This dungeon has mushrooms growing on it.

Chapter 591. 590. The Contract of Heaven

"Finally, dwarves have arrived?"

Tolin excitedly grabbed the corner of the lizardman Baroque's robe at the waist and asked again.

After receiving Baroque's affirmative nod, he excitedly stamped his foot: "Finally! Judging from the time the letter was delivered, it should have arrived by now. Why is it taking so long? By the way, where is he?"

Upon hearing Baroque announce the location, Torin turned and rushed out without saying a word.

He was engrossed in studying the complex structures of those battle puppets all by himself, but his progress was so slow it was like crawling. He was almost driven crazy and desperately needed a knowledgeable helper.

However, when he rushed into the newly built canteen attached to the hot spring bathhouse and saw the two dwarfs sitting at the long table, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

They were two unfamiliar faces.

He sent letters to master blacksmiths or puppeteers he knew from the Deepforge clan.

After all, ordinary blacksmiths aren't qualified to work on such sophisticated things as war puppets.

Not only did they not recognize the two dwarfs in front of them, but they were also far too young, and did not seem to possess any extraordinary skills.

Regardless, Tolin walked up with his doubts.

At this moment, Gadin and Pollock were still in a dazed state. They mechanically stuffed food into their mouths, completely oblivious to everything around them.

Everything that had happened before had a profound impact on them.

Surrounded by the puji, the two dwarven blacksmiths, who were not even professional fighters, were naturally no match for them.

The tentacles whipped them around like spinning tops, finally binding them tightly so they couldn't move.

Instead, it was Joel, the human they had always thought needed care, who suddenly swelled his hands into huge claws covered in keratin and severed the mycelium that was wrapping around him.

However, it was all in vain. The puffers stabbed him half to death in a few strokes, dragged him away, and left a bright red mark on the snow.

The two bewildered dwarves were then taken here, where they soaked in a hot spring and had a feast.

Joel... no, that guy disguised as a human slave is actually a shapeshifter!
Gading and Pollock's minds went blank.

They had heard stories of spies, but those were distant tales from tavern gossip or frontline reports.

When a conspiracy actually happens around them, and they even become a part of it, the dizzying feeling of their cognition being overturned makes it almost impossible for them to think.

Looking back now, it certainly seems illogical in many ways.

A chance encounter on the vast snowfield with a runaway slave carrying only a single insulating stone; an overly talkative personality; and vague answers to certain details…

But in that isolated and helpless environment, and with a natural trust in those who shared the same plight, they had no doubts whatsoever.

It's unbelievable that the people from Mushroom Castle acted as if they already knew.

The waiter came over with a "poof poof" sound and took away the empty plates in front of them. The soft clinking of metal made the two dwarves snap back to reality, only to find that a member of their race had been sitting opposite them at some point.

Upon seeing Torin, the two were initially taken aback, but then their faces lit up with barely suppressed joy.

Despite having accepted the fact that the inhabitants of this legendary "blacksmith's paradise" are mostly Puji and demons, with a small number of humans.

But seeing other bearded dwarf compatriots here was undoubtedly the most effective way to appease them.

Pollock hesitated for a moment, then reached out and squeezed Torin's arm.

Torlin abruptly pulled his arm back, his brows furrowing: "What are you doing?"

He couldn't recall any place where dwarves had this custom of greeting each other.

“I…I just wanted to confirm,” Pollock withdrew his hand, “I was afraid you might be some kind of shapeshifter too…”

"What nonsense!" Torin chuckled. "Don't say there are no shapeshifters in Fungus Castle. Even if I were one, if a shapeshifter could be exposed just by a couple of pinches, what kind of natural imposter would I be?"

Pollock awkwardly sat back down and scratched his head.

The three dwarfs huddled together, and through their conversations, they quickly clarified the ins and outs of their respective situations.

The difference was that Gadin and Pollock's eyes lit up more and more as they listened, until they were so excited they were practically bursting with fire.

Tolin told them that the Fungus Castle did indeed have a huge stockpile of mined raw ore. Although the quality varied, the quantity was so large that even with the continuous construction of new warehouses, it was almost overflowing.

Torrin paused, then looked at his two kin: "If you have the ability, there's a high probability... you can all use these ores."

This sentence was like a hammer blow to a red-hot iron ingot, sparks flying everywhere.

Puji wasn't lying to them.

Thinking about how they gave up their hope of living a comfortable and stable life in Ash City with that money and went north to pursue their dreams, thinking about the fear and anxiety they had endured along the way, and finally spending half a month with a dangerous shapeshifter.

All their efforts had actually paid off, how could they not be so happy as to cry? But Torin wasn't so happy.

He was naturally happy that his fellow clansmen had come to Junbao, but the two dwarves had been recruited by Puji to work as blacksmiths, and had nothing to do with the letter he had sent out.

