This dungeon has mushrooms growing on it.

Chapter 652, Section 651: Each with their own ulterior motives
After making the decision to seek help, Lin Jun immediately wrote a letter and handed it to the dwarves' newly established communication station on the border, all within ten minutes.

……

"...Fungi Castle will provide the best logistical and medical support to all the supporting dwarves. Finally," the dwarven messenger paused, his gaze sweeping over the clan chiefs present, "to show our sincerity, we offer a small gift symbolizing our friendship."

After saying that, he placed the sealed box he was holding on the long table.

The chieftain of the Deep Furnace Clan was the first to sneer. He stroked his beard, his tone full of sarcasm: "It's only been a few days since we established diplomatic relations? They're using the craftsmen we sent over, and we haven't even seen a penny of return yet, but they dare to ask for military aid. They've got some nerve."

Chief Firebeard waved his hand, his tone full of praise: "You can't say that. That Fungus Castle was able to repel the Imperial vanguard on its own and force the two dukes to retreat. Even if it was by killing generals, that achievement is quite remarkable in a godforsaken place like the North. I think it's worth investing more in it."

The Zhafa clan chief's gaze fell on the box. Leaning on her staff, she asked with a hint of curiosity, "I'd like to see what their little gift is."

Deep Furnace snorted: "What good stuff could there be in that wretched place in the North? Maybe just a few animal hides."

Zha Fa stepped forward and just as she unlocked the magic lock on the box and opened it a crack, before she could even see what was inside, both she and Shen Lu caught their breath.

Both old mages keenly sensed that the surrounding magic was beginning to stir and converge towards the box.

Magic Crystal!

This phenomenon is not surprising, but the speed at which it's accumulating...

The lid was fully opened.

Deep Furnace was right; there was indeed an animal hide inside, but it was only used as a cushion.

Three fist-sized crystals lay quietly on a simply processed animal hide, crystal clear and without a trace of impurity.

The entire council chamber fell into a brief silence.

“S…class?” Deep Furnace’s voice was so dry it didn’t sound like his own.

He rushed forward, bent down, and examined it closely.

"Truly S-rank! Those barbarians actually used such inferior animal hides to hold such a precious magic crystal!"

Even the Black Steel Clan Chief, who had been silent all along, couldn't help but stand up and approach the magic crystal.

While S-grade magic crystals exist in various clans, it's truly rare to find three S-grade magic crystals cut into identical fist-sized pieces.

After all, S-grade magic crystals that are actually mined are not deliberately cut into smaller pieces.

When crafting equipment, you adjust other components to fit the magic crystal, not the other way around.

Now, the fact that Fungus Castle can immediately produce three magic crystals cut to the same size and give them away means something.

“Marco’s guess was right, there really is a previously unknown high-quality magic crystal vein in the North!” Zafa murmured, and she thought of more, “And now, they also have the blueprints for the war puppets. If these fall into the hands of the Empire…”

Zafa didn't continue, but all the dwarves present thought of that scene—the Empire, relying on the blueprints and technology left by the dwarven ancestors, used high-quality magic crystals mined from the northern mines to create powerful magic crystal war puppets and launch a massive attack on the mountains.

Firebeard slammed his hand on the table: "What else is there to say? We have no choice but to help!"

No one objected anymore, but some people were thinking more deeply.

For example, the Deep Furnace Clan Chief is already considering how to use aid to control Fungus Castle, relocate the research and construction factories of War Puppets to the mountains, and how to obtain mining rights for some of the Northern Magic Crystal veins.

The dwarves quickly began to organize aid, with soldiers and artisans, but they also brought with them certain conditions.

This aid was tainted with greed. Fortunately, Lin Jun was one of them.

Here at Fungus Castle, the best logistical and medical services have been prepared, striving to ensure that all the dwarves who come to help can return to the mountains alive!

Perhaps because they have witnessed how deeply humans are now intertwined with mycelium, the dwarves have always been quite wary of fungal carpets.

Regular cleaning makes it difficult for the fungal carpet to spread openly, and even underground tunnels are not so convenient in the territory of dwarves who are good at digging.

Ultimately, the problem lies in the lack of "local mushrooms" in the mountains.

If you release more mycelium dwarves back into the mountains, they'll have to do their best to promote the spread of mycelium carpet if they don't want to drink magic potions for the rest of their lives. They are natural supporters of mycelium carpet.

When the fungal carpet connects all the races, the empire that is surrounded will be the one to panic!

……

The situation in the North was becoming increasingly tense, with both sides mobilizing and deploying their armies on a grand scale, finally reaching the ears of those deep within Twilight Keep.

But Mortis merely glanced at the report and set it aside.

He had long since lost interest in this border conflict.

He poured every ounce of his energy and strength into the being that kept him awake at night—the Demon King!
After such a long period of cleanup and searching every corner of the empire, all that has been found are some insignificant results.

Mortis finally realized that no matter how wide the net was cast, it couldn't catch anything hidden in the deep water.

So he took the net back.

It's not about giving up, it's about waiting.

Waiting for that inevitable moment, the point at which a certain demon king cannot avoid appearing.

He wanted to concentrate all his strength at that juncture to make a final stand against the remnants of the old era.

In this operation, he could not trust many of his subordinates.

Eugene, a veteran vampire, and Dean, who is of demonic lineage, are not on the list of trustworthy individuals.

At this crucial moment, it might not be a bad thing for Mortis to focus their attention on the north.

Even when they had nothing to do, Mortis would always find a way to distract them. In a way, the fungus fortress did Mortis a small favor.

Of course, this would not make the emperor grateful to Junbao, and he would not tolerate another threat to the north of the empire.

Once the Demon King is dealt with, if the Fungus Castle is still not dealt with, he will naturally take action to crush it.

Now, he needs to first gather his loyal subordinates whom he personally promoted...

Feixi received orders to mobilize some of its elite forces.

However, at this time, neither Fei west himself nor Lin Jun considered it an ordinary order and were unaware that the emperor was about to cause trouble.

Therefore, Lin Jun did not pay much attention to this.

Besides focusing on the impending war in the North, Lin Jun also spared some attention for Novid, a city in the United Kingdom, where Number Ten, who had been engrossed in the "Super Magic Library" for half a year, seemed to be about to emerge from seclusion!

(End of this chapter)