I’m Trapped in a Cube - Chapter 72

When the transformation stopped, the general called his subordinates before him.

He told them everything about his changes, describing every detail.

“Now, I’ll show you my power,” he said, breaking out of his cell and walking outside.

Seeing this, his scheming subordinates were terrified.

But the general didn’t attack them; instead, he led them to a hidden clearing, crouched, and plunged four hands into the ground.

A tremor shook the earth, and the stones above the hollow collapsed.

Then, countless thick turquoise pillars grew from the ground, stretching to the sky like trees.

These turquoise pillars had strange striped patterns, like cracks in bark, full of vibrant beauty.

After the pillars grew tall, their tops swelled, branching out instantly to cover the clearing.

Just like that, a blue-green turquoise forest appeared before the subordinates.

The general pulled out his hands and asked coldly, “See? This kind of power.”

His subordinates were dumbfounded, their rebellious thoughts swallowed by fear.

Looking at the turquoise on himself, the general said oddly, “I don’t know how to describe this power. In my life, I’ve seen many things.”

“Plants, animals, minerals, sky, clouds…”

“I can describe all of those, but I can’t describe the power in me. If I had to find a comparison, it would be…”

“Blood?”

The general walked toward his subordinates, thoughtful. “Do you know what blood is? You should, right?”

His subordinates didn’t know what he intended, only stiffly backing away, afraid to make any move that would draw his attention.

The general ignored their caution, knowing they were afraid.

Standing before them, he opened his hands, staring at his palms in confusion, then overlapped all four arms on his chest, feeling something.

“Besides fear, I seem to feel something else.”

Then he pressed his four arms into his chest, turning his whole body to dust, scattering on the ground.

Behind him, the turquoise forest began to fade with its master’s death.

Turquoise dust drifted down from the treetops, a faint green rain.

When the dust settled, the ground was covered in blue-green sand.

A suicide?

The subordinates stood in the rain, unable to believe it.

In mineral tribe history, no one had ever committed suicide, they were driven by fear.

War was only because they feared death, feared being killed.

That’s why there were so many deserters; fear could drive them to anything.

Their innate intelligence and long lives let them learn about things like comrades, sacrifice, honor, righteousness…

But none of that mattered to them-life was everything.

No mineral tribe member would commit suicide.

They stared at the general’s remains in disbelief.

Something had overcome fear.

They’d thought that after showing his power, the general would kill them to keep the secret, then escape like the strange newborn.

But they never expected this result.

They couldn’t understand.

But they realized how terrifying this contagious power was and quickly spread the news.

Gradually, this contagious power got a name-

Vein Mutation Disease.

The symptoms were the appearance of another, unrelated mineral’s power, gradually replacing the infected’s original power.

And it was highly contagious-just touching could infect others.

Most crucially, it gave the ability to feel emotions beyond fear.

The mineral tribes feared this, they didn’t want to die for no reason like the general.

For these utterly self-serving beings, such a death was incomprehensible.

So, they became extremely afraid of Vein Mutation Disease.

After the general’s case, Vein Mutation Disease began to appear everywhere; many mineral tribes caught it for no reason.

Copper Tribe members developed emerald .

Marble Tribe members developed spinel.

Quartz Tribe members developed gold .

……

Vein Mutation Disease could appear at any time, in newborns or in old mineral tribes.

There was no pattern.

The whole mineral tribe fell under the shadow of Vein Mutation Disease.

Everyone was anxious.

Those found to have it were executed, but this led to resistance from the infected.

Just being hurt could transmit it, so the self-serving mineral tribes began isolating the infected, creating sealed hollows to drive them away.

They began to expel the infected, deepening the fear.

This even led to the creation of “Hollow Veins” , sealed, isolated spaces no one dared approach.

Vein Mutation Disease even affected the war; large-scale battles and direct clashes became rare.

Hollows and surface passages were sealed, dividing the battlefield into small areas.

This gave the rare mineral tribes a chance to recover, and the war shifted to their pace.

The Needle Stone Forest’s exit was sealed at this time.

After telling all this, Shi Beng’s emotions steadied again.

While recounting Vein Mutation Disease, his mood swung between fear and calm, making him sometimes tremble and stutter, sometimes speak smoothly like a robot.

Watching Shi Beng’s strange changes, and hearing the story, Li Luo asked, “Why do you think it has the disease?”

She pointed at the cube in the sky, full of confusion.

The cube showed no symptoms of the disease.

Mo Ling also didn’t understand why Shi Beng insisted he was Vein Mutation Disease, or why he kept running away.

Even after Li Luo explained that he was just a relic, Shi Beng was still afraid.

But Shi Beng’s answer only made things more confusing.

Staring at the cube, he said firmly, “Your material has been replaced. I can feel it!”

“Huh?”