Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Shui Su
That night, Luo Kai continued his desperate digging. The stone foundation was unexpectedly deep, and the tunnel had no ventilation. If he dug much further, the already thin oxygen would disappear completely. But changing course now would mean all his work over the past few days had been for nothing.
After wrestling with the decision, he decided to press on and take his chances. He could already feel a change in the soil—it was becoming more compact, filled with fine sand. This was the kind of material used when laying a foundation, which meant he should be able to dig through it soon. The only question was where he would emerge. If he was still within the prison walls, his hope of survival would be slim. It was a gamble with his life on the line, and he had no choice but to take it.
About two hours later, the iron spike in his hand suddenly plunged into a void. A narrow crack had appeared in the stone foundation. With his current build, it wasn’t difficult to squeeze through. Strangely, the other side of the foundation was completely empty. Luo Kai carefully crawled over. This wasn’t the surface, but a silent underground space, pitch-black and vast, seemingly without end.
Luo Kai cautiously hugged the wall, feeling his way forward. Suddenly, a soft rustling sound echoed from within the dark, silent underground space, as if someone had just arrived. A cold sweat broke out over Luo Kai’s entire body as he spun around, trembling.
The flickering light of a candle illuminated the dark space. It appeared to be a vaulted underground structure, much like an air-raid shelter. Rows of massive bookshelves filled the entire area. A withered, skeletal old man with disheveled hair, holding a single candle, was walking toward him.
Luo Kai scrambled to hide in a nearby alcove, carefully pulling the sharpened iron spike from under his arm. ’He doesn’t look like a guard,’ he thought. ’More like a prisoner.’
The withered old man walked directly toward Luo Kai’s hiding spot. Before he even got close, he called out with a grin, "No need to be so nervous, young man. I’ve been waiting a long time for you." A large rat emerged from his nest-like hair and gave two soft squeaks.
Suppressing his fear, Luo Kai slowly revealed himself. His voice trembled as he asked, "Who... who are you?" He had, instinctively, spoken in the same language.
The old man studied Luo Kai for a moment before replying, "Who I am isn’t important. But escaping from Nanya Island Prison is extremely difficult. Nanya Island is surrounded by the sea, with the nearest landmass dozens of nautical miles away. Even if you could get out of this godforsaken place, you’d never be able to swim to shore."
"Are... Are you offering to help me? Or do you want to leave here too?"
"No. This place may be unbearable for you lot, but to me, it’s the safest place in the world."
The old man stroked his beard, which reached his chest, and continued, "Since Big Grey was willing to bring you food, it proves you’re not a bad person at heart. I can help you leave this place, but once you’re out, you’ll have to do me a favor."
Luo Kai suppressed his anxiety and asked cautiously, "What kind of favor?"
The old man pondered for a moment before asking, "Have you ever heard of the Sea Race?"
Luo Kai thought for a moment, then shook his head blankly.
The old man’s brow furrowed, seemingly displeased with Luo Kai’s ignorance. After a moment, he sighed. "Never mind. The truth is, the more you know, the more you have to worry about."
He then gestured toward the ceiling. "The prison also lets many hounds roam the island. Even if you manage to escape the building, the hounds will detect you. If you don’t have any skills to handle them, they will tear you to pieces."
Luo Kai’s face paled, but he gritted his teeth. "Thank you for the warning, Sir. But I’d rather die on the outside!"
The old man laughed heartily. "With me to help you, dying won’t be so easy. Hmm... I can teach you a method to swim freely in the water. With the right easterly wind, you might have a chance of drifting to the mainland. Of course, if a big fish eats you out in the ocean, there’s nothing I can do about that. Come here. Let me have a good look at you."
Luo Kai was taken aback for a second, but seeing the old man’s earnest expression, he hesitantly walked over.
The old man’s arm, like a withered branch, shot out and pulled Luo Kai before him. Luo Kai felt the arm grip him like an iron hoop, the pressure making his bones ache. ’This old man’s a bone-setting master,’ he thought grimly.
The old man first glanced at the healed wound on Luo Kai’s chest, then began to feel all over his body, muttering to himself, "Your physical constitution is decent. You must have been injected with high-grade Genetic Potions from a young age. Your bone and muscle density are high, and your cells split rapidly. But Genetic Potions have their pros and cons; they severely drain one’s Life Force. Plus, your body hasn’t fully matured yet, and being locked up here for so long has already stunted your development. Sigh, what a pity!"
Luo Kai couldn’t help but ask, "What’s a Genetic Potion?"
The old man didn’t answer. Instead, he stared at the spot between Luo Kai’s eyebrows, his expression growing puzzled. After some thought, he said, "The only way to resolve the drawbacks of Genetic Potions is through the cultivation of strengthening Body Techniques. But looking at you, it’s clear you’ve never trained."
He then took a tattered piece of Beast Hide Paper from his pocket and handed it over. "Here, I have a set of Body Techniques. If you practice diligently, it will gradually make up for your body’s deficiencies. This particular Body Technique is called the ’Soft Body Technique.’ The Early Stage of practice may be quite painful, but only by enduring the bitterest of hardships can one rise above others. Sometimes, pain is the best way to stimulate the body’s potential."
Luo Kai took the paper, looking dazed. He could see many humanoid figures etched onto the Beast Hide Paper. "And what are Body Techniques?" he asked, confused.
This time, the old man explained patiently, "Body Techniques are a way of strengthening one’s physique. Humans are born with frail constitutions. If you’re serious about it, practice them diligently. You’ll discover their benefits in time."
After speaking, he suddenly pressed a spot on the back of Luo Kai’s head. Luo Kai’s mind went blank, and he lost consciousness. He had no idea how much time had passed before a stinging pain in his armpits roused him. Groggily, he opened his eyes. He was still in the underground space. His shirt had been opened, and his armpits were dripping with blood. Something had been carved into his skin.
The old man was bandaging his own wrist with a scrap of cloth; it, too, was dripping with blood. "Don’t be nervous," he said. "I inscribed a set of Water-Repelling Totems on you. You’ll understand their wonderful use once you enter the water. We lack the proper materials here, so I had to use blood for the carving."
Luo Kai wiped the blood from his body with his clothes, his mind full of questions. After a long moment, he spoke. "What’s a Water-Repelling Totem? And... Sir, I still don’t know your name. Why... why are you helping me?"
The old man lifted the Big Gray Rat off his head and said with a smile, "My name is Shui Su. Those on the outside like to call me the Water Speaker. Simply put, a Water-Repelling Totem is a method that allows a person to rapidly adapt to an aquatic environment. Life originated in the ocean, so the ability to adapt to underwater environments is already etched deep within our genes. The Water-Repelling Totem just brings it to the surface."
"As for why I’m helping you, it’s just to ask a small favor in return. Come here every night from now on, and I will teach you Body Techniques."
Luo Kai staggered to his feet. After a moment of silence, he pointed at the large rat on the man’s head and asked, "Is Big Grey your pet?"
The old man playfully tickled the rat in his hands. "Yes. I sensed this little fellow has a great deal of Spirituality, and I was bored, so I kept him."
"So, were you the one who had Big Grey bring me food?"
The old man shook his head. "Young man, don’t underestimate the intelligence of animals. You saved it, so it brought you food out of gratitude. Alright, dawn is breaking. You should hurry back now."
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