I'm Trapped in the Block

Chapter 290: Chapter 288: The Fog Disperses

”Just lower me to the surface of the sea.”

”Alright.”

Mo Ling slowly descended, coming to a stop just above the surface of the sea.

”Thank you.”

The little person took a leap and jumped into the seawater, his wooden body bobbing to the surface.

He happily swam a few strokes before looking back at Mo Ling. ”Do you know how to build a boat?”

The sudden question caught Mo Ling off guard, and for a moment, he was at a loss for how to answer.

He thought for a moment and realized that he, in fact, did not know.

The little person seemed to notice Mo Ling’s confusion and started to explain, ”You just need a log that’s thick enough to build a boat.”

He tried to gesture with his hands, but his body was just too small. After a few tries, he gave up.

”Anyway, it just has to be thick enough, and the wood sturdy enough,” the little person said slowly. ”You hollow out the center of the log, leaving the outer layer to act as the hull. That’s how you make the simplest kind of boat.”

The little person scratched his head as he spoke.

”It’d be better if I could just show you how to do it. When my master taught us, he had us build one with him. That’s when we realized you only need one piece of wood to travel freely on the sea.”

”But a boat by itself isn’t enough. You also need a tool to control its direction, or a power source to propel it, so the rider can steer the vessel to their destination.”

The little person looked at Mo Ling, as if testing him, and asked:

”Do you know what a tool like that, one that provides propulsion and steering, is called?”

Mo Ling paused. ”An oar?”

He suddenly realized something wasn’t right. The little person seemed to be treating him like a student and was trying to teach him.

So, Mo Ling quickly interrupted the little person’s lesson. ”Are you trying to build a boat right now?”

Mo Ling looked around. ”There aren’t any materials here.”

Hearing this, the little person shook his head and pointed to himself. ”I am the material.”

He lay down on the surface of the water again.

”But I don’t have to hollow myself out. I can just float like this. Now all I need is an oar.”

Mo Ling looked closely at the little person lying on the sea and asked curiously, ”What about those roots of yours? Could they work as an oar?”

At Mo Ling’s suggestion, the little person’s eyes lit up. The roots behind him shot out and began to wave about in the water, but the slender, soft tendrils were completely unable to push against the current.

After just a few swishes in the current, the roots went completely limp.

But the little person didn’t give up. As if struck by an idea, he began to weave his roots together.

And so, a strange-looking propeller appeared at the little person’s feet. Although the roots were soft, they were quite powerful when whirled about, and the propeller proved to be highly effective.

Just like that, the propeller pushed the little person, who quickly zipped around Mo Ling a few times.

Then, he stopped and looked at Mo Ling.

”Human technology. Pretty amazing, huh?”

Mo Ling was so stunned by the little person’s display that he was speechless and could only nod dumbly.

”Humans are truly incredible. It’s only been twenty-two hundred years, and I already can’t comprehend their technology. I’ve only managed to scratch the surface. My master certainly never imagined his own species could advance so far.”

The little person swam a few more laps, seemingly very pleased with his propeller.

”Does your Square Race have technology like this?” he suddenly asked, curious.

Mo Ling didn’t know how to answer, so he just replied, ”More or less.”

”Then if we meet again, you can teach me,” the little person said earnestly. ”I could even take you as my master.”

Mo Ling paused. ”Don’t you already have a master?”

”A human master and a Square Race master. There’s no conflict.”

The little person lay on the water, his expression completely serious. He didn’t seem to be joking.

”Alright.”

Mo Ling fell silent for a moment before finally agreeing.

”If we get the chance to meet again.”

Hearing Mo Ling agree to his request, the little person happily swam a few more laps in the water.

But as he swam, his expression slowly became somber.

”I have to go, or the fog will catch up,” he said, glancing worriedly at the fog behind them.

Only then did Mo Ling realize that the little person didn’t know what had just happened inside the fog.

So he quickly told the little person what had happened, including the figures that had appeared out of nowhere and his own rush to break free of the fog.

The little person didn’t seem surprised after hearing the story.

”Do you remember the price of this relic?”

He sighed. ”When my master held this relic, he would constantly see strange Soul Spirit illusions, but I’ve stayed inside this relic for so long and have never seen a thing.”

”My master always told me that they were all fake. You should just treat them as fake, too.”

Mo Ling nodded. He didn’t really care whether they were real or fake.

Even if they were real, they had now vanished without a trace.

”If you find the fog isn’t chasing you anymore, stop and get some proper rest.”

”Alright,” the little person agreed. ”But I’ve been resting for a long time. Right now, I just want to get moving.”

As he spoke, he spun his propeller a few more times, pushing his wooden body a short distance through the water.

”My people are all just like me.”

It seemed the little person was eager to set sail.

Taking the hint, Mo Ling waved his hand. ”Go on, then.”

”Alright. Goodbye.”

”Goodbye...”

The little person reluctantly circled Mo Ling one last time, then swam straight away.

However, he had only swum a short distance before he turned around and returned to Mo Ling’s side.