Mushroom Lord in the Underground City

Chapter 561 - 550: Iron Jaw Mercenary Corps

The screen flashed by, leaving Lin Jun no chance to delve deeper.

Coffin, mountains, black sky.

Meaningless.

Lin Jun carefully inspected the newly completed mushroom puppet.

The parasitic process was flawless, with the mycelium tightly integrated with the residual nerves and muscles, control feedback was smooth, without any abnormalities.

That image... is it because this panel-less monster is somehow related to the mist?

Then let’s catch a few more to try.

Just right, these modified puppets can also serve as additional combat strength to supplement the team.

When the mushroom puppet was tossed to Little Pig’s temporary base by Lin Jun, it triggered an unexpected reaction.

Among the soldiers participating in this action, quite a few were initially captives recruited from those two defeated tribes.

They had redeemed their freedom by amassing a large amount of contribution points from enlisting.

And they were by no means unfamiliar with these mushroom puppets!

Many of them had even witnessed with their own eyes how those defiant fellows from the same race, who still tried to resist after being captured, were replaced bit by bit by the growing mushrooms, finally turning into the walking dead-like figures before them.

The more determined ones gripped their weapons tight, knuckles white, trying their best to maintain an expressionless face.

While those with a weaker mindset, started trembling uncontrollably, and some even subconsciously took a half-step back.

Even Little Pig, upon seeing the puppet with glowing mushrooms sprouting from its eye sockets, felt a shiver run down her spine, recalling her former self.

But she quickly suppressed the discomfort, managing her expression impeccably.

However, unlike others, after a fleeting chill, Little Pig got excited.

Mushroom puppets were good!

She had a premonition that the Northern Territory would eventually confront the Empire.

At that time, she intended to drag those high-tier blood race members who once rode on her head, those colleagues who tripped her up... one by one to the fungal mat, make them into puppets alive, and let them truly experience the despair she once felt!

The reaction of the Fishmen, on the other hand, was different. Seeing this former invader come in through the dark passage, many Fishman warriors immediately raised their fish spears, emitting threatening gurgles, eyes filled with a mix of anger, confusion, and vigilance.

The commotion spread until the Elder Fishman, Gululu, emitted a series of calming gurgles, finally easing the situation.

Various reconnaissance teams returned successively, bringing the intelligence Little Pig urgently needed, such as terrain details, enemy distribution, possible traps, and the status of passages.

Of course, some teams paid a price for it. Some lost a few Puki, while others suffered personnel casualties.

Fortunately, no tragedy of an entire team being wiped out occurred.

Even the team in the worst situation, whose Fishman guide unfortunately died in battle, unable to escape through the dark passage, managed to successfully cover and withdraw three members out of encirclement with a few Puki fighting to the death as the rear guard.

Little Pig aggregated the information brought back by these teams one by one and soon devised an attack route and marching plan.

Ensuring a retreat route, they aimed to retake the Underground City entrance with thunderous momentum!

And looking at the mushroom puppet newly assigned under her control by the boss, she also adjusted her battle strategy.

Along the way, ensuring no reduction in their personnel, they captured as many of these monsters alive as possible.

Even though they weren’t as useful as Puki, they could still somewhat reduce their losses, no reason not to use them.

Amidst Ming’s excited cheering, the "Tide Sanctuary Expeditionary Force" consisting of Fungus Castle soldiers, various Puki, Fishmen, and newly added puppets, officially set off, heading along the marked route on the map.

On the other side, Lin Jun completed the parasitic and limb attachment work for the Fishman with the severed hand.

This wasn’t because he suddenly cared about the Fishman’s health, but more of a probe of the Elder Fishman’s attitude.

However, Elder Fishman Gululu did not stop the compatriot from accepting the parasitism.

In fact, all of Lin Jun’s actions since arriving, including beginning to spread the underwater fungal mat within the Tide Sanctuary, were met with a kind of tacit approval, and even cooperation from the Elder Fishman, without any sign of resistance.

Strange indeed.

Are there truly races willing to accept their own mycelium without reservation like this?

It’s important to know that even in human and Elf Society, which have formed semi-bound symbiotic relationships with mycelium, voices opposing mycelium parasitism and advocating for individual "purity" have never ceased.

Moreover, as the scale of mycelium symbiosis grows continuously, perhaps foreseeing possible future scenarios, as the number of "symbiosis faction" increases, more people are turning to the "pure faction", making these opposing voices increasingly strong.

