Chapter 180: Artful escape

Excerpt from the book “Food for thought!” By Hig’s

You know, after much munching on ill-gotten sugary products, my weight has gone up substantially. The evidence is being shown on my waist.

As such, I’ve gone to great lengths to find a weight loss solution that actually works. Damn mundane potion salesmen.

It took a lot of time, and money, and stealing, but I found it. Then through it out because screw working out. If I am gonna get rid of fat, it’s with style.

So I searched some more and found something special. A small magical artifact that made you lose weight faster. A tiny ring is supposed to be worn on the pinky. It wasn’t fast enough, so…. I bought a few hundred and had them sewn into a shirt. Bingo Bango, I had a sweater that, once worn, would make you lose weight several times faster than usual.

Only problem? All that metal, magic or otherwise, is heavy. So it was annoying to wear. I was burning my weight from just walking with it on.

It took me a few moments to shake the shiver from my bones. Pushing off the claws of fear. Cannot afford to be scared when Cassie is relying upon me.

I don’t know what to do yet, but let’s start with what I can do. Taking building blocks, mostly glass and stone, I step outside into the vacuum. Hearing a soft ping as my suit switches off its ventilation. “Love this thing,” I can’t help but say.

Flying over to just outside the borderline invisible bubble surrounding the entrance, with a plan in mind. I use an angel block to create a platform to work from, right below the middle of the bubble by 3 meters. It’s a significant distance from the actual portal.

From there, I build a rather large circle with 5 tall stone brick and glass walls. Enclosing it in a half-dome using a blueprint projector. The ceiling was almost entirely glass. Around this artificial dome, I create a large glass and stone tube that wraps around it. A corridor, if you will.

While doing this, I made sure to always have my ship in sight. But every time, it hadn’t moved an inch. The strange stillness was a little eery in this space-like environment.

Once done, I hastily prepare a large dock. Which was a rectangle with a drawbridge for a door. Which I then moved the vessel into.

Returning to the central dome, I begin preparations. Starting with a small thermoelectric power system to get things started. Power is gonna be a challenge in this resourceless vacuum with little light.

Once the power was working, I crafted an oxygen generator. Which when started to fill the bubble with some air, allowing us to breathe outside our armor. After which, I then began planting saplings, creating a small forest inside the dome. Adding some sheep, cows, and pigs for good measure.

Once I was done, the dome was a natural paradise with a small pond, greenery, and a mini hill.

While I was there, I also created a small second-floor right below everything that I built. A maintenance area mainly for wires, pipes, and anything else I might need.

Everything was lit with Glowstone for its almost incredible amount of resistance to aging. What it uses to produce light is beyond me.

Returning to the ring, I create a notably smaller dome of the same style next to it. Creating an airlock leading to it. The airlock remains open endless and when a vacuum is detected. Inside, I set up an auto farm with a handful of every type of seed I own. Producing a handful of materials over time, virtually every typical material. The only things they don’t deliver are unique items like enchanted tools.

Next to it, I prepare a simple ME system with some solar panels, a lot of solar panels actually. Given the abysmal lighting conditions, it required half the dome to be covered in them.

Few pipes later, and all the farm goods are going straight into the ME system for convenience.

Planted a few decorative plants here as well. A couple of well-groomed trees, some vines, shrubs, and well-placed flowers. Botania flowers work as excellent decoration.

Next, the part of the ring facing the bubble, I create multiple airlocks leading right up to the bubble. A long tunnel touching the strange space. Placing my hand against it, I feel a strong repulsion. I manage to create an airlock on the other side of the bubble with significant effort, allowing access into it. That’s if you can get through the space ignoring repulsion field.

With the final cardinal direction, I create a living and working area dome. Basically a large, primarily flat one of grass. A house is planted on one side and a workstation on the other. Power wired through along with the ME network.

We now have a home, an area to work, a park, and a facility. Along with access to the strange exit, we came from. Which I will now expand upon. Walking towards and pushing through that annoying repulsion field.

As the water flows out, it gets grabbed and dragged along, making just a line of water. It looks almost mechanical with how it snaps into place and gets moved. I slowly extend the path closer to the white hole. Reaching a dozen blocks away before I make another room. This one of reinforced stone due to the proximity of the anomaly. Some strengthened glass too, but that’s because it would be a sin not to use such a strange existence as decoration.

Having slowly expanded this facility, it gives me my first idea of escape. First, we need to stop the water. This can’t have been in existence for long, simply because the ocean would have drained down if it had been here for a significant time. It wouldn’t have drained fast, but there would have been signs. Like aquatic life corpses, lowering waterline. Although, with how water propagates infinitely, I might be incorrect. Either way, I need a moisture-free environment to work.

