Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 1412: Have we finally found it?

Guided by "destiny," Ling and his companions stepped into this dreamlike yet perilous underground world. The ground was covered with a soft, shimmering moss, making no sound underfoot. Giant fluorescent mushrooms stood like silent sentinels on either side of the path, their caps casting dappled shadows, swaying gently with the glowing spores floating in the air, as if breathing with life. An underground river meandered in the distance, its waters shimmering with phosphorescent light, occasionally punctuated by silvery-white blind fish leaping from the surface, their scales tracing fleeting arcs in the dim light.

They trudged along the rocky riverbank, eventually entering a forest of greyish-white fungi. Halfway through, a massive stag with crystal antlers suddenly burst from the shadows, crashing irresistibly into the pillar-like stalks of the fungi, leaving only a frenzied corpse. Leticia longed to try the venison, but her grandmother stopped her. For the next few days, they saw no living creatures. The moss beneath their feet was gradually replaced by soft, damp, volcanic ash-like soil, and the world was shrouded in darkness, filled with the deathly silence of ancient times.

The countess's boots crushed countless crimson Nair flowers and trampled countless insects, lizards, or salamanders that crawled by unintentionally. For three whole days and nights, there was almost no communication within the group. They moved forward in the endless primeval forest by the faint light of the fungal carpet and the light emitted by some unknown insects. They finally emerged from the forest when the stag they had initially killed was almost reduced to bones and the crushed plants were about to reclaim the path.

But beyond the forest lay another forest, now transformed from a fungal forest into a stone forest. Countless rock pillars, eroded by flowing water, stood towering before them, the wind whistling through them like the low murmurs of ancient spirits. The only good news was the significantly increased activity of life here, perhaps indicating that the group was on the right track. Sometimes, they would disturb subterranean creatures dwelling in crevices or beneath fungal caps, such as a group of hard-shelled, metallic-sheened multi-legged beetles that would quickly burrow into the moss; or a flock of slender, translucent-winged bioluminescent bats, startled by the glow of the lanterns, would flutter overhead, leaving behind a trail of faint chirps.

Even more shockingly, while passing through an area filled with enormous, azure fungi, a strange plant disguised as a fungus suddenly attacked—its massive cap opened abruptly, resembling a pitcher plant, revealing a slimy cavity inside, and lunged at Selena, who was closest to it, like a giant maw. The werewolf girl reacted swiftly, leaping aside to dodge its attack. Then, the countess swung her blood claws, instantly tearing the attacking cap to shreds, splattering thick, rotten juice all over the ground and emitting a pungent, sour smell.

“I’ve seen it in books.” Ovira examined the remains of the strange plant and said with certainty, “It’s called a fungus plant, and it mainly preys on small animals. I don’t know why it’s targeting us.”

"Maybe they think I'm more delicious?" Serena joked, then laughed at herself, chuckling to herself.

Leticia glanced at her sideways, giving her an expression that said, "I don't find this funny at all."

Lin Ge, however, was thinking much more. He thought of the stag that had crashed into him and died, and the fungus-like plant that had attacked a large prey that was clearly not on its menu. Although plants and animals don't possess advanced intelligence, their survival instincts should never be underestimated. And the fact that they could act against their instincts meant that this area was indeed hiding some secret.

Afterwards, they chose to rest temporarily in an open area near the underground river. Ovira placed her lantern on a relatively flat stone; its light, reflecting off the river and fluorescent moss, created a small, tranquil sanctuary. By the lantern's dim light, she scribbled furiously, recording her observations on paper. If all went according to plan, these writings would become indispensable documents for the Atoligarians and even the people of the Eastern Continent in their future research on the Dark Cloud Abyss and its vast underground world—provided, by then, that they were preserved, or that the people of this land still possessed the courage and passion to explore the legends.

If the Jihad Army survives this catastrophe, then everything can be passed down.

