Chapter 4
After coming out of his dazed state, Alex regained consciousness and exclaimed, "Ah, I got lucky!" It turned out that the contents of each book had been completely renewed when the chest transformed into a ring.
The language used in the books was no longer ancient Sanskrit from India. Instead, it was ancient Malay, spoken by an ancient Malay tribe that once inhabited the Sumatra region, which is now part of Indonesia. This Malay language had spread throughout the archipelago before the arrival of Indian traders, who introduced Sanskrit and influenced the local languages. Later, during the colonial period, the people in the archipelago reverted to speaking Malay, but in a more modern form. Eventually, the language evolved into the comprehensive Indonesian language during the period of independence.
Although Alex had never studied or been familiar with ancient Malay before, as the owner of the ring, he could understand the meaning of the book without even reading it. Merely by touching the book, Alex could comprehend its contents and understand its instructions.
What amazed Alex, even more, was that the updated content of the books was far superior to the previous versions. The knowledge contained within was advanced and comprehensive. Excitedly, Alex touched all three books to explore their contents.
As he delved into the books, Alex became more and more enthralled. With just these three books, he could acquire knowledge in various fields such as medicine, farming, animal husbandry, fishing, combat, and craftsmanship.
The first book still focused on flora, but now it went beyond cultivation techniques. It provided a comprehensive understanding of each part of the plant, including their benefits, habitats, nutritional requirements, and other details that allowed for a thorough understanding of plants inside and out.
The second book also focused on fauna, just like before, with additional information that provided a comprehensive understanding of animals. It allowed readers to delve into the intricacies of the animal world.
On the other hand, the third book underwent significant changes. It no longer solely contained martial arts movements but encompassed daily activities such as farming, cooking, rice cultivation, pottery-making, sculpting, and various other skills. Additionally, it offered knowledge about human nature, covering social and biological aspects.
Each of the three books had peculiar names: the Book of Botanical Nature, the Book of Animal Kingdom, and the Book of Human Nature.
Alex temporarily indulged in his euphoria, trying to absorb every piece of information he had obtained. However, the vast amount of knowledge was overwhelming, and he realized that he couldn't digest it all at once. Furthermore, despite the wealth of information, there might still be certain aspects that the books didn't cover. Nevertheless, Alex was immensely satisfied, as the knowledge he acquired was more than enough for his needs.
After the excitement subsided, Alex turned his attention to the jug, known as Kendi, which seemed to hold the least significance. To his surprise, the jug had also transformed. It was no longer a plain traditional Indonesian jug but adorned with intricate water carvings, depicting rivers, lakes, or perhaps even oceans. Intrigued, Alex reached out and touched the jug, triggering a rush of memories.
Silently contemplating the memories that flooded his mind, Alex didn't utter a word but entered the space within the ring. However, upon entering, he was taken aback. The once lush and verdant landscape of green grass and towering trees had vanished, replaced by a barren and narrow expanse. The once majestic green mountain had now transformed into a desolate, dusty yellow hill. There were no signs of living plants, except for a solitary young tree amid the arid landscape. Observing the immature tree, Alex realized that it held the true purpose for his entry into the ring's space.
After trudging for a while, Alex finally arrived safely in front of the tree. Carefully, he observed the tree's appearance, fully aware of its unusual nature. The sight before him was utterly unbelievable. Other than the glass dome floating above it, everything else about the tree seemed ordinary, with the tree itself appearing unhealthy and below average.
Alex gently placed the ancient jug on the ground and positioned himself on the domed platform that floated above the tree. The transparent glass inner walls of the platform were adorned with abundant dew, reminiscent of a post-rain morning.
The dome took on a hemispherical shape, with a center that displayed uniform dimensions resembling an inverted bowl. Along the edge of the bowl, there was an inward-rolling shape resembling a gutter. This sloping gutter, though not level, directed the flow toward the back of the tree. From there, a cylindrical tail emerged, curving like a scorpion as it made its way toward the center of the dome, maintaining its even dimensions.
