This dungeon has mushrooms growing on it.

Chapter 258, Section 257: Puji Dungeon

"This...this damn mushroom...how...is so...hard to chew!"

Glenn grimaced, his jaw seemingly straining, and the veins on his fingers bulging, as he forcefully tore a small tuft of mushroom fibers off the incredibly tough cap and stuffed it whole into his mouth.

He remembered that the mushrooms in his own mountain range were crisp and easy to bite into, so why were the ones here so chewy?

Is there really such a big difference between varieties?

Thinking about those terrifyingly powerful characters with off-the-charts combat abilities...

Okay, even a Puji can mutate like that, so it seems... reasonable that mushrooms are a bit harder to eat?

“It’s probably because you didn’t cook it thoroughly,” Tolin, who had just come in, chimed in. “The mushrooms here are tough; they need to be stewed for a while longer until they’re soft and tender before you can eat them.”

As he spoke, he found a sturdy low stool opposite Glenn and sat down.

The two are currently staying in a room arranged by the guild. They could have gone directly to the guild kitchen for food, but Grum seems to prefer to cook for himself.

"How's your foot?" Tolin asked after shifting his stool and settling down.

“Thanks to you,” Glenn said, pulling up his loose trouser legs to reveal two hairless, dazzlingly white legs that looked like two sections of freshly pulled lotus roots, “they’ve fully healed.”

He only peeked out briefly before quickly pulling his trouser leg down, as if looking at it even once more would be torture.

"Pfft!" Even though it wasn't the first time he'd seen it, Torin couldn't help but burst out laughing. He hurriedly covered his mouth with his hand, turned his face away, but his shoulders were shaking uncontrollably.

A dwarf! A dwarf who takes pride in his thick beard and rough skin!

Yet she possesses such two fair, smooth legs!

The absurdity is more than doubled when the person with such legs is someone you know!
"Enough! Enough! How many more times do you want to laugh before you stop?!" Grump's voice was muffled, but unusually, he didn't yell at her directly as usual.

He had no choice but to accept his new legs, no matter how much he disliked them.

This precious regeneration potion was only given to them by the guild leader, Fal, because of Tolin's "Deep Furnace" surname.

Having clearly incurred Torin's favor, Grume couldn't bring himself to complain anymore.

Tolin suppressed a laugh, cleared his throat twice, and tried to regain his composure: "Ahem... newborn limbs need to move around a lot to recover properly. After you finish eating, you'd better go out and stretch your muscles."

“Sigh…” Grlum sighed heavily, then suddenly said, “Consider it a debt I owe you.”

"Then...can I get a discount on the next hiring fee?"

"Come on! One thing at a time!" Glenn instantly reverted to his mercenary, shrewd nature.

"Then your favor is useless. Don't even mention protecting me; this is your job!"

As they chatted, the topic naturally returned to this peculiar underground city.

"So what exactly is going on with this Amethyst Dungeon? Why is the Puji so ferocious after its mutation? I've never heard of it before," Grlum asked.

"I was curious too, so I made some inquiries. Apparently, the big changes have only started to happen in the last six months. It might be related to the successive demonic tides and the collapse of the dungeon. As for the real situation, no one can really say for sure. Anyway, I've heard many human adventurers start calling it the Puji Dungeon."

"Pfft... Dungeon?" Grum rubbed his face vigorously with his palm, as if trying to erase this absurd name.

How long ago did the word "puji," which is almost synonymous with "moving food," become so presumptuous that it was used to name a massive underground city?

"Lord Torin Deepforge, a crystal message for you!" A staff member's voice suddenly came from outside the door.

Tolin's relaxed expression vanished instantly. After a moment's hesitation, he quickly stood up and replied, "Coming."

When he returned, his steps were much heavier, his lips were tightly pursed, and even the last trace of a smile he had when he was joking with Glenn had disappeared. He exuded an inescapable sense of dejection.

"What's wrong?" Grlum asked.

Tolin sighed, said nothing, and simply handed over a piece of paper.

How much more disgrace will you bring to the clan? Get back here!
Glenn glanced at it only once before silently pushing the piece of paper back.

"Looks like being a young master isn't easy!" "I've already said... what kind of young master am I..."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

【Corrosion Curse LV5】

Several cursed poopi wandered aimlessly through the cave, causing plants to wither wherever they went.

It looks similar to an aura skill, but upon closer inspection, you'll find they're different.

Similar to the "Petrification Ray" from Puji, it's an aura effect; the petrification process stops immediately once you leave its range.

This curse is different. Even though Puji has long since run far away, the decaying aura and effects still remain along its path, continuing to damage the environment, though they will gradually weaken over time.

It feels like radiation.

This skill damages the environment and is detrimental to long-term development, so it's best to use it sparingly.

As for the [sensory enhancement] gained.

Puji has no senses; it's a useless skill, at best you can just give it to someone else.

Lin Jun has already sealed that crevice.

After initially figuring out the layer-changing mechanism there, Lin Jun couldn't find a way to pass through smoothly. This also made him lose interest in the other rifts connecting to the shallow cursed areas.

Let's turn our attention to the more enticing resources of the dense forest crevices.

However, before that, Lin Jun planned to observe the birth of a life.

After much preparation, the Demon Tribe was finally ready to welcome a new member.

Because it was a sensitive topic, Lin Jun did not ask directly.

Information about their "cradle" and unique birth was pieced together gradually from snippets of conversation among the demon race.

Lin Jun was quite curious about this reproductive model that allowed them to autonomously determine the moment of their birth.

Although the demons did not invite him to observe, the mycelium network had long since spread throughout the entire tribe, so the birth process naturally could not escape his sight.

In Mushroom Garden No. 3, the demons each confirmed their contribution point expenditures.

Another magic core was swapped back by the demons, but this time they also added a lipworm with [Cold Resistance LV8].

Shou led his people to carry the phlegmon back to the tribe.

The long-awaited birth ceremony of the new member attracted many demons who temporarily put aside their work and went back to witness it.

Their departure made the allocation of Puji a bit tight, and Lin Jun had to temporarily reduce the number of Puji in other areas to ensure the normal operation of this place.

There's nothing we can do about it; the Demon Race is currently doing odd jobs here and there, and they're free to come and go as they please.

Forcing them not to go back is possible, but it would inevitably damage the hard-won good relationship between the two sides, which is not worthwhile.

Parasitism is ultimately not mind manipulation; it can only increase favorability or directly lead to controlling someone's life.

To truly get the demons to work for you completely, turning them from casual laborers into full-time subordinates, some steps are still needed.

……

Qiong was missing from the group returning to the tribe.

It wasn't that he didn't want to go back, nor was it that anyone forced him to stay.

He only provided a very small number of contribution points for this exchange; he had used most of his previous contribution points to eat Delicious Mushrooms.

Feeling guilty and somewhat self-punishing, Qiong chose to stay in the mushroom garden and continue working, after all... the boss said he would provide double contribution points for the next two days!

(End of this chapter)