This dungeon has mushrooms growing on it.

Chapter 83. Our Own People

Under the blazing midday sun, the battlements of Norwich faded to a grayish-white color, with only the cold, austere bluestone remaining in the shadows.

The city gate of Baotie was wide open, and four guards were checking those entering the city in the shadows of the city wall.

There were already quite a few people in the area, and Dylan was finally allowed to put on his clothes.

However, looking at the city gate from afar, Dylan's expression was not very good.

He had just received a reminder from his boss: "There's a magic circle operating at the city gate."

The magic circle placed at the city gate is probably some kind of low-level detection magic, even with your eyes closed.

Although it's low-level, it's definitely more than enough to deal with a low-level [mimicry] like myself.

Keeping the magic circle running continuously consumes a lot of energy. When did these nobles become so willing to spend money?

After leaving the dungeon, I was in a hurry to get on my way and didn't ask for any information.

I wonder if something has happened recently that I'm unaware of?

In short, we can't enter the city.

Glancing at the merchant beside him, whose name he had already forgotten, Dylan casually made up an excuse:

"We're safe here now. I have other things to do, so I won't accompany you into the city."

The merchant seemed somewhat surprised: "Mr. Dylan, is there something you need? I was hoping to thank you properly once we got into town."

Dylan didn't bother to make up a reason; he simply waved his hand, turned his horse around, and left.

"Mr. Dylan isn't afraid to enter the city, is he?"

Dylan reined in his horse and turned around, staring intently at the merchant.

What do you mean?
Exposed?
Dylan even started to consider the consequences of killing someone to cover it up.

The merchant, however, seemed oblivious to Dylan's odd behavior and continued, "Are you perhaps worried that my hospitality might delay your journey?"

His knuckles turned bluish-white from the taut reins. After a while, Dylan said in a slightly hoarse voice, "You're joking. I do have other things to do, so I won't linger here any longer."

After saying that, he pulled on the reins and rode away as if fleeing.

The businessman narrowed his eyes, staring at Dylan's departing figure.

After riding along the path for a long time, Dylan could no longer see the city walls, and gradually the passersby around him disappeared.

However, when he turned around, he saw that familiar figure.

That merchant actually followed us!?
By this point, Dylan realized that something was wrong with the merchant, but he couldn't figure out the other party's purpose.

If you just accidentally discovered your disguise, shouldn't you go to the guards to arrest yourself?

Why would you follow me alone? Aren't you afraid of being silenced?

Something was definitely amiss, and Dylan had no desire to run into him.

So they kept running, until the sun was about to set, when the horse, panting and exhausted, came out with its tongue lolling out.

Turning around, the merchant was finally out of sight.

But that wasn't enough to put his mind at ease. Dylan led his horse and plunged into the woods by the roadside.

Dylan didn't stop until he could no longer see the road.

Just as Dylan was about to take his luggage off the horse, a small stone flew over and hit him directly in the face.

Ignoring the fact that [Mimicry] had failed, Dylan turned to look at the merchant who had followed him again, and felt a chill run down his spine.

This is definitely not an ordinary businessman!

Only the backpack on the ground offered him a sliver of comfort.

But why hasn't the boss made a move yet?
Do I have to play a round myself first?
Dylan drew his longsword, just when everyone thought a fierce battle was about to begin.

"Just as I expected!" The merchant looked at Dylan's face, his voice filled with joy. "Don't be nervous, don't be nervous, he's one of us!"

Dylan then saw the merchant's head gradually deform like a water balloon.

It transformed into several different faces in succession, including Dylan's face.

After the transformation was complete, the merchant smiled and said, "Now you understand, right?"

What do you know?
Do you know you're a monster?

Wait, one of our own?

Dylan touched his green face, which was covered in mycelium, and seemed to be deep in thought.

Seeing his reaction, the merchant assumed he had finally understood and went to sit down on a rock. "Oh dear, it's rare to run into someone like me in this wretched place."

The businessman looked relaxed and sat very casually, without any of the pomp and circumstance he had shown before.

"Let's get to know each other again. My name is Chlorlo, what's yours?"

Seeing his expression, Dylan temporarily abandoned his plan to attack and simply put his backpack back on.

"Dylan."

"Brother, you're the parasitic type, right? I've seen it before. I'm asking for your real name, not the name of this body."

“Dylan…”

“Alright, alright,” Chloro said with a helpless look. “Brother, you’re not very good at pretending, but you’re surprisingly tight-lipped.”

"Where is there a flaw in my disguise?" This was indeed what Dylan wanted to know. The journey ahead was still long, and if just anyone could see through his disguise, how could they possibly continue?
"Bro, let's not even talk about how your mimicry fails as soon as you get hurt, it's definitely no more than level five. Just look at your behavior—it's too weird!"

Kloro came to Dylan's side, patted him on the shoulder, and looked like he was giving a serious lecture to the younger generation.

"How could someone ride a horse naked in broad daylight?"
I suspected you the moment I saw you!
When you saw the city gate later, did you notice them checking the magic array?
Your escape attempt when you left was so obvious. Even after I tested you with a question, you still gave yourself away so easily. What kind of training did you receive over there?

"teach?"

Dylan thought about what his boss had said:

"Alright, you look pretty much like a human now, so there shouldn't be any problems."

Klora gasped, "This is outrageous! No acting training? No counter-surveillance instruction? You're just sending them behind enemy lines with such low-level mimicry? Who are you even from? Isn't this just sending them to their deaths?"

"Which one is it...?"

Seeing that Dylan was about to fall silent again, Kloro felt a sense of admiration.

"I understand, I understand, I can't just reveal it."

But brother, Dylan, you must know that loyalty alone won't get anything done.

As spies, we rely on quick thinking and adaptability.

"You sent you here without teaching you anything over there. Even by our demon standards, that's incredibly unethical."

After speaking, Kloro rubbed his chin and began to think, glancing at Dylan every now and then, his eyes filled with sympathy and reminiscence.

Dylan had no idea what to say, and the room fell silent for a moment.

And in the mushroom web.

"Boss! What do we do?"

"What do you mean, what should we do? Isn't this fine?"

Lin Jun initially thought that the shapeshifter wanted to figure out Dylan's background so that he could impersonate him, but she didn't expect things to develop this way.

"But I'm not a demon spy!"

"But you're a spy for the Mushroom Clan, so it's pretty much the same no matter how you round it up."

"..."

Dylan recalled his experience after being parasitized.

Help the boss gather intelligence on humans, spread "strategies," write wooden signs to lure adventurers, and help the boss communicate with pro-mushroom factions among humans...

It seems he really is a spy!

On the other side, Kloro seemed to have figured something out.

“Brother Dylan, I know you’re still a little wary of me.”

But it's rare to find a junior like you on this land, and I can't bear to watch you go to your death.

I happen to be free of tasks at the moment, so I can walk with you for a bit and teach you a lesson.

Dylan looked at Chlorlo with disbelief.

Are all demons this kind-hearted?

Klorane fully understood Dylan's doubts and wasn't in a hurry.

Like a friend, he sat down next to Dylan, took out his flask and took a couple of sips; he was thirsty after talking so much.

Now that he was closer, Dylan noticed that the pot actually contained magic potions...

(End of this chapter)