Following the signal, Lin Jun spotted the figure riding uneasily on horseback. A certain green mushroom tilted his cap in doubt—who was this?
Uncertain, he pulled up her panel.
[Name: Inanna St. Clair]
[Level: 33]
Oh! Wasn’t this the Pink Puji?
Wearing clothes—no, transformed into human form—no wonder he hadn’t recognized her!
But wait, why was she still connected to the Mycelium Network?
That shouldn’t be possible. Without [Fusion Parasite], mycelium couldn’t take root in a human body.
Was it because she had once transformed into a Puji?
But she had turned back into human form… did traces of mycelium still remain inside her?Whatever the reason, it was a good thing!
Lin Jun had planned to use Aedin as an intermediary to pass messages, later finding a way to converse through a voice-Puji. Now all that trouble could be skipped.
Still, no need to rush. Since the Pink Puji was here, it meant this party must be…
[Name: Elvien Slyne]
[Level: 70]
[Skills: Extreme Sword, Qi Sense LV10, Flowing Step LV10, Moon Step LV10, Evasion LV10, Acceleration LV10…]
[Permanent States: Bathed in Dragon Blood (All Attributes +10%), Sword Heart (Counters mental damage), Dragon Crystal Elixir (High all-around resistances), Tear of the Mermaid King (Spirit +5, marked as enemy by Sea Folk)…]
[Titles:
Sword Saint (Sword damage +100%)
Slayer of Demons (Damage vs. demons +10%)
Dragonslayer (Immune to Dragon Fear)
Master Teacher (Increased chance to trigger student insights)]
So the Sword Saint was in the party!
Wow!
Looking closely, his panel was absurd. Rows of blinding LV10 skills, stacked permanent buffs, and brutally simple yet powerful titles like doubled sword damage.
Also… Dragonslayer? Dragon Crystal Elixir?
Inanna carried such a potion as well. Considering her father was also a LV70 powerhouse, had they slain a dragon together, stripped it down, and brewed medicine?
Lin Jun instinctively glanced at Gray, rolling happily in her glittering hoard.
Maybe one of her aunts or uncles had fallen victim…
But curiously, aside from that mysterious [Extreme Sword], he didn’t see other sword skills listed. He couldn’t yet interpret its meaning.
The party included many others, mostly mages. The highest level was a 57-year-old man named Gug, likely the “expert” they had mentioned.
It seemed Lin Jun’s best-case plan—securing the Dungeon Core before the “expert team” arrived—was now impossible.
He hadn’t even found the core’s shadow yet.
So, second-best: if humans really could repair the core, that would work too.
After all, their goals didn’t conflict.
And perhaps, through them, he could learn where exactly the core was.
——
When the “expert team” arrived in Yafeng Town, their lodging was naturally the Adventurers’ Guild.
As soon as they entered, Guildmaster Fahl and several core members hurried forward.
His face bore the perfect balance of respect and relief. He bowed slightly: “Welcome to Yafeng Town! Lord Sword Saint, Master Gug, Lady Inanna—thank you for coming to our aid in this crisis!”
Inanna responded with flawless noble etiquette.
But as she raised her eyes, they lingered for several seconds on a certain illusionist behind Fahl.
Though it was their first meeting, she guessed this must be Aedin.
She could feel the Mycelium Network within him.
“So… he also transformed into a Puji and linked to the network?” Inanna wondered.
Across from her, Aedin was equally startled as his gaze landed on her.
“The duke’s daughter… parasitized by boss too?!” Even though he had suspected it, seeing it firsthand shook him to the core.
And somehow, he couldn’t detect a trace of illusion or disguise—not even as a master illusionist.
Their eyes met. They pretended familiarity, exchanging friendly greetings.
Nearby, Sword Saint Elvien merely raised his hand in casual acknowledgment.
“Master…” Fifteen hurried forward, voice filled with respect and nervousness.
Elvien gave him a sidelong glance. “Hm? Who are you? I don’t recall ever teaching a disciple weak enough to be beaten by Pujis.”
Fifteen’s smile froze, his face burning with awkwardness.
The elderly Gug, clad in ornate mage robes, stood expressionless, voice flat as stone: “Guildmaster Fahl, there’s no need for ceremony. Maintaining Dungeon stability is our duty. Please provide the most detailed reports immediately.”
“Of course! Rooms and hot water are ready. Rest first, I’ll have the reports delivered shortly,” Fahl replied quickly, lowering himself humbly as he led the way.
——
In her private room, Inanna immediately retrieved a delicate artifact: the “Veil of Obscurement.”
She hung it on the wall, infused mana, and ripples spread outward, sealing the room from all sound and presence.
Only then did she relax, bathing in hot water to wash away her journey’s dust.
Wrapped in a towel, she stepped barefoot onto the soft bed. Without dressing, she raised her staff solemnly.
“Transform!”
The towel and staff slipped onto the sheets with a soft plop. A flash of light—and Inanna vanished. In her place stood a plump, rosy Pink Puji.
The reason she hadn’t worn clothes was simple—her current transformation spell couldn’t shift garments along with her body. That was a sixth-circle mage’s trick; she had only just entered the fifth.
“Boss!” Prepared at last, Inanna called eagerly into the network.
Silence.
“Hello? Boss, are you there?” The Pink Puji tilted her cap in confusion.
Focusing her senses, she realized—she was disconnected!
Why?
The Veil of Obscurement!
She finally realized the problem—her artifact worked too well, blocking even the Mycelium Network!
The small Puji scrambled down from the bed, hopping up to try reaching the artifact with her cap.
But she was too short. Even leaping until she shook pink spores loose, she couldn’t touch it.
She dragged a stool under the wall and barely brushed it—but the Veil clung like it was fused to stone.
Her soft mushroom cap couldn’t pull it off.
The only way was to turn human again. But Inanna refused to cancel her transformation manually—she could only wait for the spell to time out!
“Uwaaaah! I’m such an idiot!”
On the white bedsheets, a sad Pink Puji flopped and twisted in despair.