CHAPTER 49: CHAPTER 49: SPREADING MUSHROOMS

Underground City, Level 2.

A gentle breeze swept through the forest, carrying the fresh scent of vegetation. The clear spring water of the pebble creek reflected the orange and white glow emitted by the Firefly Grass.

At first glance, this place seemed to be a vibrant, flowing natural woodland.

But in reality, the small demons in the forest here were adept at concealment and ambush, many of them even poisonous.

If beginners were unprepared with Antitoxic Potions, dying inside was quite normal.

A longsword thrust into the waist-high grass, and Gray lightly flicked it, skewering a green scorpion about the size of a palm.

"Didn’t they say, after a Demon Tide, the number of demons would greatly decrease in the short term?

I’ve only been walking for a while, and I’ve already skewered 3 spiders, 6 scorpions, and 4 small snakes..."

Calvin, who was checking the Underground City guide beside him, explained without looking up:

"The decrease in number refers to those high-level or large-sized demons.

After a Demon Tide, the concentration of Magic Power inside the Underground City increases greatly. The low-level, small demons benefit the most, so it’s normal for them to come out in large numbers."

As he spoke, he brought the guide in front of Gray, pointing to a section saying: "Look, there used to be a common type of black and white python on this level, but we haven’t encountered any on this route."

Gray waved his longsword, cutting a hanging green snake above the two of them in half, then glanced at the guide, complaining:

"That’s the fifth one... but it’s too annoying. How much longer until the next level?"

"Still a long way to go," Calvin paused, seemingly studying the map, "How about we take a detour? There’s a natural cave we can go through, where there aren’t so many annoying little creatures."

"What’s over there?" Gray didn’t believe it could be a completely safe path.

"Spiders, big spiders."

-----------------

Gray raised the torch in his hand, illuminating the chaotic and tattered spider webs in the gray-white stone cave—it seemed the place hadn’t yet recovered from the Demon Tide’s destruction.

"Where are the spiders?"

Calvin pointed upwards, and Gray followed his gaze, indeed seeing small red dots hidden in the darkness.

"Don’t worry, these creatures are actually quite timid. If you don’t get stuck on their webs, they won’t dare to come down and attack."

"How do you know that?"

"It’s written in the guide."

Gray nodded, then asked, "Why aren’t they coming down to eat this?"

As he spoke, he drove back the darkness with the torch, revealing a struggling Puki caught in a spider web.

"Puki? Spiders are carnivorous, it’s normal for them not to eat it." Calvin said, a puzzled expression on his face, "But why is there a Puki here?"

"What’s the issue with it being here? Didn’t we encounter them on the first level too?" Gray didn’t see what was strange about it.

"That’s why you, who doesn’t read, understand nothing."

Calvin moved closer, observing this strange Puki, explaining to Gray:

"The Demon Tide indeed causes demons to spill into other levels, but it’s always from lower levels to upper levels.

It’s almost impossible for upper-level demons to move to lower levels.

And this Puki is so strange, it even has tentacles..."

"So, there are walking mushrooms in further lower levels as well."

"But the guide says Puki can only be found on the first level."

"When is that guide from? Is it outdated?"

"Three years ago, it shouldn’t be outdated..." Calvin was uncertain; if the guide was outdated, they might encounter unforeseen dangers.

Gray stepped forward and took the Puki off the spider web.

"Gray, what are you doing? This is a mutant kind, it might be dangerous!"

Gray shrugged: "What danger could a walking mushroom pose? I just want to see what it’s doing here."

As soon as the Puki hit the ground, its four mycelium tentacles suddenly extended, shooting into the darkness above.

After a brief hiss from above, a two-meter-wide giant spider was pulled down, crashing to the ground and instantly killed.

Then the Puki slowly dragged the spider’s corpse toward the outside.

Gray turned his head to find Calvin staring straight at him.

"Okay, I admit it’s a bit dangerous... Should we follow and take a look?"

Gray pointed at the Puki about to turn a corner; it was heading in a different direction from the two of them.

Calvin, now also aroused with curiosity, thought for a moment and nodded:

"We still have plenty of time, let’s follow and take a look!"

Having reached a consensus, the two followed the Puki all the way.

They watched as it slapped away an ambushing scorpion with its tentacle, walked through two hidden paths, and finally entered a small cave in a crevice, faintly illuminated by a dim light inside.

The two reached the cave entrance and peeked inside.

Inside the small cave, every corner was covered with mycelium, and various-sized mushrooms glowed with a faint light, lighting up the whole cave.

What made the two gasp was that the ground was covered with bones starting from the cave entrance, consisting of dire wolves, black and white snakes, giant spiders, and unknown Dragon Beast—it was a mixed collection of demon corpses.

Some of the bones were already covered with mycelium, while others seemed recently brought, their blood not yet coagulated.

Several mutated Puki with tentacles worked together, carefully placing the newly acquired spider corpse into an empty space, avoiding damaging the Fungal Mat on the ground during the process.

Gulp—

Exchanging a glance, Gray and Calvin each saw shock in the other’s eyes.

The two quietly retreated until they were completely away from that cave before relaxing.

Once outside, Calvin complained, "Why were we so tense? This is just Level 2, and you’re Level 31, are you still scared?"

"Weren’t you the tense one first?"

"Alright, alright, but it’s so strange, of course I’m tense. Where else have you seen such brutal Puki?

I’ll need to tell my teacher about this."

Turning back, Calvin glanced to ensure no Puki followed them.

"Now, let’s head to Level 5."

-----------------

Hmm?

Lin Jun, who was planting large mushrooms in the forest, suddenly received an image from the Level 2 outpost—two human adventurers peeping.

Has the Underground City finally opened?

Seems like I need to accelerate the maturity of the large mushrooms.

I also need to replenish more combat Puki, otherwise, if the defensive power is inadequate and troublemakers come, it’ll be problematic.

As for those two adventurers, Lin Jun didn’t bother with them.

This was never intended to be hidden from humans, and it couldn’t be hidden even if I wanted to.

The cave was chosen just to reduce demon disturbance.

Moreover, even if I wanted to, I couldn’t manage it.

Unlike direct mycelium connections, the signals transmitted through mushroom nodes have a slight delay—the images I see are probably from 6 minutes ago.

The Puki outside independently execute tasks once they are set.

Unless human adventurers actively attack or try to steal the demon corpses in the cave, they won’t retaliate—this has always been Lin Jun’s neutral policy.

If anyone destroys these outposts, Lin Jun could only consider it unlucky, and then seek revenge once they reach Level 5!