pay the price a second time, which is why they can’t use it again.’

’There’s no restriction at all!’

He quickly immersed his vision into the ghost’s body, searching for anything that might be missing.

Everything was normal.

’What exactly have the Natural Gas Race lost?’

Mo Ling told Li Luo his theory, and she looked just as shocked.

"You haven’t felt like you’ve lost anything?" Li Luo asked.

"No."

"Then is there any difference between those of you who have used the red cloth and those who haven’t?"

"No."

’This is too strange. Using a relic requires paying a price. How could a price that can only be paid once be completely unnoticeable?’

’Could it be something unknown?’

The ghost added, "I’ve used the red cloth, too. I don’t feel like I’m missing anything."

’Could it be that the red cloth isn’t a relic at all, but some kind of living organism?’

Mo Ling’s thoughts drifted. In the abyss, anything was possible.

But at least he now knew the source of the Abnormal Vein disease, which offered some small comfort to his curiosity.

’In a little while, the Abnormal Vein disease will disappear from the Thorn Stone Forest. When that happens, will the war start up again?’

Beside him, Li Luo asked a few more questions about the red cloth before she, too, fell into deep thought. He guessed she couldn’t come up with a reasonable explanation either.

Seeing that Li Luo had no more questions, the ghost prepared to float away. Its body began to swell and blur, looking light and ethereal.

’Who would have thought that this seemingly peaceful race was the true culprit behind the panic gripping the entire Thorn Stone Forest.’

Mo Ling felt that the Mineral Race in the Thorn Stone Forest was living in utter misery.

A meaningless war had created this whole situation.

’How absurd.’

Just as the ghost was about to dissipate, Shibeng, who had been observing from the sidelines, suddenly rushed forward.

His entire body trembled, ripples of energy constantly reverberating off him as he quaked with fear.

But his movements were decisive as he charged straight for the ghost.

He reached the blurry, not-yet-dissipated humanoid form and thrust one of his left arms into the mist.

The ripples on his body surged into his two right arms, which he then brought down hard, striking the left arm that was inside the mist.

The motion seemed to take all his strength. Though his body recoiled in fear, he still completed the action decisively.

’What is he doing?’

Mo Ling was completely bewildered.

But soon, he understood Shibeng’s intention.

Mo Ling quickly moved to shield Li Luo.

As Shibeng’s right arms smashed down, they instantly struck a shower of sparks from his left.

The heat from the friction of rough basalt erupted into sparks at the point of impact.

’He’s trying to ignite the ghost!’

Mo Ling didn’t know why Shibeng was doing this, but getting out of the way was definitely the right move.

The sparks shot out, passed right through the ghost’s body, and fell to the ground.

Nothing happened.

Seeing this, the fear on Shibeng’s face quickly faded. He continued to strike sparks into the mist that was the ghost.

The ghost fled from the sight, but Shibeng chased after the mist, not stopping until the ghost had flown up into the air and re-formed its humanoid shape.

The ghost hovered fearfully in midair and asked, "What are you doing? That’s dangerous! You’ll burn me to death!"

The ripples on Shibeng’s body had yet to fade. A rough, deep voice, firm and powerful, resonated from him with a tremor.

"I can’t burn you! You’re not from the Natural Gas Race at all!"