Mushroom Lord in the Underground City

Chapter 607 - 597: Airdrop

Northern Border of the Empire, the city where Tanaka and Jiro met for the first time, Cold Bay Castle.

The city walls here are built from Northland’s unique gray iron rock, honed by the cold winds throughout the years, rough and sturdy on the surface, dyed with a layer of frost white.

The waterway winding through part of the city has long since frozen over, reflecting cold light under the sun.

A young soldier of the Demon Race tightened the somewhat thin standardized cloak, tentatively stretching out a foot covered in scale armor, testing the edge of the ice.

Crack—

A faint yet clear cracking sound echoed, the ice sank a little, but did not shatter.

He withdrew his foot, exhaling a long plume of white breath from beneath the bone armor covering his face:

"It’s finally a bit warmer. I really thought I was going to freeze to death in this damned place. That wind those days, it cut through the gaps in the scales like knives slicing meat."

Another soldier, older with curved horns on his forehead, leaned against the stone wall opposite, merely tugging at the corner of his mouth in response.

His gaze swept over the eerily quiet streets, most houses on both sides had doors and windows tightly closed, some even damaged and collapsed, half-buried by snow.

"So what if it warms up? Look around, in this Cold Bay Castle, besides us unlucky ones tied by military orders, unable to leave even if we wanted, how many are left who can still breathe?"

"Anyone with agile legs and a bit of connection would have long since run away! To the south, inland, wherever it is better than staying here drinking the northwest wind. Even if it warms up now, who dares to come back? Not afraid to freeze into an ice sculpture while sleeping one day? People’s hearts have scattered, this place, just like the ice, appears intact but is empty underneath."

The young soldier still harbors a glimmer of hope: "Previously... wasn’t there talk of some activity from above? Duke Eugene seems to want to take advantage of this warming, and together with Duke Dean from the other side of the Demon Race, investigate the origins of this severe cold? With two northern dukes joining forces, what can’t be resolved?"

The older soldier was about to say something else,

Thud—!

A dull sound, as if wet mud had been thrown onto hard ground, came from nearby, sounding especially abrupt within this empty city, where only the wind and their idle chatter could be heard.

Both instantly fell silent, muscles tensed, almost simultaneously reaching for the weapons at their waists.

They exchanged a glance, cautiously moving towards the direction of the sound.

Finally, at a corner, they found a patch of white mycelium, splattered in a shape as if it had fallen directly from a great height.

The two Demon Race soldiers looked up to the sky, but saw not even a silhouette of a bird.

...

Magic Storage Puki No. 6 detached! Long-distance airdrop sequence, continue forward!

In the extremely high airspace impervious to conventional detection methods, five Puki with small bat wings struggled to flap their way across the sky.

Unless one possessed the extraordinary vision of Sofia, it was nearly impossible to distinguish them against the vast clouds and sky background.

The wind was strong here, and the Puki had to flap their wings with all their might, relying on magic assistance just to maintain a certain speed forward.

They were tightly entwined with mycelium tendrils, forming a peculiar airborne lineup, resembling a flying centipede.

Except for the lead Knight Puki, all the ones trailing behind were Magic Energy Puki filled with Magic Power, providing continuous energy support for this long cross-border journey.

Whenever a Magic Storage Puki exhausted its energy, it would voluntarily disconnect, falling downward, while subsequent companions continued the relay to supply magic power.

After all, it’s crucial to deploy the Yellow-covered Book into the Empire’s interior, the journey is long.

Lin Jun ultimately gave the Yellow-covered Book this chance, whether to secretly set up that large-scale magic array concerning the transfer of abandoned space coordinates within the Empire, or to create sufficient chaos to distract the Empire’s attention, buying precious time for Fungus Castle—both were necessary actions.

And under Lin Jun’s command, the one capable of completing these tasks on short notice was almost exclusively the Yellow-covered Book.

In exchange, Lin Jun promised the Yellow-covered Book that if the mission was completed successfully and returned safely, he would officially begin research on how to create a soul truly belonging to it.

