This dungeon has mushrooms growing on it.

Chapter 172, Section 171: Only One Person

Fifteen faces were as still as water. Every time he swung his twin swords, it was less about digging and more about venting his inner torment.

He could almost picture Solalin and the others falling one by one in the raging torrent of puffs... It was all his fault!
It was because he failed to kill Puji's king!

Not only did he fail to achieve his goal, but he also found himself trapped here!
If only my sword had been a little faster back then...

boom!
The twin swords finally pierced through the last layer of hard soil and the entanglement of mycelium, and murky air mixed with light fragments rushed in.

Fifteen, covered in dust and dirt, crawled out of the narrow opening with a look of unwavering resolve in his eyes—he was prepared to face the anticipated bloody hell of corpses strewn across the land, and then use his last strength to seek revenge, or... to be buried with them.

He couldn't bring himself to run away in disgrace after his entire team was wiped out!
However, the horrific scene that was expected did not occur.

They didn't even need to fight their way up the stairs; Solalyn and the others were already in the open space outside the cave!

What came into view was a group of people who had been stripped down to their underwear and were lying on the ground in a crooked and twisted manner.

Their chests were heaving; they had clearly just passed out.

Fifteen wanted to go over and check on them, but she didn't take a step—because the Puji were still there.

A large number of puffies gathered around this open space.

Saying they "encircle" isn't quite accurate—they're more like they're each busy doing something around them.

The oxen and horses trampled over the unconscious people, carrying large and small pieces of the puji, and piled them together.

Every now and then, he would pick out one or two pieces and try to put them together.

And next to them are many Puji that have already been "assembled".

At a glance, Fifteen noticed that more than half of them were just piled up together and were not original at all.

what is this?
Even Puji (a character in the game) insists on a complete corpse?
In any case, the Puji are clearly more interested in the fragments than in their teammates.

It's also bigger than myself.

Fifteen has been standing there for quite a while, and not a single Puji has taken the initiative to attack.

"What... what is this?" Fifteen muttered to himself, his voice dry and hoarse.

He looked at Solalyn's still-furrowed brows in her unconscious state, at Pastor Maine's inappropriate, dreamlike smile, and then at the Puji who were diligently fighting for their "teammates"... An extremely complex and indescribable emotion welled up in his heart.

Anger? Yes, but the target seems vague.

Thankful? Yes, my teammates are still alive!

Feeling stifled? It's practically overflowing!

There's also a slight feeling of being choked by this overly realistic and absurd "ending".

He stood frozen in place like a statue, unsure how to react.

Should we rush up and chop those poops?

Should we check on Solalyn and the others' injuries first?
Or perhaps... dig another hole and bury yourself back in, pretending you didn't see this strange scene before you?
"Uh-huh……"

Just as Fifteen was at a loss, Solalin, who had been knocked unconscious, was the first to wake up.

……

……

……

The long queue moved slowly up the steps.

Puji led the way, and Puji brought up the rear.

Caught in the middle were the empty-handed prisoners who were about to be driven out of the underground city.

The church warriors walked heavily, their faces a mixture of relief at surviving the ordeal and deep shame at being defeated, captured, and at the mercy of others.

Ordinary adventurers, on the other hand, seemed much more "pure." Their faces betrayed an almost naked sense of relief—they'd escaped with their lives!
Of the entire group, only Fifteen's figure could be considered "respectable".

Although he was also covered in mud, at least his clothes were still intact, and the Puji did not try to confiscate his weapons.

Unlike Solalyn, a dignified commander, who now only has a pair of shorts and a t-shirt left.

He was forced to expose his muscular and scarred waist and abdomen to the outside.

"Speaking of which, where is Lord Aidin?" asked Priest Mayne, who was in an even worse state than Soralin, with only his pants and no shirt on.

“Maybe… they managed to escape?” Solalyn asked uncertainly.

After all, he is a diamond-level illusionist. If we were to say who is most likely to escape in that situation, besides Fifteen, Aidin would probably be the one with the best chance.

Of course, it's not impossible that he could be killed.

Although Puji didn't kill the prisoners in the end, far more than just one or two people died in the battle.

This question did not trouble them for long.

When the group reached the second floor, they found Aidin squatting with several adventurers who had long since "disappeared," also wearing only a pair of shorts—the Puji had even taken his earrings.

"Yo..." Aiding looked up, saw his equally disheveled companions, forced an extremely awkward smile, and raised his hand to greet them.

Running away alone is never a glorious thing, let alone... not even managing to escape successfully.

Fortunately, Solalyn and Mayne are not petty people.

In such a desperate situation, it's a victory if even one person manages to escape.

No one blamed him, and Fifteen simply nodded slightly.

Solalyn was more concerned with: "How did you end up on the second floor?"

“My skills are not good enough… my skills are not good enough…” Aiding waved his hands repeatedly, his face showing an expression of unbearable memories.

Seeing his appearance, the crowd roughly imagined the embarrassing scene of his illusion failing or being intercepted halfway, and wisely did not ask any further questions.

Aiding rubbed his bare arms and, with a pained expression, posed the most pressing question: "By the way, does the reimbursement for the operation expenses promised by Chairman Far... include these pieces of equipment we lost?"

Aiding wore a bitter expression; among everyone present, he was undoubtedly the one who suffered the greatest loss.

All his expensive mage gear and jewelry was gone...

Those like Solalyn and Maine, who have the church's backing, at least receive standard equipment.

As for Aidin, if Far doesn't reimburse him, he'll be at a huge loss.

"Don't worry," Fifteen's deep voice sounded, tinged with a hint of barely perceptible guilt, "I will help you explain to Far."

He felt a great responsibility for the failure of this operation, and if all else failed, he would be obligated to compensate Aiding out of his own pocket.

Upon hearing this, Aiding's gloomy expression finally eased a little, and he let out a long sigh of relief: "Then thank you very much!"

He continued to unconsciously rub the mycelium on his arms that was concealed by the illusion, and finally found the mood to chat with everyone about other trivial matters.
-
The news of the Puji Extermination Squad's complete defeat was like a boulder crashing into the waters of Yafeng Town—nearly one-fifth of them died, and apart from Fifteen, the survivors were stripped naked, and they were only spared by Puji's "mercy"!
Unsurprisingly, the entire town of Silent Wind erupted in chaos! In every street corner, tavern, and inn, everyone was discussing the crushing defeat with great enthusiasm, and the Adventurers' Guild was once again thrust into the spotlight.

Chairman Far took full responsibility and increased the originally promised reward by 50%, while also giving the deceased's family three times the reward.

Two days later, at the Rotten Willow Tavern.

Amy finally fulfilled the scene that appeared in her near-death hallucination—and slammed several large portions of fragrant catfish belly, coated in thick honey glaze, onto the table with great fanfare.

"Come on! Eat! It's on me!" she called out loudly to Horn, Hammer, and Noah, trying to recreate the generosity and satisfaction from her dream.

However, the teammates sitting around the table had a completely different look in their eyes than the pure envy they had in their dreams.

It was a complex and subtle gaze, a mixture of disbelief, pity, and the feeling of watching a fool win the lottery, that was focused on Amy.

"W-Why are you looking at me like that? Just tell me, did I earn this bounty or not?"

(End of this chapter)