Mushroom Lord in the Underground City

Chapter 444 - 435: The Time of Extinction

After experiencing numerous baptisms of war, the city guards of Golden Valley City were no longer a group of scattered soldiers.

Seeing their companion getting into a dispute with the adventurers, a dozen or so nearby city guards stood up unanimously, surrounding them with unfriendly expressions.

"Starting a fight now could be troublesome." Sirean cautioned softly as he looked around.

It’s not that he’s afraid they would lose; these dining city guards hadn’t brought Puki, and purely with their Copper and Silver Level personal strength, they were no match for Vera’s Squad.

Among the four-member team, only Fei Yin was slightly below Gold Level; in a fight, they would certainly not lose.

But this was Golden Valley City, it was someone else’s territory.

If the conflict escalates, the continuously arriving city guards aside, causing a big scene would bring no advantage to adventurers like them.

Vera quietly nudged Fei Ling at her waist, and Fei Ling realized her impulsiveness; she reluctantly smacked her lips, ready to let it go.

However, the opposite party clearly didn’t think the same.

The city guard intentionally stepped forward a few paces, almost standing flush with Fei Ling, "What? Didn’t you want me to stop? Here I am."

Fei Ling clenched her fists, struggling to restrain herself from throwing a punch.

Yet the city guard also didn’t dare actually make a move, for Vera and the others’ adventurer badges on their chests signified their strength.

He was well aware that once a conflict erupted, he would undoubtedly be the first to get beaten up.

So after leaving those provocative words to save face, he planned on letting things rest.

"Hmph!" As he turned and passed by the woman again, the city guard casually kicked her.

"You dare!"

Fei Ling stepped forward...

Crack—

"Ahhh!" The city guard’s shrill screams resounded throughout the square.

But it wasn’t Fei Ling who acted; her hand was still suspended mid-air.

The Thousand-man Commander Angela stood between them, it was she who had stepped on and broke her subordinate’s leg just now.

Seeing their superior appear, the surrounding city guards silently sat back down.

"Why the howl? Lie down for a while and you’ll be fine." Angela said, lightly kicking the injured area again.

The city guard immediately gritted his teeth, not daring to make another sound, as cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

"Causing trouble in the city, go back to receive your punishment." She waved to signal other soldiers to drag away their comrade with the broken leg, then turned to Fei Ling.

She then looked at Fei Ling, but there was little goodwill in her eyes: "I hope you adventurers are here to help, not to clash with the city guards."

"It was our impulse, thank you, Commander, for stepping in to ensure fairness." Vera stepped forward, shielding Fei Ling behind her, and apologized to Angela.

"Fairness, huh." Angela’s gaze swept past the woman still curled up on the ground, without saying anything more, turned, and left.

As the crowd dispersed, Vera turned to Fei Ling, speaking in a serious tone: "Fei Ling, you need to curb this impulsiveness. It’s not every time that someone will step in to rescue us."

"I just, just can’t stand them acting like that..." Fei Ling muttered.

"But did it really help her?" Vera’s voice softened, "What if those city guards come back to bother her after we leave?"

"I..." Fei Ling lowered her head, speaking softly after a long pause, "I know I was wrong."

Vera’s expression softened, she reached out to rub her head: "Next time, at least give me a look, I’ll think of a way."

"Okay..."

Then Vera squatted down, making eye contact with the woman: "Sorry, perhaps we’ve only caused you more trouble."

"No... there’s no need to apologize." The woman’s voice was still so soft, "Thank you."

Upon closer examination, Vera noticed that despite her tattered clothes, the fabric was of fine quality, with exquisite embroidery traces at the edges, clearly not something commoners could afford.

A noble fallen on hard times?

But recalling the city guard’s attitude, a new doubt arose in Vera’s mind.

"Can you tell me your name?"

The woman raised her head timidly and glanced at Vera, her eyes full of caution: "I am... Lucia."

...

Divine Wood Dungeon, at the bottom level.

More than a dozen Tree Demons bedecked with mushrooms guarded the edge of a cave.

Since the Fungal Mat had spread over nearly the entire Divine Wood Dungeon, Lin Jun had relocated her Tree Demons over here.

Xiao Lv and its kin sang praises of the ancestral tree’s blessings, genuinely grateful to their leader for arranging their return here.

The truth is, Tree Demons as native creatures hold quite an advantage in the Divine Wood Dungeon.

Within the confines of Divine Wood Dungeon, non-crazed demons almost never proactively attack Tree Demons, their bodies covered in fungi notwithstanding, allowing Xiao Lv and its kin greater freedom than Lin Jun.

Bzzt—

A Puki shot out from the net tunnel, rolled mid-air, landed, and immediately assumed a defensive posture.

Then time came for the second Puki, then the third... until several hundred Pukis surrounded the inside and outside of the cave; Knight Puki emerged.

Safe!

The Puki circle began moving, led by Knight Puki, their collective "Puki" stomp echoing far and wide.

Every time they attracted some demon, if it was of the plant variety, Tree Demons would approach to use [Plant Affinity] for their retreat.

If it was an animal-kind demon, the Pukis wouldn’t attack, instead sending a portion of expendable Pukis as decoys while the main circle accelerated through.

One guiding principle!

The Divine Artifact must be infallible!

If the underground net tunnels weren’t so cramped, Lin Jun would have also brought Xiao Hai and Little Pig.

Fortunately, the Divine Wood Dungeon’s ecosystem wouldn’t be restored in a day or two. Without expending too many decoys, the Puki circle reached the base of the spiral.

Voice Puki rolled to the sapling’s side:"Boss! Here? This time we really brought the goods over!"

As soon as the words were spoken, Knight Puki disappeared from the circle.

This time, Knight Puki didn’t directly land on the ground but on a web of branches.

Tentatively twining around Knight Puki’s body, without waiting for Knight’s movement, the branches proactively extracted a section of wood core from its belly.

"Originally thought it would take you a year or two, didn’t expect you’d get it so soon... Not bad!" The Divine Wood seldom praised Lin Jun with the Divine Artifact shard in hand.

"Well then..."

Lin Jun had just opened her mouth when the Divine Wood delivered as promised a gentle, glowing fruit in front of Knight Puki.

[Life Essence]!

"What I promised you, it’s settled. Don’t come back again." With that, tumbleweed planned to unfold and eject Knight Puki from the space.

"Wait!" Lin Jun called hurriedly.

"What else?" The Divine Wood clearly disliked conversing with Lin Jun.

"May I ask just one more question?"

"Ask."

In the peculiar voice of Voice Puki, there carried an unusual tension: "Boss, you said before that this world was doomed but never the reason. Can you at least disclose how much time is left before ultimate destruction?"

"Given that you delivered so promptly... left unchecked, about ten years perhaps. If the folks above manage something, maybe they’d extend it by fifty or sixty years? Heh, just prolong the suffering a few decades."

"But the core cause is..."

Pfft—

Knight Puki was flung out without further ado, landing heavily on the ground...

Tsk!

Lin Jun pondered, ultimately choosing not to entangle further with the Divine Wood.

Cautiously taking out the fruit, she tossed it on the Fungal Mat!

[Seven Sins of Greed Activated]

[Plunder Skill: Life Essence]