Mushroom Lord in the Underground City

Chapter 472 - 462: In the Mist

"It’s fake!" The confusion in Sofia’s eyes lasted only for a brief moment before she quickly judged the seemingly familiar scene.

Sofia had thought that she might one day return to her previous world, but it shouldn’t be as simple as being rolled back by a mist.

The panel could still be opened, and after checking her own status, she found no indication of hallucination or mental influence affecting her.

It wasn’t her perception being distorted; rather, this area itself was an illusion.

Sofia also knew the mist probably wasn’t just an illusion, but that didn’t stop her from understanding it this way for the time being.

Boom——!

A loud explosion came from the depths of the thick fog outside the window, causing the glass to vibrate with a hum.

Is it still Samuel and the others?

Is everyone in the same illusion?

She instinctively wanted to go out and check, but as soon as she took a step, Samuel’s reminder, "Make sure to protect your own safety," nailed her firmly to the spot like a shackle.

"If only I were stronger..." The feeling of knowing her companions might be fighting desperately while she could only stand by made her clench the bow in her hand.

"Get out!"

A familiar angry shout snapped Sofia back to reality from her dejection. She rushed to the window and saw Bella down below on the narrow street, swinging her longsword while fighting and retreating.

Chasing behind her was a group of grotesquely shaped, twisted-limbed humanoid monsters.

Their movements were stiff yet swift, and judging by the tattered clothing remnants on their bodies, these monsters were likely the original residents of this city.

Looking at these familiar yet loathsome figures, Sofia muttered to herself, "Mutants..."

Soon, she also discovered that these mutants had no panel!

Downstairs, Bella swung her sword with great effort, and a flash of silver decapitated the two mutants closest to her.

But more monsters poured in ceaselessly from the crossroads and dark alleys.

With anxiety, Bella scanned the surroundings, sweeping her glance over the entrances of the street-side buildings, seemingly weighing whether to hide inside using the complex terrain, yet evidently worried about more dangers lurking within the buildings.

At that moment, several silver-glowing arrows descended from the sky, piercing the skulls of the mutants closest behind Bella!

"Bella! Over here!" Sofia’s voice came from above.

"Sofia!" A thread of joy flashed in Bella’s eyes, and without further hesitation, she dashed into the entrance of the building where Sofia was.

Meanwhile, from the window, Sofia’s bowstring quivered as she shot down any mutant attempting to enter the corridor or scale the outer wall.

Easily slaughtering these seemingly powerful mutants, Sofia couldn’t help but think, if only she had this Hero’s power back then...

Thump Thump Thump——

At that moment, the door behind her was knocked upon.

"Bella?"

"Sofia, it’s me."

Not Bella!

It was a clear, familiar voice that she had long buried beneath the ruins of her memory—a voice she thought she would never hear again in this life.

She cautiously opened the door.

Standing outside was a young man in a police uniform, with handsome features that bore some resemblance to Sofia.

However, a blood-stained bandage was tightly wound around his neck, and the edge of the bandage faintly revealed the outline of a hideous wound.

"Alexei?" Sofia’s voice held a tremor she hadn’t noticed herself. The next moment, she raised her bow again, the arrowhead aimed straight at the young man, though tears welled in her eyes uncontrollably, "What...what exactly are you?"

"Hey hey hey," Alexei smiled with a trace of helplessness and a bit of grievance, raising his hands compliantly, "Can you not aim that thing at me? It’s quite intimidating."

His voice carried a hint of sadness: "Do you really...want to kill me again, sis?"

As he spoke, he slowly raised his hand to untie the blood-stained bandage around his neck.

The bandage fell, revealing a horrific knife scar, deep enough to see the bone, clearly exposed to Sofia’s eyes.

Looking at the wound she had inflicted herself, Sofia repeatedly reminded herself that everything was an illusion.

However, her fingers pulling the bowstring couldn’t release the silver arrow she had nocked.

"Sister, I don’t blame you," Alexei watched her struggle, devoid of resentment or blame in his eyes, "After all, it was an unavoidable situation back then. But I’m living well here now. The mist, it’s not what you think it is."

"Not what I think?"

"Yes," Alexei nodded affirmatively, extending his right hand towards Sofia, palm up, in an inviting gesture, "Let me take you to understand the truth, sis."

Sofia did not step forward; her reason still urged her to stay vigilant, yet her heart wavered violently due to the familiar face and that striking scar, unable to bring herself to shoot the arrow at this ’brother’.

Seeing Sofia unresponsive and still holding her weapon up, Alexei’s face fell with unmistakable loneliness.

At that moment, urgent footsteps echoed down the hallway.

A flash of silver sword light burst in!

Bella’s longsword mercilessly pierced through Alexei’s abdomen, pinning him harshly against the opposite wall!

"Lady Sofia, are you alright?" Bella asked with concern.

"Bella, he..."

"Oh, is he someone important to you?" Glancing at the young man, Bella pressed her sword deeper, clearly without any intention of holding back.

Her eyes shimmered with silver brilliance: "They’re all fake! Just like the one who suddenly appeared before me earlier, asking me to go to some Mushroom City, and who I slashed down with one strike! They’re no different from those monsters outside, just lifeless gray!"

From the wound in Alexei’s abdomen, no blood flowed, only ash-like substance dispersed, and his body began to crack inch by inch.

"Sister, sooner or later...you will return... I’ll be here... waiting for you..."

Before he finished speaking, his body completely disintegrated, turning into a pile of gray fragments that then scattered into the air, as if he never existed.

As "Alexei" disappeared, the surrounding mist that had initially thinned became dense once more.

This time, without hesitation, Sofia grabbed Bella’s wrist tightly.

At some point, the suffocating pure white around them suddenly receded, salty sea breezes blew on their faces, dispersing the last trace of mist. Behind them was the massive wall of mist, gradually receding, while in front was the expansive, endless blue sea.

They were back, standing on the deck again!

"Lady Sofia!"

"Hero, it’s great that you’re alright!"

Priest Samuel and the Captain of the Guard and others immediately surrounded them, with signs of battle evident on their bodies. Seeing Sofia safe and sound, everyone visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

However, Sofia’s glance swept quickly over the deck, and her heart sank.

The number of guards aboard was noticeably fewer than before the mist, their figures likely forever remaining in that eerie white expanse.

...

Mushroom City, Dylan, who awoke in the middle of the night, splashed cold water on his face, washing away the gloom in his heart.

He dreamed of his daughter again.

He hoped Bella wouldn’t be caught in danger, hoped the Kingdom could defeat the Demon Race, hoped that after the war, he and his daughter could be reunited...