Chapter 293: Chapter 285: Mutual Assistance

Leaving the Adventurer’s Guild, Norris was still savoring the strange taste lingering on his tongue.

Due to the substantial reward involved in the commission, they were taken to a private room, where the other party offered a drink he had never tasted before, with a fruity aroma and subtle fizz, sweet and refreshing, leaving a deep impression on him.

As a “cadre” of the Mushroom Garden, Norris never lacked Delicious mushrooms, but in the Underground City, there was really no culture around alcoholic beverages.

Norris thought of going back to buy some to share with Louisa, Xiao Hai, and his Demon Race friends, including Qiong.

But that would have to wait until their return.

Apart from the bounty, they had another mission this time…

…

In a forest near Mushroom Town that had yet to be developed.

A woman dressed in coarse linen, resembling a common peasant woman, quietly approached a small pool in the woods.

The scene around the pool was bleak, flowers and plants had decayed and blackened, trees withered and died, as if swept by a plague.

All of this was her “handiwork” from pouring an entire bottle of “Corruption Potion” into the pool yesterday.

However, there was no joy of success on the woman’s face, instead, it was filled with gloom and anxiety.

Because under that symbol of death, the withered branches and rotten leaves, the white fungal mats were still stubbornly spreading, even climbing onto the freshly dead tree trunks, drawing the last nutrients, and appearing even… more robust!

“Even the Corruption Potion doesn’t work?” she whispered in disbelief, biting her fingernail so hard it made a faint “click” sound.

In the days she had been here, she tried all six types of poison she had brought, yet the results were so poor!

Those potions that could easily destroy entire crops were almost completely ineffective against these fungal mats.

Even the Corruption Potion, which held the most hope, only caused the mycelium closest to the pool to wither.

To truly kill the fungal mat, the undiluted potion would have to be poured directly on it to be effective.

But that loss, who the hell could bear it?

The price of a bottle of Corruption Potion in her hand could buy an entire cart of mushrooms, yet it could destroy less than four square meters of mushroom field.

Clearly, the plan to poison and destroy the field was no longer possible.

“Damn it!” the woman bit her fingernail even harder.

This result could still be reported back since the resistance of the mushroom field to poison was so great, no one could have expected it, and it wasn’t really her fault.

But similarly, there would be no credit.

Yet for this mission, she had blended in with refugees and walked from a frontline city for a month and a half to get here, and she had earned no credit, she was really quite unwilling!

Suddenly, her ears twitched slightly—someone was here!

With a few steps, she hid behind a tree, suppressing her breathing to its lowest, listening intently.

Two people were approaching, not heading towards the pool, they likely hadn’t noticed her.

The two stopped at a distance, talking about something.

The distance wasn’t close; if it were an ordinary person, they might not even notice someone was speaking.

But she was different, her hearing was exceptionally sharp!

“How is it?” a slightly hoarse man’s voice rang out.

“I went all the way down to the Seventh Floor and gathered some crucial information. How about you?” the other voice sounded younger.

“This is a map of the latest mushroom fields in town and the population structure.” the hoarse voice replied.

“The usual, let’s exchange.” the younger voice suggested.

Then came the rustling sound of paper being exchanged.

“If you ask me, it’s just a bunch of broken mushrooms, what’s the big deal? Just push harder at the frontline and completely crush the humans, wouldn’t it be over?” the younger voice complained slightly.

“Shut up!” the hoarse voice suddenly became harsh, “The Emperor’s and the Twelve Pillars’ plans are not for us to speculate on. Do more work, less complaining, watch your mouth…” before the voice could finish, it suddenly rose sharply, “Who’s there?!”

Dylan and Norris turned simultaneously, weapons at their waists drawn in an instant, cold gleams pointed at the woman who slowly stood out from behind the dead tree!

“She heard us! We can’t let her get away!” Dylan whispered urgently.

Norris and Dylan shot towards her like arrows off the string. But the woman was not panicked, even a faint smile curled at the corner of her mouth.

Judging from their charging movements and speed, their strength was slightly inferior to hers. Taking on two was sure to let her escape.

Moreover, she did not plan to run.

Her arm twisted and deformed, turning into a creature’s claw.

Norris and Dylan, who had charged forward, forced to a halt.