And that is why I’m currently build-up to the white hole and enclosing it inside a perfect glass sphere. Leaving the bottom open for the water to drain away temporarily. Once complete, bar blocking the water in, I make a side door airlock. Well, several airlocks, actually. Redundancy never hurt anyone.

The closer I got to the anomaly, the stronger of a repulsion I felt. Similar to the barrier that covers it.

Got as close as I could comfortably before plugging the drain. The sphere filled with water explosively fast. So fast I thought It was gonna pop.

“Crack.” I heard as a spiderweb of lines began to form across the whole structure.

I’ve never opened a plug so fast in my life.

Thankfully, the cracking stopped once the pressure was released. Guess that’s what happens when you have the weight of the ocean on some glass. The new plan, reinforced with shield generators. Which was easy, because I had some spare. The entire thing was triple-layered with shield blueprints. A few hundred solar panels later, and a lot of power is running through. I hastily plug it with the glass and shield blueprints before turning them all on.

Watching with bated breath as it filled up. It groaned slightly, causing my heartbeat to accelerate, but it held.

Now, I just need to slowly tunnel through the high-pressure water, up through the anomaly.

It was easier said than done because my movements were difficult to control while being pushed on from all sides by water. It was slow and steady progress, the armor helping immensely. Of course, the airlocks were all full of water, forcing me to make a teleportation point from inside the water and outside. It simply doesn’t work under such strain. Had to reset the sphere to do it. Otherwise, my whole base would have flooded. At least I can enter and exit more easily now.

Slowly, I closed in on the white vortex. Feeling that repulsion making it hard to move with dexterity. Eventually, though, I reached the edge of it. Being able to put my hand through it. Once my hand was through, I just continued to build a tunnel through the portal. Seeing how the white changed to grey before shifting to black. Upon exiting, I turn around to see a swirling black hole. A vacuum of light causing my head to pang in pain at sight.

Continuing to the soldier on, the suction began to reduce, allowing me to build faster, bit by bit. As I was going through on a flat plane, I quickly reached the stone walls of the hole in the ground. Opting to tunnel through it. Once the suction became ignorable, I began to tunnel in an upward direction. Placing stairs to aid the path. A bit of glowstone to add some light. After what felt like thousands of blocks of tunneling, I broke through the bottom of the ocean. Having a minor heart attack as water rushed in.

Once sealed, I made an airlock. Quickly making a room on the bottom of the ocean, allowing access to the tunnel. Just a tiny, almost camouflaged building. Door to leave into the water.

While I was there, I expanded the tunnel, making it cleaner with actual walls and equally placed lights.

I don’t know how to make the suction/repulsion a non-issue, though. It’s annoying and makes it virtually impossible for anyone outside of hyper-advanced armor to escape.

Shaking my head in defeat, “let’s take Cassie home.”

Heading through my new path, allowing the suction to drag me in. Finding the sensation a little enjoyable. Once through, I work my way towards Cassie. Walking into the room, finding her half-asleep on a sofa. Not a book to see, which is concerning.

Walking by her side, I kiss her head. Taking her into my arms, using a princess carry. Slowly walking towards the way home. At some point, she woke up, stirring slightly. But she remained eyes closed and unmoving in my arms. Who she thinks she’s fooling? I don’t know.

Eventually, we get to the new building. Oddly, I still can’t teleport from the underwater structure. Beginning to swim away, I note how the dislocator dings back into life. It must be a dead zone. A dead zone for what? I don’t know. After marking my location for returning, I teleport home. Brining her to bed and wishing her a good night. After having had such a stressful day, she deserves it.

The moment I left the room, I heard an annoying voice, “where have you been then?”

Turning around and seeing the blond-haired God in all his frustrating glory.

“Nowhere,” I answer in turn.

He rolls his eyes, “and planets grow on trees. Where were you?!” He demands.

“Shouting at me makes me less inclined to tell you.” Somethings up. He always knows where I am…. Or so I thought. Is this God’s blind spot.

His voice drops a decibel, with a long sigh, “please tell me where you were.”

He would never do what I asked. “I appreciate you being nice, but I was just here. You can believe it or not.”

He glares at me. Eyes glowing golden for a split second before a bright yellow pulse is released from him. Sweeping the area like visible echolocation. It rebounds back, causing his eyes to spin with symbols.

“I don’t believe you.” He simply says, disappearing back to wherever the fuck he came from.

Once he was gone, I let go of a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. Feeling sweat clamming up my hands. “Can’t touch me,” I murmur to myself to console myself about my choice to lie.

I best not die; he won’t be bringing me back after that stunt. Not really my fault there was a hole in the world.