In the central square of the Mushroom Fortress, beneath the giant Puchi statue stepping on a dragon horn, tables laden with fine food and wine stretched out in an unbroken line.
The fat from the roasted whole bugs sizzled as it dripped onto the charcoal fire, its aroma mingling with the scent of Mushroom Wine filling the entire square.
The dwarves, stripped to the waist, were having drinking contests with the Mushroom Fortress soldiers. Their wooden mugs clashed with clack clack sounds, and they didn't even bother to wipe the wine foam splashing onto their beards.
Someone pulled out an accordion, and several drunk dwarves began to dance to the tune, pulling the Puchis responsible for serving dishes nearby into the fray as well.
Bador even saw a drunk dwarf dazedly leave the square following a half-demon Mushroom Citizen who obviously had succubus bloodline.
He sincerely hoped that guy would still be able to straighten his back tomorrow; after all, they had to head back after today.
"Bador! Bador! Look quickly!"
A clamoring shout came from behind.
Bador turned his head and saw that dwarf who had fought to the death alongside him against Eugene previously. This guy was nearly taken out on the spot by one of Eugene's blood-drawing strikes. Normally, such an injury would require lying in bed for half a month.
But the Mushroom Fortress's medical skills were indeed formidable. It was only the third day, and he was already able to sing and dance again.
At this moment, that dwarf had symbiotic mycelium growing on his arm and was followed by two Puchis.
He took a step forward, and the Puchis bounced a step forward; he raised his hand, and the Puchis raised their tentacles; he twisted his waist, and the Puchis also spun in circles, perfectly in sync.
"Hehehe! So this is what it feels like to control Puchis; it's too interesting!" That dwarf's face glowed with excitement. He fell backward, and the two Puchis immediately caught him steadily, then curled around his wine mug and meat skewers to stuff them into his mouth.
Bador shook his head helplessly, too lazy to pay attention to this idiot.
He took a gulp of Mushroom Wine, pointed at that giant caped Puchi statue in the center of the square, and asked Xinghuo, who was sitting on the side taking small sips of wine: "Let me ask, is this statue a certain Mushroom Tribe member?"
"That's our Boss," Xinghuo answered.
"The Boss?"
Bador turned his head with some confusion. His gaze landed on the other side, on the high platform in front of the Calling Bell, where a Puchi wearing a bright red cape was currently standing.
That bright red cape was longer than the Puchi itself, trailing behind it and fluttering slightly in the wind.
It had a short wooden stick curled in its hand and was waving it back and forth rhythmically.
Following its direction, the hidden doors on the Calling Bell tower opened and closed one after another.
With every door that opened, the scream of a vampire shot out from inside.
Some were sharp, some were hoarse, and some trailed off with a long ending note.
Those screams were linked together by the rhythm of the wooden stick, high and low, rising and falling, actually forming a complete tune.
Although it didn't sound very pleasant.
But it was indeed very suitable for a victory banquet.
Bador stared at that Puchi waving the wooden stick for a long time, then looked back at that towering statue.
"If I'm not mistaken, that Puchi is..."
"That's our Boss." Xinghuo nodded.
Bador smacked his lips, swallowing the rest of his words back down along with the wine.
He imagined the scene of the Dwarven King personally performing a talent show at a banquet.
Mm, I can't imagine it.
...
The atmosphere of the victory banquet was very lively, but not everyone was this happy.
As a second-generation Mushroom Tribe member, Baroque was originally excitedly telling Torin and Glenm how he finally managed to blow up that giant bat that used infrasonic attacks on his third playthrough by memorizing the patterns.
Suddenly, he detected a trace of a downcast emotion amidst the lively and happy mycelial network.
Ever since his Mushroom Ascension, his perception ability within the mycelial network had grown even stronger.
Making an excuse to leave, Baroque followed the sensation and found the source of the downcast emotion.
It was the newly promoted second-generation Mushroom Tribe members from this war.
After simple and efficient communication, Baroque understood the situation.
These Mushroom Converts were naturally both shocked and delighted when they were just reborn as Puchis.
But at today's victory banquet, after discovering they could no longer taste the flavors of fine wine and good food, they inevitably generated a hint of confusion.
As an experienced mushroom, Baroque couldn't be clearer about this.
He smiled at the other Mushroom Converts: "This is where you guys are wrong. If you have confusion, why hide in a corner and sulk instead of asking a senior like me?"
"Baroque, do you actually have a way to taste flavors again?"
Baroque shook his mushroom cap: "No."
"Then what's there to say..." That Mushroom Convert's mushroom cap drooped even more severely.
"Although we can't taste delicious food, our Mushroom Tribe has the Mushroom Tribe's own ways of recreation!" Baroque used a tentacle to adjust the rim of his mushroom cap, straightening his round body. "How about it, want to know?"
The Mushroom Converts immediately surrounded him: "Senior!"
Thus, under the curious gazes of the banquet attendees, this group of Puchis surged mightily into the Mushroom Fortress's "Hot Spring Center."
Heading straight for the exclusive Puchi massage area.
Second-generation Mushroom Tribe, Mushroom Converts—as a newly emerged group in the Mushroom Fortress, they lacked many of the needs of ordinary people, yet possessed a massive surplus of contribution points.
Thus, without Lin Jun even needing to specially arrange it, services specifically targeting these Mushroom Converts naturally appeared.
Mushroom Converts soaked in the warm water one by one, allowing the attendants to knead them.
Sighs of comfort echoed one after another in the mycelial network.
The only slight regret was that the professional massage attendants were obviously somewhat insufficient in the face of the suddenly increased number of Mushroom Converts.
The other Mushroom Converts queuing up behind, seeing how comfortable the guys who went in first looked, could only impatiently urge them in the mycelial network to finish quickly.
"Done yet? Done yet?"
"It's only been five minutes!"
"Five minutes isn't enough? I feel like a Puchi Year has already passed!"
However, no one was still feeling down about being unable to taste food anymore.
Seeing this, Baroque nodded his mushroom cap in satisfaction, set his mind at ease, and focused on enjoying the kneading.
And then he was pinched fiercely.
The one currently responsible for kneading him was Aisha, who possessed a succubus bloodline and had now become his wife.
"You dead mushroom," Aisha's fingers were still pinching his mushroom cap, the force neither light nor heavy, just enough to make it hurt a little but not dare to dodge. "If you wanted to be kneaded, couldn't you come home? You had to come to the hot spring center?"
She leaned in closer, her voice pressed very low: "Do you think you can collect the death compensation a second time?"
Baroque's tentacles waved about wildly: "Aiya... there's... there's a reason for this... listen to me explain..."
No one noticed that the bathwater of the Mushroom Converts didn't flow into the sewers.
...
Little Pig sat in the command room in the center of the Mushroom Fortress, watching the lively scene below from afar through the window.
She didn't participate. Firstly, she had no interest.
Secondly, in order to play the vampire chorus, the Boss specifically set the victory celebration during the day. She didn't want to end up like those unlucky bastards locked in the Calling Bell, screaming miserably while being baked under the sun in front of everyone.
However, she also had her own form of entertainment.
Little Pig stood up and walked slowly to the corner, where the semi-petrified statue the Boss had just sent over was placed.
She reached out, her fingertips gently caressing the petrified cheek, looking tenderly at the statue's tear-filled, constantly flickering eyes: "My good sister, you are truly much more beautiful now..."
(End of Chapter)
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