“You could say… I’m one of us?” the woman wiggled the inhuman claw, smiling.

Norris and Dylan exchanged a glance, slowly putting down their weapons, but didn’t sheathe them, remaining on guard.

“Don’t be so tense!” The woman reverted her arm to a human form and spoke in a relaxed tone, “Well, I happen to have sharp ears and overheard something. Since we all serve the Empire, why not share some information? A bit of mutual aid would make things easier for everyone, right?”

Dylan shot her a cold look, sheathing his sword: “Information? The two of us have already exchanged what we need, no need for extras.”

“Don’t be so aloof!” The woman reached into her bosom, searching for a moment, and pulled out some oddly colored glass bottles glittering with a dangerous sheen, “No information, but surely you can’t have too much poison? Just sneak it off to sell somewhere, it’s a tidy little profit!”

“Well… that’s true.” Norris licked his lips, reaching for the bottles still warm from her body.

Rita briskly retracted her hand: “Just call me Rita, Shapeshifter. As for whom I serve… it’s inconvenient to disclose. Shouldn’t you two be a bit more upfront as well?”

The flesh color of Norris’s arm faded, revealing silver scales: “Norris, Lizardman.”

The illusion on Dylan’s face rippled like water, revealing a strangely non-human face covered with green mycelium: “Dylan.”

Rita gave Dylan, who hadn’t disclosed his race, another glance, quickly scanning her mind for a match to that appearance, several possibilities flashed by but none quite fit.

Probably some extremely rare species, withholding details to avoid exposing weaknesses?

This was no time to dwell; after confirming the basic information, Rita promptly handed over the poison.

Norris and Dylan, after confirmation, handed over their respective “information” to Rita.

“May I ask,” Rita inquired while reviewing the information, “Are you long-term or short-term?”

Dylan: “Long-term.”

Norris: “Short-term.”

Rita memorized both sets of information and returned them to the two, then turned to Dylan, a sparkle in her eye: “Perhaps we could establish a more long-term cooperative relationship?”

After a moment of silence, Dylan whispered, “In a while, a tavern called ’Puki’s House’ will open in the town.”

Dylan paused, “Next time, a few bottles of poison aren’t going to cut it, understand?”

Rita chuckled, “I get it, I get it, consider it my owing you this time.”

After a brief exchange, the three parted quickly, as if they had never met, disappearing in different directions into the dense forest.

After Rita left under the surveillance of the Fungal Mat, Dylan and Norris met up again.

“Boss,” Norris’s voice echoed through the Fungal Network, tinged with confusion, “I still don’t understand why I have to play the role of a greedy and lecherous Lizardman?”

“Do you know nothing about character building and enriching the persona? Seems you don’t!” Lin Jun scolded, exasperated.

“Boss,” Dylan also asked, “Am I to be the owner of that inn later?”

“That’s right!”

The Demon Race spy who had infiltrated a few days ago made Lin Jun aware of potential risks.

As for spies, killing them all would be too noticeable.

Leaving them unchecked risks unforeseen trouble.

Better to take the initiative to ’manage’ them.

This inspiration came from Dylan’s past experiences working with Keroro.

The Demon Race spy network is vast, but not a solid block.

They belong under different Dukes; the Emperor assigns goals to Dukes, who then assign specific spies to execute.

Theoretically, spies under different Dukes work separately. But in reality, spies in the same region often band together for survival and efficiency — sharing information, reporting individually, everyone gets to earn merit, why not?

Though there’s a risk of being exposed, overall the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

After all, accumulating enough merit allows one to be transferred back to the Empire to enjoy life; who wouldn’t want to end these tense days early?

Helping each other is undoubtedly a shortcut.

Lin Jun decided to be the initiator of this ’mutual aid organization’!

With no fear of failure, if Dylan gets exposed, the initial plan to wipe out the spies could still be executed.

On home turf, there’s nothing to fear about them causing trouble!

—————–

After taking a refreshing break, Norris returned to Mushroom Garden No. 3, carrying a large bucket of drinks.

He pondered whom to invite first to share this ’luxury’.

Arriving at his familiar Mushroom House, he reached out to pull open the gap—

“Crash—”

A few glass beads rolled out, followed by a familiar low growl from behind him.

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