Far north, Mycelium Puchi Fortress, inside a tunnel under excavation.
Dwarves Thorin and Glenm, alongside lizardman Baroque, stood side by side in front of a massive, snow-white plump recluse Puchi’s rear.
The Puchi’s entire body was wedged in the tunnel; only its two stubby, chubby legs stuck out in front of the trio.
“Ready!”
At Glenm’s call, all three pressed their shoulders against the Puchi’s butt.
“One two… push!”
With the grinding “whirr” of rock being pulverized, the three shoved forward five meters in one go. Lizardman Baroque was first to collapse, tumbling to the ground.
The Puchi still looked stuck, but it was actually a plump recluse burrowing variant. The entire tunnel had been dug by it.
The reason for such large tunnels was mainly to allow underground evacuation of city residents in emergencies.
Tunnels like this; Thorin and company knew of over a dozen, and the real number was surely higher.
The only issue: normal burrowing Puchis moved by kicking the walls with short legs. Scaled up to plump recluse size, that changed.
Though its short legs could still barely touch the walls, the force they provided was negligible against its massive weight.
In short, a plump recluse burrowing Puchi couldn’t move underground on its own.
Thus, they reverted to primitive methods: manual pushing.
Of course, “primitive” only in name. They just kept pushing the Puchi forward, occasionally checking direction. Far faster than pickaxe digging.
They had volunteered for this job. Though exhausting, contribution points were awarded by distance advanced. Dwarven physiques made this the most lucrative work for Thorin and Glenm.
Baroque had tagged along as a friend they had unexpectedly made recently.
They were often assigned together and had grown close. Before this, Thorin and Glenm would never have imagined having demon friends.
Pushing a plump recluse burrowing Puchi was a standard three-man task; he came to earn some points.
Baroque was grateful and worked hard.
Unfortunately, racial strength differences were real; he was worth about half a dwarf.
Plus, though the burrowing Puchi concentrated heat at its head, the tunnel was still stiflingly hot.
Only dwarves could endure long shifts in such conditions.
Leaning against the still-warm rock wall, Baroque took on breakfast for the two dwarves.
When the three finished recording progress, handed off to another group, and climbed out, it was just before dawn: moon about to set, sun not yet risen.
Mycelium Puchi Fortress had multiple mess halls, but the one near Call Gate was the captives’ favorite at dawn.
When the three arrived, it was nearly full.
Not because the food was best, but because only here could you hear songs absent from other halls.
The three sat. Each got a plate of mushroom-fried bacon with delicious mushroom juice. They didn’t dig in but raised wooden mugs like everyone else, waiting.
“OW OW OW OW OW OW—!!!”
As the moon fully set and the sun rose in the east, a long-lasting wail rose from outside the gate; the daily sunrise-resistance training of a certain green-skinned vampire.
“To the Empire’s bloodsucking bastards! Hahaha!”
Common, demon tongue, and mycelial network voices mixed. Everyone laughed and began breakfast.
Most captive laborers now were northern tribesmen and purchased slaves of various races, each with their own allegiances, prejudices, and conflicts.
But one thing united them: everyone hated the Empire.
The wail of an imperial vampire noble was the perfect breakfast accompaniment. After a night’s rest, his dawn screams were the loudest, making this mess hall irresistibly popular.
“I wonder how Goldflame Fortress is doing,” Thorin suddenly said.
Glenm finished his mushroom juice. “How else? Took heavy losses. Look at the destruction inside. I bet they won’t recover production for half a year.”
The two didn’t know Goldflame had fallen. The far north got no news from there. They still assumed the dwarves had regained control of the elemental dungeon.
“Really want to redeem myself soon…” Thorin murmured.
“Soon. At current pace, another four months or so.”
Recently, the former half-demon chief had earned enough points and become the first to redeem freedom.
But he hadn’t left; he picked a nice house near the city center and stayed.
Someone succeeding clearly motivated others. Lately everyone worked twice as hard.
Most, like the ex-chief, planned to stay.
Leaving meant nowhere to go. The Empire was still at war with the kingdom; the far north seemed safer.
Thorin and Glenm, wanting to return home, were the minority.
Suddenly, lizardman Baroque set down his half-finished mushroom juice and stood.
Not just him; many half-demons and lizardmen in the hall dropped their food and rushed out.
“What happened?” Thorin asked quickly.
“No idea, but the officer issued emergency assembly!” Baroque said and bolted.
…
Mushroom Garden No. 3.
Lin Jun watched Little Black sprawled half-outside the mushroom house, tongue lolling, drooling, snoring away.
A Puchi kicked her twice; no response.
Not hallucinatory spores this time, but the new skill.
After decomposing the pigfolk leader moved to Goldvalley City, Lin Jun had gained [Bloodline Enhancement LV2].
The half-demon ex-chief had it too, but he was one of his own now; Lin Jun couldn’t just kill him for a new skill.
After acquiring it, Lin Jun tested on a Puchi first: could shake out more spores…
Utterly useless!
Clearly because Puchis had no bloodline.
His subordinates had plenty of suitable candidates, mainly half-demons.
But for bloodline value, who could compare to Little Black’s ancient dragon blood?
Yet after spending massive mana installing it on Little Black, her first use left her like this; no waking her.
Hope he hadn’t broken her…
While Lin Jun considered using [Mental Guidance] to check her dream-state mind, something demanded priority: the tribes he was monitoring had begun mobilizing!
After syncing the view with Little Pig, she immediately sent assembly orders through the network.
From above, Mycelium Puchi Fortress would show an ocean of Puchis converging from all over the city, surging toward the external rally point.
(End of Chapter)
