Bro, how the hell did you manage this?
I've been mixing around for so long and never seen LV10 skills, yet on you they're like wholesale goods?
Regular bats with crystal symbiosis can only boost power by 20-30% at most, but this thing can boost by 500%?
Are you covered in S-rank magic crystals or something?
If Lin Jun still had eyes, he'd definitely need to rub them hard.
Otherwise, how could he be seeing such an outrageous status panel?
The most ridiculous part was that "Transcending Death" title.
Titles, you see, can only be obtained by meeting corresponding conditions.
Such an awesome title actually appearing on an ordinary crystallized bat...
Lin Jun called over a few more Puffshroom mushrooms.
This time he deliberately had them emerge from two different passages in sequence—the second group would come out after the first group died.
Taking advantage of the brief interval between the opponent's attacks, Lin Jun finally got a good look at its true appearance.
A massive torso over three meters long hung upside down in the center of the cave. Dark red vascular patterns were visible between the wrinkled wing membranes, and pure deep purple magic crystals were embedded at the tip of each wing bone.
They really were all S-rank magic crystals!
And so huge!
Compared to these chunks, the S-rank magic crystal Lin Jun had on hand should be called a fragment.
The crystallized bat's appearance—if it weren't for the status panel, Lin Jun would believe it if someone said this was a dragon.
However, seeing it for the first time, Lin Jun immediately thought of a problem: with this body size, could it squeeze through holes?
The cave passages here weren't like those in the deep layers, with diameters of dozens of meters.
The small passages here were mostly gnawed out by rock lizards—rough and uneven, with diameters generally not exceeding two meters.
This old bat was so large, it probably couldn't squeeze through holes, right?
Wouldn't that mean it was trapped in this cave with nowhere to go?
Perfect. At least now he didn't have to worry about it running away.
The cave still had over a hundred hallucinogenic Puffshroom scattered about. Lin Jun had them all concentrate in this direction.
They dispersed into different passages but didn't go in, instead beginning to spray hallucinogenic spores on the spot.
The old bat immediately noticed the toxic fog spreading in from various small holes. Being quite intelligent, it obviously didn't intend to sit and wait for death.
The old bat flew to a cave entrance and vigorously flapped its wings.
Even without using skills, the wind it stirred up scattered the still-sparse spores.
Then the old bat brought its mouth to the edge of the cave entrance and directly used [Infrasonic Attack LV10] into the passage.
The 9 Puffshroom in that passage had no chance—they instantly met their maker.
Then it repeated the process, attacking all the remaining passages emitting toxic fog.
When Lin Jun realized the situation was bad and wanted to retreat, it was already too late. In the end, not a single hallucinogenic Puffshroom survived.
Damn, completely wiped out...
His Puffshroom really couldn't handle this kind of unavoidable area attack.
Moreover, the cave passage environment greatly extended the range of the sonic attack. Even Lin Jun's last batch of Puffshroom, which had run quite far, were still killed in one roar.
Tsk.
Cannons couldn't be used, poison didn't work—how was he supposed to fight this?
Over a hundred Puffshroom hadn't even scratched its health.
Even though his family fortune had grown, he couldn't afford to waste resources like this.
Thinking about it, the only way to resolve this quickly was to lure high-rank adventurers here.
But if adventurers came, what would be left of the spoils for him?
At most they'd leave Lin Jun a corpse.
But the most valuable things on the old bat were those three S-rank magic crystals.
Not to mention what other secrets it might be hiding.
Of course, Lin Jun could choose to kill and rob the adventurers after they came out.
But setting aside whether he could handle them, even if it was foolproof, this would violate Lin Jun's principles.
So rather than calling humans over, it was better to shelve this for now.
Anyway, with the old bat's size, it couldn't escape this cave.
While things weren't going smoothly at the cave, establishing rules with the adventurers was progressing well.
After that team of young people left, several more teams came to buy intelligence.
Most completed their transactions very properly. Only one team was dishonest.
After blowing up a thief and dragging away a healer, the remaining two ran off.
Running was fine—once word spread, no one else would be foolish enough to come looking for trouble.
It's just that the cave had expanded again somewhat. Lin Jun was a bit worried that after a few more incidents like this, the rock wall would collapse...
---
"Boss, I'm back!"
As soon as Dylan connected to the mycelial network, he greeted Lin Jun. This middle-aged veteran always had a knack for the details.
After reaching the fifth floor, Dylan was like he'd come home. He didn't even keep his hand on his weapon, swaggering toward the forest camp.
When he saw Puffshroom along the way, he'd wave at them. He didn't care whether the Puffshroom would respond, looking quite cheerful.
As he walked, he reported on the mission to Lin Jun:
"Boss, I sold 9 copies of the strategy guide. Have adventurers come by already?"
"Yes, the plan is... going relatively smoothly."
"That's good. Oh, Boss, here's the money from the sales. I only used a small portion for lodging..."
Dylan pulled out a pouch of coins from his clothes and was about to continue reporting expenses, but Lin Jun directly refused:
"Keep the money for yourself. Also, you did well this time. I've prepared some equipment and bonus for you in the tent."
Although wages had been paid in advance, when subordinates performed well, Lin Jun would naturally provide extra rewards. This was the only way to ensure work enthusiasm.
"Hehe, thanks Boss!"
Dylan suddenly felt that having a demon beast boss who didn't care about money seemed even better than he'd imagined.
Here he had room and board provided plus wages—making money faster than being an adventurer, and much safer too.
While he normally didn't need much money in the dungeon, he could save it up and send it to his daughter!
Dylan happily tucked away the money pouch, then remembered something:
"Oh, Boss, I'd like to replenish some nutrition first."
"You know where the coffin board is. It's available 24/7. Just go yourself—you don't need to ask permission for this."
Dylan's eye twitched. So the boss also thought it was a coffin board...
But seeing that Lin Jun hadn't grasped his meaning, Dylan had to continue:
"Boss, I mean... I want that kind of nutrition from last time..."
Ah?
Nutrition was just nutrition. What "from last time"...
Oh this...
Lin Jun specifically opened his skill panel to check—there was no addiction property...
Come on, little bro, what's wrong with you?
...
In the end, Lin Jun still prepared the special nutrition for Dylan.
How could he refuse such a request from someone who'd just returned from a business trip?
But watching Dylan lying there with a blissful expression, Lin Jun was quite speechless.
Was this guy going to walk the path of corruption like this?
He now had the illusion that he was Dongfang Bubai, controlling subordinates with Three Corpses Brain Pill...
No, no, no. This was a legitimate mushroom garden. This was just like having a little nightcap before bed.
Exactly!
---
Yafeng Town Adventurers' Guild Branch.
A report from the guild's intelligence analysis department lay on Branch President Oberon's desk.
The report was titled "Analysis of Fifth Floor Anomalies and Prediction of Subsequent Impact."
Oberon sipped his fruit wine and read through the report from beginning to end, then called in the head of the Mission Management Department.
"Take a look at this report.
After reading it, issue an official guild mission for a comprehensive investigation of fifth floor Puffshroom, especially within the swamp interior.
Set the mission level as... A-rank."
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