After a brief rest, they continued their journey. Fate led them deep into remote and mysterious caves, across vast plains, and through treacherous swamps... until they finally arrived at the foot of a mountain.

However, this wasn't a real mountain, but a colossal structure composed of rocks and swarms of fungi. The stout, intertwined fungal stems were as thick as ancient trees, their caps connecting overhead to form another dome. The luminous spores floating in the air were even more dense, like flowing mist of light. This scene inevitably reminded one of the perpetually pervasive acidic fog in the Dark Cloud Abyss, and one instinctively held their breath. Perhaps the sudden silence alerted the Countess, for she abruptly lowered her voice and said, "There are people ahead."

The word "human"—both strange and familiar—immediately roused the weary travelers, who turned to look in the direction the Countess was gazing.

Through the hazy light, they saw a tall, stout figure, bent over with difficulty, digging something in the ground. Upon closer inspection, they discovered that this creature looked much like a large mushroom, with a round body under a dusty, grayish cap and short, thick limbs. Overall, it had a somewhat憨厚 (simple and honest) appearance, reminiscent of the stone spirit guardians on the Cloud Whale Sky Island.

These are the Fungus, one of the most well-known races in the Underworld. The Gray Fungus are a unique branch of the Atoligar Underworld, and their name undoubtedly comes from the color of their umbrella-shaped hats. The rustic gray makes them look less like living fungi and more like lifeless minerals. Therefore, some believe that the Gray Fungus are not plant-based anomalies, but rather an elemental race similar to the Stone Spirits and Wind Spirits.

Linge signaled to everyone not to act rashly. The Gray Fungus were always highly wary of other races—especially those on the ground. If they couldn't gain their trust, it was best not to make contact. Since they had already found traces of the Gray Fungus, proving their tribe was nearby, there was no rush.

Everyone understood Ling's meaning, so no one spoke, and they all cautiously retreated. But an unexpected situation occurred. Perhaps due to the refraction of light, the flame from the lantern in Ovira's hand flickered and scattered in the hazy mist, like streaks of colorful aurora bursting forth, looking exceptionally beautiful. However, this incredible sight also attracted the attention of the gray mushroom man. He pulled his attention away from the unknown things he was digging underground, shook his heavy head, stared at the aurora in the sky for a while, and then his blank gaze slowly moved, finally landing on Ling and his group behind him.

The moment their eyes met, an awkward atmosphere seemed to fill the air. Ling noticed that the gray mushroom-man had a pair of small, beady eyes and a toothless mouth, which was now wide open in surprise, forming an "O" shape, looking...

"Why does she seem a bit clumsy?" Leticia voiced everyone's thoughts. This startled the gray fungus people who were still in a state of shock. The latter seemed to wake from a dream, letting out a hard-to-describe scream that sounded a bit like a mandrake being pulled from the ground. After dropping the bone knife and the gathered items, she turned around and darted into the dense fungal stalks next to her with amazing agility. Her figure flashed a few times and almost disappeared into the depths of light and shadow.

"Wait..." Before Ling could even finish his sentence, it was clear that this gray mushroom man might not be a qualified hunter, but he was definitely the most difficult prey to catch in the underworld.

"Chase!" Neville shouted and took the lead in chasing after them, with Ling and the others immediately following.

The gray fungus were extremely familiar with the terrain, navigating the vast mushroom jungle and the rugged rocky mountains with the ease of a fish in water. Ling and his group managed to keep up, managing not to be completely shaken off. The golden threads of fate had already fulfilled their purpose upon discovering the gray fungus, dissipating into specks of golden light.

Of course, this is only what it appears to be on the surface.

In reality, if they really wanted to pursue them, no one else would need to lift a finger; the countess, with her demigod-level strength, could easily capture them. However, considering that even if they captured them, they might not obtain any useful information, and since they had already been exposed, the initial plan for gradual contact was no longer applicable. It would be better to follow behind them, trace the clues, find the Gray Fungus tribe, and have a fair and square exchange.

