I’m Trapped in a Cube - Chapter 230

As the platform rotated counterclockwise, the little small fry also swam counterclockwise around the cross’s center, moving backward in reverse.

Mo Ling didn’t know if this was intentional design, but he felt something was strange.

He flew to a higher position and, following the runic lines, slowly read out the merman language near the platform:

“Clock…”

“Fish dream moon, fish leap dream, in spacetime, clock empty…”

This was… a poem?

Mo Ling was somewhat surprised.

In the merman language he had seen before, there were no literary forms similar to poetry.

But the moment Mo Ling understood this section of runic lines, he realized that this passage was indeed a poem, a very strange poem.

Compared to the diary-like recording form in Merman Ancient Texts, the runic lines on the Moon Altar clearly showed traces of “poetry.”

Was it because poetry could better match the Sea Moon Ceremony’s theme?

Most were written vaguely, intermittently, with no discernible meaning.

“Why use poetry?” Mo Ling was very confused.

In the thick fog, these complex and mysterious runes lay quietly on the Moon Altar, their meaning unclear.

“That’s it, this is the last step,” Jeff said, staring at the platform somewhat blankly. It seemed even he hadn’t expected that the most difficult part of arranging the Moon Altar would be completed so simply.

The pseudo-mermen relaxed and began chatting casually. While talking about humans, they looked at Li Luo with appreciation in their eyes.

“Jeff, is there anything else missing?” The shrimp-headed person’s gaze shifted between the platform and Jeff, his two antennae constantly swaying as he asked carefully, “Can we attend the Sea Moon Ceremony? I just want to see what it’s like.”

Hearing the shrimp-headed person’s words, other pseudo-mermen also eagerly agreed, “Yes, even if you don’t let us on the Moon Altar, we could watch from a distance.”

“Only once in two hundred years,we’ll only see this once in our lifetime.”

“I really want to see what it was like then. Merman Island is always so lifeless. It’s been a long time since it was this lively.”

Jeff nodded, “I’ll talk to the Great Chieftain about it. This shouldn’t be difficult.”

“Yes, humans really are a lively race. Why are we mermen so dull?”

Jeff’s words were like a reassuring pill, and all the pseudo-mermen present showed expectant expressions.

“When I was with the shrimp people, they also thought humans were very friendly, because other races would directly attack shrimp people on sight. Only humans would immediately want to make friends.”

“Last time it was this lively was when we opened shipping routes with humans. They brought many fresh things.”

The pseudo-mermen chatted on and suddenly someone asked this question:

“If the mermen race was as powerful as humans, what would we do?”

But this simple question made everyone fall silent.

The pseudo-mermen all lowered their heads in thought, but for a long time no one answered.

Finally, someone sighed, “I can’t think of anything.”

“Me neither.”

“Why think about so much? The mermen race is fine as it is.”

“That’s right.”

While speaking, the pseudo-mermen began discussing other topics.

Only Jeff remained dazed, his eyes vacant, his fish eyes seeming to look through the fog toward the distance.

Over there, some mermen were still busy. They carried heavy cargo, having just struggled up from the passages to the top of the Moon Altar. Turning around, they threw themselves into other work, their water current control intermittent, as if already somewhat overexerted.

Jeff slowly raised his hand, then let it fall powerlessly.

He looked at Li Luo and asked somewhat curiously, “Do you humans also have people doing physical labor?”

Li Luo was stunned, “Of course.”

“Are there many such people?” Jeff pressed.

“Quite a few, but they can use machinery to make it easier.”

Hearing this, Jeff thought for a moment, “Machinery like the conveyor belt on the transport ship?”

“More or less.”

Seeing Jeff so curious, Li Luo began explaining some commonly used human machinery to him…

“Although everyone uses machinery, currently there’s still a lot of physical labor that people need to do. But humans are constantly developing toward liberating labor.”

After listening to Li Luo’s introduction, Jeff nodded thoughtfully.

“If the mermen race became powerful, we’d probably liberate labor too.”

Thinking of this, Jeff’s eyes filled with longing.

But the figures moving in the fog brought him back to reality.

“For so many years, from my birth until now, the mermen race seems to have never changed at all.”

“We do everything according to the Merman Ancient Texts. We don’t know why, can’t understand the principles. Things we know, we’ve always known. Things we don’t know, we’ll never understand.”

“If I hadn’t encountered these pseudo-mermen who returned from outside, I’d still be muddling through life, rolling in mud puddles every day. Maybe even when I die, the mermen race would still be like it is today.”

“Two hundred years later, when the Sea Moon Ceremony comes again, there will be another group of people struggling to arrange the Moon Altar, risking their lives fighting Decay-eaters, muddling through doing what the Merman Ancient Texts tell them to do.”

“Four hundred years, six hundred years, eight hundred years…”

“Cycling endlessly, still the same.”

Jeff slowly confided his troubles to Li Luo, desperate and helpless. This seemed to be a knot that had troubled him for a long time.

The expansion of knowledge brought Jeff not only more comprehensive thinking, but also countless troubles.

The more he knew, the more he wanted to change.

But he couldn’t do it.

He was just an ordinary merman with no way and no authority to interfere with the entire race’s development.

The more Jeff spoke, the more dejected he became, his voice growing smaller and smaller.

“I can’t even get the village to accept pseudo-mermen.”

“I can’t change anything…”

Li Luo faced these unanimous gazes without embarrassment, just lowered her head in thought.

After a moment, she answered uncertainly, “Just because humans are too weak, I suppose.”

Li Luo’s answer didn’t seem to satisfy the pseudo-mermen.

They retorted:

“I think humans aren’t weak at all. Your weapons are very powerful, and your research and use of Relics is very deep.”

“Even in the Abyss, you can eat and drink without worry, and still have beautiful clothes to wear. How can such a race be considered weak?”

Such questioning left Li Luo stunned in place. She probably hadn’t considered such questions before.

Were humans considered a powerful race?

Was it modesty at work, or were humans really not that powerful?

Facing this question, the pseudo-mermen looked at Li Luo again in unison.

“Why do humans want so many friends? Is this your race’s cost?”