Chapter 764 - 751: Going Home for a Visit
Chapter 764: Chapter 751: Going Home for a Visit
Puki’s House.
The owner Dylan is out sourcing those highly sought-after elf potions, leaving Bianca alone to watch the shop, and she’s so busy her feet barely touch the ground.
Ever since summer began, Puki’s House has had booming business.
Even though it’s not evening yet, and the sun is blazing, the place is already bustling with drinkers.
This is because at Puki’s House, even the most ordinary mushroom wine comes with a glass full of free ice cubes.
Chilled beer in summer has always been a luxury enjoyed by those with money.
A place offering such service is either equipped with a water mage or the owner has purchased some precious magic item. Considering the usage intervals, ice cubes might still be available in limited quantities and time.
As for why Puki’s House offers free ice cubes, it’s no secret.
That owner Dylan had a stroke of luck and drew a rare ice-type Puki from the Underground City, which he now keeps in the kitchen making ice.
As a result, during the hottest afternoons, people flock to Puki’s House to drink, even more so than specialized taverns, until night falls and the crowds disperse.
A slightly drunk customer raised his empty glass and shouted towards the kitchen: "Small Boss! Two more delicious mushroom wines! Fill them with ice!"
"Okay!" The girl’s response was loud and clear.
Soon, a Puki dressed in a maid outfit scampered over the Puki-dedicated pathways above the customers’ heads, extended its tentacles, and delivered two glasses of mushroom wine to the table.
No one present found this scene strange.
Some Puki Masters can control Puki to complete certain tasks without direct supervision, of course, only within familiar territory.
After gulping down a large mouthful of cold mushroom wine, the customer finally set the glass down and looked at his companion across the table.
"Sam, why did you suddenly come to Mushroom City? Did your captain kick you off the ship for causing trouble?"
"No... well, sort of." Sam shrugged, reluctantly curling his lips, "The ship’s been requisitioned by the Kingdom and they have their own sailors, they don’t need me. What about you? Not working during the day, just here drinking?"
"Me? I’m not one of those stuck at a workstation unable to move." Gavin grinned widely, "Work a few days, drink a few days, fair and square."
The two laughed heartily, not showing the slightest sign of anxiety due to unemployment.
After all, nowadays living in the United Kingdom, how bad can things really get?
At worst, they could live in a free Mushroom House outside the city, eat mushroom porridge without paying, who would starve or freeze to death?
After a few rounds of drinking, Sam suddenly lowered his voice and leaned in.
"Actually... I came to Mushroom City intending to accept mycelium symbiosis." His gaze swept over the chaotic mycelium patterns on Gavin’s face, "Mushroom Network’s been recruiting Puki Masters like crazy. However..."
He paused, his voice even lower.
"Yesterday I heard someone in the square saying that mycelium controls thoughts. The news supposedly came from the Mountains and is very true." He looked up at his old friend across the table, "Gavin, you symbiosed early, tell me the truth, is it real?"
"Thought control?" Gavin made a face that suggested disbelief.
Before Gavin could continue speaking, a young shopkeeper with butterfly-patterned mycelium on her face pulled a playful grimace at Sam: "I’m being controlled by thoughts, that’s why I serve drinks and wash dishes here every day, truly terrifying~"
"Hahahahahaha!" The surrounding drinkers burst into laughter.
Sam felt a bit embarrassed from the laughter, while Gavin laughed and patted his shoulder.
"They say mycelium can control thoughts, and some say if you believe in the Mushroom Worship Sect’s Mushroom Lord, you can turn into a Puki after death." Gavin raised his glass for another gulp, "Brother, don’t believe everything, mycelium is just a tool for connecting and controlling Puki, nothing more."
What Gavin said is also the common understanding among most Puki Masters.
Bianca swiftly cleared the empty cups off the table and returned to the kitchen, followed by the maid-dressed Puki stepping daintily.
No one noticed under the counter not far away, among the "Puki left by Dylan," one tentacle discretely reached towards Bianca and was quickly stopped by another Puki.
In the Fungal Network.
"Evan, what are you doing? Haven’t I told you that you can only watch from afar, can’t stir up any commotion?"
"I’m... sorry." The Puki that had just extended its tentacle lowered its mushroom cap, "It’s just... Bianca’s grown so much..."
The other Puki saw Evan’s deflated mushroom cap, somewhat understanding his feelings: "Well, I also understand those family feelings outside the Fungus Castle among the Mushroom Transformers. If I were separated from my family, I might be more anxious than you. But even if you don’t consider those who brought you here, you should consider the Mushroom Lord. Rebirth itself is a gift from the Mushroom Lord, we shouldn’t betray the trust of the Mushroom Lord and cause troubles, right?"
"Sorry, I just got carried away... I won’t do it again... Please, let me stay through the day, don’t send me back now." Evan pleaded.
The other Mushroom Transformer, seeing this, softened up a bit and agreed.
...
Night, in the Mushroom Garden.
A Mushroom Transformer waved its tentacles in greeting as Evan approached: "Evan, where did you go today? I have to tell you, you missed today’s Puki hot spring team-building, it was such a loss! After everyone got a massage, we pooled our contribution points from bug hunting and bought an exquisite mushroom, it was really..."
Just as he spoke excitedly, Evan merely trudged along, his mushroom cap drooping forlornly.
"Uh... what’s up with him?" The Mushroom Transformer turned to ask Evan’s companion.
"Sigh," the companion shook their mushroom cap, the tone full of helplessness, "His wife thought he died in battle, remarried, and now his daughter belongs to someone else. He just watched an old man take his place, a happy family of three enjoyed their dinner together, that’s what happened."
"Ah... this..." The Mushroom Transformer was momentarily at a loss for words.
Such situations aren’t rare among the Mushroom Transformer community.
Most cases involve those rescued from the Empire’s clutches as mushroom transformer slaves.
To put it frankly, Evan is somewhat lucky.
Some former slave’s families might no longer be around for various reasons.
The two fell silent for a moment, tacitly bypassing this heavy topic, and began discussing the taste of today’s exquisite mushroom instead.
...
Meanwhile, on the United Kingdom’s West Coast.
Heroic Sophia has braved numerous obstacles, finally stepping onto the United Kingdom’s land for the first time, bringing some truly shocking news for the leaders of the Kingdom.