But since the operation was within the Empire’s interior, the risk is enormous.

Although due to the previous Rift Transfer Great Method, Eleanor temporarily put her search for the Holy Scripture on hold, now busy with emotional exchanges with Thirteen, dealing with Chis in the sea, no one can assert when she might refocus her attention back.

By then, it’s likely that the Yellow-covered Book will find it challenging to remain hidden within the Empire’s interior.

More importantly, Lin Jun cannot fully trust the Yellow-covered Book.

Therefore, whether the Yellow-covered Book acts on its own accord or is inadvertently captured by the Empire’s forces, Lin Jun will choose to crush its core immediately, ensuring Mushroom Garden’s various intelligence is not leaked.

This, the Yellow-covered Book is also well aware of, yet it seems determined to stake it all on this gamble.

Having spent so long with the Puki, it knows a thing or two about the doomsday matter.

No one can predict where the world will end, but before all that may come, the Yellow-covered Book desires that long-dreamed soul that allows it to truly "exist!"

...

Magic Storage Puki No. 1 detached!

Arrived at the designated area, deploying Yellow-covered Book!

Below, a sizable caravan is slowly advancing along this forested road.

"Finally almost there... Once we deliver this batch of treasures to the Giant Beast Bone Field, I must take a good rest for ten days or half a month! This journey, with all these precious items, I haven’t had a decent sleep!"

A guardian demon with weathered face and curved horns on his forehead complained, yet the smile on his face could hardly be concealed.

The cargo they were escorting was the most sought-after luxury in the Empire’s interior, Blood Jade Wine from the Southern Scarlet Tower!

Transported from the southernmost production site in the Empire, crossing almost half of the Empire to reach this Giant Beast Bone Field, its value multiplies several times over.

Despite the caravan being equipped with nearly a hundred armed guards, seemingly having many to share the profits with, as long as the delivery is smooth, each demon could earn a hefty commission, enough for indulging in pleasures for quite a while.

Thinking of the impending benefits, the guardian demon grinned, forcefully patting the shoulder of a young coworker: "Hey! Krumah, what are you spacing out for? Kid, your luck is unbelievable! With a good elder brother leading the way, your first trade run and you land a juicy deal like this! Know how much you’ll get out of this? Enough to save for ten years back in your home mountain nest!"

He leaned closer, lowered his voice with a mischievous smile: "Wanna see around after the payday? I’m well-acquainted with a place at the Bone Field, a shop run by enchanting demons, oh the taste...!"

The young demon named Krumah withdrew his gaze from a certain spot in the sky, somewhat distractedly responding: "Sorry, I’ll talk about that later, I just glimpsed something falling over there, let me take a quick look and I’ll be back, could you inform my brother?"

Without waiting for a reply, Krumah turned skillfully, his agile figure quickly disappearing into the dense and dark forest beside the road.

"Tch, pretentious kid," the abandoned old mercenary muttered under his breath, "If it wasn’t for your brother, who’d bother with you, newcomer..."

In the dim forest light, Krumah navigated based on his memory.

Suddenly, he halted.

"Book?" Krumah’s heart skipped a beat, he quickly approached and picked it up with care.

In the Empire, ordinary demons recorded on coarse grass paper, and the slightly better ones use leather scrolls. However, a bound book even with a delicate cover often appears only in the studies of wealthy merchants or noble lords, a symbol of knowledge and status.

This was undeniably a valuable unexpected find!

However, the anticipation quickly fell flat.

The book contained merely a few pages, and apart from the initial page’s edges adorned with fine golden trims, there was no content whatsoever.

While the book itself might sell for some money, compared to those containing secret tales, spells, or craftsmanship knowledge, its value undoubtedly diminishes.

He sighed, feeling he might have gotten greedy, after all, this was just a surprise find.

"I’ll take it back for my brother to see..."

As the pages were about to close, his peripheral vision inadvertently caught sight of something materializing on what was once a blank page.

Where there was once emptiness, a line of text now emerged:

[Young man, if I were you, I wouldn’t choose to return right now]