And since the letter has been sent out for so long and no one has come, there's a high probability that no one will come.

What about the research on battle puppets?

For a moment, Tolin slumped back in his seat, somewhat dejected.

After a good rest for the whole day, Xinghuo led the two dwarves on a tour of the forging area that would become their future home.

As the heavy metal door slid open to the sides, Gadin and Pollock stood frozen in the doorway.

That wasn't a blacksmith shop; it was a factory.

Beneath the towering dome, dozens of furnaces of varying sizes are neatly arranged, the largest of which is practically a small mountain.

The air is filled with crisscrossing gear tracks and cranes, and the ground is paved with fire-resistant dark stone, clearly delineating the material area, forging area, quenching area and finished product area.

Even the most renowned master workshops in Ash City seem like a child's play corner compared to this magnificent, well-organized space designed for mass production.

The moment the auxiliary warehouse was opened, the two dwarves stopped breathing completely.

The boxes were stacked layer upon layer, from the ground to almost the ceiling, densely packed and seemingly endless.

Pollock's Adam's apple bobbed, he swallowed hard, and his voice trembled: "These...are all for...us?"

"To be precise, it's for all blacksmiths who come to Fungus Castle and are willing to work here," Starfire calmly corrected, his gaze sweeping over the two dwarves' shocked faces. "However, you are indeed the first batch right now. As long as you follow the safety procedures and don't cause any accidents, you can use it freely."

The two dwarfs nodded vigorously, their pace as fast as woodpeckers, their faces showing no disappointment, only the dizziness and ecstasy of being hit by a giant pie.

This forging plant is large enough to accommodate thousands of craftsmen working at the same time!

It's only fair that all blacksmiths share resources!

Just as the two dwarves were getting ready to try, Starfire smiled and pushed a contract in front of them.

"This is……"

"Mushroom Castle is willing to provide you two with a venue, supply ore, and help you grow into true master blacksmiths." Spark's voice was gentle and clear. "Of course, we also sincerely hope that we can eventually achieve a mutually beneficial cooperation."

There's no such thing as a free lunch; even dwarfs understand this principle.

Gading nodded and accepted the contract.

The document contained a clause regarding the exchange of overdraft contribution points for ore, with repayment to be made in the form of qualified finished products forged later.

After carefully inquiring about the exchange rates between contribution points and various ores, the two dwarves quickly calculated in their minds that the conditions were not harsh, at least far more promising than their days as apprentices to formal blacksmiths in Hearth Ash, dealing with scraps all day long.

The only problem is that it requires accepting mycelial symbiosis.

Xinghuo calmly rolled up her sleeves, revealing her arms, where delicate milky-white mycelium was faintly visible among the winding magical patterns on her skin.

“There’s nothing to worry about. Everyone in the Fungus Castle lives in symbiosis with the mycelium. The mycelium not only facilitates communication but also provides cold resistance, so the two of you don’t need to wear temperature-regulating pendants all the time.”

The two dwarfs exchanged a glance and finally nodded.

Back in Ash City, they had seen many humans living in symbiosis with the Puji. Although they had never heard of any cold-resistant properties, they figured it was just a matter of their limited knowledge.

“Um… there’s one last question.” Pollock raised his hand, his tone hesitant.

"Please say."

"Um, let me make it clear first, I'm just curious, I absolutely have no such intention, please don't misunderstand."

Xinghuo smiled and made a "please" gesture.

Pollock then continued, "This contract... is it really okay to just write it on ordinary paper? Doesn't it need a magical contract with binding force? After all, we'll be consuming a lot of ore. What if... I mean, what if a blacksmith learns the skill and then runs away without paying?"

“Ah, you’re worried about fulfilling the contract.” Starfire’s smile deepened. “There’s no need to worry about Fungus Castle. We are willing to trust you both, and we also trust the character and honor of a true dwarven blacksmith. We believe that only by exchanging sincerity for sincerity can we build a better future for each other and for this city.”

“Lord Starfire…” Pollock’s eyes welled up with tears, a surge of heat rising in his chest, “We are, of course, true dwarves! I swear by my beard, I will never betray this trust!”

After saying that, he picked up a pen and signed his name forcefully on the contract, with Gading following closely behind.

Then, guided by Xinghuo Assistant, the two went to perform the supposedly painless symbiosis ritual.

As she watched their figures disappear around the corner of the corridor, Xinghuo's gentle smile remained unchanged.

However, a few lines of writing appeared on the yellow book he had been holding.

[Spark, you're getting better and better at saying nice things!]
[How could I not be at ease? In Mushroom Castle, who can renege on their boss's debts?]
[Let them go ask those D-level debtors if they can always find a way to pay back what they owe? Hahahaha!]
(End of this chapter)