This dungeon has mushrooms growing on it.

Chapter 160, Section 159: Avenging the Shame

What was the biggest failure in Lin Jun's career?
It's not like when you first arrive and are chased by slimes to be fed; that's just how it is during the beginner phase.

It wasn't that she was almost killed by three Gold-level humans; apart from being hit by an arrow, Lin Jun suffered no other losses that time.

The biggest failure was hunting earthworms!

It consumed all the resources generated by the Fire Mosquitoes, exceeding the limit by producing a large force of 400 Puji, and also used up a large amount of magic crystals accumulated over two years.

The result was that they gained nothing. Not only that, only a very small number of the Puji who went on the expedition managed to escape back, and even the general Inanna almost got trapped.

With the prospect of renewed development seemingly far off, Lin Jun decided to risk a relocation.

It's no exaggeration to say that Lin Jun's success today is all thanks to those two earthworms.

Lin Jun has never forgotten this humiliation.

However, the deep zone was so vast that Lin Jun thought that they would have to go through a lot of trouble to find each other again after she had control of the core.

I didn’t expect it! I didn’t expect it!
Is it because your activity area is nearby?
Or is it because you sensed the presence of Puji, who caused you great trauma, that you appeared on purpose?
Whether it was intentional or a coincidence doesn't matter.

Today, I will never let you go!

"Little pig, cooperate with me and kill this earthworm with all your might!"

"Boss?" Louisa had never heard her boss speak so excitedly before, but she still objected, "But most of these Puji are melee fighters!"

That's true, Mushroom Cannon Puji makes up a very small percentage.

But there are already several hundred of them, how could they be worse than before?

"Go all out! Louisa! Kill this earthworm, and I'll let you drink to your heart's content! I'll even reward you with equipment! But if it escapes... you'll be waiting to pull mushrooms off your body in the middle of the night!"

This time she wasn't called "little pig," but Louisa was even more frightened.

The boss was clearly not joking!

Daring not to hold back, blood quickly gathered on his hands. Even the blood he had just extracted from the fat caveman and saved as provisions was used in the battle.

The Poogies unleashed their mushroom cannons without reservation, and even if the melee Poogies couldn't cause much damage, they tried to get close to attract the attention of the Earthworms.

At the same time, countless magical forces were transmitted into the cave through the fungal carpet.

Lin Jun naturally wouldn't rely entirely on Louisa.

【Puji Creation LV8】

With magic power flowing without regard to its consumption, the Puji were produced rapidly.

The first Puji to fall was a Magic Puji!
Magical mycelial tentacles connected to the fungal carpet, and a magic crystal scavenged from the cave dweller's warehouse was placed on the mushroom cap.

Lin Jun began casting a spell – Mud Swamp!

As a first-tier spell, the Swamp Spell is not difficult to learn, so how could Lin Jun not learn this spell that left a deep impression on him!

Although she wasn't very skilled, and her spellcasting time was even longer than Inanna's, Lin Jun still managed to unleash the spell!
The earthworm, which was darting rapidly between the plops, suddenly stopped, and this familiar feeling gave it a bad feeling.

And this is just the beginning.

The magic was connected to the fungal carpet, so there was no need to worry about magic power. Lin Jun simply used the Mud Swamp spell repeatedly to muddy all the ground that the earthworms came into contact with.

Meanwhile, new plops continue to fall onto the fungal carpet.

Except for the first one, which is a magic Puji, the rest are all turret Puji.

Occasionally, a few bats will spawn and fly over to explode.

Louisa also put in all her effort, and at first she was a little at a loss as the earthworms darted back and forth at high speed.

Now that the earthworm's movements were restricted, she decisively condensed her blood into the shape of an axe and cleaved it fiercely at the same spot on the shell, seemingly trying to cut the earthworm in half.

The earthworm retaliated with its massive, swaying body; with a single swing, it slammed Louisa into the rock wall.

But thanks to her high regenerative abilities, Louisa always manages to rush back quickly, sometimes even going so far as to draw blood from the earthworms.

The entire battle was anything but elegant; it even felt primitive and barbaric.

You can tell they're really giving it their all.

However, it was still difficult for Louisa to go head-to-head with a vampire of the same level and enormous size. After being slammed into the wall again, Louisa was unable to crawl out quickly.

Lin Jun took a moment to check her stats; she still had one-third of her health remaining.

There was definitely still some energy left, but they had already put in a lot of effort, so Lin Jun didn't hold it against them.

Louisa successfully opened a large gash in the earthworm, and under Lin Jun's control, the Puji focused their fire on the area around the wound.

The earthworm had lost its initial arrogance, burrowing around and crushing Puji; instead, it was desperately trying to retreat into the ground. Now it finally remembered how pathetic it had been the last time.

If it wasn't another earthworm...

Will the other earthworm come this time?

Lin Jun continued to speculate while launching a full-scale attack.

The ground beneath his feet trembled continuously, but this was caused by the earthworm's constant impacts, not by the vibrations from another earthworm digging.

More than a dozen bats burrowed into the wound that had expanded several times over, followed by another series of self-destructions.

The earthworm's body was blown apart, its flesh and blood separated, and it was only the rock shell that barely held the two sections of its body together.

Seeing the limp insects lying on the ground, Lin Jun didn't hesitate and continued to control the Puji to finish them off.

Lin Jun only stopped attacking when its health bar reached zero and the panel disappeared.

This time, the earthworm's hero didn't come!

……

The continuous production of the Puji stopped. Even though Lin Jun had a lot of magic power, this trip had consumed more than half of her stored magic power.

As for the expeditionary force?
Most of them died, and only a few were added, but the numbers were much lower, so it seems the plan to return to the front lines will have to be postponed for a few days.

The Puji dug Louisa out, although judging from the panel, her status could be revealed on its own.

"I am not strong enough and have failed the boss's expectations," Louisa said weakly.

"Oh, little pig, you did a great job. Get some rest, and like you promised, you have plenty of fresh blood!"

"Boss!"

"piggy!"

Although Louisa slacked off a bit, she still made a contribution.

Lin Jun was in a great mood after killing the earthworm and didn't mind playing along with her in a scene of harmonious coexistence between ruler and subject.

Have the Puji carry Louisa to rest properly, and while they're at it, deliver the two minotaurs they've captured over.

Now that there are cave dwellers, Lin Jun is too lazy to waste her energy on these single-minded fools anymore.

……

Magic Plop stepped on the motionless corpse of the earthworm.

Lin Jun savored the fragrance called Victory, letting it permeate every mycelium.

This feeling is far more intoxicating than conquering ten caves.

The ugly insect corpse beneath his feet marked the boundary between him and his past—the weak mushroom that lived a precarious existence, struggling to survive in the shadows, had been utterly crushed.

Lin Jun now not only controls her own destiny, but her every move can even influence the fate of others, whether it's earthworms, cave dwellers, or Louisa...

If there's any regret, it's that our greatest fear of the past—the Balrog—was killed by the adventurers.

If he could personally end the monster that had terrified Lin Jun for two years... just imagining that sweet scene was enough to make his soul tremble!
such a pity……

Even in her ecstasy, Lin Jun didn't forget to collect her spoils.

The puffies released spores, and the mycelium covered the insect corpses, slowly decomposing everything except the rock armor.

Lin Jun didn't try to speed up the process; instead, she slowly savored the rewards.

a few days later.

[Seven Sins of Greed Trigger]

[Plunder Skill: Rock Eater LV5→LV7]

[Plundering Skill: High Temperature Resistance LV7→LV8]

……

……

……

[Plundering Skill: High-Temperature Drilling LV1]

(End of this chapter)