Countess Neville trailed the Grey Fungus Man by about a hundred meters, giving him the illusion that she could easily shake him off. Leticia and Serena, one flying through the air and the other sprinting like a wolf, kept up close, while Ling and Ovira lagged behind. Princess Beman, in particular, whose most strenuous exercise was loosening the soil and watering the violets in her small garden, and perhaps practicing the Leslie royal family's ancestral swordsmanship, had never used it in actual combat. Now, she was already panting heavily from running.

But even though she was exhausted from running, Princess Beman didn't fall behind, nor did she ask Ling for help. When the young man reached out to her, wanting to lend her a hand, the girl, panting heavily, firmly shook her head, refusing her companion's kindness. She had volunteered to join this exploration team not to hold them back; she was driven by a belief that no matter how difficult it was, she would persevere and finish the journey.

After all, it was a path they chose. And if they couldn't even endure this little bit of hardship, wouldn't their vow—to take care of and protect everyone in place of Xia Xia—be nothing more than a joke?

However, reasons and excuses are always hard to articulate, but emotions remain clear.

Seeing her stubbornness, Lin Ge didn't press the matter, but he felt that Ovira seemed much more headstrong than before. He recalled something from long ago: on the Shichiria Peninsula, when the Witch Society's army burned the Void Root Swamp, to escape the enemy's encirclement, he had simply picked up Princess Bemang, and at the time, she hadn't resisted at all. Of course, time has passed, and people always change. It's not that this stubbornness is necessarily a bad change, but it inevitably makes one wonder what happened to make her decide to change herself.

Considering the timeline, the answer is actually quite obvious; it's just that young people intentionally or unintentionally overlook it. Perhaps life has an instinct to protect itself, deliberately ignoring memories that cause sadness? Although sometimes, recalling them unintentionally is far more difficult than remembering them constantly, and once accumulated emotions erupt, they will inevitably be like a flood bursting its banks, unstoppable and unpredictable.

The chase continued for a short while before the view suddenly opened up. The group had emerged from the dense fungal forest and complex rocky mountains, arriving at a clearing surrounded by a cluster of enormous, luminous crystals. In the center of the clearing was a village nestled against the rock face. The houses were converted from natural caves and huge, hollow mushrooms, with smaller luminous crystals embedded inside and outside for lighting. Many gray fungus people were moving about in the clearing when they were suddenly disturbed by these uninvited guests, and the atmosphere fell into a deathly silence.

The gray fungus man who had just escaped was now hiding behind an older gray fungus man with an exceptionally large cap on his head, pointing at Ling and the others in terror.

In an instant, dozens of pairs of eyes, filled with vigilance, hostility, and even fear, focused on Ling Ge and his group. From the shadows surrounding the clearing and behind the windows of the mushroom houses, more gray fungus people emerged, carrying crude weapons: polished bone spears, sharp-edged stone shards, and even mysterious fungi of unknown color and purpose that exuded a sense of danger.

Although the gray mushroom people have a rather docile appearance and temperament, and their beady black eyes make it difficult for them to display a fierce expression, their sheer numbers still create a sense of oppression. The atmosphere on the field instantly tensed, like a fully drawn bowstring, waiting for it to snap.

The older gray mushroom man stepped forward, speaking only a strange, low voice, somewhat like a wild beast intimidating its enemy. Though the exact meaning of the voice was unclear, the wary and dismissive gesture was unmistakable. He waved his arm, pointing in the direction from which Ling and the others had come, clearly demanding their immediate departure.

Ling stopped, raising his hands to indicate he was unarmed, attempting to express goodwill. Ovira gripped her lantern tightly, while Leticia and Serena tensed, ready to defend themselves at any moment. Neville stood at the forefront, her demigod-like aura emanating subtly, serving as both intimidation and protection.

Give me some cats