Mushroom Lord in the Underground City-Chapter 270 - 262: Waiting to Die

A free elf!

Scout Puki stretched out a little foot and gently poked the elf’s pale cheek, but there was no reaction.

Pale complexion, labored breathing, deep in a coma—it’s obviously heatstroke!

This exaggerated chest muscle, it’s truly a female elf, not some breathtakingly beautiful thing that stands and pees, causing great damage to Puki’s young heart.

But...

Puki used soft fungal threads to brush away the dirt and dried leaves on the elf’s face, revealing her complete visage.

What’s up with the elf race?

Why is this female elf’s appearance not even as good as a male elf’s?!

Though among humans she’d be top-notch, the gap between her and Sirean is as vast as the gap between her and ordinary humans!

If there were a skill called [Beauty], she could have Level 9, while Sirean would be Level 12...

Open the panel.

[Level: Level 49]

[Status: Coma, Paralysis, Poisoned (Neurotoxin)]

[Title: Friend of Animals (naturally emits a presence that makes animals feel close and at ease)]

The wound is on the leg, a very deep cut, with flesh torn open.

The bleeding has stopped, but dark purple toxin spreads around the wound.

The elf’s blood volume is less than a third, and it’s still declining; it seems she’s going to die.

But that’s not important, what matters is that a Level 49 is about to die here, could this seemingly calm forest area be hiding danger?

Yet just now, while chasing that stupid parrot all the way here, although some demon presences were sensed, none were too strong. Also, it’s unknown which direction the demon that injured this elf is in.

The title is a bit interesting, Friend of Animals?

Anyway, Lin Jun, through Scout Puki, didn’t feel any affinity towards this elf, but is Puki classified as an animal or a plant in this world? Or neither?

Lin Jun glanced at her skills; she seemed like a ranger, but still had [Natural Magic], just with low skill level.

Puki circled around the tree hole, found a relatively flat place, and plunked down.

Lin Jun didn’t plan to do anything, just helping with the body disposal after she dies was enough.

After all, Puki is just a Puki, and wouldn’t know how to detoxify or anything.

It’s not like being kind enough to carry her through a rift to the surface to find an antidote, right?

That would be a hassle later; after all, she’s just a stranger elf.

As for a finishing blow... that’s a bit too evil, no grudges or anything, just for a skill that’s not even that precious, not worth it.

Puki kept waiting, Lin Jun even got bored enough to temporarily shift attention elsewhere.

...

Dizzy, with a churning stomach, each breath took all the strength but still felt suffocating.

The eyes that could usually clearly see hundreds of meters away now saw only blurriness even up close.

The strange little tree never seen before... its silvery-gray trunk had liquid starlight-like veins flowing through.

It looked so serene, holy, as if a creation of condensed moonlight.

Unexpectedly it was poisonous, the kind that if you don’t touch it, it will come to touch you on its own, a trap.

The detoxifying balm carried was all consumed early on, but it only slightly slowed the toxin’s invasion, unable to eradicate it.

Looks like... really returning to nature, I wonder which beast will feast on her last?

Brother, noticing her delayed return, will definitely come to find her... but in this vast spirally descending forest, can he find her remains?

During a brief moment of lucidity, the elf’s thoughts began to dissipate again, like falling into a chaotic mire.

In her hazy vision, a large, white presence emerged.

"Fuzzball...?" Her voice was weak like a sigh, "Why are...you here?"

Using the last ounces of her strength, she supported herself on her elbow, dragging the completely numb lower body toward that white silhouette.

Finally, she gently rested her burning forehead against that miraculously soft "fuzzball," feeling a faint comfort.

"Did you... come looking for me on purpose?" A slight, almost imperceptible curve appeared on her pale lips, "Wonderful..."

Her consciousness drifted away like the receding tide, and just before it completely submerged, the distant howl of a wolf faintly penetrated through the tree walls into her ears.

Hope... wolves would spare the fuzzball after finishing with her...

...

This elf mumbled something to herself and then casually laid her head on Puki, how adept at finding comfort!

Anyway, considering she’s soon to return to the fungal mat, Lin Jun decided not to fuss.

The toxin was steadily taking her life, likely within half a day, Lin Jun could wait.

However, while the elf’s torn wound managed to stop bleeding, the scent of blood seeping from it spread, quickly attracting some keen-smelling uninvited guests.

After the wolf howling, scratching and rustling sounds came from the branches and leaves outside.

Soon, a sinister wolf head covered in gray-brown fur suddenly squeezed into the narrow hole, its ghostly green eyes flashed with greedy ferocity in the darkness.

[Race: Wind Wolf]

[Level: Level 28]

So there are Wind Wolves as well...

On second thought, it made sense, forests are supposed to have wolves!

In this unfamiliar depths of the Divine Wood Dungeon, meeting an "old acquaintance" felt rather comforting!

However, despite the familiarity, trying to steal what Lin Jun had guarded for half a day was simply not acceptable!

The Wind Wolf that barely stuck half its body in didn’t even have time to whine before its body was neatly cut in two, splattering blood and guts inside the tree hole.

And it’s not over, [Magic Perception] had long detected that there were over forty more outside!

Having instantly killed another Wind Wolf attempting to poke its head inside, Lin Jun was contemplating whether to let Scout Puki go outside and kill them all at once, as dealing with them one by one was too slow.

However, with another wolf’s howl, the pack surprisingly retreated.

Smart!

Lin Jun didn’t chase, as there were no Fungal Mats nearby, killing them wouldn’t yield any gains.

Shifting focus back to the elf.

Alright, alright!

On the status panel, the blood bar representing life value had dropped to a dangerously low red line, below 10%, harvest was in sight!

Seemed like another scout was needed!

One could technically carry it, but it’d be slower and more dangerous...

Lin Jun was pondering how to transport this elf when suddenly noticed that the blood bar had stopped moving.

[Status: Coma, Paralysis]

What about the poison?

Could it have worn off?!

Scout Puki tapped the elf’s face—are you dead or not, give me a sign!

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Not feeling well, will add the missing parts tomorrow (please don’t comment on this line, will delete it later)