Of course, currently, these disputes are still in the initial stage of mutual debate.

Even among those integrated tribes, there is a very small portion who stubbornly refuse to accept mycelium.

Their refusal to integrate into the Fungal Network naturally deprives them of Cold Resistance, contribution points, and various conveniences.

Lin Jun does not have the leisure to persecute these stubborn individuals, as it would be time-consuming, laborious, and detrimental to her image.

Although Lin Jun has not taken any coercive measures against them, the environment of the Fungus Castle itself does not leave much space for survival for these "pure faction".

These individuals either eventually succumb to reality and find true delight, or quietly fade into unknown corners, even in death becoming nourishment for the mycelium.

Recalling the past, whenever a group accepted mycelium, wasn’t it always through Lin Jun’s subtle or overt guidance, unseen efforts, and sacrifices that it was ultimately achieved?

Such as how the Fishmen are nearly freely offered to pick, ironically making Lin Jun a bit uncertain, only daring to proceed little by little.

...

Meanwhile, above the turbulent sea at the entrance of Tide Sanctuary.

A medium-sized sailing ship rocks with the waves, anchored in place. At the furthest point visible, an endless gray-white fog wall stands in the distance, swallowing the sea-sky boundary.

The retreat of the mist’s boundary is fixed there.

The seawater surrounding the ship is murky, interwoven with light blue and crimson hues, remnants of a fierce battle just concluded.

Snake-man Mercenaries have finally cleared the last wave of monsters attacking from the Mist Edge waters.

"Hold him down! Don’t pull out the bone spurs recklessly, it will tear open the wound!"

"Hurry! Get two more bottles of mid-level Healing Potion over here! His injuries are somewhat dangerous!"

On the ship deck, it’s a chaotic scene, snake-men are treating their injured comrades from the recent battle.

Inside the ship cabin, the atmosphere drops to freezing point.

The leader of the Snake-man Mercenary Corps, known as "Iron Jaw", throws a severed limb of a monster onto the cabin floor.

His vertical pupils contract into a thin line, coldly staring at the foxman employer:

"You didn’t mention before departure that we would be close enough to see the fog wall in the mist!"

Foxman Jiro’s pointed ears tremble slightly, showing an expression of innocence and helplessness: "How could I possibly know in advance the exact position the mist retreats to? Iron Jaw, you see, there still exists a buffer sea area, so long as we’re not terribly unlucky, technically there shouldn’t be any issues..."

He pauses, adding a conversational tone: "Of course, if you and your brothers feel the risk is too great and decide to abandon the commission now, I completely understand, and there’s no need to refund the deposit. However... if you are willing to take on this extra risk, then, besides immediately paying the remaining half of the commission upon landing, I’m willing to add a fifty percent bonus as compensation. Moreover... I will also favorably speak of Iron Jaw Mercenary Corps’ courage and professionalism in front of my friends."

Upon hearing "adding fifty percent commission", a twitch of muscle appears on Iron Jaw’s finely-scaled face, showing some hesitation.

When Jiro mentions helping to promote his mercenary corps, he is finally moved.

He is a Snake-man assimilated into the Empire during war, and this mercenary corps was newly established, needing to build fame and credibility.

This fox before him... as far as he knows, truly has connections with several key imperial nobles.

"Deal!" Iron Jaw grits his teeth, retrieving a blank parchment from his waist pouch, efficiently signing a supplementary contract with Jiro.

Before the ink dries, he turns and strides out of the cabin, hoarsely urging his men to finalize preparations before going overboard.

Once Iron Jaw leaves, Tanaka who had been watching with folded arms approaches Jiro, lowering his voice: "Hey, fox, you already needed to find a way to raise the remaining half of the commission, now you’ve added a fifty percent bonus... Who do you plan to swindle to fill this hole?"

Jiro glances at him without a direct answer, instead retracting his previous smooth expression, his gaze becoming serious: "Be careful this time, make sure to follow my strict requirements, otherwise, we might really leave our lives down there."

"Is it that dangerous?" Tanaka questions in doubt, "Doesn’t your Restraint ability simulate predictions? How could there be an accident?"

"Restraint is not omnipotent." The foxman shakes his head, unwilling to explain the details.

Tanaka lets out a lamented sigh, realizing this "exciting" lifestyle truly isn’t what he desires.