The sound of falling water echoed through the air, marking the arrival of droplets into the jug that Alex had placed beforehand. The dome's function became evident—it collected dew from the trees and funneled it into the container above.
Alex's excitement grew as he witnessed this phenomenon. "Could this be the dew of life?" he wondered, recalling a memory from his past. Eager to explore further, he stepped out of the space ring and retrieved a less-than-ideal cup from the room. Returning to the tree, he carefully poured the water from the jug into the cup, making sure not to waste a drop.
With the cup in hand, Alex observed the transparent water it held. Though the quantity was small, filling only a quarter of the cup, it was understandable given the limited water available. Alex had waited patiently for some time.
Without hesitation, Alex swiftly consumed the water, curious about its potential benefits for the body. As the cool and refreshing liquid flowed into his mouth, he began to savor the sensation. However, much to his dismay, a burning sensation soon followed, causing him to wince in pain.
"HMP!!!" Alex attempted to scream, but the burning sensation persisted, intensifying as the water passed through his throat. Overwhelmed by the discomfort, Alex collapsed onto the dry floor of the ring room, seeking relief. Determined to find alternative water sources, he hastily left the space ring and returned to his cluttered room, already drenched in sweat. With great effort, he made his way to the kitchen.
Due to the excruciating pain, Alex's hand trembled violently as he held the cup. With his limp leg, stump hand, and the tormenting pain coursing through his body, Alex's suffering was unbearable. After struggling to steady the cup in his trembling hands, he finally managed to bring the water to his lips, hoping it would alleviate his agony. He took a long gulp, desperate for relief.
Unfortunately, the water became trapped in his constricted throat, causing Alex to choke on his drinking water. "Cough... cough..." He coughed, hoping to dislodge the blockage. Although some liquid came out, it was accompanied by a significant amount of white froth.
The pain, far from subsiding, intensified and spread throughout his body. It felt as if his insides were being scorched and sliced by razors, pushing Alex to the brink of death.
Veins bulged and tightened all over Alex's body—his jugular veins, forehead veins, and other parts of his anatomy showed prominent red and green vessels, resembling worms embedded beneath his skin. Overwhelmed by the unbearable suffering, Alex lost consciousness.
After an indeterminate amount of time, Alex finally regained consciousness. Instead of feeling relief, he was plagued by dizziness.
"Sniff... sniff... Where is this foul odor coming from?" Alex asked, unaware of his surroundings. Gradually, he became aware of the black, greasy layer covering his body. Before he could comprehend what had happened, a burning sensation erupted in his stomach, causing waves of nausea.
"Ouch!" Alex grimaced as the thick black liquid was expelled from his mouth, accompanying several rounds of vomiting. Finally, as the turmoil settled, Alex breathed a sigh of relief.
"What on earth was that?" Alex exclaimed, still trying to recover from the ordeal. As he surveyed his surroundings, he was stunned to find a substantial amount of rotting, greasy black liquid surrounding him. The air carried a putrid odor, mingling with the pungent scent of medicine.
"Is this the impurity within my body?" Alex asked absentmindedly. He had read about spirit water that could purify the body, but he had never imagined that the cleansing process would be so agonizing.
As Alex was about to go clean up, he suddenly heard a knock at the door. Observing the dirt on his body and the persistent knocking, Alex couldn't help but sigh. His condition was weakened from the previous purification.
With great effort, Alex made his way to the door, relying on his crutches for support. When he opened it, he was confronted by three burly men dressed in black, adorned with tattoos on their bodies. Alex furrowed his brow at the sight.
Naturally, Alex asked, "Yes, gentlemen, is there something I can help you with?"
One of the men, with a stern expression, inquired, "Is this Russel's residence?"
"Yes, it is," Alex replied, his anticipation growing.
Upon hearing this, the three men exchanged meaningful glances. Then, without warning, they reached for baseball bats and began swinging them at Alex's weary body.
Alex, witnessing this shocking turn of events, was dumbfounded and cursed under his breath, "Unlucky!"