Mushroom Lord in the Underground City-Chapter 334 - 326: Ark Oath

Tree City, on the edge of Ishildorin.

Seldan, the Elf Mage who once killed Scout Puki with a lightning strike, walked over an old, decaying wooden bridge and entered an abandoned wooden house.

A wall made of interwoven branches silently slid open to reveal an entrance. Seldan slipped inside and descended a spiral staircase inside the giant tree, eventually pushing open a stone door disguised as a rock wall to enter the familiar hidden chamber.

The Great Tutor and other core members were already waiting inside, their voices and faces indistinct.

As soon as Seldan entered, he asked, "The Forest Patrol Rangers have been watching closely recently. Being summoned in such a hurry now... it’s not likely to be good news, is it?"

An Elf closest to him silently pointed his chin toward the stone platform in the center of the chamber.

Seldan looked in that direction and saw a crystal, transparent as ice, flickering with a faint light.

He recognized it as a simpler, one-way receiving device than a Communication Crystal, only flickering like that when the corresponding tool on the other side was crushed, continuing until its built-in magic power was completely exhausted.

"What does this mean?" Seldan asked with a frown.

"It means the first phase is proceeding smoothly," another Elf replied in a low voice.

But Seldan knew well that if everything was truly going smoothly, there was no need to use such a consumable Signal Crystal—reporting back in person would suffice.

"Who went to execute the confirmation mission?" Seldan probed further, a sense of unease blooming in his heart.

"It was Peragel."

Seldan’s pupils contracted sharply. The fact that Peragel was absent was telling enough.

"Why wasn’t I informed about this?!" he nearly bellowed in question, his voice a turbulent growl.

"It was Peragel’s specific request not to inform you," came the response. "He said if you knew, you’d insist on going with him."

"So he ditched me and went in alone?!" Seldan trembled with anger, abruptly spinning around to dash outside.

"Where are you going?" The Elf beside him grabbed hold of him.

"Where else? To the Underground City to rescue that self-righteous fool!"

"Seldan, don’t do anything reckless." The previously silent Great Tutor finally spoke, his voice not loud but reaching everyone’s ears clearly, "If there’s no danger, Peragel can return by himself. If even he can’t handle it... you’d only be throwing your life away by going."

"Are we just supposed to abandon him then?!" Seldan’s fists tightened, his knuckles blanching with the force, "He did this for ’the Ark Oath!’"

"Precisely because of that!" The Great Tutor’s eyes gleamed with a shared, heavy sorrow, "Our mission now is to ensure his sacrifice doesn’t lose its meaning."

The Great Tutor then summoned an Elf, instructing her to immediately monitor the movements from the direction of the Underground City, closely observing any recent unusual activities of those coming in and out.

He surveyed the room, everyone feeling the decisiveness in his gaze: "All of you, know that sacrifices are inevitable. The plan is of utmost priority, even if someday it requires sacrificing myself."

The Great Tutor patted Seldan on the shoulder before shifting the topic to the latest Surveillance Array.

El Dan clenched his fists for a long time, his chest heaving as it slowly calmed, suppressing all anxiety and indignation, silently praying for Peragel.

-----------------

"For the Ark Oath!"

In the chamber, the shadow-veiled Elves chanted in unison as if engaged in some solemn ceremony.

Afterward, all of them turned simultaneously, their gaze fixing on the only silent figure—Peragel.

"Why aren’t you speaking?" A voice questioned.

Peragel remained unmoved: "You are... not my companions."

"Peragel, what nonsense are you spouting?" The surrounding Elves stepped aside, revealing the figure of the "Great Tutor," who was always clad in a veiled hood at the back.

"You’re not the Great Tutor either." Peragel abruptly stepped forward and tore off the veil!

What lay beneath was no face—it was a green mushroom cap.

Lin Jun: "..."

Seriously, we scarcely began the formal conversation, how did he see through it already?!

Ever since successfully infiltrating dreams and extracting the key information of "the Ark Oath" and "the Great Tutor" initially, nearly all subsequent attempts at mental infiltration have failed.

Even now, after expending great effort controlling every "NPC" in the dream, Peragel remains impenetrable, without yielding a bit of information.

Is this guy’s mental defense made of iron?!

...

In the dungeon, Peragel slowly regained consciousness. His body was largely covered by white mycelium by now, evidently parasitized.

He glanced disdainfully at Louisa and the few Puki guards, spitting in contempt: "Despicable Demon Race! And those incompetent Forest Patrol!"

Evidently, putting Lizardmen, Half-demons, and Vampires together, Peragel had misjudged Lin Jun as part of an external Demon Race force infiltrating the Underground City.

"Peragel, explain why your group is spreading ’Frenzy’?" Scout Puki inquired.

Before Peragel could respond, Little Pig nearby instinctively trembled.

Seeing the Elf tightly shutting his lips, refusing to speak, a pallid mushroom suddenly erupted from his chest!

"Ugh!" He groaned as pain struck, yet showed no signs of pleading, his eyes glinting with even fiercer determination: "You Demon Race won’t get a thing from me!"

He abruptly bit down hard, a faint "crack" echoing from his mouth. Little Pig reacted promptly, lunging forward to force his jaw open: "He hid poison in his mouth!"

Damn! It’s the first I’ve seen someone attempt suicide!

What is this, making me look like some irredeemable villain while you become a hero facing gallant death for spreading frenzy?!

"Hold him on the fungal mat!" Lin Jun ordered immediately.

Without hesitation, Little Pig pinned the already black-blood-spitting, weakened Peragel onto the squirming fungal mat.

The fungal mat connected with his body’s mycelium, massive magic power surged, rapidly transforming into Skills!

[Poison Resistance Level 8]

Moreover, a Puki quickly fetched the Antitoxic Potion and Healing Potion. Without hesitation, they pried his mouth open and poured the liquid in.

Want to die?

Dream on!

Meanwhile, watching the Elf’s health gradually stabilize, Lin Jun afforded him no second chance.

Hallucinogenic Spores rapidly filled the cell, and Peragel soon plunged into a deep coma in the heavy spore cloud. (Next Chapter in 10 minutes)