I’m Trapped in a Cube - Chapter 130

“That robed figure was warning me not to speak inside Black Tower City. The power of language can cause unnecessary danger,” Bai Zhou said, repeating the robed figure’s gestures.

“Could it be they can no longer control their power?”

“Is word spirit power passive?”

Mo Ling could only think of this explanation. That robed figure was worried Bai Zhou’s words would cause chaos!

No wonder all the robed figures here kept silent, using only sign language unless absolutely necessary.

Their spoken language had completely lost its original function.

“I know a little sign language. You wait here, I’ll go investigate.” Bai Zhou, now understanding the situation, was actually delighted. “At least this way we can learn something.”

With that, Bai Zhou went out, found a robed figure, and started a conversation in sign language.

Mo Ling hadn’t expected that, after following the robed figures all the way up the Black Tower, they would reestablish communication in this bizarre city, using sign language, of all things.

Originally a language for the hearing, impaired or those unable to speak, sign language uses gestures and ambiguous meanings to communicate-a special form of language.

In some situations, sign language is even more convenient and direct than spoken language, able to quickly convey exactly what the communicator wants to say.

Now, because they couldn’t speak, these robed figures had chosen sign language again.

Mo Ling watched Bai Zhou in the distance. Though his sign language with the robed figure was a bit slow, there were no real obstacles.

The robed figure didn’t suspect Bai Zhou, instead working hard to express himself.

It seemed this environment of enforced silence had made the robed figures eager for communication.

Not only that, as the conversation deepened, more robed figures joined in, their signing becoming more exaggerated.

They also used mouth shapes and facial expressions to convey meaning. Bai Zhou didn’t understand the mouth shapes at all, but managed to muddle through.

If he hadn’t been wearing a diving helmet, the robed figures might have noticed something from his serious expression.

After a while, Bai Zhou made a thank, you gesture and slowly returned to the corner.

He took Li Luo to an even more secluded spot, hid, and looked around before whispering.

“I got it. These robed figures really can’t talk.”

Bai Zhou explained that he’d just tricked the robed figures, saying his helmet would make him forget things.

The robed figures weren’t on guard and told Bai Zhou everything they knew, as if it wasn’t a secret at all.

Bai Zhou, ever wary, quietly shared the intelligence he’d gathered.

……

These robed figures all came up from various gathering villages through “ascension.”

They called that ritual the “Ascension Ritual.”

Before performing the ascension ritual, they didn’t know where the stone door was, and their word spirit power was weak, with only short-lived shadow effects.

But after the ascension ritual, they quickly mastered that power.

In their view, there’s only one way to increase power:

-Make their pronunciation more “standard.”

The power of language comes from pronunciation; even tiny differences lead to huge differences in the summoned shadow.

Everything, timbre, tone, articulation, is intricately linked to the final strength.

The robed figures explained that those song-like sentences are closer to true word spirit power, and they’re always seeking more standard pronunciation.

The process is long, unless one performs the ascension ritual.

After following the ritual book’s steps, if successful, a great deal of correct pronunciation knowledge enters their minds.

Not only that, they also learn the location of the stone door and how to open it; that knowledge guides them to the stone door and tells them there are even more correct pronunciations here.

The best way to learn a language is by imitation, so the robed figures follow the guidance and come here.

According to the robed figures, this city’s rough translation is “Hidden City Built of Black Square Bricks,” or simply “Black Tower City .”

They only know that before they arrived, their predecessors had already built the city’s framework.

Using Word Spirit ) power, they built the city very quickly. As long as they completed ascension, found the stone door, and offered a sacrifice, they could come to Black Tower City.

The robed figures’ goal here is to find more correct pronunciations and strengthen their power.

It’s said that the castle at the center of Black Tower City holds the most correct pronunciations, the strongest language power, and even the author of the ritual book lives there.

But the castle is heavily guarded; only those with sufficiently standard pronunciation can pass the test and enter.

Thus, the robed figures all long for the castle, each hoping to meet the ritual book’s author.

That predecessor they call the “Lord of True Speech.”

When Bai Zhou asked this, he already understood why the robed figures kept climbing higher in the Black Tower.

But he still didn’t quite get it, so he asked in sign language, “Aren’t you planning to leave the Black Tower? Why attack the monitoring station people?”

However, Bai Zhou’s question drew suspicious looks from the nearby robed figures.

“The Black Tower is our home. We were born here, why would we leave? Those who enter the Black Tower, speaking the wrong language, aren’t they invaders?”

Bai Zhou forced down his shock, pretending his amnesia was acting up, tapping his helmet until the robed figures’ suspicion faded.

Seeing Bai Zhou’s ignorance, the robed figures even advised him not to use relics, only language was true power.

“Don’t forget what our ancestors have always upheld!” one robed figure lectured Bai Zhou sternly.

Bai Zhou could only apologize in sign language.

Finally, after a round of earnest “teaching” from the robed figures, Bai Zhou promised not to use relics anymore and to keep developing the power of language.

Then, after repeatedly thanking them, he left.

“This really is an identity shift. They see themselves as a humanoid race living in the Black Tower, and humans as invaders,” Bai Zhou concluded.

Mo Ling suddenly understood, no wonder the red headscarf worked.

Li Luo touched her donkey ears, thoughtful.

After speaking, Bai Zhou fell into thought again, frowning as he said, “This type of power… the old mermen once told me about it.”

“Have you ever heard of a creature called a siren?”