In the swamp that had buried countless corpses, mosquitoes buzzed as always, the scene full of teeming life.
A massive mushroom cap suddenly erged from the swamp’s edge—a Fat Puji dragging its bulky body ashore, using mycelium tendrils for support.
Then ca a second, a third… seven Fat Pujis in total!
After rolling across the ground a few tis, they were still stinky, but at least no longer dripping swamp water.
They lined up and waddled toward the staircase to the sixth floor.
From a small tunnel nearby, the Knight Puji erged carrying Lin Jun’s true body, spreading its wings to land atop one Fat Puji’s cap.
Inside the Fat Pujis were all of Lin Jun’s belongings: magic crystals, equipnt, books, gold coins, and other assorted materials.
Taking advantage of Gray’s nap, Lin Jun had packed up—ready to move.
The new ho was on the sixth floor, beside a rift valley. He had already dug out a storage chamber there and even asked local monsters to help clear space.
Multiple tunnels had been dug to connect above and below the rift.
This position ant no worries about unstable fissures, while also offering an escape straight into deeper levels at any ti.
As for humans—even if they discovered him, they would either have to jump into the abyss or descend step by step from the stairways.
By the ti they circled around below, Lin Jun could already be back on the sixth floor through his tunnels.
Of course, that was just a last-resort plan. If his true body was ever chased directly by humans, things would already be dire.
The move wasn’t rushed. After all, the humans hadn’t stord in imdiately. Instead, they first issued a public commission.
Though Lin Jun couldn’t directly observe the Guild’s internal dealings, he could still pick up plenty of information from adventurers’ drunken chatter.
——
Yawind Town, Rotten Willow Tavern.
The air was thick with the sll of cheap alcohol, stew, and sweat—noisy as always.
But today’s noise carried an unusual heaviness, threaded with hesitant murmurs.
“What do you guys think about the Guild’s new task?” Horn turned his empty cup in his hands, asking his fixed-party teammates.
Old Hamr, a scarred, grizzled dwarven shield-warrior, sipped his cloudy ale.
He shook his head, white beard trembling. “Again? Why’s there always soone obsessed with those Pujis?”
The ranger Ai toyed with a worn gold coin, flipping it deftly between her fingers with a soft clink.
“The pay’s good,” she said flatly, though her eyes glead shrewdly. “Even Silver-ranks get thirty gold upfront. That’s worth dozens of dungeon runs. And they’re recruiting ranged fighters this ti. With Church warriors and experts up front, all we’d do is provide long-range support from safety. Practically free money.”
Then she glanced at their party’s priest. “Noah, aren’t you Church too? Got any special intel?”
Noah looked awkward. “I’m just a novice priest. What would I know? How many full priests even bother becoming adventurers…”
“True enough.”
Seeing Ai’s eager look, Horn reminded her, “Did you forget about the Steel Heart squad? Four Gold-ranks, twenty Silvers—wiped out by one big Black Puji. And this ti the mission is clearing the entire fifth floor!”
Old Hamr set his mug down with a heavy nod, drumming scarred fingers on the table.
“Not just Steel Heart,” he said, lowering his voice, weary from too much death, “who knows how many have fallen to those Pujis already. You’ve been in Yawind long enough. Ever heard of anyone bringing back news from the mushroom forest or the swamp? No news—that’s the clearest news.”
Horn agreed. “Exactly. The Pujis don’t cause trouble if you don’t ss with them. Why pick a fight?”
To him, Pujis weren’t danger—they were opportunity. The Fat Puji lottery was his favorite part of dungeon runs. Wipe them out, and monster corpses would drop in value! He truly opposed the Guild’s extermination order. But as a re ordinary adventurer, his voice carried no weight. All he could do was abstain.
“Yeah, why bother killing Pujis?” Noah muttered, watching a Bronze adventurer nearby slurp glowing mushroom porridge. “If the Pujis go, the Mycelium Carpet and mushrooms go too. No more cheap porridge then, right?”
Old Hamr snorted. “You think the lords care about whether we eat cheap or not? Even adventurers don’t care. The Guild posts the quest, gold jingles, and that’s all the reason anyone needs.”
His eyes slid aningfully toward Ai.
Ai pocketed the coin, patting her leather armor. “Exactly. Gold is reason enough. Thirty gold could keep carefree for years. I’m signing up. Risk? Adventure is risk.”
She stood, then glanced at Noah. “Those two are lee, they don’t qualify. You coming?”
Horn and Old Hamr drank silently. Teammates or not, adventurers lived free. Everyone chose their own path.
Noah looked around uneasily before shaking his head. The stories had shaken him too much, even if the money tempted him.
Ai sighed in disappointnt.
Then Old Hamr spoke. “Go if you want. Don’t worry about us filling your spot. In fact, I’m planning to rest for a while until this blows over. What do you two say?”
Horn shrugged. “A break’s fine by .”
Noah nodded as well.
Before leaving, Noah instinctively grasped Ai’s wrist, softly intoning the usual blessing: “Ai, may the radiance of Ixion guide your path.”
“Relax!” She grinned, lively as ever. “When I get back, I’ll treat you to the tavern’s new honey-glazed catfish belly! All you can eat!”
Her figure vanished through the wooden doors with a creak.
Monts later, the door opened again—Veyra walked in with Phylline and Fein.
“Yo, Veyra,” Horn greeted. “Haven’t seen you around. Where’ve you been?”
Adventurers in Yawind usually knew each other at least by sight, often exchanging greetings like this.
Veyra was about to say she had taken Phylline to the city for dental treatnt when a sharp kick landed on his shin.
He coughed and muttered vaguely, “Handled so things in town.”
Horn nodded knowingly, not prying further.
The tavern’s clamor soon wrapped back around them. After a few idle words, the talk gravitated back to the “new commission” like iron to a magnet.
“Veyra,” Horn leaned forward, “the Guild just posted that big job. You saw it, right?”
“Yeah, glanced at it.” Veyra took the drink from the tiger-man server, plucking a few stray hairs from the rim, voice flat.
“Well? Any thoughts? Phylline and Fein both qualify, don’t they?” Horn probed, glancing at the quiet twins.
Veyra waved frantically, face pale with rejection, even a hint of lingering fear. “Don’t even joke about it! Last ti with Steel Heart, we almost got dragged in ourselves! This ti? We’re hiding, not joining!”
He gulped down his drink, grumbling bitterly, “If I’d known, we would’ve just stayed longer in the city!”
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